Acts 4-4:5-12

At the temple

The beginning of chapter four picks up right after Peter’s speech in chapter 3. They are still at Solomon’s Portico, when the religious leaders showed up. The priests, captain of the temple, and the Sadducees showed up and arrested them

Acts 4:1–4 ESV

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.

Why was this group of people upset to begin with? Well, the priests survived off of the sacrifices and offerings given at the temple. That included food and money. There were provisions built into the law of Moses that certain parts of certain sacrifices were given to the priests as their payment. If these people were to stop making sacrifices then that meant the priests’ livelihood is now out the window. The captain of the temple was considered second in command to the high priest and he would be in charge maintaining order in the temple. He was in charge of the guards, security, maintaining order, and arresting those that broke the rules and laws. What Peter was doing would have been disturbing the scene to some degree, at least, how the crowd was reacting to his words would have been disturbing. Now the Sadducees are an interesting bunch. We see them a lot, along with the Pharisees, except we don’t know much about them in context of scripture except they were some of the religious leaders making up the Sanhedrin and they do not believe in a resurrection. This contradicts anything we know about Jesus because He raised people from the dead and He Himself was raised from the dead. The Sadducees did not believe in anything that was not observed in the Law, they did not believe it. This means if it is not explicitly said in Genesis-Deuteronomy, they did not believe. Forget the fact there are the notable cases involving Elijah and Elisha raising the dead in the Old Testament, but since it is not taught in the Law of Moses, they did not believe it. It’s like it is said in 1 Corinthians 15:13–14 “13 But if there is no resurrection of the dead, then not even Christ has been raised. 14 And if Christ has not been raised, then our preaching is in vain and your faith is in vain.” Because of the conflict from these three groups, Peter and John are arrested. The good news in this whole situation is that 5000 men were added to the church.

Before the Council

I imagine Peter and John felt like they were being called to the principal’s office, because important person in Jerusalem showed up to see what was going on. This would be like a summons by our Congress to come and testify on some behalf. Here we see some familiar faces asking questions that they should already know the answer to.

Acts 4:5–7 ESV

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?”

We already know the answer to this question, in fact, every person present at Solomon’s Portico should know the answer to this. This question is phrased in a way shows exactly what they are after. The Jews were obsessed with genealogies. Even to the point of who you studied under and which doctrine you taught. They wanted to know which rabbi, father, or even god or demon gave them the ability to make a lame man walk. Peter answers this questions by saying the same thing he has been telling everyone. Acts 4:8-12

Acts 4:8–12 ESV

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.”

Peter makes it very clear, that the power came from Jesus Christ whom they crucified. Now these actually were the men who had Jesus crucified. They were responsible for the whole scene, conspiracy, shenanigan, whatever word you want to use, especially Annas and Caiaphas. Now Peter takes his words up a notch by pointing to the council as builders. The leaders were responsible for guiding the people towards God. Even the Pharisees’ and Sadducees’ original purpose was to restore faithfulness to God’s law, but when it came to Jesus coming as a fulfillment of that law, they rejected Him. They turned Him away. They crucified Him. And the final thing that we must all understand is that salvation come through no one else. No job, boss, degree, school, money, hobby, power, president, congressman, governor, mayor, spouse, kid, or possession can save us. Only Christ Jesus. John 14:6 “6 Jesus said to him, “I am the way, and the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.” This is something that we must never forget. That all these things that we call good can become a distraction to keep us from the one who can actually save us.

What peter was saying was baffling to the council. For one they realized these were just regular people, uneducated and common as the verses say. The common crowd wouldn’t know much about the law because they wouldn’t have been taught to read and write much. The people relied on the priests, scribes, and rabbis to teach them about God. But because these men knew who Peter and John were and had nothing to say about the man being healed, they would eventually let them go. Acts 25:13-22

Acts 4:13–22 ESV

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 council couldn’t do anything. They recognized that it was Jesus who did these things, but they once again rejected Him by telling Peter and John to never speak of Jesus again. Now Peter and John approached this with a very interesting statement. “Acts 4:19 “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,” Peter asks the council a similar question and leaves it up to them to decide. “Whose authority should we follow?” After this, Peter and John were let go.

Prayer for Boldness

Here is where things get a little interesting and the scriptures can provide for us some application. The next few verses begin with a prayer for boldness. Acts 4:23-30

Acts 4:23–30 ESV

23 When they were released, they went to their friends and reported what the chief priests and the elders had said to them. 24 And when they heard it, they lifted their voices together to God and said, “Sovereign Lord, who made the heaven and the earth and the sea and everything in them, 25 who through the mouth of our father David, your servant, said by the Holy Spirit, “ ‘Why did the Gentiles rage, and the peoples plot in vain? 26 The kings of the earth set themselves, and the rulers were gathered together, against the Lord and against his Anointed’— 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. 29 And now, Lord, look upon their threats and grant to your servants to continue to speak your word with all boldness, 30 while you stretch out your hand to heal, and signs and wonders are performed through the name of your holy servant Jesus.”

What is interesting is that Peter and John and the other disciples were praying for something they were already showing. All the way back in verse 13 the council recognized the boldness of these men and now here we are reading the prayer of men asking for boldness when they have already shown it. Why? Why pray for boldness when you already have it? They knew things would get tougher as time went on. It’s only a couple chapters before Stephen is stoned. Only 8 more till James is killed by Herod. But also God expects us to keep moving forward after prayer. He is not a genie in a bottle waiting to grant a wish. Look at verse 31. Acts 4:31 “31 And when they had prayed, the place in which they were gathered together was shaken, and they were all filled with the Holy Spirit and continued to speak the word of God with boldness.” After praying, they immediately went and put themselves in situations that required boldness. They did not wait for the need to be bold. They acted on the boldness in which God had further strengthened. Don’t expect God to capitalize on work that you are not doing.

The Results

After this whole ordeal, the church was strengthened. We read that the church had all things in common which we read in chapter 2, meaning nobody considered anything their own. They sold everything they had and laid it at the apostles feet. Land was sold, homes were sold, everything was sold to the point that nobody needed for anything. Acts 4:32-36

Acts 4:32–36 ESV

32 Now the full number of those who believed were of one heart and soul, and no one said that any of the things that belonged to him was his own, but they had everything in common. 33 And with great power the apostles were giving their testimony to the resurrection of the Lord Jesus, and great grace was upon them all. 34 There was not a needy person among them, for as many as were owners of lands or houses sold them and brought the proceeds of what was sold 35 and laid it at the apostles’ feet, and it was distributed to each as any had need. 36 Thus Joseph, who was also called by the apostles Barnabas (which means son of encouragement), a Levite, a native of Cyprus,

As the last two verses of this chapter we meet a figure who we will see throughout the rest of the book of Acts, Barnabas