The Sunday School

Pacific Press Publishing Company · Oakland, California · Jan 14, 1897

The Sunday School

International Series.

LESSON V.—Sunday, January 31, 1897.

The Boldness of Peter and John.

NOTE.—This lesson section includes the whole chapter to verse 31, with a review of chapter 3. A single event and its outcome are the theme of these two chapters. The time of this lesson, as of the one preceding, was soon after Pentecost, and the places brought to view are Jerusalem, the Sanhedrin, the porch of Solomon’s temple, and the prison into which the apostles were cast. It will be profitable as well as interesting to study in connection with these lessons the rise of the early church, the manifestations of the Spirit of God working through it, the persecutions through which it passed, and the causes which led to the “falling away” and the revealing of the “man of sin.”

Lesson Scripture, Acts 4:1-14, R. V.

1 “And as they spake unto the people, the priests and the captain of the temple and the Sadducees came upon them, 2 being sore troubled because they taught the people, and proclaimed in Jesus the resurrection from the dead. And they 3 laid hands on them, and put them in ward unto the morrow: for it was now eventide. But many of them that heard the word believed; and the number of the men came to be about five thousand. 5 “And it came to pass on the morrow, that their rulers and elders and scribes were gathered together in Jerusalem; and Annas the high priest was there, and Caiaphas, and John, and Alexander, and as many as were of the kindred of the high 7 priest. And when they had set them in the midst, they inquired, By what power, or in what name, have ye done this? 8 Then Peter, filled with the Holy Ghost, said unto them, Ye rulers of the people, and elders, if we this day are examined concerning a good deed done to an impotent man, by what 10 means this man is made whole; be it known unto you all, and to all the people of Israel, that in the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth, whom ye crucified, whom God raised from the dead, even in him doth this man stand here before you whole. 11 He is the stone which was set at naught of you the builders, 12 which was made the head of the corner. And in none other is there salvation; for neither is there any other name under heaven, that is given among men, wherein we must be saved. 13 “Now when they beheld the boldness of Peter and John, and had perceived that they were unlearned and ignorant men, they marveled; and they took knowledge of them, that 14 they had been with Jesus. And seeing the man which was healed standing with them, they could say nothing against it.”

Golden Text.—“There is none other name under heaven given among men, whereby we must be saved.” Acts 4:12.

SUGGESTIVE QUESTIONS.

(1) How were the apostles engaged at this time? Verse 1. Note 1. (2) Who came upon them? Ib. Note 2. (3) What three things grieved the leaders of the Jews? Verse 2. Note 3. (4) What action was taken by the Jewish officers? Verse 3. (5) Why were they not tried at once? Ib. Note 4. (6) With what result was this discourse attended? Verse 4. (7) To what size had the church now attained? Ib. Note 5. (8) Who were assembled at the trial of Peter and John? Verses 5, 6. Note 6. (9) What position did the apostles occupy? Verse 7. Note 7. (10) What question was put to them? Ib. Note 8. (11) How was Peter prepared to answer them? Verse 8, first part. (12) In what respectful manner did Peter address his accusers? Verse 8, last part. (13) To what act of Peter’s is reference made in verse 9? (14) Through whose name did Peter claim the miracle was wrought? Verse 10. (15) Compare the stand taken at his own trial with that taken at the trial of Christ. (16) In connection with Peter’s declaration of what did he accuse the leaders of the Jews? Ib. (17) How did he show that their course was contrary to the will of God? Ib. (18) In what way did he show the exalted position of Christ? Verse 11. (19) To what great truth did Peter here give utterance? Verse 12. Ans.—Life only in Christ. (20) What cause for wonder had the Jews? Verse 13, first clause. (21) What did they recognize? Verse 13, last clause. Note 9. (22) How was the Sanhedrin affected by the living evidence of Peter’s work? Verse 14.

NOTES.

1. Spake unto the people.—The teachings of Peter, and his declaration of Christ’s power to save, were enforced by the living object lesson of that power manifested through Peter in behalf of the impotent man. The working of that power in their midst was an indisputable evidence of the resurrection of the crucified Christ; and in consequence of this multitudes flocked to Solomon’s porch.

2. Came upon them.—The preaching of Peter was interfering with the services of the temple, and the priests and leaders of the Jews naturally resented such interference. Many were listening to Peter who would otherwise have been attending worship or receiving instruction in other parts of the temple. With Peter and John condemned, the people would seek the usual places of worship—a principle well illustrated by the action of the church convention at Carthage in the year 401, which petitioned the emperor “that the public shows might be transferred from the Christian Sunday, and from feast days, to some other day of the week” because “the people congregate more to the circus than to the church”

(“Neander,” vol. 2, p. 300); also by any and all religious laws designed to coerce belief or acts designed as the outward symbols of belief.

3. Being grieved.—The Jewish leaders were grieved that Peter and John, being ignorant men, should presume to teach, an occupation which the learned scribes and Pharisees alone might claim; they were grieved that the name of Jesus, whom they had crucified, was being so prominently and forcibly brought before the people; and especially were they grieved that resurrection from the dead, a thing in which many of them did not believe at all, was being taught the people, and that through Him whom they had condemned as a malefactor.

4. Unto the next day.—The Sanhedrin could not lawfully be assembled except by daylight.

5. Was about five thousand.—A better translation would be, “became about five thousand;” that is, the number of believers up to and including the time of this incident amounted to about five thousand. This rendering is borne out by the original.

6. Their rulers, refers to the chief priests, heads of the twenty-four courses. Elders, those heads of families who had seats in the Sanhedrin. Annas, the deposed by the Romans, was still regarded by the Jews as the high priest. Caiaphas was the son-in-law of Annas and was high priest by appointment of the Roman Government. The offices of John and Alexander are not known, but they were men of unquestioned influence in the Sanhedrin.

7. Set them in the midst.—“The Sanhedrin sat in a semicircle, with the president in the center.”—Stokes.

8. The leaders of the Jews could not deny the fact of the miracle performed, for the living witness was before them. Their hope was to convict the apostles of sorcery, and put them to death, applying the directions laid down in Deuteronomy 13. But the answer of Peter, dictated by the Holy Spirit, left the learned Sanhedrin with nothing to say.

9. They had been with Jesus.—The words of Jesus were familiar to many of the Jews. His fearless teachings were known to them, and with his miraculous healing power they were well acquainted. The course which the apostles were pursuing, and the words they were speaking, were so closely patterned after their risen Teacher that even the Jews could see him reflected in them. Jesus was speaking through them; he was healing through their touch.