While they were still speaking to the
people, the priests, the captain of the temple guard, and the Sadducees
confronted them, 2 disturbed that they were teaching the people
and proclaiming in Jesus the resurrection of the dead. 3 They laid hands on them and put them in
custody until the next day, since it was already evening. 4 But many of those who heard the word came to
believe and [the] number of men grew to [about] five thousand.
5 On the next day, their leaders, elders, and
scribes were assembled in Jerusalem, 6 with Annas the high
priest, Caiaphas, John, Alexander, and all who were of the high-priestly class.
7 They brought them into
their presence and questioned them, “By what power or by what name have you
done this?” 8 Then Peter, filled with
the holy Spirit, answered them, “Leaders of the people and elders: 9 If we are being examined today about a good
deed done to a cripple, namely, by what means he was saved, 10 then all of you and all the people of Israel should know that it was in
the name of Jesus Christ the Nazorean whom you crucified, whom God raised from
the dead; in his name this man stands before you healed. 11 He is ‘the stone rejected by you, the
builders, which has become the cornerstone.’ 12 There is no salvation through anyone else,
nor is there any other name under heaven given to the human race by which we
are to be saved.”
Opposition
to the teachings of Jesus being carried on by the apostles began as the Jewish
leaders turn their attention to those who were teaching and speaking in the
name of Jesus and proclaiming the resurrection of the dead (vv. 1-2). Peter and John were put in prison for the
evening after Peter made his speech, but many of those who heard Peter’s speech
were converted. The actions of the
Jewish leaders were in contrast to the actions of the people.
The
next day the Sanhedrin, which was comprised of the chief priests, the elders and
the scribes (Mk. 15:1), questioned Peter and John. The Sadducees did not acknowledge resurrection,
but the Pharisees did (Acts 23:8) and the Sanhedrin was comprised of both
Pharisees and Sadducees so followers of Jesus preaching about the resurrection
would not have been acceptable as it would have gone against the Sadducees’ doctrine.
Peter, filled with the Holy Spirit as
Jesus had promised (Lk. 12:11-12), proclaimed that the healing of the man who
was lame was done in the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth whom they
crucified. God raised him from the dead
and the lame man was healed through the power of the resurrected Lord. Verse 11 echoed Psalm 118, “The stone the
builders rejected has become the cornerstone (Ps. 118:22).” The one they crucified had triumphed over his
enemies (Lk. 20:17-18); “A stone that will make people stumble, and a rock
that will make them fall. They stumble by disobeying the word, as is their
destiny (1 Pt. 2:8)." Peter told the Sanhedrin
that salvation cannot come through anyone else but the Risen Christ.
Almighty
God, Scripture tells us to work out our salvation with fear and trembling being
obedient to the Commandments. Grant us
the grace to work for your purpose without grumbling or questioning our circumstances
as we use your gifts for your greater Glory.
This we pray through Christ our Lord.
Amen!
__________________________________
References
Chiu, José Enrique Aguilar, et al. The Paulist Biblical Commentary. Paulist Press, 2018.
Brown, Raymond Edward, et al. The New Jerome Biblical Commentary. Upper Saddle River, NJ, United States, Prentice Hall, 1990
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