A Disciple's JourneyNäide

That “Annoying” Apostle!

In Acts 4, we see what used to be one of Peter’s worst fears coming true. After preaching and seeing about 5,000 people come to believe in Jesus, Peter is arrested by the religious leaders. They were “greatly annoyed” by his preaching and his act of healing (Acts 4:2). Peter was brought before the entire high priestly family and asked this question, “By what power or by what name did you do this?” (Acts 4:7).

Well, they couldn’t have teed up Peter any better than that. He had a ready answer. As he started to speak, Scripture tells us how Peter knew what to say. The text says, “Then Peter, filled with the Holy Spirit, said to them…” (Acts 4:8). Filled with the Holy Spirit! Then, with no hesitation or equivocation, Peter boldly and clearly testifies to exactly who Jesus of Nazareth is and what He had accomplished. He told the Jewish authorities who were listening that they each needed to repent and believe in Him. It wasn’t Peter who was on trial. It was Annas, Caiaphas, and the ruling council who were on trial. Would they humble themselves and recognize God’s undeniable power? Or would they continue in their sinful rejection of Christ? That is the difference the Holy Spirit makes; that is the divine power at work through Peter, calling the authorities to repentance.

The chief priests wouldn’t accept Jesus. But they couldn’t deny the power of God working in Peter. They were stumped. Here is how Acts describes it: “Now when they saw the boldness of Peter and John, and perceived that they were uneducated, common men, they were astonished. And they recognized that they had been with Jesus. But seeing the man who was healed standing beside them, they had nothing to say in opposition” (Acts 4:13–14). The chief priests gave a half-hearted warning to Peter not to preach about Christ anymore. But they had to have known what the response would be. Peter’s response to them was essentially, we’re not going to stop because we can’t help it. The passage says, “Peter and John answered them, ‘Whether it is right in the sight of God to listen to you rather than to God, you must judge, for we cannot but speak of what we have seen and heard’” (Acts 4:19–20). Peter even rejoices that he is counted worthy to suffer for such a noble cause, for Christ’s name. If anything, his ministry accelerates and spreads farther the more opposition he meets.

Peter had discovered new strength, the power of the Holy Spirit. And he could not stop climbing; he could not stop making his way toward the summit. He was a man possessed, a man on a mission, with the Holy Spirit driving him to fulfill God’s call on his life.