The council are surprised not to find them in prison. children of Israel, 22 But when the officers came, and found them not in 63 Acts cil together, and all together all the members of the Sanhedrim, even SECT. the senate of the (as we have hinted several times before, that xi. and sent to the pristhe name signifies) the whole senate of the chilon to have them dren of Israel, being solicitous that there might v.21 brought. be as full a house as possible on so important an occasion: And when they were convened, they sent proper officers to the common prison to take charge of the apostles, and to have them brought into their presence, that the court might proceed to their examination and punishment. But when the officers came thither, to their great 22 surprise they found them not in the prison; and yet could not discover what way they had taken to make their escape, considering these circumstances that appeared on inquiry. Returning therefore to the council, they made their report, 23 Saying, The saying, We found indeed the prison shut with 23 prison truly found we all possible safety, and the keepers standing withand the keepers out as centinels before the doors; but having standing without be- opened [them,] and gone into the place in which fore the doors: but the prisoners had been put, and where we did when we had open- not doubt but we should find them, to our great astonishment we found no one within of those whom we sought. the prison, they returned and told, shut with all safety, ed, we found no man within. of them whereunto this would grow. 24 Now when the Now when the high priest, and the captain of 24 high priest, and the the temple, and the other chief priests who were captain of the temple, and the chief gathered together, heard these words, they priests heard these doubted concerning them, and knew not what to things, they doubted think of it how this could be; that is, whether they had procured their liberty by corrupting the keepers, or whether there might not be something miraculous in the deliverance of persons whom such extraordinary circumstan25 Then came one ces had attended. But one, who knew their 25 and told them, say- disappointment and the uneasiness it gave them, ing, Behold, the men whom ye put in pri- came into the court, and told them, saying, Beson, are standing in hold, the men whom ye put yesterday in prison, the temple, and are now standing in the temple, however they teaching the people. came thither, and are teaching the people assembled there with as much freedom and confidence as ever; which indeed does not look like a clandestine escape, which could only have been made with a view of flight and concealment. 26 Then went the captain with the of Then the captain of the temple went with the 26 ficers, and brought officers by the direction of the Sanhedrim, and them without vio- having found the apostles in the temple, brought lence: (for they fear- them away, but not by violence, for they feared ed the people, lest the people, lest if they had offered any violence 64 xi Acts They are taken again, and brought before the sanhedrim. SECT. in their presence, it might have so provoked they should have them that they should be stoned: For the people been stoned.) were so fully persuaded of a divine power env.26 gaged with the apostles, that they held their persons sacred, and would not have borne any open attack upon them: The apostles, on the other hand, were ready cheerfully to obey the summons, that they might repeat their testimo 27 ny to their divine Master. And accordingly 27 And when they the captain and those that attended him, when had brought them, they set them before they had brought them to the place where the the council: And the council was sitting, made a report of what they high priest asked had done, and set them before the Sanhedrim. them, And as soon as they appeared, the high priest, singling out Peter and John, who had so lately 28 been examined before them, asked them, Saying, 28 Saying, Did Did we not strictly charge you two in particu- not we straitly command you, that you lar but a very little while ago, and so in effect should not teach in all the rest of your company, that you should not, this name? And beon pain of our highest displeasure and the ut- hold, ye have filled most rigour of the law, teach any more in this Jerusalem with your name of Jesus of Nazareth? And behold, instead to bring this man's of regarding our admonition, or shewing any blood upon us. sense of the great lenity with which the court then treated you, you have been more busy and more daring than before in your seditious practices, so that you have filled Jerusalem with your doctrine; and it all centres in this, that you would bring the odium of this man's blood upon us, and would incense the populace against us, as if he were an innocent person whom we had murdered: So that it is no thanks to you, if we are not stoned, or torn in pieces by them, for that act of necessary justice, for such it was, which we were obliged to do upon him. 29 But Peter and [the rest of] the apostles, who were now all before them, answered and said, O ye senate of Israel, ye cannot but in your ought to obey God own consciences know, as we plainly declared rather than men. before this assembly when we received the charge now referred to, (chap. iv. 19) that it is absolutely fit and necessary to obey the almighty doctrine, and intend 29 Then Peter and the other apostles answered and said, We * They feared the people, lest they should ing temporal deliverance by their means, be stoned. This may seem a surprising (compare Acts i. 6) of which they were so change in the people, considering the exceeding fond, and a disappointment in eagerness with which they demanded their hope of which had turned their hosanthat Christ should be crucified. But it is ex- nahs into the cry, Crucify him, crucify him. ceeding probable, that, seeing the mighty See Mr. Lardner's Gredibility, Vol. I. p. power which wrought in the apostles, 179. they might entertain some hope of obtain Their answer to the charge exhibited against them. sus, whom ye slew and hanged on a tree. 65 xi. Acts 30 The God of our and ever blessed God, rather than men, be they SECT. fathers raised up Je- ever so great and powerful. We assuredly know, and we testify it to you as we have been testifying it to the people, that the God of our v. 30 fathers hath raised up Jesus his son, whom ye slew in the most infamous manner that ye could invent, hanging him crucified on a tree, as if he had been the meanest of slaves and the 31 Him hath God vilest of malefactors : But this very person, 31 exalted with his notwithstanding all the outrage with which you right hand, to be a treated him, hath God exalted at his own right prince and a Saviour, for to give repent- hand [to be] a Prince and Saviour to his people; ance to Israel, and to give repentance, or to send terms of peace forgiveness of sins. and reconciliation by him, even unto Israel, by whom he hath been so ungratefully insulted and abused, and to bestow on those that shall repent the free and full remission of all their 32 And we are his aggravated sins. And we are appointed his 32 witnesses of these witnesses of these things, how incredible soever things; and so is also the Holy Ghost, they may appear to you; and so is the Holy whom God hath Spirit also, whom God hath given, not only to us given to them that the apostles, but also to many others of them obey him. 33 When they cut to the heart, and who submit themselves to his government, most And the high priest and the Sadducees, when 33 heard that, they were they heard [this] courageous testimony and faithful remonstrance, were enraged beyond all measures of patience and of decency, so that they even grinded their teeth at them, like savage beasts that could gladly have devoured them; and with hearts full of rancour they d To give repentance unto Israel.] As re pentance was not actually wrought in Israel by the efficacious grace of Christ, I think it evident, that devas μlavorav here signifies to give place or room for repentance, just as the same phrase does in Josephus (Antiq. lib. xx. cap. 8, [al. 6,]§ 7), where he says, that the Jews rising up at Cæsarea in a tumultuous manner, the wiser people among them went to intercede with the governor δεναι μελανοιαν επι τοις πεπραμένοις, ie to publish a pardon to those who should lay down their arms; agreeable to the turn given to the expression in the paraphrase. The Holy Spirit also, whom God hath given to them that submit, &c.] The testi mony arising from this miraculous commu nication of the Spirit to Christians at that time, entirely removes the objection from Christ's not appearing in public after his resurrection: for, had there been any imposture, it had been easier of the two to have persuaded people at a distance, that he had so appeared to the Jewish rulers, or even to the multitude, and yet had been rejected, than that he had given his servants such extraordinary powers ; since, had this assertion been false, every one might have been a witness to the falsehood of such a pretence, without the trouble and expense of a journey to Jerusalem, or any other distant place. 66 The council consult how they may slay them. SECT. immediately consulted how they might put them took counsel to slay xi.. all to death, either under pretence of blasphe- them. Acts my, or for sedition and rebellion against the .33 supreme council of the state. 34 But a certain celebrated Pharisee then in the 34 Then stood Sanhedrim, whose name was Gamaliel, a doctor there up one in the of the law, who trained up a great number of named Gamaliel, a council, a Pharisee, young students in the most exact knowledge of doctor of law, had it, and was in great esteem among all the people in reputation among on account of his learning, wisdom, and piety, commanded to put all the people, and rose up; and as he purposed to speak his mind the apostles forth a with great freedom on a very tender point, he little space, commanded the apostles to be taken out for a little 35 while. And then addressing himself to his 35 And said unto brethren, the other members of the court, he said them, Ye men of unto them, Ye men of Israel, to whom Divine Israel, take heed to Providence has committed the guardianship of intend to do, as yourselves, what ye this people, and the great care of their public touching these men, affairs! I think it my duty, on this important occasion, seriously to advise you to take heed to yourselves, as to what you are about to do to these 36 men. For you cannot but know, that several 36 For before these remarkable occurrences have lately happened, days rose up Theuwhich have awakened a great degree of public to be some body, to das, boasting himself expectation and regard; and it may not be im-. proper to recollect some of them at this crisis. You particularly remember, that some time ago one Theudas arose, pretending himself to be some Gamaliel] This was the elder of that name, a man in so great honour among them, that Onkelos, the author of the Targum, is said to have burnt seventy pound weight of perfumes at his funeral: Nay it is said, the honour of the law failed with him. If he were really, as he is reported to have been, the author of those Prayers against Christians, so long used in the Jewish synagogues, he must have lost that moderation of temper which he manifested here; perhaps exasperated at the growth of the new sect, and the testimony so boldly borne by the apostles. He was Paul's master (Acts xxii. 3); and no doubt he informed that headstrong youth (for such he then was), of what now passed, and of many other things, which rendered his sin in persecuting the Christians so much the more aggravated. See Wits. Meletem. cap. 1, § 13, p. 12, 13; and Mr. Biscoe, at Boyle's Lect. chap. iii. § 9, p. 77, 78. One Theudas arose] As the Theudas mentioned by Josephus, (Antiq. lib. xx. cap. 5, [al. 2,] § 1) under the character of a false prophet, (who drew a great number of people after him, with a promise of dividing Jordan before them, but was defeated and beheaded, most of his followers being also slain and imprisoned) appeared when Fadus was procurator of Judea, that is, according to Capellus seven, or according to Dr. Whitby at least ten years after this was spoken, there can be no reference to him here. I am therefore ready to conclude with Dr. Lightfoot and Basnage, (whose opinion Mr. Lardner has so learnedly defended) that among the many leaders, who, as Josephus assures us, (Antiq. lib. xvii. cap. 10, [al. 11,]§ 4-8) took up arms in defence of the public liberties, when the grand enrolment and taxation were made by Cyrenius in the days of Archelaus, (see note on Luke ii. 2, Vol. I.) there was one called Theudas, which (as Grotius observes), was a very common name among the Jews. He seems to have been supported by smaller numbers than the Gamaliel cites some former cases to appease their rage. selves who was brought to nought. 67 xi. Acts V. 36 whom a number of extraordinary person, to whom a number of men, sECT. men, about four hun- amounting to about four hundred, adhered; who, dred, joined them- notwithstanding this, was himself quickly slain slain, and all, as ma- by the Roman forces, and all who hearkened to ny as obeyed him, him were scattered, and after all the boasting were scattered, and promises of their leader, came to nothing. 37 After this man After himh Judas the Galilean arose, in the days 37 rose up Judas of Gal of the late enrollment, and endeavouring on the ilee, in the days of principles of sacred liberty to dissuade the the taxing, and drew Jews from owning the authority of the Romans after him he also in that instance, he drew a multitude of people perished, and all, after him; and the consequence was, that he even as many as also himself was quickly destroyed, and all who obeyed him, were dispersed. had hearkened to him were dispersed. And 38 38 And now I say therefore with regard to the present affair I say unto you, Refrain unto you, and give it as my most serious and from these men, and deliberate advice now in the present crisis, refrain from these men, and let them alone to go away much people let them alone: For second of the name, and (as the second afterwards did), perished in the attempt: but, as his followers were dispersed, and not slaughtered, like those of the second Theudas, survivors might talk much of him, and Gamaliel might have been particularly in formed of his history, though Josephus only mentions it in general. Mr. Lardner, in his judicious remarks on this subject, has shewn, that there were many persons of the zame name, whose histories greatly resembled each other. See Lardner's Credib. of Gosp. Hist. Part. I. Book ii. chap. 7. And, as Judas might arise after Theudas, though the same enrollment might (as is supposed in the preceding note), occasion the insurrection of both, I see no need of departing from the usual rendering of the preposition pa in this construction, which every body knows is generally used to signify after. To connect μla 787 with the preceding verse (as some propose), is quite unnatural in grammar, as well as disagreeable to fact. i Judas the Galilean arose.] Josephus's account of this Judas Gaulonites, as he is generally called, may be seen in the beginning of the xviiith Book of his Antiquities. b After him.] Bos has taken great pains in his note on this text (Exerc. Sacr p. 75-78), to shew, that ula Talov may signify besides him, and even before him in this *All who had hearkened to him were disconnection with go wv negav, which he persed.] Mr. Lardner justly observes, this would render of late days. (Compre Acts does not imply they were destroyed, and xxi. 38.) This he observes in favour of his imagines, that though Gamaliel would not interpretation of ver. 36, which he supposes directly assert it, yet he insinuates (agreeto refer to the Theudas of Josephus, whose ably to his principles, as a Pharisee), that insurrection he thinks must have happen- perhaps Judas the Galilean, as well as the ed before this speech of Gamaliel. But, as apostles, might be actuated by some divine Beza and many others have abundantly impulse, and that in one instance, as well as proved, that this would quite overturn the the other, the doctrine might survive, when chronology either of St. Luke or of Jose- the teachers were taken off. (See Lardner's phus, I conclude, that the very indeter- Credibility, Part I. Book ii. chap. 1, § 3.) minate expression go v egy in the But the argument will be good on the compreceding verse is most safely rendered some mon interpretation; and, as the word here time ago, which, especially in an assembly used dogionσav, especially in this conof aged men (as no doubt many of this coun- nection, most naturally implies a calamicil were), might well be used in reference tous and disappointing dispersion, I appreto an affair, which, though it happened hend, that, had it been intended in the more than twenty years before, must be fresh sense my learned and much esteemed in most of their memories. (See Mr. Lard- friend supposes, the present tense would ner's Credibility, Part I. Book ii. chap. 7.) rather have been used. |