No Other Name
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As they were speaking to the people, the priests and the captain of the temple guard and the Sadducees came up to them,
being greatly disturbed because they were teaching the people and proclaiming in Jesus the resurrection from the dead.
And they laid hands on them and put them in jail until the next day, for it was already evening.
But many of those who had heard the message believed; and the number of the men came to be about five thousand.
On the next day, their rulers and elders and scribes were gathered together in Jerusalem;
and Annas the high priest was there, and Caiaphas and John and Alexander, and all who were of high-priestly descent.
When they had placed them in the center, they began to inquire, “By what power, or in what name, have you done this?”
Then Peter, filled with the Holy Spirit, said to them, “Rulers and elders of the people,
if we are on trial today for a benefit done to a sick man, as to how this man has been made well,
let it be known to all of you and to all the people of Israel, that by the name of Jesus Christ the Nazarene, whom you crucified, whom God raised from the dead—by this name this man stands here before you in good health.
“He is the stone which was rejected by you, the builders, but which became the chief corner stone.
“And there is salvation in no one else; for there is no other name under heaven that has been given among men by which we must be saved.”
The Consequences of Preaching Truth
As they were speaking to the people, the priests and the captain of the temple guard and the Sadducees came up to them,
being greatly disturbed because they were teaching the people and proclaiming in Jesus the resurrection from the dead.
Stop me if you have heard this one...
A Priest, A Temple Guard Captain, and some Sadducees walk into a bar. Just kidding...this was not a joke.
These were some of the same people opposed to Jesus, and now were after the Disciples. Up untill this point, the disciples had not had many problems. They had been laying low just waiting...but since the day of Pentecost and the arrival of the Spirit...things were ramping up.
A man was miracleously healed...and the religious leaders took notice.
Who are these people?
Priests could have been anyone...whoever was on duty.
The Captiain of the Temple Guard was someone who was high in authority. Worked under the High Priest. Had the power to arrest. Probably was a Sadducee.
The Sadducees were one of three religious groups of the time. The Pharisees, the Essenes and the Sadducees.
The Pharisees were sticklers to the law. Tradition. Every jot and tittle of the law must be followed, and they relied heavily on oral traditions to guide the Jewish people.
The Essenes were into ritual purity and were scribes. Copying the books of the law. They are believed to be responsible for the Dead Sea Scrolls.
And then you have the Sadducees. These religous leaders only believed the Torah (First five books, Pentatuch), and rejected the oral traditions of the Pharisees. They also denied the resurrection of the dead, the immortality of the soul and rejected any rewards or punishments in an afterlife. Did not believe in angels or demons.
The Sadducees wanted peace with Rome because it would have benifited them financially. So they were absolutely against any rebellious actions. They were against Jesus and they were against the disciples, and anyone else causing a potential disruption with Rome.
So, the priest, the captain and the Sadducees (v2) were greatly disturbed b/c they were teaching people that Jesus was raised from the dead.
And they laid hands on them and put them in jail until the next day, for it was already evening.
So they had them arrested.
Lesson #1: Sometimes bad things happen when people do the right thing.
But many of those who had heard the message believed; and the number of the men came to be about five thousand.
Even though the disciples were arrested...more people got save.
Lesson #2 - Good things can come from bad things. Always be ready to do the right thing, no matter the consequences.
On the next day, their rulers and elders and scribes were gathered together in Jerusalem;
and Annas the high priest was there, and Caiaphas and John and Alexander, and all who were of high-priestly descent.
When they had placed them in the center, they began to inquire, “By what power, or in what name, have you done this?”
Annas the high priest and Caiaphas...these guys were present and active during Jesus’ trial and execution.
and led Him to Annas first; for he was father-in-law of Caiaphas, who was high priest that year.
Now Caiaphas was the one who had advised the Jews that it was expedient for one man to die on behalf of the people.
So here we have “The Trial” of Peter and John. And they ask a simple question. “Who gave you the authority to do this?” He could have very well said “How dare you?” “Who do you think you are?” “What is the meaning of this?”
Then Peter, filled with the Holy Spirit, said to them, “Rulers and elders of the people,
if we are on trial today for a benefit done to a sick man, as to how this man has been made well,
let it be known to all of you and to all the people of Israel, that by the name of Jesus Christ the Nazarene, whom you crucified, whom God raised from the dead—by this name this man stands here before you in good health.
“He is the stone which was rejected by you, the builders, but which became the chief corner stone.
“And there is salvation in no one else; for there is no other name under heaven that has been given among men by which we must be saved.”
And in one of the greatest 5 verse stretches in all of the Bible...Peter gives us this jewel.
v8 - Filled with the Holy Spirit
v10 - let it be known to you all and to all the people of Isael that by the name of JESUS CHRIST the NAZARENE, whom you crucified.
Now let’s stop right there...What boldness this took. The very ones who crucified Jesus...Peter lays them out bare.
You crucifeid Jesus of Nazarene.
I believe they were threathened by Him.
I believe they were jealous of Him.
I believe they were scared of Him.
I believe they they had him killed because they didn’t know any other way to stop Him.
Peter says you killed him...But God raised Him from the dead.
Remember what I said about the Sadducees not believing in the resurrection? And here Peter boldly proclaimes that God raised Jesus from the dead. There was a resurrection. And now this Jesus is even more powerful than before because He is alive and seated at the right hand of the Father. And there is power in His name.
In fact enough power to heal this forty year old man lame from birth.
“He is the stone which was rejected by you, the builders, but which became the chief corner stone.
The stone which the builders rejected
Has become the chief corner stone.
Peter now quotes David in the Psalms. (A verse that the Sadducees reject b/c its not in the Torah.
Peter tells the leaders...this man you killed. He is risen. And He will be the cornerstone of something that no one will be able to tear down or destroy.
The cornerstone...or the beginning of a Kingdom.
“And there is salvation in no one else; for there is no other name under heaven that has been given among men by which we must be saved.”
This is big on many levels.
In the Torah...(10 commandments) You shall have no other gods before me.
God was it. He was the pinnacle. The top of the pile, the apex. No one bigger than God.
And no one before God.
It was considered blasphamous to claim equality with God.
And yet Jesus did it.
And know Peter does it. By saying that Jesus’ name is equal to that of God...Peter is proclaiming that Jesus is God. And no other name is greater.
This was a foreign thought back then. Wild. A divisive thought. And Peter proclaims it for all to hear.
God saves. Jesus saves. Same thing.
