Men, brethren, and fathers, hear ye my defence _which I make_ now unto you. Ver. 1. _Men, brethren, and fathers_] They that spake for themselves before the Areopagites in Athens, were required to do it ανευ παθων και προοιμιων, without passions or prefaces, not so here.... [ Continue Reading ]
2 (And when they heard that he spake in the Hebrew tongue to them, they kept the more silence: and he saith,) Ver. 2. _In the Hebrew tongue_] _See Trapp on "_ Act 21:40 _"_... [ Continue Reading ]
I am verily a man _which am_ a Jew, born in Tarsus, _a city_ in Cilicia, yet brought up in this city at the feet of Gamaliel, _and_ taught according to the perfect manner of the law of the fathers, and was zealous toward God, as ye all are this day. Ver. 3. _At the feet of Gamaliel_] Among the Jews... [ Continue Reading ]
And I persecuted this way unto the death, binding and delivering into prisons both men and women. Ver. 4. _See Trapp on "_ Act 9:1 _"_... [ Continue Reading ]
As also the high priest doth bear me witness, and all the estate of the elders: from whom also I received letters unto the brethren, and went to Damascus, to bring them which were there bound unto Jerusalem, for to be punished. Ver. 5. _See Trapp on "_ Act 9:2 _"_... [ Continue Reading ]
And it came to pass, that, as I made my journey, and was come nigh unto Damascus about noon, suddenly there shone from heaven a great light round about me. Ver. 6. _See Trapp on "_ Act 9:3 _"_... [ Continue Reading ]
And I fell unto the ground, and heard a voice saying unto me, Saul, Saul, why persecutest thou me? Ver. 7. _See Trapp on "_ Act 9:4 _"_... [ Continue Reading ]
And I answered, Who art thou, Lord? And he said unto me, I am Jesus of Nazareth, whom thou persecutest. Ver. 8. _I am Jesus of Nazareth_] Why saith our Saviour, Jesus of Nazareth? Doth any good come out of Nazareth? Why saith he not rather I am Jesus the Son of God, the heir of the world &c. Nazare... [ Continue Reading ]
And they that were with me saw indeed the light, and were afraid; but they heard not the voice of him that spake to me. Ver. 9. _But they heard not_] _See Trapp on "_ Act 9:7 _"_... [ Continue Reading ]
And I said, What shall I do, Lord? And the Lord said unto me, Arise, and go into Damascus; and there it shall be told thee of all things which are appointed for thee to do. Ver. 10. See Acts 9:16,18 .... [ Continue Reading ]
And when I could not see for the glory of that light, being led by the hand of them that were with me, I came into Damascus. 12 And one Ananias, a devout man according to the law, having a good report of all the Jews which dwelt _there_ , 13 Came unto me, and stood, and said unto me, Brother Saul,... [ Continue Reading ]
For thou shalt be his witness unto all men of what thou hast seen and heard. Ver. 15. _Of what thou hast seen_] _sc._ When rapped into the third heaven, 2 Corinthians 12:2, which might very well be in that three days' darkness. _See Trapp on "_ Act 9:9 _"_... [ Continue Reading ]
And now why tarriest thou? arise, and be baptized, and wash away thy sins, calling on the name of the Lord. Ver. 16. _Wash away thy sins_] By being inwardly baptized in the blood of Christ, by his merit and spirit. For there is _baptismus flaminis et baptismus fluminis, _ a baptism of fire and wate... [ Continue Reading ]
And it came to pass, that, when I was come again to Jerusalem, even while I prayed in the temple, I was in a trance; Ver. 17. _Even while I prayed_] Then especially God's people are rapped and ravished. _See Trapp on "_ Act 10:10 _"_... [ Continue Reading ]
And saw him saying unto me, Make haste, and get thee quickly out of Jerusalem: for they will not receive thy testimony concerning me. Ver. 18. _They will not receive_] And I have ordained thee for a better purpose than to lie idle He therefore that heareth, let him hear, and he that forebeareth, le... [ Continue Reading ]
And I said, Lord, they know that I imprisoned and beat in every synagogue them that believed on thee: Ver. 19. _Lord, they know that I imprisoned_] Therefore no wonder though they of Jerusalem reject my testimony, as a light giddy headed fellow who now teach that religion that I lately persecuted;... [ Continue Reading ]
And when the blood of thy martyr Stephen was shed, I also was standing by, and consenting unto his death, and kept the raiment of them that slew him. Ver. 20. _When the blood of thy martyr_] An honour not afforded to any angel in heaven, said Father Latimer. God forgive me mine unthankfulness, said... [ Continue Reading ]
And he said unto me, Depart: for I will send thee far hence unto the Gentiles. Ver. 21. _And he said unto me, Depart_] Which good Paul was full loth to do; having (with the vinedresser in the Gospel, Luk 13:8) both digged and begged for his unworthy countrymen, till there was no remedy, 2 Chronicle... [ Continue Reading ]
And they gave him audience unto this word, and _then_ lifted up their voices, and said, Away with such a _fellow_ from the earth: for it is not fit that he should live. Ver. 22. _And they gave him audience_] The Jews to this day will not hear of the Gentiles having any interest in their Messiah, th... [ Continue Reading ]
And as they cried out, and cast off _their_ clothes, and threw dust into the air, Ver. 23. _And as they cried_] A graphic description of their unreasonable rage and rout. Well might our Saviour say, Beware of men acted and agitated by the devil, Matthew 10:17; and St Paul pray to be delivered from... [ Continue Reading ]
The chief captain commanded him to be brought into the castle, and bade that he should be examined by scourging; that he might know wherefore they cried so against him. Ver. 24. _Examined by scourgings_] Politicians consider not often what is just, but what is of use for the present purpose, be it... [ Continue Reading ]
And as they bound him with thongs, Paul said unto the centurion that stood by, Is it lawful for you to scourge a man that is a Roman, and uncondemned? Ver. 25. _A man that is a Roman_] A citizen of Rome might neither be bound nor beaten. _See Trapp on "_ Act 16:37 _"_ Paul by this freedom escaped w... [ Continue Reading ]
When the centurion heard _that_, he went and told the chief captain, saying, Take heed what thou doest: for this man is a Roman. Ver. 26. _This man is a Roman_] The centurion might believe St Paul upon his bare word, because if any claimed that privilege and could not prove it, he was to die for so... [ Continue Reading ]
Then the chief captain came, and said unto him, Tell me, art thou a Roman? He said, Yea. Ver. 27. _He said, Yea_] And withal he made it out (likely) by sufficient proof to be so; he produced some convincing evidence, though it be not here recorded. All God's people are fellow citizens with the sain... [ Continue Reading ]
And the chief captain answered, With a great sum obtained I this freedom. And Paul said, But I was _free_ born. Ver. 28. _With a great sum_] Or, with long service. This privilege was first sold at a dear rate to foreigners, but afterwards for a small matter. (Dio in Claudio.) _ But I was freeborn_... [ Continue Reading ]
Then straightway they departed from him which should have examined him: and the chief captain also was afraid, after he knew that he was a Roman, and because he had bound him. Ver. 29. _Then straightway they departed from him_] Thus wonderfully and opportunely doth the Lord free his people, sometim... [ Continue Reading ]
On the morrow, because he would have known the certainty wherefore he was accused of the Jews, he loosed him from _his_ bands, and commanded the chief priests and all their council to appear, and brought Paul down, and set him before them. Ver. 30. _And brought Paul down_] _sc._ From the castle, or... [ Continue Reading ]