As they were speaking to the people, the priests and the captain of the temple and the Sadducees came upon them, annoyed because they were teaching the people and proclaiming in Jesus the resurrection from the dead. And they arrested them and put them in custody until the morrow, for it was already evening. But many of those who heard the word believed; and the number of the men came to about five thousand. On the morrow their rulers and elders and scribes were gathered together in Jerusalem, with Annas the high priest and Caiaphas and John and Alexander, and all who were of the high-priestly family. And when they had set them in the midst, they inquired, “By what power or by what name did you do this?”
Then Peter, filled with the Holy Spirit, said to them, “Rulers of the people and elders, if we are being examined today concerning a good deed done to a cripple, by what means this man has been healed, be it known to you all, and to all the people of Israel, that by the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth, whom you crucified, whom God raised from the dead, by him this man is standing before you well. This is the stone which was rejected by you builders, but which has become the head of the corner. And there is salvation in no one else, for there is no other name under heaven given among men by which we must be saved.”
The enemies of Jesus soon intervened, for they could not stand the fact that the apostles were now proclaiming His resurrection and performing miracles in His name. Their plan that Jesus’ death would put an end to all the talk about Him had not worked. The chief priests and elders had even bribed the guards not to spread among the people what had happened at the tomb of the Crucified One (Matt. 28:11-15). And now these men were openly proclaiming that Jesus had risen and had done signs that could not be denied. This is how it is when darkness tries to swallow up the light and lies oppose the truth. The demonic powers will never succeed in completely eradicating the testimony of God on earth and in the hearts of men, no matter how hard they try and how much suffering they cause to do so. Again and again the truth will prevail, for God Himself will see to it that the testimony of His presence and His work is preserved.
The priests, the chief of the Temple guard and the Sadducees had no choice but to arrest the apostles after dark, because the people were listening to them and many were convinced by Peter’s speech and the sign of the healing of the cripple. The number of believers had increased to about five thousand.
The next morning the leaders of the people and the chief priests gathered together to question the apostles, wanting to know how the miracle of the healing of the cripple had taken place. The intrepid Peter, filled with the Holy Spirit, gave an unequivocal testimony in favour of Jesus and did not miss the opportunity to make these authorities look in the mirror.
They had been responsible for the death of Jesus. They were the builders who had rejected the cornerstone. And it was in the Name of this Jesus of Nazareth that the miracle of healing took place.
It was in this context that Peter uttered a phrase that still stands today and must never be forgotten: “There is salvation in no one else, for there is no other name under heaven given among men by which we must be saved”.
Unfortunately, this profession of Peter’s faith is no longer universally held, even within the Church. In the previous Pontificate it was questioned. There was a statement signed in Abu Dhabi by the highest authority of the Church, which practically affirmed that all religions are willed by God. Subsequently, the head of the Church confirmed this view by publicly affirming that all religions are ways to God.
With such a statement, however, the foundation of truth was abandoned and a wandering into myths took place. Here the words of the letter to Timothy apply:
“The time is coming when people will not endure sound teaching, but having itching ears they will accumulate for themselves teachers to suit their own likings, and will turn away from listening to the truth and wander into myths.” (2 Ti 4:3-4).
Peter’s clear profession of faith in this passage is all the more relevant today. It is valid for all times! The Church has always defended and proclaimed it throughout the centuries. Now, however, confusion has arisen as a result of certain oral and written statements which considerably weaken the authority of the Church. If Jesus is no longer seen as the only way to the Father, how can the Gospel continue to be proclaimed with the conviction of Peter, who, like so many others, gave his life for this conviction?
It is precisely in this passage of Peter’s speech that Scripture testifies that he spoke full of the Holy Spirit. The reverse conclusion is therefore obvious: anyone who cannot repeat this sentence of St Peter’s without relativising it cannot claim to be filled with the Holy Spirit.
It remains forever valid: “There is salvation in no one else, for there is no other name under heaven given among men by which we must be saved”.
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Meditation on the day’s reading: https://en.elijamission.net/the-worship-of-the-lamb/