27 For in truth against thy holy servant Jesus, whom thou hadst anointed, both Herod and Pontius Pilate, with [the] nations, and peoples of Israel, have been gathered together in this city
in that thou stretchest out thy hand to heal, and that signs and wonders take place through the name of thy holy servant Jesus.
And having bound him they led him away, and delivered him up to Pontius Pilate, the governor.
In like manner the chief priests also, with the scribes, mocking with one another, said, He saved others; himself he cannot save.
[The] Spirit of [the] Lord is upon me, because he has anointed me to preach glad tidings to [the] poor; he has sent me to preach to captives deliverance, and to [the] blind sight, to send forth [the] crushed delivered,
The same hour certain Pharisees came up, saying to him, Get out, and go hence, for Herod is desirous to kill thee. And he said to them, Go, tell that fox, Behold, I cast out demons and accomplish cures to-day and to-morrow, and the third [day] I am perfected; but I must needs walk to-day and to-morrow and the [day] following, for it must not be that a prophet perish out of Jerusalem.
And he took the twelve to [him] and said to them, Behold, we go up to Jerusalem, and all things that are written of the Son of man by the prophets shall be accomplished; for he shall be delivered up to the nations, and shall be mocked, and insulted, and spit upon. And when they have scourged [him] they will kill him; and on the third day he will rise again.
And the lord of the vineyard said, What shall I do? I will send my beloved son: perhaps when they see him they will respect [him]. But when the husbandmen saw him, they reasoned among themselves, saying, This is the heir; [come,] let us kill him, that the inheritance may become ours. And having cast him forth out of the vineyard, they killed [him]. What therefore shall the lord of the vineyard do to them? He will come and destroy those husbandmen, and will give the vineyard to others. And when they heard it they said, May it never be! But he looking at them said, What then is this that is written, The stone which they that builded rejected, this has become the corner-stone? Every one falling on this stone shall be broken, but on whomsoever it shall fall, it shall grind him to powder. And the chief priests and the scribes sought the same hour to lay hands on him, and they feared the people; for they knew that he had spoken this parable of them.
Now the feast of unleavened bread, which [is] called the passover, drew nigh, and the chief priests and the scribes sought how they might kill him; for they feared the people. And Satan entered into Judas, who was surnamed Iscariote, being of the number of the twelve. And he went away and spoke with the chief priests and captains as to how he should deliver him up to them. And they were rejoiced, and agreed to give him money. And he came to an agreement to do it, and sought an opportunity to deliver him up to them away from the crowd.
As he was yet speaking, behold, a crowd, and he that was called Judas, one of the twelve, went on before them, and drew near to Jesus to kiss him. And Jesus said to him, Judas, deliverest thou up the Son of man with a kiss? And they who were around him, seeing what was going to follow, said [to him], Lord, shall we smite with [the] sword? And a certain one from among them smote the bondman of the high priest and took off his right ear. And Jesus answering said, Suffer thus far; and having touched his ear, he healed him. And Jesus said to the chief priests and captains of the temple and elders, who were come against him, Have ye come out as against a robber with swords and sticks?
and having learned that he was of Herod's jurisdiction, remitted him to Herod, who himself also was at Jerusalem in those days. And when Herod saw Jesus he greatly rejoiced, for he had been a long while desirous of seeing him, because of hearing many things concerning him, and he hoped to see some sign done by him; and he questioned him in many words, but *he* answered him nothing. And the chief priests and the scribes stood and accused him violently. And Herod with his troops having set him at nought and mocked him, having put a splendid robe upon him, sent him back to Pilate. And Pilate and Herod became friends with one another the same day, for they had been at enmity before between themselves. And Pilate, having called together the chief priests and the rulers and the people, said to them, Ye have brought to me this man as turning away the people [to rebellion], and behold, I, having examined him before you, have found nothing criminal in this man as to the things of which ye accuse him; nor Herod either, for I remitted you to him, and behold, nothing worthy of death is done by him. Having chastised him therefore, I will release him. ( Now he was obliged to release one for them at the feast.) But they cried out in a mass saying, Away with this [man] and release Barabbas to us; who was one who, for a certain tumult which had taken place in the city, and [for] murder, had been cast into prison. Pilate therefore, desirous to release Jesus, again addressed [them]. But they cried out in reply saying, Crucify, crucify him. And he said the third time to them, What evil then has this [man] done? I have found no cause of death in him: I will chastise him therefore and release him. But they were urgent with loud voices, begging that he might be crucified. And their voices [and those of the chief priests] prevailed. And Pilate adjudged that what they begged should take place. And he released him who, for tumult and murder, had been cast into prison, whom they begged for, and Jesus he delivered up to their will. And as they led him away, they laid hold on a certain Simon, a Cyrenian, coming from the field, and put the cross upon him to bear it behind Jesus. And a great multitude of the people, and of women who wailed and lamented him, followed him. And Jesus turning round to them said, Daughters of Jerusalem, do not weep over me, but weep over yourselves and over your children; for behold, days are coming in which they will say, Blessed [are] the barren, and wombs that have not borne, and breasts that have not given suck. Then shall they begin to say to the mountains, Fall upon us; and to the hills, Cover us: for if these things are done in the green tree, what shall take place in the dry? Now two others also, malefactors, were led with him to be put to death. And when they came to the place which is called Skull, there they crucified him, and the malefactors, one on the right hand, the other on the left. And Jesus said, Father, forgive them, for they know not what they do. And, parting out his garments, they cast lots. And the people stood beholding, and the rulers also [with them] sneered, saying, He has saved others; let him save himself if this is the Christ, the chosen one of God. And the soldiers also made game of him, coming up offering him vinegar, and saying, If *thou* be the king of the Jews, save thyself. And there was also an inscription [written] over him in Greek, and Roman, and Hebrew letters: This is the King of the Jews.
do ye say of him whom the Father has sanctified and sent into the world, Thou blasphemest, because I said, I am Son of God?
Jesus, having said these things, went out with his disciples beyond the torrent Cedron, where was a garden, into which he entered, he and his disciples. And Judas also, who delivered him up, knew the place, because Jesus was often there, in company with his disciples. Judas therefore, having got the band, and officers of the chief priests and Pharisees, comes there with lanterns and torches and weapons. Jesus therefore, knowing all things that were coming upon him, went forth and said to them, Whom seek ye? They answered him, Jesus the Nazaraean. Jesus says to them, I am [he]. And Judas also, who delivered him up, stood with them. When therefore he said to them, I am [he], they went away backward and fell to the ground. He demanded of them therefore again, Whom seek ye? And they said, Jesus the Nazaraean. Jesus answered, I told you that I am [he]: if therefore ye seek me, let these go away; that the word might be fulfilled which he spoke, [As to] those whom thou hast given me, I have not lost one of them. Simon Peter therefore, having a sword, drew it, and smote the bondman of the high priest and cut off his right ear; and the bondman's name was Malchus. Jesus therefore said to Peter, Put the sword into the sheath; the cup which the Father has given me, shall I not drink it? The band therefore, and the chiliarch, and the officers of the Jews, took Jesus and bound him: and they led him away to Annas first; for he was father-in-law to Caiaphas, who was high priest that year. But it was Caiaphas who counselled the Jews that it was better that one man should perish for the people.
The high priest therefore demanded of Jesus concerning his disciples and concerning his doctrine. Jesus answered him, I spoke openly to the world; I taught always in [the] synagogue and in the temple, where all the Jews come together, and in secret I have spoken nothing. Why demandest thou of me? Demand of those who have heard, what I have spoken to them; behold, they know what I have said. But as he said these things, one of the officers who stood by gave a blow on the face to Jesus, saying, Answerest thou the high priest thus? Jesus answered him, If I have spoken evil, bear witness of the evil; but if well, why smitest thou me? Annas [then] had sent him bound to Caiaphas the high priest.
but one of the soldiers pierced his side with a spear, and immediately there came out blood and water.
The God of Abraham and Isaac and Jacob, the God of our fathers, has glorified his servant Jesus, whom *ye* delivered up, and denied him in the presence of Pilate, when *he* had judged that he should be let go. But *ye* denied the holy and righteous one, and asked that a man [that was] a murderer should be granted to you;
Jesus who [was] of Nazareth: how God anointed him with [the] Holy Spirit and with power; who went through [all quarters] doing good, and healing all that were under the power of the devil, because God was with him.
Behold we go up to Jerusalem, and the Son of man will be delivered up to the chief priests and scribes, and they will condemn him to death; and they will deliver him up to the nations to mock and to scourge and to crucify, and the third day he shall rise again.
What is man, that he should be pure? and he that is born of a woman, that he should be righteous?
The kings of the earth set themselves, and the princes plot together, against Jehovah and against his anointed:
And *I* have anointed my king upon Zion, the hill of my holiness.
Thus saith Jehovah, the Redeemer of Israel, his Holy One, to him whom man despiseth, to him whom the nation abhorreth, to the servant of rulers: Kings shall see and arise, princes, and they shall worship, because of Jehovah who is faithful, the Holy One of Israel, who hath chosen thee.
He is despised and left alone of men; a man of sorrows, and acquainted with grief, and like one from whom [men] hide their faces; -- despised, and we esteemed him not.
So I fed the flock of slaughter, truly the poor of the flock. And I took unto me two staves; the one I called Beauty, and the other I called Bands; and I fed the flock. And I destroyed three shepherds in one month; and my soul was vexed with them, and their soul also loathed me.
Now, they having departed, behold, an angel of [the] Lord appears in a dream to Joseph, saying, Arise, take to [thee] the little child and his mother, and flee into Egypt, and be there until I shall tell thee; for Herod will seek the little child to destroy it. And, having arisen, he took to [him] the little child and his mother by night, and departed into Egypt. And he was there until the death of Herod, that that might be fulfilled which was spoken by [the] Lord through the prophet, saying, Out of Egypt have I called my son. Then Herod, seeing that he had been mocked by the magi, was greatly enraged; and sent and slew all the boys which [were] in Bethlehem, and in all its borders, from two years and under, according to the time which he had accurately inquired from the magi.
But what think ye? A man had two children, and coming to the first he said, Child, go to-day, work in [my] vineyard.
Then the chief priests and the elders of the people were gathered together to the palace of the high priest who was called Caiaphas, and took counsel together in order that they might seize Jesus by subtlety and kill him;
And the chief priests and the elders and the whole sanhedrim sought false witness against Jesus, so that they might put him to death. And they found none, though many false witnesses came forward. But at the last two false witnesses came forward and said, *He* said, I am able to destroy the temple of God, and in three days build it. And the high priest standing up said to him, Answerest thou nothing? What do these witness against thee? But Jesus was silent. And the high priest answering said to him, I adjure thee by the living God that thou tell us if *thou* art the Christ the Son of God. Jesus says to him, *Thou* hast said. Moreover, I say to you, From henceforth ye shall see the Son of man sitting at the right hand of power, and coming on the clouds of heaven. Then the high priest rent his clothes, saying, He has blasphemed: what need have we any more of witnesses? behold, now ye have heard the blasphemy. What think ye? And they answering said, He is liable to the penalty of death. Then they spit in his face, and buffeted him, and some struck him with the palms of their hand, saying, Prophesy to us, Christ, Who is it who struck thee?
But Jesus stood before the governor. And the governor questioned him, saying, Art *thou* the King of the Jews? And Jesus said to him, Thou sayest. And when he was accused of the chief priests and the elders, he answered nothing. Then says Pilate to him, Hearest thou not how many things they witness against thee? And he answered him not so much as one word, so that the governor wondered exceedingly. Now at [the] feast the governor was accustomed to release one prisoner to the crowd, whom they would. And they had then a notable prisoner, named Barabbas. They therefore being gathered together, Pilate said to them, Whom will ye that I release to you, Barabbas, or Jesus who is called Christ? For he knew that they had delivered him up through envy. But, as he was sitting on the judgment-seat, his wife sent to him, saying, Have thou nothing to do with that righteous [man]; for I have suffered to-day many things in a dream because of him. But the chief priests and the elders persuaded the crowds that they should beg for Barabbas, and destroy Jesus. And the governor answering said to them, Which of the two will ye that I release unto you? And they said, Barabbas. Pilate says to them, What then shall I do with Jesus, who is called Christ? They all say, Let him be crucified. And the governor said, What evil then has he done? But they cried more than ever, saying, Let him be crucified. And Pilate, seeing that it availed nothing, but that rather a tumult was arising, having taken water, washed his hands before the crowd, saying, I am guiltless of the blood of this righteous one: see *ye* [to it]. And all the people answering said, His blood [be] on us and on our children. Then he released to them Barabbas; but Jesus, having scourged [him], he delivered up that he might be crucified. Then the soldiers of the governor, having taken Jesus with [them] to the praetorium, gathered against him the whole band, and having taken off his garment, put on him a scarlet cloak; and having woven a crown out of thorns, they put it on his head, and a reed in his right hand; and, bowing the knee before him, they mocked him, saying, Hail, King of the Jews! And having spit upon him, they took the reed and beat [him] on his head. And when they had mocked him, they took the cloak off him, and put his own clothes on him, and led him away to crucify. And as they went forth they found a man of Cyrene, Simon by name; him they compelled to go [with them] that he might bear his cross. And having come to a place called Golgotha, which means Place of a skull, they gave to him to drink vinegar mingled with gall; and having tasted [it], he would not drink. And having crucified him, they parted his clothes amongst [themselves], casting lots. And sitting down, they kept guard over him there.
and saying, Thou that destroyest the temple and buildest it in three days, save thyself. If thou art Son of God, descend from the cross. [And] in like manner the chief priests also, mocking, with the scribes and elders, said, He saved others, himself he cannot save. He is King of Israel: let him descend now from the cross, and we will believe on him. He trusted upon God; let him save him now if he will [have] him. For he said, I am Son of God.
Behold, we go up to Jerusalem, and the Son of man shall be delivered up to the chief priests and to the scribes, and they shall condemn him to death, and shall deliver him up to the nations:
And immediately, while he was yet speaking, Judas comes up, [being] one of the twelve, and with him a great crowd, with swords and sticks, from the chief priests and the scribes and the elders. Now he that delivered him up had given them a sign between them, saying, Whomsoever I shall kiss, that is he; seize him, and lead [him] away safely. And being come, straightway coming up to him, he says, Rabbi, Rabbi; and he covered him with kisses. And they laid their hands upon him and seized him. But a certain one of those who stood by, having drawn his sword, struck the bondman of the high priest, and took off his ear. And Jesus answering said to them, Are ye come out as against a robber, with swords and sticks to take me? I was daily with you teaching in the temple, and ye did not seize me; but [it is] that the scriptures may be fulfilled. And all left him and fled. And a certain young man followed him with a linen cloth cast about his naked [body]; and [the young men] seize him; but he, leaving the linen cloth behind [him], fled from them naked. And they led away Jesus to the high priest. And there come together to him all the chief priests and the elders and the scribes. And Peter followed him at a distance, till [he was] within the court of the high priest's palace; and he was sitting with the officers and warming himself in the light [of the fire]. And the chief priests and the whole sanhedrim sought testimony against Jesus to cause him to be put to death, and did not find [any]. For many bore false witness against him, and their testimony did not agree. And certain persons rose up and bore false witness against him, saying, *We* heard him saying, *I* will destroy this temple which is made with hands, and in the course of three days I will build another not made with hands. And neither thus did their testimony agree. And the high priest, rising up before them all, asked Jesus, saying, Answerest thou nothing? What do these testify against thee? But he was silent, and answered nothing. Again the high priest asked him, and says to him, *Thou* art the Christ, the Son of the Blessed? And Jesus said, *I* am, and ye shall see the Son of man sitting at the right hand of power, and coming with the clouds of heaven. And the high priest, having rent his clothes, says, What need have we any more of witnesses? Ye have heard the blasphemy; what think ye? And they all condemned him to be guilty of death. And some began to spit upon him, and cover up his face, and buffet him, and say to him, Prophesy; and the officers struck him with the palms of their hands.
And immediately in the morning the chief priests, having taken counsel with the elders and scribes and the whole sanhedrim, bound Jesus and carried [him] away, and delivered [him] up to Pilate. And Pilate asked him, Art *thou* the King of the Jews? And he answered and said to him, *Thou* sayest. And the chief priests accused him urgently. And Pilate asked him again, saying, Answerest thou nothing? See of how many things they bear witness against thee. But Jesus still answered nothing, so that Pilate marvelled. But at [the] feast he released to them one prisoner, whomsoever they begged [of him]. Now there was the [person] named Barabbas bound with those who had made insurrection with [him], [and] that had committed murder in the insurrection. And the crowd crying out began to beg [that he would do] to them as he had always done. But Pilate answered them saying, Will ye that I release to you the King of the Jews? for he knew that the chief priests had delivered him up through envy. But the chief priests stirred up the crowd that he might rather release Barabbas to them. And Pilate answering said to them again, What will ye then that I do [to him] whom ye call King of the Jews? And they cried out again, Crucify him. And Pilate said to them, What evil then has he done? But they cried out the more urgently, Crucify him. And Pilate, desirous of contenting the crowd, released to them Barabbas, and delivered up Jesus, when he had scourged him, that he might be crucified. And the soldiers led him away into the court which is [called the] praetorium, and they call together the whole band. And they clothe him with purple, and bind round on him a crown of thorns which they had plaited. And they began to salute him, Hail, King of the Jews! And they struck his head with a reed, and spat on him, and, bending the knee, did him homage. And when they had mocked him, they took the purple off him, and put his own clothes on him; and they lead him out that they may crucify him. And they compel to go [with them] a certain passer-by, Simon, a Cyrenian, coming from the field, the father of Alexander and Rufus, that he might carry his cross. And they bring him to the place [called] Golgotha, which, being interpreted, is Place of a skull. And they offered him wine [to drink] medicated with myrrh; but he did not take [it]. And having crucified him, they part his clothes amongst [themselves], casting lots on them, what each one should take. And it was the third hour, and they crucified him. And the superscription of what he was accused of was written up: The King of the Jews. And with him they crucify two robbers, one on his right hand, and one on his left.
Worthy.Bible » Commentaries » Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible » Commentary on Acts 4
Commentary on Acts 4 Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible
CHAPTER 4
Ac 4:1-13. Peter and John before the Sanhedrin.
1-12. the captain—of the Levitical guard.
of the temple—annoyed at the disturbance created around it.
and the Sadducees—who "say that there is no resurrection" (Ac 23:8), irritated at the apostles "preaching through (rather, 'in') Jesus the resurrection from the dead"; for the resurrection of Christ, if a fact, effectually overthrew the Sadducean doctrine.
4. the number of the men—or males, exclusive of women; though the word sometimes includes both.
about five thousand—and this in Jerusalem, where the means of detecting the imposture or crushing the fanaticism, if such it had been, were within everyone's reach, and where there was every inducement to sift it to the bottom.
5. their rulers, &c.—This was a regular meeting of the Sanhedrim (see on Mt 2:4).
6. Annas … and Caiaphas—(See on Lu 3:2).
John and Alexander—of whom nothing is known.
7. By what power or … name have ye done this—thus admitting the reality of the miracle, which afterwards they confess themselves unable to deny (Ac 4:16).
8. Then, filled with the Holy Ghost, said—(See Mr 13:11; Lu 21:15).
10. Be it known unto you … and to all the people of Israel—as if emitting a formal judicial testimony to the entire nation through its rulers now convened.
by the name of Jesus, &c.—(See on Ac 3:13, &c.).
even by him doth this man stand before you whole—for from Ac 4:14 it appears that the healed man was at that moment before their eyes.
11. This is the stone which was set at naught of you builders, &c.—This application of Ps 118:22, already made by our Lord Himself before some of the same "builders" (Mt 21:42), is here repeated with peculiar propriety after the deed of rejection had been consummated, and the rejected One had, by His exaltation to the right hand of the Majesty on high, become "the head of the corner."
12. Neither is there salvation in any other; for there is none other name under heaven given among men whereby we must be saved—How sublimely does the apostle, in these closing words, shut up these rulers of Israel to Jesus for salvation, and in what universal and emphatic terms does he hold up his Lord as the one Hope of men!
13-17. perceived that they were unlearned and ignorant men—that is, uninstructed in the learning of the Jewish schools, and of the common sort; men in private life, untrained to teaching.
took knowledge of them that they had been with Jesus—recognized them as having been in His company; remembering possibly, that they had seen them with Him [Meyer, Bloomfield, Alford]; but, more probably, perceiving in their whole bearing what identified them with Jesus: that is, "We thought we had got rid of Him; but lo! He reappears in these men, and all that troubled us in the Nazarene Himself has yet to be put down in these His disciples." What a testimony to these primitive witnesses! Would that the same could be said of their successors!
16. a notable miracle … done by them is manifest to all … in Jerusalem; and we cannot deny it—And why should ye wish to deny it, O ye rulers, but that ye hate the light, and will not come to the light lest your deeds should be reproved?
17. But that it spread no further … let us straitly—strictly.
threaten … that they speak henceforth to no man in this name—Impotent device! Little knew they the fire that was burning in the bones of those heroic disciples.
18-22. Whether it be right … to hearken to you more than … God, judge ye.
20. For we cannot but speak the things which we have seen and heard—There is here a wonderful union of sober, respectful appeal to the better reason of their judges, and calm, deep determination to abide the consequences of a constrained testimony, which betokens a power above their own resting upon them, according to promise.
21. finding nothing how they might punish them, because of the people—not at a loss for a pretext, but at a loss how to do it so as not to rouse the opposition of the people.
Ac 4:23-37. Peter and John Dismissed from the Sanhedrin, Report the Proceedings to the Assembled Disciples—They Engage in Prayer—The Astonishing Answer and Results.
23-30. being let go, they went to their own company—Observe the two opposite classes, representing the two interests which were about to come into deadly conflict.
24. they lifted up their voice—the assembled disciples, on hearing Peter's report.
with one accord—the breasts of all present echoing every word of this sublime prayer.
Lord—(See on Lu 2:29). Applied to God, the term expresses absolute authority.
God which hast made heaven and earth—against whom, therefore, all creatures are powerless.
25. by the mouth of … David—to whom the Jews ascribed the second Psalm, though anonymous; and internal evidence confirms it. David's spirit sees with astonishment "the heathen, the people, the kings and princes of the earth," in deadly combination against the sway of Jehovah and His Anointed (his Messiah, or Christ), and asks "why" it is. This fierce confederacy our praying disciples see in full operation, in the "gathering together of Herod and Pilate, the Gentiles (the Roman authority), and the people of Israel, against God's holy Child ('Servant') Jesus." (See on Ac 3:13). The best ancient copies read, after "were gathered together," "in this city," which probably answers to "upon my holy hill of Zion," in the Ps 2:6.
28. thy hand and thy counsel determined … to be done—that is, "Thy counsel" determined to be done by "Thy hand."
29. now, Lord, behold their threatenings—Recognizing in the threatenings of the Sanhedrim a declaration of war by the combined powers of the world against their infant cause, they seek not enthusiastically to hide from themselves its critical position, but calmly ask the Lord of heaven and earth to "look upon their threatenings."
that with all boldness they may speak thy word—Rising above self, they ask only fearless courage to testify for their Master, and divine attestation to their testimony by miracles of healing, &c., in His name.
31-37. place was shaken—glorious token of the commotion which the Gospel was to make (Ac 17:6; compare Ac 16:26), and the overthrow of all opposing powers in which this was to issue.
they were all filled with the Holy Ghost, and spake, &c.—The Spirit rested upon the entire community, first, in the very way they had asked, so that they "spake the word with boldness" (Ac 4:29, 31); next, in melting down all selfishness, and absorbing even the feeling of individuality in an intense and glowing realization of Christian unity. The community of goods was but an outward expression of this, and natural in such circumstances.
33. with great power—effect on men's minds.
great grace was upon them all—The grace of God copiously rested on the whole community.
35. laid … at the apostles' feet—sitting, it may be, above the rest. But the expression may be merely derived from that practice, and here meant figuratively.
36. Joses, &c.—This is specified merely as an eminent example of that spirit of generous sacrifice which pervaded all.
son of consolation—no doubt so surnamed from the character of his ministry.
a Levite—who, though as a tribe having no inheritance, might and did acquire property as individuals (De 18:8).
Cyprus—a well-known island in the Mediterranean.