So the momentum of the church is gaining as “the Lord added to their number daily those who were being saved” (Acts 2:47). Three thousand and then five thousand new believers were joining the movement in a matter of days since the birth of the Church on Pentecost. This growth must have caught the attention of the religious leaders probably still not sure what to think of what was happening. After all, they had ensured that their leader, Jesus, had been killed. Why was this movement still moving? By all accounts, disciple membership should have been decreasing not increasing.
So when Peter and John heal a beggar inside the temple courts AND then boldly speak out to the people who came running to see what had happened to this man they had known had been lame since birth. The priests, temple guards and the Sadducees, who must have also witnessed this healing, decided that enough was enough and they arrest Peter and John while they were still speaking to the people. So Peter and John were seized and they spend the night in jail.
Can you imagine what the disciples must have been thinking? During that night, they must have been reflective of all the recent events and experiences. Jesus had only been crucified a couple of months previously. They knew the religious and political climate wasn’t keen on them talking about Jesus…especially since no one could disprove the resurrection. There had been a lot of talk about where the body had gone? Rome certainly didn’t have any reason to remove the body and had even placed guards around the tomb to prevent that from happening. The religious authorities knew they didn’t remove the body and had even paid the guards to claim that the disciples came and stole the body during the night. Things had just begun to settle down and get back to a calm order. The apostles had even chosen a replacement for Judas (Acts 1:21). But there was still a lot of anticipation as to what they were all supposed to do next. Recalling Christ's teachings on how to pray (Luke 11:1), "they all joined together constantly in prayer along with the women and Mary the mother of Jesus, and with His brothers (Acts 1:14). The last instructions provided by Jesus was to "not leave Jerusalem, but wait for the gift my Father promised (Acts 1:4). And so they waited in fear and anticipation. Then, the day of Pentecost came, exactly 50 days following the Passover meal. The remaining faithful disciples were all together in that one room,and just as Jesus had promised, they were all filled with the Holy Spirit (Acts 2:4). Peter, not only filled with the Holy Spirit but is also filled with a new found boldness and he just can't keep quiet....even by threat of imprisonment or worse.
So, the next morning Peter and John are confronted by the religious leaders who began questioning them on who's authority had they been acting on (Acts 4:5-7). What were they asking? By what authority did these unschooled men speak publicly and disrupt the temple proceedings? Weren’t these guys once fisherman by trade? The Sadducees were greatly “disturbed because the apostles were teaching the people and proclaiming in Jesus the resurrection of the dead” (Acts 4:2). The Sadducees were in charge of the temple and didn’t believe in the resurrection so the testimony of Peter and John was very problematic.
But what they really were asking was, “By what power or what name did they do “this”? (Acts 4:7) Clearly they didn’t understand it wasn’t a “what” but a “Who”. The Greek word for “power” used here is dunamei, meaning miraculous strength. Who gave them the authority, not just permission to hold a public display, but power to heal this man. The religious leaders admitted to themselves that “everybody living in Jerusalem knows they have done an outstanding miracle, and we cannot deny it” (Acts 4:16). They could even see the man, who no longer would be referred to as the lame beggar but the man who had been healed, standing with Peter and John.
Well….they asked. Peter launches into another sermon – as has now become his habit - and filled with the Holy Spirit answers their question by saying "it is by the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth, whom you crucified but whom God raised from the dead, that this man stands before you healed" (Acts 4:10). Bam! Peter further concludes by saying “Salvation is found in no one else, for there is no other name under heaven given to men by which we must be saved.” Peter had just got out of jail for speaking so boldly and causing a disruption. You would think that he would have treaded lightly but he simply couldn’t help himself. God had done something miraculous among them. He had sent His Son and Peter and John were witnesses to His death and resurrection. Peter was so compelled,now filled with the promised Holy Spirit, he wanted them to embrace Jesus for there is no other name. And there has never been another human being who’s name was declared as a means of salvation!
The religious leaders were not ready or expecting to see such confidence coming from Peter and John and because the man who had been healed was standing there (what else would you expect from a healed lame man), the authorities didn’t know what to say. So they decided to tell them...commanded them...not to speak or teach at all in the name of Jesus. But Peter did not hesitate to make it clear that he could not abide by such commands. The religious leaders made some more threats and called it a day (Acts 4:21). What was up with these men that they were not afraid of their threats! “When they saw the courage of Peter and John and realized that they were unschooled; ordinary men, they were astonished and they took note that these men had been with Jesus.”
So, in exasperation, they had decided not to further punish Peter and John...at least at this moment...because all the people that had witnessed the healing were hanging around and praising God (Acts 4:21).
“On their release, Peter and John went back to their own people and reported all that the chief priests and elders had said to them” (Acts 4:23).
(How were the people going to respond to this report? What would you do?)
So when Peter and John heal a beggar inside the temple courts AND then boldly speak out to the people who came running to see what had happened to this man they had known had been lame since birth. The priests, temple guards and the Sadducees, who must have also witnessed this healing, decided that enough was enough and they arrest Peter and John while they were still speaking to the people. So Peter and John were seized and they spend the night in jail.
Can you imagine what the disciples must have been thinking? During that night, they must have been reflective of all the recent events and experiences. Jesus had only been crucified a couple of months previously. They knew the religious and political climate wasn’t keen on them talking about Jesus…especially since no one could disprove the resurrection. There had been a lot of talk about where the body had gone? Rome certainly didn’t have any reason to remove the body and had even placed guards around the tomb to prevent that from happening. The religious authorities knew they didn’t remove the body and had even paid the guards to claim that the disciples came and stole the body during the night. Things had just begun to settle down and get back to a calm order. The apostles had even chosen a replacement for Judas (Acts 1:21). But there was still a lot of anticipation as to what they were all supposed to do next. Recalling Christ's teachings on how to pray (Luke 11:1), "they all joined together constantly in prayer along with the women and Mary the mother of Jesus, and with His brothers (Acts 1:14). The last instructions provided by Jesus was to "not leave Jerusalem, but wait for the gift my Father promised (Acts 1:4). And so they waited in fear and anticipation. Then, the day of Pentecost came, exactly 50 days following the Passover meal. The remaining faithful disciples were all together in that one room,and just as Jesus had promised, they were all filled with the Holy Spirit (Acts 2:4). Peter, not only filled with the Holy Spirit but is also filled with a new found boldness and he just can't keep quiet....even by threat of imprisonment or worse.
So, the next morning Peter and John are confronted by the religious leaders who began questioning them on who's authority had they been acting on (Acts 4:5-7). What were they asking? By what authority did these unschooled men speak publicly and disrupt the temple proceedings? Weren’t these guys once fisherman by trade? The Sadducees were greatly “disturbed because the apostles were teaching the people and proclaiming in Jesus the resurrection of the dead” (Acts 4:2). The Sadducees were in charge of the temple and didn’t believe in the resurrection so the testimony of Peter and John was very problematic.
But what they really were asking was, “By what power or what name did they do “this”? (Acts 4:7) Clearly they didn’t understand it wasn’t a “what” but a “Who”. The Greek word for “power” used here is dunamei, meaning miraculous strength. Who gave them the authority, not just permission to hold a public display, but power to heal this man. The religious leaders admitted to themselves that “everybody living in Jerusalem knows they have done an outstanding miracle, and we cannot deny it” (Acts 4:16). They could even see the man, who no longer would be referred to as the lame beggar but the man who had been healed, standing with Peter and John.
Well….they asked. Peter launches into another sermon – as has now become his habit - and filled with the Holy Spirit answers their question by saying "it is by the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth, whom you crucified but whom God raised from the dead, that this man stands before you healed" (Acts 4:10). Bam! Peter further concludes by saying “Salvation is found in no one else, for there is no other name under heaven given to men by which we must be saved.” Peter had just got out of jail for speaking so boldly and causing a disruption. You would think that he would have treaded lightly but he simply couldn’t help himself. God had done something miraculous among them. He had sent His Son and Peter and John were witnesses to His death and resurrection. Peter was so compelled,now filled with the promised Holy Spirit, he wanted them to embrace Jesus for there is no other name. And there has never been another human being who’s name was declared as a means of salvation!
The religious leaders were not ready or expecting to see such confidence coming from Peter and John and because the man who had been healed was standing there (what else would you expect from a healed lame man), the authorities didn’t know what to say. So they decided to tell them...commanded them...not to speak or teach at all in the name of Jesus. But Peter did not hesitate to make it clear that he could not abide by such commands. The religious leaders made some more threats and called it a day (Acts 4:21). What was up with these men that they were not afraid of their threats! “When they saw the courage of Peter and John and realized that they were unschooled; ordinary men, they were astonished and they took note that these men had been with Jesus.”
So, in exasperation, they had decided not to further punish Peter and John...at least at this moment...because all the people that had witnessed the healing were hanging around and praising God (Acts 4:21).
“On their release, Peter and John went back to their own people and reported all that the chief priests and elders had said to them” (Acts 4:23).
(How were the people going to respond to this report? What would you do?)