_GREAT DISSENSION ARISETH TOUCHING CIRCUMCISION. THE APOSTLES CONSULT ABOUT IT; AND SEND THEIR DETERMINATION BY LETTERS TO THE CHURCHES. PAUL AND BARNABAS, THINKING TO VISIT THE BRETHREN TOGETHER, FALL AT STRIFE AND DEPART ASUNDER._ _Anno Domini 51._... [ Continue Reading ]
AND CERTAIN MEN, &C.— A circumstance now occurred, which was the occasion of very considerable consequences in the Christian church: for some persons who came from Antioch to Judea, full of Jewish prejudices,—among whom it was a common maxim, that all uncircumcised personsgo to hell; taught the Chri... [ Continue Reading ]
THEY DETERMINED THAT PAUL AND BARNABAS, &C.— It is generally allowed, that this is the journey to which St. Paul refers, Galatians 2:1 when he says, that _he went up by revelation;_ which is very consistent with this; for the church in sending them might be directed _by a revelation,_ made either im... [ Continue Reading ]
AND, BEING BROUGHT ON THEIR WAY— _Being brought forward on their journey._ This is plainly the sense of the word προπεμφθεντες; which is constantly used to express the regard shewn to those who travelled anywhere to preach the gospel, or to take care of the affairs of the church. Compare ch. Acts 20... [ Continue Reading ]
BUT THERE ROSE UP CERTAIN OF THE SECT OF THE PHARISEES— Some considerable commentators have thought this verse a circumstance which _St. Paul_ adds to his history; though the connexion evidently shews, that they are the words of the _historian;_ informing us that these messengers found some at Jerus... [ Continue Reading ]
AND WHEN THERE HAD BEEN MUCH DISPUTING,— The debate which arose in this assembly, may indeed prove that there were some in thechurch at Jerusalem who had not a due regard to the authority of the apostles; but it cannot afford any just argument against their inspiration; for this dispute does not app... [ Continue Reading ]
TO PUT A YOKE UPON THE NECK, &C.— "A grievous and heavy burden, which neither our fathers nor we have been able cheerfully and regularly _to bear,_ without being exposed to great inconveniences, and many transgressions in consequence of it." The rabbinical writers apply this phrase to any practical... [ Continue Reading ]
SAVED EVEN AS THEY.— _After the same manner as they._... [ Continue Reading ]
THEN ALL THE MULTITUDE KEPT SILENCE,— St. Peter's speech silenced all the multitude, and the zealots had nothing to reply to such clear and convincing arguments. The whole body of the assembly, therefore, were then disposed patiently to attend to what Paul and Barnabas thoughtfit to communicate to t... [ Continue Reading ]
AND AFTER THEY HAD HELD THEIR PEACE,— The silence being renewed, the apostle James made a speech, in which he summed up the debate, and formed the question, to which they all unanimously agreed. Hence it is plain, that the matter was not determined by virtue of any superior authority in St. Peter; a... [ Continue Reading ]
AFTER THIS I WILL RETURN, &C.— These words are quoted from Amos 9:11 according to the reading of the LXX. Bishop Chandler seems very justly to argue, that the Jews understood and admitted the words in the sense that St. James quotes them; or they would not have submitted to his interpretation, consi... [ Continue Reading ]
KNOWN UNTO GOD ARE ALL HIS WORKS— The apostle plainly speaks here, not of God's works in the natural world, but of his dispensations towards the children of men: now he could not know those, without knowing the actions and characters of particular persons, on a correspondence to which, the wisdom an... [ Continue Reading ]
WHEREFORE MY SENTENCE IS, &C.— This passage, on which the critics have so much differed in sentiment, and written so much, may, I think, be thus paraphrased: "Wherefore I cannot but determine in my ownmind, and I doubt not but you will readily concur with me, that we ought not to disquiet those who... [ Continue Reading ]
JUDAS SURNAMED BARSABAS,— Some have thought that this is the same with _Joseph called Barsabas,_ (ch. Acts 1:23.) candidate with Matthias for the apostleship, the son of Alpheus or Cleophas, and brother to at least two of the apostles, _James_ now present, and _Jude;_ than whom there was not any one... [ Continue Reading ]
SUBVERTING YOUR SOULS,— _Unsettling your minds,_ The word ανασκευαζοντες is primarily and properly applied to the _removing a vessel from one place to another._ In a secondary sense, it implies the moving of the mind from one object to another, or unsettling it. When the apostles positively declare... [ Continue Reading ]
MEN THAT HAVE HAZARDED THEIR LIVES— Such a testimony to the reputation of Paul and Barnabas, was far from being a mere compliment, but exceedingly prudent, as it might be the means of removing the prejudices conceived against them by the Jewish converts or teachers; several of whom, as it appears fr... [ Continue Reading ]
IT SEEMED GOOD TO THE HOLY GHOST, AND TO US,— Though this may include the decision which the Spirit had givenby his descent upon Cornelius and his friends, yet it seems more directly to express the consciousness which this assembly had, of beingguidedbyhisinfluencesontheir minds in their present det... [ Continue Reading ]
FROM WHICH IF YE KEEP YOURSELVES, YE SHALL DO WELL.— That is, "You may hope it will end well." This gentle manner of concluding was worthy the apostolical wisdom and goodness. Too soon did succeeding councils of inferiorauthority change it for the stile of _anathemas;_ forms, which have doubtless pr... [ Continue Reading ]
BEING PROPHETS— See on 1 Corinthians 12:28.... [ Continue Reading ]
THE CONTENTION— Παροξυσμος, a paroxysm, is a medical term, and signifies here _a sharp fit of anger.—And there was a sharp contention,—so that,_ &c. However, we find not only that Paul and Barnabas were afterwards thoroughly reconciled, (compare 1 Corinthians 9:6. Galatians 2:9.) but also that St. M... [ Continue Reading ]
BEING RECOMMENDED BY THE BRETHREN— St. Luke designing here to drop the history of Barnabas, and pursue that of St. Paul alone, says nothing of the former's being _recommended to the grace of God;_ but there can be no doubt that as the church of Antioch wished them both success, so they recommended b... [ Continue Reading ]
CONFIRMING THE CHURCHES.— Mr. Cradock and many others think, that St. Paul sailed from Cilicia to Crete at this time, and, returning to the Asiatic continent quickly after, left Titus to perfect the settlement of the church there, Titus 1:5. _INFERENCES.—_How early did the spirit of _bigotry_ and _i... [ Continue Reading ]