Exegetical and Hermeneutical Commentary of Acts 4:17
But that it spread no further among the people, let us straitly threaten them, that they speak henceforth to no man in this name.
17. But that it spread ] i.e. the fame of the miracle and the consequent belief in the Divinity of Jesus.
let us straitly threaten them ] The best MSS. omit the word here rendered straitly. The literal translation of the Received Text is “let us threaten them with a threat,” a Hebrew mode of expression often imitated in the N. T., but apparently not found here in the earliest copies.
in this name ] The preposition here is , not , as in Act 4:7. The force of it is the same which it has in Joh 12:16, “they remembered that these things were written of him.” The Apostles were forbidden to preach about the name, i.e. the authority and Divinity, of Jesus.
Fuente: The Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges
Verse 17. But that it spread no farther] Not the news of the miraculous healing of the lame man, but the doctrine and influence which these men preach and exert. More than a thousand people had already professed faith in Christ in consequence of this miracle, (see Ac 4:4,) and if this teaching should be permitted to go on, probably accompanied with similar miracles, they had reason to believe that all Jerusalem (themselves excepted, who had steeled their hearts against all good) should be converted to the religion of him whom they had lately crucified.
Let us straitly threaten them] , Let us threaten them with threatening, a Hebraism, and a proof that St. Luke has translated the words of the council into Greek, just as they were spoken.
That they speak – to no man in this name.] Nothing so ominous to them as the name of Christ crucified, because they themselves had been his crucifiers. On this account they could not bear to hear salvation preached to mankind through him of whom they had been the betrayers and murderers, and who was soon likely to have no enemies but themselves.
Fuente: Adam Clarke’s Commentary and Critical Notes on the Bible
Straitly threaten them; the pleonasm here used implies a very sore and heavy threatening, as of the most grievous punishment upon the most heinous fact.
That they speak henceforth to no man in this name; either,
1. By preaching; or:
2. By praying in it; or:
3. By doing miracles again by it.
Fuente: English Annotations on the Holy Bible by Matthew Poole
17. But that it spread no further .. . let us straitlystrictly.
threaten . . . that theyspeak henceforth to no man in this nameImpotent device! Littleknew they the fire that was burning in the bones of those heroicdisciples.
Fuente: Jamieson, Fausset and Brown’s Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible
But that it spread no further among the people,…. Meaning not in Jerusalem; for the fame of this miracle was spread among all the inhabitants of that city; but in other parts of the nation:
let us straitly threaten them; or “in threatening threaten them”; that is, severely threaten them with imprisonment, or with the scourging of forty stripes save one, or with death itself.
That they speak henceforth to no man in this name; which through indignation and contempt they do not mention, but mean the name of Jesus: and their sense is, that the apostles, from this time forward, should not teach, or preach the doctrine of the resurrection of the dead, or any other doctrine of the Gospel, in the name of Jesus, to any man, Jew or Gentile; or perform any miracle in his name, or call upon his name, and make use of it, for the healing of any person, or doing any miraculous work. The Ethiopic version is a very odd one, and quite contrary to the sense of the sanhedrim, “that they should not speak any more but in the name of the man Jesus”.
Fuente: John Gill’s Exposition of the Entire Bible
That it spread no further ( ). First aorist passive subjunctive of , to distribute with , negative purpose.
Let us threaten them ( ). Hortatory aorist middle subjunctive of , old verb (note middle voice). In the N.T. only here and 1Pe 2:23.
That they speak henceforth to no man in this name ( ). Indirect command with the infinitive and double negative (, ). They will not say “Jesus,” but make a slur at “this name,” contemptuous use of , though they apparently do mention the name “Jesus” in verse 18.
Fuente: Robertson’s Word Pictures in the New Testament
It spread [] . Only here in New Testament. Lit., be distributed. In 2Ti 2:17, “their word will eat as canker,” is, literally, will have distribution or spreading [ ] . Bengel, however, goes too far when he represents the members of the council as speaking in the figure of a canker. “They regard the whole as a canker.”
Fuente: Vincent’s Word Studies in the New Testament
1) “But that it spread no further among the people,” (all’ hina me epi pleion diamemethe eiston laon) “But in order that it spread no more abroad to the people,” among the masses. Satan tries to hinder the spread of the gospel by threats, by bribes, and by false testimony.
2) “Let us straitly threaten them,” (apeilsometha autois) “Let us threaten them,” give out threats against them, emotional threats of punishment, unless they cease their witnessing; How similar this was to threats made against Daniel and the three Hebrew children for their praying to the living God, Dan 3:14-18; Dan 6:7-10.
3) “That they speak henceforth,” (meketi lalein) “To the effect that they speak no more hereafter,” that they witness no more thereafter. Their convictions were that they should obey God, rather than men, Act 1:8; Act 5:29.
4) “To no man in this name,” (epi to onomati teuto medeni anthropon) ‘No not to anyone among men upon authority or as if by authority of this one,” the Lord Jesus Christ. Yet it was in the name and by or thru the name of Jesus they had been saved, Mat 1:21; Act 4:12; By His name they had been commissioned to witness and labor, Joh 20:21; Act 1:8; Mat 28:18-20; and do whatever they did in word or deed thru His name, authority, or sanction, Col 3:17.
Fuente: Garner-Howes Baptist Commentary
17. In threatening let us threaten. Here may we see what a deadly evil power void of the fear of God is. For when that religion and reverence which ought doth not reign, the more holy the place is which a man doth possess, the more boldly (211) doth he rage. For which cause we [should] always take good heed that the wicked be not preferred unto the government of the Church. And those which are called to this function must behave themselves reverently and modestly, lest they seem to be armed to do hurt. But and if it so happen they abuse their honor, the Spirit declareth there, as in a glass, what small account we ought to make of their decrees and commandments. (212) The authority of the pastors hath certain bounds appointed which they may not pass. And if they dare be so bold, we may lawfully refuse to obey them; for if we should, it were in us great wickedness, as it followeth now.
(211) “ Audacius,” audaciously.
(212) “ Quam pro nihilo ducendum sit quicquid decernunt et jubent,” that whatever they order and decree ought to be held as null.
Fuente: Calvin’s Complete Commentary
(17) Let us straitly threaten them.The Greek gives literally, let us threaten them with threats. The phrase gives the Hebrew idiom for expressing intensity by reduplication, as in blessing I will bless thee (Gen. 22:17), dying thou shalt die (Gen. 2:17, marg.), and, as far as it goes, indicates that St. Luke translated from a report of the speech which Caiaphas had delivered in Aramaic. It is a perfectly possible alternative that the High Priest, speaking in Greek, reproduced, as the LXX, often does, the old Hebrew formula.
Fuente: Ellicott’s Commentary for English Readers (Old and New Testaments)
17. It spread no farther It refers not to the miracle, nor to its notoriety, but to the Christian doctrine, the unexpressed consequence of the miracle.
Fuente: Whedon’s Commentary on the Old and New Testaments
Act 4:17. But, &c. “Nevertheless:” The word ‘ is frequently used in this sense both by sacred and prophane writers.
Fuente: Commentary on the Holy Bible by Thomas Coke
Act 4:17-18 . In order, however, that it be not further brought out among the people, i.e. spread by communication hither and thither among the people, even beyond Jerusalem. The subject is , not ; but the former is conceived of and dreaded as promoting the latter. , magis, i.e. here ulterius . See Act 20:9 , Act 24:4 ; 2Ti 2:16 ; 2Ti 3:9 ; Plat. Phaedr. p. 261 B; Gorg. p. 453 A; and Stallb. in loc.; Phaed. p. 93 B; Xen. de vect. 4. 3. Comp. , Lobeck, ad Phryn. p. 48.
Observe that the confession of Act 4:16 , made in the bosom of the council, in confidential deliberation, and without the presence of a third party , is therefore by no means “inconceivable” (in opposition to Zeller). The discussion in the council itself may have been brought about in various ways, if not even by secret friends of Jesus in the Sanhedrim (Neander, Lange).
.] emphatically threaten . Comp. Luk 22:15 ; Lobeck, Paral. p. 523 ff.; Winer, p. 434 [E. T. 584].
] is quite general, to speak ; for it corresponds to the two ideas, [157] and , Act 4:18 .
. ] so that the name uttered is the basis on which the rests. Comp. on Luk 24:47 . They do not now name the name contemptuously, but do so only in stating the decision, Act 4:18 .
The article before the infinitive brings into stronger prominence the object; Bernhardy, p. 356; Winer, p. 303 [E. T. 406]. Concerning in such a case, see Baeumlein, Partik. p. 296 f.
[157] On , not to become audible , Erasmus correctly remarks: “Plus est quam ne loquerentur; q. d. ne hiscerent aut ullam vocem ederent. ” Comp. Castalio. See on , Dorvill. ad Charit. p. 409.
Fuente: Heinrich August Wilhelm Meyer’s New Testament Commentary
17 But that it spread no further among the people, let us straitly threaten them, that they speak henceforth to no man in this name.
Ver. 17. That they spake henceforth to none ] They must cut out their tongues then, for, as new wine, they must vent or burst. When Valens the Arian emperor threatened Basil with banishment, torment, death, &c.; Let him fright babies, said he, with such bugbears, and not me. He may take away my life, but not my love to the truth.
Fuente: John Trapp’s Complete Commentary (Old and New Testaments)
17. ] be scattered or spread : lit., be distributed: so Plato, Minos, 317 D, ; and afterwards, ;
[ ] . ] for idiom, see reff.
The construction of with an infin., stated by Dr. Bloomf. to be ‘so rare that even the best lexx. scarcely adduce an example.’ is its ordinary construction: see Palm and Rost sub voce, and cf. II. . 161; . 143; . 179, al. freq.: Od. . 313; Xen. Mem. iii. 5. 4; Hell. v. 4. 7; Eur. Med. 287. The use of the middle in the active sense is confined to later Greek.
Fuente: Henry Alford’s Greek Testament
Act 4:17 . may be taken as = latius (2Ti 2:16 ; 2Ti 3:9 ) or = diutius (Act 20:9 ; Act 24:4 ), but the context favours the former. The phrase is quite classical, and it occurs several times in LXX, cf. Wis 8:12 ; 3Ma 5:18 . : only here in N.T. but frequently used in classical writers in active and middle to divide into portions, to distribute, to divide among themselves here = lest it should spread abroad (or better perhaps in ( [158] )) It has been taken by some as if it had a parallel in , 2Ti 2:17 , and expressed that the report of the Apostles’ teaching and power might spread and feed like a cancer (see Bengel, Blass, Zckler, Rendall), but although in the middle voice (and possibly ) could be so used, it is very doubtful how far could be so applied. At the same time we may note that is a word frequently used in medical writers, Hobart, Medical Language of St. Luke , pp. 196, 197, and that it, with the two other great medical words of similar import, and , is peculiar to St. Luke. In the LXX is only found once, Deu 29:26 (25), in its classical sense as a translation of the Hebrew . : if we retain the reading in T.R., the phrase is a common Hebraism, cf. Act 5:28 , Act 23:14 , Act 2:17 ; Act 2:30 , Luk 22:15 , cf. Joh 6:29 , Jas 5:7 , and from the LXX, Mat 13:14 ; Mat 15:4 . The form of the Hebrew formula giving the notion of intenseness is rendered in A.V. by “straitly,” as by the revisers (who omit here) in Act 5:28 . Similar expressions are common in the LXX, and also in the Apocrypha, cf. Sir 48:11 , Jdt 6:4 , and occasionally a similar formula is found in Greek authors, see especially Simcox, Language of the N. T. , p. 83, and Blass, Grammatik des N. G. , pp. 116, 117. : on the name, i.e. , resting on, or with reference to, this name, as the basis of their teaching, Winer-Moulton, xlviii. c., cf. Act 5:28 , and Luk 24:47 ; Luk 9:48 ; Luk 21:8 . The phrase has thus a force of its own, although it is apparently interchangeable with , Act 4:10 (Simcox, see also Blass, in loco ); Rendall takes it = “about the name of Jesus,” being used as often with verbs of speech. : “quem nominare nolunt, Act 5:28 , vid. tamen 18,” Blass; (on the hatred of the Jews against the name of Jesus and their periphrastic titles for him, e.g., otho ha’ish , “that man,” “so and so,” see “Jesus Christ in the Talmud,” H. Laible, pp. 32, 33 (Streane)).
[158] R(omana), in Blass, a first rough copy of St. Luke.
Fuente: The Expositors Greek Testament by Robertson
that = in order that. Greek. hina.
spread. Greek. dianemomai. Only here.
no further = not (Greek. me) for (Greek. epi) more.
among = unto. Greek. eis. App-104.
straitly threaten = threaten with threats. Figure of speech Polyptoton. App-6.
threaten. Greek. apeileo. Only here and 1Pe 2:23. The noun apeile occurs here, Act 4:29; Act 9:1. Eph 6:9.
that they speak, &c. = Literally no longer to speak to no man. A double negative, for emphasis.
Fuente: Companion Bible Notes, Appendices and Graphics
17. ] be scattered or spread: lit., be distributed: so Plato, Minos, 317 D, ; and afterwards, ;
[] .] for idiom, see reff.
The construction of with an infin., stated by Dr. Bloomf. to be so rare that even the best lexx. scarcely adduce an example. is its ordinary construction: see Palm and Rost sub voce, and cf. II. . 161; . 143; . 179, al. freq.: Od. . 313; Xen. Mem. iii. 5. 4; Hell. v. 4. 7; Eur. Med. 287. The use of the middle in the active sense is confined to later Greek.
Fuente: The Greek Testament
Act 4:17. ) They regard the whole as a gangrene or canker. For so it is described in 2Ti 2:17, Their word will eat or have pasture ( ) as doth a canker or gangrene ().-, with threatening) Your efforts are vain, ye rulers. These men have a resource to flee to: Act 4:29.-, this) They do not deign to mention the name Jesus: ch. Act 5:28.
Fuente: Gnomon of the New Testament
that it: Act 5:39, Psa 2:1-4, Dan 2:34, Dan 2:35, Rom 10:16-18, Rom 15:18-22, 1Th 1:8
let: Act 4:21, Act 4:29, Act 4:30, Act 5:24, Act 5:28, Act 5:40, 2Ch 25:15, 2Ch 25:16, Isa 30:8-11, Jer 20:1-3, Jer 29:25-32, Jer 38:4, Amo 2:12, Amo 7:12-17, Mic 2:6, Mic 2:7, Mat 27:64, Joh 11:47, Joh 11:48, 1Th 2:15, 1Th 2:16
Reciprocal: 1Ki 12:26 – Now shall 2Ki 1:11 – Again Neh 4:7 – then Psa 21:11 – are not Psa 62:4 – consult Psa 83:4 – General Isa 30:10 – say Jer 26:9 – Why Jer 29:27 – therefore Dan 6:10 – when Amo 7:13 – prophesy Mat 23:13 – for ye shut Luk 11:52 – for Joh 3:2 – for Joh 12:19 – Perceive
Fuente: The Treasury of Scripture Knowledge
7
Act 4:17. Threaten means an indefinite warning that something very bad will be done, without stating what that will be. It is an intimation that does not have any specific charge, as the word is being used in this case. It is very much like the warning of some irresponsible parent or guardian, “If you do not behave yourself, you will wish that you had.” These rulers knew they could not cite any law that was being violated by the preaching of the apostles, hence they thought they could daunt them by their cowardly threats.
Fuente: Combined Bible Commentary
Act 4:17. Let us straitly threaten them, that they speak henceforth to no man in this name. The council could find no pretext for punishing them. The people, with the memory of the words and works of the Master of Peter and John vividly recalled to them by the work of mercy just done to the poor lame man, were clearly on the side of the accused apostles; so, with mere threats and a stern charge to bring no more before the people the name of that One they had condemned and murdered, but whose look and words haunted them with a nameless terror, they dismissed their prisoners. The expectation that the apostles would have been convicted under the statutes of the law based on Deuteronomy 13 (see note on Act 4:7), was frustrated by the strong feeling shown by the people in favour of the apostles. This the Sanhedrim fairly confessed by their dread lest the knowledge of the new miracle done by the followers of Jesus should spread any farther. The same charge in former days had been made against the Lord, when He was accused of performing miracles by the power of Beelzebub; but then, as now, it fell, owing to the good sense of the people generally, who never for a moment could really bear such a supposition either in the case of Christ or His disciples.
Fuente: A Popular Commentary on the New Testament
17. The real motive which controlled them, and under the influence of which they kept each other in countenance, was an unconquerable desire to maintain their old influence with the people. This is manifested in the conclusion to which they came. (17) “But, that it may be spread no further among the people, let us strictly threaten them, that they speak, henceforth, to no man in this name.” The man who made this proposition no doubt thought that he had most satisfactorily solved a difficult problem, and the majority were too well pleased to find some means of escape from their present awkward predicament, to look very shrewdly into the probable success of the measure proposed. It was a safe course, if not a very bold one, and as there was no obstacle in the way but conscience, the could find no difficulty in pursuing it.