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John Phillips · Citado em PreceptAustin
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Phillips explains that "Peter and John now related to the whole body of believers the experience of the last few hours-the arrest and arraignment and, above all, the arrogance of the Sanhedrin. The battle lines were now clearly drawn. Perhaps the infant church expected nothing less, but probably the believers had hoped that the whole nation would now repent and receive Christ. It was not to be. In the new fellowship of the Body of Christ if one member rejoiced all rejoiced, so the lame man was received with open arms; if one member suffered all suffered, so the bullying of Peter and John became the bullying of all. It was God's first sovereign move to begin separating the church from Judaism, though of course the first Jewish believers had no inkling of that." (Exploring Acts) And reported all that the chief priests and the elders had said to them - Some missionary reports are "edited" so as to be more "positive" and not frighten the hearers. Peter and John were not of that mindset! They were not apostolic "spin doctors!" And so the apostles held nothing back for fear of inciting fear in the disciples. The were "realists" and gave them a "blow by blow" description of the inception of persecution for the sake of the Name of Jesus. Remember that the leaders "commanded them not to speak or teach at all in the Name of Jesus" (Acts 4:18) and they are already in a sense teaching, because they are teaching the powerful lesson that persecution is guaranteed for those who stand up for the Good News of Jesus Christ. Reported (announced) (518)(apaggello from apó = from + aggéllo = tell, declare from aggelos = messenger, one who speaks in place of one who has sent him) means to bring a message from any person or place. To announce openly. Apaggello is the carrying of tidings or messages from the authentic source. Illustration - Back in the 1500s there was a Scottish Reformer whose name was John Knox. He went to Geneva, Switzerland to study with John Calvin. He particularly consulted with him on matters pertaining to opposing government given over to idolatrous religion. In 1559 he went back to Scotland and boldly declared that the Catholic Mass was idolatry and that all Catholic churches and monasteries should be closed. The queen of Scotland had Knox arrested for treason but the court acquitted him. It was said of John Knox that “He feared God so much that he never feared the face of any man.” John Knox had the same commitment to truth that the early church had. He was in the same mold as the Apostles Peter and John. (David Thompson) A. W. Tozer once remarked, "To be right with God has often meant to be in trouble with men." Tradition records that at the Nicene Council, not more than a dozen of the 318 delegates had not lost an eye or a hand or did not limp upon a leg shrunk in its sinews by the burning iron of torture. Paul Apple sees 3 missionary activities associated with persecution...Each introduced by a short connective clause that gives the reason or occasion for that activity: Acts 4:23 “And when they had been released,” leads to Missionary Playback Acts 4:24 “And when they heard this,” leads to Missionary Prayer Acts 4:31 “And when they had prayed,” leads to Missionary Power We need to learn to accept one another, even when someone hurts your feelings. One of the greatest tactics that Satan uses to make us ineffective as a church is to get us upset with each other for the silliest reasons. Illustration There once was an oyster whose story I tell, Who found that sand had got under his shell, Just one little grain, but it gave him much pain, For oysters have feelings although they're so plain. Now, did he berate the working of Fate, Which had led him to such a deplorable state? Did he curse out the government, call for an election? No; as he lay on the shelf he said to himself "If I cannot remove it, I'll try to improve it." So the years rolled by as the years always do, And he came to his ultimate destiny--stew. And this small grain of sand which had bothered him so, Was a beautiful pearl, all richly aglow. Now this tale has a moral--for isn't it grand What an oyster can do with a morsel of sand; What couldn't we do if we'd only begin With all of the things that get under our skin. Acts 4:24 And when they heard this, they lifted their voices to God with one accord and said, "O Lord, it is You who MADE THE HEAVEN AND THE EARTH AND THE SEA, AND ALL THAT IS IN THEM, KJV Acts 4:24 And when they heard that, they lifted up their voice to God with one accord, and said, Lord, thou art God, which hast made heaven, and earth, and the sea, and all that in them is: And when they heard this Acts 16:25; Ps 55:16-18; 62:5-8; 69:29,30; 109:29-31; Jer 20:13; Luke 6:11,12; 2 Cor 1:8-11; 1 Th 5:16-18; 2 Ti 4:17,18 O Lord, it is You who MADE THE HEAVEN AND THE EARTH 2 Kings 19:15,19; Neh 9:6; Ps 146:5; Isa 51:12; Jer 10:10-12; 32:17 Acts 4 Resources - Multiple Sermons and Commentaries THE CHURCH'S RESPONSE UPON HEARING THE THREATS This next section is one of he great prayers in the Word of God and could be aptly entitled "Persecution Prompts Prayer." Persecution bound the members closer to one another and they were thereby able to lift up a unified concert of prayer. Paul Apple adds "Notice their response: not wringing their hands in anxiety; not spending time speculating what course of action they should take or how would things play out." As R A Torrey once said "Pray for great things, expect great things, work for great things, but above all—pray." And when they heard this, they lifted their voices to God with one accord - "With one mind, one purpose, by common consent -- Acts 1:14; 2:46; 5:12" (Apple) The church heard the threats and their first response was to pray! Prayer was their "holy reflex!" They lifted their voices in united prayer. Don't miss that phrase with one accord. A concert of prayer with not one voice "off key!" It was a harmony of symphonic prayer to God. It was many voices, many hearts, but words ascending as one voice, because of their oneness in Christ wrought by the Spirit of Christ. What a prayer meeting it must have been! Stanley Toussaint points out that "Three movements may be discerned in this prayer of the early church: (1) God is sovereign (Acts 4:24). (2) God's plan includes believers' facing opposition against the Messiah (Acts 4:25-28). (3) Because of these things they petitioned God to grant them boldness to preach (Acts 4:29-30)." As David Thompson says "Prayer is an important part of having victory in the church. Prayer is an important part of surviving various threats and intimidations. Prayer is an important part of having God’s Word boldly proclaimed in great power. God does powerful things with a church that prays. We need people to pray and take prayer seriously. This prayer is amazing. It is one of the most dramatic prayers you will ever read in the Scriptures and it shows us how the early church prayed. The actual prayer takes about sixty-five seconds to pray. But when this prayer is over, the power of God is dramatically unleashed. The main emphasis of the prayer is acknowledging the truth of the sovereignty of God."
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Phillips comments that "They praised God for being what He is; omnipotent, the Creator of the universe. That helped put things into perspective. The Sanhedrin had power; God had almighty power. The Sanhedrin could threaten, but it could not go one step beyond the permissive will of a God who can create suns and stars, seas and shores. We have a God who holds in His hand all the forces of nature, all the factors of space, matter, and time, all the possibilities and eventualities in the universe. The threats of the Sanhedrin seemed rather weak compared with that-rather like a two-year-old with a plastic toy hammer threatening the village blacksmith." (Exploring Acts) OUR SOVEREIGN "DESPOT" In English the word despot often has a negative connotation - "a ruler or other person who holds absolute power, typically one who exercises it in a cruel or oppressive way" (Oxford Dictionary). But context is always king in interpretation and clearly in this context despotes is used to exalt God's sovereign power as the Creator, Sustainer and Protector of His servant children. If He is in full control of the universe, He is in full control of every persecution, affliction, or trial of His precious children! Do you believe that is true dear suffering, tried saint? And said, "O Lord, it is You who MADE THE HEAVEN AND THE EARTH AND THE SEA, AND ALL THAT IS IN THEM - As described below, the church prayed to God as the despotes acknowledging God's supreme power. The Jewish religious rulers who had given them a mandate not to preach the Name of Jesus were the most powerful Jewish force in all of Israel. So the saints go directly to the One Who is the most powerful force in the universe, their Master, the One in control of EVERYTHING! So at the outset of their prayer, they acknowledge the absolute sovereignty of God, including His sovereignty over the threats from the Jewish leaders! The point is that the early church had absolute confidence in the absolute power of their God! The recognized that He was greater than any power that could come against them. Do we pray like this when we experience intimidation, threats, etc, against us because of the Name of Jesus? Paul Apple points out the "Importance of maintaining Biblical view of Origins -- Creation – look at how evolution drains passages like this of this force and application." (See How do beliefs about creation impact the rest of theology? How does creationism vs. evolution impact how a person views the world?) Bob Deffinbaugh writes that "Jeremiah chapter 32 contains a rather striking parallel to our text. Here Jeremiah is thrown into jail by Zedekiah, king of Judah, for prophesying that Jerusalem and Israel would fall to the Babylonians. The people of Israel were instructed not to resist this (32:1-6). In response to all that happened, Jeremiah prayed, beginning with these words: ‘Ah Lord GOD! Behold, You have made the heavens and the earth by Your great power and by Your outstretched arm! Nothing is too difficult for You,’” (Jeremiah 32:17). The key phrase, based on the fact that God is the Creator of the heavens and the earth is this: “Nothing is too difficult for Thee.” To Jeremiah and to the other Old Testament saints who found assurance in the fact that God is the Creator, the bottom line was simply that He who could create all things could also control them. Here he was predicting the downfall of Jerusalem, just as the apostles would do centuries later. And just as the king was persecuting Jeremiah, so the political and religious authorities were persecuting the apostles. And just as Jeremiah prayed to the Creator of the heavens and the earth, so did the early church. (Bolding added) Bob Deffinbaugh - Here are a few references to God as the Creator for your consideration and study: Genesis 1:26; 2:4; 5:1-2; 6:6; 7:4; 14:19,22; Exodus 20:11; 30:17; Deuteronomy 4:32-40; 5:8; 32:6; 2 Kings 19:45; 2 Chronicles 2:12; Nehemiah 9:6; Psalm 74:17; 89; 104:14, 24, 30; 115:15; 124:8; 134:3; 135:7; 139:13, 15; 146:6; 148:5; Proverbs 8:26; Ecclesiastes 12:1; Isaiah 13:13; 27:11; 37:16; 40:18-31; 41:20; 42:5-13; 43:1-7, 15; 44:24; 45:4-18; 48:7; 54:5, 16; 57:16, 19; 65:17-18; 66:22; Jeremiah 10:11-12; 27:5; 31:22; 32:2, 17; 51:15; Ezekiel 28:15; Amos 4:13; Habakkuk 3:6; Malachi 2:10; Acts 14:15; 17:24, 26; Revelation 4:11; 14:7. Lord (1203)(despotes > English = despot) means one who possesses undisputed ownership and absolute, unrestricted authority, so that the Greeks refused the title to any but the gods. Despot was a term used of a slave owner and describe a person whose power was beyond challenge! The despotes was one who has legal control and authority over persons, such as slaves. In the NT despotes and kurios are used interchangeably of God, and of masters of servants. In Greek culture and terminology, servant and despótēs went together. The English word despot often congers up a negative image of one who exercises power tyrannically, harshly or abusively, but the Biblical uses do not convey such a connotation. Luke's only other use of despotes is to describe Simeon who after seeing the Messiah declared "Now Lord, You are releasing Your bond-servant to depart in peace, According to Your word." (Lk 2:29+) Note that three times the saints use despotes when prayerfully entreating the Sovereign God (Lk 2:29+; Acts 4:24; Rev 6:10+) Despotes - 10x in 10v in NT - Lk. 2:29+; Acts 4:24; 1 Ti 6:1; 1 Ti 6:2; 2 Ti 2:21; Titus 2:9; 1 Pet 2:18; 2 Pet 2:1; Jude 1:4; Rev 6:10) G Campbell
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Phillips has a very insightful comment regarding the early church's used of Psalm 2 - "We (THE MODERN DAY CHURCH) would see its final fulfillment at Armageddon; the infant church saw its initial fulfillment at Calvary. Calvary and Armageddon are two critical phases of the world's planned opposition to Christ. They represent the world's attitude to His two comings. The first time He came, He came in weakness, and God allowed men to do their worst to His Beloved. The next time He will come for war, in all the power of His might. The first time His glory was veiled; the next time it will be displayed in dazzling splendor. The first time they shed His blood; the next time He will shed theirs. Both times the world's opposition is organized, official, and determined." (Exploring Acts) The kings of earth - In the context of Jesus' crucifixion, the kings would include Herod the tetrarch (Mt 14:1, Lk 23:8-12+). The rulers - The rulers (of the people) describes the members of the Sanhedrin. Pilate summoned the chief priests and the rulers and the people...35 And the people stood by, looking on. And even the rulers were sneering at Him, saying, “He saved others; let Him save Himself if this is the Christ of God, His Chosen One.” (Lk 23:13, 35+) The chief priests and our rulers delivered Him to the sentence of death, and crucified Him. ( Lk 24:20+) Rulers (official) (758)(archon from present participle of archo = to rule) describes one who has eminence in a ruling capacity, referring to earthly figures (Mt 20:25) such as rulers as here in (Acts 4:26), and later used of Moses (Acts 7:27, 35). It is a mysterious irony that in God's sovereign plan He allowed (in fact He predestined) these earthly rulers to take their stand against Jesus Who is "the ruler of the kings of the earth." (Rev 1:5+) Luke has already used archon two times in this chapter Acts 4:5+ and Acts 4:8+. Luke's uses of archon in Acts - Acts 3:17; Acts 4:5; Acts 4:8; Acts 4:26; Acts 7:27; Acts 7:35; Acts 13:27; Acts 14:5; Acts 16:19; Acts 23:5; Took their stand is first in the Greek sentence for emphasis! These various groups presented themselves with hostile intent against Jesus. Took stand (3936)(paristemi from para = near, beside + histemi = place, set) literally means to place or set beside or near and hence to place at someone's disposal. As