Word Pictures in the New Testament - David Cox

Word Pictures in the NT [Acts: Chapter 4]
likely true. They ask for a visible sign or proof that God has
heard this prayer for courage to be faithful even unto death.
4:31 {The place was shaken} (\esaleuth• ho topos\). By an
earthquake most likely as in 16:26, but none the less a token
of God's presence and power (Ps 114:7; Isa 2:19,21; Heb
12:26f.). {Were gathered together} (\•san sun•gmenoi\).
Periphrastic past perfect passive of \sunag•\. {They spake}
(\elaloun\). Imperfect active indicative, began to speak, after
being filled (\epl•sth•san\, aorist passive indicative) with the
Holy Spirit. Luke uses the very words of the prayer in verse 29
to describe their conduct.
4:32 {Of one heart and soul} (\kardia kai psuch• mia\). It is not
possible to make sharp distinction between heart and soul here
(see Mr 12:30), only that there was harmony in thought and
affection. But the English translation is curiously unlike the
Greek original. "There was one heart and soul (nominative case,
not genitive as the English has it) in the multitude (\tou
pl•thous\, subjective genitive) of those who believed." {Not one
of them} (\oude heis\). More emphatic than \oudeis\, "not even
one." {Common} (\koina\). In the use of their property, not in
the possession as Luke proceeds to explain. The word \koinos\ is
kin to \sun\ (together with)=\xun\ (Epic) and so \xunos=koinos\.
See this word already in 2:44. The idea of unclean (Ac 10:15)
is a later development from the original notion of common to all.
4:33 {Gave their witness} (\apedidoun to marturion\). Imperfect
active of \apodid•mi\, old verb to give back, to pay back a debt
(Lu 7:42), but a late omega form instead of the usual
\apedidosan\. They kept on giving their witness with power after
the answer to their prayer (verse 31). {Of the resurrection}
(\t•s anastase•s\). It was on this issue that the Sadducees had
arrested them (4:1-3).
4:34 {That lacked} (\ende•s\). Literally, in need, old adjective,
here only in the N.T. {Were} (\hup•rchon\). Imperfect active of
\huparch•\, to exist. {Sold them and brought} (\p•lountes
epheron\). Present active participle and imperfect active
indicative. Selling they brought from time to time, as there was
occasion by reason of need. Hence the wants were kept supplied.
{Laid them} (\etithoun\). Imperfect active again, _repetition_,
of \tith•mi\, late omega form for the usual \etithesan\.
http://www.ccel.org/r/robertson_at/wordpictures/htm/AC4.RWP.html (7 of 9) [28/08/2004 09:06:09 a.m.]