Acts 4:3

Matthew Henry's Complete Commentary - Acts 4:1-4

We have here the interests of the kingdom of heaven successfully carried on, and the powers of darkness appearing against them to put a stop to them. let Christ's servants be ever so resolute, Satan's agents will be spiteful; and therefore, let Satan's agents be ever so spiteful, Christ's servants ought to be resolute. I. The apostles, Peter and John, went on in their work, and did not labour in vain. The Spirit enabled the ministers to do their part, and the people theirs. 1. The preachers... read more

William Barclay

William Barclay's Daily Study Bible - Acts 4:1-4

4:1-4 While they were speaking to the people, the priests, the superintendent of the Temple and the Sadducees came upon them. They were annoyed because they were teaching the people, and proclaiming, through Jesus, the resurrection from the dead. So they laid hands upon them and put them under arrest until the next day, for by this time it was evening. But many who heard the word believed; and the number of the men was about five thousand. The healing of the lame man had taken place within... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Acts 4:3

And they laid hands on them ,.... The Arabic version renders it, "on both"; on Peter and John; seized them by force, and drew them out of the temple: and put them in hold unto the next day ; not in the common public prison, as in Acts 5:18 but they put them into the hands, and under the care and custody of a set of men, to keep and guard them; that they might not go away, until they had an opportunity of bringing them before the sanhedrim, to be examined and punished by them: for it... read more

Spence, H. D. M., etc.

The Pulpit Commentary - Acts 4:1-4

The first persecution. I. THE GROUND OF IT . 1. Religious intolerance— "the priests." 2. Political animosity —" the captain of the temple." A representative of Rome, alarmed by the crowd and fearing popular tumult. 3. Rationalistic unbelief— "the Sadducees." The troubles of the Church are thus foreshadowed, proceeding from the three different sources which will always unite against the truth. Against two facts they rose up: the people were taught; the... read more

Spence, H. D. M., etc.

The Pulpit Commentary - Acts 4:1-21

Truth from the tribunal. The principles which are illustrated or suggested here are— I. THAT MEN IN THE HIGHEST RELIGIOUS POSITION MAY BE ALL WRONG IN THEIR THEOLOGY . The priests were grieved that the apostles taught the people that which we know to have been God's own truth ( Acts 4:2 ). In every age since then, the teaching of pure doctrine has been a veritable grief to those who have been regarded by many as the religious authorities of the land. ... read more

Spence, H. D. M., etc.

The Pulpit Commentary - Acts 4:1-22

Christ's servants before the tribunal. I. THEIR APPREHENSION . Its causes. 1. The jealousy of those in ecclesiastical power. Caste, privilege, and established professions are ever jealous of popular influence. It is ill for learning and for religion when they come to be identified with the interests of a class. But neither can be shut up to the few. Light and truth are the common property of all, as there is no function higher than that of the genuine teacher of religion, so... read more

Spence, H. D. M., etc.

The Pulpit Commentary - Acts 4:1-31

The first persecution. On observing the phenomena attending the introduction and spread of Christianity in the world, one which arrests our attention is the persecution which at different times its disciples have met with from the world. The Lord Jesus himself, "the Author and Perfecter of our faith," was rejected of men and crucified. And when, after his glorious resurrection, the apostles preached the faith, and verified the truth of what they preached by such signal miracles as that... read more

Spence, H. D. M., etc.

The Pulpit Commentary - Acts 4:3

Ward for hold, A.V. (see Acts 4:18 ); morrow for next day, A.V. They laid hands on them . The harsh persecution of the disciples at Jerusalem at this time when the Sadducees were in power is in exact accordance with Josephus's statement in the passage just referred to, that the Sadducees were more severe and cruel in their administration of justice than any other Jews. Their tenet of no life to come made them look to severe punishments in this life. read more

Spence, H. D. M., etc.

The Pulpit Commentary - Acts 4:3

The first prisoners for Christ. It appears that by this time the movements of the apostles were beginning to be an object of serious concern to the religious authorities in Jerusalem. Probably the Sadducee party, which succeeded in securing our Lord's death, was still predominant in the great council; this is indicated by the prominence given to the " Resurrection " by the enemies of the disciples. In addition to the general annoyance at the public preaching of the apostles, the... read more

Albert Barnes

Albert Barnes' Notes on the Whole Bible - Acts 4:3

Put them in hold - That is, they took them into “custody,” or into safe keeping. Probably they committed them to the care of a guard.Eventide - Evening. It was not convenient to assemble the council at night. This was, moreover, the time for the evening prayer or sacrifice, and it was not usual to assemble the Sanhedrin at that hour. read more

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