Acts 21:1
And when we were torn away from the in — Not without doing violence both to ourselves and them.... [ Continue Reading ]
And when we were torn away from the in — Not without doing violence both to ourselves and them.... [ Continue Reading ]
We landed at Tyre — That there should be Christians there was foretold, Psalms 87:4. What we read in that psalm of the Philistines and Ethiopians also may be compared with Acts 8:40; Acts 27:4.... [ Continue Reading ]
And finding disciples, we tarried there seven days — ln order to spend a Sabbath with them. Who told Paul by the Spirit — That afflictions awaited him at Jerusalem. This was properly what they said by the Spirit. They themselves advised him not to go up. The disciples seemed to understand their prop... [ Continue Reading ]
Having finished our voyage — From Macedonia, Acts 20:6, we came to Ptolemais — A celebrated city on the sea coast, anciently called Accos. It is now, like many other once noble cities, only a heap of ruins.... [ Continue Reading ]
We came to Cesarea — So called from a stately temple which Herod the Great dedicated there to Augustus Cesar. It was the place where the Roman governor of Judea generally resided and kept his court. The evangelist, who was one of the seven deacons — An evangelist is a preacher of the Gospel to those... [ Continue Reading ]
A certain prophet came — The nearer the event was, the more express were the predictions which prepared Paul for it.... [ Continue Reading ]
Binding his own feet and hands — In the manner that malefactors were wont to be bound when apprehended. So shall the Jews bind the man whose girdle this is — St. Paul's bonds were first particularly foretold at Cesarea, to which he afterward came in bonds, Acts 23:33.... [ Continue Reading ]
Both we, (his fellow travellers,) and they of the place, besought him not to go up to Jerusalem — St. Paul knew that this prediction had the force of a command. They did not know this.... [ Continue Reading ]
Breaking my heart — For the apostles themselves were not void of human affections. I am ready not only to be bound, but to die — And to him that is ready for it, the burden is light.... [ Continue Reading ]
And when he would not be persuaded — This was not obstinacy, but true Christian resolution. We should never be persuaded, either to do evil, or to omit doing any good which is in our power; saying, the will of the Lord be done — Which they were satisfied Paul knew.... [ Continue Reading ]
We took up our carriages — Our baggage; which probably went by sea before. What they took with them now in particular was the alms they were carrying to Jerusalem, Acts 24:17.... [ Continue Reading ]
The disciples brought us to one Mnason, a Cyprian, an old disciple — He was a native of Cyprus, but an inhabitant of Jerusalem, and probably one of the first converts there.... [ Continue Reading ]
Paul went in with us — That it might appear we are all of one mind, to James — Commonly called the Lord's brother; the only apostle then presiding over the Churches in Judea.... [ Continue Reading ]
They are all zealous for the law — For the whole Mosaic dispensation. How astonishing is this! Did none of the apostles, beside St. Paul, know that this dispensation was now abolished? And if they did both know and testify this, how came their hearers not to believe them?... [ Continue Reading ]
They have been informed concerning thee, that thou teachest the Jews — not to circumcise their children, nor to walk after the customs — Of the Mosaic law. And so undoubtedly he did. And so he wrote to all the Churches in Galatia, among whom were many Jews. Yea, and James himself had long before ass... [ Continue Reading ]
What is it therefore — What is to be done? The multitude must needs come together — They will certainly gather together in a tumultuous manner, unless they be some way pacified.... [ Continue Reading ]
Therefore — To obviate their prejudice against thee: do this that we say to thee — Doubtless they meant this advice well: but could Paul follow it in godly sincerity? Was not the yielding so far to the judgment of others too great a deference to be paid to any mere men?... [ Continue Reading ]
And all will know — that thou thyself walkest orderly, keeping the law — Ought he not, without any reverence to man, where the truth of God was so deeply concerned, to have answered plainly, I do not keep the Mosaic law; neither need any of you. Yea, Peter doth not keep the law. And God himself expr... [ Continue Reading ]
Then Paul took the men — Yielding his own judgment to their advice, which seemed to flow not out of spiritual but carnal wisdom; seeming to be what he really was not: making as if he believed the law still in force. Declaring — Giving notice to the priests in waiting, that he designed to accomplish... [ Continue Reading ]
And when the seven days were about to be accomplished — When after giving notice to the priests, they were entering upon the accomplishment of those days. It was toward the beginning of them that Paul was seized. The Jews that were from Asia — Some of those Jews who came from Asia to the feast.... [ Continue Reading ]
Against the people — The Jewish nation; and the law — Of Moses; and this place — The temple. Yea, and hath even brought Greeks into the temple — They might come into the outer court. But they imagined Paul had brought then into the inner temple, and had thereby polluted it.... [ Continue Reading ]
And immediately the gates were shut — Both to prevent any farther violation of the temple; and to prevent Paul's taking sanctuary at the horns of the altar.... [ Continue Reading ]
And as they went about to kill him — It was a rule among the Jews, that any uncircumcised person who came into the inner temple, might be stoned without farther process. And they seemed to think Paul, who brought such in thither, deserved no better treatment. Word came to the tribune — A cohort or d... [ Continue Reading ]
Then the tribune — Having made his way through the multitude, came near and took him — And how many great ends of providence were answered by this imprisonment? This was not only a means of preserving his life, (after he had suffered severely for worldly prudence,) but gave him an opportunity of pre... [ Continue Reading ]
When he came upon the stairs — The castle of Antonia was situate on a rock fifty cubits high, at that corner of the outward temple, where the western and northern porticos joined, to each of which there were stairs descending from it.... [ Continue Reading ]
As Paul was about to be brought into the castle — The wisdom of God taught to make use of that very time and place.... [ Continue Reading ]
Art not thou that Egyptian — Who came into Judea when Felix had been some years governor there! Calling himself a prophet, he drew much people after him; and having brought them through the wilderness, led them to Mount Olivet, promising that the walls of the city should fall down before them. But F... [ Continue Reading ]
In the Hebrew tongue — That dialect of it, which was then commonly spoken at Jerusalem.... [ Continue Reading ]