Acts 17:1-9
Acts 17:1-9. PAUL AND SILAS JOURNEY TROUGH AMPHIPOLIS AND APOLLONIA TO THESSALONICA, WHERE SOME OF THE JEWS RAISE AN UPROAR AGAINST THEM AND JASON THEIR HOST... [ Continue Reading ]
Acts 17:1-9. PAUL AND SILAS JOURNEY TROUGH AMPHIPOLIS AND APOLLONIA TO THESSALONICA, WHERE SOME OF THE JEWS RAISE AN UPROAR AGAINST THEM AND JASON THEIR HOST... [ Continue Reading ]
ἡ omitted before ΣΥΝΑΓΩΓῊ with אABD. 1. ΔΙΟΔΕΎΣΑΝΤΕΣ ΔΈ, _and when they had passed through_. This verb, of rare occurrence in classical Greek, but common in the LXX. (cf. Genesis 12:6; Psalms 88:40; Bar 4:2, &c.), is found in the N.T. only here and in Luke 8:1. The use of the same words and phrases... [ Continue Reading ]
ΚΑΤᾺ ΔῈ ΤῸ ΕἸΩΘΌΣ, _and as his manner was_. On the Apostle’s constant habit of going to the synagogues see Acts 13:5; Acts 13:14; Acts 14:1, &c. The dative case stands after εἰωθός, instead of the genitive, because the verb ἔθω governs a dative. ΕἸΣΗ͂ΛΘΕΝ ΠΡῸΣ ΑΥ̓ΤΟΎΣ, _he went in unto them_. And h... [ Continue Reading ]
ΔΙΑΝΟΊΓΩΝ, _opening_. St Luke (and he only in the N.T. Luke 24:32) uses this verb of making plain what before was not understood. We may see from that passage what had been St Paul’s work in Thessalonica, ‘He began at Moses and all the prophets and expounded unto them in all the Scriptures the thing... [ Continue Reading ]
ΠΛΗ͂ΘΟΣ ΠΟΛΎ with אABDE. _Vulg_. ‘multitudo magna.’ 4. ΚΑΊ ΤΙΝΕΣ ἘΞ ΑΥ̓ΤΩ͂Ν ἘΠΕΊΣΘΗΣΑΝ, _and some of them were persuaded_. For the Apostle’s teaching was by arguments which they could fully appreciate. ΚΑῚ ΠΡΟΣΕΚΛΗΡΏΘΗΣΑΝ, _and consorted with_. But it should be kept in mind that the verb is passiv... [ Continue Reading ]
5. ἀπειθοῦντες omitted before ἸΟΥΔΑΙ͂ΟΙ with אABE. Not represented in _Vulg_. ΠΡΟΑΓΑΓΕΙ͂Ν with אAB. _Vulg_. ‘producere.’ 5. ΖΗΛΏΣΑΝΤΕΣ ΔῈ ΟἹ ἸΟΥΔΑΙ͂ΟΙ, _but the Jews being moved with envy_. This must refer to those who still clung to all the ritual and traditional exclusiveness which had grown up... [ Continue Reading ]
ἜΣΥΡΟΝ ἸΆΣΟΝΑ, _they dragged Jason_. σύρειν is expressive of considerable violence. It is used (Acts 8:3) of Saul, ‘haling’ men and women and committing them to prison. On Jason’s conduct, Chrysostom says: θαυμαστὸς ὁ�, εἰς κίνδυνον ἑαυτὸν ἐκδοὺς καὶ ἐκπέμψας αὐτούς. ΚΑΊ ΤΙΝΑΣ�, _and certain breth... [ Continue Reading ]
ΒΑΣΙΛΈΑ ἝΤΕΡΟΝ ΛΈΓΟΝΤΕΣ with אAB. _Vulg_. ‘regem alium dicentes.’ 7. ΟὛΣ ὙΠΟΔΈΔΕΚΤΑΙ ἸΆΣΩΝ, _whom Jason hath received_, as guests into his house. Thus he would be counted for a sympathizer with their teaching, as most probably he was. For the verb cf. Tob 7:9; 1Ma 16:15. ΟΥ̓͂ΤΟΙ ΠΆΝΤΕΣ, _these all... [ Continue Reading ]
ἘΤΆΡΑΞΑΝ ΔῈ ΤῸΝ ὌΧΛΟΝ, _and they troubled the people_, with language like this, which seemed to speak of insurrection. Thus the mob would be made eager for the punishment of the Apostles.... [ Continue Reading ]
ΚΑῚ ΛΑΒΌΝΤΕΣ ΤῸ ἹΚΑΝῸΝ ΠΑΡᾺ ΤΟΥ͂ ἸΆΣΟΝΟΣ, _and when they had taken security of Jason_, i.e. having made him responsible either by his finding securities to be bound with and for him, or by making him give some deposit as a pledge for his good conduct, they took measures for securing, so far as those... [ Continue Reading ]
PAUL AND SILAS SENT AWAY TO BERŒA. NOBLE CHARACTER OF THE BERŒANS. THE JEWS FROM THESSALONICA FOLLOW AFTER PAUL, AND BY REASON OF THEIR ENMITY HE IS CONDUCTED TO ATHENS... [ Continue Reading ]
ΔΙᾺ ΝΥΚΤΌΣ, _by night_. The preposition refers to the time within (_during_) which the action took place. ἘΞΈΠΕΜΨΑΝ ΤΌΝ ΤΕ ΠΑΥ͂ΛΟΝ ΚΑῚ ΤῸΝ ΣΊΛΑΝ, _they sent away Paul and Silas_. The after-conduct of the Thessalonian Jews (see Acts 17:13) shews that they were determined to bring danger on the missi... [ Continue Reading ]
ΕΥ̓ΓΕΝΈΣΤΕΡΟΙ, _more noble_, εὐγενής is applied first to nobility of birth; but its secondary sense is, as here, nobility of character. The latter ought to be a consequence of the former. Cf. 2Ma 14:42 εὐγενῶς θέλων�, wishing to die _nobly_. Also see 2Ma 10:13. ἘΔΈΞΑΝΤΟ ΤῸΝ ΛΌΓΟΝ, _they received th... [ Continue Reading ]
ΤΩ͂Ν ἙΛΛΗΝΊΔΩΝ ΓΥΝΑΙΚΩ͂Ν ΤΩ͂Ν ΕΥ̓ΣΧΗΜΌΝΩΝ, _of honourable women which were Greeks_. See above on Acts 13:50. The adjective Ἑλληνίς agrees in gender with γυναικῶν because it stands before that word in the sentence, but it probably is intended to define ἀνδρῶν too. The Jewish population has been prev... [ Continue Reading ]
ΚΑῚ ΤΑΡΆΣΣΟΝΤΕΣ added before ΤΟῪΣ ὌΧΛΟΥΣ with אABD. _Vulg_. ‘et turbantes.’ 13. Ὁ ΛΌΓΟΣ ΤΟΥ͂ ΘΕΟΥ͂, _the word of God_. This is the language of the author. The Thessalonian Jews would not have called St Paul’s preaching by such a name. ΣΑΛΕΎΟΝΤΕΣ ΚΑῚ ΤΑΡΆΣΣΟΝΤΕΣ ΤΟῪΣ ὌΧΛΟΥΣ, _stirring up and troubli... [ Continue Reading ]
ΕΥ̓ΘΈΩΣ ΔΈ, _and immediately_. As from Thessalonica, so from Berœa, the departure is made with all haste. The charge of conspiring against Cæsar, which was probably put forward everywhere, had a very dangerous effect on the popular mind. ΠΟΡΕΎΕΣΘΑΙ ἝΩΣ ἘΠῚ ΤῊΝ ΘΆΛΑΣΣΑΝ, _to go as far as to the sea_.... [ Continue Reading ]
αὐτὸν before ἝΩΣ ἈΘΗΝΩ͂Ν omitted with אABD. _Vulg_. has ‘eum.’ 15. ΟἹ ΔῈ ΚΑΘΙΣΤΆΝΟΝΤΕΣ, _and they who conducted_. This form καθιστάνω, which is found nowhere else in N.T. in this sense, is the same word as the more usual καθίστημι; and the use of this word conveys the idea that the whole care and o... [ Continue Reading ]
ΠΑΡΩΞΎΝΕΤΟ ΤῸ ΠΝΕΥ͂ΜΑ ΑΥ̓ΤΟΥ͂ ἘΝ ΑΥ̓ΤΩ͂Ι, _his spirit was stirred in him_. But the stirring was of the sharpest. It was a _paroxysm_. He was provoked till he could not forbear, could not hold his peace till Timothy and Silas arrived. On this Chrysostom says, οὐκ ὀργὴν ἐνταῦθα, οὐδὲ�, ἀλλὰ διέγερσιν... [ Continue Reading ]
PAUL, PROVOKED BY THE PREVALENCE OF IDOLATRY AT ATHENS, FIRST ADDRESSES THE JEWS AND THEN THE GENTILES. SOME OF THE PHILOSOPHERS QUESTION HIM ON HIS TEACHING, AND BRING HIM TO THE AREOPAGUS THAT THEY MAY HEAR HIM MORE AT FULL... [ Continue Reading ]
ΔΙΕΛΈΓΕΤΟ … ΤΟΙ͂Σ ἸΟΥΔΑΙ͂ΟΙΣ, _therefore he reasoned in the synagogue with the Jews_. Going to them first, as sure to find from them sympathy in his horror against idolatry. ΤΟΙ͂Σ ΣΕΒΟΜΈΝΟΙΣ, _with the devout persons_, the proselytes of the gate. See above on Acts 13:50. ΚΑῚ ἘΝ ΤΗ͂Ι�, _and in the... [ Continue Reading ]
αὐτοῖς before ΕΥ̓ΗΓΓΕΛΊΖΕΤΟ omitted with אBLP. _Vulg_. has ‘eis.’ 18. ΤΙΝῈΣ ΔῈ ΚΑῚ ΤΩ͂Ν ἘΠΙΚΟΥΡΕΊΩΝ ΚΑῚ ΣΤΩΪΚΩ͂Ν ΦΙΛΟΣΌΦΩΝ, _then certain philosophers, both of the Epicureans and of the Stoics_. In St Paul’s day these two systems of philosophy were most prominent throughout the Roman world, and wer... [ Continue Reading ]
ἘΠΙΛΑΒΌΜΕΝΟΊ ΤΕ ΑΥ̓ΤΟΥ͂, _and they took hold of him and_, &c. There is no need to suppose that any violence was used or intended. The same verb is used often of taking by the hand to aid or protect (so Mark 8:23; Acts 23:19), and is the word by which the action of Barnabas is described (Acts 9:27) w... [ Continue Reading ]
ΤΊΝΑ ΘΈΛΕΙ with אAB. _Vulg_. ‘quidnam velint.’ 20. ΞΕΝΊΖΟΝΤΑ ΓΆΡ ΤΙΝΑ, _certain strange things_. Literally ‘things striking us as strange.’ The word implies the effect produced on the minds of the hearers. In the middle voice the word occurs in 1 Peter 4:4; 1 Peter 4:12 = ‘to think anything strange... [ Continue Reading ]
Ἢ for καὶ before ἈΚΟΎΕΙΝ with אABD. _Vulg_. ‘aut.’ 21. This verse is a parenthesis explanatory of what has gone before. The audience had been struck with the strange teaching, and that it was strange was enough. Novelty was their life’s pursuit. So without having any regard for the importance of th... [ Continue Reading ]
ἘΝ ΜΈΣΩΙ ΤΟΥ͂ ἈΡΕΊΟΥ ΠΆΓΟΥ, _in the midst of the Areopagus_. See above on Acts 17:19. ἌΝΔΡΕΣ ἈΘΗΝΑΙ͂ΟΙ, _men of Athens_. The language of the Apostle’s address takes exactly the form which it would have assumed in the mouth of one of their own orators. This may be due either to St Paul’s knowledge of... [ Continue Reading ]
SPEECH OF ST PAUL AT ATHENS Taking notice of the extreme religious scrupulousness which had led the Athenians to raiso an altar to an unknown God, the Apostle declares to them the God whom alone they ought to worship, and whom as yet they did not know. This God was the Maker and Preserver of all th... [ Continue Reading ]
Ὃ for ὅν, ΤΟΥ͂ΤΟ for τοῦτον with אABD. _Vulg_. ‘Quod … hoc.’ 23. ΔΙΕΡΧΌΜΕΝΟΣ ΓΆΡ, _for as I passed along_, through your streets and squares. ΚΑῚ�, _and noticed the objects of your worship_, ἀναθεωρέω indicates a full observation. Paul had not only looked at the statues, but had read the inscriptio... [ Continue Reading ]
ὙΠΆΡΧΩΝ ΚΎΡΙΟΣ, with אABE. _Vulg_. ‘cum sit dominus.’ 24. Ὁ ΘΕῸΣ Ὁ ΠΟΙΉΣΑΣ ΤῸΝ ΚΌΣΜΟΝ, _the God that made the world_. He whom the Apostle set forth was no Epicurean divinity, dwelling apart and in constant repose. Nor was the world a thing of chance, as those philosophers taught, but the handiwork... [ Continue Reading ]
ΟΥ̓ΔῈ ὙΠῸ ΧΕΙΡΩ͂Ν� _neither is served by men’s hands_. θεραπεύειν implies the sort of service yielded by a steward to his master, or a minister to his king, a service in which the superior is not independent of his inferior, and could not well do without him. This is seen in the next clause. God is... [ Continue Reading ]
αἵματος omitted with אAB. Not represented in _Vulg_. ΠΡΟΣΤΕΤΑΓΜΈΝΟΥΣ with אABDEHLP. _Vulg_. ‘statuta tempora.’ 26. ἘΠΟΊΗΣΈΝ ΤΕ ἘΞ ἙΝῸΣ ΠΑ͂Ν ἜΘΝΟΣ�, _and hath made of one every nation of men_. Thus would he bring out most prominently the doctrine of the common Fatherhood of God. It is not merely th... [ Continue Reading ]
ΘΕΌΝ for κύριον with אABHL. _Vulg_. ‘Deum.’ 27. ΖΗΤΕΙ͂Ν ΤῸΝ ΘΕΌΝ, _that they should seek God_. This was the lesson which God meant His creation and providence to teach. Men were to behold Him through His works. ΕἸ ἌΡΑ ΓΕ ΨΗΛΑΦΉΣΕΙΑΝ ΑΥ̓ΤῸΝ ΚΑῚ ΕὝΡΟΙΕΝ, _if haply they might feel after Him and find... [ Continue Reading ]
ἘΝ ΑΥ̓ΤΩ͂Ι ΓᾺΡ ΖΩ͂ΜΕΝ, _for in Him we live_, i.e. _through_ or _by_ Him. For ἐν in this sense, see below Acts 17:31. All our existence is through His care. He must therefore be near unto each of us. ΚΑῚ ΚΙΝΟΎΜΕΘΑ, _and move_. More literally, ‘are moved.’ The word does not refer to the motion of pe... [ Continue Reading ]
ΟΥ̓Κ ὈΦΕΊΛΟΜΕΝ ΝΟΜΊΖΕΙΝ Κ.Τ.Λ., _we ought not to think_, &c. As man is of more honour than material things, how far above these must the Godhead be. The Athenians, the Apostle would teach them, had formed not too high but too low a conception of themselves.... [ Continue Reading ]
ΠΆΝΤΑΣ for πᾶσι with אABD. _Vulg_. ‘hominibus ut omnes.’ 30. ΤΟῪΣ ΜῈΝ ΟΥ̓͂Ν ΧΡΌΝΟΥΣ ΤΗ͂Σ�, _the times of ignorance therefore God overlooked but_, &c., i.e. God has not imputed unto men the errors which they committed in ignorance. But now the case is changed. Men cannot plead ignorance who have hea... [ Continue Reading ]
ΚΑΘΌΤΙ ἜΣΤΗΣΕΝ ἩΜΈΡΑΝ Κ.Τ.Λ., _because He hath appointed a day_, &c. The day of judgment had, in God’s foreknowledge, been long ago appointed. But through Christ the certainty has been made clear to men. Through a knowledge of Christ, who has been raised from the dead, men have learnt that there is... [ Continue Reading ]
ΚΑῚ before ΠΆΛΙΝ added with אAB. Not represented in _Vulg_. 32. ἈΝΆΣΤΑΣΙΝ ΝΕΚΡΩ͂Ν. See above on Acts 17:18. ΟἹ ΜῈΝ ἘΧΛΕΎΑΖΟΝ, _some mocked_. So did some (Acts 2:13) on the day of Pentecost. But they were Jews. On Mars’ Hill the mockers were heathens. To the Epicurean this life was all, and the teac... [ Continue Reading ]
EFFECT OF ST PAUL’S SPEECH. SOME MOCKED, BUT OTHERS BELIEVED... [ Continue Reading ]
καὶ before ΟὝΤΩΣ omitted with אAB. _Vulg_. has only ‘sic.’ 33. ἘΞΗ͂ΛΘΕΝ ἘΚ ΜΈΣΟΥ ΑΥ̓ΤΩ͂Ν, _he departed from among them_. Clearly being free to go when he pleased, though it may surprise us that he did not remain longer with those who had promised him another hearing. On this Chrysostom says: τί δή... [ Continue Reading ]
ΔΙΟΝΎΣΙΟΣ Ὁ ἈΡΕΟΠΑΓΊΤΗΣ, Dionysius the Areopagite, i.e. one of the members of the upper council of Athens. He must have been a man of position and influence, for no one could be a member of this council unless he had filled some high office of state, and was above 60 years of age. Tradition (Euseb.... [ Continue Reading ]