Acts 4:1-22
Peter and John Before the Sanhedrin
1The priests and the captain of the temple guard and the Sadducees came up to Peter and John while they were speaking to the people. 2They were greatly disturbed because the apostles were teaching the people and proclaiming in Jesus the resurrection of the dead. 3They seized Peter and John, and because it was evening, they put them in jail until the next day. 4But many who heard the message believed, and the number of men grew to about five thousand.
5The next day the rulers, elders and teachers of the law met in Jerusalem. 6Annas the high priest was there, and so were Caiaphas, John, Alexander and the other men of the high priest's family. 7They had Peter and John brought before them and began to question them: "By what power or what name did you do this?"
8Then Peter, filled with the Holy Spirit, said to them: "Rulers and elders of the people! 9If we are being called to account today for an act of kindness shown to a cripple and are asked how he was healed, 10then 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. 11He is
" 'the stone you builders rejected,
which has become the capstone.12Salvation is found in no one else, for there is no other name under heaven given to men by which we must be saved."
13When 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. 14But since they could see the man who had been healed standing there with them, there was nothing they could say. 15So they ordered them to withdraw from the Sanhedrin and then conferred together. 16"What are we going to do with these men?" they asked. "Everybody living in Jerusalem knows they have done an outstanding miracle, and we cannot deny it. 17But to stop this thing from spreading any further among the people, we must warn these men to speak no longer to anyone in this name."
18Then they called them in again and commanded them not to speak or teach at all in the name of Jesus. 19But Peter and John replied, "Judge for yourselves whether it is right in God's sight to obey you rather than God. 20For we cannot help speaking about what we have seen and heard."
21After 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. 22For the man who was miraculously healed was over forty years old.
In chapter four of the Acts, written by Luke, we see the gospel and teachings of Jesus spreading and growing fast...Luke, in the Acts is pointing out the influence of the Sadducees...The Sadducees tried to get Peter and John to stop talking and teaching about Jesus...They put Peter and John in jail over the healing of a crippled beggar and the attention it brought to them and their teachings...The Roman officials, for the most part, allowed religious freedom for the Jewish people...But the Sadducees (as well as the rulers, elders, and teachers of the law), who were in somewhat of a partnership, were afraid that the "Jesus Movement" might somehow jeopardize their privileged status, especially if it grew and grew quickly...As a side note, the Sadducees did not believe in a resurrection or eternal life...So they would have been puzzled, troubled, and would not have believed Peter and John's claim about the resurrected Jesus...A short time after Jesus resurrection, Peter and John are getting the message out about Jesus and the number of believers grew to five thousand...The Sadducees see this and want this to stop...
The Sadducees and other officials (the Sanhedrin group) had a meeting and then had John and Peter brought in to question them about this movement...Peter, just a short time ago had healed a crippled beggar...Peter had healed him, by saying "In the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth, walk"...The beggar responded by a faith in God and was able not only to stand, but jumped to his feet walking and jumping (in delight)...
The healing of this man brought more attention to Peter and John and to there spreading of the Word...The Sadducees ask what power and what name they used to heal the crippled beggar...Peter told them, as he was filled with the Holy Spirit, that this healing was an "act of kindness" and it was the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth...He tells the Sanhedrin, that they crucified Jesus of Nazareth, but God had raised Him from the dead, now this (crippled) man stands before you healed...
Peter tells them that salvation is found in no one else...That there is no other name under heaven, by which we must be saved...The healed man (who was crippled since birth, for forty years) was "standing" there with Peter and John they officials were perplexed...Here were two uneducated, ordinary, average men, who had healed a cripple in the name of Jesus...The group also noted their courage as they spoke...The Sanhedrin, then talked amongst themselves, and warned Peter and John to no longer speak to anyone in the name of Jesus...They were not to speak about or teach about Jesus to anyone...
Peter and John told the Sanhedrin, they would do what is right in God's eyes and would obey God...Peter, John, and the disciples had been doubting, timid and lacking courage during the arrest, up to, and right after the death of Jesus...In fact, Peter had denied Jesus three times, in front of different people...Peter's denial is written about in all four gospels...Thomas doubted that Jesus resurrected, until he touched Him...But now Peter, John and the disciples had seen Jesus after He was resurrected, and understood the truth, and the power of God Almighty, and were boldly speaking out...
The Sanhedrin could not decide how to punish the two, who were trying to start a new or at least a form of religion that they did not understand...The Pharisees and other teachers of the law did believe in resurrection and would have a different belief on what was all happening around them now...So coming together on a proper punishment would have been difficult, and proved so here...The local people watching were praising God for what had happened to the crippled, now healed man...
The disciples have triumphed, with the continuing of God's Plan...The name of Jesus has healed the crippled man...And the word is not that salvation is found in Jesus Christ, and no one else...The disciple's bold interaction with the Sanhedrin would help the gospel spread...The resurrection of the Son by the Father, and the power of the Holy Spirit would grow the new Christian teachings quickly...