Acts_4

Acts

Chapter 4
{The Church is tested}
1-2~~And as they {Peter and John} kept on speaking to the people, the priests, and the captain of the temple, and the Sadducees, came upon them . . . 2~~being indignant/upset that they taught the people, and preached through Jesus the resurrection from the dead.

3~~And, they seized them violently, and put them in prison until the next day for it was now eventide.

4~~ Howbeit many of them which heard the word believed and the number of the mature men was about five thousand.

5-6~~And it came to pass on the morrow, that their rulers, and elders, and scribes 6~~and Annas the high priest, and Caiaphas, and John, and Alexander, and as many as were of the kindred of the high priest, were gathered together at Jerusalem.

{Note: From Luke 3:3, we know Annas and Caiaphas are the high priests. Annas was the head of a gangster/ Mafia type organization which included his relatives. Caiaphas was his son-in-law. Their gang included bandits in the caves and the moneychangers in the temple. The moneychangers actually were people who 'sold' offerings at inflated prices - "if you sacrifice this lamb God will really bless you" type thing. The syndicate's future is now at risk and they are worried and have a meeting. A smart gang tries to control local law and 'influence' the temple leaders.}

7~~And when they had set them in the midst, they asked, "By what power, or by what name, have you done this?"

{Note: Who gave you a 'permit' to preach?}

8-10~~Then Peter, filled with the Holy Spirit {in fellowship doing the will of God}, said unto them, "You rulers of the people, and elders of Israel, 9~~if, and it is true, that we this day be cross-examined of the good deed to the impotent man . . . by what means he is made whole . . . 10~~be it known unto you all, and to all the people of Israel, that by the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth, Whom you crucified, Whom God raised from the dead, even by Him does this man stand here before you whole."

11~~"This {Jesus} keeps on being the stone which was rejected {set at naught} by you the builders, which became the head of the corner." {Psalm 118:22}

12~~"Neither is there salvation in any other. For there is no other name under heaven given among men, whereby we must be saved." {Faith in Christ is the only salvation}

13~~Now when they saw the boldness of Peter and John, and perceived that they were unlearned {no formal academic training} and ignorant men {no official office to teach doctrine}, they marveled. And they took knowledge from them that had habitually been with Jesus.

14~~And they kept on beholding the man who was healed in the past with the result that he would remain healed forever standing with them. They could say nothing against it now or in the future.

15-16~~But when they had commanded them {Peter, John etc.} to go aside out of the council {the Sanhedran}, they conferred among themselves, 16~~ saying over and over, "What shall we do to these men? For that indeed a great/notable miracle has been done by them is manifest {obviously seen} to all them that dwell in Jerusalem and we cannot deny it."

17~~But that it {Truth about Christ} spread no further among the people, let us straightly threaten them, that they speak henceforth to no man in His name.

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

{Note: The council recognized that teaching was also witnessing.}

19~~But Peter and John answered and said unto them, "Whether it be right in the sight of God to listen to you more than unto
God . . . YOU JUDGE!"

20~~ "For we cannot but speak the things which we have seen and heard."

21~~ So when they had further threatened them {tried intimidation again but it did not work so}, they 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 above forty years old, on whom this miracle of healing was showed.

23~~ And having been released, they went to their own company {Peter and John went back to their fellow believers}, and reported all that the chief priests and elders had said unto them.

24-26~~And when they heard that, they lifted up their voices to God {all prayer is addressed to God the Father} with one accord {group prayer is bona fide}, and said, "Lord, Thou art God, Who has made heaven, and earth, and the sea, and all that in them and said, 25~~"Who by the mouth of Thy servant David has said, "Why did the heathen rage, and the people imagine vain things? 26~~ The kings of the earth stood up, and the rulers were gathered together against the Lord, and against His Christ."

{Note: 'Made' in the Greek implies having designed the plan. God the Father made the plan and God the Son then 'created' all things.}

{Note: this is an 'application' of the Old Testament passage in Psalm 2 the 'interpretation' will be in the Tribulation - here is an analogy similar to Psalm 2}

27-28~~"For of a truth against Thy Holy {separated for a special job} Son Jesus, Whom Thou have anointed, both Herod, and Pontius Pilate, with the Gentiles, and the people of Israel, were gathered together, 28~~ for to do whatsoever Thy hand and Thy counsel determined before {in eternity past} to be done."

{Note: All is part of the design of God the Father in eternity past and agreed by the rest of the Godhead - the Son and the Spirit}

29~~"And now, Lord, behold their threatenings and give unto Thy servants, that with all boldness they may speak Thy word, 30~~ by stretching forth Thine hand to heal {Jesus used the miracle of healing to gather people and evangelize them}; and that signs {5th cycle of discipline warning of the gift of tongues} and wonders may be done by the name of Thy Holy Son Jesus."

31~~And when they had prayed, the place was shaken where they were assembled together and they were all filled 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 {divine viewpoint right frontal lobe of the brain} and of one soul {one purpose}. Neither said any of them that ought of the things which he possessed was his own but they had all things common.

{Note: Everything we have is a gift of God. Side note: Charity should be based on your own free will and volition - the Bible never authorizes socialism or communism.}

33~~ And with great power gave the apostles witness of the resurrection of the Lord Jesus and great grace was upon them all.

{Note: Primary preaching at this time was on the resurrection of Christ and all its implications with Phases 1, 2 and 3.}

34-35~~ Neither was there any among them 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 down at the apostles' feet and distribution was made unto every man according as he had need.

{Note: Please note here this was not an 'equal distribution' but as each was in need - this is not a redistribution of wealth but aid to those less fortunate - again by their free will}

36-37~~And Joses {Greek spelling of Joseph}, who by the
apostles was surnamed Barnabas, (which is, being interpreted,
the son of consolation), a Levite, and of the country of
Cyprus . . . 37~~ having land . . . sold it . . . and brought the money and laid it at the apostles' feet.

{Note: Barnabas later became a great Apostle of Grace himself. Here he was led by the Holy Spirit to sell his land and give it ALL to the Church. He DID this of his own free will.}

Note: In the next chapter Ananias, with Sapphira will pretend to match this feat under approbation lust and will pay heavy for lying to the Holy Spirit!}

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