# Overview Acts Chapter 4 begins with the arrest of #Peter and #John by the #Sadducees, #priests, and the captain of the temple guard, due to their preaching of the #resurrection of [[Jesus Christ (Multiple)|Jesus Christ]]. Despite their arrest, many who heard their message believed, growing the number of believers to about five thousand. Peter and John are brought before the #Sanhedrin, where they boldly proclaim that the healing of a crippled man was performed in the name of Jesus Christ of #Nazareth, whom the religious leaders had crucified, but whom God raised from the dead. Peter, filled with the #HolySpirit, declares that salvation is found in no one else, for there is no other name under heaven given to mankind by which we must be saved. The Sanhedrin, astonished by the courage of Peter and John and recognizing them as unschooled, ordinary men, acknowledge the undeniable miracle that has taken place but order them to stop speaking in the name of Jesus. Peter and John, however, refuse to comply, stating that they must obey God rather than human authorities. Upon their release, they return to their fellow believers, who lift their voices together in prayer, acknowledging God’s sovereignty and asking for boldness to continue speaking His word. The chapter concludes with the believers being filled with the Holy Spirit and speaking the word of God boldly, while also demonstrating unity and generosity, sharing all they had with one another. ## Theological Insights Acts 4 provides profound insights into the early #Christian community's reliance on the #HolySpirit, the boldness of #apostolic witness, and the unity among believers. One of the pivotal theological themes in this chapter is the affirmation of the centrality of the #Resurrection of [[Jesus Christ (Multiple)|Jesus Christ]]. The apostles, particularly #Peter and #John, proclaim the resurrection as the core of their message, asserting that it is by the power of Jesus' resurrection that healing and salvation are made available to all (Acts 4:10-12). The empowerment by the Holy Spirit is evident as the apostles speak with boldness despite facing opposition from the #Sanhedrin, the same council that condemned Jesus (Acts 4:8). This boldness is a direct fulfillment of Jesus' promise that his followers would receive power when the Holy Spirit comes upon them (Acts 1:8). The Holy Spirit's role is crucial in empowering believers to bear witness to Christ, demonstrating a key aspect of the #Trinity's work in the world. Acts 4 also highlights the theme of divine sovereignty and human responsibility. The believers' prayer, acknowledging that God's predetermined plan included the suffering of Jesus (Acts 4:27-28), reflects an understanding that God is sovereign over history and human affairs. This acknowledgment provides them with assurance and courage to continue their mission despite persecution. Moreover, the chapter emphasizes the unity and communal life of the early church. The believers are described as being "of one heart and soul," sharing their possessions and ensuring no one among them lacked anything (Acts 4:32-35). This reflects the practical outworking of the command to love one another, demonstrating the transformative effect of the gospel on social relationships. The theological emphasis on the name of Jesus is also significant in this chapter. The name of Jesus is not only the source of healing but also the only name given under heaven by which people must be saved (Acts 4:12). This exclusivity underscores the necessity of faith in Jesus for salvation, aligning with the broader New Testament witness. Acts 4, therefore, underscores the power of the Holy Spirit, the centrality of the resurrection, the assurance of God's sovereignty, the unity of the church, and the exclusivity of salvation in Jesus' name, offering a rich tapestry of theological insights for understanding the early Christian witness and community. ## Thematic Connections ### The Power of the Holy Spirit Acts 4 underscores the continued empowerment of the believers through the #HolySpirit, a theme initiated at #Pentecost in [[Acts/Acts Chapter 2]]. The boldness of #Peter and #John in proclaiming the resurrection of [[Jesus Christ (Multiple)|Jesus Christ]] is a direct result of the Spirit’s influence (Acts 4:8). This mirrors prior instances where the Spirit empowered individuals for God’s purposes, as seen in the anointing of leaders like [[Judges/Judges Chapter 6|Gideon]] and [[1 Samuel/1 Samuel Chapter 16|David]]. ### Resurrection and Salvation Through Jesus The resurrection of [[Jesus Christ (Multiple)|Jesus Christ]] is central to the apostles' message (Acts 4:10), affirming the theme of salvation available exclusively through Him (Acts 4:12). This proclamation ties back to previous declarations of Jesus' power over death, as seen in the resurrection narratives in the Gospels, such as [[John/John Chapter 11]] where Jesus raises #Lazarus, and highlights Jesus as the cornerstone rejected by the builders (Acts 4:11), a theme also found in [[Psalms/Psalms Chapter 118]]. ### Opposition and God's Sovereignty The chapter illustrates the theme of opposition to the Gospel, yet it emphasizes God's sovereignty in the face of human resistance. The apostles' persecution by religious leaders echoes the trials faced by the prophets, such as #Jeremiah in [[Jeremiah/Jeremiah Chapter 26]], and ultimately reflects the suffering endured by [[Jesus Christ (Multiple)|Jesus Christ]] Himself. Despite the threats, the believers pray for boldness, trusting in God's control over all circumstances (Acts 4:24-30). ### Unity and Generosity Among Believers Acts 4 concludes with a depiction of the early church's unity and generosity, themes also present in Acts 2. The believers shared all they had, ensuring no one was in need, reminiscent of the communal aspects of the #Israelites under the Law, where provisions were made for the needy, such as in [[Deuteronomy/Deuteronomy Chapter 15]]. This communal life is a powerful witness to the transforming impact of the Gospel. ### The Name of Jesus The authority and power inherent in the name of [[Jesus Christ (Multiple)|Jesus Christ]] is a recurring theme. The apostles perform miracles and preach salvation in His name (Acts 4:10, 12), linking back to the Great Commission in [[Matthew/Matthew Chapter 28]], where Jesus instructs His disciples to baptize in His name. This highlights the significance of Jesus' name as a source of divine power and authority. ## Prophetic Fulfillments ### The Rejected Stone Acts 4 highlights the fulfillment of the prophecy from [[Psalms/Psalms Chapter 118|Psalm 118:22]], which speaks of the stone the builders rejected becoming the cornerstone. In Acts 4:11, Peter, filled with the Holy Spirit, identifies Jesus as this cornerstone, emphasizing that although He was rejected by the religious leaders, He is the foundation of salvation. This fulfillment underscores the paradox of rejection and exaltation, pivotal in understanding Jesus' role as the #Messiah. ### Salvation in No Other Name Peter’s proclamation in Acts 4:12 resonates with Old Testament themes of God as the sole source of salvation. This aligns with the prophecy in [[Isaiah/Isaiah Chapter 43|Isaiah 43:11]], where God declares, “Besides me there is no savior.” By affirming that salvation is found in no one else but Jesus, the apostles affirm Jesus’ identity as the divine savior and God’s exclusive means of redemption for humanity. ### The Boldness of the Spirit The boldness of #Peter and #John, as seen in Acts 4, fulfills Jesus’ promise about the empowering and guiding role of the Holy Spirit. In [[Joel/Joel Chapter 2|Joel 2:28-29]], the outpouring of the Spirit is prophesied, and Jesus assures His disciples of the Spirit’s empowering presence in [[John/John Chapter 16|John 16:13]]. The apostles’ courage and clarity in preaching despite threats testify to the Spirit’s fulfillment of these prophecies, demonstrating the transformative power of the Spirit in proclaiming the gospel. ### The Gathering of the Nations Acts 4 sees the early church praying together with one voice, echoing prophetic visions of unity and collective worship among God’s people. This fulfills the visions of unity and restoration seen in [[Zechariah/Zechariah Chapter 8|Zechariah 8:20-23]], where many peoples and strong nations seek the Lord. The church’s unity and shared prayer reflect the fulfillment of God’s promise to gather His people and to be exalted among the nations. ### God’s Sovereign Plan In Acts 4:27-28, the believers acknowledge #Herod and #PontiusPilate’s actions against Jesus as part of God’s predetermined plan, aligning with prophetic themes of God’s sovereignty over history found in [[Isaiah/Isaiah Chapter 46|Isaiah 46:10-11]]. This understanding of prophecy highlights how the events of Jesus’ life, death, and resurrection were not random but part of God’s divine plan for salvation, fulfilling the prophecies of the suffering servant and the Messiah’s triumph through apparent defeat. ## Verses - **Acts 4:1** - "While Peter and John were speaking to the people, they were confronted by the priests, the captain of the Temple guard, and some of the Sadducees." - #Peter #John #priests #Sadducees #TempleGuard - **Acts 4:2** - "These leaders were very disturbed that Peter and John were teaching the people that through Jesus there is a resurrection of the dead." - [[Jesus Christ (Multiple)|Jesus Christ]] #resurrection - **Acts 4:3** - "They arrested them and, since it was already evening, put them in jail until morning." - #arrest #jail - **Acts 4:4** - "But many of the people who heard their message believed it, so the number of men who believed now totaled about 5,000." - #belief #5,000 - **Acts 4:5** - "The next day the council of all the rulers and elders and teachers of religious law met in Jerusalem." - #council #Jerusalem - **Acts 4:6** - "Annas the high priest was there, along with Caiaphas, John, Alexander, and other relatives of the high priest." - #Annas #Caiaphas #highpriest - **Acts 4:7** - "They brought in the two disciples and demanded, 'By what power, or in whose name, have you done this?'" - #disciples #power #name - **Acts 4:8** - "Then Peter, filled with the Holy Spirit, said to them, 'Rulers and elders of our people,'" - #Peter #HolySpirit - **Acts 4:9** - "'Are we being questioned today because we've done a good deed for a crippled man? Do you want to know how he was healed?'" - #healing #miracle - **Acts 4:10** - "'Let me clearly state to all of you and to all the people of Israel that he was healed by the powerful name of Jesus Christ the Nazarene, the man you crucified but whom God raised from the dead.'" - [[Jesus Christ (Multiple)|Jesus Christ]] #Nazarene #crucifixion #resurrection - **Acts 4:11** - "'For Jesus is the one referred to in the Scriptures, where it says, ‘The stone that you builders rejected has now become the cornerstone.’'" - #Scripture #cornerstone - **Acts 4:12** - "'There is salvation in no one else! God has given no other name under heaven by which we must be saved.'" - #salvation #name - **Acts 4:13** - "The members of the council were amazed when they saw the boldness of Peter and John, for they could see that they were ordinary men with no special training in the Scriptures. They also recognized them as men who had been with Jesus." - #boldness #Peter #John [[Jesus Christ (Multiple)|Jesus Christ]] - **Acts 4:14** - "But since they could see the man who had been healed standing right there among them, there was nothing the council could say." - #healing #miracle - **Acts 4:15** - "So they ordered Peter and John out of the council chamber and conferred among themselves." - #council #Peter #John - **Acts 4:16** - "'What should we do with these men?' they asked each other. 'We can’t deny that they have performed a miraculous sign, and everybody in Jerusalem knows about it.'" - #miraculoussign #Jerusalem - **Acts 4:17** - "'But to keep them from spreading their propaganda any further, we must warn them not to speak to anyone in Jesus’ name again.'" - #propaganda [[Jesus Christ (Multiple)|Jesus Christ]] - **Acts 4:18** - "So they called the apostles back in and commanded them never again to speak or teach in the name of Jesus." - #apostles #command - **Acts 4:19** - "But Peter and John replied, 'Do you think God wants us to obey you rather than him?'" - #obedience #God - **Acts 4:20** - "'We cannot stop telling about everything we have seen and heard.'" - #witness #testimony - **Acts 4:21** - "The council then threatened them further, but they finally let them go because they didn’t know how to punish them without starting a riot. For everyone was praising God" - #threat #praise #God - **Acts 4:22** - "for this miraculous sign—the healing of a man who had been lame for more than forty years." - #miraculoussign #healing - **Acts 4:23** - "As soon as they were freed, Peter and John returned to the other believers and told them what the leading priests and elders had said." - #believers #Peter #John - **Acts 4:24** - "When they heard the report, all the believers lifted their voices together in prayer to God: 'O Sovereign Lord, Creator of heaven and earth, the sea, and everything in them—'" - #prayer #God - **Acts 4:25** - "'you spoke long ago by the Holy Spirit through our ancestor David, your servant, saying, ‘Why were the nations so angry? Why did they waste their time with futile plans?'" - #HolySpirit #David - **Acts 4:26** - "'The kings of the earth prepared for battle; the rulers gathered together against the Lord and against his Messiah.'" - #Messiah #battle - **Acts 4:27** - "'In fact, this has happened here in this very city! For Herod Antipas, Pontius Pilate the governor, the Gentiles, and the people of Israel were all united against Jesus, your holy servant, whom you anointed.'" - #HerodAntipas #PontiusPilate #Gentiles #Israel [[Jesus Christ (Multiple)|Jesus Christ]] - **Acts 4:28** - "'But everything they did was determined beforehand according to your will.'" - #GodsWill - **Acts 4:29** - "'And now, O Lord, hear their threats, and give us, your servants, great boldness in preaching your word.'" - #boldness #preaching - **Acts 4:30** - "'Stretch out your hand with healing power; may miraculous signs and wonders be done through the name of your holy servant Jesus.'" - #healing #miracles [[Jesus Christ (Multiple)|Jesus Christ]] - **Acts 4:31** - "After this prayer, the meeting place shook, and they were all filled with the Holy Spirit. Then they preached the word of God with boldness." - #HolySpirit #boldness #preaching - **Acts 4:32** - "All the believers were united in heart and mind. And they felt that what they owned was not their own, so they shared everything they had." - #unity #sharing - **Acts 4:33** - "The apostles testified powerfully to the resurrection of the Lord Jesus, and God’s great blessing was upon them all." - #apostles #resurrection [[Jesus Christ (Multiple)|Jesus Christ]] - **Acts 4:34** - "There were no needy people among them, because those who owned land or houses would sell them" - #generosity #sharing - **Acts 4:35** - "and bring the money to the apostles to give to those in need." - #apostles #generosity - **Acts 4:36** - "For instance, there was Joseph, the one the apostles nicknamed Barnabas (which means 'Son of Encouragement'). He was from the tribe of Levi and came from the island of Cyprus." - #Joseph #Barnabas #Levi #Cyprus - **Acts 4:37** - "He sold a field he owned and brought the money to the apostles." - #generosity #apostles