Commentary on Acts 4:13-22

By Bob Myhan

13 Now when they saw the boldness of Peter and John, and perceived that they were uneducated and untrained men, they marveled. And they realized that they had been with Jesus. 14 And seeing the man who had been healed standing with them, they could say nothing against it.

Peter and John quickly showed that they were not going to be intimidated by the council members into ceasing their preaching and teaching in the name of Jesus. Uneducated, untrained men are typically cowed by those who have been born and bred for public office. The refusal of these two to back down surely reminded the council of another who would not be bullied into submission to their collective will. However, “they could say nothing against” the “good deed done” to this “helpless man.”

15 But when they had commanded them to go aside out of the council, they conferred among themselves, 16 saying, "What shall we do to these men? For, indeed, that a notable miracle has been done through them is evident to all who dwell in Jerusalem, and we cannot deny it. 17 But so that it spreads no further among the people, let us severely threaten them, that from now on they speak to no man in this name." 18 And they called them and commanded them not to speak at all nor teach in the name of Jesus.

Remember, after they successfully had Jesus crucified, the chief priests and Pharisees convinced Pilate to post a guard at the tomb “lest His disciples come by night and steal Him away, and say to the people, ‘He has risen from the dead.’ So the last deception will be worse than the first.” (Matthew 27:62-66) Of course, Jesus did not deceive anyone; He always spoke the truth. The Jewish rulers did the deceiving. They had to get rid of Jesus somehow. But He had been raised from the dead! And now the apostles are telling people that this was the plan of God and proof that Jesus is the Messiah.

Not even the council could deny that a notable miracle had been done. To make matters worse, it was “evident to all who dwell in Jerusalem.” So now they have to figure out a way to get rid of Peter and John. They must have thought that, if Peter and John were not intimated by the authority of the council alone, a threat of bodily harm or of prosecution might provide sufficient incentive for them to cease and desist speaking and teaching in the name of Jesus. A command to that effect was thus issued.

19 But Peter and John answered and said to them, "Whether it is right in the sight of God to listen to you more than to God, you judge. 20 For we cannot but speak the things which we have seen and heard."

The two apostles are led by the Holy Spirit to respond as one. The council members have to decide whether the apostles should obey them or God. Of course they do not want to admit that God is with the two but they can hardly deny it, in view of the miraculous healing. And one who thinks about it would have to admit that there is no other satisfactory explanation for the courage demonstrated by the two on this occasion. Peter and John had seen and heard things they had never before thought they would see or hear. Never, for example, during the entire three-and-a-half year ministry of Jesus, did they think that they were to usher in the final stage of true religion. They had believed, all their lives, that the theocratic nation of Israel was the “be all and end all” of the government of God.

21 So when they had further threatened them, they let them go, finding no way of punishing them, because of the people, since they all glorified God for what had been done. 22 For the man was over forty years old on whom this miracle of healing had been performed.

Many people glorified God because of the miracle that had been performed by the power of God and authority of Jesus of Nazareth. For this reason, the council did not dare punish Peter and John. Far too many people knew the man whom Peter and John healed. This was the same reason they did not dare arrest Jesus during the day. Far too many people thought He might be the long awaited Messiah.

(To be continued)

Benevolence and Relief (Part 3)

By Bob Myhan

Having dealt with intra-congregational benevolence (that is, within a congregation), we now move to inter-congregational benevolence (that is, one congregation helping another congregation care for its needy saints).

And in these days prophets came from Jerusalem to Antioch. Then one of them, named Agabus, stood up and showed by the Spirit that there was going to be a great famine throughout all the world, which also happened in the days of Claudius Caesar.

Then the disciples, each according to his ability, determined to send relief to the brethren dwelling in Judea. This they also did, and sent it to the elders by the hands of Barnabas and Saul. (Acts 11:27-30)

And Barnabas and Saul returned from Jerusalem when they had fulfilled their ministry, and they also took with them John whose surname was Mark. (Acts 12:25)

This seems to be the first instance of one congregation sending to another congregation for the purpose of helping needy saints. There are relatively few congregations at this point in time. We do know that there were saints in at least three Judean towns— Lydda (Acts 9:32), Sharon (9:35) and Joppa (9:36).

Logically, Barnabas and Saul would have traveled south to Joppa, then inland to Lydda and Sharon and then to Jerusalem. Thus, their ministry fulfilled, “they returned from Jerusalem” to Antioch, bringing John Mark (cousin to Barnabas), future writer of the second gospel.

It should be noticed that in every case of congregational benevolence, those who were relieved were saints. We should also notice the relationship between the earlier circumstances in Jerusalem and the later situation in all of Judea. Jews and proselytes had come to Jerusalem from all over the Roman Empire in order to celebrate Passover and had remained for the Feast of Weeks (Pentecost). Because they had become Christians, their stay in Jerusalem was longer than they had intended or prepared for it to be. Not surprisingly, they ran out of supplies and/or funds. Those who lived in Jerusalem and the surrounding area sold land in order to help these needy saints. Unfortunately, due to the famine, those abiding in the aforementioned towns would soon be in great need themselves.

(To be continued)

Jamaica Patois Wisdom #10

By David Tant

(The Jamaican Patois dialect is colorful, unique and humorous. It is my desire to share some of the philosophy shown in this mix of colorful phrases that are witty as well as thought-provoking. I hope the readers both profit and enjoy. In my quarter-century plus of teaching there, I have come to appreciate some things about their culture. – Jefferson David Tant)

Patois: Beg wata cyan bwile cow kin

English: Begged water cannot boil the skin of a cow

Meaning: You should not depend on the tools of others to do your own work.

The “welfare state” means easy living for millions. The U.S. government, and governments in other nations have created a permanent class of people who depend on others (usually the government) to provide for them. In fact, it has been proven in some places that government handouts prove to be providing more income than if the person actually got a job and worked.

But honest labor was instilled in mankind from the beginning. In creation, God planted a garden, then created Adam and Eve. “Then the LORD God took the man and put him into the garden of Eden to cultivate it and keep it.” The idea some have that living in the Garden of Eden was all “easy living” is erroneous. Even in that ideal place God expected man to labor for his sustenance.

Consider Paul’s attitude towards providing for himself when necessary: “For you yourselves know how you ought to follow our example, because we did not act in an undisciplined manner among you, nor did we eat anyone's bread without paying for it, but with labor and hardship we kept working night and day so that we would not be a burden to any of you” (II Thess. 3:7-8).

He then goes on in verses 10-12: “For even when we were with you, we used to give you this order: if anyone is not willing to work, then he is not to eat, either. For we hear that some among you are leading an undisciplined life, doing no work at all, but acting like busybodies. Now such persons we command and exhort in the Lord Jesus Christ to work in quiet fashion and eat their own bread.” It seems that the idea of always having a hand out for a handout is not new.

Solomon’s wisdom has an application here. “Go to the ant, O sluggard, Observe her ways and be wise, Which, having no chief, Officer or ruler, Prepares her food in the summer And gathers her provision in the harvest. How long will you lie down, O sluggard? When will you arise from your sleep? "A little sleep, a little slumber, A little folding of the hands to rest" -- Your poverty will come in like a vagabond And your need like an armed man.” (Prov.  6:6-10). “Poor is he who works with a negligent hand, But the hand of the diligent makes rich.” (Prov. 10:4).

It is obvious that those seeking work to support their families face difficulties. In some areas jobs are few. But that does not mean we should give up. When I was a young man looking for work, I went to 33 places before I found a job—working at night in a difficult job. I recently read of a young man who walked 10 miles (16 km) in the cold snow to apply for a job that didn’t pay much. But at least it paid something. But a storekeeper who saw him pass by his store later contacted him and offered him a better job. When he saw the determination of the young man, he knew that was the kind of employee he wanted.

By working, we then can fulfill one of the Lord’s desires. “In everything I showed you that by working hard in this manner you must help the weak and remember the words of the Lord Jesus, that He Himself said, 'It is more blessed to give than to receive.'" (Acts 20:35) If we want to be “more blessed,” then God has given us the way to achieve it. And Paul advises those who have changed their lives. “He who steals must steal no longer; but rather he must labor, performing with his own hands what is good, so that he will have something to share with one who has need” (Eph. 4:28). Work is satisfying. Work is Biblical. &