Acts 4:1-22
Q.1. How did the religious leaders react to the healing of the lame man? What disturbed them most? How did people respond? What did they do to Peter and John? – (Acts 4:1-4)
This was the Jewish rulers’ worst nightmare. They thought they had successfully closed down the story of Christ’s resurrection (Mt.27:62-66; 28:2-4, 11-15). Now, barely seven weeks later, the apostles – … were teaching the people and proclaiming in Jesus the resurrection from the dead (Acts 4:2). The news about the miraculous healing spread like wildfire – many of those who had heard the message believed; and the number of the men came to be about five thousand (Acts 4:4). Peter and John were thrown into jail, awaiting trial.
Q.2. What did the governing rulers do? What made Peter so fearless? What claims did Peter make about the healing and about Jesus? What was the substance of his message? – (Acts 4:5-12)
All the religious leaders of the Jews were galvanized into action. They asked – … “By what power, or in what name, have you done this?”(Acts 4:7). In the book of Acts, whenever reference is made to a witness being “filled with the Holy Spirit” it underscores the importance of what will follow. (Like Jesus’ saying “Truly, Truly, I say to you” as in Jn. 3:3 & 5; 5:24, -25; 6:26-27, 32-33, 47-51; 8:58; 10:7-9 etc.). Here, Peter’s boldness was explained, when the Scripture said that he was under the control of the Holy Spirit. This makes what he said to be extremely important – 9 if we are on trial today for a benefit done to a sick man, as to how this man has been made well, 10 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. 11 He is the stone, which was rejected by you, the builders, but which became the chief corner stone. 12 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.” (Acts 4:9-12). Peter didn’t shy away from the guilt of the Jewish leaders. He attributed the healing of the lame man to be through the power of the crucified, now risen Jesus Christ. He quoted from Psalm 118:22 and explained the miscarriage of justice perpetrated by them. He stated that faith in Jesus is the only way to Heaven. This kind of unwavering statement is still unwelcome.
Q.3. What shook the Sanhedrin about the apostles? Why were they limited in stopping the apostles? What challenge did Peter leave with them? What would change? – (Acts 4:13-22)
The Jewish leaders had often been silenced in their confrontations with Jesus. There was something of Him that had rubbed off onto the disciples. In spite of having the normal rabbinical education, these men were punching way above their weight (Acts 4:13). They could not deny the noteworthy miracle and had to contend with the popularity of the apostles, plus the rapid growth of disciples (Acts 4:4, 14-16, 21-22). Peter appealed to their conscience, when they commanded the disciples to remain silent about Jesus – …”Whether it is right in the sight of God to give heed to you rather than to God, you be the judge (Acts 4:19). He then declared their intention to continue – for we cannot stop speaking about what we have seen and heard.” (Acts 4:20).