Acts 5:31Meaning & Commentary from the Church Fathers

“God exalted Him,” he says, “at His right hand.” By this he indicates not only the Resurrection, but also the exaltation, that is, the Ascension.

“To give repentance to Israel.” Next the apostles wish to show the murderous intentions of the Jews, who were acting here not for justice, but from a desire to avenge themselves.

Therefore they do not answer them sharply, for they were teachers. Another man, having drawn the whole city to his side and received such grace, what would he not have said? How much would he not have displayed?

But the apostles are not like this. They were not angry, but grieved and wept over them. Their aim was to turn them away from error and fury.

As for the expression, "Him God exalted as Prince and Savior," they used it by ascribing everything to the Father, so that no one would think the Son alien to the Father. But why did the high priest and the others not immediately learn that the apostles had left the prison? This was so that, remaining for a time in perplexity, they might more readily understand and perceive that this was the action of divine power.

Having received a new sign confirming God’s favor, for the place where they prayed was shaken, they preached the gospel with still greater boldness.

This became the cause of the apostles’ second imprisonment, this time in the public prison, as disturbers of public peace. The chief actors were again the Sadducees.

In mockery of their vain designs, an angel, though they denied the very existence of angels, opened the prison doors for the apostles. They are again in the temple and teaching.

From there they are taken and presented to the Sanhedrin. They are questioned as violators of the authorities’ command.

They are not asked how they left the prison. They are asked why they preach about Him whose name is hateful to them.

Yet those who crucified the Lord remain cruelly consistent even now. When the session opened, it became clear that the apostles had been freed from prison by the right hand of God. The prison doors had been carefully locked, and the guard was awake.

Nevertheless, the Sanhedrin ordered them brought to trial as criminals. The captain of the guard, carrying out this command, did not use violence against the innocent. He brought them out of the temple without force, because the people defended the apostles, their benefactors.

The high priest begins the interrogation, which the sacred historian gives only in its main outlines. “Did we not strictly command you not to teach in this name?”

Peter did not increase the anxiety of the Jewish leaders. He made no hint of coming vengeance. He only said that the apostles and the Holy Spirit acting in them were witnesses of the resurrection and glorification of Him Whom they had killed.

“God exalted Him at His right hand”: see the note on Acts 2:33.

“As Prince”: see the note on Acts 3:15. “And Savior”: by the word “Prince” the royal dignity of Jesus Christ is indicated. By the word “Savior,” His high-priestly ministry is indicated, by which He accomplished the redemption and salvation of all mankind in His death on the Cross.

By the Resurrection and Ascension, “He exalted,” God the Father perfected the Lord as Prince and Savior. He was such even in the state of humiliation on earth, as the Son of God.

But then it was under the covering of the form of a servant. After the Resurrection and Ascension, He appeared as such in all glory.

“To give Israel,” and so forth: see the note on Acts 3:19.

In answering the accusation that the apostles were bringing the guilt of Christ’s shed blood upon the members of the Sanhedrin, Peter preaches the teaching about Jesus Christ as risen and made the Author of salvation, not of perdition, through repentance and forgiveness of sins.

From this two conclusions must be drawn. Whoever repents will be forgiven, and therefore the guilt of innocent blood will not fall upon him. But whoever remains unrepentant must justly bear the punishment determined by the voice of the people.

As for the apostles’ speaking of this, they cannot but speak, since they are witnesses of it and have the Holy Spirit. He also speaks in them, as He spoke through the prophets.

What Peter and John had first said to the authorities, all the apostles later said to them: one must obey God rather than men.

“The God of our fathers raised up Jesus, whom you killed by hanging Him on a tree. God exalted Him at His right hand as Prince and Savior, to give repentance to Israel and forgiveness of sins.

We are His witnesses in these things, and so is the Holy Spirit, whom God has given to those who obey Him.” What sincerity, fullness, definiteness, and clarity of confession!

God so ordered it that the Crucified One should be our Savior through the remission of sins in repentance. The witnesses are the apostles, the eyewitnesses, and the Holy Spirit, who manifestly acted in them and in all believers.