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On the day after Shavuot (Pentecost), the priesthood in God’s temple are on trial, even as they put Peter and John on trial, as to whether they will cling to their presuppositions about God — that He created then vacated — or submit to the massive displays of God’s power in His house of prayer testifying to the reality that Yeshua is God’s Messiah.
Food for thought from the discussion
Who reported the internal conversation in the Sanhedrin, the Supreme Court of Israel?
Who were Peter and John supposed to obey, the Sanhedrin or Moses/God?
Acts 4:1 — Why are the Sadducees mentioned but Pharisees aren’t? Where was the man healed [see the discussion of Acts 3]? Where is the “Beautiful Gate”? Was it a public or private event?
Acts 4:2 — Why were the Sadducees “greatly disturbed” and “severely distressed”?
Acts 4:3 — Peter and John were arrested and held over for trial. What similarities and differences do we find between this trial and Yeshua’s trial, in light of the fact that the same judicial body conducted both of them?
Acts 4:4 — What other examples do we see in the Apostolic Writings of 5,000 people being involved in something monumentally miraculous (Mark 8:10-21)? Why is this number important? How does this factor into the Feast of Shavuot? What does bread have to do with it? What were the Pharisees demanding from Yeshua? The people saw this as a sign, yet the Pharisees demand a sign as well? What did they want? How is this story of the feeding of the people similar to the situation Peter and John were experiencing?
How did God already answer the concerns of both the Pharisees in demanding a sign after the feeding of the 5,000 and 4,000 and of the Sadducees who demanded to know by what authority Peter and John had healed? The Pharisees were “show me,” and the Sadducees were “tell me, argue, prove it to me.”
Why does Peter quote Psalm 118? “Yah [a short form of Yahweh] has become my yeshua” (Psa. 118:14). They put to death their own salvation (see Heb. 10:27). “Blessed is He who comes in the name of the Lord” Psa. 118:26. Who came? Psa. 118:19 refers to the “gates of righteousness,” and the Sadducees are thought to have derived their name from the Hebrew word for “righteousness,” tsadakah. Did they receive Him or try to slam the gate in His face?
Acts 4:13-17 — The Sanhedrin wanted to silence Peter and John even though they could not dispute the truth of their message and the validity of the miracle they performed.
Acts 4:23-25 — Peter and John were released, reported back to the congregation. How did this affect the congregation? Where else do we see parts of this prayer quoted? Why?
Reader: David De Fever. Speaker: Jeff.