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.
In reaction to the miracle Peter and John performed, we see a reaction from the officials. The priests, the captain of the temple guard and the Sadducees all approached them after this.
In order to understand who all these people are, we have to understand a little about the power structure in Israel at the time. Israel was under the Roman government. Rome had swept across the world and created the great Roman Empire, and Israel was not exempt from their control.
The Emperor was the head of the Roman government. He was not an elected official but a man who took power, or succeeded the throne through dynasty. Most emperor’s were murdered by their successors, so it was not a democracy but a dictatorship.
Procurators ruled certain sections of the Roman Empire. When the Romans overtook a country, the country was divided up in four quadrants and the Procurator ruled over those four segments, sort of like a governor rules over a state. Pontius pilate was the Procurator over Israel.
The Tetrarch was the ruler over the quadrant. In this case, Herod Phillip was the tetrarch over the area of Judea and Jerusalem. He was one of the three sons of Herod the Great, the ruler who famously tried to stamp out the Christ child by killing all the babies in his jurisdiction.
The Temple Guards were Roman soldiers who were there to keep the peace and carry out the orders of the officials in the region.
So when the Romans conquered a people, they didn’t set out to establish their own form of government there. They mostly allowed the country to operate under their own rules with the understanding that they would pay their taxes to the Roman government and they would be obligated to follow any laws set by Rome. The Israelites were able to keep their own governing body in place. This was called the Sanhedrin.
The Sanhedrin was made up of two bodies: The Pharisees and the Sadducees. The Pharisees were the religious arm of the Sanhedrin. The high priests, the elders and the teachers of the law were included in this area. The Sadducees were the aristocratic class. This was made up of the businessmen and secular officials.
The officials, both religious and secular, are disturbed by the teaching of the apostles. So they get the temple guard involved and snatch up Peter and John and put them in jail. This isn’t a deterrent though, because more are coming to Christ at this time.
The power structure is getting scared. They thought they got rid of the problem in crucifying Jesus. But now there’s twelve of them performing signs and miracles and bringing more people to Christ.
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?” 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.’
We have a concerted effort against Christianity Priests, Sadducees and temple guards (4:1), Rulers, elders and teachers of the law (4:5) and the High priest family (4:5). This is the lowest rung of the authoritative ladder, but still very powerful. The Jewish authorities don’t want it to go up the ladder to Pilate again, so its time for them to thwart it before it grows any bigger.
The same crowd who condemned Jesus is gathered. This is meant to intimidate the apostles, but Peter very bluntly wonders why they are even there. For a good deed? And he doesn’t sugar coat the truth. The man they all knew was healed in the name of Jesus Christ. The authorities do not understand Christ because they rejected him. They can’t understand his power either.
12 Salvation is found in no one else, for there is no other name under heaven given to mankind by which we must be saved.” 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.”
Peter again is blunt: Salvation is only found in Jesus. This is an astonishing statement of strength from Peter and alerts the authorities that these were the guys with Jesus. Remember, during Christ’s trials, Peter was dodging the authorities, trying desperately not to be discovered as a follower. Now he has completely changed. The crucifixion of Christ did not deter him or any of the true followers.
Verse 14 is comical. They may not be able to understand Christ’s power, but they can see the evidence of it standing before them. It deflates their case. They can’t throw them in jail for healing a man of his ailments.
The Sanhedrin get together and wonder what to do. They realize the evidence is irrefutable. The knowledge of the miracle is widespread. But what is their response? They’d rather squelch the truth than expose it. They want to continue to hold onto power rather than admit they were wrong and there is something to Jesus. So they order the apostles not to speak in the name of Jesus any longer.
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.
The question becomes this: where is the Sanhedrin’s true authority? It isn’t with God or the truth of Jesus, but is with the world. It is more valuable to hold onto their power than to admit the truth. They threaten the apostles once again and release them, knowing they have a huge problem: they understand, on some level, the divinity of Jesus, but know they must destroy it in order to keep the status quo.
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 they returned and told them about their experience, they prayed together. God’s plan prevailed and the motivations of the Sanhedrin still played into the development of new believers. This amazing moment sees more believers crying out for the same power and they receive the holy spirit, for they are true believers.
32 All the believers were one in heart and mind. No one claimed that any of their possessions was their own, but they shared everything they had. 33 With great power the apostles continued to testify to the resurrection of the Lord Jesus. And God’s grace was so powerfully at work in them all 34 that there were no needy persons among them. For from time to time those who owned land or houses sold them, brought the money from the sales 35 and put it at the apostles’ feet, and it was distributed to anyone who had need. 36 Joseph, a Levite from Cyprus, whom the apostles called Barnabas (which means “son of encouragement”), 37 sold a field he owned and brought the money and put it at the apostles’ feet.
They followers moved forward in unity, understanding their provision was from God and when used properly, it benefited the whole. James 1: 27 says this:
27 Religion that God our Father accepts as pure and faultless is this: to look after orphans and widows in their distress and to keep oneself from being polluted by the world.