seekeroftruth
Well-Known Member
Acts 4:1 The priests and the captain of the temple guard and the Sadducees came up to Peter and John while they were speaking to the people. 2 They were greatly disturbed because the apostles were teaching the people, proclaiming in Jesus the resurrection of the dead. 3 They seized Peter and John and, because it was evening, they put them in jail until the next day. 4 But many who heard the message believed; so the number of men who believed grew to about five thousand.
5 The next day the rulers, the elders and the teachers of the law met in Jerusalem. 6 Annas the high priest was there, and so were Caiaphas, John, Alexander and others of the high priest’s family. 7 They had Peter and John brought before them and began to question them: “By what power or what name did you do this?”
8 Then Peter, filled with the Holy Spirit, said to them: “Rulers and elders of the people! 9 If we are being called to account today for an act of kindness shown to a man who was lame and are being asked how he was healed, 10 then know this, you and all the people of Israel: It is by the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth, whom you crucified but whom God raised from the dead, that this man stands before you healed. 11 Jesus is
“‘the stone you builders rejected,
which has become the cornerstone.’[a]
which has become the cornerstone.’[a]
12 Salvation is found in no one else, for there is no other name under heaven given to mankind by which we must be saved.”
13 When they saw the courage of Peter and John and realized that they were unschooled, ordinary men, they were astonished and they took note that these men had been with Jesus. 14 But since they could see the man who had been healed standing there with them, there was nothing they could say. 15 So they ordered them to withdraw from the Sanhedrin and then conferred together. 16 “What are we going to do with these men?” they asked. “Everyone living in Jerusalem knows they have performed a notable sign, and we cannot deny it. 17 But to stop this thing from spreading any further among the people, we must warn them to speak no longer to anyone in this name.”
18 Then they called them in again and commanded them not to speak or teach at all in the name of Jesus. 19 But Peter and John replied, “Which is right in God’s eyes: to listen to you, or to him? You be the judges! 20 As for us, we cannot help speaking about what we have seen and heard.”
21 After further threats they let them go. They could not decide how to punish them, because all the people were praising God for what had happened. 22 For the man who was miraculously healed was over forty years old.
23 On their release, Peter and John went back to their own people and reported all that the chief priests and the elders had said to them. 24 When they heard this, they raised their voices together in prayer to God. “Sovereign Lord,” they said, “you made the heavens and the earth and the sea, and everything in them. 25 You spoke by the Holy Spirit through the mouth of your servant, our father David:
“‘Why do the nations rage
and the peoples plot in vain?
26 The kings of the earth rise up
and the rulers band together
against the Lord
and against his anointed one.[b]’[c]
and the peoples plot in vain?
26 The kings of the earth rise up
and the rulers band together
against the Lord
and against his anointed one.[b]’[c]
27 Indeed Herod and Pontius Pilate met together with the Gentiles and the people of Israel in this city to conspire against your holy servant Jesus, whom you anointed. 28 They did what your power and will had decided beforehand should happen. 29 Now, Lord, consider their threats and enable your servants to speak your word with great boldness. 30 Stretch out your hand to heal and perform signs and wonders through the name of your holy servant Jesus.”
31 After they prayed, the place where they were meeting was shaken. And they were all filled with the Holy Spirit and spoke the word of God boldly.
32 All the believers were one in heart and mind. No one claimed that any of their possessions was their own, but they shared everything they had. 33 With great power the apostles continued to testify to the resurrection of the Lord Jesus. And God’s grace was so powerfully at work in them all 34 that there were no needy persons among them. For from time to time those who owned land or houses sold them, brought the money from the sales 35 and put it at the apostles’ feet, and it was distributed to anyone who had need.
36 Joseph, a Levite from Cyprus, whom the apostles called Barnabas (which means “son of encouragement”), 37 sold a field he owned and brought the money and put it at the apostles’ feet.
a. Acts 4:11 Psalm 118:22
b. Acts 4:26 That is, Messiah or Christ
c. Acts 4:26 Psalm 2:1,2
This is from bible-studys.org.
"Preached through Jesus the resurrection”: This part of the apostles’ message was the most objectionable to the Jewish leaders. They had executed Christ as a blasphemer and now Peter and John were proclaiming His resurrection.
The annoyance to the Jewish leaders was twofold:
(1) The presumption of the apostles to teach people as if they were recognized rabbis (verse 13), and
(2) The teaching of the resurrection, which was denied by these Sadducees (23:6).
This teaching of Peter and John is in direct opposition with what the Sadducee believes. This preaching of Peter and John angered these men from the temple.
“Five thousand”: The cumulative total of men in the Jerusalem church by this time, not the number of those converted after Peter’s latest message.
Their phenomenal results may also have had something to do with their arrest. Five thousand men, plus women and children, have now turned to Christ in Jerusalem.
This believing the word which Peter and John had preached is an extension of chapter 3 in the last lesson. We read earlier how about 3,000 believed, now the group of believers has grown to 5,000 men. At this time, there were many women who believed, so the number of believers is expanding greatly.
“Unlearned and ignorant men”: Peter and John were not educated in the rabbinical schools and had no formal training in Old Testament theology.
The Greek words literally say that Peter and John were “unlettered” men and “commoners.” They were unlettered or uneducated in the technical, rabbinical teachings. They were commoners in that they possessed no official positions nor special abilities. But the priests do clearly note that these men have been with Jesus. This explains their boldness and power.
These men had not been taught in the rabbinical schools as the Levitical tribe was. This boldness, when speaking out for the good news of the gospel, is very important: not only to the apostles then, but also to the preachers today. All who receive this baptism whether preachers or laymen receive power to minister more boldly.
Somehow they were going to have to get the People's minds off Jesus Christ of Nazareth, or they felt it would jeopardize worship in the temple. The people who regularly came to the temple to worship might begin to believe in Jesus as the Christ, and if they did they would lose the rule over them.
At this point, these officials had to know that Jesus was indeed the Messiah (Christ). Rather than lose their position in the church, they would not openly admit to believing in Him.
Peter and John’s experience did not frighten or discourage the other disciples, but exhilarated them. They took confidence in God’s sovereign control of all events, even their sufferings. Furthermore, they were comforted that the opposition whom they were facing was foreseen in the Old Testament.
This is from the easy English site.
The members of the first church cared about each other. They did not just say that they cared. They showed their love by what they did. People still owned things. But they would share these things with anyone who needed them. Some believers owned land or houses. If anyone needed money, these people sold their land or houses. Nobody forced them to do this. They wanted to help each other.
So... these scenes take place right after John and Peter healed the lame guy. This lame guy had been laying around at the gate to the Temple for forty years. I bet people thought of him as some kind of human fixture by that time.... he couldn't be healed so he must be too despicable to be healed.... I bet when they did give him a handout... the people would toss it rather than deal with the man's "sin". Remember... they thought people only got sick because they sinned or their parents had sinned. Peter had taken advantage of human curiosity.... when Peter saw the crowd forming.... he started to preach about Christ and the Cross..... Peter told people that Jesus had risen from the dead! Oh those temple leaders couldn't let him get away with that. They hadn't been to school.... they hadn't studied at the seminary.... these were just the friends of that guy Jesus of Nazareth.... Just who did they "think they were"!
John and Peter were jailed for the night.... I guess they were indeed guilty of causing a riot.... of sorts... a peaceful riot... but a riot....
The next morning.... the temple leaders were at a loss for what to do. If they arrested these two men for healing a lame guy.... that would be a black spot on them.... and if they just let them go.... well then the crowds would continue to grow... and that would attract the attention of Rome... and that was not good for the men who were in charge of the Temple. So... they told John and Peter to "shut up".
John and Peter went back to the rest and told them what had happened. Everyone prayed about it..... yay! Good job.... they didn't mull it over among themselves and decide what to do.... they prayed about it.... they went to God....
The last part of this chapter is kind of a Utopian statement. People took care of each other..... they weren't asked to do so... they just did it. I think the "they weren't asked to do so" part will become important..... but at any rate.... these people were really following the commandments.....
They loved God with all their hearts and souls.
They loved each other and treated each other as they would want to be treated.
While John and Peter were jailed for the night.... these Christians didn't fall apart and boil up some gold and brew up a couple of golden calves.... as those descendants of Jacob did when Moses went up on the mountain.......That's a big deal... these people were praying and following the commandments.
