Matthew Henry's Concise Commentary on the Whole Bible
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Acts
Book: Acts
Chapter: 4
Overview:
Peter and
John imprisoned.
(1-4) The apostles boldly testify
to
Christ.
(5-14) Peter and
John refuse to be silenced.
(15-22)
The believers unite in
Prayer and praise.
(23-31) The holy
Charity of the Christians.
(32-37)
1-4 The apostles preached through
Jesus the resurrection from
the dead. It includes all the happiness of the future state;
this they preached through
Jesus Christ, to be had through him
only. Miserable is their case, to whom the
Glory of
Christ's
kingdom is a grief; for since the
Glory of that kingdom is
Everlasting, their grief will be
Everlasting also. The harmless
and useful servants of
Christ, like the apostles, have often
been troubled for their work of
Faith and labour of
Love, when
wicked men have escaped. And to this
Day instances are not
wanting, in which reading the Scriptures, social
Prayer, and
religious
Conversation meet with frowns and checks. But if we
obey the precepts of
Christ, he will support us.
5-14 Peter being filled with the
Holy Ghost, would have all to
understand, that the
Miracle had been wrought
By the name, or
power, of
Jesus of
Nazareth, the
Messiah, whom they had
crucified; and this confirmed their
Testimony to his
resurrection from the dead, which proved him to be the
Messiah.
These rulers must either be saved
By that
Jesus whom they had
crucified, or they must perish for ever. The name of
Jesus is
given to men of every
Age and nation, as that whereby alone
believers are saved from the wrath to come. But when
Covetousness, pride, or any corrupt
Passion, rules within, men
shut their eyes, and close their hearts, in
Enmity against the
Light; considering all as ignorant and unlearned, who desire to
know nothing in comparison with
Christ crucified. And the
followers of
Christ should act
So that all who converse with
them, may take knowledge that they have been with
Jesus. That
makes them holy, heavenly, spiritual, and cheerful, and raises
them above this world.
15-22 All the care of the rulers is, that the doctrine of
Christ spread not among the people, yet they cannot say it is
false or dangerous, or of any ill tendency; and they are ashamed
to own the true reason; that it testifies against their
hypocrisy, wickedness, and tyranny. Those who know how to
Put a
just value upon
Christ's promises, know how to
Put just contempt
upon the world's threatenings. The apostles look with concern
On
perishing souls, and know they cannot escape eternal ruin but
By
Jesus Christ, therefore they are
Faithful in warning, and
showing the right way. None will enjoy peace of mind, nor act
uprightly, till they have learned to guide their conduct
By the
fixed standard of
Truth, and not
By the shifting opinions and
fancies of men. Especially beware of a vain attempt to serve two
masters,
God and the world; the
End will be, you can serve
neither fully.
23-31 Christ's followers do best in company, provided it is
their own company. It encourages
God's servants, both in doing
work, and suffering work, that they serve the
God who made all
things, and therefore has the disposal of all events; and the
Scriptures must be fulfilled.
Jesus was anointed to be a
Saviour, therefore it was determined he should be a
Sacrifice,
to make
Atonement for
Sin. But
Sin is not the less evil for
God's bringing good out of it. In threatening times, our care
should not be
So much that troubles may be prevented, as that we
may go
On with cheerfulness and courage in our work and duty.
They do not pray,
Lord let us go away from our work, now that it
is become dangerous, but,
Lord, give us thy
Grace to go
On
stedfastly in our work, and not to fear the
Face of
Man. Those
who desire Divine aid and encouragement, may depend upon having
them, and they ought to go forth, and go
On, in the strength of
the
Lord God.
God gave a sign of acceptance of their prayers.
The place was shaken, that their
Faith might be established and
unshaken.
God gave them greater
Degrees of his
Spirit; and they
were all filled with the
Holy Ghost, more than ever;
By which
they were not only encouraged, but enabled to speak the
Word of
God with boldness. When they find the
Lord God help them
By his
Spirit, they know they shall not be confounded, Isa 1.7.
32-37 The disciples loved one another. This was the blessed
Fruit of
Christ's dying precept to his disciples, and his dying
Prayer for them. Thus it was then, and it will be
So again, when
the
Spirit shall be poured upon us from
On high. The doctrine
preached was the
Resurrection of Christ; a matter of fact, which
being duly explained, was a summary of all the duties,
privileges, and comforts of Christians. There were evident
fruits of
Christ's
Grace in all they said and did. They were
dead to this world. This was a great evidence of the
Grace of
God in them. They did not take away others' property, but they
were indifferent to it. They did not
Call it their own; because
they had, in
Affection, forsaken all for
Christ, and were
expecting to be stripped of all for cleaving to him.
No marvel
that they were of one
Heart and soul, when they sat
So loose to
the wealth of this world. In effect, they had all things common;
for there was not any among them who lacked, care was taken for
their supply. The
Money was laid at the apostles' feet. Great
care ought to be taken in the distribution of public
Charity,
that it be given to such as have need, such as are not able to
procure a maintenance for themselves; those who are reduced to
want for
Well-doing, and for the
Testimony of a good
Conscience,
ought to be provided for. Here is one in particular mentioned,
remarkable for this generous
Charity; it was
Barnabas. As one
designed to be a preacher of the
Gospel, he disentangled himself
from the affairs of this
Life. When such dispositions prevail,
and are exercised according to the circumstances of the times,
the
Testimony will have very great power upon others.