St. Paul having obtained liberty of speaking, stretches out his right hand, disengaging from his cloak. We must recollect that St. Paul still bore his chains about him, those chains in which he gloried; (ver. 26.) it is therefore necessary to suppose that his left hand only was tied; or, what is les... [ Continue Reading ]
_According to the most sure sect. [1] In the Greek, the most exact or approved: for such was esteemed that of the Pharisees. (Witham)_ [BIBLIOGRAPHY] Certissimam,_ Greek: akribestaten, accuratissimam._... [ Continue Reading ]
_For the hope of the promise. That is, of the promised Messias, and of salvation by him. (Witham)_... [ Continue Reading ]
He speaks now to the Sadducees, who denied the resurrection. Can you say it is impossible for Him, whom you all allow to be omnipotent, to raise any of the dead to life? Is it not easier to reanimate a body, whose parts are dissolved by death, than create what had no existence? "And why should He, w... [ Continue Reading ]
_I brought the sentence. [2] That is, from those who in the great council were judges of life and death, to those officers who were to put the sentence in execution. This seems to be the sense of these words, rather than, I voted, or gave my voice in condemning them; for we have no grounds to think... [ Continue Reading ]
It is generally supposed that St. Paul addresses king Agrippa in the Greek language, which was the common tongue of a great part of the East. (Bible de Vence)... [ Continue Reading ]
_Wherein I will appear to thee. From whence interpreters take notice, that Christ divers times appeared to St. Paul to reveal things to him. (Witham)_... [ Continue Reading ]
_Delivering thee, &c. That is, from many attempts, both of the Jews and Gentiles, against thee. (Witham)_... [ Continue Reading ]
That they may be converted from the darkness of error to the light of the gospel, and from the power of Satan to the liberty of the children of God.... [ Continue Reading ]
_That Christ should suffer, &c. Literally, if Christ be passible. If, here is expounded not as implying a condition, but as an affirmation; so that the sense is, that Christ, according to the predictions of the prophets, was to suffer, was to be the first that should rise from the dead, &c. (Witham)... [ Continue Reading ]
It is not surprising that Festus should have taken St. Paul for a madman. The resurrection of the dead, remission of sins, receiving baptism, and faith, announcing light to the nations, &c. were subjects completely unintelligible to a Roman. To a Jew the terms were customary and common. The eloquenc... [ Continue Reading ]
_In a little thou persuadest me to become a Christian. According to the common exposition, Agrippa speaks in a jest, and ironically; and as for the words, they are the same as, thou almost persuadest me, &c. (Witham)_... [ Continue Reading ]
_Except these chains. That is, I heartily wish all men in the same condition as myself, not only to be prisoners as I am, but to be Christians, as I am. (Witham)_... [ Continue Reading ]