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Acts 4:1-12
A short time after the Body of Christ was baptized in the Holy Spirit on Pentecost, Peter and John went up
to the temple at the hour of evening prayer. There they came upon a man who was lame from birth,
begging at the gate of the temple. The lame man asked alms of Peter and John, but they gave him much
more. Peter commanded the man, in the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth, to rise up and walk.

The lame man believed on that name, took the hand that Peter extended to him, leapt to his feet, and
walked. And he went into the temple with Peter and John, walking and leaping and praising God - to the
amazement of the crowd gathered for prayer.

The lame man was a picture of the unregenerate nation Israel, who had never walked with God. Upon
believing, Israel also will be healed - of their sin-sickness - and will be able to enter into true worship of
God, having been made right with Him.

Peter then addressed the astonished crowd from Solomon’s porch, the lame man and John with him,
explaining that the lame man had been miraculously healed by his faith in the name of Jesus - whom they
had crucified. But the One whom they had killed, God raised from the dead, to which the disciples were
witnesses. God glorified His Servant Jesus.

Peter presented Jesus as the Servant of Jehovah, and the prophet like unto Moses, whom the people would
recognize from their Scriptures, and associate with the Messiah. Then Peter urged the people to repent of
their sins, and receive Jesus as their Messiah.

As Peter and John were speaking with the people, they were suddenly interrupted.

4:1-3 A group of authorities from the temple came upon Peter, John, and the lame man. They included
priests, most likely chief priests, who oversaw the operation of the temple; the captain of the temple - the
head of the Levitical temple guard, to whom the Romans had delegated the policing of the temple; and also
Sadducees, who controlled the temple hierarchy and most of the resident priesthood.

The Sadducees were particularly named, as they would have objected strongly to these disciples of Jesus
teaching their people without their authorization; and they would have objected even more strongly to the
preaching of the apostles - for they preached that Jesus was resurrected from the dead.

The Sadducees were responsible in part for having had the death sentence executed upon Jesus, and would
not have taken well to the concept that God brought Him back to life. But also, the Sadducees did not
believe in resurrection, considering it an innovation of the Pharisees.

To have these disciples of Jesus claim to be witnesses to a resurrection - that brought resurrection out of the
realm of just theory into seeming reality - and the Sadducees would be intent upon silencing that witness.
This was the first wave of persecution against the true church.

As it was now approaching evening, the temple authorities chose to put the apostles in prison overnight.
Jewish Law did not permit trials at night - a technicality that was conveniently overlooked in the trials of
Jesus. The apostles would be examined in the morning.
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v. 4 Despite the hasty action of the temple authorities, many of the common people who heard Peter’s
words that day had a change of heart concerning Jesus, and chose to believe in Him as their Messiah. The
number of men (the Greek word means specifically males here) became (literal translation) about five
thousand. This is to say that there were now a total of about five thousand believing men, in addition to an
untold number of women, who believed in Jesus as the Messiah in Jerusalem alone.

v. 5-6 The groups mentioned - rulers, elders, and scribes - is used to denote that this is a meeting of
Israel’s judicial council, the Sanhedrin, composed of seventy members, in addition to the high priest, who
presided over the council. This was the national ruling court of Israel.

The names of certain prominent Sadducean members were also mentioned (“kindred of the high priest”),
two of which are still familiar - Annas, the former high priest, and his son-in-law, Caiaphas, the current
high priest, both of whom conducted illegal trials of Jesus.

It was Caiaphas who pronounced Jesus to be a blasphemer, deserving of death. These were the powerful
men who had opposed Jesus and seen to it that He was put to death, and they were now conducting the trial
of these two disciples of Jesus - which facts would not have been lost on Peter and John.

v. 7 In the Greek, the word for “ye” - is emphatic, showing that the council was asking this with derision:
“By what power, or by what name, have you done this?” The council recognized Peter and John as
common men, Galileans at that - country folk. They were attempting to intimidate the apostles of Jesus -
to create fear in them, so as to bend them to their will.

There was a time when Peter had feared for himself, and denied His Master (Mk 14:66-72). There was a
time when John had forsook His Master, and fled, with the other disciples (Mk 14:50). But the days of
fear were far gone.

Peter and John had witnessed Jesus risen from the dead, and ascending into heaven; and they had been
baptized into His Spirit, and received His power. That power was no less than the mighty power of God, by
which God raised Jesus from the dead, and exalted Him to His right hand in heaven (Eph 1:19-21). And as
Peter and John yielded themselves to their heavenly Head, He filled them with His Spirit, enabling them to
meet this moment with His grace, His wisdom, His power.

v. 8-10 Peter courteously addressed the council, then proceeded to launch a head-on offensive at them.
Unlike the council, Peter names the miracle that was done - an impotent man - that is, a powerless man, the
lame man - had been made whole. We learn later that the healed man was right there with Peter and John
(v. 14) - perhaps he had been arrested too, or perhaps he had been called as a witness.

What was done to the lame man was a good deed; a miraculous healing. And it was done by the power of
the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth. Here Peter clearly named the name of Jesus, as well as His office -
the Christ, the Messiah. And Peter laid upon the council the same indictment that he had laid on the
nation, of which the rulers were even more responsible - Jesus, whom you crucified - but whom God raised
from the dead.

And Peter definitively laid out the resurrection of Jesus before the many prominent Sadducean members of
the Sanhedrin, showing the fact of the resurrection to be a clear vindication of Jesus - God had overruled
their ruling against Jesus, overruled His death by raising Jesus from the dead. Are you beginning to
wonder who’s on trial here? Peter then went on to show that this was a fulfillment of an OT prophecy.
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v. 11-12 Inspired by the Holy Spirit, Peter then quoted a verse from Psalm 118, which speaks of the
Messiah as a stone, and applied this to Jesus. The imagery of Messiah as a stone goes all the way back to
the first book of the Bible, and the beginnings of the nation of Israel. We’re going to take a look at the
Scriptures to see this characterization of Messiah as the Stone of Israel.

Turn to Genesis chapter 28. At this time, Jacob, who would become the father of the nation Israel, had left
his home after deceiving his family in order to obtain his brother Esau’s birthright and blessing - things that
the LORD had already promised him, but Jacob had no assurance of - for God was not yet real to Jacob.
Jacob then had a dream in which God revealed the Christ personally to him as the one and only way in to
the presence of God, and God offered Jacob His eternal covenant.

As he awoke, Jacob believed God for the dream, vowing that the LORD would be his God; and Jacob took
the stone upon which his head had been resting, upon which he had received the LORD’s revelation, and set
it up as a memorial to the One in whom he had placed his faith - in the Christ of God. And he anointed the
standing stone with oil, consecrating it as holy unto the LORD. These were his words concerning the stone.

[Genesis 28:22] Jacob called the place Beth-el, house of God, because there he had found the gate of
heaven (v. 17). The stone memorialized this: for upon that stone, the Christ was revealed to Jacob, in the
dream. Upon this stone, Jacob had received the foundation stone of His faith - the Christ.

Later, as Jacob lay dying, he spoke prophecies to his twelve sons, who would become the twelve tribes of
Israel. In his prophecy concerning Joseph, Jacob speaks of the Coming Christ, naming Him as the
Shepherd, the Stone of Israel. Jacob recognized that the Christ would be the foundation of the nation that
would come from Jacob’s body (Gen 49:24), as well as the one who would provide and protect the nation -
just as He had been for Jacob.

[Return to Acts] From these passages, as well as many others in their Scriptures, the Jews would all have
been familiar with the imagery of the Messiah as the Stone of Israel - the Rock of their salvation. And
Peter was pointing out to these rulers that Jesus was that Stone - He was their Messiah.

The Stone was set at naught - He was counted as worthless - specifically by the builders - the rulers and
teachers of Israel, who should have built the nation up, by establishing it on its only sure foundation - its
strong Rock, the Christ. Instead, the Jewish authorities rejected Jesus, and had Him crucified.

But the Stone, rejected by the builders, had become the head of the corner. In Scripture, the head of the
corner is an architectural term which refers to the stone that is the head stone or keystone, meaning the
upper cornerstone. This is the stone that is at the very summit, the pinnacle of the structure, which
completes the structure, while at the same time uniting and strengthening the whole building.

The Stone, rejected by the builders, was raised up to become the head stone of the building. God raised
Jesus from the dead. Jesus was exalted to the highest position in the universe, the right hand of the Father,
the position of honor and glory and power - equal to that of the Father. The rulers had crucified Jesus -
but God had raised Him from the dead. The builders had rejected the Stone - but God had made Him the
head of the corner.

This was not the first, but the second time that many of these same rulers would have heard this verse of
Psalm 118 applied to Jesus. Do you remember what the first occasion was, when they would have heard
it? It was shortly before Jesus’ death, in Jerusalem - and it was applied to Jesus - by Jesus Himself.
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Turn to Matthew chapter 21. It was the week before the crucifixion of Jesus. Jesus had ridden into
Jerusalem on the foal of an ass, proclaimed by those accompanying Him as the Son of David, the King of
Israel, in fulfillment of Zechariah’s prophecy for the Messiah (Zech 9:9). After cleansing the temple one
last time, Jesus was teaching the people, when the chief priests and the elders of the people approached
Him, challenging His authority.

Jesus responded with three parables, directed at the rulers, which laid out their rebellion against God and
rejection of His Christ, and the ultimate end they would incur for their rebellion - eternal death. We’re
looking at the second parable, starting in verse 33.

[Matthew 21:33-44]

v. 33 Now, Jesus was speaking to the rulers - the chief priests and the Pharisees - in the presence of the
people, who had come to hear Jesus teach.

Jesus began His parable with an image that was well-known to Israel, from Isaiah chapter 5. In that
passage of Scripture, Israel is portrayed as a vine, with Jehovah as their heavenly Vinedresser, who cares
for their every need. But Jesus changed the picture of Isaiah’s vine in His parable. In it, there is a
householder - a landowner - who planted the vine and made provision for it, but left its care to hired
vinedressers - the husbandmen in the story.

The parable was designed to show forth the thinking of the rulers, to whom the parable was directed. They
saw themselves as the caretakers of Israel, with Jehovah far removed and aloof from the day to day
concerns of the people. Of course, they were deceived in their thinking - there is only one Vinedresser,
who is intimately concerned with His people. God had never appointed these rulers over His people - they
had appointed themselves.

v. 34-36 In the parable, the servants represent the prophets, whom the LORD sent as His messengers to
Israel, to procure the fruit of righteousness in them; but notice that the hired vinedressers intercept the
servants, and rough them up or kill them; there is the sense that these hired vinedressers think any fruit the
vineyard produced is rightfully theirs, as if they are the owners. Meanwhile, notice how naive the
landowner is portrayed - He keeps sending servants, one after the other, never seeming to absorb the
malevolent design of the hired vinedressers.

Again, this parable is from the rulers’ perspective. In their minds, they saw themselves as the ones in
control, the ones with the power over Israel. In the past, it seemed to them that they had gotten away with
their actions without any repercussions - and so they dared to continue. God was too far removed to
concern Himself directly with Israel’s affairs - He wouldn’t get involved. They just had to keep getting rid
of His messengers.

v. 37-39 Again - the landowner is portrayed as naive, thinking that, even though the hired vinedressers
did not respect his servants, they would surely respect the landowner’s son. But the hired hands had an
utterly opposing thought - not only will they not respect him, they will dare kill him, with the wicked
design of seizing his inheritance for themselves.
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These hired hands, heady with their own ambitions, actually had the impudent, foolhardy notion that they
could seize the inheritance of the son - as if the father would do nothing about it. Further, they were
willing to murder the son in their lust to have what was his. The son, who was just innocently, obediently
bringing them his father’s message.

Here, Jesus laid open the heart of the rulers for all to see; for He knew that was what they had deceived
themselves into believing - that they could kill Jesus, knowing He was indeed the Messiah, the Son of God,
the One God sent - and somehow, steal His inheritance - the kingdom of God on earth.

They had bought the lie - that they could be like the Most High God. Jesus was here prophesying of what
the rulers would do to Him; they would cast Him out of the congregation of Israel in Jerusalem, and have
Him put to death by their Gentile overlords - the Romans.

Jesus then posed a question to the rulers.

v. 40-41 Amazingly, the rulers, completely absorbed in the story, failed to see themselves in it. They
were utterly incensed over the wickedness of the hired vinedressers - the contempt with which they
regarded the landowner; the vile way they treated the landowner’s servants; and the horrifying deed of
murdering his son. They cannot help but to completely denounce them; and in so doing, pronounce
judgment on themselves. It was only in Jesus’ response that they began to see that the parable was directed
at them.

v. 42 Here, Jesus quoted from Psalm 118, as in our passage. It is a psalm that speaks of the righteous
remnant of Israel in the end times. The first verse that Jesus quoted, as Peter did again to the court of the
Sanhedrin, was fulfilled in the crucifixion of Jesus by the rulers, and the exaltation of Jesus by God. The
subsequent verse: “This is the Lord’s doing, and it is marvelous in our eyes” - will be fulfilled when the
remnant of Israel recognizes Jesus as their Messiah in the end.

Jesus then confirmed judgment on the rulers, who had already condemned themselves.

v. 43 Since these rulers rejected God’s chosen Stone, they are rejected by God as builders. God would
strip the rulers of their positions over the nation, and disperse Israel among the Gentile nations, until
Israel’s regeneration in the end, as the righteous remnant. The remnant will be that nation which will bring
forth the fruits of righteousness.

Jesus had one final word about the Stone that the builders rejected.

v. 44 The rulers were free to choose to reject this Stone, but they would find that an encounter with the
Stone was unavoidable - for this is the Stone of Israel, whom God laid as the foundation stone of His
kingdom.

The foundation stone, or cornerstone, is the first stone laid in the foundation of a building, upon which the
whole structure is based. It must be a perfect stone, perfectly laid - and only one stone was perfect - the
Stone of Israel. In choosing to not build on the Stone of Israel, the Stone would become a stumbling stone
for the rulers - as well as for the nation, that followed their rulers. Jesus was alluding to a passage in Isaiah
that speaks of this.
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Turn to Isaiah chapter 8. Isaiah was prophesying of the looming Assyrian invasion, and of the tendency of
Israel to try to make alliances with other nations as a means of protection. Isaiah pointed to the LORD as
the safe-haven of Israel.

[Isaiah 8:13-15]

v. 13-14a The LORD of hosts is a title for Jehovah that speaks of Him in His power and might, as the
commander of His legions of angels. This is the LORD Almighty. If the nation would turn to the LORD
with a holy fear, and set Him apart in their hearts, He would be their refuge - their Rock, their fortress, their
deliverer, their God, their strength, in whom they could trust (Ps 18:2).

v. 14b-15 But if Israel instead put their trust in alliances with other nations, that same Rock would be for
them a stone of stumbling, a rock of offense, for in rejecting God as their protection, Israel left themselves
defenseless; the other nations could not protect them from what was in reality a judgment of God on their
faithlessness.

The near fulfillment of Isaiah’s prophecy was the Assyrian invasion, but it also had a far fulfillment after
Jesus’ death, as the nation of Israel, having rejected their Messiah, was once again visited by God’s
judgment at the hands of the Romans.

The last part of Jesus’ prophecy concerning Himself as the Stone of Israel speaks not of a stone on the
ground, upon which a man can stumble and be broken, but a stone that comes down from on high, crushing
those on whom it falls. Once Jesus had come to earth the first time, men had a choice to either receive
Him as their sure foundation, and be built up in Him, eternally secure - or to reject Him, fall over the rock,
and be broken.

But in His second coming, it will be Jesus who will fall upon His enemies, and grind them to powder.
This aspect of the Stone of Israel was revealed in a vision given to the prophet Daniel. Turn to Daniel
chapter 2. Daniel was a prince of Judah who was taken into captivity by the king of Babylon, and was
cultivated as one of the king’s counselors. The king had a disturbing dream, and God showed Daniel the
dream, and its interpretation.

[Daniel 2:31-45]

v. 31 the form of it was awesome.

v. 32-33 Five sections of the image are named, from high to low. The metals mentioned are of
decreasing quality and value, but increasing strength. The last part mentioned, the feet, are made of iron
mixed with clay - a very unstable combination.

v. 34-36 Where was the image struck? On the feet. This resulted in the entire image being crushed;
ground to powder, as fine as chaff. So the image was reduced to particles, while the stone became a great
mountain that filled the earth.

Daniel then gave God’s interpretation of the dream.

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v. 37-38 Each section of the image represents a world kingdom, which would rule a large portion of the
world, in succession - including the land God gave to Israel. The head of gold represented the kingdom of
Babylon - the most glorious of these world kingdoms. This was the kingdom that was ruling while Daniel
was prophesying.

v. 39 The silver breast and arms represented the kingdom of Medo-Persia; the bronze belly and thighs
represented Greece.

v. 40 The fourth kingdom was Rome, who ruled with a fist of iron, represented by the iron legs. This
was the kingdom that was ruling when Jesus came to the earth the first time. Remember the Roman
Empire later became divided into two parts, east and west - two legs.

v. 41-43 After the death of Christ, the prophetic clock stopped, until the time of the Tribulation (see
Daniel 9:24-27). At that time, another world kingdom will be in place; as it is also part iron, and is part of
the legs, yet separate, it is believed that this kingdom will be the Revived Roman Empire, a weak
confederation of nations, all with their own self-interests - which for a time, will coincide (Ps 2:1-3).

This confederation will be united under the Beast-ruler, a man who will be empowered by Satan (Rev 13:1-
5)- so we have iron, mixed with the clay. This unstable confederation will last only a few short years,
before God will bring it to an end.

v. 44-45 In the days of this final confederation, during the Tribulation, God will establish His Kingdom
on earth. How? Through His Christ, in His Second Coming to the earth. Jesus is the Stone that was cut
out without hands - that is, the Stone that is of divine origin.

The psalmist said that the Anointed of the Lord, the Messiah will break the nations with a rod of iron; that
He will dash them to pieces like a potter’s vessel (Ps 2:9); that He will strike through kings in the day of
His wrath (Ps 110:5). That will be the cleansing of the earth, when the enemies of God are completely
crushed; they will be completely “blown away” (v. 35), destroyed.

After that, the Stone will become a mountain. In Scripture, a mountain represents a kingdom. Messiah
will then set up His kingdom over all the earth - a kingdom that will have no end - a kingdom that ends all
kingdoms.

[Return to Matthew 21] As we consider the words of Jesus here, what we can see is that there is no
avoiding this Stone. God Himself laid Jesus as the foundation stone of His kingdom; a tried Stone,
precious, a sure foundation (Isaiah 28:16).

To be a part of God’s kingdom, one must be built on that foundation stone. How? By faith, believing
God that Jesus Christ is the only way into God’s kingdom. For these rulers and their nation, who will
continue in their rejection of Jesus, the Stone of Israel would prove to be a stumbling stone, a rock of
offense. And so He has been for all of those who have rejected Him, throughout history. And in the end
times, the Stone will return and crush those who unite in opposition to Him.

But what of those who do not reject the Stone? Who, instead, come to Him, for refuge? To them, as
Isaiah had said, He shall be for a sanctuary (Is 8:14). A sanctuary is both a place of refuge, as well as a
place of worship. Those who come to God’s Christ, believing on Him, are established upon Him - He
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becomes their sure foundation.

Together, those who believe are built up a spiritual house (1 Pet 2:5), a habitation of God through the Spirit
(Eph 2:22). Jesus is both the author and finisher of their faith (Heb 12:2) - both the foundation stone, and
the head stone. And those who believe are, together, a holy temple in the Lord (Eph 2:21) - where true
worship of God can take place - worship in Spirit and in truth (Jn 4:23).

God’s foundation stone was laid before the eternal ages. He was foreordained before the foundation of the
world (1 Pet 1:20). That Stone was laid by God in Zion (Is 28:16) - He is the Stone of Israel (Gen 49:24) -
but they rejected Him.

So Christ Himself built up His own house, His Spirit calling out to all men through the gospel, to
whomsoever would believe. Those who gladly received His message stepped out of a condemned house -
in Adam - and became part of the household of Christ - the true church.

Turn to Ephesians chapter 2. Paul was writing to the predominantly-Gentile church at Ephesus about how
Jew and Gentile have been made one in Christ Jesus.

[Ephesians 2:19-22]

v. 19 strangers and foreigners - speaking of the Gentiles, who were formerly outsiders to the people of
God, the Jews.

v. 20 the chief cornerstone speaks of the foundation stone of a building, upon which the entire structure
depends. As the ones who initially taught the doctrine of Jesus to the church, the word of God, the
apostles and prophets (NT) were foundational to the church, as their teaching perfectly lined up with the
foundation stone, Christ.

v. 21-22 this is a living, growing building. The apostle Peter refers to Jesus as a “Living Stone”, and
also calls those who have believed on Him living stones - for Christ lives in them (1 Pet 2:4-5). As each
believer is added, he becomes joined with the others by the Spirit - fitly framed together - forming a holy
temple for the Lord - a spiritual dwelling for Him - all founded - upon the Stone of Israel.

The day of Pentecost, three thousand chose to be built upon that foundation Stone; then they were built up
to five thousand men, when Peter preached after healing the lame man. One day, that building will be
finished, and Jesus will descend from heaven to receive His church unto Himself (1 Th 4:16-17). The
kingdom of God in heaven will be complete.

During this time, Israel will continue to exist, but as they have rejected the only true foundation, Christ, all
of their nation-building will come to naught. Jesus illustrated this in a parable that He told to the people.
Turn to Matthew chapter 7. As the One who had come to Israel, speaking the words of God, Jesus told the
people what would happen to those who believe and obey the truth - and those who don’t.

[Matthew 7:24-27]

v. 24-27 Foolish Israel never built their house upon the Rock, the Stone of Israel, but always upon the
sand - the shifting ground of this world, cast up by the sea of humanity. Time and again, Israel’s house has
come down when God’s judgment was visited upon them; but after the final and greatest judgment in the
end, Israel will wise up - and build their house upon the Rock, Jesus Christ.
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Great tribulation will make Israel ready to receive their Messiah. When Jesus returns, the remaining
remnant of Israel will look upon the One whom they have pierced, and mourn, repenting of their sin of
rejecting their Messiah. Then the nation will be born in a day - the house of Israel will spring up,
complete, a spiritual house - and the kingdom of God on earth will be realized, with Jesus Christ as their
foundation stone - their crucified Lord - and their head stone - their exalted Lord.

The psalm of the remnant tells this story. Turn to Psalm 118.

v. 1-4 Mercy is not receiving what it is you deserve. These sinners are deserving of death - but by God’s
mercy, through His Christ, they will be delivered from death.

v. 5 The remnant will be delivered, and set in the land that God had promised to their forefathers.

v. 6-9 Now Israel is trusting in the LORD of hosts, the LORD Almighty, as their protection.

v. 10-12 During the Tribulation, Israel will be encompassed by their enemies, but the LORD will deliver
them.

v. 13-18 It is Jesus who is the right hand of the LORD - the hand of power. The sore chastening of Israel
will result in the loss of two-thirds of the Jews; but Israel as a nation will be delivered.

v. 19-21 Can you see the picture of the lame man here, who represented unregenerate Israel? After he
was healed, he entered into the temple by the gate. Here we see the regenerate remnant of Israel, entering
into the house of the LORD, through the gate of righteousness. That gate is Christ, the only way in to the
presence of God.

v. 22-23 This is the verse which both Jesus and Peter had quoted to the rulers. Unregenerate Israel had
rejected Jesus, whom God exalted to be the head of the corner. Now the regenerate house of Israel
receives their Head Stone, and they are made complete.

v. 24 This is the day of salvation.

v. 25-26 Israel receives the One whom God sent as their Lord.

v. 27 Here is enlightened Israel, shown figuratively as priests offering the one and only sacrifice that is
acceptable to God on the brazen altar. That sacrifice is Jesus.

v. 28-29 Israel, praising and exalting Jesus - seeing Jesus the way the Father sees Him.

[Return to Acts]

The lame man had been saved in the name of Jesus. As Peter said (v. 12), there is no other name under
heaven, given among men, by which we must be saved. Other foundation can no man lay, than that which
is laid - which is Jesus Christ (1 Cor 3:11).
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Peter offered these self-appointed builders of the nation the one and only sure foundation, that would
provide them, and the nation, with deliverance from judgment - the Stone of Israel - the Rock of their
Salvation. But the rulers continued in their rejection of Jesus - and these foolish men continued to build
their house upon the sand. And great would be its fall.

Next week: Read Acts chapter 4, Psalm 2.