Albert Barnes Commentary Acts 4

CHAPTER 4

The Priests. It is probable that these priests were a part of the Sanhedrin, or great council of the nation. It is evident that they claimed some authority for preventing the preaching of the apostles. And the whole transaction seems to show that they did not come upon them in a tumultuous manner, but as keepers of the peace.

The captain of the temple. See Barnes on Matthew 26:47. See also Barnes on Luke 22:4. This was the commander of the guard stationed chiefly in the tower Antonia, especially during the great feasts; and it was their duty to preserve order and prevent any tumult. The captain of the temple came at this time to prevent a tumult or suppress a riot, as it was supposed that the teaching of the apostles and the crowd collected by the healing of the lame man would lead to a tumult.

And the Sadducees. See Barnes on Matthew 3:7. One of the doctrines which the Sadducees maintained was that there was no resurrection of the dead. Hence they were particularly opposed to the apostles for preaching it, and because they gave such clear proof that Jesus had risen and were thus spreading the doctrine of the resurrection among the people.

Came upon them. This expression implies that they came in a sudden and violent manner. See Luke 20:1.

Being grieved. The word translated this way occurs in only one other place in the New Testament, Acts 16:18. It implies more than simple sorrow; it was a mingled emotion of indignation and anger. They did not grieve because they thought it a public calamity, but because it interfered with their authority and opposed their doctrine. It means that it was painful to them, or they could not bear it. It is often the case that bigots, and men in authority, experience this kind of grief at the zeal of men in spreading the truth, and thus undermining their influence and authority.

That they taught the people. The ground of their grief was as much the fact that they should presume to instruct the people, as the matter which they taught them. They were offended that unlearned Galileans, in no way connected with the priestly office, and unauthorized by them, should presume to set themselves up as religious teachers.

They claimed the right to watch over the interests of the people and to declare who was authorized to instruct the nation. It has not been an unusual thing for men in ecclesiastical positions to take exception to the ministry of those who have not been commissioned by themselves. Men easily fancy that all power to instruct others is lodged in their hands; and they oppose others simply from the fact that they have not derived their authority from them.

The true question in this case was whether these Galileans gave proof that they were sent by God. The fact of the miracle in this case should have been satisfactory. We have here, also, a striking instance of the fact that men may turn away from evidence, and from most important points, and fix on something that opposes their prejudices, and which may be a matter of very little importance. No inquiry was made whether the miracle had been really performed; but the only inquiry was whether they had conformed to their views of doctrine and order.

And preached through Jesus, etc. The Sadducees would be particularly opposed to this. They denied the doctrine of the resurrection, and they were troubled that the apostles presented proof of it as strong as the resurrection of Jesus. It was perceived that this doctrine was becoming established among the people; multitudes believed that he had risen; and if he had been raised up, it followed also that others would rise.

The Sadducees, therefore, felt that their cause was in danger, and they joined with the priests in endeavoring to stop its spread among the people. This is the account of the first opposition made to the gospel as it was preached by the apostles. It is noteworthy that it excited so much enmity so quickly from those in power, and that the apostles were so soon called to test the sincerity of their attachment to their Master.

Those who only a few days before had fled at the approach of danger were called to meet this opposition and to show their attachment to a risen Redeemer; and they did it without shrinking. They showed now that they were indeed the true friends of the crucified Saviour, and this remarkable change in their conduct is one among the many proofs that they were influenced from above.

Put them in hold. That is, they took them into custody, or into safe keeping. Probably they committed them to the care of a guard.

Eventide. Evening. It was not convenient to assemble the council at night. This was, moreover, the time for the evening prayer or sacrifice, and it was not usual to assemble the Sanhedrin at that hour.

Howbeit. This means "But," "notwithstanding," or "Nevertheless."

Many of them, etc. . This was one of the instances that has since been repeated so often, in which persecution has only tended to extend and establish the faith it was designed to destroy. It finally came to be a proverb that "the blood of the martyrs is the seed of the church." There is no lesson that people have been so slow to learn as that to oppose and persecute others is the very way to confirm them in their opinions and to spread their doctrines.

It was supposed here that the disciples were few, that they were without power, wealth, and influence, and that it was easy to crush them at once. But God made their persecution the means of extending, in a remarkable manner, the truths of the gospel and the triumphs of His word. So it has been in all ages, and so it will ever be.

And the number, etc. It seems probable that this number of five thousand included the one hundred and twenty who are mentioned in Acts 1:15 and the three thousand who were converted on the day of Pentecost (Acts 2:41). It does not appear probable that five thousand would have been assembled and converted in Solomon's porch (Acts 3:11) on the occasion of the healing of the lame man.

Luke undoubtedly means to say that, up to this time, the number of persons who had joined themselves to the apostles was about five thousand. On this supposition, the work of religion must have made very rapid advance. How long this was after the day of Pentecost is not mentioned, but it is clear that it was not a very distant period. The addition of nearly two thousand to the number of believers was a very striking proof of the power and presence of the Holy Spirit.

Of the men. This refers to persons in general. The word men is often used without reference to sex (Luke 11:31; Romans 4:8; Romans 11:4).

Their rulers. The rulers of the Jews; undoubtedly the members of the Sanhedrin, or great council of the nation. .

The expression "their rulers" looks as if this book was written for the Gentiles, or Luke would have said "our rulers."

Elders. Presbyters, or those who were chosen from among the people to sit in the Sanhedrin. It is probable that the rulers were those who also held some other office but were also authorized to sit in the great council.

Scribes.

And Annas, and so on.

It is by no means certain that Annas was at that time the high priest, but he had been, and undoubtedly retained the title. He was father-in-law to Caiaphas the high priest; and from this fact, together with his former dignity, he is mentioned first.

Caiaphas. Son-in-law of Annas, and now exercising the office of the high priest (John 18:13).

John, and Alexander, and so on. Nothing more is known about these persons. It is clear that they were members of the great council, and the mention of their names shows that the men of chief authority and influence were assembled to silence the apostles.

Annas and Caiaphas had been involved in the condemnation of Jesus, and they would now feel a special interest in arresting the progress of the gospel among the people. All the success of the gospel reflected back light upon the wickedness of the act of condemning the Lord Jesus. And this fact may serve, in part, to account for their strong desire to silence the apostles.

At Jerusalem. eiv. This was the usual place for the Sanhedrin to assemble. However, Jewish writers (see Lightfoot on this passage) state that forty years before the destruction of the city, on account of the great increase of crime and other factors, the Sanhedrin was moved from place to place. Luke’s declaration that they were now assembled in Jerusalem seems to imply that they sometimes met in other places. It is probable that the members of the Sanhedrin were not in the city at the previously mentioned time, and this was the reason the trial was deferred to the next day.