A Study of Acts: Signs and Wonders
Acts 5:12-16; Matthew 9:20-22 - God blesses a pure church with incredible spiritual power. The forces of darkness flee!
“At the hands of the apostles many signs and wonders were taking place among the people; and they were all with one accord in Solomon’s portico. But none of the rest dared to associate with them; however, the people held them in high esteem. And all the more believers in the Lord, multitudes of men and women, were constantly added to their number, to such an extent that they even carried the sick out into the streets and laid them on cots and pallets, so that when Peter came by at least his shadow might fall on any one of them. Also the people from the cities in the vicinity of Jerusalem were coming together, bringing people who were sick or afflicted with unclean spirits, and they were all being healed.”
Acts 5:12-16 NASB1995
This passage immediately follows the story of Ananias and Sapphira. The church was purified and the apostles were demonstrating many signs and wonders and they were in one accord. But the casual observer holds them in high esteem, yet does not dare associate with them because of the purity that is in place. This commentary from Vance Havner on Precept Austin is hard-hitting about this holy “repulsion”:
People didn't join this church carelessly. They were afraid to. There was a holy awe that kept Tom, Dick, and Harry at a distance. People didn't rush into this fellowship just because it was the nice thing to do. It meant something to unite with this crowd. There was a holy repulsion, and I know of nothing that the church needs more today. It is the last thing we think we need. We are always trying to attract. Our programs, prizes, picnics, and pulpit pyrotechnics are aimed at drawing the people in. Here was a church that made people stand back! We have catered to the world, we have let the world slap the church on the back in coarse familiarity. Here was a church that prospered by repelling! You will observe that all this followed on the heels of the death of Ananias and Sapphira.
If the church took a stand today on sins within; if we thundered out, as Peter did here, against lying to the Holy Ghost, it would make the world stand at a respectful distance, and the fear of God would fall on a generation that laughs at the church. What was the sin of Ananias and Sapphira? They pretended to make a full consecration which was not real. And are not our churches filled with men and women who sing, "I surrender all," when they have not surrendered anything? The church is cluttered with people who should never have joined. She already has too many of the kind she has. We need a holy repulsion.
You don't have to be different to be a church-member now. There is little about the average church to make men stand back in reverence. In other days we at least had church discipline. I can recall the old Saturday church meetings, when Ananias and Sapphira were dealt with. Some mistakes were made but there was a healthy regard for the sanctity of the church. When the church takes a stand, it repels careless "joiners."
...When judgment fell on Ananias and Sapphira the world sat up and took notice. Today we coddle and excuse our sins, call weakness what God calls wickedness. We shelter sin in the Church, and when a preacher would cry out against it he is advised, "Don't be too hard, nobody is perfect," and is given a dressing-down from the text, "Judge not that ye be not judged." We have let down the bars until anybody can get into a church and nobody ever gets out. If we raised the New Testament standard it would stop the rush of superficial disciples and win respect where now there is ridicule.
Well, that’s a kick in the head! I think he is right, in so many ways. People confuse entertainment and a Slate of social justice statements for being part of a body of believers. It is also right for judgment to be within the church and for leaders to stand firm like Peter did. We are called to bring many to God, but so many churches will not even take a stand on the righteousness of God and the sanctity of the faith. It’s hard to find one that affirms the infallibility of Biblical scripture!
I remember when we were still attending an ELCA church (this was near the end of our time there), we had a guest pastor who was one of the synod Bishops. She stood there with a Bible in her hand and said that it was just a nice collection of stories written by simple people, although she did acknowledge the Gospels as being inspired (somewhat). No wonder that denomination (and many like it) are bleeding members like crazy. But the opposite effect can happen, too. So many can be caught up in the activities, the life groups, and the social networking that they also lose sight of the power of holy awe and fear.
In spite of this “holy repulsion”, the early church continues to grow because it attracts those who need God. The sick are carried out on pallets and laid so that perhaps the shadow of Peter will fall across them. Now, does this mean that Peter’s shadow could heal? Well, there’s no evidence one way or another in this passage that healing took place after Peter passed by, but God can heal in remarkable ways. Recall this miracle from Matthew, when Jesus is heading to the house of Jairus (his daughter has just died):
“And a woman who had been suffering from a hemorrhage for twelve years, came up behind Him and touched the fringe of His cloak; for she was saying to herself, “If I only touch His garment, I will get well.” But Jesus turning and seeing her said, “Daughter, take courage; your faith has made you well.” At once the woman was made well.”
Matthew 9:20-22 NASB1995
This passage in Acts 5 goes on to say that people from the vicinity of Jerusalem who were afflicted with unclean spirits were all healed! Not a few were healed, but all were healed! Here’s some interesting commentary from Enduring Word:
They brought the sick out into the streets: People were so convinced of the reality and power of what the Christians believed, they thought they could be healed by the mere touch of Peter’s shadow.
That at least the shadow of Peter passing by might fall on some of them: Our text does not specifically say people were healed by Peter’s shadow; it merely tells us people thought it would, and they took action based on this belief. We don’t know for certain if people were actually healed when the shadow of Peter passed over them.
That at least the shadow of Peter passing by might fall on some of them: Assuming people were healed, apparently, even the shadow of Peter became a point of contact where people released faith in Jesus as healer. It seems that people well understood what Peter said in Acts 3:12-16: That Jesus heals, even if He does His healing work through His apostles.
It may sound crazy that one could be healed by the touch of a shadow, but we know a touch of Jesus’ clothing healed a woman (Luke 8:44). There wasn’t anything magical in the garment, but it was a way that her faith was released. In the same, there was no power in Peter’s shadow itself, but there was power when a person believed in Jesus to heal them, and the passing of Peter’s shadow may have helped some to believe.
“It may be significant that the verb episkiazo, which Luke chooses, meaning ‘to overshadow’, he has used twice in his Gospel of the overshadowing of God’s presence.” (John Stott)
“The idea that shadows had magical powers, both beneficent and malevolent, was current in the ancient world and explains the motivation of the people.” (I. Howard Marshall)
However, we can trust that Luke is not merely recording legends. “From what we know of physicians, even in those days, we cannot assume that Luke would gullibly accept stories of ‘miraculous healing’ without investigating them.” (William LaSor)
They were all healed: However God chose to bring the healing, there is no doubt that a remarkable work of healing was present. We shouldn’t miss the connection between the purity preserved in the first part of the chapter (with the death of Ananias and the fear of God among the Christians) and the power displayed here. God blessed a pure church with spiritual power.
A multitude gathered from the surrounding cities to Jerusalem: This is the first mention of the work extending beyond Jerusalem. People came there instead of the apostles going to them. This was exciting, but not exactly according to the command of Jesus. He told the disciples to go out to Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the end of the earth (Acts 1:8). The apostles didn’t leave Jerusalem until they were forced to by persecution (Acts 8:1, 12:1-2).
A few interesting observations from David Guzik:
There is power when people believe that God can heal them, through whatever mechanism (a robe, a shadow).
Healing was universal and the forces of darkness for those with unclean spirits were vanquished.
The multitude from the surrounding cities isn’t quite aligned with the command of Jesus. They came to the apostles instead of the apostles beginning their journeys to other locations. That does happen later.
Well, of course these actions will not escape the attention of the Sadducees. In my next devotional, I will look at Acts 5:17-32. The apostles are imprisoned, freed by an angel, continue teaching, and are brought before the religious leaders again.
Heaven on Wheels Daily Prayer:
Dear Lord - Thank you for the miracles that were performed by the apostles. Those signs and wonders prove that the purity of your church leads to great power among those who believe. Amen.
Scripture quotations taken from the (NASB®) New American Standard Bible®, Copyright © 1960, 1971, 1977, 1995 by The Lockman Foundation. Used by permission. All rights reserved. lockman.org
Precept Austin was accessed on 8/28/2024 to review commentary for Acts 5:12-16
Enduring Word commentary by David Guzik is used with written permission.