But those standing nearby said, “How dare you insult the high priest of God!”
4. Those which stood by said By this it appeareth that they were all sick of one disease. “Eadem omnes intemperie laborasse,” that they all laboured under the same intemperance, For why do they not rather blame Ananias, when they saw that he had quite forgotten all modesty, and that he brake out into violence and stripes after a barbarous manner?
Perhaps when Paul was brought, as he often was (corpus cum causa - the person and the cause together), before heathen magistrates and councils, where he and his cause were slighted, because not at all understood, he thought, if he were brought before the sanhedrim at Jerusalem, he should be able to deal with them to some good purpose, and yet we do not find...
Commenting on Acts 23:1-5
And they that stood by,.... The members of the sanhedrim that were next to the apostle; or the servants of the high priest, since they are said to stand, whereas those of that court sat: said, revilest thou God's high priest?