Lessons 10 – The Reaction of the Jewish Leaders

Jesus Christ

Holy Spirit

Apostles:

John & Peter

Church,

the saved

Jews:

Sanhedrin,

High priest’

Family,

Teachers of

The law,

Sadducees

Reference:

Herod,

Pilate

Gentiles

1. Peter and John were put in jail for teaching the people after the healing of the crippled beggar. This is a continuation of God’s evangelism program for the Jews in Jerusalem according to Jesus’ instructions to the apostles. See Acts 1:8.
2. The Lord added two thousand more Jews to “those who were being saved.” Acts 2:47. This brought the number of “the saved” to five thousand. Luke referred to these saved people as the church in 5:11.

Scene # 2. 4:5-12. The Jewish leaders understood they had a “people control” problem but they did not know how to solve it.

1. Peter and John were brought before the hierarchy of the Jewish leadership. Their first question: “By what power or what name did you do this?” 4:7.
2. The Holy Spirit gave Peter the correct answer. See Luke 12:11. The name was Jesus Christ of Nazareth. The power to heal this 40 year old crippled beggar came through Peter and John’s faith in this man from Galilee who was, indeed, the Christ. This assembly of Jewish leaders were the same Jews who had persuaded Pontius Pilate to kill Jesus not many days before.
3. Peter made two points that should have brought these leaders to repentance:

1. One, the stone you builders rejected is the cornerstone for the five thousand members of the church of Christ now in Jerusalem. Jesus had quoted these verses from Psalms 118:22 to these same Israelite leaders in Luke 20:17 just before they got Him crucified. At that time they were trying to solve the same problem they were faced with here. They were trying to keep the Jewish people under their control for their money and glory. (So what is new in religious the world today?)
2. Two, “there is no other name under heaven given to men by which we must be saved.” 4:12. Saved from sin so the Holy Spirit can work with repentant, baptized, believers in our sanctification is the point. See Acts 2:38, 39; I Pet. 1:2.

Scene #3. 4:13-22. There were two possible ways out for the Sanhedrin – other than repentance of their sins.

1. One, they could have denied the miracle had happened; however, the man was standing there with Peter and John. Moreover, all the people present knew what had happened to the crippled beggar.
2. Their choice was to try to scare the apostles into keeping quiet. Perhaps they didn’t have much hope in this tactic because they saw how these unschooled fishermen who had been with Jesus had courage to stand up and speak up without fear.
3. Peter and John’s response: “Judge for yourselves whether it is right in God’s sight to obey you rather than God. For we cannot help speaking about what we have seen and heard.” 4:19, 20. After a few more threats the Sanhedrin gave up; however, not for long as we will see in chapter five.

Scene #4. 4:23-31. Peter and John gathered members of the church to tell what the chief priests and elders had said.

1. They had a prayer meeting. Their prayer included a story that started with the dark days of Jesus’ death. God was in the plot. They even reminded Him about the things He had said long ago to David by the Holy Spirit about the rage of mankind.
2. They ask God to do more miracles through the name of Jesus so they could speak God’s word more boldly.
3. God made His presence known by shaking up the place and filling them all with the Holy Spirit.

Scene #5. 4:32-37. “All believers were one in heart and mind.” The apostles powerfully proclaimed the resurrection of Jesus and

the church took care of one another’s physical needs in order to stay in Jerusalem. Luke introduces Barnabas.