Day 313: Acts 4-6

(The previous post covered Christ's ascension into heaven, the baptism of the Holy Spirit at Pentecost, and Peter's miraculous healing of a lame man at Solomon's porch.)

Acts 4
¹ And as they spake unto the people, the priests and the captain of the temple and the Sadducees came upon them,
² being sore troubled because they taught the people, and proclaimed in Jesus the resurrection from the dead.

(The religious leaders were still troubled after Jesus was crucified. Jesus' Disciples were teaching and proclaiming Christ's resurrection to the people.)

³ And they laid hands on them, and put them in ward unto the morrow: for it was now eventide.
⁴ But many of them that heard the word believed; and the number of the men came to be about five thousand.

(Peter and John were put into a holding cell. However, 5000 people believed!)

⁵ And it came to pass on the morrow, that their rulers and elders and scribes were gathered together in Jerusalem;
⁶ and Annas the high priest was there, and Caiaphas, and John, and Alexander, and as many as were of the kindred of the high priest.
⁷ And when they had set them in the midst, they inquired, By what power, or in what name, have ye done this?

(The rulers, elders, and scribes asked by what power or name had they done this…"this" meaning the healing of the lame man. Caiaphas, the high priest who prophesied the year of Jesus' death that one person would die for the nation (John 18:14), was there.)

⁸ Then Peter, filled with the Holy Spirit, said unto them, Ye rulers of the people, and elders,

(Peter was filled with the Holy Spirit.)

⁹ if we this day are examined concerning a good deed done to an impotent man, by what means this man is made whole;
¹⁰ be it known unto you all, and to all the people of Israel, that in the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth, whom ye crucified, whom God raised from the dead, even in him doth this man stand here before you whole.

(Peter gave Jesus the credit, which may have been why Peter began this miracle with the preface: "In the name of Jesus Christ.")

¹¹ He is the stone which was set at nought of you the builders, which was made the head of the corner.

(Christ is the Corner-Stone, which was recorded in Mark 12:11 by Jesus concerning Himself when He referenced Psalm 118:22-23. Jesus did this at the end of the parable where He told the chief priest, elders, and scribes they were the evil people who rejected the person in the parable that represented the Son of God.)

¹² And in none other is there salvation: for neither is there any other name under heaven, that is given among men, wherein we must be saved.

(Again, Peter stressed the Name of Jesus.)

¹³ Now when they beheld the boldness of Peter and John, and had perceived that they were unlearned and ignorant men, they marvelled; and they took knowledge of them, that they had been with Jesus.

(Peter and John were unlearned according to the people but they had an enormous education from being Disciples of Jesus, from studying under a Semikah Rabbi. Peter and John were ignorant which in the Greek was a comparative word that meant a "common person vs. royalty." The fact these were not educated men, but they spoke with boldness and authority (knowing their why/how), was what convinced these religious leaders these men had been with Jesus.)

¹⁴ And seeing the man that was healed standing with them, they could say nothing against it.

(The healed man was also present, so these religious leaders could not say that they had not done something miraculous. These religious leaders could not punish these men for doing good and they could not deny they did good.)

¹⁵ But when they had commanded them to go aside out of the council, they conferred among themselves,
¹⁶ saying, What shall we do to these men? for that indeed a notable miracle hath been wrought through them, is manifest to all that dwell in Jerusalem; and we cannot deny it.
¹⁷ But that it spread no further among the people, let us threaten them, that they speak henceforth to no man in this name.

(The rulers, elders, etc. did not want the Name of Jesus spread any further. Peter and John were threatened so they would not speak Jesus' Name.)

¹⁸ And they called them, and charged them not to speak at all nor teach in the name of Jesus.

(They were commanded not to speak at all or teach in the Name of Jesus.)

¹⁹ But Peter and John answered and said unto them, Whether it is right in the sight of God to hearken unto you rather than unto God, judge ye:
²⁰ for we cannot but speak the things which we saw and heard.

(Peter and John answered by saying they must speak the things they saw and heard. Peter and John were not hindered by the threats against them.)

²¹ And they, when they had further threatened them, let them go, finding nothing how they might punish them, because of the people; for all men glorified God for that which was done.
²² For the man was more than forty years old, on whom this miracle of healing was wrought.

(They let them go because they had no fault against Peter and John, and all men glorified God for the miracle.)

²³ And being let go, they came to their own company, and reported all that the chief priests and the elders had said unto them.
²⁴ And they, when they heard it, lifted up their voice to God with one accord, and said, O Lord, thou that didst make the heaven and the earth and the sea, and all that in them is:
²⁵ who by the Holy Spirit, by the mouth of our father David thy servant, didst say, Why did the Gentiles rage, And the peoples imagine vain things?

(They let everyone know what happened which caused the group to pray. Verse 24 showed they referenced God, which was Step 1 of the four steps of prayer. They referenced Psalm 2:1 in the prayer to build their faith, which was Step 2 of prayer.)

²⁶ The kings of the earth set themselves in array, And the rulers were gathered together, Against the Lord, and against his Anointed:
²⁷ for of a truth in this city against thy holy Servant Jesus, whom thou didst anoint, both Herod and Pontius Pilate, with the Gentiles and the peoples of Israel, were gathered together,
²⁸ to do whatsoever thy hand and thy council foreordained to come to pass.

(Jesus' death was prophesied because the causes were in place then for God to have enough value to make happen what He wanted to happen. God telling the people through prophets was God letting people know what God would choose to do when the time came, what God foreordained. If Jesus' time on earth was predestinated against the will of everyone involved, then Jesus would not have prayed His prayers in the garden of Gethsemane in Matthew 26:36.)

²⁹ And now, Lord, look upon their threatenings: and grant unto thy servants to speak thy word with all boldness,
³⁰ while thy stretchest forth thy hand to heal; and that signs and wonders may be done through the name of thy holy Servant Jesus.

(Step 3 of prayer: Verse 29 referenced Justice. Step 4 of prayer: Verses 29 and 30 made the request.)

³¹ And when they had prayed, the place was shaken wherein they were gathered together; and they were all filled with the Holy Spirit, and they spake the word of God with boldness.

(God refilled them with the Holy Spirit and they spoke the Word of God with boldness.)

³² And the multitude of them that believed were of one heart and soul: and not one of them said that aught of the things which he possessed was his own; but they had all things common.
³³ And with great power gave the apostles their witness of the resurrection of the Lord Jesus: and great grace was upon them all.

(Great grace was upon them all. Grace is "the divine influence upon the heart, and its reflection in the life.")

³⁴ For neither was there among them any that lacked: for as many as were possessors of lands or houses sold them, and brought the prices of the things that were sold,
³⁵ and laid them at the apostles' feet: and distribution was made unto each, according as any one had need.

(In Acts 2, we saw fellowship (sharing) was one of the four causes of the Acts Church.)

³⁶ And Joseph, who by the apostles was surnamed Barnabas (which is, being interpreted, Son of exhortation), a Levite, a man of Cyprus by race,
³⁷ having a field, sold it, and brought the money and laid it at the apostles' feet.

(Barnabas, who owned land, sold it and brought the money and laid it at the Apostles' feet. This point was made to establish that it was a practice at that time to sell land and give all of the money to the Church.)




Acts 5
¹ But a certain man named Ananias, with Sapphira his wife, sold a possession,
² and kept back part of the price, his wife also being privy to it, and brought a certain part, and laid it at the apostles' feet.

(Ananias and Sapphira sold a possession and kept back part of the money. Ananias laid the rest at the Apostles' feet.)

³ But Peter said, Ananias, why hath Satan filled thy heart to lie to the Holy Spirit, and to keep back part of the price of the land?

(Peter confronted Ananias about him lying to the Holy Spirit. Notice, Ananias was not lying to Peter. Ananias apparently had been led by the Holy Spirit (because of the great grace) to sell the land and give all the money to the Church. Ananias not doing this was the same as Ananias lying to the Holy Spirit.)

⁴ While it remained, did it not remain thine own? and after it was sold, was it not in thy power? How is it that thou hast conceived this thing in thy heart? thou has not lied unto men, but unto God.

(Peter said that Ananias had lied not to men, but to God.)

(**Verses 3 and 4 used Holy Spirit and God interchangeably, supporting the truth that the Holy Spirit is God.**)

⁵ And Ananias hearing these words fell down and gave up the ghost: and great fear came upon all that heard it.

(Ananias was cast down by God.)

⁶ And the young men arose and wrapped him round, and they carried him out and buried him.
⁷ And it was about the space of three hours after, when his wife, not knowing what was done, came in.

(Within three hours, Ananias died and was buried and Sapphira came looking for him.)

⁸ And Peter answered unto her, Tell me whether ye sold the land for so much. And she said, Yea, for so much.
⁹ But Peter said unto her, How is it that ye have agreed together to try the Spirit of the Lord? behold, the feet of them that have buried thy husband are at the door, and they shall carry thee out.
¹⁰ And she fell down immediately at his feet, and gave up the ghost: and the young men came in and found her dead, and they carried her out and buried her by her husband.

(Sapphira also lied and died.)

¹¹ And great fear came upon the whole church, and upon all that heard these things.
¹² And by the hands of the apostles were many signs and wonders wrought among the people; and they were all with one accord in Solomon's porch.

(Again, great respect for God was upon everyone in the Church and many signs and wonders continued to happen. Once again, the believers were present in Solomon's porch, the site of their first miracle done through Peter and John.)

¹³ But of the rest durst no man join himself to them: howbeit the people magnified them;
¹⁴ and believers were the more added to the Lord, multitudes both of them and women;
¹⁵ insomuch that they even carried out the sick into the streets, and laid them on beds and couches, that, as Peter came by, at the least his shadow might overshadow some one of them.
¹⁶ And there also came together the multitudes from the cities round about Jerusalem, bring sick folk, and them that were vexed with unclean spirits: and they were healed every one.

(Sick people from the surrounding areas came to the temple to get healed.)

¹⁷ But the high priest rose up, and all they that were with him (which is the sect of the Sadducees), and they were filled with jealousy,
¹⁸ and laid hands on the apostles, and put them in public ward.

(The high priest had the Apostles put into prison because the religious leaders were jealous.)

¹⁹ But an angel of the Lord by night opened the prison doors, and brought them out, and said,

(An angel of the Lord opened the prison.)

²⁰ Go ye, and stand and speak in the temple to the people all the words of this Life.

(The angel told them to stand in the temple and speak all of this to the people.)

²¹ And when they heard this, they entered into the temple about daybreak, and taught. But the high priest came, and they that were with him, and called the council together, and all the senate of the children of Israel, and sent to the prison-house to have them brought.
²² But the officers that came found them not in the prison; and they returned, and told,
²³ saying, The prison-house we found shut in all safety, and the keepers standing at the doors: but when we had opened, we found no man within.
²⁴ Now when the captain of the temple and the chief priests heard these words, they were much perplexed concerning them whereunto this would grow.
²⁵ And there came one and told them, Behold, the men whom ye put in the prison are in the temple standing and teaching the people.

(When the religious leaders looked for them, they were not in prison. The religious leaders were told the men were in the temple teaching.)

²⁶ Then went the captain with the officers, and brought them, but without violence; for they feared the people, lest they should be stoned.
²⁷ And when they had brought them, they set them before the council. And the high priest asked them,
²⁸ saying, We strictly charged you not to teach in this name: and behold, ye have filled Jerusalem with your teaching, and intend to bring this man's blood upon us.
²⁹ But Peter and the apostles answered and said, We must obey God rather than men.

(Peter and the other Apostles feared God more than man. The religious leaders feared the people most.)

³⁰ The God of our fathers raised up Jesus, whom ye slew, hanging him on a tree.
³¹ Him did God exalt with his right hand to be a Prince and a Saviour, to give repentance to Israel, and remission of sins.
³² And we are witnesses of these things; and so is the Holy Spirit, whom God hath given to them that obey him.

(They directly accused the religious leaders of killing Jesus. Believers are Jesus' witnesses and so is the Holy Spirit.)

³³ But they, when they heard this, were cut to the heart, and minded to slay them.

(The religious leaders were so upset with this response, they wanted to kill them.)

³⁴ But there stood up one in the council, a Pharisee, named Gamaliel, a doctor of the law, had in honor of all the people, and commanded to put the men forth a little while.

(Gamaliel was a very well respected Pharisee because of his understanding of the Law. In Acts 22, Paul stated his teacher was Gamaliel.)

³⁵ And he said unto them, Ye men of Israel, take heed to yourselves as touching these men, what ye are about to do.
³⁶ For before these days rose up Theudas, giving himself out to be somebody; to whom a number of men, about four hundred, joined themselves: who was slain; and all, as many as obeyed him, were dispersed, and came to nought.
³⁷ After this man rose up Judas of Galilee in the days of the enrolment, and drew away some of the people after him: he also perished; and all, as many as obeyed him, were scattered abroad.
³⁸ And now I say unto you, Refrain from these men, and let them alone: for if this counsel or this work be of men, it will be overthrown:
³⁹ but if it is of God, ye will not be able to overthrow them; lest haply ye be found even to be fighting against God.

(Gamaliel was willing to consider these men were doing God's work. Gamaliel was contrastive: if these men represented God, you would not be fighting them, you would be fighting God. Gamaliel also stated that if it was not of God it would eventually come to an end.)

⁴⁰ And to him they agreed: and when they had called the apostles unto them, they beat them and charged them not to speak in the name of Jesus, and let them go.
⁴¹ They therefore departed from the presence of the council, rejoicing that they were counted worthy to suffer dishonor for the Name.

(The leaders still beat the believers and told them not to speak in the Name of Jesus. Those who were beaten rejoiced that they were worthy to suffer for the Name of Jesus. They recognized they had achieved the highest level of spiritual maturity according to Christ: Matthew 5:11-12. They were exceedingly glad for being persecuted for Jesus' sake.)

⁴² And every day, in the temple and at home, they ceased not to teach and to preach Jesus as the Christ.

(They taught daily in the temple and in every house. They did not stop teaching and preaching Jesus as the Christ.)




Acts 6
¹ Now in these days, when the number of the disciples was multiplying, there arose a murmuring of the Grecian Jews against the Hebrews, because their widows were neglected in the daily ministration.

(The Jewish Greeks rumored that the Hebrews were not taking care of their widows.)

² And the twelve called the multitude of the disciples unto them, and said, It is not fit that we should forsake the word of God, and serve tables.
³ Look ye out therefore, brethren, from among you seven men of good report, full of the Spirit and of wisdom, whom we may appoint over this business.
⁴ But we will continue stedfastly in prayer, and in the ministry of the word.

(The twelve called for seven men of good (Right and Just) report, full of the Holy Spirit and of wisdom. These men would be responsible for serving so the twelve could focus on the Word of God. These seven were able to do miracles and signs as well. However, their focus would be taking care of physical needs so that the twelve could be even more effective Apostles.)

⁵ And the saying pleased the whole multitude: and they chose Stephen, a man full of faith and of the Holy Spirit, and Philip, and Prochorus, and Nicanor, and Timon, and Parmenas, and Nicolaus a proselyte of Antioch;
⁶ whom they set before the apostles: and when they had prayed, they laid their hands upon them.

(Stephen was one of the seven that was chosen. Notice, Stephen's name was set apart from the other men chosen. The twelve put their hands on them and prayed.)

⁷ And the word of God increased; and the number of the disciples multiplied in Jerusalem exceedingly; and a great company of the priests were obedient to the faith.
⁸ And Stephen, full of grace and power, wrought great wonders and signs among the people.

(This decision led to more preaching, which led to more people becoming believers. Stephen was full of grace and power and did great wonders among the people.)

⁹ But there arose certain of them that were of the synagogue called the synagogue of the Libertines, and of the Cyrenians, and of the Alexandrians, and of them of Cilicia and Asia, disputing with Stephen.
¹⁰ And they were not able to withstand the wisdom and the Spirit by which he spake.

(Stephen was also able to discuss Doctrine.)

¹¹ Then they suborned men, who said, We have heard him speak blasphemous words against Moses, and against God.

(These men became so frustrated with being unable to prove Stephen wrong, they convinced other men to bear false witness against Stephen. Doctrine is the toughest thing to be wrong about because it goes to the Mind/Soul of the individual. Here was proof this frustration can cause people to bear false witness in order to have someone killed.)

¹² And they stirred up the people, and the elders, and the scribes, and came upon him, and seized him, and brought him into the council,
¹³ and set up false witnesses, who said, This man ceaseth not to speak words against this holy place, and the law:

(False witnesses were set up, just like what happened to Jesus.)

¹⁴ for we have heard him say, that this Jesus of Nazareth shall destroy this place, and shall change the customs which Moses delivered unto us.
¹⁵ And all that sat in the council, fastening their eyes on him, saw his face as it had been the face of an angel.

(The blasphemy was that Stephen would change the customs of Moses. One of the themes of the Book of Acts (the conflict over the Law of Moses) was introduced in verse 14. Verse 15 stated that the council could see that Stephen's face looked like the face of an angel.)

(This post covered Peter's and John's interaction with the religious leaders over their first healing, their second healing, being imprisoned, and their release. Also, the identification of seven ministers to take care of the physical needs of the people. One of these seven, Stephen, was falsely accused and brought to the religious leaders.)

Day 314