A Bible Study on the Book of Acts Session 11
The Church of the Holy Apostles;
Based upon the Homilies of St John Chrysostom (SJC)
Study Guide – Acts 4.1-22, Homily 10
Chapter 4 v. 1-4 – Now as they spoke to the people, the priests, the captain of the temple, and the Sadducees came upon them, being greatly disturbed that they taught the people and preached in Jesus the resurrection from the dead. And they laid hands on them, and put them in custody until the next day, for it was already evening. However, many of those who heard the word believed; and the number of the men came to be about five thousand.
Apostles are “finally” targeted by religious elite. See how God works? First people take notice, THEN attacks begin from opposition
SJC p63 “In truth, sin, while it is yet struggling to the birth, is attended with some sense of shame; but when once fully born, it makes those more shameless who practice it.”
It now becomes a public crime to proclaim the resurrection of Jesus Christ
The Apostles are arrested at night, just as Christ was, because the Elite are afraid of the crowd. The Elite practice “divide and conquer”
Chapter 4 v. 5-7 – And it came to pass, on the next day, that their rulers, elders, and scribes, as well as Annas the high priest, Caiaphas, John, and Alexander, and as many as were of the family of the high priest, were gathered together at Jerusalem. And when they had set them in the midst, they asked, “By what power or by what name have you done this?”
Peter and John are on trial in front of a large panel to intimidate them
Now Peter, just like Jesus, is on trial. He can “right a wrong”. He first denied even knowing Jesus, but now he confesses EVEN in front of the servants.
Chapter 4 v. 8-12 – Then Peter, filled with the Holy Spirit, said to them, “Rulers of the people and elders of Israel: “If we this day are judged for a good deed done to a helpless man, by what means he has been made well, “let it be known to 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, by Him this man stands here before you whole. “This is the ‘stone which was rejected by you builders, which has become the chief cornerstone.’ “Nor is there salvation in any other, for there is no other name under heaven given among men by which we must be saved.”
Peter offers a bold defense rather than soft words because they are not believers, but putting the Apostles on trial
Constant reference to the Resurrection of Christ
SJC p 67 “This is the language of a soul which has renounced the present life. His exceeding out-spokenness proves here, that when he speaks in lowly terms of Christ, he does it not of fear, but of wise forbrearance: but now that it was the fitting time, he speaks not in lowly terms: by this very thing intending to strike dismay into them.”
Chapter 4 v. 13-17 – Now when they saw the boldness of Peter and John, and perceived that they were uneducated and untrained men, they marveled. And they realized that they had been with Jesus. And seeing the man who had been healed standing with them, they could say nothing against it. But when they had commanded them to go aside out of the council, they conferred among themselves, saying, “What shall we do to these men? For, indeed, that a notable miracle has been done through them is evident to all who dwell in Jerusalem, and we cannot deny it. “But so that it spreads no further among the people, let us severely threaten them, that from now on they speak to no man in this name.”
Peter & John are recognized as followers of Jesus Christ, NOW leaders. WOW! They are put aside from the council so the council can speak about the Apostles in private without fear. SJC considers this transformation of the Apostles as a miracle in terms of their character.
Chapter 4 v. 18-22 – And they called them and commanded them not to speak at all nor teach in the name of Jesus. But Peter and John answered and said to them, “Whether it is right in the sight of God to listen to you more than to God, you judge. “For we cannot but speak the things which we have seen and heard.” So when they had further threatened them, they let them go, finding no way of punishing them, because of the people, since they all glorified God for what had been done. For the man was over forty years old on whom this miracle of healing had been performed.
Nobody could deny the miracle had taken place
Then, in danger, the Apostles return to milder speaking. “Whether it is right….” etc
Teaching on Virtue – The (see Homily 10, pp 68-70)
- Hold fast to virtues
- Don’t just sit and enjoy what you hear in Church
- Beware of being infected by sin. What you watch/experience has a lasting affect
- It is shameful that we must be constantly instructed in menial issues, because we return to sin
- We are not blessed because we despise the name of God
- Of course we don’t witness miracles….we waste time asking for nonsense.
Life Application – Allow yourself to be corrected!
“Say, if you chance to put on your mantle inside out, you allow your servant to correct your mistake.” But you don’t allow the Church, far from some servant, to correct you!