Wednesday, July 2, 2014

Solomon's Portico

Now many signs and wonders were regularly done among the people by the hands of the apostles. And they were all together in Solomon's Portico. None of the rest dared join them, but the people held them in high esteem. And more than ever believers were added to the Lord, multitudes of both men and women, so that they even carried out the sick into the streets and laid them on cots and mats, that as Peter came by at least his shadow might fall on some of them. The people also gathered from the towns around Jerusalem, bringing the sick and those afflicted with unclean spirits, and they were all healed. (Act 5:12-16)

“None of the rest dared join them, but the people held them in high esteem.” Peter and John had been warned and verbally threatened last time they were at the temple. But now they join in Slomon’s Portico daily. The text isn’t all that clear as to who they are, but it seems Peter, John and the other apostles would gather there like a college of teachers of the law, that others didn’t dare join. Either they didn’t feel qualified or they were afraid of the threats that disciples were flaunting with all boldness. This seemed to be a common thing for teachers of the law to do, we can remember that Jesus had joined such a college when he was twelve. The college would get into discussions with themselves concerning aspects of God’s word, educating each other and sharing insights. Others might listen in to the discussion and occasionally ask questions. We don’t hear what it was the apostles discussed with each other, but we can be certain it centered on the resurrection, that for which they were arrested before.


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