Expositor's Bible Commentary Commentary Acts 4:15

"But when they had commanded them to go aside out of the council, they conferred among themselves," — Acts 4:15 (ASV)

Just how Luke knew what went on among the members of the Sanhedrin in closed session has often been debated, though we cannot know for sure. Perhaps Saul (Paul) was a member of the council at that time and he later told Luke. Or maybe Paul heard the gist of the discussion from his teacher Gamaliel and then told it to Luke. Or there may have been secret sympathizers of the apostles in the council who “leaked” to them what was said and from whom Luke picked it up. Most probable is the suggestion that the substance of the discussion was inferred from what was said to Peter and John when they were brought back to the meeting. What is certain about the council’s response is that (1) they would have denied the miracle if they could, (2) they had no disposition to be convinced either by what had happened or by the apostles’ arguments, and (3) they felt the need of stopping the apostles’ activity and teaching and therefore proposed to take the measures allowed them by Jewish law.