Page 257 - Demo

THE ACTS OF THE APOSTLES 
what we have seen and heard.” 21After threatening them further, they released them, nding no way to punish them, on account of the people who were all praising God for what had happened. 22For the man on whom this sign of healing had been done was over forty years old.
Prayer of the Community. 23After their release they went back to their own people and reported what the chief priests and elders had told them. 24And when they heard it, they raised their voices to God with one accord and said, “Sovereign Lord, maker of heaven and earth and the sea and all that is in them, 25you said by the holy Spirit through the mouth of our father David, your servant:
‘Why did the Gentiles rageg
and the peoples entertain folly?
26The kings of the earth took their stand
and the princes gathered together against the Lord and against his anointed.’
27Indeed they gathered in this city against your holy
servant Jesus whom you anointed, Herod* and Pontius Pilate, together with the Gentiles and the peoples of Israel,h 28to do what your hand and [your] will had long ago planned to take place. 29And now, Lord, take note of their threats, and enable your servants to speak your word with all boldness, 30as you stretch forth [your] hand to heal, and signs and wonders are done through the name of your holy servant Jesus.” 31* As they prayed, the place where they were gathered shook, and they were all lled with the holy Spirit and continued to speak the word of God with boldness.i
Life in the Christian Community.* 32The community of believers was of one heart and mind, and no one claimed that any of his possessions was his own, but they had everything in common. 33With great power the apostles bore witness to the resurrection of the Lord Jesus, and great favor was accorded them all. 34j There was no needy person among them, for those who owned property or houses would sell them, bring the proceeds of the sale, 35and put them at the feet of the apostles, and they were distributed to each according to need.
36k Thus Joseph, also named by the apostles Barnabas (which is translated “son of encouragement”), a Levite, a Cypriot by birth, 37sold a piece of property that he owned, then brought the money and put it at the feet of the apostles.
“It is impossible for us not to speak about what we have seen and heard.”
No type of threat was able to prevent the apostles from spreading the powerful message
of God’s love in Jesus.
The painting by Hans Süss von Kulmbach (1480-1522), depicts Peter’s testimony
to this message.
4:32
The early Christian community is a living embodiment of Jesus’ words: “Sell your belongings and give alms” (Luke 12:33). They entrust their goods to the apostles, who distribute to each member according to his or her need.
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*[4:27]Herod:HerodAntipas,rulerofGalileeandPereafrom4B.C.toA.D.39,whoexecuted John the Baptist and before whom Jesus was arraigned; cf. Lk 23:6–12.
* [4:31] The place. . .shook: the earthquake is used as a sign of the divine presence in Ex 19:18; Is 6:4. Here the shaking of the building symbolizes God’s favorable response to the prayer. Luke may have had as an additional reason for using the symbol in this sense the fact that it was familiar in the Hellenistic world. Ovid and Virgil also employ it.
* [4:32–37] This is the second summary characterizing the Jerusalem community (see note on Acts 2:42–47). It emphasizes the system of the distribution of goods and introduces Barnabas, who appears later in Acts as the friend and companion of Paul, and who, as noted here (Acts 4:37), endeared himself to the community by a donation of money through the sale of property. This sharing of material possessions continues a practice that Luke describes during the historical ministry of Jesus (Lk 8:3) and is in accord with the sayings of Jesus in Luke’s gospel (Lk 12:33; 16:9, 11, 13).
g. [4:25–26] Ps 2:1–2. h. [4:27] Lk 23:12–13. i. [4:31] 2:4.
j. [4:34–35] 2:44–45.
k. [4:36–37] 9:27; 11:22, 30; 12:25; 13:15; 1 Cor 9:6;
Gal 2:1, 9, 13; Col 4:10.