Acts 4

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.

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.

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).