Flogging

The members of the Sanhedrin were persuaded by Gamaliel. (1) Without Gamaliel’s advice, the apostles would have been stoned to death by the people. According to the Jewish historian Josephus, the Pharisees were lenient, while the Sadducees were cruel. Since Gamaliel was a Pharisee, he handled the situation leniently. (2) The apostles were deemed guilty of disobedience to the decision of the Sanhedrin and were flogged. (a) This was the 39 lashes (1 less of 40). “He may have him beaten forty times, but not more, so that he does not have him beaten with many more lashes than these, and that your brother does not become contemptible in your eyes” (Deut. 25:3). The Jews, anticipating the possibility of miscounting, limited the flogging to 39 lashes. If the person was physically weak, the number of lashes could be fewer than 39. (b) The whip was made of three straps of ox leather. (c) The prisoner had their hands tied to a post with their arms spread out. Their upper garment was torn, exposing their chest and back, and they received 13 lashes on the chest and 26 on the back. However, if the prisoner urinated or defecated during the flogging, it was stopped at that point. (3) In addition to being flogged, the apostles were prohibited from speaking in the name of Jesus.

Rejoice

“So they went on their way from the presence of the Council, rejoicing that they had been considered worthy to suffer shame for His name. And every day, in the temple and from house to house, they did not stop teaching and preaching the good news of Jesus as the Christ.” The flogging produced two unexpected reactions. (1) They left the Council rejoicing. The flogging became a badge of honor for the apostles. The phrase “rejoicing that they had been considered worthy to suffer shame for His name” is profound. (2) Their zeal for preaching did not diminish but increased. They continued teaching and preaching every day in the temple and from house to house that Jesus is the Christ. Let us learn to see persecution from God’s perspective (ref. 1 Peter 4:12-13). (1) To face trials is to participate in “the sufferings of Christ.” (2) Christians become more united with Christ through trials. (3) Trials also prepare us to share in Christ’s glory. We are “heirs also, heirs of God and fellow heirs with Christ, if indeed we suffer with Him so that we may also be glorified with Him” (Rom. 8:17).