Albert Barnes Commentary Acts 4:26

"The kings of the earth set themselves in array, And the rulers were gathered together, Against the Lord, and against his Anointed:" — Acts 4:26 (ASV)

The kings of the earth. The Psalmist specifies more particularly that kings and rulers would be opposed to the Messiah. This had already occurred through the opposition made to the Messiah by the rulers of the Jewish people, and it would be still more demonstrated by princes and kings as the gospel spread among the nations.

Stood up. The word used here, paristhmi, commonly means to present oneself, or to stand forth, for the purpose of aiding, counseling, etc. But here it means that they rose, or presented themselves, to show their opposition. They stood opposed to the Messiah and offered resistance to him.

The rulers. This is another instance of Hebrew parallelism. The word does not denote another class of men from kings but expresses the same idea in another form, or in a more general manner, meaning that all classes of people in authority would be opposed to the gospel.

Were gathered together. In Hebrew, consulted together; were united in a consultation. The Greek implies that they were assembled for the purpose of consultation.

Against the Lord. In Hebrew, "against Jehovah." This is the distinctive name given to God in the Scriptures. They rose against his plan of appointing a Messiah and against the Messiah whom he had chosen.

Against his Christ. In Hebrew, against his Messiah, or his Anointed.

See Barnes on Matthew 1:1.

This is one of the places where the word Messiah is used in the Old Testament. The word occurs in about forty places and is commonly translated his anointed, and is applied to kings. The direct reference of the word to the Messiah in the Old Testament is not frequent.

This passage implies that opposition to the Messiah is opposition to Jehovah. This is uniformly supposed in the sacred Scriptures. Anyone who is opposed to Christ is opposed to God. Anyone who neglects him neglects God. Anyone who despises him despises God (Matthew 10:40; Matthew 18:5; John 12:44–45; Luke 10:16, He that despiseth me despiseth him that sent me). The reasons for this are:

1. That the Messiah is the brightness of the Father's glory, and the express image of his subsistence (Hebrews 1:3).
2. He is equal with the Father, possessing the same attributes and the same power (John 1:1; Philippians 2:6, etc.). To despise him, therefore, is to despise God.
3. He is appointed by God to this great work of saving people. To despise him, or to oppose him, is to despise and oppose him who appointed him to this work, to scorn his counsels, and to treat him as nothing.
4. His work is dear to God. It has engaged his thoughts. It has been approved by him. His mission has been confirmed by the miraculous power of the Father and by every possible manifestation of his approval and love. To oppose the Messiah is, therefore, to oppose that which is dear to the heart of God and which has long been the object of his tender concern.

It follows from this that those who neglect the Christian religion are exposing themselves to the severe displeasure of God and endangering their everlasting interests. No man is safe who opposes God; and no man can have evidence that God will approve him, who does not embrace the Messiah whom he has appointed to redeem the world.