Bible Commentaries
Acts 4

Verse 1

Verse 2

Verse 2

Grieved; displeased, angry. The Sadducees did not believe in a resurrection.

Verse 3

Verse 3

In hold; in confinement.

Verse 4

Verse 4

Five thousand. This may perhaps include the converts made before.

Verse 6

Verse 6

Annas. He had been high priest, and still retained the title. Caiaphas was his son-in-law, and was then high priest.--John and Alexander; influential members of the Sanhedrim.

Verse 13

Verse 13

Took knowledge of them, &c. They recognized them as having been among the followers of Jesus when he was alive.

Verse 21

Verse 21

Because of the people. They feared creating a tumult among the people.

Verse 25

Verse 25

Psalms 2:1,Psalms 2:2.--Imagine vain things; vainly imagine that they could contend against God.

Verse 27

Verse 27

Anointed; invested with power.

Verse 28

Verse 28

We observe that the apostles constantly gather strength and encouragement, in all their trials, from the reflection that every event that takes place, is only the fulfilment of God's predetermined plan. However great the philosophical difficulty involved in it, they clearly believed that his sovereign purposes cover and control even those events which are accomplished by crime. This belief, in the decided form in which they held and expressed it, appears very obviously to be the foundation of the undaunted courage, and boundless confidence in God, which they displayed.

Verse 32

Verse 32

All things common; that is, their property was surrendered, so far as was necessary, with the utmost readiness and freedom.

Verse 34

Verse 34

Sold them; so far as there was any occasion. There is abundant proof, in the subsequent narrative, that property was still generally held as a private possession.

Verse 36

Verse 36

A Levite. Very few of the priests or Levites had hitherto embraced Christianity.--Cyprus; an island in the Mediterranean.