Such was the impact of the Christians on the city (they were not necessarily numerous, but they were in the public eye; see note on 4:4), that the city fathers, chiefly the Sadducees, decided again on overt action against them, or at least against their leaders. The broad similarity between the arrest and trial of the apostles described here and the earlier arraignment of Peter and John has already been noted, as has the parallel between their escape and Peter’s escape in 12:6–19 (see disc. on 3:1–11). Other critical questions relating to this passage will be discussed in the exposition and notes to follow. Mention need be made here only of the further parallel that has sometimes been found between the passion of Christ and the treatment meted out to the Christians in this and the followi…