There arose a murmuring — Here was the first breach made on those who were before of one heart and of one soul. Partiality crept in unawares on some; and murmuring on others. Ah Lord! how short a time did pure, genuine, undefiled Christianity remain in the world! O the depth! How unsearchable are th... [ Continue Reading ]
It is not right that we should leave the word of God and serve tables — In the first Church, the primary business of apostles, evangelists, and bishops, was to preach the word of God; the secondary, to take a kind of paternal care (the Church being then like a family,) for the food, especially of th... [ Continue Reading ]
Of good report — That there may be no room to suspect them of partiality or injustice. Full of the Holy Ghost and wisdom — For it is not a light matter to dispense even the temporal goods of the Church. To do even this well, a large measure both of the gifts and grace of God is requisite. Whom we wi... [ Continue Reading ]
We will constantly attend to prayer, and to the ministry of the word — This is doubtless the proper business of a Christian bishop: to speak to God in prayer; to men in preaching his word, as an ambassador for Christ.... [ Continue Reading ]
And they chose — It seems seven Hellenists, as their names show. And Nicholas a proselyte — To whom the proselytes would the more readily apply.... [ Continue Reading ]
And the word of God grew — The hinderances being removed.... [ Continue Reading ]
There arose certain of the synagogue which is called — It was one and the same synagogue which consisted of these several nations. Saul of Cilicia was doubtless a member of it; whence it is not at all improbable, that Gamaliel presided over it. Libertines — So they were styled, whose fathers were on... [ Continue Reading ]
We have heard him say — So they might. But yet the consequence they drew would not follow.... [ Continue Reading ]
As the face of an angel — Covered with supernatural lustre. They reckoned his preaching of Jesus to be the Christ was destroying Moses and the law; and God bears witness to him, with the same glory as he did to Moses, when he gave the law by him.... [ Continue Reading ]