What does Acts 5:21-28 mean?

21 And when they heard that, they entered into the temple early in the morning, and taught. But the high priest came, and they that were with him, and called the council together, and all the senate of the children of Israel, and sent to the prison to have them brought. 22 But when the officers came, and found them not in the prison, they returned, and told, 23 Saying, The prison truly found we shut with all safety, and the keepers standing without before the doors: but when we had opened, we found no man within. 24 Now when the high priest and the captain of the temple and the chief priests heard these things, they doubted of them whereunto this would grow. 25 Then came one and told them, saying, Behold, the men whom ye put in prison are standing in the temple, and teaching the people. 26 Then went the captain with the officers, and brought them without violence: for they feared the people, lest they should have been stoned. 27 And when they had brought them, they set them before the council: and the high priest asked them, 28 Saying, Did not we straitly command you that ye should not teach in this name? and, behold, ye have filled Jerusalem with your doctrine, and intend to bring this man’s blood upon us. (Acts 5:21-28 KJV)

William Burkitt’s Commentary

Observe here, 1. No sooner were the apostles out of prison, than they enter into the temple and preach, with a redoubled zeal and diligence; no doubt, Satan had better have let these holy men alone, than have cast them into prison; for the cold blasts of persecution and imprisonment beating upon their outward man, by a spiritual antiperistalsis, augmented the heat of grace within. There is no such way to be even with the devil and his instruments, for all their spite and malice against us, as by doing all the good we can to the souls of men.

Observe, 2. How the deliverance which God wrought for the apostles, in bringing them miraculously out of prison by the conduct of an angel, did confound the council which laid them in: They were nonplussed and horribly perplexed at it: They doubted whereunto this would grow. They stood amused and amazed, and knew not what measures to take, but were at their wits-end, Sin oft-times brings men into straits, but straits do not always bring men off from their sins.

Thus here, notwithstanding their present perplexity of spirit, they spur on, and bring them again before the council, Then went the captain with the officers of the temple, and brought them without violence. Ac 5:26

Observe, 3. The crimes which the holy apostles were unjustly accused of; namely, obstinacy and sedition. They are charged with obstinacy for persisting to preach the gospel when they had strictly (but very wickedly) forbidden them: And they are accused of sedition as if they endeavoured to stir up the people to avenge the blood of Christ upon the rulers, as being unjustly shed by them. The greatest innocency cannot protect the holiest persons from slander and false accusation. The best of men have sometimes been charged with the blackest crimes. No wonder that the Sanhedrin, or great council, which charged Christ himself with imposture and blasphemy, did accuse the apostles of sedition and contumacy; The disciple is not above his Master.

Observe, 4. The contumelious reflection which they had made upon our Lord Jesus Christ himself: You intend, says the council, to bring this man’s blood upon us: As if the holy Jesus had not been worthy the naming by them. Christ told his disciples, Lu 6:22. that the world should cast out their name as evil. Behold! his own is used no better: He is homo nullius nominis. This man, this fellow, this deceiver, were the opprobrious titles which the learned Rabbies thought fit to impose upon the best man that ever the world had. Lord! how can we be abased enough for thee, who wast so degraded and debased for us?