When they had been brought in.... (27) Who? In where? What for? By whom? A rescue mission team? Or the police? This reading requires an introduction, or the first clause will leave your hearers asking so many questions that they will miss the story. Acts-- and the Gospels-- are drama, and the stage needs to be set in order for the message to come out of the play. In this instance, that will not be easy, unless you resort to superficialities.
The story begins at 3: 1, too much to cover for this one paragraph. The high priest's words refer to 4: 13--18, 21, which is based on 3: 1--4: 15. Peter's response reflects 4: 19--20. (And the scene immediately before today's, 17--26, has some of the most incredible text imaginable. I am not thinking about the "miraculous" escape. What is "miraculous" is the fact that the high priest and his entire company take no notice of it; they are totally unfazed by the conflicting facts of secured jail doors and escaped prisoners. Unbelievable.)
With all that in mind, consider the high priest's accusation, "You have filled Jerusalem with your teaching" (28). Why do persons who unquestionably possess power and control resort to hyperbole? This emotional reaction provides a clue to understanding the depth of feeling behind the next allegation, "you are trying to hold us responsible for that man's death." (29) The high priest-- the man with the most and securest(1) authority in Jerusalem-- is so fearful that he cannot even bring himself to name "that man".
There is a saying (common among children, at least) that "animals can smell fear." Not to denigrate Peter, but obviously much of his boldness was inspired by the high priest's undisguised fear. Of course, being filled with the Holy Spirit (4: 31) also helped. So does having a message that you truly believe in, a faith that you are willing to stake your body and life on. Do you believe in anything that strongly?
"The God of our fathers raised up Jesus; after you had put him to death by hanging him on a gibbet, God exalted him at his right hand as leader and saviour, to grant Israel repentance and forgiveness of sins." (30--31) Peter preaches the Gospel to them, in two sentences(2). But Peter, unlike Paul(3), gives two reasons, two effects: not only forgiveness of sins, but first, to grant... repentance. According to Peter's gospel, these works transpired because God exalted [Christ] at his right hand. Jesus' death and resurrection are not separate acts; resurrection depends on the preceding death, but that sacrifice is without meaning absent the acceptance of the resurrection.
"Repent of your sins and be saved." Think again, if you believe this statement expresses the Gospel. According to Peter, our "works of repentance" avail nothing; repentance and forgiveness of sins have been granted-- freely given-- by God(4).
"And we are witnesses to all this" (32). "Witness" and "testify" are legal terms, and the church needs to honor that particular connotation. In a court of law, a "witness" may only "testify" to that which she has seen or he has experienced, not to what someone has written or told them. To what action of God can you "testify" that you have been a "witness"?
- Praise [God] for His mighty acts;
praise Him for His exceeding greatness. (2, TNK)
- Among the dead no one remembers you;
in Sheol who praises you? (Psa. 6: 5, REB) - Do those who are dead rise up and praise you? (Psa. 88: 10, NIV)
- It is not the dead who praise the LORD, (Psa. 115: 17, REB)
- The living, only the living
Can give thanks to You (Isa. 38: 19, TNK).
If we have been raised with Christ to new life, why do we have such difficulty or reluctance when it comes to praise? Could it be that we do not understand or appreciate what God has done for us? It was not only Jesus that died on the cross; God executed, removed, did away with, abolished sin(5)! God has(6) undone the cords that bound me (Psa. 116: 16, TNK); God granted repentance and forgiveness of sins so that we should no longer have any sense of sin (Heb. 10: 2, REB). Christ has set us free(7)! Is not that worth getting excited about? Should we not be jubilant, praising God joyously, gratefully, emotionally? Even noisily, with shouts and whistles, bells and horns and clapping hands? With Spirit?
Then why don't we? Do we refuse to believe the Good News? "How long will this people spurn Me, and how long will they have no faith in Me despite all the signs that I have performed in their midst?" (Num. 14: 11, TNK) Is complete and absolute freedom from sin not sufficient cause for jubilant, raucous praise and thanksgiving? Or is it too good to be true? Does God's Word lie?
What can I say? [G]race and peace from him.... (4) Of what does God's grace consist? With what peace has God endowed you? ...[W]ho loves us and has6 freed us from our sins by his blood (5). Have you been unbound, set free? Was Christ's death and resurrection effectual for you?
"But-- but--" you protest. Yes, there is one "but": we are free to be responsible(8). As Paul advises: Work out your salvation (Php. 2: 12). It is for freedom, not licentiousness, that Christ has set us free (Gal. 5: 1, NIV). It is for freedom, not slavery to sin, that Christ has set us free. Free to be "enslaved" by Christ: "Take my yoke upon you... and you will find rest for yourselves. For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light." (Mat. 11: 29--30) The church should not try to make Christ's yoke hard, nor His burden heavy. To do so is to submit again to the yoke of slavery (Gal. 5: 1), which Paul admonishes us not to do.
John 20: 19--31 (NAB, except as noted)
Notice Jesus' first words to the disciples: "Peace be with you." (19) And then, for emphasis, He repeats: "Peace be with you." (21) Years ago, I thought this slogan for Christmas was neat: "Have you received the gift God sent you?" Unfortunately, we do not think of Easter as gift-giving time. But have you received the gift God gave you at Easter? "Peace I leave with you; my peace I give to you." (14: 27) Consider carefully how precious that gift is: not any old peace, but "my peace". Exquisite. Sublime. Perfect. Eternal.
And, now, mine. Yours, too, if you want it enough to trust God's Word.
"Receive the holy Spirit." (22) Are you at peace? If not, how can you be receptive to the Holy Spirit? And the fruit of the Spirit is... peace (Gal. 5: 22). Is this circular reasoning? Yes, in God's circle(9) of perfection: peace brings Spirit brings peace....
The third point of Jesus' sermon is one of the most startling statements in all of Scripture: "Whose sins you forgive are forgiven them, and whose sins you retain are retained." (23) The scribes (Luke includes Pharisees) protested: "Who but God alone can forgive sins?" (Mk. 2: 7; Lk. 5: 21) The Church largely agrees with them, and in so doing exhibits its lack of faith in God's Word. But if Christ is God and the Holy Spirit is God, then what do Christ in you (Col. 1: 27) and "Receive the holy Spirit" mean? Does Emanuel imply merely "God among you"? Have we not, in Christ, partaken of the second tree(10)?
Jesus' words, "Whose sins", lead us to think of forgiving other people, which is a vital and necessary ministry; one we-- the entire Church-- desperately need to learn and practice. "For if you forgive others for their transgressions, your heavenly Father will also forgive you. But if you do not forgive others, then your Father will not forgive your transgressions." (Mat. 6: 14--15, NNAS) But we should not overlook the obvious: we need, perhaps foremost, to forgive ourselves. "Whose sins you forgive are forgiven them, and whose sins you retain are retained."
- Praise [God] for His mighty acts;
praise Him for His exceeding greatness.
1. 1 Depending, of course, on Roman authority, which helps to explain his fear not of Peter,
but of the people, to whom Roman authority was sensitive.
2 You preachers know what I'm thinking; I won't say it.
3 See 1 Cor. 15: 3--4.
4 Please do not just read this. Think about it; it is important.
5 See 2Cor. 5: 21, Heb. 9: 26.
6 Note the verb tense; this is accomplished fact!
7 See Gal. 5: 1, John 8: 36.
8 My thanks to Dr. Kathleen Casey for this insightful phrase.
9 God has replaced the "I" of "sin" with the circle of perfection, yielding the "Son".
10 See Gen. 3: 22.
(comments to Phil at ENAPXH@aol.com )