Acts

4:1-22

2. The early church in Jerusalem, 1:12-6:7

ix] The arrest and trial of the disciples

The healing of the crippled man by Peter at the gate of the temple called the Beautiful Gate, and his subsequent sermon to the gathered crowd, 3:1-26, prompted a reaction from the Sadducees. Being politically aligned to the Roman government, the Sadducees did not sit easily with anything that might disturb the peace. So, they had both Peter and John arrested and the next day brought them to be tried before the Sanhedrin. Peter led the defence and obviously impressed some of the religious authorities. The Pharisees were not as fearful of the apostolic community as were the Sadducees. The disciples were certainly sect-like, but they were devoted both to the Law and temple observances, and above all, they had only just performed a wonders cure on a well-known cripple. Having heard Peter out, the two disciples were taken from the Sanhedrin while their supposed crime was discussed. The evidence of the cure and the disciples' standing in the community, restrained further action against them and so they were sent away with a warning not to preach or teach in the name of Jesus. Of course, Peter was his defiant self, telling the assembled authorities that "we cannot keep from speaking about what we have seen and heard."

egeneto (ginomai) aor. "-" - it happened. Serving to introduce a new episode.

thn aurion "the next day" - [on] the morrow. The acc. articular adverb. "The next morning", CEV.

touV grammateiV (uV ewV) "teachers of the law" - scribes. The three representatives of those who met could be rendered "the Jewish authorities." The scribes are "specialists in the law of Moses."

sunacqhnai (sunagw) aor. pas. inf. "met" - to be assembled, gathered together, convened [of them]. The infinitive functions as the subject of "happened", "they were gathered together happened".

AnnaV "Annas" - Annas was appointed high priest by Quirinius in 6AD. Although only high priest for 9 years, he wielded authority up to the rebellion through numerous members of his family who were to hold the position.

arciereuV "high priest" - The word refers to the position of high priest, but can also refer to the families from which a high priest is appointed, ie. "chief priests."

KaiafaV "Caiaphas" - Appointed by Valerius Gratus in 18AD and was to hold the position for eighteen years until sacked by Vitellius.

IwannhV, IwnaqaV "John" - The Western text has Jonathan. Jonathan, the son of Annas, replaced Caiaphas as high priest in 36AD, cf. NJB.

sthsanteV (isthmi) aor. part. "brought [before them]" - having stood, placed [them in the midst]. The participle may be temporal, possibly causal, or attendant circumstance as NIV; "they made the men stand before them", Moffatt.

epunqanonto (punqanomai) imperf. "began to question them" - they were enquiring. The imperfect is usually durative, expressing ongoing action. Here is possibly inceptive, stressing the beginning of the action, as NIV.

en poia/ dunamei "by what power" - in what kind of power. The word "power" is a little misleading; "how is it that you were able to make the lame man walk?"

en toiw/ onomati "what name" - in what kind of name. "By what authority" probably covers "by what power" and "by what name", but if taken separately, "who gave you the right", TH.

epoihsate (poiew) aor. "[did you] do [this]" - do [this you]. "By what authority, did you perform this miracle."

uJmeiV "you" - The position of the "you" implies scorn. "By what authority do people like you do this."

plhsqeiV (pimplhmi) aor. pas. part. "filled [with the Holy Spirit]" - having been filled [of the holy spirit]. The participle is most likely adjectival modifying Peter, "Peter, who was filled with the Holy Spirit". The aorist indicating punctiliar action; Peter was filled then and there to enable him to fulfill a particular purpose, namely, to speak with authority. This phrase is constantly worked over in Christian theology and probably can't carry the weight it is often given. On numerous occasions in Acts people are "filled" and speak. This is very much an Old Testament idea taken up by Luke. Such a use is obviously different to a person who is described as "full" (adjective) of the Spirit, in the sense of being a gifted person, eg. Stephen, 6:5.

arconteV tou laou kai presbuteroi "rulers and elders of the people!" - "Rulers of the people and Elders of Israel", Moffatt.

ei + ind. "if" - Introducing a conditional clause 1st class, where the condition is regarded as a reality, "if as is the case". This being the case, and since the use of "if" often implies doubt, an unequivocal statement may be clearer; "you are questioning us today about a kind deed", CEV.

anakrinomeqa (anakrinw) pres. pas. "being called to account" - are being examined, interrogated, questioned. "If today we are under examination", Barclay.

epi euergesia/ "for an act of kindness shown to" - over / on account of a kindness [of a weak man]. An agent, "we", and a verb, "shown / rendered" is often supplied to aid meaning. "A benefit [we] rendered to a cripple", Moffatt.

seswstai (swzw) perf. pas. "healed" - has been saved. The sense here is "healed / cured".

oti "-" - that [in the name]". Introducing a dependent statement of commanding.

en tw/ onomati "in the name [of Jesus Christ of Nazareth]" - "Because of the power of Jesus Christ", CEV.

estaurwsate (staurow) aor. "crucified" - crucified. "Killed".

hgeiren (egeirw) aor. "raised" - raised, lifted up. As is typical of the apostolic preaching, the resurrection of Christ is central to the gospel. Because Christ lives we live also.

paresthken (paristhmi) perf. "stands" - has stood before. "It is by his power that this man at our side stands in your presence perfectly well", Phillips.

outoV estin "he is" - May read better if expanded; "Jesus is the one of whom the scripture says", TEV.

oJ exouqenhqeiV (exouqenew) aor. pas. part. "rejected" - the one being despised, disdained, rejected, neglected. The participle as a substantive. "The stone which was contemptuously rejected by you builders", Barclay.

kefalhn gwniaV (a) "capstone" - head of the corner, the corner stone. This stone is the stone of stumbling that people trip over and also the stone that falls and crushes. Jesus used this image, Mat.21:42ff, Lk.20:17ff, drawing on Isaiah's rejected stone that now trips people up, 8:14, and Daniel's stone that crushes, 2:35. Peter rightly picks up on the image in his preaching. As for the word itself, it can refer to the corner stone upon which a building is founded, a capstone at the highest corner of a building, or a keystone in an arch.

hJ swthria (a) "salvation" - salvation, health. The word carries both meanings, with the stress on "health" in secular circles, but obviously "salvation" here.

onoma "name" - The "name" represents the person, and although most translations follow the now set statement "no other name", the word "person" makes more sense. "Salvation is found in no one else except Jesus, for there is no other person under heaven ..."

uJpo ton ouranon "under heaven" - "No one else in all the world", TEV.

to dedomenon (didwmi) perf. pas. part. "given" - having been given. The participle is adjectival limiting "name", "no other name [under heaven] which is given .." "Has been granted", REB.

dei + inf. "must [be saved]" - it is necessary [to be saved]. The infinitive "to be saved" serves as the subject of "necessary", "to be saved is necessary". "Jesus Christ is the only source and ground of salvation available for mankind", Barrett. "It is by this name (person) we must be saved", Phillips.

Acts Introduction.

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