ACTS — LESSON 4

Scriptures for this lesson are taken from Acts 4:1-31.

In Chapter 3, Peter and John healed the lame man at the Gate Beautiful in the temple through the power of the Holy Spirit. The healed man clung to Peter and John as all the excited people ran to Solomon’s Porch to see them. Peter told the people to give all the credit to God because the man had been healed in the name of Jesus who was the Son of God. Peter then boldly preached Jesus’ death, burial and resurrection and urged all those listening to repent.

[Acts 4:1-4] (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.

All the activity caught the attention of the priests, the captain of the Temple guard and the Sadducees. The High Priest and his family and many of the members of the Sanhedrin were Sadducees and they did not believe in resurrection of the dead so they put Peter and John in jail. They could not deny the healing of the lame man but they certainly did not want Peter and John preaching that he had been healed in the power of Jesus. They had put so much effort into getting the Romans to crucify Him. They certainly did not want healing done in the name of a resurrected Jesus. These events must have occurred in the week of the Pentecost festival, because five thousand men believed on Jesus as a result of the lame man being healed and Peter’s sermon.

[Acts 4:5-7] (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?”

Peter and John were brought before the Sanhedrin the next day. The Sanhedrin is the ruling body of the Jews. It was made up of 70 elders, Pharisees and Sadducees plus the High Priest making a total body of 71. Annas was the High Priest appointed in 7 AD by the Romans. He was succeeded in office by his son, Eleazar, his son-in-law, Caiaphas, Jonathan, another son, Theophilus, a son, Matthias, a son, Annas II, a son and Matthias a grandson. But Annas was always the man in control. Caiaphas was High Priest when Jesus was crucified less than two months before these events took place. Annas’ family owned the booths in the temple where the people bought their animals for sacrifice, their lambs, goats, pigeons, turtledoves, etc. They also owned the money changing tables where people exchanged their money for money that could be used to pay their temple tax. Annas’ family gained great wealth at the expense of the Jews. Jesus called their booths in the temple a den of thieves, took a whip and drove them out. He was a great threat to the position, power and income of Annas and his family. They had gotten rid of Jesus and now these men were performing miracles and preaching in the name of a resurrected Jesus and on top of that, thousands of Jews believed them.

[Acts 4:8-12] (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.’ (12) Neither is there salvation in any other: for there is none other name under heaven given among men, whereby we must be saved.

Peter was addressing the High Priest family and other religious leaders, members of the Sanhedrin. These are the men who put Jesus on trial and convicted Him of blasphemy against God, and then they pushed Pilot to have Him crucified. They were the leaders of the Jewish nation and they rejected their Messiah, powerful men who could have Peter and John killed. But Peter filled with the Holy Spirit stood before these powerful men and declared to their faces that the lame man was healed in the name of Jesus Christ, the man they had crucified. Jesus called these religious leaders builders. They were the leaders of the Jewish Nation at that time. Their mission was given long ago to Abraham, Isaac, Jacob and Moses. Moses was given the Laws of God for the nation to follow and they were to teach the world about God by their words and deeds. They were supposed to be building toward the coming of the Kingdom of God. Jesus was the Messiah who was the cornerstone, the foundation of that kingdom and they, the Jewish leaders had rejected Him. Jesus was the foundation of the Jewish religion, He is the foundation of the New Testament church, and He is the foundation of our relationship to God. He should be the cornerstone of our lives. Without Jesus there is no salvation!

[Acts 4:13-22] (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.

Peter and John had been arrested and brought before the very body of men who condemned Jesus to death. They were Jesus’ followers who had performed miracles and now they were a threat. Yet, knowing their position was very dangerous; they stood their ground and accused these men of crucifying the Messiah. These learned Jews looked at Peter and John, knowing that they were uneducated, common men and wondered how they were able to have to courage to face them and to perform such miracles. The answer of course, was through the power of the Holy Spirit which these religious leaders would not accept. The priests and other members of the Sanhedrin were in a predicament. They wanted to punish Peter and John severely, to shut them up, but a great miracle had happened, people all over Jerusalem had heard about it and many were witnesses. There was no way to deny that the lame man had been healed and they did not want to upset all those thousands of people in Jerusalem for Pentecost so they called Peter and John in again and threatened them not to speak in the name of Jesus anymore.

[Acts 4:23-31] (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. (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.

When Peter and John were released, they went back to where Jesus’ followers were gathered and told them how the priests and religious leaders had warned them not speak or preach in the name of Jesus. Then in one accord they all lifted their voices to God in prayer saying:

1. The Lord is creator.
2. King David prophesied that the rulers would turn against the Lord.
3. King Herod and Pilot were against Him.
4. They prayed not to be afraid but to help them be bold so they could continue to share the gospel.

God answered their prayer by shaking the house to express His approval and He granted their request by filling them with the Holy Spirit and boldness.

LESSONS FROM ACTS 4:1-31:

1. When Christians dare to take their stand for Jesus in today’s world, the Holy Spirit will provide the courage and the leadership to enable them.
2. Jesus is the only person who can bring salvation to persons.
3. Dedication to Christ’s cause can bring victory over personal fear.

Previous ↔ Next

Menu • Lesson 1 • Lesson 2 • Lesson 3 • Lesson 4 • Lesson 5 • Lesson 6 • Lesson 7 • Lesson 8 • Lesson 9