As the apostles spread the Good News about Jesus, they reminded the people that they were true witnesses (Acts 2:32; 3:15; 4:33; 5:32; 10:39, 41; 13:31). They were not ashamed to speak in the presence of others who had been there and seen the same things. When Peter re-told the facts about Jesus, he added, “… as you yourselves know” (Acts 2:22). Thousands in Jerusalem proved that they agreed with Peter (Acts 2:41; 4:4; 5:14). From the very beginning, the rapid growth of Christianity showed how many found the stories to be true. Peter’s enemies did not find faults with what he said. All they could do was to try to stop him by threats, and then murder (Acts 4, 5, 12). Peter later wrote,
For we did not follow cleverly devised [created] myths [false stories] when we made known to you the power and coming of our Lord Jesus Christ, but we were eyewitnesses of His majesty (2 Peter 1:16).
Peter said this when he knew he would soon be killed (2 Peter 1:14; John 21: 17-19). What reward could there have been in dying for lies? If Peter was not telling the truth about what he saw, what did he think he could gain? The apostles did not become rich (Acts 3:6; 1 Corinthians 4:11; 2 Corinthians 6:10). Instead of becoming famous they became infamous – they were hated by the world. They lived with great losses and hardships because of their message (2 Corinthians 1:9; 6:1-10; 11:23-31). Paul wrote,
For I think that God has exhibited [shown] us apostles as last of all, like men sentenced to death, because we have become a spectacle to the world, to angels, and to men… We have become, and are still, like the scum of the world, the refuse of all things (1 Corinthians 4:9, 13).
ERV: But it seems to me that God has given me and the other apostles last place. We are like men condemned to die with all the people watching. We are like a show for the whole world to see … At this time people still treat us like we are the world’s garbage – the dirt of the earth.
No, the apostles received no reward from this world. Indeed they received only shame, pain, and death for their truth-telling. Why then did they keep telling the same story? For the simplest and best reason: They knew it was true. They had seen it with their own eyes. Their lives matched the honesty of their report. When in danger, they had to say, “… we cannot but speak of what we have seen and heard” (Acts 4:20).