This
section of Acts is characterized by the Apostle’s “boldness” (παῤῥησία parrhēsía) as witnesses of
the resurrection of Jesus Christ. This word is used several times in Acts 4 and
provides us with a "bold" outline for this chapter. It should also be noted that
such boldness produced “great annoyance” on the part of the Jewish religious
leaders of that day. It is good to be reminded occasionally that doing the will
of God is no guarantee of favorable circumstances. Here, those who were doing the
work of Christ were arrested and held overnight before being threatened by their leaders. Yet, Peter, “filled with the Holy Spirit” spoke with parrhēsía when brought before the
council. What does this parrhēsía mean?
Its NT usage is related to not just a freedom or unreservedness in speaking, but
to proclaiming openly the truth in word and deed. Some have noted that this
includes,
a. Speaking openly, frankly, without
hiding what we really mean (as a politician or diplomat might speak)
b. Proclaiming a message without
ambiguity, waffling, or double-speak. There is no “spin” and no “walking back”
of one’s comments. It is speech that often comes as a result of the filling of
the Holy Spirit.
c. It can also refer to
direct speech without the use of figures and comparisons. It is a manner of
speech that “cuts to the chase” and is to be taken at face value. It is not the
mood of nuance nor does one have to “read between the lines” when one speaks
with parrhēsía.
While parrhēsía
is linked to confidence, it is not self-confidence. It is neither a brash
arrogance nor cocky confidence. Rather it is the Holy Spirit-empowered speech
of those who communicate a message that they are fully convinced is true. There
is no reservation for personal safety in such bold speaking. It should be noted
that such Spirit-filled boldness arose from a life of dedicated daily prayer
and study of the Word of God.
Take
time to read through the passage below (with the addition of my outline
headings).
A Bold Testimony (v.1-12)
And as they were speaking to the people,
the priests and
the captain
of the temple and
the
Sadducees came upon them,
greatly annoyed because
they were teaching the people
and proclaiming in Jesus
the resurrection from the dead.
And they arrested them
and
put them in custody
until the next day,
for it was already evening.
But many of those who had heard the word
believed,
and the number of the men came
to about five thousand.
On the next day
their rulers and elders and
scribes gathered together
in Jerusalem, ,
with Annas
the high priest and
Caiaphas
and
John
and
Alexander,
and all who were of the
high-priestly family.
And when they had set them in the midst,
they inquired,
“By what power or by what name
did you do this?”
Then
Peter, filled with the Holy Spirit, said to them,
“Rulers of the people and
elders,
if we are being examined today
concerning
a good deed
done to a crippled man,
by
what means this man has been healed,
let it be known to all of you and
to all the people of Israel
that
by the name of Jesus
Christ of Nazareth,
whom you crucified,
whom God raised from the dead—
by
him this man is standing before you well.
This
Jesus is the stone that was rejected
by you, the builders,
which has become
the cornerstone.
And there is salvation in no one else,
for there is no
other name under heaven
given among men by which we must be
saved.”
A Bold Legacy (v.13-22)
Now when they saw
the boldness of Peter and John,
and perceived that they
were uneducated, common men,
they were astonished.
And they recognized that they had
been with Jesus.
But seeing the man who was
healed standing beside them,
they
had nothing to say in opposition.
But when they had
commanded them to leave the council,
they conferred with one
another, saying,
“What shall we do with these men?
For that a notable sign has been
performed through them
is evident to all
the inhabitants of Jerusalem,
and we cannot deny it.
But in order that
it may spread no further among the people,
let us warn
them to speak no more to anyone in this name.”
So they called them and charged them
not
to speak or teach at all in the name of Jesus.
But Peter and
John answered them,
“Whether it is right in the sight of God
to listen to you rather than to God,
you must judge,
for we cannot but speak of
what
we have seen and heard.”
And when they had
further threatened them,
they let them go,
finding no way to punish
them,
because of the people,
for
all were praising God for what had happened.
For the man on
whom this sign of healing was performed
was more than forty years old.
A Prayer for Boldness (v.23-30)
When they were released,
they went to
their friends and reported
what the chief priests and
the elders had said to them.
And when they
heard it,
they lifted their voices together
to God and said,
“Sovereign
Lord, who made the heaven and
the
earth and
the
sea and everything in them,
who through the mouth of our father David,
your
servant, said by the Holy Spirit,
“‘Why did the Gentiles rage,
and the peoples plot in vain?
and the peoples plot in vain?
The kings of the earth set themselves,
and the rulers were gathered together,
against the Lord and against his Anointed’—
and the rulers were gathered together,
against the Lord and against his Anointed’—
for truly in this city there were
gathered together
against
your holy servant Jesus,
whom you anointed,
both Herod and
Pontius Pilate,
along with the
Gentiles
and the
peoples of Israel,
to do whatever your hand and
your plan had predestined to take place.
And now,
Lord, look upon their threats and
grant to your servants
to
continue to speak your word
with all boldness,
while you
stretch out your hand to heal,
and
signs and wonders are performed
through
the name of your holy servant Jesus.”
A Bold
Answer To Prayer (v.31)
the place in which they
were gathered together
was shaken,
and they
were all filled with the Holy Spirit
and continued to
speak the word of God
with boldness.
So, as we apply this passage to our lives, let’s
ask a few questions…
- Is our testimony of Christ bold or do we hem and haw when asked for an explanation of our message?
- Do people recognize the plain-spoken power of Jesus in the words we speak, the works we do, and the way we live our lives?
- Are we more committed to praying for boldness in the face of opposition than for relief from the opposition?
- Do we expect a “bold answer to our prayers”?
If our answer to
these questions is not a bold “Yes!” then we have something
to pray about this week!
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