They carried outThis phrase refers to the actions of the Jewish leaders and Roman authorities who were involved in the crucifixion of Jesus Christ. It highlights the human responsibility and involvement in the events leading to Jesus' death. The phrase underscores the fulfillment of God's sovereign plan through human actions, a theme consistent throughout Scripture, such as in
Genesis 50:20, where Joseph acknowledges God's purpose in his brothers' actions.
what Your hand and will
The "hand" of God is a biblical metaphor for His power and authority. It signifies God's active involvement in the world and His ability to bring about His purposes. The "will" of God refers to His divine plan and purpose. This phrase emphasizes the belief in God's sovereignty and providence, suggesting that nothing happens outside of His control. This is echoed inIsaiah 46:10, where God declares the end from the beginning, and inEphesians 1:11, which speaks of God working all things according to the counsel of His will.
had decided beforehand
This indicates the doctrine of predestination, where God, in His omniscience, has foreordained events before they occur. It reflects the belief that the crucifixion of Jesus was not an accident but a predetermined part of God's redemptive plan. This concept is supported by prophecies such asIsaiah 53, which foretells the suffering of the Messiah, and by Jesus' own predictions of His death and resurrection in the Gospels (e.g.,Mark 8:31).
would happen
The phrase confirms the certainty and inevitability of God's plan being fulfilled. It reassures believers of the reliability of God's promises and the unfolding of His redemptive history. This is seen in the fulfillment of Old Testament prophecies concerning the Messiah and in the New Testament's assurance of future events, such as the return of Christ (Revelation 22:20). The crucifixion, though carried out by human hands, was ultimately the fulfillment of God's salvific purpose, demonstrating His control over history and His commitment to redeem humanity through Jesus Christ.
Persons / Places / Events
1.
GodThe sovereign planner whose will and hand orchestrate events.
2.
Jesus ChristThe central figure of the divine plan, whose life, death, and resurrection were foreordained.
3.
Herod and Pontius PilateRulers who played roles in the trial and crucifixion of Jesus, acting within God's predetermined plan.
4.
The ApostlesEarly Christian leaders who are praying and acknowledging God's sovereignty in this passage.
5.
JerusalemThe city where these events unfolded, significant in both Jewish and Christian history.
Teaching Points
God's SovereigntyRecognize that God is in control of all events, both past and present. His plans are perfect and will come to pass.
Human ResponsibilityWhile God's will is sovereign, humans are still responsible for their actions. Herod and Pilate acted within God's plan, yet they were accountable for their decisions.
Trust in God's PlanIn times of uncertainty or suffering, trust that God has a purpose and is working all things according to His will.
Prayer and AcknowledgmentLike the apostles, we should pray with an understanding of God's sovereignty, acknowledging His control over all circumstances.
Courage in WitnessingKnowing that God’s plan is unstoppable should embolden us to share the gospel without fear.
Bible Study Questions and Answers
1.What is the meaning of Acts 4:28?
2.How does Acts 4:28 demonstrate God's sovereignty in fulfilling His divine plan?
3.What does Acts 4:28 reveal about God's control over historical events?
4.How can we trust God's plan when facing persecution, as seen in Acts 4:28?
5.How does Acts 4:28 connect with Romans 8:28 about God's purpose for believers?
6.How should Acts 4:28 influence our response to challenges in our faith journey?
7.How does Acts 4:28 relate to the concept of divine sovereignty and human free will?
8.What does Acts 4:28 reveal about God's control over historical events?
9.How does Acts 4:28 support the idea of predestination in Christian theology?
10.What are the top 10 Lessons from Acts 4?
11.What sexual acts are allowed in Christian marriage?
12.Proverbs 16:31 declares that gray hair, or old age, is a crown of glory for the righteous--how do we reconcile this with the early deaths of many who lead faithful and moral lives?
13.In 2 Chronicles 2:4, how can a temple truly contain God if other passages assert He cannot be confined?
14.Why does Jacob appear to 'bargain' with God, seemingly contradicting other passages that discourage testing God (Genesis 28:20-22)?What Does Acts 4:28 Mean
They carried outLuke’s context names “Herod and Pontius Pilate, together with the Gentiles and the people of Israel” (Acts 4:27).
• Real people, acting with real intent, arrested, tried, and crucified Jesus.
• Their guilt is never softened—Peter earlier said, “You handed Him over… and put Him to death” (Acts 2:23).
• Scripture repeatedly shows human deeds unfolding freely—Joseph’s brothers sold him, yet “God sent me before you” (Genesis 45:5).
what Your hand“Your right hand is exalted; Your right hand performs mighty deeds” (Psalm 118:16).
• God’s “hand” pictures direct power, not distant permission.
• Every swing of a whip, every hammer blow on the nails, occurred under that hand, just as plagues fell on Egypt “by a mighty hand” (Exodus 3:20).
and will“The LORD of Hosts has sworn: ‘As I have planned, so will it be’ ” (Isaiah 14:24).
• His will is purposeful, not reactive.
• Christ was “handed over by God’s deliberate plan and foreknowledge” (Acts 2:23).
• Believers rest in the same assurance: “He works out everything according to the counsel of His will” (Ephesians 1:11).
had decided beforehandGod’s choice was settled “before the foundation of the world” (1 Peter 1:20).
• “Predestined” (Romans 8:29) means the course was fixed, not guessed.
• Yet this decree never erases responsibility; the paradox stands—men act freely, God rules sovereignly.
would happenWhat God determines always comes to pass: “I declare the end from the beginning… My purpose will stand” (Isaiah 46:10).
• The cross was not Plan B; Jesus said, “All this has come to pass so that the Scriptures of the prophets will be fulfilled” (Matthew 26:56).
• Because every promised event of redemption occurred, every promise still ahead—resurrection, judgment, new creation—will likewise happen (1 Corinthians 15:22–26).
summaryActs 4:28 teaches that the very people who opposed Jesus unknowingly fulfilled God’s unchangeable plan. Their wicked choices were theirs; the outcome was God’s. The verse magnifies His sovereign power, underscores mankind’s accountability, and assures believers that no enemy can overturn what God has already decided for our salvation and His glory.
(28)
To do whatsoeverthy hand. . . .--The great problem of the relation of the divine purpose to man's free agency is stated (as before in
Acts 1:16;
Acts 2:23), without any attempt at a philosophical solution. No such solution is indeed possible. If we admit a Divine Will at all, manifesting itself in the government of the world, in the education of man kind, in the salvation of individual souls, we must follow the example of the Apostle, and hold both the facts of which consciousness and experience bear their witness, without seeking for a logical formula of reconciliation. In every fact of history, no less than in the great fact of which St. Peter speaks, the will of each agent is free, and he stands or falls by the part he has taken in it; and yet the outcome of the whole works out some law of evolution, some "increasing purpose," which we recognise as we look back on the course of the events, the actors in which were impelled by their own base or noble aims, their self-interest or their self-devotion. As each man looks back on his own life he traces a sequence visiting him with a righteous retribution, and leading him, whether he obeyed the call, or resisted it, to a higher life, an education no less than a probation. "Man proposes, God disposes." "God works in us, therefore we must work." Aphorisms such as these are the nearest approximation we can make to a practical; though not a theoretical, solution of the great mystery.
Verse 28. - To do
for for
to do, A.V.;
foreordained to come to pass for
determined before to be done, A.V.
To do (for the sentiment, comp.
Acts 2:23;
Acts 3:18). They were gathered together for the purpose of executing, their own will, as they thought, but really to fulfil the purpose of God (see also
Isaiah 10:5-15;
Isaiah 37:26, 27). See here the comfort to the Church of looking upon God as the
δεσπότης of the whole earth.
Parallel Commentaries ...
Greek
They carried outποιῆσαι(poiēsai)Verb - Aorist Infinitive Active
Strong's 4160:(a) I make, manufacture, construct, (b) I do, act, cause. Apparently a prolonged form of an obsolete primary; to make or do.whatὅσα(hosa)Personal / Relative Pronoun - Accusative Neuter Plural
Strong's 3745:How much, how great, how many, as great as, as much. By reduplication from hos; as As.Yourσου(sou)Personal / Possessive Pronoun - Genitive 2nd Person Singular
Strong's 4771:You. The person pronoun of the second person singular; thou.handχείρ(cheir)Noun - Nominative Feminine Singular
Strong's 5495:A hand.andκαὶ(kai)Conjunction
Strong's 2532:And, even, also, namely.purposeβουλὴ(boulē)Noun - Nominative Feminine Singular
Strong's 1012:Counsel, deliberate wisdom, decree. From boulomai; volition, i.e. advice, or purpose.had decided beforehandπροώρισεν(proōrisen)Verb - Aorist Indicative Active - 3rd Person Singular
Strong's 4309:To foreordain, predetermine, mark out beforehand. From pro and horizo; to limit in advance, i.e. predetermine.would happen.γενέσθαι(genesthai)Verb - Aorist Infinitive Middle
Strong's 1096:A prolongation and middle voice form of a primary verb; to cause to be, i.e. to become, used with great latitude.
Links
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NT Apostles: Acts 4:28 To do whatever your hand and your (Acts of the Apostles Ac) 
