Bible Commentary (1871–1879 Edition)
SauTs First Visit to Jerusalem. ACTS X. Conversion ana Baptism of ComdiuB.
the wall— 8nch overhanging windows In the walls of Eastern cities were common, and are to be seen in Damascus to this day.
Peter, in order to introduce the all-important narrative of Cornelius (ch. 10). The occurrences here related probablj' took place during Saul's sojourn in Arabia. 39-39. as Peter passed throughout all quarters—not now fleeing from persecution, but peacefully visiting the churches, to the saints whlclt dwelt at Dydda—,ibout five miles east of Joppa. And Peter said unto him, Enens, Jesus Christ mitketh thee whole—See on ch. 3. 6. make thy bed—See on Jolin 5.8. all that dwelt at I/ydda and Saron—(or " Sharon," a rich vale between Joppa and Csesarea). saw Itim, and turnefl to the Lord i. p., there was a general conversion in consequence. 35-39. at Joppa—the modern JnfTa, on the Mediterranean, a very ancient city of the Philistines, afterwards and still the seaport of Jerusalem, from which it lies distant forty-flve miles to the north-west. Tabitha . . . Dorcas—the SyroChaldaio and Greek names for an antelope or gazelle, which, from its loveliness, was frequently employed as a proper name for women. [Meyer, Olshausen.] Doubtless the interpretation, as here given, is but an echo of the remarks made by the Christians regarding her—how well her character answered to her name, full of good works and Rlms-dee<ls—eminent for the activities and generosities of the Christian character, when tliey had washed—according to the custom of civilized natioijs towards the dead. In an frather, 'the') upper cliamber—
26-31. Saul's First Visit to Jerusalem after his Conversion. 26. And when Sanl was come to Jernalem^' three years after" his conversion, and particularly "to see Peter," Galatians 1. 18; no doubt because he
the leading apostle, and to communicate to him tlie prescribed sphere of his labours, specially to "the Gentiles." he assayed to Join himself to the disciples— simply as one of them, leaving his apostolic commission to manifest itself, they were afraid of him, &c.—knowing him only as a persecutor of the faith ; the rumour of his conversion. If it ever was cordially believed, passing away during his long absence in Arabia, and the news of his subsequent labours in Damascus perhaps not having reached them. 37. Bnt Barnabas . . . brought him to the apostles—f. e., to Peter and James; tor "other of the apostles saw I none," says he fourteen years after. Galatians 1. IS, 19. Probably none of the other apostles were there at the time (ch. 4. 36). Barnabas being of Cyprus, which was within a few hours' sail of Cilicia, and annexed to it as a Roman province, and Saul and he being Hellenistic Jews and eminent in their respective localities, they may very well have been acquainted with each other before this. [Hows.] What is here said of Barnabas is in fine consistency with the "goodness" ascribed to him (ch. 11. 24), and with the name "Son of Consolation," given him by the apostles (ch. 4. 3fi); and after Peter and James were satisfied, the disciples generally would at once receive him. how he had seen the li Ord . . . and he (t. e., the Lord) had spoken to htm
(cf. 1 Kings 17. 19). the disciples sent unto Peter—showing that the disciples generally did not possess miraculous gifts. [Renrel.] all the widows—whom she had ciad or fed. stood by him weeping, and showing the coats and garments which Dorcas had made i. e. (as the tense implies*, showing these as specimens only of what she wris in the hcihit of malcinr/. 40-43. Peter put them all forti», and kneeled down—the one in imitation of his Master's way (Luke 8.5); and cf. 2 Kings 4.33); the other, in striking contrast with it. The kneelinr/ hecame the lowly servant, but not the Lord himself, of whom i, e., how he had received his commission direct from the Lord liimsplf. 38, 29. And he was with them, coming In and going ont at Jerusalem—for fifteen days, lodging with Peter (Galatians 1. 18). disputed with the Grecians— See on ch. 6. 1; addressing himself specially to them, perhaps, as being of his own class, and that against which he had in the days of his ignorance been the fierit i.1 never once recorded that he knelt in the perlormance of a miracle, opened her eyes, and when slie saw Peter, slie gat up—The graphic minuteness of detail here imparts to the narrative an air of charming reality, he gave her his hand, and lifted her up—as his Lord had done to his own mother-in-law (Mark 1. 31), with one Simon a tanner—a trade regarded by the Jews as half unclean, and consequently disreputable, from the contact with dead animals and blood which was connected with it. For this reason, even by other nations, it is usually carried on at some distance from towns; accordingly, Simon's house was "by the seaside" (ch. 10. 6). Peter's lodging there shows him already to some extent above Jewish prejudice.
cest, they went about to slay him—Thus was he made to feel, throughout his whole course, what he himself had made others so cruelly to feel, the cost of disciplexhip. 30. they brought him down to Coesarea—on the coast (see onch.8. 40); accompanying him thus far. But Paul had another reason than his own apprehension for quitting Jerusalem so soon. "While he was praying in the temple, he was in a trance," and received express injunctions to tliis effect. See on ch. 22. 17, <tc. and sent him forth to Tarsus—In Galatians 1. 21 he himself says of tills Journey, that he "came into the regions of Syriaand Cilicia ;" from which it is natural to infer that Instead of sailing direct for Tarsus, he landed at Seleucia, travelled thence to Antioch,and penetrated from this northward into Cilicia, ending his Journey at Tarsus. As this was his first visit to his native city since his conversion, so it is not certain that he ever was there again. See on ch. 11.25,26. Now
CHAPTER X.
Ver. 1-48. Accession and Baptism of Cornelius and his party; or, The first-fruits of the Gentiles. We here enter on an entirely new phase of the Christian Church, the "opening of the door of faith to the Gentiles;" in other words, the recognition of Gentile, on terms of perfect equality with Jewish, discipleship without the necessity of circumcision. Some beginnings appear to have been already made In this direction (see on ch. 11.20,21); and Saul probably acted on this principle from the first, both in Arabia and in Syria and Cilicia. But had he been the prime mover in tlieadmission of uncircumclsed Gentiles into the Church, the .Tewish party, who were never friendly to him, would have acquired such strength as to bring the Church to the venge of a disastrous schism. But on Peter, "the apostle" specially " of the circumcision," was conferred the honour of initiating this great movement, as before of the first admission of .Jewish believers. (See on Matthew 16. 19.) After
It probably was that he became the instrument of gathering into the fold of Christ those "kinsmen," that "sister," and perhaps her " son," of whom mention is made
In Romans 16. 7, 11, 21 ; ch. Xi. 16, &c. [Hows.]
31. FLOURisiiiNfJ State of the CnuRCH in Palestine AT THIS Time. 31. Then had the churches rest—rather, 'the Church,' according to the best MSS. and versions. But this rest was owing not so much to the conversion of
8aul, as probably to the Jews being engrossed with the emperor Caligula's attempt to have his own image set up in the temple of .lernsalem CJosephus, Antiquities, 18.
8; 1, <tc.). throughout all Judea, and Galilee, and SamariaThis Incidental notice of distinct churches already dotting all the regions which were the chief scenes of our Lord's ministry, and that were best able to this, however, one who had already come upon the stage was to eclipse this "chiefest of the apostles." 1,2. Coesarea—.See on ch.8.40. the Italian band—a cohort of Italians, as distinguished from native soldiers, quartered at Cfesarea, probably as a body-guard to the Roman procurator who resided there. An ancient coin makes express mention of such a cohort in Syria. ( A kkkm an's Aumi*- test the facts on which the whole preaching of the apostles was based, is extremely Interesting. "The fear of the Lord" expresses their holy walk; "the comfort of the Holy Ghost," their "peace and joy In believing," under tfie slli-nt operation of the blessed Comforter.
Pktkh Heals Kneas at Lydda, and Raises Taiii TiiA TO LiFK AT Joppa. The historian now returns to
ISO
Peter's Visiun upon the Housetop. ACTS X. He Preaches to Cornelius and his Househoia, malic niusiraiions of the Neiv Testament.) A devout man, &c. — an uncircumcised Geutile proselyte to the Jewish faith, of whom thei'e were a very great number .it this time ; a distinguished proselyte, who had brought liis whole household establishment under tiie hallowing influence of the Jewisli faith and the regular observance of cuee he was not ashamed to Invite to a religious meeting of tlie most solemn n.ature. 25-a9. as Peter was coming li», Coiiielius met him—a mark of the highest respect, fell down at his feet, and worshipped liim—In the East tills way of showing respect was customary not only to kings, but to others occupying a superior station; but among the Greeks and Romans it was reserved for the gods. Peter, therefore, declines it as due to no mort.al. [Ghcits principal seasons of worship, gave mitc.U alms to tile people i. e., the Jewish people, on the same principle as anotlier centurion before him (Luke 7. o) ; thinking it no "great thing," if they had "sown unto liim spiritual things, that thejshould reap his carnal things" (1 Corinthians 9. 11). prayed to God alvvay—at the stated daily seasons. See on ti. 3. 3-6. saw . . . evidently—'distinctly' —the iLiBttU liour of tlie day—three o'clock, the hour of the evening sacrifice. But he had been "fasting until tliat hour" (v. .SO), perliaps from the sixth hour {v. 9). "What is
Tiirs.] ' Those who claim to have succeeded Peler, haie tioi imitated this part of his conduct' [AlfordJ, therein only verifying 2 Thessalouians 2. 4, and cf. Revelation 19. 10;
22. 9. ye Isiiow it Is . . . unlaivful . . . for ... a Jew to keep company, or come unto one ofanother nation, &c.—There was noexpress prohibition to this eflect, and to.a certain extent intercourse was certainly kept up. (Se« the Gospel historj', towards the end.) But intimate social fellowship was not practised, as being adverse to the spirit of the law. I ask therefore, &c.—The whole speecii is full of dignity, the apostle seeing in the compan.y before him a new brotherhood, into whose devout and inquiring minds he was divinel.y directed to pour the light of new truth. 30-33. Four days ago—the messengers being despatched on the first; on thesecond reaching Joppa (f.9); starting for Cass.area on the third; and on the fourth arriving, we are all here present before God, to hear all things that are commanded thee of God—Beautiful expression of entire preparedness to receive the expected Divine teaching through the lips of this heaven-commissioned teacher, and delightful encouragement to Peter to give free utterance to what was doubtless already on his lips ! 3i, 35. Peter opened his mouth—See on Matthew
It, Lord I—language which, tremulously though it was uttered, betokened child-like reverence and humility. Thy prayers aiid thine alms— The w.ay in which both are specified is emphatic. The one denotes tlie spiritual outgoing of his soul to God, the other its practical outgoing to men. are come up for a memorial before God—i. e., as a sacrifice well-pleasing unto God, as an odour of a sweet smell (Revelation 8. 4). sendto Joppa . . . for one Simon, &c.—See on ch. 9. 11. 7, 8. when the angel was departed, he called—immediately doing as directed, and thereb.y showing the simplicity of his faith, a devont soldier of them that waited on him continually—of the "soldiers under liim," such as tlie centurion at Capernaum haii, Mattliew 8. 9. Who this "devoutsoldier " was, can only be matter of conjecture. Da Costa (" Four Witnesses") gives a number of ingenious reasons for thinking tliat, having attached himself henceforth to Peter whose influence in the composition of the second Gospel
5. 2. Of a. truth I perceive i. e., ' I have it now demonstrated before mine eyes.' that God is no respecter of persons—Not ' I see there is no eapricious/(iyonr/</.s-r». with God,' for Peter would never imagine such a thing; but (as the next clause shows), ' I see that God has respect only to personal character and state in the aceept.ance of men, national and ecclesiastical distinctions being of no account.' but in every nation—not (observe), in every relif/im; according to a common distortion of these words, he tliut fenretli him, and worketh righteousness—This being the well-known phraseology of the Old Testament in describing the truly godl.y man, within the pale of revealed religion, it 'annot be alleged that Peter meant
Is attested by the earliest tradition, and is stamped on that Gospel itself—he Is no other than the Evangelist Mark. 9-16. upon the housetop—the flat roof, the chosen plp-ce in the East for cool retirement, the sixtit hour noon—a trance—differing from the " vision " of Cornelius, in so far as the things seen liad not tlie same objective reality, though both were supernatural, all manner of foii.r-footed beasts, &c. i. e., the clean and the unelcati (ceremonially) all mixed together. Not so. Lord— See Marginnl roferencte. I have never eaten nnythinK that it to denote a merely virtuous character, in the heathen setise ; and as Peter had learnt enough, from the messengers of Cornelius and from his own lips, to convince him that the whole religious character of this Roman officer had been moulded in the Jewish faith, there can be no doubt that the apostle intended to describe exactly such saintship—In its internal spirituality and external fruitfulness—as God had already pronounced to be genuine and approved. And since to such "He giveth more grace," according to the law of His Kingdom (.lames 4. 6; INlattliew 2.5. 29), he sends Peter, not to be the instrument of his conversion, as this is ver.v frequently called, but simply to "show him the way of God more perfectly," as before
Is comition i. e., not sanctified, by Divine permission to eat of it, and so "unclean." 'The distinction of meats was a sacrament of national distinction, separation and consecration.' [Webster and Wilkinson.] What God hath cleansed, that call not tliou common—The ceremonial distinctions are at an end, and Gentiles, ceremonially separated from the chosen people {v. 28), and debarred from tliat access to God in the visible ordinances of His Church which the.v enjoyed, are now on a perfect equality with them done thrice—See Genesis 41. .'12.
JT-iit. while Peler donbted . . . what this should mea», beliold, the tikree men , , . stood before the gate. . . and asked—'were inquiring,' i. e., in the act of doing so. Tlie preparations here made—of Peter for his Gentile visitors, as of Cornelius for him—are devoutly to be noted. But besides this, at the same moment, "the Spirit" expressly informs him that three men were inquiring to the devout Ethiopian eunuch. 36-38. the word . . . sent unto the children of Israel—for to them (he would have tlu iii distinctly know) the Gospel was first preached, even as tlie fitcts of it took place on the special theatre of the ancient economy, preaching peace by Jesus Christ —the glorious sum of all Gospel truth, 1 Corinthians 1. 20- for him, and l)ids him unhesitatingly go with them, as sent by Him. I am he whom ye seek—This seems to have been said without any communication being made to Peter regarding tlie men or their errand, they saitl, Corntlliis, a Just man, &c.—fine testimony this from his own servants, of good report among nil the nation of (he Jews—specified, no doubt, to conciliate the favourable regard of tlie Jewish apostle, to liear words of tl«ee —See on ch. 11. 14. called them in and lodged them thus partially anticipating this fellowship with Gentiles. Peter went . . . with them, and certain bretltren—six
22. he is Lord of all—exalted to emlirace under the canop.v of His peace, Jew and Gentile alike, whom the blood of His Cross had cemented into one reconciled and accepted family of God, Ephesians 2. l.'}-18. that word y© kjiow-The facts, it seems, were too notorious and extraordinary to be unknown to those who mixed so much with Jews, and took so tender an Interest In all Jewish matters as they did; though, like the eunuch, they knew not tlie sigiiillcance of them, which was published throughout all Judea, and began from Galilee — Seo Luke 4. 14, 37, 44; 7. 17; 9.6; 23. 5. aaer the baptism wl>ich John preached—See on ch. 1. 22. how GoA anointed Jesus of Nazareth— rather, 'Jesus of Nazareth
In number, ch. 11. 12. from .loppa—as witnesses of a transaction which Peter was prepared to believe pregnant witli great consequences. Cornelius . . . called togetlier Itis kinsmen and near friends—Implying that he had t)een long enough at Cresarea to form relationships there and that he had intimate friends there whose pres-
(as tlie burden of tliat "published word"), how God auol Eted lilm
' with the Holy Ghost and with power.
Cornelius and his Household Baptized. ACTS XI. Peter's Defence for Preaching to the OentUcs.
Ac.—!, e.. at His baptism, thns visibly proclaiming Him Messiah, " the Lord's Christ." See Lulce 4. 18-21. For it is
THE Gentiles, l-ll. the apostles and brethren ... In Judea—rather, 'throughout Judea.' they ... of the circumcision—not the Jewish Christians generally, forhere there were no other, bnt such as, from their Jealousy for "the middle wall of partition" whioli circumcision raised between Jew and Gentile, were a/tencards known as " they of the circumcision." They doubtless embraced apostles as well as others. Thou wentest In, &c. B»it Peter rehearsed the matter, &c.—These objectors scruple not to demand from Peter, though the first among llie apostles, an explanation of his conduct; nor is there any Insinuation on Peter's part of disrespect towards his authority in that demand—a manifest proof that such authority was unknown both to the complainers and to himself. 1!S-18. we entered the man's house—No mention of Cornelius' name, much less of his high position, as if that afi'ected the question. To the charge, "Thou wentest in to men unclrcumcised," he simply speaks of the unclrcumcised "man" to whom he had been divinely sent, seen an angel— 'the angel,' for tlie rumour took that definite shape, who shall tcH thee words whereby thou and all thy house shall be saved—The historian makes the angel express this much more generally, ch. 10. 6. So also the subsequent report of it by the deputies and by Cornelius himself to Peter, ch. 10. 22, not His unction for personal holiness at his incarnation that is referred to—as many of the Falhers and some moderris take it/-but His investiture with the insignia of the Messianic office, in which He presented Himself after His baptism to the acceptance of the people, went about doing good—holding up the beneficeiU cliaracter of all His miracles, which was their predicted character (Isaiah 35. 5, 6, &c.). healing all that were oppressed with the devil—whether in the form of demoniacal possessions, or more indirectly, as in her "wliom Satan had l)Ound with a spirit of infirmity eighteen years" (Luke 13.
16) ; thereby showing Himself the Redeemer from all evil, for God was with him—Thus gently does the apostle rise to the supreme dignity of Christ with whicli he closes, accommodating himself to his hearers. 39-43. we are witnesses of all he did-not objects of superstitious reverence, but simply witnesses to the great historical facts on which the Gospel is founded, slew and hanged (i. e., slew by hanging) on a tree—So ch. 5. 30; and see on Galatians 3. 13. showed him openly j not to all the people— for it was not fitting that He should suliject Himself, in Hts risen condition, to a second rejection In Person, but onto witnesses chosen before of God, ... to us, who 4ld eat and drink with him after he arose, &c.—Not the
32. But as Peter tarried witli Cornelius certain days, and they doubtless talked over the wonderful scene together, perhaps this fuller and richer form of what the angel said was given to Peter; or the apostle himself may have expressed what the angel certainly designed by directing less certain, therefore, was the fact of His resurrection, though withholding Himself from general gaze in His risen body. He which was ordained of God to be the Judge of quick and dead—He had l>efore proclaimed Him "Lord of all," for the dispensing of "peace" to all alike; now he announces Him in the same supreme lord Bhip, for the exercise of judgment upon all alike. On this Divine ordination, see John 5. 22, 23, 27; ch. 17. 31. Thus we have here all Gospel truth in brief, hwt, I<\>rgiveness through this exalted One is the closing note of Peter's Iteanthem to send for him. Observe, "Salvation" is here made to hang upon "words," i. e., the Gospel message concerning Christ. But on the "salvation" of Cornelius, see on ch. 10. 34, 35: On that of his "house," see on Luke
19. 10. Then remembered I the words . . . J«!l»n . . . baptized with water; but ye shall be baptized with the Holy Ghost. Forasmuch then, &c.—g. d., 'Since God himself has put them on a level with ourselves, by bestowing on them what the Lord Jesus pronounced tlie higher baptism of the Holy Ghost, would it not have been to withstand God if I had withheld from them the lower baptism of water, and kept aloof from them as still "unclean ?" ' held their peace and glorlfled God—WoU had tifully simple discourse. To him give all the prophets witness—t. e., This is the burden, generally, of the prophetic testimony. It wa.s fitter thus to give the spirit of their testimony, than to quote them in detail on sucli an occasion. But let this apostolic statement of tlie evangelical import of the Old Testament writings be devoutly weighed by those wlio are disposed to rationalize away this element In the Old Testament, whosoever belleveth In him—This was evidently said with special reference to the Gentile audience then before him, and formed a noble practical conclusion to the whole discourse. 44, 45. While he yet spake, the Holy Ghost fell—by visible and audible manifestation {v. 46). they of the circumcision . . . were astonished, . . . because that on the Gentiles also was poured out, &c.—without circumcision, heard them speak witli tongues and magnify God—As on the day of Pentecost it was no empty miracle, no mere speaking of foreign languages, bnt utterance of " the wonderful works of God" In tongues to them unknown (ch. 2. 11), so here; but more remarkable In this case, as the speakers were perhaps less familiar with the Old Testament songs of praise. 4t6-48. Then answered Peter, Can any man forbid water . . . which have received the Holy Ghost, &c.— Mark, he does not say. They have received the Spirit, what need have they for water? hut. Having the living disclpleship Imparted to them and visibly stamped upon them, what objection can there be to admitting them, by the seal of baptism, into the full feliowsliip of the Church 7 who have received the Holy Ghost as well as we—and are thus, in all that is essential to salvation, on a level with ourselves, he commanded them to be baptizednot doing it with his own hands, as neither did Paul, save on rare occasions, 1 Corinthians 1. 14-17; cf. cli. 2. 38, and John 4.2. prayed him to tarry certain days—'golden days' [Bengei.], spent, doubtless, in refreshing Cliristian fellowship, and In Imparting and receiving fuller teaching on the several topics of the apostle's discourse.
it been if, when Paul afterwards adduced equally resistless evidence In justification of the same line of procedure, this Jewish party had shown the same reverential and glad submission ! Then hath God also grante<l to the Gentiles, &c.—rather, 'granted to the Gentiles also.' (See a similar misplacement of "also" In Hebrews 12. 1.) To "grant repentance unto life"—f. e., 'such as issues lalife' (cf. 2 Corinthians 7. 10, " repentance unto salvation") —is more than to be willing to pardon upon repentance. [GrotiuS.] The case of Cornelius is so manifestly one of grace reigning in every stage of his religious history, thai we can hardly doubt that this was Just the feature of it which they meant here to express. And this is the grace that reigns in every conversion,
19-24. The Gospel being preached to Gentiles av Antioch also, Barnabas is sent tiiithek from Jkrusalem, who hails their accession and labours among them. 19-34. they which were scattered abroad upon the persecution that arose about Stephen —and who " went everywhere preaching the word" (ch. 8.
4). travelled as far as Phenice—that part of the Mediterranean coast which, commencing a little north of Csesarea, stretches northwards for upwards of 100 miles, halfway to Antioch. and Cyprus—See on ch. 4. 36. Alt active commercial intercourse subsisted between Phenice and Cyprus, and Antioch—near the head of the northeast coast of the Mediterranean, on the river Orontes, and containing a large colony of Jews, to whose religion there were there numerous prdsely tes. ' It was almost aii Oriental Rome, In which all the forms of the civilized life of the empire found some representative; and through the two first centuries of the Christian era it was what Constantinople became afterwards, 'the Gate of the East.' [Hows.] some of them were nmii at Cyprus and Cyrene— (see on Luke 23. 26).— as. Lucius, meu187
CHAPTER XI.
Ver. 1-18. Pbter Vindicates Himself before the CuuRCB IN Jerusalem for nia procedure toward*
Bamahax Goes to Tarsus for Saul, ACTS XIL Hie Church Persecuted by Herod Agrippa.
tloned ch. 13. 1. kpake unto the Grecians— rather, "the Greeks," i. e., uncirciinicised Gentiles (as tlie true reading beyond doubt is). Tlie Gospel had, from the continually on His name, and glorying in It—so It wa« felt to be too apposite and beautiful to be allowed to die.
27-30. By occasion of a fa.mine, Barnabas and Saui. RETURN to Jerusalem with a contribution for thb relief of their suffering brethren, came prophcta from Jerusalem—Inspired teachers, a class we shall afterwards frequently meet with, who sometimes, but not necessarily, foretold future events. They are classed next to apostles, 1 Corinthians 12. 28, 20 ; Ephesians 4. 11. that there should be great dearth throughout all the world—the whole Roman empire, which came to pass In the days of Claudius Csesar. Four famines occurred during his reign. This one in Judca and the adjacent countries took place, a. d. 41. [Josefhus, Antiquities, 20.
first, been preached to " the Grecians" or Greek-speaking Jews, and these 'men of Cyprus and Cyrene' were themselves "Grecians." How, then, can we suppose that the historian would note, as something new and singular (v.
22), that some of the dispersed Christians preached to themf a great number believed—Tlius the accession of Cornelius and his party was not the first admission of nncircumcised Gentiles into the Church. (See on ch. 10.
1.) Nay, we read of no influence which the accession of Cornelius and his house had on the further progress of the Go.spel among the Gentiles; whereas there here open npon us operations upon the Gentiles from quite a different quarter, and attended with ever-growing success. The only great object served by the case of Cornelius was the formal recognition of the principles which that case afterwards secured. (See on ch. 15.) sent . . . Barnabas . . . as far as Antioch—implying that even on the way to Antioch he found churches to visit. [Ol.shaxjsen.] It was in the first instance, no doubt, a mission of inquiry; and no one could be more suitable to inquire into the proceedings of those Cyprians and Cyrenians than one who was himself a " Grecian" of Cyprus (ch. 4. 36), and " a son of consolation." when he . . . had seen the grace of God (in the new converts), was glad—owned and rejoiced In it at once as Divine, though they were nncircumcised. exhorted them all that witli piu-pose of heart (as opposed to a hasty and fickle discipleship) they would cleave unto the Lord—the Lord .Tesus. For lie was a good man—The sense of "good" here is plainly ' largehearted,' 'liberal-minded,' rising above narrow Jewish sectarianism, and that because, as the historian adds, he was "full of the Holy Ghost and of faith." and much people were added unto tlie Lord—This proceeding of Barnabas, so full of wisdom, love and zeal, was bles.sed to the great increase of the Christian community in that Important city.
2, 5.J An important dale for tracing out the chronology of the Acts. (But this subject is too difficult and extensive to admit of being handled here.) Then the disciples, every man according to his ability, determined to send relief, &c. This was the pure prompting of Christian love, which shone so bright in those earliest days of the Gospel, sent it to the elders— an office well known to be borrowed from the synagogue; after the model of which, and not cU all of the temple, the Christian Chwches were constituted by the apostles, by the hands of Barnabas and Saul—This was Saul's second visit to Jerusalem after his conversion.
CHAPTER XII.
Ver. 1-19. Persecution of the Church by Herotj Agrippa I.—Martyrdom of James and miraculous deliverance of Peter. 1-3. Herod the king—grandson of Herod the Great, and son of Aristobulus. He at this time ruled over all his father's dominions. Paley has remarked the accuracy of the historian here. For thirty years before this there was no king at Jerusalem exercising supreme authority over Judea, nor was there ever afterwards, save during the three last years of Herod's life, within which the transactions occurred, killed James . . . with the sword— beheaded him; a most ignominious mode of punishment, according to the Jews. Blessed martyr! Thou hast indeed "drunk of thy Lord's cup, and hast been baptized with his baplism." (See on Mark 10. 38-40.) A grievous loss this would be to the Church; for though nothing is known of him beyond what we read In the Gospels, the place which he had as one of the three whom the Lord admitted to his closest intimacy would lead the Church to look up to him with a reverence and af Tection which even their enemies would come to hear of. They could spring only upon one more prized victim ; and flushed with their flrst success, they prevail upon Herod to seize him also, because h« saw It pleased the Jews—Popularity was the ruling pa.ssion of this Herod, not naturally so cruel a.s some of the family. [Joskphus, Antiquities, 19. 7, 3. J to take Peter also—whose loss, at this stage of the Church, would have been, so far as we can see, irreparable. Tlien were the days of unleavened bread— seven In number, during which, after killing and eating the Passover, no leaven was allowed In Jewish houses (Exodus 12). 4. dellvere«l him to four quaternions of soldiers—i. e., to four parties of four each, corresponding to the four Roman watches; two watching In prison and two at the gates, and each party being on duty for the space of one watch, intending after Easter—rather, after the Passover; i.e., after the whole festival was over. (The word In our authorized version is an ecclesiastical term of later date, and ought not to have been employed here.) to bring him forth to the people—for execution ; for during "the days of unleavened bread," or the currency of any religious
25, 26. Barnabas, findihq the work in Antiooh TOO 3IUCH FOR HIM, GOES TO TARSUS FOR SAUITHEY I.AB0UR THERE TOGETHER FOR A WHOLE YEAR WITH MUCH SUCCESS, AND ANTIOCH BECOMES THE HONOURED BIRTH-PLACE OF THE TERM CHRISTIAN. Then departetl Barnabas to Tarsus for to seeh Saul—Of course, then, this was after the hasty despatch of Saul to Tarsus, no doubt by Barnabas himself among others, to escape the fury of the Jews at Jerusalem. And as Barnabas was the first to take the converted persecutor by the hand and procure his recognition as a disciple by the brethren at Jerusalem (ch. 9. 27), so he alone seems at that early period to have discerned in him those peculiar endowments by virtue of which he was afterwards to eclipse all others. Accordingly, Instead of returning to Jerusalem, to which, no doubt, he sent accounts of his proceedings from time to time, finding that the mine in Antioch was rich in promise and required an additional and powerful hand to work, he leaves it for a time, takes a journey to Tarsus, "finds Saul" (seemingly implying—not that he lay hid [Bengel], but that he was engaged at the time In some preaching circuit— see on ch. 15. 23), and returns with him to Antioch. Nor wore his hopes disappointed. As co-pastors, for the time being, of the Church there, they so laboured that the Gospel, even in that great and many-sided community, achieved for Itself a name which will live and be gloried in as long as this world lasts, as the symbol of all that Is most precious to the fallen family of man :—" The disciples were called Christians first in Antioch." This name originated not within, but without, the Church; not with their Jewish enemies, by whom they were styled "Nazarenes" (ch. 24. 5), but with the heathrm in Antioch, and (as the form of the word shows) with festival, the Jews had a prejudice against trying or putting any one to death. 3, 6. prayer was made without cea*> Ing—rather (Jl/ar^'n), 'instant,' 'earnest,' 'urgent ;' as la I;Uke 22. 44; ch. 26. 7; and 1 Peter 4. 8 (see Greek), of tlM Church unto God for him—not In public assembly, for the iJowa?!*, not the Grcc*4 there. [Olshausbn.] It was not at flist used in a good sense (as ch. 26. 28, and 1 Pet«r 4. 16 show), though hardly framed out of contempt [as Dk ^'ette, BAirMGARTEN, &c.]; but as it was a noble testimony to the light in which the Church regarded Christ honouring lilna as their only Lord and Saviour, dwelling
It was evidently not safe to meet thus; but In llttl« groups in private houses, one of which was Mary's, v. 12. And this was kept up during all the days of unleavened
Tlie Miracalotis Deliverance of Peler. ACTS XII. The Growing Success of the GospcL tread, and wnea Herod would have bronsht Iilm fortli—' was going to bring hlra forth.' the 8am» night but a few hours before the Intended execution. Thus long w*re the disciples kept waiting ; their prayers apparently unavailing, and their faith, as would seem from the vent prayers during all the days of unleavened bread they dispute themselves out of it as a thing incredible.
Still, it is but the unbelief of the disciples who " believed not /or ,;oy and wondered" at the tidings of their Lord's resurrection. How often do we pray for what we can hardly credit the bestowment of, when it comes in answer to our prayers! This, however, argues not so much hard unbelief as that kind of it incident to the best in this land of shadows, which perceives not so clearly as it might how very near heaven and eartli, the Lord and his praying people, are to each other. Peter continned knocking—delay being dangerous. But lie, beckoning . . . with his hand to hold their peace— lively touch this. In the hubbub ofjoyful and wondering interrogatories there might mingle reflections, thrown out by one against another, for holding out so long against the testimony of Rhoda; while the emotion of the apostle's own spirit would be too deep and solemn to take part in such demonstrations or utter a word sequel, waxing feeble. Such, however, is the Jaw of God's procedure (Deuteronomy 32. 36, and see on John 21. Z). Peter \yas sleeping between ttvo soldiers, bonnd tvlth two chains—Roman prisoners had a chain fastened at one end to the wrist of their right hand, and at the other to the wrist of a soldier's left hand, leaving the right arm of the keeper free in case of any attempt to escape. For greater security the prisoner was sometimes, as here, chained to two soldiers, one on each side. (See ch. 21. 23.) Ye think your prey secure, bloodthirsty priests and thou obsequious tyrant who, to " please the Jews," hast shut in this most eminent of the servants of Christ within double gates, guarded by double sentinels, .while double keepers and double chains seem to defy all rescue! So thought the chief priests, who "made the sepulchre of the Lord sure, sealing the stone and setting a watch." But "He that sitteth in heaven shall laugh at you." Meanwhile, "Peter is sleeping!" In a few hours he extill, with his hand, lie had signified his wish for perfect silence. Go show tliese tilings unto James and to the brethren—Whetlier James the son of Alpheus, one of the Twelve, usually known as 'James the Less,' and "James the Lord's brother" (Galatians 1. 19), were the same person; and if not, whether the James here referred to was the former or the latter, critics are singularly divided, and the whole question is one of tlie most difficult. To us, it appears that there are strong reasons for thinking that they were nol the same person, and that the one here meant, and throughout the Acta, is t?ie apostle James. (But on this more hereafter.) James is singled out, because he had probably begun ro take the oversight of the Church in Jerusalem, which we afterwards find him exercising (ch. 1.5). And he departed, and went Into another place—according to liis Lord's express command, Matthew 10. Zi. When told, on a former miraculous liberation from prison, to go and speak unto the people (ch. 5.20), he did it; but in this case to present himself in public would have been to tempt God by rushing upon c#rtain destruction. 18, 19. as soon as it was day, &c.—His deliverance must have been during the fourth watch (three to six A. M.) else he must have been missed by the keepers at the change of the watch. [Wies.] examined the keepers who, either like the keepers of our Lord's sepulchre, had "shaken and become as dead men" (Matthew 28. 4), or had slept on their watch and been divinely kept from awaking, commanded that they should be put to death—Impotent vengeance pects a stlngless death ; "neither counts he his life dear unto him, so that he may finish his course with joy and the ministry which he has received of the Lord Jesus." In this frame of spirit he has dropt asleep, and lies the picture of peace. 7-11. the angel of the Liord—rather, 'an angel'—came upon him—So in Lulie 2. 9, expressive of the unexpected nature of the visit, smote Peter on the side . , . Arise up quickly. And his chains fell off, . . Gird thyself . . , And so he did . . . Cast thy garment (tunic, which he had tlirown off for the night) about thee . . . follow me—In such graphic minuteness of detail we have a charming mark of reality: while the rapidity and curtness of the orders, and tlie promptitude with which they were obeyed, betoken the despatch which, in the circumstances, was necessary, wist not that it was true ; but thought he saw a vision—So little did the apostle look for deliverance! ftrst and . . . second ward , . . the iron gate that leadeth unto the city—We can only conjecture the precise meaning of all this, not knowing the position of the prison, passed on through one street, and forthwith the angel departe<l from him—when he had placed him beyond pursuit. Thus " He disappointeth the devices of the crafty, so thai, their heads cannot perform their enterprise" (Job
5.12). when Peter was come to himself— recovered from his bewilderment, and had time to look back upon
20-25. Herod's Miserable Eun—Growing Success OF THE Gospel—Barnabas and Sacl Return to AnTIOCH. iJO. Herod was . . . displeased with them of Tyre and Sidon—for some reason unknown ; but the all the steps that had followed each other in such rapid succession. Now I know of a surety, that the Lord hath sent his angel, and hath delivered me, &c.—another evidence that Peter expected nothing but to seal his testimony with his blood on this occasion. 12-17. he came to the house of Mary, <S:c.—who ' must have had a house of sora./ pretensions to receive a large number; and, accordingly, we read that her brother Barnabas (Colossians 4. 10) was a person of substance (ch. 4. 37). She must also have been distinguished for faith and courage to allow such a meeting in the face of persecution.' [\VebSTEB and Wilkinson.] To such a house it was natural that Peter should come, mother of John . . . Mark so called to distinguish him from the apostle of that name, and she to distinguish her from the other Maries, where many were gathered together praying—doubtef Tect on their commercial relations made the latter glad to sue for peace, tlieir country was nojirished by the king's country—See 1 Kings 5. 11; Ezra 3. 7; Ezekiel 27.
17. Perhaps the famine (ch. 11. 2K) made them the more urgent for reconciliation. 21, 23. And upon a set day Herod . . . made an oration unto them—to the Tyrians and Sidonians especially, tlie people gave a shout, &c. —Josephus' account of his death is remarkably similar to this. [Antiquities, x'lx.a.i.] Severa cases of such deaths occur in history. Thus was this wretched man nearer his end than he of whom he had thought to make a public spectacle. 34. But the M-ord grew, &c—q. d., ' Not only was the royal representative ignominiously swept from the stage, while his inteiideu victim was spjired to the Church, but the cause which he and his Jewisli Instigators sought to crush was only furthered and glorified. How full of encouragement and consolation is all this to the Christian Church in every age! 25. Bornnbns and Saul returned from .Terusalem—where. It 'liiis appears, they had remained during all this porseculion. when they had fullilled their ministry—or service; that mentioned on ch. 11. 29, 30. took with them .Tolin . . . Mark —(See on v. 12), not to be confounded with the second Evangelist, as Is often done. As his uncle was P.ariiabao, so his spiritual father was Pe'er (I Peter 5. 13).
less for Peter's deliverance, and continuing, no doubt, on this the last of the days of unleavened bread,, which was their last hope, all night in prayer to God. came to hearken—not to open; for neither was it a time nor an hour of night for that, but to listen who was there, opened not for gladness, but ran in and told, &c.— How exquisite Is this touch of nature! Thou art mad one ol those exclamations which one can hardly resist on hearing what seems far 'too good to be true.' she constantly af Hrmetl ('kept steadfastly afflrmlng") that it was even so. Then said they. It is his angel—his disembodied spirit, his ghost ; anything. In fact, ratlier than himself. Though thin had been the burden of their fer-
Paul and Barnabas Sent to the Gentiles. ACTS XIII. Elymas the Sorcerer Smitten with BlindnesK
CHAPTER XIII. (Chapters 13., 14.) PA UL'3 FIRST MISSIONARY JO URNEY, summits are easily seen in clear weather from the coast. [Colonel Chesney in Hows.] 'Four reasons may have Induced them to turn in first to this island: (1.) Its nearness to the mainla':jd ; (2.) It was the native place of Barnabas, and since the time when Andrew found his brother Simon, and brought him to Jesus, and "Jesus loved Martha, and her sister, and Lazarus," family ties had not been without effect on the progress of the Gospel.
In Company with Barnabas.
Ver. 1-3. Barnabas and Saul, divinely called to LABOUR AMONG THE GENTILES, ABE SET APART AND SENT FORTH BY THE CHURCH AT Antioch. The first Seven chapters of this book might be entitled, The Church among
(3.) It could not be unnatural to suppose that the truth would be welcomed in Cyprus when brought by Barnabas and his kinsman Mark, to their own connections or friends. The Jews were numerous in Salamis. By sailing to that city, they were following the track of the synagogues; and though their mission was chiefiy to the Gentiles, their surest course for reaching them was through the proselytes and Hellenizlng Jews. (4.) Some of the Cypriotes were already Christians. Indeed, no one place out of Palestine, except Antioch, had been so lionourably associated with the work of successful evangelization. [Hows.] and when they were at Salamis—the Grecian capital of the island, on the eastern side, and not many hours' sail from Selencia. At this busy mercantile port immense numbers of Jews were settled, which accounts for what is here said, that they had more than one synagogue, in which Barnabas and Saul preached, while other cities had one only, they had . . . John (Mark) to theltminister— ' for their officer.' (See on Luke 4.
the .Texas; the next five (ch. 8.-12.), The Church in trahsition from Jews to Gentiles; and the last sixteen (ch. 13.-28.), Tfie Church among the Gentiles. [Baumgarten.] 'Though Christianity had already spread beyond the limits of Palestine, still the Church continued a stranger to format missiionary efl'ort. Casual occurrences, particularly tlie persecution at Jerusalem (ch. 8. 2), had hitherto brought about the diffusion of the Gospel. It was from Antioch that teachers were first sent forth with the definite purpose of spreading Christianity, and organizing churches, with regular institutions (oh. 11. 23). [Olshausen.] 1. there were . . . certain prophets (see on ch. 11. 27) and teachers, as Barnabas, &c.—implying that there were others there besides; but, according to what appears the true reading, the meaning is simplj' that those here mentioned were in the Church at Antioch as prophets and teachers. Simeon . . . Niger—of whom nothing is known, liuclns of Cyrene—See on ch. 2. 20. He is mentioned, Romans 16. 21, as one of Paul's kinsmen. Manaen—or Menaliem, the name of one of the kings of Israel (2 Kings
20.) With what fruit they preached here is not said. Probably their feeling was what Paul afterwards expressed at Antioch in Pisidia, v. 46. G. when they had gone rotind the Isle unto Paphos—on the opposite or west side of the island, about 100 miles by land, along the south coast; the Roman capital, where the governor resided, they found a sorcerer—one of a numerous class of impostors who, at this time of general unbelief, were encouraged even by cultivated Romans. 7. which was with the deputy—properly 'the Proconsul.' This name was reserved for the governors of settled provinces, which were placed under the Roman Senate, and is never given in the New Testament to Pilate, Felix, or Festus, who were hnt Procurators, or subordinate adminlstratoi-s of unsettled. Imperial, military provinces. Now as Augustus reserved Cyprus for himself. Its governor would in that case have been not a Proconsul, but simply a Procu-
15. 14), which liad been brought np with (or ' the foster-brother of) Herod the tetrarch—i. e., Antipas, who was himself 'brought up with a certain private person at Rome.' [Josephus, Antiquities, 17. 1, 3.] How differently did these two foster-brothers turn out—the one, abandoned to a licentious life and stained with the blood of the most distinguished of God's prophets, though not wilhout his fits of reformation and seasons of remorse; the other, a devoted disciple of the Lord Jesus and prophet of the Church at Antioch ! But this is only what may be seen in every age: "Even so. Father, for so it seemeth good in thy stght." If the courtier, whose son, at the point of death, was healed by our Lord (John 4. 46) was of Herod's establishment, while Susanna's husband was his steward (Luke 8. 3), his foster-brother's becoming a Christian and a prophet is something remarkable, antl Snul—last of all, but soon to become first. Henceforward rator, had not the emperor afterwards restored It to the Senate, as a Roman historian [Die Cassius] expressly states. In most striking confirmation of this minute accuracy of the sacred historian, coins have actually been found in the island, stamped with the names of Proconsuls, both In Greek and Latin. [Akerman's Numismatic Illusthis book isalmostexcluslvely occupied with him; and his impress on the New Testament, on Christendom, and on tiie world is paramount, a. As they ministered to the Lord—The word denotes the performance of official duties trations of the New Testament.] (Grotius and Bengbl, not aware of this, have missed the mark here.) Serglns PaiUus, a prudent (or 'intelligent') man—who thirsting of any kind, and was used to express the priestly functions under the Old Testament. Here it signifies the corresponding ministrations of the Christian Church, and fasted-As this was done in other cases on special occasions {v. 3, 14, 23), it is not improbable that they had been for truth, sent for Barnabas and Saul, desiring ('earnestly desiring') to hear the word of God. S-l'-J. B«t Elymas (or
• the wise') for so Is his name by Interpretation (the wort.
led to expect some such prophetic announcement at this
Is from the Arabic) withstood them—perceiving, probatime, the Holy Ghost said—through some of the prophets mentioned in v. 1. Separate me—So Romans 1. 1. for the work whereunto I liave called them—by some communication, perhaps, to themselves: in th'e case of Saul at least, such a designation was indicated from tlie bly, how eagerly the proconsul was drlnldng In the word, and fearing a dismissal. (Cf. 2 Timothy 3. 8.) Then Saul. . . also . . . called Fenl—and henceforward Paul only ; a softening of his former name, in accommodation to Roman ears, and (as the word signifies 'little') probably with first (ch. 22. 21). N. B. While tlie personality of the Holy Ghost is manifest from this language. His supreme divinallusion as elsewhere to his insignificance of stature and appearance (2 Corinthians 10. 1, 10). [Webster and Wilkinson.] tilled with the Holy Ghost—The Spirit comity will appear equally so by comparing it with Hebrews
5.4. laid their hands on them—(See on (rh. 6. 6)—" recommending them to the grace of God for the work Whicli they had to fulfil," ch. 14. 26. sent them away—with the double call—of the Spirit first, and next of the Churcli. So ing mightily upon him. set his eyes on him and said— Henceforward Barnabas sinks Into the background. The whole soul of his great colleague, now drawn put, as never before, shoots, by the liglitning gaze of his eye, through the dark and tortuous spirit of the sorcerer. What a picture! ftiH of all gubaety—referring to his. magic arts, and all malice—The word signifies ' readiclothed, tlieir mission is thus described : " They being sent forth by the Holy Ghost." Have we not here for all time the true principle of appointment to sacred offices?
4-12. Arriving in Cyprus, they preach in the synaGOGUKS OK Salamis—At Paphos, Elymas is struck blind, and the governor of the island is converted. 4, 5. departed unto Seleucla—the seaport of Antioch, from which it lay nearly due west fifteen miles, and five from the Mediterranean shore, on the river ness for anything,' knavish dexterity, thou child (' son') of the devil . . . enemy of all rlghteougne*8--These were not words of passion, for immediately before uttering them it is said he was " filled with the Holy Ghost." [Chrysostom.] wilt thou not cease to pervert the right ways of the Lord, Ac-referring to his havlDR to
Orontes. thence sailed to Cyprus-whose high mountain
Paul Preaches at Anliock, ACTS XIII. thai Jesus is Christ.
to the establishment of royalty. Thus, from the Exwliis to the building of the temple were 592 years [Josephus, Antiquities, 8. 3. 1]; deduct foi'ty years in the wilderness; twenty-flve years of Joshua's rule [Josephus, AndquUies, that hour made a trade of leading hts fellow-creatures Mtray. The Hand of the Lord Is upon tliee, and thou
Bhalt be bltnd for a season—the judgmeut being merciluUy designed to lead him to repentance. The tradition that it did is hardly to be depended on. tliere fell on him a mist, &c.—This is In li Uke's medical style. Then the deputy, when he saw what was done, believed, being astonished at the doctrine of the Lord—so marvellously attested; of. Mark 1. 27. What fruit, if
5. 1. 29]: forty years of Saul's reign (d.2); forty of David'sand llie first four years of Solomon's reign (1 Kings 6. 1), and there remalni just 413 years; or, in round numliers, 'about 450 years.' God gave them Saul . . . of the tribe of Benjamin—That the speaker was himself of the same name and of the same tribe, has often been noticed as in any, followed this remarkable conversion, or how long all likelihood present to the apostle's mind while speak after it the missionaries remained at Paplios, we know ing. forty years—With this length of Saul's reign tuol mentioned in the Old Testament), Josephus coincides not.
1.3-52. At Perga John Mark forsakes them—At AnTiocH, IN PisiDiA, Paul Preaches with glorious EFFECT—The Jews, enraged, expel them out of their coasts. 13. They came to Perga In Pamphylla—The
(Antiquities, 6. 14; 9). I have found David, &c.—Tills quotation is the substance of Psalm 89.20; 1 Samuel 13. U; and perhaps also of Psalm 78. 70-72. 23-35. Of this man's seed hath God, according to . . . promise, raised uitto distance from Paphos to Attaleia, on the Gulf of Pamphy-
Isi-ael a Saviour, Jesus—The emphasis on this statement lia (see on ch. 11. 25), sailing in a north-west direction, is not much greater than from Seleucia to Salamis on the lies (1.) in ihe seed from which Christ sprang—David's— and the promise to that effect, which was thus fulfilled east. Perga was the metropolis of Pamphylla, on the
(2.) on the character in which this promised Christ was given of God—" a Saviour." His personal name " Jesus' river Cestrus, and about seven miles iuiaad from Attaleia. and John departing from tliem returned to Jerusalem—As Paul afterwards, peremptorily refused to take Mark with him on his second missionary journey, because "he had departed (or 'fallen off') from them and had not gone with them to the work'' (ch. 15. 38), there can be no doubt that he had either wearied of it or been deterred by the prospect of the dangers wliicli lay liefore him. (But see on ch. 15. 37, &c.) 14. departed from Perga —apparently without making any stay or doing any work is emphatically added, as designed to express that very character. (See on Matthew 1. 21.) 36-31. children . . . of Abraham, and whosoever among you feareth God (Gentile proselytes), to you Is the word of this salvation sent—both being regarded as one class, as " the Jew first," to whom the Gospel was to be addressed In the first instance. For they that dwell at Jerusalem., and their rulers, because they knew him not, &c.—The apostle here speaks as If the more Immediate guilt of Christ's death lay with the rulers and people of the metropolis, to which he fondly hoped tliat those residing at such a distance as Antioch would not set their seal, found no cause of death—though they sought it, Matthew 26. 59, 60. they took him down . . . and laid him In a sepulchre Though the burial of Christ was an act of honour and love to him by the disciples to whom the body was committed, yet since his enemies looked after it, and ootained a guard of soldiei's to keep watch over it, as the remains of their own victim, the apostle regards this as the last manifestation on their part of enmity to the .Saviour, that they might see how God laughed cf. the different language of ch. 1-t. 25, and see immediately below, came to Antloch in PlsUlla—usually so called, to distinguish It from Antioch in Syria, from which they had started, though it actually lies in Plirygia, and almost due north from Perga. It was a long journey, and as it lay almost entireljthrough rugged mountain-passes, while 'rivers burst out at the base of huge cliffs, or dash down wildly through narrow ravines,' it must have been a perilous one. The whole region was, and to this day is. Infested by robbers, as ancient history and modern travels abundantly attest ; and there can be but little doubt that to this very journey Paul many years after alludes, when he speaks amidst his "journeyings often," of his "perils of rivers" (as the word is), and his "perils oj roball their precautions to scorn by " raising him from the dead." he was seen many days of them which came up with him from Galilee to Jerusalem, &c.—i. e., by those who, having gone out and in with him in closest intimacy during all his public ministry, which lay chiefly in Galilee, and having accompanied him on his last journey to Jerusalem, could not possibly be mistaken as to the identity of the risen One, and were therefore unexceptionable and sufficient witnesses. 33, 33. God hath fulfilled the same—'hath completely fulhers." (2 Corinthians 11. 26.) If this journey were taken in May—and much earlier than that the passes would have beeii blocked up with snow—it would account for their not staying at Perga, whose hot streets ,ire then deserted ; 'men, women, and children, flocks, herds, camels, and asses, all ascending at the beginning of the hot seaeon from the plains to the cool basin-like hollows on the inountaii.s, moving In the same direction with our mis Bionaries.' [Ilows.] 15-17. Tlien Paul stood up, and bec Uoulng with hU hand—as was his manner on such occafilled.' In that he hath raised up Jesus again lit., 'raised up;' but the meaning is (notwithstanding the contrary opinion of many excellent Interpreters) "Jrom the dead ,-" as the context plainly shows, as It Is written In the second Psalm—in many MSS. 'the first Psalm;' what we call the first being regarded by the ancient Jews as only an introduction to tlie Psalter, which was considered to begin with the second, this day have I begotten thee—As the apostle in Romans 1. 4 regards the resurrection of Christ merely as the manifestation of a prior Sonship, which he afterwards, ch. 8. 32, represents as essential, it Is plain that this is his meaning here. (Sucli declarative meaning of the verb 'to be' is familiar to every reader of the Bible.) See ex. gr. John 1.5. 8, "So shall ye be," t. e., be seen to be " my disciples." It is against the whole sense of the New Testament to ascribe the origin of Clirist's Sonship to His resurrection. 34-37. now no more to return to corruption—t. e., to the grave where death reigns; and cf. Komans 6. 9, "Christ being raised from the dead dieth no more, death hath no more dominion over him." I will give you the sure mercies of David—(Isaiah 55.3.) The word rendered "mercies" is peculiar, denoting the sanctity ot\hem.,B.a comprehending the whole riches of the new covenant; wlille tlie other word, "sure," points to the certainty with which they
Bioi-.s, cli. 21. 40; and see ch. 26. 1. Men of Israel, and ye thiit fear God—by the latter expression meaning religious proselytes, who united with the Jews in all acts of oi'dinary worship, and exalted tliem when they dwelt as strangers In Egyptby marvellous interpositions for tiu 111 in their deepest depression. 18-82. forty years Buffered he their manner—rather, according to what
the true reading, 'cherished he tliem' (as a nurse tlii infant in her bosom), after that he gave . . . judges. . . by the space of four hundred »nd fifty years—As lliis appears to contradict 1 Kings 6. 1, various solutions have been proposed. Taking the words as they stand in the (ireek, thus, 'after that, by the space of 4.50 years, he gave judges,' the meaning may lie, tliat about liO years elapsed from the time of the covenant with Abiaiiam until the period of the Judges; which is historically cornct, the word 'about' showing that chronological exactness was not aimed at. But taking the sense to be as in our version, that it was the period of the judges itself which lasted about 4.50 years, this statement also will appear historically correct, if we Include in it tlie interval Of subjection to foreign powers which occurred during the period of the Judges, and understand it to descrit>e the Whole period from the settlemen Uof the tribes In Canaan
Many the Gentiles Believe. ACTS XIV. Paul and Barnabas Ihiven from Iconium.
dieting and blaspheming—There Is nothing more awful than Jewish fury and execration of the name of Jesus of would, through David's Seed, be at lengtli all substanllated. See on John 1. 14. But how do these words prove the resurrection of Christ? 'They presuppose it; for sinoe an eternal kingdom was promised to David, the Ruler of this kingdom could not remain under the power of death. But to strengthen the indefinite prediction by one more definite, the apostle adduces Psalm 16. 10, of which Peter had given the same explanation (see on ch. 2.
Nazareth, when thoroughly roused. Then Paul and Bar« nabas waxed bold, and said, Ac.—This is in the highest style of a last and solemn protestation, it was necessary that the word should first have been spoken to you— See the direction of Christ in Luke 24. 47; also'Romans 1.
16. since ye judge yourselves unworthy of everlasting life—pass sentence upon j'ourselves. For so hath the Lior<l commanded us, saying, Ac-These and other predictions must have been long before this brought vividly liome to Paul's mind in connection with his special vf>cation to tlie Gentiles. I have set thee i. e., Messiah; from which Paul inferred that he was but following out tliis destination of his Lord, in transferring to the Gentiles those "unsearchable riches" which were now by tne Jews rejected and despised, when the Gentiles lieard this, they were glad—to perceive that their accession to Christ was matter of Divine arrangement as well as apostolic effort, and glorified the word of the Lordby a cordial reception of it. and as many as were ordained to eternal life believed—a very remarkable statement, which cannot, without force, be interpreted of anything lower than this, that a Divine ordination toetemai
27. 30, 31), both apostles denying the possibility of its proper reference to David.' [Olshausen.] for David, after lie
served Ills own generation by tlic will of God rather, 'served,' in his own generation, the will (or 'counsel') of God ; j'ielding himself .an instrument for the accomplishment of God's high designs, and in this respect being emphatically "the man after God's own heart." This done, he 'fell asleep, and was gathered to his fathers, cind saw corruption.' David, therefore (argues the apostle), oould not be the subject of his own prediction, which had
Its proper fulfilment only in the resurrection of the uneorrupted body of the Son of God, emphatically God's "Holy One." 38-41. tlie forgiveness of sins—the first necessity of the sinner, and so the first experienced blessing of the
Gospel. Ijy Iilm all that believe are Justified from all things—The sense .requires that a pause in the sentence be made here: g. d., 'By him the believer is absolved fiom all charges of the law.' What follows—from wliicli ye conld not toe justified by the law of Moses—is hot an erceptional but an explanatory clause. The meaning is not, 'Tliough the law justifies from many things, it cannot life is the came, not the effect,©/ a«y ma7i's believinp. 49-
5'i. And tlie word of the liord was published through out all the region—implying some stay in Antioch and missionary activity in its vicinity, the devout and hon> ourable women—female proselytes of distinction, jaundiced against the new preachers by those .Jewish ecclesiastics to whom they had learnt to look up. The potent influence of the female character both for and against the truth is seen in every age of the Church's history, expelled them—an easier thing than to refute them, shook
Justifj' from all things, but Christ makes up all deficiencies:' but the meaning is, 'By Christ the believer is justified from all things, whereas the law justifies from nothing.' (N. B. The deeper sense of justification, the positive side of it, is reserved for the Epistles, addressed to ofi' the dust of their feet against them—as directed, Matthew 10. 14. came iinto Iconium—a populous city about forty-five miles south-east from Pisldian Antioch ; at the foot of Mount Taurus; on the borders of Lycaonia, Phrygia, and Pisidia; and In later times largely contributing to the consolidation of the Turkish empire, the disciples—who, though not themselves expelled, had to endure sutferings for the Gospel, as we learn from ch. 11. 22 were filled with joy and with the Holy Ghost—who not only raised them above shame and fear, as professed disciples of the Lord Jesus, but filled them with holy and elevated emotions.
tlie justified themselves : and whereas it is the resurrection of Christ here, and throughout the Acts chiefly, wliich is dwelt on, because the first thing in order to bring peace to the guilty through Christ was to establish His MesKiahship by His resurrection, in the Epistles to believers
death as the way of reconciliation is fully unfolded.) Beware, therefore, Ac.—By this awful warning of the Old Testament the apostle would fain " shut them up unto the faith." ye will not believe thongh a man declare it unto yon i. e., even on unexceptionable testimony. The words, from Habakkuk 1. 5, were originally a merciful but fruitless warning against the approaching destruction of .Jerusalem by the Chaldeans and the Babylonish captivity. As such nothing could more fitly descril)e the more avful calamity impending over the generatioti which the apostle addressed. 42, 43. And when the Jews were gone ont of the synagogue, the Gentiles besought that these words might be preacheil to thcin the next sabbath—rather (according to what is beyond doubt the true reading), 'Now, as they were going out (of the synagogue) they besought'—i. e., not the Gentiles, whose case comes in afterwards, but the mixed congregation of Jews and proselytes, to whom the discourse had
CHAPTER XIV.
Ver. 1-7. Meeting with Similar Success and .SimitAB Opposition at Iconium, Paul and Barnabas Flee for their IjIVes to Lystra and Derbe, and Preach there. 'After this detailed account of Paul's labours at PIsidlan Antioch, Luke subjoins only bnef notices of his further labours, partly because from the nature of the case his discourses must have embraced nearly the same topics, and partly because the consequences that resulted assumed quite a similar shape.' [Olshausen.] 1. they went both together Into the synagogue—9. (Z., 'Though Paul was now the prominent speaker and actor, yet in everything Barnabas went along with him.' a . . . multitude . . . of the Greeks believed—meaning probably the religious proselytes, as opposed to "the Gentiles" mentioned t'. 2. 3. Longtime therefore abode they—because In spite of opposition they were meeting with so much success, speaking boldly in the li Ord—rather, 'In dependence on the Lord,' i. e., on their glorified Head, who gave testimony to the woi-d of his grace—a notable definition of the Gospel, whose whole burden is Grace, and granted— " granting." i.e. who confirmed the Gospel by granting miraculous attestation to It. (The "and" Is wanting In the best MSS.)
1)een addressed, entreated to ha.ve another hearing of such truths; those of them, that is, who had been impressed. '.\nd after the breaking up of the sj-nagogue, many of" both classes, Jews and religious proselytes, followed Paul and Barnabas (observe, from this time forward, the inverted order of these names ; except ch. I t. It ; 13. 7 ; 12.
2) ; on which see). These had evidently been won to the Gospel by what they had heard, and fcU a clinging to their spiritual benefactors, whospealting to them—following up the discourse in the synagogue by some further words of encouragement, persuaded them to continue in the grace of God—which they had experienced through the Gospel. (Cf. ch. 11. 23.) 44-48. the next sabbath came a] most the whole city together to hear the word of God —the Intervening days having been spent in further inquiry and Instruction, and the excitement reaching the Gentiles, who now for the first time crowded, along with the usual worshippers. Into the synagogue. But wlieii the Jews—those zealots of exclusive .ludaism-saw tiie mullltudea, they were filled with envy— rather, 'indigna-
R. an assanlt made ... to stone them—rather here, 'an Impetuous movement' with a view to stoning them: for in 2 Corinthians 11. 25, Paul says, " Once I was stoned," and that was at Lystra, as expressly related In v. 10. (Pai.KY's remarks Ilorce Paulince—on this singular coincidence between the Epistle and the history are very tion,' and broke out lu Ihelr asunl uianiter. contra-
Paul Heals a Cripple at Lystra. ACTS XIV. Paul is Stoned, and Departs the City, striking.) fled—(See Matthew 10.23.) 6. to Lystra and Derbe—tl.eone some twenty miles to the south, the other some sixty miles to the east of Iconium, somewhere about resented as so much less in the heathen, by how much they were outside tlie pale of revealed religion, he takes care to add that the heathen have Divine "witness" enough to leave them "without excuse." he did goodscatteiing his benetioence everywhere and in a thousand forms, rain from heaven and fi-uitful seasons—on which human subsistence and all human enjoyment depend. In Lycaonia, where, as ancient writers attest, rain is peculiarly scarce, this allusion would have all the grea ter effect, fllllngour hearts with food and gladness—a natural colloquialism, the heart being gladdened by the food supplied to the body, and -ivitli these sayings scarce restrained they tite people that they had not done sacrl Ace to them—In spite of this, and Peter's repu<Uation of all such honour (ch. 10. 26), how soon did idolatrous tendencies begin to show themselves in the Christian Church, at length to be systematized and en Joined in the Church of Rome! came thitlier Jews from Antioch and Iconium—Furious zeal that would travel so far to counteract the missionaries of the Cross! persuadol the people—'the multitudes.' and having stoned Paul—See on r. 5. Barnabas they seem to have the bases of what are called the Black Mountains and the roots of Mount Taurus ; but their exact position has not yet been discovered.
8-21. At Lystra, Paul Healing a Cripple, the People are scarce Restrained from Sacrificing to THEM AS Gods, but afterwards, their Minds being Poisoned, they Stone Facl, Leaving him for Dead-^ Withdrawing to Derbe, thft Preach and Teach there. There being no ment.on of the synagogue at
Lystra, It is probable there were too few Jews there to form one. 8-10. there sat there a ccrtnlit man ... a cripple from his mother's womb . . . The same heard Paul speak—in the open air and (v. 11) to a crowd of people, who steadfastly beholding him—as he did Klyinas the sorcerer when about to work a miracle on him. and pertselving that he had faith to be healed Paul may have been led by the sight of this cripple to dwell on the Saviour's miracles of healing, and His present power; and perceiving from the eagerness with which the patient drank in his words, that he was prepared to put his own case into the Redeemer's hands, tlie Spirit let alone; Paul, as the prominent actor and speaker, being the object of all their rage. The words seem to imply tliat it was the Jews who did this; and no doubt they took the lead (v. 19), but it was the act of the instigated and fickle multitudes along with them, drew him out of the city—By comparing this with ch. 7. 58 it will be seen that the Jews were the chief actors in this scene, as the disciples stood round about him—sorrowing. So his labours here had not been in vain : " Disciples" had l)een gathered, who now rallied around the bleeding body. And one appears to have been gained on this occasion, of far more importance than all the rest—TiMOtheus. See on ch. 16. 1-3. (It could scarcely have been at the stibsequenf visit, v. 21, for the reason given on 2 Timothy 3. 10, U; while at the third visit, cli. 16. 1-3, he was already a Christian.) he rose up—It is just possible that this recovery was natural; the insensibility occasioned by sucli treatment as lie had received sometimes passing away of itself, and leaving the patient less hurt than appeared. But certainly the impression naturally left on the mind by the words is that the restoration was miraculous; and so the best interpreters understand the words. This is confirmed by what follows—came into the city Noble intrepidity !' next day he departed with Barnabas to Dcrbe—a journey for which he could hardly be fit of the glorified Physician came all upon him, and " with a loud voice" he bade him "stand upright upon his feet." The effect was instantaneous—he ' sprang' to his feet "and walked." 11-13. in the speech of Lycaonla—whether a corruption of the Greek tongue, which was well enough understood in this region, or the remains of some older tongue, is not known. The gods are come down to ns In tlie likeness of men—the language of a rude and unsophisticated people. But ' that which was a superstition in Lycaouia, and for which the whole creation groaned, became a reality at Bethlehem.' [Webster and Wilkinson.] they called Barnabas, Jupiter—the father of the gods, from his commanding mien (Chrysostom thinks), and Paul , Mercurius—the god of eloquence and the messenger and attendant of Jupiter, in the heathen mytliology. the priest of Jupiter which was (i. e., whose temple stood) before their city, brouglit oxen and garlands—to crown the victims and decorate, as on festive occasions, the porches. 14-18. when Barnabas nd Paul heard—Barnabas is put first here, apparently M having been styled the "Jupiter" of the company they rent their clothes and ran in—rather (according to the true reading), 'ran fortli'—among the people, crying out. Sirs, why do ye these things T—This was something more than that abhorrence of idolatry which took possession of the Jews as a nation from the time of the Babylonish captivity: it was that delicate sensibility to everything which af Tects the honour of God which Chris-
If his recovery had been natural. (See as to Derbe, on v. 6.) and when tliey had preached to that city and had taught many—rather, 'had made many disciples' (?>Mjrgin); but probably without suftering any persecution, as Derbe is not mentioned along with Antioch, Iconium, and Lystra, 2 Timothy 3. 11.
tianity, giving us in God a reconciled Father, alone can produce; making the Christian instinctively feel himself
21-28. Paul and Barnabas retrace their steps, return to Antioch in Syria, and thus complete theib first Missionary Journey, ai, 32. they returned to Liystra, IconlHm, and Antioch, conflrming the souls, &e.—At Derlje, Paul was not far from the well-known pass which leads down from the central tableland to Clto be wounded in all dishonour done to God, and filling him with mingled horror and grief when such gross insults as this are offered to him. we are men of like passions, &c.—How unlike either imposture or enthusiasm is this, and how high above all self-seeking do these men of Christ show themselves to be! unto the living God—This is the most glorious and distinctive of licia and Tarsus. But his thoughts did not centre in an earthly home. He revisited the places where he had been reviled and persecuted, but where he had left as sheep In the desert the disciples whom his Master had enabled him nil the names of God. It is the familiar phraseology of the Old Testament, which, in such contrast with all that to gather. They needed building up and strengthening in the faith, comforting in the midst of their inevitable
Is to be found within the literature of heathenism, is shown to be, with its sequel, the New Testament, the one Book of the true religion, who made heaven, and earth, and the sea, ^nd all therein—This idea of creation, utterly unknown alike to rude and to cultivated heathen Ism, would not only define what was meant by " the living God," but open up a new world, on after reflection, to the more thoughtful part of the audienc-e. who In times pant suffisred all nations to walk in their oivn ways—t. e., without extending to them the revelation vouchsafed to the seed of Abraham, and the grace attending It: cf. ch. 17. 30; 1 Corinthians 1. 21. (Yet not without guilt on their part was this privation, Romans 1. 20, &c.) Nevertheless he left not himself without witness, tu that, <&c.—Though the beinoiisness of Idolatry is repsuffering, and fencing round by permanent institutrons. Undaunted therefore by the dangers that awaited them, our missionaries return to them, using words of encouragement which none but the founders of a true religion would have ventured to address to their earliest converts, that "we can only enter into the kingdom of God by passing through much tribulation." [Hows.] 23, 24. when they had ordained them elders—it., 'chosen by show of hands.' But as that would Imply that this was done by the apostles' own hands, many render the word, as in out version, "ordained." Still, as there Is no evidence in the New Testament that the word, had then lost its proper meiLUiug, as this Is beyond doubt Its meaning in 2 Corla-