place among these new disciples, as had been established before among the former, and a particular disciple, named Barnabas, distinguishes himself in this kind of liberality.

23. And being let go, they went to their own company, "to their own friends," and reported all that the chief priests and elders had said unto them.

Under these terms the Jewish Sanhedrim is des cribed, because it consisted principally of such per

sons.

24. And when they heard that, they lifted up their voice to God with one accord, and said, Lord, or, "Sovereign Lord," thou art God, which hast made heaven and earth and the sea and all that in them is;

This verse, which is descriptive of the divine power, is a very proper introduction to a petition for the extension of miraculous gifts, which shortly succeeds, and should be connected in our minds with the thirtieth verse, in which the disciples pray that God would stretch forth his hand to heal, and that signs and wonders might be done in the name of his holy servant Jesus. For there can be no doubt that the Being who created the heavens and the earth, that is, . who established the course of nature, can change it for these purposes, whenever he pleases.

25. Who, by the mouth of thy servant David, hast said, Why did the heathen rage, and the people imagine vain things?

26. The kings of the earth stood

up, and the rulers were gathered together, against the Lord and against his Christ, rather, "against his anointed."

These words are taken exactly from the Septuagint translation of the second Psalm, which some persons consider as applicable to David, by whom it was composed, since he was God's anointed, having been de signed for the throne of Israel by Samuel, by pouring out oil in a solemn manner upon his head; and several of the neighbouring nations, the Philistines, Moabites, Ammonites and others, attempted to disturb the peace of his kingdom and to destroy his authority, although without success. This language they therefore regard as a poetical remonstrance with them on the weakness and folly of their attempt. By the apostles and first Christians, however, the Psalm seems to have been regarded as a prophecy of the Messiah; and these verses in particular are considered as referring to the opposition which he would meet with from the Jews and Roman people, and especially from their go

vernors.

27. For, of a truth, against thy holy child, "thy holy servant," Jesus, whom thou hast anointed, both Herod and Pontius Pilate, with the Gentiles and the people of Israel, were gathered together in this city *:

28. For to do whatsoever thy hand and thy counsel determined before to be done.

Vol. 3.]

* Εν τη πόλει ταύτῃ. Griesbach.

L

The Jewish kings were appointed to their office by having oil poured out upon their heads, and were from this circumstance called the anointed, and the Lord's anointed. As Jesus of Nazareth was designed in the divine counsels to be a most distinguished prince, although only in a spiritual kingdom, he was called the Messiah, or the anointed, by way of eminence, although he never underwent the ceremony before-mentioned. This appellation, Messiah, is translated by the word Christ into Greek. Against this prince, appointed by God to his office, Herod and PiTate and the Jews, we are here told, conspired, to deprive him of his dignity; but their conspiracy proved ineffectual, as had been foretold; for they only inflicted upon him those calamities and sufferings which God had before determined to permit, for the purpose of more effectually exalting him to the high office for which he was designed.

29. And now, Lord, behold their threatenings, and grant unto thy servants that with all boldness, "with all freedom of speech," they may speak thy word;

30. By stretching forth thy hand to heal and that signs and wonders may be done by the name of thy holy servant Jesus.

It seems as if some of the disciples had been alarmed at the threats of the Jewish council, and, feeling some doubts about their own courage to preach the gospel in the face of such danger, had prayed to God to have it strengthened, by being enabled to perform such cures as that which had been just wrought upon the lame man, and to work other wonders. Hence it appears probable that although all the disciples had the gift of tongues, and the apostles John and Peter the power of healing diseases, the rest were

not assured that the same power would be communicated to them. Without this assistance, they were apprehensive that their resolution would fail; but so aided, they were persuaded that they should be able to face all their adversaries. To confirm their expecta tions and remove their fears, God was pleased to favour them with a sign, which is mentioned in the following verse. In the twenty-seventh and thirtieth verses Christ is called by our translators God's holy child; but the proper translation is undoubtedly that which has been given, thy holy servant, as appears from the twenty-fifth verse, where they themselves have so rendered the word, calling David God's servant, although the same term be used in the original in that as in the other places.

31.

And when they had prayed, the place was shaken where they were assembled together;

This supernatural earthquake seems to have been intended as a signal, to announce the approach of the Deity for the communication of miraculous powers, just as the noise of the mighty rushing wind, and the cloven tongues of fire, preceded the gift of tongues, on the day of Pentecost. In the present instance, however, there was no visible appearance; nor does it seem that any other miraculous effect immediately followed. What we are told about their being all filled with the Holy Spirit, I regard as referring rather to powers which afterwards appeared, than to any sensible change which took place immediately. They might, indeed, be naturally supposed to be communicated at this moment. What the disciples prayed for was a miraculous power to heal and to perform other wonders as the means of establishing their faith in the gospel. When they found themselves possessed of these powers, by exercising them, and not before, they acquired the confidence which they wished for. Their boldness was not itself supernatural, but founded upon reflection, and sprang from a consciousness of

possess

ing extraordinary faculties, which were plain marks of the approbation and patronage of Heaven.

And they were all filled with the Holy Spirit, and delivered the word of God with freedom of speech.

32.

And the multitude of them that believed, that is, the five thousand, were of one heart and one soul, were of one and the same spirit, and loved each other as themselves, neither regarded any of them the things which he possessed as his own, but they had all things

common.

This strong mutual affection was the natural result of entertaining the same sentiments, of a common sensation of gratitude to God for the high favour, and perhaps, most of all, of observing that all were partakers of the same miraculous gifts, and therefore alike the objects of divine regard. The voluntary division of property arose from this affection, and in part, probably, from that new plan of life which now opened upon them, and to which they intended to devote themselves in future; that of preaching the gospel. This was henceforth to become their great object, and not the accumulation of wealth. In these instances they acted like the former converts, of whom we have an account in the second chapter.

33. And with great power gave the apostles witness of the resurrection of the Lord Jesus.

They gave testimony to his resurrection, not only by words, but likewise by miracles performed in his name, and by powers derived professedly from him, and