Acts 4:26

The kings. In this instance the Romans (see on v. 27).

Christ. Gr. Christos, properly, “anointed [one].” The LXX used this word to translate the Heb. mashiach, “anointed [one],” which was applied in the OT to kings (Ps. 18:50; Isa. 45:1), priests (Lev. 4:3), and pre-eminently to the coming Saviour. Consequently He is known by the anglicized form of the word, the Messiah. Those who followed Jesus recognized Him to be this Saviour and consequently called Him Christos, “Christ.”

Inasmuch as the present passage is a quotation from the LXX, Christos here is probably best translated in its OT sense, “anointed one.”

In its primary application in Ps. 2:2, mashiach doubtless refers to the king of Israel. But the fact that the word also might be used of the Messiah made this passage a striking one for the apostles to apply to Christ. That they consciously made this application is indicated by Acts 4:27, where they speak of Christ as the One “whom thou hast anointed.”