Acts 4:31Meaning & Commentary from the Church Fathers

"And when they had prayed, the place where they were gathered was shaken." This was a sign that they had been heard, and of God's visitation. "And they were all filled with the Holy Spirit." What does "filled" mean? It means that they were kindled by the Spirit, and this gift burned within them. "And they spoke the word of God with boldness." The Lord inclined Himself to their request and, by shaking the place, showed that He was present at their prayer. "And when they had prayed," he says, "the place was shaken." To hear that this happened precisely for this reason, listen to the prophet: "He looks upon the earth and makes it tremble" (Ps 103:32). And again: "At the face of the Lord the earth was moved, at the face of the God of Jacob" (Ps 113:7).

This was a testimony of God's visitation and of the fact that they had been heard. Sometimes this is a sign of wrath, and sometimes a sign of visitation. But why did God shake the house? To bring fear upon those who threatened them, and to give courage to the Apostles. Since the preaching was still at its beginning, a perceptible sign was necessary. Thus the place was shaken and strengthened the Apostles even more. "And they were all filled with the Holy Spirit," that is, they were inflamed and kindled within themselves the gift of grace.

The power of the apostolic voice fertilized and loosened the pasture, and turned those made from dust to faith. Yet still more did one place leap and become stirred. Scripture sang, "Beautiful are the feet of those who preach peace." Beneath their steps the earth leaps for joy. By them peace was bestowed through the preaching of the merciful Teacher, and it swiftly spread through all lands. See Is 52:7; Nah 1:15; Rom 10:15.

Those who sought the courage of a strong spirit in the struggle against hostile craftiness received the movement of the earth as a sign that their request had already been heard. They recognized that earthly hearts would submit to them, under whose feet the earth itself trembled with fear at the coming of the Holy Spirit. Yet one may also understand this as the joyful fear of those who, through faith, had been placed beside the Apostles. After the powerless heaviness had been destroyed, they learned to rise with Christ and to understand heavenly things.

It goes without saying that this prohibition and threat had no effect on the apostles. They returned home after experiencing the first persecution for the name of Christ. They had also seen the first instance of the Holy Spirit's help. Jesus Christ had foretold that it would not be they who spoke at trial, but the Holy Spirit. Therefore they first resolved to pray to God that He would continue His help to them, through signs and wonders, for the conversion of unbelievers. Then, having received a new sign confirming God's good pleasure, for the place where they prayed was shaken, they preached the Gospel with still greater boldness.

The prayer of the believers was heard by God. The Lord was even pleased to testify to this before those who prayed. By the action of the Almighty, to Whom they had turned with supplication for protection and help, the place where they were was shaken. "And they were all filled with the Holy Spirit, and spoke the word of God with boldness." Consequently, they immediately received what they had asked (Acts 4:29). The miraculous shaking of the place where the believers were testified that the Almighty would not leave them without protection in their struggle against Christ's enemies. This corresponds to the first half of Acts 4:29.

The place was shaken: this was not a natural earthquake, but a miraculous shaking of the place where the believers had assembled. This is clear from the very structure of the narrative: "when they had prayed." It was a sign that the believers' prayer had been heard. At the same time, it was a symbol of God's omnipotence, assuring the apostles that they had nothing to fear from the council's threats. He Who shakes the place of their prayerful assembly is mighty to defend them. Compare Chrysostom and Theophylact. On the day of Pentecost, the gift of the Holy Spirit to the believers was joined to the sign of a sound from heaven and fiery tongues. So here also, "all were filled with the Holy Spirit"; see the note on Acts 2:4. They spoke with the boldness for which they had asked (v. 29).

God's answer to the apostles' inspired prayer was the shaking of that place and their special fulfillment by the presence of the Holy Spirit. This showed itself in the fact that all felt an extraordinary courage of spirit. They strengthened one another with the words of divine Scripture, which speak of help for those faithful to God and hoping in Him. As a sign that Jesus Christ's prayer had been heard, there was the voice of God, which seemed to some to be thunder. Here, for the same purpose, the earth was shaken, as it was shaken when God spoke at Sinai (see Heb 12:26-27). On the day of Pentecost, after an extraordinary sound, the Holy Spirit descended upon the believers. The same happened here.

"Amen, I say to you: if two of you agree on earth concerning anything that they ask, it will be done for them by My Father Who is in heaven" (Mt 18:19). Do you wish to see this promise fulfilled, this authority in full effect? Look at the first Apostolic Church. After one of the first successful preachings, all the authorities of Jerusalem rose up against the apostles. They cast them into prison. Then, taking them from it, they interrogated them in the assembly of princes, elders, and scribes. They sternly forbade them to teach in the name of Jesus. The storm was strong. Newly planted Christianity was in danger not only of being shaken, but of being torn up by the roots. An extraordinary support was needed, a special strengthening from above.