Chapter 4

Following Peter and John healing the lame man, and then speaking to many in Solomon's portico about Jesus' resurrection, the captain of the temple, and the Sadducees - who didn't believe in any kind of resurrection by anyone ever - show up.  The Sadducees are quite annoyed that they are teaching, and especially annoyed that they are teaching resurrection.  So they arrest them.  By them, I believe we only mean Peter and John.  They throw them in jail over night because it is already dark, too late to try them.  Many who have heard Peter and John that day believe in Jesus.  About 5,000 men are converted.  Interesting that their healing the lame man was so effective here, seemingly moreso than Jesus' miracles.  Jesus was saying "I am the way..."  and they are speaking of someone besides them.  Is that why it was different?  Or did Jesus also make many many converts away from Judaism, and we just aren't given numbers?  Also, the Holy Spirit is working now, convicting men of their sins.  That is different also.

The next day, they are questioned.  Annas is there, as is Caiaphas.  Peter and John knew these two men conspired to kill Jesus and accomplished it.  They were the ones who's influence over the crowd and over Pilate  had led to Jesus' crucifixion.  They knew how much trouble they might be in.  They could die for what they said. 

Peter does not deny Christ this time.  Before the same man - Annas - that Peter denied before, he now proclaims Christ's message openly, publicly, and in the daylight.  Peter was filled with the Holy Spirit - as Jesus had promised they would be when dragged before officials, and so fulfilling that prophecy at least to some extent.  There isn't any subtlety in Peter's answer to them.  He says they healed this man in the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth, whom you crucified.  Wow.  They considered calling Jesus the Christ to be blasphemy, a crime worthy of death.  Peter accused the High Priest, AND his father, of murder.  Not smart.  And a very very long way from denial.

Peter goes even further.  He says that it is only through Jesus that salvation can come.  NOT through the High Priest or his court, and not through sacrifices made in the Temple.  Through Jesus' name only.  He is telling them that their positions and titles are now without any real authority or meaning. 

2025 - This verse from Peter's sermon should be memorized:

12 And there is salvation in no one else, for there is no other name under heaven given among men by which we must be saved." [Act 4:12 ESV].

This is a core verse!

The officials are astounded at the reasoning and eloquence of uneducated men.  And with the evidence standing right there beside them - the healed man - they really couldn't answer what Peter had said.  So they send everyone out and confer in private.  How did Luke learn what was discussed during this part of the proceedings?  Had to be someone who was still on the inside didn't it? 

They realize that the healing of the lame man is real.  (2023 - Again, there is no charge of fraud after the miracle.  The proof of the miracle is standing right there, as a witness, walking and talking and praising the name of Jesus.  His healing miracle cannot be denied.) They know it is a bona fide miracle.  They don't discuss what they should believe about the message attached to the miracle.  Instead, they are worried about the message spreading further, to other people.  They realize that Peter and John are not just undermining and lessening their authority, but removing it completely as a meaningless thing.  They will come to nothing if this whole Jesus Christ thing catches on, so their objective is to squelch that name.

Is that the case today?  Is it Jesus' name that is attacked? 

Calling back Peter and John, they tell them to refrain from using Jesus' name in connection with what they say.  Peter's answer is a favorite of mine:

2025 - The order from the council - from the civil authority:

18 So they called them and charged them not to speak or teach at all in the name of Jesus. [Act 4:18 ESV].  AT ALL...Not even amongst themselves.  In England you can't silently move your lips in prayer in front of an abortion clinic.  They have been ordered not to pray.  So far, we aren't there...but we surely do seem to be headed in that direction!

19 But Peter and John answered them, "Whether it is right in the sight of God to listen to you rather than to God, you must judge, 20 for we cannot but speak of what we have seen and heard." [Act 4:19-20 ESV]

2023 - Look at what Peter is really getting at in vs 19.  This is a subtle - yet not so subtle - contrast combined with an accusation .  The contrast is between what the council is telling them to do and what God is telling them to do.  Peter is saying that the orders of the council are in direct contradiction to the word they have received from God.  And so he is telling them to judge for themselves whether THEY are right OR GOD is right.  He is making it clear to all who listen that the council is setting themselves up as judges of God.  The evidence that what Peter and John were saying was true was corroborated by the miracle standing there beside them for any to see.  This is the same argument that Jesus made several times, as when he said "if you don't believe me, believe the works."  The healed man was Peter's witness that what Peter was saying was from God, and that Peter's words about Jesus therefore HAD TO BE from God.  The council was making themselves judges of whether God should do these things, not whether Peter and John should do them.  These are the deep, complex, logically irrefutable arguments made by a former fisherman in a court full of educated men.  What a change in Peter.  He got over his shame real quick.  And so should we all!!!

Possible FB post.

The council - or these officials anyway - threaten them further in the face of this statement, and then let them go.  Too many witnesses.

2023 - When they get back to their friends, they make a connection - a distinct and unmistakable connection - back to these verses:  1 Why do the nations rage and the peoples plot in vain? 2 The kings of the earth set themselves, and the rulers take counsel together, against the LORD and against his Anointed, saying, 3 "Let us burst their bonds apart and cast away their cords from us." [Psa 2:1-3 ESV].  David himself wrote this prophetic, messianic verse back when he was King.  That's how far back it goes.  And look at the verses that confirm it undeniably:  27 for truly in this city there were gathered together against your holy servant Jesus, whom you anointed, both Herod and Pontius Pilate, along with the Gentiles and the peoples of Israel, 28 to do whatever your hand and your plan had predestined to take place. [Act 4:27-28 ESV].  The Gentiles in Psalms are given names - Herod, Pilate, and the Gentiles - the Roman occupiers if you will - AND the peoples of Israel - Annas and Caiaphas and the rulers of the temple.  There was conspiracy here between Romans and Jews - perhaps more behind the scenes conspiracy than the Bible declares.  And despite the efforts of Gentiles and Jews alike in this conspiracy, all they succeeded in doing was carrying out God's predestined will in the lives of men. 

Another good FB post, after the one above.

Though brave in the face of questioning, I think Peter and John must have been afraid at the thought of continuing to do what they'd been so directly warned not to do.  They went to their friends, to others who believed, and they prayed for courage.  When they did, the place they were gathered shook, and they were all filled with the Holy Spirit, and continued to speak.  MSB calls the shaking a physical phenomenon to confirm the presence of the Holy Spirit, as the earthquake, noise and tongues of fire were on the Day of Pentecost.  This seems a big deal, but I don't recall ever hearing it preached.

We get a description of the earliest Christians.  They shared all things among themselves.  Food, goods, housing are all implied.  The apostles testified of Jesus' resurrection and did great works.  They took care of the needy among them.  There were apparently a lot of needy among the new converts, because people were having to sell land and houses to raise the money needed to take care of them.  I think most likely there were a lot of converts with small needs rather than a few converts with great need.  Barnabas sells a piece of land and lays the money for it at the apostles feet.