An honest question

NORSK

"By what power or what name did you do this?"
Acts 4:7

The question is addressed to Peter and John by the Jewish Council (1) after the miracle at the Beautiful gate. Peter and John have been in jail overnight. The interrogation is real, but the question is also legitimate. It was the Council's responsibility to protect the faith. The maintenance of the faith was crucial for the identity of the Jewish people.

Basically, this was "David against Goliath". Two unschooled men were facing the chief theological expertise in the country. It is possible that Peter felt some of the same uneasiness as he had felt when he faced the temptation to deny his relationship with Jesus, but this time a transformation had taken place. Peter now also knew The Holy Spirit:

Then Peter, filled with the Holy Spirit and answered them
Acts 4:8

And the answer that follows is so strong that the Council is “swept of their feet”:

When they saw the courage of Peter and John and realised that they were unschooled, ordinary men, they were astonished and they took note that these men had been with Jesus.
Acts 4:13

The Holy Spirit can use unschooled people in a way that leaves even the most knowledgeable unable to respond. The Council had to take "time-out" to discuss the matter. The problem was that they discussed it with one another and not with God - thus, there was no solution.

'Manna' for today:

It is more important for me to trust the Holy Spirit than my own knowledge.

--------------------------------------
(1) The Talmud (tractate Sanhedrin) identifies two classes of rabbinical courts called Sanhedrin, a Great Sanhedrin ( יד תיב לודגה ) and a Lesser Sanhedrin (יד תיב טקה ). Each city could have its own lesser Sanhedrin of 23 judges, but there could be only one Great Sanhedrin of 71, which among other roles acted as the Supreme Court, taking appeals from cases decided by lesser courts. The
numbers of judges were predicated on eliminating the possibility of a tie and the last to cast their vote was the head of the court. (Source Wikipedia)