And Paul, earnestly beholding the council, said, Men _and_ brethren, I have lived in all good conscience before God until this day. Ver. 1. _In all good conscience_] Good, both with the goodness of integrity and of tranquillity. _A recta conscientia transversum unguem non oportet quenquam in omni s... [ Continue Reading ]
And the high priest Ananias commanded them that stood by him to smite him on the mouth. Ver. 2. _To smite him on the mouth_] So when Henry Zutphen, martyr, was bound hard to a ladder and cast into the fire, he no sooner began to pray and to repeat his creed, but one struck him upon the face with hi... [ Continue Reading ]
Then said Paul unto him, God shall smite thee, _thou_ whited wall: for sittest thou to judge me after the law, and commandest me to be smitten contrary to the law? Ver. 3. _God shall smite thee_] He was afterwards cruelly slain by Manaimus, a captain of the Jews in the beginning of the Jewish wars.... [ Continue Reading ]
And they that stood by said, Revilest thou God's high priest? Ver. 4. _Revilest thou God's high priest?_] Some think it was not the high priest himself, but his surrogate, such as Dic of Dover was to the Archbishop of Canterbury, active against the martyrs in Queen Mary's days, and known by that na... [ Continue Reading ]
Then said Paul, I wist not, brethren, that he was the high priest: for it is written, Thou shalt not speak evil of the ruler of thy people. Ver. 5. _I wist not, brethren_] Whether he spake seriously or ironically it is doubtful. He might not know him, as having been long absent from Jerusalem. Or h... [ Continue Reading ]
But when Paul perceived that the one part were Sadducees, and the other Pharisees, he cried out in the council, Men _and_ brethren, I am a Pharisee, the son of a Pharisee: of the hope and resurrection of the dead I am called in question. Ver. 6. _But when Paul perceived_] Paul lacked not human prud... [ Continue Reading ]
And when he had so said, there arose a dissension between the Pharisees and the Sadducees: and the multitude was divided. Ver. 7. _A dissension betwixt the Pharisees_] So among Papists, the priests disparage the Jesuits, the Jesuits the priests, the priests again the monks, the monks the friars, an... [ Continue Reading ]
For the Sadducees say that there is no resurrection, neither angel, nor spirit: but the Pharisees confess both. Ver. 8. _Sadducees say there is no resurrection_] The occasion of this heresy is said to be this: when Antigonus taught that we must not serve God, as servants do their masters, for hope... [ Continue Reading ]
And there arose a great cry: and the scribes _that were_ of the Pharisees' part arose, and strove, saying, We find no evil in this man: but if a spirit or an angel hath spoken to him, let us not fight against God. Ver. 9. _We find no evil in this man_] God, when he pleaseth, can find patrons of his... [ Continue Reading ]
And when there arose a great dissension, the chief captain, fearing lest Paul should have been pulled in pieces of them, commanded the soldiers to go down, and to take him by force from among them, and to bring _him_ into the castle. Ver. 10. _To take him by force_] This the soldiers did, for none... [ Continue Reading ]
And the night following the Lord stood by him, and said, Be of good cheer, Paul: for as thou hast testified of me in Jerusalem, so must thou bear witness also at Rome. Ver. 11. _The Lord stood by him_] Turned his prison into a palace, as likewise he did to Algerius, Christ's prisoner, and Master Ph... [ Continue Reading ]
And when it was day, certain of the Jews banded together, and bound themselves under a curse, saying that they would neither eat nor drink till they had killed Paul. Ver. 12. _Bound themselves, &c._] The constable of France, when he covenanted with God, that if he had the victory at St Quentin's he... [ Continue Reading ]
And they were more than forty which had made this conspiracy. Ver. 13. _And they were more than forty_] The assassins are a kind of most desperate men among the Mahometans, who, strongly deluded with the blind zeal of their superstition, and accounting it meritorious by any means to kill any great... [ Continue Reading ]
And they came to the chief priests and elders, and said, We have bound ourselves under a great curse, that we will eat nothing until we have slain Paul. Ver. 14. _And they came to the chief priests and elders_] With whom they knew they should hereby ingratiate. Rulers' vices as seldom go unattended... [ Continue Reading ]
Now therefore ye with the council signify to the chief captain that he bring him down unto you to morrow, as though ye would enquire something more perfectly concerning him: and we, or ever he come near, are ready to kill him. Ver. 15. _As though he would inquire_] Craft and cruelty are combined in... [ Continue Reading ]
And when Paul's sister's son heard of their lying in wait, he went and entered into the castle, and told Paul. Ver. 16. _And when Paul's sister's son_] A sweet providence that this boy should be by, to detect and defeat their wicked counsel. God will be seen in the Mount; he suffereth often his ene... [ Continue Reading ]
Then Paul called one of the centurions unto _him_, and said, Bring this young man unto the chief captain: for he hath a certain thing to tell him. Ver. 17. _And said_] _i.e._ prayed, Acts 23:18. The poor man speaks supplications, Proverbs 18:23, puts his mouth in the dust, speaks as out of the grou... [ Continue Reading ]
So he took him, and brought _him_ to the chief captain, and said, Paul the prisoner called me unto _him_, and prayed me to bring this young man unto thee, who hath something to say unto thee. Ver. 18. _Paul the prisoner_] But therein happier than any potentate, Psa 89:27 with all his chains of gold... [ Continue Reading ]
Then the chief captain took him by the hand, and went _with him_ aside privately, and asked _him_, What is that thou hast to tell me? Ver. 19. _Took him by the hand_] Courtesy and affability in high degree is very attractive; it easily allureth men's minds, as do fair flowers in the spring the pass... [ Continue Reading ]
And he said, The Jews have agreed to desire thee that thou wouldest bring down Paul to morrow into the council, as though they would enquire somewhat of him more perfectly. Ver. 20. _As though they would_] See Acts 23:15 .... [ Continue Reading ]
But do not thou yield unto them: for there lie in wait for him of them more than forty men, which have bound themselves with an oath, that they will neither eat nor drink till they have killed him: and now are they ready, looking for a promise from thee. Ver. 21. _Which have bound themselves_] Gr.... [ Continue Reading ]
So the chief captain _then_ let the young man depart, and charged _him, See thou_ tell no man that thou hast shewed these things to me. Ver. 22. _See thou tell no man_] Taciturnity is reckoned among the virtues. _Detexit facinus fatuus, et non implevit, _ saith Tacitus (that best historian) of a fo... [ Continue Reading ]
And he called unto _him_ two centurions, saying, Make ready two hundred soldiers to go to Caesarea, and horsemen threescore and ten, and spearmen two hundred, at the third hour of the night; Ver. 23. _At the third hour of the night_] A well chosen season is the greatest advantage of any action, whi... [ Continue Reading ]
And provide _them_ beasts, that they may set Paul on, and bring _him_ safe unto Felix the governor. Ver. 24. _That they may bring him safe_] The Vulgate Latin adds, _For he feared lest the Jews would take him away by violence aud kill him, and so he should suffer blame, as if he had been hired to p... [ Continue Reading ]
And he wrote a letter after this manner: Ver. 25. _And he wrote a letter_] Gr. an epistle, _cuius ornamentum est ornamentis carere, _ saith Politian.... [ Continue Reading ]
Claudius Lysias unto the most excellent governor Felix _sendeth_ greeting. Ver. 26. _Unto the most excellent_] Felix was (as likewise Haman) of base birth, but highly advanced in court by means of his brother Pallas, a great favourite of Nero's, insomuch as he became husband to three queens success... [ Continue Reading ]
This man was taken of the Jews, and should have been killed of them: then came I with an army, and rescued him, having understood that he was a Roman. Ver. 27. _Understood that he was a Roman_] He saith nothing of binding him to have been scourged against the law. Nature needs not be taught to tell... [ Continue Reading ]
And when I would have known the cause wherefore they accused him, I brought him forth into their council: Ver. 28. _I brought him forth into their council_] As being himself ignorant of their religion; and haply having as evil an opinion of it as Cicero had, who disdained at the Jews for their slig... [ Continue Reading ]
Whom I perceived to be accused of questions of their law, but to have nothing laid to his charge worthy of death or of bonds. Ver. 29. _Questions of their law_] Which these profane heathens held to be mere trifles and niceties, _quae nec ignoranti nocent, nec scientem iuvant, _ as Seneca saith. See... [ Continue Reading ]
And when it was told me how that the Jews laid wait for the man, I sent straightway to thee, and gave commandment to his accusers also to say before thee what _they had_ against him. Farewell. Ver. 30. _And gave commandment to his accusers_] For no man is bound to accuse himself; and, _De secretis... [ Continue Reading ]
Then the soldiers, as it was commanded them, took Paul, and brought _him_ by night to Antipatris. Ver. 31. _To Antipatris_] So called by Herod (who had repaired it) in honour of his father Antipater. Christ, the everlasting Father, Isaiah 9:6, hath his name far better propagated and perpetuated by... [ Continue Reading ]
On the morrow they left the horsemen to go with him, and returned to the castle: Ver. 32. _And returned to the castle_] Whereof see Acts 21:34 .... [ Continue Reading ]
Who, when they came to Caesarea, and delivered the epistle to the governor, presented Paul also before him. Ver. 33. _Presented Paul also before him_] And so was fulfilled in him that of our Saviour, Matthew 10:18. _See Trapp on "_ Mat 10:18 _"_ Neither was he more afraid of Felix, than Moses and M... [ Continue Reading ]
And when the governor had read _the letter_, he asked of what province he was. And when he understood that _he was_ of Cilicia; Ver. 34. _Of what province he was_] So the Romans called the countries by them subdued; looking upon themselves as lords of the world, Luke 2:1. _See Trapp in "_ Luk 2:1 _... [ Continue Reading ]
I will hear thee, said he, when thine accusers are also come. And he commanded him to be kept in Herod's judgment hall. Ver. 35. _I will hear thee_] _Pergam te audire, et auditionem absolvam_ (so Beza rendereth the Greek, διακουσομαι), I will hear thee out, when thine accusers are come. In the mean... [ Continue Reading ]