Defense Accounts in Acts

Defense Accounts in Acts
Instance Approach, Method Message Response

Peter and John and Sanhedrin 1
(Acts 4:7-22) - Defense in response to healing at the temple - Sanhedrin crucified Jesus
- God raised him from the dead
- Only through Jesus can people be saved - None

Peter and John and Sanhedrin 2
(Acts 5:27-32) - Defense of persistent preaching - Sanhedrin had Jesus put to death on the cross
- God raised him from the dead
- Jesus is the one exalted to the right hand of God as Prince and Savior, and grantor of repentance and forgiveness of sins.
- Peter and the rest are simply witnesses of these things
- The Holy Spirit is also a witness of these things - None

Stephen and Sanhedrin
(Acts 7:2-53) - Defense against allegedly speaking against the temple - Suffering, hardship and rejction have characterized God's great and chosen leaders in the past
- As spoken to David, no building could possibly contain God; hence the temple cannot contain God
- In rejecting and killing Jesus and persecuting the apostles, they are resisting the Holy Spirit and failing to keep the law they claim to be defending - None

Paul at the Barracks
(Acts 22:1-21) - Defense against rage of Jews at the temple who thought a Gentile had entered it - Identifies with the crowd-- heritage, former persecution of the Way
- Recounts's God's call to him-- vision on the road, Ananias' message, his own baptism
- God's call to send him to the Gentiles - None

Paul and Sanhedrin
(Acts 23:1-10) - Defense - Identifies himself as a Pharisee and believer in the resurrection - None

Paul before Felix
(Acts 24:10-21) - Defense - Beliefs of the Way are consistent with the Law and the Prophets, especially concerning the resurrection - None

Paul before Agrippa
(Acts 26:2-29) - Defense - Beliefs of the Way are consistent with the Law and the Prophets, especially concerning the resurrection
- Christ was to sufer and rise from the dead
- Turning to light from darkness, to God from Satan
- Repentance supported by deeds
- Forgiveness of sins
- Inheritance for those sanctified by faith in Christ - None

Paul before Jews in Rome
(Acts 28:23-28) - Defense - Persuasion from the Law and Prophets concerning Jesus
- The message of salvation is also for the Gentiles - Some were persuaded

Instance	Approach, Method	Message	Response
Peter and John and Sanhedrin 1 (Acts 4:7-22)	- Defense in response to healing at the temple	- Sanhedrin crucified Jesus - God raised him from the dead - Only through Jesus can people be saved	- None
Peter and John and Sanhedrin 2 (Acts 5:27-32)	- Defense of persistent preaching	- Sanhedrin had Jesus put to death on the cross - God raised him from the dead - Jesus is the one exalted to the right hand of God as Prince and Savior, and grantor of repentance and forgiveness of sins. - Peter and the rest are simply witnesses of these things - The Holy Spirit is also a witness of these things	- None
Stephen and Sanhedrin (Acts 7:2-53)	- Defense against allegedly speaking against the temple	- Suffering, hardship and rejction have characterized God's great and chosen leaders in the past - As spoken to David, no building could possibly contain God; hence the temple cannot contain God - In rejecting and killing Jesus and persecuting the apostles, they are resisting the Holy Spirit and failing to keep the law they claim to be defending	- None
Paul at the Barracks (Acts 22:1-21)	- Defense against rage of Jews at the temple who thought a Gentile had entered it	- Identifies with the crowd-- heritage, former persecution of the Way - Recounts's God's call to him-- vision on the road, Ananias' message, his own baptism - God's call to send him to the Gentiles	- None
Paul and Sanhedrin (Acts 23:1-10)	- Defense	- Identifies himself as a Pharisee and believer in the resurrection	- None
Paul before Felix (Acts 24:10-21)	- Defense	- Beliefs of the Way are consistent with the Law and the Prophets, especially concerning the resurrection	- None
Paul before Agrippa (Acts 26:2-29)	- Defense	- Beliefs of the Way are consistent with the Law and the Prophets, especially concerning the resurrection - Christ was to sufer and rise from the dead - Turning to light from darkness, to God from Satan - Repentance supported by deeds - Forgiveness of sins - Inheritance for those sanctified by faith in Christ	- None
Paul before Jews in Rome (Acts 28:23-28)	- Defense	- Persuasion from the Law and Prophets concerning Jesus - The message of salvation is also for the Gentiles	- Some were persuaded