4:1 {The captain of the temple} (ho stratēgos tou hierou).
Twenty-four bands of Levites guarded the temple, one guard at a
time. They watched the gates. The commander of each band was
called captain (stratēgos). Josephus names this captain of the
temple police next to the high priest ("War". VI. 5, 3).
4:2 {Being sore troubled} (diaponoumenoi). Present passive
participle of old verb diaponeō (perfective use of dia) to be
worked up, indignant. In the N.T. only here and 16:8.
4:3 {In ward} (eis tērēsin). Probably in one of the chambers of
the temple. In safe keeping (from tēreō, to guard). Old word,
in the N.T. only here and Ac 5:18; 1Co 7:19. So in papyri.
4:4 {Men} (andrōn). Strictly, men and not women, for anthrōpos is the term for both men and women. But in Lu 11:31 andres seems to include both men and women and that is possible
here, though by no means certain, for see Mt 14:21 where the
women and children are expressly excepted.
4:5 {Rulers and elders and scribes} (tous archontas kai tous
presbuterous kai tous grammateis). The three classes composing
the Sanhedrin (rulers=chief priests who were Sadducees, the
scribes usually Pharisees, the elders not in either class: 24
priests, 24 elders, 22 scribes).
4:6 {Annas} (Hannas). One of the rulers or chief priests,
ex-high priest (A.D. 7-14) and father-in-law of {Caiaphas}
(Kaiaphas) who was actual high priest at that time, though the
title clung to Annas as here (both so called in Lu 3:2),
Caiaphas so by Roman law, Annas so in the opinion of the Jews.
They with John and Alexander are the leaders among the Sadducees
in pressing the case against Peter and John.
4:7 {In the midst} (en tōi mesōi). The Sanhedrin sat in a
semicircle.
4:8 {Filled with the Holy Spirit} (plēstheis pneumatos hagiou).
For this occasion and so above all fear as in verse 31 and as
in 2:4.
4:9 {Concerning a good deed done to an impotent man} (epi
euergesiāi anthrōpou asthenous). Objective genitive. Note euergesia (old word, in the N.T. only here and 1Ti 6:2), as a
benefactor, not a malefactor. Skilful turn made by Peter.
4:10 {Be it known} (gnōston estō). Imperative present active
third singular of eimi, to be, and the verbal adjective gnōston.
4:11 {Of you the builders} (huph' humōn tōn oikodomōn). The
experts, the architects, had rejected Jesus for their building
(Ps 118:22) as Jesus himself had pointed out (Mt 21:42; Lu
21:17). This very Rejected Stone God had made the head of the
corner (either the highest corner stone right under the roof or
the corner stone under the building, Isa 28:16) as Jesus
showed, as Peter here declares and repeats later (1Pe 2:6f.).
4:12 {Salvation} (hē sōtēria). The Messianic salvation as in
5:31; 17:11 and as Jesus meant in Joh 4:22. It is amazing to
see Peter speaking thus to the Sanhedrin and proclaiming the
necessity of salvation (dei sōthēnai) in the name of Jesus
Christ and in no other. If this was true then, it is true today.
There is no second (heteron) name to go beside that of Jesus in
India, China, Japan, or America.
4:13 {The boldness} (tēn parrēsian). Telling it all (pan,
rēsia). See also verses 29,31. Actually Peter had turned the
table on the Sanhedrin and had arraigned them before the bar of
God.
4:14 {They could say nothing against it} (ouden eichon
anteipein). Imperfect again, they kept on having nothing to say
against it. The lame man was standing there before their eyes in
proof of what Peter had said.
4:15 {They conferred among themselves} (suneballon pros
allēlous). Imperfect active again. With Peter and John and the
lame man outside, they began to compare (sun, ballō) notes and
take stock of their predicament.
4:16 {What shall we do?} (Ti poiēsōmen). Deliberative aorist
active subjunctive (ingressive and urgent aorist).
4:17 {That it spread no further} (hina mē epi pleion
dianemēthēi). First aorist passive subjunctive of dianemō, to
distribute with hina mē, negative purpose.
4:18 {Not to speak at all} (katholou mē phtheggesthai). Same
construction as above, infinitive in indirect command with
negative mē (and mēde).
4:20 {For we cannot but speak} (ou dunametha gar hēmeis--mē
lalein). Both negatives hold here, "For we (note emphatic hēmeis) are not able not to speak" (what we saw and heard).
This is defiance of the civil and ecclesiastical authorities that
was justified, for the temple authorities stepped in between the
conscience and God. Peter and John were willing to pay the price
of this defiance with their lives. This is the courage of martyrs
through all the ages.
4:21 {When they had further threatened them}
(prosapeilēsamenoi). The "further" is in "pros" (in addition),
{Finding nothing how they might punish them} (mēden heuriskontes
to pōs kolasōntai autous). Note the article "to" before pōs
(how), "the how." Aorist middle deliberative subjunctive kolasōntai in indirect question after pōs from kolazō, to
lop (kolos, lopped), to curb, to prune, to correct, to punish.
Old verb, in the N.T. only here and 2Pe 2:9.
4:22 {Was wrought} (gegonei). Second past perfect active
without augment from ginomai.
4:23 {To their own company} (pros tous idious). Their own
people as in Joh 1:11; 13:1; Ac 24:23; 1Ti 5:8; Tit 3:14, not
merely the apostles (all the disciples). In spite of Peter's
courageous defiance he and John told the brotherhood all that had
been said by the Sanhedrin. They had real apprehension of the
outcome.
4:24 {With one accord} (homothumadon). A concert of voices as
already seen by the word in 1:14; 2:46 and later in 5:12;
7:57; 15:25.
4:25 {By the mouth of our father David} (tou patros hēmōn dia
pneumatos hagiou stomatos Daueid). From Ps 2:1f. here ascribed
to David. Baumgarten suggests that the whole company sang the
second Psalm and then Peter applied it to this emergency. The
Greek MSS. do not have dia (by) here before stomatos, but
only dia before pneumatos hagiou (the Holy Spirit). Hort
calls this a "primitive error" perhaps due to an early scribe who
omitted this second dia so close to the first dia (Robertson,
"Introduction to the Textual Criticism of the N.T.", p. 238). A
small list of such primitive errors is there given as suggested
by Dr. Hort.
4:26 {Set themselves in array} (parestēsan). Literally, stood
by.
4:27 {Both Herod and Pontios Pilate} (Hērōidēs te kai Pontius
Peilatos). Luke alone (Lu 23:12) tells of the reconciliation
between Herod and Pilate at the trial of Jesus. So Peter and the
rest interpret this prophecy as directly fulfilled in their
conduct towards Jesus Christ.
4:28 {Foreordained} (proōrisen). First aorist active indicative
of proorizō, "They rise above sight and seem to see the Hand
which 'shapes men's ends, rough hew them how they will'"
(Furneaux).
4:29 {And now} (kai ta nun). "And as to (accusative of general
reference) the now things (the present situation)." Only in the
Acts in the N.T. (5:38; 17:30; 20:32; 27:22).
4:30 {While thou stretchest forth thy hand} (en tōi tēn cheira
ekteinein se). Luke's favourite idiom, "In the stretching out
(articular present active infinitive) the hand as to thee"
(accusative of general reference), the second allusion to God's
"hand" in this prayer (verse 28).
4:31 {The place was shaken} (esaleuthē ho topos). By an
earthquake most likely as in 16:26, but none the less a token
of God's presence and power (Ps 114:7; Isa 2:19,21; Heb
12:26f.).
4:32 {Of one heart and soul} (kardia kai psuchē mia). It is not
possible to make sharp distinction between heart and soul here
(see Mr 12:30), only that there was harmony in thought and
affection. But the English translation is curiously unlike the
Greek original. "There was one heart and soul (nominative case,
not genitive as the English has it) in the multitude (tou
plēthous, subjective genitive) of those who believed."
4:33 {Gave their witness} (apedidoun to marturion). Imperfect
active of apodidōmi, old verb to give back, to pay back a debt
(Lu 7:42), but a late omega form instead of the usual apedidosan. They kept on giving their witness with power after
the answer to their prayer (verse 31).
4:34 {That lacked} (endeēs). Literally, in need, old adjective,
here only in the N.T.
4:35 {Distribution was made} (diedideto). Imperfect passive of diadidōmi, late omega form for diedidoto (the stem vowel o
displaced by e). Impersonal use of the verb here.
4:36 {Barnabas} (Barnabas). His name was Joseph (correct text,
and not Jesus) and he is mentioned as one illustration of those
in verse 34 who selling brought the money. The apostles gave
him the nickname Barnabas by which later he was known because of
this noble deed. This fact argues that all did not actually sell,
but were ready to do so if needed. Possibly Joseph had a larger
estate than some others also. The meaning of the nickname is
given by Luke as "son of consolation or exhortation" (huios
paraklēseōs). Doubtless his gifts as a preacher lay along this
same line. Rackham thinks that the apostles gave him this name
when he was recognized as a prophet. In Ac 11:23 the very word parekalei (exhorted) is used of Barnabas up at Antioch. He is
the type of preacher described by Paul in 1Co 14:3.
Encouragement is the chief idea in paraklēsis though
exhortation, comfort, consolation are used to render it (Ac
9:31; 13:15; 15:31). See also 16:9; 20:12. It is not necessary
to think that the apostles coined the name Barnabas for Joseph
which originally may have come from Barnebous (Deissmann,
"Bible Studies", pp. 308-10), son of Nebo, or even the Hebrew
"Bar Nebi" (son of a prophet). But, whatever the origin, the
popular use is given by Luke. He was even called apostle along
with Paul (Ac 14:14) in the broad sense of that word.
4:37 {Having a held} (huparchontos autōi agrou). Genitive
absolute with present active participle of huparchō and dative
of possession.
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