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Albert Barnes · Citado em PreceptAustin
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Barnes adds "They did not grieve because they thought it a public calamity, but because it interfered with their authority, and opposed their doctrine. It means that it was painful to them, or they could not bear it. It is often the case that bigots, and men in authority, have this kind of grief at the zeal of men in spreading the truth, and thus undermining their influence and authority....It is worthy of remark, that it excited so much and so speedily the enmity of those in power; and that the apostles were so soon called to test the sincerity of their attachment to their Master. They who but a few days before had fled at the approach of danger, were called to meet this opposition, and to show their attachment to a risen Redeemer; and they did it without shrinking. They showed now that they were indeed the true friends of the crucified Saviour: and this remarkable change in their conduct is one among the many proofs that they were influenced from above. (Barnes' Notes on the New Testament) Because - Term of explanation. As Knowling says "It was not merely a dogmatic question of the denial of the Resurrection which concerned the Sadducees, but the danger to their power, and to their wealth from the Temple sacrifices and dues, if the Resurrection of Jesus was proclaimed and accepted." (Expositor's Greek Testament) They were teaching the people and proclaiming in Jesus the resurrection from the dead - The teaching and proclaiming refers back to Acts 3 and Peter's sermon ( Acts 3:12-26). The religious leaders were annoyed by the very fact that they were teaching, for after all, these were unlearned, unschooled former Galilean fishermen (cf Acts 4:13, Jn 1:46, 7:41, 52), who had no official rabbinical training, no connection to the religious establishment and no authorization to speak publicly (although there was no obvious rule forbidding them to speak out). And it must have been particularly offensive to the Sadducees (whose function was to teach and interpret the Scriptures) that they were able to draw such large crowds of eager listeners (Do you think there was any jealousy here? cf Acts 5:17+). Finally, the Sadducees would have been especially annoyed at their teaching the resurrection from the dead (Acts 3:15+, cf Lk 20:27-40+). As discussed above, since the Sadducees did not believe in the resurrection, if Peter's teaching was true, their entire theological system would crumble! And if the people began to believe that Jesus was in fact the Messiah, the Sadducees would lose influence over the people. As Barnes points out "We have here, also, a striking instance of the fact that men may turn away from evidence (THE WALKING, LEAPING, PRAISING GOD FORMERLY LAME MAN!), and from most important points, and fix on something that opposes their prejudices, and which may be a matter of very little moment. No inquiry was made whether the miracle had been really wrought; but the only inquiry was, whether they had conformed to their views of doctrine and order." (Barnes' Notes on the New Testament) Teaching (present tense - continually)(1321)(didasko - English "didactic") refers to the passing on of information, often in a formal setting, but not always the case (e.g. here the setting is the Temple grounds). It focused on content, with the purpose of discovering the truth-contrary to the forums so popular among Greeks, where discussion and the bantering about of various ideas and opinions was the primary concern. The root word carries with it the idea of systematic teaching or training and was used of a choir director who trains a choir over a long period of rehearsals until they are able to perform. Proclaiming (2605)(kataggello from kata = an intensifier, down + aggelos = messenger from aggello = to declare, report) literally means to "declare down". It means to announce, with focus upon the extent to which the announcement or proclamation extends and so to proclaim throughout. It means to declare plainly, openly and loudly! It was used of solemn religious messages. This is the very word Luke used to describe the beginning of the ministry of Barnabas and Saul (Acts 13:2) when they were sent out from Antioch on the first missionary journey and "began to proclaim (kataggello in imperfect tense = over and over, again and again) the Word of God in the synagogues." (Acts 13:5). A T Robertson on the sense of the phrase "in (en) Jesus" - In the case of Jesus, an actual instance of resurrection which the Sadducees denied (Matthew 22:23). This same use of en ( = "in") appears in 1 Cor. 4:6 (in us). The Sadducees were also aristocrats and political ecclesiastics who disliked popular disturbances. In particular, they resented the claim about Jesus Whom they had helped crucify. (Word Pictures in the New Testament) The phrase resurrection from the dead occurs 5x in the NT - Lk. 20:35; Acts 4:2; Acts 26:23; Rom. 1:4; Phil. 3:11. As noted the Sadducees did not believe in the doctrine of the resurrection (which is why they were "sad, you see") and so this teaching and proclamation would be especially abhorrent to them. If this were true, it would put one of their main beliefs in danger. And indeed, it was obvious that many Jews were beginning to believe this doctrine. MacDonald makes an interesting point on the phrase resurrection from (ek = out of) the dead - If Jesus had risen from among the dead, then the Sadducees were discredited....the expression resurrection from the dead is important because it disproves the popular idea of a general resurrection at the end of the world. This passage and others speak of resurrection out from among dead ones. In other words, some will be raised while others (unbelievers) will remain in the grave until a later time. (Believer's Bible Commentary) Life Application Commentary on the importance of teaching and proclaiming in Jesus the resurrection - According to the apostle Paul in 1 Corinthians 15:1-8, the resurrection of Christ means that He is the Son of God and that His word can be trusted. It means that His sacrifice for sin was acceptable to God, so we can be completely forgiven. It means that our Savior is alive and active, able to help us in times of need. It also means that one day we, too, will conquer death. The Christian faith rests on the basic fact of the empty tomb. Don't neglect this essential part of the Gospel when you share your faith with others. (Life Application Bible Commentary – Acts) Resurrection (386)(anastasis from ana = up, again + histemi = to cause to stand) literally means “to stand again" or "to cause to stand again" and most NT uses refer to a physical body rising from the dead or coming back to life after having once died. The resurrection is distinguished from belief in the false teaching of reincarnation, which usually is portrayed as involving a series of rebirths from which the soul may seek release. Resurrection has primary reference to the body. The resurrection is the central, defining doctrine and claim of the gospel for as Paul wrote "if Christ has not been raised, then our preaching is vain, your faith also is vain." (1 Cor 15:14)
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Barnes comments on the effect of persecution - there is no lesson which men have been so slow to learn, as that to oppose and persecute men is the very way to confirm them in their opinions, and to spread their doctrines. It was supposed here that the disciples were few, that they were without power, wealth, and influence, and that it was easy to crush them at once. But God made their persecution the means of extending, in a signal manner, the truths of the gospel and the triumphs of his word. And so in all ages it has been, and so it ever will be. (Barnes' Notes on the New Testament) And the number of the men came to be about five thousand - Luke does not use the word anthropos which is the term for humankind in general. He uses the word aner for men which usually refers to males. The 5000 believers in Messiah therefore does not include women and children so that this first church probably had upwards to 10,000 "members" or more. Given that 3000 had believed on hearing Peter's first sermon (Acts 2:41+), about 2000 responded to Peter's second sermon. This is the last time that Luke mentions a specific number of believers in the church but he does describe the continued growth in Acts 5:14; 6:7; 9:31; 12:24; 16:5; 19:20; 28:31. As an aside, you might be thinking there is no way Peter could have addressed more than 2000 Jews (and there would have been more because not all believed the Gospel) in the Portico of Solomon. Take a look at this diagram of the Temple grounds and note for comparison the football field in the bottom right side of the diagram. Here is the point - the Temple grounds adjacent to the Portico of Solomon would have been approximately 4 football fields in size which could have easily provided room for several thousand Jews. And before you say that Peter could never had addressed that many because he did not have a PA System or a megaphone, you need to realize that George Whitefield is said to have addressed 20-30,000 in an open field and he likewise had no megaphone. What both men did have was supernatural enablement by the Holy Spirit! Life Application Bible Commentary - Estimates of Jerusalem's population at this time range from twenty-five thousand to eighty-five thousand. Josephus recorded that there were a total of six thousand Pharisees in Palestine. Thus, a total of five thousand Jewish Christian men (not counting women and children) was a very high percentage of the population! (Life Application Bible Commentary – Acts) In sum, Peter's Gospel proclamation produced two effects (1) conversion of some and (2) confrontation from others. The Gospel ultimately either comforts the afflicted or afflicts the comfortable. Illustration - The June 1988 issue of Mission Frontiers, the bulletin of the U.S. Center for World Mission, describes the arrest of Xu Yongzhe, an itinerant evangelist from China, who risked coming to Beijing so that he might meet Billy Graham. Xu Yongzhe was a fugitive for refusing to follow a government policy designed to prevent itinerant evangelists from preaching the gospel. Yet despite persecution, house churches overseen by Xu Yongzhe had grown from 200 to more than 3,000 during the previous eight years. POWER OF THE WORD - The renowned preacher C H Spurgeon once tested an auditorium in which he was to speak that evening. Stepping into the pulpit, he loudly proclaimed, "Behold the lamb of God Who takes away the sin of the world." Satisfied with the acoustics, he left and went his way. Unknown to him, there were two men working in the rafters of that large auditorium, neither one Christians. One of the men was pricked in his conscience by the verse Spurgeon quoted and became a believer later that day! Such is the penetrating power of God's eternal word! Little wonder that Paul is so insistent on our "preaching of the Word." Spurgeon also tells the story illustrating the power of the gospel… Preacher converted by his own preaching. I wish that it might happen to you as it did with my dear friend, Mr. Haslam, whom God has blessed to the conversion of so many. He was preaching a sermon that he did not understand, and while he preached it, he converted himself. By God's grace he began to feel the power of the Holy Spirit and the force of divine truth. He so spoke that a Methodist in the congregation called out, "The parson is converted"; and so the parson was. He owned it, and praised God for it, and all the people sang:— "Praise God from Whom all blessings flow." His own utterances concerning Christ crucified had been the power of God unto salvation to him. (Barbed Arrows from the Quiver of C. H. Spurgeon) Acts 4:5 On the next day, their rulers and elders and scribes were gathered together in Jerusalem; KJV Acts 4:5 And it came to pass on the morrow, that their rulers, and elders, and scribes, On the next day Acts 5:20,21; Micah 2:1; Mt 27:1,2 rulers and elders and scribes Acts 4:8; 5:34; 6:12; Isa 1:10; Mark 15:1; Luke 20:1; 22:66; 24:20 Acts 4 Resources - Multiple Sermons and Commentaries THE PRELIMINARY HEARING On the next day, their rulers and elders and scribes were gathered together in Jerusalem - These were undoubtedly members of the Council or the Sanhedrin (sunedrion) (see Acts 4:15) which was the "Supreme Court" of the Jews. Think about having to appear before the US Supreme Court! The Sanhedrin was know also as the Gerousia (Assembly, Senate - Acts 5:21) and the Presbuterion ("the body of elders" - Acs 22:5). The high priest (Caiaphas in this case) was always the "president" or "chief justice" so to speak. Rulers (758)(archon from present participle of archo = to rule) describes one who has eminence in a ruling capacity, referring to earthly figures, in this case the Jewish rulers who had opposed Jesus. Elders (4245)(presbuteros the comparative form of présbus = an old man or an ambassador) referred to men who were older or more senior with no negative connotations but rather a sense of venerability. In this context elders refers to those family heads and heads of tribes who were chosen from among the people to sit in the Council. Uses of presbuteros in Acts - Acts 2:17; Acts 4:5; Acts 4:8; Acts 4:23; Acts 6:12; Acts 11:30; Acts 14:23; Acts 15:2; Acts 15:4; Acts 15:6; Acts 15:22; Acts 15:23; Acts 16:4; Acts 20:17; Acts 21:18; Acts 23:14; Acts 24:1; Acts 25:15; Scribes (1122)(grammateus from grapho = to write) were those men skilled in interpreting the law of Moses and the traditional rabbinic writings (Mt 2.4). While most of the scribes were Pharisees, not all Pharisees were scribes. In fact, according to Josephus the Scribes were all Pharisees (cf Acts 23:6).Jesus gives a long rebuke including 8 WOES primarily to the Scribes and Pharisees which should be read to help understand how this group of Jewish religious men functioned (See Mt 23:1-39, 13, 14, 15, 16, etc). Most sources consider the men referred to as lawyers (nomikos) or experts in the law (HCSB translation) to be scribes who were specialized in the jurisprudence of the Law of Moses. Finally, the teachers of the law (KJV = "doctors of the law")(Lk 5:17, Acts 5:34, 1 Ti 1:7 = nomdidaskalos - were teachers of the Jewish law who were equal to the lawyers and scribes. While the scribes were frequently the protagonists of Jesus in the Gospels, we encounter them only 4 times in Acts - Acts 4:5, Acts 6:12, Acts 19:35 and Acts 23:9. A T
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Barnes on given - The Lord Jesus is thus uniformly represented as given, or appointed by God for this great purpose, John 3:16, 17:4, 1 Corinthians 3:5, Galatians 1:4, 2:20, Ephesians 1:22, 5:25; 1 Timothy 2:6, Romans 5:15-18, 6:23 and hence Christ is called the "unspeakable gift" of God, 2 Corinthians 9:15. (Barnes' Notes on the New Testament) Among men recalls a similar declaration in Acts 2:39+ that "the promise is for you and your children (Jews) and for all who are far off (Gentiles)." By which we must be saved - Peter uses the pronoun "we" thus joining the two apostles to their opponents, in a sense appealing to them. We signifies they all have the same need for salvation. As someone has well said "The Name of Jesus is profanity to the sinner but heaven's password to the saint." Hallelujah! Must be saved - "By which it is fit or proper that we should be saved." If one is to be saved from eternal death to eternal life, it MUST be by this way, by this Name. Note the passage does not say "will be saved," or "might be saved," but MUST BE SAVED. The verb for must is dei which speaks of an obligation, an absolute necessity, the logical necessity. As
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Barnes - To show the failure of all other schemes of religion was the great design of the first part of the Epistle to the Romans. By a laboured argument Paul there shows Romans 1 that the Gentiles had failed in their attempt to justify themselves; and in Romans 2, Romans 3, that the same thing was true also of the Jews. If both these schemes failed, then there was need of some other plan; and that plan was that of salvation by Jesus Christ. (Barnes' Notes on the New Testament) There is no skirting around the Name of Jesus. There is no entrance into the Kingdom of God and the presence of the Father but through the "Door" of the Name Jesus Who clearly declared... "I am the door; if anyone enters through Me, he will be saved, and will go in and out and find pasture." (John 10:9) "I am the way, and the truth, and the life; no one comes to the Father but through Me." (John 14:6) Jesus' made these exclusive, "narrow minded" (but open hearted) claims as He warned his Jews at the conclusion of His Sermon on the Mount "Enter through the narrow gate; for the gate is wide and the way is broad that leads to destruction, and there are many who enter through it. For the gate is small and the way is narrow that leads to life, and there are few who find it." (Mt 7:13-14+, cf Pr 14:12) In one passage Jesus "doubly warned" His Jewish hearers "Therefore I said to you that you will die in your sins; for unless you believe that I am He, you will die in your sins.” (Jn 8:24) Jesus could not have stated it more clearly that He is the only Name by which lost men must be saved and yet the lost world sees it as narrow minded. And actually they are correct! Their problem is that they love their sin way too much! Jesus explained their "spiritual pathological condition" “This is the judgment, that the Light has come into the world, and men loved the darkness rather than the Light, for their deeds were evil. “For everyone who does evil hates the Light, and does not come to the Light for fear that his deeds will be exposed (THERE IT IS! THEY DO NOT WANT THEIR SINS EXPOSED!). “But (BLESSED, MERCY-FILLED TERM OF CONTRAST!) he who practices the truth comes to the Light, so that his deeds may be manifested as having been wrought in God.”(John 3:19-21) The apostle John spoke of the exclusivity of Jesus in his first epistle... He who has the Son has the life; he who does not have the Son of God does not have the life. (1 Jn 5:12) Paul described the exclusivity of the Gospel this way For there is one God, and one Mediator (One Who intervenes between two parties to resolve a conflict) also between God and men, the Man Christ Jesus,(1 Timothy 2:5) Saved is the verb sozo (see previous note), which Peter had used to describe the lame man's healing in Acts 4:9. Peter uses the same verb sozo, to deftly move from the irrefutable evidence of a beggar's physical healing, to the greater miracle of spiritual healing found only in the Name that brought about the physical healing. His logic could not have been more "air tight!" Luke has already used sozo twice in the context of spiritual salvation... Acts 2:40+ And with many other words he solemnly testified and kept on exhorting them, saying, “Be saved (aorist imperative = "Don't Delay! Don't wait until tomorrow for tomorrow may be too late!") from this perverse generation!” Acts 2:47+ praising God and having favor with all the people. And the Lord was adding to their number day by day those who were being (present tense, passive voice = Salvation is an "inside" job wrought by an "outside" Power!) saved. Compare other uses of sozo - Acts 11:14, 15:11, 16:30, 31 The first use of sozo in the entire NT clearly links the Name Jesus with spiritual salvation. Matthew recorded the angel's conversation with Joseph "She (Mary) will bear a Son; and you shall call His name Jesus, for it is He who will save (sozo) His people from their sins." (Mt 1:21) In Mt 1:21 sozo is equated with deliverance from sins (guilt and power of). Jesus' Name (Iesous) is a transliteration of Joshua meaning "Jehovah is salvation". Boice is right when he says "“Oh, how the world hates such statements! If you want to be laughed at, scorned, hated, even persecuted, testify to the exclusive claims of Jesus Christ.” A T
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Barnes - As this class of persons is commonly also supposed to be less learned, talented, and refined than those in office, it comes to denote those who are rude and illiterate. The idea intended to be conveyed here is, that these men had not had opportunities of education, (comp. Matthew 4:18-21,) and had not been accustomed to public speaking, and hence they were surprised at their boldness. This same character is uniformly attributed to the early preachers of Christianity. Comp. 1 Corinthians 1:27, Matthew 11:25. The Galileans were regarded by the Jews as particularly rude and uncultivated, Matthew 26:73, Mark 14:70. (Barnes' Notes on the New Testament) These two "apples" (Peter and John) did not fall very far from the tree so to speak Jesus elicited a similar reaction from the "elite" John recording "The Jews then were astonished, saying, “How has this man become learned, having never been educated?” (John 7:15) Jesus pointed them back to the ultimate authority and empowering and enlightening of His Heavenly Father (Matt. 7:28-29; Luke 20:19-26) Paul Apple - laymen or unprofessional; common, ordinary folks – nothing special in the way of brilliance and debating skill. We have same prejudice against laymen in Christian circles today – people want to protect their turf; Remember it is God who gives out the credentials and the enablement and the giftedness; Seminaries have their role but we don’t want the lack of a degree to be a disqualification for effectively developing and using your spiritual gift. (Amen!) Confidence (boldness) (3954)(parrhesia from pás = all + rhesis = speech, act of speaking) is literally all speech or speaking all things and thereby conveys the idea of freedom to say all. The basic idea is free and fearless confidence. It is that attitude of openness that stems from freedom and lack of fear. Greeks used parrhesia of those with the right to speak openly in the assembly. Ultimately this quality of confidence was not Peter's (nor our) natural response to persecution but that which is energized by the indwelling Spirit, emboldening (Spirit filled) believers to openly declare (with great conviction) all that He leads them to speak (cf Jn 12:49, 16:12, Lk 21:12-15). Parrhesia in Acts - Acts 2:29; Acts 4:13; Acts 4:29; Acts 4:31; Acts 28:31 This same word parrhesia is used by the apostle Paul in an amazing prayer request he gave to the saints at Ephesus (if he requested it, so should we beloved! If you have an accountability partner ask him to begin to pray this for you and you will do likewise for him. And then wait on God and watch what He will do.) And pray on my behalf, that utterance may be given to me in the opening of my mouth, to make known with boldness (parrhesia) the mystery of the gospel, 20 for which I am an ambassador in chains; that in proclaiming it I may speak boldly (parrhesiazomai verb form of parrhesia), as I ought to speak. (Eph 6:19-20+) They were amazed -They wondered. They marvelled. Amazed is thaumazo (used of the reaction to Jesus in Lk 20:26) in the imperfect tense (over and over = they began to marvel and kept it up) indicating they continued to be astonished, marveling at this lame man now miraculously cured. Thaumazo describes the human response when confronted by divine revelation in some form (Mt 9.33) and denotes incredulous surprise. Steven
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Barnes adds "They had not been trained in their schools, and their boldness could not be attributed to the arts of rhetoric, but was the native, ingenuous, and manly exhibition of deep conviction of the truth of what they spoke; and that conviction could have been obtained only by their having been with him, and having been satisfied that he was the Messiah. Such conviction is of far more value in preaching than all the mere teachings of the schools; and without such a conviction, all preaching will be frigid, hypocritical, and useless." (Barnes' Notes on the New Testament - see his notes for 5 qualities that are conducive to successful preaching ministry) Would it be that all God's people were so obvious (so like Jesus) that the lost world would recognize us as having been with Jesus (e.g., as in a morning quiet time as we meet privately and personally with Him)! Beloved, you can mark it down, when we have been with Jesus at least a remnant of those we encounter will be attracted by our boldness. Paul however gives us a proper perspective so that we are not surprised by those who are not attracted by our boldness... But thanks be to God, Who always leads us in triumph in Christ, and manifests through us the sweet aroma of the knowledge of Him in every place. 15 For we are a fragrance of Christ to God among those who are being saved and among those who are perishing; 16 to the one an aroma from death to death, to the other an aroma from life to life. And who is adequate for these things (ANSWER = 2 Cor 3:5-6!)? (2 Cor 2:14-16) Illustration In the Old Testament, when the Israelites were being led by Moses, Moses would go spend time with God in this tent called the tabernacle, and when he would come out, his face would be glowing. (Ex 34:29-30, 33-) You could tell that Moses had spent time with God, he glowed in the dark! Can people see the glow from your time spent WITH Jesus? Ordinary People Read: Acts 4:1-21 When they saw the boldness of Peter and John, and perceived that they were uneducated and untrained men, they marveled. —Acts 4:13 Bestselling novelist Arthur Hailey (1920-2004) once said of his characters, “I don’t think I really invented anybody. I have drawn on real life.” When readers open a book by the British author, they encounter ordinary people whom the writer has placed in extraordinary situations. In Acts 4 we find ordinary people, including the fishermen Peter and John, whom God placed in unexpected situations as witnesses to the reality of the risen Christ. These men, who had fled when Jesus was arrested, were now boldly facing threats and punishment for telling others about Him. Even the authorities who opposed these followers of Jesus were astonished “when they saw the boldness of Peter and John, and perceived that they were uneducated and untrained men . . . . And they realized that they had been with Jesus” (v.13). Most of us are ordinary people in a real life of work, relationships, and everyday circumstances. Our opportunities to demonstrate the reality of Christ may sometimes come disguised as difficulties, as they did for the disciples in Acts. As ordinary people, we can have an extraordinary impact for Christ if we will trust the Author of our circumstances and rely on the Holy Spirit’s power. Just what do Christians look like? What sets their lives apart? They're ordinary people Who love God from the heart. —D. De Haan God is looking for ordinary people to do extraordinary work. Without A Bumper Sticker Read: Acts 4:5-22 They saw the boldness of Peter and John . . . . And they realized that they had been with Jesus. —Acts 4:13 While driving in rush hour traffic one day, I found myself behind a car with a bumper sticker. It had a yellow smiley face on it with these words: Smile—Jesus Loves You. Suddenly another car squeezed in front of the “smiley” car, forcing the driver to hit the brakes. With that, he shook his fist angrily, displaying anything but a smiley face. I felt ashamed, until I remembered my own impatience as a driver. The incident reminded me that our actions and reactions, more than the display of a sticker on our car, show whether we know the Lord Jesus. Acts 4 tells us that Peter and John faced opposition from local rulers, elders, and scribes as they proclaimed the good news of Christ. But their reaction caused their opponents to start thinking. Even though Peter and John were not highly educated, the people marveled at their bold witness and realized that these two men had been with Jesus. There was no need for a bumper sticker on the apostles’ donkey—their words and deeds said it all. Do you feel too untrained or timid to be a witness for God? If you’ll spend time getting to know Jesus intimately, He’ll empower you to impress others with Himself. You’ll have boldness—without a bumper sticker. For me 'twas not the truth you taught, To you so clear, to me so dim; But when you came to me, you brought A deeper sense of Him. —Clelland Actions speak louder than bumper stickers. The Source Of Impact Read: Acts 4:1-13 When they saw the boldness of Peter and John . . . they marveled. And they realized that they had been with Jesus. —Acts 4:13 The Nobel Prize is awarded annually to people in a variety of fields who have made an extraordinary impact. Leaders in economics, physics, literature, medicine, and peace are recognized for their contributions. When a person is acknowledged with a Nobel Prize, it is the ultimate affirmation of years of training, effort, education, and sacrifice in pursuit of excellence—investments that are the source of their impact. We might wish to make a significant impact spiritually in our world, but we wonder, What is the source of spiritual and ministry influence? If we want to make an extraordinary impact for Jesus Christ, what must we invest in? Christ’s first followers were impacted from spending time with Jesus. Israel’s religious leaders recognized this. Acts 4:13 tells us, “When [the leaders] saw the boldness of Peter and John, and perceived that they were uneducated and untrained men, they marveled. And they realized that they had been with Jesus.” Training and education are valuable in the service of the Savior, but nothing can replace time spent in His presence. He is the source of whatever spiritual impact we might have on our world. How much time have you been spending with Jesus—your source of impact? In the secret of His presence How my soul delights to hide! Oh, how precious are the lessons Which I learn at Jesus’ side! —Goreh To master this life, spend time with the Master. The Tree Frog Read: Acts 4:5-13 They saw the boldness of Peter and John . . . . And they realized that they had been with Jesus. —Acts 4:13 One summer as my wife and I sat on our porch, we were serenaded by a tree frog who had taken up residence in the dense vine climbing a nearby tree. We finally located him, but not until after a painstaking search, because his coloring blended in perfectly with the vine leaves. As we watched him, we remembered a little chameleon we had seen during a visit to Florida. Like the frog, it took on the color of its surroundings. People often take on the “color” of their environment too. They can become like the people with whom they associate, whether good or bad. In our Bible reading today, the religious leaders “saw the boldness of Peter and John” and “realized that they had been with Jesus” (Acts 4:13). The disciples had become like Jesus because they had spent time with Him, listened to Him teach, walked and talked with Him, and followed His example. We too will take on the character of Jesus when we spend time in fellowship with Him, listen to the Holy Spirit speak to us through the Word, obey His teachings, and walk and talk with Him throughout the day. I wonder, can people tell that we have been spending time with Jesus? Be like Jesus, this my song, In the home and in the throng; Be like Jesus, all day long! I would be like Jesus. —Rowe The more time we spend with Christ, the more we become like Christ. Passionate Boldness Read: Acts 4:5-13 When they saw the boldness of Peter and John, . . . they marveled. And they realized that they had been with Jesus. —Acts 4:13 A young man was preaching to the passersby in Hounslow, on the outskirts of London, England. Most ignored him, a few ridiculed, and several stopped to listen. But regardless of the reaction of the people, he was undeterred. With a strong voice and clear resolve, he poured out his heart—not with the words of an angry prophet, but with deep concern for the men and women on that street. His eyes, facial expressions, and tone of voice revealed an attitude of compassion, not condemnation. In it all, he boldly shared the love and grace of Jesus Christ. In Acts 4, when the church was still new, Peter and John also boldly addressed the people of their generation. The response of the leaders of their day? “Now when they saw the boldness of Peter and John, and perceived that they were uneducated and untrained men, they marveled. And they realized that they had been with Jesus” (v.13). That boldness was not the fruit of ministerial training but of much time spent in the presence of the Master. As a result, they had become passionate about what concerned Christ—the eternal destiny of men and women. That same passionate boldness was on the face of the young man in Hounslow. Do people see it in us? Will you be bold in your witness By giving lost sinners God’s Word? Jesus will honor your service, And sinners will surely be stirred. —Bosch A Christian is an ambassador who speaks for the King of kings.
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Barnes says the verb "commonly means, to present one's self, or to stand forth, for the purpose of aiding, counselling, etc. But here it means that they rose, or presented themselves, to evince their opposition. They stood opposed to the Messiah, and offered resistance to Him." In fact, they crucified Him! It is interesting that the verb paristemi while in the present context conveys the picture of the ruler's opposition to Jesus also has another meaning of surrendering or yielding up, which is in fact what Jesus did as He voluntarily gave Himself to the power of these evil kings and rulers. What kind of love is this? AGAINST THE LORD (kurios) AND AGAINST HIS CHRIST - Against Jehovah and against His Anointed, His Messiah. The point is that when they opposed Jesus, they opposed His Father (Jn 10:29, cf Jn 5:17, 8:19, 49) Note the appearance of the "Trinity" in Acts 4:25 (Holy Spirit) and Acts 4:26 (Father and Son). Against is kata which Louw-Nida says is "a marker of opposition, with the possible implication of antagonism—‘against, in opposition to, in conflict with.’" (cf "fleshly lusts" waging war against the believer's soul - 1 Pe 2:11, God "canceled out the certificate of debt consisting of decrees against us" - Col 2:14; “Blessed are you when people insult you and persecute you, and falsely say all kinds of evil against you because of Me." - Mt 5:11; "they brought charges to the governor against Paul." - Acts 24:1; "If God is for us, who is against us?" - Ro 8:31) His Christ - Christ is Christos from chrio which means to anoint. Jesus is God's anointed One (Acts 10:37, 38). Luke plays off the Name Christ in Acts 4:27 describing the "holy Servant Jesus, Whom You anointed (chrio)." See Utley's discussion of Anointing in the Bible. Don't miss the implication of the passages that they quote in this prayer. They are acknowledging that Messiah experienced opposition, so as His followers they should not be surprised that Peter and John experienced opposition. And furthermore they should understand that opposition to Christ would be the lot of all who followed Christ. And in the following verses they express in prayer the truth that while Jesus was opposed, this opposition had been predestined by the hand of the sovereign God (the "despotes," the One with absolute power and authority). While they do not specifically state it, it is clear that the opposition which brought about their Lord's death and burial was followed by His resurrection, so that His persecution had purpose. Likewise, they could be assured that their persecution would have purpose in God's sovereign plan of redemption. It would not simply be persecution for persecution's sake. It would not be wasted. And based on this realization, this truth prompts them to cry out for power to witness boldly, realizing that the "kings and rulers" will stand against them, just as they had stood against Jesus. Bob Utley on the OT quotations - In Acts Luke records several OT quotes as they relate to the gospel. 1. Joel 2:1–5 in Acts 2:16 2. Psalm 16:8–11 in Acts 2:25 3. Isaiah 52:12–53:12 in Acts 3:18 4. Deut. 18:15–20 in Acts 3:22 5. Gen. 12:3; 22:18 in Acts 3:25 6. Psalm 118:22 in Acts 4:11 7. Psalm 2:1–2 in Acts 4:25–26 Christianity is not something new, but the fulfillment of the Old Testament (cf. Matt. 5:17–48). Acts 4:27 "For truly in this city there were gathered together against Your holy servant Jesus, whom You anointed, both Herod and Pontius Pilate, along with the Gentiles and the peoples of Israel, KJV Acts 4:27 For of a truth against thy holy child Jesus, whom thou hast anointed, both Herod, and Pontius Pilate, with the Gentiles, and the people of Israel, were gathered together, For truly Mt 26:3; Luke 22:1; 23:1,8-12 against Your holy servant Jesus Acts 4:30; 2:27; 3:14; Job 14:4; 15:14; 25:4; Luke 1:35; Hebrews 7:26 whom You anointed Acts 10:38; Ps 2:2,6; Ps 45:7; Isa 61:1; Luke 4:18; John 10:36 both Herod Mt 2:13-16; Luke 13:31-33; 23:7-12 Pontius Pilate Acts 3:13; Mt 27:2,11-36; Mark 15:1-28; Luke 18:31-33; 23:13-38; John 19:1-24,34 along with the Gentiles and the peoples of Israel Acts Isa 49:7; 53:3; Zechariah 11:7,8; Mt 20:18,19; 21:28; 23:37; 26:3,4,59-68; Mt 27:25,40-43; Mark 10:33; 14:1,2,43-65; 15:1-3,31; Luke 9:22; Luke 20:13-19; 22:2-6,47-52,63-71; 23:1-5; John 1:11; 18:1-14,19-24; John 18:28-40; 19:15 Acts 4 Resources - Multiple Sermons and Commentaries Related Passages: Leviticus 16:7-9+ (DAY OF ATONEMENT - FORESHADOWING OF CHRIST AS THE ULTIMATE SIN OFFERING) “He (AARON) shall take the two goats and present them before the LORD at the doorway of the tent of meeting. 8 “Aaron shall cast lots for the two goats (see Pr 16:33), one lot for the LORD (THE SIN OFFERING) and the other lot for the scapegoat. 9 "Then Aaron shall offer the goat on which the lot for the LORD fell, and make it a sin offering . THE INITIAL FULFILLMENT OF PSALM 2 For (gar) - Term of explanation. Those praying are elaborating on those who took their stand against the Lord and His Messiah, against God the Father and God the Son. And so the old saying is true - the enemy of my enemy is my friend. Truly (225)(aletheia) is used with the conjunction epi in this verse is literally "upon truth" and means "in reality truly, certainly" (Mk. 12:14; Mk. 12:32; Lk. 4:25; Lk. 20:21; Lk. 22:59; Acts 4:27; Acts 10:34). It adds emphasis to what they are saying, that it was a real or actual event. In this city - The holy city of Jerusalem where the Holy One of God was crucified. There were gathered together against Your holy (hagios) servant Jesus (Iesous) - This was a concerted effort by individuals and groups who did not even like each other! So great was their hatred of Jesus and His message that these enemies began united as "friends" on this one occasion. Gathered (4863)(sunago) means assembled, convened, gathered together. Against is epi which Louw-Nida says is "a marker of opposition in a judicial or quasijudicial context." (E.g., Mt 26:55 = “Have you come out with swords and clubs to arrest Me as you would against [epi] a robber? Every day I used to sit in the temple teaching and you did not seize Me.") Servant (3816)(see preceding discussion of pais) Like Peter had done in Acts 3:13 and Acts 3:26, the disciples identify Jesus as the God's Servant, using an unusual word for servant (not the familiar doulos as Paul refers to himself in Titus 1:1 "a servant [doulos] of God"). The word Peter uses is the Greek noun pais which is used 25 times in the NT with about 8 uses referring to children and 15 uses referring to a servant and in secular Greek referred to an especially intimate and trusted servant. Pais describes several different servants - David (Lk 1:69; Acts 4:25; Lxx - 2 Sa 7:5, 8, 19, 20, 21, 25), Israel (Lk 1:54) but most importantly Jesus the Messiah. The KJV actually translates Acts 3:13 as "His Son Jesus," which is not bad because Jesus is the "Servant Son" (so both translation of pais would apply to Him. Most modern versions prefer to translate it as "Servant Jesus.") What would have made Peter's use of pais so interesting to his Jewish audience was the fact that there are at least two well-known uses in Isaiah in which he speaks prophetically of the Messiah as God's Servant, and in both passages, servant is translated pais. Whom You anointed - Anointed (5548) is the verb chrio the root verb of Christos in Acts 4:26. (See also Messiah - Anointed One) In the OT, priests, kings and prophets were anointed and the Messiah is all three! Both Herod and Pontius Pilate - The Kings and Rulers about which David had prophesied in Psalm 2:2! "Herod Antipas, who was a king of the Jews, mocked Jesus; Pontius Pilate, a Gentile ruler, murdered Jesus. Herod scorned Him because he was angry; Pilate sentenced Him because he was afraid. The motive for rejecting Christ is different, the result is the same." (Phillips Exploring Acts) Along with the Gentiles (ethnos) and the peoples of Israel - Notice that this verse allows for no element of anti-Semitism regarding the death of Christ on the Cross. The point this passage makes is that Gentiles and Jews are ALL guilty. You and I are guilty of putting Christ on the Cross! The Jews and Herod and Pontius Pilate just happened to be the immediate "instruments" God used to bring about His predestined purpose (Acts 4:28). Marshall makes a salient point regarding the inclusion of the phrase the peoples of Israel - The inclusion of Israel among the foes of the Messiah marks the beginning of the Christian understanding that insofar as the people of Israel reject the Messiah they cease to be the Lord’s people and can be ranked with unbelieving Gentiles. (See The Acts of the Apostles: An Introduction and Commentary - Page 106) Acts 4:28 to do whatever Your hand and Your purpose predestined to occur. KJV Acts 4:28 For to do whatsoever thy hand and thy counsel determined before to be done. to do whatever Your hand Acts 2:23; 3:18; 13:27-29; Genesis 50:20; Ps 76:10; Mt 26:24,54; Luke 22:22; Luke 24:44-46; 1 Peter 2:7,8 Your purpose predestined to occur Job 12:13; Pr 21:30; Isa 5:19; 28:29; 40:13; 46:10; 53:10; Eph 1:11; Hebrews 6:17 Acts 4 Resources - Multiple Sermons and Commentaries GOD'S SOVEREIGN PLAN FROM ALL ETERNITY These believers are acknowledging that although kings and rulers came against Jesus, God had long before planned and allowed these events to occur. In so doing they are praising God for His omniscience. To do whatever Your hand and Your purpose predestined to occur - While Acts 4:27 describes man's responsibility for the Crucifixion of Messiah, this verse teaches that the Crucifixion was God's sovereign purpose for His Anointed. Ultimately God is in complete control, even when men seem to be "winning." Furneaux comments that here the disciples "rise above sight and seem to see the Hand which 'shapes men's ends, rough hew them how they will." Constable (quoting Neil) says the praying disciples "see in this beginning of persecution the continued fulfilment [sic] of Scripture which had been evident in the Passion of Jesus." Your hand - Speaks of God's power to order all things as He sees fit. He's Got the Whole World in His Hands! Do you really believe He's got you in His hands? Every trial? Every affliction? Every persecution? Yes, all are in His hands! So let the peace of God which surpasses all comprehension, guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus! (Php 4:7+) Marshall comments that "the thought is of God’s mighty hand which carried out what His will ordained, and this will include not only the plotting of His enemies, which He allowed, but also their frustration and defeat. In view of all this, the church could now bring its own situation before the Lord, confident that this too was under His control. (Acts 4:29)" (TNTC-Acts) Related Resource: Multiple resources on the Hand of the Lord Purpose (plan) (1012)(boule) when used of man expresses a decision, a purpose or a plan which is the result of inner deliberation. Boule is that which has been purposed and planned. Boule referring to God is a strong term, indicating His fixed intention, His purpose. That which is His purpose stands utterly fixed and cannot be changed by any action of others. And what was His purpose? To provide a satisfactory substitutionary sacrifice so that sinful men might be redeemed from sin and eternal death and receive righteousness and eternal life through faith in Christ Jesus, God's Sacrificial Lamb (Jn 1:29). As Phillips (Exploring Acts) says "God turned that horrible scaffold upon which men murdered their Maker into a stage upon which He demonstrated the wonder of His saving grace. God converted that gallows into a means of grace, so that the cross that meant a horrible death to Jesus now means life everlasting to us. Well might we sing with George Bennard (see history of this hymn): In the old rugged cross Stained with blood so divine, A wondrous attraction I see; For 'twas on that old cross Jesus suffered and died To pardon and sanctify me (Play this hymn) (Another vocal) As