ACTS 110 Chapter 4:5-22
Peter and John were speaking to the people of
Israel in front of the temple after healing a lame man. The Jewish
leaders grabbed them and put them in jail to shut them up. The next
day....
5 And it came to pass on the morrow, that their
rulers, and elders, and scribes,
6 And Annas the high priest, and Caiaphas, and
John, and Alexander, and as many as were of the kindred of the high priest,
were gathered together at Jerusalem.
7 And when they had set them (Peter and John)
in the midst, they asked, By what power, or
by what name, have ye done this? (Where did you get the power to
heal this lame man?)
They asked Jesus the same thing in Mat 21:23. These religious leaders
viewed themselves as the authority on all spiritual matters. But they
couldn’t heal a lame man like this. This was competition, and threatened to
make them unimportant.
8 Then Peter, filled with the Holy Ghost,
(so this is God speaking through Peter now, Mat
10:20) said unto them, Ye rulers of the
people, and elders of Israel,
9 If we this day be examined of the good deed done to
the impotent man, by what means he is made whole;
10 Be it known unto you all, and to all the
people of Israel, that by the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth,
whom ye crucified, whom God raised from the dead, even by
him doth this man stand here before you whole.
Jesus healed the lame man, through Peter and John. If Jesus was
still dead, He could not heal anyone. So this miracle proved that Jesus had
risen from the dead.
"Christ" is not a last name, it is a title
meaning "Messiah" or "Anointed One". (John 1:41 &
4:25,26 & 6:69) By using this title, Peter is saying that Jesus is
the Son of God, and Israel’s one and only Messiah. Notice how Peter charges
them with His crucifixion.
11 This is the stone which was set at nought
(rejected) of you builders, which is
become the head of the corner. (Quoted
from Ps 118:22)
The "builders" are the Jewish leaders. The "stone" is Christ. Jesus was
a stumblingstone for them, but He will be the cornerstone of
the kingdom for those who believe in Him (Is 8:14-16 &
28:16; Rom 9:31-33; I Peter 2:4-8). In Mat 21:42-45, Jesus had
already used this verse on the leaders of Israel, and finished by saying,
"And whosoever shall fall on this stone shall be broken: but on
whomever it shall fall, it shall grind him to powder." Also in Dan
2:31-45, Christ is portrayed as a "stone".
12 Neither is there salvation in any other: for there is none other
name under heaven given among men, whereby we must be saved.
Jesus was the only one who could save them from the coming
tribulation and destruction. (Acts 2:21 & 3:23)
God is not going to send Israel another Messiah.
We today are saved from something quite different, but nevertheless,
Christ is the only One who can save us too. Neither Buddha, Mohammed,
Joseph Smith nor anyone in the future can pay for our sins.
(Ps 49:7-9) Many roads do not lead to
God, only Jesus does! (John 14:6; I Tim 2:5)
13 Now when they saw the boldness of Peter and John, and perceived
that they were unlearned and ignorant men, they marvelled; and they
took knowledge of them, that they had been with Jesus.
This is a marvelous verse! The leaders saw that the boldness of Peter
and John was not because they were educated, smart and self-confident.
They were bold because they knew and believed in Jesus.
Today we can know Jesus too (Phil 3:8-10),
through His written word.(II Tim 3:16,17) The
more time we spend with Jesus in His word, the better we will know Him. Our
confidence in His word is a marvel to those around us.
(Phil 1:28) We don’t need to be smart or educated to understand His
word. In fact, God hides His truth from the "wise and prudent" of the world,
and reveals it unto "babes". (Mat 11:25; I Cor 1:19-31
& 3:18-20) We just need to study God’s word, rightly divide
it, (II Tim 2:15) and believe it.
(I Thes 2:13)
14 And beholding the man which was healed standing with them, they could say
nothing against it.
These leaders were really "kicking against the pricks".
(Acts 9:5) The healed man was evidence of
Jesus’ power and identity, and he was standing right in front of them. What
could they say?
15 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 that indeed a notable
miracle hath been done by them is manifest to all them that dwell in
Jerusalem; and we cannot deny it.
17 But that it spread no further among the people, let us straitly threaten
them, that they speak henceforth to no man in this name.
18 And they called them, and commanded them not to speak at all nor teach in
the name of Jesus.
It seems they didn’t even consider the evidence that Jesus really is
the Messiah.. Instead they got together to figure out how to cover up
the facts.
19 But Peter and John answered and said unto them,
Whether it be right in the sight of God to hearken unto you more
than unto God, judge ye.
20 For we cannot but speak the things which we
have seen and heard. (Luke 24:46-48; Mark
16:15)
Peter and John didn’t need to figure out what they were going to
do. They already knew. They weren’t going to keep quiet and said so right up
front. They were not intimidated.
II Cor 4:13 says of us in this dispensation, "We having the same
spirit of faith, according as it is written, I believed, and therefore have
I spoken; we also believe, and therefore speak."
In every time period, God wants men to obey government
(Mat 23:1-3; Rom 13:1-7; I Peter 2:13-15),
except when it goes against His word, as it did here.
21 So when they had further threatened them, they let them go,
finding nothing how they might punish them, because of the people:
for all men glorified God for that which was done.
22 For the man was above forty years old, on whom this miracle of healing
was shewed.
It is interesting how leaders are controlled by the people they rule,
even in non-democratic governments.
M. Dent
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