Exegetical and Hermeneutical Commentary of Acts 5:20
Go, stand and speak in the temple to the people all the words of this life.
20. Go, stand and speak in the temple ] There is a conjunction in the Greek which is not here expressed. Render, Go ye and stand and speak.
There was to be no attempt made to conceal their escape. They were to go back to the same place where their most frequent teachings had been given before, and they were to continue the same teaching. They are not directed to appeal to the multitude for sympathy, nor to try and excite any feeling against those who had arrested them.
to the people all the words of this life ] Here we have another of the words by which St Luke emphasizes in the most natural manner the point at issue between the Sadducees and the Apostles.
this life ] i.e. this future life, the promise of which has received its first fulfilment in the resurrection of Jesus. This was the teaching which the Sadducees could not tolerate, but which in spite of opposition was to be persisted in.
Fuente: The Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges
In the temple – In a public and conspicuous place. In this way there would be a most striking exhibition of their boldness; a proof that God had delivered them, and a manifestation of their purpose to obey God rather than man.
All the words – All the doctrines. Compare Joh 6:68, Thou hast the words of eternal life.
Of this life – Pertaining to life, to the eternal life which they taught through the resurrection of Jesus. The word life is used sometimes to express the whole of religion, as opposed to the spiritual death of sin. See Joh 1:4; Joh 3:36. Their deliverance from prison was not that they might be idle, and escape to a place of safety. Again they were to engage in the toils and perils which they had just before encountered. God delivers us from dangers sometimes that we may plunge into new dangers; he preserves us from one form of calamity that we may be tried in some new furnace of affliction; he calls us to encounter trials simply because he demands it, and as an expression of gratitude to him for his gracious interposition.
Fuente: Albert Barnes’ Notes on the Bible
Verse 20. All the words of this life.] All the doctrines of life eternal, founded on the word, death, and resurrection of Christ Jesus. This is another periphrasis for Gospel. Go to the temple-the most public place, and speak to the people-who come there to worship according to the law, the words of this life-the whole doctrine of salvation from sin and death; and show that the law is fulfilled in the sacrifice of Jesus, and that, by his resurrection, he has brought life and immortality to light.
Fuente: Adam Clarke’s Commentary and Critical Notes on the Bible
Stand; the word implies courage and stedfastness of mind, as well as such a posture of the body.
All the words; without preferring some acceptable truths before others more ungrateful, if necessary towards their salvation. Christ for a time did limit them; they might not tell any that he was Jesus the Christ, Mat 16:20, nor the vision which they had seen in his transfiguration, Mat 17:9. Now this prohibition is taken off. Thus the sun does not shine in his full glory all at once.
This life; some admit of an hypallage, and join the pronoun to the other substantive, reading in this place, these words of life; and the rather because by this life is ordinarily understood the present, temporary life, as in 1Co 15:19; but there needs not this translatitious sense; by this life, the angel might very well understand eternal life and salvation, for that was it which the Sadducees denied, and for the preaching of which life the apostles were imprisoned.
Fuente: English Annotations on the Holy Bible by Matthew Poole
20. all the words of thislifebeautiful expression for that Life in the Risen One whichwas the burden of their preaching!
Fuente: Jamieson, Fausset and Brown’s Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible
Go, stand and speak in the temple to the people,…. They were not delivered out of prison, in order to go and secure themselves from danger; but to go about the work they were called to, to preach the Gospel “in the temple”, the place of worship; and a proper place to meet with persons to preach to, being a public place, whither the Jews always resorted; and there they were to stand, and continue with courage and intrepidity, not fearing the reproach and wrath of men, seeing they had both Christ and truth on their side; and there declare it “to the people”, the common people, the multitude, even all that came to hear: the Gospel is to be preached to all; the Spirit of God makes it effectual to some, and others are rendered inexcusable: the substance of what they were to speak follows,
all the words of this life; all the doctrines of the Gospel; none of them are to be dropped or concealed, but to be spoken out, fully, freely, and faithfully, with all boldness and constancy; though they cannot be comprehended by reason, and are rejected by learned men, and the majority of the people; though charged with novelty and licentiousness, and attended with reproach and persecution: and these may be called, “the words of life”, even of eternal life, as in Joh 6:68 because they show the nature of it, and point out the way unto it; not by the law, and obedience to that, but by Christ and his righteousness; and are the means of quickening dead sinners, of reviving drooping saints, and of nourishing them up unto eternal life: and also the words of “this” life; not of this present frail, mortal, and sinful life; but of life by Christ, which is begun to be enjoyed now, and will be perfectly enjoyed hereafter: and particularly the doctrine of the resurrection unto life may be intended; in opposition to the Sadducees, who denied it, and were the men that, being filled with indignation against them for preaching it, had seized them, and put them into prison; and being now delivered from prison, they are bid to go and preach this same doctrine again, in the most public manner: though some think there is an hypallage in the words; and so the Syriac version renders them, “all these words of life”; and the Ethiopic version, “this word of life”; meaning the Gospel, and the doctrines of it, they had in commission to preach, and for which they were reproached and persecuted.
Fuente: John Gill’s Exposition of the Entire Bible
And stand ( ). First aorist passive participle (intransitive, ingressive aorist), take a stand. Bold and pictorial command.
All the words of this life ( ). Not just a Hebraism for “all these words of life.” Probably “this life” which the Sadducees deny and of which the angel is now speaking, this eternal life. (John 6:63; John 6:68; 1Cor 15:19).
Fuente: Robertson’s Word Pictures in the New Testament
Stand. Compare ch. 2 14; and see on Luk 18:11; Luk 19:8.
Of this life. The eternal life which Christ revealed. It is a peculiar use of the phrase, which is commonly employed in contrast with the life to come, as 1Co 14:19. Compare Joh 6:63, 68. Not equivalent to these words of life.
Fuente: Vincent’s Word Studies in the New Testament
1) “Go,” (poreuesthe) “Go ye wherever ye choose, “to a legal place or way that you choose. God’s good delivering and protecting angels never give instructions that conflict with the Word of God. Both the church as an institution and her members were directed or authorized to witness boldly first in Jerusalem, Luk 24:49; Act 1:8.
2) “Stand and speak,” (kai stanthentes laleite) “And standing (taking a stand) speak out; The God who sends to bear His message and to stand and witness for Him has promised -lo I am with you alway, even to the ends of the world of age,” and His promises have been verified for near two thousand years to His church and His own people, Mat 28:20; 1Co 10:13; Heb 13:5.
3) “In the temple to the people,” (en to heirs to lao) “in the temple area proper to the people,” the masses of the laity, as Peter and John had done in Solomon’s porch. Ministers are commanded to go where the people are, be they few or many, and there witness to them about Jesus Christ, and His saving power, Rom 1:14-16; Mar 16:15; Joh 20:21.
4) “All the words of this life,”(panta ta hermata tes zoes tautes) “All the rhetoric testimony of this life,” speak words of testimony and praise of this life in Christ, the resurrected redeemer, Joh 11:25-26. This message was to be with all boldness, such as Paul showed at Corinth and Rome, 1Co 15:1-4; Rom 1:14-16; and at Mars Hill, Act 17:22-34.
The three charges of the angel to the apostles are so relative to the true people of God today. They must:
1) Go.
2) Stand.
3) Speak.
Thewords of life that Jesus left, the words that may lead
men to Him, the one source of eternal life, Joh 14:6; Joh 10:27-29; 1Jn 5:13.
Fuente: Garner-Howes Baptist Commentary
20. Speak in the temple. This is the end of their deliverance, that they employ themselves stoutly in preaching the gospel, and provoke their enemies courageously, until they die valiantly. For they were put to death at length when the hand of God ceased, after that they had finished their course; but now the Lord openeth the prison for them, that they may be at liberty to fulfill their function. That is worth the marking, because we see many men, who, after they have escaped out of persecution, do afterwards keep silence, as if they had done their duty towards God, (and were no more to be troubled;) other some, also, do escape away by denying Christ; but the Lord doth deliver his children, not to the end they may cease off from the course which they have begun, but rather that they may be the more zealous afterward. The apostles might have objected, It is better to keep silence for a time, forasmuch as we cannot speak one word without danger; we are now apprehended for one only sermon, how much more shall the fury of our enemies be inflamed hereafter, if they shall see us make no end of speaking? But because they knew that they were to live and to die to the Lord, they do not refuse to do that which the Lord commanded; so we must always mark what function the Lord enjoineth us. There will many things meet us oftentimes, which may discourage us, unless being content with the commandment of God alone, we do our duty, committing the success to him.
The words of this life. A singular commendation of the gospel, that it is a lively doctrine, bringing salvation unto men; for the righteousness of God is revealed unto us in it, (Rom 1:17😉 and in it Christ offereth himself unto us with the sacrifice of his death, with the Spirit of regeneration, with the earnest of our adoption. And this is spoken expressly to the apostles, to the end they may the more courageously enter all manner of combats for the gospel, forasmuch as they hear that they are ministers of eternal salvation. The demonstrative is added for the more certainty, as if the angel did point out life with his finger, as assuredly we need not to seek the same far, when we have the word in our mouth and in our heart; unless peradventure some man had rather take it by hypallage, the words of this life, for these words, which I do not reject, yet that former sense me thinks is better, for it was a new revelation of Christ wherein they had life present.
Fuente: Calvin’s Complete Commentary
(20) All the words of this life.The use of the demonstrative pronoun is significant. The life in Christ which the Apostles preach is that eternal life which consists in knowing God (Joh. 17:1), and in which the angels are sharers.
Fuente: Ellicott’s Commentary for English Readers (Old and New Testaments)
20. Go A new commission from God assuring them that a higher power than high priests and Sanhedrins was on their side.
Stand A sublime word for these apostles occupying the post of danger for the salvation of the world.
In the temple In the very citadel of the persecution, at the very spot of their arrest, on the very pedestal of their former address to the nation of old Israel.
This life Such a life as the world never knew before. So in Act 13:26, word of this salvation; and Rom 7:24, body of this death.
Act 5:20. All the words of this life. The whole doctrine of life. Heylin”that glorious gospel with which you are “charged, on which the eternal life of man so evidently depends, and by which alone their final happiness can be secured.” See 2Ti 1:10.
DISCOURSE: 1753 Act 5:20. Go stand, and speak in the temple to the people all the words of this life [Note: A little sketch given extemporaneously to a young friend.].
CONSIDER the commission,
I.
As given to the Apostles.
1.
Suffer not yourselves to be intimidated
[Execute the high commission you have received. 2.
Suffer not them to be robbed
[The Gospel is the word of life and salvation (ver.2932.) Suffer not envious and wicked men to rob them of it. II.
As given to us at this hour.
We have the same word of life to preach to you You are come for the very purpose that you may hear it] Believe on him and you shall live.
This I declare to all, without hesitation and without exception. 20 Go, stand and speak in the temple to the people all the words of this life.
Ver. 20. Stand and speak ] Stand close to the work, stir not a foot, start not a hair’s breadth.
20. ] , an unusual expression, seems to refer to the peculiar nature of the enmity shewn towards them by the Saddueees, for preaching the ‘of this LIFE, which they call in question.’ Or perhaps . . . may import the religion of Jesus having its issue in life . A similar expression, , occurs ch. Act 13:26 . See also Rom 7:24 . But beware of assuming in either of these passages the use of the figure called by the grammarians hypallage, so that . . = : for thus the sense is enervated, and the peculiar reference in each case lost. The indiscriminate application of these supposed figures of speech has been, and continues to be, one of the worst foes of sound exegesis.
The deliverance, here granted to all the Apostles, was again vouchsafed to Peter in ch. 12, and is there related more in detail. It is there a minute touch of truth, that he should mistake for a dream ( Act 5:9 ) what he saw: having lain so long in prison, and his mind naturally dwelling on this his former miraculous liberation.
Act 5:20 . : characteristic of St. Luke both in Gospel and Acts. The word appears here in Acts for the first time, and it is found in St. Luke’s Gospel about fifty times, and in this book nearly forty (Friedrich, Lekebusch). , Act 2:14 , on this pictorial use of the word, see Page’s note, and Friedrich, Das Lucasevangelium , p. 42; so also , , , , here it intimates the boldness with which the Apostles were to proclaim their message. : they were to speak not only boldly but publicly. ( cf. Act 13:26 , , and Rom 7:24 ), i.e. , the life to which the whole Apostolic preaching referred, the life which the Sadducees denied, bestowed by Him who was Himself the Resurrection and the Life, cf. Act 3:15 , Act 4:12 . This or a similar explanation is accepted by Holtzmann, Wendt, Weiss, Zckler, Blass. On the attempt to explain the words as simply = these words of life, see Winer-Moulton, xxxiv. 3, b. , and see also Grimm, sub v. .
speak. App-121.
temple. See Act 2:46.
the words, &c. = these words of life. Figure of speech Hypallage. App-6.
words. Greek. rhema. See note on Mar 9:32.
life. App-170. The life through resurrection so bitterly opposed by the Sadducees. Compare Act 13:26.
20.] , an unusual expression, seems to refer to the peculiar nature of the enmity shewn towards them by the Saddueees, for preaching the -of this LIFE, which they call in question. Or perhaps . . . may import the religion of Jesus having its issue in life. A similar expression, , occurs ch. Act 13:26. See also Rom 7:24. But beware of assuming in either of these passages the use of the figure called by the grammarians hypallage, so that . . = : for thus the sense is enervated, and the peculiar reference in each case lost. The indiscriminate application of these supposed figures of speech has been, and continues to be, one of the worst foes of sound exegesis.
The deliverance, here granted to all the Apostles, was again vouchsafed to Peter in ch. 12, and is there related more in detail. It is there a minute touch of truth, that he should mistake for a dream (Act 5:9) what he saw: having lain so long in prison, and his mind naturally dwelling on this his former miraculous liberation.
Act 5:20. , go) at once.-, standing) most freely.- , in the temple) in public, as before.- , to the people) whereas the rulers do not wish them to hear.-, all) without any curtailment.- , the words of this life) That is, these words of life. With this comp. Act 5:32. So among the Hebrews the adjective often is connected with the latter of the two substantives. Comp. ch. Act 13:26, The word of this salvation. The words of life, Joh 6:68 ( Lord, Thou hast the words of eternal life), are to be proclaimed without fear, viz. the words concerning the life of Christ and of believers.
stand: Isa 58:1, Jer 7:2, Jer 19:14, Jer 19:15, Jer 20:2, Jer 20:3, Jer 22:1, Jer 22:2, Jer 26:2, Jer 36:10, Mat 21:23, Joh 18:20
all: Act 11:14, Exo 24:3, Joh 6:63, Joh 6:68, Joh 12:50, Joh 17:3, Joh 17:8, 1Jo 1:1-3, 1Jo 5:11, 1Jo 5:12
Reciprocal: Pro 1:21 – General Pro 8:3 – General Jer 17:19 – General Jer 19:2 – and proclaim Jer 43:1 – all the words Eze 33:7 – thou shalt Eze 37:7 – I prophesied as Dan 6:10 – as he Amo 3:8 – who can Amo 7:15 – Go Mat 10:27 – that preach Act 4:5 – on Act 4:18 – not to speak Act 5:42 – daily Act 8:1 – except Act 10:42 – he commanded
0
Act 5:20. The angel did not tell them to “make good their escape” and flee while they had a chance. That is what he would have done, had his purpose been only to help them to avoid further persecution. Instead, he told them to go into the temple, the most public place in the city, and resume their preaching of the same facts that had got them into trouble in the first place. Life is from ZOE, which Thayer defines at this place, “Real life after the resurrection.” Robinson defines it, “Eternal life, salvation.” Since the Greek word generally means life of any kind, we can understand why the angel specified this life in his instruction to the apostles. The great issue at that time was the question of the resurrection which the Sadducees denied. That would make it especially appropriate for them to emphasize the truth of the resurrection, even in the face of possible further and more bitter persecution.
Act 5:20. Go, stand and speak in the temple to the people. The very words spoken by the angel of deliverance are here quoted. The imprisoned ones were to go at once (the new day was probably already dawning) into the public courts of the temple to proclaim to the people all the words of this life, no doubt laying stress upon the words this life, which the angel, a being from heaven, himself enjoyed. The life, the existence of which the Sadducees, the men who had imprisoned the apostles, denied. The life, which was the subject of the teaching and preaching of Peter and his devoted companions (see John vi 68).
See notes on verse 19
Verse 20
Of this life; of this salvation; that is, salvation from sin by Jesus Christ.
5:20 {5} Go, stand and speak in the temple to the people all the {i} words of this life.
(5) God therefore delivers his own, so that they may more vigorously provoke his enemies.
(i) Words by which the way unto life is shown.
The angel instructed the apostles to go (Gr. poreuesthe) and stand their ground (stathentes). They were to resist the opposition of the Sanhedrin. They were to continue addressing "the people," the Jews, with the full message that they had been heralding. They were not to back down or trim their words. The message of "this life" is a synonym for the message of salvation (cf. Act 4:12; Act 13:26). [Note: Longenecker, p. 319.] The Greek words zoe ("life") and soteria ("salvation") both translate the same Hebrew word, hayyah.
Fuente: Whedon’s Commentary on the Old and New Testaments
Fuente: Commentary on the Holy Bible by Thomas Coke
THE DUTY OF MINISTERS
Assure yourselves of protection from on high.
Know that none can prevail against you any farther than God shall see fit or than He can overrule for his glory, and for your good ]
It is the only means of life and the effectual means to all who receive it
Regard not your own bodily life, if you may but advance the life of their souls]
[You hear it under far more favourable circumstances. None forbid us to preach it, or you to hear it
Lo, then I now preach it to you
[Christ has died that you may live.
Avail yourselves of the opportunity afforded you.
Contemplate the sad alternative if you reject our word.
If our word be not a savour of life unto life, it will be a savour to your death and condemnation ]
Fuente: Charles Simeon’s Horae Homileticae (Old and New Testaments)
Fuente: John Trapp’s Complete Commentary (Old and New Testaments)
Fuente: Henry Alford’s Greek Testament
Fuente: The Expositors Greek Testament by Robertson
Fuente: Companion Bible Notes, Appendices and Graphics
Fuente: The Greek Testament
Fuente: Gnomon of the New Testament
Fuente: The Treasury of Scripture Knowledge
Fuente: Combined Bible Commentary
Fuente: A Popular Commentary on the New Testament
Fuente: McGarvey and Pendleton Commentaries (New Testament)
Fuente: Abbott’s Illustrated New Testament
Fuente: Geneva Bible Notes
Fuente: Expository Notes of Dr. Constable (Old and New Testaments)