What scriptural connections exist between John 5:12 and Acts 5:29 on obedience? The immediate context of John 5:12 • Jesus had just commanded the lame man, “Get up! Pick up your mat and walk” (John 5:8). • Verse 12 records the Jewish leaders’ interrogation: “Who told you, ‘Pick it up and walk’?” • The healed man’s very act of carrying his mat is an act of obedience to Jesus that clashes with rabbinic Sabbath regulations (cf. John 5:9-10). • In this scene, obedience to Christ’s spoken word supersedes man-made religious strictures. The immediate context of Acts 5:29 • The apostles are ordered by the Sanhedrin to stop teaching in Jesus’ name (Acts 5:28). • Peter answers, “We must obey God rather than men.” • Their continued preaching (v. 42) demonstrates practical obedience to the risen Christ’s mandate (Matthew 28:19-20). Shared themes between the two passages 1. Source of authority – John 5: Jesus speaks with divine authority (John 5:19-23). – Acts 5: God’s authority is explicitly contrasted with human commands. 2. Conflict with religious leaders – John 5: Jewish authorities challenge the healed man. – Acts 5: The same ruling body confronts the apostles. 3. Priority of divine command – The healed man implicitly sides with Jesus over the leaders’ Sabbath interpretation. – The apostles explicitly declare their allegiance to God over human directives. 4. Evidence of God’s work – Healing authenticates Jesus’ authority (John 5:36). – Signs and wonders authenticate apostolic preaching (Acts 5:12, 32). 5. Cost of obedience – The healed man later faces further questioning (John 5:15-16). – The apostles suffer flogging (Acts 5:40-41) yet rejoice. Additional scriptural threads on obeying God first • Deuteronomy 6:17—“You must diligently keep the commandments of the LORD your God.” • 1 Samuel 15:22—“To obey is better than sacrifice.” • John 14:15—“If you love Me, you will keep My commandments.” • James 1:22—“Be doers of the word, and not hearers only.” Why the connection matters today • Jesus’ voice remains final; cultural or religious pressures must yield to His word. • True obedience may invite opposition, yet God honors those who stand firm (Acts 5:41-42). • The same Spirit who empowered apostles empowers believers to live out courageous obedience (Acts 5:32; Galatians 5:25). |
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