Chapter Four –
First Arrest
ACTS 4:11-22:
In our previous lesson, we covered the arrest of Peter and John while they
taught in the temple. It was late in the evening, so they were kept in
custody until the next day, then brought before the Sanhedrin court, which
included the high priest, his family, rulers, elders, and scribes.
These two Apostles of Jesus Christ would be asked “By what power or by
what name have you done this?” (vs. 7)
This probing question was offered concerning the notable miracle performed
by them, and was offered as a means for them to hopefully incriminate
themselves; as the council has nothing to truly charge them for.
Peter, emboldened by the Holy Spirit of God, identified the power and name
behind the miracle to be “Jesus Christ of Nazareth”, whom they had
purposefully accomplished putting to death.
Peter would also render that they accomplished only the purpose and plans of
God, in that God raised Him from the dead and glorified His name and
demonstrated it in the miracle performed in His name. The accomplished
purposes of God is the continued thoughts that we begin this lesson with.
Text #1:
Acts 4:11-12
“This is the ‘stone which was rejected by you builders, which has become
the chief cornerstone.’
12
Nor
is there salvation in any other, for there is no other name under heaven
given among men by which we must be saved.”
Also see:
Psalms
118:22.
Rejected by
You Builders:
It had been
the intent of God through the work of the prophets (3:24),
that the Jews should, along with the Apostles of Christ, have been those who
would assist in ushering in the kingdom of God. However, Peter would inform
them that instead of standing as builders of the kingdom, they had rejected
the only foundation the kingdom could be founded upon,
“Jesus Christ of Nazareth” (1
Corinthians 3:11;
Ephesians 2:19-22;
1 Peter
2:4-10).
This
rejection of the cornerstone prophetically seen in the
Psalms;
fulfilled in the actions of the rulers of the Jews, is in fact the rejection
of that which the entire kingdom was to be founded upon.
Peter
establishes that their rejection was nothing more than their own prejudicial
choice to reject Jesus as the Messiah. In spite of their choice God has made
Him the Chief Cornerstone and the kingdom [is]
being built on Him as foretold by the prophets.
Nor is
their Salvation in Any Other:
In this
statement, made by Peter while he is facing the leaders of the people, would
in the context of those present, exclude them, Moses, or any of the
prophets. They would either come to understand that
“Jesus Christ of Nazareth” was
the prophet Moses spoke of that they must hear, or they would know the rest
of the words of Moses and “Be
utterly destroyed from among the people” (3:23).
To you and
me today, this is equally true, to the exclusion of Martin Luther, Popes,
Muhammad, the Dalai Lama, etc…
By God;
Jesus Christ has been given a name above all others (Philippians
2:9), that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow (Philippians
2:10), and that He is the only one with preeminence (Colossians
1:18).
Text #2:
Acts 4:13-14
“Now when they saw the boldness of Peter and John, and perceived that they
were uneducated and untrained men, they marveled. And they realized that
they had been with Jesus.
14
And seeing the man who had been healed standing with them, they could say
nothing against it.”
They Had
Been With Jesus:
The rulers
of the people were not accustomed to being stumped by what they perceived to
be country bumpkins (especially Galileans –
2:7);
however, it was familiar to them. The familiarity came from the fact that
they had been faced with the same boldness, the same sureness of fact, and
had marveled when Jesus of Nazareth had also [silenced
them] by His wisdom and notable miracles.
Luke 20:26
“But they could not catch Him in His words in the presence of the people.
And they marveled at His answer and kept silent.”
Luke 20:39-40
“Then some of the scribes answered and said, “Teacher, You have spoken
well.”
40
But after that they dared not question Him anymore.
Text #3:
Acts 4:15-17
“But when they had commanded them to go aside out of the council, they
conferred among themselves,
16
saying, “What shall we do to these men? For, indeed, that a notable miracle
has been done through them is evident to all who dwell in Jerusalem,
and we cannot deny it.
17
But so that it spreads no further among the people, let us severely threaten
them, that from now on they speak to no man in this name.”
There was
no way around the conclusion of the evidentiary miracle that had been
performed in the name of “Jesus
Christ of Nazareth”; a name they thought they were rid of. In spite of
these facts, the hypocrisy of the leaders of the Jewish people knew no ends.
Their only concern in the face of the message of the salvation offered in
Jesus the Christ, was how to limit its spread. It is apparent that the fact
that they might be fighting against God Himself had yet to enter their minds
(this will come up in the second arrest, by the wise council of Gamaliel –
5:33-39).
Threaten
Them:
This is
about as far as they dared to go in their attempt to frighten Peter and John
from using the name of “Jesus Christ
of Nazareth”; as the masses of people held these Apostles of Jesus in
high esteem.
Text #4:
Acts 4:18-22
“So they called them and commanded them not to speak at all nor teach in the
name of Jesus.
19
But Peter and John answered and said to them, “Whether it is right in the
sight of God to listen to you more than to God, you judge.
20
For we cannot but speak the things which we have seen and heard.”
21
So when they had further threatened them, they let them go, finding no way
of punishing them, because of the people, since they all glorified God for
what had been done.
22
For the man
was over forty years old on whom this miracle of healing had been
performed.”
The first
part
of the
answer given by Peter and John, that they should not speak the name of
Jesus, would be directed at the consciences of the council; that is, you
judge if we should listen to God or you?
The second
part
of their response to the council was to show that they were determined to
ignore the command of the council (an act of civil disobedience), because it
was contradictory to the commands of God and His Christ.
This is a
demonstration of the Apostolic teaching concerning the Christians obedience
to God first, and then to the governments of man, note:
Romans 13:1-3
“Let every soul be subject to the governing authorities. For there is no
authority except from God, and the authorities that exist are appointed by
God.
2
Therefore
whoever resists the authority resists the ordinance of God, and those who
resist will bring judgment on themselves.
3
For rulers are not a terror to good works,
but to evil. Do you want to be unafraid of the authority? Do what is good,
and you will have praise from the same.”
1 Peter 2:13-17
“Therefore submit yourselves to every ordinance of man for the Lord’s sake,
whether to the king as supreme,
14
or to governors, as to those who are sent by him for the punishment of
evildoers and for the praise of those who do good.
15
For this is the will of God, that by doing good you may put to silence
the ignorance of foolish men—
16
as free, yet not using liberty as a cloak for vice, but as bondservants of
God.
17
Honor all people. Love the brotherhood. Fear God. Honor the king.”
Regardless
of where we live, the type of government, the environment we may find
ourselves in, it is never an excuse to put away the practices and commands
of God through His Christ. Just as the Apostles here and in
Chapter
Five of
Acts were unwilling to yield to the
commands of the council against the commands of God, so the Christian to
this day should have the same mentality. This is not to say that there may
not be civil repercussions; the Apostles faced them. It is to say that they
may take your life, but they can never take away your faith, hope, and love
in the promises of God.