Acts 4:31

And when they had prayed, the place was shaken where they were assembled together; and they were all filled with the Holy Ghost, and they spake the word of God with boldness. AND WHEN THEY HAD PRAYED, THE PLACE WAS SHAKEN WHERE THEY WERE ASSEMBLED TOGETHER. Manifestly this was no ordinary earthquake, extending to the city generally, or any portion of it beyond the "place" where they were assembled. The concussion was evidently quite local, filling all present doubtless, with awe, and giving glorious token of the commotion which the Gospel, sounding forth from their lips, was speedily to create (see , and compare ), and of the overthrow of all opposing powers in which this was to issue! And they were all filled with the Holy Spirit, and they spake the word of God with bol...

31._And when they had prayed. _Luke declareth now that God did not only hear this prayer, but did also testify the same by a visible sign from heaven. For the shaking of the place should, of itself, have done them small good; but it tendeth to another end, that the faithful may know that God is present with them. Finally, it is nothing else but a token of the presence of God. But the fruit followeth, for they are all filled with the Holy Ghost, and endowed with greater boldness. We ought rather to stand upon this second member. For whereas God did declare his power then by shaking the place it was a rare and extraordinary thing; and whereas it appeared by the effect, that the apostles did obtain that which they desired, this is a perpetual profit of prayer, which is also set before us for an example....

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 31. _THE PLACE WAS SHAKEN_] This earthquake was an evidence of the presence of God, and a most direct answer to their prayer, as far as that prayer concerned themselves. The earthquake proclaimed the _stretched-out arm of God_, and showed them that resistance against his counsels and determinations must come to nought. _AND THEY WERE ALL FILLED WITH THE HOLY GHOST_] And, in consequence of this, _they spake the word of God with boldness_; a pointed answer to a second part of their request, Acts 4:29. A right prayer will always have a right and ready answer. Though these disciples had received the Holy Spirit on the day of pentecost, yet they were capable of larger communications; and what they had then received did not preclude the necessity of frequent supplies, on emergent occasions. Indeed, one communication of this Spirit always makes way and di

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, Matthew 11:7; Acts 16:26; Hebrews 12:26. The language here is suited 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: * Because it was sudden and violent, a

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 WHEN THEY HAD PRAYED,.... Either while they were praying, or as soon as they had done; for sometimes, as here, prayer is immediately heard, and an answer is returned, whilst the saints are speaking, or as soon as prayer is ended: THE PLACE WAS SHAKEN WHERE THEY WERE ASSEMBLED TOGETHER; which, whether it was a private house, or the temple, is not certain: the latter seems more probable, because their number was so great, that no private house could hold them; and since this was the place where they used to assemble; this was now shaken with a rushing mighty wind, as on the day of Pentecost, and was a symbol of the divine presence, and a token that their prayers were heard, and an emblem of the shaking of the world by the ministry of the apostles: AND THEY WERE ALL FILLED WITH THE HOLY GHOST; with the gifts of the Holy Ghost, even with extraordinary ones, such as speaking with divers...

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

ACTS 4:31 At the end of the verse codex Bezae and some other witnesses (including E, certain Greek manuscripts known to Bede, vg3 mss copG67 Irenaeus Ephraem Augustine) add, a little naࡢvely but conformably to the spirit of the recital, panti. tw|/ qe,lonti pisteu,ein (“to every one who wished to believe”). According to Rendel Harris, “Its origin is evidently an attempt to assimilate the fulfilment of the prayer to the prayer itself which is in v. Acts 4:29 meta. pa,shj parrhsi,aj...

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