Witnessing With Boldness

INTRO

The new life, teaching, Koinonia fellowship, and joyful worship of Acts 2 demanded the move into the world that takes place in Acts 3. Then the infusion of the healing power of the Holy Spirit in Acts 3 led the early church toward another inevitable step in its growth—facing its first persecution in Acts 4. According to Jesus, persecution was an inevitable element (John 15:18– 20). Acts 4 is how the early church responded to opposition.

TEACHING

Acts 4:1–4: Peter and John had been teaching under the portico and the colonnades at the temple and had healed a lame man who had jumped and leapt for joy in response (Acts 3). They were confronted by the priests, the commander of the temple police, and the Sadducees (although the Pharisees were not there) (v. 1). Think about the people who were present in this scene:

• Peter and John were still there and the lame man who had been healed was still leaping for joy.

The priests were Levites giving their annual service in the temple.

The commander of the temple police ranked next to the chief priest and was responsible for maintaining order in the temple courts.

The Sadducees were a religious party of educated, wealthy, priestly elite, who accepted only the first five books of the Old Testament as Scripture, denied the existence of angels (Acts 23:8), and denied resurrection after death (Mark 12:18). They also cooperated with the Romans to stay in control of the Sanhedrin and controlled Jewish political and religious life. In Acts, persecution of the early church was largely by the Sadducees because they saw the early church as a threat to their political structure.

This group was provoked (or “disturbed” in NIV). The word “provoked” means annoyed, worked up, or indignant. The religious leaders were indignant that Peter and John were teaching and proclaiming the resurrection from the dead, using Jesus’ death and Resurrection as their example (v. 2). But they couldn’t undo what had been done because the healing of the lame man and the preaching that followed had already impacted the witnesses. They arrested Peter and John and held them in custody overnight because it was too late for a legal hearing. The healed man was also put in jail because he was with Peter and John the next day. However, more than five thousand men who heard Peter and John’s message believed (v. 4).

Acts 4:5–12: The next day, the Jewish leaders came together in Jerusalem with Annas the former high priest who was still in charge, Caiaphas the high priest, and the members of Annas’ family (vv. 5–6). The Sanhedrin council was permitted by Roman governors to handle religious and social issues that did not interfere with Roman law. The 70-member court assembled in concentric semicircles of 35 each so that the council could focus clearly on those who addressed it. The high priest was positioned in the middle, along with those under arrest, allowing the use of intimidation to take care of the Galilean issues. Peter, John, and the healed man were grilled with questions and were asked, “By what power or in what name have you done this?” The question implicated scorn and was a subtle, deadly trap, because if the accusers could get Peter and John to attribute the healing to any power other than Yahweh, they could sentence them to death (Deuteronomy 13:1–5). With the power of the Holy Spirit (Luke 21:14–15), Peter explained that they had performed the healing in the name of Jesus Christ, whom their accusers had crucified and whom God had raised from the dead (vv. 8–10). Peter reminded them Jesus was the cornerstone they had rejected (v. 11), preaching to the religious leaders based on Psalm 118:22. Peter declared there was no salvation from any other person except under Jesus Christ (v. 12).

Acts 4:13–22: religious leaders were surprised by the words of these untrained men and recognized that Peter and John used Scripture in a way that showed they had been with Jesus (v. 13). In context these “untrained” men were more likely to be considered uneducated rather than illiterate, showing their lack of rabbinical training. Incredibly, the religious leaders could find nothing else to say (v. 14). After Peter, John, and the healed man left, the religious leaders questioned what they should do because they recognized Peter and John had performed “an obvious sign” that could not be denied (vv. 15–17). The leaders were so intent on protecting their own interests that they called Peter and John back and ordered them not to preach or teach “in the name of Jesus” (v. 18). It’s important to note that on neither this nor any other occasion did the authorities take any serious action to disprove the apostles’ affirmation that Jesus was raised from the dead. But Peter and John responded daringly and aggressively, with integrity, and without compromise that they would continue to be Jesus’ witnesses (vv. 19–20). This was how the early church responded to opposition—with integrity! The Sanhedrin could do nothing else and could not punish the disciples because “the people were all giving glory to God over what had been done; for this sign of healing had been performed on a man over 40 years old” (vv. 21–22).

Acts 4:23–31: When Peter and John were released, they told their own people what all had happened to them (they gave witness), then the people all praised God and acknowledged the work of the Holy Spirit (vv. 23–26). They prayed and asked God to give them the ability to speak His word with complete boldness while God continued to provide healing, signs, and wonders performed through the name of Jesus Christ (vv. 27–30). After the prayer, the place was shaken, and they were all filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak His word with boldness (v. 31). Boldness is an important concept regarding the witness of the apostles and the early Christians (Acts 4:13, 29; 9:27, 29; 14:3; 18:26; 19:8). The Greek word (parrēsias) translated “boldness” here in verse 31–is translated as “freely” in Acts 2:29 and “with all confidence” in Acts 28:31.

Why did the believers respond as they did? The answer is wonderfully clear: “They had been with Jesus” (v. 13) and they were “filled with the Holy Spirit” (v. 8). The fatal interrogation of Jesus on the eve of the crucifixion had made an unforgettable impression on the members of the Sanhedrin. We can sense that in the remark that they “recognized [Peter and John] had been with Jesus.” The Authority of Jesus Christ had been seen, and the transformation showed! What the Sanhedrin could not understand at this moment was that the apostles were still companions of Jesus through the indwelling of the Holy Spirit and with Christ (Romans 8:8–10). The Lord was such a part of Peter and John that the Sanhedrin were seeing not only them but also Christ in them. Not only that, but Peter and John, filled with the Holy Spirit, were in constant communication with their Lord.

Acts 4:32–37: The followers of the Way experienced a surge of growth after the healing of the lame man at the temple. They were united with one heart and one mind, sharing their possessions, and holding everything in common (v. 32). The apostles continued to give testimony of the Resurrection of Jesus with great power and grace (v. 33). There were no needy persons among them because it was all given to the apostles to distribute as needed for each person’s basic needs (v. 35). That growth was marked by reverence and awe for the power of the name of Jesus and the impact it had on them personally.

Barnabas sold a field he owned and brought the money to the apostles (vv. 36–37). This is the introduction of Barnabas, a Levite who understood the call of God, who responded with complete commitment to the witness of Jesus Christ.

CLOSING

What does all this mean for us?

When we are filled with the Holy Spirit, Christ is the focus of our lives.

The Holy Spirit does not promote Himself; He promotes Christ.

And in that, we long to spend time with Jesus and be with Jesus.