What Bothers Christ-Haters?

Acts 4 gives us some answers to the question, what bothers Christ-haters and deniers? I'll begin with Acts 4:1, 2;

"Now as [John and Peter] spoke to the people, the priests, the captain of the temple, and the Sadducees came upon them, being greatly disturbed that they taught the people and preached in Jesus the resurrection from the dead."

Two things here are listed which "greatly disturbed" these religious leaders;

1. They were teaching the people.

2. They were preaching in Jesus the resurrection from the dead.

The nerve of Peter and John to be teaching the people, and preaching about the things they've heard, seen, and experienced.

There's another thing which really disturbs these authorities. In verse 3 we find out they had "laid hands on them, and put them in custody" (in a cage no doubt) until the next day, then they brought them in before all these religious authorities. In verse 7, their first question is;

"By what power or by what name have you done this?"

In other words, did you get permission from any of us to do what you're doing? Where are your authorization papers? Who has certified this teaching activity of yours?

It bothers authorities when people are doing important things like "teaching" without permission or certificates. It challenges their "authority" and "power." It disturbs them greatly when it is contrary to their view of the world.

In answer to their question, Peter gives a short speech and repeats briefly what he has said in two previous speeches; "by the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth, whom you crucified, whom God raised from the dead, by Him this man stands before you whole." Why would they be greatly disturbed that a good deed was done to a helpless man? They are greatly disturbed that it was done without their help, without their power, without their permission, and that the people are responding (believing) to the gospel message.

There is little they can do, however. They even admit that if they could deny the great miracle of a lame man being healed, they would. But they admit they can't deny it, since it was evident to all a great miracle had been done. So, what do they do? In verse 17 they speak;

"'But so that it spreads no further among the people, let us severely threaten them, that from now on they speak to no man in this name.'

"So they called them and commanded them not to speak at all nor teach in the name of Jesus." v. 18.

They make a law that John and Peter may no longer speak or teach about Jesus Christ.

Do you know of any such laws passed by the "authorities" of our own time? Are there any places where one is forbidden to "speak at all or teach in Jesus name?" What would be the result if Peter and John obeyed these authorities. What are the alternatives? What did Peter and John do?

DR