Ye

8 by what name, have ye done this? Then Peter, filled with the Holy Ghost, said unto them, 9 rulers of the people, and elders of Israel, if we this day be examined of the good deed done to the impotent man, by what means he is made whole; 10 be it known unto you all, and to all the people of Israel, that by the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth, whom ye crucified, whom God raised from the dead, even by him doth this man stand here before you 11 whole. This is the stone which was set at nought of you builders, which is 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.

13

Now when they saw the boldness of Peter and John, and perceived that they were unlearned and

8. filled

Holy Ghost: see Luke xii. 11, 12. 9. if used with great rhetorical skill for "since": "if for a good deed we are being tried."

impotent: see Glossary.

by what means: lit. "wherein " or "in whom," see iii. 6 n. is made whole (see Glossary) this may also mean "is saved," as R.V. margin. The two ideas are related, for the bodily healing is the work of Him who also heals the soul. See the Collect for St. Luke's Day, "that by the wholesome medicine of the doctrine delivered by him, all the diseases of our souls may be healed."

10. whom whom the repeated word emphasises the antithesis. The very fact that Jesus had been rejected proved Him to be the Messiah: the stone which the builders rejected had become the head of the corner.

by him: R.V. "in him," see iii. 6 n.

11. Ps. cxviii. 22, "The stone which the builders refused is become the head stone of the corner." Jesus had used this quotation of Himself, Matt. xxi. 42; cf. 1 Pet. ii. 7. The "head of the corner was the highest corner-stone, of great importance in supporting the roof.

12. salvation: lit. "the salvation," i.e. the promised salvation which Messiah was to bring, see Mal. iv. 2.

we emphasised in the Greek by being placed last : in (so R.V.) we must be saved, we all."

"where

ignorant men, they marvelled; and they took knowledge of them, that they had been with Jesus. And beholding the man which was healed 14 standing with them, they could say nothing against it. But when they had commanded them to go 15 aside out of the council, they conferred among themselves, saying, What shall we do to these 16 men? for that indeed a notable miracle hath been done by them is manifest to all them that dwell in Jerusalem; and we cannot deny it. But that it 17 spread no further among the people, let us straitly threaten them, that they speak henceforth to no

[13-22. THE SANHEDRIN THREATEN THE APOSTLES.] 13. boldness: lit. "frank speaking."

perceived: R.V. rightly "had perceived": the word probably indicates previous knowledge.

unlearned and ignorant: this gives a wrong impression. The words in the original merely indicate that they had never studied in the rabbinic schools, and had no special knowledge of rabbinic teaching. unlearned is lit. "without letters" (the opposite of a scribe" or "man of letters "), indicating one who has not studied the exposition of the O.T. by the rabbis; cf. John vii. 15: "How knoweth this man letters, having never learned?" ignorant is lit. "laymen," i.e. men without special professional knowledge of a subject, and does not at all imply general ignorance. Here it means "ignorant of theology," "of rabbinic exegesis.' [The Greek word is that from which we derive "idiot," but its original force is (1) a private person, (2) a layman, and it implies no contempt.]

took knowledge of: i.e. began to recognise who they were. 15. the council: see Glossary.

16. notable: lit. "known," "that can be known," the opposite of that which can only be guessed at or surmised: the miracle was a fact about which definite knowledge was attainable; it was no matter of conjecture. miracle: lit. "sign' (as R.V. in margin), thus bringing out the intention of what was done better than "miracle," which alludes merely to its wonderful character, leaving entirely out of sight its rationale. It is not the wonder which constitutes the miracle.

17. let us threaten . . .: i.e. "order them with threats, no longer

straitly: i.e. "strictly," urgently. Cf. Gen. xliii. 3; Ex. xiii. 19; 1 Sam. xiv. 28. See Glossary.

D

18 man in this name. And they called them, and

commanded them not to speak at all nor teach in 19 the name of Jesus. But Peter and John answered and said unto them, Whether it be right in the sight of God to hearken unto you more than unto 20 God, judge ye. For we cannot but speak the things 21 which we have seen and heard. So when they had further threatened them, they let them go, finding nothing how they might punish them, because of the people for all men glorified God for that which 22 was done. For the man was above forty years old, on whom this miracle of healing was shewed.

23

And being let go, they went to their own company, and reported all that the chief priests 24 and elders had said unto them. And when they heard that, they lift up their voice to God with one accord, and said, Lord, thou art God, which hast

in this name: non dignantur appellare nomen Jesu, cf. 28. It is an instance of that avoidance of the name of the Christ which makes the Talmud refer to Him most frequently as Peloni-" so and so."

19. in the sight of God: this phrase expresses a sense of the immediate presence of God as viewing, judging, or attesting something (see vii. 46, viii. 21, x. 33); hence it is used in asseverations (e.g. Gal. i. 20, "Behold, before God I lie not ") and adjurations (e.g. 2 Tim. ii. 14, "Charging them before the Lord"). Here that which is "just in the sight of God" is appealed to as something higher than human justice.

21. because of the people: i.e. because they feared an outbreak of indignation.

[23-31. THE APOSTLES PRAY TO GOD; THE PLACE WHEREIN THEY ARE IS SHAKEN.]

24. with one accord: a strong word="with united eagerness"; see i. 14 n.

they... said: the following words are clearly not a general and fixed form of prayer, but refer definitely to the special circumstances. Probably, then, they were uttered by some one Apostle, the rest of those present assenting to them, and possibly audibly joining in the well-known words of the Psalm.

Lord: lit. "Master." The word ascribes supreme power and authority. It describes the relation of a master to servants or

made heaven, and earth, and the sea, and all that in them is who by the mouth of thy servant David 25 hast said, Why did the heathen rage, and the people imagine vain things? The kings of the earth stood up, 26 and the rulers were gathered together against the Lord, and against his Christ. For of a truth against 27 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 28

slaves; cf. Luke ii. 29, "Lord, now lettest thou thy servant depart." It is the opposite of St. Paul's "servant = "bondservant" (e.g. Rom. i. 1), and is used of God only: cf. Jude 4; Rev. vi. 10.

R.V. has,

25. The original Greek text here is uncertain. "Who by the Holy Ghost, by the mouth of our father David thy servant." The reference is to Psalm ii. 1.

rage: lit. "neigh eagerly" (of horses); hence "be proud," "haughty." Quare fremuerunt gentes? in Vulg.

the heathen: lit. "the nations," i.e. "the Gentiles," which R.V. has. The word "heathen" strictly="dwellers on the heaths," who, as living out of the way, were the last to be influenced by Christianity; see also Glossary.

27. hast anointed: better "didst anoint," i.e. at His baptism; see ii. 22 n. (2).

both Herod, and Pontius Pilate . were gathered together: Luke (xxiii. 12) alone mentions that in this matter Herod and Pilate "were made friends together, for before they were at enmity." Herod Antipas was son of Herod the Great, and "tetrarch" of Galilee and Peraea (xiii. 1); see Mark vi. 1428; Luke iii. 19, 20, ix. 7, xiii. 31, 32. Afterwards his wife Herodias persuaded him to go to Rome to obtain the title of "King" [which he had heretofore borne by courtesy], but he was opposed by his nephew Herod Agrippa, who had great influence with Caligula, and banished to Lugdunum in Gaul A.D. 39. He died in exile. Pontius Pilatus was appointed (A.D. 25) sixth procurator of Judaea, which on the deposition of Archelaus (A.D. 6) had been attached to the province of Syria. A.D. 36 he was sent to Rome by the governor of Syria to answer a charge brought against him by the Samaritans. [His name Pontius suggests a connection with the great Samnite family of the Pontii, and Pilatus is perhaps pileatus ("wearing the pileus" or cap of freed slaves; cf. Mount Pilatus, "the cloud-capped" mountain), and so may indicate that he was a freed man.] 28. Cf. ii. 23 n.

to do whatsoever thy hand and thy counsel deter29 mined before to be done. And now, Lord, behold their threatenings: and grant unto thy servants, 30 that with all boldness they may speak thy word, by stretching forth thine hand to heal; and that signs and wonders may be done by the name of thy holy 31 child Jesus. And when they had prayed, the place was shaken where they were assembled together; and they were all filled with the Holy Ghost, and they spake the word of God with boldness.

32

And the multitude of them that believed were of one heart and of one soul: neither said any of them that ought of the things which he possessed was his own, but they had all things common. 33 And with great power gave the apostles witness of the resurrection of the Lord Jesus: and great grace 34 was upon them all. Neither was there any among

30. by [or "in"] stretching forth: God gives His protection by (or in) stretching forth His arm. This is better than R.V."while thou stretchest forth." The phrase "with a stretched out arm " is common in O.T., e.g. Ps. cxxxvi. 12; Ex. vi. 6. 31. was shaken: as by an earthquake, for which as a sign of God's presence cf. Ps. cxiv. 7; Is. ii. 19, 21.

and they spake . . . boldness: Luke, with simple skill, describes the fulfilment of their prayer in the very words of the prayer, ver. 29.

of one heart and of one soul: the expression with emphatic fulness describes complete unanimity of thought and feeling, resulting naturally in their looking on all believers as brothers, who could have no separate interests.

R.V. rightly gives

said: i.e. "reckoned," "considered." "and not one of them said "; the original is even stronger, "not even one of them." For the facts see ii. 44 n.

[32-37. UNITY (AND COMMUNITY OF GOODS) OF THE CHURCH.]

32. ought see Glossary.

33. gave: so A.V. and R.V. inadequately: rather "duly delivered." The special charge entrusted to the Apostles which they were bound "duly to deliver" was the witness of the resurrection. Cf. especially Peter's words, i. 22.

grace: i.e. of God, as vi. 8, and as St. Paul constantly.