Reacting to Opposition (Acts 4:1-31)
The commotion connected to the healing of the lame man reached the temple authorities. They were annoyed at the message of Peter and John and arrested them (4:1 indicates that John had joined Peter in speaking to the crowd). It is interesting to note how Luke describes the message of the apostles – he says that they were proclaiming the resurrection of the dead through Christ. This message would have been very offensive to the priests and Sadducees because they did not believe in the possibility of a resurrection. Therefore they had the apostles arrested. There are three brief points we can note about this response.
First, the opposition to the preaching of the gospel often comes from religious persons. This was the case in the history of the Scottish church at the Reformation and during the days of the Covenanters. Today, the loudest critics of the gospel in the western world often are persons who believe in a form of liberal Christianity. Of course, opposition and persecution can come from atheistic governments, as was the case in the twentieth century and continuing yet in several countries, for Christians in communist countries or from countries dominated by another religion such as Islam.
Second, we are not to expect that the devil will allow a work of God to progress without an attempt to interrupt or destroy it. Satan’s choice of who to use in hindering the gospel will vary according to the situation. Nevertheless, spiritual wisdom requires the true church to anticipate opposition. This was Paul’s concern about the new church he and others had founded in Thessalonica: ‘For this reason, when I could bear it no longer, I sent to learn about your faith, for fear that somehow the tempter had tempted you and our labour would be in vain’ (1 Thess. 3:5). Often the devil shows his malice by instigating opposition to the gospel at its inception. But he can also display it towards a church that is established, and one such church was the congregation in Smyrna: ‘Do not fear what you are about to suffer. Behold, the devil is about to throw some of you into prison, that you may be tested, and for ten days you will have tribulation. Be faithful unto death, and I will give you the crown of life’ (Rev. 2:10).
Third, opposition does not prevent true conversions. No doubt, the prevention of such is one of the goals of the devil. Yet opposition does not usually deter true converts. Such realise that deliverance from the power of sin and the subsequent presence of inner peace is so important that they will persevere in the faith. This was the case here because many people responded to the message of Peter (the reference to 5,000 may mean that 5,000 were converted on this occasion or that these additional converts caused the church to grow to over 5,000 men in Jerusalem). It is usually in times of opposition that the church grows.
What Jesus taught about opposition
This is the first recorded incident in the New Testament of opposition to the growth of the church. No doubt Luke has described it because its details have important lessons to teach his readers then and today. In addition to the three lessons just mentioned, further principles can be deduced from what occurred during the trial itself. Yet as we reflect on his description, there are some verses from the Gospels that we should keep in mind, one each from three sermons preached by Jesus, because they can give us a perspective on the issue that we may not immediately notice.
The first is the words of Jesus uttered in the Upper Room: ‘In the world you will have tribulation. But take heart; I have overcome the world’ (John 16:33). The second are words that Jesus had taught earlier in the Olivet discourse: ‘But be on your guard. For they will deliver you over to councils, and you will be beaten in synagogues, and you will stand before governors and kings for my sake, to bear witness before them…. And when they bring you to trial and deliver you over, do not be anxious beforehand what you are to say, but say whatever is given you in that hour, for it is not you who speak, but the Holy Spirit’ (Mark 13:9-11). The third verse is from the Sermon on the Mount: ‘Blessed are those who are persecuted for righteousness’ sake, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven. Blessed are you when others revile you and persecute you and utter all kinds of evil against you falsely on my account. Rejoice and be glad, for your reward is great in heaven, for so they persecuted the prophets who were before you’ (Matt. 5:10-12).
In these three verses we have the certainty of persecution, the divine help promised in such situations, and the proper perspective (of joy and anticipation of a future reward) to have when opposition comes.
Peter and John Before the Council (4:5-22)
On the next day, Peter and John appear before the Sanhedrin. In reply to the question about how they performed the miracle of healing the crippled man, Peter spoke under the influence of the Holy Spirit, an example of Jesus keeping his promise that the Holy Spirit would enable his opposed people to witness for him. What can we say about Peter’s answer?
First, he was courageous in his words, an aspect is highlighted by Luke in verse 13 when he describes the response of the rulers. Peter reminded his judges that they were responsible for the crucifixion of Jesus Christ (v. 10), which was a very bold statement. The previous occasion when Peter had been in the presence of these rulers he had denied his Master with oaths and curses when he was challenged in the high priest’s house on the evening of his Master’s arrest. The difference between these two responses highlights the effects of the help of the Holy Spirit – instead of fear Peter was valiant.
Second, his description of their sin was biblical – Peter cites from Psalm 118 in order to describe their sin in rejecting Jesus. They were the builders who had rejected the stone (Jesus) who had become the cornerstone (his exaltation). This is an important lesson for us as far as depicting the sins of others. Obviously we should only condemn what the Bible condemns, but we should also use biblical parameters when doing so. We can depict sin according to current psychological assessments, which may initially seem as if we are communicating the seriousness of sin, yet often the outcome is that the awfulness of sin is watered down.
Third, his explanation was Christ-centred. It is not clear if Luke has only given a summary of Peter’s words or whether the apostle only gave a brief account. What is clear is the apostle’s determination to concentrated the minds of his judges on Christ. His words state concisely the death, resurrection and exaltation of his Master, Jesus. The apostle had been arrested for preaching these details, and if he had wanted to escape further punishment he could have toned down his message. But he did not. The Spirit who made him bold also made him loyal to his Lord.
Fourth, his defence was evangelistic. Peter reminded his rulers that salvation, including their salvation, could only be found in Jesus. Salvation was not by privilege of race or by antiquity of religion. It was only found in a personal relationship with Jesus Christ. Of course, his words in verse 12 are a powerful rebuttal of all inter-faith attempts to find common ground amongst different religions. Peter stresses the exclusiveness of the claims of Jesus Christ.
The response of the rulers
The rulers were amazed by the Spirit-given abilities of the apostles. Verse 13 is a marvellous encouragement because it reminds us that Christian success is not based on education and outstanding gifts. The impression made by Peter and John was that they were uneducated and ungifted. They are an example of the well-known saying of McCheyne: ‘It is not great talents that God blesses, but great likeness to Jesus.’
The boldness of Peter and John brought something else to the mind of the rulers. They realised that this boldness was very similar to the courage displayed by Jesus Christ when he had appeared before them. While his courage had not deterred them from their sins of injustice and malice when they found Jesus guilty, it had not disappeared from their memories. Courage leaves its mark, and here they deduce that Peter and John are like their Master. Of course, the Bible gives us the secret to the source of this courage – the Holy Spirit. The lesson for us is that it is good when our actions and attitudes remind others of Jesus Christ.
It is obvious that the rulers had a real dilemma to explain. They could not argue against the message of the apostles because they had also performed a sign in public that was common knowledge. Therefore, the rulers resorted to the regular response of the supporters of a cause that does not have a convincing argument – intimidation. It is the case that threats can be a very effective means of silencing people. Yet it is of no effect as far as silencing a Spirit-produced courage is concerned. And these rulers soon discovered the ineffectiveness of their threats.
In verses 18-20, we find a key for maintaining strong Christian convictions. Peter and John affirmed that the real issue was the approval of God. They reminded the rulers that they were responsible for their actions, just as the apostles were for their own behaviour. It was impossible for them to refrain from speaking about Jesus because of the wonderful things they had seen and heard. Intimidation is not an effective weapon against a person who has experienced the hand of God and continued in devotion to God.
The response of the apostles is how we should react when the civil authorities attempt to coerce the church. We know that in such situation several responses are possible. One is to assume that the state calls the shots and must always be obeyed, whatever the demands. It is true that we are to recognise that the state has been instituted by God and should be obeyed when its requirements do not contradict divine laws. Yet when the state attempts to silence the church’s proclamation of the gospel, the church should keep on speaking.
Peter and John with the Church (Acts 4:23-31)
We are not to assume that Peter and John were not concerned about the threat from the authorities. They had shown great boldness in affirming their determination to continue preaching about Jesus. Yet they also knew that the conflict in which they were engaged was a stage in a spiritual war. The courage that they needed was not the type that would be shown by their fellow countrymen in displays of bravery in war, of which there had been many examples. There have been and are today many brave men and women who stand up for their convictions. Yet their strength of character is usually a feature of their own personality and does not come from a spiritual relationship with God. In any case, Peter and John knew that they needed to ensure that Christian boldness remained in their outlook. So what did they do?
Why did they pray?
Luke highlights two responses of Peter and John. These responses can be stated as sharing and supplicating, and both responses are essential elements of biblical prayer. I suppose a question that springs to mind is, why did they pray? To begin with, three suggestions can be made.
First, they would have prayed here because they had already seen the benefits of prayer in the life of the church in Jerusalem – it had begun during a period of ten days of prayer (Acts 1) and after the Day of Pentecost prayer became a crucial concern for the church there (Acts 2:42). It is safe to conclude that prayer in times of spiritual peace prevents collapse in times of spiritual conflict.
Second, they could recall what had happened to them previously when they had attempted to be brave without prayer – their bravado in the Garden of Gethsemane quickly disappeared and they fled away from the scene. Memories of past failures are always incentives to present prayer.
Third, they would have recalled the teaching of Jesus about prayer. Jesus had promised them that the Holy Spirit would do this for them (John 16:14-15). His challenges and promises regarding prayer would have come to mind. Those who pray do so because their minds have been saturated with the Word of God.
Seeking the power of God
After sharing the information, the group prayed, and their prayer has many lessons for us. First, they confessed the sovereignty of God and his almighty power (as displayed in the creation of the universe). It is usually very helpful in prayer to focus on the attribute of God that suits our needs at a given time. The opposition to Peter and John highlighted their weakness, so they resorted to the One who has almighty strength, and praised him for his omnipotence. We may find ourselves in a situation in which we need God’s wisdom or in which we need a sense of his presence. In such times, our prayers should focus on particular abilities of God. Such a definite focus is very pleasing to the Lord, and it may also be a word in season to those who are listening.
In effect, what we are doing when we pray in this way is to argue with God. Job stated in his time of great suffering what he would do if he had access to God. He said, ‘I would lay my case before him and fill my mouth with arguments’ (Job 23:4). Mentioning to God his own great attributes is a very powerful argument in persuading God to answer our prayers. It is saying to him, ‘Your power will be praised and magnified if you come for my aid.’
The second detail in their response can be explained by asking two questions, and these questions can be asked by us whenever we face a situation requiring specific prayer. One question is, ‘Does the Bible describe a similar situation to the one that we are facing?’, and the other question is, ‘Did a similar event occur in the experience of Jesus?’ The answer to the first question will give us guidance about praying and the answer to the second question will remind us that the exalted Christ knows by experience what it is like in such a situation and will be able to succour us as we go through it. We can see from Luke’s record that both these questions were answered by the passage they chose.
The group turned to Psalm 2. The words of this Messianic psalm enabled them to get a true perspective on what was taking place. It enabled them to see that all events are under God’s control and that all opposition is part of a continued attack on the kingdom of God. This tension of divine supremacy and spiritual warfare, most powerfully seen in the enmity expressed against Jesus during his arrest, is repeated whenever his cause is under attack. They also would have reminded themselves that Jesus knew how much power they would need to deal with these threats from the same authority as condemned him.
In passing, we can note from their choice of passage a very important way in which the psalms help us as believers. There are many benefits from singing the psalms such as knowing that we are singing the same words as Jesus sang when he was here on earth. The particular benefit that I would stress is that the psalms teach us how to engage in spiritual battles. They equip us for war. The apostles were preparing for the next battle and they did so by singing a military song of the King of Zion which celebrated his triumph over his enemies.
Third, the group prayed for strength and success. What else would they pray for from such a great God? They did not pray for escape from his current providence, but for what was needed in his current providence – strength to continue witnessing with boldness. And they prayed that they would be given more authenticating signs of the exaltation of Christ. The sign of the healing of the crippled man had brought trouble, but they knew he was evidence of the ongoing exaltation of Jesus. They wanted the name of Christ to be exalted through their ministries. This desire is the prominent one in the heart of every true disciple.
Seeing the Answer of God
The answer to their prayer took a threefold form. First, there was a physical expression of God’s approval. Most likely, the shaking of the building was a picture to them of God’s power, that he was able to deal with what seemed to be most secure structures. The Sanhedrin also seemed very secure in their decision-making activities, yet God was able to topple them with ease.
Shaking buildings of this kind can be a very unnerving experience to those that do not know God. Something similar happened when the Philippian jailer was converted. A great earthquake shook the prison, and shook the jailer, but it did not shake Paul and Silas because they knew who it was that was causing the shaking. Signs of the presence of God are means of great encouragement.
Second, all of them were filled with the Spirit. This description is often used to describe the relationship a believer has with the Holy Spirit. It basically means that the Spirit has communicated spiritual ability to a Christian and the expression occurs in a variety of contexts such as corporate worship (Eph. 5:18-20) and dedicated service (as in the qualifications for the men chosen in Acts 6 to deal with care of the widows). In any case, the apostles received more of the Spirit in response to prayer. The fact is, there is no limit to how much of the Holy Spirit we can have – after all, he is infinite. Further, there is not a limit to how much of the Holy Spirit that we need – we need his help constantly and comprehensively. There is not a moment in time and there is not an activity so small that we can assume we do not need his help to enable us to live bravely for God.
Third, their specific request for further boldness was granted. Their petition pleased God and he equipped them for fulfilling their calling to spread abroad the fame of Jesus Christ. His strength was made perfect through their weakness and dependence on him. In the days ahead, Jesus would continue to be honoured. And one link in the chain was this occasion of earnest prayer.
So we can see that opposition was not a disaster. Instead we observe that it resulted in increased numbers, in believers who became even more dedicated, and in the defeat of the devil. Truly, the wisdom of our God is beyond human understanding in that he can use opposition as a means of progress for his kingdom.
Yet we must do more than admire what happened to others. It is important that we can ask one question about ourselves. This question is straightforward. Have we asked God for courage to be his witnesses in our situation? Have we asked it for ourselves as individuals and for us as a congregation? I suspect that the solution to many of our problems lies in making this request of God.