Acts 5:21b-26 21Now when the high priest arrived, and those with him, they summoned the Sanhedrin and all the council of the elders of the people of Israel and sent to the prison to have them brought. 22But when the officers arrived, they did not find them in the prison, so after they returned, they reported, saying, 23“We found the prison having been locked with all security and the guards standing at the doors, but when we opened them we found no one inside.” 24Now when the captain of the temple and the chief priests heard these words, they were greatly perplexed about them, whatever might become of this. 25And coming, someone told them, “Look! The men whom you put in prison are in the temple standing and teaching the people.” 26Then going out, the captain with the officers went and brought them, not by force, for they were afraid of the people lest they might be stoned.
The religious leaders had a dilemma on their hands with what to do with the apostles. Verse 21 indicates that a big meeting was called. This meeting included all the major players in Judaism of that time: the chief priest, Sanhedrin, and all the important elders of the people. The situation had reached a crisis point, at least from the perspective of the high priest. They all gathered together to deal with this new movement once and for all. Things were getting out of hand, and these followers of the Nazarene were becoming a nuisance.
The temple police were in for a big surprise when they got to the public prison and found it guarded but empty. Escape from those prisons was not possible, so this created a big concern. It would have also been embarrassing for the high priest and his inner circle, who ordered the apostles imprisoned and also had called all the leaders together. The top leaders were greatly perplexed and at a loss for what to do about the situation. This situation was beyond their understanding because they refused to accept God’s miraculous work through the apostles. They were stuck in their own paradigm and had put God in a box of their own making. The miracles were mounting, and these leaders were no longer in control. God was sending message after message to them. The invitation to believe was clear, but they refused because of their hardened hearts.
Even more surprising was that the apostles were back in the temple teaching the people. This new situation must have especially concerned the leaders. They had just warned the apostles in 4:17 to stop preaching and healing in the name of Jesus of Nazareth, but they were out doing it again. Luke does not record all the emotions and thoughts of the leaders, but we can imagine frustration, consternation, and apprehension about everything going on. These people were becoming a national nuisance. Verse 26 is humorous from a historical situation because the people with all the power were afraid. They they they could put fear into the apostles, but it had gone the other way, with the police now being afraid of the situation, especially because the people were attracted and listening to the apostles. When God is behind something, and people are obedient to his call, it is unstoppable.
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