Acts 4:23

And being let go, they went to their own company, and reported all that the chief priests and elders had said unto them. AND BEING LET GO, THEY WENT TO THEIR OWN [COMPANY]. How sweet is the contrast here presented, between the dismissers and the dismissed, and the two companies they represented; in the one of which the two apostles felt themselves as sheep among wolves, in the other breathing the air of home among their own, in the common faith and love of Jesus! AND REPORTED ALL THAT THE CHIEF PRIESTS AND ELDERS HAS SAID UNTO THEM....

23._Furthermore when they were let go. _It shall appear by and by to what end they declared to the other disciples what things had befallen them, to wit, that they might be the more emboldened and encouraged by the grace of God hereafter; secondly, that they might arm themselves with prayer against the furious threatenings of their enemies; and thus must the children of God do, one must prick forward another, and they must join hand in hand, that they may vanquish the common adversary fighting under Christ’s banner. They consider (219) with themselves what dangers hang over their heads, to the end they may be the more ready to enter (220) the same, although they see their enemies press sore upon them; yet lest it should grieve them (221) to have a new combat ever now and then, they assure (222) themselves

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 fort...

Verse Acts 4:23. _THEY WENT TO THEIR OWN COMPANY_] This was properly the first persecution that had been raised up against the Church since the resurrection of Christ; and as the rest of the disciples must have known that Peter and John had been cast into prison, and that they were to be examined before the sanhedrin, and knowing the evil disposition of the rulers toward their brethren, they doubtless made joint supplication to God for their safety. In this employment it is likely Peter and John found them on their return from the council, and repeated to them all their treatment, with the threats of the chief priests and elders....

THEIR OWN COMPANY - They joined the other apostles and Christians, Acts 2:44. AND REPORTED ... - It doubtless became a subject of interesting inquiry what they should do in this case. They had been threatened by the highest authority of the nation, and commanded not to preach again in the name of Jesus. Whether they should obey them and be silent, or whether they should leave Jerusalem and preach elsewhere, could not but be an interesting subject of inquiry, and they very properly sought the counsel of their brethren, and looked to God for direction, an example which all should follow who are exposed to persecution, or who are in any perplexity about the path of duty....

EXPOSITION ACTS 4:1 THE CAPTAIN OF THE TEMPLE. Only here and Acts 5:24, and Luke 22:4, Luke 22:52 in the plural some have thought that the commander of the Roman garrison of the castle of Antonia is here meant. But as the scene is laid in the court of the temple, this is very improbable. Josephus ('Ant. Jud.,' 20, Luke 6:2) speaks of an officer apparently of the temple, who was called ὁ στρατηγός, and was certainly a Jew by his name Ananus, and being, as Josephus relates farther ('Bell Jud.,' 2, 12. 6), the son of the high priest Ana

AND BEING LET GO,.... Or dismissed from custody, by the order of the sanhedrim: THEY WENT TO THEIR OWN COMPANY; or "to their own men", as the Ethiopic version reads; or "to their own brethren", as the Syriac; either to the other ten apostles; or to the hundred and twenty, who first met together; or the whole multitude of them that believed, Acts 4:32 the eight thousand that had been added to them, the whole church. Saints love to be together, and delight in the company of each other; and especially when they have anything to communicate, that may be for their mutual good, or for the honour of God: AND REPORTED ALL THAT THE CHIEF PRIESTS AND ELDERS HAD SAID UNTO THEM; what commands and injunctions they had lain upon them, and what threatenings they had given them, and, no doubt likewise, what answers they had returned to them....

Peter and John were summoned before the priests to give an account for having healed the lame man, and for having preached in the name of Jesus of Nazareth. In the eighth verse we read: Acts 4:8. _Then Peter, filled with the Holy Ghost, said unto them, Ye rulers of the people and elders of Israel, if we this day be examined of the good deed done to the impotent man, by what means he is made whole: Be it known unto you all, and to all the people of Israel, that by the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth, whom ye crucified, whom God raised from the dead, even by him doth this man stand here before you whole. This is the stone which was set at nought of you builders, which is become the head of the corner. Neither is there salvation in any other: for there is none other name under heaven given among men, whereby we must be saved._ Nothing can exceed the directness, the comprehensi

CHAPTER 4 __ 1. Their Arrest (Acts 4:1). 2. The Result of the Testimony (Acts 4:4). 3. Peter and John before the Rulers and Elders (Acts 4:5). 4. Peter's bold witness (Acts 4:8). 5. The astonished Sanhedrin and their Release (Acts 4:13). 6. With their own company (Acts 4:23). 7. The saved multitude (Acts 4:32). The enemy begins now his acts, and the first indication is gi

RETURN OF THE APOSTLES TO THEIR OWN PEOPLE. The Christians are spoken of as if they lived together (_cf. Acts 1:14_, Acts 2:44) or at least had a hall where they could all meet. The prayer (Acts 4:24) does not thank God directly for the deliverance of His servants but rather for the fulfilment of His promises as seen in the proceedings of their enemies; what is asked is that the cause may develop still further in the same direction. The opening sentence shows the beginning of the Christian liturgy, and is to be compared with the prayers in the _Didaché_ (p. 641) and in 1 Clement. The praise for the creation is composed of various OT phrases (_cf._ especially...