The Church and the Jewish authorities

NT2 – Study 3

Outline of this study

1. Healing of lame man (3:1-10)2. Peter’s explanation (3:11-26)3. Peter & John before the Sanhedrin (4:1-22)4. Disciples pray for boldness (4:23-31)5. Believers share possessions (4:32-37)6. Sin of Ananias and Sapphira (5:1-11)7. Continuing growth in numbers (5:12-16)8. The second arrest of apostles (5:17-42)

Source: David Cook, Teaching Acts (Christian Focus)

1. Healing of lame man (3:1-10)

1. Healing of lame man (3:1-10)

• Sign + interpretation– Recounts a specific ‘sign’ (cf. 2:43)– Sign + interpretation both focus on the mighty

‘name’ of Jesus-> repent & baptised in his ‘name’ (2:38)-> walk/healed ‘in the name of Jesus’ (3:6, 16)-> ‘no other name under heaven given to men by which we must be saved’ (4:12; cf. 4:17,18, 30; 5:28,40,41)

2. Peter’s explanation (3:11-26)

2. Peter’s explanation (3:11-26)

• Corrects misunderstanding (3:12-13)– it’s all about JESUS!!

• Demands accountability (3:13-15)• Recognises fulfilment

– The ‘servant’ in Isaiah (3:13,26; Isa 52:13; 53:11)– Another ‘prophet’ like Moses (3:22; Deut 18:15)– Abraham’s ‘offspring’ (3:25; Gen 12:1-3; cf. Gal

3:16-18)• Calls for response (3:17-21)

– ‘times of refreshing' NOW

3. Peter & John before the Sanhedrin (4:1-22)

Class exercise: Acts 4:11-12 (cf. p.40)• What is the significance of Peter’s

quotation of Psalm 118:22?

• What was Jesus’ message in Matthew 21:42-43?

• How are the ‘stone’ passages linked in 1 Peter 2:4-8?

3. Before the Sanhedrin (4:1-22)

In NT times the Great Sanhedrin in Jerusalem comprised the high priests (i.e. the acting high priest and those who had been high priest), members of the privileged families from which the high priests were taken, the elders (tribal and family heads of the people and the priesthood), and the scribes, i.e. the legal experts. The whole comprised both Sadducees and Pharisees (Mt. 26:3, 57, 59; Mk. 14:53; 15:1; Lk. 22:66; Acts 4:1, 5ff.; 5:17, 21, 34; 22:30; 23:6).

Source: New Bible Dictionary, “Sanhedrin”

3. Before the Sanhedrin (4:1-22)

“Josephus contrasts the Sadducees with the Pharisees and Essenes as denying divine action in the world, affirming human freedom, and believing that the soul perishes along with the body ... rejected beliefs in the afterlife, resurrection and a post-mortem judgment.”

Source: New Bible Dictionary, “Sadducees”

3. Before the Sanhedrin (4:1-22)

• The double offence– Usurping temple authority + teaching

resurrection• Apostles identified with Jesus

– Just like what they asked Jesus (Lk 20:1)– Just as Jesus promised (Lk 12:11-12)

• “filled by the Spirit” (4:8)• “Uneducated”, “common men” doing what is

clearly beyond their capacity (4:13)• Persecuted: growing threat! (4:17, 21)

4. Disciples pray for boldness (4:23-31)

• Read 4:23-31

The disciples responded to the Sanhedrin’s threat by P_ _ _ _ _ _ (4:24)

They saw the threat as F _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ of what God had planned (4:28)They asked God for the grace to keep S _ _ _ _ _ _ _ (4:29, 31)

4. Disciples pray for boldness (4:23-31)

4. Disciples pray for boldness (4:23-31)

Knowing God’s SOVEREIGNTYas seen in his WORD

Bold PRAYER Bold PREACHING

Work of the Holy Spirit

5. Believers share possessions (4:32-37)

LIFE OF THE CHURCH

5. Believers share possessions (4:32-37)

One heart + soul

Apostolic teaching

Joyful giving

Deception

Dispute

6. Sin of Ananias and Sapphira (5:1-11)

6. Sin of Ananias and Sapphira (5:1-11)

• “Everything is corruptible ... however great its potential for good!”DISCUSS:– What’s the “sin”? What led to the sin? (4:3)

– Any resemblance with sin of Achan (Joshua 7)?

– Is God’s judgment too harsh? Why or why not?

7. Continuing growth in numbers (5:12-16)

7. Continuing growth (5:12-16)

MANY signs & wonders

Drawing MULTITUDE

Prompting PERSECUTION

8. The second arrest of apostles (5:17-42)

8. The second arrest (5:17-42)

• A similar patternAppear before Sanhedrin -> apostles obey God not men -> Sanhedrin deliberates -> apostles released with warning

• Focus of the rescue– keep speaking the word + folly of opposition

8. The second arrest (5:17-42)

• The big idea

“if this plan or this undertaking is of man, it will fail; but if it is of God, you will not be able to overthrow them. You might even be found opposing God!” (5:38-39)

Questions & Answers

JUMPA LAGI !!!