What is the meaning of Acts 4:2? Greatly disturbed - The Sanhedrin’s reaction is not mild irritation but deep agitation. They feel their authority and doctrinal control threatened, just as when Herod was “deeply disturbed” at news of a newborn King (Matthew 2:3). - This disturbance exposes hardened hearts (John 3:20), reminding us that clear evidence of God’s power—like the healing in Acts 3—can still provoke hostility in those committed to self-rule (John 11:47-48). That they were teaching the people - Teaching in the temple courts (Acts 3:11; Luke 19:47) bypassed the religious gatekeepers. Ordinary Israelites were receiving direct instruction, fulfilling Jesus’ commission (Matthew 28:20). - The apostles model public, open proclamation; they do not restrict truth to an elite class (Acts 5:20). - Whenever believers faithfully open Scripture to everyday people, opposition often follows (2 Timothy 3:12). Proclaiming in Jesus - The message centers on a person, not a philosophy. “Salvation is found in no one else” (Acts 4:12). - To preach “in Jesus” means His name, authority, and finished work are the foundation (Colossians 1:28). - This exclusive claim confronted the pluralistic environment of first-century Jerusalem just as it confronts today’s relativism (John 14:6). The resurrection of the dead - The leaders tolerated moral teaching, but resurrection—especially tied to Jesus’ own rising (Acts 2:31-32)—undermined their denial of bodily resurrection (Sadducees, Acts 23:8). - By affirming a future resurrection, the apostles anchored hope in a literal, historic event (1 Corinthians 15:20-23). - Resurrection guarantees accountability (Acts 17:31) and emboldens witness (1 Peter 1:3), explaining why adversaries tried to silence the message. summary Acts 4:2 shows religious authorities deeply unsettled because the apostles openly taught the people, lifted high the exclusive name of Jesus, and declared the sure hope of bodily resurrection. Their agitation highlights the power of gospel truth: it democratizes access to Scripture, centers on Christ alone, and promises life that conquers death. As we teach the same message today, we can expect both resistance and the unstoppable advance of God’s saving work (Romans 1:16). |
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