Atti 5:17

17 Or il sommo sacerdote e tutti quelli che eran con lui, cioè la setta de’ Sadducei, si levarono, pieni di invidia,

Atti 5:17 Meaning and Commentary

Acts 5:17

Then the high priest rose up
Annas, or rather Caiaphas; (See Gill on Acts 4:6) he having heard what miracles were wrought by the apostles, and what additions were made to them, rose up from his seat and went out of the sanhedrim, in great haste, and in much wrath and passion:

and all they that were with him;
in council, that were of his kindred or his party, as John and Alexander, and others, ( Acts 4:6 )

which is the sect of the Sadducees;
who denied the resurrection of the dead; which doctrine the apostles preached; and this made the high priest and his party very uneasy; whence it seems that the then high priest was a Sadducee, and also the sanhedrim at that time, and which was sometimes the case. Great care indeed was taken of an high priest, that he should not be a Sadducee; on the eve of the day of atonement they always swore the high priest, lest he should be a Sadducee, that he would make no innovation in what was ordered him; and particularly that he would not put the incense upon the fire without, and then carry it in a censor into the most holy place, as the Sadducees understood ^F11, ( Leviticus 16:3 ) . But notwithstanding all their care, sometimes they had a Sadducee for an high priest; we read of one John, an high priest, who ministered in that office fourscore years, and at last became a Sadducee ^F12. And sometimes a sanhedrim consisted only of Sadducees: hence we read of (yqwde lv Nyd) (tyb) , "a sanhedrim of Sadducees" ^F13; and such an one was this; and therefore it is not to be wondered at what follows,

and they were filled with indignation;
or "zeal", for Sadducism; and which was a blind zeal, and not according to knowledge: or "with envy" at the apostles for the miracles done by them, and because of the success that attended them; fearing lest, should they go on at this rate, their religion and authority would come to nothing. Sadducism now seemed greatly to prevail among men in power; and the Jews say ^F14,

``the son of David will not come until the whole government is turned to the opinion of the Sadducees.''

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FOOTNOTES:

F11 Misna Yoma, c. 1. sect. 5. Maimon. & Bartenora in ib.
F12 T. Bab. Beracot, fol. 29. 1. Juchasin, fol. 16. 2.
F13 T. Bab. Sanhedrin, fol. 52. 2.
F14 Ib. fol. 97. 1.

Atti 5:17 In-Context

15 tanto che portavano perfino gli infermi per le piazze, e li mettevano su lettucci e giacigli, affinché, quando Pietro passava, l’ombra sua almeno ne adombrasse qualcuno.

16 E anche la moltitudine accorreva dalle città vicine a Gerusalemme, portando dei malati e dei tormentati da spiriti immondi; e tutti quanti eran sanati.

17 Or il sommo sacerdote e tutti quelli che eran con lui, cioè la setta de’ Sadducei, si levarono, pieni di invidia,

18 e misero le mani sopra gli apostoli, e li gettarono nella prigione pubblica.

19 Ma un angelo del Signore, nella notte, aprì le porte della prigione; e condottili fuori, disse: