13 Now G1161 when they saw G2334 the boldness G3954 of Peter G4074 and G2532 John, G2491 and G2532 perceived G2638 that G3754 they were G1526 unlearned G62 and G2532 ignorant G2399 men, G444 they marvelled; G2296 and G5037 they took knowledge G1921 of them, G846 that G3754 they had been G2258 with G4862 Jesus. G2424
At G1722 that G1565 time G2540 Jesus G2424 answered G611 and said, G2036 I thank G1843 thee, G4671 O Father, G3962 Lord G2962 of heaven G3772 and G2532 earth, G1093 because G3754 thou hast hid G613 these things G5023 from G575 the wise G4680 and G2532 prudent, G4908 and G2532 hast revealed G601 them G846 unto babes. G3516
And G2532 the Jews G2453 marvelled, G2296 saying, G3004 How G4459 knoweth G1492 this man G3778 letters, G1121 having G3129 never G3361 learned? G3129
But G1161 Peter G4074 stood G2476 at G4314 the door G2374 without. G1854 Then G3767 went out G1831 that other G243 disciple, G3101 which G3739 was G2258 known G1110 unto the high priest, G749 and G2532 spake G2036 unto her that kept the door, G2377 and G2532 brought in G1521 Peter. G4074 Then G3767 saith G3004 the damsel G3814 that kept the door G2377 unto Peter, G4074 Art G1488 not G3361 thou G4771 also G2532 one of G1537 this G5127 man's G444 disciples? G3101 He G1565 saith, G3004 I am G1510 not. G3756
And G1161 they were G1839 all G3956 amazed G1839 and G2532 marvelled, G2296 saying G3004 one to another, G4314 G240 Behold, G2400 are G1526 not G3756 all G3956 these G3778 which G3588 speak G2980 Galilaeans? G1057 And G2532 how G4459 hear G191 we G2249 every G1538 man in our G2257 own G2398 tongue, G1258 wherein G1722 G3739 we were born? G1080 Parthians, G3934 and G2532 Medes, G3370 and G2532 Elamites, G1639 and G2532 the dwellers G2730 in Mesopotamia, G3318 and G5037 in Judaea, G2449 and G2532 Cappadocia, G2587 in Pontus, G4195 and G2532 Asia, G773 G5037 Phrygia, G5435 and G5037 G2532 Pamphylia, G3828 in Egypt, G125 and G2532 in the parts G3313 of Libya G3033 about G2596 Cyrene, G2957 and G2532 strangers G1927 of Rome, G4514 G5037 Jews G2453 and G5037 G2532 proselytes, G4339 Cretes G2912 and G2532 Arabians, G690 we do hear G191 them G846 speak G2980 in our G2251 tongues G1100 the wonderful works G3167 of God. G2316 And G1161 they were G1839 all G3956 amazed, G1839 and G2532 were in doubt, G1280 saying G3004 one G243 to G4314 another, G243 What G5101 meaneth G2309 G302 G1511 this? G5124
And G1161 Jesus, G2424 walking G4043 by G3844 the sea G2281 of Galilee, G1056 saw G1492 two G1417 brethren, G80 Simon G4613 called G3004 Peter, G4074 and G2532 Andrew G406 his G846 brother, G80 casting G906 a net G293 into G1519 the sea: G2281 for G1063 they were G2258 fishers. G231 And G2532 he saith G3004 unto them, G846 Follow G1205 G3694 me, G3450 and G2532 I will make G4160 you G5209 fishers G231 of men. G444 And G1161 they straightway G2112 left G863 their nets, G1350 and followed G190 him. G846 And G2532 going on G4260 from thence, G1564 he saw G1492 other G243 two G1417 brethren, G80 James G2385 the son of G3588 Zebedee, G2199 and G2532 John G2491 his G846 brother, G80 in G1722 a ship G4143 with G3326 Zebedee G2199 their G846 father, G3962 mending G2675 their G846 nets; G1350 and G2532 he called G2564 them. G846 And G1161 they immediately G2112 left G863 the ship G4143 and G2532 their G846 father, G3962 and followed G190 him. G846
And G1161 they that had laid hold G2902 on Jesus G2424 led him away G520 to G4314 Caiaphas G2533 the high priest, G749 where G3699 the scribes G1122 and G2532 the elders G4245 were assembled. G4863 But G1161 Peter G4074 followed G190 him G846 afar off G575 G3113 unto G2193 the high priest's G749 palace, G833 and G2532 went G1525 in, G2080 and sat G2521 with G3326 the servants, G5257 to see G1492 the end. G5056
And G1161 when he G846 was gone out G1831 into G1519 the porch, G4440 another G243 maid saw G1492 him, G846 and G2532 said G3004 unto them that were there, G1563 This G3778 fellow was G2258 also G2532 with G3326 Jesus G2424 of Nazareth. G3480
And G2532 he sent G649 Peter G4074 and G2532 John, G2491 saying, G2036 Go G4198 and prepare G2090 us G2254 the passover, G3957 that G2443 we may eat. G5315
Then G1161 Jesus G2424 said G2036 unto G4314 the chief priests, G749 and G2532 captains G4755 of the temple, G2411 and G2532 the elders, G4245 which were come G3854 to G1909 him, G846 Be ye come out, G1831 as G5613 against G1909 a thief, G3027 with G3326 swords G3162 and G2532 staves? G3586 When G5607 I G3450 was G5607 daily G2250 G2596 with G3326 you G5216 in G1722 the temple, G2411 ye stretched forth G1614 no G3756 hands G5495 against G1909 me: G1691 but G235 this G3778 is G2076 your G5216 hour, G5610 and G2532 the power G1849 of darkness. G4655 Then G1161 took they G4815 him, G846 and led G71 him, and G2532 brought G1521 him G846 into G1519 the high priest's G749 house. G3624 And G1161 Peter G4074 followed G190 afar off. G3113
But G1161 a certain G5100 maid G3814 beheld G1492 him G846 as he sat G2521 by G4314 the fire, G5457 and G2532 earnestly looked G816 upon him, G846 and said, G2036 This man G3778 was G2258 also G2532 with G4862 him. G846 And G1161 he denied G720 him, G846 saying, G3004 Woman, G1135 I know G1492 him G846 not. G3756 And G2532 after G3326 a little while G1024 another G2087 saw G1492 him, G846 and said, G5346 Thou G4771 art G1488 also G2532 of G1537 them. G846 And G1161 Peter G4074 said, G2036 Man, G444 I am G1510 not. G3756 And G2532 about G5616 the space G1339 of one G3391 hour G5610 after another G243 G5100 confidently affirmed, G1340 saying, G3004 Of G1909 a truth G225 this G3778 fellow also G2532 was G2258 with G3326 him: G846 for G1063 G2532 he is G2076 a Galilaean. G1057 And G1161 Peter G4074 said, G2036 Man, G444 I know G1492 not G3756 what G3739 thou sayest. G3004 And G2532 immediately, G3916 while he G846 yet G2089 spake, G2980 the cock G220 crew. G5455
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.