Albert Barnes Commentary Acts 4:5-6

"And it came to pass on the morrow, that their rulers and elders and scribes were gathered together in Jerusalem; and Annas the high priest [was there], and Caiaphas, and John, and Alexander, and as many as were of the kindred of the high priest." — Acts 4:5-6 (ASV)

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.