Welcome and thank you for taking a bible break to test your knowledge of God's word.
This week's question:

In what is referred to as the "great commission", Jesus told His disciples, "...All authority has been given to Me in heaven and on earth. Go therefore and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all that I commanded you; and lo, I am with you always, even to the end of the age." (Matthew 28:18-20).

The Jews understood that the Messiah was to speak and act according to the word of God, and so they asked Jesus, "…By what authority are You doing these things, and who gave you this authority?" (Matthew 21:23) The multitudes were amazed by His teachings, "…What is this? A new teaching with authority! He commands even the unclean spirits, and they obeyed Him." (Mark 1:27) The news about Him went out into the surrounding districts of Galilee as the spirits even obeyed His authority.

That brings us to our question, "Who said, 'We must obey God rather than men.'?" When Jesus was in the garden of Gethsemane, the Roman cohort, along with the chief priests and the scribes and the elders as well as Judas who betrayed Him with a kiss. They arrested Jesus so that scripture might be fulfilled (Matthew 26:55-56) and His disciples fled. Peter did follow Him from afar and entered the courtyard where Jesus was being questioned and Peter denied Jesus three times and upon making eye contact with Jesus, he went out and wept bitterly (Luke 22:54-62)

Jesus was crucified and ascended into heaven on the fiftieth day, or the first day of the week, Sunday. The first gospel sermon was preached by Peter to the men who had crucified Jesus. They recognized what they had done and asked "…"Brethren, what shall we do?" And Peter said to them, "Repent and let each one of you be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins and you shall receive the gift of the Holy Spirit." (Acts 2:37-38).

Then about three thousand souls were baptized and many miracles took place through the apostles. As Peter and John were going into the temple by the gate called Beautiful they healed a man who was lame from his mother's womb who was placed each day at this gate to beg for alms. Immediately he was healed and leapt right up and as he walked and leaped into the temple praising God and all the people who saw him and recognized who he was and were filled with wonder and amazement at the miracle which took place (Acts 3:1-11).

Peter again preaches that they had crucified the Christ and multitudes of men and women were being added to their number and many miracles continued to take place so that the high priest and his associates were perplexed and "saying, "What shall we do with these men? For the fact that a noteworthy miracle has taken place through them is apparent to all who live in Jerusalem, and we cannot deny it. But in order that it may not spread any further among the people, let us warn them to speak no more in His name." (Acts 4:16-17) After threatening them, the high priest let them go, but miracles continue through the apostles and multitudes are being turned to the Lord so that the high priest and his associates are filled with jealousy and put the apostles in prison (Acts 5:12-18).

An angel of God releases them and they enter the temple about daybreak and begin to teach again. The council is brought together and they find out that the apostles have somehow escaped although the prison door is quite secure and they are greatly perplexed of what would come of these things (Acts 5:19-24). Then someone reports that the ones they are looking for are teaching in the temple and they send the captain and some officers to bring them in and when they are brought in before the council, the high priest "saying, "We gave you strict orders not to continue teaching in this name, and behold, you have filled Jerusalem with your teaching, and intend to bring this man's blood upon us." But Peter and the apostles answered and said, "We must obey God rather than men. The God of our fathers raised up Jesus, whom you had put to death by hanging Him on a cross." (Acts 5:28-30).

So there we have the answer to our question, as it was Peter and the apostles who said, "We must obey God rather than men." Well, the council intended to slay them but Gamaliel, a respected teacher of the law warned them that they might find themselves fighting against God, so they heeded his advice and had them flogged and warned them again to speak no more in His name and released them and the apostles went on their way rejoicing that they had been considered worthy to suffer in His name, and then went on each day preaching and teaching Jesus (Acts 5:33-42)!

May we have the courage and zeal of the apostles of standing for truth, even in the face of death so that we may be considered worthy to enter into His rest!