(མཛད་པ། 3:11-16)

 

11 While he clung to Peter and John, all the people, utterly astounded, ran together to them in the portico called Solomon’s. 12 And when Peter saw it he addressed the people: “Men of Israel, why do you wonder at this, or why do you stare at us, as though by our own power or piety we have made him walk? 13 The God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob, the God of our fathers, glorified his servant Jesus, whom you delivered over and denied in the presence of Pilate, when he had decided to release him. 14 But you denied the Holy and Righteous One, and asked for a murderer to be granted to you, 15 and you killed the Author of life, whom God raised from the dead. To this we are witnesses. 16 And his name—by faith in his name—has made this man strong whom you see and know, and the faith that is through Jesus has given the man this perfect health in the presence of you all. (Acts 3:11-16)

 

People wondered. Note how Peter answered the questions in their minds:

1. Did he and John do this? ‘No! God did it.’
2. How was it done? ‘God’s power raised Yeshu; and his power made this man strong and healthy.’
3. Why this man? ‘God did it because of this man’s faith in the Saviour Yeshu’s name.’

(མཛད་པ། 3:17-26)

17 “And now, brothers, I know that you acted in ignorance, as did also your rulers. 18 But what God foretold by the mouth of all the prophets, that his Christ would suffer, he thus fulfilled. 19 Repent therefore, and turn back, that your sins may be blotted out, 20 that times of refreshing may come from the presence of the Lord, and that he may send the Christ appointed for you, Jesus, 21 whom heaven must receive until the time for restoring all the things about which God spoke by the mouth of his holy prophets long ago. (Acts 3:17-21)

Peter is saying, ‘Yeshu, who is now in heaven, will come to those who repent, and set you free.’

 

22 Moses said, ‘The Lord God will raise up for you a prophet like me from your brothers. You shall listen to him in whatever he tells you. 23 And it shall be that every soul who does not listen to that prophet shall be destroyed from the people.’ 24 And all the prophets who have spoken, from Samuel and those who came after him, also proclaimed these days. 25 You are the sons of the prophets and of the covenant that God made with your fathers, saying to Abraham, ‘And in your offspring shall all the families of the earth be blessed.’ 26 God, having raised up his servant, sent him to you first, to bless you by turning every one of you from your wickedness.” (Acts 3:22-26)

 

‘Yeshu is the great revealer of the dharma of whom Moses spoke. It was God’s plan from the earliest times. First of all you Jews, and then all nations, who repent and listen to him, will be blessed by him. But there is no hope for those who refuse to listen.’

(མཛད་པ། 4:1-4)

And as they were speaking to the people, the priests and the captain of the temple and the Sadducees came upon them, 2 greatly annoyed because they were teaching the people and proclaiming in Jesus the resurrection from the dead. 3 And they arrested them and put them in custody until the next day, for it was already evening. 4 But many of those who had heard the word believed, and the number of the men came to about five thousand. (Acts 4:1-4)

 

The leaders of the Jewish sangha thought Yeshu to be dead, and his frightened disciples to be in hiding. Instead they are found teaching a crowd openly in the temple itself that Yeshu was alive!

Read on to find how angry they were.