IN JUDEA (κατα την Ιουδαιαν). Throughout Judea (probably all Palestine), distributive use of κατα. The news from Casearea spread like wildfire among the Jewish Christians. The case of the Samaritans was different, for they were half Jews, though disliked. But here were real Romans even if with Je... [ Continue Reading ]
THEY THAT WERE OF THE CIRCUMCISION (ο εκ περιτομης). Literally, those of circumcision (on the side of circumcision, of the circumcision party). The phrase in Acts 10:46 is confined to the six brethren with Peter in Caesarea (Acts 11:12). That can hardly be the meaning here for it would mean that t... [ Continue Reading ]
THOU WENTEST IN (εισηλθες). Direct form, but Westcott and Hort have it εισηλθεν (he went in), indirect form. So with συνεφαγες (didst eat) and συνεφαγεν (did eat). The direct is more vivid.MEN UNCIRCUMCISED (ανδρας ακροβυστιαν εχοντας). "Men having uncircumcision." It is a contemptuous expressio... [ Continue Reading ]
BEGAN (αρξαμενος). Not pleonastic here, but graphically showing how Peter began at the beginning and gave the full story of God's dealings with him in Joppa and Caesarea.EXPOUNDED (εξετιθετο). Imperfect middle of εκτιθημ, to set forth, old verb, but in the N.T. only in Acts (Acts 7:21; Acts 11:4... [ Continue Reading ]
LET DOWN (καθιεμενην). Here agreeing with the "sheet" (οθονην, feminine), not with "vessel" (σκευος, neuter) as in Acts 10:11.EVEN UNTO ME (αχρ εμου). Vivid detail added here by Peter.... [ Continue Reading ]
WHEN I HAD FASTENED MY EYES (ατενισας). This personal touch Peter adds from his own experience. See on Luke 4:20; Acts 3:4; Acts 3:12 for this striking verb ατενιζω, to stretch the eyes towards, first aorist active participle here.I CONSIDERED (κατανοεω). Imperfect active of κατανεοω to put the... [ Continue Reading ]
A VOICE SAYING (φωνης λεγουσης). Genitive case after ηκουσα (cf. Acts 9:7 and accusative Acts 9:4 which see for discussion). Participle λεγουσης (present active of λεγω) agreeing with φωνης, a kind of indirect discourse use of the participle.... [ Continue Reading ]
CAME INTO MY MOUTH (εισηλθεν εις το στομα μου). Instead of εφαγον (I ate) in Acts 10:14. Different phrase for the same idea.... [ Continue Reading ]
WAS DRAWN UP (ανεσπασθη). Instead of ανελημπθη (was taken up) in Acts 10:16. First aorist passive indicative of ανασπαω, old verb, but in N.T. only in Luke 14:5 and here.... [ Continue Reading ]
MAKING NO DISTINCTION (μηδεν διακριναντα). So Westcott and Hort (first aorist active participle) instead of μηδεν διακρινομενον "nothing doubting" (present middle participle) like Acts 10:20. The difference in voice shows the distinction in meaning.WE ENTERED INTO THE MAN'S HOUSE (εισηλθομεν ει... [ Continue Reading ]
STANDING AND SAYING (σταθεντα κα ειποντα). More precisely, "stand and say" (punctiliar act, first aorist passive and second aorist active participles).FETCH SIMON (μεταπεμψα Σιμωνα). First aorist middle imperative. Third time mentioned (Acts 10:5; Acts 10:22; Acts 11:13). Perhaps Peter is anxio... [ Continue Reading ]
WHEREBY THOU SHALT BE SAVED, THOU AND ALL THY HOUSE (εν οις σωθηση συ κα πας ο οικος σου). Future passive indicative of σωζω, to save. Clearly Cornelius was unsaved in spite of his interest in Jewish worship. Clearly also the household of Cornelius would likewise be won to Christ by the words of... [ Continue Reading ]
AS I BEGAN TO SPEAK (εν τω αρξασθα με λαλειν). Εν with the locative of the articular aorist infinitive αρξασθα (punctiliar action simply) and the accusative of general reference. The second infinitive λαλειν (to speak) is dependent on αρξασθα, "In the beginning to speak as to me."EVEN AS ON US AT... [ Continue Reading ]
I REMEMBERED (εμνησθην). First aorist passive indicative of the common verb μιμνησκω, to remind. Peter recalls the very words of Jesus as reported in Acts 1:5. Peter now understands this saying of Jesus as he had not done before. That is a common experience with us all as new experiences of grace... [ Continue Reading ]
THE LIKE GIFT (την ισην δωρεαν). The equal gift, equal in quality, rank, or measure. Common word.WHEN WE BELIEVED (πιστευσασιν). First aorist active participle of πιστευω in the dative case. It agrees both with ημιν (unto us) and with αυτοις (unto them), "having believed on the Lord Jesus Chris... [ Continue Reading ]
HELD THEIR PEACE (ησυχασαν). Ingressive aorist active indicative of ησυχαζω, old verb to be quiet, to keep quiet. The wrangling (verse Acts 11:2) ceased. The critics even "glorified God" (εδοξασαν, ingressive aorist again).THEN TO THE GENTILES ALSO (Αρα κα τοις εθνεσιν). Εργο as in Luke 11:20; L... [ Continue Reading ]
THEY THEREFORE THAT WERE SCATTERED ABROAD (ο μεν ουν διασπαρεντες). Precisely the same words used in Acts 8:4 about those scattered by Saul (which see) and a direct reference to it is made by the next words, "upon the tribulation that arose about Stephen" (απο της θλιψεως της γενομενης επ Στεφανω... [ Continue Reading ]
SPAKE (ελαλουν). Inchoative imperfect active, began to speak. For them it was an experiment.UNTO THE GREEKS ALSO (κα προς τους Hελληνας). This is undoubtedly the correct reading in spite of Hellenists (Hελληνιστας) or Grecian Jews in B E H L P. Hελληνας is read by A and D and a corrector of Alep... [ Continue Reading ]
THE HAND OF THE LORD WAS WITH THEM (ην χειρ κυριου μετ' αυτων). This O.T. phrase (Exodus 9:3; Isaiah 59:1) is used by Luke (Luke 1:66; Acts 4:28; Acts 4:30; Acts 13:11). It was proof of God's approval of their course in preaching the Lord Jesus to Greeks.TURNED UNTO THE LORD (επεστρεψεν επ τον κ... [ Continue Reading ]
CAME TO THE EARS (ηκουσθη εις τα ωτα). First aorist passive indicative of ακουω, was heard in the ears.OF THE CHURCH WHICH WAS IN JERUSALEM (της εκκλησιας της εν Ιερουσαλημ). Not yet was the term "church" applied to the group of disciples in Antioch as it is in Acts 11:26; Acts 13:1.THEY SENT F... [ Continue Reading ]
THE GRACE OF GOD, WAS GLAD (την χαριν την του θεου εχαρη). Note repetition of the article, "the grace that of God." The verb (second aorist passive indicative of χαιρω) has the same root as χαρις. See the same _suavis paronomasia_ in Luke 1:28. "Grace brings gladness" (Page). "A smaller man would... [ Continue Reading ]
FOR (οτ). Because. This is the explanation of the conduct of Barnabas. The facts were opposed to the natural prejudices of a Jew like Barnabas, but he rose above such racial narrowness. He was a really good man (αγαθος). See Romans 5:7 for distinction between αγαθος and δικαιος, righteous, where α... [ Continue Reading ]
TO SEEK FOR SAUL (αναζητησα Σαυλον). First aorist (effective) active infinitive of purpose. Αναζητεω is a common verb since Plato, but in the N.T. only here and Luke 2:44; Luke 2:45, to seek up and down (ανα), back and forth, to hunt up, to make a thorough search till success comes. It is plain fr... [ Continue Reading ]
EVEN FOR A WHOLE YEAR (κα ενιαυτον ολον). Accusative of extent of time, probably the year A.D. 44, the year preceding the visit to Jerusalem (Acts 11:30), the year of the famine. The preceding years with Tarsus as headquarters covered A.D. 37 (39) to 44.THEY WERE GATHERED TOGETHER WITH THE CHURCH... [ Continue Reading ]
PROPHETS (προφητα). Christian prophets these were (cf. Acts 13:1) who came from Jerusalem (the headquarters, Acts 8:15). Judas and Silas are called prophets (Acts 14:4; Acts 15:32). They were not just fore-tellers, but forth-tellers. The prophet had inspiration and was superior to the speaker wit... [ Continue Reading ]
SIGNIFIED (εσημαινεν). Imperfect active in Westcott and Hort, but aorist active εσημανεν in the margin. The verb is an old one from σημα (σημειον) a sign (cf. the symbolic sign in Acts 21:11). Here Agabus (also in Acts 21:10) does predict a famine through the Holy Spirit.SHOULD BE (μελλειν εσεσ... [ Continue Reading ]
EVERY MAN ACCORDING TO HIS ABILITY (καθως ευπορειτο τις). Imperfect middle of ευπορεω, to be well off (from ευπορος), old verb, but here alone in the N.T., "as any one was well off." The sentence is a bit tangled in the Greek from Luke's rush of ideas. Literally, "Of the disciples, as any one was... [ Continue Reading ]
SENDING (αποστειλαντες). First aorist active participle of αποστελλω, coincident action with εποιησαν (did).TO THE ELDERS (προς τους πρεσβυτερους). The first use of that term for the Christian preachers. In Acts 20:17; Acts 20:28 "elders" and "bishops" are used interchangeably as in Titus 1:5; T... [ Continue Reading ]