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“While they were speaking to the people, the priests with the head of the temple guard and the Sadducees came upon them, resentful that they were teaching the people and announcing in Jesus the resurrection from the dead. And they laid hands on them and put them in prison until the next day, because it was already late. But many of those who had heard the word believed; and the number of the men was about five thousand.” (Acts 4:1-4)
The leaders of the Jewish community had a fairly significant problem on their hands. Peter and John continued to speak to the people, but they could not keep them silent, and the people were beginning to listen, so they took them to prison until the next day.
Bearing witness is like that. It seems that we are not experiencing any progress. Our words are falling on deaf ears. We don’t experience anything other than opposition, disagreement, and argumentative people. To make things even worse, they put us in jail, even if only in figurative language — it could be a new workplace policy today to prohibit religious discussions.
Whatever the circumstances, it may feel as if you are not making progress in sharing the message. But the encouragement for me is in Verse 4, “…but many of those who heard believed.” Despite the fact that Peter and John were now in prison – many of those who had heard believed.
In our story, people’s hearts were prepared to listen as they witnessed the healing of a man paralyzed from birth, someone whom everyone had seen or heard about. It was not as if these people had never heard of Jesus, his preaching, or the preaching of his followers. The difference consisted in the circumstance that — before his own eyes, the paralytic was healed — the example or demonstration of the power of Jesus.
What is the example or power that is evident in your life? Think carefully about that. If you have trouble getting people to listen to you when you talk about Jesus, then could it be that He is not evident in your life? You are the witness, is your life convincing?
Source: Testament League
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#Consultation #Soul #Preparing #Heard #Jose #Rojas
**Interview with Dr. Emily Turner: Biblical Scholar**
**Editor:** Welcome, Dr. Turner! Thank you for joining us today to discuss the passage from Acts 4:1-4. This section presents a pivotal moment in early Christian history. Can you summarize the key events taking place in this passage?
**Dr. Turner:** Thank you for having me! In this passage, we see Peter and John speaking to the people about the resurrection of Jesus. Their message sparks the ire of the Jewish religious leaders, specifically the priests, the captain of the temple guard, and the Sadducees. These leaders were particularly concerned because they held significant power and were threatened by the growing influence of the apostles and their teachings.
**Editor:** It seems like a major point of contention was the resurrection of Jesus. Could you elaborate on why this was such a significant issue for the Sadducees?
**Dr. Turner:** Absolutely. The Sadducees were a sect of Jewish leaders who, unlike the Pharisees, did not believe in the resurrection of the dead. For them, the idea that Jesus rose from the dead contradicted their theological beliefs and challenged their authority. When Peter and John preached about the resurrection, it directly undermined the Sadducees’ teachings and, consequently, their power in the community.
**Editor:** The passage mentions that they laid hands on Peter and John and imprisoned them. What does this tell us about the tension between early Christians and the Jewish authorities?
**Dr. Turner:** This act of imprisonment illustrates the escalating conflict between early Christians and the religious authorities. It reveals how seriously the leadership viewed the apostles’ activities as a threat. Instead of engaging in dialogue or debate, the leaders resorted to imprisonment to silence this growing movement, indicating desperation in maintaining their control over the narrative and the people.
**Editor:** Despite the opposition they faced, we see that many believed their message. How significant do you think this growth was for the early Church?
**Dr. Turner:** The growth of about five thousand believers in such a short time frame is incredibly significant. It demonstrates the power and appeal of the message of Jesus, particularly the hope offered through his resurrection. This rapid growth would have likely encouraged the apostles and provided a strong foundation for the early Church amidst adversity, showing that the truth of their message resonated deeply with many individuals.
**Editor:** Thank you, Dr. Turner, for shedding light on this important passage. It’s clear that the challenges faced by Peter and John were not just personal struggles but part of a larger narrative of faith and resilience in the early Church.
**Dr. Turner:** Thank you for having me! It’s an important topic, and I appreciate the opportunity to discuss it.
