Acts (Part 35) – Acts 4:14-19

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Acts (Part 35) – Acts 4:14-19

Acts 4:14 – And beholding the man which was healed standing with them, they could say nothing against it.

1. The healed man, who previously was carried and laid at the gate of the temple (Act 3:2), was now standing with the apostles.
2. They needed not present arguments in the presence of the council because the evidence spoke for itself.
   1. They could say nothing against it because it was undeniable (Act 4:16).
   2. They were in the same conundrum as they were with Jesus: the apostles performed an undeniable miracle (Joh 11:47) and the people were enamored by it (Joh 12:18-19).
3. The Jewish leadership feared the people (Luk 20:19; Luk 22:2; Act 5:26).
4. They therefore had to proceed carefully (Act 4:21).

Acts 4:15 – But when they had commanded them to go aside out of the council, they conferred among themselves,

1. They dismissed the apostles from the council to deliberate privately.
2. They didn’t want to admit to the apostles that they could not deny the miracle, although it was obvious.
3. Like most wicked leaders, they wanted to maintain the illusion of control.

Acts 4:16 – Saying, What shall we do to these men? for that indeed a notable miracle hath been done by them is manifest to all them that dwell in Jerusalem; and we cannot deny it.

1. Saying, What shall we do to these men?
   1. After hearing the gospel, the righteous Jews asked, “Men and brethren, what shall we do?” (Act 2:37).
   2. After hearing the same gospel, the wicked priests and Sadducees asked themselves, “What shall we do to these men?”.
2. for that indeed a notable miracle hath been done by them is manifest to all them that dwell in Jerusalem;
   1. All the people who were at the temple that morning saw the miracle (Act 3:11).
   2. A day later (Act 4:3), all them that dwell in Jerusalem had heard the news.
   3. God doesn’t need the radio, TV, the internet, social media, or smartphones to spread the gospel.
3. and we cannot deny it.
   1. They would not admit it publicly, but they could not deny the miracle.
   2. Neither could they deny the greater miracle of the resurrection of Christ which was attested with “many infallible proofs” (Act 1:3).

Acts 4:17 – But that it spread no further among the people, let us straitly threaten them, that they speak henceforth to no man in this name.

1. But that it spread no further among the people,
   1. The authorities are always trying to stop the spread of information which threatens their power.
   2. The regime usually starts with threats and intimidation.
      1. They are doing this today to high-profile people like Tucker Carlson and Candace Owens who dare to speak against Zionism.
      2. They hope that their threats will scare others into staying quiet.
      3. This tactic usually has the opposite of its intended effect (Php 1:14).
   3. When that doesn’t work, they conspire to murder the offenders to preserve their power (Joh 11:47-53).
      1. This is what likely happened to Charlie Kirk who dared to speak against Zionism.
      2. This tactic only helps to delegitimize the regime in the eyes of the people.
      3. The enemies of Christianity have always used threats as a tool before they resorted to murder (Act 9:1).
2. let us straitly threaten them,
   1. They straitly threatened them.
   2. Straitly – 1. Tightly. 2. Urgently. 5. Strictly, rigorously, stringently; with strictness of observance. Now only arch. with respect to commands, questions, or obligation.
   3. Threats never work on the courageous followers of Christ (Act 4:29).
3. that they speak henceforth to no man in this name.
   1. The wicked hate the name of Jesus.
   2. “God” or “Lord” or other names of God do not bother them nearly as much as the name of Jesus.
   3. One day, everyone, including them, will publicly confess that Jesus Christ is Lord to the glory of God the Father (Php 2:9-11).

Acts 4:18 – And they called them, and commanded them not to speak at all nor teach in the name of Jesus.

1. Having determined their plan of action in private, they now call the apostles into the council.
2. Rather than refute them or charge them with any crime, they simply command them to not speak or teach in the name of Jesus.
3. Had they done the miracle in their own name and failed to give the glory to Jesus Christ, the priests and Sadducees would have likely not cared (Joh 5:43).
4. But the name of Jesus Christ, and the threat to their authority that it presented, could not be tolerated.

Acts 4:19 – But Peter and John answered and said unto them, Whether it be right in the sight of God to hearken unto you more than unto God, judge ye.

1. Peter and John reframe the command that they had just received to show its true intent, which was a demand to obey the rulers more than God.
   1. God had commanded them to preach and teach in the name of Jesus (Mat 28:19-20; Act 1:8).
   2. The rulers commanded them to not speak at all nor teach in the name of Jesus (Act 4:18).
   3. To keep quiet was to obey the rulers more than God.
2. This is an effective form of argument and persuasion.
   1. First, the opponent’s statement is reframed to reveal its true nature.
   2. Second, the restated position is then presented to the opponent for him to judge the rightness of.
   3. This forces the opponent to either condemn his own argument, or defend what has been shown to be false or odious.
   4. Their own mouths would judge them, one way or the other (Job 15:6; Luk 19:22).