PETER AND JOHN WERE STILL SPEAKING. Probably both are speaking to separate groups of people, as the priests on duty, the officer of the temple police, and the Sadducees [perhaps the High Priest and his associates] come to them to stop what they are doing.... [ Continue Reading ]
They WERE ANNOYED. While Jesus lived, the Pharisees were his worst enemies. But after his resurrection, the Sadducees became the stronger source of opposition to the messianic community, because they did not believe man survives death! "Christ on the cross" was offensive to the Jews and nonsense to... [ Continue Reading ]
BUT MANY WHO HEARD THE MESSAGE BELIEVED. Jailing Peter and John did not change the minds of those who believed what they had said. TO ABOUT FIVE THOUSAND. This must include those men who were "buried with Christ" on Pentecost (Acts 2:41). Women were not usually counted (_compare_ Matthew 14:21). [J.... [ Continue Reading ]
THE NEXT DAY. This is a meeting of the Jewish Council [the Sanhedrim]. The Jews still considered Annas the High Priest, even though the Romans had put Caiaphas in his place ten years before.... [ Continue Reading ]
WHAT POWER DO YOU HAVE? They knew the miracles and wonders were real! But they think it comes through some rite of magic.... [ Continue Reading ]
PETER, FULL OF THE HOLY SPIRIT. See Matthew 10:16-20 and notes.... [ Continue Reading ]
ABOUT THE GOOD DEED DONE. They are prisoners on trial for a good deed. Peter uses this to prove the power of the name of Jesus, and to present the Truth of God to them.... [ Continue Reading ]
JESUS CHRIST OF NAZARETH. The very One whom the Council had condemned, is the source of power! WHOM YOU CRUCIFIED. Now Peter is the "judge," and they are on trial.... [ Continue Reading ]
THE STONE. Jesus quotes this same scripture _in_ Matthew 21:42-46. See notes there.... [ Continue Reading ]
THROUGH HIM ALONE. No other name in all Creation is a SAVING NAME, because God has acted through Jesus Christ. Whoever rejects the Son, has rejected the Father also (1 John 2:22-23). It is not possible, then, to follow God, while rejecting Jesus. [Since Jesus Christ is THE NAME, we do not need the n... [ Continue Reading ]
ORDINARY MEN OF NO EDUCATION, As all Jews, they had been educated in the synagogue schools, but had not attended the "theological schools" of the teachers of the Law. COMPANIONS OF JESUS. They had three years of intensive training from Jesus. Plus, they had _total recall_ through the Holy Spirit (Jo... [ Continue Reading ]
AND STARTED DISCUSSING. After they send them out, the Council uses all their wisdom to find a solution.... [ Continue Reading ]
AND TOLD THEM. They threaten them, expecting to put a stop to their preaching.... [ Continue Reading ]
OR TO OBEY GOD. This is the "higher law," which supersedes all other!... [ Continue Reading ]
FOR WE CANNOT STOP SPEAKING. They are under an _obligation_ They are men with a mission to perform.... [ Continue Reading ]
BECAUSE THE PEOPLE. Note the power of public opinion! THE MAN. The man who had been healed was over forty years old, therefore known as a life-long cripple.... [ Continue Reading ]
RETURNED TO THEIR GROUP. The Christians met together daily (Acts 2:46). Peter and John give their report of all that has happened.... [ Continue Reading ]
THEY ALL JOINED TOGETHER. Someone would lead the prayer. They had been ordered to stop their activities, so they go to God in prayer.... [ Continue Reading ]
WHY WEN THE GENTILES FURIOUS? This is quoted from _Psalms 2._ Acts 4:27 shows how it came true.... [ Continue Reading ]
27-28. THEY GATHERED TO DO EVERYTHING. God had already decided what would be done, but this does not say that God decreed that Herod, Pilate, etc., would be the ones who would do this. They "volunteered" [unknowingly] to carry out God's decree.... [ Continue Reading ]
AND NOW, LORD. They do not ask to be saved from pain, persecution, or death. They ask for: (1) boldness in speaking; (2) proof of the power of THE NAME. Their prayer is directed toward the mission Christ has given them.... [ Continue Reading ]
WAS SHAKEN. Evidence that God heard them. THEY WERE ALL FILLED. _Lipscomb_ thinks only the apostles were filled. _Johnson_ thinks the whole group were filled in a conscious renewal of the miraculous power, just like Pentecost. Compare Acts 10:44, where the Spirit came down on all who were listening.... [ Continue Reading ]
WAS ONE IN MIND AND HEART. They formed one community in Christ, with one doctrine, served one Lord, and had one hope of eternal life! WAS HIS OWN. See note on Acts 2:44-45. It was an emergency, but the group met the need. The language does not imply that everyone sold everything he had.... [ Continue Reading ]
JOSEPH, A LEVITE BORN IN CYPRUS. He is "Barnabas" from this time on. SOLD A FIELD HE OWNED. He did this out of love, of his own free will, and brought the _entire_ sum of money, and turned it over to the apostles. This is important, because it "sets the stage" for the event in the next chapter.... [ Continue Reading ]