READ | ACTS CHAPTER 4
Peter and John Before the Sanhedrin
1 The priests and the captain of the temple guard and the Sadducees came up to Peter and John while they were speaking to the people. 2 They were greatly disturbed because the apostles were teaching the people, proclaiming in Jesus the resurrection of the dead. 3 They seized Peter and John and, because it was evening, they put them in jail until the next day. 4 But many who heard the message believed; so the number of men who believed grew to about five thousand.
5 The next day the rulers, the elders and the teachers of the law met in Jerusalem. 6 Annas the high priest was there, and so were Caiaphas, John, Alexander and others of the high priest’s family. 7 They had Peter and John brought before them and began to question them: “By what power or what name did you do this?”
8 Then Peter, filled with the Holy Spirit, said to them: “Rulers and elders of the people! 9 If we are being called to account today for an act of kindness shown to a man who was lame and are being asked how he was healed, 10 then know this, you and all the people of Israel: 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.
11 Jesus is
“‘the stone you builders rejected,
which has become the cornerstone.’[a]
12 Salvation is found in no one else, for there is no other name under heaven given to mankind by which we must be saved.”
13 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. 14 But since they could see the man who had been healed standing there with them, there was nothing they could say. 15 So they ordered them to withdraw from the Sanhedrin and then conferred together. 16 “What are we going to do with these men?” they asked. “Everyone living in Jerusalem knows they have performed a notable sign, and we cannot deny it. 17 But to stop this thing from spreading any further among the people, we must warn them to speak no longer to anyone in this name.”
18 Then they called them in again and commanded them not to speak or teach at all in the name of Jesus. 19 But Peter and John replied, “Which is right in God’s eyes: to listen to you, or to him? You be the judges! 20 As for us, we cannot help speaking about what we have seen and heard.”
21 After further threats they let them go. They could not decide how to punish them, because all the people were praising God for what had happened. 22 For the man who was miraculously healed was over forty years old.
The Believers Pray
23 On their release, Peter and John went back to their own people and reported all that the chief priests and the elders had said to them. 24 When they heard this, they raised their voices together in prayer to God. “Sovereign Lord,” they said, “you made the heavens and the earth and the sea, and everything in them. 25 You spoke by the Holy Spirit through the mouth of your servant, our father David:
“‘Why do the nations rage
and the peoples plot in vain?
26 The kings of the earth rise up
and the rulers band together
against the Lord and against his anointed one.[b]’[c]
27 Indeed Herod and Pontius Pilate met together with the Gentiles and the people of Israel in this city to conspire against your holy servant Jesus, whom you anointed. 28 They did what your power and will had decided beforehand should happen. 29 Now, Lord, consider their threats and enable your servants to speak your word with great boldness. 30 Stretch out your hand to heal and perform signs and wonders through the name of your holy servant Jesus.”
31 After they prayed, the place where they were meeting was shaken. And they were all filled with the Holy Spirit and spoke the word of God boldly.
The Believers Share Their Possessions
32 All the believers were one in heart and mind. No one claimed that any of their possessions was their own, but they shared everything they had. 33 With great power the apostles continued to testify to the resurrection of the Lord Jesus. And God’s grace was so powerfully at work in them all 34 that there were no needy persons among them. For from time to time those who owned land or houses sold them, brought the money from the sales 35 and put it at the apostles’ feet, and it was distributed to anyone who had need.
36 Joseph, a Levite from Cyprus, whom the apostles called Barnabas (which means “son of encouragement”), 37 sold a field he owned and brought the money and put it at the apostles’ feet.
1 The priests and the captain of the temple guard and the Sadducees came up to Peter and John while they were speaking to the people. 2 They were greatly disturbed because the apostles were teaching the people, proclaiming in Jesus the resurrection of the dead. 3 They seized Peter and John and, because it was evening, they put them in jail until the next day. 4 But many who heard the message believed; so the number of men who believed grew to about five thousand.
5 The next day the rulers, the elders and the teachers of the law met in Jerusalem. 6 Annas the high priest was there, and so were Caiaphas, John, Alexander and others of the high priest’s family. 7 They had Peter and John brought before them and began to question them: “By what power or what name did you do this?”
8 Then Peter, filled with the Holy Spirit, said to them: “Rulers and elders of the people! 9 If we are being called to account today for an act of kindness shown to a man who was lame and are being asked how he was healed, 10 then know this, you and all the people of Israel: 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.
11 Jesus is
“‘the stone you builders rejected,
which has become the cornerstone.’[a]
12 Salvation is found in no one else, for there is no other name under heaven given to mankind by which we must be saved.”
13 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. 14 But since they could see the man who had been healed standing there with them, there was nothing they could say. 15 So they ordered them to withdraw from the Sanhedrin and then conferred together. 16 “What are we going to do with these men?” they asked. “Everyone living in Jerusalem knows they have performed a notable sign, and we cannot deny it. 17 But to stop this thing from spreading any further among the people, we must warn them to speak no longer to anyone in this name.”
18 Then they called them in again and commanded them not to speak or teach at all in the name of Jesus. 19 But Peter and John replied, “Which is right in God’s eyes: to listen to you, or to him? You be the judges! 20 As for us, we cannot help speaking about what we have seen and heard.”
21 After further threats they let them go. They could not decide how to punish them, because all the people were praising God for what had happened. 22 For the man who was miraculously healed was over forty years old.
The Believers Pray
23 On their release, Peter and John went back to their own people and reported all that the chief priests and the elders had said to them. 24 When they heard this, they raised their voices together in prayer to God. “Sovereign Lord,” they said, “you made the heavens and the earth and the sea, and everything in them. 25 You spoke by the Holy Spirit through the mouth of your servant, our father David:
“‘Why do the nations rage
and the peoples plot in vain?
26 The kings of the earth rise up
and the rulers band together
against the Lord and against his anointed one.[b]’[c]
27 Indeed Herod and Pontius Pilate met together with the Gentiles and the people of Israel in this city to conspire against your holy servant Jesus, whom you anointed. 28 They did what your power and will had decided beforehand should happen. 29 Now, Lord, consider their threats and enable your servants to speak your word with great boldness. 30 Stretch out your hand to heal and perform signs and wonders through the name of your holy servant Jesus.”
31 After they prayed, the place where they were meeting was shaken. And they were all filled with the Holy Spirit and spoke the word of God boldly.
The Believers Share Their Possessions
32 All the believers were one in heart and mind. No one claimed that any of their possessions was their own, but they shared everything they had. 33 With great power the apostles continued to testify to the resurrection of the Lord Jesus. And God’s grace was so powerfully at work in them all 34 that there were no needy persons among them. For from time to time those who owned land or houses sold them, brought the money from the sales 35 and put it at the apostles’ feet, and it was distributed to anyone who had need.
36 Joseph, a Levite from Cyprus, whom the apostles called Barnabas (which means “son of encouragement”), 37 sold a field he owned and brought the money and put it at the apostles’ feet.
DEVOTIONAL
Have you ever been surprised by someone? Maybe a man who looks like they are in a biker gang goes on a television talent show and belts out in a beautiful operatic voice, or a child who appears as if they aren’t old enough to ride a bike suddenly hops on a unicycle to begin an incredible juggling routine. People can surprise you in many ways. It’s a sobering thought to realize each of us are judgmental, even if we claim not to be. We all judge people, every day, all the time. We’ve gotten so good at it that we can do it instantly without even realizing what we’ve done. We judge how intelligent someone is based on how they look. We judge what they do for a living or how wealthy someone is based on how they dress, and we even judge how much social value or popularity a person might have based on how attractive or confident they appear.
In Acts chapter 4 we read the story of Peter and John appearing before the Sanhedrin after being threatened, intimidated, arrested and then threatened some more. This group of seventy religious men were a collection of some of the most intelligent, well-educated and powerful figures in all of the land (outside of the Roman occupiers). Even Saul of Tarsus would have been seated among their ranks at this point in his life. These educated men looked at Peter and John and were astonished by the confidence and courage of these men. Peter and John were ordinary, unschooled fishermen and the Sanhedrin had instantly judged them as such, yet they could not explain these recent miracles. Peter and John had no formal education and no reason that they should carry themselves with such boldness and competency. Yet the real difference was something which could not be seen at first glance; they had something on the inside which was very different. These were spirit-filled and empowered men who spoke with the power and authority of Christ Himself. Pharisees who sat slouching in their chairs suddenly straightened up and took notice of the empowered words being spoken with authority. Words which declared the gospel in clear, concise, and reasoned words. The Jewish religious leaders suddenly had a major problem on their hands. They thought that by getting rid of Jesus the problem of this sect of his followers would go away and die out. But now, thanks to the Holy Spirit, the problem had only grown and expanded. The Sanhedrin discussed and debated what they would do next. They couldn’t risk allowing this powerful testimony about a risen savior to spread any further among the people.
They settled on a tactic of intimidation and fear, warning Peter and John to stop speaking in the name of Jesus under penalty of punishment. The corruption of their hearts was plain. They acknowledged that a miracle had genuinely happened; yet they refused to submit to the God who worked the miracle. Their fear of the preaching of Jesus was clearly rooted in their own sinful self-interest, not in any desire to protect the people or truly serve God. You could only imagine what exactly was said: Remember what we did to Jesus? Peter, think about what we’ll do to your wife and those you love. We have all the power. Your life is in our hands. If you are allowed to preach, as you have been preaching, it is only because we have permitted you to do it. And anytime we want, we can arrest you and carry you off to jail. We will hurt you and the ones you love! These fear tactics would have been effective on most people, but not those who are spirit-filled, those trusting in the protection and provision of God. Intimidation will not work on those who have given their lives and safety to their Creator. A person cannot be ruled by faith and fear at the same time; you have to choose one or the other. Peter and John made their choice when they responded to the veiled threats. They chose a fear of God over a fear of man, saying they could not help themselves but to speak of what they had seen and heard. They were witnesses who were willing to be martyrs. There was nothing that could silence what was overflowing from their hearts.
This should be our cry today as well. To not live in fear of man or human authority, but to boldly and unashamedly declare that we cannot help but share what God has done in our lives. We’ll see the same reactions and responses that Peter and John did among their opposers; surprise and confusion in the face of Godly confidence, followed by opposition, intimidation, distraction and finally direct persecution. But in the end, God used this situation for great good. Peter was filled with the Holy Spirit again. Peter got to preach Jesus to the leaders of the Jews. Hostile examiners confirmed a miraculous healing. The enemies of Jesus were confused. Peter and John were bolder for Jesus than ever before. God was glorified and the church continued to grow.
In Acts chapter 4 we read the story of Peter and John appearing before the Sanhedrin after being threatened, intimidated, arrested and then threatened some more. This group of seventy religious men were a collection of some of the most intelligent, well-educated and powerful figures in all of the land (outside of the Roman occupiers). Even Saul of Tarsus would have been seated among their ranks at this point in his life. These educated men looked at Peter and John and were astonished by the confidence and courage of these men. Peter and John were ordinary, unschooled fishermen and the Sanhedrin had instantly judged them as such, yet they could not explain these recent miracles. Peter and John had no formal education and no reason that they should carry themselves with such boldness and competency. Yet the real difference was something which could not be seen at first glance; they had something on the inside which was very different. These were spirit-filled and empowered men who spoke with the power and authority of Christ Himself. Pharisees who sat slouching in their chairs suddenly straightened up and took notice of the empowered words being spoken with authority. Words which declared the gospel in clear, concise, and reasoned words. The Jewish religious leaders suddenly had a major problem on their hands. They thought that by getting rid of Jesus the problem of this sect of his followers would go away and die out. But now, thanks to the Holy Spirit, the problem had only grown and expanded. The Sanhedrin discussed and debated what they would do next. They couldn’t risk allowing this powerful testimony about a risen savior to spread any further among the people.
They settled on a tactic of intimidation and fear, warning Peter and John to stop speaking in the name of Jesus under penalty of punishment. The corruption of their hearts was plain. They acknowledged that a miracle had genuinely happened; yet they refused to submit to the God who worked the miracle. Their fear of the preaching of Jesus was clearly rooted in their own sinful self-interest, not in any desire to protect the people or truly serve God. You could only imagine what exactly was said: Remember what we did to Jesus? Peter, think about what we’ll do to your wife and those you love. We have all the power. Your life is in our hands. If you are allowed to preach, as you have been preaching, it is only because we have permitted you to do it. And anytime we want, we can arrest you and carry you off to jail. We will hurt you and the ones you love! These fear tactics would have been effective on most people, but not those who are spirit-filled, those trusting in the protection and provision of God. Intimidation will not work on those who have given their lives and safety to their Creator. A person cannot be ruled by faith and fear at the same time; you have to choose one or the other. Peter and John made their choice when they responded to the veiled threats. They chose a fear of God over a fear of man, saying they could not help themselves but to speak of what they had seen and heard. They were witnesses who were willing to be martyrs. There was nothing that could silence what was overflowing from their hearts.
This should be our cry today as well. To not live in fear of man or human authority, but to boldly and unashamedly declare that we cannot help but share what God has done in our lives. We’ll see the same reactions and responses that Peter and John did among their opposers; surprise and confusion in the face of Godly confidence, followed by opposition, intimidation, distraction and finally direct persecution. But in the end, God used this situation for great good. Peter was filled with the Holy Spirit again. Peter got to preach Jesus to the leaders of the Jews. Hostile examiners confirmed a miraculous healing. The enemies of Jesus were confused. Peter and John were bolder for Jesus than ever before. God was glorified and the church continued to grow.
