Acts 5:27-41

Acts 5:27-41
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Kathryn L Davelaar,
Holland, MI.

Reading the Text:
- NRSV (with link to Anglicized NRSV) at Oremus Bible Browser.
- Greek Interlinear Bible, ScrTR, ScrTR t, Strong, Parsing, CGTS, CGES id, AV.
- The Bible Gateway: NRSV, RSV, NIV, NASB, CEV, The Message, KJV, etc.
- The Blue Letter Bible. KJV, alternate versions, Greek text with concordance, commentaries.
- The World Wide Study Bible includes commentary & sermons.
Historical References, Commentary and Comparative Texts:
- III.XII.5, Adversus Haereses, Irenaeus of Lyons. (c. 180)
- X.19, Commentary on the Gospel of John, Philocalia [anthology of Origen prepared by St. Basil and St. Gregory Nazianzen], Origen. (c.230)
- VI.XI, Against Celsus, Origen (c. 246)
- V.24, VII.11, Ecclesiastical History, Eusebius of Caesarea, (c. 320).
- From the Geneva Notes.
  - "It is not sufficient for us that there is a proper goal, but we must also according to our calling go forward until we come to it."
- From Matthew Henry's Commentary.
  - "Many will do an evil thing with daring, yet cannot bear to hear of it afterward, or to have it charged upon them. We cannot expect to be redeemed and healed by Christ, unless we give up ourselves to be ruled by him."
- From Wesley's Notes.
  - "See the poor cunning of the enemies of the Gospel. They make laws and interdicts at their pleasure, which those who obey God cannot but break; and then take occasion thereby to censure and punish the innocent, as guilty"
- From the Commentary on the Whole Bible (Jamieson, Fausset and Brown, 1871).
  - "They as competent human witnesses to facts, and the Holy Ghost as attesting them by undeniable miracles."
- From The People's New Testament, B.W. Johnson, 1891.
  - "Peter's defence asserts (1) that God must be obeyed rather than earthly rulers; (2) God raised up Jesus whom they hanged on the cross; (3) exalted him to his right hand; (4) to be a Prince and Savior, to grant Israel the opportunity to repent, and to obtain forgiveness; (5) that they were witnesses of these facts, and so was the Holy Spirit."
Contemporary Commentary, Studies, and Exegesis:
- Commentary, Acts 5:27-32, Mitzi J. Smith, Preaching This Week, WorkingPreacher.org, 2016.
  - "Authoritative communities and institutions sometimes allow themselves to be hijacked by their own biases, dogmas, racism, sexism, classism, and prosperity gospels. We stifle God's voice."
- "The Value and Limits of Religious Liberty," (Acts 5) Matthew L. Skinner, ON Scripture. With video and discussion questions.
  - "The truth is: all Christians, no matter what their political leanings might be, have a stake in questions about when people should follow their conscience and resist oppressive edicts."
- The Center for Excellence in Preaching, resources from Calvin Theological Seminary: Comments & Observations, Textual Points, Illustration Ideas, 2016.
- The Truett Pulpit, Jamie McCallum, pastor, Belfair Community Church, Belfair, WA, 2016,
- Pulpit Fiction, podcast. Reflections of lectionary text, pop culture, current events, etc. Robb Mc Coy and Eric Fistler, 2016.
- Commentary, Acts 5:27-34, Shannon Greene, A Plain Account, 2016.
  - "It is appropriate that in this second Sunday of Easterâ€”the week immediately following the glorious celebration of the resurrected Christâ€”the New Testament reading contains an amazing story of the apostle's courage and boldness in the face of opposition. Acts 5:27-32 beautifully displays the fearlessness the Holy Spirit bestows upon us when we are living in the resurrection of Christ.'"
- Commentary, Acts 5:27-32, Kyle Fever, Preaching This Week, WorkingPreacher.org, 2013.
  - "Public proclamation of Jesus in obedience to God rather than humans intends not to cut off those who oppose; it intends to serve and even to suffer for doing it, pressing on to witness to Godâ€™s renewal of all things."
- "Our Brother Gamaliel," Mark Stenberg, The Hardest Question, 2013.
  - "The backstory: another narrow escape."
- Commentary, Acts 5:27-32, James Boyce, Preaching This Week, WorkingPreacher.org, 2010.
  - "In these few verses are the whole of the apostolic witness packed in a nutshell. This lesson provides an occasion to hear and announce that Easter message once again, now coupled with the bold witness and confident life in community that it evidently inspires."
- Comments (commentary) and Clippings (technical notes for in-depth study), Chris Haslam, Anglican Diocese of Montreal.
- "First Thoughts on Year C First Reading Acts Passages from the Lectionary," Easter 2, William Loader, Murdoch University, Uniting Church in Australia.
  - "The issue is not just Jesus' being made alive again and vindicated. Rather, in Luke's faith, the resurrection meant that God had made Jesus the leader and liberator."
- Kairos CoMotion Lectionary Discussion, Acts 5:27-32, Wesley White. "A place of conversation regarding Progressive Christianity."
  - "Imagine prayer as laughter and what it would mean to laugh the more, the more expectations are being laid on."
- "We Are Witnesses," Rev. Bryan Findlayson, Lectionary Bible Studies and Sermons, Pumpkin Cottage Ministry Resources. Includes detailed textual notes.
Articles & Background:
- "Global Poverty: Beyond Utopian Visions," Thomas E. Phillips, (other resources at) "Global Wealth," Christian Reflection, The Center for Christian Ethics at Baylor University, 2007.
  - "The crisis of poverty in the world?s largest cities, which is growing exponentially worse in the new era of globalization, should overwhelm us. However, it should not paralyze us. Scripture may not offer an easy answer, but it does provide a consistent moral imperative."
Recommended articles from ATLAS, an online collection of religion and theology journals, are linked below. ATLAS Access options are available for academic institutions, alumni of selected theological schools, and clergy/church offices.Annotated list of "starting place" articles at ATLAS for this week's texts (includes direct links).
- Blevins, William L., "The Early Church: Acts 1-5," Review & Expositor, 1974.
  EBSCO ATLASerials, Religion Collection
  EBSCO ATLA Religion Database with ATLASerials
- Hauerwas, Stanley, "Embodied Memory," Journal for Preachers, 1996. (Sermon)
  EBSCO ATLASerials, Religion Collection
  EBSCO ATLA Religion Database with ATLASerials
- Lyons, William John, "The Words of Gamaliel (Acts 5:38-39) and the Irony of Indeterminacy," Journal for the Study of the New Testament, 1977.
  EBSCO ATLASerials, Religion Collection
  EBSCO ATLA Religion Database with ATLASerials
- Peterson, Heidi A., "Fanning the Flames," The Christian Century, 2001.
  EBSCO ATLASerials, Religion Collection
  EBSCO ATLA Religion Database with ATLASerials
Sermons:
- "Opening Day," the Rev. Matthew Gaventa, Day 1, 2013.
- "Giving God Your Stash," the Rev. Craig Barnes, Day 1, 2000.
With Children:
- Worshiping with Children, Easter 2C, Including children in the congregation's worship, using the Revised Common Lectionary, Carolyn C. Brown, 2013.
- Acts 5 Word Search, Don Crownover's Bible Puzzles.
Drama:
Graphics & Bulletin Materials:
Hymns and Music:
- Hymnary.org, hymns, scores, media, information.
Fine Arts Images Linked at The Text This Week's Art Index:
Study Links and Resources for the Book of Acts