Summary of Acts 4:1-22:
The priests and the Sadducees arrest Peter and John because they were teaching people Jesus rose from the dead. But many heard and more were converted.
The next day the pair was brought before the Sanhedrin (a group resembling the group Jesus was brought before) and asked by what power they healed. Peter, filled with the Holy Spirit, speaks the truth, “It is by the name of Jesus Christ whom you killed that this man is healed. Salvation is found only in Jesus.
The learned men were astonished these so-called unschooled, ordinary men could heal. They could do nothing since everyone had seen the man healed. The Sanhedrin want to stop them from speaking in Jesus’ name but when they asked Peter and John to stop, they refused. Reluctantly, the two were let go since they could not deny a miracle had taken place.
BSF Study Questions Acts Lesson 3, Day 4: Acts 4:1-22
10) Peter proclaimed that Jesus alone has the power to raise the dead adn that salvation is found in no one else but Jesus. It makes a difference if you are saved and go to heaven or not. Believers are saved; unbelievers in Jesus Christ as the Savior are not.
11a) Even more people believed, now numbering 5000. Those who arrested them took note as well of Jesus’ power. All the people were praising God for waht had happened so they were set free.
b) Personal Question. My answer: The power of Jesus can overcome anything so give my troubles to him.
Conclusions BSF Study Questions Acts Lesson 3, Day 4: Acts 4:1-22
When we did Acts before, Lesson 3 covered Acts 3-7. I’m wondering where we’re going this year. It’s cool to see how the authorities can’t do anything because they can’t refute the power of Jesus.
End Notes BSF Study Questions Acts Lesson 3, Day 4: Acts 4:1-22
The captain of the temple is the police force of the temple. Boice says that the emphasis in the original indicates that they stopped and seized Peter and John suddenly.
The Sadducees were disturbed that Peter and John taught the people and preached in Jesus the resurrection from the dead; they did not believe in the afterlife or the resurrection at all.
This was a scare tactic on the part of the authorities to get Peter and John to stop preaching about Jesus. Acts 4:21 mentions further threats. Boice notes that Acts 4:1-6 lists no less than 11 different groups or individuals opposing these followers of Jesus.
This was a scene of power and intimidation. This same group of leaders had recently condemned Jesus to death, and they wanted them to know that they had the power to do the same thing to Peter and John.
Peter’s logic was piercing – why are we on trial for a good deed?
The quotation from Psalm 118:22 was appropriate. Jesus was rejected by men – by those leaders – but was exalted by His Father.
God uses both educated and uneducated men for His purpose. It’s just as wrong to think that formal education disqualifies someone for effective service as it is to think that it automatically qualifies someone for effective service.
It is interesting to note what the Jewish leaders did not do: they did not make any attempt to disprove the resurrection of Jesus. If it were possible to do, this was the time to do it; yet they could not.
Luke probably found out what the Sanhedrin discussed among themselves because a member of that Sanhedrin later became a Christian: Saul of Tarsus. Acts 26:10 gives us reason to believe Paul (Saul) was a member of the Sanhedrin to cast his vote against the early Christians.
If this is true, then Peter and John had no idea they were preaching to a future apostle and the greatest missionary the church would ever see. We have no idea how greatly God can use us.
How God Uses Bad Situations for Good
- 2,000 more people came to believe in Jesus
- Peter was filled with the Holy Spirit again
- Peter preached Jesus to the leaders of the Jews
- Hostile examiners and unbelievers confirmed a miraculous healing
- The enemies of Jesus were confused
- Peter and John were bolder for Jesus than ever before
- God was glorified