4. Cure of lame man

Ch 3:1-4:4

3:1-4:4 It happened Peter and John were going up to the temple at the time of prayer which is the ninth hour (3 p.m.). A certain man who had been lame from birth was being carried. They used to put him each day at the door of the temple which was called Beautiful, to ask alms from those who went into the temple. Seeing that Peter and John were about to go into the temple he asked them for some alms. Looking at him with John beside him, Peter said to him "Look at us." He paid attention to him expecting to receive something from them. Peter said "I do not have silver and gold. But what I have I give to you. In the name of Jesus Christ the Nazarene, walk." And taking him by the right hand he raised him up. At once (the man's) feet and ankle-bones were made firm. Leaping up he stood and walked. He went into the temple with them walking and jumping and praising God. All the people (there) saw him walking and praising God. They recognised him - that this was the man who would sit asking for alms at the Beautiful gate of the temple. They were filled with amazement and bewilderment at what had happened to him. As he was attached to Peter and John all the people ran together at the porch of Solomon greatly amazed. And seeing (them) Peter answered the people. "Fellow Israelites why do you

marvel at this man or at us. Why do you look (as if it is) by our own power or piety we have made him walk? The God of Abraham and Isaac and Jacob, the God of our fathers, has glorified his servant Jesus whom you delivered and denied in the presence of Pilate when he had decided to release him. You denied the holy and just one and asked that a murderer be granted to you (instead). And the Author of life, you killed. (This is he) whom God raised from the dead and which we witnessed. (It was) faith in the name of him (Jesus) that this man that you see and know has been made firm (in his feet.). It is faith in the name of (Jesus) and through him that gave (this man) firmness of foot and (this is evidence) before all of you. And now brothers. I know that it was because of ignorance that you acted (c/f denying Jesus) and it was also (because of) your rulers. But God fore announced through the mouth of all the prophets that his Christ was to suffer. And this was fulfilled in this way. Repent therefore and turn that your sins may be wiped away. This is so that refreshing times may come upon you from the presence of the Lord and that he may send the fore appointed Christ Jesus for you. It behoved heaven to receive (him) until

the times of restitution of all the things of which God spoke through the mouth of the holy prophets. Indeed Moses said "A prophet will be raised up for you from amongst (you) as he (raised up) myself. You shall hear him according to everything he may speak to you. Every soul who does not listen to that prophet will be cast out from the people. Also all the prophets from Samuel and those who came after him announced these days (which are now here). You are the sons of the prophets and the covenant which God made with our fathers. God said to Abraham "You will be blessed in your seed and (through your seed) all the families of the earth (will be blessed). . God on having raised up his servant sent him to you as a blessing to help each one of you to turn away from your sins." 4:1-4 Friday Start While they were still speaking to the people, the priests and the Commandant of the temple and the Sadducees came upon them. They were greatly troubled because in their teaching they (Peter and John) were announcing to the people the resurrection of Jesus from the dead. They had hands laid upon them (Peter and John) and they had them put under guard until the morrow - for it was now evening. But many of those who heard the word, believed and the number of men believing numbered five thousand.

One wonders what would have happened to the Judaism of the C1st AD if in fact Jesus had not come. The clash between the rulers of Judaism and the Roman army with the siege of Jerusalem in 70AD seemed to be a fairly inevitable thing. But Jews were already scattered around the Roman Empire and continued with their identity as Jews in the local synagogue. Perhaps what happened to Jesus, helped the rank and file Jews to realise how corrupted their externalised system of law as based around the Temple had actually become. They didn't really need this system to survive. We know that Paul about whom much of Acts is written, was a brilliant student of the great Jewish scholar Gamaliel. Gamaliel therefore had great influence on Paul and indirectly on Christianity. But was there also influence from Paul back to Gamaliel? Gamaliel in fact is mentioned in some of the crucial decisions made about both groups, for example he suggests that the Jews hold off persecuting the emerging Christian group in case God's spirit was acting within it. To what extent did Gamaliel (and Jesus) influence the future of Judaism as well?

5. Peter's Address

Ch 4:5-31

4: 5-31 On the next day the rulers and elders and scribes in Jerusalem assembled. Amongst them were Annas the high priest and Caiaphas and John and Alexander and as many as were high priests. Having stood them (Peter, John and the cured man) in their midst they inquired. "By what power or in whose name did you do this?" Then Peter, filled with the Holy Spirit said to them: "Rulers of the people and elders. If we today are to be examined on a good deed done to an infirm man, by what power has this man been healed? Let it be known to all of you and to all the people of Israel that it was in the name of Jesus Christ the Nazarene, whom you crucified and whom God raised from the dead; it is in this name that this man stands before you whole. This is the stone despised by you the builders and it has become the head corner stone. . c/f Lk 20:17 And we cannot be saved by any other name under heaven which has been given to men." Finish Saturday Start And seeing the boldness of Peter and of John and perceiving that they were unlettered men and laymen, they (the assembly) marvelled. They recongised that (Peter and John) had been with Jesus. They saw the man who had been healed standing with them. They had nothing to say against them. So having ordered them to go outside the council they discussed (this) with one another saying "What can we do to these men? It is indeed a remarkable sign that has

happened through them. It is obvious to all those who live in Jerusalem. We cannot deny it. But in case it is talked about (even) more amongst the people let us threaten them not to speak about this name to any one else. And so calling them (back into the assembly) they ordered them not to speak of nor teach in the name of Jesus. But Peter and John answering said to them. "Should we listen to God or to you? You decide. We cannot fail to speak about what we saw and heard." And so they (the assembly) added more threats and released them. They could not find any way to punish them because of the people and because everyone was praising God about what had happened. Finish The man on whom this sign of a cure had happened of cure was more than forty years old. And so on being released they (Peter and John) went back to their own people and reported what things the chief priests and the elders had said to them. And having heard this they (their own people) lifted up their voice with one mind to God. They said "Master you who have made heaven and earth and the sea and everything in it. You are our Father. Through the Holy Spirit and by the mouth of your servant David you said "Why do the nations rage and people devise vain things? The kings of the earth and its rulers assembled together against the Lord and against his Christ. For in truth in this (very) city there was an assembly Continued