The Acts of the Apostles chapter 4

The Acts  of  the Apostles

 Chapter 4

1. While Peter and John were speaking to the people, the priests, the captain of the temple, and the Sadducees  came to them, 2. much annoyed because they were teaching the people and proclaiming that in Jesus there is the resurrection of the dead. 3. So they arrested them and put them in custody until the next day, for it was already evening.

(Acts of the Apostles chapter 4 verses 1 to 3)



Oh Jesus how gracious are your works and how beautiful are those who proclaim Your Word. However the evil one cannot resist the temptation of persecuting those who live according to Your ways and help others to do the same. I invite you to click on the following link in order to view a typical situation as on Acts chapter 4 where a street preacher is apprehended by the police in order to stop him from preaching the word of God.



4. But many of those who heard the word believed; and they numbered about five thousand.

(Acts of the Apostles chapter 4 verse 4)


When such a thing happens, when our brothers and sisters are persecuted, when the Church appears to be crippled by persecution it highly depends on us believers to remain united in a spirit of belief and unity. During our weakest moments we are to be united and strong. This is the case of our times. Christians are being persecuted up to the point of death, cases of abuse by priests are on the increase, priests who resign are also on the increase, however we are not to be discouraged, because when we appear to be weak we are st our strongest moments and what is more You oh God will never desert us. Amen.



5.  The next day their rulers, elders, and scribes assembled in Jerusalem, 6. with Annas the high priest, Caiaphas, John,  and Alexander, and all who were of the high priestly family.

(Acts of the Apostles chapter 4 verses 5 to 6)


When the evil one hits back he does so in full force thus bringing together all the resources he can muster in order to test us. However even in such situation we are not alone and what is more God will not permit the evil one to subject us to a greater temptation than we can endure.



7. When they had made the prisoners stand in their midst, they inquired, "By what power or by what name did you do this?"

(Acts of the Apostles chapter 4 verse 7)



When confronting us Satan does the same thing. He harasses us from all sides and attempts to shake the very foundations of our faith by prompting us to answer delicate questions in relation to our love for You my God, my trust and even my love for You.



8. Then Peter filled with the Holy Spirit, said to them, "Rulers of the people and elders,

(Acts of the Apostles chapter 4 verse 8)



The Holy Spirit of God gives us a very important lesson in how to behave when we are falsely accused or placed under unnecessary pressure. We are to remain calm and show the opposition love care and respect.



9. If we are questioned today because of a good deed done to someone who was sick and are asked how this man has been healed, 10. let it be known to all of you, and to all the people of Israel that this man is standing before you in good health by the name of Jesus Christ of Nazzareth, whom you crucified, whom God raised from the dead. 11. This Jesus is' the stone that was rejected by you the builders; it has become the cornerstone.' 12. There is salvation in no one else, for there is no other name under heaven given among mortals by which we must be saved."

(Acts of the Apostles chapter 4 verses 9 to 12)


Oh Jesus if we were to be questioned on what criteria do we believe in You I would wonder what our responses will be. Would we find enough reasons in order for us to be found guilty of proclaiming Your name, giving testimony of Your presence in our lives, giving praise to You for those peak moments in our lives when we directly or indirectly experienced Your loving and divine presence. We might not have so many reasons, however the Holy Spirit is sure to remind us of these incredible moments and prompt us to give testimony at the right moment in time.



13. Now when they saw the boldness of Peter and John and realized that they were uneducated and ordinary men, they were amazed and recognized them as companions of Jesus.

(Acts of the Apostles chapter 4 verse 13)



Oh Jesus You have the ability to use all of us as Your mouth piece in order to proclaim Your Good News. We do not need to have Degrees or Masters to proclaim You for You chose simple fishermen. In order to pass on a very important message to me, You used my colleagues at work to pass on a very important message. At the given time they were surely not aware that God was using them to pass on this message to me, however I was familiar with the issue and realised that You were talking to me by means of these people. I take the opportunity of thanking You for such moments and pray that with You help I  can surely change my ways and become a better person.



14. When they saw the man who had been cured standing beside them, they had nothing to say in opposition. 15. So they ordered them to leave the council while they discussed the matter with one another.

(Acts of the Apostles chapter 4 verses 14 to 15)


As those who work in criminology hold the evidence speaks for itself. The man who had been cured was standing in good health and there was no other source present that could explain how he had been healed. Moreover the man had been commonly known as being crippled therefore this eliminated the chances of mass deception.



As Roman Catholics You have done great wonders in our lives, however have we lived up to our part of the commitment. If I had to shine a beam of light in my life would I find enough evidence that proves Your presence in my life or would I start using terms such as coincidence or mystery or my abilities to justify the peak moments of my life.



16. They said, "What will we do with them? For it is obvious to all who live in Jerusalem that a notable sign has been done through them: we cannot deny it. 17 But to keep it from spreading further among the people, let us warn them to speak no more to anyone in this name."

(Acts of the Apostles chapter 4 verses 16 to 17)



Those who do not believe in You oh Jesus Son of God are faced with a real problem both personally and even if they unite in groups to obtain more power and prestige. Try as they might to find answers for all the dilemmas of their life without God, try as they might to reject the presence of God by denying You they will again and again be faced by the reality of the truth that there is more to affirm the truth of Your existence than that of denying it. Such people who have referred to inductive reasoning, philosophy or other sciences have either opened their doors to the devil or even become so troubled with the issue that they have lost their mind in the process because the truth is one and reality is one that You are the "Sole Creator" and we cannot absolutely live as "whole" human beings without You.



18. So they called them and ordered them not to speak or teach at all in the name of Jesus. 19. But Peter and John answered them, "Whether it is right in God's sight to listen to you rather than to God, you must judge; 20. for we cannot keep from speaking about what we have seen and heard."

(Acts of the Apostles chapter 4 verses 18 to 20)



Peter and John raise a very important issue, whether it is proper to obey the ways of the world over the ways of God. I totally agree to follow Your will even if this brings me in conflict with the ways of the world. Oh Jesus You will always be my reference point and Your Bible will always be my manual.



21. After threatening them again, they let them go, finding no way to punish them because of the people, for all of them praised God for what had happened.

(Acts of the Apostles chapter 4 verse 21)


Oh Jesus human nature is so unpredictable! There is no way in totally predicting human behaviour. When You were present before Your people they chose Barabbas, and now in the presence of Your servants Peter and John they were in favour of them. Indeed the servant was treated better than the master and for this my heart feels pain and anguish. During feasts in Malta the statue of Your Mother is venerated, however minutes after her name is used in cursing and blasphemy.



Going back to verse 21, the ways of judgement of the world did not stand a chance against the power of the Holy Spirit. There was no denying the proof because it stood before them and moreover the leaders feared the crowd and the consequences of contradicting them. I believe that this is the experience of many leaders. In order not to go against the people, the notion of divorce was proposed in parliament and many other laws are also the consequences of not going against groups that are becoming very strong such as gays and homosexuals which may be future investment in order to gain their votes in the future elections!



22. For the man on whom this sign of healing had been performed was more than forty years old.

(Acts of the Apostles chapter 4 verse 22)



Praise be to the Lord my God for You have granted the gift of healing to my age bracket for I am 43 years old. I thank You for referring to this particular detail not that I had any doubt that You could ever exclude any age group from receiving Your loving, healing and tender love Amen. All who are in their four ties give praise and worship to God.



23. After  they were released,  they went to their friends and reported what the chief priests and the elders had said to them. 24. When they had heard it, they raised their voices together to God and said, "Sovereign Lord, who made the heaven and the earth, the sea, and everything in them, 25. it is you who said by the Holy Spirit through our ancestor David, your servant: 'Why did the Gentiles rage,  and the peoples imagine vain things? 26. The kings of the earth took their stand, and the rulers have gathered together against the Lord and against his Messiah.'

(Acts of the Apostles chapter 4 verses 23 to 26)



The gospel proclaimed during this times is as true as ever. During our times 2015 rules are being drafted, others emended to cater for the needs of others who in order to satisfy their personal agendas are planning to bring chaos to the social order as created by You oh God and father. Certain leaders are being influential in giving homosexuals the right for artificial insemination so that they can also give birth as in the case of couples living according to the model established by You since the beginning of time and creation. I pray oh God that You put an end to such laws and block them from all levels both social and even spiritual. May the evil spirit that is inserting these false and evil ideas be evicted out of Malta forever and ever. I pray that you anoint us with the blood of Your passion and give us a new baptism so that as a nation we will be empowered as Roman Catholics to face such negative trends. I pray that all the people in the world unite in a non violent spirit against such obscenities in a spirit of fasting and prayer until this negative and oppressive wave has been brought to an end. Amen.



27. For in this city, in fact, both Herod and Pontius Pilate, with the Gentiles and the peoples of Israel,  gathered together against your holy servant Jesus, whom you anointed, 28. to do whatever your hand and your plan had predestined to take place.

(Acts of the Apostles chapter 4 verses 27 to 28)



On reflecting my Jesus even though the mentioned characters seemed to have put into action their evil schemes in the background You were in control of the whole scenario. Pontius Pilate, Herod and the gentiles were like actors on the stage. They all had their parts to play, however You had the most important scene of all that of the resurrection that brought the whole drama to an end. This is case even in the scenario of our problems. There are many actors involved however You oh Father have written the script and is able to change the scenarios into our favour for our own good if this is the case, if not something good will happen on our behalf to improve our situation. On the other hand You may choose not to change the situation but instead make radical changes in us by means of the same situation. So when a situation appears to be too challenging do not despair god is some how in control of the situation and good will come out of it.



29. And now, LORD, look at their threats, and grant to your servants to speak your word with all boldness, 30. while you stretch out your hand to heal, and signs and wonders are performed through the name of your holy servant Jesus."

(Acts of the Apostles chapter 4 verses 29 to 30)


In the face of threats Peter and the apostles sought their comfort in praying to You oh Jesus and did not grumble in protest at being threat not to preach Your Word as before. Instead of being discouraged the apostles were more empowered  and kept on proclaiming your mighty wonders that they were performing in Your name. Although during our moments of weakness we appear to be weak and defenceless we are not to be  discouraged for You our God are on our side and will not let our good works come to an end.



31. When they had prayed in which they were gathered together was shaken; and they were all filled with the Holy Spirit and spoke the word of God with boldness.

(Acts of the apostles chapter 4 verse 31)


Oh Jesus when we pray in good faith our prayers are always answered. The shaking of the ground was Your response that You not only heard the prayer but You also sent the power of the Your Holy Spirit to empower the Apostles and give them the needed resources. When on the cross You also replied to Jesus and the ground was also shaken, the curtain of the temple was ripped apart, and the souls of the prophets rose again. This was also a manifestation of Your power and love.



32. Now the whole group of those who believed were of one heart and soul, and no one claimed private ownership of any possessions, but everything they owned was held in common.

(Acts of the Apostles chapter 4 verse 32)


In theory this was the first form of community life, in which the individual was valued as much as the community which had one common goal that is You my God. All believed in You and Your love and in a spirit of love care and generosity used their resources f that You provided them or the good of the community and no one was lacking or in need.



33. With great power the apostles gave their testimony to the resurrection of the Lord Jesus, and great grace was upon them all.

(Acts of the Apostles chapter 4 verse 33)


Oh Jesus we are to be strong in the proclamation of Your Word. We are to be open to the power of Your Spirit and never say no to it. When we are urged to speak in Your name we are not to be shy or feel that this is not the time, but speak out boldly because it may be Your Spirit that is trying to use us as His mouthpiece.



34. There was not a needy person among them, for as many as owned lands or houses sold them and brought the proceeds of what was sold. 

(Acts of the Apostles chapter 4 verse 34)



Oh Jesus among the apostles there was indeed present Your Holy Spirit for it is not easy or natural to give our resources in such abundance for the good of others. The sinful person in us urges us to have more and more in order to satisfy our wants and needs above those of others. On the other hand it is Your presence which gives us the power to go against our sinful selves in order to be generous with others and share our resources. Yesterday oh Jesus You placed before me two crucial tests where You required me to give of my self, time and other resources.



The first test took place when I was on the way to the local recycling plant in order to deliver things that we were no longer in need of. On the way I saw this middle aged woman who was walking in the middle of the bypass at her own risk of the oncoming traffic and trying to stop anyone to give her a  ride to her home. I observed that many drivers where doing their best to dodge her by swerving on her left and right side at the risk of injuring her or even cause a traffic accident. Oh God You gave me the good sense and compassion to pull over and ask this lady if there was anything that she needed.



She told me that she needed a ride to a nearby village. From her appearance I realised that she was a resident of a mental institution that I had done my work phase in during the time of my course and took her there two corners away as she requested. The smell she had reflected that she was not cared for. She asked me for money but as usual I have a habit of not taking money with me. She said that she only had a plastic bag with a packet of fig bonbon biscuits which she showed me. I offered her a pair of sun glasses which had been left in my car and nobody claimed its ownership and she accepted it with pleasure for it was a very sunny day. On having arriving at our destination she thanked me and clumsily crossed the road at the risk of being hit by a matter of seconds by another driver who was heading in her direction. I was concerned about her but this was the limit of my parameters and I thanked God for having helped me to venture on such a trip and even prayed for the well-being of the lady.



The second test came in the evening when I was on line sharing my post on Matthew Chapter 14. One of my hangouts shared with me that he needed 750 Euros to send to the doctor to pay for the therapy of his daughter who was injured in a traffic accident and was in a critical condition in hospital. For some reason I doubted this person. On the one hand I hardly knew him as I shared with him, on the other hand I told him that in such cases the army could give him leave of absence and he could go home to his daughter, and ultimately if the army would not meet his plea the well being of his daughter was of a higher priority than his job. I even discussed the issue with my wife which was a miracle because the state of our relationship could be better at the current time. She told me that this person is trying to swindle us 750 Euro and that I was to end contact with this person which in the end I did for he kept accusing me of the death of his daughter if I did not help him and that I was not a Christian. I told him that I am Christian who is in a state of works in progress and I deleted him from my hangouts.



Oh Jesus I am not sure If I passed this test, however I had a gut feeling that there was something negative at work in this situation and in a spirit of prayer I made the mentioned decision. I pray that You illuminate me if my decision was according to Your will or not. Amen.



35. They laid it at the apostles' feet, and it was distributed to each as any had need. 36. There was a Levite, a native of Cyprus, Joseph, to whom the apostles gave the name Barnabas (which means "son of encouragement"). 37. He sold a field that belonged to him, then brought the money, and laid it at the apostles feet.

(Acts of the Apostles chapter 4 verses 35 to 37)


As in the case of the Apostles this way of life proved to be so successful that in the course of time it was adopted by Holy Orders such as the Order of St.Augustine of Hippo among others as being their way of life. In practise this can also be applied in the family environment where all available resources are distributed among all who come in need according to priority. Moreover all the members of the family or group can make use of the resources and contribute to them but none of the members can claim possession over the available resources.


Oh Jesus I would like to end this chapter with the following prayer::


Oh Lord my God my Father during these times of change and persecution especially in the Church and in other parts of the world there is either a lack of resources or maybe an imbalance of the available resources. I pray that You keep on blessing us with Your providence so that t he great gap between the haves and the have not will someday be balanced. I pray for those of us suffering poverty, hunger and any other forms of injustice. You are able to strike the much needed balance, that is why I am referring to You my father. In Your name I offer this prayer of intercession on behalf all who are in need both spiritually and even materially so that Your blessing mercy and providence will never be on the decrease Amen.