When they heard that - That which the apostle Peter had said, to wit, that they were guilty of murder; that Jesus was raised up; and that he still lived as the Messiah.
They were cut to the heart - The word used here properly denotes “to cut with a saw”; and as applied to the “mind,” it means to be agitated with “rage” and “indignation,” as if wrath should seize upon the mind as a saw does upon wood, and tear it violently, or agitate it severely. When used in connection with “the heart,” it means that the heart is violently agitated and rent with rage. See Acts 7:54. It is not used elsewhere in the New Testament. The “reasons” why they were thus indignant were doubtless:
- Because the apostles had disregarded their command;
- Because they charged them with murder;
- Because they affirmed the doctrine of the resurrection of Jesus, and thus tended to overthrow the sect of the Sadducees. The effect of the doctrines of the gospel is often to make people enraged.
Took counsel - The word rendered “took counsel” denotes commonly “to will”; then, “to deliberate”; and sometimes “to decree” or “to determine.” It doubtless implies here that “their minds “were made up” to do it; but probably the formal decree was not passed to put them to death.