Acts 4:7

“And when they had set them in the midst, etc.] Of the assembly, as the Ethiopic version adds; in the middle of the sanhedrim, which sat in a semicircular form; or as the Jews express it, as the half of a round corn floor, or as a half moon, and not in a perfect circle; because it was necessary that the contending parties, and the witnesses, might go in and speak before them all f169; so that those that were set before them, were placed in the middle of them: and here Peter and John were set; so the Arabic version renders it, “when they set both”: they sent for them out of the hold, or custody, where they had been all night, and ordered them to be brought before them, to be examined about…”

“By what power or . . . name have ye done this--thus admitting the reality of the miracle, which afterwards they confess themselves unable to deny (Act 4:16).”

“In the midst - In the presence of the Great Council. By what power ... - A similar question was put to Christ in the temple, Matthew 21:23. By what name - That is, by whose authority. It is very probable that they expected to intimidate the apostles by this question. They claimed the right of regulating the religious affairs of the nation. They had vast power with the people. They assumed that all power to instruct the people should originate with them; and they expected that the apostles would be confounded, as having violated the established usage of the nation. It did not seem to occur to them to enter into an investigation of the question whether this acknowledged miracle did not prove…”

“By what name - By what authority, have ye done this? - They seem to speak ambiguously on purpose. Acts 4:8”

“when: Act 5:27; Kg1 21:12-14; Joh 8:3, Joh 8:9 By what power: Exo 2:14; Mat 21:23; Mar 11:28; Joh 2:18 by what name: Act 4:10, Act 5:28, Act 5:40 Acts 4:8”