A New Beginning
Welcome again, my friends. I took a couple of days off over the weekend, and I’m eager to get back into Acts. Today, we read chapters 4 through 6.
These chapters help us understand who Paul is, even though they don’t mention him. Instead, we begin with the Sadducees—figures of power, wealth, and influence. They were not spiritual leaders in the way we think of Pharisees or fundamentalists. Their beliefs diverged sharply from the Pharisees, especially regarding the supernatural.
The Problem of Resurrection
Ironically, Jesus had more confrontations with the Pharisees before His crucifixion. But after His resurrection, the Sadducees became the primary opposition. Caiaphas, a Sadducee, had previously prophesied that it was better for one man to die for the people (John 11:49–50). Yet his worldview—shared by many today—denied resurrection, angels, and the afterlife (Acts 4:1–2; 23:8).
To the Sadducees, death was the end. No spirits, no angels, no heaven or hell. Their rejection of the afterlife may have stemmed from their strict adherence to the Torah, which they claimed did not clearly teach resurrection. The concept of eternal life, while present in Jewish thought, was more fully developed in later traditions and influenced by ideas like Zoroastrianism around 2000 BC. (1)
This belief system allowed Caiaphas to condemn Jesus without fear of eternal consequences. But that’s the danger of a worldview without God—there’s no accountability beyond this life. If happiness is all one can hope for, then suffering, depression, and injustice have no redemptive arc.
Cornerstone of Eternal Life
Jesus came that we might have life—and have it abundantly (John 10:10). Life is eternal, whether we believe it. The danger for unbelievers is not that they cease to exist, but that they will still stand before God and give an account (Romans 14:10–12).
Our faith builds upon Jesus, the cornerstone (Acts 4:11). He declared, “I am the way, the truth, and the life” (John 14:6)—a claim echoed by other figures like Mithras, a Roman god around 400 BC. (2) But the difference is this: Jesus rose from the tomb.
This resurrection created a crisis for the Sadducees. Their denial of the resurrection was no longer tenable. Over 500 witnesses saw the risen Christ (1 Corinthians 15:6). Peter and John preached boldly, and thousands came to faith (Acts 4:4).
The Living Gospel
The Sadducees tried to stop them. But this sets Christianity apart: our Savior lives. We see Him at work through the Holy Spirit today. Others claimed to be the Christ—Judas the Galilean and Theudas among them—but when they died, they remained dead (Acts 5:36–37).
In Christ alone is salvation (Acts 4:12). His resurrection is not just a theological point—it is the foundation of our hope.
Gamaliel’s Wisdom
After Jesus rose, the Sadducees remained troubled, but the Pharisees were less resistant. One Pharisee, Gamaliel—Paul’s teacher (Acts 22:3)—offered wise counsel. He said that if Jesus was not who He claimed to be, His movement would fade away (Acts 5:38–39).
History has proven him right. Many religions have risen and fallen. Even Judaism experienced periods of dormancy. But Christianity endured because Jesus is who He said He is. He proved it when He rose, and 2,000 years later, we still believe.
Have You Seen Him?
We can trust Jesus because He reveals Himself to those who repent and believe. Have you seen Jesus working in your life?
Footnotes
- Mary Boyce, Zoroastrians: Their Religious Beliefs and Practices (London: Routledge, 2001).
- Franz Cumont, The Mysteries of Mithra (Chicago: Open Court, 1903).