“But when the officers came, and found them not in the prison, they returned, and told,”
and all the elders of Israel - and sent to the jail for the apostles - the 'elders of Israel' (presbyteroi tou Israēl) extends the assembly beyond the priestly party. The decision to retrieve the apostles from jail is made before anyone realizes they have escaped, showing bureaucratic motion meeting divine action in dramatic irony.
Church Fathers on Acts 5:22
But the Angel of the Lord opened the prison doors, and brought them forth, and said, Go, stand and speak in the temple to the people all the words of this life. And when they heard that, they entered into the temple early in the morning, and taught. Acts 5:19-21 This was done both for the encouragement of the disciples, and for the benefit and instruction of the others. And observe how the proceeding in the present instance is just the same as in what Christ Himself did.…
Nicene & Post-Nicene / Ante-Nicene Fathers translations · public domain
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