IN the third chapter the people had been exhorted to repent, that they might as a nation be forgiven, and that all that had been spoken by the prophets of blessing to them and to the whole earth might have its fulfillment: but just as the apostles had brought them to this point, and they were waiting for their repentance, a company carne forth upon them from the hierarchical authorities in the temple, and a stop was put to the further preaching by the arrest of the preachers.
There had been a great accession of individuals to the apostles' fellowship, but now an opportunity is to be given the nation through its rulers to receive or reject the testimony of Jesus.
1. THE ARREST.— The hostility of the nation to the preaching of Christ with the Holy Ghost appears for the first time since Pentecost, instead of its repentance "And as they were speaking to the people, the priests and captain of the temple and the Sadducees carne upon them, being distressed on account of their teaching the people, and preaching by Jesus the resurrection from among [the] dead. And they laid hands on them, and put them in ward till the morrow: for it was already evening" (verses 1-3).
It is "speaking to the people"—not preaching fine orations over their heads—that converts souls in thousands from the world to Christ (verse 4), and at the same time calls forth the hostility of the hierarchy and the unbelieving world, who refuse to bow before the name of Jesus, humble themselves in repentance and confession, and accept forgiveness of their sins. The panties who carne upon them were "the priests, the captain of the temple, and the Sadducees:" but they were chiefly, if not all, belonging to the Jewish hierarchy.
The priestly chiefs, with the leader of the Levitical guard of the temple, and the elders and rulers, are believed to have been generally Sadducean at that time (Acts 5:1717Then the high priest rose up, and all they that were with him, (which is the sect of the Sadducees,) and were filled with indignation, (Acts 5:17)); and (as in our day Broad Church views) seem to have become the prevailing party they having got rid of Christ, as they had thought; for though the Sadducees were fewer in number, their influence was very great, just as now with Rationalists. Josephus says: "Their opinions were received by few but by those of the greatest dignity.”
The Pharisees were the chief adversaries of a living Christ, because He exposed their traditions, superstitions, and hypocrisy; the Sadducees were the chief opponents of the preaching of a risen Christ, because if it were proved that He rose from the dead, the doctrine of the resurrection and a future state of rewards and punishments were thereby proved, and their creed shown to be false. And of this preaching of Peter the resurrection of Jesus had been the central theme. The priests were distressed at their teaching the people without any authorization, being common men and not masters in Israel; and the Sadducees were distressed because of their preaching through Jesus as an example of the resurrection from the dead.
Baumgarten says, " The priests were displeased that men who had proceeded from no school should nevertheless take upon themselves the task of public teaching, and should, by so doing, appear to derogate from the dignity of the priestly office (Mal. 2:77For the priest's lips should keep knowledge, and they should seek the law at his mouth: for he is the messenger of the Lord of hosts. (Malachi 2:7)). On the contrary, the captain of the temple, instead of inquiring into the cause of the phenomenon, allows himself to be carried away by appearances, and sees, in the excitement which the presence of the apostles had caused among the people, symptoms of danger to public tranquility. And, finally, the Sadducees, who ought to have been converted from the error of infidelity by the evidence of the resurrection of Jesus, remained firm in their unbelief, and wished to put that conflicting testimony to silence. These men, of whom the greater part held office, and were of repute in Israel, had, before all others, a call to take to heart the mighty wonder and its impressive significance, and to lead the people along the path pointed out by the apostles. But instead of fulfilling the duties of their station in Israel, they clung each one to his own prejudices, and allowed personal considerations to triumph over all that their rank and position demanded of them. Abusing the influence that had been given them, they cast the apostles in prison.”
Calvin says, "The moment evangelical truth rises, Satan rises to meet it in all possible ways, and puts everything in motion to kill it in the bud.”
“The cross always accompanies the true gospel," says Jonas.
Starke says truly, “When Christ accomplishes a good work through His apostles, Satan also soon presents himself, attended by his apostles, who belong both to the laity and clergy. In any attempt to inflict an injury on true Christianity, Pharisaic priests are willing to avail themselves of the aid even of Herodians or Sadducees (Matt. 22:15, 1615Then went the Pharisees, and took counsel how they might entangle him in his talk. 16And they sent out unto him their disciples with the Herodians, saying, Master, we know that thou art true, and teachest the way of God in truth, neither carest thou for any man: for thou regardest not the person of men. (Matthew 22:15‑16)). Pride, self-interest, and envy, teach men to hate the truth on account of its friends, and to hate its friends on account of the truth.”
"And they laid hands on them, and put them in, hold." Such is the experience of the gospel; it offers mercy to the world, and receives evil in return (Psa. 109:66Set thou a wicked man over him: and let Satan stand at his right hand. (Psalm 109:6)). This is the course adopted by the ungodly and hypocritical; they resort, not to arguments, but to violence and carnal weapons. When they have no arguments they inflict blows; when they have no proofs they produce fetters.
What drew out all this opposition? Especially the word respecting Jesus the Risen One. The world is willing to endure moral lectures, or even abstract evangelical truth. But when Jesus Christ, personally, the Crucified and Risen One, is proclaimed, the opposition of the natural heart is aroused. And yet all that is precious to the believing heart is found in Christ personally. In the "hold," Peter might now reflect on his words to Jesus, "Lord, I am ready to go with thee into prison" (Luke 22:3333And he said unto him, Lord, I am ready to go with thee, both into prison, and to death. (Luke 22:33)); the time had in part come of which Christ had spoken to him, "Thou shalt follow me afterward" (John 13:3636Simon Peter said unto him, Lord, whither goest thou? Jesus answered him, Whither I go, thou canst not follow me now; but thou shalt follow me afterwards. (John 13:36)). This was the first night in prison for the two apostles of Christ, Peter and John:— all for being "witnesses of His resurrection." "For it was already evening.”
Hence if it were about six o'clock, and they began to preach shortly after three, chapter iii. can only contain an outline of Peter's address; the preaching must have gone on for more than two hours; and the result of that preaching was most blessed in its effect on the hearers, though it led to the arrest and imprisonment of the apostles "the word of God is not bound;" and thousands of souls were converted.
"But many of those who had heard the word believed, and the number of the men had become about five thousand" (verse 4). The last number we read of was "about three thousand souls" (2:41). Subsequently, after other accessions (chaps. 5:14, 6:1, 7), they became several myriads: chap. 21:20, "Thou seest how many myriads of Jews there are who believe." The number of the men here is said to have been about five thousand, which takes in the whole of the men who had been added to the Church since the day of Pentecost; and supposing the women and children were as many, about ten thousand would now be professing faith in Christ.
The truth may be oppressed, but it cannot be suppressed "Many believed" the word about Jesus and were saved. Believed! why should this not be enough now to tell that the soul has passed from death to life? Dr. J. A. Alexander says well: "This is one of the standing scriptural expressions for the saving change described in modern religious phraseology as getting religion, becoming pious, becoming a Christian, or obtaining a pope, with respect to all which innovations on the Primitive Church dialect, it may well be said, the old is better they believed.”
Why should not the priestly party rejoice that such a great work of grace was making a stir at their temple gates? Because (1) it was not under their direction and control; and (2) because it brought in a new religion that gave life from the dead in connection with a risen Saviour, and a religion of vitality and reality was distasteful to dead, formal, Sadducean ecclesiastics, as it is ta such to this day.
2. THE EXAMINATION.— "And it came to pass on the morrow, that their rulers, and elders, and scribes› were gathered together at Jerusalem, and Annas the high, priest, and Caiaphas, and John, and Alexander, and as many as were of high priestly family and having placed them in, the midst, they inquired, in what power, and in what name, have ye done this?" (verses 5-7).
“When an injury may be inflicted on Jesus and the Church, the ungodly are always ready to assemble: they are willing to dispense with sleep and all other comforts." —Starke.
This was now a time of unusual importance. The Sanhedrim, the great national council, meets early in the morning to try the preachers of Jesus and the resurrection, and who were working wonders in His name in Israel. We have four of the council mentioned by name. Of these, the first two are Annas and Caiaphas—names evidently of no good omen, for it was while these two high priests were in authority that the gospel had begun its course (Luke 3:22Annas and Caiaphas being the high priests, the word of God came unto John the son of Zacharias in the wilderness. (Luke 3:2)), and had ended so shamefully for Israel in the death of Jesus (John 18:1313And led him away to Annas first; for he was father in law to Caiaphas, which was the high priest that same year. (John 18:13); Matt. 26:33Then assembled together the chief priests, and the scribes, and the elders of the people, unto the palace of the high priest, who was called Caiaphas, (Matthew 26:3)). The question to be decided was the grave one, Whether the apostles were to be regarded as prophets of God or seducers to idolatry (Deut. 13, also 1.); and the Sanhedrim was the proper court to try them. It was composed of (1) high priests; (2) elders of the people; and (3) scribes. The generic name for the whole of them was "rulers." The sitting seems to have been held in the city, not in the temple: "in Jerusalem.”
“In what power, and in what name, have ye done this?" Evidently they had been listening to Peter's discourse, or else they had received a full report of it, for in asking that question they use two of his most prominent words, power and name (chap. 3:6, 12, 16). It has been started as an objection, Why, when they were so annoyed at the preaching, do they not inquire with regard to it but of the miracle out of which as an occasion it sprang?
They knew that the miracle had been wrought: it was indeed publicly known; and the healed cripple was before them. They asked by what power, and by what name, that they might lay a snare for them, and if they had used the name of Jesus for Jehovah construe it into a perverting to idolatry (Deut. 13), since they thought that the name of Jehovah and Jesus could be shown to be distinct; and thus they had got here the established test of false prophecy. This seems to account for the Sanhedrim proceeding at once to the question of the miracle, little thinking what turn the Spirit of Jesus in Peter would give the saving name. "By what power" does not refer to authority, but power in its literal meaning. "Name" has the same meaning as in chap. 3:6, 16. How solemn for the apostles to stand before the same godless men, and on the same spot, as Jesus had stood two months before! How literally they were His witnesses"! This high-priestly interrogator, in the very question, "Have you done this?" testifies to the great deed done, and that these people did it, and also the name and power by which it was done! Besides, they do not affirm so boldly as before that in performing the miracle the name of a man had been substituted for that of God, after all that had happened (John 10:33;19:733The Jews answered him, saying, For a good work we stone thee not; but for blasphemy; and because that thou, being a man, makest thyself God. (John 10:33)
7The Jews answered him, We have a law, and by our law he ought to die, because he made himself the Son of God. (John 19:7)).
3. PETER'S ANSWER BEFORE THE COUNCIL.— "Then Peter, filled with, [the] Holy Spirit, said to them, Rulers of the people and elders of Israel, if we this day are called on to answer as to the good deed [done] to the infirm man, how he has been cured, be it known to you all, and to all the people of Israel, that in the name of Jesus Christ, the Nazarœan, whom ye have crucified, whom God has raised from among [the] dead, by Him this man stands here before you sound [in, body]" (verses 8-10).
The apostle Peter now, as a prisoner, gets an opportunity to preach to the Sanhedrim, what he never could have got them to hear had Satan not stirred them up to arrest him; so the enemy here outwits himself; and the nation in the persons of its heads are brought face to face with their wicked deed in refusing the Christ of God, and have an opportunity of repenting unto salvation.
The condition of the apostle is noteworthy— "Peter, filled with, the Holy Ghost," at that very moment and for his exigency as Christ's witness. "The power which was dwelling in him put itself forth," says Bengel. He did not come from heaven to fill him; but, having come once for all from heaven to form the Church and abide in it, He at present filled Peter for this important witness-bearing with all needed wisdom, propriety of speech, and boldness as He had done before (chap. 2:4), and did afterward (chap. 4: 31). There was the habitual fullness of the Spirit (πλήζης), full, as Acts 6:3, 53Wherefore, brethren, look ye out among you seven men of honest report, full of the Holy Ghost and wisdom, whom we may appoint over this business. (Acts 6:3)
5And the saying pleased the whole multitude: and they chose Stephen, a man full of faith and of the Holy Ghost, and Philip, and Prochorus, and Nicanor, and Timon, and Parmenas, and Nicolas a proselyte of Antioch: (Acts 6:5). Stephen full of faith, and of the Holy Ghost; and the special or transitory being filled (πλησθεὶς) as here: and this was for a special purpose; and in Peter's case it was very sweet, as being the fulfillment of his Master's words. "They shall deliver you up to the councils." "It shall be given you in that same hour what ye shall speak." "The Spirit of your Father speaketh in you." This was evidently "the Holy Ghost bearing witness," for He combines the wisdom of the serpent with the harmlessness of the dove—the courage of the ion and the patience of the lamb. Both how and what ye shall speak were given him. He addresses them with respect, as the rulers of the people and elders of Israel, recognizing them in their official dignity. His testimony was in substance—1. That a good deed, not an injury, had been done to an impotent man; 2. That the man had indeed been cured, saved, as the word is, and he himself being present was the living witness of it; 3. That the power to heal and to save was in Jesus of Nazareth, the dead and risen one (verses 10, 12); 4. That outside of this saving name there is none other. "If we this day" —have we lived to see the day when men shall be called in question for their good deeds! "A good deed done to an impotent man," are we to be questioned for that! Jesus had said to the angry Jews in Solomon's porch, "Many good works have I shown to you, for which of there works do ye stone me?" (John 10:3232Jesus answered them, Many good works have I showed you from my Father; for which of those works do ye stone me? (John 10:32)). Here Peter says in effect, "Surely it is permitted by the rulers to do good in Israel?" (Matt. 12:1212How much then is a man better than a sheep? Wherefore it is lawful to do well on the sabbath days. (Matthew 12:12)). "Through whom he is made whole"—is saved, is the word. (He means it not in the sense of the double saving of soul and body, but only of the body.)
"Be it known" to you all, and to all the people of Israel, etc. This expression, as we have already said, is peculiar to the Acts, and it occurs repeatedly (chapter 2:14, 36; 4:10; 13:38; 28:28). This is the great word of the Gospel, "Be it known to you" that there is healing and salvation in the name of Jesus. They are charged with crucifying Him: God has raised Mm from the dead. "In the name of Jesus Christ the Nazarœan, doth, this man stand before you while." What a solemn contrast!— "Whom ye crucified.”
“Whom God raised from the dead:" this is continued, while reference is made to Christ as the Stone of former Scriptures—
"This is the stone which has been set at nought by you the builders:
“Which is become the head of the comer. And salvation, is in none other: for neither is there another name under heaven which, is given, among men by which we must be saved" (verses 11, 12).