Acts 22:5

Act 22:5. Μαρτυρεῖ μοι, beareth me witness) It was evident that he could bear Paul witness: Paul does not doubt that he is willing to do so; hence he speaks in a kind tone. Afterwards in ch. Act 26:5, he speaks in a more severe tone.—ἀδελφοὺς, brethren) Jews: ch. Act 2:29.

Bengel's Gnomon of the New Testament — English translation (T&T Clark, Edinburgh, 1860) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

Act 22:5 . ὡς καὶ ὁ ἀρχ .: not the high priest at the time he was speaking, for that was Ananias, Act 23:2 , but rather to the high priest Caiaphas who gave him his commission to Damascus, and who may have been still alive, hence μαρτυρεῖ , present. τοὺς ἀδελ .: the word was used by the Jews of each other, Exo 2:14 , Deu 15:3 , and St. Paul uses it here to show that he regarded the Jews as still his brethren, cf. Rom 9:3 . τοὺς ἐκεῖσε ὄντας , cf. Act 21:3 , the adverb may imply those who had come thither only, so that refugees, not residents in Damascus, are meant, but the word may simply = ἐκεῖ , see on Act 21:3 , and Winer-Moulton, liv. 7. In Hipp., Vict. San. , ii., 2, p. 35, we have οἱ ἐκεῖσε οἰκέοντες . τιμωρηθῶσιν : only here and in Act 26:11 in N.T.: used as here in classical Greek, but in this sense more frequent in middle.

The Expositor's Greek Testament, edited by W. Robertson Nicoll (1897–1910) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

the high priest--still alive.

doth bear me witness, and all the estate of the elders--the whole Sanhedrim.

Jamieson, Fausset & Brown — Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible (1871) — public domain (CC PDM 1.0). Text via the HelloAO Bible API.

Verse 5. The high priest doth bear me witness, c.] He probably referred to the letters of authority which he had received from the high priest, and the whole estate of the elders, παν το πρεσβυτεριον, the whole of the presbytery, that is, the sanhedrin and it is likely, that he had those letters to produce. This zeal of his against Christianity was an ample proof of his sincerity as a Pharisaical Jew.

Adam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible (1810–1826) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword/MySword module.

(5) As also the high priest doth bear me witness.—Annas is named as high priest at the time of St. Paul’s conversion, acting probably with his son-in-law, Caiaphas, as his coadjutor. (See Notes on Luk_3:2; Joh_18:13.) At the time which we have now reached, the office was filled by Ananias, son of Nebedseus, who owed his appointment to Herod Agrippa II., then King of Chalcis, to whom Claudius had conceded the privilege of nominating the high priests (Jos. Ant. xx. 5, § 2). The official acts of his predecessors would of course be known to the high priest for the time being, and St. Paul can therefore appeal to his knowledge as confirming his own statements.

All the estate of the elders.—The word is perhaps used as identical with the Sanhedrin, or Council; perhaps, also, as including the Gerousia, or “Senate,” of Act_5:21—a body, possibly of the nature of a permanent committee, or an Upper Chamber, which was apparently represented in the Sanhedrin, and yet had separate rights, and might hold separate meetings of its own.

I received letters unto the brethren.—The phrase is interesting, as showing that the Jews used this language of each other, and that it passed from them to the Church of Christ. On the general history of St. Paul’s conversion, see Notes on Act_9:1-16. Here it will be sufficient to note points that are more or less distinctive. In Act_9:2 the letters are said to have been addressed to the “synagogues.”

For to be punished.—We must remember that the punishments would include imprisonment, scourging, and brutal violence (Act_9:2; Act_26:10-11); or, as in the case of Stephen, death by stoning.

A Bible Commentary for English Readers, edited by Charles John Ellicott (1878–1897) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

5. the high priest doth bear me witness] The Apostle refers not to the high priest at the time when he was speaking, but to him who had held that office when (Act_9:1) in his earnestness against the Christians he had desired a commission from the authorities to carry his persecuting measures as far as Damascus. Josephus (Ant. xviii. 5, 3) tells us that in a.d. 37 Theophilus, son of Ananus, was made high priest in the place of his brother Jonathan. The high priest to whom St Paul here alludes was one of these two brothers, for Theophilus held office till he was removed by Agrippa and his place occupied by Simon, called Kantheras (see Jos. Ant, xix. 6, 2, and cp. Farrar’s St Paul, i. 178). Ananias was high priest at the time of St Paul’s arrest. See Act_23:2.

and all the estate of the elders] Though it was now more than twenty years since St Paul’s conversion, yet it was not improbable that some members of the Sanhedrin which granted him his commission were still alive, and the records of the transaction were doubtless preserved and could be appealed to.

letters unto the brethren] i.e. to the Jewish authorities in Damascus. The Jews spake of all their race as brethren from early times (cp. Deu_18:15).

to bring them which were there, bound unto Jerusalem] The English of the A. V. is not free from ambiguity. The Greek is plain, and the Rev. Ver. gives the sense clearly “to bring them also which were there unto Jerusalem in bonds.”

The Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges (gen. ed. J. J. S. Perowne; Cambridge University Press, 1878–1918) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

As also the high priest doth bear me witness,.... Either Annas, or Caiaphas, who was at that time high priest; and it should seem by this, that he was still in being; or else that the apostle had preserved his letter, written with his own hand, which he was able to produce at any time, as a testimony of the truth of what he had said, or was about to say; since he speaks of him (as now) bearing him witness, or as one that could:

and all the estate of the elders; the whole Jewish sanhedrim, for this character respects not men in years, but men in office, and such who were members of the high court of judicature in Jerusalem;

from whom also I received letters unto the brethren; some render it "against the brethren", as if the Christians were meant; whereas the apostle intends the Jews of the synagogue at Damascus, whom the apostle calls brethren; because they were of the same nation, and his kinsmen according to the flesh; and, at that time, of the same religion and principles with him; and this is put out of doubt, by the Syriac, Arabic, and Ethiopic versions, which render it, "the brethren that were at Damascus": and these letters were to recommend him to them, and to empower him to persecute the Christians, and to demand and require their assistance in it; the Ethiopic version calls them, "letters of power"; and it seems from hence, that these letters were received from the whole sanhedrim, as well as from the high priest, and were signed by both:

and went to Damascus to bring them which were there bound unto Jerusalem, for to be punished: with stripes, or with death, as they should be judged worthy; see Act 9:2.

John Gill's Exposition of the Whole Bible (1746–1763) — public domain (CC PDM 1.0). Text via the HelloAO Bible API.

5 As also the high priest doth bear me witness, and all the estate of the elders: from whom also I received letters unto the brethren, and went to Damascus, to bring them which were there bound unto Jerusalem, for to be punished.

Ver. 5. {See Trapp on "Act 9:2"}

John Trapp, A Commentary or Exposition upon All the Books of the Old and New Testament (1647–1656) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

As also the high priest ... - See the notes on Act 9:2.

All the estate of the elders - Greek: all the presbytery; that is, the whole body of the Sanhedrin, or Great Council of the nation.

Unto the brethren - The Jewish brethren who were at Damascus. Paul here speaks as a Jew, and regards his countrymen as his brethren.

Albert Barnes' Notes on the Bible (1834–1885) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword/MySword module.

As the high priest doth bear me witness. That is, as the letters which he gave me, bear witness. (Witham)

George Leo Haydock (1774–1849), Haydock's Catholic Family Bible and Commentary, 1859 edition — public domain. Excludes Psalms (Douay-Rheims chapter numbering differs from Protestant) and Deuterocanonical books (Catholic canon only).

The estate of the elders; their sanhedrim or great council.

Letters; commission or orders.

The brethren; the Jews of Damascus are called brethren, because they descended from the patriarchs as well as he. And still, as Act 22:1, he would overcome that stubborn people with civility, heaping up coals of fire on their heads, Rom 12:20, that they might be melted, and then formed after a more excellent manner.

Matthew Poole's English Annotations on the Holy Bible (1683–1685) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword/MySword module.

5. The high priest—Who may have now been present.

The estate of the elders—The presbyterium or eldership; the Sanhedrin. So that the intensity of his original Judaism was beyond all question. Why had all this been changed? The narrative of his conversion now answers.

By the vision of Jehovah repeatedly appearing, (as all admitted,) Abraham had been called (Gen_17:1) and Moses commissioned, (Exo_3:1.) So by the repeated vision of Jehovah-Jesus. Saul had been both called and commissioned. This Jesus, like the Jehovah of old, appears in the splendour of the Shekinah; he is Lord, the Just One, the pronouncer of the I will send thee. For the discrepancies between this and the other two narratives, see our note on Act_9:4-8.

Daniel D. Whedon (gen. ed.), Commentary on the Old and New Testaments (1874–1909) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

Journeyed for went, A.V.; them also for them, A.V.; unto Jerusalem in beads for bound unto Jerusalem, A.V. The high priest. Ananias, the present high priest, who may have been one of St. Paul"s hearers included among the "fathers," and who had probably been already a member of the Sanhedrim at the time of St. Paul"s conversion. (see Act_23:2 Act_24:1) Others, however, understand "the high priest" to mean him who was high priest at the time of St. Paul"s journey to Damascus, viz. Theophilus, who was still alive. The brethren. The Jews at Damascus. St, Paul speaks to his hearers emphatically as a Jew. To be punished (ina timwrhqwsin); whether by rods or by death. The word occurs in the New Testament only here and Act_26:11, but is not infrequent in the LXX and in classical writers; timwrein is common in medical language in the sense of "to treat medically," to "correct" by medical treatment.

The Pulpit Commentary (1880–1919), ed. H.D.M. Spence-Jones & Joseph S. Exell — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

The high priest is my witness - Is able to testify. The brethren -- Jews: so this title was not peculiar to the Christians.

John Wesley, Explanatory Notes Upon the Whole Bible (1754–1765) — public domain. Text via the GEBible commentary corpus.

See notes on verse 3

J. W. McGarvey (with Philip Y. Pendleton), Commentaries on the New Testament (The Fourfold Gospel, 1914; Acts; and the epistles) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword/MySword module.

5. ὡς καὶ ὁ ἀρχιερεὺς μαρτυρεῖ μοι, as also the high priest doth bear me witness. The Apostle refers not to the high priest at the time when he was speaking, but to him who had held that office when (Act 9:1) in his earnestness against the Christians he had desired a commission from the authorities to carry his persecuting measures as far as Damascus. Josephus (Ant. XVIII. 5. 3) tells us that in A.D. 37 Teophilus, son of Ananus, was made high priest in the place of his brother Jonathan. The high priest to whom St Paul here alludes was one of these two brothers, for Theophilus held office till he was removed by Agrippa and his place occupied by Simon, called Kantheras (see Jos. Ant. XIX. 6. 2, and cf. Farrar’s St Paul, I. 178). Ananias was high priest at the time of St Paul’s arrest. See Act 23:2.

καὶ μᾶν τὸ πρεσβυτέριον, and all the estate of the elders. Though it was now more than twenty years since St Paul’s conversion, it was not improbable that some members of the Sanhedrin which granted him his commission were still alive, and the records of the transaction were doubtless preserved and could be appealed to.

πρεσβυτέριον is used for the position of an elder in LXX. Susanna 50.

ἐπιστολὰς δεξάμενος πρὸς τοὺς ἀδελφούς, having received letters unto the brethren, i.e. to the Jewish authorities in Damascus. The Jews spake of all their race as brethren from the earliest times (cf. Deu 18:15). The whole family were Jacob’s children.

ἄξων καὶ τοὺς ἐκεῖσε ὄντας, to bring them also which were there, i.e. any Christians whom I was able to find in Damascus. ἐκεῖσε has here the force of ἐκεῖ, as it sometimes has in the Greek poets.

δεδεμένους εἰς Ἰερουσαλήμ, to Jerusalem in bonds. Thus they were to be treated as the veriest criminals.

Cambridge Greek Testament for Schools and Colleges (Cambridge University Press, 1896; 21 vols, various authors incl. Carr, Maclear, Plummer, Farrar, Lumby, Moule, M. R. James, Simcox) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

5. ὁ ἀρχ.] ‘The High Priest of that day, who is still living:’ i.e. Theophilus, see on ch. 9:1. Similarly, the whole Sanhedrim = ‘those who were then members, and now survive.’

παρʼ ὧν καί] from whom, moreover.

πρὸς τοὺς ἀδελφ.] to the Jewish (their) brethren (see ch. 28:21). Bornemann’s rendering, ‘against the (Christian) brethren,’ is altogether inadmissible. If ever Paul spoke to the Jews as a Jew, it was on this occasion.

καὶ τοὺς ἐκ.] even those who were there.

ἐκεῖσε] if resolved, would be εἰς Δαμασκόν,—a similar construction to εἰς οἶκόν ἐστιν, Mar 2:1, ‘those who had settled at Damascus and were then there.’

Henry Alford, The Greek Testament (1849–1861) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

Estate of the elders [πρεσβυτεριον] . The eldership or Sanhedrim.

Went. The imperfect : was journeying.

Marvin R. Vincent, Word Studies in the New Testament (1887–1900) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword/MySword module.