ACTS 4:1-4 1
Now as they spoke to the people, the priests, the captain of the temple, and
the Sadducees came upon them, 2 being
greatly disturbed that they taught the people and preached in Jesus the
resurrection from the dead. 3 And they laid
hands on them, and put them in custody until the next day, for it was
already evening. 4 However, many of those
who heard the word believed; and the number of the men came to be about five
thousand.
Who are "they" and where were they?
It's Peter and John. Acts chapter 4 is the continuation from
chapter 3, in which Peter and John
healed a lame man in the name of Jesus, and then preached the Gospel to the
people who gathered at Solomon's Porch, the wood-roofed, double columned
area that runs along the eastern edge of the temple area.
Who is the "captain of the temple"?
The captain of the temple guards. Most likely, he would have brought some of
his guards with him.
Who are the "Sadducees"?
Sadducees were another ruling religious sect in Israel. The chief priests
were Sadducees, as were many members of the Sanhedrin. Sadducees were
wealthy, powerful and collaborated with the Romans to retain their wealth
and power. And unlike the Pharisees, Sadducees only believed in the first
five books of the Old Testament, and didn't believe there was life after
death.
Why would they be "greatly disturbed" with Peter's
message?
"Resurrection of the dead" would have been disturbing to
those who denied life after death, and the rest of Peter's message, preached
in their temple precinct, wouldn't have been any more pleasing to their
ears.
What was the result of Peter's message?
"Many of those who heard the word believed."
Acts chapter 2 records the number of men who believed after Peter's first
sermon at
three thousand. Now it was up to
"about five thousand",
which means the total number of believers, including women and children
would have been in the five figures.
What happened to Peter and John?
They were arrested and put
"in custody until the next day."
ACTS 4:5-6 5
And it came to pass, on the next day, that their rulers, elders, and
scribes, 6 as well as Annas the high
priest, Caiaphas, John, and Alexander, and as many as were of the family
of the high priest, were gathered together at Jerusalem.
Who had gathered "on the next day"?
The
Sanhedrin.
Wasn't Caiaphas the high priest?
Please read the
discussion
in John 18 about who between Annas and Caiaphas was the real high priest.
Who are "John and Alexander"?
The
"John" named in this passage is most likely Annas' son
who succeeded Caiaphas as the "official" high priest in 37 AD. Not much is
known about Alexander.
ACTS 4:7-12 7
And when they had set them in the midst, they asked, “By what power or
by what name have you done this?” 8 Then
Peter, filled with the Holy Spirit, said to them, “Rulers of the people
and elders of Israel: 9 If we this day
are judged for a good deed done to a helpless man, by what means he has
been made well, 10 let it be known to
you all, and to all the people of Israel, that by the name of Jesus
Christ of Nazareth, whom you crucified, whom God raised from the dead,
by Him this man stands here before you whole.
11 This is the ‘stone which was rejected by you builders, which
has become the chief cornerstone.’ 12
Nor is there salvation in any other, for there is no other name under
heaven given among men by which we must be saved.”
What were they asking with the question, "By what power or
by what name have you done this?"
They may have been asking by what power or authority they had taught the
people or healed the lame man, or both.
Did Peter and John have cause for concern?
The last time these same people had gathered for something to do with Jesus,
they had committed murder. We know that Peter and John lived on, but
standing before the Sanhedrin at this moment, they could well have thought that they would be killed as well
because of what Peter was about to tell them.
Does Peter mince words or try to sugarcoat his response?
No, he confronts them straight on, even mentioning,
"Jesus Christ of
Nazareth, whom you crucified, whom God raised from the dead."
Can we be saved by someone other than Jesus?
No,
"Nor is there salvation in any other, for there is no other name
under heaven given among men by which we must be saved."
Who really spoke here?
Since Peter was
"filled with the Holy Spirit", the Holy
Spirit was speaking through Peter.
Could the Holy Spirit speak likewise today or is such
speech confined to this case above?
He speaks likewise today as well:
"And Jesus, answering them, began
to say: “Take heed that no one deceives you. For many will come in My name,
saying, ‘I am He,’ and will deceive many. But when you hear of wars and
rumors of wars, do not be troubled; for such things must happen, but the end
is not yet. For nation will rise against nation, and kingdom against
kingdom. And there will be earthquakes in various places, and there will be
famines and troubles. These are the beginnings of sorrows. “But watch out
for yourselves, for they will deliver you up to councils, and you will be
beaten in the synagogues. You will be brought before rulers and kings for My
sake, for a testimony to them. And the gospel must first be preached to all
the nations. But when they arrest you and deliver you up, do not worry
beforehand, or premeditate what you will speak. But whatever is given you in
that hour, speak that; for it is not you who speak, but the Holy Spirit."
(Mark 13:5-11)
What is meant by Acts 4:11?
Jesus, who
"was rejected by you builders" is the
"chief cornerstone", which is the first stone placed on the ground
to build the foundation for a building.
How important is the chief cornerstone?
If the chief cornerstone is laid at even a slightly erroneous angle, the
rest of the foundation and everything built on top of it ends up angled
erroneously. Likewise, if the chief cornerstone of someone's faith is
something other than Jesus Christ, the Word of God, that person's faith is
angled erroneously at best.
ACTS 4:13-22 13
Now when they saw the boldness of Peter and John, and perceived that
they were uneducated and untrained men, they marveled. And they realized
that they had been with Jesus. 14 And
seeing the man who had been healed standing with them, they could say
nothing against it. 15 But when they had
commanded them to go aside out of the council, they conferred among
themselves, 16 saying, “What shall we do
to these men? For, indeed, that a notable miracle has been done through
them is evident to all who dwell in Jerusalem, and we cannot deny it.
17 But so that it spreads no further
among the people, let us severely threaten them, that from now on they
speak to no man in this name.” 18 So
they called them and commanded them not to speak at all nor teach in the
name of Jesus. 19 But Peter and John
answered and said to them, “Whether it is right in the sight of God to
listen to you more than to God, you judge. 20
For we cannot but speak the things which we have seen and heard.”
21 So when they had further threatened them, they let them go,
finding no way of punishing them, because of the people, since they all
glorified God for what had been done. 22
For the man was over forty years old on whom this miracle of healing had
been performed.
How did they know that Peter and John "had been with Jesus"?
The high priest already knew John -
"Then the other disciple, who
was known to the high priest" (John 18:16) - and Peter had followed
John into the high priest's house as well and made known by famously denying
Jesus three times.
Who stood with Peter and John?
The lame
"man who had been healed."
Where had he spent the night?
Either he spent the night in custody with Peter and John, or he had gone
home and returned to the temple precinct the next morning. Either way, he
presented himself as a testimony of what God had done for him.
What example does he set?
When God does anything for us - healing us, calling us to be part of his
kingdom, etc. - we shouldn't walk away from God. Instead, we should stand up for God,
even in harm’s way, to be used by Him.
What's wrong with the Sanhedrin members' statement in Acts 4:16-17?
If they
"cannot deny it", they should accept it and listen
to Peter and John instead of trying to shut them up.
ACTS 4:23-31 23
And being let go, they went to their own companions and reported all
that the chief priests and elders had said to them.
24 So when they heard that, they raised
their voice to God with one accord and said: “Lord, You are God, who
made heaven and earth and the sea, and all that is in them,
25 who by the mouth of Your servant
David have said: ‘Why did the nations rage, And the people plot vain
things? 26 The kings of the earth took
their stand, And the rulers were gathered together Against the Lord and
against His Christ.’ 27 “For truly
against Your holy Servant Jesus, whom You anointed, both Herod and
Pontius Pilate, with the Gentiles and the people of Israel, were
gathered together 28 to do whatever Your
hand and Your purpose determined before to be done.
29 Now, Lord, look on their threats, and
grant to Your servants that with all boldness they may speak Your word,
30 by stretching out Your hand to heal,
and that signs and wonders may be done through the name of Your holy
Servant Jesus.” 31 And when they had
prayed, the place where they were assembled together was shaken; and
they were all filled with the Holy Spirit, and they spoke the word of
God with boldness.
What do the companions of Peter and John acknowledge to
open this prayer?
God as the divine Creator of
"heaven and earth and the sea, and all
that is in them."
What do they refer to next in Acts 4:25-26?
The prophetic words of King David from 1000 years earlier and recorded in Psalm 2:1-2,
which they quote.
And what do they indicate in Acts 4:27?
The fulfillment of that prophecy.
What is reaffirmed in Acts 4:28?
That Jesus sacrificed Himself according to His
"purpose" as
"determined before to be done."
What don't they ask for in Acts 4:29-30?
They don't ask for the persecution - "threats" - to decrease. Instead, they
ask for God's empowerment to increase so that
"with all boldness
they may speak Your word."
How soon did God answer their prayer?
Pretty much right away, as indicated in Acts 4:31.
ACTS 4:32-37 32
Now the multitude of those who believed were of one heart and one soul;
neither did anyone say that any of the things he possessed was his own,
but they had all things in common. 33
And with great power the apostles gave witness to the resurrection of
the Lord Jesus. And great grace was upon them all.
34 Nor was there anyone among them who
lacked; for all who were possessors of lands or houses sold them, and
brought the proceeds of the things that were sold,
35 and laid them at the apostles’ feet;
and they distributed to each as anyone had need.
36 And Joses, who was also named
Barnabas by the apostles (which is translated Son of Encouragement), a
Levite of the country of Cyprus, 37
having land, sold it, and brought the money and laid it at the apostles’
feet.
How realistic is it for us to declare today that our
possession aren't our own?
It is the reality. Everything in the world, even our next breath, is
God's possession.
Are Christians really meant to share "all things in
common"?
Jesus commanded,
"A new commandment I give to you, that you love one
another, as I have loved you, that you also love one another. By this all
will know that you are My disciples, if you have love for one another."
(John 13:34-35) Loving someone as yourself includes meeting their needs with
what you have.
What is the result of disobeying this commandment?
Millions of Christians continue to live in poverty today, particularly in
the developing world, and those who hold onto their wealth, particularly in
the developed world, disqualify themselves as
"disciples"
of Jesus as He defined it above.
Where did they bring the proceeds from the sale of their
possessions?
They
"laid them at the apostles’ feet."
Did the apostles use it to enrich themselves?
No,
"They distributed to each as anyone had need", and this
is an example to be heeded today by anyone who wishes to qualify himself as
a
"disciple" of Jesus, let alone a Christian leader.
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