Acts 22:5

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.

EXPOSITORY (ENGLISH BIBLE)

Ellicott's Commentary for English Readers

(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 Luke 3:2; John 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 Acts 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 Acts 9:1-16. Here it will be sufficient to note points that are more or less distinctive. In Acts 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 (Acts 9:2; Acts 26:10-11); or, as in the case of Stephen, death by stoning.

Matthew Henry's Concise Commentary

22:1-11 The apostle addressed the enraged multitude, in the customary style of respect and good-will. Paul relates the history of his early life very particularly; he notices that his conversion was wholly the act of God. Condemned sinners are struck blind by the power of darkness, and it is a lasting blindness, like that of the unbelieving Jews. Convinced sinners are struck blind as Paul was, not by darkness, but by light. They are for a time brought to be at a loss within themselves, but it is in order to their being enlightened. A simple relation of the Lord's dealings with us, in bringing us, from opposing, to profess and promote his gospel, when delivered in a right spirit and manner, will sometimes make more impression that laboured speeches, even though it amounts not to the full proof of the truth, such as was shown in the change wrought in the apostle.

Barnes' Notes on the Bible

As also the high priest ... - See the notes on Acts 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.

Jamieson-Fausset-Brown Bible Commentary

5. the high priest—still alive.

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

Matthew Poole's Commentary

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 Acts 22:1, he would overcome that stubborn people with civility, heaping up coals of fire on their heads, Romans 12:20, that they might be melted, and then formed after a more excellent manner.

Gill's Exposition of the Entire Bible

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 Acts 9:2.

Geneva Study Bible

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.

EXEGETICAL (ORIGINAL LANGUAGES)

Expositor's Greek Testament

Acts 22:5. ὡς καὶ ὁ ἀρχ.: not the high priest at the time he was speaking, for that was Ananias, Acts 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, Exodus 2:14, Deuteronomy 15:3, and St. Paul uses it here to show that he regarded the Jews as still his brethren, cf. Romans 9:3.—τοὺς ἐκεῖσε ὄντας, cf. Acts 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 Acts 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 Acts 26:11 in N.T.: used as here in classical Greek, but in this sense more frequent in middle.

Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges

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 (Acts 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 Acts 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. Deuteronomy 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.”

Bengel's Gnomen

Acts 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. Acts 26:5, he speaks in a more severe tone.—ἀδελφοὺς, brethren) Jews: ch. Acts 2:29.

Pulpit Commentary

Verse 5. - 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 Acts 23:2; Acts 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 (ἵνα τιμωρηθῶσιν); whether by rods or by death. The word occurs in the New Testament only here and Acts 26:11, but is not infrequent in the LXX. and in classical writers; τιμωρεῖν is common in medical language in the sense of "to treat medically," to "correct" by medical treatment. Acts 22:5

Vincent's Word Studies

Estate of the elders (πρεσβυτέριον)

The eldership or Sanhedrim.

Went

The imperfect: was journeying.