John Calvin Commentary Acts 5:21

"And when they heard [this], they entered into the temple about daybreak, 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-house to have them brought." — Acts 5:21 (ASV)

And when the chief priest came. The chief priest calls all the council together now, lest, by giving honor only to his own sect and omitting others, he might find himself unable to bear the burden. Therefore, he is compelled by fear to call the multitude together, even though they diligently and strictly observe the form of law.

The elders who governed are called, so that nothing may be done except according to the decision and authority of the council. Who would not have hoped for a moderate outcome, seeing they began in this way? And surely they make whatever pretense they can, so that they might not seem to oppress the truth violently and tyrannically.

But when they hear that the apostles are teaching in the temple—even though they know that the apostles did not escape by human deceit, but miraculously—they still persist in their purpose. In this, horrible fury and lack of reason appear, along with ungodly behavior and contempt of God.

Therefore, the beautiful pretenses of right and equity never cover hypocrites so well that they do not eventually betray their wickedness. They must surely gather from all circumstances that the opening of the prison is the work of God, yet they do not hesitate to rage openly against God.

These things are also fitting for our time. We know how proudly the Papists boast of their maxim that lawful councils must be obeyed because they represent the Church. Moreover, they call those councils lawful, and insist on them being considered so, in which nothing is lacking concerning the external form.

And such a council was this of which Luke speaks here; yet, nevertheless, we know that it was gathered to extinguish the name of Christ.

For although the priests at that time crept into positions of honor by subtlety, or by excessive efforts to win human favor, or by other wicked schemes, or whether they forced their way into these same positions by bribery or murder, yet the dignity of the priesthood continued until Christ was revealed.

In the assembly of the elders, there was a representation of the Church; but where the truth of God is not sought, all outward appearance is nothing but a mere mask.

Therefore, it is futile for the Papists to cover their abominations with the shadow of this shield, because it is not sufficient for those who are rulers of the Church to be gathered together, unless they do this in the name of Christ.

Otherwise, since it is a common tactic of Satan to transform himself into an angel of light (2 Corinthians 11:14), we will grant him as suitable a cover under the title of the Church as he could wish.

He brought them without violence. We have spoken somewhat previously about the captain of the temple. For I do not think that it was lawful for the Jews to set up and appoint whomever they wished to rule the temple, but rather that the president of the province appointed one to have the government of the temple.

And he says that they were brought without violence—that is, they were not dragged violently—so that no tumult would arise. Thus, while they neither fear nor reverence God, they are afraid of men.

The apostles also show their modesty in this: that while they are accompanied by a great number of people, they allow themselves to be led away by the officers, so that they would not be authors of any tumult.