Albert Barnes Commentary Acts 4:19

"But Peter and John answered and said unto them, Whether it is right in the sight of God to hearken unto you rather than unto God, judge ye:" — Acts 4:19 (ASV)

Whether it be right, etc. The apostles did not diminish their boldness when threatened. They openly appealed to their judges whether their command could be right. In doing this, they expressed their full conviction of the truth of what they had said, and their deliberate purpose not to regard their command, but still to proclaim to the people the truth that Jesus was the Messiah.

In the sight of God. That is, whether God will judge this to be right. The grand question was, how God would regard it. If he disapproved it, it was wrong. It was not merely a question pertaining to their reputation, safety, or life; it was a question of conscience before God.

And we have here a striking instance of the principle on which Christians act. It is to lay their safety, reputation, and life out of view, and to bring everything to this test, WHETHER IT WILL PLEASE GOD. If it will, it is right; if it will not, it is wrong.

To hearken. To hear and to hearken are often used to mean to obey (John 5:24; John 8:47, and others).

Judge you. This was an appeal to them directly as judges, and as men. It may be presumed that it was an appeal which they could not resist. The Sanhedrin acknowledged itself to have been appointed by God, and to have no authority that was not derived from His appointment.

Of course, God could modify, supersede, or repeal their authority; and the abstract principle that it was better to obey God than man, they could not question. The only inquiry was whether they had evidence that God had issued any command in the case. The apostles were satisfied of this, and the rulers could not deny it.

It may be remarked that this is one of the first and most bold appeals on record in favor of the right of private judgment and the liberty of conscience. That liberty was assumed in all the Jewish religion. It was admitted that the authority of God in all matters was superior to that of man.

And the same spirit manifested itself this early in the Christian church against all dominion over the conscience, and in favor of the right to follow the dictates of the conscience and the will of God. As a mere historical fact, therefore, it is interesting to contemplate this, and still more interesting in its important bearings on human liberty and human happiness. The doctrine is still more explicitly stated in Acts 5:29: We ought to obey God rather than men.