TENSE MOMENTS IN CHURCH/STATE RELATIONS (Number 1)
- First we go to the beginning. Acts 5:22ff tells us that the temple police brought the disciples before the Council. They were charged with disobeying the Council’s strict instructions. Peter replied “We must obey God rather than any human authority”.
- Now, there is a clear principle. We might infer that for us, this means trying to understand the Jesus story in terms of the presence of God in our community.
- Duly constituted authority should expect to be given proper respect. But the Council could see there was a serious problem. Since the Pentecost event the disciples were insisting that for the sake of the continuity of their history, and keeping the peace with the Roman occupying power, the Jewish authorities had killed the long expected Messiah of God.
- One of the Council members – Gamaliel – a respected teacher of the law said they should think very carefully about what they proposed to do. His advice (Acts 5:38-9) “Leave them alone; because if this plan or this undertaking is of human origin it will fail; but if it is of God you will not be able to overthrow them.” (Quotes from the New Revised Standard Version)
- This sounded like good advice. So the disciples were flogged, told again not to say anything more about this Jesus, and released.
- The state can order and punish. But for anyone truly seized by the central dynamic of the Jesus story, life has a new meaning.. The Pentecost event which burst upon an unsuspecting world changed the rules.
- There would be many interesting encounters to follow that event.
Rev. Graydon Swain
webmaster@mosm anuniting.org
MOSMAN UNITING CHURCH