4:5 The "Council"(v. 15) before which soldiers brought Peter and John the next day was the Sanhedrin, which was the senate and supreme court of Israel. It consisted of the high priest, who served as its presiding officer, and 70 other men. Its aristocratic members, the majority, were Sadducees, and its lay leaders were Pharisees. Most of the experts in the Jewish law were Pharisees who were also nationalistic, but the Sadducees supported Rome. The Sadducees were more conservative, though rationalistic theologically, and the Pharisees were more liberal since they accepted oral traditions as authoritative in addition to the Old Testament.
The Sanhedrin normally held its meetings, including the one described in this chapter, in a hall adjoining the southwest part of the temple courtyard, the Chamber of Hewn Stone.231"Rulers"were priests who represented the 24 priestly courses (cf. 23:5; Matt. 16:21), "elders"were tribal and influential family heads of the people, and "scribes"were teachers of the law. Individuals from these three groups made up this body (cf. Luke 9:22). The rulers and elders were mainly Sadducees while most of the scribes were Pharisees.
"The Sanhedrin was acting within its jurisdiction when it convened to examine Peter and John. The Mosaic Law specified that whenever someone performed a miracle and used it as the basis for teaching, he was to be examined, and if the teaching were used to lead men away from the God of their fathers, the nation was responsible to stone him (Deut. 13:1-5). On the other hand, if his message was doctrinally sound, the miracle-worker was to be accepted as coming with a message from God."232
4:6 Annas, whom Luke called the high priest here (v. 6), was technically not the high priest at this time. He had served as high priest from 6 to 15 A.D., but since 18 A.D. his son-in-law Caiaphas had been the high priest. However, Annas continued to exert great influence (cf. Luke 3:2; John 18:13-24). He was so powerful that Luke could refer to him as the high priest even though he was only the power behind the office (cf. Luke 3:2; John 18:13; Acts 7:1). At this time in Israel's history, the Roman governor of Palestine appointed the high priest. "John"may refer to Jonathan, a son of Annas who succeeded Caiaphas as high priest in 36 A.D. Luke did not mention Alexander elsewhere, and he is presently unknown.
The High Priests of Israel
(c. 6-66 A.D.)
Annas (c. 6-15 A.D.): the co-high priest with Caiaphas during Jesus' trial (Luke 3:2; John 18:13, 24), and the high priest who, with Caiaphas, tried Peter and John (Acts 4:6)
Eleazar (c. 16-17 A.D.): the son of Annas
Caiaphas (c. 18-36 A.D.): the son-in-law of Annas, the high priest during Jesus' earthly ministry (Luke 3:2; Matt. 26:3, 57; John 11:49-50), and the high priest who with Annas tried Peter and John (Acts 4:6)
Jonathan (c. 36-37 A.D.): the son of Annas, and possibly the "John"of Acts 4:6
Theophilus (c. 37-41 A.D.): the son of Annas
Matthias (c. 42 A.D.): the son of Annas
Ananias (c. 47-59 A.D.): tried Paul in Jerusalem and Caesarea (Acts 23:1-10; 24:1-23)
Annas (c. 61 A.D.): the son of Annas
Matthias (c. 65-66 A.D.): the son of Theophilus, grandson of Annas
4:7 The healed lame man was also present (v. 14), though we do not know if he had been imprisoned with Peter and John or was simply brought in for the hearing. The Sanhedrin wanted to know by what authority or in whose name (with whose jurisdiction) Peter and John (plural "you") had behaved as they had.
4:8 Jesus had promised that when the disciples stood before hostile adversaries God would give them the words to speak (Luke 21:12-15). This special filling appears to be in view in verse 8. Again, filling reflects control by the Holy Spirit. The Holy Spirit filled (controlled) Peter as he served as a witness in obedience to Jesus (1:8).233Peter addressed all the Sanhedrin members as "rulers and elders"of the Jews.
4:9-10 Peter referred to the "trial"as a preliminary hearing (Gr. anakrinomai), which it was. Jewish law required that people had to be informed of the consequences of their crime before being punished for it.234Peter's answer was straightforward and plain: the power of Jesus had benefited a sick man by healing him. This was good news not only for the Sanhedrin but for all the people of Israel. Peter used a Greek word that means saved (sothenai), which the translators have rendered "made well."His use of this word prepares for the use of the same word in verse 12 where it has a broader meaning. Peter's intent was obviously to prick the consciences of these men too (cf. 2:23, 36; 3:13-15). He laid the guilt for Jesus' death at their feet and gave witness that God raised Him from the dead.
4:11 Peter showed that this teaching did not lead the people away from God but rather fulfilled something that God had predicted. In quoting Psalm 118:22 Peter applied to Jesus Christ what David had said about the nation Israel (cf. Matt. 21:42; Mark 12:10; Luke 20:17). Israel's leaders had rejected Jesus as an unacceptable Messiah, but He would prove to be the most important part of what God was building.
Some scholars believe Peter meant that Jesus was the cornerstone, the foundation of what God was building (cf. Isa. 28:16; 1 Pet. 2:7). Others believe he meant the capstone, the final piece of what God was building (cf. Dan. 2:34-35).235If the former interpretation is correct, Peter was probably anticipating the church as a new creation of God (cf. 1 Pet 2:4-8). In the latter view, he was viewing the Messiah as the long expected completion of the house of David. Since Peter was addressing Israel's rulers, I think he probably meant that Jesus was the capstone, their Messiah. These rulers, the builders of Israel, had rejected their Messiah.
4:12 The verses immediately following Psalm 118:22 in the Book of Psalms refer to Messiah's national deliverance of Israel. It seems that Peter was referring to both national deliverance and personal salvation in this address, as he had in the previous one. The former application would have been especially appropriate in view of his audience here. The messianic age to which the Jews looked forward could only come if Israel's leaders repented and accepted Jesus as their Messiah.
Peter boldly declared that salvation comes through no one but Jesus, not the Maccabean heroes or the Sadducees or anyone else.236He stressed that Jesus was a man: He lived "under heaven"and "among men."Jesus, the Messiah, the Nazarene (v. 10), is God's only authorized savior. Apart from Him there is no salvation for anyone (cf. John 14:6; 1 Tim. 2:5).
". . . when we read the speech of Peter, we must remember to whom it was spoken, and when we do remember that it becomes one of the world's great demonstrations of courage. It was spoken to an audience of the wealthiest, the most intellectual and the most powerful in the land, and yet Peter, the Galilaean fisherman, stands before them rather as their judge than as their victim. But further, this was the very court which had condemned Jesus to death. Peter knew it, and he knew that at this moment he was taking his life in his hands."237
