Act 1:14, 2:1, 4:24 | Barnes | STEP | Verse 14. These all continued , etc. The word continued denotes persevering and constant attention. The main business was devotion. , "We will give ourselves continually--to the ministry of the word." , "Continuing instant in prayer:" , "Attending continually upon this very thing." It is their main and constant employment, . With one accord. With one mind; unitedly; unanimously. There were no schisms, no divided interests, no discordant purposes. This is a beautiful picture of devotion, and a specimen of what social worship ought now to be, and a beautiful illustration of . The apostles felt that they had one great object; and their deep grief at the loss of their Master, their doubts and perplexities, led them, as all afflictions ought to lead us, to the throne of grace. In prayer and supplication . These words are nearly synonymous, and are often interchanged. They express, here, petitions to God for blessings, and prayer to avert impending evils. With the women . The women that had followed the Lord Jesus from Galilee, . The women particularly mentioned are Mary Magdalene, Mary the mother of James and Joses, the mother of Zebedee's children, Joanna the wife of Chuza, and Susanna. Besides these, there were others whose names are not mentioned. Most of them were relatives of the apostles or of our Saviour; and it is not improbable that some of them were wives of the apostles. Peter is known to have been married, ( ,) and had his wife in attendance, ( ;) and the same was doubtless true of some of the other apostles, ( .) Mary is here particularly mentioned, the mother of Jesus; showing that she now cast in her lot with the apostles. She had, besides, been particularly entrusted to the care of John, ( ,) and had no other home. This is the last time she is mentioned in the New Testament. And with his brethren . . At first they had been unbelieving about the claims of Jesus, ( ;) but it seems that they had been subsequently converted. (*) "accord" or, "one mind" (b) "the women"

Acts 1:14

Verse 14. These all continued, etc. The word continued denotes persevering and constant attention. The main business was devotion. Acts 6:4, "We will give ourselves continually--to the ministry of the word." Rom 12:12, "Continuing instant in prayer:" Rom 13:6, "Attending continually upon this very thing." It is their main and constant employment, Col 4:2.

With one accord. With one mind; unitedly; unanimously. There were no schisms, no divided interests, no discordant purposes. This is a beautiful picture of devotion, and a specimen of what social worship ought now to be, and a beautiful illustration of Ps 133. The apostles felt that they had one great object; and their deep grief at the loss of their Master, their doubts and perplexities, led them, as all afflictions ought to lead us, to the throne of grace.

In prayer and supplication. These words are nearly synonymous, and are often interchanged. They express, here, petitions to God for blessings, and prayer to avert impending evils.

With the women. The women that had followed the Lord Jesus from Galilee, Lk 8:2,3, 23:49,55, 24:10, Mt 27:55. The women particularly mentioned are Mary Magdalene, Mary the mother of James and Joses, the mother of Zebedee's children, Joanna the wife of Chuza, and Susanna. Besides these, there were others whose names are not mentioned. Most of them were relatives of the apostles or of our Saviour; and it is not improbable that some of them were wives of the apostles. Peter is known to have been married, (Mt 8:14,) and had his wife in attendance, (1Cor 9:5;) and the same was doubtless true of some of the other apostles, (1Cor 9:5.) Mary is here particularly mentioned, the mother of Jesus; showing that she now cast in her lot with the apostles. She had, besides, been particularly entrusted to the care of John, (Jn 19:26,27,) and had no other home. This is the last time she is mentioned in the New Testament.

And with his brethren. Mt 12:46. At first they had been unbelieving about the claims of Jesus, (Jn 7:5;) but it seems that they had been subsequently converted.

(*) "accord" or, "one mind" (b) "the women" Lk 23:49,55, 24:10

Acts 2:1

THE ACTS OF THE APOSTLES CHAPTER 2

Verse 1. And when the day of Pentecost. The word Pentecost is a Greek word, signifying the fiftieth part of a thing; or the fiftieth in order. Among the Jews it was applied to one of their three great feasts which began on the fiftieth day after the Passover. This feast was reckoned from the sixteenth day of the month ABIB, or April, or the second day of the Passover. The paschal lamb was slain on the fourteenth of the month at even, (Lev 23:5); on the fifteenth of the month was a holy convocation--the proper beginning of the feast; on the sixteenth was the offering of the first-fruits of harvest, and from that day they were to reckon seven weeks, i.e., forty-nine days to the feast called the feast of Pentecost, so that it occurred fifty days after the first day of the feast of the Passover. This feast was also called the feast of weeks, from the circumstance that it followed a succession of weeks, Ex 34:22, Nu 28:26, De 16:10. It was also a harvest festival, and was accordingly called the feast of harvest. And it was for this reason that two loaves made of new meal were offered on this occasion as first-fruits, Lev 23:17,20 Nu 28:27-31.

Was fully come. When the day had arrived. The word means here simply, had come. Comp. Mk 1:15, Lk 1:57. This fact is mentioned, that the time of the Pentecost had come, or fully arrived, to account for what is related afterwards, that there were so many strangers and foreigners present. The promised influences of the Spirit were withheld until the greatest possible numbers of Jews should be present at Jerusalem at the same time, and thus an opportunity be afforded of preaching the gospel to vast multitudes in the very place where the Lord Jesus was crucified, and also an opportunity be afforded of sending the gospel by them into distant parts of the earth.

They were all. Probably not only the apostles, but also the one hundred and twenty mentioned in Acts 1:15.

With one accord. See Acts 1:14. It is probable they had continued together until this time, and given themselves entirely to the business of devotion.

In one place. Where this was cannot be known, Commentators have been much divided in their conjectures about it. Some have supposed it was in the upper room mentioned, (Acts 1:13;) others that it was a room in the temple; others that it was in a synagogue; others that it was in the promiscuous multitude that assembled for devotion in the courts of the temple. See Acts 2:2. It has by many been supposed that this took place on the first day of the week, that is, on the Christian Sabbath. But there is a difficulty in establishing this. There was probably a difference among the Jews themselves on this subject. The law said that they should reckon seven Sabbaths, that is, seven weeks, "from the morrow after the Sabbath," Lev 23:15. By this Sabbath the Pharisees understood the second day of the Passover, on whatever day of the week it occurred, which was kept as a holy assembly, and might be called a Sabbath. But the Caraite Jews, or those who insisted on a literal interpretation of the Scriptures, maintained that by the Sabbath here was meant the usual Sabbath, the seventh day of the week. Consequently with them the day of Pentecost always occurred on the first day of the week; and if the apostles fell in with their views, the day was fully come on what is now the Christian Sabbath. But if the views of the Pharisees were followed, and the Lord Jesus had with them kept the Passover on Thursday, as many have supposed, then the day of Pentecost would have occurred on the Jewish Sabbath, that is, on Saturday.--Kuinoel; Lightfoot. It is impossible to determine the truth on this subject. Nor is it of much importance. The day of Pentecost was kept by the Jews also as a festival to commemorate the giving of the law on Mount Sinai.

(a) "the day of Pentecost" Lev 23:15 (b) "they were all in one accord" Acts 1:14 (*) "accord" or, "consent"

Acts 4:24

Verse 24. They lifted up their voice. To lift up the voice, among the Hebrews, was a phrase denoting either an address to the people, Jud 9:7, or a phrase expressive of weeping, Gen 29:11; Jud 2:4, Ruth 1:9, 1Sam 24:16, or was expressive of prayer. To lift up the voice to God means, simply, they prayed to him.

With one accord. Unitedly. Properly with one mind, or purpose. Acts 1:14. The union of the early Christians is often noticed in the Acts of the Apostles. Thus far there was no jar or dissension in their society, and everything has the appearance of the most entire affection and confidence.

Lord. Greek, δεσποτα. From this word is derived the word despot.

This is not the usual word employed by which to address God. The word commonly translated Lord is Κυριος. The word here used denotes one who rules over others, and was applied to the highest magistrate or officer. It denotes authority, power, absoluteness in ruling. It is a word denoting more authority in ruling than the other. That more commonly denotes a property in a thing; this denotes absolute rule. It is applied to God, in Lk 2:29, Rev 6:10, Jude 1:4 to Jesus Christ, 2Pet 2:1; to masters, 1Timm 6:1, Tit 2:9, 1Pet 2:18; to husbands, 1Pet 3:6; and to a possessor or owner, 2Ti 2:21.

Thou art God. This ascription of praise seems to have been designed to denote their sense of his power to deliver them; and his right to dispose of them. They were employed in his service; they were encompassed with dangers; and they acknowledged him as their God, who had made all things, and who had an entire right to direct, and to dispose of them for his own glory, in times of danger and perplexity we should remember that God has a right to do with us as he pleases; and we should go cheerfully and commit ourselves into his hands.

Which hast made, etc. Gen 1. This passage is taken directly from Ps 146:6; comp. Rev 14:7.