Wednesday, January 6, 2021

Acts 4:5–12

 5 And it came to pass, on the next day, that their rulers, elders, and scribes, 6 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. 7 And when they had set them in the midst, they asked, “By what power or by what name have you done this?” 8 Then Peter, filled with the Holy Spirit, said to them, “Rulers of the people and elders of Israel: 9 If we this day are judged for a good deed done to a helpless man, by what means he has been made well, 10 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. 11 This is the ‘stone which was rejected by you builders, which has become the chief cornerstone.’ 12 Nor is there salvation in any other, for there is no other name under heaven given among men by which we must be saved.”

Commentary 

Vs. 5-6 5 And it came to pass, on the next day, that their rulers, elders, and scribes, 6 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. 

When the apostles Peter and John were taken in custody they were held until the next morning when the Sanhedrin council could convene. Now this council had the power to excommunicate them and so they were facing a serious matter. Now at this religious council there were assembled the Jews rulers, elders, and scribes, and most notably there was Annas here titled the high priest would preside over the council; it was him who the Lord Jesus was taken to first. Next was Caiaphas, his son-in-law, the one whom the Romans had appointed as high priest in his place, he presided over the trial of the Lord. Also, two men are mentioned, named John, and Alexander, however we know nothing of them. Finally, there were also assembled with them the family of the high priest, that is all the priestly males who were of his lineage. All these then were assembled as one to “examine” the apostles Peter and John as to how the notable miracle that had taken place with the lame man, but more to the point to try to find some way that they might be able to stop them from preaching Jesus Christ to all the people. 

Vs. 7 And when they had set them in the midst, they asked, “By what power or by what name have you done this?” 

Now when they had the apostles Peter and John brought in their midst, they strictly asked them about the miracle that was done through them, saying to them, “By what power or by what name have you done this?” 

Vs. 8-12 8 Then Peter, filled with the Holy Spirit, said to them, “Rulers of the people and elders of Israel: 9 If we this day are judged for a good deed done to a helpless man, by what means he has been made well, 10 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. 11 This is the ‘stone which was rejected by you builders, which has become the chief cornerstone.’ 12 Nor is there salvation in any other, for there is no other name under heaven given among men by which we must be saved.” 

The Apostle Peter then being filled with the Holy Spirit now sets out their “defense” in great boldness by saying to them, “Rulers of the people and elders of Israel: 9 If we this day are judged for a good deed done to a helpless man, by what means he has been made well, 10 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.” Vs. 9-10 

And so, Peter begins by boldly saying that he and John are the men through whom God worked this miracle amongst them. And yet here they are being judged for a good deed that was done to helpless man, and so where’s the wrong in that? Nonetheless as Peter makes it clear here, it is not them or their power that made this happen, rather as he says boldly to them, it is by the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth (meaning His Person) whom they crucified, whom God raised from the dead, by Him and Him alone that this man was made whole! Having then declared to them the Lord Jesus Christ’s Person Risen from the dead, whom they rejected and crucified, Peter now quotes to them the Scripture which foresaw their doing so and God overruling them all which says, the ‘stone which was rejected by you builders, which has become the chief cornerstone.’ Ps.118:22 

Therefore, when they rejected God’s Son, the Lord Jesus Christ, and Crucified Him, God the Father Himself stepped in and has made Him the Chief Cornerstone upon which He is building His temple or House of having faith in Him! Therefore, the Apostle Peter by the Holy Spirit now says, “Nor is there salvation in any other, for there is no other name under heaven given among men by which we must be saved.” Acts 4:12 

Therefore, believe and understand then that God the Father has put all of our salvation and redemption and remission of our sins on Him alone! Therefore, I plead with you all to put all of your faith, trust, and hope on the Lord Jesus Christ alone, “for there is no other name under heaven given among men by which we must be saved.”

Scripture Quotations 

New King James (1982):Thomas Nelson. 


 

 


 

 

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