And Paul earnestly beholding the council — Professing a clear conscience by his very countenance; and likewise waiting to see whether any of them was minded to ask him any question, said, I have lived in all good conscience before God till this day — He speaks chiefly of the time since he became a C... [ Continue Reading ]
Then said Paul — Being carried away by a sudden and prophetic impulse. God is about to smite thee, thou whited wall — Fair without; full of dirt and rubbish within. And he might well be so termed, not only as he committed this outrage, while gravely sitting on the tribunal of justice but also as, at... [ Continue Reading ]
I was not aware, brethren, that it was the high priest — He seems to mean, I did not advert to it, in the prophetic transport of my mind: but he does not add, that his not adverting to it proceeded from the power of the Spirit coming upon him; as knowing they were not able to bear it. This answer ad... [ Continue Reading ]
I am a Pharisee, the son of a Pharisee: for the hope of the resurrection of the dead am I called in question — So he was in effect; although not formally, or explicitly.... [ Continue Reading ]
The Pharisees confess both — Both the resurrection, and the existence of angels and separate spirits.... [ Continue Reading ]
And the scribes of the Pharisees' side arising — Every sect contains both learned and unlearned. The former used to be the mouth of the party. If a spirit — St. Paul in his speech from the stairs had affirmed, that Jesus, whom they knew to have been dead, was alive, and that he had spoken to him fro... [ Continue Reading ]
And the night following, the Lord Jesus — What Paul had before purposed in spirit, Acts 19:21, God now in due time confirms. Another declaration to the same effect is made by an angel of God, Acts 27:23. And from the 23d chapter the sum of this book turns on the testimony of Paul to the Romans. How... [ Continue Reading ]
Some of the Jews bound themselves — Such execrable vows were not uncommon among the Jews. And if they were prevented from accomplishing what they had vowed, it was an easy matter to obtain absolution from their rabbis.... [ Continue Reading ]
Now therefore ye — Which they never scrupled at all, as not doubting but they were doing God service.... [ Continue Reading ]
And Paul — Though he had an express promise of it from Christ, was not to neglect any proper means of safety.... [ Continue Reading ]
And the tribune taking him by the hand — In a mild, condescending way. Lysias seems to have conducted this whole affair with great integrity, humanity, and prudence.... [ Continue Reading ]
Provide beasts — If a change should be necessary, to set Paul on — So we read of his riding once; but not by choice.... [ Continue Reading ]
Having learned that he was a Roman — True; but not before he rescued him. Here he uses art.... [ Continue Reading ]
The soldiers brought him by night to Antipatris — But not the same night they set out. For Antipatris was about thirty — eight of our miles northwest of Jerusalem. Herod the Great rebuilt it, and gave it this name in honour of his father Antipater: Cesarea was near seventy miles from Jerusalem, and... [ Continue Reading ]
In Herod's palace — This was a palace and a court built by Herod the Great. Probably some tower belonging to it might be used for a kind of state prison.... [ Continue Reading ]