Just like a political dispute, of which we are accustomed to be present in the parliaments, in this paragraph of Acts we see that there is a clash in which God was acting to make his will prevail, and the prevailing ecclesiastical and political authorities could do nothing to contain The progress of the gospel. Let us see below the weaknesses that made the enemies of the gospel impotent.
They could not deny the manifestation of the power of God (15-17)
They sent the apostles for a moment out of the council, so that they could consult one another, saying, "What shall we do with these men? For verily it is manifest to all the inhabitants of Jerusalem that a notorious sign was made by them, and we can not deny it." The only provision they could take to try to prevent further spread among the people was to threaten them to speak no more in the name of Jesus. But even threats would not prevent them, for they had before them "an open door, which no man can shut" (Revelation 3: 8). Many signs and wonders were made by the apostles, authenticating their preaching, but it was the "sign of the prophet Jonah", the resurrection of Jesus, the greatest and most evident sign that would echo for the centuries to come in the "four corners" of the world.
They could not prevent faithful witnesses from speaking (18-20)
Calling them back to the Sanhedrin, they commanded the apostles not to speak in Jesus' name anymore. But Peter and John answered, "Judge whether it is right before God to hear you rather than God." It was not possible for them to cease speaking the things which they saw and heard from Jesus, who received from the Father all authority in heaven and on earth, and commanded them in Matthew 28: 18-20 to make disciples of all nations. According to the words of Jesus in Luke 19:40, if the disciples were silent, the stones themselves would cry out. But it was not necessary to disturb the stones, for soon an innumerable multitude of disciples in all times would follow the example of the apostles, bringing the gospel to the distant peoples and wherever there was opportunity, including exiles and prisons.
They could not punish those whom God protected (21-22)
Threatening them again, they let them go, for they could not punish them, since the people glorified God for the miracle they had done in that man who had been lame from birth more than forty years ago. The apostles could say on that day that they were resting "in the shadow of the Omnipotent," that no harm would come to them (Psalm 91: 1, 10), and how could Joshua be strong and courageous insofar as they obeyed God's command, The LORD your God is with you wherever you go"(Joshua 1: 9).
With enemies weakened, the will of God prevailed
The Resurrected Christ was spread and believed all over the world. A local church, at some point for some reason, may not grow, but the Church of God has grown, and will grow until God sends Jesus to "reap its fruits."
According to the dispensationalist interpretation of eschatology, we are in the time of the lukewarm church, and Jesus is about to vomit us out of his mouth. We who know the Word of God are being warned against becoming like most. We do not have to be the lukewarm church. It only depends on us, for the will of God, he will still make prevail with signs, so that the enemies can not deny; With bold servants speaking, so that the enemies can not prevent; With protection, so that the enemies can not punish. Eventually, God will allow the evidence to be denied, Christians forbidden to speak, punished, but the general rule is that God will God will protect us from evil power if we obey his commission and spread the gospel wherever we go , for this is the irresistible will of God.
