AND IT CAME TO PASS IN ICONIUM,.... When the apostles were got thither, and as soon as they were there; at least the first opportunity they had: THAT THEY WENT BOTH TOGETHER INTO THE SYNAGOGUE OF THE JEWS; which was in Iconium; hither Paul and Barnabas went together, in like manner as they had done... [ Continue Reading ]
BUT THE UNBELIEVING JEWS STIRRED UP THE GENTILES,.... That part of the Jews, which continued in unbelief, and rejected the doctrine of the apostles, concerning Jesus of Nazareth being the Messiah; these stirred up the Gentiles, who had no knowledge of, nor faith in this matter: AND MADE THEIR MINDS... [ Continue Reading ]
LONG TIME THEREFORE ABODE THEY,.... At Iconium, undaunted and not discouraged, at the treatment they met with: but continued, SPEAKING BOLDLY IN THE LORD; using great freedom of speech, and showing great courage and intrepidity of mind; speaking out, without fear, the doctrines of the Gospel, in th... [ Continue Reading ]
BUT THE MULTITUDE OF THE CITY WAS DIVIDED,.... In their sentiments, about the apostles, their doctrines, and miracles; some approving them, others condemning their doctrines as false, and their miracles as delusions: AND PART HELD WITH THE JEWS; that did not believe, but rejected the apostles, desp... [ Continue Reading ]
AND WHEN THERE WAS AN ASSAULT MADE,.... Or a strong bias and inclination were in the minds, BOTH OF THE GENTILES, AND ALSO OF THE JEWS, WITH THEIR RULERS; who encouraged them in it: TO USE THEM DESPITEFULLY, AND TO STONE THEM; not only to give them reproachful language, but to smite, buffet, and s... [ Continue Reading ]
THEY WERE WARE OF IT,.... They understood it, were apprised of it, and well weighed it, and considered it in their minds, and what was best to be done at this juncture: AND FLED UNTO LYSTRA AND DERBE, CITIES OF LYCAONIA; according to the orders and command of Christ, Matthew 10:23 not so much to sa... [ Continue Reading ]
AND THERE THEY PREACHED THE GOSPEL. They did not sit still, nor hide themselves in these places; but, as in others, they preached the Gospel, the good news and glad tidings of the incarnation of Christ, of redemption, peace, and pardon, through his blood, justification by his righteousness, and spir... [ Continue Reading ]
AND THERE SAT A CERTAIN MAN AT LYSTRA,.... Where the apostle was preaching; and perhaps he sat there to beg, where there was a great concourse of people, and which might be in the open street: this man was IMPOTENT IN HIS FEET; so weak, as not to be able to walk, and even to stand on them, and ther... [ Continue Reading ]
THE SAME HEARD PAUL SPEAK,.... That is, preach the Gospel; he was one of his hearers, and faith came to hint by hearing; the Arabic version adds, "he cried unto him"; that is, to Paul, whom he heard: WHO STEADFASTLY BEHOLDING HIM; not the lame man beholding Paul, but Paul beholding the lame man, as... [ Continue Reading ]
SAID WITH A LOUD VOICE,.... Not only that the man, but that all might hear and attend to the miracle about to be wrought: STAND UPRIGHT ON THY FEET; in five of Beza's manuscripts, and in other copies, and in the Complutensian edition, and in the Syriac version, this clause is introduced with these... [ Continue Reading ]
AND WHEN THE PEOPLE SAW WHAT PAUL HAD DONE,.... In curing the lame man in so marvellous a manner, and concluding it to be a divine work, and what a mere creature could never perform: THEY LIFT UP THEIR VOICES; not in indignation and wrath, but as persons astonished: SAYING IN THE SPEECH OF LYCAONI... [ Continue Reading ]
AND THEY CALLED BARNABAS JUPITER,.... The supreme God; it may be because that Barnabas was the oldest man, of the tallest stature, and largest bulk, and made the best figure; whereas Paul was younger, of a low stature, and mean appearance: AND PAUL MERCURIUS, because he was the chief speaker; Mercu... [ Continue Reading ]
THEN THE PRIEST OF JUPITER, WHICH WAS BEFORE THEIR CITY,.... Not that the priest was before the city, but Jupiter; and the phrase denotes either his presidency over the city, and so the Arabic version renders it, "who was the chief god of their city"; or the place where his image stood, which was ou... [ Continue Reading ]
WHICH WHEN THE APOSTLES BARNABAS AND PAUL HEARD OF,.... As they quickly did, such a multitude being about the doors of the house, where they were: it may be observed, that Barnabas is here called an apostle, as in Acts 14:4 and is placed before Paul, not as being greater than he, but because of the... [ Continue Reading ]
AND SAYING, SIRS, WHY DO YE THESE THINGS?.... That is, bring these oxen and garlands, and attempt to offer sacrifice; this they said, not as arguing with them calmly and mildly, but with a mixture of indignation, heat, and zeal, as displeased with, and detesting and abhorring what they were about to... [ Continue Reading ]
WHO IN TIMES PAST,.... For many hundred years past; even ever since God chose and separated the people of Israel from the rest of the nations, to be a peculiar people to himself: from that time he SUFFERED ALL NATIONS TO WALK IN THEIR OWN WAYS; of ignorance, superstition, and idolatry; which they d... [ Continue Reading ]
NEVERTHELESS, HE LEFT NOT HIMSELF WITHOUT WITNESS,.... Of his kindness and goodness to them, during this long interval and period of time; for they had not the written law, yet they were not destitute of the law of nature; and had, besides, many instances of providential goodness, by which they migh... [ Continue Reading ]
AND WITH THESE SAYINGS,.... Concerning themselves, and concerning the living God, his creation of all things, and his providential goodness: SCARCE RESTRAINED THEY THE PEOPLE, THAT THEY HAD NOT DONE SACRIFICE UNTO THEM; so resolute were they upon it, that it was with great difficulty that they pers... [ Continue Reading ]
AND THERE CAME THITHER CERTAIN JEWS,.... Either just at the same time, or however whilst the apostles were in this city: in four manuscripts of Beza's, and in some other copies, it is read, "as they abode there, and taught, there came", c. These Jews were inveterate enemies of the apostles, and seem... [ Continue Reading ]
HOWBEIT AS THE DISCIPLES STOOD ROUND ABOUT HIM,.... Weeping over him, and lamenting for him, and it may be praying to God, that he would restore him to life: however, they got about him, in order to take care of him, and provide for his interment: these were the young converts at Lystra, who, under... [ Continue Reading ]
AND WHEN THEY HAD PREACHED THE GOSPEL TO THAT CITY,.... To the inhabitants of it, as they did in every place where they came, even the pure Gospel of Christ, the good news, and glad tidings of life and salvation by him: AND HAD TAUGHT MANY; or made them disciples, their ministry being blessed to br... [ Continue Reading ]
CONFIRMING THE SOULS OF THE DISCIPLES,.... Not wicked men in their wickedness, nor self-righteous persons in an opinion of their own righteousness, as sufficient for justification, both being contrary to the nature and tendency of the ministry of the word; the Gospel being a doctrine according to go... [ Continue Reading ]
AND WHEN THEY HAD ORDAINED THEM ELDERS IN EVERY CHURCH,.... As soon as ever any number of disciples were made, or souls were converted to Christ in any place, they were at once formed, by the apostles, into a church state; and as the gifts, as well as the grace of the Holy Ghost, attended the minist... [ Continue Reading ]
AND AFTER THEY HAD PASSED THROUGHOUT PISIDIA,.... The country where Antioch, the last place mentioned, was; see Acts 13:14 they came to Pamphylia; Acts 13:13 Acts 2:10... [ Continue Reading ]
AND WHEN THEY HAD PREACHED THE WORD IN PERGA,.... A city in Pamphylia, Acts 13:13. The Alexandrian copy, and others, and three manuscripts of Beza's, read, "the word of the Lord"; as do the Vulgate Latin and Syriac versions: they went down into "Attalia"; not Italia or Italy, as some Latin copies, a... [ Continue Reading ]
AND THENCE SAILED TO ANTIOCH,.... In Syria, FROM WHENCE THEY HAD BEEN RECOMMENDED TO THE GRACE OF GOD; by the prophets: from this place they first set out on their travels; here they were separated by the order of the Holy Ghost to the work of the ministry, and by them they were sent forth, after t... [ Continue Reading ]
AND WHEN THEY WERE COME,.... To Antioch: AND HAD GATHERED THE CHURCH TOGETHER: which was in that place, and who came together at their request; for as they were sent out by them, they judged it proper to call them together; and give them an account of the issue of their work they were recommended b... [ Continue Reading ]
AND THERE THEY ABODE LONG TIME WITH THE DISCIPLES. That is, Paul and Barnabas continued a considerable time at Antioch with the believers there, before they set out on another journey; and what might detain them the longer, might be the disputes they had with some "judaizing" Christians, concerning... [ Continue Reading ]