The Jewish Annotated New Testament (237 page)

7
:
Power
…
name
, a query about the sources—perhaps demonic, in their view—of the deeds of the apostles.

8
–12: Peter’s defense.
Peter’s speech summarizes several Lukan themes.

8
:
Holy Spirit
, see 1.2–3n.

10
:
Name of Jesus Christ
, see 3.6. The contrast between the Jews who crucified Jesus and God who raised him, see 2.24.

11
: Ps 118.22; early Christian tradition applies the image to Jesus (Lk 20.17; Mt 21.42; 1 Pet 2.7). The psalm is the last one recited at Passover (Ps 113–118, the “Egyptian Hallel”); v. 19 was recited in acclamation for those coming to Jerusalem, and is shouted by the crowd when Jesus enters riding on a colt, Lk 19.38.

12
:
Salvation
…
saved
, Jesus is the sole agent of salvation; see 2.40n. (cf. 3.23).

13
–22: Deliberations of the council.

13
:
Boldness
, the apostles often speak fearlessly to authorities (2.29; 4.29,31; 9.27,28; 13.46; 14.3; 18.26; 19.8; 26.26; 28.31), a useful quality for rhetoricians.

15
:
Council
, Sanhedrin, the supreme judicial body in Jerusalem.

19
:
Listen to you rather than to God
, a similar idea is attributed to the Pharisee Gamaliel (5.29).
Listen
, with the added understanding of obey, as in the “Shema” (“Hear, O Israel”) prayer. Jewish and Greek philosophical traditions often rank obedience to God as more important than obedience to human authority (Plato,
Apol
. 29d; 2 Macc 7.2; 4 Macc 5.16–21;
Ant
. 17.158–59; 18.268).

21
:
Because of the people
, the apostles receive widespread support (2.41,47).

23
–31: Reaction of the community.

24
: God is frequently invoked as creator of all (Isa 37.16; Ps 146.6; Neh 9.6).

25
–26
: Ps 2.1–2.

27
: The quotation leads Luke to implicate Pilate in Jesus’ death; elsewhere responsibility falls to Jews (see 2.23).

27
–28
: Luke sees no contradiction to understanding Jesus’ death as having taken place according to divine plan and human action; see 2.23.

29
:
Boldness
, see vv. 13,31.

30
:
Signs and wonders
…
through the name
, see 3.6.

31
:
Filled with the Holy Spirit
, 2.2; 4.8; 9.17; 13.9,52.

4.32
–5.11: Communal possessions.

32
–37
: Luke paints a harmonious image of the church: unity of believers, sharing of wealth, absence of material deprivation. See 2.42–44.

32
:
Heart and soul
, often paired to represent the completeness of one’s obedience to God (Deut 6.5; 10.12; 11.13; 26.16).
Held in common
, see 2.44.

33
:
Testimony to the resurrection
, what the apostles were appointed to do (see 1.8n.).

36
:
Levite
, member of the priestly tribe.
Barnabas
, he worked closely together with Paul (9.27; 11.22–30; 12.25; 13.1–15.8; 1 Cor 9.6; Gal 2.1,9), although the two later separated (15.36–41; Gal 2.13). Here he stands as the proper model of behavior in contrast to Ananias and Sapphira who follow.

5.1
–11: Ananias and Sapphira.
A narrative concerning withholding what is devoted to God’s purpose, resulting in the death of the offender, is in Josh 7.

3
–4
: Once
Ananias
sold the property, it was expected that he would donate the entire sum (4.34).
Satan
, the leader of demonic forces who tempted Jesus (Lk 4.1–12) and led Judas to betray Jesus (Lk 22.3,31). While Ananias may have been influenced by Satan, he remains responsible.
Holy Spirit
, because Ananias’s transgression is against the Holy Spirit, he merits immediate and severe punishment (v. 5; cf. Lk 12.10).

6
.
Buried him
, speedy burial, including the use of a shroud, is expected. See Tob 2.8; Josephus,
Ag. Ap
. 2.221;
b. Sanh
. 47a.

11
:
Fear
, awe, a positive response or attitude toward God (2.43; 9.31; 10.2,35; 13.16,26; 19.17).
Church
, the term frequently designates a specific community (8.1; 11.22,26; 13.1; 14.23,27; 15.3,4; 16.5; 18.22; 20.17) or more generally all those who believe in Jesus (9.31; 20.28).

5.12
–16: Miraculous deeds.
Miraculous healing often results in attracting believers (9.35; 19.11–20).

12
:
Solomon’s Portico
, see 3.11n.

15
: Similar miracles are also ascribed to Paul (19.12).

5.17
–42: Apostles appear before the council.
The miraculous deeds and the enthusiastic response prompt opposition by Jewish authorities (3.1–4.22).

17
:
High priest
…
Sadducees
, see 4.1n.
Jealousy
, 13.45; 17.5.

18
:
Public prison
, the local or municipal prison.

19
: Miraculous escape from prison occurs elsewhere, 12.6–11; 16.25–26.

21,25
:
Temple
, the frequent location of teaching, see 4.1; 5.20,42.

26
:
Stoned
, the opening chapters portray significant popular support for apostles (2.41,47; 4.4,21; 5.13–14).

28
–29
: See 4.17–20.
Bring this man’s blood on us
, blame us for this man’s death (cf. notorious “blood cry” of Mt 27.25).

30
:
God of our ancestors
, one basis for the claim that the community of Jesus followers fulfills and continues the promises God made to the patriarchs.
God
…
raised up Jesus, whom you had killed
, see 2.24; 3.15.
Hanging him on a tree
, Deut 21.22–23; cf. Gal 3.13; 1QpNahum.

31
–32
: Obedience to God requires acknowledging God’s exaltation of Jesus; that acknowledgment shows repentance that brings about forgiveness.

33
–39: Speech of Gamaliel
.

34
:
Pharisee
, Acts depicts Pharisees as believers in divine providence (5.39), resurrection (23.7–8), and strict adherence to Torah (15.5), prominent qualities Josephus confirms (
J.W
. 1.110–14; 2.162–66;
Ant
. 13.171–173; 18.12–15).
Gamaliel
, according to rabbinic tradition, a learned and highly esteemed leader of the rabbinic community before the destruction of the Temple (
m. Sot
. 9.15).

36
–37
:
Theudas
, eschatological prophet who in the mid-40s CE gathered a group of followers near the Jordan and was executed under orders of the Roman procurator (
Ant
. 20.97–98).
Judas the Galilean
, in 6 CE, before
Theudas
, Judas led a revolt against the Roman census in Judea (Josephus,
J.W
. 2.117–19,433;
Ant
. 18.2–10,23–25). See “Messianic Movements,” p.
530
.

38
–39
: Gamaliel’s teaching echoes Peter’s earlier statement (v. 29). See similar opinion of R. Yoḥanan the Sandal-maker,
m. Avot
4.11. By placing the instruction in the mouth of a respected Jewish leader, Acts portrays subsequent Jewish opposition to Christianity as an act against God and contrary to Judaism.

41
:
Suffer dishonor
, suffering on behalf of Jesus is understood as honorable rather than shameful (9.16; Phil 1.29; 2 Tim 1.8).

42
: Teaching in the
temple
, v. 25.

6.1
–7: Hellenists and Hebrews.
Problems threatening to divide the community are amicably resolved.

1
:
Hellenists
…
Hebrews
, the text implies the division is based largely on language, between those speaking Aramaic and those speaking Greek.
Widows
, neglect of widows, seen as representing the poor or marginal in general, is contrary to communal assistance (4.32–37), and receives particular condemnation (Deut 24.17–21; Isa 10.1–3; Zech 7.10).

2
:
Wait
, not table service per se, but providing service to the community, especially its poor (which may be financial help, as in translators’ note
d
, previous page); see 11.29; 12.25. This is not a reference to the Lord’s Supper or Eucharist.

3
–4
: The division of labor does not hold: none of the seven serves food, and both Stephen and Philip pray and preach.

5
:
Pleased the whole community
, the community once divided is now united. Only Stephen (6.8–8.1) and Philip (8.5–40; 21.8) appear again.