Acts 5:28

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.

Saying {G3004}, Did {G3853} not {G3756} we straitly {G3852} command {G3853} you {G5213} that ye should {G1321} not {G3361} teach {G1321} in {G1909} this {G5129} name {G3686}? and {G2532}, behold {G2400}, ye have filled {G4137} Jerusalem {G2419} with your {G5216} doctrine {G1322}, and {G2532} intend {G1014} to bring {G1863} this {G5127} man's {G444} blood {G129} upon {G1909} us {G2248}.

“We gave you strict orders not to teach in this name! Look here! you have filled Yerushalayim with your teaching; moreover, you are determined to make us responsible for this man’s death!”

“We gave you strict orders not to teach in this name,” he said. “Yet you have filled Jerusalem with your teaching and are determined to make us responsible for this man’s blood.”

saying, We strictly charged you not to teach in this name: and behold, ye have filled Jerusalem with your teaching, and intend to bring this man’s blood upon us.

In Acts 5:28, the High Priest confronts Peter and the other apostles, expressing frustration and anger at their continued teaching in the name of Jesus. This verse highlights the Sanhedrin's desperate attempt to suppress the burgeoning Christian movement and their underlying fear concerning Jesus' death.

Context

This confrontation occurs after the apostles, having been previously arrested and commanded not to teach in Jesus' name (Acts 4:18), were miraculously freed from prison by an angel. Despite the threat of severe punishment, they immediately returned to the Temple courts to continue proclaiming the Gospel. The Jewish leaders, specifically the High Priest and the Sadducees, were filled with indignation at their defiance and the rapid spread of their "doctrine" throughout Jerusalem.

Key Themes

  • Defiance of Human Authority for Divine Mandate: The Sanhedrin's accusation, "Did not we straitly command you that ye should not teach in this name?" underscores the apostles' deliberate disobedience to human decrees when those decrees conflicted with God's command. Their subsequent response in Acts 5:29 makes this principle clear: "We ought to obey God rather than men."
  • The Irrepressible Spread of the Gospel: The High Priest's lament, "ye have filled Jerusalem with your doctrine," testifies to the incredible power and effectiveness of the apostles' preaching. Despite official opposition, the message of Christ permeated the city, demonstrating that no human authority could stop the work of God.
  • Guilt and Responsibility for Christ's Death: The powerful phrase, "and intend to bring this man's blood upon us," reveals the Sanhedrin's deep-seated guilt and fear concerning their role in Jesus' crucifixion. This echoes the chilling self-curse of the crowd during Jesus' trial, "His blood be on us, and on our children" (Matthew 27:25). They understood that the apostles' teaching directly implicated them in an act they now feared had divine repercussions.

Linguistic Insights

  • "Straitly command": The Greek word is paraggello (παραγγέλλω), meaning to strictly or emphatically charge, command, or forbid. It conveys the forcefulness of their prior prohibition.
  • "This name": A dismissive and indirect reference to Jesus, avoiding uttering His name, yet acknowledging the power and authority associated with His identity.
  • "Bring this man's blood upon us": This is an idiomatic expression signifying accountability and guilt for someone's death. The Sanhedrin feared being held responsible, not just by public opinion, but by God Himself, for the unjust execution of Jesus.

Practical Application

Acts 5:28 offers timeless lessons for believers today. It challenges us to consider where our ultimate allegiance lies: with human institutions or with God's clear commands. It reminds us that the Gospel, empowered by the Holy Spirit, is inherently dynamic and cannot be contained by worldly opposition. Furthermore, it serves as a stark reminder of the consequences of rejecting truth and the enduring burden of guilt, even when suppressed. Believers are called to boldly proclaim Jesus' name, understanding that its message carries both salvation and accountability.

Note: Commentary was generated by an advanced AI, utilizing a prompt that emphasized Biblical fidelity over bias. We've found these insights to be consistently reliable, yet we always encourage prayerful discernment through the Holy Spirit. The Scripture text and cross-references are from verified, non-AI sources.

  • Matthew 27:25

    Then answered all the people, and said, His blood [be] on us, and on our children.

  • Acts 7:52

    Which of the prophets have not your fathers persecuted? and they have slain them which shewed before of the coming of the Just One; of whom ye have been now the betrayers and murderers:

  • Acts 4:18

    And they called them, and commanded them not to speak at all nor teach in the name of Jesus.

  • Acts 4:21

    So when they had further threatened them, they let them go, finding nothing how they might punish them, because of the people: for all [men] glorified God for that which was done.

  • Acts 4:10

    Be it known unto you all, and to all the people of Israel, that by the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth, whom ye crucified, whom God raised from the dead, [even] by him doth this man stand here before you whole.

  • Acts 4:11

    This is the stone which was set at nought of you builders, which is become the head of the corner.

  • 1 Kings 18:17

    ¶ And it came to pass, when Ahab saw Elijah, that Ahab said unto him, [Art] thou he that troubleth Israel?
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