Chap. 4
[1-4] Peter’s first imprisonment (plus John): After Peter’s sermon in front of the temple, a group of Jews who denied the doctrine of the resurrection of Christ (called Sadducees) came upon them and arrested Peter and John and held them captive for a night. But the persecution of Peter and John came to late because the Gospel had already been clearly stated and over five thousand lives were altered by the blood of Jesus (v.4).
Note: Who were the Sadducees? “Sadducees--The origin of this Jewish sect cannot definitely be traced. It was probably the outcome of the influence of Grecian customs and philosophy during the period of Greek domination. The first time they are met with is in connection with John the Baptist's ministry. They came out to him when on the banks of the Jordan, and he said to them, “O generation of vipers, who hath warned you to flee from the wrath to come?” (Mat_3:7.) The next time they are spoken of they are represented as coming to our Lord tempting him. He calls them “hypocrites” and “a wicked and adulterous generation” (Mat_16:1-4; Mat_22:23). The only reference to them in the Gospels of Mark (Mar_12:18-27) and Luke (Luk_20:27-38) is their attempting to ridicule the doctrine of the resurrection, which they denied, as they also denied the existence of angels. They are never mentioned in John's Gospel.
There were many Sadducees among the “elders” of the Sanhedrin. They seem, indeed, to have been as numerous as the Pharisees (Act_23:6). They showed their hatred of Jesus in taking part in his condemnation (Mat_16:21; Mat_26:1-3, Mat_26:59; Mar_8:31; Mar_15:1; Luk_9:22; Luk_22:66). They endeavoured to prohibit the apostles from preaching the resurrection of Christ (Act_2:24, Act_2:31, Act_2:32; Act_4:1, Act_4:2; Act_5:17, Act_5:24-28). They were the deists or skeptics of that age. They do not appear as a separate sect after the destruction of Jerusalem.”
[Easton’s Bible Dictionary]
Note: Who is the Captain of the Temple? This would have been the second in command directly underneath the Jewish High Priest.
Note: Peter and John would have been kept overnight because the Jewish high court the Sanhedrin was held in the morning and it was “already evening” (v.3)
“Sanhedrim
More correctly Sanhedrin (Gr. synedrion), meaning “a sitting together,” or a “council.” This word (rendered “council,” A.V.) is frequently used in the New Testament (Mat_5:22; Mat_26:59; Mar_15:1, etc.) to denote the supreme judicial and administrative council of the Jews, which, it is said, was first instituted by Moses, and was composed of seventy men (Num_11:16, Num_11:17). But that seems to have been only a temporary arrangement which Moses made. This council is with greater probability supposed to have originated among the Jews when they were under the domination of the Syrian kings in the time of the Maccabees. The name is first employed by the Jewish historian Josephus. This “council” is referred to simply as the “chief priests and elders of the people” (Mat_26:3, Mat_26:47, Mat_26:57, Mat_26:59; Mat_27:1, Mat_27:3, Mat_27:12, Mat_27:20, etc.), before whom Christ was tried on the charge of claiming to be the Messiah. Peter and John were also brought before it for promulgating heresy (Acts. 4:1-23; 5:17-41); as was also Stephen on a charge of blasphemy (Act_6:12-15), and Paul for violating a temple by-law (Act_22:30; Act_23:1-10).
The Sanhedrin is said to have consisted of seventy-one members, the high priest being president. They were of three classes
(1.) the chief priests, or heads of the twenty-four priestly courses (1 Chr. 24),
(2.) the scribes, and
(3.) the elders. As the highest court of judicature, “in all causes and over all persons, ecclesiastical and civil, supreme,” its decrees were binding, not only on the Jews in Palestine, but on all Jews wherever scattered abroad. Its jurisdiction was greatly curtailed by Herod, and afterwards by the Romans.
Its usual place of meeting was within the precincts of the temple, in the hall “Gazith,” but it sometimes met also in the house of the high priest (Mat_26:3), who was assisted by two vice-presidents.”
[Easton’s Bible Dictionary]
Note: Five thousand men was now the count not including women and children. It is very reasonable that over ten thousand had been added to the kingdom by this point in Acts.
Timeless Principle: The picture painted in this passage is quite amazing. It depicts God’s sovereignty rather amazingly. Peter proclaims the mystery of the Gospel in front of the temple. This might need to be noted because it could be assumed that they should have been arrested quicker than they did. But God, showing his foreknowledge, allowed Peter to clearly proclaim the message before being arrested, thus allowing enough time for God to call a multitude to himself.
[5-12] Peter and John before the council (first appearance before the Sanhedrin): It is now the day after Peter and John had been in arrested and the Sanhedrin proceedings were preparing to take place for the day. Paul and John were on the top of the list for trial. Peter stands among all seventy-one of the priests including thirty high priests and the former high priest, Annas. They ask him, “what authority did you heal this lame man.” Peter, devoid of timidity, speaks firmly and answers without shame, “under Jesus Christ of Nazereth, whom you crucified.” Once again, Peter seizes the opportunity by declaring boldly that Jesus, having been rejected, had become the cornerstone and by other name under heaven or on Earth comes salvation except in Christ’s alone.
Note: A trend is forming. This is the third straight time that Peter accuses the Jews and high priests of the death of Christ and the third straight time that he announces that death didn’t and couldn’t hold him and the third straight time that he calls the Jews to repentance and faith in Jesus Christ.
Timeless Principle: Peter, who had denied Christ three times, is now calling out the Jews with boldness through the outpouring of the Spirit in his life. This is amazing. The Spirit that has given him this newly found boldness is the same Spirit that has been given to us upon the renewing of our hearts through faith in Jesus Christ. Why then do we tremble at the thought of sharing our faith or standing on the name of Jesus? What has happened to the church? Peter stood before trial, before a council of men who could have put them to death and they didn’t dance around the truth. They didn’t poke at the truth. They didn’t deny the truth. Rather, they boldly proclaimed the Gospel, having no fear of death or persecution. We should actively, not just talk about, count all trials and persecutions as gifts from God. In this case, Peter did and left the council dumbfounded. We often look at these examples and think that it was different back then and that we can’t do those kinds of things. To some extent that is true. In America, when is the last time you heard of someone under severe persecution to the point of fearing for one’s life on account of Jesus. You haven’t because it doesn’t happen here. So to some extent it isn’t the same now because we probably won’t be held at gun point on trial because we believe in Jesus. If that is true then, it should actually be easier for us to stand on the foundation that is Jesus Christ but the opposite has occurred. No one is taking up their crosses and pursuing the great commission. Instead of physical death, we fear the death of our images in the eyes of a mortal person, in doing so we are denying the glory of God and trading it for our own. Sickening as it may be, it is true. If we are then in Christ then we have received the same Spirit that was given to Peter that allowed him to speak the name of Jesus even under the fear of death.
“for God gave us a spirit not of fear but of power and love and self-control.”
(2Ti 1:7)
*11-12 [stone the builders rejected is the cornerstone, chyea, that’s right, the end!]
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