Acts 4:1-12

Passage

1 Now as they were speaking to the people, the priests, the commander of the temple police, and the Sadducees confronted them, 2 because they were provoked that they were teaching the people and proclaiming the resurrection from the dead, using Jesus as the example. 3 So they seized them and put them in custody until the next day, since it was already evening. 4 But many of those who heard the message believed, and the number of the men came to about 5,000.

5 The next day, their rulers, elders, and scribes assembled in Jerusalem 6 with Annas the high priest, Caiaphas, John and Alexander, and all the members of the high-priestly family. 7 After they had Peter and John stand before them, they asked the question: “By what power or in what name have you done this?”

8 Then Peter was filled with the Holy Spirit and said to them, “Rulers of the people and elders: 9 If we are being examined today about a good deed done to a disabled man—by what means he was healed— 10 let it be known to all of you and to all the people of Israel, that by the name of Jesus Christ the Nazarene—whom you crucified and whom God raised from the dead—by Him this man is standing here before you healthy. 11 This Jesus is

the stone rejected by you builders,
which has become the cornerstone.

12 There is salvation in no one else, for there is no other name under heaven given to people, and we must be saved by it.”

Study Questions

Acts 4:1-4

• Note how the message of the apostles is summarized in v.2. Reread 1:1-3, and consider afresh the reality that Christianity began as a testimony to a fact – Jesus rose from the dead – rather than as a new moral or religious system. Reflect on the resurrection of Jesus. What does this mean for me?

  I need to continually remind myself that being a Christian means being a witness to those around me. My actions will be the representations of what being a Christian is all about. I need to daily die to my sins and self so that I can put Jesus as Lord.

  The central point of Jesus rising from the dead is to display something no other “god” has done. For a god to show vulnerability to die on the cross for someone else is a radical idea that not only shows Jesus’ power over life and death, but also sets an example of what we should do.

Acts 4:5-12

• Consider this scene and Peter’s message to the rulers. What stands out as noteworthy?

  I see a contrast between Jesus’ scene with the High Priest and Peter’s. In Jesus’ scene, I see Jesus being quiet, but in Peter’s, he is filled with the Holy Spirit, empowering him to speak boldly about Christ. Peter does not back down like he did before he denied Jesus’ resurrection but proudly proclaims the Gospel to give a testimony of what had happened. He also reminds the priests that they were at fault in putting Christ on the cross and how God rose Jesus back according to the prophesies.

  The cowardly Peter continually being bold shows how I need to be when proclaiming the Truth.

• Note the words, “Peter, filled with the Holy Spirit, said to them …,” and recall Jesus’ promise in Luke 12.

  Luke 12:11-12

  11 Whenever they bring before synagogues and rulers and authorities, don’t worry about how you should defend yourselves or what you should say. 12 For the Holy Spirit will teach you at that very hour what must be said.”

  How does the picture of Peter’s confidence and Jesus promise address me?

  I worry all the time how I need to approach and talk to others about Christ but this passage is a reminder that I need to seek out Holy Spirit for continual guidance on my speech. With the power from the Holy Spirit, I do not need to fear of what I may say. I will be guided to speak the things that best address them.

Acts 4:12

• What does this verse state regarding the source of salvation?

  Just like what Christ said in John 14:6:

  Jesus told him, “I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.

  Jesus is the only way that I can obtain salvation. He is Truth.

• What is my response to the exclusivity of Jesus as the only way to salvation?

  Either Jesus must be wrong or the world must be wrong. By taking a stance, the choice is binary. Although the way seems narrow, it is available to all who believe in this Truth.

Free Thought

In verse 2, HCSB translates diaponeomai (Greek word, Strong G1278) to provoked. However, some other translations interpret this as greatly annoyed (ESV), greatly distressed, greatly disturbed (NASB, NKJV, NIV), grieved (KJV), sore troubled (ASV).

This verse caught my eye when I reread the passage in ESV. I noticed that “annoyed” was very different from “provoked” and I wanted to investigate what were different translations to convey the same idea. The Strong definition states this:

from G1223 and a derivative of G4192; to toil through, i.e. (passively) be worried: – be grieved.

By reading through the different versions, I was able to get a better understanding of how the Sadducees reacted. In order for me to fully understand, I had to look at the cause and effect: verse 2 and verse 3. In verse 2, the commander of the temple police were challenged by what Peter and John were preaching. In verse 3, they arrested them. What does that mean? In layman’s terms, we can say that the Sadducees were pissed off.

When was the last time you were so pissed off that you wanted to throw people in jail?