And of the rest durst no man join himself to them: but the people magnified them.
After Ananias and Sapphira fell dead for lying to the Holy Ghost, great fear came upon all who heard while the apostles continued with one accord in Solomon's porch doing many signs and wonders and healing every sick person and those troubled by unclean spirits brought from Jerusalem and round about. No one dared to join their fellowship unless fully united with the believers in heart and mind through faith in Christ, for their unity and the exposure of hidden sin commanded such respect that the ununited held back even as believers were continually added by baptism. At the same time the common people held them in high regard because the power of the risen Saviour rested upon them, so multitudes flocked to them, laid sufferers in the streets hoping Peter's shadow might fall on them, and when healed praised God and glorified Jesus, in contrast to the priests and rulers who opposed them. They spoke boldly under the Holy Spirit, representing Jesus so plainly that people recognized they had learned from Him, overcoming opposition not by earthly wealth or honor but by humble testimony of the manger and the cross and by the word of God alone. Their bold preaching of Christ crucified, risen, and ascended with accompanying miracles daily multiplied converts who extolled Christ above the priests and rulers, while the whole account warns that God will surely punish deceptive and unjust dealing in His work.
Setting and Meaning
The verse belongs to the apostles' public ministry after Pentecost, when they met together in earnest prayer for the Holy Spirit and received Him when parties of the Jewish nation had gathered for a great occasion. Crowds came to hear them, the sick were healed through Jesus' name, and many believed in Him, yet they continued preaching despite threats and imprisonment. An angel released them from prison and sent them back to speak to the people, and when ordered to be silent they refused because they had a message to bear. Its immediate setting is after Ananias and Sapphira fell dead for lying to the Holy Ghost and keeping back part of the price, when great fear came upon the church and all that heard. Then many signs and wonders were wrought by the hands of the apostles, who were all with one accord in Solomon's porch, while believers were the more added to the Lord, multitudes both of men and women, and the sick and those vexed with unclean spirits from Jerusalem and round about were healed every one.
Of the rest durst no man join himself to them means that although many were drawn to the apostles and believers, no one joined their fellowship unless fully united with the believers in heart and mind through faith in Christ. Their work and the believers' unity commanded such respect that the ununited did not dare join. After the exposure of hidden sin, the apostles' discernment added to the confidence of the brethren in them and in the message of a crucified and risen Saviour which they preached with great power. Though numbers were continually added to the church by baptism, none dared join who was not united heart and mind with them in Christ.
But the people magnified them means the common people in Jerusalem held the apostles in high regard because the power of the risen Saviour had fallen upon them. Crowds collected around them and multitudes flocked to Jerusalem bringing the sick and those vexed by unclean spirits. Sufferers were laid in the streets so that the shadow of Peter and John passing by might fall upon and heal them, and signs and miracles daily increased the number of believers. When the sick were healed the crowds praised God and glorified Jesus, shouting His praises and extolling Christ above the priests and rulers. This popular honor stood in contrast to the priests and rulers who opposed the apostles, whose doctrines and authority were endangered as believers daily increased and converts multiplied through bold preaching of Christ crucified, risen, and ascended accompanied by signs and miracles.
Ministry and Application
The verse shows disciples who spoke boldly under the power of the Holy Spirit, and their words and works so represented Jesus that people recognized they had learned from Him. They were humble disciples whose only weapon was God's word, and through Christ's strength they overcame opposition as they proclaimed the story of the manger and the cross. Their influence came through testimony rather than earthly wealth, honor, or recognition.
Their work was marked by bold preaching of Christ crucified, risen, and ascended, accompanied by signs and miracles, and the number of believers daily increased as converts multiplied. They had met together in earnest prayer for the Holy Ghost and received Him when parties of the Jewish nation had gathered for a great occasion, and by His power they healed the sick. Though shut up in prison for this work and set free when angels opened the prison doors, they refused when ordered to be silent because they had a message to bear. Crowds gathered around them and praised God when the sick were healed, for the common people in Jerusalem held them in high regard while the priests and rulers opposed them. The people brought the sick and those vexed with unclean spirits into the streets, crowds collected around the apostles, and those who were healed shouted God's praises and glorified Jesus, extolling Christ above the priests and rulers and thereby endangering their doctrines and authority.
The whole account, following the death of Ananias and Sapphira for lying to the Holy Ghost and keeping back part of the price, stands as a warning that God will surely punish deceptive, oppressive, and unjust dealings in His work and diversion of His means. It also gives a pattern for choosing men for important church duties, for although the apostles were men of faith and full of the Holy Spirit who healed the sick and did many mighty miracles, responsibilities were not assigned hastily. That choosing was done with much trembling and fear, with much prayer and reliance upon God. The events around the verse further connect to a later work in which healing, earnest prayer, confession, conversion, and rejoicing accompany the proclamation of truth.
After Ananias and Sapphira fell dead for lying to the Holy Ghost, great fear came upon all who heard while the apostles continued with one accord in Solomon's porch doing many signs and wonders and healing every sick person and those troubled by unclean spirits brought from Jerusalem and round about. No one dared to join their fellowship unless fully united with the believers in heart and mind through faith in Christ, for their unity and the exposure of hidden sin commanded such respect that the ununited held back even as believers were continually added by baptism. At the same time the common people held them in high regard because the power of the risen Saviour rested upon them, so multitudes flocked to them, laid sufferers in the streets hoping Peter's shadow might fall on them, and when healed praised God and glorified Jesus, in contrast to the priests and rulers who opposed them. They spoke boldly under the Holy Spirit, representing Jesus so plainly that people recognized they had learned from Him, overcoming opposition not by earthly wealth or honor but by humble testimony of the manger and the cross and by the word of God alone. Their bold preaching of Christ crucified, risen, and ascended with accompanying miracles daily multiplied converts who extolled Christ above the priests and rulers, while the whole account warns that God will surely punish deceptive and unjust dealing in His work.
Setting and Meaning
The verse belongs to the apostles' public ministry after Pentecost, when they met together in earnest prayer for the Holy Spirit and received Him when parties of the Jewish nation had gathered for a great occasion. Crowds came to hear them, the sick were healed through Jesus' name, and many believed in Him, yet they continued preaching despite threats and imprisonment. An angel released them from prison and sent them back to speak to the people, and when ordered to be silent they refused because they had a message to bear. Its immediate setting is after Ananias and Sapphira fell dead for lying to the Holy Ghost and keeping back part of the price, when great fear came upon the church and all that heard. Then many signs and wonders were wrought by the hands of the apostles, who were all with one accord in Solomon's porch, while believers were the more added to the Lord, multitudes both of men and women, and the sick and those vexed with unclean spirits from Jerusalem and round about were healed every one.
Of the rest durst no man join himself to them means that although many were drawn to the apostles and believers, no one joined their fellowship unless fully united with the believers in heart and mind through faith in Christ. Their work and the believers' unity commanded such respect that the ununited did not dare join. After the exposure of hidden sin, the apostles' discernment added to the confidence of the brethren in them and in the message of a crucified and risen Saviour which they preached with great power. Though numbers were continually added to the church by baptism, none dared join who was not united heart and mind with them in Christ.
But the people magnified them means the common people in Jerusalem held the apostles in high regard because the power of the risen Saviour had fallen upon them. Crowds collected around them and multitudes flocked to Jerusalem bringing the sick and those vexed by unclean spirits. Sufferers were laid in the streets so that the shadow of Peter and John passing by might fall upon and heal them, and signs and miracles daily increased the number of believers. When the sick were healed the crowds praised God and glorified Jesus, shouting His praises and extolling Christ above the priests and rulers. This popular honor stood in contrast to the priests and rulers who opposed the apostles, whose doctrines and authority were endangered as believers daily increased and converts multiplied through bold preaching of Christ crucified, risen, and ascended accompanied by signs and miracles.
Ministry and Application
The verse shows disciples who spoke boldly under the power of the Holy Spirit, and their words and works so represented Jesus that people recognized they had learned from Him. They were humble disciples whose only weapon was God's word, and through Christ's strength they overcame opposition as they proclaimed the story of the manger and the cross. Their influence came through testimony rather than earthly wealth, honor, or recognition.
Their work was marked by bold preaching of Christ crucified, risen, and ascended, accompanied by signs and miracles, and the number of believers daily increased as converts multiplied. They had met together in earnest prayer for the Holy Ghost and received Him when parties of the Jewish nation had gathered for a great occasion, and by His power they healed the sick. Though shut up in prison for this work and set free when angels opened the prison doors, they refused when ordered to be silent because they had a message to bear. Crowds gathered around them and praised God when the sick were healed, for the common people in Jerusalem held them in high regard while the priests and rulers opposed them. The people brought the sick and those vexed with unclean spirits into the streets, crowds collected around the apostles, and those who were healed shouted God's praises and glorified Jesus, extolling Christ above the priests and rulers and thereby endangering their doctrines and authority.
The whole account, following the death of Ananias and Sapphira for lying to the Holy Ghost and keeping back part of the price, stands as a warning that God will surely punish deceptive, oppressive, and unjust dealings in His work and diversion of His means. It also gives a pattern for choosing men for important church duties, for although the apostles were men of faith and full of the Holy Spirit who healed the sick and did many mighty miracles, responsibilities were not assigned hastily. That choosing was done with much trembling and fear, with much prayer and reliance upon God. The events around the verse further connect to a later work in which healing, earnest prayer, confession, conversion, and rejoicing accompany the proclamation of truth.