] ἐν ποίᾳ δυνάμει—not = ἐν π. ἐξουσίᾳ, ‘in what authority,’—but in what

τοῦτο, not the teaching (Olshaus., &c.),—nor both the miracle and the teaching (Heinr.), but the miracle: and that only.

Verse 8

8.] πλησθ. πν. ἁγ., i.e. specially, for the occasion.

Verse 9

ἐν τίνι, not ‘by (in) whom,’—this is not yet brought forward: but wherein, in what, as the conditional element. No person had been mentioned in the question, Acts 4:7,—nor does Peter afterwards say ἐν ἰησοῦ χρ., but ἐν τῷ ὀνόμ. ἰ. χρ. On the other hand, ἐν τούτῳ, Acts 4:10, may very well be masculine, as referring to ἰησοῦς χρ. Himself, included in the previous words τῷ ὀν. ἰ. χρ.:—it may also be neuter, ‘in this Name:’ but the masc. is preferable, on account of οὗτος following so soon in Acts 4:11.

Verse 10

10.] ὃν … ὅν: the copula is omitted to make the contrast more striking.

παρέστηκεν, stands, as in E. V. He was there present.

Verse 11

11.] See Matthew 21:42, note.

Verse 12

οὔτε γὰρ …] lit. for neither is there another name under heaven (which is) given (by God) among men (not ‘to men,’ Vulg., Beza, Kuinoel), whereby we must be saved: i.e., as E. V. Dr. Burton’s rendering, ‘For neither is the name which is given among men, whereby we are to be saved, any other than this,’ is ungrammatical.

Verse 13

13.] καταλαβάμενοι, having had previous knowledge; not as E. V., which would be the partic. pres.; see the past, ch. Acts 25:25.

ἰδιῶται,—the word of contrast to those professionally acquainted with any matter: here therefore, laics, men of no knowledge on such a subject as this.

ἐπεγίνωσ· κον,—they recognized them; (so Od. ω. 215, αὐτὰρ ἐγὼν πατρὸς πειρήσομαι ἡμετέροιο, αἴ κʼ ἐμʼ ἐπιγνοίη κ. φράσσεται ὀφθαλμοῖσιν: Plato, Euthyd. 301 E, ἆρα μοί ποτε αὕτη ( ἡ σοφία) παραγενήσεται ὥστε μοι οἰκεία γενέσθαι; ἐπιγνοίης ἂν αὐτήν, ὠ σώκρατες, ἔφη, οἰκείαν γενομένην;) their astonishment setting them to think, and reminding them that they had seen these men with Jesus:—not for a pluperfect, here or any where else: nor is ἦσαν;—that they (once) were with Jesus.

Verses 13-18

Verse 14

Verse 17

[ ἀπειλῇ] ἀπειλ.] for idiom, see reff.

The construction of ἀπειλέω with an infin., stated by Dr. Bloomf. to be ‘so rare that even the best lexx. scarcely adduce an example.’ is its ordinary construction: see Palm and Rost sub voce, and cf. II. αʹ. 161; νʹ. 143; οʹ. 179, al. freq.: Od. λʹ. 313; Xen. Mem. iii. 5. 4; Hell. v. 4. 7; Eur. Med. 287. The use of the middle in the active sense is confined to later Greek.

Verse 18

Verses 19-22

Verse 21

μηδέν, no means: not μηδὲν αἴτιον, see John 14:30. The difficulty with the Sanhedrim was, to find any means of punishing them which should not stir up the people; διὰ τὸν λαόν belongs to this clause, not to ἀπέλυσαν αὐτ.

Verse 22

22.] πλ. τεσσ. for πλ. ἢ τεσσ., as sometimes in classical Greek; so οὐκ ἔλασσον πέντε καὶ εἴκοσι, Thucyd. vi. 95. See Winer, edn. 6, § 37, 5. The constr. ἐφʼ ὃν γεγόνει (see as in reff.) is accounted for by the sense involved in it being the access, so to speak, of the event to the person mentioned. In the note on Revelation 4:2, I have noticed that καθῆσθαι ἐπί is commonly used when the fact is announced for the first time, with an accus.: but afterwards when the same fact is again referred to, with a gen. or dat.

τὸ σημ. τῆς ἰάσ.—the genitive of apposition; so τὸν ἀῤῥαβῶνα τοῦ πνεύματος, 2 Corinthians 5:5; σημεῖον περιτομῆς, Romans 4:11, &c. The circumstance of his being more than forty years old both gave notoriety to his person as having long resorted there, and made the miracle more notable, his malady being more confirmed.

Verse 23

23.] τοὺς ἰδίους, the other Apostles, and possibly some others assembled with them. There is nothing in Acts 4:31 to mark that only the Apostles were present on this occasion.

24] ὁμοθ. ᾖραν φων. not, as Meyer supposes, literally all speaking together in a known formula of prayer, but led by some one, and all assenting; not τὰς φωνάς, but φωνήν: see note on ch. Acts 2:6.

σὺ [ ὁ θεὸς] ὁ ποι.: Thou art God (or, if ὁ θεός be omitted, He) who hast made:—not Thou O God who hast made:—in this latter case, the first sentence would go on to the end of Acts 4:26, and there abruptly end, without any prayer being expressed: whereas now it is an acknowledgment that it was the same God, who was now doing these things, that bad beforetime prophesied them of Christ.

Verses 23-31

23–31.] PRAYER OF THE CHURCH THEREUPON.

Verse 25

ἵνα τί κ. τ. λ.] cited verbatim from the LXX.

The Messianic import of this Psalm has been acknowledged even by those who usually deny all such reference, e.g. De Wette. Meyer endeavours to refer it to some circumstances then present, but is not bold enough to enter into any vindication of his view.

φρυάσσω is only found in the middle in good Greek (see Kypke, Observ. ii. p. 30 f. Meyer). φρύαγμά ἐστι τὸ ἀλόγιστον κίνημα, Athanas. in Catena.

Verse 27

27.] The γάρ implies an acknowledgment of the truth of God in the fulfilment of the prophecy: Thou art the God who hast, &c., for these events have happened accordingly.

ἐν τῇ πόλει ταύτῃ. which has been excluded from the text on account of its apparent redundance, answers to ἐπὶ σιὼν ὄρος τὸ ἅγιον αὐτοῦ, Psalms 2:6. See also Matthew 23:37; Luke 13:33. The parts of this verse correspond accurately to those of the prophecy just quoted.

παῖδα, servant, as be fore, ch. Acts 3:26. Jesus, the Servant of Jehovah, is the antitype and completion of David, and of all other servants of the Lord: what is said of them only partially and hyperbolically, is said literally and entirely of Him.

Verse 28

ποιῆσαι must not be rendered, with Kuinoel, ‘ita ut facerent.’ It does not express the result, but the intention, of their assembling. Still worse is it to take ποιῆσαι with ἔχρισας, ‘Whom Thou hast anointed, … to do,’ &c., as some have proposed: the parenthesis, as well as the whole train of thought, forbidding it.

ἡ χείρ σ. κ. ἡ βουλή] not a ἓν διὰ δυοῖν (Kuinoel): χείρ indicates the Power, βουλή the Wisdom of God. The Wisdom decreed, the Hand performed: but the same word προώρισεν is used of both by what grammarians call zeugma—as in γάλα ὑμᾶς ἐπότισα‚ οὐ βρῶυα, 1 Corinthians 3:2. See Winer, edn. 6, § 66. 2, e.

Verse 30

Verse 31

It was on every ground probable that the token of the especial presence of God would be some phænomenon which would be recognized by those present as such. Besides which, the idea was not derived from profane sources, but from the Scriptures: see Psalms 29:8; Isaiah 2:19; Isaiah 2:21; Isaiah 13:13; Ezekiel 38:19 (especially); Joel 3:16; Haggai 2:6-7.

ἐπλήσθησαν, with a fresh and renewed outpouring.

τοῦ ἁγ. πν. is personal: they were all filled with the Holy Spirit: the meaning being the same with πν. ἁγ., the influence of the Holy Spirit,—but the form of expression varied. See ch. Acts 1:8; Acts 2:33; Acts 2:38; Acts 9:31; Acts 10:45.

Verse 32

32. τῶν πιστευσάντων] Much the same meaning as τῶν πιστευόντων, but with reference to their having become converts, and specially to those mentioned in Acts 4:4,—though the description is general. ‘Ubi regnum habet fides, animos ita conciliat ut omnes idem velint et nolint. Hinc enim discordiæ, quod non regimur eodem Christi Spiritu.’ Calvin. On the community of goods, see note at ch. Acts 2:45. We have the view there taken strikingly confirmed here by the expressions used. No one called (reckoned) any thing of his goods (which were still τὰ ὑπάρχοντα αὐτῷ, not alienated) (to be) his own. ( ἔλεγεν, dicebat: hoc ipso præsupponitur proprietatem possessionis non plane fuisse deletam. Bengel.)

Verses 32-37

Verse 33

χάρις, better grace, i.e. from God, than favour, i.e. from the people, which would hardly be so absolutely designated.

Verse 34

34.] γάρ gives a proof of God’s grace working in them, in that they imparted their goods to the poor: see especially 2 Corinthians 8:7.

πιπρασκομένων, the things which were being sold:—the process of selling, as regarded the whole church, yet going on, though completed in individual cases; in the places cited by Wetst. from Demosth. and Appian the pres. retains its proper force, as here. In Appian, B. Civ. v. p. 1088, the expression is, τιμὰς τῶν ἔτι πιπρασκομένων.

Verse 35

35.] παρὰ τοὺς πόδας,—not a Hebraism for the whole person—but literal. So Cicero pro Flacco, c. 28, ‘Ante pedes Prætoris in foro expensum estauri pondo centum.’ (Rosenm.) Wetstein gives several other examples. The Apostles, like the Prætor, probably sat upon a raised seat, on the step of which, at their feet, the money was laid, in token of reverence.

Verse 36

λευεΐτης] The Levites might possess land at all times within the precincts of the Levitical cities: such was the case, e.g., in Jeremiah 32:7. At the division of the kingdoms, the priests and Levites all resorted to Rehoboam in Judah (and Benjamin), 2 Chronicles 11:13; from that time probably, but certainly after the captivity, when the Mosaic division of the land was no longer accurately observed, the possession of land by Levites seems to have been allowed. The whole subject is involved in some uncertainty: cf. Leviticus 25:32 ff.; Numbers 35:1-8; Deuteronomy 12:12; Deuteronomy 18:8, al.

κύπριος] For the state of Cyprus at this time, see notes on ch. Acts 11:19; Acts 13:4-7.

Verse 37

σαπφείρῃ, perhaps from the Greek σάπφειρος, sapphire, or from the Syriac שפירא, beautiful (Grot.).

The crime of these two is well described by Meyer: ‘By the sale of their field, and the bringing in of the money they in fact professed to give the whole price as a gift of brotherly love to the common stock: but their aim was to get for themselves the credit of holy love and zeal by one portion of the price, whereas they had selfishly kept back the other portion for themselves. They wished to serve two masters, but to appear to serve only One.’

Verses 1-11

Verse 3

Verse 4

τί ὅτι, i.e. τί ἐστιν ὅτι: see reff.

ἔθου ἐν τ. καρδ., = שׂוּם עַל־לֵב, Daniel 1:8 ; Malachi 2:2. Satan suggested the lie, which Ananias ought to have repelled: instead of that, he put it in his heart,—placed it there where the springs of action are, and it passed out into an act.

οὐκ ἐψ. ἀνθ., ἀλλὰ τ. θ.] This οὐκ, ἀλλά, is not always an absolute and exclusive negation and assertion, see Mark 9:37; John 12:44. But here it seems to be so, and to imply, ‘Thine attempt to deceive was not to deceive us, men; but to deceive the Holy Ghost,—God, abiding in His church, and in us its appointed superintendents.’ This verse is of weighty doctrinal import, as proving the Deity of the Holy Spirit; unless it be held, that the Holy Spirit whom (Acts 5:3) Ananias attempted to deceive, and God to whom he lied, are different. ‘Hæc est sententia: Ananias mentitus est Deo et ejus Spiritui, non hominibus et Petro. Aude si potes, Sociniane, ita dicere: mentitus est non Spiritui Sancto et Petro, sed Deo.’ Bengel.

Verse 5

5.] The deaths of Ananias and Sapphira were beyond question supernaturally inflicted by Peter, speaking in the power of the Holy Spirit. This is the only honest interpretation of the incident. Many, however, and among them even Neander, attempt to account for them on natural grounds,—from their horror at detection, and at the solemn words of Peter. But, in addition to all other objections against this (see on ἐξοίσουσιν, Acts 5:9),—it would make man and wife of the same temperament, which would be very unlikely. We surely need not require any justification for this judicial sentence of the Apostle, filling as he did at this time the highest place in the church, and acting under the immediate prompting of the Holy Spirit. If such, however, be sought, we may remember that this was the first attempt made by Satan to obtain, by hypocrisy, a footing among Christ’s flock: and that however, for wise reasons, this may since then have been permitted, it was absolutely necessary in the infancy of the church, that such attempt should be at once, and with severity, defeated. Bengel remarks: ‘Quod gravitati pœnæ in corpore accessit, in anima potuit decedere.’

κ. ἐγέν. φόβ. κ. τ. λ.] The ἀκούοντες can hardly be (Meyer) those present, who (De W.) not only heard, but saw: the remark is proleptical, and = that in Acts 5:11.

Verse 6

6.] Were οἱ νεώτεροι a class in the congregation accustomed to perform such services,—or merely the younger men, from whom they would naturally be expected? Meyer and Olshausen (also Mosh. and Kuin.) maintain the former; Neander and De W. the latter. We can hardly assume, as yet, any such official distinctions in the congregation as would mark off οἱ νεώτεροι from οἱ πρεσβύτεροι, which latter are first officially mentioned ch. Acts 11:30. Besides which, we have no such ecclesiastical class as οἱ νεώτεροι. And the use of οἱ νεανίσκοι in Acts 5:10, as applying to these same persons, seems to decide that they were merely the younger members of the church, acting perhaps in accordance with Jewish custom,—perhaps also on some hint given by Peter.

συνέστειλαν] So περιστέλλω, Ezekiel 29:5; Tobit 12:13; Sirach 38:16, wrapped the body up,—probably in their own mantles, taken off in preparing to curry him out. The context will not permit any more careful enfolding of the body to be understood.

The speedy burial of the dead, practised among the later Jews, was unknown in earlier times, see Genesis 23. It was grounded on Numbers 19:11 ff. The practice was to bury before sunset of the same day. The immediate burial in this case adds to the probability that the young men obeyed an intimation from the Apostle.

Verse 7

Verse 8

τοσούτ., naming the sum: or perhaps pointing to the money lying at his feet. The sense tantilli (Born.) is implied of course, but not expressed by τοσούτου.

No stress on ἀπέδοσθε as referring to the smallness of price: it is the ordinary word for selling, see reff.

Verse 9

οἱ πόδες] Not that Peter heard (Olsh.) the tread of the young men outside (they were probably barefooted), but it is an expression common in the poetical or lively description of the Hebrews, and indeed of all nations (see Isaiah 52:7; Nahum 1:15; Romans 10:15; Eurip. Hippol. 656; Soph. Œd. Col. 890, al. freq.), making the member whereby the person acts, the actor. I take the words to mean, that the time was just at hand for their return: see James 5:9. The space of three hours was not too long: they would have to carry the corpse to the burying-ground, at a considerable distance from the city (Lightf.), and when there, to dig a grave, and bury it.

ἐξοίσουσιν] This word, spoken before her death, decisively proves that death to have been not a result merely of her detection, but a judicial infliction.

Verse 10

Verse 12

ἅπαντες, the Apostles only, not all the Christians. It does not follow, from πάντες referring to all the believers in ch. Acts 2:1 (see note there), that ἅπαντες necessarily refers to the same here also. The Apostles are the subject of the paragraph: and it is to set forth their unanimity and dignity that the description is given. They are represented as distinct from all others, believers and unbelievers (both which I take to be included under the term οἱ λοιποί): and the Jewish people itself magnified them. The further connexion see on Acts 5:14.

στ. σολ.] See ch. Acts 3:11; John 10:23, note.

Verses 12-16