Acts 5:21

And when they heard that, they entered into the temple early in the morning, and taught. But the high priest came, and they that were with him, and called the council together, and all the senate of the children of Israel, and sent to the prison to have them brought. AND WHEN THEY HEARD THAT, THEY ENTERED INTO THE TEMPLE EARLY IN THE MORNING, AND TAUGHT. How self-possessed!-the indwelling Spirit making the glory of their testimony so to irradiate their own souls, and their wonderful liberation so to confirm it, as to lift them above fear. Remarks: (1) The severe fidelity with which our historian-immediately after picturing the beautiful disinterestedness of the young Christian community-proceeds to relate a foul case of covetousness and duplicity in two of its members, with the terrible punishment that so speedily overtook it, without any explanation or reflection of his own, canno...

21._And when the chief priest came. _The chief priest calleth all the council together now, lest, if giving the honor to his own sect, he omit others, and be not able to bear the burden; therefore, he is enforced by fear to call the multitude together, notwithstanding they observe diligently and straitly the form of law. The elders are called who did govern, that nothing may be done but according to the sentence and authority of the council. Who would not have hoped for a moderate end, seeing they began thus? and surely they pretend what color they can, lest they seem to oppress the truth violently and tyrannously; but when they hear that the apostles teach in the temple, howsoever they know that they came not out by deceit of man, but miraculously, yet they hold on still in their purpose; where appeareth, together with the ungodliness of behavior and contempt of God, horrible fury and w...

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 5:21. _CALLED THE COUNCIL TOGETHER_] συνεδριον The _sanhedrin,_ _all the senate_; την γερουσιαν, the _elders_, or what we would call _the aldermen_. How these differed from the πρεσβυτεριον, _presbytery_, if they did differ, is not now known....

EARLY IN THE MORNING - Greek: at the break of day. Compare Luke 24:1; John 8:2. CALLED THE COUNCIL TOGETHER - The Sanhedrin, or the Great Council of the nation. This was clearly for the purpose of “trying” the apostles for disregarding their commandments. AND ALL THE SENATE - Greek: “eldership.” Probably these were not a part of the Sanhedrin, but were people of age and experience, who in Acts 4:8; Acts 25:15, are called “elders of the Jews,” and who were present for the sake of counsel Canal advice in a case of emergency....

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...

AND WHEN THEY HEARD THAT,.... Or "his word", as the Arabic version supplies; that is, the word of the angel, the orders enjoined them by him, to go to the temple, and there preach the Gospel; this clause is left out in the Syriac version: THEY ENTERED INTO THE TEMPLE EARLY IN THE MORNING; they were obedient to the command of the angel, believing him to be a messenger of God, who declared his will, which they readily complied with, and were indeed eager of doing it; and therefore early in the morning, as soon as ever the temple doors were opened, and there were any people got together, they went in: AND TAUGHT; as the Ethiopic version adds, "the people, this word of life"; the doctrine or doctrines of the Gospel which the angel had bid them teach: BUT THE HIGH PRIEST CAME, AND THEY THAT WERE WITH HIM: as before, to the place where the sanhedrim used to meet; either the chamber Gazith,...

ACTS 5:21-22 The Western text of these verses is variously preserved in D E and other witnesses. Instead of the opening words avkou,santej de,, E reads evxelqo,ntej de. evk th/j fulakh/j, which is received by Blass into his Roman form of the text. Codex Bezae paints more vividly the circumstances of the trial by adding a phrase that is analogous to the reading of D in ver. Acts 5:18: “the high priest came and those who were with him, having risen early, and (evgerqe,ntej to. prwi> kai,) called together the council.” In ver. Acts 5:22 the Western text (D it...

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