Acts 5:20

Go, stand and speak in the temple to the people all the words of this life. GO, STAND AND SPEAK IN THE TEMPLE TO THE PEOPLE ALL THE WORDS OF THIS LIFE. Beautiful expression of that life in the Risen One which was the burden of all their preaching!...

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 t...

17-25 There is no prison so dark, so strong, but God can visit his people in it, and, if he pleases, fetch them out. Recoveries from sickness, releases out of trouble, are granted, not that we may enjoy the comforts of life, but that God may be honoured with the services of our life. It is not for the preachers of Christ's gospel to retire into corners, as long as they can have any opportunity of preaching in the great congregation. They must preach to the lowest, whose souls are as precious to Christ as the souls of the greatest. Speak to all, for all are concerned. Speak as those who resolve to stand to it, to live and die by it. Speak all the words of this heavenly, divine life, in comparison with which the present earthly life does not deserve the name. These words of life, which the Holy Ghost puts into your mouth. The words of the gospel are the words of life; words whereby we may...

Verse Acts 5:20. _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....

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 John 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 John 1:4; John 3:36. Their deliverance from prison was not that they might be idle, and es

EXPOSITION ACTS 5:1 ANANIAS (Ἀνανίας) In Nehemiah 3:23 the Hebrew name היָנְנַעֲ (God covers or protects) is thus rendered in the LXX. But the name occurs nowhere else. The very common name היָנְנַהֲ_, Hananiah _(God is gracious), is also rendered in the LXX. Ananias (Ἀνανίας), and is doubtless the name meant here and in Acts 9:10; Acts 23:2, etc. SAPPHIRA does not occur elsewhere. It is either derived from the Aramean הרָיפָשַׁ, beautiful, or from the Hebrew ריפִסַ, a sapphire. A POSSESSION (see...

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 conceal...

CHAPTER 5 _ 1. Ananias and Sapphira (Acts 5:1)._ 2. Signs and wonders by the Apostles (Acts 5:11). 3. The second arrest of the Apostles and their Deliverance (Acts 5:17). 4. Before the Council (Acts 5:26). 5. Gamaliel's Advice (Acts 5:34). 6. The Apostles beaten and dismissed (Acts 5:40). With this chapter the scene changes. Beautiful is the ending of the previous chapter, Barnabas having sold his land, laid the money at the feet of the Apostles. He

A HOSTILE ENCOUNTER WITH THE JEWISH AUTHORITIES. This account closely resembles that in ch. 4; the imprisonment is at the hands of the same men, extends over one night, and Peter's two declarations (Acts 4:19; Acts 5:29) are very similar. In spite of a few added touches, Gamaliel and his historical reminiscences, we cannot but feel the paucity of materials that were at the author's disposal for this part of his history. As in Acts 4, the attack comes from the Sadducees. If so the motive could only be political. The Resurrection is not mentioned to explain their action; they were filled with jealousy. They could not wish the new sect to become important; a real Messiah would be the end of their power. Here, as in Acts 4, no ground is given for the arrest. Not only Peter and John are arrested but the apostles generally. Th

TROUBLE IN THE CHURCH (Acts 5:1-11)...