"And as they spake unto the people, the priests, and the captain of the temple, and the Sadducees, came upon them, Being grieved that they taught the people, and preached through Jesus the resurrection from the dead."
Acts 4:1-2
“And as they spake unto the people, the priests, and the captain of the temple, and the Sadducees, came upon them.”
Peter and John had gone into the Temple to worship. On the way in, they met the lame man whom the Lord healed through them. As this unusual event unfolded, a crowd formed, and Peter took the opportunity to preach Jesus to them. The people listened well, but then some opposition immediately arose. These men came to arrest Peter and John.
The priests:
These were the men whose job it was to lead the worship in the Temple. They were upset with Peter and John, perhaps because of the multitudes there listening to them.
The captain of the Temple:
The Levites were the ones who made up the Temple “police force.” There were twenty-four groups of men who served one week at a time. It was their job to make sure the unclean did not get into the Temple. Their leader was the “captain of the Temple.”
The Sadducees:
These men were famous for their disbelief of anything supernatural. They highly resented any talk of resurrection. They were incensed at Peter’s preaching.
These men all converged on Peter and John at the same time. Peter’s words were straight as an arrow and must have hit these men in their hearts.
“But ye denied the Holy One and the Just, and desired a murderer to be granted unto you; And killed the Prince of life, whom God hath raised from the dead; whereof we are witnesses” (Acts 3:14-15).
“Being grieved that they taught the people.”
They were troubled, thoroughly put out that these men were teaching the people. After all, they were “unlearned and ignorant men” (Acts 4:13). Peter and John didn’t have the stamp of approval from the Sadducees. They didn’t go to the right school! But more importantly, “they took knowledge of them, that they had been with Jesus” (v. 13).
“And preached through Jesus the resurrection from the dead.”
What a wonderfully triumphant message, Peter preached. And, this is the real problem. Their preaching that the dead will be raised again “in” Jesus. These men dared to teach that Jesus Christ was raised from the dead to the very men who were responsible for having Him crucified.
“For the Sadducees say that there is no resurrection, neither angel nor spirit: but the Pharisees confess both” (Acts 23:8).
Here’s a good lesson for us who are witnessing to the lost. Just because a lost man says that he doesn’t believe what the Scripture says is no reason to stop giving him the Scriptures. It is the Word of God that is quick and powerful, and it is the tool that the Holy Spirit uses to convict and convince men. When a man says that he doesn’t believe in God, preach to him the God of the Bible. If he says, he doesn’t believe in the resurrection, teach him the truth of the resurrection as recorded in the Scriptures. Should he say, he doesn’t believe in the blood of Christ, speak to him of Christ’s death burial and resurrection, for there’s power in the blood! And Christ’s “precious blood” can save him.
Believers, share with the lost what they need to hear, not what they want to hear.