Acts 4:25

who by the Holy Spirit, by the mouth of our father David thy servant, didst say, Why did the Gentiles rage, And the peoples imagine vain things?

'WHO BY THE HOLY SPIRIT...DIDST SAY'-God is also the God of revelation. Again, we find another claim that the writings of the O.T. were inspired (Acts 2:30; Acts 3:18; 2 Peter 1:20)

'BY THE MOUTH OF OUR FATHER DAVID'-What will follow is. quotation from Psalms 2:1. 'already in the first century B.C. recognized as Messianic (by the Jewish people).' (Stott p. 100) 'This psalm...had been interpreted of the coming deliverer of David's line at least as early as the middle of the first century B.C...' (Bruce p. 106)

'WHY DID THE GENTILES'-'The Gentiles raged against Jesus in the person of the Romans who sentenced Him to the cross.' (Bruce p. 106)

'RAGE'-5433. phruasso froo-as'-so; akin to 1032, 1031; to snort (as. spirited horse), i.e. (figuratively) to make. tumult: -rage.

-'Originally, to neigh or snort like. horse. Of men, to give one's self haughty airs, and to act and speak insolently.' (Vincent p. 466)

'THE PEOPLES'-i.e. the Jewish people.

'IMAGINE VAIN THINGS'-'form futile plans' (Mon); 'cherish vain dreams' (Knox); 'lay their plans in vain' (NEB).

'IMAGINE'-3191. meletao mel-et-ah'-o; from. presumed derivative of 3199; to take care of, i.e. (by implication) revolve in the mind: -imagine, (pre-)meditate.

-'means to ponder meditatively, and to practise like orators in order to perfect their style..The Jewish people used thought, plan, purpose, in opposing the Messiah.' (Reese p. 188) (John 11:53).