Now when they had passed through Amphipolis and Apollonia, they came to Thessalonica, where was a synagogue of the Jews: Ver. 1. _Where was a synagogue of the Jews_] Who did much hurt there by their crossness, neither pleasing God nor profiting men,1 Thessalonians 2:15 .... [ Continue Reading ]
And Paul, as his manner was, went in unto them, and three sabbath days reasoned with them out of the scriptures, Ver. 2. _Out of the Scriptures_] Wherein they were wondrously expert. _Quilibet nostrum de lege interrogatus facilius quam nomen suum recitat, _ saith Josephus. We have the Scriptures at... [ Continue Reading ]
Opening and alleging, that Christ must needs have suffered, and risen again from the dead; and that this Jesus, whom I preach unto you, is Christ. Ver. 3. _Alleging_] Or laying it so plain before their eyes (παρατιθεμενος), that they could not but see it, unless they were of those _qui festucam qua... [ Continue Reading ]
And some of them believed, and consorted with Paul and Silas; and of the devout Greeks a great multitude, and of the chief women not a few. Ver. 4. _Consorted with Paul_] Were knit unto them in the straitest bonds, as man and wife, brother and sister: _Sanctior est copula cordis quam corporis._ No... [ Continue Reading ]
But the Jews which believed not, moved with envy, took unto them certain lewd fellows of the baser sort, and gathered a company, and set all the city on an uproar, and assaulted the house of Jason, and sought to bring them out to the people. Ver. 5. _Of the baser sort_] _Viles et venales, _ saith o... [ Continue Reading ]
And when they found them not, they drew Jason and certain brethren unto the rulers of the city, crying, These that have turned the world upside down are come hither also; Ver. 6. _Turned the world, &c._] αναστατουντες. So Elias was called the troubler of Israel, Luther the trumpet of rebellion. It... [ Continue Reading ]
Whom Jason hath received: and these all do contrary to the decrees of Caesar, saying that there is another king, _one_ Jesus. Ver. 7. _Whom Jason hath received_] υποδεδεκται. _Clanculum excepit, _ so Erasmus well rendereth it, hath closely and covertly entertained them, as Obadiah did the Lord's pr... [ Continue Reading ]
And they troubled the people and the rulers of the city, when they heard these things. Ver. 8. _And they troubled the people and the rulers_] The devil and his agents, as they are of turbulent spirits, like Ishmael, Pope Urban (who was therefore called Turban, from his troublesomeness), and the Jes... [ Continue Reading ]
And when they had taken security of Jason, and of the other, they let them go. Ver. 9. _When they had taken security_] It was happy that security would be taken, till the heat was over. For, " _Ut fragilis glacies frangitur ira mora._ " Ovid.... [ Continue Reading ]
And the brethren immediately sent away Paul and Silas by night unto Berea: who coming _thither_ went into the synagogue of the Jews. Ver. 10. _Went into the synagogue_] As he had done before at Thessalonica, and had sped so ill. Heroic spirits are no wit dismayed with difficulties; but rather whett... [ Continue Reading ]
These were more noble than those in Thessalonica, in that they received the word with all readiness of mind, and searched the scriptures daily, whether those things were so. Ver. 11. _Thee were more noble_] Better gentlemen (ευγενεστεροι). Virtue is instead of a thousand escutcheons. _a_ "Since tho... [ Continue Reading ]
Therefore many of them believed; also of honourable women which were Greeks, and of men, not a few. Ver. 12. _Therefore many of them believed_] There are certain abilities and actions we have, and may perform without special grace; in the employment whereof we are to expect the effectual work of th... [ Continue Reading ]
But when the Jews of Thessalonica had knowledge that the word of God was preached of Paul at Berea, they came thither also, and stirred up the people. Ver. 13. _They came thither also_] Thus they pleased not God and were contrary to all men; wherefore "wrath is come upon them to the utmost," 1 Thes... [ Continue Reading ]
And then immediately the brethren sent away Paul to go as it were to the sea: but Silas and Timotheus abode there still. Ver. 14. _To go as it were to the sea_] This was a high point of wisdom, not to send Paul the next way to Athens, but about by the sea for avoiding of danger.... [ Continue Reading ]
And they that conducted Paul brought him unto Athens: and receiving a commandment unto Silas and Timotheus for to come to him with all speed, they departed. Ver. 15. _Brought him unto Athens_] The eye of Greece, but woefully now bemisted with the fog of superstition, as our universities also have b... [ Continue Reading ]
Now while Paul waited for them at Athens, his spirit was stirred in him, when he saw the city wholly given to idolatry. Ver. 16. _His spirit was stirred_] The word παρωξυνετο signifies, he was almost beside himself (such was his zeal) to see the idolatry of the Athenians. So was William Gardiner, a... [ Continue Reading ]
Therefore disputed he in the synagogue with the Jews, and with the devout persons, and in the market daily with them that met with him. Ver. 17. _With them that met with him_] If anybody would but lend him a little audience, he would preach to them, such was his zeal. The word must be preached in s... [ Continue Reading ]
Then certain philosophers of the Epicureans, and of the Stoicks, encountered him. And some said, What will this babbler say? other some, He seemeth to be a setter forth of strange gods: because he preached unto them Jesus, and the resurrection. Ver. 18. _Certain philosophers, &c._] The deep theorem... [ Continue Reading ]
And they took him, and brought him unto Areopagus, saying, May we know what this new doctrine, whereof thou speakest, _is_ ? Ver. 19. _Brought him unto Areopagus_] A cruel court where Socrates lost his life for the very same crime that St Paul is here charged with; viz. an endeavour to introduce ne... [ Continue Reading ]
For thou bringest certain strange things to our ears: we would know therefore what these things mean. Ver. 20. _For thou bringest certain strange things_] Or, new, never heard of, ξενιζοντα. Yet now so new neither as they thought for; seeRomans 11:2,4; Romans 16:25,26. Papists upbraid us with the n... [ Continue Reading ]
(For all the Athenians and strangers which were there spent their time in nothing else, but either to tell, or to hear some new thing.) Ver. 21. _For all the Athenians, &c._] The self-same truth is testified by Demosthenes, in an answer to Philip's letter. ημεις ουδεν ποιουντες ενθαδε καθημεθα πυνθ... [ Continue Reading ]
Then Paul stood in the midst of Mars' hill, and said, _Ye_ men of Athens, I perceive that in all things ye are too superstitious. Ver. 22. _You are too superstitious_] You are fearers of evil spirits; so one renders it; and Paul elsewhere tells the Corinthians that what they sacrificed to idols the... [ Continue Reading ]
For as I passed by, and beheld your devotions, I found an altar with this inscription, TO THE UNKNOWN GOD. Whom therefore ye ignorantly worship, him declare I unto you. Ver. 23. _I found an altar_] A high altar, βωμος, seems to come from במה a high place. St Paul, as he preached without a pulpit,Ac... [ Continue Reading ]
God that made the world and all things therein, seeing that he is Lord of heaven and earth, dwelleth not in temples made with hands; Ver. 24. _Dwelleth not in temples_] _See Trapp on "_ Act 7:48 _"_... [ Continue Reading ]
Neither is worshipped with men's hands, as though he needed any thing, seeing he giveth to all life, and breath, and all things; Ver. 25. _Neither is worshipped_] _Colitur vel delinitur, _ collogued with, or complimented. _Colendi verbum_ απο του κολακευειν, _dictum volant eo quod plerunque Dei hom... [ Continue Reading ]
And hath made of one blood all nations of men for to dwell on all the face of the earth, and hath determined the times before appointed, and the bounds of their habitation; Ver. 26. _And hath made of one blood_] This our brainsick diggers do much beat upon, and would therefore lay all level, and ha... [ Continue Reading ]
That they should seek the Lord, if haply they might feel after him, and find him, though he be not far from every one of us: Ver. 27. _They might feel after him_] Grope after him, as blind men, ψηλαφησειαν. The apostle dealing here with philosophers, disputes philosophically, showing them, most lea... [ Continue Reading ]
For in him we live, and move, and have our being; as certain also of your own poets have said, For we are also his offspring. Ver. 28. _For in him we live, &c._] The heathen could say, " _Est Deus in nobis, agitante calescimus illo._ " _ We move_] Understand it as well of the motions of the mind... [ Continue Reading ]
Forasmuch then as we are the offspring of God, we ought not to think that the Godhead is like unto gold, or silver, or stone, graven by art and man's device. Ver. 29. _That the Godhead is like_] _Qui primi deorum simulachra induxerunt, errorem auxerunt, metum dempserunt, _ saith Varro, as Calvin ci... [ Continue Reading ]
And the times of this ignorance God winked at; but now commandeth all men every where to repent: Ver. 30. _God winked at_] Regarded not. God accounted the times of paganism before Christ (for all their knowledge), even times of ignorance, and looked over or beyond them (as the word υπεριδων here si... [ Continue Reading ]
Because he hath appointed a day, in the which he will judge the world in righteousness by _that_ man whom he hath ordained; _whereof_ he hath given assurance unto all _men_, in that he hath raised him from the dead. Ver. 31. _Because he hath appointed a day_] Knowing therefore the terror of the Lor... [ Continue Reading ]
And when they heard of the resurrection of the dead, some mocked: and others said, We will hear thee again of this _matter_. Ver. 32. _Some mocked_] Three sorts of hearers, some derided, others doubted, a few believed, as Dennis and Damaris, but no Church here founded. They were too wise to go to h... [ Continue Reading ]
So Paul departed from among them. Ver. 33. _So Paul departed_] They said they would hear him again at better leisure εις αυριον τα σπουδαια, as that trifler said), but they never had another opportunity: procrastinators seldom speed better; it fareth with them as Plutarch writes of Hannibal, that w... [ Continue Reading ]
Howbeit certain men clave unto him, and believed: among the which _was_ Dionysius the Areopagite, and a woman named Damaris, and others with them. Ver. 34. _Dionysius the Areopagite_] Not the astrologer, as some have made him, nor the author of the Heavenly Hierachy made by some superstitious monk;... [ Continue Reading ]