And fear came upon every soul: and many wonders and signs were done through the apostles.
\nActs 2:43<\/p>\n
The two chapters of Acts 3 and 4 comprise one unit in the Book of Acts. It records the ministry and the witness of Peter and John, and records Peter\u2019s second sermon, the first one being found in chapter 2.<\/p>\n
This section of Acts can be divided into six divisions: the miracle of healing; the second sermon of Peter; the arrest of the apostles; the examination of the apostles; the decision of the Sanhedrin; and the prayer of the apostles.<\/p>\n
I. THE MIRACLE OF HEALING\u2014ACTS 3:1\u201311<\/p>\n
This chapter is an expansion of two verses found in chapter 2. First, Acts 2:43 states: And fear came upon every soul: and many wonders and signs were done through the apostles. Chapter 3 gives an explanation of that verse, showing what these signs and wonders were. These signs and wonders were not done by believers in general, but by the apostles.<\/p>\n
Secondly, Acts 2:46 states: And day by day, continuing stedfastly with one accord in the temple, and breaking bread at home. Chapter 3 shows their continued loyalty to the Temple, for they continued praying daily in the Temple. This chapter records an incident that happened on one of those days.<\/p>\n
A. The Occasion of the Miracle\u2014Acts 3:1<\/p>\n
Now Peter and John were going up into the temple at the hour of prayer, being the ninth hour.<\/p>\n
The occasion for the events of these two chapters is given in verse 1: Peter and John were going up into the temple. This shows that these two Jewish believers in the Messiahship of Yeshua (Jesus) saw no contradiction in their attending the Temple service. The Greek text has an Imperfect Tense, which emphasizes continuous action in the past time; they \u201cused to go up.\u201d It was an habitual practice for them to go to the Temple to pray.<\/p>\n
The reason they were going to the Temple on this occasion was the hour of prayer. It was one of the set hours of Temple prayer. It was the ninth hour, which makes it three o\u2019clock in the afternoon, and was the time of the regular daily evening sacrifice.<\/p>\n
B. The Encounter with the Lame Man\u2014Acts 3:2\u20133<\/p>\n
And a certain man that was lame from his mother\u2019s womb was carried, whom they laid daily at the door of the temple which is called Beautiful, to ask alms of them that entered into the temple; who seeing Peter and John about to go into the temple, asked to receive an alms.<\/p>\n
The man himself comes into view in verse 2, revealing his condition immediately: a certain man that was lame from his mother\u2019s womb. He was lame from the time he was born and had been lame for forty years according to verse 22. In other words, he did not become lame, he was born lame, and so he had never walked in his entire life.<\/p>\n
He was carried on a daily basis, and laid at this particular gate of the Temple, known as the Beautiful Gate. This was one of the gates of the Temple Compound, which led from the Court of the Gentiles or the Outer Court, to the Court of the Women or the Inner Court. People going between the Outer Court and the Inner Court would pass by this man, who would be sitting there for the purpose of asking alms of them that came in and went out of the Temple.<\/p>\n
When he saw Peter and John going into the Temple, he was about to ask for alms from them in verse 3.<\/p>\n
C. The Healing of the Lame Man\u2014Acts 3:4\u20137<\/p>\n
The responses of the apostles and the lame man are given in verses 4\u20135: And Peter, fastening his eyes upon him, with John, said, Look on us. And he gave heed unto them, expecting to receive something from them.<\/p>\n
Peter\u2019s response is stated in verse 4: And Peter, fastening his eyes upon him, with John, said, Look on us.<\/p>\n
The man\u2019s response is given in verse 5: he gave heed unto them.<\/p>\n
In other words, he began paying attention to them, he fastened his eyes right on Peter with eagerness. He was obviously expecting to receive some monetary gifts from them; he took Peter\u2019s statement as a promise of a large financial gift.<\/p>\n
Then Peter declared in verse 6: But Peter said, Silver and gold have I none; but what I have, that give I you. In the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth, walk.<\/p>\n
In spite of the collections which the apostles took up at the end of Acts 2, the apostles themselves were poor men. Peter did not dip into the common pot as Judas had done. However, he did have something to offer, and he said to the lame man: but what I have, that I give you. He then made his declaration: In the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth, walk.<\/p>\n
The expression in the name of means \u201cin the authority of.\u201d Peter invoked the power and the authority of Yeshua. Because the name stands for all that, a person is, therefore, \u201cby the authority of Yeshua, the Messiah of Nazareth, walk!\u201d The Greek tense means \u201cbegin to walk and then, to keep on walking.\u201d But the beggar does not move, he knows he cannot walk, he has never walked in his whole life; he did not even know what walking was like.<\/p>\n
Verse 7 then tells about the healing of the lame man: And he took him by the right hand, and raised him up: and immediately his feet and his ankle-bones received strength.<\/p>\n
Peter took some action and took the lame man by the right hand, and raised him up. In other words, Peter had to pull him up to his feet before he would even try to walk, because the man knew he could not walk. The result was that immediately his feet and his ankle-bones received strength. Being a medical doctor himself, Luke used medical terms here. But the point was that the healing was instantaneous.<\/p>\n
D. The Three Results of the Miracle\u2014Acts 3:8\u201311<\/p>\n
The first result was on the man himself in verse 8: And leaping up, he stood, and began to walk; and he entered with them into the temple, walking, and leaping, and praising God.<\/p>\n
The Greek tense means he leaped up repeatedly: he stood [up], and began to walk, and kept on walking. This man entered with Peter and John into the Inner Court of the Temple, the Court of Women. He was filled with joy, because, for the first time ever, he was: walking, and leaping, and praising God. He was not a man who became lame, he was a man who was born lame.<\/p>\n
The second result was on the people in verses 9\u201310: And all the people saw him walking and praising God: and they took knowledge of him, that it was he that sat for alms at the Beautiful Gate of the temple; and they were filled with wonder and amazement at that which had happened unto him.<\/p>\n
Verse 9 states that all the people saw him walking and praising God, and this had a specific effect upon the people.<\/p>\n
They became aware of something, they took knowledge of him in verse 10. The Greek word used means \u201cfull knowledge.\u201d They took full knowledge and began to perceive that this was the same man who had for so long been asking for alms at the Beautiful Gate of the Temple. The result was that they were filled with wonder and amazement at that which had happened [to the lame man].<\/p>\n
And the third result was the gathering of the people in verse 11: And as he held Peter and John, all the people ran together unto them in the porch that is called Solomon\u2019s, greatly wondering.<\/p>\n
The timing was: as he held Peter and John. He held them fast; he held them with strength or force. When the people saw this, they recognized who that man was and began running together. They began to gather together at the porch known as Solomon\u2019s Porch, which was located at the southern end of the Court of the Gentiles. It was called Solomon\u2019s Porch because it was built on the remains of the ancient foundation of the Solomonic Temple. The state of the people at this point was: greatly wondering. All of a sudden, then, Peter had an audience, and this led to his second sermon.<\/p>\n
II. THE SECOND SERMON OF PETER\u2014ACTS 3:12\u201326<\/p>\n
The second division of this study is divided into two sections. The first section deals with Israel\u2019s rejection of the Messiah and the second section deals with Israel\u2019s responsibility.<\/p>\n
A. Israel\u2019s Rejection of the Messiah\u2014Acts 3:12\u201318<\/p>\n
1. The Introduction\u2014Acts 3:12<\/p>\n
And when Peter saw it, he answered unto the people, Ye men of Israel, why marvel ye at this man? or why fasten ye your eyes on us, as though by our own power or godliness we had made him to walk?<\/p>\n
Peter begins his sermon with the introduction, giving the occasion: when Peter saw it. What he saw was all these people coming together as a result of the healing of the lame man. He addressed them as: Ye men of Israel.<\/p>\n
He then raised two questions, which were a denial, that neither he nor John had anything to do with the healing of the lame man. The first question is: why marvel ye at this man? The second question is: why fasten your eyes on us, as [if] by our own power or godliness we had made him to walk?<\/p>\n
The point of introduction was that nothing in either Peter or John is what made this man walk. It was something else.<\/p>\n
2. The Results of the Rejection\u2014Acts 3:13\u201315<\/p>\n
In these verses, Peter deals with the rejection of the Messiahship of Yeshua and makes five points. The God of Abraham, and of Isaac, and of Jacob, the God of our fathers, has glorified his Servant Jesus; whom ye delivered up, and denied before the face of Pilate, when he had determined to release him. But ye denied the Holy and Righteous One, and asked for a murderer to be granted unto you, and killed the Prince of life; whom God raised from the dead; whereof we are witnesses.<\/p>\n
The first point is that God sent his Son in verse 13a. This is the covenant keeping God because He is called the God of Abraham, and of Isaac, and of Jacob, which was the biblical formula for the Abrahamic Covenant. This is the covenant-keeping God who glorified his Servant Jesus. This is the first of six titles of Yeshua found in this sermon: He is the Servant. He is the Servant of Jehovah of Isaiah the Prophet. Now He was glorified and exalted by His Resurrection and by His Ascension.<\/p>\n
The second point is that He was delivered up to Pilate according to verse 13b. The ones guilty of doing so were the people to whom Peter was speaking: ye delivered up. It was they, the Jewish people, who delivered Yeshua up to a civil authority for a civil trial; it was they who denied Jesus before the face of Pilate, when they said that they had no king but Caesar (Jn. 19:15), and when they said: his blood be upon us and upon our children (Mat. 27:25). They did this at the time that Pilate himself had determined to release him.<\/p>\n
The third point is that they rejected the Messiah in verse 14: But ye denied the Holy and Righteous One. The second of the Messiah\u2019s titles is the Holy One, emphasizing the divinity of Jesus. The third title in Peter\u2019s sermon is the Righteous or Just One, emphasizing the perfect humanity of Jesus. They denied the Holy One, they denied the Righteous or Just One, and instead asked for a murderer [Barabbas] to be granted unto [them].<\/p>\n
The fourth point is that they killed the Messiah in verse 15a: and killed the Prince of life, which is the Messiah\u2019s fourth title. The Greek word for Prince has a number of meanings. It can mean \u201csource,\u201d and indeed He is the source of life, which is the point of Acts 3:15. It can also mean that He is the \u201coriginator\u201d of life. Furthermore, it can also mean he is the \u201cauthor\u201d of life, which is the emphasis in Hebrews 2:10\u201312:2. It can also mean \u201cleader,\u201d which is the emphasis in Acts 5:31. Furthermore, it can mean \u201cpioneer\u201d or \u201ctrailblazer.\u201d Finally, the word can mean \u201cchampion\u201d whose victory includes those whom He represents, all those who believe on Him.<\/p>\n
And the fifth point is that He was also resurrected from the dead in verse 15b: whom God raised from the dead; whereof we are witnesses, and Peter was an eyewitness of the resurrected Son.<\/p>\n
Thus, Peter presented the essence of the Gospel: that Yeshua died and was resurrected.<\/p>\n
3. The Means of the Miracle\u2014Acts 3:16<\/p>\n
And by faith in his name has his name made this man strong, whom ye behold and know: yea, the faith which is through him has given him this perfect soundness in the presence of you all.<\/p>\n
Peter then points to who was really responsible for healing the lame man. The means was: by faith in his name. And the result was: his name made this man strong; the one whom [they] behold and know. The means was: faith \u2026 through him. The result was that the Messiah gave him this perfect soundness in the presence of you all.<\/p>\n
Peter\u2019s statement clearly shows that the lame man has faith. The lame man would have heard Yeshua or, at least, heard about Him by this time, since the Messiah taught in the Temple Compound many times. Apparently this lame man did have faith, and Peter, recognizing the faith that this lame man had, was able to proceed to heal him by using his apostolic authority. But it was the faith in Yeshua of Nazareth that caused the healing, not any internal power of either Peter or John.<\/p>\n
4. The Conclusion of Peter\u2019s Sermon\u2014Acts 3:17\u201318<\/p>\n
And now, brethren, I know that in ignorance ye did it, as did also your rulers. But the things which God foreshowed by the mouth of all the prophets, that his Christ should suffer, he thus fulfilled.<\/p>\n
In verse 17, he points out that what they did, they did in ignorance. Making the application, Peter states: And now, brethren, not in the sense of fellow-believers, but in the sense of fellow-Jews. Then Peter adds: I know that in ignorance ye did it, as did also your rulers. Peter does not mean that everyone did it in ignorance, for some, like Judas, Caiaphas, and Annas, did not do it in ignorance, but most who were involved did. Paul reaffirms this in 1 Corinthians 2:8. There was recognition that what they did, they did in ignorance, but being ignorant did not absolve them from guilt! While ignorance did not absolve them from guilt, it did provide a basis for mercy, if they repented.<\/p>\n
Finally, Peter points out that what did happen was a fulfillment of prophecy in verse 18: But the things which God foreshowed. The means was: by the mouth of all the prophets. In other words, what the prophets had taught was that his Christ should suffer. By saying: his Christ, Peter means \u201cHis Messiah,\u201d and this is the fifth title of Jesus in his sermon. By the death of Yeshua and by His Resurrection, the prophecy concerning the Messiah was fulfilled.<\/p>\n
Although they did it in ignorance, they were guilty, but their ignorance at least allows them to receive forgiveness, if they repent. Nevertheless, what did happen was a fulfillment of the prophets in that the prophets said it would happen, and so it did happen.<\/p>\n
B. Israel\u2019s Responsibility\u2014Acts 3:19\u201326<\/p>\n
Having dealt with Israel\u2019s rejection of the Messiahship of Yeshua, Peter then spelled out what Israel must do.<\/p>\n
1. The Need for Repentance\u2014Acts 3:19a<\/p>\n
Repent ye therefore, and turn again.<\/p>\n
Peter started out with the word therefore, showing that what he was about to say was based on what he had said in verses 12\u201318, which is the fact that they had previously rejected the Messiahship of Jesus. What they must do now is: Repent ye. Peter used the plural form, emphasizing both individual and national repentance. To repent means \u201cto change one\u2019s mind.\u201d They must change their mind about Yeshua, that He is not demon possessed, but that He is the Messiah. This is exactly the same thing he told them to do back in Acts 2:38, and three thousand Jews did just that.<\/p>\n
Furthermore, he said: turn again. The Greek word means \u201cto be converted,\u201d which means \u201cto turn from sin to God.\u201d They must turn to God in conduct as well as in mind. When they repent, they turn to God with the mind and heart; when they are converted they turn to God in conduct as well. In this way, they will separate themselves from this generation and also turn away from the coming judgment.<\/p>\n
2. The Specific Results of Repentance\u2014Acts 3:19b\u201320<\/p>\n
Peter spells out what will be the three specific results of Israel\u2019s repentance in these verses. that your sins may be blotted out, that so there may come seasons of refreshing from the presence of the Lord; and that he may send the Christ who has been appointed for you, even Jesus.<\/p>\n
The first result will be salvation in verse 19b: that your sins may be blotted out. If they repent as individuals, it will mean individual salvation; if they repent as a nation, then it will mean national salvation. The Greek word for being blotted out means \u201cto wipe out,\u201d \u201cto wipe off,\u201d \u201cto erase,\u201d \u201cto smear out.\u201d It is a strong word showing that our sins will be totally wiped out by turning to the Messiah by faith.<\/p>\n
The second result will be the Messianic Kingdom in verse 19c: that so there may come seasons of refreshing from the presence of the Lord. The remote purpose was that, if they repent as a nation, they will see the Messianic Kingdom established. The primary purpose was individual salvation. The seasons of refreshing is an expression that refers to a revival by turning to the Lord, who will bring about a national revival.<\/p>\n
The third result will be the Second Coming in verse 20: that he may send the Christ or that he may send the Messiah, because the Second Coming is pre-conditioned by Israel\u2019s national salvation. Until the nation of Israel repents, there will be no Second Coming. Then Peter declares that this Messiah is Jesus, \u201cwho had been appointed for you.\u201d Yeshua is that Messiah who has been appointed for you. He was appointed by God the Father. He was appointed for you, meaning that He was appointed to be Israel\u2019s Messiah.<\/p>\n
3. The Present Position of the Messiah\u2014Acts 3:21<\/p>\n
whom the heaven must receive until the times of restoration of all things, whereof God spoke by the mouth of his holy prophets that have been from of old.<\/p>\n
Finally, he points out that the present position of the Messiah is in Heaven: whom the heaven must receive. He was received up into Heaven in Acts 1:9\u201311, and He will remain there until the times of restoration of all things. He will remain in Heaven until the establishment of the Messianic Kingdom, at the Second Coming. Yeshua used the same terminology in Matthew 19:28. Speaking of the Kingdom, He said: in the regeneration to come, in the restoration of all things.<\/p>\n
Furthermore, this truth was prophesied: God spoke by the mouth of his holy prophets that have been from of old. The prophets predicted that the establishment of the Messianic Kingdom will be preceded by the national salvation of Israel.<\/p>\n
4. The Prophet Like Unto Moses\u2014Acts 3:22\u201323<\/p>\n
Next, Peter gives two quotations from Moses: Moses indeed said, A prophet shall the Lord God raise up unto you from among your brethren, like unto me; to him shall ye hearken in all things whatsoever he shall speak unto you. And it shall be, that every soul that shall not hearken to that prophet, shall be utterly destroyed from among the people.<\/p>\n
First, in verse 22, he quotes Deuteronomy 18:15, which prophesied that another \u201cprophet like unto Moses,\u201d with whom God will speak face to face; Yeshua was that prophet like unto Moses, and He is the One now to be obeyed. This quotation falls into the category of interpretation known as \u201cliteral prophecy plus literal fulfillment.\u201d<\/p>\n
Secondly, in verse 23 Peter quotes Deuteronomy 18:19, which was a warning against disobedience to the prophet like unto Moses. He warns them against disobeying the Messiahship of Jesus. This, too, is literal prophecy plus literal fulfillment. The fact that Yeshua is called a prophet makes this the sixth title used of Jesus in this sermon. It is because that prophet had been disobeyed by the nation of Israel that the judgment of A.D. 70 was indeed coming.<\/p>\n
5. The Prophecy Regarding These Days\u2014Acts 3:24\u201326<\/p>\n
Yea and all the prophets from Samuel and them that followed after, as many as have spoken, they also told of these days. Ye are the sons of the prophets, and of the covenant which God made with your fathers, saying unto Abraham, And in your seed shall all the families of the earth be blessed. Unto you first God, having raised up his Servant, sent him to bless you, in turning away every one of you from your iniquities.<\/p>\n
Verse 24 gives a summary of the prophets: all the prophets from Samuel and those that followed after, \u2026 [had] spoken \u2026 of these days, that is, the days of verses 13\u201315, the days of coming judgment for rejecting the Messiahship of Yeshua.<\/p>\n
Verse 25 reveals Israel\u2019s present status: Ye are the sons of the prophets. They are not literal descendants of the prophets, but they are in the sense of being heirs of the promises made by God through the prophets. They are the sons of the prophets because the prophets\u2019 promises are to be inherited by them. Furthermore, they are the sons of the covenant,\u201d the Abrahamic Covenant, which God made with their fathers, the Patriarchs: Abraham, Isaac and Jacob. Peter then quotes Genesis 12:3: in your seed shall all the families of the earth be blessed. This also is in the category of literal prophecy plus literal fulfillment.<\/p>\n
In verse 26, Peter states that the promises of spiritual blessings of the Jewish covenants were to extend to the Gentiles; however, they must come to the Jew first. So he declared: Unto you [Israel] first God, having raised up his Servant, the Servant of verse 13, the Servant of Jehovah, Yeshua whom He raised. God sent him to bless you. The Messiah will bless them if they turn away from their evil ways and turn by faith to accepting His Messiahship. Here, Peter teaches the same truth that Paul did: it was still necessary for the gospel to be preached to the Jew first.<\/p>\n
C. Three Key Observations<\/p>\n
1. Regarding the Messianic Kingdom<\/p>\n
The first observation about Peter\u2019s sermon is that this sermon was not a re-offer of the Messianic Kingdom. They had rejected the Kingdom in Matthew 12, and from then on they were under the judgment of the unpardonable sin, the judgment of A.D. 70. That judgment was irrevocable and there was no possibility of change.<\/p>\n
It simply states what the requirements of the establishment of the Kingdom are. The prerequisite of the Second Coming and the Kingdom is Israel\u2019s national salvation. That will happen some day, but it was not a re-offer to this generation because they were guilty of the unpardonable sin. Since the sin was unpardonable, they could not see the Kingdom established in their day; the judgment of A.D. 70 was irrevocable.<\/p>\n
2. Regarding the Titles of the Messiah<\/p>\n
A second observation is that Peter gave Yeshua six different titles in this sermon. First, he called Him a Servant in Acts 3:13, 26, with the background being the Servant of Jehovah of the Book of Isaiah. Secondly, Peter called Him the Holy One in Acts 3:14, emphasizing His divinity, for there is none holy except God. The third title Peter gives Yeshua is the Righteous One or the Just One in Acts 3:14, which emphasizes His perfect humanity. Fourthly, He is called the Prince of life in Acts 3:15, emphasizing Him as the source of spiritual life to those who believe. The fifth title is the Christ or the Messiah in Acts 3:18, 20, emphasizing His title and person hood in relationship to Israel. And the sixth title is the \u201cProphet like unto Moses,\u201d emphasizing the office in which he functioned during His First Coming in Acts 3:22\u201323.<\/p>\n
3. Regarding God\u2019s Program<\/p>\n
The third observation in this sermon is that Peter presented God\u2019s eight point program. First, God sent His Son in His First Coming. Secondly, Israel rejected the Messiah and the Messiah was killed. Thirdly, the Messiah, however, was resurrected. Fourthly, Israel will eventually repent of her national sin, that of rejecting His Messiahship on the grounds of being demon possessed. The fifth observation is that Israel as a nation will accept the Messiah. The sixth observation is that God will send a revival and Israel will plead for the Messiah to return. The seventh observation is that the Messiah will then come back at His Second Coming. And the eighth observation is that the Messiah will bring in the times of restoration, when He will establish His Kingdom. That is God\u2019s eight point program as revealed in the second sermon of Peter.<\/p>\n
III. THE ARREST OF THE APOSTLES\u2014ACTS 4:1\u20134<\/p>\n
The third division deals with the arrest of the apostles in four sections: first, the interruption; secondly, the state of the Saducees; thirdly, the arrest of the apostles; and fourthly, the results of the second sermon.<\/p>\n
A. The Interruption\u2014Acts 4:1<\/p>\n
And as they spoke unto the people, the priests and the captain of the temple and the Sadducees came upon them.<\/p>\n
Verse 1 records an interruption: as they spoke unto the people; in other words, the apostles were still speaking to the people. Peter had more to say, but he was suddenly interrupted by the leaders, the priests. They may have included the common priests, but more likely, they were the twenty four chief priests, who were Sadducees. The leaders also included the Temple Compound police. Also, there was the captain of the temple, the chief officer, the one who was in charge of the Temple Compound police. He always had to be a member of one of the priestly families, and he was second in authority to the high priest himself.<\/p>\n
Also mentioned were the Sadducees. It was the Sadducees who instigated the first persecution of the Church because of their jealousy over the control of the Temple Compound. The Sadducees were in control of the Temple Compound, and these events occurred within their jurisdiction. So they came upon them. The Greek word means they \u201cburst upon them suddenly.\u201d They came against Peter and John with a clearly hostile attitude, and this marks the beginning of the rejection of Peter\u2019s message.<\/p>\n
B. The State of the Sadducees\u2014Acts 4:2<\/p>\n
being sore troubled because they taught the people, and proclaimed in Jesus the resurrection from the dead.<\/p>\n
Verse 2 describes the state of the Sadducees as being sore troubled. The Greek word means, \u201cto be worked up,\u201d \u201cto be indignant.\u201d The reason they were worked up and indignant is: because [the apostles] taught the people. As far as they were concerned, the apostles were not qualified to teach on spiritual matters; they were unschooled Galileans. The apostles were certainly not authorized to teach in the Temple Compound.<\/p>\n
They were also troubled because the apostles proclaimed in Jesus the resurrection from the dead. This created problems with the Sadducees. The first problem was the teaching on the Resurrection, because the Sadducees denied any possibility of any resurrection from the dead. Secondly, it troubled them when the apostles proclaimed [the resurrection] in Jesus, because the Sadducees, from early on, had rejected the Messiah and helped to get Him crucified.<\/p>\n
C. The Arrest\u2014Acts 4:3<\/p>\n
And they laid hands on them, and put them in ward unto the morrow: for it was now eventide.<\/p>\n
According to verse 3, the apostles were arrested and put in ward until the next day. This was probably a chamber in the Temple Compound. They had to be kept overnight because it was already evening, and by Jewish law no trial could be conducted in the evening hours.<\/p>\n
D. The Results of the Second Sermon\u2014Acts 4:4<\/p>\n
But many of them that heard the word believed; and the number of the men came to be about five thousand.<\/p>\n
But verse 4 reveals the results of the second sermon: the number of the men came to be about five thousand who believed. The Greek word for men does not mean \u201cmankind,\u201d but \u201cmales\u201d in contrast to females. In other words, five thousand males alone believed as a result of Peter\u2019s second sermon, not counting the many women that also may have come to saving faith as a result of that sermon.<\/p>\n
IV. THE EXAMINATION OF THE APOSTLES\u2014ACTS 4:5\u201312<\/p>\n
The fourth division records the examination of the apostles in two areas: first, the question raised by the Sanhedrin and secondly, Peter\u2019s address to the leadership of Israel.<\/p>\n
A. The Question Raised by the Sanhedrin\u2014Acts 4:5\u20137<\/p>\n
And it came to pass on the morrow, that 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 as many as were of the kindred of the high priest. And when they had set them in the midst, they inquired, By what power, or in what name, have ye done this?<\/p>\n
Verse 5 records the convening of the Sanhedrin. It included the rulers, the twenty-four chief priests, who were Sadducees; it included the elders, who were Pharisees; and it included the scribes, who were also Pharisees. They all came together in Jerusalem. According to verse 6, the family of the high priest was also present, which included Annas the high priest, his son, and other members of his family, like his son-in-law Caiaphas.<\/p>\n
In verse 7 they raised a question: By what power, or in what name, have ye done this? In Greek there is an element of scorn here; they were scornful and contemptuous. The emphasis is on the word ye, which comes last. Literally, what they said was, \u201cBy what power did you do this, people like you?\u201d It was a question that contained a sense of contempt or scorn. In contrast to divine power, they used a word that means \u201cauthority,\u201d and the implication was that the apostles acted illegally by some kind of incantation, some kind of magic. They asked: in what name or, \u201cin what magical name have you done this?\u201d In other words, they clearly admit a miracle had occurred: the lame man was healed. But now they want to know by what power or by what incantation or by what bit of magic did they perform this deed.<\/p>\n
B. Peter\u2019s Address to the Leadership of Israel\u2014Acts 4:8\u201312<\/p>\n
But Peter gave them an answer they did not like. This was Peter\u2019s address to the leaders of Israel.<\/p>\n
1. The Source of the Miracle\u2014Acts 4:8\u201310<\/p>\n
Then Peter, filled with the Holy Spirit, said unto them, Ye rulers of the people, and elders, if we this day are examined concerning a good deed done to an impotent man, by what means this man is made whole; be it known unto you all, and to all the people of Israel, that in the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth, whom ye crucified, whom God raised from the dead, even in him does this man stand here before you whole.<\/p>\n
Peter took the lead once again, because he was filled with the Holy Spirit in verse 8a, he was now controlled by the Holy Spirit and issued a divine utterance. In verse 8b, those addressed were: Ye rulers of the people, and elders. For the first time, Peter, a member of the apostolic group, had a chance to present a message directly to the leaders of Israel.<\/p>\n
He began by explaining the source of the miracle in verse 9 and pointed out an irony in that the apostles were being interrogated because of a good thing they had done. They healed a man who had been lame for forty years and now they were placed on trial for doing a good thing. There is a sense of sarcasm here: the miracle was a good deed, not a crime.<\/p>\n
Peter then gave the explanation and answer in verse 10: be it known unto you all, which means \u201cLet every one of you leaders of Israel know,\u201d and all the people of Israel [should also know], that in the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth. This, then, answers their previous question: in what name? It was \u201cin the name of Yeshua the Messiah of Nazareth, whom you crucified.\u201d<\/p>\n
We should not miss Peter\u2019s boldness in charging the leadership of Israel with out and out murder when he says: whom ye crucified. \u201cWe have done this in the name of the One you crucified.\u201d He continues: whom God raised from the dead; God\u2019s answer to their act of crucifixion was to raise Him from the dead. This answers the other question of the leaders: By what power? It was by the power of the resurrected Messiah. It was: even in him does this man stand before you whole. What this phrase shows is that they not only put Peter and John in jail, they put the lame man in jail as well. The man was now in jail and was also on trial with the apostles.<\/p>\n
What tragic irony! For the first time from birth he was able to walk; he leaped and jumped and praised God, then all of a sudden, he found himself in a jail cell that night and in the morning on trial for being healed! All this must have created a sense of confusion.<\/p>\n
2. The Rejection of the Messiah\u2014Acts 4:11<\/p>\n
He is the stone which was set at nought of you the builders, which was made the head of the corner.<\/p>\n
Next, Peter applied Psalm 118:22 to them in verse 11. The builders were the Jewish leaders who were guilty of rejecting the Messiahship of Jesus. They were guilty of leading the nation in rejecting the Messiahship of Yeshua as well. This is the rejection which was predicted in Psalm 118:22 and serves as a clear indictment of the Jewish leaders. But this very One that they rejected has now been made the head of the corner. This is a reference to the exaltation of Yeshua, which was a vindication of all that He claimed.<\/p>\n
This was not a quotation of Psalm 118:22, but a paraphrase with an application to the Jewish leaders before whom they stood. This paraphrase falls into the category of interpretation known as \u201cliteral plus summation.\u201d<\/p>\n
3. The Means of Salvation\u2014Acts 4:12<\/p>\n
And in none other is there salvation: for neither is there any other name under heaven, that is given among men, wherein we must be saved.<\/p>\n
Peter then concludes that Yeshua is the only means of salvation. This is the messianic salvation of Acts 5:31. The very name by which the healing was done is also the only name by which one can be saved: for neither is there any other name under heaven, that is given among men, wherein we must be saved. Salvation can be found only in Jesus of Nazareth.<\/p>\n
The contrast with verses 10\u201311 should not be missed: Yeshua the Messiah, whom they crucified, but God raised; whom they rejected, but God has exalted; is the only name available for salvation. The clear teaching of verse 12 is that a person must believe in Jesus to be saved; he must have a conscious faith in Yeshua as the Messiah.<\/p>\n
V. THE DECISION OF THE SANHEDRIN\u2014ACTS 4:13\u201322<\/p>\n
In this division, the decision of the Sanhedrin is divided into six units: first, the observations of the Jewish leaders; secondly, the private council of the Sanhedrin; thirdly, the decision of the council; fourthly, the response of the apostles; fifth, the response of the leaders; and sixth, the significance of the miracle.<\/p>\n
A. The Observations of the Jewish Leaders\u2014Acts 4:13\u201314<\/p>\n
These verses recap the observations of the Jewish leaders, concerning the apostles and the lame man.<\/p>\n
1. Concerning the Apostles\u2014Acts 4:13<\/p>\n
Now when they beheld the boldness of Peter and John, and had perceived that they were unlearned and ignorant men, they marvelled; and they took knowledge of them, that they had been with Jesus.<\/p>\n
The first observation concerned the apostles in verse 13: they beheld the boldness of Peter and John. This shows that John also spoke, though Luke did not record what he said, because Luke\u2019s primary aim was to record the works of Peter and Paul, not the others. Both Peter and John had confidence and expressed themselves with boldness, without holding back.<\/p>\n
The leaders also perceived that they were unlearned and ignorant men. The word unlearned means that they were untrained in rabbinic schools. They observed the same thing about Yeshua in John 7:15.<\/p>\n
Furthermore, they were ignorant, not stupid, but ignorant. They were laymen, not scholars. The fact that they were not scholars and the fact that they were untrained in rabbinic schools caused the leaders to marvel all the more. The Greek tense means they \u201cbegan to marvel and they kept on marveling.\u201d<\/p>\n
Finally, they took knowledge that these two men had been with Jesus. The Greek tense points out that they began to recognize them as men who had been with Jesus. They now remembered where they had seen these men before.<\/p>\n
2. Concerning the Lame Man\u2014Acts 4:14<\/p>\n
And seeing the man that was healed standing with them, they could say nothing against it.<\/p>\n
The second observation concerns the lame man and the emphasis is that \u201ca healed man was standing.\u201d He was not sitting, he was standing, something he could not do before chapter 3. The evidence of the healing was right there before their eyes.<\/p>\n
Because the lame man, whom they knew had been lame for forty years, was standing there, obviously, they could say nothing against it. There was only one possible inference: that Yeshua did it; therefore, Yeshua was the Messiah. But the leaders refused to reach that inference, and so the Greek tense implies that they kept on having nothing to say against it.<\/p>\n
B. The Private Council of the Sanhedrin\u2014Acts 4:15\u201316<\/p>\n
But when they had commanded them to go aside out of the council, they conferred among themselves, saying, What shall we do to these men? for that indeed a notable miracle has been wrought through them, is manifest to all that dwell in Jerusalem; and we cannot deny it.<\/p>\n
After clearly observing that these were two apostles who had been with Jesus and observing that the lame man was now healed, they decided to hold a private council in verse 15 and they commanded them to go aside out of the council, [and] they conferred among themselves. When the three men, Peter, John, and the ex-lame man, went outside, the leaders began to compare notes and to take stock of their predicament.<\/p>\n
In verse 16, they made a clear admission of the fact of the miracle, for they raised the question: What shall we do to these men? That was the predicament; they did not know exactly what to do with these men. The fact was that indeed a notable miracle had been done, and they tried hard to find something wrong with that. Furthermore, not only did they know it, but it was already manifest to all that dwell in Jerusalem. Therefore, because this miracle was now too well known, they simply could not deny it. Since they could not deny that a miracle had occurred, they could not punish the men either, because no law had been broken.<\/p>\n
C. The Decision of the Council\u2014Acts 4:17\u201318<\/p>\n
But that it spread no further among the people, let us threaten them, that they speak henceforth to no man in this name. And they called them, and charged them not to speak at all nor teach in the name of Jesus.<\/p>\n
In verse 17, they then revealed what their ultimate aim was: to silence the apostles. Their fear was that it spread no further among the people. They wanted to make sure that the message about Yeshua did not spread any further among the Jewish people. They were not able to undo what had been done, but they wanted to make sure that it spread no further. The decision they reached was: let us threaten them; for the purpose: that they speak henceforth to no man in this name. In other words, the decision was to try to silence the apostles. One should note the contemptuous use of this name, for they did not even want to say the name \u201cJesus.\u201d<\/p>\n
They then issued the command in verse 18. They called the apostles back into the council room and then gave them a charge, a command, not to speak at all, [not even] teach [at all] in the name of Jesus.<\/p>\n
D. The Response of the Apostles\u2014Acts 4:19\u201320<\/p>\n
But Peter and John answered and said unto them, Whether it is right in the sight of God to hearken unto you rather than unto God, judge ye: for we cannot but speak the things which we saw and heard.<\/p>\n
The apostles responded resolutely. The issue in verse 19 was this: What is the right thing to do in the sight of God? Is it right in the sight of God to hearken to the leaders or to God? This was a rhetorical question. As the spiritual leaders of Israel, the answer should have been obvious to them: of course one must always obey God rather than man.<\/p>\n
The apostles then spelled out what their commitment was going to be in verse 20: for we cannot but speak the things which we saw and heard. They were called to be witnesses, and witnessing is the major theme of the Book of Acts. And because God had called them to be witnesses, \u201cthey could not but speak what things they saw and what things they heard from Yeshua of Nazareth.\u201d<\/p>\n
The apostles gave a clear repudiation of the authority of the Sanhedrin, because the Sanhedrin had misused their authority, at least in this instance; they tried to silence men who had been commanded to speak by none other than God Himself.<\/p>\n
E. The Response of the Leaders\u2014Acts 4:21\u201322<\/p>\n
And they, when they had further threatened them, let them go, finding nothing how they might punish them, because of the people; for all men glorified God for that which was done. For the man was more than forty years old, on whom this miracle of healing was wrought.<\/p>\n
The leaders had no choice but to release the apostles in verse 21. All they could do for now was to threaten them with future punishment if their orders were disobeyed.<\/p>\n
They had to let them go for two reasons. The first reason was because: finding nothing how they might punish them. In other words, no law was broken and the apostles did not claim anything that could be clearly disproved. On the other hand, it was clear and well known that a man who was lame from birth was healed. The second reason was because of the people: for all men glorified God for that which was done. The Greek tense means they \u201ckept on glorifying\u201d God. Five thousand males, not counting women, were saved as a result of the healing of the lame man, and they all glorified God. Perhaps other Jews, who were not believers in Jesus, were also glorifying God over the healing of this well-known lame man.<\/p>\n
Luke then gave a further explanation of the miracle itself in verse 22: the man was over forty years old and had been lame from the day he was born.<\/p>\n
G. The Significance of the Miracle<\/p>\n
The significance of this event is that it stirred up the first opposition from the Jewish leaders, which came from the ranks of the Sadducees. They were the ones who stirred up this first persecution.<\/p>\n
VI. THE REPORT OF PETER AND JOHN AND THE PRAYER OF THE APOSTLES\u2014ACTS 4:23\u201331<\/p>\n
The sixth and last division of this study is divided into two units: the report of Peter and John and the prayer of the apostles.<\/p>\n
A. The Report of Peter and John\u2014Acts 4:23<\/p>\n
And being let go, they came to their own company, and reported all that the chief priests and the elders had said unto them.<\/p>\n
Following their release, Peter and John reported to the other apostles and related to them what the leaders had said. These leaders were the twenty-four chief priests, who were Sadducees, and the elders, who were Pharisees.<\/p>\n
B. The Prayer of the Apostles\u2014Acts 4:24\u201330<\/p>\n
The result of the report was the prayer of the apostles. The motivation for the prayer was in verse 24a: And they, when they heard it, lifted up their voice to God with one accord.<\/p>\n
When they heard the report of Peter and John and about the threats: they lifted up their voice to God with one accord. The response of the believers was to take it to the Lord.<\/p>\n
The prayer began by emphasizing God as the God of Creation in verse 24b: and said, O Lord, you that did make the heaven and the earth and the sea, and all that in them is.<\/p>\n
They addressed their prayer: O Lord. The Greek word used for Lord was Lord in the sense of a master-slave relationship, thus, they recognized God\u2019s authority. God is the One who made the heaven and the earth and the sea and all life that is in them.<\/p>\n
In verses 25\u201326, the prayer they quoted was Psalm 2:1\u20132: who by the Holy Spirit, by the mouth of our father David your servant, did say, Why did the Gentiles rage, And the peoples imagine vain things? The kings of the earth set themselves in array, And the rulers were gathered together, Against the Lord, and against his Anointed.<\/p>\n
In verse 25a, the introduction to the quotation shows how the Bible teaches the dual authorship of Scripture. It came by the Holy Spirit, who was the Divine Author, and it came by the mouth of \u2026 David, who was the human author. Scripture is always of dual authorship. David was the human author, but he wrote exactly what the Holy Spirit wanted him to write. The apostles referred to David as our father and God\u2019s servant.<\/p>\n
They then quoted the passage in verses 25b\u201326, and this falls into the category of interpretation known as \u201cliteral plus application.\u201d The literal meaning of Psalm 2:1\u20132 refers to the Gentiles and the Gentile nations that will come against God and against the Messiah during the Campaign of Armageddon. But the application made here is to the Jewish leaders who have now spoken against God and against His Messiah.<\/p>\n
The psalmist declared: The kings of the earth set themselves in array. The Gentiles in the future will include kings, but these Jewish leaders were not kings. The Jewish rulers did gather together Against the Lord, and against his Anointed. That is the one point of similarity. Just as the Gentiles in Armageddon will come against the Lord and against His Messiah, even so, these Jewish leaders have now come against the Lord and against His Messiah. This is why it is literal plus application.<\/p>\n
The application of the Psalm is made in verses 27\u201328: for of a truth in this city against your holy Servant Jesus, whom you did anoint, both Herod and Pontius Pilate, with the Gentiles and the peoples of Israel, were gathered together, to do whatsoever your hand and your counsel foreordained to come to pass.<\/p>\n
In relationship to the death of Yeshua, there was human responsibility and there was divine responsibility.<\/p>\n
The human responsibility included both the Jews and the Gentiles in verse 27: for of a truth [this is a fact] in this city [Jerusalem] against your holy Servant Jesus, whom you did anoint. Yeshua was anointed for His ministry when He was baptized by John. They first bring out Gentile responsibility in the death of Yeshua: Herod [Herod Antipas] and Pontius Pilate, with the Gentiles. This included the Roman soldiers, who were Gentiles. Then, they bring out Jewish responsibility: and the peoples of Israel, were gathered together. In this passage, both Jews and Gentiles are held responsible for the death of the Messiah, that was the human responsibility.<\/p>\n
But there was also divine responsibility in verse 28, for what happened was what God\u2019s hand and counsel [had] foreordained to come to pass. In other words, the death of the Messiah was all part of God\u2019s eternal plan.<\/p>\n
Finally, they issued their prayer request in verses 29\u201330: And now, Lord, look upon their threatenings: and grant unto your servants to speak your word with all boldness, while you stretch forth your hand to heal; and that signs and wonders may be done through the name of your holy Servant Jesus.<\/p>\n
Their prayer request included three things. First in verse 29a: look upon their threatenings. In other words, \u201cLord, take note of their threats for the purpose of intervening against those threats.\u201d Secondly, they prayed for boldness in verse 29b: grant unto your servants to speak your word with all boldness, as they sought to stand up against the threatenings. Thirdly, that the confirmation of their message should come by signs in verse 30: while you stretch forth your hand to heal, and that signs and wonders may be done through the name of your holy Servant Jesus. What they were asking in the third prayer request is the continuous ability to perform these miracles of healing with the purpose of authenticating their message to their audience. Again, throughout the Book of Acts, the only ones who do miracles are the apostles and the legates of the apostles, meaning those on whom the apostles laid hands. Believers in general were not performing miracles and signs and wonders, as people sometimes teach.<\/p>\n
C. God\u2019s Answer to the Prayer\u2014Acts 4:31<\/p>\n
And when they had prayed, the place was shaken wherein they were gathered together; and they were all filled with the Holy Spirit, and they spoke the word of God with boldness.<\/p>\n
Finally, God\u2019s answer to the prayer is recorded verse 31: And when they prayed, there came the sign of answered prayer: the place was shaken wherein they were gathered together. This showed that God was indeed the Lord to whom they addressed their prayer.<\/p>\n
The results were threefold. First, they were all filled with the Holy Spirit, showing again that the ministry of Spirit-filling should come many times. It also meant that they were under the Spirit\u2019s control in the specific area of boldness. Secondly, they spoke the word of God with boldness, which was what they prayed they would be able to do. Now that the prayer request was answered, they continually spoke the Word of God with boldness, which was the specific area in which they were Spirit-filled. And thirdly, they were empowered to continue their witnessing in spite of the threats from the Sanhedrin.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
And fear came upon every soul: and many wonders and signs were done through the apostles. Acts 2:43 The two chapters of Acts 3 and 4 comprise one unit in the Book of Acts. It records the ministry and the witness of Peter and John, and records Peter\u2019s second sermon, the first one being found … <\/p>\n