Acts 5:22

5:17-25 There is no prison so dark, so strong, but God can visit his people in it, and, if he pleases, fetch them out. Recoveries from sickness, releases out of trouble, are granted, not that we may enjoy the comforts of life, but that God may be honoured with the services of our life. It is not for the preachers of Christ's gospel to retire into corners, as long as they can have any opportunity of preaching in the great congregation. They must preach to the lowest, whose souls are as precious to Christ as the souls of the greatest. Speak to all, for all are concerned. Speak as those who resolve to stand to it, to live and die by it. Speak all the words of this heavenly, divine life, in comparison with which the present earthly life does not deserve the name. These words of life, which the Holy Ghost puts into your mouth. The words of the gospel are the words of life; words whereby we may be saved. How wretched are those who are vexed at the success of the gospel! They cannot but see that the word and power of the Lord are against them; and they tremble for the consequences, yet they will go on.

But when the officers came,.... The Arabic version adds, "to it"; that is, to the prison; and found them not in the prison. The Vulgate Latin version reads, "the prison being opened they found them not"; when they came to the prison, they opened the doors of it, or the keepers for them; for though the angel had opened them for the apostles, yet he shut them again, as he brought them out; for these men found the doors shut, as the following verse shows, and who upon opening them and searching the prison, for the apostles, could find none of them in it; wherefore they returned; the Arabic version reads, "to them"; to the sanhedrim: and told; that is, them, as both the Arabic and Ethiopic versions read.

Early in the morning - Greek: at the break of day. Compare Luke 24:1 ; John 8:2 . Called the council together - The Sanhedrin, or the Great Council of the nation. This was clearly for the purpose of "trying" the apostles for disregarding their commandments. And all the senate - Greek: "eldership." Probably these were not a part of the Sanhedrin, but were people of age and experience, who in Acts 4:8; Acts 25:15, are called "elders of the Jews," and who were present for the sake of counsel Canal advice in a case of emergency.

Acts 5:22 . ὑπηρέται : apparently some of the Temple guard, Acts 5:26 ; see above on ὁ στρατηγός Acts 4:1 , and Edersheim, Temple and its Services , pp. 119, 120. In the N.T. the word is not used of the military.— ἀναστρέψαντες : used only here in this sense ( Acts 15:16 is not strictly a parallel), cf. LXX, Genesis 8:9 , 1 Kings 21(20):5, and frequently.

Acts 22:1 . Πατέρες , Fathers ) There were present high priests and elders.— νυνὶ , now ) Heretofore they had not heard him by reason of the tumult. His defence looks back to ch. Acts 21:28 ; for as there, so also here, mention is made of the person of Paul, Acts 22:3 ; of the people and of the law, Acts 22:3 ; Acts 22:5 ; Acts 22:12 ; of the temple, Acts 22:17 ; of the teaching of all men, Acts 22:15-17 ; Acts 22:21 ; and of the truth of the doctrine taught, Acts 22:6 , etc. Moreover he handles these topics with much energy, as his time was limited.