7:11 What follows 5 is a copy of the letter that King Artaxerxes gave to Ezra the priestly scribe. 6 Ezra was 7 a scribe in matters pertaining to the commandments of the Lord and his statutes over Israel:
7:12 8 “Artaxerxes, king of kings, to Ezra the priest, a scribe of the perfect law of the God of heaven:
8:8 How can you say, “We are wise!
We have the law of the Lord”?
The truth is, 9 those who teach it 10 have used their writings
to make it say what it does not really mean. 11
8:31 Then 12 Jesus 13 began to teach them that the Son of Man must suffer 14 many things and be rejected by the elders, chief priests, and experts in the law, 15 and be killed, and after three days rise again.
4:5 On the next day, 24 their rulers, elders, and experts in the law 25 came together 26 in Jerusalem. 27
1 sn Jesus’ teaching impressed the hearers with the directness of its claim; he taught with authority. A study of Jewish rabbinic interpretation shows that it was typical to cite a list of authorities to make one’s point. Apparently Jesus addressed the issues in terms of his own understanding.
2 tn Or “their scribes.” See the note on the phrase “experts in the law” in 2:4.
3 tn Or “every scribe.” See the note on the phrase “experts in the law” in 2:4. It is possible that the term translated “expert in the law” (traditionally, “scribe”) here is a self-description used by the author, Matthew, to represent his role in conveying the traditions about Jesus to his intended audience. See David E. Orton, The Understanding Scribe [JSNTSup].
4 tn Grk “and all the crowd.” The clause in this phrase, although coordinate in terms of grammar, is logically subordinate to the previous clause.
5 tn Heb “this.”
6 tn Heb “the priest, the scribe.” So also in v. 21.
7 tn The words “Ezra was” are not in the Hebrew text but have been added in the translation for clarity.
8 sn Ezra 7:12-26 is written in Aramaic rather than Hebrew.
9 tn Heb “Surely, behold!”
10 tn Heb “the scribes.”
11 tn Heb “The lying pen of the scribes have made [it] into a lie.” The translation is an attempt to make the most common interpretation of this passage understandable for the average reader. This is, however, a difficult passage whose interpretation is greatly debated and whose syntax is capable of other interpretations. The interpretation of the NJPS, “Assuredly, for naught has the pen labored, for naught the scribes,” surely deserves consideration within the context; i.e. it hasn’t done any good for the scribes to produce a reliable copy of the law, which the people have refused to follow. That interpretation has the advantage of explaining the absence of an object for the verb “make” or “labored” but creates a very unbalanced poetic couplet.
12 tn Here καί (kai) has been translated as “then” to indicate the implied sequence of events within the narrative.
13 tn Grk “he”; the referent (Jesus) has been specified in the translation for clarity.
14 sn The necessity that the Son of Man suffer is the particular point that needed emphasis, since for many 1st century Jews the Messiah was a glorious and powerful figure, not a suffering one.
15 tn Or “and the scribes.” See the note on the phrase “experts in the law” in 1:22.
16 tn Here καί (kai) has been translated as “then” to indicate the implied sequence of events within the narrative.
17 tn Or “The scribes” See the note on the phrase “experts in the law” in 5:21.
18 tn Grk “tried to lay hands on him.”
19 tn Here καί (kai) has been translated as “but” to indicate the contrast present in this context.
20 tn Or “and the scribes.” See the note on the phrase “experts in the law” in 5:21.
21 sn Luke portrays the Jewish leadership as driving events toward the cross by vehemently accusing Jesus.
22 tn Or “The scribes.” The traditional rendering of γραμματεύς (grammateu") as “scribe” does not communicate much to the modern English reader, for whom the term might mean “professional copyist,” if it means anything at all. The people referred to here were recognized experts in the law of Moses and in traditional laws and regulations. Thus “expert in the law” comes closer to the meaning for the modern reader.
23 sn See the note on Pharisees in 1:24.
24 tn Grk “It happened that on the next day.” The introductory phrase ἐγένετο (egeneto, “it happened that”), common in Luke (69 times) and Acts (54 times), is redundant in contemporary English and has not been translated.
25 tn Or “and scribes.” The traditional rendering of γραμματεύς (grammateu") as “scribe” does not communicate much to the modern English reader, for whom the term might mean “professional copyist,” if it means anything at all. The people referred to here were recognized experts in the law of Moses and in traditional laws and regulations. Thus “expert in the law” comes closer to the meaning for the modern reader.
26 tn Or “law assembled,” “law met together.”
27 map For location see Map5-B1; Map6-F3; Map7-E2; Map8-F2; Map10-B3; JP1-F4; JP2-F4; JP3-F4; JP4-F4.
28 tn Grk “and the,” but καί (kai) has not been translated since English normally uses a coordinating conjunction only between the last two elements in a series of three or more.
29 tn Or “and the scribes.” See the note on the phrase “experts in the law” in 4:5.
30 tn Grk “approaching, they seized him”; the referent (Stephen) has been specified in the translation for clarity.
31 tn Or “the Sanhedrin” (the highest legal, legislative, and judicial body among the Jews). Stephen suffers just as Peter and John did.
32 tn Or “clamor” (cf. BDAG 565 s.v. κραυγή 1.a, which has “there arose a loud outcry” here, and Exod 12:30).
33 tn Or “and some scribes.” See the note on the phrase “experts in the law” in 4:5.
34 tn Grk “standing up.” The participle ἀναστάντες (anastante") has been translated as a finite verb due to requirements of contemporary English style.
35 tn Grk “protested strongly, saying.” L&N 39.27 has “διαμάχομαι: to fight or contend with, involving severity and thoroughness – ‘to protest strongly, to contend with.’…‘some scribes from the party of the Pharisees protested strongly’ Ac 23:9.” The participle λέγοντες (legontes) is redundant and has not been translated.
36 sn “We find nothing wrong with this man.” Here is another declaration of innocence. These leaders recognized the possibility that Paul might have the right to make his claim.