Healing in the Name: Literary and Theological Context of Acts 4:10
Acts 4:10 — γνωστὸν ἔστω πᾶσιν ὑμῖν καὶ παντὶ τῷ λαῷ Ἰσραὴλ ὅτι ἐν τῷ ὀνόματι Ἰησοῦ Χριστοῦ τοῦ Ναζωραίου, ὃν ὑμεῖς ἐσταυρώσατε, ὃν ὁ Θεὸς ἤγειρεν ἐκ νεκρῶν, ἐν τούτῳ οὗτος παρέστηκεν ἐνώπιον ὑμῶν ὑγιής.
(“Let it be known to all of you and to all the people of Israel that in the name of Jesus Christ the Nazarene—whom you crucified, whom God raised from the dead—in this name this man stands before you healthy.”)
This verse constitutes the theological climax of Peter’s defense before the Sanhedrin in Acts 4, immediately following the healing of the lame man and the questioning of the apostles’ authority (Acts 4:7–9). Peter, filled with the Holy Spirit (v. 8), boldly proclaims the exclusive power of Jesus Christ, identifying him by name, origin, crucifixion, and resurrection. The grammar of the verse—especially the imperative expression γνωστὸν ἔστω, the use of relative clauses, and the final emphatic demonstrative ἐν τούτῳ—not only constructs a tight theological statement but publicly affirms Christ’s exalted status as the source of healing.
Grammatical Feature Analysis: Imperative, Relative Clauses, and Demonstrative Emphasis
The main clause begins with a third person singular imperative: γνωστὸν ἔστω (“let it be known”), a rare but forceful construction that functions as a legal or formal pronouncement. The predicate adjective γνωστὸν (“known”) is fronted for emphasis, with the verb ἔστω (imperative of εἰμί) supplying the command structure. The double dative πᾶσιν ὑμῖν καὶ παντὶ τῷ λαῷ Ἰσραὴλ (“to all of you and to all the people of Israel”) expands the scope: the declaration is both personal (the Sanhedrin) and national (Israel).
The subordinate clause ὅτι ἐν τῷ ὀνόματι Ἰησοῦ Χριστοῦ τοῦ Ναζωραίου (“that in the name of Jesus Christ the Nazarene”) introduces the theological content of the proclamation. The phrase ἐν τῷ ὀνόματι reflects a Semitic idiom where “name” implies authority, power, and presence. The apposition τοῦ Ναζωραίου localizes Jesus historically and socially, grounding the miracle in a real, historical person.
Two relative clauses follow in succession:
ὃν ὑμεῖς ἐσταυρώσατε (“whom you crucified”) and
ὃν ὁ Θεὸς ἤγειρεν ἐκ νεκρῶν (“whom God raised from the dead”).
The parallel structure emphasizes contrast: human rejection versus divine vindication. The verb ἐσταυρώσατε is aorist active indicative (2nd plural), while ἤγειρεν is aorist active indicative (3rd singular), both completed actions with permanent consequences.
The final clause ἐν τούτῳ οὗτος παρέστηκεν ἐνώπιον ὑμῶν ὑγιής contains a perfect active verb παρέστηκεν (“he stands”) from παρίστημι, indicating not only presence but established position. ὑγιής (“whole, healthy”) modifies the man, and ἐν τούτῳ (“in this one” or “in this [name]”) functions demonstratively, pointing back emphatically to Jesus. The demonstrative + resumptive structure gives rhetorical prominence to the miracle’s source.
Exegetical Implications of the Clausal Structure
The imperative γνωστὸν ἔστω gives the declaration legal and public weight. Peter is not merely testifying—he is making an authoritative proclamation. The clause is grammatically and rhetorically equivalent to an official verdict: the healing is done in the name of Jesus.
The dual relative clauses tie the identity of Jesus directly to the crucifixion and resurrection—essential elements of early Christian preaching. The use of the second person plural in ἐσταυρώσατε makes the confrontation personal: the Sanhedrin is addressed not abstractly, but as morally accountable agents. Conversely, ἤγειρεν asserts God’s reversal of their verdict. The syntax of juxtaposition conveys theological irony and eschatological truth.
Finally, the clause ἐν τούτῳ οὗτος παρέστηκεν… ὑγιής places the healed man as living evidence. The perfect verb implies ongoing presence and healed condition. Grammar here builds theological argument: the healing stands as proof of Jesus’ authority and resurrection power.
Cross-Linguistic Comparisons and Historical Context
The use of ἐν τῷ ὀνόματι reflects Hebrew idiom (בְּשֵׁם), which frequently denotes agency or divine empowerment. The LXX often uses similar constructions to express action done under divine commission (cf. Ps. 118:26; Prov. 18:10).
The twin relative clauses mirror courtroom rhetoric common in Greco-Roman and Jewish contexts. Peter builds a contrastive case by employing syntax to heighten the theological contradiction: what human courts condemned, God has exalted. This structure recalls themes from Isaiah 53 and Psalm 118, integrating scriptural typology into apostolic proclamation.
Theological and Literary Significance of Declarative Grammar
The theological force of the verse lies in its combination of Christological precision and grammatical structure. Jesus is not only the agent but the location of healing—ἐν τούτῳ makes the miracle both testimonial and sacramental. The healed man becomes a sign, and grammar provides the frame for his witness.
Literarily, Luke arranges the syntax to escalate: name → crucifixion → resurrection → miracle. Each element builds upon the other, culminating in visible proof. The demonstrative pronoun οὗτος (this man) becomes the living punctuation mark to Peter’s theological sentence.
Healed in This Name: Syntax as Public Witness
Acts 4:10 exemplifies the power of Greek grammar to proclaim theological truth. The formal imperative γνωστὸν ἔστω, the sequential relative clauses, and the final emphatic demonstrative construction work together to declare the risen Jesus as the sole source of healing and salvation.
The healed man stands, but not merely as a biological fact—he stands as evidence of Christ’s resurrection authority. Through syntax, Luke gives shape to testimony: it is not vague inspiration but grammatically defined, theologically grounded, and publicly declared truth.
