Acts 4:5-31

Tue Jul 20 14:13:05 PDT 2010

“*TWO ARE BETTER THAN ONE” MINISTRIES*

*Jim & Marie Watt*

*Tel: 253-517-9195 - Email: jmbetter at gmail.com*

*Web: www.2rbetter.org*

*July 20, 2010 <http://www.2rbetter.org/>*

   *ACTS 4:5-31 (Part B of IV. Acts 3:1-4:31)*

 *B. 4:5-12 HOLY SPIRIT THROUGH PETER EXALTS JESUS*

*a. 4:5-6 A TRIBUNAL: COMPOSED OF JEWISH RELIGIOUS LEADERS*

E-GEne-to de ePI t*e*n AUri-on, su-nachTH*E*nai auT*O*N tous ARchon-tas
[758]

*And it came to pass on the morrow, that their :rulers*

kai tous pres-buTErous [4245] kai tous gram-maTEIS [1122] en 'Ie-rou-saL*E*
M;

*and the elders and the scribes were gathered in Jerusalem;*

kai HANnas ho ar-chi-eREUS [749, kai KaiAphas, kai 'I*o*ANn*e*s, kai
A-LExan-dros,

*6 and Hannas the high priest, and Caiaphas, and John, and Alexander,*

kai HOsoi *E*san ek GEnous [1085] ar-chi-e-ra-tiKOU [748].

*and as many as were of the high priest's kindred.*

 *b. 4:7 INTIMIDATION: A CHALLENGE TO NAME JESUS*

kai ST*E*san-tes [2476] auTOUS en t*o* MEs*o*, e-punTHAnon-to [4441],

*And when they had set them in the midst, they inquired,*

En POIa duNAmei, *e* en POI*o* oNOma-ti, e-poi*E*sa-te TOUto huMEIS?

*With what power, or with what name, have YOU done this?*

 *c. 4:8-10 JESUS' NAME: PROCLAIMED BY SPIRIT THROUGH PETER*

TOte PEtros, pl*e*sTHEIS [4130] PNEUma-tos [4151] HaGIou, EIpen pros auTOUS,

*Then Peter, filled with the Holy Spirit, said unto them,*

ARchon-tes [758] tou laOU, kai presBUte-roi,

*Rulers of the people, and elders,*

ei h*e*MEIS S*E*me-ron a-na-kriNOme-tha [350] ePI eu-er-geSIa [2108] anTHR*O
*pou as-theNOUS [772],

*9 if WE today are examined concerning a good deed to an impotent man,*

en TIni HOUtos SEs*o*s-tai [4982];

*with what means this man is made whole;*

gn*o*sTON [1110] esT*O* PAsin huMIN, kai panTI t*o* la*O* 'Is-ra*E*L,

*10 be it known to you all, and to all the people Israel,*

HOti en t*o* oNOma-ti 'I*e*SOU ChrisTOU tou Na-z*o*RAIou [3480],

*that in the name of Jesus Christ the Nazorean,*

hon huMEIS e-stauR*O*sa-te [4717], hon ho TheOS *E*gei-ren [1453] ek neKR*O*
N,

*whom you crucified, whom :God raised from the dead,*

en TOUt*o* HOUtos paREst*e*-ken eN*O*pi-on huM*O*N hu-gi*E*S [5199].

*even** in him stands this **man here before you whole.*

 *d. 4:11 JESUS' REJECTION: PROPHESIED AS THE REJECTED STONE*

* *HOU-TOS es-tin ho LIthos [3037] ho e-xou-the-n*e*THEIS [1848] huph' huM*O
*N t*o*n oi-koDOm*o*n [3618],

*He is the stone :set at nought of you the builders,*

ho geNOme-nos eis ke-phaL*E*N [2776] g*o*NIas [1137].

*which became head of the corner.*

 *e. 4:12 JESUS' NAME ALONE SAVES*

kai ouk EStin en ALl*o* ou-deNI h*e* s*o*-t*e*RIa [4991]:

*And the salvation is in none other:*

ouDE gar OnoMA es-tin HEte-ron huPO ton ou-raNON,

*for neither is there any other name under :heaven,*

to de-doMEnon en anTHR*O*pois, en h*o* dei s*o*TH*E*nai [4982] h*e*MAS.

*that is :given among men, in which we must be saved.*

 *C. 4:13-31 RESULT OF PERSECUTION: PRAYER AND GREATER WORKS*

*1. 4:13-22 OPPOSERS ARE POWERLESS IN FACE OF MIRACLE*

*a. 4:13 MARVELING: EFFECT OF PETER AND JOHN'S BOLDNESS*

The-*o*ROUNtes [2334] de t*e*n tou PEtrou par-r*e*SIan [3954] kai 'I*o*Anou,

*Now when they beheld the boldness of :Peter and John,*

kai ka-ta-laBOme-noi [2638] HOti ANthr*o*-poi aGRAMmaTOI [52] ei-sin kai
i-di*O*tai [2399], eTHAUma-zon [2296];

*and had apprehended that they were unlearned and ignorant men, they
marveled;*

e-peGIn*o*SKON [1921] te auTOUS, HOti sun t*o* 'I*e*SOU *E*san.

*and they took knowledge of them, that they had been with :Jesus.*

 *b. 4:14 WITHOUT DEFENSE: BECAUSE OF PRESENCE OF THE HEALED MAN*

ton te ANthr*o*-pon BLEpon-tes sun auTOIS heST*O*ta ton te-the-ra-peuMEnon
[2323],

*And seeing the man that was healed standing with them,*

ouDEN EIchon an-teiPEIN [471].

*they had nothing to gainsay.*

 *c. 4:15-16 CONFUSION: NO STRATEGY LEFT TO THE ENEMIES*

keLEUsan-tes [2753] de auTOUS Ex*o* tou su-neDRIou [4892] a-pelTHEIN,

*But when they had commanded them to go aside out of the Sanhedrin,*

suNEbal-lon [4820] pros alL*E*lous,

*they conferred among themselves,*

LEgon-tes, Ti poi*E*s*o*-men tois anTHR*O*pois TOUtois?

*16 saying, What shall we do to these :men?*

HOti men gar gn*o*STON s*e*MEIon GEgo-nen di' auT*O*N,

*for that indeed a notable sign has been wrought through them,*

PAsin tois ka-toiKOUsin [2730] 'Ie-rou-saL*E*M pha-neRON [5318];

*is manifest to all that dwell in Jerusalem; *

kai ou duNAme-tha arNEISthai [720].

*and we cannot deny it.*

 *d. 4:17 SOLUTION: THREATEN SILENCE*

all' HIna m*e* ePI PLEIon [4119] di-a-ne-m*e*TH*E* [1268] eis ton laON,
a-pei-l*e*S*O*me-tha [547] auTOIS,

*But that it spread no further among the people, let us threaten them,*

m*e*KEti laLEIN ePI t*o* oNOma-ti TOUt*o* m*e*-deNI anTHR*O*p*o*n.

*to speak from now on to no man in this :name.*

 *e. 4:18 CONTEST BETWEEN PREJUDICE AND RELIGION*

kai kaLEsan-tes auTOUS paR*E*Ggei-lan [3853]

*And they called and charged them*

kaTHOlou [2527] m*e* PHTHEGges-thai [5350] m*e*DE diDAskein [1321] ePI
t*o*oNOma-ti tou 'I
*e*SOU.

*not to speak at all nor teach in the name of :Jesus.*

 *f. 4:19-20 PETER AND JOHN'S BOLD RESPONSE*

Ho de PEtros kai 'I*o*An*e*s a-po-kriTHENtes EIpan pros auTOUS,

*But :Peter and John answered and said unto them,*

Ei DIkaiON es-tin eN*O*pi-on tou TheOU

*whether it is right in the sight of :God*

huM*O*N aKOUein MALlon h*e* tou TheOU, KRIna-te [2919]:

*to listen to you rather than :God, you judge:*

ou duNAme-tha gar h*e*MEIS ha EIda-men [1492] kai *e*KOUsa-men [191] m*e*laLEIN.

*20 for WE cannot but speak what things we saw and heard.*

 *g. 4:21 FORCED DISMISSAL*

hoi de, pro-sa-pei-l*e*SAme-noi [4324], aPElu-san auTOUS,

*But they, on further threatening, let them go,*

m*e*DEN heuRIskon-tes to p*o*s koLAs*o*n-tai [2849] auTOUS, diA ton laON;

*finding nothing :how they might punish them, because of the people;*

HOti PANtes eDOxa-zon [1392] ton TheON ePI t*o* ge-goNOti.

*for all glorified :God for what was done.*

 *h. 4:22 THE AGE OF THE HEALED MAN*

eT*O*N gar *e*n pleiOn*o*n tes-seRAkon-ta ho ANthr*o*-pos,

*For the man was more than forty years old,*

eph' hon geGOnei to s*e*MEIon [4592] TOUto t*e*s iAse-*o*s [1392].

*on whom this :sign of :healing was done.*

 *2. 4:23-31 EARLY CHURCH PERSECUTION AND PRAYER*

*a. 4:23 APOSTLES REPORT THEIR PERSECUTION TO THE CHURCH*

A-po-luTHENtes [630] de, *E*Lthon pros tous iDIous,

*And being let go, they came to their own,*

kai aP*E*Ggei-lan [518] HOsa pros auTOUS hoi ar-chi-eREIS [749] kai hoi
presBUte-roi [4245] EIpan.

*and reported all that the chief priests and the elders had said unto them.*

 *b. 4:24-25 SPONTANEOUS PRAYER: RESPONSE OF THE CHURCH*

hoi de, aKOUsan-tes,

*And they, when they heard it, *

ho-mo-thu-maDON [3661] *E*ran ph*o*N*E*N pros ton TheON, kai EIpan,

*lifted up their voice to :God with one accord, and said,*

DESpo-ta [1203], su ho poi*E*sas [4160] ton ou-raNON kai t*e*n g*e*n kai t*e
*n THAlas-san,

*Master, you who made the heaven and the earth and the sea,*

kai PANta ta en auTOIS:

*and all that in them is:*

ho tou paTROS h*e*M*O*N, diA PNEUma-tos HaGIou, STOma-tos DauID paiDOS
[3816] sou, eiP*O*N,

*25 who by the Holy Spirit, through your servant our father David's mouth,
did say,*

HIna ti ePHRUa-xan [5433] ETHn*e*,

*Why did nations rage,*

kai laOI e-meLEt*e*san [3191] keNA [2756]?

*And peoples meditate vanities?*

 *c. 4:26-28 EARLY CHURCH VIEW: PERSECUTION IS REALLY AGAINST CHRIST*

paREst*e*-san [3936] hoi ba-siLEIS [935] t*e*s g*e*s,

*The kings of the earth arrayed themselves,*

kai hoi ARchon-tes [758] suN*E*CHth*e*-san [4863] ePI to auTO,

*And the rulers were gathered together,*

kaTA tou KuRIou, kai kaTA tou ChrisTOU auTOU:

*Against the Lord, and against his :Christ:*

suN*E*CHth*e*-san, gar ep' a-l*e*THEIas en t*e* POlei TAUt*e*

*27 for of a truth in this :city*

ePI tou HAgi-on PAI-DA [3816] sou 'I*e*SOUN, hon Echri-sas [5548],

*against your holy :servant Jesus, whom you did anoint,*

H*e*R*O*d*e*s te kai PONti-os PeiLAtos sun ETHne-sin kai laOIS 'Is-ra*E*L,

*both Herod and Pontius Pilate with nations and peoples of Israel, were
gathered together,*
 poi*E*sai HOsa h*e* CHEIR sou kai h*e* bouL*E* [1012] pro*O*ri-sen
[4309]geNESthai.
28 to do whatever your :hand and :counsel foreordained to come to pass.

 *d. 4:29-30 CHURCH RESPONSE: PRAYER FOR BOLDNESS AND SIGNS*

kai ta nun, KUri-e, Epi-de ePI tas a-peiLAS [547] auT*O*N:

*And :now, Lord, look upon their :threatenings:*

kai dos tois DOUlois [1401] sou meTA par-r*e*SIas [3954] PAs*e*s laLEIN ton
LOgon sou,

*and grant unto your :bondmen to speak your :word with all boldness,*

en t*o* t*e*n CHEIra ekTEInein [1614] se eis Ia-sin [2392];

*30 while you stretch forth your :hand to heal;*

kai s*e*MEIa [4592] kai TEra-ta [5059] GInes-thai

*and that signs and wonders be done*

diA tou oNOma-tos tou haGIou paiDOS [3816] sou 'I*e*SOU.

*through the name of your holy servant Jesus.*

 *e. 4:31 GOD'S RESPONSE: HOLY SPIRIT AND BOLDNESS*

kai de-*e*THENt*o*n [1189] auT*O*N, e-saLEUth*e* [4531] ho TOpos en h*o* *E*san
su-n*e*gMEnoi [4863];

*And when they had prayed, the place was shaken in which they were gathered;
*

kai ePL*E*Sth*e*-san [4130] HApan-tes tou HaGIou PNEUma-tos

*and all were filled with the Holy Spirit*

kai eLAloun ton LOgon tou TheOU meTA par-r*e*SIas [3954].

*and spoke the word of :God with boldness.*

 *NOTE**: *Have you noticed the progression in revelation and challenge in
the various writings of the New Testament? It is only recently that this has
become increasingly clear to me. In the Gospels, Jesus is as the “Alpha”,
the Beginning, where His disciples could not really understand Him, because
the Holy Spirit as the inward Teacher had not yet come. But in the Book of
“Revelation”, Jesus is now the “Omega” - the fullness and the ultimate!

 Yet to gain this final goal, the Holy Spirit through Luke leads us from the
Gospels - like Elementary School”, to “Junior High” in “Acts”, where the
historical background of the 21 epistles find context. The 7 General
Epistles written by inspiration of the Holy Spirit by James, Peter, John and
Jude - take us on to the equivalent of “Senior High”. But Paul's first 9
epistles, Romans through Thessalonians, are like University. Peter himself
said that Paul wrote some things “hard to understand”, which the unstable *
wrest* to their own destruction. Certainly these 9 are good College courses!

 Hebrews is like moving from a College to a Master's degree. Some excellent
commentaries have been written on this letter. God's Bible Numerics
establishes Paul as the author under the Holy Spirit for this challenge to
Jewish believers, paralleling, but taking us on from James through Jude. As
Romans laid the basic ground for salvation and “Righteousness by Faith” to
Gentiles, Hebrews does a similar work for Jews.

 1 & 2 Timothy, Titus and Philemon - sometimes called Pastoral epistles, but
perhaps more accurately written for young apostolic pastors like Timothy and
Titus for guidance in overseeing City Churches, composed of many local
churches and churches in the home. They are like a graduate course leading
to a “doctorate” degree.

 Then these bring us to the Book of Revelation by Jesus through His angel to
John. It is like a “post-graduate” course. Many like John Wesley and Dr.
Daniel Juster despaired ever truly understanding this Book, until God gave
them His Key.

 So Jesus in the Gospels as our “Alpha”, brings us through these 7 stages to
Himself as our “Omega”.

 Now let's look at Acts 4:5-12, and join with Peter in giving all the glory
to Jesus for whatever He is pleased by His Spirit to do through us. See how
ably Peter presented his case to the Jewish rulers, because *now* He has the
inward Teacher of the Holy Spirit guiding, teaching and anointing him to
speak to kings and rulers, just as Jesus promised in the Gospels. His
explanation and defense *shocked* the rulers.

 In 4:13-22 the opposers to Jesus and His Gospel find themselves powerless
to adequately respond to the bold defense of Peter! Signs and wonders such
as the healed lame man, left them powerless. Their threatenings had no
effect on Peter and John, but rather emboldened Peter to continue his
defense, having also “nailed” the Jewish rulers as some of those responsible
for the crucifixion of Jesus.

 4:23-31 - Corporate and united prayer was a key to the success of early
church believers. See how they reasoned from Scripture in presenting their
case before God. They were in good company with Moses, Joshua and David in
this. Bible Meditation as the basis of prayer, both individually and
corporately - leads to unusual results. Rees Howells and George Muller both
tapped into this secret with similar success. Joshua 1:8, Psalm 1 and Psalm
19:14 encourage us to do likewise.

 See how the church of Peter's day reasoned effectively from Psalm 2 as the
basis for expecting answers to prayer from God. They were
*not*disappointed. Even an earthquake, like accompanied God's giving
of the law
to Moses on Mount Sinai - came to the early church also on this occasion -
plus God's enablement for them to continue to speak the Word with boldness
accompanied with “Signs Following” (Mark 16:17-20). J.A.W.

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