Acts 4:14

"Now when they saw the boldness of Peter and John, and had perceived that they were unlearned and ignorant men, they marveled. They recognized that they had been with Jesus."

Key Reflection

In Acts 4:14, the religious leaders are astounded by Peter and John's boldness in speaking about Jesus, despite their lack of formal education. This scene highlights a significant cultural contrast, as uneducated men boldly proclaim the gospel, challenging the authority of the learned and established religious leaders who expected only the well-educated to speak on such matters. Their recognition that these men had been with Jesus underscores both the miraculous nature of Peter and John’s faith and their own struggle to accept the validity of this new revelation.

From the Scholars: Barnes' Notes

Verse 14. They could say nothing, etc. The presence of the man that was healed was an unanswerable fact in proof of the truth of what the apostles alleged. The miracle was so public, clear, and decisive; the man that was healed was so well known, that there was no evasion or subterfuge by which they could escape the conclusion to which the apostles were conducting them. It evinced no little gratitude in the man that was healed that he was present on this occasion, and showed that he was deeply interested in what befell his benefactors. The miracles of Jesus and his apostles were such that they could not be denied; and hence the Jews did not attempt to deny that they wrought them. Comp.

Related Verses

More from Acts 4

1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 30 31 32 33 34 35 36 37 38

Go deeper with Bible.talk - your AI Bible study companion