Bible Commentaries
Acts 4

Verses 1-22

Act 4:1-22

FIRST PERSECUTION—

PETER AND JOHN IMPRISONED

Acts 4:1-22

1-2 And as they spake unto the people,—Peter and John had gone up to the temple at the ninth hour, which was the hour of prayer, and had healed the lame man; this excited and brought a multitude of people together in Solomon’s porch of the temple, and Peter explained to the multitude the healing of the lame man and proceeded to preach Jesus as the Christ to them. The Jewish authorities felt the charge of crucifying the Messiah; they must either confess their guilt or suppress the testimony against them. Some of them chose to stop Peter and John from bearing testimony that Jesus of Nazareth was the Christ, the Messiah promised. The “Sadducees” joined the rulers in suppressing the testimony. The Sadducees did not believe in the resurrection of the dead; hence, when the resurrection of Jesus was preached, it antagonized them and they were ready to help suppress the doctrine of the resurrection. As the kingdom of God advances under the ministry of the apostles, the kingdom of darkness is also aroused, and sets itself in active opposition. The priests were divided into twenty-four courses, each of which served a week in the temple; the priests mentioned here are probably those on duty for that week. “The captain of the temple” was the ruler of the house of God (1 Chronicles 9:11; 2 Chronicles 31:13; Nehemiah 11:11); he was a priest whose duty was to command the guard of Levites stationed in the temple; he posted the sentinels at night and preserved peace during the day; his presence implied that the authorities were afraid of a disturbance from the crowd surrounding the apostles. The distinction between Pharisees and Sadducees had grown out of national differences dating from the time of the captivity; they were a small but powerful party of the priestly nobles who were supported by the temple dues, and had come to regard religion as a matter of profitable living rather than a service to God. They disliked any popular movement which might disturb the steady accumulation of temple revenues; they saw in the preaching of Jesus that their source of revenue would be diminished.

3 And they laid hands on them,—To lay “hands on them” was to arrest them; so they were arrested and put in “ward” or in prison; probably the prison was one of the chambers of the temple; Peter and John had gone up to the temple at the hour of prayer, and now they find themselves at “eventide” in prison. They were put in prison until the next morning, as no trial could take place before the next day. They often quoted Jeremiah 21:12, but violated this with respect to the trial of Jesus; the day closed with the twelfth hour or sunset.

4 But many of them that heard the word—In contrast with the opposition “many of them that heard the word believed.” “The number of the men came to be about five thousand”; it is noticed here that “the number of the men” became about five thousand; this says nothing about the number of women. Two questions have been raised here: (1) Did five thousand believe for the first time that day? (2) Did the whole number of Christians now become five thousand? Were five thousand converted here? or were there only two thousand converted here? and the two thousand added to the three thousand on Pentecost made the number five thousand? The best scholarship is in favor of two thousand converted on this occasion, and so the number “came to be about five thousand.” It is very likely that others were converted besides those mentioned on Pentecost and those at this time, as some time had elapsed between Pentecost and this day. The church increased rapidly.

5-6 And it came to pass on the morrow,—The apostles are now put on trial before the Sanhedrin; this was the highest court of the Jewish nation; “the morrow,” or the day, had dawned and they could proceed legally with their trial. We have here mentioned the different classes who composed the Sanhedrin. The Sanhedrin was supposed to be composed of twenty-four chief priests, or rulers of the twenty-four courses into which the priests had been divided, and twenty-four elders and twenty-four scribes; this would make the number of the Sanhedrin to be seventy-two; the high priest was ex officio a member of the Sanhedrin. It seldom had its full quota. “Annas” is mentioned in Luke 3:2 with Caiaphas as being both of them high priests; Annas was father-in-law of Caiaphas (John 18:13), and had some rank above Caiaphas. This is accounted for from the fact that while by the Jewish law the office of high priest was held for life, it was shifted at pleasure by the Roman authorities; hence, while but one would be the high priest according to Jewish law, the office might have passed to several others by the authority of the Romans, who deposed and appointed whom they pleased. Here Annas is designated as the high priest (in the eye of the Jewish law the only one), while Caiaphas is named also as holding the title under the Romans. John and Alexander were relatives of Annas and Caiaphas, and must have been well known. There were also present “many as were of the kindred of the high priest.” Some think that these were the members of the family of the high priest whose ancestors had lately enjoyed the high priesthood. Some authorities claim that Annas lived to see five sons and a son-in-law high priests, and for nearly fifty years enjoyed the real power of the high priesthood. Caiaphas was a Sadducee, and since he had been made high priest by the Roman authorities, he was willing to do anyting that the Roman authorities demanded.

7 And when they had set them in the midst,—When the Sanhedrin assembled that morning, and all of the kindred of the high priest were present, they “set them in the midst.” The Sanhedrin usually sat in a semicircle in the room, and the accused and witnesses occupied a place in the center. When Peter and John were thus placed, they were asked: “By what power, or in what name, have ye done this?” “By what power” means the same as “in what name”; some think that they meant to ask: “What sort of power, or in what kind of name,” have ye done this? It was impossible to deny the cure; the lame man now healed was in their midst; so the Sadducees asked for the authority or source of power for doing what they had done. This was the very question that the apostles wanted, for it would give them the best opportunity to preach Christ unto them.

8-9 Then Peter, filled with the Holy Spirit,—It seems that they were filled with the Holy Spirit for the present occasion; they had been promised such aid when they should be brought before rulers for the sake of Christ. (Mark 13:11; Luke 12:12 Luke 21:14-15.) “Ye rulers of the people, and elders,” is a very respectful way of addressing the Sanhedrin. Christianity demands that we be respectful even to our enemies; the apostles set the example of being respectful to rulers. The high court or Sanhedrin consisted of seventy-two persons of rank; hence, the apostles recognize and honor the rank of the members of the Sanhedrin. Peter now puts the case on its merits and forces the Sanhedrin to pass judgment on their doing a good deed to an unfortunate man. Surely these honorable men will not object to the apostles doing “a good deed” to “an impotent man.” They cannot object to the good deed without putting themselves against doing that which is good. Next they will want to know by what authority this good deed was done. They have a right to inquire into this matter, and the apostles are anxious to tell them that it is by the authority of Jesus of Nazareth who was crucified, but who has been raised from the dead.

10 be it known unto you all,—Peter is not ashamed or afraid to give the greatest publicity to what he had done and taught; he is anxious for the entire membership of the Sanhedrin and all who were present to know. He at once tells them that the man was made whole “in the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth”; he also is bold enough to accuse them of crucifying this Jesus, and that God had raised him from the dead. They had asked, “By what power, or in what name,” and Peter now tells them that it was “in the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth.” “Jesus” means Savior; “Christ” means the anointed, the Messiah who was predicted in the Old Testament; “of Nazareth” designates which Jesus, as the one that they had crucified and the one that God had raised from the dead. Peter thus charges the Sanhedrin of the high crime of crucifying the Messiah. Instead of the Sanhedrin placing Peter and John on trial, these apostles now put the Sanhedrin on trial; they are forced to defend the crime which they had committed or acknowledge their guilt.

11 He is the stone which was set at nought—Reference is here made to Psalms 118:22; Jesus is the stone which was set at nought. Jesus had already made application of this Psalm to himself. (Matthew 21:42.) Both Paul and Peter later referred to this prophecy and applied it to Christ. (Ephesians 2:20; 1 Peter 2:4-6.) The Sanhedrin as the rulers of the people had rejected Christ and refused to build upon him, but he has now become the “chief, corner stone.” Their rejection of Christ went to prove him to be the true stone of whom the prophets spoke.

12 And in none other is there salvation:—We must admire the boldness of Peter and John as they stood in the midst of the Sanhedrin and declared that even the members of the Sanhedrin could be saved only by accepting this Jesus of Nazareth whom they had condemned and crucified. This Jesus is the author of all salvation ; the miraculous cure of this lame man and all others is only the lower department of his salvation; he is to save not only the body, but the soul. Although the Sanhedrin had rejected Christ once, Peter tells them that there is given them an opportunity to repent; he also informs them that there is no “other name under heaven, that is given among men,” wherein people must be saved. There is no second Savior; Jesus the Christ is the only Savior. The Jews hoped to be saved because they were of Abraham’s seed (John 8:33-39), or because they claimed to trust in Moses (John 5:45-46). But Abraham and Moses pointed to the Christ whom they had rejected. It is important that the gospel be preached since there was none other in whom there is salvation “wherein we must be saved.” In the Greek the “we” is the last word in the Greek sentence; it means “we”—priests, elders, scribes, fishermen—all of us here must be saved by faith and obedience in the Christ.

13 Now when they beheld the boldness of Peter and John,—It was an inspiring scene to see the Sanhedrin assembled in a semicircle, sitting in their dignity and clothed with the highest authority granted unto the Jewish race, and observe two prisoners, Peter and John, standing accused by the Sanhedrin, to turn and bring such grave charges against the Sanhedrin! It took courage to do this; the members of the Sanhedrin observed their boldness and observed that they were “unlearned and ignorant men.” “Unlearned,” as used here, means unlettered men without technical training in the professional rabbinical schools of Hillel or Shammai; Jesus himself was regarded as not having learned letters. (John 7:15.) “Ignorant,” as used here, is “one in a private station, as opposed to one in office or in public affairs; therefore, one without professional knowlege, a layman; hence, generally ignorant, ill-informed.” These apostles were not cultured and trained in the schools of that day, but they had a knowledge far superior to all of the culture and education and training of the members of the Sanhedrin. They were caused to wonder or marvel at such boldness.. “They took knowledge of them, that they had been with Jesus.” They began to recognize them as men that had seen and had been associated with Jesus.

14 And seeing the man that was healed standing—The lame man was standing there before their eyes in proof of what Peter had said. They did not pretend to deny the miracle, neither were they prepared to acknowledge the real source of his cure. They had nothing to say; their mouths were closed; no argument could be made and no accusation could they charge against the apostles. What would they do under such circumstances ?

15-16 But when they had commanded them to go aside—In their confused state they asked the apostles to retire so that they could confer among themselves as to what was the best thing to do. They acknowledged that a notable deed had been done and that they could not deny it, and they knew that such publicity had been given to it that “all that dwell in Jerusalem” knew of it. Instead of asking what they should do to be saved, they asked how they should stop the apostles from preaching in the name of Jesus. They acknowledged that they could not deny what had been done, which implies that they would have denied if they could have done so successfully.

17 But that it spread no further among the people,—These admissions were made to each other in the absence of the apostles, and an agreement was reached that they “threaten them” that they speak no more “in this name.” This was done that “it spread no further among the people.” “Spread,” as used here, means “be distributed.” It is the same idea as expressed in 2 Timothy 2:17 : “Their word will eat as doth a gangrene,” or literally, “will have distribution or spreading” as a gangrene. There was no inquiry as to the truth of their salvation, but an anxious inquiry as to how they could put a check on these apostles. They assumed that the teaching of the apostles was pernicious and that it must be suppressed; their only concern was as to the best way to suppress it; hence, they proposed to threaten the apostles and not let them teach any more.

18 And they called them, and charged them—After reaching a decision in the absence of the apostles, they summoned the apostles again into their presence and made known to them the decision that they were “not to speak at all nor teach in the name of Jesus.” The two words, “speak” and “teach,” are used to make the command more rigid; the original conveys the idea that they were not to let the name of Jesus pass their lips again. They severely threatened them and charged them that they were not to use “the name of Jesus” at all.

19-20 But Peter and John answered and said unto them,—This reply of the apostles shows the strong ground which they took; God spoke by the miracle which they had done, and the Sanhedrin, however authorized, had no right to contradict God. It was the business of the Sanhedrin to inquire whether Peter and John were speaking by the authority of God, but their right extended no further; they had no right to suppress anything that God authorized to be taught. Peter and John again put a matter to the Sanhedrin that it could not answer. They asked “whether it is right in the sight of God to hearken unto you rather than unto God.” The Sanhedrin was in a dilemma. If the Sanhedrin said it is right to hearken unto God when God authorizes the thing to be done, then the apostles would continue to speak in the name of Jesus; but if the Sanhedrin should say that it was right to hearken unto its decision, then it would be teaching to go contrary to the authority of God. Peter gave them to understand that they would continue to obey the authority of God regardless of the decision and threats of the Sanhedrin. This was an open defiance of the authority of the Sanhedrin, when it conflicted with the authority of God. This was also an implication that the authority of the Sanhedrin was in defiance of the authority of God. The Sanhedrin was to learn that there were some things that it could not do; it could not put to silence the apostles.

21 And they, when they had further threatened them,—The Sanhedrin was put to silence; they had no further arguments to offer, charges to make, or warnings to give; they repeated with emphasis the threatenings that had been made. They “further threatened them”; that is, they added further threatenings to those that had been first announced. They let them go free, not because they were reconciled to them, or that they acknowledged that the apostles were right, but because they were unable to find in a legal way how “they might punish them.” The Sanhedrin did not inflict punishment because “of the people.” They were afraid of the people; they did not want the people to rise up against the rulers; the miracle was so manifest and so well known that “all men glorified God for that which was done.” Hence, the people would be ready to take the part of the apostles against their persecutors. The enemies of Jesus also feared the people. (Mark 12:12.) It would be dangerous for the rulers to deal severely with the apostles in the face of such public enthusiasm.

22 For the man was more than forty years old,—There was a reason for the age of the man being given. He had been lame all his life; he was not a child, but a man fully matured, and had been in this condition so long his acquaintance was extensive. This made the case a notable one in favor of the apostles and the cause of Christianity. The rulers were helpless except to threaten; the truth and the apostles had triumphed this time. All human cures had been exhausted and failed; the apostles with the power of Jesus had triumphed in the case.

Verses 23-31

Act 4:23-31

PETER AND JOHN SET FREE;

REPORT TO THE DISCIPLES;

THEIR PRAYER

Acts 4:23-31

23 And being let go, they came to their own company,—Here we have a turn in the history. The apostles so soon as they were released “came to their own company.’’ They came to the Christians and reported “all that the chief priests and the elders had said unto them.” They reported what the chief priests and elders had said in threatening them; and it is also possible that they reported just what they had said to the Sanhedrin. Peter and John had been tried before the Jewish court and they had been triumphant in their defense; they now reported all to the other Christians. The entire company of Christians now numbered several thousand. It is noted that the Sanhedrin is here called “the chief priests and the elders.”

24 And they, when they heard it,—When the disciples heard the report of Peter and John, they “lifted up their voice to God with one accord.” They all prayed to God; they were united in their prayer. Did one lead and the others repeat aloud the petition after him? Was there a general form of prayer already known to all? Or did one lead and the others join mentally or by responses with “Amen”? We do not know just how they proceeded; we only know that “with one accord” they addressed God as the one who had made “the heaven and the earth and the sea.” This prayer addressed Jehovah as the Creator and Governor of the universe. The same God who made the world has prophesied of Christ and provided against all his enemies.

25-26 who by the Holy Spirit,—Again we have reference made to Psalms 2:1-2, and it is ascribed to David. Reference here made to this Psalm shows that it was prophetic, and had reference to Christ in whom it is so remarkably fulfilled. “Why did the Gentiles rage” had reference to the nations who were not of Israel, and “the peoples” generally are included by the Jews; hence, both Jew and Gentile “raged” against Christ. The Greek for “rage” is “ephruaxan,” and literally means “to neigh like a horse, to prance or stamp the ground, to put on lofty airs.” This is the only time the word is used in the New Testament. “Imagine” is from the Greek “emeletesan,” and means “to practice, to caution, as orators and rhetoricians.” “The kings of the earth” mean the rulers and governors, and include the Jewish “Sanhedrin” with all its mighty power. All of the forces were “gathered together” against “the Lord, and against his Anointed.” The Psalm is quoted and applied to Jesus as the Christ, and the heathen or Roman soldiers, the people of the Jews, kings of the earth such as Herod and Pontius Pilate, and the rulers, or Sanhedrin, were all opposed to Christ.

27-28 for of a truth in this city—The apostles continued their prayer with the assembly of disciples and made mention of the opposition “against thy holy Servant Jesus”; some translate “holy Child Jesus.” God had anointed him with the Holy Spirit at his baptism; hence, he was the “Christ,” as “Christ” means “anointed.” (Isaiah 42:1 Isaiah 52:13; Zechariah 3:8.) “Herod and Pontius Pilate, with the Gentiles and the peoples of Israel,” were gathered together and put Jesus to death. He was brought before Herod and Pilate in his mock trials; he was subjected to trial before the Sanhedrin; the Jews and Roman soldiers conspired together to put Jesus to death. The actors in this dreadful tragedy had no design to fulfill prophecy; they only acted of their own free will, and were guilty of the greatest crime known to man, yet they were doing that which fulfilled the predictions concerning them. The death of Jesus was a fulfillment of prophecy and was necessary to his resurrection.

29, 30 And now, Lord, look upon their threatenings:—The apostles prayed for courage to go on and preach the gospel, for God to continue his power with them in working miracles and confirming his word, and for God to be with them as they continued to speak boldly in the name of Jesus. They were under the heavy threatenings of the Sanhedrin; they wanted to be protected from the threatenings of the opposition so they could continue freely to testify for Christ. This was to be done by God’s stretching “forth thy hand to heal.” By exerting his miraculous power in healing the sick and the lame, God would be confirming what the apostles preached; this was all to be done “through the name of thy holy Servant Jesus.” The apostles did not pray for safety or deliverance from the threats, or that their persecutors be crushed; they asked as “bondservants” for boldness to speak the word and continue the work which they had begun. They prayed that the “signs and wonders” should prove to the people the power of Jesus.

Verses 23-37

Act 4:23-37

THE PROMISE IS FOR ALL:

LESSONS FROM THE BOOK OF ACTS

Notes For Lesson Five: Handling Problems

(Acts 4:23 to Acts 5:42)

So far, with God’s protection, everything has gone perfectly for the new church. But now they must begin to deal with more severe tests of their faith. The very success of the believers, in leading so many others to follow Jesus, soon led to challenges both from without and from within. Here and also in the next few chapters, we shall see how they dealt with these difficulties.

Prayer & Sharing (Acts 4:23-37)

The next two short passages give us insight into some of the foundations that were laid in order for the new body of believers to handle the challenges they would face in the near future. Aware that their earlier skirmish with the authorities (in chapter 4) would not be the last, the believers pray for boldness and strength. Then, they respond to the daily needs among them by sharing the things that they had, establishing an atmosphere of mutual concern and support. All of these things played an important role in keeping the believers strong and in preparing them for further ministry.

The prayer of the believers (Acts 4:23-31) is worth studying both for the perspective it provides and for the practical nature of their requests to God. They quote from Psalms 2, which is itself a good study on the conflict between God’s power and worldly power. They have the right perspective in realizing that the authorities’ frantic attempts to shut them down comes not from strength, but from weakness. Those whose treasure lies solely in this world will always find Christianity to be horribly threatening, and for this reason they threaten, mock, and attack. Seen in the proper light, their attempts are much less threatening. The apostles also now have a clear understanding that what happened to Jesus had been foretold, and was not an accident or a tragedy. They have grown considerably in their realization that God is in control. Accordingly, they ask God for boldness and for help. They know that they need God to direct them towards the opportunities that he has prepared. They also know that they do not have the courage or wisdom in themselves to capitalize on these opportunities; they need to get these from God. Note that boldness really has little to do with aggression or volume. True boldness consists simply of being willing to tell the truth to those who need to hear it, regardless of the anticipated response.

In a different area, we also learn that the believers were willing to share whatever they had with one another (Acts 4:32-37). This was briefly mentioned in chapter 2, and now we see more details. They were looking for needs in one another’s lives, and also were also willing to meet those needs. Their attitude was the key, in that they did have a possessive view of the things God had blessed them with. Barnabas, who becomes more prominent later in Acts, is given as just one example, when he sold a field and gave the entire proceeds to the apostles for use in ministry. This example of sharing is naturally significant for what it teaches us about our attitudes towards material things, but it also goes beyond that. They were not just sacrificing for the sake of sacrificing, but because they saw needs and wanted to meet them. This is an example we can practice on many levels. Those around us have not only material needs but other needs as well. We may not always have what a particular person might need, but as a group we can learn to share what we have with each other.

For Study or Discussion: What does the apostles’ prayer reveal about their perspective towards worldly authorities? How can we emulate them? When should we also pray for the things they asked for? What kinds of needs might the believers have seen that motivated them to share their material goods with one another? What parallels might we find today?

An Internal Crisis (Acts 5:1-11)

The incident with Ananias and Sapphira comes as a shocking change of tone from the encouraging and exciting events in the first four chapters of Acts. That the narrative is so straightforward, omitting many details that might satisfy our curiosity, makes it even more difficult for some readers to understand. Yet it is here for an important purpose, as a warning not to fall into the temptations that brought down this unfortunate couple. The best way to understand this passage and its message is to avoid speculation on unknown details, and to focus on what we know for certain.

We first learn of the mistake in judgment made by Ananias and Sapphira (Acts 5:1-2). Wanting to emulate, at least outwardly, the example of those like Barnabas who had sacrificed land and homes for the ministry of the gospel, they sold a piece of their own property, took some of the proceeds for themselves, and donated the rest of it to the church. As Peter’s rebuke (below) indicates, the fault was not in considering the field as theirs to dispose of, but in wanting to have the appearance of having sacrificed all of the money from it, when in reality they were only willing to give part of it.

Peter immediately confronts Ananias (Acts 5:3-11). His accusation is very specific, charging that Ananias has "lied to the Holy Spirit", thus emphasizing that deception, not greed, is the serious offense here. Peter also indicates that the couple were further guilty of trying to lie to God. Ananias dies immediately upon hearing the accusation. Next, Peter speaks to his wife Sapphira, giving her an opportunity to repent. But she misses her chance, and again claims that the money given to the apostles represented the full price they had gotten for their property. She too is rebuked by Peter and passes away. The harshness of this punishment usually comes as a shock to those who read it for the first time. The best way to appreciate what it is telling us* is to look at the aftermath. When news of this became known, it had a sobering effect on the believers. They realized that ministry was not a game, in which we try to figure out clever tactics, but must be pursued reverently and honestly.

Some liberal commentators who do not like this passage have either stated outright that it was wrong of God to allow this to happen, or else have speculated about convoluted scenarios that would provide more of a reason for such a harsh punishment. None of this is justified by the text, nor is it necessary to exonerate God. Note further that there is no way for us to determine whether this couple will go to heaven or hell. We are not told, and we do not have enough information to deduce it. Many of the critics of this passage forget that there are things far worse than physical death, and if these two suffer eternal punishment, it will not be only for this one mistake.

This passage thus warns us as well against living for outward appearances as we serve God. What Peter called "lying to the Holy Spirit" is tempting, but very bad for our spiritual health. There is nothing wrong with admitting our many spiritual weaknesses. If we are only able to make small sacrifices to God, we shall not be condemned for it, as long as we admit where we really are. It is when we try to pretend that we are something we aren’t that we get into spiritual difficulties. In such a case, God may indeed act to correct us, probably not to this drastic degree, but in a way that we shall not be able to mistake.

For Study or Discussion: What could have motivated these two to make the mistake that they did? Do we face similar temptations? How can we strengthen ourselves against the temptation to, as Peter calls it, lie to the Holy Spirit?

Opposition Grows Stronger (Acts 5:12-41)

As the church gets stronger, so does the opposition. The Jewish authorities realize that this new group is not going to go away, and become more determined to do something about it. God’s hand protected the fledgling church as it grew, but from here on in we shall see their opponents’ threats and attacks become ever more dangerous. Jesus had warned his disciples from the beginning that such opposition would be ever-present as they followed him. Opposition is not a sign of having done something wrong, but rather is the inevitable result of any clash between those with worldly values and those with a more spiritual perspective.

Many in Jerusalem held positive views of the young church (Acts 5:12-16), though mixed with fear, and perhaps a reluctance to accept the new teachings. The apostles were known for their miracles, and since their own use of their miraculous powers was sparing, many who were not part of the church sought them out in hopes of being healed of various illnesses. There are some interesting lessons here for us to consider. The believers were clearly known for their love for one another, and for other positive characteristics. Yet they were clearly viewed as outside the mainstream of society. They did not seek simply to blend in with everyone by being kind and giving, but rather combined a strong example of practical love with a willingness to teach the truth clearly and without apologies.

But not everyone is willing simply to respond to the believers with passive respect. The apostles are arrested and soon subjected to a more lengthy confrontation than before (Acts 5:17-26). It is the power of jealousy that we see at work here. The reputation and the growing following of the young church was especially irksome to the Sadducees, who loved worldly power and influence*. The craving for power over others is one of the most pathetic of human characteristics, and always reveals a great deal of insecurity. Here, jealousy leads the Sadducees into a series of embarrassing events in which they are revealed as utterly powerless to stop the gospel from being proclaimed.

It is interesting to note that the Pharisees create less opposition in Acts than they did in the gospels. They hated Jesus because he challenged so many of their traditions and teachings, but the ministry of the apostles apparently caused them less offense. Saul of Tarsus is one of the few Pharisees who vigorously persecuted Christians, and he did it in concert with the priestly authorities, who would have been Sadducees. As one more example, see below where the Pharisee Gamaliel has a calming effect on the Sadducee-dominated Sanhedrin.

Arrested and put in jail, the apostles are released the same night by an angel. They take advantage of their release not be running away, but by returning in the morning and teaching in the temple court itself. This is a far more emphatic statement of the superiority of God’s power than it would have been to hide from re-arrest. By teaching openly, and making themselves available any time the authorities were looking for them, the apostles were making a decisive statement about their disregard of earthly power that was thoroughly embarrassing to the Sadducees. The authorities do try again, re-arresting the apostles and bringing them before the Sanhedrin to face accusations.

This confrontation before the Sanhedrin* (Acts 5:27-42) is somewhat more involved than that in the previous chapter. As the high priest, the Sadducees, and others become increasingly displeased, they become increasingly willing to consider physical threats and persecution to stop what they view as a threat to themselves. Their actual charges have very little substance, and in fact they really consist only of the facts that the apostles are not obeying the command not to teach about Jesus, and that they are implicitly revealing the guilt of the Jewish leaders in allowing Jesus to be crucified. In his reply, Peter re- iterates that he and the others are ready to obey God whenever his commands do not agree with those of human authorities, and he once again recites the basic facts about Jesus that he intends to continue to proclaim at every opportunity.

The Sanhedrin was the ruling council of the Jews. It was dominated by the Sadducees, who held most of the positions of power in the Jewish community. The Pharisees were in the minority in the Sanhedrin, but in the Jewish community as a whole, the Pharisees were much more popular. Thus, as a practical matter, the Sadducees could not usually get away with making controversial decisions unless the Pharisees supported them, or were at least willing to tolerate what the Sadducees wanted to do.

Most of the authorities are outraged, and as they lose their composure they are almost ready to overstep their authority by having Peter put to death at once. The highly respected teacher Gamaliel, a Pharisee who counted Saul of Tarsus among his students, restores some calm by warning them at length about rushing into decisions when they are not certain of God’s will. The high priest and the other Sadducees would almost certainly not have been persuaded or impressed by his reasoning itself, but they probably knew that they would have to back down for practical reasons if such a respected Pharisee was not willing to support violent means of suppressing the apostles’ teachings. They follow Gamaliel’s advice and release the prisoners, although first they indulge their spite by having the apostles flogged. This painful but temporary punishment seems only to underscore another victory for the believers. They rejoice in being free once again to proclaim the truth, and also in having "been counted worthy of suffering disgrace" for Jesus.

For Study or Discussion: What reasons did the Jewish authorities have for wanting to persecute the believers? Do Christians today face anything similar? What can we learn from these early confrontations with authority that can help us respond to the world’s attacks on us?

- Mark W. Garner, March 2002

Acts Chapter Four

Ralph Starling

When the Jewish leaders heard they were grieved,

And quickly Peter and John were seized.

In spite of it all, about 5000 believed

And Peter gave Jesus credit for those deeds.

Their accusers admitted a miracle had been done,

But no more sermon or miracle, no not one.

Peter replied, “Do we answer to God or to you?”

They let them go with threats but no further move.

They returned to their company and together they prayed.

Giving thanks to God for being saved.

And they were all filled with the Holy Ghost

For they had been faithful to the uttermost.

They continued to speak the Word with boldness,

And the multitudes believed because of their witness.

The believers were of one heart and one soul,

No one left, even possessions were sold.

The monies were lain at the disciples feet,

Distribution was made according to need.

Joes (Barnabas) is names as on example,

Sold his land that all might have ample.

Verses 32-37

Act 4:32-37

UNITY OF THE CHURCH;

POSSESSIONS FOR COMMON GOOD

Acts 4:32-37

32 And the multitude of them that believed—The disciples of Christ now numbered several thousand; they were all in and around Jerusalem; they had not been scattered at this time. The entire company were united; they “were of one heart and soul.” They were many in number, but one in spirit. One of the most striking things that may be said about the early church was its perfect oneness of heart and soul. It is not possible to make a clear distinction between “heart” and “soul.” “Kardia,” as used here, means not only the seat of the affections, but the center of the entire complex being, physical, moral, and intellectual. “Psuche” is frequently used in the New Testament to mean “life.” (Matthew 2:20 Matthew 20:28; Acts 20:10; Romans 11:3.) Those who owned property regarded it not as their own, but freely used it for the common weal of others; they “had all things common.” The property was held for the common use, but the rights of property were not abolished, nor the individual holding of property declared to be wrong. This was an emergency, and all were willing and anxious to use whatever they possessed for the common good.

33 And with great power gave the apostles their witness— The apostles bore witness to the resurrection with great power; the resurrection was the offensive doctrine to the Sadducees; it was the very heart of the gospel; hence, the apostles bore witness to what they had seen and heard. They kept on giving their witness with power after the answer to their prayer. “Great power” means the force of argument accompanied with spiritual power. “Great grace was upon them all.” The entire membership of the church found favor with each other and with others. The lives that they were now living commended them to others. The original word for “grace” is the same as the word for “favor” in Acts 2:47. Hence, the same idea is expressed; therefore, great favor was felt toward the Christians on the part of the people generally.

34-35 For neither was there among them—No one among them was allowed by his brethren to be in want, for no one among them was in want. Those who owned the property sold it and used the money to relieve those who were in destitute circumstances. It should be remembered that a great company of Jews had assembled in Jerusalem for the Passover, and then remained over for the Pentecost feast. They brought possessions enough to last them until this feast had passed. But many of them had been converted and continued their sojourn in Jerusalem until their supply had been exhausted. They were now new creatures in Christ; they had begun a new life; they had new hopes and new purposes; they had not learned the full meaning of Christianity. Some of them were in need, not because they had been idle, neither because they had squandered their possessions, nor yet because they were shiftless; but their means had been exhausted and they now were in need. In this emergency those who had possessions were ready to distribute as each had need. There is no “communism” practiced here; there was no denial of property rights, nor an encouragement to idleness; but an emergency had arisen and they had enough of the spirit of Christ to supply the needs of those who were in distress.

36-37 And Joseph, who by the apostles was surnamed Barnabas—“Barnabas” is derived from two Hebrew words which mean “son of teaching” or “preaching”; the two Greek words, here translated “son of consolation,” may also mean “son of preaching or exhortation.” His name was “Joseph”; he is here mentioned as one illustration of those who are mentioned in verse 34, who sold his possessions and brought the money to the apostles for them to distribute it as there was need. The apostles named this Joseph “Barnabas,” and he is known better by this name than any other. It seems clear from this fact that all did not actually sell their property, but were ready to do so as the need arose; but Barnabas actually sold his field and gave to the apostles the price. It is very likely that as a preacher his gift was in persuasion and exhortation. In Acts 11:23 the very word “parekalei,” which means “exhorted,” is used of Barnabas. Paul describes such a preacher in 1 Corinthians 14:3. He is in a broad sense of the word called an apostle. (Acts 14:14.) He was of the tribe of Levi and a native of Cyprus, which was an important island in the Mediterranean Sea. He was a Levite and “a man of Cyprus by race,” which means that he was a Jew and was born in Cyprus of Jewish parents; the Greek literally means “a Levite, a Cyprian by birth”; he was both a Jew and a Cyprian.

Questions on Acts

By E.M. Zerr

Acts Chapter 4

• · Who are "they" of verse one?

• · What persons came upon them?

• · Describe their state of mind.

• · Did not the Jews believe in the resurrection?

• · Then what caused their grief here?

• · What did they do to the apostles?

• · Does’ this mean a religious ceremony?

• · What was done now with Peter and John?

• · Did this cut off all their good fruits?

• · How many believed?

• · Who gathered next day?

• · Where did they gather ?

• · Who was set in their midst?

• · What is meant by "this" in verse seven ?

• · State their inquiry of the apostles.

• · Who spoke in answer?

• · With what was he filled?

• · Was his answer evasive?

• · Was the information to be held confidentially?

• · To what name does he ascribe the deed?

• · Of what does he accuse them?

• · What part had God bad in the work?

• · By what object is Christ illustrated?

• · What had the builders done to it?

• · Who were the builders?

• · What had the stone become?

• · State what is in this stone only.

• · How exclusive is this name?

• · State the literary rank of the apostles.

• · In spite of this, what did they manifest?

• · What conclusion did this suggest to the crowd?

• · State what fact they could not deny.

• · What manner of conference was held?

• · Who are "them" of the 15th verse?

• · What difficulty confronted the council?

• · Tell what they did as last resort.

• · What did they hope to affect by the threat?

• · Name the antecedent of "this" in the 17th verse.

• · Relate the orders then given the apostles.

• · Did it intimidate them?

• · To what were they restricted in speaking?

• · Why were the apostles then let go?

• · What was done before being let go?

• · Tell what attitude the people took.

• · What gave emphasis to the miracle?

• · When released, to whom did the apostles go?

• · State the report they made.

• · How Was the report received?

• · What prophecy was brought to their mind?

• · Name the rulers who assembled against Christ.

• · In so doing what did they fulfill?

• · Did the disciples pray for freedom from trials?

• · Give the substance of their prayer.

• · Through what means might signs be done?

• · What demonstration followed the prayer?

• · With what were they filled?

• · How and what did they speak?

• · What was their condition as to unity?

• · How did they arrange their possessions?

• · Had this been commanded?

• · To what did the apostles give witness?

• · Who had charge of the treasury?

• · In what form was the property presented?