Acts 19:1
_Disciples. These were apparently disciples of St. John the Baptist, who believed in Christ from his testimony, and had received no farther instruction, nor any baptism but John's. (Calmet)_... [ Continue Reading ]
_Disciples. These were apparently disciples of St. John the Baptist, who believed in Christ from his testimony, and had received no farther instruction, nor any baptism but John's. (Calmet)_... [ Continue Reading ]
St. Paul first inquires of them, if they have received the Holy Ghost by confirmation. Their answer is probably not to be interpreted with rigour; since they must have heard something of the holy Spirit, so often mentioned in the Old Testament, by whom the prophets are said to speak, &c. They meant,... [ Continue Reading ]
_Baptized in the name of the Lord Jesus, so called to distinguish it from the baptism of John; and that of Christ was given in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost, according to the command of Christ himself. [Matthew xxviii. 19.] (Witham)_... [ Continue Reading ]
_Imposed his hands on them, by which imposition of hands, was given the Holy Ghost in the sacrament of confirmation. (Witham)_... [ Continue Reading ]
_Aprons. It is likely such as he used in working, cured diseases, and cast out devils. What wonder, then, if God work miracles by the relics of martyrs and saints, to testify the sanctity of his servants, and to encourage others both to give them a reasonable honour, and to imitate their lives? (Wit... [ Continue Reading ]
The Jewish exorcists. Among the Jews were some, who by calling upon the name of the true God, sometimes cast out evil spirits. But these sons of Sceva seeing St. Paul cast out devils, by calling upon the name of Jesus, thought fit to do the same, though they did not believe in Jesus Christ. And God... [ Continue Reading ]
_Confessing and declaring their deeds, as penitents do in the sacrament of penance, and not only in general declaring or confessing themselves sinners. See Matthew iii. 6. (Witham)_... [ Continue Reading ]
Curious arts. By which are here meant books of divination and magic art, to which study the Ephesians were much addicted. The price of the books burnt, amounting to a great sum, even computing the 50,000 denarii, each of them at sevenpence half-penny English money. (Witham) --- The value of the book... [ Continue Reading ]
_I must also see Rome. It is what St. Paul earnestly desired, and what the Spirit now revealed to him. See Romans i. (Witham)_... [ Continue Reading ]
_About the way of the Lord; that is, about Christian faith, and religion. (Witham) --- A great source of these troubles that ensued, was the preaching the gospel._... [ Continue Reading ]
_ Who made silver temples for Diana. [1] Perhaps figures of Diana's temple in silver; or boxes and shrines, in which was the statue or figure of Diana. (Witham)_ [BIBLIOGRAPHY] \'c6des argenteas, _Greek: naous argurous._... [ Continue Reading ]
_In danger of being vilified, and Diana of losing her reputation. They ought to have reflected, says St. John Chrysostom, (hom. xlii.) that if such a poor man, as Paul, could destroy the worship, and the majesty of this great goddess, whom, as they say, all the world adored, how much greater and wor... [ Continue Reading ]
_Great is Diana of the Ephesians. This they shouted out without intermission for about two hours, though the greatest part knew not why they had met together. A true representation of an unthinking rash mob. (Witham)_... [ Continue Reading ]
_Some also of the rulers of Asia. They are called friends to St. Paul, but it is uncertain whether they were Christians, or others, who favoured him, and wished him well. (Witham)_... [ Continue Reading ]
_The town-clerk, &c. Literally, the scribe, or the recorder of the city. --- Jupiter's offspring. [2] His daughter, according to the poets. The Greek text seems to signify a statue, or figure of Diana, which was pretended to have fallen from heaven, and from Jupiter. (Witham) --- Is a worshipper. Gr... [ Continue Reading ]
_Nor of blasphemy against your goddess. St. John Chrysostom takes notice, that to calm the people, he says more than was true. (Witham)_... [ Continue Reading ]