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Paul is stoned at Lystra;

A. D. cir. 46.

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A. M. cir. 4050.

A. M.cir.4050. from Antioch and Iconium, who per- to that city, and had taught many, A. D. cir. 46. they returned again to Lystra, and to Iconium, and Antioch,

eir. CCVI, 2.

An. Olymp. suaded the people; and, the people; and, having stoned Paul, drew him out of the city, supposing he had been dead.

20 Howbeit, as the disciples stood round about him, he rose up, and came into the city: and the next day he departed with Barnabas to Derbe.

An. Olymp. cir. CCVI. 2.

22 Confirming the souls of the disciples, and exhorting them to continue in the faith; and that we must through much tribulation enter into the kingdom of God.

23 And when they had ordained them elders

21 And when they had preached the gospel in every church, and had prayed with fasting, ↑

2 Cor. 11. 25. 2 Tim. 3. 11. many disciples.

Matt. 28. 19.
ch. 11. 23. & 13. 43.

Gr. had made

• Matt. 10. 38. & 16. 24. Luke 22. 28, 29. Rom. 8. 17. 2 Tim. 2. 11, 12. & 3. 12. Tit. 1. 5.

was a GOD! When the Lycaonians saw the miracles that Paul did, they said he was the god Mercury: when the persecuting Jews came, they persuaded them that he was an impostor: and then they endeavoured to stone him to death! Supposing he had been dead.] They did not leave stoning him, till they had the fullest evidence that he was dead: and so, most probably, he was.

Verse 20. The disciples stood round about him] No doubt in earnest prayer, entreating the author of life that his soul might again return to its battered tenement.

He rose up] Miraculously restored not only to life, but to perfect soundness; so that he was able to walk into the city, that his persecutors might see the mighty power of God in his restoration; and the faith of the young converts be confirmed in the truth and goodness of God. It is strange that neither the young converts at Lystra, nor Barnabas, were involved in this persecution! It seems to have had Paul alone, for its object; and when they thought they had dispatched him, they did not think of injuring the rest.

cept, in order that they might be confirmed and established in the truth. Though it was a great and important thing to have their heads, their understanding properly informed; yet if the heart was not disciplined, information in the understanding would be of little avail; therefore they confirmed the souls of the disciples. As there must be some particular standard of truth, to which they might continually resort, that their faith might stand in the power of God, it was necessary that they should have such a system of doctrine as they knew came from God. These doctrines were those which contained all the essential principles of Christianity, and this was called THE FAITH: and as they must have sound principles, in order that they might have righteous practices; so it was necessary that they should continue in that faith, that it might produce that obedience, without which, even faith itself, however excellent, must be useless and dead.

Again, as the spirit of the world, would be ever opposed to the spirit of Christ, so they must make up their minds to exVerse 21. Preached the gospel to that city] Derbe, a pect persecution and tribulation in various forms; and therecity in the same province. See on ver. 6.

They returned again to Lystra, and to Iconium] Behold the courage of these Christian men! They counted not their lives dear to them, and returned to do their Master's work in the very places in which they had been so grievously persecuted; and, where one of them had been apparently stoned to death! The man who knows he is God's ambassador, and that his life depends on his fidelity to his Master, knows he has nothing but his God to fear.

fore had need of confirmed souls, and strong faith, that when trials came, they might meet them with becoming fortitude; and stand unmoved in the cloudy and dark day. And as the mind must faint under trouble, that sees no prospect of its termination, and no conviction of its use; it was necessary that they should keep in view the kingdom of God, of which they were subjects; and to which, through their adoption into the heavenly family, they had a divine right. Hence from the apostles' teaching, they not only learned that they should. meet with tribulation, much tribulation; yet for their encouragement, they were also informed, that these were the very means which God would use to bring them into his own kingdom: so that if they had tribulation in the way, they had a heaven of eternal glory as the end, to which they were continually to direct their views.

Verse 22. Confirming the souls of the disciples] The word disciple signifies literally a scholar. The church of Christ was a school, in which Christ himself was chief master; and his apostles, subordinate teachers. All the converts were disciples or scholars, who came to this school to be instructed in the knowledge of themselves and of their God. Of their duty to Him; to the church; to society, and to themselves. Verse 23. When they had ordained them elders] Elder After having been initiated in the principles of the heavenly seems to be here, the name of an office. These were all doctrine; they needed line upon line, and precept upon pre- || young or new converts, and yet among them, the apostles

The apostles travel through different

A. D. cir. 46. Au. Olymp. cir. CCVI. 2.

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THE ACTS.

b

provinces, preaching the word.

A. D. cir. 46.

A. M.cir.4050.
An. Olymp.

cir. CCVI. 2.

A. M.cir.4050. they commended them to the Lord,|| Perga, they went down into Attalia: on whom they believed. 26 And thence sailed to Antioch, from whence they had been recommended to the grace of God for the work which they fulfilled.

24 And after they after they had passed throughout Pisidia, they came to Pamphylia.

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25 And when they had preached the word in

27 And when they were come, and had ga

a Ch. 1. 26. & 11. 26.

b Ch. 13. 1, 3. ch. 15. 40.

was thought to be equally necessary: the church agreeing in the election of the person; and the rulers of the church appointing by imposition of hands, the person thus elected. See the note on chap. vi. 6.

And had prayed with fasting] This was to implore God's special assistance; as they well knew, that without his influence, even their appointment, could avail nothing.

Commended them to the Lord] To his especial care and protection.

Verse 24. Passed throughout Pisidia, they came to Pamphylia.] See the note on chap. xiii. 13.

Verse 25. They went down into Attalia] This was a sea-port town in Pamphylia. Thus we find the apostles travelled from Derbe to Lystra; from Lystra to Iconium; from Iconium to Antioch of Pisidia; from Antioch to Perga in Pamphylia; and from Perga to Attalia: and it appears that they travelled over three provinces of Asia Minor, Pamphylia, Lycaonia, and Pisidia. See Calmet, and see the Map.

constitute elders. They appointed persons the most experienced, and the most advanced in the divine life, to watch over and instruct the rest. But what is the meaning of the word Xelpotovcavres, which we translate ordained? The word ordain we use in an ecclesiastical sense, and signify by it, the appointment of a person to an office in the church, by the imposition of the hands, of those who are rulers in that church. But xapoтovia signifies the holding up, or stretching|| out the hand, as approving of the choice of any person to a particular work: whereas xeçosoia signifies the imposition of hands. "Zonaras gives the proper meaning of the word in the text, in his Scholia upon the first canon of the apostles, Νυν μεν χειροτονια καλείται, κ. τ. λ. 6 Nowadays, a course of prayers and invocation on the Holy Spirit, when one is initiated into the priesthood, and receives consecration, is called XEIcoTovia cheirotonia, so termed because the bishop extends his hand over him whom he blesses, when he is chosen into holy orders. Anciently, the choice or suffrage was called cheirotonia; for, when it was lawful for the multitude in their || cities to choose their priests or bishops, they met together, and some chose one man, some another; but that it might appear whose suffrage won; they say the electors did use ExTEIXEIV Tas xelpas, to stretch forth their hands, and by their hands so stretched forth, or up, they were numbered who chose the one, and who the other: and him who was elected Whence they had been recommended-for the work which by the most suffrages, they placed in the high priesthood. they fulfilled.] The Reader will recollect, that it was from And from hence was the name Cheirotonia taken, which the this Antioch they had been sent to preach the gospel to the fathers of the councils are found to have used, calling their heathen in Asia Minor, see chap. xiii. 1, 2. And that they suffrage cheirotonia.' St. Paul, 2 Cor. viii. 19. intimates that|| fulfilled that work; see in the same chapter, ver. 48. and the St. Luke was thus appointed to travel with him, porovnes circumstantial account of their travels and preaching given in UTO TWY EXXλŋσIwy, who was chosen of the churches. Ignatius, this chapter. in his epistle to the Philadelphians, uses the same term πÇɛπOV εσιν υμίν ως εκκλησία Θεου χειροτονησαι επισκοπον, ye ought as a church of God, to chuse your bishop." Much more on this subject may be seen in Sir Norton Knatchbull, who contends that cheirotonia implies simply appointment, or election, but not what he calls, ordination by the imposition of hands. I believe the simple truth to be this, that in ancient times the And how he had opened the door of faith] How God by people chose by the cheirotonia (lifting up of hands) their his providence and grace had made a way for preaching Christ spiritual pastor; and the rulers of the church, whether apos- crucified among the heathen: and how the heathen had retles or others, appointed that person to his office, by the chei-ceived that gospel, which through faith in Christ Jesus, was able rothesia or imposition of hands: and perhaps each of these to save their souls.

Verse 26. And thence sailed to Antioch] This was Antioch in Syria; and to reach which by sea, they were obliged to coast a part of the Mediterranean sea, steering between Cyprus and Cilicia; though they might have gone the whole journey by land.

Verse 27. Had gathered the church together] The church by which they had been sent on this very important and successful mission.

They rehearsed all that God had done with them] Not what they had done themselves; but what God made them the instruments of working.

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Verse 28. And there they abode long time] How long the apostles tarried here, we cannot tell; but we hear no || more of them till the council of Jerusalem, mentioned in the following chapter; which is generally supposed to have been held in the year 51 of our Lord: and if the transactions of this chapter took place in A. D. 46. as chronologers think, then there are five whole years of St. Paul's ministry, and that of other apostles, which St. Luke passes by in perfect silence. It is very likely that all this time Paul and Barnabas were employed in extending the work of God through the different provinces contiguous to Antioch: for St. Paul himself tells us, that he preached the gospel so far as Illyria, Rom. xv. 19. on the side of the Adriatic gulph: see its situ- || ation on the Map. Many of the tribulations and perils through which the apostle Paul passed are not mentioned by St. Luke, particularly those of which he himself speaks, 2 Cor. xi. 23—27. He had been five times scourged by the Jews; thrice beaten by the Romans; thrice shipwrecked; a whole night and day in the deep, probably saving his life upon a plank; besides frequent journeyings, and perils from his countrymen, from the heathen, from robbers, in the city, || in the wilderness, in the sea, among false brethren, &c. &c. || Of none of these have we any circumstantial account. Probably most of these happened in the five years which elapsed between the apostles' return to Antioch, and the council of Jerusalem.

1. In reading the Acts of the Apostles we may have often occasion to remark that in preaching the gospel, they carefully considered the different circumstances of the Jews and the Gentiles; and suited their address accordingly. When speaking to the former, of the necessity of crediting the gospel, because, without it they could not be saved, they took care to support all their assertions by passages drawn from the Law and the PROPHETS; as every Jew considered those books to be of divine authority; and from their decision, there was no appeal. But, in addressing the Gentiles who had no revelation, they drew the proofs of their doctrine from the visible creation; and demonstrated by plain reasoning, the absurdity of their idolatrous worship, and called them off from those vanities to the worship of the living and true God, who made and governs all things, and who gave them such proofs of his being, wisdom, and goodness in the provision made for their comfort and support, that they had only to reflect on the subject, in order to be convinced of its truth.|| And while, in consequence, they saw the absurdity of their own system, they would at once discover the reasonableness

A. M.cir. 4050. An. Olymp.

A. D. cir. 46.

cir. CCVI. 2.

b1 Cor. 16. 9. 2 Cor. 2. 12. Col. 4. 3. Rev. 3. 8.

of that religion which was now offered to them in the name and on the authority of that God who had fed and preserved them all their life long; and girded them when they knew him not. The Gentiles felt the force of these reasonings, yielded to the truth, and became steady followers of Christ crucified; while the Jews, with all their light and advantages, hardened their hearts against it, though they had no other arguments than what contradiction and blasphemy could provide! Publicans and harlots entered into the kingdom of heaven before them. Do not many even in the present day, copy their example, revile the truth, take up with the shadow instead of the substance; and rest just as much in the letter of Christianity, as ever the Jews did in the letter of the law? This is a deplorable fact which cannot be successfully controverted.

2. We have already had occasion to note, five years of a chasm in the apostolic history. God himself does not chuse to have all the labours and sufferings of his servants recorded. Their recompence is in heaven; and it is enough that God knows their work, who alone can reward it. And yet, every faithful servant of God will feel that the reward is all of grace and not of debt; for the amount of their good, is just the sum of what God has condescended to do by them. How studious are men to record the smallest transactions of their lives, while much of the life and labours of Jesus Christ and his apostles are written in the sand, and no longer legible to man or written before the throne where they are seen only by God and his angels. In many cases, the silence of Scripture is not less instructive than its most pointed communications.

3. We cannot consider the effect produced on the minds of the people of Lystra, without being surprised that a single miracle, wrought instrumentally by men, should excite so much attention and reverence; and that we should be unmoved by the myriads wrought by the immediate hand of God.

4. How difficult it is to get men brought to worship God, though they have the highest reasons and the most powerful motives for it; and yet, how ready are they to offer an incense to man, that is due only to God himself! We applaud the apostles for rejecting with horror the sacrifices of fered to them: common sense must have taught them this lesson, even independently of their piety. Let us beware, that we take not that praise to ourselves which belongs to our Maker. Gross flattery is generally rejected, because a man cannot receive it without being rendered ridiculous: but who rejects even inordinate praise, if it be delicately and artfully prepared!

Certain Jewish teachers insist

THE ACTS.

on the necessity of circumcision.

CHAPTER XV.

Certain teachers from Judea insist on the necessity of the converted Gentiles being circumcised, 1. Paul and Barnabas are sent to Jerusalem to consult the apostles on this subject, 2. They come to Jerusalem and inform the apostles of the conversion of the Gentiles; and of the trouble which certain Pharisees had occasioned concerning circumcision, 3-5. The apostles having assembled to consider the question, Peter delivers his opinion, 6-11. Barnabas and Paul relate their success among the Gentiles, 12. James delivers his judgment, 13-21. The apostles and elders agree to what he proposes, and send Judas and Silas with Paul and Barnabas to the converted Gentiles, 22; and send an epistle containing their decree, to the churches of Antioch, Syria and Cilicia, 23-29. Paul and his company return, and read the epistle to the brethren at Antioch, which pro duces great joy; and Judas and Silas preach to them, 30-32. Judas returns to Jerusalem, but Silas continues with Paul and Barnabas, teaching and preaching, 33-35. Paul proposes to Barnabas to visit the churches where they had preached; and on the latter determining to take John Mark with them, Paul refuses, 36-38. They disagree; and Barnabas taking John Mark, sails to Cyprus, 39. And Paul taking Silas, goes through Syria and Cilicia, confirming the churches, 40, 41.

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Gal. 2. 12.

» John 7. 22. ver. 5. Gal. 5. 2. Phil. 3. 2. Col. 2. 8, 11, 16.

e Gen. 17. 10. Lev. 12, 3. Gal. 2. 1.

NOTES ON CHAP. XV. Verse 1. Except ye be circumcised, &c.] The persons who taught this doctrine, appear to have been converts to Christianity; but, supposing that the Christian religion was intended to perfect the Mosaic, and not to supersede it'; they insisted on the necessity of circumcision, because by that, a mar was made debtor to the whole law, to observe all its rites and ceremonies. This question produced great distur-|| Dance in the apostolic church: and notwithstanding the decree mentioned in this chapter, the apostles were frequently obliged to interpose their authority in order to settle it: and we find a whole church, that at Galatia, drawn aside from the simplicity of the Christian faith, by the subtilty of Judaizing teachers among themselves; who insisted on the necessity of the converted Gentiles being circumcised.

Ye cannot be saved.] Ye can neither enjoy God's blessing in time, nor his glory in eternity. Such an assertion as this, from any reputable authority, must necessarily shake the confidence of young converts.

Verse 2. No small dissension and disputation] Paul and Barnabas were fully satisfied that God did not design to bring the converted Gentiles under the yoke of circumcision: they knew that Jesus Christ was the end of the law for righteousness (justification) to every one that believed; and

therefore they opposed the Judaizing teachers. This was one
of the first controversies in the Christian church; but though
the difference of sentiment was considerable, it led to no
breach of Christian charity nor fellowship among themselves.
They determined that Paul, &c.] This verse is read very
differently in the Codex Beza; Tevoμevos de extaσews xai (y-
Γενόμενος δε εκτασεως
τήσεως ουκ ολιγης τῳ Παυλῳ και Βαρναβα συν αυτοίς, ελεγεν
γαρ ὁ Παυλος μενειν οὕτως καθώς επίσευσαν, διίσχυριζόμενος : όι
δε εληλυθότες απο Ιερουσαλημ, παρήγίειλαν αυτοίς, τω Παύλω
και Βαρνάβα, και τισιν αλλοις, αναβαίνειν προς τους Αποςόλους
και Πρεσβύτερους εις Ιερουσαλημ, όπως κριθώσιν επ' αυτοις (αυτ
Twv) περI TOU (YTYμATOS TOUTOU. But when Paul and Barna-
bas had no small dissension and disputation with them, Paul
said, with strong assurance, that they should remain so as they
had believed. But those who came from Jerusalem, charged
Paul and Barnabas and certain others to go up to the apostles
and elders to Jerusalem, that a determination might be made
by them concerning this question.

And certain other of them] If this be the journey to which St. Paul alludes, Gal. ii. 1-5. then, he had Titus with him; and how many others went from the church of Antioch, we cannot tell. This journey was 14 years after Paul's conversion, and was undertaken by express revelation as he informs us, Gal. ii. 2. which revelation appears to have

Paul, Barnabas, and others, sent to

CHAP. XV.

consult the church at Jerusalem.

A. M.cir.4056. apostles and elders about this ques- the Pharisees which believed, saying, A.M.cir.4056. An. Olymp. tion. cir. CCVII. 4.

A. D. cir. 52.

a

3 And being brought on their way by the church, they passed through Phoenice and Samaria, declaring the conversion of the Gentiles and they caused great joy unto all the

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A. D. cir. 52.

cir. CCVII. 4.

That it was needful to circumcise An. Olymp. them, and to command them to keep the law of Moses.

6 And the apostles and elders came together for to consider of this matter.

7 ¶ And when there had been much disputing, Peter rose up, and said unto them, Men and brethren, ye know how that a good while ago, God made choice among us, that the Gentiles by my mouth should hear the word of the gospel,

5 But there rose up certain of the sect of and believe.

Rom. 15. 24. 1 Cor. 16. 6, 11. ch. 14. 27. ver. 12. ch. 14. 27. & 21. 19.

◄ Or, rose up, said they, certain.— ver. 1. ch. 10. 20. & 11. 12.

been given to certain persons in the church of Antioch, as we learn from this verse; and not to Paul and Barnabas themselves.

Verse 3. Being brought on their way by the church] That is, the members of the church provided them with all necessaries for their journey; for it does not appear that they had any property of their own.

Verse 6. The apostles and elders came together] This was the first council ever held in the Christian church; and we find that it was composed of the apostles and elders simply.

Verse 7. When there had been much disputing] By those of the sect of the believing Pharisees; for they strongly contended for circumcision; and at the head of these, tradition tells us, was Cerinthus, a name famous in the primitive church, as one who laboured to unite the law and the gospel; and to make the salvation promised by the latter, dependent on the performance of the rites and ceremonies prescribed by the former. Though the apostles and elders were under the inspiration of the Almighty, and could by this inspiration have immediately determined the question; yet it was highly ne

Declaring the conversion of the Gentiles] Much stress is laid on this it was a miracle of God's mercy that the Gentiles should be received into the church of God: and they had now the fullest proof that the thing was likely to become general, by the conversion of Cornelius; the conversion of the people of Antioch, of Cyprus, Pisidia, Pamphylia, Lycaonia, &c. &c. Verse 4. They were received of the church] The whole cessary that the objecting party should be permitted to come body of Christian believers.

The apostles] Either the whole or part of the twelve; though we read of none but John, Peter, and James. See

Gal. ii. 9.

forward, and allege their reasons for the doctrines they preached; and that these reasons should be fairly met by argument; and the thing proved to be useless in itself, inexpedient in the present case, and unsupported by any express au

And elders] Those who were officers in the church, under thority from God; and serving no purpose to the Gentiles, the apostles. who in their uncircumcised state, by believing in Christ Jesus, had been made partakers of the Holy Ghost.

They declared] To this council they gave a succinct account of the great work, which God had wrought by them among the Gentiles. This was St. Paul's third journey to Jerusalem after his conversion. See an account of his first journey, chap. ix. 26. and of his second in chap. xi. 30.

Verse 5. But there rose up certain of the sect of the Pharisees] This verse appears to be part of the declaration made by Paul and Barnabas to this council: for, having stated how God blessed their ministry among the Gentiles; they proceed|| to declare how all the good work was likely to be destroyed by certain Pharisees, who having received the Christian faith, came down to Antioch, and began to teach the necessity of circumcision, &c. and thus filled the minds of the young converted Gentiles with doubtful disputations. See the Margin.

Peter rose up, and said] This was after the matters in dispute had been fully debated; and now the apostles, like judges, after hearing council on both sides, proceed to give judgment on the case.

A good while ago] Ap' quɛpwv apxaiwy, from the days of old: a phrase which simply signifies some years ago; and if he here refers to the conversion of Cornelius, (see chap. x.) he must mean about ten years before this time; but it is more likely that he refers to that time when Christ gave him the keys of the kingdom of heaven, that he might open the door of faith to the Gentiles.

God made choice among us] That is, he chose me to ba the first apostle of the Gentiles.

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