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Scripture Reading: Acts 4:1-31
In this message we shall consider 4:1-31. These verses describe the beginning of the persecution by the Jewish religionists. Acts 4:1-31 may be divided into six sections: arrest and inquiry by the Sanhedrin (vv. 1-7), Peter’s testimony (vv. 8-12), the Sanhedrin’s prohibition (vv. 13-18), Peter and John’s reply (vv. 19-20), the Sanhedrin’s release of Peter and John (vv. 21-22), and the church’s praise and prayer (vv. 23-31). Let us consider 4:1-31 in a general way and then go on to consider verses 11 and 12 in detail.
Verses 1 and 2 say, “And as they were speaking to the people, the priests and the captain of the temple and the Sadducees came upon them, being greatly disturbed because of their teaching the people and announcing in Jesus the resurrection from the dead.” The “captain” here is the captain of the temple guard. The Sadducees were a sect within Judaism (5:17). They did not believe in the resurrection, nor in angels, nor in spirits (Matt. 22:23; Acts 23:8). Both the Pharisees and the Sadducees were denounced by John the Baptist and the Lord Jesus as a brood of vipers (Matt. 3:7; 12:34; 23:33). The Lord warned His disciples against their doctrines (Matt. 16:6-12).
The Sadducees were greatly disturbed that Peter and John were teaching the people and announcing in Jesus the resurrection from the dead. In 4:2 the preposition “in” denotes in the power of, and with the nature and character of.
Peter and John were placed in custody (v. 3). “And it came about on the next day that their rulers and elders and scribes were gathered together in Jerusalem, and Annas the high priest, and Caiaphas, and John, and Alexander, and as many as were of high-priestly descent” (vv. 5-6). This was a gathering of the Jewish Sanhedrin (v. 15). It was this Sanhedrin composed of the Jewish leaders that became the strongest opponent of the Lord Jesus and His ministry in the four Gospels and condemned Him to death (Matt. 26:59). Now it was the same Sanhedrin with its constituents that began the persecution of the apostles and their ministry in Acts (5:21; 6:12; 22:30). This indicates that Judaism had fallen into the hand of God’s enemy, Satan, the Devil, and was being used by him to frustrate and attempt to destroy God’s move in His New Testament economy for the carrying out of His eternal purpose, which is to bring His kingdom to the earth by the establishing and building up of the churches through the preaching of the gospel of Christ.
In addition to Annas the high priest, 4:6 mentions Caiaphas, John, and Alexander. Caiaphas was a high priest (Luke 3:2). John and Alexander may have been kindred of the high priest. In any case, they must have been dignitaries among the Jews, since they are named with the leaders of the Jewish Sanhedrin (Acts 4:15).
Acts 4:7 says, “And having stood them in the midst, they inquired, By what power or in what name did you do this?” Their question refers to the healing of the lame man in chapter three. Literally, the Greek words rendered “by what power or in what name” mean “by what sort of power and in what kind of name.”
In 4:8-12 we have Peter’s testimony. Verses 8 through 10 say, “Then Peter, filled with the Holy Spirit, said to them, Rulers of the people and elders, if we today are being examined regarding a good deed done to a sick man, by what means this man has been healed, let it be known to you all, and to all the people of Israel, that in the name of Jesus Christ the Nazarene, whom you crucified, whom God raised from the dead, in this name this man stands before you well.” In verse 8 Peter was filled with the Holy Spirit outwardly and economically. Then Peter told them that the lame man was healed “in the name of Jesus Christ the Nazarene.” We have seen that the word “Nazarene” indicates the One despised by the Jewish leaders (John 1:45-46; Acts 22:8; 24:5). In verse 10 “you” is emphatic. Here Peter emphasizes the fact that they crucified the Lord Jesus, but God raised Him from the dead.
In verses 11 and 12 Peter went on to say, “This is the stone which was despised by you, the builders, which has become the cornerstone. And there is no salvation in any other; for neither is there another name under heaven given among men in which we must be saved.” Verse 11 is a quotation from Psalm 118:22. The Lord Jesus also quoted this verse in Matthew 21:42, where He was indicating that He is the stone for God’s building (Isa. 28:16; Zech. 3:9; 1 Pet. 2:4), and the “builders” were the Jewish leaders, who were supposed to work on God’s building. His word unveiled the Jewish leaders’ rejection of Him and God’s honoring of Him for the building of His habitation among His people on earth. By this word Peter learned to know the Lord as the precious stone held in honor by God, as he expounded concerning Him in his first Epistle (1 Pet. 2:4-7). Peter’s quoting of this word indicates that he preached Christ not only as the Savior for the salvation of sinners, but also as the stone for God’s building. It is such a Christ who is the unique salvation to sinners and in whose unique name under heaven, a name despised and rejected by the Jewish leaders but honored and exalted by God (Phil. 2:9-10), sinners must be saved (Acts 4:12).
In verse 11 the Greek word translated “despised” also means rejected (see Matt. 21:42). The stone despised, rejected, by the builders has become the cornerstone. Literally, the Greek words rendered “cornerstone” mean head of the corner. Christ is not only the foundation stone (Isa. 28:16) and the topstone (Zech. 4:7) but also the cornerstone.
After the Sanhedrin’s prohibition (vv. 13-18), Peter and John’s reply (vv. 19-20), and the Sanhedrin’s release of Peter and John (vv. 21-22), we have the church’s praise and prayer (vv. 23-31). Verse 23 says, “And being released, they went to their own people and reported whatever the chief priests and the elders had said to them.” Their own people were the church people, who were made distinct and separate from the Jews by calling on the name of Jesus (9:14).
Verses 24 through 26 continue, “And when they heard this, they lifted up their voice with one accord to God and said, O Lord, You who have made the heaven and the earth and the sea and all things in them, who through the Holy Spirit, by the mouth of our father David Your servant, said, Why did the nations rage, and the peoples imagine vain things? The kings of the earth set themselves in array, and the rulers were gathered together against the Lord and against His Christ.” The Greek word rendered “Lord” in verse 24 is not kurios, the usual word for Lord, but despotes, which denotes the master of a slave, one who has absolute sovereign power, as in Luke 2:29; Jude 1:4 Revelation 6:10; 1 Timothy 6:1-2. Originally, the word rendered “rage” in verse 25 meant to snort like a horse; hence, to be haughty, insolent.
Verses 27 and 28 continue, “For truly in this city, there were gathered together against Your holy Servant Jesus, whom You did anoint, both Herod and Pontius Pilate with the nations and the peoples of Israel, to do whatever Your hand and Your counsel predestined to take place.” The word “predestined” in verse 28 may remind us of the “determined counsel and foreknowledge of God” in 2:23. The crucifixion of the Lord Jesus was a purposeful fulfillment of the divine counsel determined by the Triune God.
According to 4:29-31, they prayed for boldness to speak the Lord’s word. “And as they were beseeching, the place in which they were gathered was shaken, and they were all filled with the Holy Spirit, and spoke the word of God with boldness” (v. 31). Like Peter in verse 8, they were filled with the Holy Spirit outwardly and economically.
The crucial point in Acts 4 concerns Christ the Healer revealed in chapter three. The healing recorded in Acts 3 did not take place outside the holy city; it happened not only in the city but on the premises of the temple. Hence, many of those in the temple became involved in this case. However, the rulers and administrators in Judaism did not agree with any activity done in the name of the One they denied, condemned to death, and killed. But they could not deny the fact that the lame man had been healed, and he had been healed through the name of Jesus, not by human ability. Moreover, Peter and John were Galileans, not residents of Jerusalem. They came from the despised region of Galilee. Finally, there was great turmoil, and it was difficult for the Jewish leaders to handle the situation. The Jewish leaders could not go along with the Galilean fishermen nor agree with what they did in the name of the One they denied and crucified. Therefore, unable to keep silent, they came together and held a counsel.
Acts 4:15 says, “But having ordered them to go away outside the Sanhedrin, they conferred with one another.” The Sanhedrin was a council composed of the chief priests, the elders, the lawyers, and the scribes. It was the highest court of the Jews (Luke 22:66; Acts 5:27, 34, 41). The Sanhedrin had the authority to decide matters without consulting a higher power.
In Acts 4 we see that the Sanhedrin handled the matter concerning Peter and John in a very cautious way. They conferred with one another and said, “What shall we do to these men? For that indeed a notable sign has occurred through them is manifest to all those dwelling in Jerusalem, and we cannot deny it. But in order that it may not be spread further among the people, let us threaten them to speak no longer to any man in this name. And having called them, they charged them not to utter anything at all nor teach in the name of Jesus” (vv. 16-18). After threatening them, “they released them, finding no way how they could punish them on account of the people, because they all were glorifying God for what had happened” (v. 21). Perhaps fearing that the people might stone them if they punished Peter and John, the Sanhedrin released them.
When Peter and John were asked by what power or in what name they healed the lame man, Peter took the opportunity to say more concerning Christ as the Healer. Chapter four, therefore, is actually the continuation of Peter’s presentation of the Healer. In chapter three he presented this Healer in six aspects: God’s Servant, the Holy One, the Righteous One, the Author of life, the Prophet, and the seed in whom all the families of the earth will be blessed. All these aspects of the Healer are for our benefit. But in chapter four Peter presents an aspect of the Healer that is especially for God; he presents Christ as the stone for God’s building.
Acts 4:12 says, “And there is no salvation in any other; for neither is there another name under heaven given among men in which we must be saved.” This verse is often used in the preaching of the gospel. But have you ever heard it used in relation to verse 11? Acts 4:11 says, “This is the stone which was despised by you, the builders, which has become the cornerstone.” These verses indicate that the stone in verse 11 is the Savior. The stone despised by the builders has become the cornerstone, and there is no salvation in any other name. We can be saved only in the name of Jesus, and Jesus is the stone. This means that we have a Stone-Savior. In the four gospels we have the King-Savior in Matthew, the Slave-Savior in Mark, the Man-Savior in Luke, and the God-Savior in John. Now in the book of Acts we have the Stone-Savior. Our Savior is not only the King, a Slave, a Man, and God — He is also a stone for God’s building.
In 4:7 Peter and John were asked by what power or in what name they had healed the lame man. Then in verse 10 Peter said, “Let it be known to you all, and to all the people of Israel, that in the name of Jesus Christ the Nazarene, whom you crucified, whom God raised from the dead, in this name this man stands before you well.” Here Peter speaks boldly concerning the name of Jesus Christ. Then in verse 11 he says that this name is the stone which was despised by the builders. Although Peter was uneducated and unlearned (v. 13) he could nevertheless declare that Jesus Christ is the stone despised by the builders. Who were the builders who despised this stone? These builders were the leaders in the Sanhedrin.
In our reading of the book of Acts we may still be under the influence of traditional theology. Due to this influence, we may realize only that the name of Jesus is for salvation, that there is no other name given for us to be saved. We may not go on to consider the significance of the stone and the builders. In particular, we may not ask what these builders were building. What were they building? Some may think that they were building Judaism, that is, building a religion. However, it is not God’s intention to build up Judaism or any kind of religion.
The Jewish leaders, the builders, did not know God’s economy. Likewise, many believers today do not know what God’s economy is. We have put out hundreds of Life-study Messages, and in these messages we have covered many things concerning God’s economy. We have pointed out that God’s economy is to build up His habitation in this universe. Heaven is not God’s permanent habitation; rather, heaven is God’s temporary residence. The Bible reveals clearly that God is not satisfied to stay forever in heaven.
The Bible reveals to us that God has an economy. God’s economy is a plan, an arrangement, an administration, to accomplish something. What God intends to accomplish in His economy is to build up His eternal habitation. What is God’s eternal habitation? God’s eternal habitation is the blending of Himself with man, the mingling of God with humanity. Neither heaven nor earth is God’s habitation for His satisfaction. Nothing other than the mingling of God with man is qualified to be God’s dwelling place. Although we see little concerning this in the Old Testament, it is revealed in full in the New Testament, in particular, in the Gospel of John.
John 1:14 says, “The Word became flesh and tabernacled among us.” This word refers to the incarnation: the Word, which is God (John 1:1), became flesh and tabernacled among us. The word “tabernacled” in this verse is rich in its significance. It signifies that the incarnated One is the very mingling of God and man. This mingling is God’s tabernacle, where God can dwell. Furthermore, in this tabernacle God’s chosen people can serve God and stay with Him. Therefore, in John 1:14 we see the mingling of God with man in the incarnation to become God’s tabernacle, His dwelling place.
In John 14:23 the Lord Jesus says, “If anyone loves Me, he will keep My word, and My Father will love him, and We will come to him and make an abode with him.” Here we see that the Son and the Father will come to the one who loves the Lord Jesus and make an abode with that one.
Then in John 15:4 the Lord goes on to say, “Abide in Me and I in you.” Here the Lord indicates that He may become our abode, our abiding place, and that we need to be His abode. The Lord seems to be saying, “Abide in Me so that I may abide in you. Be My abode so that I may be your abode.” Here we have the mingling of God and man for a mutual dwelling place. Have you ever heard anything concerning this? There is not such a concept in traditional theological teachings.
In John 2:19 the Lord Jesus says, “Destroy this temple, and in three days I will raise it up.” According to John 2:21, “He spoke of the temple of His body.” Here the Lord seems to be saying, “You Jewish leaders should be builders. However, eventually you will destroy this temple. But I will build it up in three days. In resurrection I shall build up what you have destroyed.” This building in resurrection includes not only Jesus Christ Himself, but also all those who believe in Him. Ultimately, He and all the believers will be built together into the habitation of God, which in the New Testament is called the house of God, the church (1 Tim. 3:15).
Now we can see that God’s economy is to build an eternal habitation for Himself and for His chosen people. This habitation is actually the mingling of God with His chosen people.
The thought of having God as our habitation can be found in the Old Testament. For example, Deuteronomy 33:27 says, “The eternal God is thy dwelling-place” (ASV). In Psalm 90:1 Moses says, “Lord, thou hast been our dwelling place in all generations.” In these verses we see clearly that God is our habitation. However, in the Old Testament we cannot see a verse telling us that we, God’s chosen people, are His habitation. But the New Testament reveals clearly that there is a universal building, and this building is the mutual building of God and His chosen people. Actually, this habitation is God as our dwelling place and we as God’s dwelling place. This wonderful dwelling place is God’s building.
God intended to use Moses, the kings, the prophets, and all the Jewish leaders to build this habitation. Therefore, the builders in Acts 4:11 should refer to the builders of God’s universal habitation.
