20 For G1063 we G2249 cannot G3756 G1410 but G3361 speak G2980 the things which G3739 we have seen G1492 and G2532 heard. G191
That which G3739 was G2258 from G575 the beginning, G746 which G3739 we have heard, G191 which G3739 we have seen G3708 with our G2257 eyes, G3788 which G3739 we have looked upon, G2300 and G2532 our G2257 hands G5495 have handled, G5584 of G4012 the Word G3056 of life; G2222 (For G2532 the life G2222 was manifested, G5319 and G2532 we have seen G3708 it, and G2532 bear witness, G3140 and G2532 shew G518 unto you G5213 that eternal G166 life, G2222 which G3748 was G2258 with G4314 the Father, G3962 and G2532 was manifested G5319 unto us;) G2254 That which G3739 we have seen G3708 and G2532 heard G191 declare we G518 unto you, G5213 that G2443 ye G5210 also G2532 may have G2192 fellowship G2842 with G3326 us: G2257 and G2532 truly our G2251 fellowship G2842 G1161 is with G3326 the Father, G3962 and G2532 with G3326 his G846 Son G5207 Jesus G2424 Christ. G5547
For G1063 though G1437 I preach the gospel, G2097 I G3427 have G2076 nothing G3756 to glory of: G2745 for G1063 necessity G318 is laid upon G1945 me; G3427 yea, G1161 woe G3759 is G2076 unto me, G3427 if G3362 I preach G2097 not G3362 the gospel! G2097 For G1063 if G1487 I do G4238 this thing G5124 willingly, G1635 I have G2192 a reward: G3408 but G1161 if G1487 against my will, G210 a dispensation G3622 of the gospel is committed unto me. G4100
Thou therefore gird up H247 thy loins, H4975 and arise, H6965 and speak H1696 unto them all that I command H6680 thee: be not dismayed H2865 at their faces, H6440 lest I confound H2865 thee before H6440 them. For, behold, I H589 have made H5414 thee this day H3117 a defenced H4013 city, H5892 and an iron H1270 pillar, H5982 and brasen H5178 walls H2346 against the whole land, H776 against the kings H4428 of Judah, H3063 against the princes H8269 thereof, against the priests H3548 thereof, and against the people H5971 of the land. H776 And they shall fight H3898 against thee; but they shall not prevail H3201 against thee; for I am with thee, saith H5002 the LORD, H3068 to deliver H5337 thee.
For I am full H4390 of matter, H4405 the spirit H7307 within H990 me constraineth H6693 me. Behold, my belly H990 is as wine H3196 which hath no vent; H6605 it is ready to burst H1234 like new H2319 bottles. H178 I will speak, H1696 that I may be refreshed: H7304 I will open H6605 my lips H8193 and answer. H6030
How G4459 shall we G2249 escape, G1628 if we neglect G272 so great G5082 salvation; G4991 which G3748 at the first G746 began G2983 to be spoken G2980 by G1223 the Lord, G2962 and was confirmed G950 unto G1519 us G2248 by G5259 them that heard G191 him; God G2316 also bearing them witness, G4901 both G5037 with signs G4592 and G2532 wonders, G5059 and G2532 with divers G4164 miracles, G1411 and G2532 gifts G3311 of the Holy G40 Ghost, G4151 according to G2596 his own G846 will? G2308
Now G1161 while Paul G3972 waited for G1551 them G846 at G1722 Athens, G116 his G846 spirit G4151 was stirred G3947 in G1722 him, G846 when he saw G2334 the city G4172 wholly given G5607 to idolatry. G2712 Therefore G3767 G3303 disputed he G1256 in G1722 the synagogue G4864 with the Jews, G2453 and G2532 with the devout persons, G4576 and G2532 in G1722 the market G58 daily G2596 G3956 G2250 with G4314 them that met with him. G3909
And G2532 we G2249 are G2070 witnesses G3144 of all things G3956 which G3739 he did G4160 both G5037 in G1722 the land G5561 of the Jews, G2453 and G2532 in G1722 Jerusalem; G2419 whom G3739 they slew G337 and hanged G2910 on G1909 a tree: G3586 Him G5126 God G2316 raised up G1453 the third G5154 day, G2250 and G2532 shewed G1096 him G846 openly; G1717 G1325 Not G3756 to all G3956 the people, G2992 but G235 unto witnesses G3144 chosen before G4401 of G5259 God, G2316 even to us, G2254 who G3748 did eat G4906 and G2532 drink with G4844 him G846 after G3326 he G846 rose G450 from G1537 the dead. G3498
So the spirit H7307 lifted me up, H5375 and took me away, H3947 and I went H3212 in bitterness, H4751 in the heat H2534 of my spirit; H7307 but the hand H3027 of the LORD H3068 was strong H2388 upon me. Then I came H935 to them of the captivity H1473 at Telabib, H8512 that dwelt H3427 by the river H5104 of Chebar, H3529 and I sat H3427 where they sat, H3427 and remained H3427 there astonished H8074 among H8432 them seven H7651 days. H3117 And it came to pass at the end H7097 of seven H7651 days, H3117 that the word H1697 of the LORD H3068 came unto me, saying, H559 Son H1121 of man, H120 I have made H5414 thee a watchman H6822 unto the house H1004 of Israel: H3478 therefore hear H8085 the word H1697 at my mouth, H6310 and give them warning H2094 from me. When I say H559 unto the wicked, H7563 Thou shalt surely H4191 die; H4191 and thou givest him not warning, H2094 nor speakest H1696 to warn H2094 the wicked H7563 from his wicked H7563 way, H1870 to save his life; H2421 the same wicked H7563 man shall die H4191 in his iniquity; H5771 but his blood H1818 will I require H1245 at thine hand. H3027 Yet if thou warn H2094 the wicked, H7563 and he turn H7725 not from his wickedness, H7562 nor from his wicked H7563 way, H1870 he shall die H4191 in his iniquity; H5771 but thou hast delivered H5337 thy soul. H5315 Again, H7725 When a righteous H6662 man doth turn H7725 from his righteousness, H6664 and commit H6213 iniquity, H5766 and I lay H5414 a stumblingblock H4383 before H6440 him, he shall die: H4191 because thou hast not given him warning, H2094 he shall die H4191 in his sin, H2403 and his righteousness H6666 which he hath done H6213 shall not be remembered; H2142 but his blood H1818 will I require H1245 at thine hand. H3027 Nevertheless if thou warn H2094 the righteous H6662 man, that the righteous H6662 sin H2398 not, and he doth not sin, H2398 he shall surely H2421 live, H2421 because he is warned; H2094 also thou hast delivered H5337 thy soul. H5315
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.