Expositor's Bible Commentary Commentary Acts 5:28

"saying, We strictly charged you not to teach in this name: and behold, ye have filled Jerusalem with your teaching, and intend to bring this man`s blood upon us." — Acts 5:28 (ASV)

As the apostles stood before the Sanhedrin, the high priest (the president) began the interrogation by reminding the apostles of the council’s order for them to be silent, which obviously had not been complied with. It is uncertain whether Luke had in mind Annas or Caiaphas as leading the interrogation; while the latter was officially the high priest at the time, the former is assumed in the NT to be the real power behind the throne and continues to be called the high priest (cf. Lk 3:2). Formally, the high priest’s interrogation contains no questions but only points up the apostles’ refusal to obey the Sanhedrin’s earlier order (i.e., a charge of “contempt of court”). He also objects to their insistence on blaming the council for Jesus’ death (cf. 4:10). For the Sadducean leadership of the council, the uncontested charge of contempt of court was sufficient legal warrant for taking action against the apostles. With their vested interests, the Sadducees wanted only to preserve their own authority and put an end to the rising disturbance among the people. They evidently had no interest in determining the truth or falsity of the Christians’ claims. Their hardened attitude is manifest in their refusal to mention the name of Jesus (compare v.28 with 4:18) and in their spitting out the epithet “this man” when they had to refer directly to him.