Acts 3:1-10
Acts 3:1-10. HEALING OF THE LAME MAN AT THE BEAUTIFUL GATE OF THE TEMPLE... [ Continue Reading ]
Acts 3:1-10. HEALING OF THE LAME MAN AT THE BEAUTIFUL GATE OF THE TEMPLE... [ Continue Reading ]
ΠΈΤΡΟΣ ΔΈ. In accordance with the change made in the last verse of chap. 2. 1. ἈΝΈΒΑΙΝΟΝ, _were going up_. The verb is in the imperfect tense and to render it exactly adds much to the vividness of the narrative. On the close attachment always seen between Peter and John, Chrysostom observes, παντάχ... [ Continue Reading ]
ἘΚ. Just as when this preposition is used with words _directly_ indicative of time, the idea here contained in it is of a starting-point since which a certain state has been continuous. Cf. Acts 24:10, ἐκ πολλῶν ἐτῶν ὄντα κριτήν. Render, _a certain man who was lame_, otherwise ὑπάρχων is not represe... [ Continue Reading ]
ΛΑΒΕΙ͂Ν. This infinitive is redundant. A similar pleonasm is found Mark 1:17.... [ Continue Reading ]
ἈΤΕΝΊΣΑΣ ΔΈ. So of St Paul in a similar case (Acts 14:9). And doubtless too here Peter ‘perceived that the man had faith to be healed.’ For his first act after his cure—‘he entered into the temple’—bespeaks a devout frame of mind, and we may judge that though his infirmity had kept him at the gate f... [ Continue Reading ]
ἘΠΕΙ͂ΧΕΝ, _gave heed_. The verb requires τὸν νοῦν, or something similar, to be supplied with it. The sense is ‘turned (his attention).’ Cf. Sir 34:2, ὁ ἐπέχων ἐνυπνίοις, ‘he that pays attention to dreams’; and Acts 3:18 of the same chapter, τίνι ἐπέχει; ‘To what does he pay attention?’... [ Continue Reading ]
ΟΥ̓Χ ὙΠΆΡΧΕΙ ΜΟΙ. The Apostles, we may see from this, made no claim for themselves upon the contributions of the richer converts. There seems to be a difference intended in the kind of possession, ὑπάρχω being used of the worldly belongings, ἔχω of the spiritual gifts, as being the best, and the mos... [ Continue Reading ]
ἬΓΕΙΡΕΝ ΑΥ̓ΤΌΝ with אABCG. The _Vulg_. has the pronoun twice expressed. 7. ΑἹ ΒΆΣΕΙΣ ΑΥ̓ΤΟΥ͂ ΚΑῚ ΤᾺ ΣΦΥΡΆ. These words are found nowhere else in the N.T. They are of a technical character, and their use, together with the other features of exact description of the cripple’s case, indicate that we ha... [ Continue Reading ]
ἘΞΑΛΛΌΜΕΝΟΣ, _leaping up_. Thus manifesting his faith by his instant obedience, though his limbs must have shrivelled with forty years’ want of use. ΠΕΡΙΕΠΆΤΕΙ. Every word seems to express the man’s joy. _He kept walking_ is the sense of this imperfect. ΕἸΣΗ͂ΛΘΕΝ, _he went in_. As we see afterward... [ Continue Reading ]
ΠΑ͂Σ Ὁ ΛΑΌΣ, _all the people_. There was no lack of testimony to the reality of the cure. Many of the witnesses must have known the cripple for years. The Jewish authorities (Acts 4:16) admit the unimpeachable character of the evidence.... [ Continue Reading ]
ἘΠΕΓΊΝΩΣΚΟΝ. This verb is rendered _they took knowledge_ in Acts 4:13, and that is the better sense here. It can hardly be intended to say that the whole of the people present knew the man. For the construction which brings from the predicate-sentence its subject and makes it the object in the antec... [ Continue Reading ]
ΑΥ̓ΤΟΥ͂ instead of τοῦ ἰαθέντος χωλοῦ with אABCDE. _Vulg_. ‘cum teneret autem Petrum.’ 11. ΣΟΛΟΜΩ͂ΝΤΟΣ. As the name of Solomon was so intimately connected with the Jewish temple, it is natural enough that one of its porches (or cloisters) should be called after him. There is no account of any such... [ Continue Reading ]
ST PETER’S DISCOURSE TO THE CROWD... [ Continue Reading ]
ἸΔῺΝ ΔΈ. Seeing, viz. their astonishment, as we may gather from his opening words, τί θαυμάζετε. ἈΠΕΚΠΊΝΑΤΟ, _gave answer_, i.e. to their looks, for there had been no words. This word, like the Hebr. ענה, is frequently used for the first utterance of a speaker, unevoked by any question. Cf. (LXX. a... [ Continue Reading ]
Omit αὐτὸν after ἨΡΝΉΣΑΣΘΕ with אABC and many cursives. _Vulg_. ‘et negastis ante faciem Pilati.’ 13. Ὁ ΘΕῸΣ ἈΒΡΑᾺΜ Κ.Τ.Λ. The crowd of listening Jews must have been sorely troubled to be told that they had been guilty of such rebellion against the God of their fathers. ΠΑΙ͂ΔΑ ΑΥ̓ΤΟΥ͂, _His servan... [ Continue Reading ]
ΤῸΝ ἍΓΙΟΝ. Whom even the demoniac (Mark 1:24) had confessed to be ‘_the Holy One_ of God.’ ΦΟΝΈΑ, i.e. Barabbas, who had committed murder (Mark 15:7; Luke 23:19). Ἄνδρα seems here joined with φονέα, as ἄνθρωπος so often is with nouns that signify some occupation which is discreditable (γόης, συκοφά... [ Continue Reading ]
ἈΡΧΗΓῸΝ ΤΗ͂Σ ΖΩΗ͂Σ, _the prince of life_. The same word applied to Jesus (Hebrews 12:2) is rendered ‘_author_ and finisher of our faith,’ and in the same epistle (Acts 2:10) ‘the _captain_ of their salvation.’ It is probably in the latter sense that St Peter, whose thoughts are on the resurrection,... [ Continue Reading ]
ΚΑῚ ἘΠῚ ΤΗ͂Ι ΠΊΣΤΕΙ Κ.Τ.Λ., _and on the ground of faith in His name, His name hath made strong this man whom ye see and know_. This use of name = power, and even as an absolute equivalent for God, is very Jewish; cf. Acts 4:12. The usage grew out of such passages as Psalms 106:8, ‘He saved them for... [ Continue Reading ]
ΚΑΤᾺ ἌΓΝΟΙΑΝ, _through ignorance_. Ignorance has many degrees and may arise from many causes. The Jewish multitude were ignorant from want of teaching, their rulers from mental perverseness in looking only on one part of the prophecies concerning the Messiah. Yet of both of these it may be said that... [ Continue Reading ]
ΑΥ̓ΤΟΥ͂ after ΧΡΙΣΤῸΝ with אABCDE. _Vulg_. ‘Christum suum.’ 18. ΤῸΝ ΧΡΙΣΤῸΝ ΑΥ̓ΤΟΥ͂. Render, _by the mouth of all the prophets that His Christ should suffer_. The purpose of the whole of the Scripture is to set forth the redemption of men through the _suffering_ of Christ. So that from the first me... [ Continue Reading ]
ΜΕΤΑΝΟΉΣΑΤΕ, _repent_; seeing how great your offence is, but yet that sin done in ignorance may be pardoned. ἘΠΙΣΤΡΈΨΑΤΕ. Literally, _turn again_, i.e. from the evil of your ways. So (Acts 11:21) ‘a great number believed and _turned_ unto the Lord.’ The phrase ‘be converted’ of the A.V. has receive... [ Continue Reading ]
ΠΡΟΚΕΧΕΙΡΙΣΜΈΝΟΝ is the reading of אABCDEP. The _Vulg_. favours the _Text. recept_. in giving ‘qui prædicatus est.’ But that sense is out of harmony with Acts 3:25 where the people are called υἱοὶ τῆς διαθήκης. See notes. 20. ΚΑῚ�. The construction is continued from ὅπως ἄν in the previous verse. R... [ Continue Reading ]
ΤΩ͂Ν ἉΓΊΩΝ for πάντων ἁγίων with אABCD. _Vulg_. ‘per os sanctorum, &c.’ ἈΠ' ΑἸΩ͂ΝΟΣ before ΑΥ̓ΤΟΥ͂ with אABC. The _Vulg_. has ‘suorum a sæculo prophetarum,’ which does not leave ἀπ' αἰῶνος to the end of the verse. 21. ΔΈΞΑΣΘΑΙ. And Peter and the rest could bear witness that He was gone into heaven... [ Continue Reading ]
22. Omit γὰρ πρὸς τοὺς πατέρας with אABC. _Vulg_. ‘Moses quidem dixit.’ 22. ΜΩΫΣΗ͂Σ ΜΈΝ, _Moses indeed said_. Here the Apostle cites the prophecies to which he has been alluding. First from Deuteronomy 18:15 (though not quoting the LXX. quite exactly) he points out that the prophet who had been prom... [ Continue Reading ]
ΚΑῚ ΠΆΝΤΕΣ ΔῈ ΟἹ ΠΡΟΦΗ͂ΤΑΙ. To other prophecies St Peter only makes a general reference. We learn (_Midrash Shemuel_, c. 24) that Samuel was called by the Jews the Rabban, the chief and teacher, of the prophets and there are several reasons why he is put in this foremost place. (1) We never read of... [ Continue Reading ]
ΥἹΟῚ ΤΩ͂Ν ΠΡΟΦΗΤΩ͂Ν. Render, _sons of the prophets_, i.e. of the same race as they, and hence what they spake is meant for you. For you is the prophet raised up whom Moses foretold. ΚΑῚ ΤΗ͂Σ ΔΙΑΘΉΚΗΣ, _and_ [sons] _of the covenant_, i.e. heirs to its promises and obligations. So (2 Kings 14:14) _ho... [ Continue Reading ]
26. Omit Ἰησοῦν with אBCDE and _Vulg_. 26. ὙΜΙ͂Ν ΠΡΩ͂ΤΟΝ. That the house of Israel might first receive the blessing, and be God’s instruments in spreading it abroad. ἈΝΑΣΤΉΣΑΣ. The word is used here not of the resurrection of Jesus, but recalling the promise of Moses, cited in Acts 5:22 that a pro... [ Continue Reading ]