The Acts, Part 8
Notes
Transcript
Last week we saw the healing of the lame man, one who had never walked. In this healing, we see the first recorded “new testament” church miracle. A beggar, at the gate looking for a hand out would instead receive a hand up. Peter told him to rise and walk, and immediately his feet and ankles gained strength, his legs became strong and could bear the weight of his body - he was able to stand up! He was so ecstatic he went in through the gate shouting praises so that everyone could see him and were marveled that this man who they had seen day after day lying at the gate was up and walking. This opened an opportunity for Peter to preach in the temple of Jesus and the denial of His deity. Preaching these words would bring criticism from the council.
Criticism
Criticism
1 And as they were speaking to the people, the priests and the captain of the temple and the Sadducees came upon them,
2 greatly annoyed because they were teaching the people and proclaiming in Jesus the resurrection from the dead.
3 And they arrested them and put them in custody until the next day, for it was already evening.
4 But many of those who had heard the word believed, and the number of the men came to about five thousand.
Up until this point, no one (in authority) had paid must attention to the disciples. They were being tolerated, maybe even viewed with rolled eyes. When these large crowds started listening, hanging on every word, in the middle of the temple they could no longer be quiet, they were causing a ruckus, might even bring a disruption against the Jewish leaders. They had to put an end to it and then three groups came together and cut the meeting short. There is no mention of a question as to what they were teaching, no calling out what they were teaching as wrong, no call to repentance, just a hostile confrontation by priests from among those on duty in the temple, the captain of the temple police, and some Sadducees. The temple police are Levites serving their term of duty and charged with keeping the sacred precincts orderly and undefiled.
One might view these actions as being completely intolerant - even of something they had no knowledge of, simply because it was different that what THEY thought should be taught. This large a gathered crowd could have made them fear an uprising and no doubt they reported this to the authorities. The Sadducees, in league with the high priest, are annoyed by the preaching of the resurrection, which they reject, and are threatened and angered at being accused of killing the Messiah.
8 For the Sadducees say that there is no resurrection, nor angel, nor spirit, but the Pharisees acknowledge them all.
14 But you denied the Holy and Righteous One, and asked for a murderer to be granted to you,
15 and you killed the Author of life, whom God raised from the dead. To this we are witnesses.
Without any questions, interrogation, or even allowing them to give an explanation, the temple police arrest the two apostles and, since it is evening, haul them away and throw them into the common lockup overnight. Luke takes this occasion to note that many hear the message and become believers, and the total of men reaches a remarkable 5,000, likely more with women and children. This figure may include Jerusalem and the surrounding region. Not all this increase, of course, is due to the one speech. BUT, there has been great growth since the last mention of 3,000 converts. Literally, hundreds at a time.
Before the Sanhedrin
Before the Sanhedrin
5 On the next day their rulers and elders and scribes gathered together in Jerusalem,
6 with Annas the high priest and Caiaphas and John and Alexander, and all who were of the high-priestly family.
7 And when they had set them in the midst, they inquired, “By what power or by what name did you do this?”
8 Then Peter, filled with the Holy Spirit, said to them, “Rulers of the people and elders,
9 if we are being examined today concerning a good deed done to a crippled man, by what means this man has been healed,
10 let it be known to all of you 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 is standing before you well.
11 This Jesus is the stone that was rejected by you, the builders, which has become the cornerstone.
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.”
13 Now when they saw the boldness of Peter and John, and perceived that they were uneducated, common men, they were astonished. And they recognized that they had been with Jesus.
14 But seeing the man who was healed standing beside them, they had nothing to say in opposition.
15 But when they had commanded them to leave the council, they conferred with one another,
16 saying, “What shall we do with these men? For that a notable sign has been performed through them is evident to all the inhabitants of Jerusalem, and we cannot deny it.
17 But in order that it may spread no further among the people, let us warn them to speak no more to anyone in this name.”
18 So they called them and charged them not to speak or teach at all in the name of Jesus.
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.”
21 And when they had further threatened them, they let them go, finding no way to punish them, because of the people, for all were praising God for what had happened.
22 For the man on whom this sign of healing was performed was more than forty years old.
The next day the supreme council or Sanhedrin meets, what Luke calls the rulers, elders, and scribes. It is modeled after the group of seventy elders who assisted Moses. This court has come to exercise wide-ranging powers, functioning as the final authority in religious matters and handling many domestic political cases as well. The high priest presides over the assembly, with former high priests, members of privileged families, and noted jurists on the court with him. In earlier days the Sanhedrin was made up chiefly of Sadducees, but around 67 b.c. Pharisees gained in power. Now both parties are found in some strength in the Sanhedrin. The present meeting seems to be a specially called one. The councillors sit in a semicircle, with the presiding officer (high priest) and his clerks in prominent positions. From a.d. 6 to 15, Annas has been high priest with present influence and prestige shown by continued use of his title. With him are his son-in-law Caiaphas, now high priest; John (perhaps Annas’s son Jonathan, who follows Caiaphas as high priest); and Alexander, otherwise unknown but also a member of the powerful high-priestly family. All are linked with the temple and are determined opponents of the new messianic movement centered in Jesus.
They order Peter and John to stand out in the middle and put to them the question of authority. Are these two operating by the power of the devil, as Jesus’ accusers claimed that he was? Like the other challenge hurled at the Lord during his last week of teaching, they want to know who gave these men the right to disturb the smooth flow of temple life. Peter has already told the crowd the source of his authority in the name of Jesus, and now he speaks up boldly to the high court. Luke reports that as he does so, he is filled with the Holy Spirit, meaning no doubt that this already Spirit-filled apostle is given a special endowment of wisdom for this occasion. Jesus had promised that his followers would be given “a mouth and wisdom” which none of their adversaries would be able to withstand or contradict.
14 Settle it therefore in your minds not to meditate beforehand how to answer,
15 for I will give you a mouth and wisdom, which none of your adversaries will be able to withstand or contradict.
Addressing the council respectfully as rulers of the people and elders (4:8), the apostle calmly reasons with them about the good deed he and John have done for a hopeless cripple. Then he becomes more direct: Let it be known to all of you, and to all the people of Israel, that this man was healed by the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth, whom you crucified, whom God raised from the dead (4:10). Going beyond their question, Peter continues his forthright testimony by citing a Scripture they well know and applies it to Jesus. The stone rejected by you builders … has become the head of the corner. Nor is this all. In strong, unyielding terms Peter declares that it is only in the name of Jesus that we must be saved. This is a key statement for the whole book of Acts. From the beginning Jesus’ name has been appealed to and used for all kinds of mighty works: preaching, teaching, healing, and both public and private evangelism. Now Peter maintains that it is the only name by which human beings, if they are to be saved at all, must be saved. It is clear that by salvation is meant a whole range of divine actions, from rescue in time of danger, deliverance from punishment, to various kinds of healing, and most importantly, eternal salvation. Peter’s assertion arises from the conviction that God has exalted Jesus to the right hand of all power, a position that cannot be shared with anyone else. It follows that only in the name of Jesus can all these blessings come. Since the Sanhedrin has no knowledge of nor belief in this exaltation of Jesus, they cannot accept the apostle’s statement, though believers can. Nevertheless, Peter’s word contains a solemn warning to the supreme council that if they persist in repudiating Jesus, there is no further hope for them personally nor for Israel. In Jesus the Messiah, their salvation is inextricably bound up.
Amazingly, Peter’s emphatic claim does not infuriate the council but surprises them and fills them with new awe. They are greatly impressed by the boldness and courage of these unlearned and ignorant men. Here Luke uses terms that express the contempt of aristocrats for commoners, yet Peter and John are not illiterates. They have taken the common synagogue classes and thus are only comparatively uneducated and ordinary. What is more, the apostles remind the rulers of another uneducated man who also spoke in such a bold, unanswerable manner. As Luke puts it, they recognized them as companions of Jesus. This can mean that some of the councillors remember seeing them in the company of the Lord during that last week. Or perhaps their Galilean accent reminds them of Jesus. More likely, however, it is their similarity in style and impact. Like Jesus, these two exercise the healing powers of God and present a forthright message of salvation to match it. They also use the name of Jesus in everything they do or say, confirming the impression of a close relationship. The major problem for the council is how to deal with such witnesses. They are immensely popular with the people, and right beside them in court stands the proof of a mighty miracle, the newly healed cripple. In no way can the Sanhedrin deny that the power of God has been working through these unauthorized preachers. So in order to talk over the matter privately, the council orders the accused to leave the room. Once alone, the court voices the big question: What will we do with them?. All who live in Jerusalem know that a notable sign has been performed in the name of Jesus. Hence, the Sanhedrin can do nothing but call the apostles back in and lamely warn them not to speak any more in this name! This they do, only to receive another surprise. Instead of meekly complying, these Spirit-filled witnesses throw down the gauntlet in the conflict between the council and the Lord Jesus Christ. You must judge, Peter and John answer, whether it is right to listen to you rather than to God! We ourselves are under obligation to tell openly and fairly what we have seen and heard. There is nothing left for the Sanhedrin to do but add more threats to the warnings they have already given. What these might be, Luke does not say, nor are they any longer important. Finding no way to punish the apostles, the council has to release them. People are praising God for the healing of this cripple, whose age Luke now gives as over forty years; thus he is widely known in the area. The present embarrassment of the high court is similar to that in the days of Jesus when the authorities wanted to destroy him but “did not find anything they could do, for all the people were spellbound by what they heard”.
47 And he was teaching daily in the temple. The chief priests and the scribes and the principal men of the people were seeking to destroy him,
48 but they did not find anything they could do, for all the people were hanging on his words.
Faw, Chalmer Ernest. 1993. Acts. Believers Church Bible Commentary. Scottdale, PA: Herald Press.