Acts 4:27

“For truly against Your holy Servant Jesus, whom You anointed, both Herod and Pontius Pilate, with the Gentiles and the people of Israel, were gathered together Acts 4:27

The disciples have raised their collective voice and praised God while citing the psalms. With that complete, they now confirm that the 2nd Psalm was, in fact, fulfilled in the coming of Jesus. As they say, “For truly against Your holy Servant Jesus.”

The translation is correct – “Your holy Servant.” The word translated as “Servant” can be rendered “Son,” or “Child,” but it is referring to Jesus in His ministry as the Christ, God’s suffering Servant. It is the same word translated as “servant” when speaking of David in verse 4:25. It is against the designated Servant of God that the people next say, “whom You anointed.”

The anointing is referring to the specific act of establishing Christ for His ministry. The word used is chrió, signifying to consecrate by anointing. It has so far only been seen in Luke 4–

‘So He came to Nazareth, where He had been brought up. And as His custom was, He went into the synagogue on the Sabbath day, and stood up to read. 17 And He was handed the book of the prophet Isaiah. And when He had opened the book, He found the place where it was written: 18 ‘The Spirit of the Lord is upon Me, Because He has anointed Me To preach the gospel to the poor; He has sent Me to heal the brokenhearted, To proclaim liberty to the captives And recovery of sight to the blind, To set at liberty those who are [j]oppressed; 19 To proclaim the acceptable year of the Lord.’” Luke 4:16-19

Though the word literally means consecration by anointing, meaning rubbing the head with olive oil in order to signify divine authorization to perform a function, that only symbolically represents the empowering of the Holy Spirit. This word is used five times, and all but one are directly tied to the anointing of Christ Jesus. With this understood, it next says, “both Herod and Pontius Pilate.”

The account of Herod’s involvement in the act of coming against Jesus is only found in Luke’s gospel, in Luke 23:6-12. He would be the connection to “kings” cited in verse 4:26. Pilate’s involvement in the crucifixion of Christ is noted in all four gospels, and he would be the connection to the “rulers” of that same verse, but more, Luke continues with the disciple’s words, saying, “with the Gentiles and the people of Israel.”

There are no articles in the Greek, and the word “people” is actually plural –

“with Gentiles and peoples of Israel.”

As such, it is a general statement that includes all who were participants in the torturous events of Christ’s passion and crucifixion. There were Roman and Jewish soldiers along with many peoples of Israel. People shouted for His death, people rose against Him, people mocked Him, and there were those who physically came against Him. It was a din of humanity, Jew and Gentile, that rose against Him and led to His cross and all that was associated with that event. All of these, as they note, “were gathered together.”

As just noted, it is a din of humanity, all with a united purpose that led to Christ’s cross. The words are most significant for several reasons. Such a mixing of the intent of both Jew and Gentile would normally be at odds with the state of things. But there was a sense of all conspiring together. Also, it shows that none can say, “We are guiltless in what occurred.”

Such a thought reigns true for all. It extends to every nation, culture, society, and person because it is an indictment on the hearts of all. A nation may not have even existed at the time of the event, just as countless people have been born since the event. However, all people issue from the same original father, and the collective heart of man is clearly what is on trial with these words. And so, ironically, the joy for humanity that comes from the resurrection is one that first had to be initiated by the healing which came from the shed blood at the cross.

Life application: Above, it was noted that the word chrió, is seen five times in the New Testament and that four of them are directed to the anointing of Christ. Did you curiously ask yourself, “What was the fifth use of the word?” If so, you receive ten merit points. The fifth use is found in Paul’s words of 2 Corinthians 1 –

“For all the promises of God in Him are Yes, and in Him Amen, to the glory of God through us. 21 Now He who establishes us with you in Christ and has anointed us is God, 22 who also has sealed us and given us the Spirit in our hearts as a guarantee.” 2 Corinthians 1:20-22

In Christ is the Yes, and in Him is the Amen. It is Christ who is the fulfillment of the promises. When we call on Him, those promises, which were fulfilled in Him, now belong to us. Further, they are emphatically fulfilled in Him.

Jesus Christ is the fulfillment of Scripture and therefore the promises of God which were made to the people of God (to Abraham for example, explaining that in his seed all nations of the earth would be blessed) are realized in Him. Paul gives this thought in Romans 15 –

“Now I say that Jesus Christ has become a servant to the circumcision for the truth of God, to confirm the promises made to the fathers, 9 and that the Gentiles might glorify God for His mercy...” Romans 15:8, 9

And in the book of Hebrews, this is seen –

“And for this reason He is the Mediator of the new covenant, by means of death, for the redemption of the transgressions under the first covenant, that those who are called may receive the promise of the eternal inheritance.” Hebrews 9:15

Every Messianic promise is realized in Him, and in Him is the Amen. In Him is the confirmation and establishment of those promises.

Understanding this, when a person calls on Christ, he is anointed in Christ. From that moment, he is established and continues to be established. God will no more reject Christ’s anointing of us than He would reject His anointing of Christ. And to assure us that this is so, and that it is an eternal decree of God (ETERNAL SALVATION), Paul’s words state that we are sealed with the Spirit in our hearts as a guarantee.

The word translated as “guarantee” is arrabón. It signifies a pledge. It is given as an advance, as a security, that the final and full payment will be paid afterward. In other words, the onus and the payment are not on us. They are on God. It is the believer whose right it is to collect the final, full, and forever payment. The doctrine of eternal salvation stands, or our God is not God.

Lord God, You have given us the sealing of Your Spirit as a guarantee. We eagerly await collecting on that pledge. May that day of final payment come soon. We wish to be forever in Your glorious presence. Amen and amen.