Joh 7:26, Act 4:13, 29, 31, 2Cor 7:4 | Barnes | STEP | Verse 26. Do the rulers know indeed , &c. It seems from this that they supposed that the rulers had been convinced that Jesus was the Messiah, but that from some cause they were not willing yet to make it known to the people. The reasons of this opinion were these: 1st. They knew that they had attempted to kill him. 2nd. They now saw him speaking boldly to the people without interruption from the rulers. They concluded, therefore, that some change had taken place in the sentiments of the rulers in regard to him, though they had not yet made it public. The rulers . The members of the Sanhedrim , or great council of the nation, who had charge of religious affairs. Indeed . Truly; certainly. Have they certain evidence, as would appear from their suffering him to speak without interruption? The very Christ . Is truly or really the Messiah. (u) "Do the rulers"

John 7:26

Verse 26. Do the rulers know indeed, &c. It seems from this that they supposed that the rulers had been convinced that Jesus was the Messiah, but that from some cause they were not willing yet to make it known to the people. The reasons of this opinion were these:

1st. They knew that they had attempted to kill him.

2nd. They now saw him speaking boldly to the people without interruption from the rulers. They concluded, therefore, that some change had taken place in the sentiments of the rulers in regard to him, though they had not yet made it public.

The rulers. The members of the Sanhedrim, or great council of the nation, who had charge of religious affairs.

Indeed. Truly; certainly. Have they certain evidence, as would appear from their suffering him to speak without interruption?

The very Christ. Is truly or really the Messiah.

(u) "Do the rulers" Jn 7:48

Acts 4:13

Verse 13. Boldness. This word properly denotes openness or confidence in speaking. It stands opposed to hesitancy, and to equivocation in declaring our sentiments. Here it means that, in spite of danger and opposition, they avowed their doctrines without any attempt to conceal or disguise them.

Peter and John. It was they only who had been concerned in the healing of the lame man, Acts 3:1.

And perceived. When they knew that they were unlearned. This might have been ascertained either by report or by the manner of their speaking.

Unlearned. This word properly denotes those who were not acquainted with letters, or who had not had the benefit of an education.

Ignorant men--ιδιωται--. This word properly denotes those who live in private, in contradistinction from those who are engaged in public life, or in office. As this class of persons is commonly also supposed to be less learned, talented, and refined than those in office, it comes to denote those who are rude and illiterate. The idea intended to be conveyed here is, that these men had not had opportunities of education, (comp. Mt 4:18-21,) and had not been accustomed to public speaking, and hence they were surprised at their boldness. This same character is uniformly attributed to the early preachers of Christianity. Comp. 1Cor 1:27, Mt 11:25. The Galileans were regarded by the Jews as particularly rude and uncultivated, Mt 26:73, Mk 14:70.

They marvelled. They wondered that men who had not been educated in the schools of the Rabbins, and accustomed to speak, should declare their sentiments with so much boldness.

And they took knowledge. This expression means simply that they knew, or that they obtained evidence, or proof, that they had been with Jesus. It is not said in what way they obtained this evidence; but the connexion leads us to suppose it was by the miracle which they had wrought; by their firm and bold declaration of the doctrines of Jesus; and perhaps by the irresistible conviction that none would be thus bold who had not been personally with him, and who had not the firmest conviction that he was the Messiah. They had not been trained in their schools, and their boldness could not be attributed to the arts of rhetoric, but was the native, ingenuous, and manly exhibition of deep conviction of the truth of what they spoke; and that conviction could have been obtained only by their having been with him, and having been satisfied that he was the Messiah. Such conviction is of far more value in preaching than all the mere teachings of the schools; and without such a conviction, all preaching will be frigid, hypocritical, and useless.

Had been with Jesus. Had been his followers, and had attended personally on his ministry. They gave evidence that they had seen him, been with him, heard him, and were convinced that he was the Messiah. We may learn here,

(1.) that if men wish to be successful in preaching, it must be based on deep and thorough conviction of the truth of that which they deliver.

(2.) They who preach should give evidence that they are acquainted with the Lord Jesus Christ; that they have imbibed his Spirit, pondered his instructions, studied the evidences of his Divine mission, and are thoroughly convinced that he was from God.

(3.) Boldness and success in the ministry, as well as in everything else, will depend far more on honest, genuine, thorough conviction of the truth, than on all the endowments of talent and learning, and all the arts and skill of eloquence. No man should attempt to preach without such a thorough conviction of truth; and no man who has it will preach in vain.

(4.) God often employs the ignorant and unlearned to confound the wise, 1Cor 1:27,28. But it is not by their ignorance. It was not the ignorance of Peter and John that convinced the sanhedrim. It was done in spite of their ignorance. It was their boldness, and their honest conviction of truth. Besides, though not learned in the schools of the Jews, they had been under a far more important training, under the personal direction of Christ himself for three years; and now they were directly endowed by the Holy Ghost with the power of speaking with tongues. Though not taught in the schools, yet there was an important sense in which they were not unlearned and ignorant men. Their example should not, therefore, be pleaded in favour of an unlearned ministry. Christ himself expressed his opposition to an unlearned ministry, by teaching them himself, and then by bestowing on them miraculous endowments which no learning at present can furnish. It may be remarked, further, that in the single selection which he made of an apostle after his ascension to heaven, when he came to choose one who had not been under his personal teaching, he chose a learned man, the apostle Paul, and thus evinced his purpose that there should be training or education, in those who are invested with the sacred office.

(5.) Yet in the case before us there is a striking proof of the truth and power of religion. These men had not acquired their boldness in the schools; they were not trained for argument among the Jews; they did not meet them by cunning sophistry; but they came with the honest conviction that what they were saying was true. Were they deceived? Were they not competent to bear witness? Had they any motive to attempt to palm a falsehood on men? Infidelity must answer many such questions as these before the apostles can be convicted of imposture.

(a) "unlearned" Mt 11:25, 1co 1:27 (*) "ignorant" or, "obscure"

Acts 4:29

Verse 29. Behold their threatenings. So look upon them as to grant us deliverance. They did not purpose to abandon their undertaking; they resolved to persevere; and they expected that this purpose would involve them in danger. With this purpose they implored the protection of God; they asked that he would not suffer them to be deterred from speaking boldly; and they sought that constant additional proof might be granted of the presence and power of God to confirm the truth of their message.

And grant, etc. This is an instance of heroic boldness, and a determination to persevere in doing their duty to God. When we are assailed by those ill power, when we are persecuted and in danger, we should commit our way unto God, and seek his aid, that we may not be deterred from the path of duty.

(a) "boldness" Acts 4:13,21, 14:3, 28:31, Eph 6:19

Acts 4:31

Verse 31. And when they had prayed. The event which followed was regarded by them as an evidence that God heard their prayer.

The place was shaken. The word which is translated "was shaken," commonly denotes violent agitation, as the raging of the sea, the convulsion of an earthquake, or trees shaken by the wind, Mt 11:7, Acts 16:26, Heb 12:26. The language here is fitted to express the idea of an earthquake. Whether the motion was confined to the house where they were, is not said. They probably regarded this as an answer to their prayer, or as an evidence that God would be with them,

(1.) because it was sudden and violent, and was not produced by any natural causes;

(2.) because it occurred immediately, while they were seeking Divine direction;

(3.) because it was an exhibition of great power, and was an evidence that God could protect them; and

(4) because a convulsion so great, sudden, and mighty, was fitted at that time to awe them with a proof of the presence and power of God. A similar instance of an answer to prayer by an earthquake is recorded in Acts 16:25,26. Comp. Acts 2:1,2. It may be added, that among the Jews an earthquake was very properly regarded as a striking and impressive proof of the presence of Jehovah, Isa 29:6, Ps 68:8, "The earth shook, the heavens also dropped at the presence of God: even Sinai itself was moved at the presence of God, the God of Israel." See also the sublime description in Hab 3:6-11. Comp. Mt 27:54. Among the heathen, an earthquake was regarded as proof of the presence and favour of the deity. (See Virgil, AENid 3.89.)

They were all filled, etc. Acts 2:4. Their being filled with the Holy Ghost, here, rather denotes their being inspired with confidence or boldness, than being endowed with new powers, as in Acts 2:4.

2 Corinthians 7:4

Verse 4. Great is my boldness of speech toward you. This verse seems designed to soften the apparent harshness of what he had said, (2Cor 6:12,) when he intimated that there was a want of love in them towards him, (Bloomfield,) as well as to refer to the plainness which he had used all along in his letters to them. He says, therefore, that he speaks freely; he speaks as a friend; he speaks with the utmost openness and frankness; he conceals nothing from them. tie speaks freely of their faults, and he speaks freely of his love to them; and he as frankly commends them and praises them. It is the open, undisguised language of a friend, when he throws open his whole soul and conceals nothing.

Great is my glorying of you. I have great occasion to commend and praise you, and I do it freely. He refers here to the fact that he had boasted of their liberality in regard to the proposed collection for the poor saints of Judea, 2Cor 9:4; that he had formerly boasted much of them to Titus, and of their readiness to obey his commands, 2Cor 7:14; and that now he had had abundant evidence, by what he had heard from Titus, (2Cor 7:5, seq.,) that they were disposed to yield to his commands, and obey his injunctions. He had probably often had occasion to boast of their favourable regard for him.

I am filled with comfort. That is, by the evidence which I have received of your readiness to obey me.

I am exceeding joyful. I am overjoyed. The word here used occurs nowhere else in the New Testament, except in Rom 5:20. It is not found in the classic writers; and is a word which Paul evidently compounded, (from υπερ and περισσευω,) and means to superabound over, to superabound greatly or exceedingly. It is a word which would be used only when the heart was full, and when it would be difficult to find words to express its conceptions. Paul's heart was full of joy; and he pours forth his feelings in the most fervid and glowing language. I have joy which cannot be expressed.

In all our tribulation. 2Cor 1:4.