Acts 5:41

5:34-42 The Lord still has all hearts in his hands, and sometimes directs the prudence of the worldly wise, so as to restrain the persecutors. Common sense tells us to be cautious, while experience and observation show that the success of frauds in matters of religion has been very short. Reproach for Christ is true preferment, as it makes us conformable to his pattern, and serviceable to his interest. They rejoiced in it. If we suffer ill for doing well, provided we suffer it well, and as we should, we ought to rejoice in that grace which enabled us so to do. The apostles did not preach themselves, but Christ. This was the preaching that most offended the priests. But it ought to be the constant business of gospel ministers to preach Christ: Christ, and him crucified; Christ, and him glorified; nothing beside this, but what has reference to it. And whatever is our station or rank in life, we should seek to make Him known, and to glorify his name.

They were counted worthy to suffer shame (κατηξιώθησαν ἀτιμασθῆναι) This is an instance of what rhetoricians style an oxymoron, from ὀξύς, sharp, and μωρός, foolish; a pointedly foolish saying, which is witty or impressive through sheer contradiction or paradox, as laborious idleness, sublime indifference. In this case the apostles are described as dignified by indignity.

Acts 5:41 . And they departed from the presence of the council — As soon as they were dismissed, not in the least terrified by the cruel usage they had met with, nor by the threatenings of their adversaries. See the power of the grace of God! These are the men who forsook Christ when the soldiers came to apprehend him, not daring to be seen in his company: yet now they profess his name, and abide by their profession, though they are derided and beaten for it. And we do not find that they said one word by way of reflection upon the court, for the unjust treatment given them: when reviled they reviled not again, and when they suffered they threatened not; but committed their cause to him, to whom Gamaliel had referred it, even to God, who judgeth righteously. All their care was to preserve the possession of their own souls, and to make full proof of their ministry, both which they were enabled to do in a manner worthy of the imitation of all ministers and people who may, at any time, be in similar circumstances. Nay, they departed, rejoicing that they were counted worthy to suffer shame — Being men in reputation, who had never done any thing to make themselves vile, they could not but have a sense of the shame they suffered, which, it seems, was more grievous to them than the smart caused by the scourges, as uses to be the case with ingenuous minds.

But they considered that it was for the name of Christ that they were thus abused, and that their sufferings would be made to contribute to the further advancement of his cause and glory; and, therefore, 1st, They reckoned it an honour to be so treated, to be disgraced, or exposed to infamy for his name — His venerable and sacred name; rightly judging that a punishment of this kind, though generally shameful, became a glory to them when borne in so excellent a cause, and for the sake of him who, though so divinely great, and so perfectly happy, had submitted, not only to stripes, but to death for them. 2d, They rejoiced in it, remembering what their Master had said to them at their first setting out, Matthew 5:11 ; Matthew 5:13 ; When men shall revile and persecute you, rejoice and be exceeding glad. They rejoiced not only though they suffered shame, their troubles not diminishing their joy, but that they suffered shame, for their troubles increased their joy, and added to it. Reader, if we suffer ill for doing well, provided we suffer in a right spirit, and as we should, we ought to rejoice in that grace which enables us so to do.

Rejoicing; it argued full persuasion of the truth, and great resolution to abide by it, that they could account so foul a disgrace for Christ’s sake to be an honour. That they were counted worthy to suffer; it is a condescension and favour, when God uses any to give testimony unto his trnth, although it be by their suffering: Philippians 1:29 , Unto you it is given, not only to believe, but to suffer; as if to suffer for Christ were as great, if not a greater gift than to believe in him. Shame; scourging being a servile and disgraceful punishment. For his name; Christ’s name, or for Christ’s sake, to assert his truth, &c.: some do not read the pronoun, but the name, put absolutely for God, as was usual amongst the Jews, out of reverence to God’s name, lest they should profane it.

Acts 5:41 . Χαίροντες , rejoicing ) The characteristic of truth—in afflictions, joy, real, profound, and pure.— ὑπὲρ τοῦ ὀνόματος , for the name ) viz. His name, the name forbidden in Acts 5:40 . Some have added, τοῦ Ἰησοῦ , or τοῦ Κυρίου Ἰησοῦ , or τοῦ Χριστοῦ .[43] The phrase is put absolutely, as in 3 John Acts 5:7 , ὙΠῈΡ ΤΟῦ ὈΝΌΜΑΤΟς : Leviticus 24:11 . The name Jesus had been expressed by Luke in the preceding verse. The reference in this verse is to it with an elegant ellipsis of the pronoun.— κατηξιώθησαν ἀτιμασθῆναι , they were counted worthy to suffer insult [shame]) A choice Oxymoron [see Append.]: so, “ To you it is given to suffer, ” Php 1:29 : comp. 1 Peter 2:19 . [Contumely before men is a dignity before GOD.—V. g.] [43] ABCD d Memph. Theb. and Syr. read simply ὀνόματος . Rec. Text adds αὐτοῦ with Orig., and, acc. to Tisch., with Lucif. (But Lachm. quotes Lucif. for ὀνόματος simply.) E e adds Ἰησοῦ (and so Vulg.), or τοῦ Κυρίου Ἰησοῦ .—E. and T.

{15} And they departed from the presence of the council, rejoicing that they were counted worthy to suffer shame for his name. (15) The apostles, accustomed to suffer and bear words, are eventually accustomed to bearing stripes, and yet in such a way that by means of them they become stronger.

41. departed … rejoicing that they were counted worthy to suffer shame for his name—"thought worthy by God to be dishonored by man" (Mt 5:12; 1Pe 4:14, 16) [Webster and Wilkinson]. This was their first taste of persecution, and it felt sweet for His sake whose disciples they were.

41 . worthy to suffer shame ] The Apostles count as their glory what the world would count as shame, cp. Galatians 6:14 , “God forbid that I should glory save in the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ.” This figure of speech (called oxymoron, and consisting in the effective contrast of words apparently opposite) is common in the New Testament. Cp. 2 Corinthians 6:8-10 . for his name ] Read with the best authorities, for the Name . That name of which St Peter had said ( Acts 4:12 ), “There is none other name under heaven, given among men, whereby we must be saved.”

f Acts 5:41 f. Χαίροντες ] comp. Matthew 5:11-12 ὑπὲρ τοῦ ὀνόματος ] placed first with emphasis: for the name , for its glorification. For the scourging suffered tended to that effect, because it was inflicted on the apostles on account of their stedfast confession of the name. Comp. Acts 9:16 . “Quum reputarent causam , praevalebat gaudium ,” Calvin. The absolute τὸ ὄνομα denotes the name κατʼ ἐξοχήν ,—namely, “Jesus Messiah” ( Acts 3:6 , Acts 4:10 ), the confession and announcement of which was always the highest and holiest concern of the apostles. Analogous is the use of the absolute שֵׁם ( Leviticus 24:11 ; Leviticus 24:16 ), in which the Hebrew understood the name of his Jehovah as implied of itself. Comp. 3 John 1:7 . κατηξιώθ . ἀτιμασθ .] An oxymoron. Comp. Php 1:29 ; 2 Corinthians 11:26-30 ; Galatians 6:14 ; Galatians 6:17 , al.; 1 Peter 2:19 . πᾶσαν ἡμέραν ] every day the οὐκ ἐπαύοντο in preaching took place. See Winer, p. 162 [E. T. 214]. They did it day after day without cessation. κατʼ οἶκον ] domi, in the house, a contrast to ἐν τῷ ἱερῷ . See on Acts 2:46 . ἀνεπαύοντο διδάσκοντες ] See Herm. ad Viger. p. 771; Bernhardy, p. 477. καὶ εὐαγγελ . Ἰησ . τ . Χ .] and announcing Jesus as the Messiah, a more specific definition of διδάσκοντες as regards its chief contents.

(41) Rejoicing that they were counted worthy. —The emotion is probably, in one sense, natural to all who have an intense conviction of the Truth for which they suffer. But in this case there was something more. The Twelve could not fail to remember their Lord’s beatitudes; and now, for the first time, felt that they could “rejoice and be exceeding glad” because they were suffering as the prophets had suffered before them ( Matthew 5:11-12 ). And they were suffering for His Name, or rather, with the best MSS., “for the Name”—for that of the Master who had loved them and whom they had learnt to love. We may note, too, in the whole history, the fulfilment of the prediction and the promise of Matthew 10:17-20 .