Exegetical and Hermeneutical Commentary of Acts 5:27
And when they had brought them, they set [them] before the council: and the high priest asked them,
27. And when they had brought them ] i.e. to the judgment hall.
Fuente: The Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges
Act 5:27-29
And when they had brought them, they set them before the council.
The accusation this time is simply that the apostles had not complied with the former judgment–they were guilty of contempt of court. They had not, however, broken their parole, for they had given none, having declared that they would continue to preach in the name of Jesus. And now the judges are thinking not of truth and justice, but simply of their own safety (Act 5:28). They believed that the apostles were working up the multitude to revenge the murder of the Saviour. It is interesting to observe how shy they were of introducing the name of Jesus; but in proportion as the rulers avoided it, the apostles proclaimed it. It was a stone of stumbling to the former which might grind them to powder: it was a strong tower to the latter, into which they ran and were safe. Peters reply to the question was, We ought to obey God rather than men. Whence had this man this wisdom and this courage? How much the world owes to Peters reply! It is the foundation of all true liberty. Peters defence is one of the finest specimens of pleading on record. It is clear and cogent; it is very short, but long enough. The speaker says all that is needful, and then stops. In this short space he defends himself, confounds his adversaries, and commends Christ. The address assumes the form of a syllogism which would not have been so remarkable on the lips of Paul, but which we are surprised to find in the unpremeditated defence of a simple and impetuous fisherman. After announcing the general principle that wherever God claims obedience mans claim must stand in abeyance, he shows that this case comes under the rule. The God of our fathers he takes care to trace all up to the God of Israel whom the Sanhedrin acknowledged–raised up Jesus whom ye slew. The point of the arrow is at their breast again. In one sense he is in their power; in another they are in his. Him God hath exalted. He pillories the priests as enemies of God and crucifiers of the Messiah. But this is not the dictate of revenge. He is feeling for an opening into the consciences of the judges, that he may introduce the gospel; and therefore now offers through the exalted Prince and Saviour remission of sins. The preachers have an eye to the magistrates, the bystanders, the officers, the young advocates, such as Saul of Tarsus, who might be hanging about the court. And who shall tell whether Saul, through Peters word, received an arrow into his heart which would not out for all his intemperate zeal until he surrendered at Damascus. The witnesses were careful to sow beside all waters, not knowing which might bear fruit. (W. Arnot, D. D.)
The apostles persecuted
I. The arrest by the council. The arrest of Peter and his brother apostles took place at the instigation of the council before whom they were brought. It was the intent of the rulers to make the new doctrine odious by making its teachers criminals. Thus reasoned the rulers. Moreover, they believed that truth confined behind bars and stone walls could not be very dangerous. But how little they understood the nature of the truth! There is a vitality in ideas utterly beyond the power of man to conceive. When once they are fully grasped by and instilled into the mind they become living, permanent influences. The teachings were safely lodged in mens hearts outside the prison, and not confined within the prison. The rulers also made the mistake of supposing that they could prevent the growth of the gospel by the power of authority. Did not we straitly command you that ye should not teach in this Name? They had no doubt as to their power to suppress it. But human authority takes no account of the intense enthusiasm which truth inspires in men who believe it, and the degree of self-sacrifice which it can evoke. You can never be sure that your authority has stopped up all loopholes of escape. You can never be sure that your authority can inspire fear enough to terrify the advocate of it into silence.
II. Peters reply to the council. Here was another instance in which Christs words were to come true, for He had said some time previously, But when they shall deliver you up, be not anxious how or what ye shall speak: for it shall be given you in that hour what ye shall speak (Mat 10:19). Peter, in his reply, admitted the truth of the charges. The apostles had indeed refused to recognise the authority of the council, because they recognised a higher authority. We ought to obey God rather than men. Peter, however, goes still farther. Not satisfied with merely answering their charges, he assumes the aggressive by re-affirming the doctrines he had been teaching the people, and boldly sets forth the claims of Christ. There is no shadow of a spirit of compromise in his words. Peter makes the startling announcement that Christ was a Prince. Him bath God exalted to be a Prince. Peter, nevertheless, unflinchingly declared the new truth, that salvation was not in a system, but in a man. There was one more step necessary to complete Peters argument, which was that he and his fellow apostles had irrevocably committed themselves to these truths. We are His witnesses of these things. Thus the reply of Peters threw the necessity of action upon the council.
III. The release by the council. They began in bluster and ended in ignominious defeat. Gamaliel, the master mind among them, rises to state his position, having first, however, secured a temporary removal of the apostles. In private session he pleads for caution, his fundamental ground being that they cannot decide upon the merita of the case. They cannot tell yet whether this new movement is of God or of man. If it be of God, ye cannot overthrow it; if it be of man, it will come to an end of itself. They had had two marked instances in their own history of the schemes of men coming to an untimely end-namely, those of Theudas and Judas. This incident in the history of the early Church clearly shows two or three things which it is well to note. And one is that ideas cannot be suppressed by persecuting their advocates; and yet the world is very slow in learning this lesson. To shut Peter in jail is no answer to the doctrine he taught, that salvation is of Christ. Fanatic, dreamer, bigot, heretic, are names freely hurled against individuals who are doing what they can for their fellow-men. But these titles have no more power to prevent thought or action than a thistledown can keep back the tides. The personal equation in persecution makes it the infernal thing it is. Another thing to be remarked is that persecution serves the hated truth a good turn by causing it to be clearly stated before the public. If you will consider the causes that called forth four of Peters sermons, you will find that; it was the opposition or doubt of unbelievers. (E. S. Tead.)
Did we not straitly command you.., and behold ye have filled Jerusalem with your doctrine.—
Fidelity under intimidation
Basil being offered the alternative of con, forming to the Arian creed or of resigning his bishopric, he answered the prefect, who was interrogating him, with calm dignity, that he could not obey the emperors will, because it was inconsistent with that of his Sovereign Lord, and he could not worship any human creature, being himself a subject of that Lord, and commanded to be like Him. Do you know his dignity to whom you speak? asked Modestus. I do, was the reply, and I respect it, but that of God is greater. We are both His servants, and among Christians greatness depends not upon rank, but upon faith. The prefect threatened him with pains and penalties. The bishop smiled as he answered, What are such threats to me? He who has nothing to lose can scarce fear confiscation, and I have no possession save these mean garments and some few books. Neither does he fear exile who counts no spot on earth his home, being here but a pilgrim and sojourner, seeking safer place of rest; heaven is my home. Nor do I fear torture; my frail body would endure but little–you could strike but one blow, and my pain is past; I should but depart the sooner to Him, for whose service alone I am willing to live, and after whom my soul yearns. Modestus could not forbear expressing his surprise at the boldness of the bishops speech. Perhaps, was the answer, you have not before met with a Christian bishop, or under such circumstances you would have found the same conduct. The emperor yielded, and, his child being dangerously ill, the Empress Dominica even sought Basils prayers on the young Galatus behalf.
Fuente: Biblical Illustrator Edited by Joseph S. Exell
When they are about to do the greatest injuries, they pretend to right; and will not judge them, without giving them leave to answer for themselves.
Fuente: English Annotations on the Holy Bible by Matthew Poole
27, 28. ye have filled Jerusalemwith your doctrinenoble testimony to the success of theirpreaching, and (for the reason mentioned on Ac4:4) to the truth of their testimony, from reluctant lips!
Fuente: Jamieson, Fausset and Brown’s Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible
And when they had brought them,…. From the temple, to the place where the sanhedrim sat, which, by this, seems to have been not in the room Gazith, nor in the shops, which were both in the temple, but in some part of the city of Jerusalem:
they set them before the council; whereby was fulfilled what Christ had foretold, Mt 10:17 “they will deliver you up to the councils”; they placed them before the whole sanhedrim; in the midst of it,
[See comments on Ac 4:7]; and as the Ethiopic version here reads:
and the high priest asked them; though he was not president of the council, but Gamaliel, after mentioned; yet being in so high an office, and a principal member of the council, took upon him the examination of the apostles.
Fuente: John Gill’s Exposition of the Entire Bible
They set them (). First aorist active indicative (transitive) of .
Fuente: Robertson’s Word Pictures in the New Testament
1) “And when they had brought them,” (agagontes de sutous) “And having brought them from where they had been teaching in the temple,” Act 3:9-11; Act 5:12; Act 5:20; Act 5:26.
2) “They sent them before the council: (estesan en to sunedrion) “They stood them up in the council,” before the Sanhedrin, judges of Jewish Law. The council was seated, but the witnesses and speakers always stood, Mar 14:57; Mar 14:60; Act 4:7; Act 5:27; Act 5:34; Act 6:13; Act 23:9.
3) “And the high priest asked them,” (kai eperotesen autous ho archiereus) “And the high priest questioned them,” made deriding inquiry of them, in rhetorical style as follows: Annas was the presiding, questioning high priest, Act 4:6.
Fuente: Garner-Howes Baptist Commentary
‘And when they had brought them, they set them before the council. And the high priest asked them, saying, “We strictly charged you not to teach in this name: and behold, you have filled Jerusalem with your teaching, and intend to bring this man’s blood upon us.” ’
The Apostles having been brought they were set before the council. Then the High Priest informed the Apostles what they were being accused of. He sternly pointed out that despite the fact that the Sanhedrin had forbidden them not to teach in the name of Jesus, they had continued to do so. Indeed they had filled Jerusalem with the teaching. Furthermore in that teaching they had put the blame for the death of Jesus squarely on the Sanhedrin. Thus they were guilty on two counts. What had they to say?
Fuente: Commentary Series on the Bible by Peter Pett
B.THE APOSTLES BOLDLY DEFEND THEMSELVES BEFORE THE GREAT COUNCIL: THEY ARE ULTIMATELY RELEASED, IN CONSEQUENCE OF THE INTERVENTION OF GAMALIEL, AFTER THEY HAD BEEN SHAMEFULLY BEATEN
Act 5:27-42.
27And when they had brought them, they set them before the council: and the highpriest asked them, 28Saying, Did not15 we straitly command [We strictly commanded] you that ye should not teach in this name? [; note of interrog. om., and placed at end of verse], and, behold, ye have filled Jerusalem with your doctrine, and intend [wish]to bring this mans blood upon us [?]. 29Then Peter and the other [om. other] apostlesanswered and said, We ought to [must] obey God rather than men. 30The God of our fathers [has] raised up Jesus, whom ye slew and hanged on a tree [the wood,]. 31Him [This (one)] hath God exalted with his right hand to be a Prince anda Saviour, for to give repentance to Israel, and forgiveness of sins. 32And we are his16 witnesses of these things [words]; and so is also the Holy Ghost, whom God hathgiven to them that obey him. 33When they heard that, they were cut to the heart17,and took counsel18 to slay them. 34Then stood there [But () there stood] up one in the council, a Pharisee, named Gamaliel, a doctor of the law [a scribe], had in reputation [highly esteemed] among all the people, and commanded to put the apostles19 [the men] forth a little space20; 35And said unto them, Ye men of Israel, take heed toyourselves what ye intend to do as touching [with respect to] these men. 36For before these days rose up Theudas, boasting himself to be [and alleged () that he was] somebody; to whom a number of men, about four hundred, joined21 themselves: who was slain; and all, as many as obeyed22 him, were scattered and brought to nought.37After this man rose up Judas of Galilee in the days of the taxing, and drew away much23 people after him; he also perished; and all, even as many as obeyed him, were dispersed.38And now I say unto you, Refrain [Stand off] from these men, and let them alone:for if this counsel or this work be of men, it will come to nought: 39But if it be of God, ye cannot24 [will not be able to] overthrow it25 [them]; lest haply ye be found even to [that ye be not even found as those who] fight against God. 40And to him they agreed: and when they had called the apostles, and beaten [scourged] them, they commanded that they should not speak in the name of Jesus, and let them go. 41And they [They now, ] departed from the presence of the council, rejoicing thatthey were counted worthy to suffer shame for his26 name. 42And daily in the temple, and in every house [here and there in houses, ], they ceased not to teach and preach Jesus Christ [ceased not to proclaim the gospel concerning Jesus the () Messiah].
EXEGETICAL AND CRITICAL
Act 5:27. And the high priest asked them.The word , certainly seems to indicate that the words of the presiding judge, which are now reported, had assumed the form of a direct question, although this is not really the case, as is spurious. Still, the whole tenor of the high priests language, in which the apostles are charged with having promulgated their doctrine, notwithstanding the prohibition [in Act 4:18], shows that he demanded, at least indirectly, an explanation of their conduct. [See note 1 above, appended to the text.Tr.]
Act 5:28. (a) Did not we straitly command [We strictly commanded] you, etc.The high priest refers with great circumspection to Jesus, and avoids the actual mention of his name, as if it were inconsistent with his dignity to pronounce it; he merely says: . ; . . But Peter, on the contrary, is not ashamed of the name of Jesus; he names him with the utmost freedom and boldness, and ascribes all honor and glory to him, Act 5:30 ff.
(b) And, behold, ye have filled.The high priest alleges, as the most serious charge which he can produce against the apostles, that they had wished the blood of Jesus. Meyer thus interprets the verb: to cause that the blood of this man which was shed, should be avenged by a popular insurrection. Such a fulness of meaning can, however, scarcely be ascribed to it. It is more probable that the high priest accused the apostles only of an attempt to fix the responsibility and guilt of having shed that blood; on him and his associates. The reproach which he utters, betrays the secret trouble of his conscience, which was oppressed by a dread of well-merited punishment. The charge which he brings is not entirely unfounded, for Peter had, without the least reserve, said to the Sanhedrists: Ye slew Jesusye slew him with your own hands (,) Act 5:30. Still, the odious, revengeful, and hostile sentiments which the high priest ascribes to the apostles, had not controlled them; the language in Act 5:31, on the contrary, contains an indirect offer even to the Sanhedrists of the divine gift of repentance and forgiveness with respect to the sin committed by them.
Act 5:29. We ought to obey God rather than men.This truth, which had once before been expressed, Act 4:19, is repeated on this occasion in a far more emphatic manner. Peter had introduced it, in the former case, only at the close of the proceedings, but here he at once commences his defence with a distinct, statement of it. He may be said to have, on the former occasion, addressed himself to the members of the Sanhedrin personally, and appealed to their own conscience: ; but he now repeats the sentiment in terse and absolute terms, as an incontestable truth, without inquiring whether it would receive the assent of his judges, or be unconditionally rejected by them.
Act 5:30-32. The God of our fathers.Meyer, who adopts the view of Erasmus and others, supposes that the phrase: refers to the resurrection of Jesus from the dead; but when has this sense in the Acts, it is always connected with [Act 3:15; Act 4:10; Act 13:30; or the context indicates that sense, Act 10:40; Act 13:37]. Besides, the sequence of the clauses beginning with ,, indicates that the succession of events, in the order in which they really occurred, was intended to be set forth. Hence, cannot refer to any other event than the public appearance of Jesus as the messenger of God [raised up, sent into the world. Hack.]. In accordance with this interpretation, in Act 5:31, includes both the resurrection, and the ascension.
Act 5:33. When they heard that, etc.; , literally, they were sawed through; dissecabantur (Vulg.); findebantur; it cut them through the heart, they became violently enraged: many of the members, accordingly, conceived the thought of putting these men to death, and secretly consulted with one another respecting the mode; they cannot, however, have openly discussed this subject, since the apostles were only afterwards, (Act 5:34), directed to withdraw.
Act 5:34. Gamaliel.Three facts connected with the personal history of this man, are stated: (1) he was a member of the Sanhedrin; (2) he belonged to the party of the Pharisees; (3) he was a scribe [, a teacher of the law, equivalent to , scribe, Robinson: Lex. ad verb.]. The second and third are more fully illustrated in Act 22:3, where Paul, who evidently describes himself as having been originally a Pharisee ( ), states that he had sat at the feet of Gamaliel as a pupil. As to the fact first stated, some writers have supposed that he was the President of the Council, but the terms . cannot possibly describe the presiding officer; they simply state that he was one of the members.Two learned men, who both receive the same name, are mentioned in Jewish history: Gamaliel I. or, the Old [the Elder] (), a son of Rabbi Simeon, and grandson of the celebrated Hillel, and Gamaliel II., or Gamaliel of Jabne [the Jamnia of the Books of the Maccabees and Josephus, situated between Diospolis (Lydda) and Ashdod (von Raumer: Palstina, p. 203.Tr.]. Each receives the honorable appellation of Rabban in the Talmud, and is described as having been the presiding officer of the Sanhedrin. The younger or second Gamaliel cannot be the individual meant in the text, as the period in which he flourished did not begin until A. D. 80, after the destruction of Jerusalem, and continued to the year 118. But no chronological difficulties interfere with the interpretation which identifies the Gamaliel of the text with the older, or the first of that name. The period in which he labored, coincides, according to the Talmud, with the reigns of Tiberius, Caligula and Claudius, and he is said to have died eighteen years after the destruction of Jerusalem. This interpretation encounters no internal difficulty, unless we assume that the ancient Christian tradition (Recognit. Clem. I. 55; Photius, Cod. 171) is really more than a mere conjecture suggested by the present text; according to that tradition, Gamaliel had secretly become a Christian, and had, at a later period, in conjunction with his son Abib and with Nicodemus, been baptized by the apostles Peter and John. But this account is altogether inconsistent with the strict Pharisaic and national character of Gamaliel I., as he is described in Jewish writings, and it is by no means sustained by the opinion which he expresses in Act 5:35-39.
Act 5:35. Ye men of Israel.Gamaliel advises the council to exercise prudence and to wait, rather than hastily adopt measures that might produce results which they would regret, , Act 5:35; he therefore proposes that the apostles should be temporarily released, without the infliction of any punishment, , Act 5:38. He appeals, in confirmation of his views, to the lessons which experience teaches, and asserts that if the whole affair proceeded solely from a human source, it would come to an end without any interference on their part, but that if it had really been ordered and sustained by God himself, it could not possibly be opposed with success. The opinion which the speaker himself entertained respecting the human or divine source of the proceedings of the apostles, cannot be ascertained from his words. Meyer, who follows Bengels example [ , si fitconditionaliter; , si estcategorice. (Gnom. ad loc.)Tr.], compares with the Indic. pres., at the beginning of Act 5:39, with followed by the Subj. in the preceding verse, and thence concludes that Gamaliel himself considered it probable that the Christian religion proceeded from a divine rather than from a human source. It may here be remarked, in general, that with the Indic, pres. is by far more objective than with the Subj., that is, the latter construction supposes that a certain case occurs, while the former, without any reference to actual occurrences, simply states the condition under which any case will occur; comp. Bumlein: Gr. Schulgr. 2d ed. 604, 606. [Kuehner, transl. by Edwards and Taylor, on , 339, 2, I. (a); on , II. (b); Matthi, transl. by Blomfield, 508, 523. and are sometimes combined in two parallel propositions: Act 5:38-39. . . (if it should be of men, which the result will show), . , . . (if it is of God, a case which I suppose), Winer: Gr. N. T. 41, 2, near the end.Tr]. Gamaliel undoubtedly assumes that the cause of the apostles may possibly be the cause of God, and that, accordingly, any opposition to them would be sinful, resistance offered to God himself (, Act 5:39). The two instances, however, which he adduces, Act 5:36-37, indicate, that, as a consistent and decided Pharisee, he nevertheless expected that this new effort, like many similar innovations, would soon terminate in an entire failure. And on this account, also, the present address is quite consistent with the character which Gamaliel I. bears in history.
Act 5:36-37. For before these days, etc.The two historical events to which Gamaliel appeals, are connected with the Galilean Judas and with Theudas. The former is repeatedly mentioned by Josephus (Antiq. xviii. 1, 1; xx. 5, 2; Bell. Jud. ii. 8, 1). This Judas was born in Gamala, in Lower Gaulonitis, and is, on this account, once termed a Gaulonite by Josephus, but also twice a Galilean, as in this place, [having subsequently lived in Galilee. (de W.)Tr.]. The fact that he instigated the people to rebel, at the time when Augustus directed Quirinus to take the census (Jos. Ant xviii. 1, 1), fully agrees with the present statement; . , etc.; he represented this measure as the means by which a yoke was to be put upon the people, and appealed to the established principle: . Luke informs us that Judas himself perished, while Josephus (Ant. xx. 5, 2) records the death of his sons; the two statements are complementary to one another. And the remark of Josephus that the band of Judas afterwards re-appeared during the Jewish war, may be easily reconciled with the text before us, which simply mentions the dispersion (), but not the entire extinction of that band.
But while the narrative of Luke fully agrees with that of Josephus, as far as Judas is concerned, (although it is obvious that the former was not derived from the latter), the case of Theudas presents an entirely different aspect. The general facts which Josephus relates concerning a certain Theudas, perfectly agree with those recorded by Luke, but the chronological data are totally different. The leading facts presented in Act 5:36, and those narrated by Josephus (Ant. xx. 5, 1) precisely agree in the following particulars: 1. Theudas incited the people to revolt, and found numerous adherents; 2. He professed to be a person of special importance ( ); for instance, he styled himself a prophet, and promised to divide the waters of the Jordan by his word (Jos.); 3. He himself was slain, and his party became extinct. Josephus relates that he was captured and beheaded, and that his adherents were, partly killed, and partly taken prisoners by the cavalry which had been sent in pursuit of them.But the dates of the events of the two narratives differ in a surprising manner. According to Luke, the insurrection of Judas was posterior to that of Theudas ( , Act 5:37), and the latter was, of course, anterior to the delivery of this address ( , Act 5:36). Josephus, on the other hand, distinctly states that this Theudas appeared as an insurgent when Cuspius Fadus was the Procurator, that is, during the reign of the emperor Claudius, and, consequently, not before A. D. 44, whereas the address of Gamaliel was delivered during the reign of Tiberius, who died A. D. 37. Now as Judas, according to the concurrent testimony of Josephus and Luke, began his movements at the time when the census was taken, the Theudas mentioned in Act 5:36, must have come forward about fifty years before that Theudas, of whom Josephus speaks, acted as an insurrectionist. [Augustus, during whose reign Judas appeared, as stated above, died A. D. 14; the Theudas of Josephus appeared during the reign of Claudius, which began A. D. 41.Tr.]. It is, therefore, usually assumed that the Theudas of Luke was a different person from the one who bears the same name in Josephus (Ant. xx. 5, 11); this is the opinion of Bengel, Baumgarten, and many others [e. g. Origen, Beza, Grotius, Rosenm., Kuin., Ols., Lardner, Guericke, Ebrard, Jost, J. A. Alexander, Hackett.Tr.]. These writers are influenced by the following considerations: 1. The name Theudas, was not rare among the Jews (Lightfoot); 2. Insurrections frequently occurred among the Jews at that period; 3. Josephus does not furnish a full historical account, and may have easily omitted all mention of an earlier Theudas who was at the head of a party during the age of Herod the Great. That such an omission may have occurred, cannot be denied in abstracto. Still, the agreement between Act 5:36 and the narrative of Josephus in the three particulars mentioned above, is so striking, that an unbiassed reader would involuntarily receive the impression that the same individual, and the same events were meant by both writers, particularly as not every leader of an insurgent band would presume to assert that he possessed a super-human authority. But if this supposition is correct, an erroneous chronological statementa attributed by Luke to Gamalielmust be admitted (de Wette, Neander, Meyer). [A recent writer, A. Khler, in Herzogs Real-Encyk. Vol. 16, p. 40, states a theory which originated with Wieseler, and which, adopting as a basis the statements found in Josephus, Ant. xvii. 6, 2-4; ch. ix, 13; xix. 6, 4; Bell. Jud. i. 33, 24, presents the following features:About the close of Herods reign, Matthias and another zealot, named Judas, commenced proceedings on religious grounds, which resulted in a popular tumult. It was suppressed, and Matthias was ultimately burned alive by order of Herod. This MatthiasKhler proceedswas Gamaliels Theudas. For Matthias is simply the Grecized form of the Hebrew name Mattaniah, (found in 2Ki 24:17, and elsewhere frequently, and signifying gift of Jehovah); when translated into Greek, it assumes the form of ==. Either Luke here translates the name in writing to Theophilus, or else Matthias, in accordance with the Jewish custom at the time, substituted for his Hebrew name, one in Greek of similar import.In allusion to the opinion apparently adopted by the author above, viz.: that Luke represents Gamaliel as speaking proleptically of Theudas, Alford (ad loc.) remarks: We are plainly in no position (setting all other considerations aside) to charge St. Luke with having put into the mouth of Gamaliel words which he could not have uttered. All we can say is, that such impostors are too frequent, for any one to be able to say that there was not one of this name at the time specified. It is exceedingly improbable, considering the time and circumstances of the writing of the Acts, and the evident supervision of them by St. Paul, the pupil of Gamaliel, that a gross historical mistake should have been here put into his mouth.Tr.]
Act 5:38-42. Refrain from these men.The opinion of Gamaliel, whose calmness, thoughtfulness, and apparent impartiality, contrast strikingly with the heated fanaticism and passionate language of others, especially of the Sadducees, was adopted to a certain extent; the council resolved to abandon the murderous plan which they had entertained, Act 5:33, and to release the apostles. Nevertheless, they decided to inflict corporeal punishment on the latter, and that sentence was carried into effect, Act 5:40; [, to flay, excoriate by scourging]. They had a twofold object in view: they desired, on the one hand, to avoid the appearance of having causelessly instituted proceedings, and, on the other, to punish the disobedience of the apostles; comp. Act 5:28; their own dignity and consistency seemed to demand that their previous threats (Act 4:17; Act 4:21) should be executed. But the apostles are not intimidated either by bodily punishments or by repeated and stern prohibitions; they leave the spot, on the contrary, with the animating and happy consciousness that they are honored when they suffer shame for the sake of the name of Jesus. And they continue to testify daily that Jesus is the Christ, both publicly in the temple, and also privately in the houses of believers.
DOCTRINAL AND ETHICAL
1. Jesus, a Prince and a Saviour, Act 5:31; he is called , since he is our leader; he is not only the chief, the author [Greek: . Heb 12:2] and finisher of our faith, but also the ruler who claims obedience. (The office of Christ as our King, is here indicated). Christ, as , commands an army which obeys him, a kingdom which belongs to him.But he is also termed . He saves us from the greatest evil, the most imminent dangernamely, from sin and its wages, from the wrath of God and eternal destruction. It is his great object, as our ruler, to deliver, to minister, and to save; he seeks the salvation of the souls of men, and not his own honor, might and glory.God has exalted him to be a Prince and a Saviour; it was by the resurrection and ascension to heaven that God, in his omnipotence, exalted him ( , Act 5:30); it was then that he was invested with the dignity of an and . He was such, it is true, already in the state of humiliation, as the Son of God, and the Son of man; but it was this subsequent exaltation which so plainly assigned such a position to him, that he now claims the reverence of all, and that his power to lead, to deliver, and to save, can be universally recognized.
2. The apostles had testified from the beginning, that no one could be saved through Christ without a change of mind [, Mar 6:12]; they also taught that all who repented of their sins, should obtain forgiveness and grace through Jesus Christ. But Peter here intimates that repentance and forgiveness of sins are to be viewed as the grace or gift of God ( . . .). That forgiveness of sins is a gift of the grace of God, that man cannot atone for his sins in his own person, and cleanse himself from guilt by his own means, are obvious truths, to which the Old Testament also bears witness, e. g. Psa 32:1-2; Psa 32:5. But that the change of mind itself is a gift of God, imparted through the Spirit and his gracious influences, is here distinctly declared. This doctrine by no means involves a denial of the freedom of the will, but implies that no true change of mind and no true conversion can take place without the previous action of grace, or without the converting grace of God. And, again, this action of converting grace could be manifested in a full measure and in a wider sphere, only as a result of the exaltation of Jesus. God exalted him in order to give repentance (a change of mind) and forgiveness to Israel.
3. The apostles and also the Holy Ghost, are witnesses of Jesus, according to Act 5:32, that is to say, the Holy Ghost dwelling in those who receive the word of the apostles, who obey God and believe in Jesus. The apostles represent their own testimony as merely that of men, but, nevertheless, of men who had personally heard and seen all that they declare, and who are, accordingly, credible and trustworthy witnesses. But in order that in the mouth of two or three witnesses every word may be established, their testimony, which is human and transitory, is sustained by other testimony, which is divine and of eternal efficacy; the Holy Ghost was a witness as well as the apostles. Every one who receives with faith the word of the Gospel, when it is proclaimed, and submits to it with an obedient spirit, receives the gift of the Holy Ghost. The Holy Ghost bears witness in man, that Jesus Christ is the Lord and Redeemer; and he who receives this witness, becomes at length fully persuaded in his own mind respecting the truth.The testimony of the apostles is recorded in the Holy Scriptures for us and for all succeeding generations; the word and the Spirit are now the two witnesses that testify to us concerning Christ. But the word becomes a living power, is made intelligible, convinces and moves us through the presence of the Spirit, so that ultimately a divinely-wrought reliance on our redemption through Christ, and on the power of God which resides in the Gospel, secures the peace of the soul.
4. The facts connected with the case before us, demonstrate in the clearest manner, that Jesus Christ, whom the Father exalted, rules even in the midst of his enemies. He has a kingdom, and he protects and enlarges it, but no compulsory measures interfere with the liberty of man. For no one is compelled by an irresistible operation of God either to put faith in his word and the testimony of the apostles, or to render obedience. He who does not voluntarily receive the word, unto his own salvation, is not constrained to do so. He may experience its power when it pierces him as a sword, but he may also discard it; he may even devise murderous plans against the servants of God, Act 5:33. But man proposes; God disposes. The Lord is able to frustrate every evil counsel. When he deems it wise and necessary, he can so direct an individual, even in the ranks of the enemies of his word, and so influence the conscience, that this individual, prompted by the fear of God, will arise and oppose that evil counsel. And he can so control the minds of men, that they give heed to the warning and refrain from adopting violent measures against the witnesses of the truth.
HOMILETICAL AND PRACTICAL
Act 5:28. Ye intend to bring this mans blood upon us.The wolf always accuses the innocent lamb of Christ of having mingled the mud and the clear water. (Starke).The kingdom of this world betrays in its hostile movements against the kingdom of God, that it consists, in part, of clay, in part of iron [Dan 2:33; Dan 2:43]of clay, for its fears proceed from a consciousness of its own weaknessof iron, for it obstinately refuses to yield to the truth. This obstinacy it attempts to extenuate or justify, by confessing any truth, the power of which it has deeply felt. These men complain: Ye intend, etc., but they pass over the offer of forgiveness in entire silence.And still does the world complain of the mode in which the truth is proclaimed; it alleges that the condemnation of the sinner is constantly set forth, but never alludes to the invitations to seek the mercy of God, which are addressed to sinners. For the world deems it to be disreputable to seek for grace at the foot of the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ. (K. H. Rieger).We unquestionably do intend to bring the blood of Christ upon you, when we preach Him crucified, but it is unto your salvation, not your damnation!The preaching of the doctrine concerning the blood of Christ: I. It is a loud call to repentance, Act 5:30; II. It affords the richest consolations, Act 5:31.
Act 5:29. We ought to obey, etc.; see Act 4:19.
Act 5:30 ff. Whom ye slew.The hatred with which the world regards some Gospel truths, cannot justify us in being alarmed and therefore suppressing them; festering wounds and sores must be exposed and probed, before they can be healed. (Ap. Past.).Jesus Christ, a Prince and a Saviour: I. A Prince, in view of (a) his celestial origin, (b) his divine testimonials, even when he appeared in the form of a servant, (c) his glorious exaltation to the right hand of the Father; II. A Saviour, (a) in the manger (by making himself of no reputation), (b) on the cross (by dying as a sacrifice, in order to give repentance, etc.), (c) on his throne (by becoming our advocate with the Father [1Jn 2:1]a merciful high priest); III. Both Prince and Saviour; (a) he would not be a Prince, if he were not a Saviour (his most glorious and princely ornament is the crown of thorns); he became a Prince, when his love prompted him to sacrifice himself; (b) he would not be a Saviour, if he were not a Prince (the value and power of his sacrifice proceed from his divine dignity); (c) in order to obtain salvation through him, we must honor and obey him as a Prince, and love and confide in him as a Saviour.Salvation in Christ: I. Offered by him as a Prince and Saviour; II. Accepted by us, in connection with repentance and forgiveness of sins.
Act 5:33. When they heard that, they were cut to the heart.When the truth is not voluntarily received, let it cut to the heart; that, too, is a victory. (Starke.)And took counsel to slay them.It is an evidence of the powerlessness of the enemies of the truth, that they silence those who confess it, not by adducing arguments, but by applying a gag, and by attempts to slay them. (Ap. Past.).
Act 5:34. Then stood there up one in the council, a Pharisee.God can find an advocate of his cause, even in the midst of his enemies. (Starke).Named Gamaliel.Pfaff says: Gamaliel is only a moving figure on the stage, but no Christian; he is guided by the light of reason, but Christ does not own him. Such is the judgment of over-wise men, who do not wish to incur the enmity of any party. The Pentecostal miracle should have conducted him to a decision. Beware of worldly wisdom; as Gamaliel advances in years, his heart grows colder. But a different view is presented in Apost. Pastorale: It is true that Gamaliel did not sincerely love the Saviour, and we should not unreasonably extol his course. Still, he was not guided merely by the common rules of prudence. His heart may have previously often been deeply moved, and he was in so far influenced by that grace which seeks men, and anticipates their call, that he at least feared to commit an act which might involve him in danger. And Schleiermacher says: To him, if ever to any one, the Lord would have said: Thou art not far from the kingdom of God.
Act 5:36-37. For before these days rose up Theudas, etc.The false and the true prophet: I. The former rises up by his own impulse, as Theudas and Judas; the latter is raised up by God (Act 3:22); II. The former boasts himself to be somebody; the latter gives the honor to God alone (Act 3:12); III. The former draws away much people after him; the latter conducts men to the Lord; IV. The former falls from heaven like a wandering star (Jude, Act 5:13); Theudas and Judas both perish, and their adherents are slain or scattered; the latter will shine as the brightness of the firmament, and as the stars, for ever and ever. (Dan 12:3.A number of menjoined themselves.Men who will not take up the cross of Christ, are willing to bear the yoke imposed by Satans prophets. And the Lord still abandons many who defy and despise him, to the influence of lying prophets, in order that they may ultimately be put to shame with their leaders.Unbelief conducts men to the embraces of superstition. (Leonh. and Sp.).
Act 5:38-39. Gamaliels counsel.It is not always wise to wait passively for the issue; that course would encourage spiritual sloth and a doubting spirit. But when the occasion presents features which are above our comprehension, we rightly wait, and submit the result to God; Psa 39:9. We cannot adopt the principle that those things are not of God, which have no stability, for then it would follow that the Christian congregations which the apostles established in Asia Minor, and which have long since passed away, were also not of God. Neither can we adopt the principle, that those things which firmly endure, are of God, for in that case the religion of the Turks, which has so long sustained itself, or that of pagans, is also of God. (Starke).He who cannot decide until Christ and his Church are completely victorious, will remain in doubt until the day of judgment arrives. Hence the neutral policy of waiting is not recognized in the kingdom of Christ. (Leonh. and Sp.).Gamaliels counsel is both prudent and devout; but he did not practically follow it himself, and here lies his error. For he who cautiously abstains from fighting against God, ought certainly to consider it a solemn duty to fight for God, and firmly hold the standard of the truth, even when the heathen rage, and the world combines in offering resistance. Gamaliels counsel was the voice of God, speaking in his heart, and the evil which he committed, consisted in his refusal to obey that voice, to trust the Lords word implicitly, and to test the truth of the saying: If any man will do the will of him that sent me, he shall know of the doctrine, whether it be of God, or whether I speak of myself. Joh 7:17. (Rudelbach).Gamaliels whole counsel proceeded on the false principle that the temporal and visible results of any testimony or undertaking, decide conclusively respecting its divine or human character. Is not this a total misconception of the cross? He whose heart as well as whose understanding has been influenced by the Holy Ghost, as little waits for the issue before he decides, as the genuine supporters of missions wait for glowing missionary reports; on the contrary, he is added to the company of believers, and avows his faith in the Gospel, even when that Gospel seems to have reached the moment of its entire extinction; thus the blood of martyrs, which was shed during the persecutions, attracted new adherents. We cannot fight against Godthis is the view of the halting, feeble prudence of calculating and worldly-minded men; we must believe and obey Gods word, even before his work is actually crowned with victorythis is the true wisdom of repenting souls. Still, Gamaliels opinion, as expressed in that council of ungodly men, will always possess a highly significant character; it may be regarded as the representative of the conscience of the Sanhedrin, or of that voice which bears witness in every enemy of God, and which prompts the reason even of such men to cry aloud: Take heed. We unite therefore willingly with Luther in appealing to Gamaliels sentiments, as far as these exist in enemies or worldly-minded men, since they encourage us to hope; but let us not ourselves, in the spirit of Thomas, first ask for ocular evidence, but believe at once. (Stier).Gamaliel is a believer living under the old covenant, even if the light within him is feeble; he adheres to the principle that God cannot permanently leave himself without a witness among his people, and that, consequently, false prophets who come forward, will, sooner or later, receive their merited punishment. (Gerlach).Two points are presented in the advice of Gamaliel. He holds, in the first place, that no violent measures should be employed in any affair, which can be only spiritually discerned, even if it be a work of man; he does not, however, dissuade the council from opposing it by spiritual force, and would, indeed, have been himself prepared to adopt such a course. The second point he presents in the following form: If it really be a work of God, you will, in no case, be able to suppress it, but you will yourselves be found to be men who fight against God. Can we conceive of greater anguish of soul than that to which Gamaliel alludes? Such an individual learns, perhaps at the close of his career, when he cannot possibly retrace his steps, that he had deviated far from the right way, and employed noble, great and glorious powers with which God had endowed him, in direct opposition to his Makers will! When the scales fall from his eyes, he himself rejoices that the entire work on which he had expended his whole life, has come to nought! As long, therefore, as we are in doubt whether any counsel or work is of men or of God, so long we can adopt no wiser course than that which Gamaliel recommendsnone that will more effectually withhold the upright from entering on the way that leads to destruction, and preserve them from sacrificing their life in fruitless effortsnone that could more successfully furnish man with the true light in his path, or qualify him for receiving a knowledge of the truth. (Schleiermacher).
The threefold attitude which men may assume in view of the progress of the kingdom of God: it may be marked, I. By open hostility, Act 5:33; II. By a calculating prudence, Act 5:34; III. By humble and zealous coperation, Act 5:42. (Ahlfeld).Gamaliels counsel: I. Convenientfor those who yield to spiritual slothfor those who are governed by policy rather than religious principle; II. Judiciousas opposed to an inconsiderate zeal; III. Falteringat a time which demanded immediate decision and prompt actionwhen the highest interests are concerned. (C. Beck: Homilet. Repert.).By what principles are we to be governed, when we are required to choose between things that are old, and things that are new, in the kingdom of God? (id.).Gamaliels counsel: it is, I. Judicious, (a) as a guide for our judgment, when the issue of the ways of God is considered; for the words of the Lord will always apply: Every plant, etc., Mat 15:13; (b) as a guide for our conduct: (1) when a carnal zeal would prompt us to employ carnal weapons in a spiritual contest; (2) when we are not yet enabled to decide whether a work be of God or of men. (In this aspect Luther presented the counsel of Gamaliel to the Elector of Treves, while the mind of the latter was still undecided); II. Injudicious, (a) as a guide for our judgment, if it should lead us to pronounce on the good or evil character of any work in accordance with its external and temporal results, before the whole course of human events is completed; (b) as a guide for our conduct, if we should avail ourselves of it as an excuse, (1) for deferring our own decision, even when Gods word speaks unequivocally, and his Spirit bears direct witness, or, (2) for evading the duty of acting with vigor, and bearing witness with boldness, even when we are fully convinced in our own minds.The counsel of Gamaliel: it is, I. Wise, in so far as it recommends (a) humility in the presence of God, the sovereign Judge; (b) gentle treatment of those who differ from us, even if they should judge erroneously; (c) a watchful control of our passions; II. Unwise, in so far as it recommends (a) the principle of judging merely according to external results; (b) the toleration even of that which is evil; (c) a neutrality proceeding from irresolution or indifference.Better by far than the counsel of Gamaliel are the actions of the disciples!The extension of the kingdom of God depends on the counsel of God and the work of man (Act 5:38-39); I. The counsel of God; let us, therefore, do nothing against God, or without God, as Gamaliel advises; II. The work of man; let us, therefore, do all for God, and with God, as the Apostles teach.The Reformation triumphantly demonstrated to be a work of the living God: I. By the choice of the instruments which he employed; II. By the sure and lasting foundation on which this work was established; III. By the weapons which the agents employed in this warfare [2Co 10:4]; IV. By the fruits which it has produced. (Sermon on the Reformation, by W. Hofacker).
Act 5:40. When they had beaten them.The gradation in the afflictions of the servants of the cross, an illustration of the divine mode of training them: I. Threats, Act 4:21; II. Imprisonment, Act 5:18; III. Scourging, Act 5:40; IV. Martyrdom, Act 7:60.
Act 5:41. And they departed from the presence of the council, rejoicing.The servants and children of God are indeed a mystery in the eyes of the world. What philosophy was it that taught them to rejoice under such circumstances? (Apost. Past.).Of all who were assembled, none departed rejoicing, except the men who had been scourged. He who suffers, not for evil doing [1Pe 3:17], but for Christs sake, and in his service encounters shame, stripes, and bonds, is indeed truly united with Christ, and has reason to rejoice. (Ahlfeld).Four classes in the school of affliction: I. I am called to suffer; II. I am willing to suffer; III. I am able to suffer; IV. I am permitted to suffer. (K. F. Hartmann).
Act 5:42. They ceased not, etc.When the apostles were released, and addressed the people, they did not complain of their enemies, did not boast of their own firmness, did not defend their character, which had been sullied by the scourge, but simply preached the Gospel concerning Jesus Christ. (Apost. Past.).[The spiritual state of the persecutors of the apostles: I. Described; (a) total misapprehension of the meaning of the Scriptures; (b) entire want of love to God; (c) complete subjection to human passions, Act 5:33. II. Causes; (a) traced to the original corruption of the heart; (b) confirmed by their spiritual sloth; (c) established by their worldly-mindedness. III. Results; (a) abject fear, Act 5:28; (b) vain opposition to God; (c) eternal loss of their souls.Tr.]
Footnotes:
[15]Act 5:28. [of the text. rec. before ., giving the whole an interrogative form] is wanting in A. B., in some ancient versions, and in some of the fathers; it is undoubtedly spurious; for if it had been originally in the text, no one would have cancelled it, whereas its insertion on account of could easily occur. [Found in D. E., but omitted in A. B. Cod. Sin. Vulg. etc., and cancelled by recent editors; it was inserted by a later hand (C) in Cod. Sin.Tr.]
[16]Act 5:32. [of text. rec.] after seemed to be superfluous, as was followed by another genitive depending on it, and was therefore omitted in some MSS. [A. D. Cod. Sin.] and versions [Syr., Vulg.], or was substituted [B., and adopted by Lach.]; but, as the more difficult reading, it is, without doubt, genuine. [Found in E., and retained by Tisch. and Alf.]
[17]Act 5:33. a. [The Italicized words of the Engl. version: to the heart, are supplied from Act 7:54, where they are connected in the Greek with precisely the same verb; see the exegetical note on this verse.Tr.]
[18]Act 5:33. b. is not better attested, it is true, than , but should be preferred, as the shorter form could more easily have proceeded from the longer than vice versa. [, of D. H., and also Cod. Sin., is preferred by Tisch. and Alf. to of A. B. E., which latter Lach. adopts.Tr.]
[19]Act 5:34. a. . was exchanged in some MSS. for the explanatory , but it is sufficiently attested, and, even, in sermone obliquo, may be the term actually employed by Gamaliel. [Alford, with D. E. H. reads .; Lach. and Tisch. with A. B. Cod. Sin. Vulg., etc., read .; de Wette regards the latter as a correction to suit Act 5:35; Act 5:38.Tr.]
[20]Act 5:34. b. after [in H. and text. rec.] is not genuine, as external evidence demonstrates, and is clearly a later addition. [Rejected by recent critics, in accordance with A. B. D. E. Cod. Sin.Tr.]
[21]Act 5:36. a. The reading is sufficiently attested [by A. B. Cod. Sin., and adopted by later editors], but does not occur elsewhere in the New Test.; for this more difficult reading other terms were substituted: [C.], [text. rec.] and also ) [the two latter only in minuscules.Tr.]
[22]Act 5:36. b. [The word obeyed (or, followed, lit. were persuaded by) in the text of the Engl. version (Geneva), is preferable to believed (Wiclif; Tynd.; Cranmer) in the margin. (Robinson; J. A. Alexander.)Tr.]
[23]Act 5:37. [ of text. rec., found in E. H., is omitted in A. B. Cod. Sin. Vulg., etc., and cancelled by Lach. Tisch. and Alf. with whom Meyer and de Wette concur; C. and D. substitute .Tr.]
[24]Act 5:39. a. The fut. has by far the stronger testimony in its favor [found in B. C. D. E.; Vulg. etc.]; the pres. [of text. rec.] was substituted, in order to give the strongest possible emphasis to Gamaliels opinion. [Alford, who retains the pres., (found in A. H.) regards the fut. as an alteration to agree with the foregoing future, ., and the conditional . Lach. and Tisch. adopt the fut. Cod. Sin. exhibits .Tr.]
[25]Act 5:39 b. is supported by many MSS. and versions [A. B. C. D. E. and Cod. Sin.], while is but feebly attested [by Vulg., etc., and adopted in text. rec.]; it seems to be a correction to suit , as an easier sense. [, Lach. Tisch. Alf.]
[26]Act 5:41. without the appended [of text. rec.] is, unquestionably, the original reading; the following explanatory additions occur:; [Vulg.]; , , etc. [ is omitted by later critics, in accordance with A. B. C. D. H. and Cod. Sin.Tr.]
Fuente: A Commentary on the Holy Scriptures, Critical, Doctrinal, and Homiletical by Lange
27 And when they had brought them, they set them before the council: and the high priest asked them,
Ver. 27. They set them before the council ] Where the high priest might well have done, as the prolocutor here in the convocation held at London, A. D. 1553, did; he confessed that those dejected ministers before them had the word on their side; but the prelates in place had the possession of the sword.
Fuente: John Trapp’s Complete Commentary (Old and New Testaments)
Act 5:27 . , cf. Act 4:7 , during the investigation the judges would sit, Act 6:15 , Act 23:3 , the accused, the witnesses, and those speaking, stood, Mar 14:57 ; Mar 14:60 , Act 4:7 ; Act 5:27 ; Act 5:34 ; Act 6:13 ; Act 23:9 , O. Holtzmann, Neutestamentliche Zeitgeschichte , p. 177.
Fuente: The Expositors Greek Testament by Robertson
NASB (UPDATED) TEXT: Act 5:27-32
27When they had brought them, they stood them before the Council. The high priest questioned them, 28saying, “We gave you strict orders not to continue teaching in this name, and yet, you have filled Jerusalem with your teaching and intend to bring this man’s blood upon us.” 29But Peter and the apostles answered, “We must obey God rather than men. 30The God of our fathers raised up Jesus, whom you had put to death by hanging Him on a cross. 31He is the one whom God exalted to His right hand as Prince and a Savior, to grant repentance to Israel, and forgiveness of sins. 32And we are witnesses of these things; and so is the Holy Spirit, whom God has given to those who obey Him.”
Act 5:28
NASB, NRSV,
TEV”strict orders”
NKJV”strictly command”
NJB”strong warning”
The NKJV has “Did we not strictly command you not to teach in this name,” which is a Greek manuscript variant found in the Greek texts i2, D, and E, but not in MSS P74, *, A, or B. The UBS4 puts the NKJV option in the text, but “not” in brackets. This question expects a “yes” answer. The Apostles were warned!
The construction is a Semitic idiom (cf. Luk 22:15) similar to the cognate accusative in Koine Greek, where the verb (parangell) and the direct object (parangelia) are from the same root. This construction intensifies the basic meaning of the terms. It is interesting that this term in the Koine papyri found in Egypt meant an official summons to court or an order from a court (cf. Moulton and Milligan, Vocabulary of the Greek New Testament, p. 481).
“this man’s” This expression shows the contempt of the Jewish leaders. They never mention Jesus’ name. The Talmud even calls Him “so and so” (cf. M. R. Vincent, Word Studies, vol. 1, p. 234).
“blood upon us” Peter and John were continuing to assert that these Jewish leaders engineered Jesus’ death (cf. Act 5:30; Act 2:33; Act 3:14-15; Act 4:10). This was also Stephen’s accusation in Act 7:52.
Act 5:29 “must” This word dei means moral necessity. This shows the Apostles’ obligation to preach the truth, regardless of the consequences (cf. Act 4:19). See full note at Act 1:16.
Act 5:30 “The God of our fathers” These early Christians believed they were the true spiritual heirs and descendants of the OT people of God (cf. Act 3:13; Rom 2:28-29; Gal 6:16; 1Pe 3:5; 1Pe 3:9; Rev 1:6).
“raised up Jesus” The NT affirms that the Father raised Jesus (cf. Act 2:24; Act 2:32; Act 3:15; Act 3:26; Act 4:10; Act 5:30; Act 10:40; Act 13:30; Act 13:33-34; Act 13:37; Act 17:31; Rom 6:4; Rom 6:9) to confirm the truth of Jesus’ life and teachings. This is a major aspect of the Kerygma (cf. 1 Corinthians 15).
It should also be noted that the NT affirms that the Son and the Spirit were also involved in this great affirmation event.
1. the Son Joh 2:19-22; Joh 10:17-18
2. the Spirit Rom 8:11
“whom you had put to death by hanging Him on a cross” This relates back to the curse of Deu 21:23. These religious leaders wanted Jesus, a Messianic pretender, to bear the curse of YHWH. Jesus bore the curse of the OT law (i.e., the soul that sins will surely die [cf. Eze 18:4; Eze 18:20] and all humans have sinned, cf. Rom 3:9-18; Rom 3:23) for us (cf. Gal 3:13; Col 1:14). Jesus was the innocent lamb of God who gave Himself for the estranged world (cf. Joh 1:29; 2Co 5:21).
Act 5:31 “God exalted to His right hand” The term “exalted” is translated in Joh 3:14 as “lifted up” and in Php 2:9 as “highly exalted.” The cross was Christ’s means of exaltation and triumph (cf. Col 1:15; 2Co 2:14).
The anthropomorphic phrase “right hand” was a metaphor for the place of power and authority (cf. Mat 26:64). God is an eternal Spirit. He does not have a physical body. See Special Topic at Act 2:33.
“Prince” This verse clearly and specifically asserts the Messiahship of Jesus. This same term was used of Jesus in Act 3:15, where it could be translated “Author” (NRSV). It can mean “chief,” “pioneer,” or “prince.” It was also used of the founder of a school or family (cf. Heb 2:10; Heb 12:2). See Special Topic at Act 3:15.
“Savior” This term was used in the first century Greco-Roman world of Caesar. He claimed to be the savior of culture and peace. Another term which the Caesars claimed for themselves, but Christians used uniquely for Jesus, was Lord (kurios).
This term “Savior” was used in the OT as a term for YHWH (cf. 2Sa 22:3; Psa 106:21; Isa 43:4; Isa 43:11; Isa 45:15; Isa 45:21; Isa 49:26; Isa 60:16; Isa 63:8). NT writers often assert the deity of Jesus by attributing to Him OT titles of YHWH. Notice how Paul in his letter to Titus does this.
1. Tit 1:3, “God our Savior”
2. Tit 1:4, “Christ Jesus our Savior”
3. Tit 2:10, “God our Savior”
4. Tit 2:13, “our great God and Savior, Christ Jesus”
5. Tit 3:4, “God our Savior”
6. Tit 3:6, “Jesus Christ our Savior”
“to grant repentance to Israel, and forgiveness of sins” This shows the purpose of Jesus’ death (cf. Luk 24:47 and Act 2:38). It is unusual for NT authors to refer to repentance as a gift from God (cf. Act 11:18 [to Gentiles]; 2Ti 2:25; and possibly also Rom 2:4). Usually it is one of the requirements of the New Covenant for the human recipient of the gospel (cf. Mar 1:15 and Act 3:16; Act 3:19; Act 20:21). I think it is a literary way to show that God wants all humans made in His image to be saved. It is not an issue related to God’s sovereignty.
Often those who focus solely on God’s part in the New Covenant use this verse to prove that salvation is all of God and does not involve any participation on the part of mankind. However, this is a good example of proof-texting a passage to fit one’s preconceived system of theology. The Bible clearly asserts the priority and necessity of God’s initiation, but also reveals that the concept of “covenant” best describes His chosen model of how to relate to needy humanity. Freedom is a gift which God gave in creation. God does not violate this gift/responsibility (cf. Rom 2:4; 2Co 7:10). He does draw us, woo us, work with us, and provide a way of redemption (cf. Joh 6:44; Joh 6:65). But fallen humans must respond and continue to respond in repentance, faith, obedience, and perseverance.
Here is an interesting quote from Frank Stagg, New Testament Theology, p. 119:
“Men cannot achieve but only receive repentance, yet they must receive it. By faith a man receives Christ into his innermost person; and Christ, as a transforming presence reverses the course of that life from self-trust to trust in God, from self-assertion to self-denial. This conversion is the reversal of the Fall, in which man sought to find the whole meaning of his existence within himself.”
Act 5:32 Several times in Acts Peter referred to the fact that the Apostles and disciples are witnesses of Jesus’ life and death and resurrection. In this context he adds, “the Holy Spirit” as witness. This may be a way of affirming the two necessary OT witnesses to confirm a matter (cf. Num 35:30; Deu 17:6).
Luke/Acts speak of the gift of the Spirit
1. at baptism Act 2:38
2. at obedience to the gospel Act 5:32
3. cannot be bought Act 8:19-20
4. to the Gentiles Act 10:45; Act 11:17
5. from the Father Luk 11:13 (cf. Jas 1:17)
“those who obey Him” Obedience is a lifestyle choice! We must obey by believing the gospel. We must continue in obedience to enjoy its fruits (cf. Mat 7:24-27; Luk 6:46-48). The rare term “obey” (peithomai plus arch, cf. Act 27:21; Tit 3:1), used in Act 5:29; Act 5:32, was a combination of the terms “ruler” (arch) and obey.
Fuente: You Can Understand the Bible: Study Guide Commentary Series by Bob Utley
before = In. App-104.
asked. See note on Act 1:6.
Fuente: Companion Bible Notes, Appendices and Graphics
Act 5:27. , asked) expostulating with them.
Fuente: Gnomon of the New Testament
Folly of Fighting against God
Act 5:27-42
The high priest and his party could not forget the imprecation of Mat 27:25. It haunted them. Compare Peters description of the Cross as the tree with Deu 21:23 and Gal 3:13; also his own usage of the phrase in 1Pe 2:24. Notice in Act 5:31 the divine order-Jesus must be Prince, if He is to be Savior. It is because that order is not observed, and men therefore seek to derive His benefits before they concede His rights, that He is unable to deliver them. Christ must be the enthroned Lord and Master of your life, if you want to be saved to the uttermost. See Rom 10:9, r.v. Repentance is His gift equally as forgiveness. Mark that reference to the witness of the Holy Spirit, Act 5:32. Let us never stand in pulpit or class without being first assured that the truth we utter is such that He can endorse.
Gamaliel had been Pauls teacher. He was very astute and non-committal. He said, Let us wait and see; the truth will conquer. He expected that the new enthusiasm would die down if it were let alone. He knew that a draught of wind fans a fire. But he lived to see his mistake. We must be warned by Act 5:42 not only to preach Christ as king in the Temple, but also at home.
Fuente: F.B. Meyer’s Through the Bible Commentary
set: Act 4:7, Act 6:12, Act 22:30, Act 23:1, Luk 22:66
Reciprocal: Psa 21:11 – imagined Mat 5:22 – the council Luk 12:11 – General Joh 12:19 – Perceive Jam 2:6 – and
Fuente: The Treasury of Scripture Knowledge
7
Act 5:27. The council was the Sanhedrin, the highest court the Jews were allowed to have in the time of Christ and the apostles. It had the power to arrest a man and examine him, and pass its own judgment upon the case. But if it passed a verdict of capital punishment, the case had to be taken before the secular court that operated under the Romans before it could be executed.
Fuente: Combined Bible Commentary
27, 28. We have now a very lively and graphic description of the arraignment and trial of the apostles. (27) “And having brought them, they placed them in the Sanhedrim, and the high priest asked them, (28) saying, Did we not strictly command you not to speak in this name? And behold, you have filled Jerusalem with your teaching, and intend to bring this man’s blood upon us.” These words contain two specific charges against the apostles, disobedience to the Sanhedrim, and an effort to bring upon them the blood of Jesus.
Fuente: McGarvey and Pendleton Commentaries (New Testament)
Perhaps the apostles accompanied the captain and his officers submissively because they remembered Jesus’ example of nonviolence and nonretaliation when He was arrested (Luk 22:52-53). Furthermore the guards’ power over them was inferior to their own. They may have offered no resistance too because their appearance before the Sanhedrin would give them another opportunity to witness for Christ.
The high priest introduced his comments with a reference to the authority of Israel’s leaders. Pilate had similarly threatened Jesus with his authority (cf. Joh 19:10-11). The high priest showed his dislike for Jesus by not referring to the Lord by name. Official Jewish opposition to Jesus was firm. He believed the authority of the Sanhedrin was greater than the authority of Jesus (cf. Mat 28:18). The leaders earlier had instructed Peter and John not to teach (Act 3:18; Act 3:21), but Peter had said they would continue to do so because of Jesus’ authority (Act 3:19-20). Moreover Peter had charged Israel’s leaders with Jesus’ death (Act 4:10-11). These rulers had rationalized away their guilt for Jesus’ death probably blaming it on Jesus Himself and the Romans (cf. Act 3:15). The Jewish leaders felt the disciples were unfairly heaping guilt on them for having shed Jesus’ blood. However only a few weeks earlier they had said to Pilate, "His blood be on us and on our children" (Mat 27:25; cf. Mat 23:35).