him, and called the council together, and all the senate of the children of Israel, and sent to the prison to have them brought. 22 But when the officers came, and found them not in the prison, they returned, and told, 23 saying, The prison truly found we shut with all safety, and the keepers standing without before the doors: but when we had opened, we found no man within. 24 Now when the high priest and the captain of the temple and the chief priests heard these things, they doubted of them whereunto this would grow. 25 Then came one and told them, saying, Behold, the men whom ye put in prison are standing in the temple, and teaching the people. 26 Then went the captain with the officers, and brought them without violence: for they feared the people, lest they should have been stoned. 27 And when they had brought them, they set them before the council: and the high priest asked them, 28 saying, Did not we straitly command you that ye should not teach in this name? and, behold, ye have filled Jerusalem with your doctrine, and intend to bring this man's blood upon us. 29 Then Peter and the other apostles answered and said, We ought to obey God rather than men. 30 The God of our fathers raised up Jesus, whom ye slew and hanged on a tree. 31 Him hath God exalted with his right hand to be a Prince and a Saviour, for to give repentance to Israel, and forgiveness of sins. 32 And we are his witnesses of these things; and so is also the Holy Ghost, whom God hath given to them that obey him.

21. The Council, i.e. the Sanhedrin. See iv. 5, note. All the senate, i.e. the elders, who acted as Sanhedrin.

24. The captain of the Temple. See iv. I, note.

assessors to the

They doubted of them. R.V., 'they were much perplexed concern. ing them'. 'Doubt' used to have this meaning in old English. 28. Did we not straitly command you? i.e. in iv. 18. Straitly='strictly' (iv. 17).

Doctrine, i.e. 'teaching' (R. V. ii. 42).

29. We ought to obey. The Greek is stronger than 'ought': 'we must obey,' R.V.

30. Hanged on a tree. A rather unusual expression for the Cross. It is used by St. Peter again in x. 39 and also in his First Epistle, ii. 24. These small touches are proofs that these speeches are really those delivered by the speakers, and not composed by St. Luke (see p. 17, (4) ). Much importance, however, cannot be given to this particular phrase, as it is used also by St. Paul in xiii. 29, and in Galatians iii. 13.

Speech of Gamaliel: release of the Apostles (33-42) 33 When they heard that, they were cut to the heart, and took counsel to slay them. 34 Then stood there up one in the council, a Pharisee, named Gamaliel, a doctor of the law, had in reputation among all the people, and commanded to put the apostles forth a little space; 35 and said unto them, Ye men of Israel, take heed to yourselves what ye intend to do as touching these men. 36 For before these days rose up Theudas, boasting himself to be somebody; to whom a number of men, about four hundred, joined themselves: who was slain; and all, as many as obeyed him, were scattered, and brought to nought. 37 After this man rose up Judas of Galilee in the days of the taxing, and drew away much people after

Speech of Gamaliel : release of the Apostles.

33. Took counsel. R. V., 'were minded', i.e. 'wished' or 'intended', reading a different word in Greek.

34. Gamaliel, a doctor (z.e. teacher') of the law. He was a very celebrated Pharisean Rabbi, or teacher, the grandson of another celebrated Rabbi, Hillel. The Jews had a saying that 'after Gamaliel died there was no more reverence for the law'. St. Paul was one of his pupils (xxii. 3), and he bears witness to the extreme zeal of Gamaliel's teaching in xxvi. 5.

Tradition says that he was a secret Christian: but here he seems rather to wish (a) to gain a victory over their opponents, the Sadducees; (b) to enlist on the popular (Pharisean) side the zeal of the Apostles, because of their influence with the people. Notice that it is not till vii.-viii. I that the Pharisees become hostile to Christianity.

36. Theudas. The mention of Theudas in this speech of Gamaliel has given rise to a well-known difficulty. For Josephus, the Jewish historian, mentions a Theudas who 'boasted himself to be' a prophet and was killed by the procurator who came in the place of Herod Agrippa I. after his death in A.D. 44. This Theudas therefore made his rising at least twelve years after this speech of Gamaliel.

Either therefore (1) St. Luke has made a mistake, and did not know when this Theudas lived, or (2) St. Luke is alluding to another Theudas. Certainly Josephus mentions many similar risings at this time, and Theudas is a contraction for various names like Theodotos, Theodorus, etc., or, very probably, (3) the name Theudas was inserted into the account of Josephus by a Christian, in order to make Josephus' account agree with that given here. It is known that insertions were made in Josephus by Christians.

37. Judas of Galilee in the days of the taxing: or rather 'enrolment', R. V. About this Judas there is no doubt. He was the founder of the 'Zealots' (i. 13, note on 'Simon the Canaanite'). When Archelaus (a son of Herod the Great who had been made ruler of Judæa) was deposed by the Romans in A.D. 6, the prefect of Syria, Quirinius, was sent to make an 'enrolment for the purpose of taxation, as Judæa

him he also perished; and all, even as many as obeyed him, were dispersed. 38 And now I say unto you, Refrain from these men, and let them alone: for if this counsel or this work be of men, it will come to nought: 39 but if it be of God, ye cannot overthrow it; lest haply ye be found even to fight against God. 40 And to him they agreed: and when they had called the apostles, and beaten them, they commanded that they should not speak in the name of Jesus, and let them go. 41 And they departed from the presence of the council, rejoicing that they were counted worthy to suffer shame for his name. 42 And daily in the temple, and in every house, they ceased not to teach and preach Jesus Christ.

CHAPTER VI

The Ordination of 'the Seven' (1-7)

1And in those days, when the number of the disciples was multiplied, there arose a murmuring of the Grecians against was to be made into a Roman province. As the Jews regarded their land as held directly from God, they thought this 'enrolment' of property to be a profanation, and rose under this Judas.

The rising was eventually put down after severe fighting, and Judas and many of his party killed.

But the party of Zealots which he founded lived on after him, causing many collisions with Rome, and eventually led to the overthrow of Jerusalem. They were drawn from the extreme part of the Phariseesthe popular party.

[There had been an 'enrolment' ten years before this at the time of the birth of our Lord, B.C. 4 (St. Luke ii. 2), but that is not what is referred to here.]

39. Haply, i.e. perhaps.

42. In every house. R. V., 'at home', so in ii. 46.

Preach Jesus Christ. This does not bring out the full force of the original: it should be to 'tell the good news [gospel] of Jesus as the Christ, or Messiah'. Even the R. V. has not the full meaning.

17-42. Notice the differences between this second arrest and trial of the

Apostles before the Sanhedrin and the first given in iv. 1-21. (a) The arrest is more formal; (b) all the Apostles are imprisoned; (c) 'the angel of the Lord' delivers them; (d) the feelings of the Pharisees are given; (e) the Apostles are punished.

SECTION II. Chapters vi.-xii.

Extension of the Church to Antioch, and admission of the Gentiles. The ordination of 'the Seven'.

1. In those days. An interval of time separates chapter v. from chapter vi. It is clear that the Church had greatly increased. Hence the need for the appointment of fresh officers.

Grecians, i.e.Grecian Jews'. R. V., the 'Jews of the dispersion'

the Hebrews, because their widows were neglected in the daily ministration. Then the twelve called the multitude of the disciples unto them, and said, It is not reason that we should leave the word of God, and serve tables. 3 Wherefore, 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. But we will give ourselves continually to prayer, and to the ministry of the word. And 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: whom they set before the apostles: and when they had prayed, they laid their hands on them. "And the word of God increased; and the number of the disciples multiplied in Jerusalem greatly; and a great company of the priests were obedient to the faith.

(ii. 5-11) scattered throughout countries where Greek was usually spoken. Here of course it means those Grecian Jews who had become Christians: just as the Hebrews are the Jews born in Palestine who had become Christians. These 'Grecians' are to be carefully distinguished from 'Greeks', as in xvi. 1, 3, and (according to R. V.) xi. 20. By Greeks' are meant all nations not Jews who had adopted the Greek language and customs.

The daily ministration. As we have seen in iv. 35, 'distribution was made unto every man according as he had need' out of the money which had been laid by the wealthier 'at the Apostles' feet': further in ii. 46 we see that they had their common meal together (the 'agape'). As 'the number of the disciples was multiplying' greatly, the care of all this 'daily ministration' would press heavily upon the Apostles, and 'murmuring was almost inevitable.

2. It is not reason. R.V., 'It is not fit'.

Serve tables. Probably refers both (1) literally to serving at the tables at the common meal (ii. 46), (2) at the distribution of money. Compare 'the tables of the money-changers'.

5. Of the seven' we hear a great deal of Stephen (vi. 8-viii. 2) and of Philip (viii. 8-40 and xxi. 8), but nothing of any of the rest, unless Nicolas be the founder of the 'Nicolaitans in Revelation ii. 6, which is improbable. Their names being all Greek, possibly they were all Grecians', but as Greek names were common amongst the Jews (e.g. Philip), this is not certain.

A proselyte. Compare ii. 10, note.

7. A great company of the priests. At first sight it is surprising to find a number of priests amongst the converts, but (1) their conversion would not interfere with their attendance in the Temple (ii. 46); (2) there was a great gulf between the ordinary priests (of whom there were probably over 4,000) and the chief priests. The latter oppressed the

Ministry of Stephen: his Arrest: the Accusation against him (8-15)

And Stephen, full of faith and power, did great wonders and miracles among the people. Then there arose certain of the synagogue, which is called the synagogue of the Liber

former, and so the ordinary priests were quite ready to act in opposition to their superiors.

1-7. Two questions arise out of this appointment of the seven': (1) to what office were they appointed? (2) the method of their appointment.

(1) As to their office :-(a) It is generally stated that they were deacons', and they are so described by early Christian writers. But (1) the work of Stephen and Philip (of whom alone we have any information) is not described for the most part as serving at tables', indeed Philip is expressly called an 'evangelist' (xxi. 8); (2) they are nowhere called 'deacons' in the Acts. But it must be admitted that the words connected with deacon and translated 'ministration', 'ministry', and 'to serve' are used throughout this section. (b) Others therefore think that they are the same as elders', or 'presbyters'. And certainly later on (xi. 30) we find 'elders' doing the work of 'serving at tables'. But on the whole the main work of the 'presbyters' whom St. Paul appointed in all the Gentile churches was more than this. Therefore, (c) probably they are an order by themselves, neither exactly the later 'elders' nor 'deacons': just as the Apostles are an order by themselves. 'The seven', therefore, are parallel to the twelve'. Their functions soon ceased, and we hear nothing later of them.

(2) The method of their appointment. (1) The Apostles laid down that they were to be, (a) of good report; (b) full of the Spirit; (c) full of wisdom. (2) The election is then left to the multitude of the disciples'. (3) They are ordained by the Apostles, (a) by prayer; (6) by ‘laying on of hands'. That this conveyed some additional spiritual gifts (such as described in 2 Tim. i. 6) seems clear from verse 8.

Ministry of Stephen: his arrest: the accusation against him. 8. Full of faith. R.V. reading a different word, 'full of grace'. 9. Called the synagogue of . What is meant generally is clear, viz. that these 'Grecians' (Jews of the dispersion) (ii. 8-11) had synagogues of their own, which they used when at Jerusalem. What is not so clear is whether there were (a) only two synagogues, one of the 'Libertines, Cyrenians, and Alexandrians', and one of them of Cilicia and Asia', or (b) five synagogues, one for each class. The Greek would certainly suggest the first view, but it is difficult to believe that 'Libertines, Cyrenians, and Alexandrians' combined in having one synagogue if the received explanation of Libertines is correct.

Libertines: (1) Generally explained as 'libertini', i.e. freed-men, those Jews who had been carried captive to Rome by Pompey in B. C. 63, and had subsequently obtained their freedom. If this explanation is correct, it is difficult to imagine them combining in one synagogue with Cyrenians and Alexandrians.

(2) Men of 'Libertum', which is supposed to be a place in North