Acts 4:10, commentary and pictures

The crippled man from birth stands whole before the council by and through the name and power of Jesus Christ of Nazareth, not by any power or holiness of the apostles who acted only as instruments through faith.
The declaration lays his crucifixion to the charge of all Israel and its leaders, and affirms that God raised and exalted him from the dead, with the healing testifying to his resurrection and to his continuing power in heaven as the Saviour and hope of Israel.
Peter spoke it the next day before Annas and Caiaphas with the rulers and elders gathered at Jerusalem, in that very room and before those very men before whom he had denied his Lord, filled with the Holy Spirit, respectfully yet clearly and boldly with face illuminated.
The healing had been done in full daylight before a crowd and was already known to thousands, so with the healed man standing beside him as a convincing living witness it could not be denied or hidden, leaving the rulers silent with no power to refute it.
In boldly honoring the name he had once dishonored by denying Jesus, Peter redeemed his former wicked cowardice, and Jesus approved that fearless public acknowledgment by filling him with the Holy Spirit, transforming one who had been impetuous and self-confident into a life of service and sacrifice.

Trial Before Jewish Leaders

The declaration was made on the following day, when Annas and Caiaphas with the other dignitaries of the temple, the high priest, rulers and elders, gathered together at Jerusalem for the trial of the prisoners. Peter and John were brought before that council and challenged as to by what name they had performed the healing. It was uttered in that very room and before those very men before whom Peter had shamefully denied his Lord.

The healing it defended had been wrought in full daylight before a crowd of people and was already known to thousands, so the fact could not be denied and could not be hidden by falsehood. The healed man himself stood beside Peter before the council as a convincing living witness and living proof.

The priests had carefully avoided any mention of the crucifixion or resurrection, but were now forced to hear them. The Sadducees were grieved because the disciples proclaimed that Christ had risen and preached through Jesus the resurrection of the dead. For this they laid hands on them and put them in hold, though the disciples had committed no error and were giving truth for that time. The Jewish rulers wanted the work stopped at once, for if it continued Jesus would gain many believers, they themselves would be disgraced, and they would stand guilty of murdering the Son of God.

Healed Whole by Christ

The impotent man, lame and crippled from birth, now stands whole before the council by and through the name and power of Jesus Christ of Nazareth. The declaration is that the man standing whole there was made whole by that name, the lifelong cripple at the temple now recovered to full health as public witness to Jesus' power and resurrection. The healing publicly confirms Jesus' power despite rejection by the leaders, testifying both to his resurrection and to his power in heaven to perform miracles on earth through his apostles.

The healing came not by any power or holiness of the apostles themselves. They acted only as instruments in Jesus' name through faith in Jesus, giving him all honor and praise, and the man's restored health is evidence that the risen Jesus in heaven was still working miracles on earth through them. It is proof that Jesus' work continued after his death, publicly demonstrating that the risen Christ was still working through his disciples.

The verse lays the crucifixion of Jesus to the charge of all Israel, the people and its leaders, identifying Jesus as the one they crucified and murdered and rejected. It affirms that God raised and exalted him from the dead, connecting the power that healed with his resurrection. The healing testifies both to his resurrection and to his power in heaven, presenting his death and resurrection as sacred facts confirming that he is the Saviour and the hope of Israel.

The open avowal of where the healing power came from, with the whole man standing beside as convincing living proof, left the priests, rulers and people silenced with no power to refute the statement. The man stood whole before them as proof that the rulers could not stop miracles or the truth preached in his name and that his work continued after his death.

Spirit-Filled Courageous Witness

Peter spoke filled with the Holy Spirit, respectfully yet clearly and boldly, with his face illuminated, declaring that the impotent man was made whole by the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth whom they crucified and whom God raised from the dead. The apostles' words and works in this witness represented their Teacher, acting only as instruments through faith and giving Jesus all honor and praise rather than claiming any power or holiness of their own. The risen Christ in heaven was still working miracles on earth through them, and the priests who had avoided any mention of the crucifixion or resurrection were forced to hear the fact of his resurrection and his power in heaven to heal on earth. The healed man stood beside Peter as a convincing living witness and open public proof of where the healing power came from, leaving priests, rulers, and people silenced with no power to refute the statement.

In this bold declaration Peter honored the name he had once dishonored by denying Jesus, redeeming his former wicked cowardice. It was spoken in that very room and before those very men before whom he had shamefully denied his Lord, with all of that denial coming distinctly before his mind as he appeared for his own trial. His fearless public acknowledgment was approved and blessed by Jesus, who filled him with the Holy Spirit. The healing came not by Peter's own power or holiness but through faith in Jesus, so that it testified to the risen Christ and confronted the leaders with their part in his death while laying the crucifixion to the charge of Israel's leaders and affirming that God raised and exalted him from the dead. Though Peter had been impetuous, hasty, and self-confident, oftener reproved by the Saviour and often appearing to greater disadvantage than Judas, he was transformed into a life of service and sacrifice boldly declaring Christ, showing what Jesus was to his disciples and is to faulty others.

Peter's bold zeal and John's patient, measured manner worked together in advancing Christ's cause, their differing qualities checking one another and strengthening their witness. Moved by the Holy Ghost they gave the bold answer before the high priest and rulers and elders gathered at Jerusalem for trial when asked by what name they had done it, declaring that the miracle of healing the impotent man was done through Jesus of Nazareth. After the resurrection they had proclaimed that Christ had risen and preached through Jesus the resurrection of the dead, committing no error but giving truth for that time, though the Sadducees were grieved at this teaching and laid hands on them and put them in hold. Their boldness shows the duty to prize what the Lord says and to persist in declaring the truth whether it pleases men or not, and not to resist conviction because of opposition.