Acts 4:1

King James Version (KJV)

And as they spake unto the people, the priests, and the captain of the temple, and the Sadducees, came upon them,

Adam Clarke
Bible Commentary

The priests - These persons had evidenced the most implacable enmity against Christ from the beginning.

The captain of the temple - See this office particularly explained in the note on Luke 22:4; (note).

The Sadducees - Whose whole system was now in danger by the preaching of the resurrection of Christ; for they believed not in the immortality of the soul, nor in any future world. These made a common cause with the priests, etc., to suppress the evidence of Christ's resurrection, and silence the apostles.

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Albert Barnes
Notes on the Whole Bible

The priests - It is probable that these priests were a part of the Sanhedrin, or Great Council of the nation. It is evident that they claimed some authority for preventing the preaching of the apostles.

The captain of the temple - See the Matthew 26:47; Luke 22:4 note. This was the commander of the guard stationed chiefly in the tower Antonia, especially during the great feasts; and it was his duty to preserve order and prevent any tumult. He came at this time to prevent a tumult or suppress a riot, as it was sup posed that the teaching of the apostles and the crowd collected by the healing of the lame man would lead to a tumult.

And the Sadducees - See the notes on Matthew 3:7. One of the doctrines which the Sadducees maintained was, that there was no resurrection of the dead. Hence, they were particularly opposed to the apostles for preaching it, because they gave so clear proof that Jesus had risen, and were thus spreading the doctrine of the resurrection among the people.

Came upon them - This expression implies that they came in a sudden and violent manner. See Luke 20:1.

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Matthew Henry
Concise Bible Commentary

The apostles preached through Jesus the resurrection from the dead. It includes all the happiness of the future state; this they preached through Jesus Christ, to be had through him only. Miserable is their case, to whom the glory of Christ's kingdom is a grief; for since the glory of that kingdom is everlasting, their grief will be everlasting also. The harmless and useful servants of Christ, like the apostles, have often been troubled for their work of faith and labour of love, when wicked men have escaped. And to this day instances are not wanting, in which reading the Scriptures, social prayer, and religious conversation meet with frowns and checks. But if we obey the precepts of Christ, he will support us.

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SDA Bible Commentary (limited)
Volume 1-7

1. As they spake. By this time, and ever afterward, the activities of the apostles were a matter of deep and unfriendly interest to the Jewish authorities. Apparently, news of the healing of the lame man had now spread rapidly through the city, and for the first time since the crucifixion the leaders of the Sanhedrin, who condemned the Lord, had come again in contact with Christianity. Only a few weeks had passed since the crucifixion. During this time the Jewish leaders doubtless had congratulated themselves on having got rid of Jesus for the safety of the nation, as Caiaphas had advised (John 11:49, 50). They knew that Jesus’ grave had been found empty, and, refusing to believe in the resurrection, they had busily spread the report that the disciples had stolen His body (Matt. 28:13-15). Whether some of the Jewish leaders had been present during the experience of the day of Pentecost is not known, but certainly they must have heard of the happenings of that day, and of the growth of the new church. Now two main spokesmen of the Christians were found teaching openly in the very portals of the Temple itself.

Priests. In charge, as a class, of the Temple services (see 1 Chron. 24:1-19), and naturally the first to take offense at the multitudes who in astonishment had witnessed the healing of the lame man.

Captain. Apparently one of the same officers present at the arrest of Jesus (see Luke 22:52): The OT mentions an officer whose title was “the ruler of the house of God” (1 Chron. 9:11; 2 Chron. 31:13; Neh. 11:11). A Benjamite is mentioned in 2 Maccabees 3:4 as being “governor of the temple.” Luke repeatedly mentions the “captain” of the temple (Luke 22:52; Acts 5:24, 26), and Josephus also refers to this official (War ii. 17. 2 [409]; Antiquities xx. 9. 3). The official mentioned by Josephus is quite evidently the one mentioned by Luke, and may be identical with the ones mentioned in the OT and 2 Maccabees. In later Jewish writings several officials are mentioned who might answer to the “captain of the temple” in the present passage. One of these was the ’ish har habbayith, the “officer of the temple mount” (Mishnah Middoth 1. 2, Soncino ed. of the Talmud, p. 1). This man was not of the soldiery, but had supervision of the guard of priests and Levites who had custody of the Temple, especially at night. As an inspector he made his nightly rounds, visiting all the gates and rousing any slumberers. He seems to have had particular charge of the outer court, the area in which Peter had just made his address. Another official who more probably is to be identified with the “captain” in the present passage, was the segan hakkohanim, the “prefect of the priests.” He ranked next to the high priest, assisted him in his official functions, and had general responsibility for the Temple services and the maintenance of order throughout the Temple area.

Sadducees. See Vol. V, pp. 52, 53. The Sadducees are not mentioned frequently in the gospel story. In ch. 23:8 they are described as saying “that there is no resurrection, neither angel, nor spirit.” It was when the doctrine of the resurrection and the future life was emphasized by Jesus and His apostles that the Sadducees appeared as opponents, as in Matt. 22:23-33 and in the present instance.

When they now found His disciples preaching the resurrection, the Sadducees reacted to them as they had to the Lord Himself and became persecutors of the church. There is no record in the NT of any Sadducee accepting the gospel. Not so with the Pharisees, some of whom professed themselves believers see (Acts 15:5; cf. ch. 23:6).

Came upon them. That is, to arrest them.

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Ellen G. White
Early Writings, 193-4

The chief priests and elders could not bear these words, and at their command Peter and John were seized and put in prison. But thousands had been converted and led to believe in the resurrection and ascension of Christ by hearing only one discourse from the disciples. The priests and elders were troubled. They had slain Jesus that the minds of the people might be turned to themselves; but the matter was now worse than before. They were openly accused by the disciples of being the murderers of the Son of God, and they could not determine to what extent these things might grow or how they themselves would be regarded by the people. They would gladly have put Peter and John to death, but dared not, for fear of the people. EW 193.1

On the following day the apostles were brought before the council. The very men who had eagerly cried for the blood of the Just One were there. They had heard Peter deny his Lord with cursing and swearing when charged with being one of His disciples, and they hoped again to intimidate him. But Peter had been converted, and he now saw an opportunity to remove the stain of that hasty, cowardly denial and to exalt the name which he had dishonored. With holy boldness, and in the power of the Spirit, he fearlessly declared unto them, “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. This is the stone which was set at nought of you builders, which is become the head of the corner. Neither is there salvation in any other: for there is none other name under heaven given among men, whereby we must be saved.” EW 193.2

The people were astonished at the boldness of Peter and John and took knowledge of them that they had been with Jesus; for their noble, fearless conduct was like that of Jesus when before His enemies. Jesus, by one look of pity and sorrow, reproved Peter when he had denied Him, and now as he boldly acknowledged his Lord, Peter was approved and blessed. As a token of the approbation of Jesus, he was filled with the Holy Spirit. EW 194.1

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Ellen G. White
The Story of Redemption, 250-3

This preaching the resurrection of Christ, and that through His death and resurrection He would finally bring up all the dead from their graves, deeply stirred the Sadducees. They felt that their favorite doctrine was in danger and their reputation at stake. Some of the officials of the temple, and the captain of the temple, were Sadducees. The captain, with the help of a number of Sadducees, arrested the two apostles and put them in prison, as it was too late for their cases to be examined that night. SR 250.1

The following day Annas and Caiaphas, with the other dignitaries of the temple, met together for the trial of the prisoners, who were then brought before them. In that very room, and before those very men, Peter had shamefully denied his Lord. All this came distinctly before the mind of the disciple as he now appeared for his own trial. He had now an opportunity of redeeming his former wicked cowardice. SR 250.2

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Ellen G. White
The Acts of the Apostles, 60-9

“Ye are the children of the prophets, and of the covenant which God made with our fathers, saying unto Abraham, And in thy seed shall all the kindreds of the earth be blessed. Unto you first God, having raised up His Son Jesus, sent Him to bless you, in turning away every one of you from his iniquities.” AA 60.1

Thus the disciples preached the resurrection of Christ. Many among those who listened were waiting for this testimony, and when they heard it they believed. It brought to their minds the words that Christ had spoken, and they took their stand in the ranks of those who accepted the gospel. The seed that the Saviour had sown sprang up and bore fruit. AA 60.2

While the disciples were speaking to the people, “the priests, and the captain of the temple, and the Sadducees, came upon them, being grieved that they taught the people, and preached through Jesus the resurrection from the dead.” AA 60.3

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Cross References

the priests