Paul stood up, and beckoning with his hand said, “Men of Israel, and you who fear God, listen. The God of this people chose our fathers, and exalted the people when they stayed as aliens in the land of Egypt, and with an uplifted arm, he led them out of it. For a period of about forty years he put up with them in the wilderness. When he had destroyed seven nations in the land of Canaan, he gave them their land for an inheritance for about four hundred fifty years. After these things, he gave them judges until Samuel the prophet. Afterward they asked for a king, and God gave to them Saul the son of Kish, a man of the tribe of Benjamin, for forty years. When he had removed him, he raised up David to be their king, to whom he also testified, ‘I have found David the son of Jesse, a man after my heart, who will do all my will.’ From this man’s offspring, God has brought salvation to Israel according to his promise, before his coming, when John had first preached the baptism of repentance to Israel. As John was fulfilling his course, he said, ‘What do you suppose that I am? I am not he. But behold, one comes after me, the sandals of whose feet I am not worthy to untie.’ Brothers, children of the stock of Abraham, and those among you who fear God, the word of this salvation is sent out to you. For those who dwell in Jerusalem, and their rulers, because they didn’t know him, nor the voices of the prophets which are read every Sabbath, fulfilled them by condemning him. Though they found no cause for death, they still asked Pilate to have him killed. When they had fulfilled all things that were written about him, they took him down from the tree, and laid him in a tomb. But God raised him from the dead, and he was seen for many days by those who came up with him from Galilee to Jerusalem, who are his witnesses to the people. We bring you good news of the promise made to the fathers,
that God has fulfilled this to us, their children, in that he raised up Jesus. As it is also written in the second psalm, ‘You are my Son. Today I have become your father.’
“Concerning that he raised him up from the dead, now no more to return to corruption, he has spoken thus: ‘I will give you the holy and sure blessings of David.’ Therefore he says also in another psalm, ‘You will not allow your Holy One to see decay.’ For David, after he had in his own generation served the counsel of God, fell asleep, was laid with his fathers, and saw decay. But he whom God raised up saw no decay. Be it known to you therefore, brothers, that through this man is proclaimed to you remission of sins, and by him everyone who believes is justified from all things, from which you could not be justified by the law of Moses.
Beware therefore, lest that come on you which is spoken in the prophets:
‘Behold, you scoffers, and wonder, and perish; for I work a work in your days, a work which you will in no way believe, if one declares it to you.’ ”
So when the Jews went out of the synagogue, the Gentiles begged that these words might be preached to them the next Sabbath. Now when the synagogue broke up, many of the Jews and of the devout proselytes followed Paul and Barnabas; who, speaking to them, urged them to continue in the grace of God.
John Calvin 1540 · Public Domain On vv16, 17, 18, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29, 30, 31, 32, 33, 34, 35, 36, 38, 39, 40, 41, 42, 43 16. We must note the state of this sermon,…
16. We must note the state of this sermon, lest we think that he uttered words in vain. Paul seemeth, indeed, to begin even at the very first beginning, but he speaketh nothing but that which is most convenient for the present purpose. His purpose is to bring the Jews unto the faith of Christ; and that he may the better do this, it is needful to declare that they excel other nations in this one thing, because the Savior was promised them, whose kingdom is their principal and only felicity. This is, therefore, Paul’s beginning, that whereas they were chosen in times past to be the peculiar people of God; whereas they had so many benefits bestowed upon them from time to time, though they showed themselves most unworthy, this did depend upon the promise of the Messiah, and did tend to that end, that God might govern them by the hand of the Messiah; and that therefore they have nothing whereof they may boast, unless they be gathered under their Head; yea, that unless they receive him when he is offered, the covenant of life which God had made with their fathers shall be void, and the adoption shall be frustrate. This is the drift of the first part of the sermon: that this is the principal point of the law and the foundation of God’s covenant, that they have Christ for their Captain and Governor, that he may restore all things among them; that without him religion cannot stand, and that they shall be most miserable without him. Thence Paul passeth unto another member, that Jesus, whom he preacheth, is Christ indeed, through whom salvation is offered to the people; also he declareth the means of the redemption purchased by him. Furthermore, he intreateth of his power and office, that they may know what good things they ought to hope for at his hands. The conclusion containeth a chiding; for he threateneth to them horrible judgment, if they refuse the author of salvation, who offereth himself, even of his own accord, whom earnestly to desire the law and prophets provoke. This is, in a manner, the sum; now let us discuss every point by itself.
Men and brethren. Because Paul knew that there were many bastardly sons of Abraham, or such as were grown out of kind, he calleth the Jews to whom he speaketh by a double name. First, he calleth them brethren, having respect unto common kindred, notwithstanding he showeth therewithal that they shall be true Israelites if they fear God, and that even then they are likewise true hearers, because “the fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom.” In like sort he maketh the faithful attentive, and purchaseth audience among them, as if he should say, Seeing many boast that they are sons of Abraham, who were unworthy of such honor, show yourselves to be no bastardly seed. Let us learn by this that it is not a fault common to one age only, that good and sincere worshippers being mixed with hypocrites, have the name of the Church common among them. But we must have a great care hereof, that we be indeed that which we are called; which thing the true fear of Almighty God will bring to pass, and not the external profession alone.
John Calvin's Commentaries (1540-1563) — public domain. Text from the Calvin Translation Society English edition (1840s-50s) via the Christian Classics Ethereal Library (ccel.org). Calvin's coverage is partial (roughly two-thirds of the Bible); uncommented books and verses are honest gaps, never fabricated. The 19th-century editor's footnotes and remarks are omitted so the notes are faithfully Calvin's own voice.
Geneva Bible translators 1599 · Public Domain On vv16, 17, 20, 21, 23, 24, 26, 27, 30, 33, 34, 35, 38, 39, 40, 42, 43 God bestowed many peculiar benefits upon his chosen Israel,…
God bestowed many peculiar benefits upon his chosen Israel, but this especially, that he promised them the everlasting redeemer.
Geneva Bible (1599) marginal notes — public domain.
John Trapp 1656 · Public Domain On vv16–43 16 Then Paul stood up, and beckoning with his…
16 Then Paul stood up, and beckoning with his hand said, Men of Israel, and ye that fear God, give audience.
Ver. 16. And ye that fear God] This is the proper character of an Israelite indeed.
John Trapp, A Commentary or Exposition upon All the Books of the Old and New Testament (1647–1656) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.
Matthew Poole 1685 · Public Domain On vv16–43 Beckoning with his hand, to procure silence and attention,…
Beckoning with his hand, to procure silence and attention, as Act 12:17.
And ye that fear God; besides the native Jews, the proselytes, and such out of all nations who left the idolatry of the Gentiles, and served the only true God, met together in the worship of God; these were the σεβομενοι, spoken of Act 17:4. It shows also what they are to do that would hear the word of the Lord with profit; viz. to attend unto it in the fear of his name.
Matthew Poole's English Annotations on the Holy Bible (1683–1685) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword/MySword module.
William Burkitt 1703 · Public Domain On vv16, 27, 36, 37, 38, 42 This latter part of the chapter containeth an historical…
This latter part of the chapter containeth an historical and practical sermon, preached by St. Paul at the request of the rulers of the synagogue.
Where observe, 1. His prologue or preface, in which he craves their careful attention: withal intimating, that none of them would attend but only such as truly feared God; Men of Israel, and ye that fear God, give audience. That is the proper character of a right attentive hearer.
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Observe, 2. The narrative which the apostle gives of the many divine favours, benefits, and blessings, which the Lord bestowed of old upon Israel his people; namely, his free election and chusing them before all nations; his wonderful deliverance of them out of Egypt; his great indulgence towards them for forty years in the wilderness, as a mother bears with a child’s forwardness and stubbornness; and his constituting a form of government for them under the judges first, and king afterwards, particularly Saul and David; who is described first by his conformity to the nature of God; he was a man after his own heart.
Secondly, By his conformity to the will of God; He shall fulfill all my will.
Having thus ended the historical part, he next begins the practial part of his discourse; and lays down this grand proposition, That Jesus is the Christ and Saviour of the world.
This assertion he defends and proves, 1. From his stock and family according to the flesh, foretold by God.
2. From the testimony of John the Baptist his forerunner, Of David’s seed hath God, according to his promise, raised unto Israel a Saviour, when John had first preached the baptism of repentance. After this he makes a close application of the whole to them: Men and brethren, to you is the word of this salvation sent.
Learn thence, That the gospel is the doctrine or word of salvation sent by God unto a lost world. The gospel is a message of glad tidings; the glad tidings which the gospel brings, is salvation: and the way and manner how the gospel brings salvation , is threefold;
1. By way of patefaction and discovery; the gospel makes a discovery of salvation exclusively to any other way; no angel in heaven could have discovered it, if God had not first declared it in and by the gospel.
2. By way of tender and offer: Oh this joyful message of salvation is sent to every man’s door! free grace falls upon its knees, and begs of every sinner to accept it.
3. By way of efficacy and power. The gospel brings with it a convincing and converting power, to put men into a state of salvation; and hath also an establishing and confirming power, to preserve them in that estate.
Blessed be God, that to us, even to every one of us, is the word of this salvation sent. What monsters then are they who are enemies to the preaching of the gospel? they are enemies to our salvation: The only way to heaven is by Christ, the only way to Christ is by faith, and the only way to faith is by the word. It cometh by hearing.
William Burkitt's Expository Notes on the New Testament (1700–1703) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.
Matthew Henry 1710 · Public Domain On v42 The design of this story being to vindicate the…
The design of this story being to vindicate the apostles, especially Paul (as he doth himself at large, Rom. 11), from the reflections of the Jews upon him for preaching the gospel to the Gentiles, it is here observed that he proceeded therein with all the caution imaginable, and upon due consideration, of which we have here an instance.
I. There were some of the Jews that were so incensed against the preaching of the gospel, not to the Gentiles, but to themselves, that they would not bear to hear it, but went out of the synagogue while Paul was preaching (Act 13:42), in contempt of him and his doctrine, and to the disturbance of the congregation. It is probable they whispered among themselves, exciting one another to it, and did it by consent. Now this bespoke, 1. An open infidelity, as plain a profession of unbelief as coming to hear the gospel is of faith. They thus publicly avowed their contempt of Christ and of his doctrine and law, were not ashamed, neither could they blush; and they thus endeavoured to beget prejudices in the minds of others against the gospel; they went out to draw others to follow their pernicious ways. 2. An obstinate infidelity. They went out of the synagogue, not only to show that they did not believe the gospel, but because they were resolved they would not, and therefore got out of the hearing of those things that had a tendency to convince them. They stopped their ears like the deaf adder. Justly therefore was the gospel taken from them, when they first took themselves from it, and turned themselves out of the church before they were turned out of it. For it is certainly true that God never leaves any till they first leave him.
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II. The Gentiles were as willing to hear the gospel as those rude and ill-conditioned Jews were to get out of the hearing of it: They besought that these words, or words to this effect, might be preached to them the next sabbath; in the week between, so some take it; on the second and fifth days of the week, which in some synagogues were their lecture days. But it appears (Act 13:44) that it was the next sabbath day that they came together. They begged, 1. That the same offer might be made to them that was made to the Jews. Paul in this sermon had brought the word of salvation to the Jews and proselytes, but had taken no notice of the Gentiles; and therefore they begged that forgiveness of sins through Christ might be preached to them, as it was to the Jews. The Jews' leavings, nay, loathings, were their longings. This justifies Paul in his preaching to them, that he was invited to it, as Peter was sent for to Cornelius. Who could refuse to break the bread of life to those who begged so hard for it, and to give that to the poor at the door which the children at the table threw under their feet? 2. That the same instructions might be given to them. They had heard the doctrine of Christ, but did not understand it at the first hearing, nor could they remember all that they had heard, and therefore they begged it might be preached to them again. Note, It is good to have the word of Christ repeated to us. What we have heard we should desire to hear again, that it may take deep root in us, and the nail that is driven may be clenched and be as a nail in a sure place. To hear the same things should not be grievous, because it is safe, Phi 3:1. It aggravates the bad disposition of the Jews that the Gentiles desired to hear that often which they were not willing to hear once; and commends the good disposition of the Gentiles that they did not follow the bad example which the Jews set them.
III. There were some, nay, there were many, both of Jews and proselytes, that were wrought upon by the preaching of the gospel. Those who aggravated the matter of the Jews' rejection by the preaching of the gospel, cried out, as is usual in such cases, "They have cast away, and cast off, all the people of God." "Nay," says Paul, "it is not so; for abundance of the Jews have embraced Christ, and are taken in;" himself for one, Rom 11:1, Rom 11:5. So it was here: Many of the Jews and religious proselytes followed Paul and Barnabas, and received further instructions and encouragement from them. 1. They submitted to the grace of God, and were admitted to the benefit and comfort of it, which is implied in their being exhorted to continue in it. They followed Paul and Barnabas; they became their disciples, or rather the disciples of Christ, whose agents they were. Those that join themselves to Christ will join themselves to his ministers, and follow them. And Paul and Barnabas, though they were sent to the Gentiles, yet bade those of the Jews welcome that were willing to come under their instructions, such hearty well-wishers were they to all the Jews and their friends, if they pleased. 2. They were exhorted and encouraged to persevere herein: Paul and Barnabas, speaking to them with all the freedom and friendship imaginable, persuaded them to continue in the grace of God, to hold fast that which they had received, to continue in their belief of the gospel of grace, their dependence upon the Spirit of grace, and their attendance upon the means of grace. And the grace of God shall not be wanting to those who thus continue in it.
IV. There was a cheerful attendance upon the preaching of the gospel the next sabbath day (Act 13:44): Almost the whole city (the generality of whom were Gentiles) came together to hear the word of God. 1. It is probable that Paul and Barnabas were not idle in the week-days, but took all opportunities in the week between (as some think the Gentiles desired) to bring them acquainted with Christ, and to raise their expectations from him. They did a great deal of service to the gospel in private discourse and conversation, as well as in their public sermons. Wisdom cried in the chief places of concourse, and the opening of the gates, as well as in the synagogues, Pro 1:20, Pro 1:21. 2. This brought a vast concourse of people to the synagogue on the sabbath day. Some came out of curiosity, the thing being new; others longing to see what the Jews would do upon the second tender of the gospel to them; and many who had heard something of the word of God came to hear more, and to hear it, not as the word of men but as the word of God, by which we must be ruled and judged. Now this justified Paul in preaching to the Gentiles, that he met with the most encouraging auditors among them. There the fields were white to the harvest, and therefore why should he not there put in his sickle?
V. The Jews were enraged at this; and not only would not receive the gospel themselves, but were filled with indignation at those that crowded after it (Act 13:45): When the Jews saw the multitudes, and considered what an encouragement it was to Paul to go on in his work when he saw the people thus flying like doves to their windows, and what probability there was that among these multitudes some would be, without doubt, wrought upon, and probably the greater part, to embrace Christ - this filled them with envy. 1. They grudged the interest the apostles had in the people, were vexed to see the synagogue so full when they were going to preach. This was the same spirit that worked in the Pharisees towards Christ; they were cut to the heart when they saw the whole world go after him. When the kingdom of heaven was opened they not only would not go in themselves, but were angry with those that did. 2. They opposed the doctrine the apostles preached: They spoke against those things that were spoken by Paul, cavilled at them, started objections against them, finding some fault or other with every thing he said, contradicting and blaspheming; antelegon antilegontes - contradicting, they contradicted. They did it with the utmost spite and rage imaginable: they persisted in their contradiction, and nothing would silence them, they contradicted for contradiction-sake, and denied that which was most evident; and, when they could find no colour of objection, they broke out into ill language against Christ and his gospel, blaspheming him and it. From the language of the carnal man that receives not the things of the Spirit of God, and therefore contradicts them, they proceed to the language of incarnate devils, and blaspheme them. Commonly those who begin with contradicting end with blaspheming.
VI. The apostles hereupon solemnly and openly declare themselves discharged from their obligations to the Jews, and at liberty to bring the word of salvation to the Gentiles, even by the tacit consent of the Jews themselves. Never let the Jew lay the fault of the carrying of the kingdom of God to the Gentiles upon the apostles, for that complaint of theirs is for ever silenced by their own act and deed, for what they did here is for ever a bar to it. "Tender and refusal (we say) are good payment in law." The Jews had the tender of the gospel, and did refuse it, and therefore ought not to say any thing against the Gentiles having it. In declaring this, it is said (Act 13:46), Paul and Barnabas waxed bold, more bold than they had been while they were shy of looking favourably upon the Gentiles, for fear of giving offence to the Jews, and laying a stumbling-block in their way. Note, There is a time for the preachers of the gospel to show as much of the boldness of the lion as of the wisdom of the serpent and the harmlessness of the dove. When the adversaries of Christ's cause begin to be daring, it is not for its advocates to be timid. While there is any hope of working upon those that oppose themselves they must be instructed with meekness (Ti2 2:25); but, when that method has long been tried in vain, we must wax bold, and tell them what will be the issue of their opposition. The impudence of the enemies of the gospel, instead of frightening, should rather embolden its friends; for they are sure that they have a good cause, and they know in whom they have trusted to bear them out. Now Paul and Barnabas, having made the Jews a fair offer of gospel grace, here give them fair notice of their bringing it to the Gentiles, if by any means (as Paul says Rom 11:14) they might provoke them to emulation. 1. They own that the Jews were entitled to the first offer: "It was necessary that the word of God should first have been spoken to you, to whom the promise was made, to you of the lost sheep of the house of Israel, to whom Christ reckoned himself first sent." And his charge to the preachers of his gospel to begin at Jerusalem (Luk 24:47) was a tacit direction to all that went into other countries to begin with the Jews, to whom pertained the giving of the law, and therefore the preaching of the gospel. Let the children first be served, Mar 7:27. 2. They charge them with the refusal of it: "You put it from you; you will not accept of it; nay, you will not so much as bear the offer of it, but take it as an affront to you." If men put the gospel from them, God justly takes it from them; why should manna be given to those that loathe it and call it light bread, or the privileges of the gospel forced on those that put them away, and say, We have no part in David? Herein they judge themselves unworthy of everlasting life. In one sense we must all judge ourselves unworthy of everlasting life, for there is nothing in us, nor done by us, by which we can pretend to merit it, and we must be made sensible of this; but here the meaning is, "You discover, or make it to appear, that you are not meet for eternal life; you throw away all your claims and give up your pretensions to it; since you will not take it from his hands, into whose hand the Father has given it, krinete, you do, in effect, pass this judgment upon yourselves, and out of your own mouth you shall be judged; you will not have it by Christ, by whom alone it is to be had, and so shall your doom be, you shall not have it at all." 3. Upon this they ground their preaching the gospel to the uncircumcised: "Since you will not accept eternal life as it is offered, our way is plain, Lo, we turn to the Gentiles. If one will not, another will. If those that were first invited to the wedding-feast will not come, we must invite out of the highways and hedges those that will, for the wedding must be furnished with guests. If he that is next of kin will not do the kinsman's part, he must not complain that another will," Rut 4:4. 4. They justify themselves in this by a divine warrant (Act 13:47): "For so hath the Lord commanded us; the Lord Jesus gave us directions to witness to him in Jerusalem and Judea first, and after that to the utmost part of the earth, to preach the gospel to every creature, to disciple all nations." This is according to what was foretold in the Old Testament. When the Messiah, in the prospect of the Jews' infidelity, was ready to say, I have laboured in vain, he was told, to his satisfaction, that though Israel were not gathered, yet he should be glorious, that his blood should not be shed in vain, nor his purchase made in vain, nor his doctrine preached in vain, nor his Spirit sent in vain - "For I have set thee, not only raised thee up, but established thee, to be a light of the Gentiles, not only a shining light for a time, but a standing light, set thee for a light, that thou shouldst be for salvation unto the ends of the earth." Note, (1.) Christ is not only the Saviour, but the salvation, is himself our righteousness, and life, and strength. (2.) Wherever Christ is designed to be salvation, he is set up to be a light; he enlightens the understanding, and so saves the soul. (3.) He is, and is to be, light and salvation to the Gentiles, to the ends of the earth. Those of every nation shall be welcome to him, some of every nation have heard of him (Rom 10:18), and all nations shall at length become his kingdom. This prophecy has had its accomplishment in part in the setting up of the kingdom of Christ in this island of ours, which lies, as it were, in the ends of the earth, a corner of the world, and shall be accomplished more and more when the time comes for the bringing in of the fulness of the Gentiles.
VII. The Gentiles cheerfully embraced that which the Jews scornfully rejected, Act 13:48, Act 13:49. Never was land lost for want of heirs; through the fall of the Jews, salvation is come to the Gentiles: the casting off of them was the reconciling of the world, and the diminishing of them the riches of the Gentiles; so the apostle shows at large, Rom 11:11, Rom 11:12, Rom 11:15. The Jews, the natural branches, were broken off, and the Gentiles, that were branches of the wild olive, were thereupon grafted in, Rom 11:17, Rom 11:19. Now here we are told how the Gentiles welcomed this happy turn in their favour.
1. They took the comfort of it: When they heard this they were glad. It was good news to them that they might have admission into covenant and communion with God by a clearer, nearer, and better way than submitting to the ceremonial law, and being proselyted to the Jewish religion - that the partition-wall was taken down and they were as welcome to the benefits of the Messiah's kingdom as the Jews themselves, and might share in their promise, without coming under their yoke. This was indeed glad tidings of great joy to all people. Note, Our being put into a possibility of salvation, and a capacity for it, ought to be the matter of our rejoicing; when the Gentiles did but hear that the offers of grace should be made them, the word of grace preached to them, and the means of grace afforded them, they were glad. "Now there is some hope for us." Many grieve under doubts whether they have an interest in Christ or no, when they should be rejoicing that they have an interest in him; the golden sceptre is held out to them, and they are invited to come and touch the top of it.
2. They gave God the praise of it: They glorified the word of the Lord; that is, Christ (so some), the essential Word; they entertained a profound veneration for him, and expressed the high thoughts they had of him. Or, rather, the gospel; the more they knew of it, the more they admired it. Oh! what a light, what a power, what a treasure, does this gospel bring along with it! How excellent are its truths, its precepts, its promises! How far transcending all other institutions! How plainly divine and heavenly is its origin! Thus they glorified the word of the Lord, and it is this which he has himself magnified above all his name (Psa 138:2), and will magnify and make honourable, Isa 42:21. They glorified the word of the Lord, (1.) Because now the knowledge of it was diffused and not confined to the Jews only. Note, It is the glory of the word of the Lord that the further it spreads the brighter it shines, which shows it to be not like the light of the candle, but like that of the sun when he goes forth in his strength. (2.) Because now the knowledge of it was brought to them. Note, Those speak best of the honour of the word of the Lord that speak experimentally, that have themselves been subdued by its power, and comforted by its sweetness.
3. Many of them became, not only professors of the Christian faith, but sincerely obedient to the faith: As many as were ordained to eternal life believed. God by his Spirit wrought true faith in those for whom he had in his councils from everlasting designed a happiness to everlasting. (1.) Those believed to whom God gave grace to believe, whom by a secret and mighty operation he brought into subjection to the gospel of Christ, and made willing in the day of his power. Those came to Christ whom the Father drew, and to whom the Spirit made the gospel call effectual. It is called the faith of the operation of God (Col 2:12), and is said to be wrought by the same power that raised up Christ, Eph 1:19, Eph 1:20. (2.) God gave this grace to believe to all those among them who were ordained to eternal life (for whom he had predestinated, them he also called, Rom 8:30); or, as many as were disposed to eternal life, as many as had a concern about their eternal state, and aimed to make sure of eternal life, believed in Christ, in whom God hath treasured up that life (Jo1 5:11), and who is the only way to it; and it was the grace of God that wrought it in them. Thus all those captives, and those only, took the benefit of Cyrus's proclamation, whose spirit God had raised up to build the house of the Lord which is in Jerusalem, Ezr 1:5. Those will be brought to believe in Christ that by his grace are well disposed to eternal life, and make this their aim.
4. When they believed they did what they could to spread the knowledge of Christ and his gospel among their neighbours (Act 13:49): And the word of the Lord was published throughout all the region. When it was received with so much satisfaction in the chief city, it soon spread into all parts of the country. Those new converts were themselves ready to communicate to others that which they were so full of themselves. The Lord gave the word, and then great was the company of those that published it, Psa 68:11. Those that have become acquainted with Christ themselves will do what they can to bring others acquainted with him. Those in great and rich cities that have received the gospel should not think to engross it, as if, like learning and philosophy, it were only to be the entertainment of the more polite and elevated part of mankind, but should do what they can to get it published in the country among the ordinary sort of people, the poor and unlearned, who have souls to be saved as well as they.
VIII. Paul and Barnabas, having sown the seeds of a Christian church there, quitted the place, and went to do the like else-where. We read not any thing of their working miracles here, to confirm their doctrine, and to convince people of the truth of it; for, though God then did ordinarily make use of that method of conviction, yet he could, when he pleased, do his work without it; and begetting faith by the immediate influence of his Spirit was itself the greatest miracle to those in whom it was wrought. Yet, it is probable that they did work miracles, for we find they did in the next place they came to, Act 14:3. Now here we are told,
1. How the unbelieving Jews expelled the apostles out of that country. They first turned their back upon them, and then lifted up the heel against them (Act 13:50): They raised persecution against Paul and Barnabas, excited the mob to persecute them in their way by insulting their persons as they went along the streets; excited the magistrates to persecute them in their way, by imprisoning and punishing them. When they could not resist the wisdom and spirit wherewith they spoke, they had recourse to these brutish methods, the last refuge of an obstinate infidelity. Satan and his agents are most exasperated against the preachers of the gospel when they see them go on successfully, and therefore then will be sure to raise persecution against them. Thus it has been the common lot of the best men in the world to suffer ill for doing well, to be persecuted instead of being preferred for the good services they have done to mankind. Observe, (1.) What method the Jews took to give them trouble: They stirred up the devout and honourable women against them. They could not make any considerable interest themselves, but they applied to some ladies of quality in the city, that were well affected to the Jewish religion, and were proselytes of the gate, therefore called devout women. These, according to the genius of their sex, were zealous in their way, and bigoted; and it was easy, by false stories and misrepresentations, to incense them against the gospel of Christ, as if it had been destructive of all religion, of which really it is perfective. It is good to see honourable women devout, and well affected to religious worship: The less they have to do in the world, the more they should do for their souls, and the more time they should spend in communion with God; but it is sad when, under colour of devotion to God, they conceive an enmity to Christ, as those here mentioned. What! women persecutors! Can they forget the tenderness and compassion of their sex? What! honourable women! Can they thus stain their honour, and disgrace themselves, and do so mean a thing? But, which is strangest of all, devout women! Will they kill Christ's servants, and think therein they do God service? Let those therefore that have zeal see that it be according to knowledge. By these devout and honourable women they stirred up likewise the chief men of the city, the magistrates and the rulers, who had power in their hands and set them against the apostles, and they had so little consideration as to suffer themselves to be made the tools of this ill-natured party, who would neither go into the kingdom of heaven themselves nor suffer those who were entering to go in. (2.) How far they carried it, so far that they expelled them out of their coasts; they banished them, ordered them to be carried, as we say, from constable to constable, till they were forced out of their jurisdiction; so that it was not by fear, but downright violence, that they were driven out. This was one method which the overruling providence of God took to keep the first planters of the church from staying too long at a place; as Mat 10:23, When they persecute you in one city flee to another, that thus you may the sooner go over the cities of Israel. This was likewise a method God took to make those that were well disposed the more warmly affected towards the apostles; for it is natural to us to pity those that are persecuted, to think the better of those that suffer when we know they suffer unjustly, and to be the more ready to help them. The expelling of the apostles out of their coasts made people inquisitive what evil they had done, and perhaps raised them more friends than conniving at them in their coasts would have done.
2. How the apostles abandoned and rejected the unbelieving Jews (Act 13:51): They shook off the dust of their feet against them. When they went out of the city they used this ceremony in the sight of those that sat in the gate; or, when they went out of the borders of their country, in the sight of those that were sent to see the country rid of them. Hereby, (1.) They declared that they would have no more to do with them, would take nothing that was theirs; for they sought not theirs, but them. Dust they are, and let them keep their dust to themselves, it shall not cleave to them. (2.) They expressed their detestation of their infidelity, and that, though they were Jews by birth, yet, having rejected the gospel of Christ, they were in their eyes no better than heathen and profane. As Jews and Gentiles, if they believe, are equally acceptable to God and good men; so, if they do not, they are equally abominable. (3.) Thus they set them at defiance, and expressed their contempt of them and their malice, which they looked upon as impotent. It was as much as to say, "Do your worst, we do not fear you; we know whom we serve and whom we have trusted." (4.) Thus they left a testimony behind them that they had had a fair offer made them of the grace of the gospel, which shall be proved against them in the day of judgment. This dust will prove that the preachers of the gospel had been among them, but were expelled by them. Thus Christ had ordered them to do, and for this reason, Mat 10:14; Luk 9:5. When they left them, they came to Iconium, not so much for safety, as for work.
3. What frame they left the new converts in at Antioch (Act 13:52): The disciples, when they saw with what courage and cheerfulness Paul and Barnabas not only bore the indignities that were done them, but went on with their work notwithstanding, they were in like manner inspirited. (1.) They were very cheerful. One would have expected that when Paul and Barnabas were expelled out of their coasts, and perhaps forbidden to return upon pain of death, the disciples would have been full of grief and full of fear, looking for no other than that, if the planters of Christianity go, the plantation would soon come to nothing; or that it would be their turn next to be banished the country, and to them it would be more grievous, for it was their own. But no; they were filled with joy in Christ, had such a satisfactory assurance of Christ's carrying on and perfecting his own work in them and among them, and that either he would screen them from trouble or bear them up under it, that all their fears were swallowed up in their believing joys. (2.) They were courageous, wonderfully animated with a holy resolution to cleave to Christ, whatever difficulties they met with. This seems especially to be meant by their being filled with the Holy Ghost, for the same expression is used of Peter's boldness (Act 4:8), and Stephen's (Act 7:55), and Paul's, Act 13:9. The more we relish the comforts and encouragements we meet with in the power of godliness, and the fuller our hearts are of them, the better prepared we are to face the difficulties we meet with in the profession of godliness.
Matthew Henry's Commentary on the Whole Bible (1708–1710) — public domain (CC PDM 1.0). Text via the HelloAO Bible API.
John Gill 1763 · Public Domain On vv16–43 Then Paul stood up,.... Not so much that he…
Then Paul stood up,.... Not so much that he might be heard; or merely out of reverence and respect to the rulers, and the people; but to show that he accepted the invitation; as also in order to take his proper place in the synagogue, and sit down and teach, as was their custom:
and beckoning with his hand; to the people to be silent, and attend to what he had to say:
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said, men of Israel; by whom are meant the proper Jews, the natural descendants of Jacob, whose name was Israel; this was accounted a very honourable character, and was a common form of address; see Act 2:22
and ye that fear God; not as distinguishing some among the Israelites from the rest, as if there were some of them that did not fear God; for by these are meant, not Jews by birth, but proselytes, devout and religious men from among the Gentiles; who were proselyted to the Jewish religion, and attended with them in their synagogues on religious worship; and that there were such in this synagogue, is certain from Act 13:43 and we find that sometimes the Jews distinguish the proselytes from the Israelites by this very character (s): it is said, Psa 128:1
"blessed is everyone that feareth the Lord, that walketh in his ways; he does not say blessed are the Israelites, blessed are the priests, blessed are the Levites, but blessed is everyone that feareth the Lord; "these are the proselytes, for they fear the Lord"--of what proselyte is it "said blessed?" of the proselyte who is a proselyte of righteousness, and not of the Cuthites, of whom it is written, Kg2 17:33 but of a proselyte who fears the Lord, and walks in his ways;''
so Psa 22:23 are interpreted by many Jewish writers (t). Now to both these sort of persons, both to the proper Jews, and to the proselytes of righteousness, the apostle addresses himself, and desires they would give audience to what he had to say; which is as follows.
(s) Bemidbar Rabba, sect. 8. fol. 190. 4. (t) Midrash Tillim, Jarchi, & Aben Ezra, in loc.
John Gill's Exposition of the Whole Bible (1746–1763) — public domain (CC PDM 1.0). Text via the HelloAO Bible API.
John Wesley 1765 · Public Domain On vv16, 17, 18, 19, 21, 22, 24, 25, 27, 29, 31, 33, 34, 35, 36, 39, 40, 41, 42, 43 Ye that fear God - Whether proselytes or heathens.
Ye that fear God - Whether proselytes or heathens.
John Wesley, Explanatory Notes Upon the Whole Bible (1754–1765) — public domain. Text via the GEBible commentary corpus.
Adam Clarke 1810 · Public Domain On vv16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29, 30, 31, 32, 33, 34, 36, 38, 39, 40, 41, 42, 43 Verse 16. Men of Israel] Ye that are Jews…
Verse 16. Men of Israel] Ye that are Jews by birth; and ye that fear God-ye that are proselytes to the Jewish religion. In this discourse Paul proves that Jesus Christ is the Messiah, sent from God, not only for the salvation of the Jews, but of the whole human race. And this he does, not with the rhetorician's arts, but in a plain, simple detail of the history of Christ, and the most remarkable transactions of the people of God, which referred to his manifestation in the flesh. Rosenmuller.
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Joseph Benson 1811 · Public Domain On vv16, 17, 19, 21, 23, 26, 32, 38, 40, 42 Act 13:16. Then Paul stood up, and beckoning with,…
Act 13:16. Then Paul stood up, and beckoning with, or waving, his hand — To render the audience more attentive; said, Men of Israel, and ye that fear God — Whether proselytes or heathen; give audience — This expression, Ye that fear God, seems best to suit those who, by embracing the Jewish religion, had entered into covenant with the true God, yet so as also to include any others in whom a filial reverence for the Divine Being was a governing principle. The discourse which the apostle now delivered, seems to have been chiefly intended to illustrate the divine economy, in opening the gospel gradually, and preparing the Jews, by temporal mercies, for others of a more important nature. He had thus a good opportunity of showing his acquaintance with their Scriptures, (which they esteemed the highest part of literature,) and thereby of better engaging their attention. His sermon, which seems to be given us at large, is particularly worthy of our consideration, as being an example of his manner of preaching in all the synagogues, and of the arguments which he used for convincing the Jews and proselytes that Jesus was the Messiah, or Christ, foretold by David, in the second Psalm. See on Act 17:2, &c.
Joseph Benson's Commentary on the Old and New Testaments (1811–1818) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.
Albert Barnes 1834 · Public Domain On vv16–43 Men of Israel - Jews. The design of this…
Men of Israel - Jews. The design of this discourse of Paul was to introduce to them the doctrine that Jesus was the Messiah. To do this, he evinced his usual wisdom and address. To have commenced at once on this would have probably excited their prejudice and rage. He therefore pursued a train of argument which showed that he was a firm believer in the Scriptures; that he was acquainted with the history and promises of the Old Testament; and that he was not disposed to call in question the doctrines of their fathers. The passage which had been read had probably given occasion for him to pursue this train of thought. By going over, in a summary way, their history, and recounting the former dealings of God with them, he showed them that he believed the Scriptures; that a promise had been given of a Messiah; and that he had actually come according to the promise.
Ye that fear God - Probably proselytes of the gate, who had not yet been circumcised, but who had renounced idolatry, and were accustomed to worship with them in their synagogues.
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Give audience - Hear.
Albert Barnes' Notes on the Bible (1834–1885) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword/MySword module.
Haydock's Catholic Bible Commentary 1859 · Public Domain On vv19, 20, 24, 33, 34, 35, 36, 37, 39, 40, 41 These seven nations are the Chanaanites, the Hethites, the…
These seven nations are the Chanaanites, the Hethites, the Hevites, the Pherezites, the Gergesites, and the Jebusites, and the Amorrhites. (Josue iii. 10. and elsewhere)
George Leo Haydock (1774–1849), Haydock's Catholic Family Bible and Commentary, 1859 edition — public domain. Excludes Psalms (Douay-Rheims chapter numbering differs from Protestant) and Deuterocanonical books (Catholic canon only).
Lange's Commentary on the Holy Scriptures 1864 · Public Domain On v42 42And when the Jews were gone out of the…
D.—PAUL AND BARNABAS ARE EXPELLED FROM THE CITY BY THE JEWS, WHEN THE LATTER SEE THAT THE GENTILES GLADLY RECEIVE THE GOSPEL
Act_13:42-52
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42And when the Jews were gone out of the synagogue18, the Gentiles19 [But when they went out, they] besought that these words might be preached [spoken] to them the next sabbath20. 43Now when the congregation [synagogue] was broken up [dismissed], many of the Jews and religious [devout] proselytes followed Paul and Barnabas; who, speaking to them, persuaded [exhorted] them to continue21 in the grace of God. 44And [But on] the next [following]22 sabbath day [om. day] came almost the whole city together to hear the word of God. 45But when the Jews saw the multitudes, they were filled with envy [jealousy], and spake against [contradicted] those things which were spoken by Paul, contradicting and23 blaspheming. 46Then Paul and Barnabas waxed bold [spake boldly], and said, It was necessary that the word of God should first have been [first be] spoken to you, but seeing [as] ye put [thrust] it from you, and judge yourselves unworthy [not to be worthy] of everlasting life, lo, we turn to the Gentiles. 47For so hath the Lord commanded us, saying, I have set thee to be [for] a light of the Gentiles, that thou shouldest [mayest] be for [serve unto] salvation unto the ends [end] of the earth. 48And [But] when the Gentiles heard this, they were glad [rejoiced], and glorified the word of the Lord: and as many as were ordained [and all that were arranged (Germ. ‘geordnet’, ordered, arrayed)] to eternal life believed. 49And the word of the Lord was published [carried abroad] throughout all [the whole] region. 50But the Jews stirred up [excited] the devout and24 honourable women, and the chief men of the city, and raised [a] persecution against Paul and Barnabas, and expelled them out of their coasts25 [drove them beyond their borders.]. 51But they shook off the dust of their26 feet against them, and came unto Iconium. 52And [But] the disciples were filled with joy, and with the Holy Ghost.
EXEGETICAL AND CRITICAL
Act_13:42-43. And when … were gone out, etc.—The persons who went out [αὐτῶν, see note 1, appended to the text, above.—Tr.], were not Jews (as the textus receptus, which Bengel also adopts, states) who could not patiently listen to Paul any longer, but simply Paul and Barnabas. As these were guests, they withdrew after the conclusion of the discourse of the former, while the members of the synagogue remained until they were formally dismissed (λυθείσης τ. συναγ.). Before Paul and Barnabas, however, had actually left the building, they were requested to deliver another discourse on the succeeding sabbath. (Μεταξὺ, that is, the sabbath lying between other days; σάββατον does not here mean week, that is, the intervening week, for τῷ ἐχομένω σαββ., Act_13:44, implies, that the request was made in the former sense. [“But” says Alexander, (Com. ad. loc.), the marginal version, the sabbath between “appears to be unmeaning, as no points can be assigned, between which this sabbath is described as intermediate.” He, like Hackett, Alford, etc. adopts the view advocated by de Wette, Meyer, and others, according to which μεταξὺ here alone in the N. T. is equivalent to ἑξῆς. which is, indeed, the reading in Cod. D. It is found in this sense in the later Greek, e. g. Jos. B. J. v. 4. 2; Krebs, Obss. p. 220; Kypke, II. 67 f.; Wyttemb, ad. Plut. Mor. p. 177. c. In this sense of next in order, following (Rob. Lex. N. T. ad verb.), the text of the Engl. vers. takes the word.—Tr.].—Who were the persons that besought that these words, etc.? They were, without doubt, those assembled in the synagogue, possibly, the rulers, comp. Act_13:15. But after this religious assembly had been dismissed in the customary manner, a considerable number of Jews and proselytes followed the two strangers to the abode of the latter, and were again addressed, in a still more unconstrained and familiar manner. They were urged to adhere with constancy and fidelity to the grace of God, by which they had already been influenced.
Act_13:44-45. And the next sabbath.—On this day the crisis came. In the first place, the extraordinary readiness with which the pagan inhabitants of the city received religious impressions, was distinctly manifested, as well as the depth of the impressions which Paul had made on them, partly by the above discourse, and partly by the instructions which he, conjointly with Barnabas, continued to furnish in private. On this occasion almost the entire population of the city assembled, partly, in the interior of the synagogue and, partly, before it, in order to listen to the preaching of the Gospel.—But, in the second place, when the Jews saw these masses of hearers, the envy and jealousy which had already been enkindled in them, increased in intensity. They envied Paul on account of the extraordinary eagerness with which he was sought, and, possibly, their Israelitic national feeling was deeply wounded, when the thought spontaneously presented itself that the pagans would be authorized to share as fully as Israel in the great salvation that was offered. They were irritated by such considerations, and began to interrupt and contradict the apostle. (There is here a Hebraistic repetition: ἀντέλεγον—αντιλέγοντες καὶ βλ. [De Wette and Meyer (with whom Winer, Gram. N. T. § 45. 8 appears to agree,) deny that this is a Hebraism, and regard ἀντιλέγ. as intended to give an additional emphasis to βλαζφ. See note 6 above, appended to the text.—Tr.]). The opposition of the Jews assumed more and more a violent and passionate character, so that they were ultimately impelled to utter blasphemies (the objects of which were, probably, Jesus himself, his messengers, and those who believed in him.) [Βλαζφημέω, 1. to speak evil of, to rail at; 2. Spec. of God and his Spirit, or of divine things, to blaspheme, Rob. Lex.—Tr.]
Act_13:46-47. Then Paul and Barnabas waxed bold [spake boldly].—They did not permit their own passions to become inflamed, neither did they revile their assailants; but they very plainly told the latter that they would thenceforth turn away from them, and offer the saving word of God to the Gentiles. It had, unquestionably, been necessary (ἀναγκαῖον)—they said—that the word of God should be proclaimed to them (the Jews), first of all. The necessity proceeded from the command of Christ (Act_1:8; Act_3:26; Rom_1:16), and from the whole plan of the divine economy. But these fanatical Jews had now rejected the Gospel, as the apostle emphatically declares, and had thus virtually pronounced the sentence themselves, that they were not worthy of receiving that everlasting life which had been offered to them in Jesus Christ. In view of this fact, Paul and Barnabas do not attempt to refute the objections and blasphemies of the Jews, nor do they cast their pearls before swine [Mat_7:6], but simply pronounce the words: ‘Lo, we now turn to the Gentiles.’ They do not act in a capricious spirit, when they adopt this course, but strictly obey the will of God (ἐντέταλται). The passage from which Paul quotes, Isa_49:6 [comp. Isa_42:6], sets forth that the Messiah was appointed not only to render services to Israel, but also to be the light and salvation of the whole heathen world. These messengers and organs of Christ apply the words to themselves, and thus justify by the Scriptures the purpose which they avow, of henceforth devoting their labors exclusively to the Gentiles. They both departed from the synagogue, doubtless, immediately after having made this declaration. [“They view the Messianic fulfilment which was to follow this declaration of God (referring to his “servant,” Act_13:1), as being virtually an ἐντολὴ for exercising the apostolic office, since it was through this office that the Messiah who is addressed (σε), would become the “light to the Gentiles, etc.”, which he was appointed to be.” (Meyer).—Tr.]
Act_13:48-49. And when the Gentiles heard this, they received the Gospel with still greater joy and reverence; as many of them became believers, as were appointed by God unto the possession of salvation (τεταγμένοι; Chrysostom: ἀφωρισμένοι τῷ θεῷ). Luke does not here mean to say that the entire mass of the pagan inhabitants who presented themselves, (Act_13:44 ff.), had now been converted, but only a part of them, and, indeed, that part which had been chosen and ordered by God for that purpose; see Doctrinal etc. No. 3, below.—The brief remark in Act_13:49, shows that this Pisidian Antioch became the central point of a system of evangelization, the influence of which was widely extended in the surrounding region.
Act_13:50-52. But the Jews stirred up.—There were certain females in Antioch who were originally Gentiles, but who had become proselytes of the Jews. They occupied a high position in society [“εὐσχήμονας refers to their rank, (Act_17:12; Mar_15:43) as the wives of the first men of the city.” (Hack.).—Tr.], but had not been influenced by the Gospel, and were hence the more easily excited and induced to sustain the Judaism which they had embraced. Through their influence and that of the “chief men of the city,” the Jews succeeded in raising a persecution against Paul and Barnabas. This διωγμός however, probably consisted not so much in any personal injuries inflicted on the two men, as, rather, simply in their banishment by the civil authorities from the city and its territory, as ἐξέβαλον implies. [“This seems to have been no legal expulsion; for we find them revisiting Antioch on their return, Act_14:21, but only a compulsory retirement for peace, and their own safety’s sake.” (Alf.).—Tr.]. But they shook off the dust of their feet against them, in accordance with the command of Jesus (Mat_10:14), not as an expression of contempt (Meyer), but as a declaration that they henceforth renounced all intercourse with such persons, and desired to escape the consequences which the conduct of the latter would deservedly bring upon them. They then proceeded to Iconium, a populous city at the foot of Taurus, [about ninety miles from Antioch], in a south-easterly direction; it belonged, at successive periods, to Pisidia, to Lyconia, and to Phrygia [but was, at the time of the visit of Paul, the chief city of Lycaonia (Meyer, who gives the authorities).—Tr.]. It still bears the name of Konia [Konieh.]. The disciples, that is, the Christians at Antioch, were not, however, depressed and discouraged by the departure of their teachers, but were, on the contrary, filled with joy and the Holy Ghost. [Their joy arose from a consciousness of the happiness which had become their portion as Christians. (Meyer).—Tr.]
DOCTRINAL AND ETHICAL
1. The exhortations addressed to the Antiochians (Act_13:43), i.e., that they should persevere with fidelity and constancy in the grace of God, is worthy of special notice, since the specific idea expressed by χάρις τοῦ θεοῦ, is here presented for the first time in the Acts, and, indeed, precisely by Paul and Barnabas. In Act_4:33, mention had been made of the kindness and grace of God which all the members of the church enjoyed; but the language which was there employed, was intended to describe the communion of love that continued to exist between God and the souls of the believers. Here, however, χάρις τοῦ θεοῦ obviously designates the grace of reconciliation and redemption, which is imparted in Christ to sinners—the grace of God, as contradistinguished from sin. Χάρις occurs, in this sense, for the first time in the Acts, in this passage, but is afterwards repeatedly introduced in the same sense, e. g., Act_14:3, λόγος τῆς χάριτος; Act_15:11, χάρις κυρίου Ἰ. Χ. This circumstance can with the less reason be regarded as accidental, since the missionary discourse of Paul, which immediately precedes, already exhibits traces of that more profound knowledge of the truth in Christ which was granted to the apostle Paul [see Doctr. etc. No. 4, on Act_13:13-41, above.—Tr.], and which the Church has received through him.
2. The indwelling divine power of the Gospel manifests itself not only by leading to the conversion of those who believe, and by filling them with holy joy and happiness (Act_13:48; Act_13:52), but also by not permitting those who reject it to remain as they are, since it incites them to exhibit an unholy zeal and violent passions, as well as to utter blasphemous words, Act_13:45. To some, the Gospel is a savour of life; to others, a savour of death, 2Co_2:15-16.
3. Act_13:48, ἐπίστευσαν, ὅσοι ἠσαν τεταγμένοι εἱς ζωὴν ἀιώνιον. What do these words, when closely surveyed, imply? [See Exeg. etc. on Act_13:48-49, above.—Tr.]. They mean, according to Calvin, that those became believers, whom God had, by virtue of his unconditional decree, ordained unto salvation,—whom he had determined to convert, and not to harden. [“Ordinatio ista nonnisi ad æternum Dei consilium potest referri,” see his Com. ad loc., and Instit. III. 24. 2 and 13, τεταγ. “ordinati.”—Τεταγ. is “ordained, ordered or appointed—not disposed, arrayed, etc.” (Alex.).—“appointed” (Hack.).—Tr.]. But the free self-determination of the human will is as little denied as it is asserted, in this passage; a decretum absolutum is by no means involved in τεταγμένοι. But, on the other hand, the assertion rests on equally unsubstantial grounds, that ῆ̓σαν τεταγμένοι must be taken in a middle sense: quotquot se ordinaverant ad vitam æternam (Grotius) [which does not essentially differ from the explanation in Hofm. Schriftbew. I. p. 238, ed. 2. (Meyer, note)]. This assertion is philologically inaccurate, or assumes, as the definition of the word: apti facti (oratione Pauli) ad vitam æternam adipiscendam (Bretschneider), or explains it in an analogous manner: qui juxta ordinem a Deo institutum dispositi erant (Bengel), so that τάσσειν is taken as a designation of the order of salvation. [“Ordo salutis, or œconomia salutis is the title of that part of Dogmatic (Systematic) Divinity, in which the topics referring to the subjective realization of salvation, are discussed, usually: Calling (vocation), illumination, regeneration and conversion, repentance, sanctification, mystical union, and, often, also, justification and faith, as well as, finally, glorification.” (Herzog: Real-Encyk. V. 684.—Bengel says ad loc, “Homo ordinare se (si modo sic loqui fas est) ad vitam æternam non potest, nisi credendo;—ergo ordinatio divina. Non tamen de æterna prædestinatione agit Lucas … eam ordinationem describit Lucas, quæ ipso auditus tempore facta est .… Ipsum verbum τάττω, ordino, nusquam dicitur de æterna prædestinatiòne, etc.”—Τεταγ. has often been taken in its military sense, and been thus explained: qui de agmine et classe erant sperantium vel contendentium ad vitam æternam; Meyer here observes: “the context affords no grounds for adopting the sensus militaris.” For this frequent sense of the word, see Passow (Herod. 9. 69, etc. Xen. Mem. 3. 1. 8 and 11) and 2Ma_15:20.—Dr. Wordsworth, (quoted by Hackett, ad loc.) explains the word thus: “Those who had set or marshalled themselves to go forward in the way to eternal life, professed their faith boldly in the face of every danger.”—Tr.]. The words bear no other sense than that all those, and those alone, were really converted, who were ordered, appointed, by God to eternal life. It is not the result of accident, nor of the unconditional caprice or whim of men, when any one, or, any particular individual, attains to saving faith; this result depends, on the contrary, on the providence of God, which orders all things even before the decisive moment arrives. For, in matters pertaining to salvation and eternal life, not even the most inconsiderable circumstance can occur, without being ordered, guided and arranged by the will and power of God. This is a truth which humbles as well as strengthens and comforts us. And, on the other hand, nothing occurs in matters pertaining to salvation, unless man exercises the power of self-determination, and resolves, with freedom of the will. This truth is, indeed, recognized in the context, Act_13:46, in the case of unbelievers; and, in a thousand other cases, the Scriptures bear witness to the freedom and independent action of man. This is not here, Act_13:48, expressly stated, only because it is Luke’s chief purpose at present to teach us to regard the work of conversion as dependent on the divine direction of the course of events. [“If the reason why these men believed were only this,—that they were men ordained to eternal life, the reason why the rest believed not, can be this only,—that they were not by God ordained to eternal life; and if so, what necessity would there be, “that the word should be first preached to them”? as we read,
Act_13:46, etc.—The apostle gives this reason why he turned from the Jews to the Gentiles,—because ‘the Jews had thrust away the word, etc,’ Act_13:46, whereas, according to this supposition, that could be no sufficient reason of his going from them to the Gentiles. For it was only they among the Jews whom God had not ordained to eternal life, who thus refused, &c. … As many as were disposed for eternal life, believed; for the word τεταγμένος, which we here render ‘ordained,’ is used in this very book (Act_20:13) to signify a man, not outwardly ordained, but inwardly disposed, or one determined, not by God, but by his own inclinations, to do such a thing; as when it is said, St. Paul “went on foot from Assos, οὕτω γὰρ ἦν διατεταγμένος, for so he was disposed;” the son of Sirach says (Σοφ. Σει. or Sir_10:1) that the conduct or government of a wise man is τεταγμένος (ἡγεμονία συνετοῦτεταγμένη ἔσται), not, ordained by God, but ‘well ordered or disposed by himself,’ etc.” (Whitby, Disc. on Elect. etc. ch. III. § 6.).—Tr.]
4. The joy with which the Antiochian Christians were filled, even after Paul and Barnabas had been constrained to depart from them, is a bright evidence of the gracious operations of the Holy Spirit. Nothing but the communion of that Spirit could have fully compensated them for the loss which they sustained, when their intercourse with the two missionaries and teachers entirely ceased. They were converted, not to these men, but to the Lord, and He continued to dwell with them, even as he dwells with all His people, unto the end of the world. Indeed, even sufferings and persecution cannot diminish this holy joy, for they are among the signs of the Crucified One, and were foretold by Him to his disciples, before they came to pass [Joh_16:2-4].
HOMILETICAL AND PRACTICAL
Act_13:42. And when … gone out … besought.—The Gospel is never proclaimed in vain; although many may despise it, there are always some, whose hearts are touched by it. (Starke).
Act_13:43. Followed Paul and Barnabas.—They followed, as sheep follow the shepherd [Joh_10:4], for they had received many spiritual blessings through them. (Starke).—Persuaded [exhorted] them to continue in the grace of God.—Beginners most of all need such exhortations, for they are still tender grafts, and may be easily broken off from Christ amid the storms of temptation, (ib.).—‘Continue in the grace of God!’ This is a text well suited to all awakened persons. (Williger).
Act_13:44. And on the next sabbath day etc.—Blessed is the sabbath which is thus devoted to the word of God, and not to worldly joy; blessed is the city, the people of which thus proceed to the house of God, and not to places of amusement; blessed is the pastor, who can thus address a congregation that is earnestly seeking salvation, and not see empty benches before him.—And yet, how many Christian cities there are, which have reason to be ashamed of their Sundays, in view of this observance of the sabbath in pagan Antioch!
Act_13:46. But when the Jews saw the multitudes, they were filled with envy.—The envy of the arrogant Jews, who pride themselves on the privileges which divine grace had bestowed on them, and who had already, on former occasions, taken offence when Jesus held intercourse with publicans and sinners, does not now allow them to survey, without displeasure, either the attention which the people give to the apostles, or the privilege which is granted to the pagans, of entering the kingdom of God. That envy will not consent that favor should be shown to the prodigal son, if their religious ceremonies, and their observance of the law should thereby become less prominent. All opposition to the word of truth flows from this impure source—an envious pride, which refuses to bow in submission before the mysteries of the Gospel. (Leonh. and Sp.).—Contradicting and blaspheming.—They might exercise the right of contradiction with a certain degree of plausibility, but when their opposition assumed the form of blasphemy, it was plain that their tongue was really ‘set on fire of hell.’ [Jam_3:6]. (Rieger).
Act_13:46. Then Paul and Barnabas waxed bold.—How often we are lacking in such bold speech! (Williger).—It was necessary that the word of God should first have been spoken to you—not on account of your worthiness, but for the sake of the promises of God, who cannot deny himself, and who abideth faithful [2Ti_2:13], even when we are unfaithful. (Leonh. and Sp.).—But seeing ye put it from you, etc.—It is very profitable when we can convince men who despise divine grace, that they do wrong and are unmerciful, not to God, not to Jesus, not to their teachers, but to themselves; (Ap. Past.).—Despisers of the divine word judge themselves unworthy of everlasting life, not that they actually entertain this opinion, but their conduct implies it. (Starke).—Lo, we turn to the Gentiles!—Buy, while ye are in the market; gather in, while the sky is clear; accept the grace and word of God, while they may be found. For, be it known unto you, that the grace and word of God are like a sudden shower, which does not return, when it has once fallen. It fell on the Jews, but it is now over, and they retain nothing. Paul brought it to Greece, but it is over, and now they have the Turks. It fell on Rome and the Latin lands, but it is over, and now they have the Pope. And ye Germans have no reason to think that ye will perpetually have the Gospel. Therefore, let him that can, seize it, and hold it fast—the idle hand will soon be an empty hand. (Luther).
Act_13:48. And when the Gentiles heard this, they were glad.—God be praised! The grace revealed in the Gospel, has, then, been proclaimed to all. And we will imitate these Gentiles; we will rejoice, yea, heartily rejoice, to the praise of God, and to our own eternal honor. (Würt. Summarien, 1786).—And as many as were ordained to eternal life, believed.—While the Israelites (like the elder son, Luk_15:26), in their self-righteous envy, exclude themselves from the festival so graciously prepared by the Father, the heathen world rejoices in the revelation of that divine, pitying love, which had given very precious promises respecting Gentiles, and now grants them the adoption of children, with all its rights and wealth. The gloom of night is falling upon Israel, while the Gentiles are cheered by the morning star which is rising over them. When the peaceful dove of the Gospel is driven away from one spot, she speedily finds another home, where she may provide for her young. Not all, however, become believers, but as many only as were appointed to eternal life, and who therefore suffered themselves to be arranged in the divine order of salvation, i.e., of faith and repentance. The grace of God which elects and calls, is, indeed, the sole ground of conversion and salvation in every instance; but it is precisely the text before us, that shows, in the case of the Israelites, who robbed themselves of salvation by their own iniquity, that the damnation of men does not rest, like the appointment to salvation, on an absolute decree of God. (Leonh. and Sp.).—[The thought expressed in the last sentence, accords with the principles set forth in the Formula Concordiæ, according to which there is an “election (predestination) of grace” (Rom_11:5), but not one of “wrath,” that is, a reprobation. E. g. “Prædestinatio vero seu æterna Dei electio tantum ad bonos et dilectos filios Dei pertinet, et hæc est causa ipsorum salutis, etc.” Art. 11. p. 618, ed. Rech.—Tr.]
Act_13:49. And the word of the Lord was published.—The word of the Lord carries a passport with it, which gives it access to every part of the world, and no human impediments can retard its progress. (Ap. Past.).
Act_13:50. But the Jews stirred up the devout and honourable women.—“These were sanctimonious women, who prided themselves on their devotions, and imagined that they were pious already, before the two strangers arrived. And thus, that which is honorable and devout, is employed as a bar against Christianity. Such persons can very easily be stirred up, and then they exclaim: ‘Can you expect to find better people than we are? We had long ago been respectable and pious.’ ” (Gossner).—“Scoffers have often blasphemed, and said that our holy religion had been extended principally by the aid of women. A fact of an opposite character is here presented.” (Ap. Past.).—Per mulieres multa saepe impedimenta vel adjumenta adferuntur regno Dei. (Bengel).
Act_13:51. But they shook off the dust of their feet.—The people of the world need convincing evidence that the truth is communicated to them, not for the sake of private advantage, but solely for the purpose of enabling them to obtain salvation. If they will not accept of heaven, let them retain the earth and its dust. (Starke).
Act_13:52. And the disciples were filled with joy, and with the Holy Ghost.—If these words were applied to awakened persons, would all of the latter successfully endure the test? There are many awakened little flocks, which are dispersed, as soon as the agents by whom they were awakened, are taken from them. Or, if such be not actually the result, they nevertheless grow lukewarm. Believers say: ‘The religious state of the flock is not now what it once was;’ unbelievers say: ‘The tumult has ceased.’ (Williger).
ON THE WHOLE SECTION.
Act_13:42-52. How shall we obtain eternal life? I. By regarding it as the sovereign good, and earnestly seeking it; II. By judging ourselves, (as indeed we are by nature), to be unworthy of such a gift; III. By believing that the grace of God will, nevertheless, bestow it; IV. By submitting willingly to the gracious plans which the Lord has chosen. (Langbein).
The calling of the Gentiles, (id.).
The pilgrimage of the Gospel: I. Illustrated (a) in the text; (b) in the history of the kingdom of God in general; II. The solemn lessons which it teaches. (Leonh. and Sp.).
The various sentiments with which men listen to the preaching of the Gospel: I. Open hostility; II. Calm indifference; III. Willingness to believe and obey. (id.).
Wrath and grace, ruling in the kingdom of God: I. Man’s choice excludes from it, Act_13:46; II. God’s choice introduces into it, Act_13:48. (C. Beck, Hom. Rep.).
The word of God, the means by which the thoughts of many hearts are revealed [Luk_2:35]: I. Of Gentiles, that is, of such as had hitherto been unacquainted with it, Act_13:48-49; (a) they rejoice on hearing the message; (b) they glorify the grace of God; (c) they receive the word in faith; (d) they experience the blessedness of believers. II. Of Jews, that is, of the self-righteous, who are not willing to be saved by grace, Act_13:50; (a) they are filled with anger on hearing the Gospel message; (b) they prejudice others against it; (c) they persecute the messengers of salvation. III. Of believers, who have personally experienced the power of the word; (a) their faith is not shaken by afflictions, Act_13:51; (b) they are filled with holy joy, Act_13:52; (c) they grow in grace, through the Holy Ghost, Act_13:52. (Lisco).
The first shall be last, and the last shall be first [Mat_19:30]: I. The first, as the last, (a) Who are the first? Those who had at the earliest period experienced the love of God, and been most richly endowed with its gifts. (b) Why are they afterwards the last? Because they did not faithfully apply the divine love that had been bestowed, and earnestly seek salvation, but indulged in pride on account of their gifts. (c) How do they become the last? Either by receiving a lower position in the kingdom of God, corresponding to the limited measure of their fidelity (Mat_20:10), or by being entirely excluded from the blessings of the kingdom of God, as a recompense for their absolute unfaithfulness, Act_13:46-47. II. The last as the first. (a) Who are the last? Those who had been called at a later period, and were endowed with less precious gifts, (b) Why are they afterwards the first? Because their knowledge of their wants urges them to seek salvation, Act_13:44; Act_13:48. (c) How do they become the first? By faithfully endeavoring, after they have themselves been admitted into the kingdom of God, to extend its blessings to others, Act_13:49; Act_13:52. (Lisco).
The enemies of the Gospel, injure themselves alone: I. They betray the secrets of their evil hearts, Act_13:45; II. They judge—and make—themselves unworthy of everlasting life, Act_13:46; III. They dishonor themselves by the vile weapons with which they contend, Act_13:50; IV. They cannot check the triumphant progress of divine truth, Act_13:48-49; Act_13:51-52.
The envy which the success of the Gospel awakens: it bears witness, I. Against the envious—exposing their secret arrogance, their bad conscience, the wretchedness of their internal life; II. In favor of the cause to which they are unfriendly—that cause must be well sustained, the excellence of which cannot be actually disproved—which is a goad that cannot be successfully resisted—and which confers blessings that no scoffs can prove to be unsubstantial.
The solemnity of the words pronounced by faithful witnesses of the truth: ‘We turn away:’ I. They are prompted, not by timidity or the fear of man, but by a firm determination to obey the divine will. II. They express, not pride and contempt, but sorrow and compassion for those who reject the salvation of God. III. They are dictated, not by indolence, but by a zeal which seeks a new field of labor.
When is it time for a servant of Christ to shake off the dust of his feet? (Act_13:51): I. When he has not only knocked at the door with friendly purposes, but also waited with patience and fortitude; II. When he has been directed, not only by men, but also by the Lord, to proceed further; III. When he not only finds the door closed to him here, but also sees another great and effectual door [1Co_16:9] opened to him.
Israel’s temporal rejection: I. Richly merited by pride, ingratitude, and wickedness; II. Righteously determined by the holiness and truth of the Lord; III. Converted into a blessing for the whole world, to which the Gospel is now sent [Rom. Acts 11.]; IV. Designed to be a warning to Christendom, as well as an urgent appeal to believers, to go and search out, with tender love, the lost sheep of the house of Israel [Mat_10:6].
[Act_13:47. Christ, revealed as the light of the Gentiles: I. The sense of the prophecy; II. The manner of its fulfilment; III. The present duties of the Christian church, with respect to it.—Tr.]
Footnotes:
[18]Act_13:42. a. Instead of αὐτῶν, the text. rec. [following G.], reads: ἐκ τἠς συναγωγῆς τῶν ʼΙουδαίων; these words were probably inserted in order that the church lesson, which began at this place, might be more clearly understood [and a subject be supplied to παρεκάλουν, (Alf.)—Tr.]; the single word αὐτῶν, however, is sufficiently attested by MSS. [A. B. C. D. E.] and versions [Vulg. etc.], and also by [Cod. Sin. and] the text of Chrysostom. [Lach., Tisch., and Alf. read simply αὐτῶν, and the last translates thus: “As they (the congregation) were going out, they (the same) besought, etc.”—Tr.]
[19]Act_13:42. b. The reading τὰ ἔθνη, after παρεκάλουν [of text. rec. from G.], is undoubtedly spurious, [omitted in A. B. C. D. E. Cod. Sin.], and, besides, in point of fact, involves an error [the Jews having united with the others in making the request, according to Exeg. note on Act_13:42-43. Lach. Tisch. and Alf. omit τὰ ἔθνη, and Meyer concurs.—Tr.]
[20]Act_13:42. c. [In place of: the next sabbath (Cranmer, Geneva), the margin of the Engl. vers. offers: “in the week between, or, in the sabbath between.” See Exeg. note, below.—Tr.]
[21]Act_13:43. [The text. rec. reads ἐπιμένειν, in accordance with G.; in place of it recent editors introduce πρόςμενειν, which is found in A. B. C. D. E. Cod. Sin.—Tr.]
[22]Act_13:44. ἐρχομένῳ [of text rec. from B (e sil). C (original). D. E (corrected). G. and Cod. Sin.], instead of ἐχομένῳ, is a correction, and is spurious, [“the sense of ἐχομ. not being perceived”, says Alf., who, with Lach. and Tisch., reads, in accordance with A. C (corrected). E (orig.)., ἐχομ., as in Luk_13:33; Act_20:15; Act_21:26.—Tr.]
[23]Act_13:45. ἀντιλέγοντες καὶ [in text. rec.] has been cancelled by Lachmann, in accordance with A. B. C. G. [Cod. Sin. Syr. Vulg.]; it is, nevertheless, genuine [found in D., most of the cursive mss., fathers, etc.], as it was dropped only because it seemed to be tautological. [Defended by de Wette as emphatic (“not only contradicting, but also blaspheming,” as ἐξηρεύν. and ἐρευν. in 1Pe_1:10-11), and inserted by Alf.—E. reads, in place of it, ἐναντιούμενοι; Mey. and Alf. regard both this word, and the omission of ἀντιλ., as unsuccessful attempts to improve the style.—Tr.]
[24]Act_13:50. a. [καὶ after γυναῖκας, of text. rec. is dropped in Stier’s N. T., as well as by Lach. Tisch. and Alf., in accordance with A. B. C. D. Syr. (“the eminent devout women”); but it is found in E. G. Vulg. Chryst.; it was originally written in Cod. Sin., but was cancelled by a later hand. Meyer regards the words as inappropriately inserted.—Tr.]
[25]Act_13:50. b. [“coasts.” This word is the version in the Engl. Bible, of μέρος, Mat_15:21; ὅρια (frequently, as here); χώρα (Act_26:20); τόπος Act_27:2. It is applied to the; side, border, or boundary of a country, as in Deu_19:8; Jdg_11:20. It was then employed to designate the region itself which was confined within certain limits or borders. It was, subsequently, applied specially to a boundary line running along the sea-shore. It refers here, in the former sense, to the country immediately surrounding Antioch.—Tr.]
[26]Act_13:51. [αὑτῶν after ποδῶν, is found in D. E. G. Vulg. etc., but is omitted in A. B. C. Cod. Sin., and by Lach. Tisch. and Alf.—Tr.]
Lange's Commentary on the Holy Scriptures (Critical, Doctrinal, and Homiletical), ed. John Peter Lange, English translation edited by Philip Schaff (1864–1880) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.
Robert Jamieson, A. R. Fausset & David Brown 1871 · Public Domain On vv18, 20, 21, 22, 23, 26, 27, 28, 29, 31, 33, 34, 36, 38, 39, 40, 41, 42, 43 forty years suffered he their manners--rather, according to what…
forty years suffered he their manners--rather, according to what appears the true reading, "cherished he them" (as a nurse the infant in her bosom).
Jamieson, Fausset & Brown — Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible (1871) — public domain (CC PDM 1.0). Text via the HelloAO Bible API.
Daniel D. Whedon 1874 · Public Domain On vv16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29, 30, 31, 32, 33, 34, 35, 36, 38, 39, 40, 41, 42, 43 3. Paul’s Missionary Argument at Pisidian Antioch, Act_13:16-41.
3. Paul’s Missionary Argument at Pisidian Antioch, Act_13:16-41.
Luke here at length furnishes a first specimen of Paul’s preaching, enabling us to judge by what methods Paul proclaimed to these provincial Jews that their long expected Messiah had come, and that upon him they must rely for eternal salvation.
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1. In 16-23 he gives a preparatory rehearsal of the main points of Israel’s Old Testament history from Abraham to David, as the Messiah’s progenitor. This furnishes the historic grounding for Jesus. 2. In 24, 25 he grounds the same Jesus upon John the Baptist. 3. We have, 26-31, the Jesus-history given, presenting him as rejected indeed by Jerusalem, but predicted by the prophets, and, when slain by Pilate, raised from the dead by God, as attested by chosen witnesses. Thus the Jesus-history is embedded in the Israel-history. 4. Glad tidings, therefore, (32-37,) does the orator bring, that God’s Messianic promise is fulfilled, as prophesied of old, in the birth of God’s Son, and in his miraculous resurrection as the Holy One above all corruption. 5. A proclamation (38-41) of the joyful conclusion, an era of sin forgiven with a power unknown heretofore to Moses’ law: yet with the sad finale of perdition to all rejecters. Thus we have the skilful Christian argument by which the crucified Jesus is installed and incorporated into the divine history of Israel as her true Messiah, and her only Redeemer from sin and perdition.
1. Jesus grounded in Old Testament history, Act_13:16-23.
16. Paul stood up—The first presentation of Paul, the Christian orator.
Beckoning with his hand—Waving down his hand, as if solemnly invoking their attention. It expresses in majestic action what give audience does in majestic words.
Ye that fear God—That is, Gentiles who conscientiously adore the only true God. He thus addresses both classes of men, the men of Israel and the Gentile proselytes, and all conscientious believers in monotheism.
Give audience—Thrice does he, in the train of this address, make a similar solemn invitation, namely, besides this at Act_13:26; Act_13:38. To such history as follows the Israelite never tired of listening, being their old ancestral story. To it the Gentile proselyte ever listened, as revealing a scene of novelty and wonder.
Daniel D. Whedon (gen. ed.), Commentary on the Old and New Testaments (1874–1909) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.
The Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges 1878 · Public Domain On vv16, 17, 18, 19, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29, 30, 31, 32, 33, 34, 35, 36, 38, 40, 41, 42, 43 16–41. Paul’s speech at Antioch
16–41. Paul’s speech at Antioch
16. beckoning with his hand] Cp. Act_12:17, where it is explained that the gesture is to procure silence.
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Men of Israel, and ye that fear God] The audience consisted of born Jews and proselytes as well as perhaps some Gentiles. See Act_13:42-43. When the audience and the subject and the end aimed at are so entirely in accord on all three occasions we cannot be surprised that the address of St Paul at Antioch partakes largely of the character and also of the language of those of St Peter at Pentecost and St Stephen in his defence. St Paul had heard the last of these, and the vision on the way to Damascus had taught him to speak with boldness on the truth of the resurrection.
The Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges (gen. ed. J. J. S. Perowne; Cambridge University Press, 1878–1918) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.
Ellicott's Commentary for English Readers 1878 · Public Domain On vv16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29, 31, 33, 34, 35, 36, 38, 39, 40, 41, 42, 43 (16) Beckoning with his hand.—The gesture was rather that…
(16) Beckoning with his hand.—The gesture was rather that of one who waves his hand to command silence and attention than what we commonly describe as beckoning. (Comp. Act_12:17.) The graphic touch of description would seem to indicate, as does the full report of the speech, that they came in the first instance from one who had been present. A like touch is found again in connection with St. Paul in Act_21:40. It was, probably, like the “fixing of the eye,” in Act_13:9, just one of the personal characteristics on which the painter-historian loved to dwell. We may assume, as almost certain, that throughout this journey St. Paul used Greek as the common medium of intercourse. The verbal coincidences in Act_13:17-18, already referred to in the Note on Act_13:15, make it, in this instance, absolutely certain.
Men of Israel, and ye that fear God.—The latter phrase denotes, as in Act_10:2; Act_10:22, those who, though in the synagogue, were of heathen origin, and had not become proselytes in the full sense of the term, but were known as the so-called “proselytes of the gate.”
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Give audience.—Literally, hear ye. The English phrase may be noted as an example of the use of the word “audience,” which has since been applied to the persons who hear, in the old abstract sense of the act of hearing.
A Bible Commentary for English Readers, edited by Charles John Ellicott (1878–1897) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.
The Pulpit Commentary 1880 · Public Domain On vv16, 17, 18, 19, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29, 31, 32, 33, 34, 35, 36, 37, 38, 39, 40, 41, 42, 43 And for then, A.V.; the for Ms, A.V.; hearken…
And for then, A.V.; the for Ms, A.V.; hearken for give audience, A.V. Beckoning with the hand. (see Act_12:17, note) Ye that fear God; addressed to the devout heathen who attended the synagogue service. (see Act_10:2, note, and 22; ver. 43 of this chapter; Act_15:21 Act_16:14 Act_17:4, 17 18:7)
Vers. 16-41. The New Testament in the Old.
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The expositions of the Scriptures of the Old Testament by the writers and speakers of the New Testament are worthy of our deepest attention, Not only do they draw out from those Scriptures particular instruction which of ourselves we should never, perhaps, have found there, but they supply us with irrefragable proofs of the unity of purpose which ordained the long sequence of events themselves, through many centuries, and also ordained that a faithful record of them should be preserved in the sacred archives of the Jewish people. There is probably no evidence of more overwhelming power of conviction, when once it is grasped, that the Scriptures are from God, and that they are a revelation of the very mind of God, than that which is supplied by the continuity of events whose historical truth rests upon a solid basis, and whose meaning and purpose receive their only and full explanation in another set of events whose basis of historical evidence is no less firm and solid than the former. This double testimony to the truth of the gospel, supplied by the direct evidence of those who went in and out with the Lord Jesus, on the one hand, and by the prophetic preparation for those events, and the significant types of them, exhibited centuries before, on the other hand, together form a moral demonstration which, when apprehended, is simply irresistible. It is this which gives such force to those apostolic and other sermons which are recorded in this Book of the Acts. In this sermon of St. Paul"s we have the election of Israel to be the people of God, their redemption from Egyptian bondage, their planting in the land of Canaan according to God"s promise, first held up to view. Could any one deny the truth of those events? Were not the Jewish people still in actual possession of the land of Canaan? Living in the midst of heathens, were they not, and were not they alone, worshippers of the true and living God? Did they not possess the sacred oracles? And if they went back century by century, did they not come to the time when the seven nations of Canaan possessed the land, and when their fathers dis possessed them of it? If they went further back still, was there not the Egyptian bondage described in their ancient records, living in their traditions and sacred songs, engraved in the monuments and annals of Egypt? Yes; God had dealt with them as he had dealt with no other people. They were the children of miracle, the heirs of Divine promises, the depositaries of a Divine plan, the ordained instruments of a great and eternal purpose. Every page of their history proved it, as that history was slowly unfolded in the course of successive ages. And the purpose itself was partially revealed from time to time. Let them bethink themselves of David and his throne; his humble origin, and his exalted power; the hand which raised him, the promises which surrounded him, the expectations which clung to his name. Did he not live in the hearts and hopes of the people through ages of oppression and wrong? Did not his name still glow on the page of prophecy, as the heir of mercy, as the future prince of Israel, as the founder of Israel"s glory? What did all these things mean? What was the hidden truth that swelled and was ready to burst under all these images? What was the womb of time so big with in the days which had come upon them? There was an answer, and one only answer, to these questions. The history of their fathers was explained by one and only one fact, and that was the birth of Jesus Christ, of the seed of Abraham and of the lineage of David, to be the Savior of Israel, and not of Israel only, but also of the whole world. And he Paul was there to tell them of Jesus Christ: how he was born in the city of David; how John the Baptist bore witness of him; how in him was fulfilled all that was written in the Law of Moses and in the prophets, and in the Psalms, concerning the Christ that should come. Let them turn to those prophets and to those Psalms, and see what was there written concerning the sufferings of Christ and the glory that should follow. It had all been fulfilled. The Man of sorrows had been despised and rejected; his hands and his feet had been pierced on the tree; they had parted his raiment among them and cast lots upon his vesture; he had gone to the grave and to hell; he had risen again and seen no corruption; his old companions had seen him many days after his resurrection; they had eaten and drunk with him, and in their sight he had gone up to heaven. What further proof could they have that he was very Christ, the promised Savior, the Son of David, of whose kingdom there should be no cud? Let them believe in him, and he would justify them from all their sins. Let them not by their unbelief bring upon themselves the curse denounced by the prophet upon the despisers of God"s Word. Thus it was that the fulfillment in the New Testament of all the types and promises of the Old was as the seal of God to the truth of both. The testimony of nearly two thousand years, in which words, deeds, persons, things, events, pointed with steady consistency to one Person that should come, was all concentrated upon Jesus Christ, who did come in the fullness of time. And the 1850 years which have elapsed since Jesus rose again have added their testimony, too, to all that went before. So that our age will be altogether without excuse if, shutting its eyes to the light of truth, it rejects the Son of God and misses the great salvation which he has brought to our sinful and fallen world.
Vers. 16-43. Paul"s sermon in the synagogue at Antioch.
I The MAIN PURPOSE of it to prove the Messiahship of Jesus, and therefore to proclaim the gate of life open. History of Divine grace pointing to clay of salvation. The course of thought in Paul"s own mind, which led him to faith.
II The MAIN STRENGTH of the argument the facts of the Savior"s death and. resurrection. Paul could speak with special emphasis, though prudently avoided bringing in at this point his own conversion.
III The SPIRITUAL APPEAL twofold.
1. You need this salvation; for the Law of Moses will not justify you.
2. How can you escape if you neglect it? resist not the Holy Ghost.
IV The MARKED EFFECT of sincerity and earnestness.
1. Inquiry. It is much to break through stolid indifference.
2. Devout attention led to faith. Many followed them; that is, declared themselves convinced. Fruit gathered even among the Jews. R.
The Pulpit Commentary (1880–1919), ed. H.D.M. Spence-Jones & Joseph S. Exell — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.
The Biblical Illustrator 1887 · Public Domain On vv17, 18, 22, 25, 26, 27, 32, 36, 38, 40, 42 The God of this people of Israel chose our…
Act_13:17-41
The God of this people of Israel chose our fathers.
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The hours on the worlds clock
1. Moving slowly forward as the hours of the Eternal God, with whom a thousand years are as one day, and of the long suffering God, whose patience has borne with this perverse world, as it did with Israel for forty years in the wilderness.
2. But unceasingly progressing to the end appointed of God--of the worlds redemption, and the worlds judgment. (K. Gerok.)
The history of the kingdom of God
The history of the world in the light of the gospel transfigured into the history of the kingdom of God.
I. Its place is sketched out before in the eternal counsels of Divine wisdom, power, and love.
II. Its sections of time are stations on the progress of humanity to its destination.
III. Its heroes are the vassals of Christ, and willingly or unwillingly the servants of His kingdom.
IV. Its end is the glorification of God in humanity. (K. Gerok.)
The providence of God in the history of Israel
An encouraging type of the Divine government of mankind.
I. Wherein this providence is recognised.
1. In the history of Israel.
2. In the history of the world.
II. What influence the certainty of this Divine government should have upon us.
1. We should be comforted with the sure confidence that the issue of things will be the best.
2. We should do our part, in order that the Divine plan of salvation may be more and more realised. (Lisco.)
Christ, the worlds Saviour
I. Foretold in the old testament (Act_13:16-25.)
II. Rejected by his people (Act_13:26-29.)
III. Preached as the salvation of believers (Act_13:30-41.)
(Lisco.)
The Biblical Illustrator, edited by Joseph S. Exell (c. 1880s–1900s) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.
B. W. Johnson 1891 · Public Domain On vv16, 17, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 26, 27, 38, 42 16. Then Paul stood up. Invited to speak by…
16. Then Paul stood up. Invited to speak by the usual courtesy extended to visiting brethren, he arose, according to the Greek custom. In Judea speakers sat. Among the Greeks they stood. The address that follows, the first reported address of Paul, is worthy of special study especially as an example of the character of his preaching in the synagogue. It begins with a short recapitulation of the glorious history of Israel, a theme always apt to secure the favor of a Jewish audience, and when he has ascended to David, the hero king and the pride of every Jew, he passes from him to the promised Son of David, and thus preaches Christ. Had he begun at once with the latter, the great object of his discourse, he would have aroused prejudice and perhaps closed their ears. It will be observed here before a Jewish audience, as well as at Athens before a heathen audience, he first secured a common ground with his hearers, and upon it founded his argument for the gospel. Men of Israel, and ye that fear God. There were two classes present, Jews and “the devout Greeks.” The latter had given up heathenism, had learned to “fear God,” and were anxious to learn more about him; hence were wont to attend the synagogue.
B. W. Johnson's The People's New Testament with Notes (1889–1891) — public domain. Electronic text from the Christian Classics Ethereal Library (CCEL) ThML edition.
William B. Godbey 1900 · Public Domain On vv22, 23, 27, 39, 40, 42 22. “Having deposed him,” i. e., King Saul. Why…
22. “Having deposed him,” i. e., King Saul. Why did God depose Saul and cast him away? Because he spared Agag, the king of the Amalekites. Why was this? Because the Amalekites fought against Israel and did their utmost to keep them out of the promised land. See this grand symbolic truth. You must destroy everything that keeps you from sanctification. Agag typifies inbred sin, which must be utterly destroyed. Saul spared Agag and lost the kingdom and his soul, dying a suicide; so if you do not destroy inbred sin in entire sanctification, you will forfeit the kingdom of God, commit spiritual suicide and lose your soul. Why was David a man after God’s own heart? He was not infallible. He fell in case of Uriah, but God wonderfully restored him. “I have found David, the son of Jesse, a man after my own heart, who will do all of my wishes.” Would you be a man after God’s own heart? Then you must do the whole will of God. King David was an exception to all the kings of the earth, in the fact that he did not his own will, but the will of God. David’s throne was unearthly, focalizing in heaven. He was simply the executive of the divine administration, sitting on the throne of the theocracy, ruling as God’s vicegerent. Hence the risen Jesus was crowned David’s Successor (as He is his heir) in heaven when He ascended (Act 2:30), and will be crowned David’s Successor on earth when He comes again (Act 2:35).
William B. Godbey, Commentary on the New Testament (1896–1900) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.
Alexander MacLaren 1905 · Public Domain On vv26, 36, 38 Act 13:26 - Act 13:39.
Acts
THE FIRST PREACHING IN ASIA MINOR
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Act 13:26 - Act 13:39.
The extended report of Paul’s sermon in the synagogue at Antioch of Pisidia marks it, in accordance with Luke’s method, as the first of a series. It was so because, though the composition of the audience was identical with that of those in the synagogues of Cyprus, this was the beginning of the special work of the tour, the preaching in the cities of Asia Minor. The part of the address contained in the passage falls into three sections,-the condensed narrative of the Gospel facts {Act 13:26 - Act 13:31}, the proof that the resurrection was prophesied {Act 13:32 - Act 13:37}, and the pungent personal application {Act 13:38 - Act 13:52}.
I. The substance of the narrative coincides, as it could not but do, with Peter’s sermons, but yet with differences, partly due to the different audience, partly to Paul’s idiosyncrasy.
After the preceding historical resume, he girds himself to his proper work of proclaiming the Gospel, and he marks the transition in Act 13:26 by reiterating his introductory words.
His audience comprised the two familiar classes of Jews and Gentile proselytes, and he seeks to win the ears of both. His heart goes out in his address to them all as ‘brethren,’ and in his classing himself and Barnabas among them as receivers of the message which he has to proclaim. What skill, if it were not something much more sacred, even humility and warm love, lies in that ‘to us is the word of this salvation sent’! He will not stand above them as if he had any other possession of his message than they might have. He, too, has received it, and what he is about to say is not his word, but God’s message to them and him. That is the way to preach.
Notice, too, how skilfully he introduces the narrative of the rejection of Jesus as the reason why the message has now come to them his hearers away in Antioch. It is ‘sent forth’ ‘to us,’ Asiatic Jews, for the people in the sacred city would not have it. Paul does not prick his hearers’ consciences, as Peter did, by charging home the guilt of the rejection of Jesus on them. They had no share in that initial crime. There is a faint purpose of dissociating himself and his hearers from the people of Jerusalem, to whom the Dispersion were accustomed to look up, in the designation, ‘they that dwell in Jerusalem, and their rulers.’ Thus far the Antioch Jews had had hands clean from that crime; they had now to choose whether they would mix themselves up with it.
We may further note that Paul says nothing about Christ’s life of gentle goodness, His miracles or teaching, but concentrates attention on His death and resurrection. From the beginning of his ministry these were the main elements of his ‘Gospel’ {1Co 15:3 - 1Co 15:4}. The full significance of that death is not declared here. Probably it was reserved for subsequent instruction. But it and the Resurrection, which interpreted it, are set in the forefront, as they should always be. The main point insisted on is that the men of Jerusalem were fulfilling prophecy in slaying Jesus. With tragic deafness, they knew not the voices of the prophets, clear and unanimous as they were, though they heard them every Sabbath of their lives, and yet they fulfilled them. A prophet’s words had just been read in the synagogue; Paul’s words might set some hearer asking whether a veil had been over his heart while his ears had heard the sound of the word.
The Resurrection is established by the only evidence for a historical fact, the testimony of competent eyewitnesses. Their competence is established by their familiar companionship with Jesus during His whole career; their opportunities for testing the reality of the fact, by the ‘many days’ of His appearances.
Paul does not put forward his own testimony to the Resurrection, though we know, from 1Co 15:8, that he regarded Christ’s appearance to him as being equally valid evidence with that afforded by the other appearances; but he distinguishes between the work of the Apostles, as ‘witnesses unto the people’-that is, the Jews of Palestine-and that of Barnabas and himself. They had to bear the message to the regions beyond. The Apostles and he had the same work, but different spheres.
II. The second part turns with more personal address to his hearers.
Its purport is not so much to preach the Resurrection, which could only be proved by testimony, as to establish the fact that it was the fulfilment of the promises to the fathers. Note how the idea of fulfilled prophecy runs in Paul’s head. The Jews had fulfilled it by their crime; God fulfilled it by the Resurrection. This reiteration of a key-word is a mark of Paul’s style in his Epistles, and its appearance here attests the accuracy of the report of his speech.
The second Psalm, from which Paul’s first quotation is made, is prophetic of Christ, inasmuch as it represents in vivid lyrical language the vain rebellion of earthly rulers against Messiah, and Jehovah’s establishing Him and His kingdom by a steadfast decree. Peter quoted its picture of the rebels, as fulfilled in the coalition of Herod, Pilate, and the Jewish rulers against Christ. The Messianic reference of the Psalm, then, was already seen; and we may not be going too far if we assume that Jesus Himself had included it among things written in the Psalms ‘concerning Himself,’ which He had explained to the disciples after the Resurrection. It depicts Jehovah speaking to Messiah, after the futile attempts of the rebels: ‘This day have I begotten Thee.’ That day is a definite point in time. The Resurrection was a birth from the dead; so Paul, in Col 1:18, calls Jesus ‘the first begotten from the dead.’ Rom 1:4,’declared to be the Son of God . . . by the resurrection from the dead,’ is the best commentary on Paul’s words here.
The second and third quotations must apparently be combined, for the second does not specifically refer to resurrection, but it promises to ‘you,’ that is to those who obey the call to partake in the Messianic blessings, a share in the ‘sure’ and enduring ‘mercies of David’; and the third quotation shows that not ‘to see corruption’ was one of these ‘mercies.’ That implies that the speaker in the Psalm was, in Paul’s view, David, and that his words were his believing answer to a divine promise. But David was dead. Had the ‘sure mercy’ proved, then, a broken reed? Not so: for Jesus, who is Messiah, and is God’s ‘Holy One’ in a deeper sense than David was, has not seen corruption. The Psalmist’s hopes are fulfilled in Him, and through Him, in all who will ‘eat’ that their ‘souls may live,’
III. But Paul’s yearning for his brethren’s salvation is not content with proclaiming the fact of Christ’s resurrection, nor with pointing to it as fulfilling prophecy; he gathers all up into a loving, urgent offer of salvation for every believing soul, and solemn warning to despisers.
Here the whole man flames out. Here the characteristic evangelical teaching, which is sometimes ticketed as ‘Pauline’ by way of stigma, is heard. Already had he grasped the great antithesis between Law and Gospel. Already his great word ‘justified’ has taken its place in his terminology. The essence of the Epistles to Romans and Galatians is here. Justification is the being pronounced and treated as not guilty. Law cannot justify. ‘In Him’ we are justified. Observe that this is an advance on the previous statement that ‘through Him’ we receive remission of sins.
‘In Him’ points, thought but incidentally and slightly, to the great truth of incorporation with Jesus, of which Paul had afterwards so much to write. The justifying in Christ is complete and absolute. And the sole sufficient condition of receiving it is faith. But the greater the glory of the light the darker the shadow which it casts. The broad offer of complete salvation has ever to be accompanied with the plain warning of the dread issue of rejecting it. Just because it is so free and full, and to be had on such terms, the warning has to be rung into deaf ears, ‘Beware therefore!’ Hope and fear are legitimately appealed to by the Christian evangelist. They are like the two wings which may lift the soul to soar to its safe shelter in the Rock of Ages.
Alexander MacLaren, Expositions of Holy Scripture (1904–1910) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.
J. W. McGarvey 1914 · Public Domain On vv16–43 16. To this invitation Paul responded, by immediately arising…
16. To this invitation Paul responded, by immediately arising and addressing the audience. It need not be supposed, in order to account for the leadership which he now assumes, that he had laid formal claim to superiority over Barnabas; for when two men, of generous spirit, are co-operating together under trying circumstances, he who possesses the greater courage and promptness will eventually assume the foremost position, even without a special agreement to that effect. Such was the constant danger and embarrassment of the two missionaries, that the question was, who is willing to go forward, rather than, who has the right to be heard first. Paul's manner, in arising to open the gospel message among these strangers, was bold and commanding. It is thus described by Luke: (16) " Then Paul stood up, and beckoning with his hand, said, Men of Israel, and ye who fear God, give audience. " This gesture, described as beckoning with the hand, was characteristic of Paul's manner, as well shall have occasion to observe frequently hereafter, and was well calculated to arrest the attention of an audience. It is the manner of one who knows what he is about to say, and feels confident of its importance.
Besides the Jewish audience present, Paul addressed a number of Gentiles, such as were in the habit of attending Jewish worship in almost every Gentile city, and many of whom, like Cornelius, had learned to worship the true God. He distinguishes the two classes, by addressing the former as "Men of Israel," and the latter, as "Ye who fear God."
J. W. McGarvey (with Philip Y. Pendleton), Commentaries on the New Testament (The Fourfold Gospel, 1914; Acts; and the epistles) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword/MySword module.
C. I. Scofield 1917 · Public Domain On vv22, 23, 26, 38, 39, 41 said See, 1Sa 13:14; Psa 89:20.
said See, 1Sa 13:14; Psa 89:20.
See Kingdom note, Zec 12:8; 1Co 15:28; 2Sa 7:8-17.
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(See Scofield "2Sa 7:16").
The Scofield Reference Bible (1917 edition), notes by C. I. Scofield — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.
Paul E. Kretzmann 1924 · Public Domain On vv16, 23, 26, 30, 38 Paul begins his discourse:
Paul begins his discourse:
v. 16. Then Paul stood up, and beckoning with his hand, said, Men of Israel, and ye that fear God, give audience.
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v. 17. the God of this people of Israel chose our fathers, and exalted the people when they dwelt as strangers in the land of Egypt, and with an high arm brought He them out of it.
v. 18. And about the time of forty years suffered He their manners in the wilderness.
v. 19. And when He had destroyed seven nations in the land of Chanaan, He divided their land to them by lot.
v. 20. And after that He gave unto them judges about the space of four hundred and fifty years, until Samuel, the prophet.
v. 21. And afterward they desired a king; and God gave unto them Saul, the son of Cis, a man of the tribe of Benjamin, by the space of forty years.
v. 22. And when He had removed him, he raised up unto them David to be their king, to whom also He gave testimony and said, I have found David, the son of Jesse, a man after Mine own heart, which shall fulfill all My will.
Whether the invitation came to Paul with or without his seeking, he at once made use of it. Arising and holding out his hand in a gesture inviting attention, he addressed his hearers as men of Israel and those that feared God. The many references to the history of the children of Israel, which are found also in the sermons of Peter, but especially in that of Stephen, would interest not only the Jews, but prove highly instructive to the proselytes and strangers present as well. There is a certain amount of appeal to the national pride of the people, for it was the God of this nation of Israel that chose their fathers as His own from among all nations of the world. By His blessing they increased not only in numbers, but in strength and power as well, while they were strangers in the land of Egypt. With uplifted arm, then, by the application of His almighty strength, He led them forth from the land of Egypt For forty years, out in the wilderness, He surrounded and bore them with solicitous care in spite of all their ingratitude. In the land of Canaan, to which the Lord brought the children of Israel, He destroyed utterly seven heathen nations before them, the Girgashites, the Amorites, the Hittites, the Perizzites, the Canaanites, the Hivites, and the Jebusites, Exo 23:23; Jos 3:10, dividing the land to the conquerors by lot. A space of some four hundred and fifty years, counting from the arrival of the people in Canaan to the final subjugation of the heathen nations at the time of David, was needed to carry out this command of the Lord. The last and most renowned of the judges was Samuel, the prophet. When Samuel had grown old, the people demanded of him a king, and God gave them Saul, the son of Kis, who reigned for forty years. But Saul did not bring his people the promised salvation, it being necessary for God to remove or depose him from the throne, 1Sa 15:16; Dan 2:21. But after Saul’s removal the throne was given to David, whom God raised up from the lowly in the land, and of whom He bears witness that He found David, the son of Jesse, to be a man according to His own heart, willing and able to perform all His will. In ascribing these words to God, Paul bears witness to the inspiration of the Old Testament, for his words, instead of being a quotation of one single passage, are a compilation from several verses, Psa 89:20 and 1Sa 13:14. The testimony of the Old Testament, in all its parts, is true, since the Lord spoke through His servants.
Paul E. Kretzmann, Popular Commentary of the Bible (1921–1924) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.
unfoldingWord translationNotes 2017 · CC BY-SA 4.0 On vv16, 19, 21, 23, 26, 28, 30, 32, 35, 38, 40, 42 Connecting Statement:
Connecting Statement:
Paul begins his speech to those in the synagogue in Pisidian Antioch. He begins by talking about things that happened in Israel's history.
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General Information:
The first word "he" refers to Paul. The second word "he" refers to God.
General Information:
Here the word "our" refers to Paul and his fellow Jews. (See: Inclusive "We")
General Information:
The words "they" and "them" refer to the Israelites.
motioned with his hand
This could refer to moving his hands as a signal that he was ready to speak. AT: "moved his hands to show that he was about to speak" (See: Symbolic Action)
you who honor God
This refers to Gentiles who had converted to Judaism. "you who are not Israelites but who worship God"
God, listen
"God, listen to me" or "God, listen to what I am about to say"
The God of this people Israel
"The God the people of Israel worship"
our fathers
"our ancestors"
made the people numerous
"caused them to become very numerous"
with an uplifted arm
This refers to God's mighty power. AT: "with great power" (See: Metonymy)
out of it
"out from the land of Egypt"
he put up with them
This means "he tolerated them." Some versions have have a different word that means "he took care of them." AT: "God endured their disobedience" or "God took care of them"
translationWords
Israel
honor
God
ancestor
Egypt
desert
unfoldingWord translationNotes — © Distant Shores Media and the Door43 World Missions Community, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0. Source: git.door43.org/Door43/en_tn.
Tyndale Open Study Notes 2022 · CC BY-SA 4.0 On vv16, 17, 22, 23, 26, 31, 38, 39, 40, 42, 43 13:16-41 Paul accepted the invitation, motioned to quiet his…
13:16-41 Paul accepted the invitation, motioned to quiet his audience (cp. 19:33; 21:40), and launched into a straightforward proclamation of the Good News. This is Paul’s first great speech in Acts, and it provides a model of his preaching to a Jewish audience (see 22:1-21).
Tyndale Open Study Notes — © Tyndale Open Resources, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0. Text via the HelloAO Bible API.