{The captain of the temple} (ho strat(8867)os tou hierou).
Twenty-four bands of Levites guarded the temple, one guard at a
time. They watched the gates. The commander of each band was
called captain (strat(8867)os). Josephus names this captain of the
temple police next to the high priest (_War_. VI. 5, 3). {The
Sadducees} (hoi Saddoukaioi). Most of the priests were
Sadducees now and all the chief priests since John Hyrcanus I
deserted the Pharisees (Josephus, _Ant_. XVII. 10, 6; XVIII. 1,
4; XX. 9, 1). The Sadducees were slow to line up with the
Pharisees against Jesus, but they now take the lead against Peter
and John. {Came upon them} (epest(8873)an autois). Second aorist
active indicative (intransitive). Burst upon them suddenly or
stood by them in a hostile attitude here ( Lu 20:1  24:4  Ac
6:12  17:5  22:20  23:11 ).