Acts 14:1. Preaching at Iconium. The Apostles forced to flee 1. _they went both together_, &c. These words probably refer not to one special visit, but to repeated occasions on which Paul and Barnabas appeared as fellow-labourers before the Jewish congregation in Iconium. _and so spake_ on various... [ Continue Reading ]
_But the unbelieving Jews_ Better, "But the Jews that were disobedient." The verb is the same which is found John 3:36, where the rendering should be "He that _obeyeth not_the Son shall not see life." The word is stronger than "unbelieving," it expresses unbelief breaking forth into rebellion, and s... [ Continue Reading ]
_Long time therefore abode they_ There are two results described in this and the following verse as the consequences of the Jewish opposition. First, a long stay was necessary that by the words of the Apostles and by the mighty deeds following wherewith God confirmed them, the faith of the new conve... [ Continue Reading ]
_part held with the Jews_, &c. For a similar division see the history of the preaching at Thessalonica, Acts 17:4-5. That His word should cause such division had been foretold by Jesus (Luke 12:51).... [ Continue Reading ]
_when there was an assault made_ The noun does not necessarily imply that any direct attack had been made, which, from what follows, we can see was not the case. It rather applies to the excitement, urging, and instigation which the Jews were applying to their heathen companions, and which was likel... [ Continue Reading ]
_they were ware of it_ Among the party which sided with the Apostles there would be some who would get information about any attack which was being planned against them. It is to be noticed that throughout the history there is no attempt to exaggerate the sufferings of the Christian teachers. Here w... [ Continue Reading ]
Cure of a Cripple at Lystra. The heathen people regard the Apostles as gods 8. _And there sat a certain man_ Perhaps this cripple, like that other in Jerusalem (Acts 3:2), was brought by his friends to some much-frequented place that he might ask alms of them that passed by. There is no mention of... [ Continue Reading ]
_the same heard Paul speak_ The verb in the _Text. recept_. is here the imperfect, but some MSS. have the aorist The former seems to be the more suitable. What happened was that the Apostles preached on several occasions, and that the lame man was at his station and heard _repeatedly_the teaching of... [ Continue Reading ]
_said with a loud voice_ i.e. raising his tone above that in which he was speaking to the rest of the people. _Stand upright on thy feet_ It has been noticed in chap. 3 how different is the narration of this miracle from that wrought by St Peter at the Beautiful Gate of the Temple. The two were of e... [ Continue Reading ]
_in the speech of Lycaonia_ Which would come more naturally to their lips than any other. The people were bilingual, and St Paul had been speaking to them in Greek. This fact may give us some additional light on the question of what the gift of tongues was, which was bestowed upon the Apostles. Clea... [ Continue Reading ]
_And they called Barnabas, Jupiter; and Paul, Mercurius_ Of course this was not known until afterwards, and St Luke in his narrative, as a Greek, gives the Greek names of the gods, _Zeus_and _Hermes_. We can understand how the heathen people concluded that if any deity came to visit them with a bene... [ Continue Reading ]
_the priest of Jupiter, which was before their city_ i.e. "whose temple was before their city." He was their tutelar divinity, and it was to his priest that the people ran with their cry, and brought him, with all the preparations for a sacrifice, to the gate of the house where the Apostles were lod... [ Continue Reading ]
_Which when the apostles … heard of_ As they did first from the clamour and excitement of the would-be worshippers. _ran in among the people_(multitude)] The best MSS. read "sprang forth among the multitude," and this is no doubt the correct reading. They were horror-stricken at what was contemplat... [ Continue Reading ]
_and preach unto you_ Literally, "bring you the good tidings," as the message must be which sets forth to men the living God in the place of dumb idols. _that ye should turn from these vanities_(vain things)] "Vanity" is a name of constant use in the Old Test. for the false gods of the heathen. See... [ Continue Reading ]
_who in times past_( BY-GONE GENERATIONS) _suffered all nations_( ALL THE HEATHEN) _to walk in their own ways_ God had chosen Israel only for His own people before the coming of Christ, and had given to the rest of the world no revelation of Himself except what they could read in the pages of the bo... [ Continue Reading ]
_he left not himself without witness_ This is the same argument which the Apostle employs (Acts 17:27) to the more philosophic multitude whom he addressed on Mars" hill. God's natural teaching is meant to speak alike to all men. Cp. also the similar reasoning in Romans 1:19-20. _and gave us rain_ T... [ Continue Reading ]
_that they had not done sacrifice unto them_ i.e. "from doing sacrifice," &c.... [ Continue Reading ]
Change of feeling in the multitude. Paul is stoned. The Apostles visit Derbe, and then return, by the route by which they came, to Antioch in Syria 19. _certain Jews from Antioch and Iconium_ Their anger, like that of "the circumcision" in Jerusalem, was roused against the Apostles, whom they knew... [ Continue Reading ]
_as the disciples stood round about him_ Among these we may well believe that the young Timothy was included. Braving all danger that might attend on their act, the believers at Lystra gathered about what they deemed the corpse of their teacher, and their sorrowing thoughts were perhaps concerned ho... [ Continue Reading ]
_and had taught many_ Better, "and had made many disciples." Perhaps "Gaius of Derbe," whom St Luke mentions as one of Paul's companions in a subsequent journey (Acts 20:4), may have been one of these. This is the more probable because he is there mentioned in the same clause with Timothy, who undou... [ Continue Reading ]
_confirming the souls of the disciples_ The strengthening indicated by this word is that which Peter was charged to afford to his fellow-disciples. "When thou art converted _strengthen_thy brethren," i.e. by warnings and exhortations drawn from thy own trials and thy deliverance from them. We see th... [ Continue Reading ]
_elders in every church_ i.e. men who should have the oversight, and care for the growth, of these infant Churches. _and had prayed with fasting_ using the same solemn service at the dedication of these men to their duties which had been used when they were themselves sent forth from Antioch for th... [ Continue Reading ]
_when they had preached_( SPOKEN) _the word in Perga_ which they do not appear to have done when they passed through it before. See Acts 13:13-14, note. _Attalia_ A seaport of Pamphylia, at the mouth of the river Catarrhactes. For its history see _Dictionary of the Bible_. The Apostles had sailed,... [ Continue Reading ]
_from whence they had been recommended to the grace of God_ Better, "had been commended." The verb is not the same as in Acts 14:23, but the sense is. The old English verb "recommended" had the meaning which now belongs only to "commend.... [ Continue Reading ]
_and had gathered the church together_ i.e. the Christian congregation at Antioch who had been moved by the Spirit (Acts 13:2) to send them forth. It was fitting therefore that to them should be made a declaration of the results of the Apostolic mission. _opened the door of faith_ i.e. had made fai... [ Continue Reading ]
_And there they abode long time with the disciples_ The oldest MSS. omit "there." Render literally, "And they abode no little time with the disciples." St Paul was naturally more attached to Antioch than to Jerusalem, for here was the centre where Gentiles had first formed a Church, and where conseq... [ Continue Reading ]