Acts (Part 38) - Acts 4:26-29

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Acts (Part 38) - Acts 4:26-29 1. Acts 4:26 – The kings of the earth stood up, and the rulers were gathered together against the Lord, and against his Christ. A. The kings of the earth stood up, and the rulers were gathered together i. The “kings of the earth” were the Gentile kings of the earth, Herod and Pontius Pilate, and other Gentiles such as the soldiers who gathered together against Christ (Psa 2:2 & Act 4:27). ii. The “rulers” were the rulers of the Jewish people who conspired with the Romans to put Christ to death (Psa 2:2 & Act 4:27). iii. They all got together because of their common hatred of Jesus Christ. a. Herod and Pilate were enemies before they had a common enemy in the Lord Jesus Christ (Luk 23:12). b. The Jewish leadership were at odds with the Romans (Joh 11:48) until they could use them to destroy the Son of God. B. against the Lord, i. The Jewish and Gentile rulers were not merely conspiring against a man which threatened their power, but were conspiring against God Himself. ii. “The Lord” is Jehovah (the LORD) (Psa 2:2). a. The KJV translates the Hebrew name of God YHWH as “Jehovah” in the OT seven times (Gen 22:14; Exo 6:3; Exo 17:15; Jdg 6:24; Psa 83:18; Isa 12:2; Isa 26:4). b. The KJV translates YHWH as “LORD” in the OT over 6,000 times. c. Why didn't the KJV translators always translate YHWH as Jehovah instead of using LORD over 6000 times? d. The reason is because God translated YHWH as Lord in the NT. e. Jesus Christ Himself, when quoting from the Law, translated the Hebrew word YHWH as the Greek word Kurios, which is the English word Lord. (i) Mat 22:37 - Jesus said unto him, Thou shalt love the Lord (Kurios - G2962) thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind. (ii) Deut 6:5 - And thou shalt love the LORD (YHWH - Jehovah - H3068) thy God with all thine heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy might. f. The Greek word Kurios, which Jesus used to translate the Hebrew name of God YHWH, is elsewhere translated as lord in many places in the NT; for example: (Mat 10:24; Luk 16:3; Act 25:26; 1Pe 3:6). g. The apostles, under the inspiration of God, likewise translated the Hebrew YHWH as Lord in the Greek NT. (i) Act 4:26 - The kings of the earth stood up, and the rulers were gathered together against the Lord (Kurios - G2962), and against his Christ. (ii) Psa 2:2 - The kings of the earth set themselves, and the rulers take counsel together, against the LORD (YHWH - Jehovah - H3068), and against his anointed, saying, h. Since the Holy Spirit inspired the apostles (2Pe 1:21) to translate the Hebrew name of God YHWH (Jehovah) as the Greek word Kurios  (Lord) every time it was quoted from the OT, then the KJV translators were not wrong to translate YHWH as LORD nearly every time it appears in the OT. i. In fact, the KJV translators were right to translate YHWH as LORD in the OT the majority of the time because they were following the example of the apostles and Jesus Christ Himself. j. The KJV translators did translate YHWH as Jehovah on special occasions, such as: (i) when God is specifying what His name is (Exo 6:3; Psa 83:18), (ii) when God repeats His name twice for emphasis (Isa 12:2; Isa 26:4), (iii)when His name is associated with the name of a place or thing (Gen 22:14; Exo 17:15; Jdg 6:24). C. and against his Christ. i. The rulers were conspiring against God’s Christ, which is God’s Son (Act 4:27). ii. Christ is God’s anointed (Act 4:26 c/w Psa 2:2). iii. Jesus was anointed by God with the Holy Ghost at His baptism (Mat 3:16 c/w Act 10:37-38). 2. Acts 4:27 – For of a truth against thy holy child Jesus, whom thou hast anointed, both Herod, and Pontius Pilate, with the Gentiles, and the people of Israel, were gathered together, A. For of a truth against thy holy child Jesus, i. Jesus is God’s holy child, not His holy servant as the NIV, NKJV, and other modern perversions state (Act 3:13, 26) (see comments on Acts 3:26). ii. The modern perversions denigrate Jesus Christ. B. whom thou hast anointed, i. Jesus was anointed by God with the Holy Ghost and was therefore the Messiah/Christ. ii. Jesus is a prophet, priest, and king, all of which require anointing (see comments on Act 2:36). C. both Herod, and Pontius Pilate, with the Gentiles, and the people of Israel, were gathered together, i. The conspiracy against Jesus was vast, including the Jews, Gentiles, and their rulers. ii. See comments on Act 4:25-26. 3. Acts 4:28 – For to do whatsoever thy hand and thy counsel determined before to be done. A. Jesus was delivered to be crucified by the determinate counsel and foreknowledge of God (Act 2:23). B. God set bounds and limits beforehand on how Jesus would be delivered up to be killed. C. Jesus' death was therefore predetermined, not predestinated.  D. Leading up to the crucifixion, the Jews tried to kill Jesus several times and by various means. E. God thwarted all their plans because Jesus would be killed in the way it was determined by God (Luk 22:22). F. See comments on Act 2:23. 4. Acts 4:29 – And now, Lord, behold their threatenings: and grant unto thy servants, that with all boldness they may speak thy word, A. And now, Lord, behold their threatenings: i. They ask God to take note of the threats made against them. a. God is omnipresent and sees all things (Pro 15:3). b. Yet, it is Biblical to ask Him to look upon our affliction (2Sa 16:12; Job 10:15; Psa 25:18; Psa 119:153). ii. Despite these threats, which revealed the weak position of the Jewish leadership (Act 4:21), the disciples nevertheless besought God for help. B. and grant unto thy servants, that with all boldness they may speak thy word, i. Peter and John were already bold (Act 4:13). ii. But they prayed for more boldness, as preachers and Christians should (Eph 6:18-20). iii. This is akin to believers praying to God for more faith (Mar 9:24; Luk 17:5). iv. The Lord answered their prayers (Act 4:31).