And every day they ceased not, in the temple and from house to house, to teach and preach Christ Jesus.
πασαν τε ημεραν εν τω ιερω και κατ οικον ουκ επαυοντο διδασκοντες και ευαγγελιζομενοι ιησουν τον χριστον
5 Church Fathers comment on this verse
Nevertheless, their preaching continued with even greater power, and they taught both at home and in the temple. The writer did not say that they did not grieve, but that, even while grieving, they rejoiced. How is this evident? From their subsequent boldness, for even after being scourged they preached without ceasing. Testifying to this, the writer says: "in the temple and from house to house they did not cease teaching and preaching Jesus Christ."
The judges obeyed Gamaliel, but not entirely. They probably thought that to release the apostles without punishment would be to show their own weakness.
It would mean almost the same thing if the Sanhedrin released the apostles only with a stern rebuke, a prohibition, and threats. This measure had already been used against the preachers of Christianity in chapter 4.
Increasing the severity of the measure, the Sanhedrin in the present case added blows to prohibitions and threats.
Thus, together with the spread of Christianity, Jewish resistance to it also grows. Jerusalem itself drives the salvation of Israel away from itself into its surrounding regions.
The apostles, however, departed from the Sanhedrin rejoicing that they had been counted worthy to suffer dishonor for the name of the Lord Jesus. Despite the Sanhedrin’s increasing prohibitions, they did not cease teaching and preaching Jesus Christ every day in the temple and from house to house.
Yet such a punishment could certainly not weaken the zeal of the apostles. As before, they continued their preaching activity in Solomon's Porch. This punishment not only failed to frighten Peter and John, but, on the contrary, stirred in them extraordinary joy that "they were counted worthy to suffer dishonor for the name of the Lord Jesus. And every day, in the temple and from house to house, they did not cease teaching and preaching Jesus Christ."
Despite the beatings and the prohibition, the apostles continued to preach the Gospel every day, that is, continually and always. They did so in the temple and from house to house, everywhere, both privately and publicly.
This new testimony about daily Christian prayer gatherings, and about teaching concerning Christ Jesus in them, shows that attempts to frighten the apostles had no effect on them or on the community of believers.
The strength of the believers was irresistibly expressed chiefly in their communion with God. This inspired all with unbending hope in God and confidence in God’s help.
The apostles strengthened everyone in this by their preaching about Jesus Christ. They proclaimed His life and deeds, His teaching, and the salvation He prepared for all people by His sufferings. He confirmed this salvation by His resurrection and ascension.
Many could see for themselves the power and greatness of the Holy Spirit’s descent upon the apostles. They could also observe it in the signs and wonders that the apostles worked before everyone’s eyes, referring all this to Jesus Christ.
Thus, such was the great and instructive field of the apostles’ preaching about Jesus Christ.
It is understandable that they knew how to distribute this diverse material of their preaching. They spoke of one thing in the temple, accessible to all Jews, and of another from house to house.
Only Christians gathered in the houses. There prayer was joined to preaching and to communion in the Holy Mysteries of the Body and Blood of the Lord, beginning with baptism.
This was done in fulfillment of the Lord’s command to baptize and to teach everything that He had commanded them, while promising that He Himself would be with them to the end of the age; see Mt 28:19-20.
Passages read together with this verse.
Greek text, 17 words with lemma, transliteration and Strong’s number. Tap to expand.
THEOSIS