Acts 4:1-22: Peter and John's Boldness

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1)     vv. 1-7 – This is the first confrontation with Jewish leadership.

A)   The full weight of the Jerusalem Jewish leadership was gathered against the Gospel:

1)     v. 1 – The priests.

2)     The captain of the temple. He was second in rank to the High Priest.

3)     The Sadducees.

(a)   ESVSB – They “represented the privileged aristocracy who worked closely with the Romans to protect their own political and economic interests.”

4)     v. 5 – The rulers…

5)     and elders…

6)     and scribes…

(a)   NOTE: The Sanhedrin met in the mornings and was composed of 71 members.

7)     v. 6 – Annas the high priest (served from AD 6-15). Five of his sons would be high priest, and Caiaphas was his son-in-law.

8)     Caiaphas – He was the current high priest (AD 18-36).

9)     John. He was Annas’ son (future high priest – AD 36-37).

10) Alexander.

11) And all who were of the high-priestly family.

B)    v. 2 – They were “greatly annoyed because they were teaching the people.”

1)     v. 13 – “they were uneducated, common men.”

2)     Teaching about the resurrection would have especially irritated the Sadducees (Matt. 22:23).

2)     vv. 8-13 – Peter’s boldness

A)   It was one thing in 3:12ff. for Peter to preach to the people at the temple. It was a completely different thing for him to preach to the people with all the power…WHO had just had Jesus crucified against the will of the Roman ruler.

B)    v. 8 – Jesus had prepared them for this (Matt. 10:16-26).

C)    Peter’s message:

1)     v. 10 – This man was healed by the name of Jesus.

2)     Who YOU crucified .

3)     Who God raised from the dead.

4)     v. 11 – Quote from Ps. 118:19-24: YOU rejected Jesus, but he has become the cornerstone.

5)     v. 12 – There is no other way to be saved but thru Jesus.

D)   v. 13 – They saw Peter’s boldness.

1)     We talk about this word “boldness” on June 22, 2025 with Paul’s prayer request in Eph. 6:19-20.

2)     parrēsia

(a)   BDAG

(i)    A use of speech that conceals nothing and passes over nothing, outspokenness, frankness, plainness.

(ii)  Openness to the public.

(iii)                                        A state of boldness and confidence, courage, fearlessness.

(b)   Hoehner (Eph.) – “The word originally denoted the democratic freedom of speech enjoyed by Greek citizens. It then came to mean ‘outspokenness, frankness, plainness of speech, that conceals nothing and passes over nothing’, together with ‘courage, confidence, boldness, fearlessness, especially in the presence of persons of high rank.’”

(c)   Stott (Eph.) – “The first of these two words seems to refer to the clarity of his communication, and the second to his courage. He is anxious to obscure nothing by muddled speech and to hide nothing by cowardly compromise. Clarity and courage remain two of the most crucial characteristics of authentic Christian preaching.”

3)     This is what the full weight of Jewish power saw when Peter spoke!

(a)   Peter is going to pray Paul’s same prayer – Acts 4:29, and they did in v. 31.

(b)   Reminder that this is the same Peter who denied that he even knew Jesus before a slave girl less than 2 months ago.

E)    v. 13b – “And they recognized that they had been with Jesus.”

1)     This probably is just an actual reference to them recognizing them as having been with Jesus.

2)     But let’s take some liberty with it – They heard WHAT they were saying and saw HOW they were saying it, and their reaction was, “You’ve been hanging out with Jesus, haven’t you.”

3)     Jn. 15:26-27 – “You will bear witness about me because you have been with me from the beginning.”

3)     vv. 14-18 – Threat to stop preaching.

A)   v. 17 – “Let us warn them.”

1)     L/N – “To declare that one will cause harm to someone, particularly if certain conditions are not met.”

2)     NKJV – “Let us severely threaten them.”

B)    v. 18 – “They charged them.”

1)     BDAG – to make an announcement about something that must be done.

2)     Most other English translations say “they commanded them.”

3)     NET – “They ordered them.”

4)     They are not making a suggestion!

C)    v. 21 – “When they had further threatened them.”

4)     vv. 19-20 – Peter’s boldness

A)   5:27-32 – Note: they did not stop.

B)    1 Cor. 9:16 – “Woe to me if I do not preach the gospel!”

Summary

1)     Authorities – “If you don’t stop telling people about Jesus there are going to be severe consequences for you.”

2)     Peter – “No, I’m not going to stop…”

3)     “And not only am I not going to stop, I’m going to say it as clearly, and plainly, and straight-forwardly as I possibly can.”