Acts 4:5-12

A full meeting of the Sanhedrin takes place in the morning. Annas and Caiaphas are known to us; the former was high priest, A.D. 6- 15; Caiaphas, his son-in-law, A.D. 18- 34. John and Alexander are otherwise unknown. These and the other high-priestly aristocrats belonged by tradition to the Sadducees (Schü rer, ii. 1:178). The court sits in a semicircle, the accused stand in the middle. The interrogation (Acts 4:7) shows that no serious charge is brought against them; it is the same that was put to Jesus (Mark 11:28; Luke 20:2) over the Temple cleansing. The name in which they acted was notorious; as to the power by which they had made the lame man walk, Mark 3:22 shows what views might prevail as to the origin of cures; the men who ask were not unconnected with that shameful charge. But the question serves to introduce the speech of Peter (Acts 4:8). The Holy Spirit descends on him (Matthew 10:19 f., Acts 1:8; Acts 2:3 f.); he speaks before rulers. He is being examined as to the means by which the impotent man has been restored to health. The means is the name of Jesus Christ the Nazorean (full style of the name as in Acts 3:6 *); here also the Jews are charged with the guilt of Christ's death, and the benefits which accrue from His Resurrection and Ascension are pointed out. Thus strikingly is the text (Psalms 118:22) fulfilled which speaks of the rejection by the builders of the stone which God has raised to honour (Mark 12:10; 1 Peter 2:7). Jesus, Peter asserts, is that stone. From the declaration that the cure was wrought by means of the name of Christ he advances (Acts 4:12) to the general assertion that this name is the only instrument given to men for accomplishing such cures or generally for saving men from any ill.