‘Why do the nations 3 rage, 4
and the peoples plot foolish 5 things?
4:26 The kings of the earth stood together, 6
and the rulers assembled together,
against the Lord and against his 7 Christ.’ 8
4:27 “For indeed both Herod and Pontius Pilate, with the Gentiles and the people of Israel, assembled together in this city against 9 your holy servant Jesus, whom you anointed, 10 4:28 to do as much as your power 11 and your plan 12 had decided beforehand 13 would happen.
1 tn Grk “by the mouth of” (an idiom).
2 tn Or “ancestor”; Grk “father.”
3 tn Or “Gentiles.”
4 sn The Greek word translated rage includes not only anger but opposition, both verbal and nonverbal. See L&N 88.185.
5 tn Or “futile”; traditionally, “vain.”
6 tn Traditionally, “The kings of the earth took their stand.”
7 tn Or “Messiah”; both “Christ” (Greek) and “Messiah” (Hebrew and Aramaic) mean “one who has been anointed.”
8 sn A quotation from Ps 2:1-2.
9 sn The application of Ps 2:1-2 is that Jews and Gentiles are opposing Jesus. The surprise of the application is that Jews are now found among the enemies of God’s plan.
10 sn A wordplay on “Christ,” v. 26, which means “one who has been anointed.”
11 tn Grk “hand,” here a metaphor for God’s strength or power or authority.
12 tn Or “purpose,” “will.”
13 tn Or “had predestined.” Since the term “predestine” is something of a technical theological term, not in wide usage in contemporary English, the translation “decide beforehand” was used instead (see L&N 30.84). God’s direction remains as the major theme.