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Bede

Late Patristic · AD 500–800 · 6,271 passages across 45 books

Commentary

1,221–1,240 of 6,271
Acts 5:19

But the angel of the Lord by night opened the prison doors, and brought them forth, and said,

But the angel of the Lord opened the doors of the prison by night, etc. So that Thomas might not doubt it was the Lord bearing flesh and bones, whom he had seen entering while the doors were closed, behold, He Himself with his companions, still clothed in mortal flesh, went out through closed doors.
Acts 5:23

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.

We found the prison indeed closed with all diligence, and the guards standing before the doors; but opening it, we found no one inside. Why, profane Jew, are you driven by blind madness, saying that the apostles stole the Lord from the tomb? Say, I ask, do you believe the same apostles were stolen from your closed prison by theft?
Acts 5:24 · 2 passages

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.

They were in doubt about what would happen to them. They were not willing to give themselves to faith even in this way. For inborn malice hardens an unfaithful heart even against manifest signs.
But when the temple magistrates and the chief priests heard these words, they were perplexed about what was to happen concerning them. And here "magistrate" should be read in singular form, as also in the following passages where it says: Then the magistrate went into the temple with the ministers. For the Greek exemplar has "στρατηγὸς," that is, "praetor," in the singular in both places. It should be noted that this passage has more in Greek, for it is written thus: But when the priests heard these words, as well as the temple magistrate and the chief priests, they were amazed and perplexed about them, wondering what this might mean.
Acts 5:27-28

And when they had brought them, they set them before the council: and the high priest asked them,

And the high priest questioned them, saying: Did we not strictly command you, etc. In the Greek it is more consistent: Did we not strictly command you? For it is more fitting for one questioning to speak thus.
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.

You want to bring this man’s blood upon us. The high priest forgot the obligation he had imprecated on himself and his own, saying: His blood be on us and on our children.
Acts 5:29

Then Peter and the other apostles answered and said, We ought to obey God rather than men.

We must obey God rather than men. It is read interrogatively in Greek: Should we obey God rather than men? and the Apostles fittingly refuted the foolish and rash questioning of the high priest with a firm and prudent response.
Acts 5:30

The God of our fathers raised up Jesus, whom ye slew and hanged on a tree.

The God of our fathers raised up Jesus. In Greek, it has His Child Jesus, according to the psalmist: Give power to your child; save the son of your handmaid (Psalm 85).
Acts 5:32

And we are his witnesses of these things; and so is also the Holy Ghost, whom God hath given to them that obey him.

And we are witnesses of these words, and the Holy Spirit whom God gave to all who obey Him. We are witnesses because we have seen the glory of His resurrection, because we have followed with our eyes as He ascended into the heavens. The Holy Spirit is also a witness, because as we proclaim to you the great works of God with unyielding proclamation, He has strengthened us with His presence, He has formed these words in us as He speaks within us. And this is what the Lord promised them, saying: But when the Comforter comes, whom I will send to you from the Father, the Spirit of truth, who proceeds from the Father, He will bear witness of me, and you will bear witness (John 15), that is, He by inspiring you to speak, and you by providing outward testimony, will bear witness of me.
Acts 5:34 · 2 passages

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;

But a certain Pharisee named Gamaliel rose in the council. This Gamaliel, as Clement indicates, was a companion in faith with the apostles, but remaining with the Jews by their counsel, so that he might calm their madness in such a commotion.
Then stood up one in the council, a Pharisee named Gamaliel, a doctor of the law, etc. Of this Gamaliel, we read in the book of Saint Clement, that he was secretly a disciple of the apostles, but by their counsel, he was commanded to remain among the Jews to mitigate their fury where necessity required; but this has been most certainly made known today as a true account through the revelation of the relics of the most blessed protomartyr Stephen, which was made widely known to the Church of Christ through the divine dispensation by the same man. For he appeared in a vision to the holy servant of God and priest Lucian, as the same priest Lucian later wrote to all the Churches; and he taught most sweetly where Saint Stephen was buried, along with Nicodemus, who buried the Lord with Joseph, as well as Gamaliel himself with his son Abibam.
Acts 5:36

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.

For before these days Theudas rose up, etc. This Theudas persuaded many, as Josephus reports, taking their possessions from the city, to occupy the banks of the Jordan. And since he was a magician, he claimed to be a prophet and that he could provide a passage through the divided stream by his command. But a troop of horsemen, by the order of the procurator Fadus, coming upon him, killed many, captured others, and brought his head back to Jerusalem.
Acts 5:37 · 2 passages

After this man rose up Judas of Galilee in the days of the taxing, and drew away much people after him: he also perished; and all, even as many as obeyed him, were dispersed.

After this arose Judas the Galilean in the days of the registration. In Greek, it is written, In the days of ἀπογραφῆς, that is, in the days of the census registration, as we also have interpreted in ecclesiastical history in Latin.
After him rose up Judas the Galilean. Josephus also writes about this man from the city of Gamala, who, taking up with a certain Pharisee named Sadduc, urged the people not to lose their freedom by paying taxes to the Romans, citing the law that service should be given only to the Lord and that those who brought tithes to the temple should not pay taxes to Caesar. This heresy grew so greatly that it even disturbed the Pharisees and a large part of the people, so that they believed it necessary to ask the Lord Christ whether it was lawful to pay taxes to Caesar or not.
Acts 5:38

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:

And now therefore I say to you: Depart from these men, and leave them alone. In the Greek, it is added: Not defiling your hands.
Acts 5:39 · 2 passages

But if it be of God, ye cannot overthrow it; lest haply ye be found even to fight against God.

But if it is from God, you will not be able to destroy them. And in the Greek, more is added here: Neither you, nor your rulers.
Lest you be found to be fighting against God. For what we have as fighting against God, or, as some have interpreted, opposing God, in Greek one word is used, θεομάχοι. I thought this worth mentioning, so that when we find θεομάχος or θεομαχίαν in histories, we can more surely know the meaning of the term.
Acts 6:1

And in those days, when the number of the disciples was multiplied, there arose a murmuring of the Grecians against the Hebrews, because their widows were neglected in the daily ministration.

There was a complaint of the Greeks against the Hebrews. The cause of the complaint was that the Hebrews preferred their widows, as supposedly more learned, in the ministry over the widows of the Greeks.
Acts 6:2

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.

It is not right for us to abandon the word of God and serve tables. About this, Arator: . . . . This place indicates that the offerings of the mind are better for an unlearned people than the dishes served to the body.
Acts 6:3

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.

Therefore, brothers, select from among you seven reputable men, etc. Hence the apostles, or the successors of the apostles, have now decreed that throughout all the Churches there should be seven deacons who are of higher rank than the others, and who stand near the altar like columns of the altar, not without some mystery of the number seven.

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