Acts 4
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CHAPTER 4
Peter and John Before the Sanhedrin (4:1-22)
1-2 The Jewish priests and the Sadducees28 were very unhappy about the commotion that Peter and John were stirring up among the people because of the healing of the crippled man. Worse than that, the Jewish leaders had just caused Jesus to be put to death as a criminal, and now here were His disciples telling everyone that Jesus had risen from the dead!
3-4 So the priests and Sadducees seized Peter and John. But because it was then evening there was not sufficient time left that day for them to be brought before the SANHEDRIN (verse 15), the highest Jewish assembly. Therefore, they put Peter and John into prison for the night.
But the Jewish leaders were too late to stop the effects of the apostles’ preaching. On that very day many had believed in Jesus after seeing the healing of the crippled man and hearing Peter’s sermon. Now the number of men29 who believed had reached five thousand. Whenever trouble and persecution come upon Christians, their numbers usually grow more rapidly. Therefore, let us rejoice whenever we have the chance to suffer for Christ’s sake (Matthew 5:1112; James 1:2; 1 Peter 4:12-14 and comments).
5-6 Annas was the former high priest; his son-in-law Caiaphas was the present high priest. Together with other Jewish elders and teachers of the law, these men had made the decision to condemn Jesus to death (Mark 15:1; John 18:13-14,24). They had thought that after Jesus’ death this new religion would quickly die out. What a mistake they made! Now this new religion had begun to spread out of control!
7 The Jewish rulers, elders, and teachers were worried about the healing of the crippled man. Everybody in Jerusalem was talking about it. So they asked Peter and John, “By what power or what name did you do this?”
8-10 Then Peter, the humble, uneducated fisherman from Galilee, stood up before all these leaders and chief men of the Jewish nation. How could he speak to such a group? He was filled with the Holy Spirit (verse 8). Jesus Himself had said to His disciples: “… when they arrest you, do not worry about what to say or how to say it. At that time you will be given what to say, for it will not be you speaking, but the Spirit of your Father speaking through you” (Matthew 10:1920).
Peter answered their question with great boldness, saying: “… know this, you and everyone else in Israel: It is by the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth … that this man stands before you completely healed (verse 10). This is the Jesus whom you crucified, but whom God three days later raised from the dead. It is through the power of the risen Christ that this man has been healed” (see Acts 3:16 and comment).
Again Peter took no credit for the healing of the crippled man; he gave all the glory to Christ.
11 Here Peter quotes from Psalm 118:22. The stone … which has become the capstone is Christ, whom the builders (the Jewish leaders) rejected (see 1 Peter 2:4,6-8).
12 Not only are men’s bodies healed of physical sickness by the name of Jesus; even more important, their souls are saved from spiritual sickness—that is, sin. If the Jewish leaders persist in rejecting Jesus, says Peter, they will find out that they have rejected the only way to heaven. “… for there is no other name under heaven given to men by which we must be saved.” SALVATION is found in no one else.
Some people ask: Why do Christians preach Christ? Why can’t Christians leave other people alone to practice their own religions? This verse gives the answer. Only through faith in Christ can a man or woman be saved (see John 14:6 and comment). And Christians are commanded to share this news with others (see Matthew 28:19; Romans 10:13-15; 1 Peter 3:15 and comments).
13 The Jewish leaders were amazed at Peter’s answer, and they took note that these men had been with Jesus. People had been amazed at Jesus’ teaching too (see Matthew 7:28-29; John 7:15). And if we remain in Jesus, and His words remain in us, people will be amazed at our teaching also; they will look at us and take note that we, too, have been with Jesus.
14 Peter spoke with great boldness and authority before the Sanhedrin. But not only that, the crippled man who had been healed was standing there also. The presence of the healed man gave proof that Peter’s words were true. Peter had said that the crippled man had been healed by faith in the name of Jesus (Acts 3:16), and the Jewish leaders couldn’t say anything against it.
15-17 The Jewish leaders were in a dilemma. The apostles had done a great miracle, and thousands of people had begun to follow after them. All the people were praising God and acclaiming the apostles because of this miracle they had done. Besides that, Peter and John had committed no crime. If the Jewish leaders punished the apostles in any way, the people would turn against their leaders. Therefore, the leaders were afraid to take any action against the apostles.
On the other hand, the Jewish leaders didn’t want to let the apostles keep on preaching in Jesus’ name. If still more people began believing in Jesus, the Jewish leaders would gradually lose their own authority and influence over the people. Their great fear was that the people would turn from them and start following this new religion.
In the end, the leaders decided merely to threaten the apostles and command them to stop preaching in Jesus’ name.
18-20 Peter and John did not accept the command of the Jewish leaders. Jesus had given them the opposite command: “… go and make disciples of all nations … teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you” (Matthew 28:1920). Therefore, Peter and John said to the leaders, “We cannot obey you; we must obey God rather than men” (see Acts 5:29).
In other verses in the New Testament, we are commanded to obey those in authority over us (see Romans 13:1-2; 1 Peter 2:1314 and comments). However, if those in authority oppose something that God Himself has commanded, then we must not obey them in that matter. We must always obey God over man.
In many countries of the world Christians are forbidden to speak openly about Christ. Who will these Christians obey—God or man? Let them think about the example of Peter and John.
21-22 Even though Peter and John had defied them, the Jewish leaders didn’t have the courage to take any action against them except to threaten them once more. After that, they let Peter and John go. The apostles were popular with the people, and the Jewish leaders feared the people. They didn’t want to oppose men who had done such an amazing thing as to heal a person crippled for over forty years.
However, the thing the Jewish leaders feared most was this preaching that Jesus had risen from the dead. If they could have proved that Jesus did not rise from the dead, then this new religion would have quickly died out. But they were unable to prove that Jesus did not rise; they couldn’t find His body.30 No matter how hard they searched, they couldn’t find it. And now this Jesus, who was supposed to be dead, had caused this crippled man to be healed.31 This crippled man, who was now walking and jumping around, was clear proof that Jesus was indeed alive and working through His apostles. This thought upset the Jewish leaders more than anything.
The Believers’ Prayer (4:23-31)
23-24 When the believers heard Peter and John’s report, they at once raised their voices in prayer.
25-26 The believers then repeated the words in Psalm 2:1-2. David had prophesied that the nations, the peoples, the kings, and the rulers would gather together against the Lord and against his Anointed One32 (Christ). Now this prophecy of David had indeed come true.
27 In this verse, as the believers are praying, they interpret the Psalm they have just quoted. The raging nations (verse 25) are the Romans. The peoples who plot in vain (verse 25) are the people of Israel. Herod was one of the local kings (verse 26) appointed by the Romans to rule over small parts of the Roman Empire.33 Pontius Pilate, the Roman governor in Jerusalem, was one of the rulers referred to in the Psalm (verse 26). These were the kings and rulers who took their stand against the Lord’s Anointed One.
Notice that the believers here call Jesus “God’s holy servant” (see Acts 3:26). The Greek word for servant that is used here can also mean “son.” Jesus was both God’s servant and God’s Son. He was an obedient servant who suffered unto death (Isaiah 42:1; 52:13-14; 53:11-12). And He was God’s only Son (Psalm 2:7; Mark 1:11), who was appointed and anointed to be the Messiah (Christ), the Savior of the world.
28 The enemies of Christ thought that they had killed Him by their own decision and power. But, in fact, they had merely fulfilled God’s own plan and purpose. God had decided long before that His Son Christ must suffer and die (Acts 2:23; 3:17-18). Christ was appointed to be man’s Savior; and in order to save men from their sins, it was necessary for Him to take the punishment for their sins, which was death (see Mark 10:45 and comment).
Notice how God is able to use men’s evil actions to bring about great good. Men oppose God, but He overcomes their evil with good (Romans 12:21). Evil men murdered the innocent Christ; but by means of that murder God made Christ a sacrifice for the forgiveness of sins—that is, He made Christ our Savior.
29-30 Then the believers prayed for boldness. They prayed that in spite of the threats of the Jewish leaders the apostles might have great boldness to continue preaching God’s word. They also asked God to continue working through the apostles to heal and perform miraculous signs and wonders.
31 After they had finished praying the Holy Spirit again came upon them in power. An earthquake struck the room where they had gathered. And they were all filled with the Holy Spirit. From this we can understand that believers are not just filled with the Spirit once at the beginning of their Christian lives; they can be filled with the Spirit many times (see verse 8). In fact, we need to keep on being filled with the Spirit over and over again (see Ephesians 5:18 and comment). When we are filled with the Spirit, then we shall speak the word of God boldly.
The Believers Share Their Possessions (4:32-37)
32-35 Let us look again at this first Christian church. All the believers were one in heart and mind. They shared everything they had (verse 32); that is, they let others use their possessions as if they were commonly owned by everyone (see Acts 2:4445 and comment). With great power the apostles continued to testify … and much grace was upon them all (verse 33). There were no needy persons among them (verse 34), because everyone’s possessions were distributed to anyone as he had need (verse 35).
These things are written to be an example for us today, so that our churches also might be like that first church in Jerusalem. If our church today is not like that first church, then we need to pray urgently that it will soon become so (see Acts 2:4247).
36-37 Luke here gives us the example of Barnabas, who sold a field and handed the money over to the church. That same Barnabas later became a famous preacher and a close colleague of the Apostle Paul (see Acts 9:26-27; 11:25-26; 13:2-3).