Note 7 at Ac 5:29: This is a tremendous lesson on submission. Peter was the one whom the Lord inspired to write, "Submit yourselves to every ordinance of man for the Lord's sake" (1Pe 2:13), yet we see him not obeying those in authority over him. What's the deal? Were Peter's actions wrong?

The key to understanding this is to properly understand that submission and obedience are not the same thing. "Obey" means "to carry out the command of," while "submit" means "to yield or surrender (oneself) to the will or authority of another." People can be submitted to others without obeying them, just as much as they can obey others without submitting to them.

In the military, subordinate officers do not have the authority to issue commands on their own that contradict the commanding officers. They can disobey orders from officers who are above them if they are certain that their commands are in direct opposition to their superiors. However, the attitude in which they refuse to obey officers' unlawful commands can get them in trouble if it is rebellious, even if their actions are right.

Likewise, God never wants us to obey any law or rule of man that would contradict His laws, but He does not want us to be rebellious about it. We should act as these apostles acted. They didn't obey the rulers' command, because it contradicted God's command, but they submitted to their authority. They were beaten as punishment (Ac 5:40), yet they didn't plot a revolt or criticize the rulers who beat them. They had a submissive attitude, even though they obeyed the higher law of God (see note 3 at Ac 4:19).