Commentary on Acts 5:12-16

By Bob Myhan

¹² And through the hands of the apostles many signs and wonders were done among the people. And they were all with one accord in Solomon's Porch. ¹³ Yet none of the rest dared join them, but the people esteemed them highly.

There is still no mention of anyone but the apostles performing miracles, reinforcing the conclusion that none but the apostles were baptized in the Holy Spirit on Pentecost. They had been taught the gospel through natural means by the Teacher Himself, and had, by the Holy Spirit, been given total recall as well as the ability to confirm their teaching as God-given. It should be noted that there is no indication they ever sent out advance men and/or promoters to guarantee large crowds as do so many who lay claim to apostolic power today.

The pronoun “they” refers back to the apostles, the special ambassadors of Christ. “The porch was a portico (a roof supported by columns) which ran along the wall on the eastern side of the temple’s outer court. Extending sixty feet from the wall into the temple area, the spacious portico provided space for a large crowd to gather and be sheltered from the rain or sun.” (Johnny Stringer, Commentary on the Book of Acts, Guardian of Truth Foundation, page 61)

The “one accord” was probably teaching the crowds that had gathered around the portico, including but not limited to the disciples they had already made. The “rest” were probably both converted and unconverted. These did not join the apostles in the portico, no doubt, because of the fear which the apostles had inspired by the swift and severe judgment on Ananias and Sapphira, not to mention the “signs and wonders” the apostles had “done among the people.”

¹⁴ And believers were increasingly added to the Lord, multitudes of both men and women, ¹⁵ so that they brought the sick out into the streets and laid them on beds and couches, that at least the shadow of Peter passing by might fall on some of them.

Believers, of course, are made such by the preaching of the gospel, rather than by a direct operation of the Holy Spirit.

 Where is the wise? Where is the scribe? Where is the disputer of this age? Has not God made foolish the wisdom of this world?  For since, in the wisdom of God, the world through wisdom did not know God, it pleased God through the foolishness of the message preached to save those who believe.  For Jews request a sign, and Greeks seek after wisdom;  but we preach Christ crucified, to the Jews a stumbling block and to the Greeks foolishness,  but to those who are called, both Jews and Greeks, Christ the power of God and the wisdom of God.  Because the foolishness of God is wiser than men, and the weakness of God is stronger than men.  For you see your calling, brethren, that not many wise according to the flesh, not many mighty, not many noble, are called.  But God has chosen the foolish things of the world to put to shame the wise, and God has chosen the weak things of the world to put to shame the things which are mighty; and the base things of the world and the things which are despised God has chosen, and the things which are not, to bring to nothing the things that are, that no flesh should glory in His presence.  But of Him you are in Christ Jesus, who became for us wisdom from God--and righteousness and sanctification and redemption-- that, as it is written, "He who glories, let him glory in the LORD." (1 Cor. 1:20-31)

 How then shall they call on Him in whom they have not believed? And how shall they believe in Him of whom they have not heard? And how shall they hear without a preacher?  And how shall they preach unless they are sent? As it is written: "How beautiful are the feet of those who preach the gospel of peace, Who bring glad tidings of good things!"  But they have not all obeyed the gospel. For Isaiah says, "Lord, who has believed our report?"  So then faith comes by hearing, and hearing by the word of God. (Rom. 10:14-17)

Hearing news of the miraculous healing of the man who had been born lame, and of the other miracles done by the apostles, these new believers brought their sick relatives out into the street so that the apostles could heal them more conveniently. It was thought, and may have been, that the mere shadow of Peter had miraculous healing properties.

The “couches” were not divans or sofas, but more like day-beds, pallets or mattresses.

¹⁶ Also a multitude gathered from the surrounding cities to Jerusalem, bringing sick people and those who were tormented by unclean spirits, and they were all healed.

Jews and proselytes from the far reaches of the Roman Empire had been present for the first gospel sermon on Pentecost and 3,000 had been converted that day alone. There were also men of Judea present that day. But now another multitude of Judeans had gathered at the temple, bringing the sick and the demon-possessed. All were healed. But it should ever be remembered that miraculous healing power was not exerted for the mere convenience of the sick and afflicted, or else why was Trophimus “left at Miletus sick” by Paul? (2 Tim. 4:20)

(To be continued)

Benevolence and Relief (Part 7)

By Bob Myhan

We continue to examine the epistle to the Galatians to see if there is any justification for using it to “establish” that local churches have a benevolent obligation toward any but “the household of faith.”

Paul writes,

Is the law then against the promises of God? Certainly not! For if there had been a law given which could have given life, truly righteousness would have been by the law. (3:21)

Is he discussing the possibility of “a law given which could have given life” to churches or “a law given which could have given life” to individuals?

He continues,

But the Scripture has confined all under sin, that the promise by faith in Jesus Christ might be given to those who believe. (3:22)

Does he mean “the Scripture has confined all (local churches) under sin” or “the Scripture has confined all (individuals) under sin”?

He goes on,

But before faith came, we were kept under guard by the law, kept for the faith which would afterward be revealed. Therefore the law was our tutor to bring us to Christ, that we might be justified by faith. But after faith has come, we are no longer under a tutor. (3:23-25)

Surely no one thinks he means “we (local churches) were kept under guard by the law” or that “the law was our tutor (guardian, ESV) to bring us (local churches) to Christ.”

As evidence that “we (individual Jews) are no longer under a tutor” (guardian, ESV), he says,

For you are all sons of God through faith in Christ Jesus. For as many of you as were baptized into Christ have put on Christ.” (3:26-27)

The very fact that the Galatians (gentiles) were “all sons of God through faith in Christ Jesus” was proof that the Jews were no longer under a guardian (the law).

And the fact that as many of the Galatians who had been “baptized into Christ” had “put on Christ” was solid evidence that they were “sons of God through faith in Christ Jesus” and did not need to put themselves under the guardian that even the Jews were no longer under.

In chapter four Paul compares “the heir, as long as he is a child, though he is master of all” to “a slave” (4:1), because the heir is “under guardians and stewards until the time appointed by the father.” (4:2) When the heir (the Jew) has been sufficiently disciplined by the guardian that he becomes self-disciplined, he will be given the rights and privileges of an adult member of the family. This is when he ceases to be a child and becomes an adult son. But this adult Sonship was not possible until “faith came” (3:23-25, above). This is not one’s personal faith but the body of  truth elsewhere called the gospel and the New Testament. It is “the faith” of Jude 3. What the Judaizing teachers refused to acknowledge was that the slave could also become a son with the same rights and privileges as the heir. Thus, the Gentile- who was never under the guardian before the faith came - did not need to put himself under the guardian now that the faith had come.

Under the law the Jews were children “in bondage to the elements of the world. But when the fullness of the time had come, God sent forth His Son, born of a woman, born under the law, to redeem those who were under the law, that we might receive the adoption as sons.” (4:4-5)  This “adoption” was not “making a child out of a non-child” but “making a son out of a child.” But the gospel could “make a son out of a slave” just as easily. And it did so.(4:6-7)

(To be continued)