Act 4:1-3 | KingComments | STEP | The story of the previous chapter continues in this chapter. We are now faced with the first persecution of the Christians. The Lord has foretold several times that His own will be persecuted ( ; ; ). This persecution comes from the side of the religious leaders who come to the apostles in three forms. In the first place “the priests”. They have a great influence on the people because of their exclusive right to offer sacrifices. Then there is also “the captain of the temple [guard]”. He is the head of the temple police and as such charged with ensuring order in and around the temple. Finally, the presence of “the Sadducees” is mentioned. It is possible that the priests are the spiritual branch of the sect of the Sadducees and the separately mentioned Sadducees are the political branch. The Sadducees dominate the Sanhedrin, the Council ( ). The followers of this Jewish sect do not believe in a resurrection or angels or spirits ( ; ). The preaching of the apostles about the resurrection of the Lord Jesus is therefore particularly to them an eyesore. It strikes their self-willed religion in the heart. These Sadducees come together with the priests, the special class that has the privilege to sacrifice, on which they also boast, and the head of the temple police threatening the two apostles. During the life of the Lord Jesus, the Pharisees were mainly His opponents. These people with their own righteousness were opposed to the Righteous. The Sadducees then stood more in the background. Now they come forward. They are “greatly disturbed” that the apostles “were teaching” the people. They think that only they, that is the priests, have the right and the ability to do so. They are also “greatly disturbed” that the apostles “proclaimed in Jesus the resurrection from [the] dead”. Wonders are already bad enough in the eyes of these freethinkers because they bring the power of God too close to them. But the resurrection from the dead and that still in the Person of Jesus is intolerable to them. It is about the resurrection “from” the dead, not the resurrection of the dead. The resurrection of the dead is general. The resurrection from the dead is something else. It is about the resurrection of someone, or a number of dead, while the rest of the dead remain in death, in the tomb. The resurrection “from the dead” shows that there is no such thing as a general, collective resurrection of believers and unbelievers at the same time ( ; ). This company of opponents of the truth seizes the apostles and imprisons them. It is already evening, so they will interrogate them the next day. The fact that it is already evening is more than the description of a part of the day. It also says something about the time in which Israel has come. This is a last chance for the people to receive the promised blessing before night comes over them. Amid all the raging of the enemy, the Spirit mentions God’s work. The apostles can be imprisoned, but the Word is not bound and does its work. Many hear the Word and therefore come to faith. Faith is out of hearing and hearing through the Word of God ( ). Because of the powerful effect of the Word, the number of men alone grows to about five thousand.

‏ Acts 4:1-3

Peter and John Arrested

The story of the previous chapter continues in this chapter. We are now faced with the first persecution of the Christians. The Lord has foretold several times that His own will be persecuted (Mt 10:16-18; Mk 13:9; Jn 15:20). This persecution comes from the side of the religious leaders who come to the apostles in three forms.

In the first place “the priests”. They have a great influence on the people because of their exclusive right to offer sacrifices. Then there is also “the captain of the temple [guard]”. He is the head of the temple police and as such charged with ensuring order in and around the temple. Finally, the presence of “the Sadducees” is mentioned.

It is possible that the priests are the spiritual branch of the sect of the Sadducees and the separately mentioned Sadducees are the political branch. The Sadducees dominate the Sanhedrin, the Council (Acts 5:17). The followers of this Jewish sect do not believe in a resurrection or angels or spirits (Mt 22:23; Acts 23:8). The preaching of the apostles about the resurrection of the Lord Jesus is therefore particularly to them an eyesore. It strikes their self-willed religion in the heart.

These Sadducees come together with the priests, the special class that has the privilege to sacrifice, on which they also boast, and the head of the temple police threatening the two apostles. During the life of the Lord Jesus, the Pharisees were mainly His opponents. These people with their own righteousness were opposed to the Righteous. The Sadducees then stood more in the background. Now they come forward.

They are “greatly disturbed” that the apostles “were teaching” the people. They think that only they, that is the priests, have the right and the ability to do so. They are also “greatly disturbed” that the apostles “proclaimed in Jesus the resurrection from [the] dead”. Wonders are already bad enough in the eyes of these freethinkers because they bring the power of God too close to them. But the resurrection from the dead and that still in the Person of Jesus is intolerable to them.

It is about the resurrection “from” the dead, not the resurrection of the dead. The resurrection of the dead is general. The resurrection from the dead is something else. It is about the resurrection of someone, or a number of dead, while the rest of the dead remain in death, in the tomb. The resurrection “from the dead” shows that there is no such thing as a general, collective resurrection of believers and unbelievers at the same time (1Cor 15:23; Rev 20:5).

This company of opponents of the truth seizes the apostles and imprisons them. It is already evening, so they will interrogate them the next day. The fact that it is already evening is more than the description of a part of the day. It also says something about the time in which Israel has come. This is a last chance for the people to receive the promised blessing before night comes over them.

Amid all the raging of the enemy, the Spirit mentions God’s work. The apostles can be imprisoned, but the Word is not bound and does its work. Many hear the Word and therefore come to faith. Faith is out of hearing and hearing through the Word of God (Rom 10:17). Because of the powerful effect of the Word, the number of men alone grows to about five thousand.