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THE WESTMINSTER NEW TESTAMENT 
 
 General Editor 
 ALFRED E. GARVIE. M.A.(Oxon.), D.D.(Glas.) 
 
 I'RINCIPAI. OF NEW COLLEGE, LONDON 
 
 THE ACTS 
 OF THE APOSTLES 
 
 WITH INTRODUCTION AND NOTES 
 By Rev. H. T. ANDREWS, B.A. 
 
 PROFESSOR OF NEW TESTAMENT EXEGESIS AND CRITICISM, 
 NEW COLLEGE, HAMPSTEAD, LONDON 
 
 ■'^%> 
 
 MAR 9 1915 
 
 NEW YORK 
 
 FLEMING H. REVELL COMPANY 
 
 LONDON 
 
 ANDREW MELROSE 
 
PREFACE BY THE GENERAL EDITOR 
 
 Having carefully selected the editors of the ten 
 volumes of which the Westminster New Testament 
 will consist;, and having fully explained to them 
 the purpose of the series, the General Editor is 
 leaving them the greatest possible liberty ; and the 
 editor of each volume is alone responsible for the 
 opinions expressed in it. It is hoped that thus 
 any lack of uniformity will be amply compensated 
 for by the varied interest which the free expression 
 of his own individuality by each editor will impart 
 to the series. While the standpoint adopted is 
 that of modern critical scholarship, only the 
 generally accepted results, and not the vagaries ot 
 individual critics, are being presented, and in such 
 a fashion as to avoid unnecessarily giving any 
 offence or causing any difficulty to the reverent 
 Bible student. As the series is intended especially 
 for teachers, lay preachers, and others engaged 
 in Christian work, their needs are being kept 
 particularly in view, and the Commentary aims at 
 being as practically useful as possible. A new 
 arrangement in printing the text and the notes 
 has been adopted, which it is believed will be found 
 an improvement. 
 
 A. E. GARVIE. 
 
 New College, London. 
 
THE 
 
 WESTMINSTER NEW TESTAMENT 
 
 THE ACTS OF THE APOSTLES 
 
 INTRODUCTION. 
 
 The Book of Acts occupies a unique position in the 
 New Testament. It is our sole authority for a very 
 considerable part of the history of the Apostolic 
 age. If Acts had never been written^ or if it had 
 been lost in transmission^ we should be dependent 
 entirely upon the scattered references in the Epistles 
 of St. Paul for our knowledge of the early Church, 
 and the consequence would be that we should know 
 next to nothing about the progress of Christianity 
 between the Ascension of Jesus and the commence- 
 ment of St. Paul's missionary activity. Without 
 Acts, the story of the first Christian Brotherhood 
 at Jerusalem would be buried in oblivion ; we 
 should never have heard of Pentecost ; Philip and 
 Stephen and Barnabas would be mere names to 
 us ; and it would be impossible to reconstruct with 
 anything like certainty the career of the Apostle 
 Paul. 
 
 Before we can properly use and appreciate the 
 I 
 
2 Westminster New Testament 
 
 book, it is necessary to obtain an answer to the 
 following questions : — 
 
 1. Who was the author of Acts ? 
 
 2. Why was the book written ? 
 
 3. At what time and under what circumstances 
 was it composed ? 
 
 4. What are the characteristics of the writer ? 
 
 5. To what extent is the book to be accepted as 
 reliable history ? 
 
 I. THE AUTHOR. 
 
 The Book of Acts never once mentions the name 
 of its author. There is no reason for supposing 
 that this silence is due to the wa-iter's desire to 
 conceal his identity. The explanation seems rather 
 to be found in the fact that the writer was so well 
 known to Theophilus, to whom the book was 
 dedicated, and the wider circle of readers amongst 
 whom it was first circulated, that it was absolutely 
 unnecessaiy for him to affix his signature. 
 
 But though the name of the writer is not men- 
 tioned, there are certain indications in the book 
 which enable us to reach a tolerably certain con- 
 clusion with regard to the question of authorship, 
 (l) We know from the opening statement of Acts 
 that its author was also the writer of the Third 
 Gospel, which tradition unanimously associates with 
 the name of Luke. (2) We know, too, that the 
 writer of Acts must have been a companion of St. 
 Paul. In several groups of passages he uses the 
 first person plural. These " We-passages," as they 
 are termed, include the accounts of (a) Paul's work 
 at Philippi, xvi. 10-17; {b) Paul's visit to Troas, 
 XX. 5-15 ; (c) the journey from Miletus to Jerusalem, 
 
The Acts 3 
 
 xxi. 1-18; (d) the voyage from Caesarea to Rome, 
 xxvii. 1-xxviii. l6. On all these occasions the writer 
 was actually present and shared in the work and the 
 travel of the great Apostle. 
 
 This second deduction, it is only fair to state, 
 has been seriously challenged by a large number 
 of modem scholars. " We cannot be certain," they 
 argue, " that the man who wrote the ' We-passages ' 
 wrote the rest of the book. It is quite possible 
 that a later writer embodied in his narrative some 
 notes from a diary of one of Paul's companions 
 without even troubling to change the use of the 
 first person plural. A similar phenomenon is found 
 in the Books of Ezra and Nehemiah, in which we 
 find the editor boldly quoting from memoirs, without 
 altering the use of the first person, though in the 
 rest of the narrative he always employs the third." 
 
 This argument has recently been subjected to a 
 most searching examination by one of the greatest 
 of modem experts, Dr. Hamack of Berlin, who has 
 reached the conclusion that it fails to stand the 
 test of criticism. If the "We-passages" were the 
 work of a different writer from the rest of the book, 
 we should be certain to find marked dissimilarities 
 in style, vocabulary, and the grammatical structure 
 of sentences. We might expect, too, to discover 
 points of discrepancy in the contents of the two 
 parts of the book. Harnack's investigation, how- 
 ever, proves almost to demonstration that a com- 
 parison of the linguistic characteristics of the two 
 parts of Acts reveals such remarkable resemblances, 
 and such a distinct absence of differences, that the 
 theory of a dual authorship is practically impossible. 
 In the light of Harnack's masterly discussion we 
 may regard it as certain that the unity of Acts 
 
4 Westminster New Testament 
 
 admits of no question, and that the hand which 
 wrote the " We-passages " wrote the rest of the 
 narrative as well. If this be so, the second de- 
 duction mentioned above is indisputable. 
 
 But who was this companion of St. Paul r There 
 are strong grounds for believing that he was Luke. 
 
 1. This theory has the support of the unanimous 
 tradition of the Church. We know that from about 
 140 A.D. the Third Gospel was always ascribed to 
 Luke, and there is no trace in early Christian 
 literature of any suggestion of a rival name either 
 for the Third Gospel or the Acts. Tradition, of 
 course, is not infallible, but in the present instance 
 there seems to be no good ground for questioning 
 its statement. It seems hardly likely that so com- 
 paratively unimportant a man as Luke would have 
 been credited with the authorship of these books 
 unless there had been some basis of fact to justify the 
 assumption. In almost every case where Christian 
 tradition has obviously fathered a book upon a 
 fictitious author, it has selected the name of an 
 Apostle for its purpose. 
 
 2. The theory also claims to be in agreement 
 with the scanty facts which are known to us about 
 the life of Luke from the few references to him in 
 the Epistles of St. Paul and in Patristic literature. 
 
 (a) We know from Paul's statements in Col. iv. 
 10-15 that Luke was of Gentile origin. Paul 
 commences the paragraph by giving the salutations 
 of "those who were of the circumcision," and then 
 proceeds to send greetings from others (among 
 them Luke), who obviously, therefore, were not 
 Jews. The fact that Luke was a Greek and not 
 a Jew helps to explain the interest which Acts 
 shows in St. Paul's missions to the Gentiles. 
 
The Acts 5 
 
 (6) Luke was a physician (Col. iv. 14), and this 
 accounts for the use of medical language, which is 
 one of the characteristic features of the Third 
 Gospel and the Acts. 
 
 (c) Luke was a companion of Paul, and was with 
 him during his imprisonment at Rome (Col. iv, 14, 
 Philem. 24, 2 Tim. iv. 11). This harmonises with 
 the statements of Acts xxvii. and xxviii., which imply 
 that the author accompanied Paul to Rome. 
 
 (d) The historian Eusebius tells us that Luke 
 was '' by race a native of Antioch." The prominent 
 position assigned to Antioch in Acts implies that 
 its author felt a particular interest in the city. 
 
 In the light of these facts and in the absence of 
 any important rebutting evidence, we are justified 
 in assuming, with Harnack, that tradition is right 
 in regarding '' Luke the beloved physician " as the 
 author of Acts. 
 
 II. THE AIM OF ACTS. 
 
 The second question which it is necessary to ask 
 before we can understand Acts is. Why was the 
 book written ? What was the writer's purpose ? 
 
 It may be taken for granted that the writer's 
 primary purpose was historical. He wished to set 
 forth the story of the progress of the Church after 
 the Resurrection of Christ. Acts is a continuation 
 of the Gospel of Luke. In the preface of the 
 Gospel, the historian states the purpose which he 
 had in view in plain terms : " Forasmuch as many 
 have taken in hand to draw up a narrative concern- 
 ing those matters which have been fulfilled among 
 us ... it seemed good to me also, having traced 
 the course of all things accurately from the first. 
 
6 Westminster New Testament 
 
 to write unto thee in order, most excellent 
 Theophilus" (Luke i. 1-3). These words apply 
 to Acts quite as much as to the Gospel, and make 
 it clear that the writer's primary aim was to give 
 a historical account of the development of the 
 primitive Church, and to trace the steps by which 
 the programme which the Risen Christ gave to the 
 Apostles — " Ye shall be my witnesses in Jerusalem, 
 in all Judaea and Samaria, and unto the utteraiost 
 part of the earth " (Acts i. 8) — was fulfilled. 
 
 But it cannot be doubted that over and above 
 this primary purpose there were some secondary 
 motives which weighed very considerably with 
 Luke in the composition of Acts. Luke is not a 
 mere annalist. No historian worthy of the name 
 ever consents to be simply a machine for tabulating 
 facts. We have only to call to mind such classics 
 as Grote's History of Greece, or Clarendon's History 
 of the Great Rehellion, or Gibbon's Decline and Fall 
 of the Roman Empire, or Green's History of the 
 English People, to see how great authors employ 
 historical data to illustrate and support their own 
 political or religious views. It would not be too 
 much to say that most histories, like many novels, 
 are consciously or unconsciously written with a 
 purpose, and reflect the principles and prejudices 
 of their authors. 
 
 What, then, were Luke's secondar}'^ motives in 
 writing Acts ? 
 
 1. It seems quite clear that Luke intended Acts 
 to be not merely a historical narrative but a 
 defence of the Christian Faith as well. As we 
 shall see presently, when we come to discuss the 
 date of the book. Acts was probably written in the 
 reign of Domitian, at a time when Christianity 
 
The Acts 7 
 
 was beginning to come into conflict with the 
 Roman Empire. There were signs on every side 
 that the Church would have to pass through its 
 baptism of fire. The spirit of persecution was 
 in the air, and spasmodic outbreaks had ah-eady 
 occurred in many provinces. Pubhc pressure was 
 being brought to bear on magistrates and governors 
 to induce them to stamp out " the pestilential 
 religion " of the Christians, and it seemed inevitable 
 that before long the Roman Empire would find it 
 necessary to bow before the storm of prejudice 
 which had been aroused, and hand over its Chris- 
 tian subjects to the fury of the mob. The Book 
 of Acts seems to have been written as a kind of 
 counterblast to the anti-Christian agitation which 
 threatened to force the Imperial officials to sacri- 
 fice justice to public clamour. Theophilus may 
 have been, as many people think, a Roman 
 magistrate, but whether this was the case or not, 
 the Book of Acts was evidently meant to show, 
 by an appeal to history, what was the correct 
 attitude for a Roman official to adopt towards 
 Christianity. Hence we find Luke laying the 
 utmost stress on the justice and kindness dis- 
 played by Roman magistrates towards the new 
 religion in early times. There are many illus- 
 trations of this friendly feeling in the book. 
 Sergius Paulus, for instance, the proconsul of 
 Cyprus, is represented as embracing the Christian 
 Faith (xiii. 12). The magistrates at Philippi are 
 depicted as bitterly repenting their hasty and 
 unwarranted action in scourging and imprisoning 
 the Apostles (xvi. 38, 39). GalHo, the brother of 
 Seneca and proconsul of Achaia, scornfully dis- 
 misses the charges preferred against Paul by his 
 
8 Westminster New Testament 
 
 Jewish opponents at Corinth (xviii. 14-16). The 
 town-clerk at Ephesus protests against the savage 
 attack which the mob had made upon Paul and 
 his companions (xix. 36-41), The Chiliarch 
 Claudius Lysias protects the Apostle on several 
 occasions (xxii. 28^ xxiii. 10, 23-30). The pro- 
 curator FeUx refuses to condemn Paul (xxiv. 25), 
 as also does his successor Festus (xxv. 9)- Publius, 
 the head man of Malta, entertains Paul and his 
 shipwrecked companions, and treats them with the 
 utmost courtesy (xxviii. 8). And finally, when 
 Paul reaches Rome, though he is a prisoner, he is 
 allowed liberty to preach, " none forbidding him " 
 (xxviii. 31). The phrase " none forbidding him " is 
 represented by a single word in the Greek and 
 placed in a most emphatic position in the sentence. 
 It is the last word of the book, and may be said 
 to constitute its climax. '' None forbidding him " 
 sums up the moral of Acts, and is the message 
 which Luke gives to the Roman officials of his day. 
 Acts may therefore not unfittingly be called the 
 first Christian vindication of the great principle of 
 religious liberty. 
 
 2. Roman officials were not the only class 
 which Luke had in mind when he wrote the book. 
 He intended his narrative to be an encouragement 
 and a comfort to his suffering fellow-Christians as 
 well. The words which Luke puts into the 
 mouths of Peter and John as they stood before 
 the Sanhedrin — " Whether it be right in the sight 
 of God to hearken unto you rather than unto God, 
 judge ye : for we cannot but speak the things 
 which we saw and heard" (iv. 19) — are not meant 
 to be mere history : they are intended to be a 
 rallying-cry for Luke's contemporaries, an incentive 
 
The Acts 9 
 
 to courage and heroism in face of the poUcy of 
 repression which was endeavouring to reduce 
 Christianity to silence. The whole of Acts 
 breathes the spirit of dauntless and invincible 
 loyalty to Christ. The earliest disciples bear their 
 witness in the teeth of "clenched antagonisms." 
 The Sanhedrin threatens, the Jewish mob howls 
 for their blood, but the Apostles and their followers 
 are never deterred from their mission. Nothing 
 could exceed the opposition which Paul has to 
 encounter in the discharge of his work, yet in 
 spite of all he never wavers, but persistently de- 
 livers his message, and never loses an opportunity 
 of presenting the gospel to his fellows. The 
 Book of Acts may thus be said to be the message 
 of the Apostolic age to the persecuted Christians 
 in the reign of Domitian. The message is twofold, 
 (l) No opposition or persecution must be allowed 
 to silence our witness for Christ. (2) Persecution 
 is part of the discipline of life, and a powerful 
 agent in the dissemination of truth. " Through 
 many tribulations we must enter into the kingdom 
 of God" (xiv. 22). 
 
 3. A third motive which seems to have influenced 
 Luke in the composition of Acts is the desire to 
 dissociate Christianity from the Judaism of Palestine. 
 The great war between the Romans and the Jews, 
 which had culminated in the destruction of Jeru- 
 salem in 70 A.D., had induced a bitter feeling of 
 hostility throughout the Empire. To all appear- 
 ances Christianity was simply a Jewish sect, and so 
 shared the general hatred and unpopularity of the 
 race from which it had emanated. The crimes of 
 the Jews were visited on the heads of the Christians. 
 Luke is evidently attempting, throughout the book. 
 
lo Westminster New Testament 
 
 to exonerate Christianity from all responsibility for 
 the war and to dispel the suspicion which attached 
 to it owing to its original connection with Judaism. 
 The Jews of Jerusalem, as he points out, fiercely 
 opposed Christianity from its very inception. They 
 crucified its Founder. They endeavoured to stamp 
 out the new religion in its infancy. They put 
 Stephen to death. They dogged the footsteps of 
 Paul, and tried to arouse public opinion against him 
 in almost every city which he visited. They did 
 their utmost to secure his condemnation, and were 
 only prevented from carrying out their designs 
 by the attitude of the Roman procurators. All 
 through its history, Christianity had thriven in 
 spite of Judaism. There was absolutely no gi'ound, 
 therefore, why Christians should be victimised 
 because of their Jewish origin. 
 
 4. But if Acts evinces a decided bias against 
 the Jews of Palestine, it nevertheless exhibits no 
 little sympathy with the Jews of the Diaspora, the 
 broader-minded Hellenists who were scattered 
 throughout the world, and who formed from the 
 first the most promising material for Christianity 
 to work upon. It was from the ranks of these 
 Hellenists and the circle of converts who had been 
 won from paganism by their propaganda that the 
 new religion won the bulk of its earliest recruits. 
 There is little doubt that Luke is making an 
 appeal to these Hellenists in the pages of his book. 
 The speeches put into the mouths of Peter and 
 Stephen and Paul are meant to convince not 
 merely the audiences which they are addressing 
 in Jerusalem and Galatia, but the broad-minded 
 Jews of Luke's own day. The arguments are 
 directed, with almost tedious reiteration, to prove 
 
The Acts II 
 
 that Christianity is the true fulfilment of the 
 religion of the Old Testament. Luke constantly 
 makes his dramatis personce emphasise the fact 
 that Christianity is the only logical and legitimate 
 outcome of the teaching of the prophets, and he is 
 always citing instances to show that Hellenists 
 from the earliest times were eager to accept the 
 teaching of the Apostles. 
 
 5. Acts, however, had its message for the pagan 
 no less than for the Hellenist. The speeches of 
 Paul at Lystra and Athens are quoted in order to 
 indicate the line of argument by which Christianity 
 approached the Gentile world. The gi*eat utterance 
 which is placed on the lips of Gamaliel — '' If this 
 work is of God, ye will not be able to overthrow 
 it " (v. 39) — though spoken in the first instance to 
 Jews, is intended to be a universal criterion. Luke 
 spares no pains in his effort to demonstrate that 
 the w^hole history of the movement displays the 
 operation of God. Nothing is more striking in 
 Acts than the stress which is laid upon the Divine 
 initiative. Every new step which is taken from 
 first to last is the result of the inspiration of the 
 Holy Spirit. It seems evidently to have been 
 Luke's intention to turn Gamaliel's hypothesis 
 into a certainty, and so commend the Faith to all 
 honest seekers after truth. 
 
 We conclude, therefore, that though Luke in- 
 tended to give us history, he also intended to give 
 us something more besides. Acts is the earliest 
 Christian Apology. When we read between the 
 lines of the narrative, we find that Luke, though 
 he conceals his purpose with remarkable artistic 
 skill, has evolved from the history of the primitive 
 Church arguments which are well calculated to 
 
12 Westminster New Testament 
 
 meet all the objections that were urged against 
 Christianity by its opponents at the commencement 
 of the reign of Domitian. 
 
 III. THE DATE OF ACTS. 
 
 There are^ broadly speaking, three types of 
 view amongst modern scholars with regard to the 
 date of Acts. 
 
 1. There are some who maintain that Acts was 
 written soon after the date at which the narrative 
 ends, i.e., at some point between Paul's imprisonment 
 at Rome and the Neronian persecution, 60-65 a.d. 
 It is urged in support of this view, that it is 
 inconceivable that Luke should have stopped short 
 in his story with such sudden abruptness if there 
 had been anything more to tell. Why does he 
 not continue the narrative and record the incidents 
 connected with Paul's later life and martyrdom ? 
 This argument, however, is not altogether con- 
 vincing. Luke may have intended to write 
 another book dealing with the subsequent history ; 
 or he may have considered that he had achieved 
 his design when he brought Paul to the city of 
 Rome. If, as has already been suggested, he 
 intended his book to illustrate the justice of 
 the Roman magistrates in early times in their 
 dealings with Christianity, it would have frustrated 
 his purpose if he had proceeded to give an account 
 of the martyrdom of Paul. There is an exact 
 parallel to the strange ending of Acts in the 
 Second Book of Maccabees, which closes with an 
 account of the feast of Nicanor, and never mentions 
 the death of Judas Maccabeus, though this event 
 occurred almost immediately afterwards. If we 
 
The Acts 13 
 
 only possessed the narrative of Second Maccabees, 
 we should be tempted to argue that the book 
 must have been written between the feast of 
 Nicanor and the death of Judas. We should be 
 absolutely wrongs however, in drawing this con- 
 clusion. The explanation of the ending is to be 
 found in the fact that the author was far more 
 interested in Jewish rites and institutions than 
 he was in the personality of Judas. The feast of 
 Nicanor formed a fitting climax to the narrative, 
 and to proceed to describe the death of Judas 
 would have been bathos in view of the purpose of 
 the writer. A similar explanation, i.e. the fulfilment 
 of the author's purpose, may account for the abrupt 
 termination of Acts. 
 
 2. The extreme school of modern critics place 
 Acts about the close of the first century — circa 
 A.D. 100. The argument upon which this theory 
 is based is the supposition that the writer of Acts 
 made use of the Antiquities of Josephus, which is 
 usually dated about 95. It is true that there are 
 some resemblances between the statements of Acts 
 and Josephus — especially in the accounts of Theudas 
 and Judas in Gamaliel's speech and the narrative 
 of the death of Herod Agrippa. Some critics 
 suppose that the mistake about Theudas was due 
 to a misuse of Josephus, who mentions Theudas 
 and Judas in the same order in which the names 
 are placed in Acts, though he is careful, of course, 
 to give them their proper dates. It is hardly 
 likely, however, that a painstaking historian like 
 the author of Acts would have been guilty of 
 such culpable carelessness. Besides, though the 
 resemblances between Acts and Josephus are 
 striking, the differences of detail are equally 
 
14 Westminster New Testament 
 
 remarkable^ and are difficult to reconcile with the 
 theory. ^^ Not proven," therefore, seems to be 
 the only verdict which can be pronounced upon 
 this view. Even if the dependence of Luke 
 upon Josephus were established, it would not 
 be absolutely necessary, as Dr. Burkitt has recently 
 shown, to abandon the Lucan authorship of Acts. 
 Luke was apparently quite a young man when he 
 met Paul, and he might very well have been living 
 at the commencement of the second century. 
 
 3. The general consensus of modern scholars, 
 however, adopts a view intermediate between 
 these two extremes, and dates Acts somewhere 
 about the commencement of the reign of Domitian, 
 I.e., soon after 80 a.d. There is no general agree- 
 ment as to the precise year ; some critics prefer a 
 date about five years earlier, others place the book 
 five years later. Roughly speaking, the years 
 75-85 may be said to cover the limits of this 
 theory. The grounds upon which this view is 
 based are as follows ; — Acts must be later than 
 the Gospel of Luke, because of the distinct 
 reference which is made to the latter in Acts 
 i. 1. The Gospel of Luke implies the destruction 
 of Jerusalem, and must therefore have been written 
 later than 70 a.d. The earliest possible date for 
 Acts is thus about 75, and we have no definite 
 reason for supposing that an interval of more 
 than ten years at any rate elapsed before its 
 composition. On the whole, this view may be 
 regarded as the best supported theory to-day, 
 though the present writer is bound to add that 
 the references in the Gospel of Luke, which have 
 led the majority of modern scholars to infer that 
 its author embellished Christ's prophecy of the 
 
The Acts 15 
 
 destruction of Jerusalem with detailed allusions 
 gained from his own knowledge of the event, 
 have never seemed to him to be decisive. 
 
 IV. THE CHARACTERISTIC FEATURES 
 OF THE BOOK. 
 
 The Book of Acts possesses marked character- 
 istics which enable us to form a clear conception of 
 its author's general outlook upon life and religion. 
 Many of these characteristics are found also in the 
 Gospel of Luke^ but some of the most interesting 
 features of the book have no place in the " former 
 treatise/' and are connected with the new historical 
 situation w^hich arose after the ascension of Jesus. 
 Among the most prominent of these characteristics 
 are — 
 
 1. Luke's conception of Christianity as a universal 
 religion. If the story of the Apostolic age had 
 been written by a man who was secretly in 
 sympathy with the narrower views of some of 
 the Jewish Christians^ the Book of Acts would 
 have assumed a very different shape. Fortunately 
 for us^ from beginning to end Luke constitutes 
 himself the champion of the broader school of 
 Christians^ who insisted on the universal scope of 
 the gospel, and would not be satisfied till it had 
 become a world-wide faith. The author of Acts 
 is never more happy and never more interesting 
 than when he is describing the victory of the 
 Universalist party in the Church. His real theme 
 is not " the Acts of the Apostles " — which is a 
 most misleading title — but the story of the 
 development of Christianity out of a Jewish sect 
 into a world-religion. 
 
i6 Westminster New Testament 
 
 2. Luke's religious interpretation of history. The 
 supreme role in Acts is not assigned to Peter 
 or Paul or any other human hero, but if the phrase 
 may be allowed^ to God Himself. Behind all 
 the external events which he records, Luke recog- 
 nises ^^the unseen hand" of the Lord, who shapes 
 and moulds the destiny of the Church in accord- 
 ance with His programme. No book of the New 
 Testament is more full of the supernatural than 
 Acts, and the supernatural element in it, to use a 
 paradox, is most supernatural when it works in 
 natural ways. Pentecost is the supreme miracle 
 of the Apostolic age, though, technically speaking, 
 perhaps, the term miracle ought not to be applied 
 to it at all. 
 
 3. Luke's sympathy ivith the poor and the outcasts. 
 The Gospel of Luke has often been called "the 
 Gospel of the poor," because its author seems " to 
 delight in all the records which told of the mercy 
 of the Saviour towards the poor, the humble, the 
 despised." The same feature is found also in 
 Acts. The point that interested Luke most of 
 all in connection with the primitive Church at 
 Jerusalem was the attempt which was made to 
 institute the rule of "the common life." He 
 gives two descriptions of this episode, both of 
 which display keen appreciation. The one miracle 
 which he singles out as an illustration of the 
 wonderful works wrought by the Apostles im- 
 mediately after Pentecost, is the healing of the 
 lame beggar on the steps of the Beautiful Gate 
 of the Temple. The peroration of Paul's address 
 to the Ephesian elders at Miletus represents 
 exactly the sentiments of Luke, though the 
 words may have been actually used by the 
 
The Acts 17 
 
 Apostle — " In all things I gave you an example, 
 how that so labouring ye ought to help the weak 
 and to remember the words of the Lord Jesus, 
 It is more blessed to give than to receive." 
 
 4. Luke's 7vide historical outlook. Luke is the 
 only Evangelist who attempts to place Christianity 
 in its proper historical setting and show its relation- 
 ship to the Roman Empire. The horizon of 
 Matthew and Mark is on the frontiers of Palestine ; 
 the horizon of Luke stretches out to the confines 
 of the Empire. The centre of the world for the 
 first two Evangelists is Jerusalem ; for Luke it is 
 Rome. Hence we find in Acts a large amount of 
 space devoted to the Imperial relationships of 
 Christianity. Luke is always, as we have already 
 seen, interested in the action of the Roman 
 magistrates. From the very beginning of the 
 book we are conscious of the fact that Rome is 
 the historian's great objective, and the climax is 
 reached when the Apostle Paul, after years of 
 effort, is at last conducted within the walls of the 
 great metropolis of the world. 
 
 5. Luke's religious outlook. Some features of 
 the religious outlook of Acts have already been 
 mentioned. Allusion has been made to Luke's con- 
 ception of Christianity as a universal religion. 
 We have remarked upon his conviction that the 
 expansion of the Church is due to the Divine 
 initiative and the inspiration of the Holy Spirit. 
 Luke's strong belief in the supernatural led him, 
 however, to exaggerate one element in the story. 
 Both in the Gospel and the Acts we find an un- 
 due prominence given to angelic interventions. For 
 instance, the deliverance of Peter and John from 
 prison is represented as the work of " an angel of 
 
i8 Westminster New Testament 
 
 the Lord" (v. 19); a full description is given in 
 chap. xii. of the release of Peter by the help of an 
 angel on a second occasion ; an angel commissions 
 Philip to meet the Ethiopian (viii. 26), and prompts 
 Cornelius to send to Joppa for Simon (x. 3-7). 
 The fact that in viii. 29 Luke substitutes "the 
 Spirit" for the angel of ver. 26, seems to show 
 that he does not intend his language to be taken 
 literally. (See also Introduction, § VIL, "The 
 Theology of Acts.") 
 
 V. THE HISTORICAL VALUE OF ACTS. 
 
 The most important question which the modern 
 student of Acts is called upon to face is, How far 
 can the narrative of Luke be relied upon as a 
 trustworthy record of the Apostolic age ? 
 
 Many different estimates have been formed with 
 regard to the historical value of Acts. There are 
 some scholars who regard the narrative as absolutely 
 true even down to the smallest detail. There are 
 others who think that it contains a very large 
 percentage of fiction, and consequently place very 
 little confidence in its statements. The true 
 estimate is probably to be found midway between 
 these two extremes. In the field of history in- 
 fallibility is impossible. Like all other historians, 
 Luke occasionally, especially in the first half of the 
 book, falls into error, and misinterprets the facts. 
 To condemn the narrative wholesale because of 
 a few blemishes, however, is as absurd as it is 
 unscientific. There can be little doubt that, 
 taken as a whole, the Book of Acts gives us a 
 faithful picture of the development of the 
 early Church. 
 
The Acts 19 
 
 The grounds upon which the substantial accuracy 
 of the narrative can be vindicated are as follows : — 
 
 1. We know from his preface to the Gospel that 
 Luke possessed the true historical spirit. He knew 
 perfectly well what ought to be the historian's 
 ideal, and he shows remarkable insight with regard 
 to the methods by which that ideal can be attained. 
 Luke claims to have gained his information from 
 " those who from the beginning were eye-witnesses 
 and ministers of the word/' and says that "he 
 himself had traced the course of all things ac- 
 curately from the first." If Luke is to be believed, 
 therefore, as Sir W. Ramsay argues, " the sources at 
 his command were unrivalled," and these sources 
 were not blindly followed, but were carefully and 
 critically tested, and he, at any rate, believed that 
 as a result of this scientific examination of the 
 evidence he had reached absolute certainty on the 
 question of the facts. There is little room for 
 doubt that Acts was written in the same spirit, and 
 it must be admitted, therefore, that the narrative 
 was drawn up by one who possessed, at any rate, 
 the instincts and aspirations of a true historian. 
 
 2. Luke's opportunities of obtaining information 
 were unique, especially for the second part of Acts. 
 The " We-passages " contain his own personal testi- 
 mony. He was an eye-witness of the events. He 
 writes of what his own eyes had seen and his own 
 ears had heard. As a companion of St. Paul, too, 
 he possessed every facility for collecting the facts 
 concerning the Apostle's career, and there is good 
 reason to suppose that he made the best use of his 
 privileges. Then his acquaintance with Philip the 
 Evangelist explains the account which he is able 
 to give of the mission to Samaria and other in- 
 
20 Westminster New Testament 
 
 cidents in the history of the primitive Church, 
 while his intimacy with Barnabas must have en- 
 abled him to obtain first-hand evidence of many 
 other elements in the story. There are some 
 grounds, too, for supposing that in the early part 
 of the book he obtained a considerable amount 
 of material from written sources. The fact that 
 Luke, with his enlightened conception of what 
 is required in a historian, was able to go to actual 
 eye-witnesses for the bulk of his narrative, is a 
 strong prima facie reason for regarding the Book 
 of Acts as trustworthy and correct. 
 
 3. When we are able to apply a test to Luke's 
 statements, we generally find that they exhibit a 
 remarkable accuracy. For instance, the narrative 
 takes us to a great many cities, each with its own 
 type of administration and its own special officials. 
 The system of provincial government under the 
 Roman Empire was most complex. There was the 
 utmost diversity in the political status of different 
 provinces and cities, and what is more, this political 
 status was constantly changing. It would have 
 been the easiest thing in the world for the author 
 of Acts to have made a mistake ; in fact, only 
 personal knowledge could have kept him free from 
 blunders. A modern illustration will help to make 
 the difficulty understood. In the University of 
 Oxford, the heads of the various colleges, like the 
 chief officials in the various cities of the Roman 
 Empire, are called by different titles. We speak, 
 for instance, of the Master of Balliol, the President 
 of Magdalen, the Warden of Merton, the Provost 
 of Worcester, the Dean of Christchurch, the Prin- 
 cipal of Mansfield. Now, if a writer who had never 
 been to Oxford were to attempt to describe the 
 
The Acts 21 
 
 University, he would be sure to get the titles 
 wrong. In the same way a writer who had never 
 travelled through Asia Minor and Greece must 
 almost inevitably have gone astray in describing 
 the civic arrangements of the different cities. 
 Luke, however, never makes a mistake. His 
 descriptions have all been vindicated in the most 
 convincing manner. Take the case of Ephesus, 
 for instance. The graphic picture which Luke 
 draws of the temple of Artemis has been completely 
 verified down to the smallest detail by the state- 
 ments found on inscriptions which have been 
 excavated from the ruins of the city. Even the 
 town-clerk is as familiar a figure on the inscriptions 
 as he is in the pages of Luke's narrative. The 
 description of Thessalonica, too, affords another 
 excellent instance of Luke's minute accuracy. The 
 chief magistrates are designated by the technical 
 title of Politarchs — a term which is quite unique. 
 Now it used to be argued by critics that the 
 designation Politarch was impossible. It must be, 
 they said, a pure invention of Luke's imagination, 
 since the word was not even found in the dictionary. 
 The tables have been completely turned, however, 
 upon the critics, and the truthfulness of Luke's 
 account triumphantly demonstrated by the dis- 
 covery of an inscription at Thessalonica which 
 actually contained the disputed word, and proved, 
 too, that it was the official title of the magistrates 
 of the city. The proved accuracy of Luke in 
 minute details like these affords very strong pre- 
 sumptive evidence in favour of the narrative as a 
 whole. 
 
 4. Another strong argument can be based upon 
 the general sobriety and simplicity which char- 
 
22 Westminster New Testament 
 
 acterise in a very marked manner the story of the 
 early Church as it is told in Acts. When we 
 compare the canonical Acts with similar apocryphal 
 writings, we cannot fail to be struck by the general 
 absence of superstitious and thaumaturgic elements 
 from the narrative. Apart from a few miracles and 
 the introduction of two or three episodes con- 
 taining instances of supposed angelic intervention, 
 there is nothing in the book which comes into 
 conflict with Christian experience and which 
 cannot be paralleled in the later history of the 
 Church. We can be perfectly certain that if 
 Acts had been the invention of a later writer, there 
 would have been an intensification of the super- 
 natural on almost every page of the book. 
 
 5. A further point in favour of the reliability 
 of Acts is to be found in the general absence of 
 anachronisms and later ideas. There is no 
 attempt, for instance, to antedate the developed 
 form of Church organisation which began to come 
 into existence soon after the close of the century. 
 The theology of the book is simple and primitive. 
 There is scarcely a trace of the Pauline or Petrine 
 doctrine of the Atonement. The Christology is 
 sometimes crude, and lacks the distinctness which 
 marks the interpretation of Christ which is found 
 in the later Epistles of Paul and the Epistle to 
 the Hebrews. 
 
 But though the general historical picture in 
 Acts is undoubtedly true to fact, there are some 
 blemishes in the narrative which cannot be over- 
 looked. Luke's explanation of Pentecost, for 
 instance, seems to convert a great spiritual 
 operation into a strange and pointless miracle. 
 As is explained in the notes, the significance of 
 
The Acts 23 
 
 Pentecost lies in the outpouring of spiritual energy 
 upon the Church, rather than in the endowment of 
 the disciples with the miraculous gift of speaking 
 in foreign languages. The reference to Theudas in 
 Gamaliel's speech must be frankly acknowledged 
 to be an anachronism, since in spite of all 
 the ingenuity which has been expended on the 
 problem there appears to be no explanation 
 which can satisfactorily solve the difficulty. The 
 account of the fate which befell Ananias and 
 Sapphira seems inexplicable, and must be treated 
 either as a gross exaggeration or a " religious 
 apologue." There is an apparent discrepancy, too, 
 between Acts and the Epistle to the Galatians 
 with regard to the number of visits which Paul 
 paid to Jerusalem within a certain period of his 
 career. It is quite possible that this discrepancy 
 admits of explanation (see note on xi. 30), but in 
 any case Paul's own statement in Galatians must 
 be regarded as authoritative. But, after all, these 
 are only minor defects, and do not throw any 
 suspicion upon the record taken as a whole. 
 
 There are two other questions which will pro- 
 bably suggest themselves to the minds of the 
 thoughtful reader : (l) Can we accept the miraculous 
 elements in the narrative } (2) Can we regard the 
 speeches as authentic } 
 
 1. With regard to the first question, it is im- 
 possible here to discuss the problem of the possibility 
 of miracles. We can only concern ourselves with 
 the matter of evidence. Granted the possibility of 
 miracles, we have very strong first-hand evidence 
 of the fact that miracles were wrought in the 
 Apostolic age. (a) We have first of all the explicit 
 testimony of the Apostle Paul, who in two passages 
 
24 Westminster New Testament 
 
 states quite definitely that he himself worked 
 miracles (2 Cor. xii. 12; Rom. xv. 18). (b) We 
 have the testimony of the " We-passages " which 
 record the miraculous cure of the father of Publius 
 and others in the island of Malta (xxviii. 8-10). 
 There can be little doubt that this account comes 
 from Luke's own personal knowledge. The fact 
 that he was among the shipwrecked refugees on the 
 island and that he describes the illness of Publius' 
 father so minutely and in such technical language, 
 seems to be clear proof that he is speaking as an 
 eye-witness. His own medical training, too, would 
 seem to make it impossible that he should have been 
 deceived. In the light of this twofold evidence 
 there seems to be no sound reason for rejecting any 
 of the important miracles of healing recorded in 
 the book. 
 
 2. The problem of the authenticity of the speeches 
 is more difficult, because in the case of Gamaliel 
 Luke gives himself completely away by his 
 anachronism with regard to Theudas. Yet there 
 seem to be several reasons which ought to make 
 us hesitate before we too hastily assume that the 
 addresses put into the mouths of Peter and Stephen 
 and Paul are altogether the free composition of 
 the historian himself. 
 
 («) The speeches of Peter after Pentecost and 
 the address of James at the council of Jerusalem 
 have several points of resemblance with the Epistles 
 ascribed to these Apostles. (6) There is nothing 
 in the speeches of Paul which at all conflicts with 
 the statements in his Epistles, (c) In spite of a 
 general resemblance on the surface, the speeches 
 ascribed to the different leaders show marked 
 variations of tone and argument, (d) The theology 
 
The Acts 25 
 
 involved in the different speeches seems to be 
 thoroughly in accord with the situation, and does 
 not appear to be a reproduction of Luke's own 
 position, as far as we are able to make out what 
 that position was. There is a distinct contrast, for 
 instance, between a Christology which is based on 
 a Doctrine of the Virgin Birth and the Christology 
 implied in the speech of Peter after Pentecost. 
 
 On these grounds, the present writer is inclined 
 to attach very considerable weight to the speeches 
 in Acts and to hold that they represent the earliest 
 theology of the Church. 
 
 VI. THE MAIN STAGES IN THE 
 NARRATIVE. 
 
 The Book of Acts covers a period of about thirty 
 years. At its commencement Christianity is merely 
 a Jewish sect, at its close it has become a world- 
 wide religion. The process by which this trans- 
 formation was effected is the main theme of the 
 narrative. The development passes through the 
 following stages : — 
 
 1. In the opening chapters Christianity is part 
 and parcel of Judaism. The disciples are found 
 attending the Temple services and participating in 
 all the rites and ceremonies connected with the 
 Jewish religion. If the evolution had been arrested 
 at this stage, the Christian religion would have 
 remained a Jewish sect, like Pharisaism. The only 
 characteristic feature which w^ould have differenti- 
 ated it would have been the conviction that the 
 Messiah had already come. 
 
 2. There were many types of Jews, and the 
 question soon arose whether the Christian Faith 
 
26 Westminster New Testament 
 
 was to be the peculiar privilege of the Hebrews 
 who lived in Palestine, or whether the Hellenists, 
 who were much less strict in their adherence to 
 Judaism, were also to be accorded the same right 
 of entrance into the Church. Permission seems to 
 have been grudgingly given at first, and the 
 Hellenists protested against the treatment which 
 they received. A crisis was reached, but the 
 Hellenists won the day, special officers being 
 appointed to look after their interests. Stephen's 
 great utterance marks the commencement of the 
 breach with Judaism. He was the first to enunciate 
 the principle that Christianity is not indissolubly 
 bound up with the Jewish Temple. 
 
 3. The mission of Philip to Samaria represents a 
 third expansion which further helped to break 
 down the barriers of exclusiveness. Severely 
 criticised at first, the movement won recognition 
 for itself by the manifest tokens of the Divine 
 blessing which attended the preaching of Philip. 
 
 4. The question now arose as to whether 
 proselytes and semi-proselytes, i.e., those who had 
 accepted the Jewish faith but had not adopted the 
 rite of circumcision, were to be welcomed into the 
 Christian fold. The cases of the Ethiopian eunuch 
 and Cornelius settled the question in the affirmative. 
 In both instances Luke represents the recognition 
 of the new principle as due to the direct inspira- 
 tion of God. 
 
 5. The last stage was reached when, mainly 
 through the efforts of Paul and Barnabas, all re- 
 strictions were broken down, and it was recognised 
 that Christianity was intended to be the religion 
 of the Gentiles as well as the Jews. The battle 
 was not won all at once. There were many Jewish 
 
The Acts 27 
 
 Christians who felt that, though Gentile converts 
 might be accepted, they ought to be required to 
 graduate in Judaism afterwards. The council of 
 Jerusalem, however, refused to impose any but the 
 most simple and necessary conditions upon Gentile 
 believers. The controversy continued for many 
 years, but in the long run the broader view pre- 
 vailed, and the universal scope of Christianity 
 became an established fact. The missionary 
 journeys of St. Paul set the final seal upon the great 
 principle, which was never afterwards challenged. 
 
 VII. THE THEOLOGY OF ACTS. 
 
 The theology of Acts is extremely interesting 
 because it represents the earliest interpretation of 
 the facts of the Christian Religion. The faith of 
 the primitive Christians concerned itself very little 
 with speculation, and did not attempt to create a 
 philosophy of religion. It clung tenaciously to its 
 facts, and left the explanation of them to a later 
 generation. The three most prominent ideas are : 
 (1) The belief in God as the Source of all energy 
 and power ; (2) the belief in Christ as the Risen 
 Saviour who is ever present with His Church and 
 is soon to reappear upon the earth ; (3) the belief 
 in the Holy Spirit as the Agent through whom 
 God acts upon the minds of men. 
 
 But though Acts never ventures into the realm 
 of metaphysical speculation, there were some 
 questions which thrust themselves at once upon 
 the Church and demanded an answer. 
 
 1. The question, for instance. What think ye of 
 Christ.^ arose immediately, and the earliest Christians 
 had to face the problem as to the relationship 
 
28 Westminster New Testament 
 
 between Christ and God. The first answer seems 
 to have been given on what are now called 
 Adoptionist lines. Christ was "^a man/' as Peter 
 puts it^ "proved by his miracles to have come 
 from God/' and exalted to the rank of Divinity (see 
 notes on ii. 22 and 36). A similar explanation seems 
 to be implied by Paul's address at Antioch (chap, 
 xiii.), where the words " Thou art my Son, this 
 day have I begotten thee/' are applied to Christ 
 only after His resurrection from the dead. 
 
 2. Another question also forced itself upon the 
 minds of the disciples, How are we to explain 
 the Crucifixion ? Here again the answers given at 
 first were crude in comparison with later inter- 
 pretations of the death of Christ. Two suggestions 
 were made : («) The death of Christ was part of 
 God's purpose (see note on ii. 23) ; (6) the death 
 of Christ was the fulfilment of prophecy (see note 
 on iii. 1 8). There is only one passage in Acts in 
 which any atoning value is attached to the death 
 of Christ, i.e., in the great declaration of Paul in his 
 address to the Ephesian elders (xx. 28). 
 
 3. Another point which stamps the theology of 
 Acts as primitive is the emphasis which is laid on 
 the speedy reappearance of Christ upon the earth. 
 This is specially characteristic of the speeches in 
 the earlier part of the book, in which the Parousia 
 or Return of Christ is undoubtedly the dominant 
 note, and completely dwarfs all other conceptions, 
 as it does also in the earlier Epistles of St. Paul. 
 In the latter part of the book, however, this idea is 
 much less prominent, and ceases to occupy the 
 predominant position assigned to it in the early 
 speeches. 
 
 We must regard the theology of Acts, therefore, 
 
The Acts 29 
 
 not as a final statement of Christian Doctrine, but 
 rather as a first and somewhat premature attempt 
 to find an answer to the most pressing problems 
 which confronted the early Church. 
 
 The Doctrine of the Holy Spirit undoubtedly 
 occupies the most prominent position in the 
 theology of Acts. The Church is depicted as 
 owing its very existence to the Baptism of the 
 Spirit at Pentecost. The power which came upon 
 the little group of Christians and enabled them to 
 capture the people of Jerusalem, the various gifts 
 with which their leaders were endowed for the 
 work of the ministry, the new enthusiasm for the 
 common life, are all traced directly to the influence 
 of the Holy Spirit. Pentecost^ however, was not 
 an isolated event. At all the great crises and 
 turning-points in the history of the Church there 
 is a fresh outpouring of the Spirit. There is a 
 Pentecost, for instance, in Samaria, which sets the 
 seal of Divine approval on the work of Philip (viii. 
 15-18). Cornelius and the first Gentile converts 
 receive a similar baptism of the Spirit, and it is 
 expressly stated that the gift which they received 
 resembled in all respects that which was bestowed 
 upon the early Church (xi. 15-17). The separation 
 of Paul and Barnabas for missionary work was also 
 due to the initiative of the Holy Spirit (xiii. 2). 
 The events which led to the European journey are 
 represented as specially directed by the operation 
 of the Spirit (xvi. 6, 7). The fact that certain 
 disciples at Ephesus had not received the Baptism 
 of the Spirit is regarded by Paul as a serious defect, 
 which he proceeds at once to attempt to remedy 
 (xix. 1-6). 
 
 In spite of the fact, however, that Luke lays 
 
30 Westminster New Testament 
 
 such stress upon the Doctrine of the Holy Spirit, 
 it cannot be said that he is successful in drawing a 
 clear distinction between "the Spirit" and "the 
 living Christ." In one passage the two great con- 
 ceptions seem to be used interchangeably: "And 
 they went through the region of Phrygia and 
 Galatia,, having been forbidden by the Holy Ghost to 
 speak the word in Asia ; and when they were 
 come over against Mysia, they assayed to go into 
 Bithynia ; and the Spirit of Jesus suffered them 7iot " 
 (xvi. 6, 7). 
 
 VIII. THE CHRONOLOGY OF ACTS. 
 
 The chronology of Acts raises several serious and 
 intricate problems, and it cannot be said that any 
 general agreement exists among scholars with 
 regard to many of the most important dates. 
 The following table (which is taken from Hastings' 
 Dictionary^ gives four different schemes, a com- 
 parison of w^hich will indicate the main points of 
 divergence : — 
 
 H.i T.2 R.3 L.-* 
 
 Crucifixion . . . . 29 or 
 
 St. Paul's conversion 
 
 St. Paul's first visit to Jerusalem 
 
 St. Paul's second visit to Jerusalem 
 
 First missionary journey 
 
 Second missionary journey 
 
 Arrival at Corinth . 
 
 Third missionary journey 
 
 Departure from Ephesus 
 
 Final visit to Jerusalem 
 
 Arrival at Rome . 
 
 Close of Acts 
 
 ^ Harnack. ^ Turner, au 
 in Hastings' Dictionary. ^ 
 
 30 
 
 29 
 
 30 30 
 
 30 
 
 35-36 
 
 33 34 
 
 33 
 
 38 
 
 35-36 37 
 
 44 
 
 46 
 
 46 45 
 
 45 
 
 47 
 
 47 48 
 
 47 
 
 49 
 
 50 51 
 
 48 
 
 50 
 
 51 52 
 
 50 
 
 52 
 
 53 54 
 
 53 
 
 55 
 
 56 57 
 
 54 
 
 56 
 
 57 58 
 
 57 
 
 59 
 
 60 61 
 
 59 
 
 61 
 
 62 63 
 
 he article on 
 
 Chronology 
 
 Ram 
 
 say. 
 
 ^ Lightfoot. 
 
The Acts 31 
 
 The most important point of divergence^ it will 
 be noted, is concerned with the length of the 
 interval between the Crucifixion and the Conver- 
 sion of St. Paul. When we ask the question, 
 How long a period is covered by the first eight 
 chapters of Acts ? we get the most varied answers. 
 Harnack says that all the events recorded in the 
 opening chapters happened in a few months ; 
 Turner, on the other hand, holds that they occu- 
 pied a period of five or six years. The other two 
 theories stand half-way between these two extremes. 
 The reason for the difference between the two 
 extreme theories is as follows : The decisive date 
 in Acts — the date upon which the chronology of 
 the Apostolic age depends — is the date of the year 
 in which Felix was recalled and Festus appointed 
 as his successor. If we can determine this date, 
 everything else can be fixed within very narrow 
 limits. Unfortunately, however, the available data 
 lead us to two different results, w^hich vary by five 
 years. One result places the recall of Felix in 
 60, the other in 55. If we adopt the former alter- 
 native, we are led to the conclusion of Harnack ; if 
 the latter, to that of the other chronologists. 
 
 It is impossible to enter into the minutiae of what 
 is one of the most complicated problems connected 
 with the histoiy of the Apostolic age. The present 
 writer may perhaps be allowed to say that after a 
 very careful study of the evidence, he feels that 
 the balance of probability slightly preponderates in 
 favour of the view adopted by Harnack. 
 
Acts i. i-ii. 
 THE RESURRECTION AND ASCENSION. 
 
 The former treatise have I made, O Theophilus, of all 
 
 2 that Jesus began both to do and teach, until the day in 
 which he was taken up, after that he through the Holy 
 Ghost had given commandments unto the apostles whom 
 
 3 he had chosen : to whom also he shewed himself alive 
 after his passion by many infallible proofs, being seen of 
 them forty days, and speaking of the things pertaining to 
 
 4 the kingdom of God : and, being assembled together with 
 them, commanded that they should not depart from 
 Jerusalem, but wait for the promise of the Father, which, 
 
 5 saith he, ye have heard of me. For John truly baptized 
 with water ; but ye shall be baptized with the Holy Ghost 
 
 6 not many days hence. When they therefore were come 
 together, they asked of him, saying, Lord, wilt thou at this 
 
 7 time restore again the kingdom to Israel ? And he said 
 unto them, It is not for you to know the times or the 
 seasons, which the Father hath put in his own power. 
 
 8 But ye shall receive power, after that the Holy Ghost is 
 come upon you : and ye shall be witnesses unto me both 
 in Jerusalem, and in all Judaea, and in Samaria, and unto 
 
 9 the uttermost part of the earth. And when he had spoken 
 these things, while they beheld, he was taken up ; and a 
 
 10 cloud received him out of their sight. And, while they 
 looked stedfastly toward heaven as he went up, behold, 
 
 1 1 two men stood by them in white apparel ; which also 
 said. Ye men of Galilee, why stand ye gazing up into 
 
Acts i. i-ii 
 
 33 
 
 heaven ? this same Jesus, which is taken up from you into 
 heaven, shall so come in like manner as ye have seen him 
 go into heaven. 
 
 The first chapter of Acts opens with a few brief 
 words of introduction^ which link it on to the Third 
 Gospel, and then, without even finishing his 
 sentence, Luke plunges at once into his subject. 
 He does not start, it should be noticed, exactly at 
 the point where the Gospel finishes, for the Gospel 
 carries us right on to the Ascension, but tells over 
 again part of the story of the intercourse between 
 the Risen Christ and His disciples, re-emphasising 
 the essential points and adding some fresh in- 
 cidents. The reason for the repetition is obvious. 
 The Resurrection is both the end and the beginning. 
 It is the end of the history of Christ's life on earth, 
 it is the beginning of the history of the Church. 
 The fact of the Resurrection is the great founda- 
 tion upon which the whole fabric of the Church 
 was built. If this chapter were missing and all 
 subsequent allusions to the Resurrection erased 
 from the book, the narrative of Acts would be 
 inexplicable. 
 
 This paragraph contains (1) the words of in- 
 troduction dedicating the book to Theophilus 
 (vers. 1, 2); (2) a general statement about the 
 Resurrection of Christ (ver. 3) ; (3) an account of 
 a special meeting between Christ and the Apostles 
 (vers. 4, 5) ; (4) the conversation before the Ascen- 
 sion (vers. 6-8) ; (5) the account of the Ascension 
 (vers. 9-11). 
 
 1. The former treatise is the Gospel of Luke. 
 Acts is a companion volume to the Gospel. The 
 Gospel tells the story of the life and work of the 
 
34 Westminster New Testament 
 
 Incarnate Christ on earth, Acts the story of the 
 work of the Risen Christ in and through the 
 Church. 
 
 Theophilus. Nothing is known about Theo- 
 philus except that the Third Gospel is also dedicated 
 to him (Luke i. 3). The fact that Luke calls him 
 "most excellent Theophilus/' and that the same 
 term is applied to Felix (xxiii. 26, xxiv. 3) and Festus 
 (xxvi. 25) in token of their official position, has led 
 many scholars to suppose that Theophilus was a 
 man of high official rank — probably the governor 
 of a Roman province. This suggestion, however, 
 though it is a possible hypothesis, cannot be sub- 
 stantiated, because we know that the term in 
 question was used by Josephus merely as a mark 
 of friendship, without any official reference, signify- 
 ing simply " my dear friend." 
 
 2. began to do and teach. This expression 
 is the Greek way of saying " all that Jesus did and 
 taught from the beginning of His ministry until the 
 day," etc. No stress can be laid on the word 
 "began," and we have no warrant for supposing 
 that Luke intended us to understand from this 
 phrase that the Gospel narrative only represents 
 the commencement of the ministry of Christ. 
 
 taken up. An allusion to the Ascension as 
 described in Luke xxiv. 51, though there is some 
 doubt as to whether the words "was carried up 
 into heaven" were found in the original text of 
 that verse. 
 
 given commandments. The Commandments 
 which Christ gave to the Apostles after the Resur- 
 rection, according to Luke's Gospel, were twofold ; 
 (1) " That repentance and remission of sin should be 
 preached unto all nations ; " (2) " Tarry in the city 
 
Acts i. i-i I 
 
 35 
 
 until ye be clothed with power" (Luke xxiv. 
 47-49). 
 
 through the Holy Ghost. Jesus during His 
 earthly life was inspired by the Holy Spirit. The 
 Spirit descended upon Him at the Baptism 
 (Matt. iii. l6), drove Him into the wilderness 
 (Matt. iv. 1), and anointed Him for His ministry 
 (Luke iv. 18). We have here another link between 
 the Gospel and the Acts. The same Spirit which 
 inspired Jesus throughout His career inspired His 
 followers also after the Ascension. See n. on 
 X. 38. 
 
 3. We should naturally expect that at this point 
 Luke would give us an account of his object in 
 writing Acts. He evidently started with this 
 intention. The reference to " the former treatise " 
 implies a contrast which is never worked out. In 
 his haste to get to his subject^ Luke leaves the 
 sentence which he meant to write unfinished^ and 
 plunges at once into his theme. 
 
 infallible proofs. There is no word for 
 " infallible " in the Greek, but the word trans- 
 lated "proof" is a stronger term than its English 
 equivalent. It means a proof that comes out of 
 direct personal experience, and is not derived merely 
 from the testimony of other people. The refer- 
 ence, of course, is to the appearances of Christ 
 after the Resurrection to the Apostles and 
 others. 
 
 being seen of them forty days. The correct 
 rendering of these words is " appearing unto them 
 at intervals during forty days." This is the only 
 reference to the interval of forty days between the 
 Resurrection and the Ascension. The last chapter 
 in Luke's Gospel seems to imply that the Ascen- 
 
36 Westminster New Testament 
 
 sion took place almost immediately after the 
 Resurrection. After the Crucifixion, " that veiy 
 day" (Luke xxiv. 13), Jesus walked with the two 
 disciples to Emmaus. After supper "they rose 
 up that very hour and returned to Jerusalem " 
 (ver. 33). They reported the appearance of Jesus 
 to the Eleven, and "as they spake" Jesus Himself 
 stood in the midst. There is no hint of any break 
 in the narrative till the final parting is reached, 
 but possibly there may be a gap between ver. 43 
 and ver. 44. Matthew and Mark have no refer- 
 ence to an interval, but imply that enough time 
 must have elapsed for the disciples to reach 
 Galilee, where Jesus appeared to them. The 
 Fourth Gospel requires an interval of eight days 
 at any rate (John xx. 26), and perhaps longer, if the 
 appearance recorded in the last chapter is later 
 than those described in chap. xx. Probably " the 
 forty days " is intended to be a round number, and 
 need not be taken quite literally. 
 
 speaking of the things pertaining to the 
 kingdom. There is no allusion here to any 
 recondite or esoteric teaching. We may be sure 
 that the most important elements in Christ's 
 instruction have been recorded. It is a certain 
 proof of weakness when any theoiy of the Church 
 or doctrine of the Sacraments bases itself upon the 
 hypothesis that it was taught by Christ to the 
 Apostles after the Resurrection. 
 
 4. being assembled together with them. 
 The meeting between Christ and the disciples 
 described in this verse seems to be identical with 
 the one recorded in the last chapter of Luke's 
 Gospel, at which almost the same words were 
 spoken by Christ (Luke xxiv. 49). For the ex- 
 
Acts i. i-ii 
 
 37 
 
 planation of the words, the promise of the 
 Father which ye heard of me, we must refer 
 to such words as '^ I will pray the Father and He 
 shall give you another Comforter," and other 
 similar expressions in the Gospel of St. John (xiv. 
 16, 26, XV. 26). It is strange that there is no 
 reference to this promise in the other three 
 Gospels. 
 
 5. The contrast between the Baptism of John 
 and the Baptism of the Holy Ghost is emphasised 
 on several occasions in Acts (cf. xi. I6, xix. 2-4), 
 as it is also in the Fourth Gospel (cf. John i. 6-8, 
 iii. 25-30). It is highly probable that there was 
 a movement in Asia Minor which exalted John 
 the Baptist at the expense of Christ, and these 
 passages are intended to be a corrective. 
 
 6. When therefore they were come to- 
 gether. These words introduce the account of the 
 last scene in Christ's life on earth. This final 
 meeting just before the Ascension took place on 
 the Mount of Olives (see ver. 12). 
 
 dost thou at this time restore the king- 
 dom ? This question shows that up to the very 
 last the Apostles completely misunderstood the 
 essential point in Christ's teaching with regard to 
 the Kingdom of Heaven. They still looked for 
 the establishment of an earthly empire. 
 
 8. ye shall receive power. Jesus refuses to 
 satisfy the curiosity of the Apostles with regard to 
 the future. " It is not for you to know the times 
 or the seasons." There is something more im- 
 portant than knowledge — viz., power. Christianity 
 is essentially dynamic. It confers power. In view 
 of the gigantic task which awaited the early 
 Church, of preaching the gospel in the face of the 
 
38 Westminster New Testament 
 
 "clenched antagonisms" of prejudice and super- 
 stition, the one thing that was essential was an 
 endowment of spiritual power. 
 
 ye shall be my witnesses. The word "wit- 
 ness " is employed very frequently in Acts to 
 describe the character of the work of the first 
 preachers of the gospel (Acts i. 22, ii. 32, iii. 15, 
 V. 32, X. 39-41, xiii. 31, xxii. 15, xxvi. l6). They 
 did not deal with abstractions. They gave personal 
 testimony to the facts of their own experience : 
 " That which we have seen with our eyes, that 
 which we beheld and our hands handled . . . declare 
 we unto you" (1 John i. 1). 
 
 in Jerusalem . . . unto the uttermost part 
 of the earth. In these words Jesus states the 
 programme of Christianity. Its mission is universal 
 (compare Matt, xxviii. 19; Mark xvi. 15; Luke 
 xxiv. 47). The narrative in Acts describes the 
 fulfilment of the programme. Chapters i.- vii. give 
 an account of the work in Jerusalem; viii. and ix., 
 the mission to Samaria ; x.-xxviii., the wider 
 missionary enterprise which culminates in the 
 arrival of Paul at Rome. 
 
 9. This is the only account of the Ascension 
 which we possess, though there are brief references 
 to it in Mark xvi. 19 and Luke xxiv. 51, and 
 allusions in Eph. iv. 8-10; 1 Tim. iii. l6; Heb. 
 iv. 14 ; 1 Pet. iii. 22. 
 
 10. two men ... in white apparel. Luke 
 
 evidently means "angels." A similar phrase occurs 
 in the Gospel (Luke xxiv. 4 ; compare John xx. 12), 
 and also in Acts x. 30 (compare x. 3). 
 
 11. men of Galilee. The Apostles were all 
 Galileans now. Judas was the only one who had 
 come from Judaea, and he was dead. 
 
Acts i. 12-26 39 
 
 Acts i. 12-26. 
 THE FIRST CHURCH MEETING. 
 
 12 Then returned they unto Jerusalem from the mount called 
 Olivet, which is from Jerusalem a sabbath day's journey. 
 
 13 And when they were come in, they went up into an upper 
 room, where abode both Peter, and James, and John, and 
 Andrew, Philip, and Thomas, Bartholomew, and Matthew, 
 James the son of Alphseus, and Simon Zelotes, and Judas 
 
 14 the brother of James. These all continued with one accord 
 in prayer and supplication, with the women, and Mary the 
 
 15 mother of Jesus, and with his brethren. And in those 
 days Peter stood up in the midst of the disciples, and said, 
 (the number of names together were about an hundred 
 
 16 and twenty,) Men and brethren, this scripture must needs 
 have been fulfilled, which the Holy Ghost by the mouth 
 of David spake before concerning Judas, which was guide 
 
 17 to them that took Jesus. For he was numbered with 
 
 18 us, and had obtained part of this ministry. Now this 
 man purchased a field with the reward of iniquity ; and 
 falling headlong, he burst asunder in the midst, and all 
 
 19 his bowels gushed out. And it was known unto all the 
 dwellers at Jerusalem ; insomuch as that field is called in 
 their proper tongue, Aceldama, that is to say, The field of 
 
 20 blood. For it is written in the book of Psalms, Let his 
 habitation be desolate, and let no man dwell therein : and, 
 
 21 His bishoprick let another take. Wherefore of these men 
 which have companied with us all the time that the Lord 
 
 22 Jesus went in and out among us, beginning from the 
 baptism of John, unto that same day that he was taken up 
 from us, must one be ordained to be a witness with us of 
 
 23 his resurrection. And they appointed two, Joseph called 
 
 24 Barsabas, who was surnamed Justus, and Matthias. And 
 they prayed, and said. Thou, Lord, which knowest the 
 hearts of all men, shew whether of these two thou hast 
 
40 Westminster New Testament 
 
 25 chosen, that he may take part of this ministry and 
 apostleship, from which Judas by transgression fell, that 
 
 26 he might go to his own place. And they gave forth their 
 lots ; and the lot fell upon Matthias ; and he was numbered 
 with the eleven apostles. 
 
 These verses describe the week of waiting 
 which intervened between the Ascension and 
 Pentecost. They contain an account of (1) the 
 disciples who formed the earliest Christian brother- 
 hood and their meetings in the upper chamber 
 (vers. 12-14) ; (2) the address of Peter urging 
 the necessity for electing a successor to Judas (vers. 
 15-22); (3) the election of Matthias (vers. 23-26). 
 
 12. from the mount called Olivet. The 
 Mount of Olives is the name given to a ridge of 
 hills on the east of Jerusalem. It is separated 
 from the city by the valley of the Kidron. The 
 highest peaks are about 2600 feet above the sea- 
 level, and so about 200 feet higher than the hill on 
 which the Temple was built. They thus afford 
 a magnificent view both of Jerusalem and the 
 surrounding country. The Mount of Olives was 
 full of sacred associations to the disciples. It was 
 from this mountain that Jesus made His triumphal 
 entry into Jerusalem (Matt. xxi. 1). It was here 
 that He gave His great discourse about the de- 
 struction of the Temple (Matt. xxiv. 3). He 
 seems to have taken up His abode upon the 
 mountain during the week before the Passion 
 (Luke xxi. 37). And most pathetic of all was the 
 memory of the scene in the garden of Gethsemane, 
 which is situated on the western slopes of Olivet 
 (Matt. xxvi. 30). 
 
 There is no real discrepancy between Acts and 
 the statement in Luke xxiv. 50^ " He led them out 
 
Acts i. 12-26 41 
 
 until they were over against Bethany/' since 
 Bethany is situated at the foot of the southern 
 slopes of the mountain. 
 
 a sabbath day's journey was two thousand 
 
 paces or cubits — about three-quarters of an English 
 mile. It was supposed to represent the distance 
 between the tabernacle and the farthest point of the 
 camp in the wilderness. 
 
 13. an upper room. It is quite possible that 
 this may have been the room in which Jesus cele- 
 brated the Last Supper with the disciples (Mark 
 xiv. 15), and in which He appeared to them after 
 His Resurrection (John xx. 19). The Eleven seem 
 
 • to have made this room their temporary home. 
 
 Peter and James. There are three other lists 
 of Apostles given in (1) Matt. x. 2-4; (2) Mark 
 iii. 16-19; (3) Luke vi. 14-16. The order varies 
 in each list, except that the first, fifth, and ninth 
 names are always the same. The disciples were 
 apparently divided into three groups of four — the 
 leaders of the groups being respectively Peter, 
 Philip, and James the son of Alphaeus. 
 
 14. in prayer. The words " and in supplication " 
 are omitted in the R.V. They were added to 
 emphasise the fact that the early Church was cradled 
 in the atmosphere of prayer. 
 
 with one accord. Luke lays the greatest 
 stress on the spirit of unity that prevailed in early 
 times. The phrase occurs ten times in Acts. 
 
 with the women. Among these were un- 
 doubtedly Maiy Magdalene, Mary the mother of 
 James, Joanna, and Salome (Mark xvi. 1 ; Luke 
 xxiv. 10). 
 
 and with his brethren. Their names are given 
 in Matt, xiii. 55 as, James, Joseph, Simon, and 
 
42 Westminster New Testament 
 
 Judas. In the Gospels they are represented as 
 opposing Jesus (Mark iii. 21 ; John vii. 5). The 
 explanation of the change in their attitude is to be 
 found in the statement of Paul in 1 Cor. xv. 1 , that 
 Jesus had appeared after His Resurrection to 
 James. 
 
 15. in the midst of the disciples. The true 
 reading of the original is ^Mn the midst of the 
 brethren." " The brethren " was the earliest name 
 by which Christians were called. 
 
 an hundred and twenty. Luke is careful in 
 the early part of Acts to give statistics with regard 
 to the number of believers. The figure given here 
 of course only refers to the Christians in Jerusalem. 
 There were many others scattered about Palestine. 
 We know that Jesus appeared to five hundred 
 brethren at once (1 Cor. xv. 6). 
 
 16. Peter's address to the Church deals with 
 two points : (1) the fate of Judas, (2) the necessity 
 for appointing a successor. The treachery of Judas 
 raised a problem in the minds of the brethren — 
 How was it that Jesus admitted Judas into the 
 company of disciples } Did it not reveal lack of 
 insight on His part ? How could this mistake be 
 reconciled with His Messianic claims ? Peter solves 
 the problem by showing that the betrayal happened 
 in fulfilment of prophecy. "It was needful that 
 the scripture should be fulfilled." The same line of 
 argument is adopted by John in the Fourth Gospel, 
 when he puts into the mouth of Christ the words, 
 " Not one of them perished but the son of per- 
 dition, that the scripture might be fulfilled " (John 
 xvii. 12). 
 
 which the Holy Ghost spake . . . concern- 
 ing Judas. In making this statement, Peter 
 
Acts i. 12-26 
 
 43 
 
 adopts the view of prophecy that was current in 
 his day. Just as the philosophers of Alexandria 
 found predictions of their theories in the poems of 
 Horner^ so the Jews were accustomed to look for 
 forecasts of recent events in the pages of the Old 
 Testament. The Psalms which Peter cites could 
 not have been written with the specific purpose of 
 foretelling the action of Judas. They speak of 
 treachery — but the treachery took place at the 
 time of writing. Their language happens to suit 
 the case of Judas, and so Peter uses it and calls 
 it prophecy. We should call it an illustrative 
 quotation. 
 
 18. There are two serious discrepancies between 
 the accounts of the fate of Judas in Acts and 
 Matthew (chap, xxvii. 5-8). (1) In Matthew Judas 
 flings back the silver and it is the High Priests who 
 buy the field. (2) The manner of death is quite 
 different. In Matthew Judas commits suicide by 
 hanging himself. Much ingenuity has been ex- 
 pended on attempts to reconcile the narratives, 
 but with little success. Many scholars think that 
 vers. 1 8, 19 are not part of Peter's speech, but a note 
 of explanation inserted by the historian. 
 
 20. in the book of Psalms. The two quota- 
 tions in this verse are taken from Ps. cix. 8 and 
 Ps. Ixix. 25. 
 
 bishoprick is misleading. " Office" is a better 
 translation of the word in the original. 
 
 22. a witness of his resurrection. The 
 first qualification for the office of Apostle is ability 
 to give personal testimony with regard to the 
 Resurrection. Cf. 1 Cor. ix. 2. 
 
 23. they appointed two. The selection was 
 made by the community, not by the Apostles. 
 
44 Westminster New Testament 
 
 Democratic methods prevailed from the very start. 
 Nothing definite is known about either of the men 
 chosen. Tradition says they belonged to the 
 seventy. 
 
 26. they cast forth their lots. The motive 
 which induced them to resort to the lot was 
 undoubtedly good. They wished to leave the final 
 choice in the hands of God, and the casting of lots 
 was sanctioned by Old Testament usage (Lev. 
 xvi. 8 ; Num. xxxiv. 13). It was a mistake, however, 
 to suppose that God could reveal His will more 
 clearly through material methods, such as the cast- 
 ing of lots, than through the hearts and consciences 
 of men, and the experiment does not seem to have 
 been repeated in the history of the early Church. 
 
 Acts ii. 1-13. 
 THE BAPTISM OF THE SPIRIT. 
 
 And when the day of Pentecost was fully come, they were 
 
 2 all with one accord in one place. And suddenly there 
 came a sound from heaven as of a rushing mighty wind, 
 
 3 and it filled all the house where they were sitting. And 
 there appeared unto them cloven tongues like as of fire, 
 
 4 and it sat upon each of them. And they were all filled with 
 the Holy Ghost, and began to speak with other tongues, as 
 
 5 the Spirit gave them utterance. And there were dwelling 
 at Jerusalem Jews, devout men, out of every nation under 
 
 6 heaven. Now when this was noised abroad, the multitude 
 came together, and were confounded, because that every 
 
 7 man heard them speak in his own language. And they 
 were all amazed and marvelled, saying one to another, 
 
 8 Behold, are not all these which speak Galileans ? And how 
 hear we every man in our own tongue, wherein we were 
 
Acts ii. 1-13 45 
 
 9 born ? Parthians, and Medes, and Elamites, and the 
 dwellers in Mesopotamia, and in Judaea, and Cappadocia, 
 
 10 in Pontus, and Asia, Phrygia, and Pamphylia, in Egypt, 
 and in the parts of Libya about Cyrene, and strangers 
 
 11 of Rome, Jews and proselytes, Cretes and Arabians, 
 we do hear them speak in our tongues the wonderful 
 
 12 works of God. And they were all amazed, and were in 
 
 13 doubt, saying one to another. What meaneth this ? Others 
 mocking said, These men are full of new wine. 
 
 " The promise of the Father " was realised a 
 week after the Ascension at Pentecost. What 
 was the real significance of Pentecost ? The nar- 
 rative before us seems to imply that it consisted 
 mainly in the bestowal of a miraculous gift of 
 speaking in foreign languages (cf vers. 1 , 8). 
 Many modern scholars, however, feel that Luke's 
 interpretation is open to serious criticism, on the 
 following grounds : — (l) There is no reference at 
 all in the speech of Peter to such a miracle. (2) 
 The power of speaking foreign languages would 
 not have been Hkely to provoke the charge of 
 drunkenness (ver. 13). (3) There was no necessity 
 for such a miraculous endowment. The Greek 
 language was known and spoken almost universally 
 at the time, and was therefore quite sufficient for 
 missionary work. (4) We know from Acts xiv. 
 8-14 that Paul was unable to converse in the 
 language of Lycaonia, and we are told by Papias 
 that Peter had an interpreter. (5) In 1 Corinthians 
 the gift of "speaking with tongues" certainly 
 does not refer to foreign languages, but rather to 
 ecstatic utterances, especially in prayer to God, 
 made under the influence of spiritual excitement 
 (1 Cor. xii. 10, xiv. 2-28). (6) The other refer- 
 ences in Acts to the gift of tongues afford no 
 
46 Westminster New Testament 
 
 hint that the power of speaking in foreign 
 languages is meant (Acts x. 4)6, xi. 15, xix. 6). 
 
 These arguments seem absolutely unanswerable, 
 but whether this is so or not, it is quite clear that 
 the gift of tongues does not represent the essential 
 element of Pentecost. The real significance of 
 Pentecost lies in the fact that on that day the 
 Christians in Jerusalem were clothed with new 
 spiritual power and endowed with Divine strength 
 for the task of evangelising the world. The 
 nearest modern analogy to Pentecost is to be 
 found in the memorable watch-night service which 
 inaugurated the Evangelical Revival in 1739. 
 John Wesley thus describes it in his Journal : 
 ^' About three in the morning, as we were con- 
 tinuing instant in prayer, the power of God came 
 mightily upon us, in so much that many cried out 
 for exceeding joy, and many fell on the ground. 
 As soon as we were recovered a little from that 
 awe and amazement at the presence of His Majesty, 
 we broke out with one voice, ' We praise Thee, O 
 God ; we acknowledge Thee to be the Lord.' " 
 Before this meeting the preaching of Whit efi eld 
 and Wesley had produced few results ; almost 
 immediately afterwards the most startling success 
 attended it. An illustration such as this helps 
 us to understand the significance of Pentecost to 
 the early Church. 
 
 1. the day of Pentecost. The second of the 
 three great feasts of the Jews, coming between 
 the Feast of the Passover and the Feast of Taber- 
 nacles. It was called by the following names, which 
 indicate its date and character : — («) Pentecost, 
 which means " fiftieth," because it was celebrated 
 on the fiftieth day after the Passover ; (6) the Feast 
 
Acts ii. I- 13 47 
 
 of Weeks (Ex. xxxiv. 22 ; Deut. xvi. 10), because a 
 week of weeks, i.e. seven weeks, intervened between 
 it and the Passover ; (c) the Feast of the Harvest 
 (Ex. xxiii. 16), because it marked the close of 
 the wheat harvest in Palestine ; (d) the day of 
 the first-fruits (Lev. xxiii. 1 7 ; Num. xxviii. 26), 
 because one of the great features of the festival 
 was the offering of two loaves made from the 
 wheat which had just been gathered in. 
 
 2. as of a rushing mighty wind. The 
 "wind" and "the fire" (ver. 3) are metaphors. 
 Luke does not speak of an actual wind and an 
 actual fire, but uses these words to illustrate the 
 action of the Spirit. Both metaphors are found 
 in the Gospels in the same connection, the foraier 
 in John iii. 8, the latter in Matt. iii. 11, 12. 
 
 3. cloven tongues. This is an incorrect 
 translation of the Greek. The true rendering is, 
 "there appeared unto them tongues parting 
 asunder, like as of fire." It is difficult to resist 
 the conclusion that the imagery used by Luke is 
 derived from a Jewish legend, which has been 
 preserved in Philo. According to this legend, 
 when the Law was given at Sinai, an invisible 
 voice came from the mountain, assumed the shape 
 of a flame of fire, and issued from the flame trans- 
 formed into the mother-tongues of the listeners. 
 The fact that at the time when Luke wrote 
 Acts the giving of the Law was definitely associated 
 with the Feast of Pentecost, makes it improbable 
 that the resemblance is accidental. 
 
 5. out of every nation under heaven. The 
 Jews who lived in Palestine formed only a small 
 fraction of the Jewish people. It is estimated 
 that the Jews constituted about 7 per cent, of 
 
48 Westminster New Testament 
 
 the population of the ancient world, or about 
 4i millions in all. Of these only about 700,000 
 lived in Palestine. The remainder were dispersed 
 all over the world. Large numbers of them 
 made pilgrimages to Jerusalem to keep the feasts. 
 It is stated that there were often no less than 
 two millions of people present at Jerusalem 
 when one of the great festivals was being 
 celebrated. 
 
 6. when this was noised abroad. The 
 R.V., ^^when this sound was heard/' is a better 
 translation of the Greek. 
 
 9-10. The Parthians were an important 
 people who lived in the country south of the 
 Caspian Sea. Their kingdom extended from 
 India to the Tigris. Tedes. Their country lay 
 to the south-west of the Caspian Sea, between 
 Parthia and Armenia. Elamites. They dwelt 
 in the district known as Susiana, to the north of 
 the Persian Gulf, between the Tigris and Persia. 
 Mesopotamia. The district between the rivers 
 Euphrates and Tigris. Cappadocia was situated 
 on the eastern border of what we now call Asia 
 Minor. Pontus. A district in the north-east of 
 Asia Minor. Asia. In the New Testament the 
 term Asia is used in a sense quite different from its 
 present meaning. It never refers to the continent 
 of Asia, but to the Roman province which was 
 situated on the western coast-line of Asia Minor. 
 Phrygia. A district to the west of Cappadocia. 
 Pamphylia. A country on the south coast of 
 Asia Minor. Libya. The ancient name for Africa. 
 Cyrene. The capital of Cyrenaica, a district in the 
 north of Africa, opposite to Greece. 
 
 11. Cretes and Arabians. These words were 
 
Acts ii. 14-40 49 
 
 probably added as an afterthought. Crete is a 
 large island south-east of Greece. 
 
 We do hear ... in our tongues. If 
 the theory advocated in the introduction to this 
 paragraph be correct^ this exclamation must be 
 a gloss added to the story by Luke or his in- 
 formant. 
 
 13. full of new wine. Compare 1 Cor. 
 xiv. 23 J where Paul says that the effect pro- 
 duced by the gift of tongues on those outside 
 the Church is to make them think that the 
 Christians are mad. 
 
 Acts ii. 14-40. 
 PETER'S FIRST GREAT SPEECH. 
 
 14 But Peter, standing up with the eleven, Hfted up his voice, 
 and said unto them, Ye men of Judsea, and all ye that dwell 
 at Jerusalem, be this known unto you, and hearken to my 
 
 15 words : for these are not drunken, as ye suppose, seeing it 
 
 16 is but the third hour of the day. But this is that which was 
 
 17 spoken by the prophet Joel ; And it shall come to pass in 
 the last days, saith God, I will pour out of ??iy Spirit upo7i 
 all flesh : and your sons and your daughters shall prophesy, 
 and your young vien shall see visions, and your old ?)ien 
 
 18 shall dream dreams : and on my servants and on my ha?id- 
 maidens I will pour otct in those days of my Spirit ; and 
 
 19 they shall prophesy : and I will shew wonders in heaven 
 above, and signs in the earth beneath : blood, and fire, and 
 
 20 vapour of smoke: the sun shall be turned into darkness, 
 and the moon into blood, before that great and notable day 
 
 21 of the Lord come : and it shall come to pass, that whoso- 
 ever shall call on the name of the Lord shall be saved. 
 
 4 
 
50 Westminster New Testament 
 
 22 Ye men of Israel, hear these words ; Jesus of Nazareth, a 
 man approved of God among you by miracles and wonders 
 and signs, which God did by him in the midst of you, as 
 
 23 ye yourselves also know : him, being delivered by the 
 determinate counsel and foreknowledge of God, ye have 
 taken, and by wicked hands have crucified and slain : 
 
 24 whom God hath raised up, having loosed the pains of 
 death : because it was not possible that he should be holden 
 
 25 of it. For David speaketh concerning him, I foresaw the 
 Lord always before my face ; for he is on my right hand, 
 
 26 that I should not be moved ; therefore did my heart 
 rejoice, and my tongue was glad ; moreover also my flesh 
 
 27 shall rest in hope : because thou wilt not leave my sotd in 
 hell, neither wilt thou suffer thine Holy One to see cor- 
 
 28 ruption. Thou hast made known to me the ways of life ; 
 thou shall make 7ue full of joy with thy countenance. 
 
 29 Men and brethren, let me freely speak unto you of the 
 patriarch David, that he is both dead and buried, and his 
 
 30 sepulchre is with us unto this day. Therefore being a 
 prophet, and knowing that God had sworn with an oath 
 to him, that of the fruit of his loins, according to the flesh, 
 
 31 he would raise up Christ to sit on his throne ; he, seeing 
 this before, spake of the resurrection of Christ, that his 
 soul was not left in hell, neither his flesh did see corrup- 
 
 32 tion. This Jesus hath God raised up, whereof we all are 
 
 33 witnesses. Therefore being by the right hand of God 
 exalted, and having received of the Father the promise of 
 the Holy Ghost, he hath shed forth this, which ye now see 
 
 34 and hear. For David is not ascended into the heavens : 
 but he saith himself. The Lord said unto my Lord, Sit 
 
 35 thou on 7?iy right hand, until I make thy foes thy foot- 
 
 36 stool. Therefore let all the house of Israel know assuredly, 
 that God hath made that same Jesus, whom ye have cruci- 
 
 37 fied, both Lord and Christ. Now when they heard this, 
 they were pricked in their heart, and said unto Peter and 
 to the rest of the apostles, Men and brethren, what shall 
 
 38 we do? Then Peter said unto them, Repent, and be 
 
Acts ii. 14-40 51 
 
 baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ for 
 the remission of sins, and ye shall receive the gift of the 
 
 39 Holy Ghost. For the promise is unto you, and to your 
 children, and to all that are afar off, even as many as the 
 
 40 Lord our God shall call. And with many other words did 
 he testify and exhort, saying, Save yourselves from this 
 untoward generation. 
 
 These verses do not pretend to give a full and 
 verbatim report of Peter's speech (see ver. 40), 
 but merely a condensed summary of his line of 
 argument. This makes the speech a little difficult 
 to follow. Peter begins by repudiating the charge 
 of drunkenness, and arguing that the Baptism of 
 the Spirit is a fulfilment of Joel's prophecy (vers. 
 14-20). In order to substantiate this position, 
 he finds it necessary to reply to a number of 
 objections which would arise in the minds of his 
 audience. (1) What right have you to connect 
 yourselves and your Leader, Jesus, with Old 
 Testament prophecy ? The answer is, " Jesus was 
 proved to have been sent by God by the miracles 
 which He performed " (ver. 22). (2) But He was 
 put to death. Does not that destroy His claims ? 
 " No," is the reply ; '^ His death was part of the 
 ^determinate counsel of God.' Besides, He has 
 risen from the dead " (vers. 23, 24). (3) But how 
 can you prove that He rose from the dead } "We 
 have a threefold proof," Peter replies : " («) the 
 Resurrection was definitely predicted in the Psalms 
 (vers. 25-31); (6) we ourselves were witnesses of 
 it (ver. 32) ; (c) the Baptism of the Spirit is His 
 work (ver. 33). ' Being exalted by [or rather ^ to '] 
 the right hand of the Father ... he hath poured 
 forth this.' " (4) What ground have you for assert- 
 ing that He has been exalted to the Father? 
 
52 Westminster New Testament 
 
 "The clear witness of the 110th Psalm/' is Peter's 
 answer. 
 
 This speech is of immense value, because it con- 
 tains, in concise form, an outline of the earliest 
 Christian theology. We have here the first attempt 
 to account for the personality of Jesus and the first 
 explanation of His death. 
 
 15. the third hour of the day. I.e., nine 
 o'clock in the morning. 
 
 17-21. I will pour out ... of my Spirit. 
 This quotation is taken from Joel ii. 28-32. The 
 following words are added by Peter; "in the last 
 days, saith God," ver. 17 (the Hebrew says simply 
 "afterward") ; "and they shall prophesy," ver. 18 ; 
 the words "above," "beneath," "and signs" in 
 ver. 19. 
 
 22. approved of God. Accredited by God, 
 proved to have come from God. The miracles of 
 Christ, Peter argues, prove that He was sent by 
 God. 
 
 23. by the determinate counsel . . . God. 
 The death of Christ seems to have been a serious 
 problem to the first generation of Christians. They 
 were completely staggered by the tragedy on 
 Calvary, and did not know how to account for it. 
 All they could say was, " It is God's will and part 
 of His eternal purpose " (cf. iv. 28). Some time 
 elapsed before they were able to grasp the meaning 
 of the Divine purpose, and see the connection 
 between the death of Christ and the forgiveness 
 of sins. 
 
 25. David speaketh. The quotation is from 
 Ps. xvi. 8-11. The same words are used by Paul 
 in his speech at Antioch, in Pisidia (chap. xiii. S5). 
 We have here another instance of an argument 
 
Acts ii. 14-40 53 
 
 built on an illustrative quotation treated as 
 prophecy. The author of the Psalm^ whom Peter 
 calls David, is giving utterance to a confident hope 
 that after death God will not allow him to perish. 
 He is speaking of himself throughout and of his 
 own salvation. Peter, however, argues (vers. 29-31) 
 that this could not have been the case, since the 
 prophecy had not been fulfilled, as David himself 
 had died and seen corruption ; David must there- 
 fore have been referring to the resurrection of the 
 promised Messiah. The argument is not valid for 
 us, but it was valid at the time when it was uttered. 
 
 27. in hell. A misleading translation. The word 
 in the original refers to the abode of the dead, not 
 to the place of punishment. The R.V. makes the 
 point clear by rendering '^ in Hades." 
 
 29. his sepulchre . . . unto this day. This 
 statement is borne out by Josephus, who gives an 
 account of two attempts to rifle the tomb of David ; 
 one by John Hyrcanus (about 135 b.c), who took 
 out of it 3000 talents, the other by Herod the Great, 
 who found no money, but seized a quantity of 
 golden vessels. The same argument is used by 
 Paul at Antioch (chap. xiii. 35-37). 
 
 34. A quotation from Ps. ex. 1. This Psalm 
 is frequently used in the New Testament as an 
 argument in support of the claims of Jesus to be 
 the Messiah. Christ Himself employed it against 
 the Pharisees (Matt. xxii. 43). It is cited also by 
 Paul in 1 Cor. xv. 25 and the Epistle to the 
 Hebrews i. 13, x. 13. In the quotation "The 
 Lord" refers to God, and '^my Lord" (z'.e., David's 
 Lord) represents "the Messiah." The phrase 
 therefore means, " God said to the Messiah, ' Sit 
 thou/ " etc. 
 
54 Westminster New Testament 
 
 36. God hath made . . . both Lord and 
 Christ. This verse contains the first interpreta- 
 tion of the Person of Christ. Peter speaks of 
 Christ as "a man approved by his miracles and 
 signs" (ver. 22) whom God had made Lord and 
 Messiah. This is known to theologians as the 
 Adoptionist Theory. Jesus^ according to this view, 
 was a man who was afterwards raised to the rank 
 of Divinity by God. We must always remember, 
 however, that though this is clearly the first, it is 
 not on that account necessarily the final and correct 
 explanation of Christ. See also x. 38 and xiii. 33. 
 
 38. Repent, etc. Peter lays down three con- 
 ditions for entrance into the Christian fellowship : 
 (1) Repentance ; (2) Baptism ; (3) Belief in Jesus as 
 Messiah and Lord. 
 
 39- To all that are afar off, etc. These 
 words are an echo of expressions found in Joel 
 ii. 32 and Isa. Ivii. 19. We have here the first 
 allusion to the fact that God was about to call 
 men even from amongst the Gentiles (i.e., those 
 afar off; cf. Eph. ii. 13). 
 
 Acts ii. 41-47. 
 
 THE FIRST ACCOUNT OF THE COMMON 
 LIFE. 
 
 41 Then they that gladly received his word were baptized : 
 and the same day there were added unto them about three 
 
 42 thousand souls. And they continued stedfastly in the 
 apostles' doctrine and fellowship, and in breaking of bread, 
 
 43 and in prayers. And fear came upon every soul : and 
 
 44 many wonders and signs were done by the apostles. And 
 
Acts ii. 41-47 55 
 
 all that believed were together, and had all things common ; 
 
 45 and sold their possessions and goods, and parted them to 
 
 46 all men, as every man had need. And they, continuing 
 daily with one accord in the temple, and breaking bread 
 from house to house, did eat their meat with gladness and 
 
 47 singleness of heart, praising God, and having favour with 
 all the people. And the Lord added to the church daily 
 such as should be saved. 
 
 As a result of Peter's address and the outpouring 
 of the Spirit, the little company of believers was 
 augmented by the addition of no less than 3000 
 converts, and in this paragraph we have an account 
 of the Common Life of the new community. We 
 gather (l) that as yet there had been no separation 
 from the Jews. The Christians were constant in 
 their attendance at the Temple (ver. 46). (2) They 
 supplemented the Temple worship by holding 
 meetings of their own in private houses for fellow- 
 ship, prayer, teaching, and a common meal (ver. 46). 
 (3) They sold their property and distributed the 
 money to all who were in need (ver. 45). (4) They 
 were animated with a strong sense of unity and 
 fellowship, and their hearts were filled with awe 
 and triumphant joy (vers. 43, 46). For the second 
 account of the Common Life see chap. iv. 32-37. 
 
 41. three thousand souls. This is the second 
 reference to the number of believers. The 120 
 of Acts i. 1 5 has grown into 3000. 
 
 42. the apostles' doctrine. R.V., "apostles' 
 teaching " is a better translation. The new converts 
 required instruction, and this is what is meant. 
 Doctrine in Qur sense of the word can hardly be 
 said to have existed at this point. 
 
 breaking of bread. This phrase is used 
 several times in the New Testament to describe 
 
56 Westminster New Testament 
 
 the common meal which culminated in the Lord's 
 Supper (Acts xx. 7, 1 Cor. x. l6). The Communion 
 Service in early times was always connected with 
 the social meal, or Agape, as it was called. 
 
 43. And fear came upon every soul. The 
 word rendered " fear " would be better translated 
 by "awe." The phrase denotes the awe felt by 
 the whole community at the manifestation of 
 Divine Power at Pentecost and in the mighty 
 deeds of the Apostles. 
 
 44. had all things common. The new 
 impulse, which had been produced by the sense 
 of awe described in the previous verse, created 
 such a feeling of brotherhood that the wealthier 
 members of the Christian community felt it 
 incumbent on them to share their property with 
 the needy brethren. We have no grounds for 
 supposing that a definite socialistic system was 
 established. We know that the principle was 
 never made absolute. Barnabas, for instance, is 
 singled out for special praise later on because he 
 sold his field (chap. iv. 36-37). The sin of Ananias 
 and Sapphira did not consist in their refusal to 
 hand over to the Church the money which they 
 received from the sale of their possessions, but in 
 their act of deception (chap. v. 4). See n. on iv. 32. 
 
 46. continuing daily with one accord in the 
 temple. There had been as yet no breach 
 between Christianity and Judaism. The Christians 
 still took part in the Temple services. It was not 
 till after the martyrdom of Stephen that the rupture 
 occurred. 
 
 from house to house. Literally " at home." 
 The more specifically Christian meetings could not 
 be held in the Temple. Hence it was necessary 
 
Acts iii. i-io 57 
 
 to meet in private houses. The use of private 
 houses for Christian worship continued up to the 
 end of the second century, when special buildings 
 began to be erected. 
 
 with gladness and singleness of heart. 
 Gladness and joy are the dominant notes of the 
 new faith, in striking contrast to the pessimism 
 and cynicism which characterised the current 
 philosophy and religion of the time. The word 
 translated "singleness" also means "liberality/' 
 and the phrase probably contains an allusion to 
 the generosity which marked the feelings and 
 actions of the members of the first Christian 
 community. 
 
 47. And the Lord added to the church, 
 etc. There are two important changes in the R.V., 
 the one due to a change in the Greek Text, which 
 omits the words " to the church," and substitutes 
 "to them" or "together," the other due to a 
 correction in the translation. The words " such as 
 should be saved " quite misrepresent the original, 
 which means "those that were being saved." 
 Hence the true rendering of the verse is, " And 
 the Lord added to them day by day those that 
 were being saved." 
 
 Acts iii. i-io. 
 
 THE FIRST MIRACLE. 
 
 Now Peter and John went up together into the temple at 
 2 the hour of prayer, being the ninth hour : and a certain 
 man lame from his mother's womb was carried, whom 
 they laid daily at the gate of the temple which is called 
 Beautiful, to ask alms of them that entered into the temple ; 
 
58 Westminster New Testament 
 
 3 who seeing Peter and John about to go into the temple 
 
 4 asked an alms. And Peter, fastening his eyes upon him 
 
 5 with John, said, Look on us. And he gave heed unto 
 
 6 them, expecting to receive something of them. Then 
 Peter said. Silver and gold have I none ; but such as I 
 have give I thee : In the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth 
 
 7 rise up and walk. And he took him by the right hand, 
 and lifted him up : and immediately his feet and ancle 
 
 8 bones received strength. And he leaping up stood, and 
 walked, and entered with them into the temple, walking, 
 
 9 and leaping, and praising God. And all the people saw 
 lo him walking and praising God : and they knew that it 
 
 was he which sat for alms at the Beautiful gate of the 
 temple : and they were filled with wonder and amazement 
 at that which had happened unto him. 
 
 The incident described in these verses occurred 
 on one of the occasions alluded to in ii. 46, when 
 the Christians went up to the Temple to pray. 
 It is given as an illustration of " the many signs 
 and wonders " which were wrought by the Apostles 
 (ii. 43). A similar miracle was worked by St. Paul 
 at Lystra (xiv. 8-10). 
 
 1. the hour of prayer . . . the ninth hour. 
 3 p.m. — the hour of evening sacrifice. We know 
 from Acts x. 9 that Peter also observed the sixth 
 hour (12 noon) as a time of prayer. Probably at 
 this time the Jews had three specified hours 
 of prayer — the third, the sixth, and the ninth; cf 
 Ps. Iv. 17; Dan. vi. 10. 
 
 2. gate . . . which is called Beautiful. 
 Josephus speaks of one gate of the Temple which 
 excelled all the others in beauty. It was made 
 of Corinthian brass and adorned in a most costly 
 manner, having much richer and thicker plates of 
 silver and gold than the rest. It was 50 cubits 
 
Acts iii. 11-26 
 
 59 
 
 high and was approached by a flight of fifteen 
 steps, whereas the others were only 40 cubits 
 and had only ten steps (JVars of the Jews, v. 5, § 3). 
 The exact position of the gate is a matter of 
 dispute. It may have been either an outer gate 
 or, as seems more probable, a gate leading from the 
 Court of the Women into the Court of Israel. 
 
 4. fastening his eyes upon him. One of the 
 graphic touches which give a sense of reality to the 
 narrative. " In this chapter," as Dr. Lumby says, 
 "we have a description such as a painter would 
 desire ; the scene is brought vividly before us, and 
 all the characters are in lively action." 
 
 6. Inthenameof Jesus Christ. The formula 
 "in the name" is frequently used to denote "the 
 authority" or "power" of the person named. 
 Among pagans the utterance of the name of a god 
 was supposed to exercise a magic power, but there 
 is nothing magical about the use of the phrase in 
 the New Testament. Special sanctity was attached 
 to the name of Jesus because it summed up in 
 a single word the essence of the gospel (Matt. i. 21 ; 
 Phil. ii. 9). 
 
 7. his feet and ancle bones. We have in 
 this phrase one of those technical details which 
 go to prove that the author of Acts was a physician ; 
 compare Acts xxviii. 8. 
 
 Acts iii. 11-26. 
 
 PETER'S SECOND SPEECH. 
 
 And as the lame man which was healed held Peter and 
 John, all the people ran together unto them in the porch 
 
6o Westminster New Testament 
 
 12 that is called Solomon's, greatly wondering. And when 
 Peter saw it, he answered unto the people, Ye men of Israel, 
 why marvel ye at this ? or why look ye so earnestly on us, 
 as though by our own power or holiness we had made this 
 
 13 man to walk? The God of Abraham, and of Isaac, and 
 of Jacob, the God of our fathers, hath glorified his Son 
 Jesus ; whom ye delivered up, and denied him in the 
 presence of Pilate, when he was determined to let him go. 
 
 14 But ye denied the Holy One and the Just, and desired a 
 
 15 murderer to be granted unto you; and killed the Prince 
 of life, whom God hath raised from the dead ; whereof we 
 
 16 are witnesses. And his name through faith in his name 
 hath made this man strong, whom ye see and know : yea, 
 the faith which is by him hath given him this perfect 
 
 17 soundness in the presence of you all. And now, brethren, 
 I wot that through ignorance ye did it, as did also your 
 
 18 rulers. But those things, which God before had shewed 
 by the mouth of all his prophets, that Christ should 
 
 19 suffer, he hath so fulfilled. Repent ye therefore, and 
 be converted, that your sins may be blotted out, when 
 the times of refreshing shall come from the presence 
 
 20 of the Lord ; and he shall send Jesus Christ, which 
 
 21 before was preached unto you : whom the heaven 
 must receive until the times of restitution of all things, 
 which God hath spoken by the mouth of all his holy 
 
 22 prophets since the world began. For Moses truly said 
 unto the fathers, A prophet shall the Lord your God raise 
 up unto you of your brethren, like unto me ; him shall ye 
 
 23 hear in all things whatsoever he shall say unto you. And 
 it shall come to pass, that every soul, which will not hear 
 that prophet, shall be destroyed from among the people. 
 
 24 Yea, and all the prophets from Samuel and those that 
 follow after, as many as have spoken, have likewise fore- 
 
 25 told of these days. Ye are the children of the prophets, 
 and of the covenant which God made with our fathers, 
 saying unto Abraham, And in thy seed shall all the 
 
 26 kindreds of the earth be blessed. Unto you first God, 
 
Acts iii. 11-26 61 
 
 having raised up his Son Jesus, sent him to bless you, in 
 turning away every one of you from his iniquities. 
 
 This speech was delivered within the precincts 
 of the Temple to a concourse of people who had 
 been draM^n together owing to the excitement 
 created by the miracle. It may be divided into 
 two parts. In the first half Peter explains that the 
 miracle had been wrought by the power of Christ. 
 The Jews had indeed rejected Him and crucified 
 Him, but God had glorified Him (vers. II-I6). In 
 the second half Peter makes excuses for the conduct 
 of the people towards Christ. Their action was the 
 result of ignorance, and the death of Christ was 
 necessary, moreover, for the fulfilment of prophecy. 
 In spite of the Crucifixion, there was still hope for 
 them, if only they would repent — for Christ would 
 then reappear on the earth and inaugurate the 
 Messianic era of which the prophets had spoken 
 (vers. 17-26). 
 
 This second address shows a considerable 
 advance in thought upon the first. («) Peter adopts 
 a much more conciliatory tone towards the Jewish 
 populace. (6) He definitely connects the death of 
 Christ with the fulfilment of prophecy, (c) He lays 
 great emphasis upon the second coming of Christ, 
 an idea which had not been mentioned in his earlier 
 address. 
 
 11. the porch which is called Solomon's. 
 The walls of the outer court of the Temple were 
 surrounded on the inside by porticoes or cloisters. 
 The cloisters on the eastern side were known 
 by the name of " Solomon's porch " ; compare 
 John X. 23; Acts v. 12. 
 
 13. hath glorified his Son Jesus. The 
 
62 Westminster New Testament 
 
 word translated " Son " is not the term usually 
 employed^ but is one which is often found in the 
 Old Testament with the meaning of " servant." 
 It is in fact the title used of " the Servant of God " 
 so often mentioned in the second part of Isaiah 
 (cf. Isa. xlii. 1, 19, xliv. 1^ lii. 13, etc.). Hence the 
 R.V. translates " hath glorified his Servant Jesus." 
 Peter, in using the word, claims that Christ ful- 
 filled Isaiah's prophecy of "the Servant of God." 
 glorified, viz., by exhibiting His power in the 
 working of the miracle. 
 
 when he had determined to release him. 
 
 Cf. Luke xxiii. 22 ; John xix. 4. According to the 
 Gospel narratives, Pilate made repeated efforts to 
 save Jesus. See n. on iv. 27. 
 
 14. desired a murderer. Barabbas, who, 
 according to Mark xv. 7 and Luke xxiii. 19, had 
 raised an insurrection and committed murder. 
 Observe the fine contrast which is drawn in this 
 vera^ between Christ the life-giver and Barabbas 
 the life-destroyer. The Jews had chosen " the 
 murderer" and rejected the Prince (or Author) of 
 Life. 
 
 15. killed the Prince of life. The word 
 
 translated "Prince" is rendered "author" in 
 Heb. xii. 2 ("the author and finisher of our salva- 
 tion"), and also in Heb. ii. 10 ("the author of their 
 salvation "), and some such word as " author " or 
 " inaugurator " seems required in the present 
 passage and in Acts v. 31. 
 
 17. in ignorance ye did it. Observe the con- 
 ciliatory tone adopted by Peter, and compare the 
 words of Christ, " Father, forgive them, for they 
 know not what they do." 
 
 18. But those things, etc. The correct 
 
Acts iii. 11-26 63 
 
 translation is given by the R.V., " But the things 
 which God foreshewed by the mouth of all the 
 prophets that his Christ should suffer." The death 
 of Christ is here explained as a fulfilment of the 
 prophecies as to the suffering which it would be 
 necessary for the Messiah to undergo. This is a 
 considerable advance upon the explanation given 
 in ii. 23. 
 
 19. Repent. This verse marks the transition 
 to the second part of the speech. Hitherto Peter 
 has dealt with the past — now he turns to the 
 future. The crime of the Jews is not irremediable. 
 There is still an opportunity of repentance, and 
 repentance will mean the advent of the Messianic 
 age. 
 
 when the times. This should be as in the R.V., 
 "that the times." The advent of the new age is 
 conditioned by the repentance of Israel. 
 
 the times of refreshing. This is probably a 
 technical expression employed to describe the 
 Messianic age — the golden future to which Israel 
 was always looking. This age — when the Messiah 
 came again — would be a season of spiritual refresh- 
 ing, or as the Greek word sometimes signifies, of 
 peace and rest. 
 
 20. And he shall send. This translation is 
 wrong, because it is based on an inaccurate Greek 
 Text. The R.V. is therefore to be prefeiTed, " that 
 he may send the Christ who hath been appointed 
 for you, even Jesus/' or a better rendering still 
 would be, " that he may send Jesus your destined 
 Messiah." We have here the first reference in Acts 
 to the belief which occupied such an important 
 place in the thought of the early Church, that 
 Jesus was speedily to reappear upon the earth. 
 
64 Westminster New Testament 
 
 21. until the times of restitution. Another 
 technical expression describing a particular aspect 
 or characteristic of the Messianic age. The 
 prophecy of " a new heaven and a new earth " had 
 been familiar since the time of the Exile (cf. 
 the great passage in Isa. Ixv. 17-25), and the 
 thought was afterwards elaborated in the later 
 Apocryphal and Apocalyptic writings, especially 
 in the Book of Enoch, Fourth Ezra, and the 
 Apocalypse of Baruch. Jewish thought in the first 
 century a.d. maintained that the Messianic age 
 would be marked by (1) a renovated and restored 
 world, (2) a renovated and restored humanity ; and 
 it is this belief which is in Peter's mind when he 
 speaks of " the times of restoration." A similar 
 view is found in Paul ; cf. Rom. viii. 18-22. It 
 need scarcely be pointed out that the phrase has 
 no connection at all with the modern theory of 
 universal Restoration. 
 
 22. A prophet shall the Lord your God. 
 This quotation is taken from Deut. xviii. 15, 19, 
 and the quotation in ver. 25 ("and in thy seed shall 
 all the kindreds of the earth be blessed " ) from Gen. 
 xxii. 18. 
 
 26. Unto you first. A reference to the inclu- 
 sion of the Gentiles. Cf Rom. i. l6 : "To the 
 Jew first and also to the Greek." 
 
 having" raised up. This phrase is used with 
 the same meaning as in ver. 22 : "A prophet shall 
 the Lord . . . raise up." There is no reference 
 to the Resurrection. 
 
 his Son Jesus. As in ver. 13, "Servant" 
 should be substituted for " Son," as in the R.V. 
 
Acts iv. I-I2 65 
 
 Acts iv. 1-12. 
 
 THE FIRST ARREST OF THE APOSTLES. 
 
 And as they spake unto the people, the priests, and the 
 captain of the temple, and the Sadducees, came upon them, 
 
 2 being grieved that they taught the people, and preached 
 
 3 through Jesus the resurrection from the dead. And they 
 laid hands on them, and put them in hold unto the next 
 
 4 day : for it was now eventide. Howbeit many of them 
 which heard the word believed ; and the number of the 
 
 5 men was about five thousand. And it came to pass on the 
 
 6 morrow, that their rulers, and elders, and scribes, and 
 Annas the high priest, and Caiaphas, and John, and 
 Alexander, and as many as were of the kindred of the 
 
 7 high priest, were gathered together at Jerusalem. And 
 when they had set them in the midst, they asked. By 
 
 8 what power, or by what name, have ye done this ? Then 
 Peter, filled with the Holy Ghost, said unto them. Ye 
 
 9 rulers of the people, and elders of Israel, if we this day be 
 examined of the good deed done to the impotent man, by 
 
 10 what means he is made whole ; be it known unto you all, 
 and to all the people of Israel, that by the name of Jesus 
 Christ of Nazareth, whom ye crucified, whom God raised 
 from the dead, even by him doth this man stand here 
 
 11 before you whole. This is the stone which was set at 
 nought of you builders, which is become the head of the 
 
 1 2 corner. Neither is there salvation in any other : for there 
 is none other name under heaven given among men, 
 whereby we must be saved. 
 
 Hitherto the authorities had been quiescent. 
 They doubtless thought that the execution of 
 Jesus would kill the movement, and even the 
 events on the day of Pentecost had failed to shake 
 their confidence. The miracle and Peter's speech 
 
 5 
 
66 Westminster New Testament 
 
 in the Temple, however, proved that their hopes 
 were vain, and showed them that further steps were 
 necessary. Hence the arrest. The initiative was 
 taken by the priests and the Sadducees. In the 
 Gospels it is the Pharisees who are the most 
 bitter foes of Jesus, in the Acts the Sadducees 
 play the leading part in the attack. The reason is 
 obvious. The doctrine of the Resurrection was 
 specially obnoxious to the Sadducees, and roused 
 them to hostility. 
 
 The paragi'aph gives an account of (1) the 
 arrest of the Apostles (vers. 1-4) ; (2) the meeting 
 of the Council (vers. 5, 6) ; (3) Peter's speech in 
 defence (vers. 7-12). 
 
 1. the captain of the temple. The super- 
 intendent of the Temple guard, which was composed 
 of priests and Levites. He was not a militaiy 
 officer but a priest, and only held office while his 
 particular section of the Levites was on duty. 
 
 the Sadducees. The priests and the Sadducees 
 were warm allies, and are constantly found acting 
 together in opposition to the Apostles (see v. 17). 
 The Sadducees at this time formed the most 
 wealthy, aristocratic, and influential section of the 
 Jews. They differed from the Pharisees (l) in 
 their rejection of tradition ; (2) in their disbelief in 
 the future life, cf. xxiii. 8 ; (3) in their disbelief 
 in angels and spirits. The explanation of their 
 hostility to the Apostles is stated in ver. 2, 
 " Being grieved that they taught . . . the resurrec- 
 tion from the dead." 
 
 3. put them in hold till the next day. 
 No meeting of the Council could be held after 
 sunset, and so the trial had necessarily to be post- 
 poned to the next day. 
 
Acts iv. I-I2 67 
 
 4. about five thousand. This is the third 
 reference to the number of beUevers. The 3000 
 of ii. 41 has grown to 5000, and the increase 
 is greater than the difference between these two 
 figures, because the latter number refers only to 
 men, and takes no account of women or children. 
 
 5. rulers and elders and scribes. This 
 verse describes the meeting of the Council, or 
 Sanhedrin, as it was called. The Council was an 
 ecclesiastical Court of 70 or 71 members. 
 It was composed of (1) the rulers or high 
 priests, who were generally Sadducees; (2) the 
 scribes, who belonged to the Pharisees ; (3) the 
 elders, who might be either priests or laymen. Its 
 functions extended over all matters connected with 
 public worship and the administration of Jewish 
 law. It was therefore the supreme ecclesiastical 
 and legal authority in Jerusalem. 
 
 6. Annas the high priest. There is a 
 difficulty about this statement. The actual High 
 Priest at the time was Caiaphas, who held office from 
 18-36 A.D. Annas had been deposed in 14 a.d., 
 after holding the position for seven years. The 
 mistake, however, if it is a mistake, is more technical 
 than real. There is no doubt that Annas, though 
 deposed from office, was still " the power behind 
 the throne." Four of his sons had succeeded him 
 in the position, and Caiaphas was his son-in-law. 
 It is a significant fact that in the Gospel of John 
 (xviii. 13) Jesus is said to have been tried before 
 Annas first. 
 
 The names John and Alexander may possibly 
 be the Greek equivalents for Jonathan and 
 Eleazar, who were ex-High Priests and sons of 
 Annas. 
 
68 Westminster New Testament 
 
 8. filled with the Holy Ghost. The writer 
 of Acts constantly emphasises the abiding power 
 and influence of the Holy Spirit. We have here, 
 too, a fulfilment of the promise of Christ, '•' When 
 they deliver you up, be not anxious how or what 
 ye shall speak ; for it shall be given you in that 
 hour what ye shall speak " (Matt. x. 19). 
 
 11. This is the stone. The words are taken 
 from Ps. cxviii. 22. They were used by Christ in 
 reference to His rejection (Mark xii. 10), and are 
 quoted in 1 Pet. ii. 7. An interesting light has 
 been thrown upon the metaphor by Sir William 
 Ramsay. The quarries in different parts of the 
 world belonged to the Roman Empire. Every 
 block of stone that was quarried was inspected by 
 the proper officer and marked by him as approved. 
 At the Phrygian marble quarries many blocks 
 have been found, bearing the letters REPR. These 
 letters are an abbreviation for the Latin word 
 reprohatiim, which means ^^ rejected" (Ramsay, 
 Pauline Studies, p. 253). The leaders of the Jews 
 had rejected Christ as a stone unfit for a place in 
 the temple of humanity, but God had reversed 
 their verdict, and made Him the " chief stone of the 
 corner," i.e., the stone at the angle which holds the 
 two sides together. 
 
 12. in none other is there salvation. Peter's 
 reply goes beyond the question put to him. By 
 what power have ye done this ? and adds the re- 
 markable words of this verse. Not only was Jesus 
 the power which worked the miracle, but He was 
 the sole and only hope of Salvation for Israel. 
 
Acts iv. 13-22 69 
 
 Acts iv. 13-22. 
 THE ACQUITTAL. 
 
 13 Now when they saw the boldness of Peter and John, and 
 perceived that they were unlearned and ignorant men, they 
 marvelled ; and they took knowledge of them, that they 
 
 14 had been with Jesus. And beholding the man which was 
 healed standing with them, they could say nothing against 
 
 15 it. But when they had commanded them to go aside out 
 
 16 of the council, they conferred among themselves, saying, 
 What shall we do to these men ? for that indeed a notable 
 miracle hath been done by them is manifest to all them 
 
 17 that dwell in Jerusalem ; and we cannot deny it. But 
 that it spread no further among the people, let us straitly 
 threaten them, that they speak henceforth to no man in 
 
 18 this name. And they called them, and commanded them 
 
 19 not to speak at all nor teach in the name of Jesus. But 
 Peter and John answered and said unto them, Whether 
 it be right in the sight of God to hearken unto you more 
 
 20 than unto God, judge ye. For we cannot but speak the 
 
 21 things which we have seen and heard. So when they had 
 further threatened them, they let them go, finding nothing 
 how they might punish them, because of the people : for 
 
 22 all men glorified God for that which was done. For the 
 man was above forty years old, on whom this miracle of 
 healing was shewed. 
 
 The trial of the two Apostles issued in a verdict of 
 acquittal. The result is rather surprising, but the ex- 
 planation is not far to seek. The Council had not the 
 courage to face the unpopularity which would have 
 been aroused if it had proceeded to extreme measures, 
 and so it let " I dare not " wait upon " I would." 
 
 13. boldness. The Greek word means ^^ free- 
 dom of utterance.' 
 
70 Westminster New Testament 
 
 unlearned and ignorant men. This phrase 
 does not necessarily mean uneducated. It refers 
 rather to the fact that the Apostles were unversed 
 in Law and the teaching of the Schools — in other 
 words, they were not professional theologians, like 
 the scribes and Rabbis on the Council. 
 
 they took knowledge of them. The 
 Council was at first puzzled to understand how it 
 was that untrained men could speak with such 
 freedom on the deepest questions of religion. The 
 difficulty, however, vanished when they remembered 
 that they " had been with Jesus." 
 
 15. they conferred among themselves. 
 The members of the Council were anxious to find 
 some way of suppressing Peter and John without 
 offending the people. The same hesitation to run 
 counter to public opinion is seen in the action 
 of the Sanhedrin towards Jesus ; cf. Luke xx. 6, 
 xxii. 2. 
 
 16. we cannot deny it. If Luke's account can 
 be regarded as a fair representation of what took 
 place at the Council (and his information may have 
 come from Paul, who was probably a member of the 
 Council at the time), the fact of the miracle was 
 recognised even by Peter's opponents as being 
 beyond dispute. 
 
 17. that it spread no further. The Council 
 was genuinely afraid of the development of the 
 new movement. It knew how susceptible the 
 people of Jerusalem were to the appeals of leaders 
 who claimed Messianic powers. There had been 
 many conflicts in recent years between upstart 
 fanatics and the Roman Government. An effort 
 must therefore be made at any rate to keep the 
 movement within bounds. 
 
Acts iv. 23-31 71 
 
 18. charged them not to speak. The 
 
 verdict practically meant that Peter and John 
 were dismissed with a caution. 
 
 20. we cannot but speak. The Apostles 
 refused to be silenced, in spite of the threats of the 
 Jewish leaders, who had only a few weeks before 
 compassed the doom of Jesus, and would not 
 hesitate, when opportunity offered, to deal out the 
 same fate to them. 
 
 21. finding nothing how they might punish 
 them, etc. Here we have the key to the Council's 
 vacillation and the explanation of its inaction. 
 
 22. above forty years old. A graphic detail, 
 
 which would naturally be of special interest to a 
 physician like Luke. Physical defects which can 
 be successfully treated in youth are much more 
 difficult to cure when the patient has reached 
 middle life. 
 
 Acts iv. 23-31. 
 THE PRAYER OF THE CHURCH. 
 
 23 And being let go, they went to their own company, and' 
 reported all that the chief priests and elders had said unto- 
 
 24 them. And when they heard that, they hfted up their 
 voice to God with one accord, and said, Lord, thou art 
 God, which hast made heaven, and earth, and the sea, 
 
 25 and all that in them is : who by the mouth of thy servant 
 David hast said. Why did the heathen rage^ and the people 
 
 26 imagine vain things ? The kings of the earth stood up, 
 and the rulers were gathered together against the Lord, 
 
 27 aiid against his Christ. For of a truth against thy holy 
 child Jesus, whom thou hast anointed, both Herod and 
 Pontius Pilate, with the Gentiles, and the people of Israel, 
 
72 Westminster New Testament 
 
 28 were gathered together, for to do whatsoever thy hand 
 
 29 and thy counsel determined before to be done. And now, 
 Lord, behold their threatenings : and grant unto thy 
 servants, that with all boldness they may speak thy word, 
 
 30 by stretching forth thine hand to heal ; and that signs and 
 wonders may be done by the name of thy holy child Jesus. 
 
 31 And when they had prayed, the place was shaken where 
 they were assembled together ; and they were all filled 
 with the Holy Ghost, and they spake the word of God 
 with boldness. 
 
 The crisis produced by the arrest of the Apostles 
 and the threats of the Council drove the Church 
 to prayer. We need not suppose that the prayer 
 recorded in this passage gives the actual words 
 used at the meeting. It is highly probable that 
 Luke or his informant has summarised into a single 
 form the gist of very many prayers which were 
 offered on this memorable occasion. 
 
 24. Lord, thou art God. The word used for 
 "Lord" in the Greek is unusual — despotes, from 
 which the English "despot " is derived. It means 
 "absolute sovereign/' or "supreme potentate." 
 It only occurs in a few other passages ; e.g., Luke 
 ii. 29 ; 2 Pet. ii. 1 ; Jude 4 ; Rev. vi. 10. 
 
 25. by the mouth of thy servant David. 
 The Greek Text is a little uncertain here. The 
 rendering in the R.V. is^ "who by the Holy Ghost^ 
 by the mouth of our father David thy servant, 
 didst say." 
 
 Why did the heathen rage ? An illustrative 
 
 quotation taken from Ps. ii. 1, 2. 
 
 27. against thy holy child Jesus. "Child" 
 should be "servant" ; see n. on iii. 13. 
 
 Herod = Herod Antipas, who put John the 
 Baptist to death (Mark vi. 14-29), and after 
 
Acts iv. 32-37 73 
 
 mocking Jesus, handed Him to Pilate (Luke xxiii. 
 8-11). 
 
 Pontius Pilate. The Roman governor of Pales- 
 tine from 26 to 36 A.B., who, after several attempts 
 to save Jesus, finally yielded to the Jews' desire to 
 put Him to death. See n. on iii. 13. 
 
 28. whatsoever thy hand and thy counsel 
 determined. The same explanation of the 
 Crucifixion is found in ii. 23 (see note). 
 
 29. grant unto thy servants. ''Servants" 
 in the Greek is " bond-slaves." There is an in- 
 tentional contrast between this expression and the 
 description of God as ''absolute sovereign" in 
 ver. 24. 
 
 that with all boldness. The prayer is two- 
 fold ; (1) for courage to preach in face of the 
 threats of the Council ; (2) that God may work 
 more miracles. In ver. 30 child should be " ser- 
 vant," as in ver. 27. 
 
 31. they were all filled with the Holy 
 Ghost. This verse records the way in which the 
 prayer was answered. God sent a second Pente- 
 cost, and a second baptism of the Spirit. 
 
 Acts iv. 32-37. 
 
 THE SECOND ACCOUNT OF THE COMMON 
 LIFE. 
 
 32 And the multitude of them that believed were of one heart 
 and of one soul : neither said any of them that ought of the 
 things which he possessed was his own ; but they had all 
 
 33 things common. And with great power gave the apostles 
 witness of the resurrection of the Lord Jesus : and great 
 
 34 grace was upon them all. Neither was there any among 
 
74 Westminster New Testament 
 
 them that lacked : for as many as were possessors of lands 
 or houses sold them, and brought the prices of the things 
 
 35 that were sold, and laid them down at the apostles' feet : 
 and distribution was made unto every man according as he 
 
 36 had need. And Joses, who by the apostles was surnamed 
 Barnabas, (which is, being interpreted. The son of con- 
 
 37 solation,) a Levite, and of the country of Cyprus, having 
 land, sold it, and brought the money, and laid it at the 
 apostles* feet. 
 
 The first account of the Common Life is given 
 in ii. 41-47. At first sight it appears as if the 
 second account were a mere repetition of the first. 
 But^ as Dr. Hort has pointed out, when we look 
 beneath the surface of the narrative, there are 
 signs of an important advance. In the first 
 account the distribution is indiscriminate and 
 unmethodical. Men sold their goods and distri- 
 buted the proceeds themselves. In the present 
 passage those who disposed of their property are 
 represented as bringing the money to the Apostles, 
 and so making them the treasurers and relieving 
 officers of the community. We have thus here the 
 first beginnings of Church organisation. Doubtless 
 the unregulated charity described in ii. 41-47 
 had resulted in abuses, and it was to remedy this 
 that the Apostles were appointed superintendents 
 of the Church finances. 
 
 32. were of one heart and soul. A strong 
 phrase, denoting the complete sense of unity which 
 prevailed in the Christian community. 
 
 they had all things common. See n. on 
 ii. 45. The Christians were not the first discoverers 
 of the ideal of the Common Life. It had been the 
 dream of Plato in his vision of the Ideal Republic, 
 and even among the Jews an attempt had been 
 
Acts iv. 32-37 75 
 
 made on a small scale, by a sect known as the 
 Essenes, to establish communities on this basis. 
 The Essenes lived together in groups, and 
 shared common meals, and had a common 
 purse. 
 
 34. Neither was there any that lacked. 
 
 Jerusalem was always notorious for the amount of 
 poverty that prevailed amongst the lower classes. 
 There were two reasons for this, (l) The people 
 were to a considerable extent pauperised by the 
 ecclesiastical charities. Almsgiving had been 
 elevated by the Pharisees into one of the most 
 important acts of religion. (2) Jerusalem lived 
 very largely on the immense crowds of visitors who 
 came from all parts of the world to keep the great 
 Festivals. It had no commerce or trade of its 
 own, and the absence of regular employment made 
 life difficult and precarious for the poor. We must 
 remember, too, that many of the poorer members 
 of the Church had by the very fact of becoming 
 Christians lost the financial support they formerly 
 received from the Pharisees and Sadducees. 
 
 as many as were possessors of lands, etc. As 
 has been pointed out in the note on ii. 45, («) the 
 sale of property was absolutely voluntary. No 
 compulsion — except the compulsion of the Spirit 
 and the contagion of example — was laid on any- 
 one ; cf V. 4. (b) It was not absolutely universal ; 
 cf. xii. 12, where Mary the mother of Mark is 
 described as owning a house. 
 
 35. distribution was made, etc. The motive 
 behind the sale of goods wasjnot the desire to create 
 a socialistic system, but to relieve the necessities of 
 the poor — "according as he had need." 
 
 36. And Joses = Joseph. The case of Barnabas 
 
76 Westminster New Testament 
 
 is introduced as an illustration of the sacrifices 
 made by individuals in the interests of the Brother- 
 hood, 
 surnamed Barnabas. The name of a man 
 
 was of much greater significance amongst the Jews 
 than it is in modern times. Hence it was not 
 unusual for an adult to receive an additional 
 surname in keeping with his character or employ- 
 ment. It was only natural, therefore, that a man's 
 conversion to Christianity should be signalised by 
 the bestowal of a new name ; cf. Matt. xvi. 
 17, 18. 
 
 son of consolation. The word rendered 
 " consolation " may also be translated '' exhorta- 
 tion." In the Greek it is connected with the 
 same root as Paraclete — the title bestowed on the 
 Holy Spirit in the Fourth Gospel, and on the Risen 
 Christ in the First Epistle of John (ii. 1). It is 
 possible that this title may suggest that Barnabas 
 was in a special degree a Spirit-filled man, a kind 
 of Paraclete to the Church. Whether it was 
 bestowed upon him for his preaching (cf. xi. 23), 
 or for his power of sympathy and general helpful- 
 ness, is a point which cannot be determined. 
 
 a Levite. I-e., of a Levitic family, which, how- 
 ever, had migrated to Cyprus. 
 
 of the country of Cyprus. There was a large 
 colony of Jews in Cyprus. In the time of Trajan 
 they organised a revolt, and massacred no less 
 than 240,000 of the pagan inhabitants (ll6 a.d.). 
 Because of its large Jewish population, Cyprus was 
 selected as one of the earliest fields of missionary 
 work; cf. xi. 19, xiii. 1-12. 
 
Acts V. I-II 77 
 
 Acts V. i-ii. 
 THE SIN AGAINST BROTHERHOOD. 
 
 But a certain man named Ananias, with Sapphira his wife, 
 
 2 sold a possession, and kept back part of the price, his 
 wife also being privy to it, and brought a certain part, and 
 
 3 laid it at the apostles' feet. But Peter said, Ananias, why 
 hath Satan filled thine heart to lie to the Holy Ghost, and 
 
 4 to keep back part of the price of the land? Whiles it 
 remained, was it not thine own ? and after it was sold, was 
 it not in thine own power ? why hast thou conceived this 
 thing in thine heart ? thou hast not lied unto men, but unto 
 
 5 God. And Ananias hearing these words fell down, and 
 gave up the ghost : and great fear came on all them that 
 
 6 heard these things. And the young men arose, wound 
 
 7 him up, and carried him out, and buried him. And it 
 was about the space of three hours after, when his wife, 
 
 8 not knowing what was done, came in. And Peter 
 answered unto her. Tell me whether ye sold the land for 
 
 9 so much ? And she said. Yea, for so much. Then Peter 
 said unto her. How is it that ye have agreed together to 
 tempt the Spirit of the Lord ? behold, the feet of them 
 which have buried thy husband are at the door, and shall 
 
 10 carry thee out. Then fell she down straightway at his 
 feet, and yielded up the ghost : and the young men came 
 in, and found her dead, and, carrying her forth, buried her 
 
 1 1 by her husband. And great fear came upon all the church, 
 and upon as many as heard these things. 
 
 By way of contrast to Barnabas, who was selected 
 as a representative of the true spirit of the Christian 
 Brotherhood, Luke now proceeds to tell the story 
 of two others — Ananias and Sapphira — who through 
 selfishness committed a sin against the Brotherhood 
 and lost their lives in consequence. It must be 
 
78 Westminster New Testament 
 
 admitted that this narrative of the deaths of 
 Ananias and his wife raises many difficulties. To 
 explain it as a miraculous intervention of God seems 
 on ethical and theological grounds to be out of the 
 question. To explain it as a natural events the 
 sudden deaths being due to the excitement caused 
 by the discovery of the deception^ is also scarcely 
 possible. The death of one of the offenders might 
 be accounted for in that way, but surely not the 
 death of both. We seem, therefore, to be reduced 
 to a choice of the following hypotheses : — (1) We 
 may say that the story is exaggerated. Probably 
 one death occurred, and this was magnified into 
 two. (2) The word "death" was used in two 
 senses by the early Christians. It might mean 
 physical death, or it might mean spiritual death. 
 When the story was first told, it narrated the 
 spiritual death of Ananias and Sapphira. Their 
 act of selfishness ruined them, and they were lost 
 to the Brotherhood. In process of time, however, 
 spiritual death was changed into physical death, 
 and when the narrative came into the hands of 
 Luke, the theory of a physical death had been so 
 well established that in describing the fate of 
 Ananias and Sapphira he uses language which is 
 perfectly unambiguous, and from which all 
 traces of what really happened have been 
 obliterated. 
 
 2. kept back part of the price. They were 
 
 anxious, evidently, to gain a reputation for 
 generosity, and yet unwilling to make the necessary 
 sacrifice. 
 
 3. to lie to the Holy Ghost. The action of 
 Ananias was something more than a crime against 
 the community — it was a sin against the Holy 
 
Acts V. 12-32 79 
 
 Spirit, who was the impelling force from which the 
 conception of the Common Life had arisen. 
 
 4. Whiles it remained, etc. This verse proves 
 that there was no absolute obligation on Ananias 
 to sell his possessions, or even to bring the money 
 derived from the sale to the Apostles. 
 
 5. gave Up the ghost. I-e., expired. The word 
 used is an unusual one, and is only found in ver. 10 
 and xii. 23. 
 
 6. the young men. This phrase suggests that 
 the distinction between " the elders " who presided 
 over the community and the "young men" who 
 carried out their instructions had already been 
 made. Elders are first mentioned in xi. 30. 
 
 7. came in. The Church seems to have been 
 holding a meeting at the time. 
 
 9. shall carry thee out. In the case of 
 Ananias, Peter did not threaten death or show any 
 sign that he expected it to happen. In this case, 
 however, he clearly foretells Sapphira's fate, even 
 if he does not imprecate it upon her. 
 
 11. the whole church. This is the first 
 instance of the use of the word " church " in Acts, 
 since the word is not found in the true Greek Text 
 of ii. 47. It is a significant fact that the word is 
 first applied to the Christian community by Luke 
 in connection with the account of the Common 
 Life. 
 
 Acts V. 12-32. 
 THE SECOND ARREST OF THE APOSTLES. 
 
 12 And by the hands of the apostles were many signs and 
 wonders wrought among the people ; (and they were all 
 
 13 with one accord in Solomon's porch. And of the rest durst 
 
8o Westminster New Testament 
 
 no man join himself to them : but the people magnified 
 
 14 them. And believers were the more added to the Lord, 
 
 15 multitudes both of men and women ;) insomuch that they 
 brought forth the sick into the streets, and laid them on 
 beds and couches, that at the least the shadow of Peter 
 
 16 passing by might overshadow some of them. There came 
 also a multitude out of the cities round about unto Jerusalem, 
 bringing sick folks, and them which were vexed with un- 
 
 17 clean spirits : and they were healed everyone. Then the 
 high priest rose up, and all they that were with him, 
 (which is the sect of the Sadducees,) and were filled with 
 
 18 indignation, and laid their hands on the apostles, and 
 
 19 put them in the common prison. But the angel of the 
 Lord by night opened the prison doors, and brought them 
 
 20 forth, and said, Go, stand and speak in the temple to the 
 
 21 people all the words of this life. And when they heard 
 that, they entered into the temple early in the morning, 
 and taught. But the high priest came, and they that were 
 with him, and called the council together, and all the 
 senate of the children of Israel, and sent to the prison to 
 
 22 have them brought. But when the officers came, and 
 found them not in the prison, they returned, and told, 
 
 23 saying. The prison truly found we shut with all safety, and 
 the keepers standing without before the doors : but when we 
 
 24 had opened, we found no man within. Now when the high 
 priest and the captain of the temple and the chief priests 
 heard these things, they doubted of them whereunto this 
 
 25 would grow. Then came one and told them, saying, 
 Behold, the men whom ye put in prison are standing in the 
 
 26 temple, and teaching the people. Then went the captain 
 with the officers, and brought them without violence : for 
 they feared the people, lest they should have been stoned. 
 
 27 And when they had brought them, they set them before 
 
 28 the council : and the high priest asked them, saying, Did 
 not we straitly command you that ye should not teach in 
 this name ? and, behold, ye have filled Jerusalem with your 
 doctrine, and intend to bring this man's blood upon us. 
 
Acts V. 12-32 81 
 
 29 Then Peter and the other apostles answered and said, We 
 
 30 ought to obey God rather than men. The God of our 
 fathers raised up Jesus, whom ye slew and hanged on a 
 
 31 tree. Him hath God exalted with his right hand to be a 
 Prince and a Saviour, for to give repentance to Israel, and 
 
 32 forgiveness of sins. And we are his witnesses of these 
 things ; and so is also the Holy Ghost, whom God hath 
 given to them that obey him. 
 
 We commence at this point a new section which 
 has no immediate connection with the preceding 
 paragraph. This section contains (a) a short 
 summary of the events which led up to the second 
 arrest (vers. 12-16); {b) the account of the arrest 
 (vers. 17, 18) ; (c) the miraculous release of the 
 Apostles (vers. 19, 20); (d) the meeting of the 
 Council (vers. 21-25); (e) the re-arrest (vers. 
 26-28) ; If) Peter's defence (vers. 29-32). 
 
 12. many signs and wonders. Another 
 general statement with regard to the miracles 
 wrought by the Apostles ; cf ii. 43. 
 
 and they were all, etc. The A.V. is quite 
 right in putting this and the following clauses in 
 brackets. They break the sense of the passage. 
 Ver. 15 follows immediately after the first half 
 of ver. 12. 
 
 in Solomon's porch. See n. on iii. 11. The 
 Christians were still attending the Temple services. 
 
 IS. And of the rest. It is difficult to see who 
 are meant by "the rest." The best explanation 
 is that Luke is drawing a contrast between "the 
 rest " and " the people " mentioned in the next 
 clause. It refers, therefore, to "the classes/' as 
 opposed to " the masses " ; i.e., to the nders, priests, 
 scribes, etc. 
 
 join himself. The Greek word used here 
 6 
 
82 Westminster New Testament 
 
 denotes "to attach oneself to." Many of "the 
 classes " sympathised with the Christians, but did 
 not dare to publicly associate themselves with them. 
 
 14-. multitudes both ofmen and women. In 
 previous references (see n. on iv. 4) Luke has been 
 able to give the numbers of the converts. But the 
 additions to the Church are now so numerous 
 that statistics are impossible, and the word " multi- 
 tudes " is the only term that suffices to describe 
 them. 
 
 15. at least his shadow. The success of 
 
 Peter and John roused a feeling of superstition in 
 the minds of the people. Luke does not, however, 
 in this passage suggest that there were any grounds 
 for the superstition, or state that any cures resulted 
 from it — as in the parallel cases related in xix. 12. 
 
 17. the high priest. Probably Annas is meant, 
 though Caiaphas was the actual High Priest. 
 See n. on iv. 6. 
 
 the sect of the Sadducees. As in the case 
 of the first arrest, the Sadducees are found playing 
 the principal part in the attack ; see iv. 1. 
 
 19. an angel of the Lord. It is one of the 
 characteristics of Luke to dwell on angelic appear- 
 ances, and the miraculous deliverances wrought by 
 them; cf. viii. 26, xi. 13, xii. 7-10. 
 
 20. the words of this life. R.V., " Life " with a 
 capital letter, because it was one of the terms used 
 to describe both Christ and the religion which He 
 founded. Compare the use of the similar term 
 " the Way," which is employed on several occasions 
 in the Acts to describe Christianity ; cf. ix. 2. 
 
 21. the council and all the senate. Probably 
 
 "the senate" is simply another name for "the 
 council," and it would be better to translate 
 
Acts V. 12-32 83 
 
 "the council^ even all the senate." The repeti- 
 tion is perhaps due to the desire of Luke to 
 emphasise the fact that it was a full meeting of all 
 the members of the Council^ and not a small 
 committee. 
 
 24. Now when the high priest. The best 
 Greek Text omits " the high priest." captain of 
 the temple. See n. on iv. 1. 
 
 whereunto this would grow. The Greek 
 words mean simply "as to what this could 
 mean." 
 
 26. for they feared the people. Cf. iv. 21. 
 
 The Council was always afraid to act counter to 
 popular opinion. 
 
 28. Did not we straitly command? This 
 refers to the commands issued by the Council at 
 the former trial (iv. 18). 
 
 29. We ought to obey. Better, "We must 
 obey." Compare Peter's answer to the Council at 
 the first trial (iv. 19, 20). 
 
 30. raised up. It is not quite clear whether 
 these words refer to the Resurrection or whether 
 they are used in a general sense, as in iii. 26. 
 
 slew and hanged on a tree. This is a mis- 
 leading rendering, as it seems to suggest that the 
 Jews slew Jesus before they crucified Him. The 
 R.V. is better, " whom ye slew, hanging him on a 
 tree." 
 
 31. a Prince. See n. on the words "Prince of 
 life" in iii. 15. 
 
 a Saviour. Observe that the saving power of 
 Christ is here connected, not with His death, but 
 with His ascension and exaltation. It is the 
 exalted Christ who gives " repentance to Israel and 
 forgiveness of sins." 
 
84 Westminster New Testament 
 
 Acts V. 33-42. 
 THE PLEA OF GAMALIEL. 
 
 33 When they heard that, they were cut to the heart, and took 
 
 34 counsel to slay them. Then stood there up one in the 
 council, a Pharisee, named Gamaliel, a doctor of the law, 
 had in reputation among all the people, and commanded 
 
 35 to put the apostles forth a little space ; and said unto them, 
 Ye men of Israel, take heed to yourselves what ye intend 
 
 36 to do as touching these men. For before these days rose up 
 Theudas, boasting himself to be somebody ; to whom a 
 number of men, about four hundred, joined themselves : 
 who was slain ; and all, as many as obeyed him, were 
 
 37 scattered, and brought to nought. After this man rose up 
 Judas of Galilee in the days of the taxing, and drew away 
 much people after him : he also perished ; and all, even as 
 
 38 many as obeyed him, were dispersed. And now I say unto 
 you. Refrain from these men, and let them alone : for if 
 this counsel or this work be of men, it will come to 
 
 39 nought : but if it be of God, ye cannot overthrow it ; lest 
 
 40 haply ye be found even to fight against God. And to him 
 they agreed : and when they had called the apostles, and 
 beaten them, they commanded that they should not speak 
 
 41 in the name of Jesus, and let them go. And they departed 
 from the presence of the council, rejoicing that they were 
 
 42 counted worthy to suffer shame for his name. And daily 
 in the temple, and in every house, they ceased not to teach 
 and preach Jesus Christ. 
 
 Help came to the Apostles from an unexpected 
 quarter. Gamaliel^ one of the most venerated 
 Rabbis of the day, a man held in universal esteem 
 and honour, rose in the Council and opposed the 
 proposal that Peter and John should receive the 
 same doom as their Master. " Let them alone," 
 
Acts V. 33-42 8 
 
 he pleaded ; " if this work be of men^ it will be over- 
 thrown ; but if it is of God, ye will not be able to 
 overthrow them." Though the speech as reported 
 by Luke contains a serious anachronism (see n. on 
 Theudas), we have no grounds for doubting the 
 general accuracy of the account which is given 
 of Gamaliel's intervention. 
 
 S4>. a Pharisee. The first allusion to the 
 Pharisees in this book. Throughout Acts the 
 Pharisees are represented as being more or less 
 favourable to Christianity. In xv. 5 it is stated 
 that "some of them believed." 
 
 Gamaliel. The most famous Jewish teacher 
 of the day, and the first of the Jewish Rabbis to 
 receive the higher and more affectionate title 
 of Rabban ("our Master"). He was the grand- 
 son of Hillel, the founder of the more liberal 
 school of Jewish thought. The Apostle Paul was 
 trained "at his feet" (xxii. 3). So great was his 
 reputation, that, according to the Mishna, "with 
 the death of Gamaliel the reverence for the Law 
 ceased, and purity and abstinence died away." 
 
 a doctor of the law. An official teacher and 
 exponent of the Jewish Law. The Jewish Code 
 regulated life even down to its minutest details, 
 and it was the duty of the Rabbi to interpret its 
 enactments and apply them to the changed cir- 
 cumstances of the times in which he lived. 
 
 36. Theudas. The case of Theudas is one of 
 the most serious difficulties in Acts. According to 
 Josephus, the revolt of Theudas occurred under the 
 Procuratorship of Cuspius Fadus, between 44 and 
 46 A.D. ; i.e., at least ten years later than the date at 
 which the speech of Gamaliel is supposed to have 
 been delivered. The account which Josephus 
 
86 Westminster New Testament 
 
 gives of the event is as follows : '' Now it came 
 to pass while Fad us was Procurator of Judaea, that 
 a certain magician, whose name was Theudas, 
 persuaded a great part of the people to take 
 their effects with them and to follow him to the 
 river Jordan. For he told them that he was a 
 prophet, and that he would by his own command 
 divide the river and afford them an easy passage 
 over it: and many were deluded by his words. 
 However, Fadus did not permit them to take any 
 advantage of his wild attempt, but sent a troop 
 of horsemen out against them, who, falling upon 
 them unexpectedly, slew many of them and took 
 many of them alive. They also took Theudas 
 alive, and cut off his head and carried it 
 to Jerusalem" (^Antiquities, xx. 5. 1). If the 
 Theudas of Josephus and the Theudas of Acts 
 are the same person, Luke is guilty of the serious 
 mistake of making Gamaliel allude in his speech 
 to an event which did not happen till ten years 
 later. The only way in which the historicity of 
 Luke's statements can be maintained is by deny- 
 ing the identity of the two men and asserting 
 that the Theudas mentioned by Gamaliel is quite 
 different from the Theudas who figures in the 
 pages of Josephus. The difficulty about this 
 explanation is that Gamaliel's Theudas was 
 evidently a well-known man, and it is hardly 
 likely that no reference would have been made 
 to him in Josephus. 
 
 37. After this man. Another difficulty, at 
 least, on the assumption of the identity of the 
 Theudas of Acts and the Theudas of Josephus. 
 The date of Theudas is, as we have seen, about 
 44 to 46 A.D. The date of Judas is fixed by the 
 
Acts V. 33-42 87 
 
 expression " in the days of the taxing/' between 
 the years 6-8 a.d., and yet the rising of Judas 
 in 6-8 A.D. is spoken of as subsequent to the 
 rising of Theudas in 46-48 a.d. It is a strange 
 coincidence that Josephus mentions Theudas and 
 Judas in close connection and in the same order 
 as Luke, though he does not make the blunder 
 about their relative dates. Some modern scholars 
 suppose that Luke derived his information from 
 Josephus, and made the mistake through careless- 
 ness, being misled by the fact that the account 
 of Judas' revolt followed that of Theudas. The 
 similar collocation of the names may, however, be 
 purely accidental. 
 
 Judas of Galilee. From the notices in 
 Josephus, who mentions Judas on four separate 
 occasions, we gather that at the time when the 
 second Roman census was being taken by Quir- 
 inius, Judas reproached the Jews with cowardice, 
 induced not a few of them to refuse to make any 
 returns with regard to their property, and headed 
 a revolt against the Romans. No information is 
 given, however, as to the course of the revolt or 
 the fate of its leader. According to Josephus, 
 Judas was the founder of a new party, known as 
 the Zealots, which openly advocated a policy of 
 armed resistance to the Roman rule. 
 
 in the days of the taxing. R. V., " enrolment." 
 This refers to the second Roman census of Palestine, 
 which took place in 6-7 a.d. The first was made 
 just before the birth of Christ ; see Luke ii. 2. 
 
 38. Refrain from these men. The opposition 
 of the Pharisees, as we have seen, had weakened 
 since the Crucifixion. In Acts xv. 5 we are told 
 that "certain of them believed." There is no 
 
88 Westminster New Testament 
 
 evidence, however, to show that Gamaliel ever 
 embraced the Christian Faith. His attitude is 
 that of a detached onlooker who is willing to 
 give the new movement a chance of vindicating 
 itself. 
 
 39. if it be of God. The test which GamaUel 
 proposes to apply is that enunciated by Christ in 
 the Sermon on the Mount: "By their fruits ye 
 shall know them" (Matt. vii. I6). 
 
 40. when they had . . . beaten them. This 
 marks an advance upon the decision at the first 
 trial, when the Apostles were dismissed with a 
 caution (iv. 21). 
 
 4-2. daily in the temple. The connection 
 with the Temple was still maintained. See n. on 
 ii. 46. 
 
 preach Jesus Christ. The R.V. rendering 
 is better, "preach Jesus as the Christ." The 
 great theme of the preaching was "Jesus is the 
 Christ (or Messiah)." 
 
 Acts vi. 1-7. 
 
 THE APPOINTMENT OF THE FIRST 
 OFFICERS. 
 
 And in those days, when the number of the disciples was 
 multipHed, there arose a murmuring of the Grecians 
 against the Hebrews, because their widows were neglected 
 
 2 in the daily ministration. Then the twelve called the 
 multitude of the disciples unto them, and said, It is not 
 reason that we should leave the word of God, and serve 
 
 3 tables. '\\nierefore, brethren, look ye out among you 
 seven men of honest report, full of the Holy Ghost and 
 
Acts vi. 1-7 89 
 
 4 wisdom, whom we may appoint over this business. But 
 we will give ourselves continually to prayer, and to the 
 
 5 ministry of the word. And the saying pleased the whole 
 multitude : and they chose Stephen, a man full of faith 
 and of the Holy Ghost, and Philip, and Prochorus, and 
 Nicanor, and Timon, and Parmenas, and Nicolas a pro- 
 
 6 selyte of Antioch : whom they set before the apostles : 
 and when they had prayed, they laid their hands on them. 
 
 7 And the word of God increased ; and the number of the 
 disciples multiplied in Jerusalem greatly ; and a great 
 company of the priests were obedient to the faith. 
 
 We reach here a new point in the development 
 of the Churchy viz., the beginning of a definite 
 organisation. This passage should be linked 
 on to the two accounts of the Common Life 
 (ii. 41-47, iv. 32-37). The evolution had 
 already passed through two phases. In the first 
 stage we find absolutely no trace of any organisa- 
 tion at all. The distribution of gifts was made 
 by the donors themselves. In the second stage, 
 the Apostles are found discharging the duty of 
 almoners (see notes on iv. 32). The present 
 paragraph represents the third stage. The 
 Apostles find that the task is too burdensome, 
 and ask the Church to appoint seven special 
 men for the work. The particular office to which 
 "the Seven" were appointed is a matter of 
 dispute. There are three theories. (a) The 
 traditional view identifies them with deacons, 
 and regards this narrative as an account of the 
 origin of the diaconate. There are, however, 
 some very forcible objections to this view. The 
 word "deacon" is not mentioned in the passage, 
 nor indeed in the Acts. It occurs for the first 
 time in Paul's Epistle to the Philippians i. 1. 
 
90 Westminster New Testament 
 
 Moreover, there is no evidence that " the Seven " 
 were ever identified with the deacons till towards 
 the close of the second century. (6) Others 
 suppose that they represent the office of presbyter 
 or elder, which is frequently mentioned in Acts 
 (see xi. 30). (c) Others, again, regard them as 
 a temporary committee appointed for a definite 
 purpose, and think that as the idea of the 
 Common Life died away, they ceased to exist. 
 
 It is difficult to decide between these views. 
 We may say this, however — though no actual 
 connection between ^^the Seven" and the later 
 deacons can be proved, the action of the Church 
 in appointing these men created a precedent 
 which must have fostered and may even have 
 occasioned the development of the diaconate. 
 
 1. Grecians. This translation is misleading. 
 The men alluded to were not Greeks but Jews 
 of a particular type. Roughly speaking, the Jews 
 may be divided into two classes : (l) the Hebrews, 
 or those Jews who maintained their own national 
 tongue, used the Hebrew Bible, and refused to 
 adopt un-Jewish manners and customs ; (2) the 
 Hellenists, who lived for the most part outside 
 Palestine (see n. on ii. 5), spoke the Greek 
 language, used a Greek Bible — the Septuagint, 
 as it was called, and conformed, at any rate in non- 
 essentials, to the habits of the people among whom 
 they lived. It is the latter class which is referred 
 to here under the term " Grecians." The R.V. re- 
 moves the misconception by translating " Grecian 
 Jews." The two classes were always more or less 
 at enmity, and it seems clear that the Hebrew 
 Christians inherited the old animosity, and were 
 somewhat reluctant to admit the Hellenists into the 
 
Acts vi. 1-7 91 
 
 Church on equal terms. Hence ^' the murmurmg." 
 The action of the Church, however, represents a 
 decision that the Hellenists, no less than the 
 Hebrews, were to receive complete recognition 
 and a full share of all the privileges of the Christian 
 Brotherhood. 
 
 2. the multitude of the disciples. Another 
 illustration of the democratic character of the 
 early Church. The Apostles do not claim authority- 
 over the Church, but leave the decision in the 
 hands of the disciples. 
 
 serve tables. This phrase may be used in two 
 senses. (1) The tables may be those on which the 
 common meal was served, and the phrase would 
 then refer to the duties connected with the distri- 
 bution of food. (2) The tables may be those at 
 which the contributions of the Church were received 
 and disbursed. Cf. "the tables of the money- 
 changers" (Matt. xxi. 12), and the reference would 
 then be to the management of the Church finances. 
 
 3. seven. The number seven was chosen partly 
 because of its sacred associations and partly too, 
 no doubt, because it seems to have been the usual 
 number adopted by the Jews when appointing 
 committees of management for the public business 
 of the towns. 
 
 full of the Holy Ghost. The best MSS. 
 omit " Holy," and so the R. V. translates " full of 
 the Spirit." Observe that though these men are 
 appointed for business purposes, the highest 
 qualifications are regarded as necessary. 
 
 whom we may appoint. The choice was 
 made by the people, the definite act of appoint- 
 ment by the Apostles. 
 
 5. Stephen . . . Nicolas. Stephen and Philip 
 
92 Westminster New Testament 
 
 are the only members of" the Seven " who achieved 
 fame. Nothing is known about the other five, 
 though some, without any justification, have 
 identified Nicolas with the founder of the sect 
 of the Nicolaitans (Rev. ii. 6). 
 
 a proselyte. I-e., one who had been converted 
 to Judaism. 
 
 Antioch. See n. on xi. 22. 
 
 6. they laid their hands upon them. " The 
 laying on of hands " was a symbolical act among 
 the Jews : cf. Gen. xlviii. 15 ; Num. viii. 10 ; Deut. 
 xxxiv. 9. It was used by the Jews on various 
 occasions — "Chiefly," as Ur, Hatch says, "in the 
 appointment of members of the local courts, in 
 admitting a scholar to study and in giving him 
 authority to teach — in the ceremony, in other 
 words, which corresponds to our graduation." 
 There is no warrant for the theory that "the 
 laying on of hands " was supposed to convey super- 
 natural grace. For other uses of the phrase in 
 Acts see viii. 17, ix. 17, xiii. 3, xix. 6, xxviii. 8. 
 
 7. a great company of priests were obedient. 
 A proof of the progress which Christianity was 
 making in Jerusalem. The constant attendance 
 of the Christians at the Temple services and the 
 speeches of Peter in Solomon's porch had evidently 
 impressed the priests and won many of them over 
 to Christianity. 
 
 Acts vi. 8-15. 
 THE PREACHING OF STEPHEN. 
 
 8 And Stephen, full of faith and power, did great wonders 
 
 9 and miracles among the people. Then there arose certain 
 of the synagogue, which is called the synagogue of the 
 
Acts vi. 8-15 
 
 93 
 
 Libertines, and Cyrenians, and Alexandrians, and of them 
 
 10 of Cilicia and of Asia, disputing with Stephen. And they 
 were not able to resist the wisdom and the spirit by which 
 
 11 he spake. Then they suborned men, which said, We 
 have heard him speak blasphemous words against Moses, 
 
 12 and against God. And they stirred up the people, and 
 the elders, and the scribes, and came upon him, and 
 
 13 caught him, and brought him to the council, and set up 
 false witnesses, which said, This man ceaseth not to speak 
 blasphemous words against this holy place, and the law : 
 
 14 for we have heard him say, that this Jesus of Nazareth 
 shall destroy this place, and shall change the customs 
 
 15 which Moses delivered us. And all that sat in the council, 
 looking stedfastly on him, saw his face as it had been the 
 face of an angel. 
 
 From the account of the appointment of the 
 Seven, Luke passes on to describe the work of 
 Stephen — the most important of the new officers. 
 The significance of Stephen can scarcely be over- 
 estimated. His preaching marks the most decisive 
 advance that had as yet been taken by the Church. 
 Hitherto the Christian community had been bound 
 up in the closest way with the Jews. In the era 
 before Stephen, Christianity was practically a 
 Jewish sect, like Pharisaism, for instance. The 
 only point of separation was the distinctive belief 
 that Jesus was the Messiah. It was Stephen 
 who in the first instance saved the Church from 
 remaining a mere branch of Judaism, and struck 
 the first note of Universalism. He asserted that 
 Christianity was independent of the Temple and 
 of the Law, and must not be confined within the 
 narrow channels of Jewish custom and belief. 
 This audacious utterance brought him into 
 collision not only with the authorities, but with 
 
94 Westminster New Testament 
 
 the people as well, and finally resulted in his 
 martyrdom. 
 
 9. the synagogue of the Libertines. The 
 Libertines were probably Jewish prisoners of war 
 (or their children) who had been taken captive to 
 Rome, but had been subsequently set at liberty. 
 Upon their return to Jerusalem they seem to have 
 formed a synagogue of their own. 
 
 It is uncertain whether the five classes of people 
 mentioned in this verse belonged to one synagogue. 
 Some scholars think there is a reference to five 
 separate synagogues. This may easily be the case, 
 because we know that there were no less than 
 480 synagogues in Jerusalem. Others, again, 
 suppose that three synagogues are alluded to, 
 the first belonging to the Libertines, the second 
 to the Cyrenians and Alexandrians, the third to 
 those who had come from Cilicia and Asia. 
 
 Cyrenians. See n. on ii. 9- Alexandrians. 
 Alexandria, the famous city founded by Alexander 
 the Great, was the capital of Egypt, and was re- 
 nowned at this period for its University, which was 
 one of the most important centres of learning in 
 the ancient world. 
 
 Cilicia. A district to the south-east of what is 
 now known as Asia Minor. Its capital was Tarsus, 
 the birthplace of the Apostle Paul. 
 
 disputing with Stephen. It should be noted 
 that all these synagogues (that is, if we assume 
 that there was more than one) belonged to the 
 Hellenists. Stephen's mission seems to have been 
 principally directed to them, and they, strangely 
 enough, proved far more hostile to Christianity than 
 the Hebrews. 
 
 11. They suborned men. " To suborn " means 
 
Acts vii 95 
 
 " to procure/' but the word is almost always used 
 in a bad sense. The witnesses twisted the words 
 of Stephen, and asserted that he had blasphemed 
 Moses and God. 
 
 12. they stirred up the people. Hitherto 
 the people had favoured the work of the Apostles, 
 but the opponents of Christianity, trading on the 
 words of Stephen, stirred up their prejudices, and 
 so for the first time in Acts we find them siding 
 with the authorities. 
 
 13. blasphemous words, etc. The charge 
 brought against Stephen was that he had attacked 
 the Temple and the Law. The words which he 
 actually used may probably be deduced from vii. 
 48, 49. 
 
 this holy place. The Council met within the 
 precincts of the Temple buildings. 
 
 14. Jesus . . . shall destroy this place. The 
 
 success which this accusation had met with when 
 it was brought against Christ (Mark xiv. 58) no doubt 
 led to its repetition in the case of Stephen. 
 
 15. the face of an angel. This beautiful little 
 
 graphic touch was probably derived from Paul, who 
 was present on the occasion (vii. 58, xxii. 20). 
 
 Acts vii. 
 
 STEPHEN'S GREAT APOLOGY. 
 
 It is not easy to follow the argument of Stephen's 
 speech, because two lines of thought are inter- 
 woven, and sometimes one and sometimes the other 
 assumes the chief place. There can be little doubt 
 that the main theme is to be found in vers. 48, 49. 
 
96 Westminster New Testament 
 
 Stephen defends his assertion that true reHgion 
 is independent of the Temple and the Law, by an 
 appeal to histoiy. He shows (a) that long before 
 either Temple or Law existed, God had made a 
 covenant with Abraham ; (6) that He had revealed 
 Himself to Joseph and Moses in Egypt when they 
 were far away from the sacred city of Jerusalem ; 
 (c) that He had been with Israel during their time 
 of wandering in the wilderness, and had accepted 
 their worship ; (d) that even when the Temple was 
 built by Solomon it was distinctly stated in the 
 prayer of dedication that the presence of God was 
 not restricted within its walls. 
 
 Running side by side with this main theme, 
 however, there is a subsidiary line of thought. 
 Stephen shows from the history of the past that 
 there had been men in every age who, like his 
 accusers, persecuted the prophets and resisted the 
 new revelation of truth which they brought to the 
 world. This line of argument comes to the front 
 in vers. 25-29, 39-4^3, 51-53. 
 
 The speech may be divided into the following 
 sections: — (l) The dealings of God with the patri- 
 archs as illustrating the universality of true worship 
 (vers. l-l6). (2) The story of Moses as illustrating 
 the unwillingness of men to receive the Divine 
 deliverance (vers. 17-43). (3) The building of the 
 Temple and Stephen's final appeal (vers. 44-53). 
 
 I. God's Dealings with the Patriarchs 
 (vii. 1-16). 
 
 Then said the high priest, Are these things so ? And he 
 
 2 said, Men, brethren, and fathers, hearken ; The God of 
 
 glory appeared unto our father Abraham, when he was in 
 
Acts vii. 1-16 
 
 97 
 
 3 Mesopotamia, before he dwelt in Charran, and said unto 
 him, Get thee out of thy country, and from thy kindred, 
 
 4 and come into the land which I shall shew thee. Then 
 came he out of the land of the Chaldeans, and dwelt in 
 Charran : and from thence, when his father was dead, he 
 
 5 removed him into this land, wherein ye now dwell. And 
 he gave him none inheritance in it, no, not so much as to 
 set his foot on : yet he promised that he would give it to 
 him for a possession, and to his seed after him, when as 
 
 6 yet he had no child. And God spake on this wise. That 
 his seed should sojourn in a strange land ; and that they 
 should bring them into bondage, and entreat them evil four 
 
 7 hundred years. And the nation to whom they shall be in 
 bondage will I judge, said God : and after that shall they 
 
 8 come forth, and serve me in this place. And he gave him 
 the covenant of circumcision : and so Abraham begat 
 Isaac, and circumcised him the eighth day ; and Isaac 
 
 9 begat Jacob : and Jacob begat the twelve patriarchs. And 
 the patriarchs, moved with envy, sold Joseph into Egypt : 
 
 10 but God was with him, and delivered him out of all his 
 afflictions, and gave him favour and wisdom in the sight of 
 Pharaoh king of Egypt ; and he made him governor over 
 
 1 1 Egypt and all his house. Now there came a dearth over 
 all the land of Egypt and Chanaan, and great affliction : 
 
 12 and our fathers found no sustenance. But when Jacob 
 heard that there was corn in Egypt, he sent out our fathers 
 
 13 first. And at the second time Joseph was made known to 
 his brethren ; and Joseph's kindred was made known unto 
 
 14 Pharaoh. Then sent Joseph, and called his father Jacob 
 to him, and all his kindred, threescore and fifteen souls. 
 
 15 So Jacob went down into Egypt, and died, he, and our 
 
 16 fathers, and were carried over into Sychem, and laid in 
 the sepulchre that Abraham bought for a sum of money of 
 the sons of Emmor the father of Sychem. 
 
 In the opening section the emphasis is laid upon 
 the fact that God's dealings with the patriarchs 
 
 7 
 
98 Westminster New Testament 
 
 were absolutely unconnected not merely with the 
 Temple, but even with the Holy Land itself. 
 Stephen, like Paul in later times (cf. Rom. iv. ; 
 Gal. iii.), goes back behind the Law and the priest- 
 hood to the time of Abraham, and grounds his 
 position upon the undeniable facts connected with 
 the religious experience of the great founder of 
 the Jewish people. 
 
 2. The God of glory. Comparewith this unusual 
 expression the similar phrases, " the King of glory " 
 (Ps. xxiv. 9) and ^"^the Lord of glory," which is 
 applied to Christ (1 Cor. ii. 8 ; Jas. ii. 1). When 
 the word "glory" is used of God it generally 
 carries with it the idea of Divine manifestation. 
 The phrase, therefore, is most appropriate in the 
 present connection, because Stephen is speaking of 
 the Divine manifestation to Abraham. 
 
 appeared ... in Mesopotamia. These 
 words are emphatic. The point is, of course, that 
 God's manifestation to Abraham took place in a 
 foreign land, and not in the Temple at Jerusalem. 
 
 before he dwelt in Charran. There is a dis- 
 crepancy between this statement and Gen. xii. 1-5, 
 where it is said that the call came to Abraham 
 after he had left Charran. There is another 
 tradition which has been preserved in Philo and 
 Josephus, and is implied in Gen. xv. 7; Josh. xxiv. 
 2,3; Neh. ix. 7, that the call came to him at Ur of 
 the Chaldees. Stephen seems to have followed 
 this tradition in preference to the statement of 
 Gen. xii. 1-5. 
 
 Charran (or Haran, as it is spelt in the R.V.). 
 A city in the N.W. of Mesopotamia, and S.E. of 
 Edessa, where Abraham lived after leaving Ur of 
 the Chaldees (Gen. xi. 31). 
 
Acts vii. 1-16 
 
 99 
 
 3. Get thee out of thy country. This verse 
 
 forms part of the promise made by God to Abraham 
 (Gen. xii. 1, 2). In Genesis the promise continues : 
 " I will make of thee a great nation^ and I will bless 
 them that bless thee/' etc. 
 
 4. when his father was dead. According to 
 the facts stated in the Book of Genesis, Terah lived 
 for sixty years after Abraham's departure from 
 Charran (Gen. xi. 26, 32, xii. 4). The version given 
 by Stephen appears also in Philo. The modification 
 in the tradition was due probably to the desire of 
 the Jews to save Abraham from the imputation of 
 unfilial conduct. 
 
 he removed him. he = God. 
 
 5. gave him none inheritance. According to 
 Gen. xxiii. 13, Abraham purchased a field from the 
 sons of Heth. There is no discrepancy, however, 
 because the emphasis is here laid on the word 
 '^gave." 
 
 6. And God spake. The quotation in this 
 verse is substantially in agreement with the words 
 recorded in Gen. xv. 13, 14. 
 
 four hundred years. This is a round number, 
 and there is no discrepancy between it and the 
 more precise figure — 430 — which is given in 
 Ex. xii. 40 and Gal. iii. 17. 
 
 9. sold Joseph into Egypt. In keeping 
 with his main argument Stephen hurries over 
 the history of the patriarchs in Palestine. His 
 point all through this part of the speech is 
 to show how God revealed Himself in foreign 
 lands. 
 
 14. threescore and fifteen souls. The 
 
 Hebrew and Greek versions of the Old Testa- 
 ment differ as to the precise number, the former 
 
loo Westminster New Testament 
 
 giving it as 70, the latter as 75. Stephen 
 follows the Greek, with which as a Hellenist he 
 would, of course, be more familiar. 
 
 16. Sychem = Shechem. There are two irre- 
 concilable discrepancies between this verse and 
 the statements in Genesis. («) According to Gen. 
 xlix. 30 and 1. 13, Jacob was buried "in the cave 
 of Machpelah, before Mamre," and not at 
 Shechem, as is stated here. (b) The piece of 
 land at Shechem, purchased from the sons of 
 Hamor ( = Emmor), was bought, according to Gen. 
 xxxiii. 19, by Jacob, and not by Abraham. The 
 same variation from the received text of Genesis 
 is also found in the apocryphal Book of Jubilees, 
 and this is no doubt the source of Luke's statement 
 here. 
 
 The reference to the burial of Jacob, which 
 seems at first sight absolutely irrelevant, is prob- 
 ably introduced to prove that the patriarchs 
 possessed no land in Palestine except the burying- 
 ground. 
 
 the sons of Emmor the father of Sychem. 
 The best MSS. read here, " the sons of Hamor in 
 Shechem," and this is the rendering in the R.V. 
 
 STEPHEN'S GREAT APOLOGY— (con^mued). 
 H. The History of Moses (vii. 17-4-3). 
 
 17 But when the time of the promise drew nigh, which God 
 had sworn to Abraham, the people grew and multiplied in 
 
 18 Egypt, till another king arose, which knew not Joseph. 
 
 19 The same dealt subtilly with our kindred, and evil 
 
Acts vii. 17-43 loi 
 
 entreated our fathers, so that they cast out their young 
 
 20 children, to the end they might not live. In which time 
 Moses was born, and was exceeding fair, and nourished up 
 
 21 in his father's house three months : and when he was 
 cast out, Pharaoh's daughter took him up, and nourished 
 
 22 him for her own son. And Moses was learned in all the 
 wisdom of the Egyptians, and was mighty in words and in 
 
 23 deeds. And when he was full forty years old, it came into 
 
 24 his heart to visit his brethren the children of Israel. And 
 seeing one of them suffer wrong, he defended him, and 
 avenged him that was oppressed, and smote the Egyptian : 
 
 25 for he supposed his brethren would have understood how 
 . that God by his hand would deliver them : but they under- 
 
 26 stood not. And the next day he shewed himself unto 
 them as they strove, and would have set them at one again, 
 saying. Sirs, ye are brethren ; why do ye wrong one to 
 
 27 another ? But he that did his neighbour wrong thrust him 
 away, saying, Who made thee a ruler and a judge over us? 
 
 28 Wilt thou kill me, as thou diddest the Egyptian yesterday? 
 
 29 Then fled Moses at this saying, and was a stranger in the 
 
 30 land of Madian, where he begat two sons. And when 
 forty years were expired, there appeared to him in the 
 wilderness of mount Sina an angel of the Lord in a flame 
 
 31 of fire in a bush. When Moses saw it, he wondered at the 
 sight : and as he drew near to behold it, the voice of the 
 
 32 Lord came unto him, saying, I am the God of thy 
 fathers, the God of Abraham, and the God of Isaac, and 
 the God of Jacob. Then Moses trembled, and durst not 
 
 33 behold. Then said the Lord to him. Put off" thy shoes 
 from thy feet : for the place where thou standest is holy 
 
 34 ground. I have seen, I have seen the affliction of my 
 people which is in Egypt, and I have heard their groaning, 
 and am come down to deliver them. And now come, I 
 
 35 will send thee into Egypt. This Moses whom they refused, 
 saying. Who made thee a ruler and a judge ? the same did 
 God send to be a ruler and a deliverer by the hand of the 
 
 36 angel which appeared to him in the bush. He brought 
 
I02 
 
 Westminster New Testament 
 
 them out, after that he had shewed wonders and signs in 
 the land of Egypt, and in the Red sea, and in the wilder- 
 
 37 ness forty years. This is that Moses, which said unto the 
 children of Israel, A prophet shall the Lord your God 
 raise up unto you of your brethren, like unto me ; him 
 
 38 shall ye hear. This is he, that was in the church in the 
 wilderness with the angel which spake to him in the 
 mount Sina, and with our fathers : who received the lively 
 
 39 oracles to give unto us : to whom our fathers would not 
 obey, but thrust him from them, and in their hearts turned 
 
 40 back again into Egypt, saying unto Aaron, Make us gods 
 to go before us : for as for this Moses, which brought us 
 out of the land of Egypt, we wot not what is become of 
 
 41 him. And they made a calf in those days, and offered 
 sacrifice unto the idol, and rejoiced in the works of their 
 
 42 own hands. Then God turned, and gave them up to 
 worship the host of heaven ; as it is written in the book of 
 the prophets, O ye house of Israel, have ye offered to me 
 slain beasts and sacrifices by the space of forty years in the 
 
 43 wilderyiess ? Yea, ye took up the tabernacle of Moloch, 
 and the star of your god Remphan, figures zvhich ye made 
 to worship them : and I zvill carry you away beyond 
 Babylon. 
 
 In the second section of Stephen's speech the 
 main point of the argument seems to change. The 
 history of Moses is narrated chiefly for the purpose 
 of proving that the Jews had always resisted and 
 rejected the Divinely appointed deliverer (see 
 especially vers. 24-26). The opponents of Christ 
 had their representatives in the time of Moses. 
 But though this is undoubtedly the dominant 
 note of the passage^ yet the other line of thought 
 is by no means absent. Great stress is laid, for 
 instance, upon the fact that it was " in the 
 wilderness of Mount Sina/' and not in Palestine, 
 
Acts vii. 17-43 103 
 
 that the revelation came to Moses in the burning 
 bush. 
 
 17. had sworn to Abraham. The best MSS. 
 read " had vouchsafed to Abraham." 
 
 22. was learned in all the wisdom. A 
 better translation is, "was instructed in all the 
 wisdom of the Egyptians." Jewish tradition 
 asserts that the king of Egypt had no son, and 
 that Moses as the adopted son of his daughter was 
 destined to be his successor on the throne. Hence 
 he received the best education in the philosophy 
 for which Egypt was always famous. 
 
 23. to visit his brethren. The parallelism 
 between Moses and Christ which is so clearly 
 brought out in this and the following verses is 
 evidently intentional, and may be regarded as the 
 real point of the passage. Moses, Stephen argues, 
 in his day was treated by his brethren just as 
 Christ had been treated by the men whom He 
 came to save. 
 
 29. the land of Madian. Madian = Midian, 
 the district which comprised, or included, at any 
 rate, the peninsula of Mount Sinai. 
 
 begat two sons. See Ex. xviii. 2-4. Their 
 names were Gershom and Eliezer. 
 
 30. there appeared unto him. The account 
 is taken from Ex. iii. 2-10. 
 
 Sina. The more usual form of spelling is 
 " Sinai." 
 
 SS. holy ground. This expression is emphatic, 
 and the words are obviously introduced to 
 prove that " holy ground " is not confined to 
 Palestine. 
 
 S5. whom they refused. Stephen selects this 
 particular point of the narrative for further em- 
 
I04 Westminster New Testament 
 
 phasis, in order to drive home the argument which 
 he has been basing on the parallelism between 
 Moses and Christ. 
 
 37. A prophet. This quotation, which is taken 
 from Deut. xviii. 15, is used by Stephen to re- 
 inforce his argument. Observe the emphatic 
 phrase "like unto me," which corroborates from 
 prophecy the resemblance between Christ and 
 Moses. 
 
 38. This is he. The "he" refers to Moses. 
 Cf. the commencement of ver. 37. 
 
 the church in the wilderness. The trans- 
 lation "church" is misleading. There is no 
 allusion to the Christian Church. The words 
 refer to " the congregation of Israel." The Greek 
 term is used in several senses, and " church " is only 
 one of its meanings. The phrase simply means, 
 " Moses was with the congregation of Israel during 
 its sojourn in the wilderness." 
 
 the lively oracles. " Lively " is a word which 
 has changed its meaning. When the Author- 
 ised Translation of the Bible was made, it was 
 used as a synonym for "living." Cf. 1 Pet. ii. 5, 
 " lively stones ; " 1 Pet. i. 3, "lively hope." The 
 R.V. gives the right meaning by translating "living 
 oracles." "The oracles" refer to the command- 
 ments of the Law M^hich Moses received from God. 
 They are described as "living" because they im- 
 part life. 
 
 39. thrust him from them. A further illus- 
 tration of the same stubborn spirit of resistance on 
 the part of the people. 
 
 4-0. saying unto Aaron. The quotation is 
 taken from Ex. xxxii. 1. 
 
 42. to worship the host of heaven. The 
 
Acts vii. 17-43 105 
 
 worship of the heavenly bodies was a common 
 form of paganism, into which the reUgion of Israel 
 often showed a tendency to degenerate (2 Kings 
 xvii. 16; Jer. viii. 2, xix. 13). 
 
 in the book of the prophets. The quotation 
 is from Amos v. 25, 26. The twelve Minor Prophets 
 were regarded by the Jews as one book. The 
 passage is cited as an illustration of the spirit of 
 stubborn rebellion which was characteristic of the 
 Jews. The point, however, is a little obscure 
 in the English translation. The second part of 
 the quotation, viz. ver. 43, is in contrast to the 
 first. " Did ye offer sacrifices to me ? Nay, 
 ye took up the tabernacle of Moloch," etc. ; i.e., 
 " Instead of worshipping me, ye resorted to 
 idolatry." 
 
 43. Moloch and Remphan. The special 
 type of idolatry of which the Israelites were guilty 
 is uncertain. According to the Septuagint, which 
 Stephen quotes, the gods worshipped in the wilder- 
 ness were Moloch, the god of the Ammonites, who 
 was propitiated by the sacrifice of children (Lev. 
 XX. 2-5), and Remphan (or Rephan), which seems 
 to be a Babylonian title for Saturn. When we 
 turn to the Hebrew Bible, however, we find different 
 names given. The translation of the passage as 
 given in the R.V. of Amos is as follows : '' Ye have 
 borne Siccuth your king and Chiun your images, 
 the star of your god, which ye made to your- 
 selves." "Siccuth" and "Chiun" are the names 
 of Babylonian deities. 
 
 beyond Babylon. Both the Hebrew and 
 Septuagint read "beyond Damascus." The sub- 
 stitution of "Babylon" for " Damascus " may be due 
 to a slip of memory, or it may be an intentional 
 
io6 Westminster New Testament 
 
 correction of Amos, since Babylon was the actual 
 place of exile. 
 
 STEPHEN'S GREAT hPOl.OGY—{continuecf). 
 
 III. The Building of the Temple and Stephen's 
 Final Appeal (vii. 44-53). 
 
 44 Our fathers had the tabernacle of witness in the wilder- 
 ness, as he had appointed, speaking unto Moses, that he 
 should make it according to the fashion that he had seen : 
 
 45 which also our fathers that came after brought in with 
 Jesus into the possession of the Gentiles, whom God 
 drave out before the face of our fathers, unto the days of 
 
 46 David ; who found favour before God, and desired to 
 
 47 find a tabernacle for the God of Jacob. But Solomon 
 
 48 built him an house. Howbeit the most High dwelleth 
 not in temples made with hands ; as saith the prophet, 
 
 49 Heaven is my throne, and earth is my footstool : what 
 house will ye build me? saith the Lord: or what is the 
 
 50 place of my rest ? Hath not my hand made all these 
 
 5 1 thittgs ? Ye stiffnecked and uncircumcised in heart and 
 ears, ye do always resist the Holy Ghost : as your fathers 
 
 52 did, so do ye. Which of the prophets have not your 
 fathers persecuted ? and they have slain them which shewed 
 before of the coming of the Just One : of whom ye have 
 
 53 been now the betrayers and murderers: who have re- 
 ceived the law by the disposition of angels, and have not 
 kept it. 
 
 The third section of Stephen's speech deals with 
 the building of the Temple, and shows that the 
 Temple was never intended to monopolise the 
 presence of God. The speech ends with a 
 passionate appeal to the Jews not to follow the 
 
Acts vii. 44-53 ^^7 
 
 example of the fathers in rejecting the prophets 
 sent by God. Thus the two Hnes of thought 
 which run side by side through the speech are 
 blended together in the peroration. 
 
 44. the tabernacle of witness (or, " the testi- 
 mony/' R.V.). Cf Ex. xxxviii. 21. The name was 
 given to the Ark because all its contents were a 
 testimony of God's power and wisdom. 
 
 in the wilderness. These words are emphatic. 
 Though the Ark was in the wilderness, and not in 
 the Holy City, it yet was the token of God's 
 abiding presence with His people. 
 
 speaking unto Moses, etc. See Ex. xxv. 9, 
 
 40, xxvi. 30, xxvii. 8. 
 
 45. brought in with Jesus. "Jesus" here 
 means " Joshua." The name " Jesus " is the Greek 
 equivalent for the Hebrew "Joshua." 
 
 into the possession of the Gentiles. A 
 misleading translation. The R.V. gives the true 
 meaning of the original : " when they entered on 
 the possession of the nations." 
 
 unto the days of David. It is not quite 
 certain what this phrase refers to. It may mean 
 (1) that the Jews made use of the Ark up to 
 the time of David, or (2) that God drove out 
 the nations up to the time of David ; i.e., the 
 conquest of Palestine was not completed till 
 David's time. 
 
 46. asked to find a habitation. See 2 Sam. 
 vii. 2-17. 
 
 48. the most High dwelleth not, etc. We 
 reach in this clause the climax of the speech — the 
 great conclusion towards which the argument has 
 been constantly progressing. The quotation which 
 follows is taken from Isa. Ixvi. 1, 2. 
 
io8 Westminster New Testament 
 
 51. Ye Stiffnecked. This verse marks the 
 commencement of Stephen's closing appeal. The 
 phrases "stiffnecked" and " uncircmncised in 
 heart" had often been applied to the Jews by 
 prophets in the past : for the former, see Ex. 
 xxxii. 9, xxxiii. 3-5 ; for the latter, Lev. xxvi. 41 ; 
 Jer. vi. 10 ; Ezek. xliv. 7. 
 
 52. Which of the prophets, etc. Compare 
 2 Chron. xxxvi. l6, "They mocked the messengers 
 of God, and despised his words, and scoffed at his 
 prophets, until the wrath of the Lord arose . . . 
 till there was no remedy." 
 
 the Just One. The same title is bestowed 
 on Christ in iii. 14, xxii. 14. It is used as a 
 name of the Messiah in the apocryphal Book of 
 Enoch. 
 
 53. by the disposition of angels. R.V., "as 
 it was ordained by angels." The Old Testament 
 says nothing about angels at the giving of the 
 Law on Mount Sinai — though the Septuagint in 
 Deut. xxxiii. 2 adds the following phrase : " on his 
 right hand were angels." In later Jewish tradi- 
 tion, however, angels were introduced into the 
 story as intennediaries between God and Moses. 
 Josephus, for instance, says : " We have learned from 
 God the most excellent of our doctrines and the 
 most holy part of our law by angels." The same 
 tradition appears also in the apocryphal Book of 
 Enoch. This tradition was evidently accepted by 
 Stephen. It is also found in two other passages 
 in the New Testament : (l) Heb. ii. 2, "The word 
 spoken through angels ; " (2) Gal. iii. 19, "The law 
 was ordained through angels by the hand of a 
 mediator." 
 
Acts vii. 54-viii. 3 109 
 
 Acts vii. 54-viii. 3. 
 THE MARTYRDOM OF STEPHEN. 
 
 54 When they heard these things, they were cut to the heart, 
 
 55 and they gnashed on him with their teeth. But he, being 
 full of the Holy Ghost, looked up stedfastly into heaven, 
 and saw the glory of God, and Jesus standing on the right 
 
 56 hand of God, and said, Behold, I see the heavens 
 opened, and the Son of man standing on the right hand of 
 
 57 God. Then they cried out with a loud voice, and stopped 
 
 58 their ears, and ran upon him with one accord, and cast 
 him out of the city, and stoned him : and the witnesses 
 laid down their clothes at a young man's feet, whose name 
 
 59 was Saul. And they stoned Stephen, caUing upon God, 
 
 60 and saying. Lord Jesus, receive my spirit. And he 
 kneeled down, and cried with a loud voice, Lord, lay not 
 this sin to their charge. And when he had said this, he 
 
 1 fell asleep. And Saul was consenting unto his death. 
 And at that time there was a great persecution against the 
 church which was at Jerusalem ; and they were all 
 scattered abroad throughout the regions of Judaea and 
 
 2 Samaria, except the apostles. And devout men carried 
 Stephen to his burial, and made great lamentation over 
 
 3 him. As for Saul, he made havock of the church, enter- 
 ing into every house, and haling men and women com- 
 mitted them to prison, 
 
 The only effect of Stephen's speech was to in- 
 crease the storm of indignation against him. " Cut 
 to the heart," the crowd took the law into their 
 own hands, and without waiting to obtain Pilate's 
 consent, carried Stephen outside the walls of the 
 city and there stoned him to death. The proceed- 
 ings were absolutely irregular, as capital punish- 
 ment could not be inflicted without the consent 
 
no Westminster New Testament 
 
 of the Roman Procurator. The martyrdom, though 
 probably engineered by the Council, was actually 
 the work of the Jewish mob, and there was no 
 pretence at judicial process at all. The narrative 
 is significant, because it records the first appearance 
 of Saul of Tarsus. 
 
 54. cut to the heart. The phrases ^^cut to the 
 heart" and '^^ gnashed their teeth" illustrate the 
 fury into which the mob had been thrown by 
 the speech of Stephen. 
 
 55. looked Up Stedfastly. There is an 
 intentional contrast drawn here between the wild 
 action of the mob and the calm, peaceful faith of 
 Stephen. Amid all the whirling panic Stephen 
 alone was quiet and self-possessed, his soul full of 
 the vision of the Risen Lord. 
 
 56. the Son of man. This phrase, which is 
 so familiar in the Gospel narrative and was so 
 often used by Jesus, does not occur as a title of 
 Christ in the New Testament outside the Four 
 Gospels except in this passage. 
 
 58. cast him out of the city. In obedience 
 to Lev. xxiv. 14, " Bring him forth . . . without 
 the camp." 
 
 witnesses laid down their clothes. By the 
 Mosaic Law (cf. Deut. xvii. 7) the witnesses were 
 bound to cast the first stones. They laid aside 
 their garments in order that their arms might be 
 free. 
 
 whose name was SauL Saul was evidently 
 one of the ringleaders of the attack. The state- 
 ments of Acts with regard to Saul's zeal as a 
 persecutor are in keeping with what we find in 
 the Epistles: cf. Phil. iii. 6; Gal. i. 13. Saul is 
 here called a *^^ young man," but the word used 
 
Acts vii. 54-viii. 3 III 
 
 is sometimes applied to a man of forty. Saul 
 must have been between thirty and forty at the 
 time. 
 
 59. calling upon God. There is no word for 
 '^ God " in the original, and as the following words 
 show that the prayer was addressed to Christ, it 
 is better to translate, "calling upon the Lord/' i.e. 
 Christ. 
 
 60. lay not this sin. These words recall 
 the prayer of Christ on the Cross, " Father, forgive 
 them, for they know not what they do " (Luke 
 xxiii. 34). 
 
 viii. 1. Saul was consenting. Cf. the state- 
 ment of Paul in xxii. 20, " When the blood of thy 
 martyr Stephen was shed, I also was standing by, 
 and consenting unto his death." 
 
 a great persecution. Now that the mob was 
 alienated from Christianity, it was possible for its 
 opponents to organise a systematic attack upon 
 it, and no time was lost in commencing the perse- 
 cution. 
 
 were all scattered abroad. This dispersion, 
 
 which at first seems so disastrous, was in reality 
 the cause of the expansion of the Church. Out 
 of it came the mission to Samaria (viii. 1-5) and 
 the movement at Antioch (xi. 19). 
 
 3. Saul laid waste the church. See n. on 
 vii. 58. Compare also Paul's own statements in 
 xxii. 3-5, xxvi. 10, 11. We gather from the 
 latter passage that Saul was a member of the 
 Sanhedrin at the time. 
 
112 Westminster New Testament 
 
 Acts viii. 4-13. 
 PHILIP'S MISSION TO SAMARIA. 
 
 4 Therefore they that were scattered abroad went every where 
 
 5 preaching the word. Then Philip went down to the city 
 
 6 of Samaria, and preached Christ unto them. And the 
 people with one accord gave heed unto those things which 
 Philip spake, hearing and seeing the miracles which he 
 
 7 did. For unclean spirits, crying with loud voice, came 
 out of many that were possessed with them : and many 
 
 8 taken with palsies, and that were lame, were healed. And 
 
 9 there was great joy in that city. But there was a certain 
 man, called Simon, which beforetime in the same city used 
 sorcery, and bewitched the people of Samaria, giving out 
 
 10 that himself was some great one : to whom they all gave 
 heed, from the least to the greatest, saying. This man is 
 
 11 the great power of God. And to him they had regard, 
 because that of long time he had bewitched them with 
 
 12 sorceries. But when they believed Philip preaching the 
 things concerning the kingdom of God, and the name of 
 Jesus Christ, they were baptized, both men and women. 
 
 13 Then Simon himself believed also: and when he was 
 baptized, he continued with Philip, and wondered, behold- 
 ing the miracles and signs which were done. 
 
 Up to this point Christianity has been confined 
 to Jerusalem and its immediate neighbourhood. 
 We reach now the fulfilment of the second point 
 in the Divine programme of Christianity as laid 
 down by Christ before His Ascension ; '' Ye shall 
 be witnesses unto me both in Jerusalem^ and in all 
 Judaea and Samaria, and unto the uttermost part 
 of the earth " (i. 8). The mission to Samaria was 
 not a deliberately planned movement. It was the 
 result of the dispersion which followed the martyr- 
 
Acts viii. 4-13 113 
 
 dom of Stephen. Stephen effected by his death 
 what he evidently longed to achieve in his life — 
 the expansion of the Church. Very few facts are 
 given with regard to Philip's work. Luke's main 
 interest is in Simon Magus, and the important role 
 assigned to him is allowed to obscure the significance 
 of the mission as a whole. 
 
 4. went every where. There is no word for 
 " everywhere " in the Greek. The original simply 
 says "went about preaching the word." 
 
 5. Philip was one of " the Seven ; " see vi. 5. Be- 
 yond the statements in this chapter, little is known 
 about him, except that he afterwards lived with his 
 four daughters at Caesarea, where he was visited 
 by Paul (xxi. 8, 9). Luke was with Paul on the 
 occasion of this visit, and so probably obtained the 
 information about the mission to Samaria directly 
 from Philip himself. In xxi. 8 Luke appropriately 
 describes him as " Philip the evangelist." 
 
 city of Samaria. The capital city of the district 
 known as " Samaria." Herod had given the name 
 of " Sebaste " to it. 
 
 preached Christ. The translation of the 
 R.V. is better, '^proclaimed unto them the Christ " 
 {i.e., the Messiah). That the Samaritans, like the 
 Jews, were looking for a Messiah is clearly proved 
 by John iv. 25. 
 
 9. Simon by name. The name of Simon 
 Magus figures largely in later tradition. Justin 
 Martyr, for instance, describes him thus : " After 
 the Ascension of our Lord certain men suborned by 
 demons said that they were gods. . . . Simon, a 
 certain Samaritan, was one of the number who in 
 the reign of Claudius Caesar performed many magic 
 rites by the aid of demons." Other writers regard 
 8 
 
114 Westminster New Testament 
 
 Simon as the father of heresy and the arch- 
 opponent of Christian truth. The present passage 
 proves (1) that Simon was a sorcerer (hence his 
 name " Magus "), (2) that he claimed Divine powers. 
 
 10. This man ... of God. The true Greek 
 Text reads, " This man is that power of God which 
 is called Great." The idea that lies at the back 
 of this expression is as follows : — God possessed 
 many attributes and powers : one of these powers 
 was singled out as " the power par excellence," and 
 Simon was supposed to be the Incarnation of this 
 power of God. The Samaritans regarded Simon 
 Magus somewhat in the same way as the Fourth 
 Gospel regards Christ. Simon Magus is described 
 as the Incarnation of the Power of God — Jesus as 
 the Incarnation of His Word. 
 
 13. Simon himself believed also. Belief is 
 of different types. The belief of Simon was similar 
 to the belief of the Jews as described in John 
 viii. 31 — a belief which did not prevent them 
 from plotting Jesus' death. Simon was evidently 
 attracted by ^^ the wonders" wrought by Philip, 
 which outmatched the achievements of his own 
 sorcery. His so-called conversion simply amounted 
 to a recognition of the fact that Christ could work 
 greater wonders than could be wrought by the 
 masrician's art. 
 
 Acts viii. 14-25. 
 
 THE VISIT OF THE APOSTLES TO 
 SAMARIA. 
 
 14 Now when the apostles which were at Jerusalem heard that 
 Samaria had received the word of God, they sent unto 
 
Acts viii. 14-25 115 
 
 15 them Peter and John : who, when they were come down, 
 prayed for them, that they might receive the Holy Ghost : 
 
 16 (for as yet he was fallen upon none of them : only they 
 
 17 were baptized in the name of the Lord Jesus.) Then laid 
 they their hands on them, and they received the Holy 
 
 18 Ghost. And when Simon saw that through laying on of the 
 apostles' hands the Holy Ghost was given, he offered them 
 
 19 money, saying, Give me also this power, that on whom- 
 
 20 soever I lay hands, he may receive the Holy Ghost. But 
 Peter said unto him, Thy money perish with thee, because 
 thou hast thought that the gift of God may be purchased 
 
 21 with money. Thou hast neither part nor lot in this 
 matter : for thy heart is not right in the sight of God. 
 
 22 Repent therefore of this thy wickedness, and pray God, if 
 perhaps the thought of thine heart may be forgiven thee. 
 
 23 For I perceive that thou art in the gall of bitterness, and 
 
 24 in the bond of iniquity. Then answered Simon, and said, 
 Pray ye to the Lord for me, that none of these things 
 
 25 which ye have spoken come upon me. And they, when 
 they had testified and preached the word of the Lord, 
 returned to Jerusalem, and preached the gospel in many 
 villages of the Samaritans. 
 
 The mission of Philip had not been authorised 
 by the Church at Jerusalem^ and consequently 
 when the tidings of Philip's success reached the 
 Apostles, Peter and John were commissioned to 
 visit Samaria for the purpose of investigating the 
 character of the work and determining how far 
 it ought to receive recognition at Jerusalem. 
 A similar process was adopted in connection with 
 Antioch when Barnabas was appointed as com- 
 missioner (xi. 22). The Apostles apparently, if we are 
 to trust the picture in Acts, played the part of critics 
 rather than initiators. No forward movement is 
 ascribed to them. The initiative always comes 
 
ii6 Westminster New Testament 
 
 from outside. The two chief points of interest in 
 the paragraph are (1) the account of the Samaritan 
 Pentecost (vers. 14, 15), — observe how the work in 
 Samaria, just as in Jerusalem, receives its Baptism of 
 Spiritual Power ; (2) the account of Simon's folly. 
 
 14. they sent Peter and John. Peter and 
 John were sent to Samaria as the delegates of the 
 Apostles, partly to examine and partly to encourage 
 the work in Samaria. 
 
 15. receive the Holy Ghost. Another proof 
 of the tremendous importance which was attached 
 to the work of the Holy Spirit. The mission in 
 Samaria could not hope to succeed without a 
 Pentecost. 
 
 17. laid their hands on them. See n. on vi. 6. 
 Ver. 18 seems to imply that Luke connected the 
 Baptism of the Spirit with the laying on of hands. 
 
 18. Simon . . . offered them money. Simon's 
 conduct proves how inadequate his faith had been. 
 He was so impressed by the Baptism of the Spirit, 
 which he thought had been produced by the 
 Apostles, that he was anxious to purchase the 
 power of conferring the same gift. 
 
 23. thou art in the gall of bitterness and 
 the bond of iniquity. The expressions used in 
 this phrase are borrowed from the Old Testament. 
 For the former, compare Deut. xxix. 18, ^^lest there 
 should be among you a root that beareth gall and 
 wormwood," and for the latter, Isa. Iviii. 6, " to loose 
 the bonds of wickedness." There is some little 
 difficulty about the translation. Three renderings 
 are possible. (1) As in the text. This implies that 
 Simon is already in the condition represented by 
 the phrases used. (2) As in the margin of the R.V., 
 ^^Thou wilt become gall (or a gall root) of bitter- 
 
Acts viii. 26-40 117 
 
 ness." In this case the condition is represented 
 as future. (3) " Thou art as the gall of bitterness/' 
 where the phrases represent a comparison. The 
 second translation seems most appropriate, because 
 it aptly describes the bitter hostility which Simon 
 afterwards showed towards Christianity. 
 
 24. Pray ye therefore. If later tradition is 
 to be trusted, this prayer was never answered. 
 Simon became the arch-opponent of Christianity. 
 
 Acts viii. 26-40. 
 THE CONVERSION OF THE ETHIOPIAN. 
 
 26 And the angel of the Lord spake unto Philip, saying, 
 Arise, and go toward the south unto the way that goeth 
 
 27 down from Jerusalem unto Gaza, which is desert. And 
 he arose and went : and, behold, a man of Ethiopia, an 
 eunuch of great authority under Candace queen of the 
 Ethiopians, who had the charge of all her treasure, and 
 
 28 had come to Jerusalem for to worship, was returning, 
 and sitting in his chariot read Esaias the prophet. 
 
 29 Then the Spirit said unto Philip, Go near, and join 
 
 30 thyself to this chariot. And Philip ran thither to him, 
 and heard him read the prophet Esaias, and said, Under- 
 
 31 standest thou what thou readest? And he said. How can 
 I, except some man should guide me ? And he desired 
 
 32 Philip that he would come up and sit with him. The 
 place of the scripture which he read was this, He was led 
 as a sheep to the slaughter ; and like a la7?ib dumb before 
 
 33 his shearer^ so opened he not his mouth : in his humiliation 
 his judgment was taken away: and who shall declare his 
 
 34 generation? for his life is taken from the earth. And the 
 eunuch answered Philip, and said, I pray thee, of whom 
 speaketh the prophet this ? of himself, or of some other 
 
ii8 Westminster New Testament 
 
 35 man ? Then Philip opened his mouth, and began at the 
 
 36 same scripture, and preached unto him Jesus. And as 
 they went on their way, they came unto a certain water : 
 and the eunuch said, See, here is water ; what doth hinder 
 
 37 me to be baptized? And PhiHp said, If thou believest 
 with all thine heart, thou mayest. And he answered and 
 
 38 said, I believe that Jesus Christ is the Son of God. And he 
 commanded the chariot to stand still : and they went down 
 both into the water, both Philip and the eunuch ; and he 
 
 39 baptized him. And when they were come up out of the 
 water, the Spirit of the Lord caught away Philip, that the 
 eunuch saw him no more : and he went on his way 
 
 40 rejoicing. But Philip was found at Azotus : and passing 
 through he preached in all the cities, till he came to 
 Caesarea. 
 
 After leaving Samaria, Philip started on a new 
 missionary tour along the coast of Palestine, from 
 Gaza to Caesarea, where he seems to have made his 
 home. Only one incident in connection with this 
 tour is recorded, viz., the conversion of the 
 Ethiopian. This Ethiopian, who was a courtier 
 and an official of high rank, evidently belonged to 
 the large number of "seekers after God " who were 
 to be found in every part of the world at this time. 
 His quest had resulted in his becoming a Jewish 
 proselyte. His visit to Jerusalem, however, seems 
 only to have deepened his spiritual hunger, and 
 hence he was eager to receive the new truth which 
 Philip had to impart. 
 
 26. an angel of the Lord spake unto 
 Philip. This is Luke's way of saying that a 
 Divine impulse came to Philip. See ver. 29. 
 
 unto the way that goeth. Philip, on leaving 
 Samaria, went south till he came to the road which 
 connected Jerusalem and Gaza. 
 
Acts viii. 26-40 119 
 
 Gaza. An important town near the coast, about 
 60 miles S.W. of Jerusalem. 
 
 which is desert. It is not clear whether this 
 phrase refers to the road or to the city. Probably 
 the former view is correct. There was more than 
 one road from Jerusalem to Gaza, and the phrase 
 is added to describe the particular route which 
 Philip was to take, viz., *^ the desert road." If 
 we take the latter view, we must adopt the ex- 
 planation of G. Adam Smith that there were at 
 this time two cities of Gaza — one in ruins and the 
 other recently rebuilt. The phrase in this case 
 indicates the road to the ruined city. 
 
 27. a man of Ethiopia. Ethiopia (the present 
 Nubia) lay to the south of Egypt, on the borders 
 of the Sahara desert. Its capital was Meroe. 
 
 Candace queen of the Ethiopians. From 
 
 the time of Alexander the Great, Ethiopia was ruled 
 by queens, who bore the official title of " Candace." 
 over all her treasure. The eunuch was 
 Treasurer, or, as we should say. Chancellor of the 
 Exchequer, to the queen. 
 
 28. read Esaias the prophet. The man was 
 
 evidently very much in earnest. He was reading 
 his Bible aloud (see ver. 30), a sure sign in the case 
 of a Jew that he was striving to understand its 
 meaning. 
 
 29. the Spirit said. Note the substitution of 
 "the Spirit" for "the angel" of ver. 26 — an 
 indication that the latter expression is not to be 
 taken literally. An interesting parallel to this 
 variation frequently occurs in the Old Testament, 
 where an action is in some places attributed to 
 the angel of Jehovah, though elsewhere it is said 
 to be the direct work of Jehovah Himself. 
 
I20 Westminster New Testament 
 
 32. The place of the scripture. Better, 
 
 " The passage of scripture which he was reading was 
 this." The quotation comes from the Septuagint 
 version of Isa. Hii. 7, 8. This is the first instance 
 of the definite use of the great prophecy in Isa. 
 Uii. as an explanation of the sufferings of Christ. 
 It is remarkable that the prophecy, which to-day 
 we regard as the most significant of all, should 
 have attracted so little attention in the early 
 Church. Besides the present case, its use, as an 
 explanation of the death of Christ, is confined to 
 the First Epistle of Peter. 
 
 33. in his humiliation. The Septuagint 
 rendering of the passage obscures its real 
 meaning. The R.V. translates the Hebrew thus : 
 " By oppression and judgment he was taken away ; 
 and as for his generation, who among them con- 
 sidered that he was cut off out of the land of 
 the living?" 
 
 37. And Philip said. The whole of this verse 
 is omitted in the best MSS., and consequently in 
 the R.V. also. It was probably added to the Text 
 because later theologians felt that without it there 
 seemed to be nothing to justify the baptism of 
 the Ethiopian. 
 
 39. the Spirit of the Lord caught away 
 
 Philip. These words imply that Philip was 
 miraculously spirited away. The same idea occurs 
 frequently in the Old Testament (cf. 1 Kings 
 xviii. 12 ; Ezek. iii. 12, viii. 3, etc.). They are not, 
 however, to be taken literally. The fact beneath 
 the poetry is that Philip received a Divine impulse 
 which made him leave the Ethiopian and continue 
 his journey. 
 
 40. Philip was found at Azotus. I.e., Philip 
 
Acts ix. 1-9 121 
 
 was next heard of at Azotus. Azotus = Ashdod 
 of the Old Testament ; of. 1 Sam. v. 1-7. 
 
 till he came to Caesarea. Philip seems to 
 have settled down in Caesarea, where we find him 
 twenty years later ; see xxi. 8. 
 
 Acts ix. 1-9. 
 
 THE CONVERSION OF SAUL OF TARSUS. 
 
 And Saul, yet breathing out threatenings and slaughter 
 against the disciples of the Lord, went unto the high priest, 
 
 2 and desired of him letters to Damascus to the synagogues, 
 that if he found any of this way, whether they were men 
 or women, he might bring them bound unto Jerusalem. 
 
 3 And as he journeyed, he came near Damascus : and 
 suddenly there shined round about him a light from heaven : 
 
 4 and he fell to the earth, and heard a voice saying unto 
 
 5 him, Saul, Saul, why persecutest thou me ? And he said, 
 Who art thou. Lord? And the Lord said, I am Jesus 
 whom thou persecutest : it is hard for thee to kick against 
 
 6 the pricks. And he trembling and astonished said. Lord, 
 what wilt thou have me to do ? And the Lord said unto 
 him. Arise, and go into the city, and it shall be told thee 
 
 7 what thou must do. And the men which journeyed with 
 him stood speechless, hearing a voice, but seeing no man. 
 
 8 And Saul arose from the earth ; and when his eyes were 
 opened, he saw no man : but they led him by the hand, 
 
 9 and brought him into Damascus. And he was three days 
 without sight, and neither did eat nor drink. 
 
 We now come to a momentous event, the results 
 of which cannot be exaggerated — the conversion 
 of Saul of Tarsus. Luke gives no less than 
 three accounts of this : (1) the present passage ; 
 (2) xxii. 6-16; (3) xxvi. 12-18. The first 
 
122 Westminster New Testament 
 
 narrative contains Luke's own version of the event 
 — the second and third occur in the reports of 
 speeches made by Paul himself. These accounts 
 are in agreement on the main facts, though there 
 are some discrepancies between them on points 
 of detail (see notes on ver. 7). The question 
 whether the appearance of Christ to Saul was 
 physical and external or spiritual and internal must 
 be left an open one. There are two important 
 considerations which favour the latter view. («) In 
 speaking of his conversion in Gal. i. 15, Paul seems 
 to imply quite definitely that the appearance of 
 Christ was internal : " But when it was the good 
 pleasure of God ... to reveal his Son in me." 
 (b) Luke has a distinct tendency to externalise 
 spiritual processes, as can be seen by comparing 
 his account of the Baptism of Jesus with the 
 narratives in the other Gospels. As we have seen, 
 too, he often represents a purely spiritual impulse 
 as the action of an angel (see viii. 26). On the 
 other hand, we must not forget that Paul claims 
 in the most emphatic way to have seen the Lord 
 Jesus. " Am I not an apostle ? " he writes to the 
 Corinthians (1 Cor. ix. 1). " Have I not seen our 
 Lord ? " " Last of all, as unto one born out of due 
 time, he appeared unto me also" (1 Cor. xv. 8). 
 These passages make it quite clear that Paul 
 placed the appearance of Christ to himself on the 
 same level with His appearances to the other 
 Apostles after the Resurrection. Unless, therefore, 
 all the appearances of Christ are to be regarded 
 as spiritual, it must be acknowledged that the 
 second view does not satisfy all the facts. 
 
 1. breathing out threatenings and 
 slaughter. Saul was not contented with the dis- 
 
Acts ix. 1-9 123 
 
 persion of the disciples ; with the zeal of a fanatic 
 he determined to pursue the refugees and hunt them 
 down. Though only the martyrdom of Stephen is 
 recorded, the statement in xxvi. 10 implies that 
 others were put to death as well. 
 
 the high priest. Probably Annas is meant, 
 though Caiaphas was the actual High Priest. See 
 n. on iv. 6. 
 
 2. letters to Damascus. Compare xxvi. 12 : " I 
 
 went to Damascus with authority and commission 
 from the chief priests." The Council claimed 
 authority over Jews even though resident in foreign 
 cities like Damascus ; cf. xxvi. 11. 
 
 any of this way. The R.V. is preferable, 
 "any that were of the Way." "The Way" was 
 one of the earliest titles used to describe the 
 Christian religion. It occurs several times in this 
 sense in Acts. See xix. 9, 23, xxii. 4, xxiv. 
 14, 22. 
 
 3. a light out of heaven. This vision is more 
 fully described in xxvi. 13: " At midday I saw in 
 the way a light from heaven, above the brightness of 
 the sun, shining round about me and them which 
 journeyed with me." 
 
 4. Saul, Saul. In all three accounts the name 
 "Saul" in the vision is Hebraic in form, and spelt 
 quite differently from the Greek form of the word 
 used by Luke in the narrative. In the vision the 
 name is "Saoul," in the narrative "Saulos." This 
 fact seems to warrant the deduction that Luke is 
 here trying to reproduce with scrupulous care the 
 account as it had been told to him. 
 
 5. 6. it is hard . . . said unto him. These 
 words are omitted in the best MSS., and so do not 
 appear in the R.V. They were added to the Text 
 
124 Westminster New Testament 
 
 from the two other accounts by a later editor, 
 who was anxious to make the present narrative 
 complete. 
 
 go into the city. It is clear from this state- 
 ment that the travellers must have reached the 
 confines of Damascus. 
 
 7. the men stood speechless. In xxvi. 14 it 
 is stated that they all fell to the ground, but there 
 is no real discrepancy, because xxvi. 14 describes 
 what happened at the first appearance of the vision, 
 while the w ords in the present passage describe the 
 condition of Paul's companions at a subsequent 
 stage. 
 
 hearing a voice. There is a more serious dis- 
 crepancy in this statement, xxii. 9 says definitely, 
 " they saw the light . . . but heard not the voice 
 of him that spake to me." The usual explanation, 
 starting from the fact that the word " voice " in the 
 original is in the genitive case in ix. 7 and in the 
 accusative in xxii. 9, supposes that the former means 
 '^ hearing a confused noise," and the latter ^'^they did 
 not hear an articulate voice," and argues that the two 
 passages are not therefore in contradiction. This 
 explanation, however, cannot be maintained, because 
 the same variations of case occur in the same 
 phrase at an earlier point in the story (cf. ix. 4 
 followed by the accusative, xxii. 7 by the genitive), 
 where any distinction of meaning is absolutely out 
 of the question. But though the discrepancy 
 cannot be resolved, it is too small a point in itself 
 to throw any suspicion upon the narrative. 
 
 8. saw no man. Because the vision had blinded 
 him ; cf. xxii. 1 1. 
 
Acts ix. 1 0-18 125 
 
 Acts ix. 10-18. 
 SAUL AND ANANIAS. 
 
 10 And there was a certain disciple at Damascus, named 
 Ananias ; and to him said the Lord in a vision, Ananias. 
 
 1 1 And he said, Behold, I am here, Lord. And the Lord said 
 unto him. Arise, and go into the street which is called 
 Straight, and enquire in the house of Judas for one called 
 
 12 Saul, of Tarsus : for, behold, he prayeth, and hath seen 
 in a vision a man named Ananias coming in, and putting 
 
 13 his hand on him, that he might receive his sight. Then 
 Ananias answered. Lord, I have heard by many of this man, 
 how much evil he hath done to thy saints at Jerusalem : 
 
 14 and here he hath authority from the chief priests to bind 
 
 15 all that call on thy name. But the Lord said unto him, 
 Go thy way : for he is a chosen vessel unto me, to bear my 
 name before the Gentiles, and kings, and the children of 
 
 16 Israel : for I will shew him how great things he must 
 
 17 suffer for my name's sake. And Ananias went his way, and 
 entered into the house ; and putting his hands on him said. 
 Brother Saul, the Lord, even Jesus, that appeared unto thee 
 in the way as thou camest, hath sent me, that thou 
 mightest receive thy sight, and be filled with the Holy 
 
 18 Ghost. And immediately there fell from his eyes as it had 
 been scales : and he received sight forthwith, and arose, 
 and was baptized. 
 
 Upon reaching Damascus, Saul was visited by 
 Ananias, who is described in xxii. 12 as "a devout 
 man according to the law, having a good report of 
 all the Jews." Ananias gave Saul a warm welcome, 
 restored his sight, and baptized him. The account 
 which Paulhimself gives of this event in xxii. 12-16 
 is simpler, and should be carefully compared with 
 the present passage. Luke seems to be particularly 
 
126 Westminster New Testament 
 
 interested in the vision which came to Ananias. 
 There can be no doubt that he has elaborated and 
 exaggerated this part of the story. That Ananias 
 did receive a Divine impulse to visit Paul — an im- 
 pulse which at first he was inclined to resist — and 
 that he had insight enough to understand the 
 significance of his conversion, is quite clear. But 
 the account of the double vision in ver. 12 and the 
 specific details in ver. 15 are largely due to the 
 imagination of the historian. 
 
 10. Ananias. We have no means of knowing 
 how Ananias had become a Christian. He may 
 have been converted on the day of Pentecost, or he 
 may possibly have been one of the refugees from 
 Jerusalem, though xxii. 12 seems to imply that he 
 resided in Damascus. 
 
 11. street which is called Straight. The main 
 street in Damascus is still called by the name 
 " Straight." 
 
 house of Judas. The mention of the house of 
 Judas illustrates Luke's love of detail, and proves that 
 he obtained his account from one who was well 
 informed. 
 
 12. hath seen in a vision. The words "in a 
 vision " are omitted by the R.V. 
 
 hath seen ... a man named Ananias. This 
 
 vision within a vision, as it may be called, is far too 
 elaborate to represent an actual spiritual fact, and 
 the mention of the name Ananias proves that the 
 description is coloured, at any rate, by the light of 
 after events. 
 
 13. he hath done to the saints at Jerusalem. 
 This is the first occasion upon which the title 
 " saints " is bestowed on the members of the 
 Christian community. The word means "those 
 
Acts ix. 10-19 127 
 
 who are set apart for the service of God/' or " con- 
 secrated/' and is frequently used in the Epistles of 
 Paul. For other instances of the occurrence of the 
 title in Acts^ see ix. 32, 41, xxvi. 10. The name 
 generally used is either '^brethren" or "disciples." 
 
 14. all that call upon thy name. Another 
 phrase used to describe the Christians. See also 
 ver. 21 andxxii. 16; 1 Cor. i. 2, where, as here, it is 
 used in close connection with the title "saints." 
 
 15. a chosen vessel = " a vessel specially ap- 
 pointed by God." For the use of the metaphor, cf. 
 Jer. xxii. 28, li. 34 ; Rom. ix. 22-23. 
 
 the Gentiles and kings, etc. There is little 
 doubt that the contents of the vision are expanded 
 by Luke in the light of Paul's subsequent career. 
 
 16. how many things he must suffer. Paul, 
 like his Master, was to be "a suffering servant " of 
 God, and no small^amount of the influence which he 
 exerted on the world issued out of these sufferings. 
 For Paul's own description of his sufferings, see 
 2 Cor. xi. 23-28. 
 
 17. putting his hands on him. See n. on vi. 6 
 and viii. 17. Observe that in the present instance 
 this symbolical action is connected not only with 
 the restoration of Saul's sight, but also with the gift 
 of the Holy Spirit. For Paul's account of the words 
 used by Ananias, see xxii. 14-16. 
 
 filled with the Holy Ghost. As we have seen, 
 Luke always lays the utmost stress on the Doctrine 
 of the Holy Spirit. The Baptism of the Spirit 
 stands in the forefront of the career of the Apostle 
 Paul, just as it stands in the forefront of the history 
 of the Church. 
 
128 Westminster New Testament 
 
 Acts ix. 19-25. 
 THE PLOT AGAINST SAUL AT DAMASCUS. 
 
 19 And when he had received meat, he was strengthened. 
 Then was Saul certain days with the disciples which were 
 
 20 at Damascus. And straightway he preached Christ in the 
 
 21 synagogues, that he is the Son of God. But all that 
 heard him were amazed, and said ; Is not this he that 
 destroyed them which called on this name in Jerusalem, 
 and came hither for that intent, that he might bring them 
 
 22 bound unto the chief priests? But Saul increased the 
 more in strength, and confounded the Jews which dwelt 
 
 23 at Damascus, proving that this is very Christ. And after 
 that many days were fulfilled, the Jews took counsel to kill 
 
 24 him : but their laying await was known of Saul. And they 
 
 25 watched the gates day and night to kill him. Then the 
 disciples took him by night, and let him down by the wall 
 in a basket. 
 
 After his baptism^ Saul at once began to preach 
 at Damascus with startling effect. He was not 
 allowed, however, to work in peace. He himself 
 had roused his countrymen to hostility against the 
 Christians, and he was caught in his own toils. 
 The storm broke on his own head. A conspiracy 
 to kill him was formed by the Jews, but he managed 
 to escape to Jerusalem. Paul himself briefly tells 
 the story of his flight from Damascus in 2 Cor. xi. 32 : 
 " In Damascus the governor under Aretas the king 
 guarded the city of the Damascenes, in order to 
 take me ; but through a window was I let down in 
 a basket by the wall, and escaped his hands." The 
 events in this paragraph cover a period of three years. 
 
 19. certain days. An indefinite phrase, indi- 
 cating, however, a brief period of time. Luke seems 
 
Acts ix. 19-25 129 
 
 rather hazy with regard to Saul's history immediately 
 after his conversion. See n. on ver. 23. 
 
 20. he preached Christ. The better MSS. 
 read as follows : '^ proclaimed Jesus that he is the 
 Son of God." This is more in keeping with history, 
 because '' Christ " had not yet become a mere name 
 for ^^ Jesus." 
 
 22. Saul increased the more in strength = 
 
 continued to grow more and more in spiritual 
 power. Saul's stay at Damascus was a time of 
 spiritual development. He came a raw recruit, 
 and it needed time for him to find his bearings 
 and readjust his religious perspective. 
 
 proving. The Greek word used here denotes 
 proof by argument and inference. Saul found 
 himself able to meet the intellectual objections 
 which were brought against Christianity — largely, 
 no doubt, because he himself had passed through 
 the same phase of thought. 
 
 23. After many days were fulfilled. The 
 general impression which we get from reading 
 this paragraph is that Saul's stay in the North was 
 only a matter of days. When we turn to the 
 Epistle to the Galatians, however, we find that 
 three years elapsed between Saul's conversion and 
 his visit to Jerusalem (Gal. i. I6-I8). "Many 
 days" is an elastic phrase, which is capable 
 (especially in its Greek form) of covering a con- 
 siderable period of time, and as a matter of fact 
 it is actually used in 1 Kings ii. 38, S9 of the 
 exact interval which is required in the present 
 passage, viz., three years. Some part of this time 
 (how much it is impossible to tell) Saul spent 
 in Arabia (see Gal. i. 17), a fact which Luke com- 
 pletely ignores. 
 
I30 Westminster New Testament 
 
 24. they watched the gates day and night. 
 We know from 2 Cor. xi. 32 that they had the 
 support of the authorities, who openly abetted 
 the plot. 
 
 25. let him down by the wall. Houses were 
 built on the wall, and it was through a window 
 in one of these that Paul was let down. Cf. 
 Josh. ii. 15. 
 
 Acts ix. 26-30. 
 SAUL'S FIRST VISIT TO JERUSALEM. 
 
 26 And when Saul was come to Jerusalem, he assayed to join 
 himself to the disciples : but they were all afraid of him, 
 
 27 and believed not that he was a disciple. But Barnabas 
 took him, and brought him to the apostles, and declared 
 unto them how he had seen the Lord in the way, and that 
 he had spoken to him, and how he had preached boldly at 
 
 28 Damascus in the name of Jesus. And he was with them 
 
 29 coming in and going out at Jerusalem. And he spake 
 boldly in the name of the Lord Jesus, and disputed against 
 
 30 the Grecians : but they went about to slay him. Which 
 when the brethren knew, they brought him down to 
 Csesarea, and sent him forth to Tarsus. 
 
 After escaping from Damascus^ Saul visited 
 Jerusalem for the first time after his conversion. 
 A brief account of this visit is given in Gal. 
 i. 18, 19j from which we gather that Saul saw none 
 of the Apostles except Peter and James the Lord's 
 brother. The most interesting point in this 
 present paragraph is Luke's account of the action 
 of Barnabas, who succeeded in quelling the natural 
 suspicions which prevailed amongst the Christians 
 
Acts ix. 26-30 131 
 
 about Saul, and secured a welcome for him in the 
 Church. 
 
 26. he assayed to join himself to the dis- 
 ciples. Saul had realised the true spirit of 
 Christianity, and knew that ^^the communion of 
 saints " was one of its essential principles. Hence 
 the first thing that he did upon reaching Jerusalem 
 was to seek out the Christian Brotherhood. 
 
 they were all afraid of him. The conver- 
 sion of Saul — the ringleader in the persecution — 
 seemed absolutely incredible to the Christians at 
 Jerusalem. They had evidently heard very little 
 about what had happened at Damascus, and were 
 naturally suspicious about receiving the man 
 who had been responsible for the martyrdom of 
 Stephen. 
 
 27. Barnabas took him. This incident illus- 
 trates the wonderful insight possessed by Barnabas, 
 and is quite in keeping with the description of his 
 character which Luke gives in xi. 24. 
 
 to the apostles. I.e., to Peter and James ; for, 
 according to Paul's own account (Gal. i. 18), 
 these wxre the only Apostles he saw on this 
 visit. 
 
 28. he was with them going in and out. 
 According to Galatians, the visit to Jerusalem only 
 lasted fifteen days (Gal. i. 1 8). 
 
 29. against the Grecians. I.e., Grecian Jews, 
 or Hellenists. See n. on vi. 1. 
 
 30. sent him forth to Tarsus. This is in 
 agreement with Gal. i. 21 : "Then I came into the 
 regions of Syria and Cilicia." Tarsus was Saul's 
 native city, and he seems to have remained there 
 till he was summoned by Barnabas to the work at 
 Antioch (xi. 25, 26). 
 
132 Westminster New Testament 
 
 Acts ix. 31-43. 
 PETER'S MIRACLES AT LYDDA AND JOPPA. 
 
 31 Then had the churches rest throughout all Judaea and 
 Galilee and Samaria, and were edified ; and walking in 
 the fear of the Lord, and in the comfort of the Holy 
 
 32 Ghost, were multiplied. And it came to pass, as Peter 
 passed throughout all quarters, he came down also to the 
 
 33 saints which dwelt at Lydda. And there he found a 
 certain man named ^Eneas, which had kept his bed eight 
 
 34 years, and was sick of the palsy. And Peter said unto 
 him, ^neas, Jesus Christ maketh thee whole : arise, and 
 
 35 make thy bed. And he arose immediately. And all that 
 dwelt at Lydda and Saron saw him, and turned to the 
 
 36 Lord. Now there was at Joppa a certain disciple named 
 Tabitha, which by interpretation is called Dorcas : this 
 woman was full of good works and almsdeeds which she 
 
 37 did. And it came to pass in those days, that she was 
 sick, and died : whom when they had washed, they laid 
 
 38 her in an upper chamber. And forasmuch as Lydda was 
 nigh to Joppa, and the disciples had heard that Peter was 
 there, they sent unto him two men, desiring him that he 
 
 39 would not delay to come to them. Then Peter arose and 
 went with them. When he was come, they brought him 
 into the upper chamber : and all the widows stood by him 
 weeping, and shewing the coats and garments which 
 
 40 Dorcas made, while she was with them. But Peter put 
 them all forth, and kneeled down, and prayed ; and 
 turning him to the body said, Tabitha, arise. And she 
 opened her eyes : and when she saw Peter, she sat up. 
 
 41 And he gave her his hand, and lifted her up, and when 
 he had called the saints and widows, presented her 
 
 42 alive. And it was known throughout all Joppa ; and 
 
 43 many believed in the Lord. And it came to pass, that he 
 tarried many days in Joppa with one Simon a tanner. 
 
Acts ix. 31-43 133 
 
 The narrative at this point returns to Peter, and 
 gives a brief account of his visits to Lydda and 
 Joppa. He is evidently following in the steps of 
 Philip, who had made a missionary tour through 
 the towns along the coast between Azotus and 
 Caesarea (viii. 40). Two incidents are recorded : 
 (1) the cure of a paralytic named ^neas at Lydda, 
 and (2) the restoration to life of Tabitha at Joppa. 
 We have no further evidence in support of these 
 miracles, but in the light of the statements of Paul, 
 who claims in the most emphatic way to have 
 worked miracles (cf. 2 Cor. xii. 12 ; Rom. xv. 18, 19), 
 and of the Epistle to the Hebrews ii. 4, it can 
 scarcely be doubted that miraculous cures were 
 wrought by the Apostles. 
 
 31. Then had the churches rest. The best 
 MSS. read *^^ church," not "^^ churches." There was 
 as yet only one Church, the headquarters of which 
 was at Jerusalem. All the Christians in Palestine 
 were still regarded as members of this one Church 
 in Jerusalem. 
 
 all Judaea and Galilee and Samaria. An 
 indication of the rapid progress which Christianity 
 had made in the country districts of Palestine 
 through the labours of Philip and others, and a 
 proof that a very large part of the evangelistic 
 work of the primitive Church is unrecorded. 
 
 32. as Peter went through all parts. 
 
 Evidently on a missionary tour, and probably with 
 the purpose of consolidating the work of Philip, 
 who was the pioneer of evangelistic enterprise. 
 
 to the saints which dwelt at Lydda. 
 Possibly Philip's converts. Lydda (called " Lod " in 
 1 Chron. viii. 12), "a village not less than a city 
 in size," as Josephus says, was situated on the 
 
134 Westminster New Testament 
 
 road between Jerusalem and Joppa — 10 miles from 
 the latter, saints. See n. on ix. 1 3. 
 
 33. SL certain man named iEneas. It is 
 uncertain whether ^neas belonged to the 
 "saints." The use of the phrase "a certain 
 man," instead of "a disciple" (cf. ver. 36), or 
 " brother/' seems to imply that he did not. 
 
 34. Jesus Christ maketh thee whole. The 
 power of healing is always ascribed to Christ ; cf. 
 iv. 10. 
 
 35. Saron = Sharon. The plain of Sharon — a 
 beautiful and fertile district — extended from Joppa 
 to Caesarea, a distance of SO miles. 
 
 36. Joppa. The seaport of Jerusalem, 35 miles 
 distant. 
 
 Tabitha . . . Dorcas. " Dorcas" is the Greek 
 equivalent for the Aramaic " Tabitha." Both words 
 mean "gazelle." 
 
 37. they laid her in an upper chamber. In 
 the hope that Peter might be able to restore her 
 to life. 
 
 38. desiring him that he would not delay. 
 
 This translation fails to bring out the emphasis of 
 the Greek. The R.V. renders, "intreating him, 
 Delay not to come unto us." 
 
 39. all the widows. Probably those for whom 
 Tabitha had worked. 
 
 43. many days. An indefinite expression. See 
 n. on ix. 23. 
 
 Simon a tanner. The trade of a tanner was 
 held in abomination by the Jews. That Peter 
 should have lodged in his house shows that he was 
 already beginning to ignore Jewish prejudices. 
 
Acts X. 1-16 135 
 
 Acts X. i-xi. 18. 
 
 THE CONVERSION OF THE FIRST 
 GENTILE. 
 
 I. The Visions of Cornelius and Peter (x. 1-1 6). 
 
 There was a certain man in Csesarea called Cornelius, a 
 
 2 centurion of the band called the Italian band, a devout 
 man, and one that feared God with all his house, which 
 gave much alms to the people, and prayed to God alway. 
 
 3 He saw in a vision evidently about the ninth hour of the 
 day an angel of God coming in to him, and saying unto 
 
 4 him, Cornelius. And when he looked on him, he was 
 afraid, and said, What is it, Lord ? And he said unto 
 him, Thy prayers and thine alms are come up for a 
 
 5 memorial before God. And now send men to Joppa, 
 
 6 and call for one Simon, whose surname is Peter : he 
 lodgeth with one Simon a tanner, whose house is by the 
 
 7 sea side : he shall tell thee what thou oughtest to do. And 
 when the angel which spake unto Cornelius was departed, 
 he called two of his household servants, and a devout 
 
 8 soldier of them that waited on him continually 5 and when 
 he had declared all these things unto them, he sent them to 
 
 9 Joppa. On the morrow, as they went on their journey, 
 and drew nigh unto the city, Peter went up upon the 
 
 10 housetop to pray about the sixth hour : and he became 
 very hungry, and would have eaten : but while they made 
 
 11 ready, he fell into a trance, and saw heaven opened, and 
 a certain vessel descending unto him, as it had been a 
 great sheet knit at the four corners, and let down to the 
 
 12 earth : wherein were all manner of four-footed beasts of 
 the earth, and wild beasts, and creeping things, and fowls 
 
 13 of the air. And there came a voice to him. Rise, Peter ; 
 
 14 kill, and eat. But Peter said. Not so. Lord ; for I have 
 
 15 never eaten any thing that is common or unclean. And 
 
136 Westminster New Testament 
 
 the voice spake unto him again the second time, What God 
 16 hath cleansed, that call not thou common. This was done 
 thrice : and the vessel was received up again into heaven. 
 
 The utmost importance is attached by Luke 
 to the conversion of CorneHus. The narrative 
 occupies the greater part of two chapters^ and 
 the event is subsequently alluded to in xv. 7. It 
 marks a supreme crisis in the history of the 
 Church. Cornelius was a Gentile — a Gentile^ it 
 must be admitted^ who had accepted the Jewish 
 belief, but still a Gentile, because, though he had 
 theoretically adopted the Jewish creed, he had 
 never graduated as a proselyte by undergoing 
 the rite of circumcision. His admission into the 
 Church, therefore, meant the first recognition of 
 the principle that it was not necessary for a man 
 to become a Jew before he could become a 
 Christian — or, in other words, that Christianity 
 was no longer to be a Jewish sect but a 
 universal religion. A step of such momentous 
 significance was only taken under the direct 
 impulse of God, and in the present paragraph 
 Luke shows how the minds of both Cornelius 
 and Peter were prepared by Divine visions for 
 the great advance. 
 
 1. Cornelius. The name proves that Cornelius 
 was a Roman. 
 
 a centurion of the band called the Italian. 
 A Roman legion, which consisted nominally of 
 6000 men, was divided into 10 cohorts (or bands), 
 and each cohort or band had 6 centurions — so 
 that, when a legion was at its full strength, each 
 centurion would have, as his name implies, 100 
 men under him. The " Italian band " was a cohort 
 
Acts X. 1-16 137 
 
 composed of Italian soldiers. Critics have objected 
 to Luke's statement on the ground that it is un- 
 likely that a cohort of Italians would be serving 
 so far away from home as Palestine ; but Sir W. 
 Ramsay has proved from an inscription that a 
 Roman cohort was stationed at Carnuntum, in 
 Syria, in 69 a.d., and that therefore there is no 
 reason why one should not have been quartered 
 at Caesarea at this time. 
 
 2. a devout man and one that feared God. 
 Compare ver. 22. Cornelius belonged to the large 
 army of semi-proselytes who were found in all 
 parts of the world at this time. They accepted 
 the Jewish faith, but refused to become Jews by 
 undergoing circumcision. For other instances, ct. 
 xiii. 16, 26, xvii. 4, 17 ; Luke vii. 5. 
 
 gave much alms to the people. The Greek 
 word used for "the people" proves that the Jewish 
 people are particularly referred to ; cf. ver. 22. 
 
 3. saw in a vision evidently. For ^'evi- 
 dently" the R.V. substitutes "openly," but 
 "manifestly" would be a better rendering of the 
 Greek, the ninth hour (see n. on iii. 1). For 
 the introduction of the angel, see n. on viii. 26. 
 We have two other versions of the vision of 
 Cornehus : (1) x. 30-33 ; (2) xi. 13-15. 
 
 5. send men to Joppa and fetch Simon. 
 
 If this vision was a Divine impulse or inspiration, 
 and if the introduction of the angel is simply due 
 to the poetry of Luke, how are we to explain this 
 knowledge of details ? The key probably is to be 
 found in the fact that Philip was at Caesarea, and 
 there is every likelihood that Cornelius may have 
 come under his influence and gained the specific 
 information from him. At any rate, in his address 
 
138 Westminster New Testament 
 
 (vers. 34-43), Peter assumes that Cornelius was 
 acquainted with the main facts of the gospel 
 message. Very possibly, it may have been because 
 Philip did not know how to deal with the case of 
 a Gentile like Cornelius that the whole situation 
 arose, and so by a Divine suggestion Peter was 
 summoned to solve the new problem that had 
 emerged. 
 
 7. a devout soldier. The soldier, like his 
 captain, had also accepted the Jewish religion. 
 
 8. he sent them to Joppa, which was about 
 
 30 miles from Caesar ea. 
 
 10. fell into a trance. The vision is supposed 
 to have come to Peter in the form of a dream, 
 while his own mental activity was suspended. 
 
 11. knit at the four corners and let down. 
 The best MSS. simply read, "as it were a great 
 sheet let down by four corners upon the earth/' 
 and in ver. 12 omit the words "and wild beasts." 
 
 14. any thing that is common or unclean. 
 This phrase refers to food which was forbidden 
 in the Mosaic code of law. 
 
 THE CONVERSION OF THE FIRST 
 
 GENTILE— {con fi'mied). 
 
 II. The Meeting of Peter and Cornelius 
 (x. 17-33). 
 
 17 Now while Peter doubted in himself what this vision which 
 he had seen should mean, behold, the men which were 
 sent from Comelius had made enquiry for Simon's house, 
 
 18 and stood before the gate, and called, and asked whether 
 Simon, which was surnamed Peter, were lodged there. 
 
 19 While Peter thought on the vision, the Spirit said unto 
 
Acts X. 17-33 139 
 
 20 him, Behold, three men seek thee. Arise therefore, and 
 get thee down, and go with them, doubting nothing : for 
 
 21 I have sent them. Then Peter went down to the men 
 which were sent unto him from Cornelius ; and said. 
 Behold, I am he whom ye seek : what is the cause where- 
 
 22 fore ye are come ? And they said, Cornelius the centurion, 
 a just man, and one that feareth God, and of good report 
 among all the nation of the Jews, was warned from God 
 by an holy angel to send for thee into his house, and to 
 
 23 hear words of thee. Then called he them in, and lodged 
 them. And on the morrow Peter went away with them, 
 
 24 and certain brethren from Joppa accompanied him. And 
 the morrow after they entered into Cassarea. And 
 Cornelius waited for them, and had called together his 
 
 25 kinsmen and near friends. And as Peter was coming 
 in, Cornelius met him, and fell down at his feet, and 
 
 26 worshipped him. But Peter took him up, saying, Stand 
 
 27 up ; I myself also am a man. And as he talked with him, 
 he went in, and found many that were come together. 
 
 28 And he said unto them, Ye know how that it is an 
 unlawful thing for a man that is a Jew to keep company, 
 or come unto one of another nation ; but God hath shewed 
 me that I should not call any man common or unclean. 
 
 29 Therefore came I unto you without gainsaying, as soon as 
 I was sent for : I ask therefore for what intent ye have 
 
 30 sent for me? And Cornelius said, Four days ago I was 
 fasting until this hour ; and at the ninth hour I prayed in 
 my house, and, behold, a man stood before me in bright 
 
 31 clothing, and said, Cornelius, thy prayer is heard, and 
 thine alms are had in remembrance in the sight of God. 
 
 32 Send therefore to Joppa, and call hither Simon, whose 
 surname is Peter ; he is lodged in the house of one Simon 
 a tanner by the sea side : whOj when he cometh, shall 
 
 33 speak unto thee. Immediately therefore I sent to thee ; 
 and thou hast well done that thou art come. Now there- 
 fore are we all here present before God, to hear all things 
 that are commanded thee of God. 
 
I40 Westminster New Testament 
 
 This section gives an account of (1) the arrival 
 of the messengers of Cornelius at Joppa (vers. 
 17-20); (2) their interview with Peter (vers. 21, 
 22) ; (3) Peter's journey to Caesarea (vers. 23, 24) ; 
 (4) The meeting of Peter and Cornelius (vers. 25- 
 29) ; (5) Cornelius' explanation of his vision (vers. 
 30-33). 
 
 17. doubted in himself = as in the Pv.V., " was 
 much perplexed what the vision might mean." 
 Peter's vision, unlike that of Cornelius, was vague 
 and indefinite, and needed explanation. 
 
 19. three men. The soldier and two servants 
 of Cornelius ; cf. ver. 7. 
 
 23. certain of the brethren. According to 
 xi. 12, six men accompanied Peter to Caesarea, and 
 afterwards also went with him to Jerusalem. 
 
 24. And the morrow after. Though the 
 journey was only 30 miles — at the rate at which 
 travelling was possible at this time — it could not 
 be accomplished in a single day. 
 
 25. worshipped him. Cornelius had been so 
 impressed with the vision that, Roman though he 
 was, he greeted Peter with the most profound 
 homage. The word ''^ worship" does not neces- 
 sarily imply the reverence due only to God ; cf. 
 Matt, xviii. 26. 
 
 28. to keep company or come unto = to 
 associate with or come into the house of. The 
 spirit of exclusiveness which characterised strict 
 Jews almost amounted to caste. Even to enter 
 the house of a Gentile, much more to eat with 
 him, constituted ceremonial uncleanness (cf. 
 xi. 3; Gal. ii. 12). This rule was very hard upon 
 Jews who travelled in foreign countries. If they 
 were anxious to be exact in the observance 
 
Acts X. 34-48 141 
 
 of the Law, they had to restrict themselves to a 
 diet of fruit and vegetables. Josephus tells us of 
 certain priests who had been taken as prisoners to 
 Rome, and found themselves obliged, in order not 
 to break the Law, to live on nuts and figs. It was 
 this exclusiveness which gave rise to the charge 
 of " hatred to the human race " which is so often 
 brought against the Jews of this period. 
 
 30. a man ... in bright apparel. A phrase 
 used by Luke on several occasions to describe an 
 angel : cf. Luke xxiv. 4 ; Acts i. 10. 
 
 THE CONVERSION OF THE FIRST 
 
 GENTILE— {conh'm^ed). 
 
 III. Peter's Address to Cornelius and his 
 Friends (x. 34-48). 
 
 34 Then Peter opened his mouth, and said, Of a truth I per- 
 
 35 ceive that God is no respecter of persons : but in every 
 nation he that feareth him, and worketh righteousness, is 
 
 36 accepted with him. The word which God sent unto the 
 children of Israel, preaching peace by Jesus Christ : (he 
 
 37 is Lord of all :) that word, I say, ye know, which was 
 published throughout all Judnea, and began from Galilee, 
 
 38 after the baptism which John preached ; how God 
 anointed Jesus of Nazareth with the Holy Ghost and with 
 power : who went about doing good, and healing all that 
 
 39 were oppressed of the devil ; for God was with him. And 
 we are witnesses of all things which he did both in the 
 land of the Jews, and in Jerusalem ; whom they slew and 
 
 40 hanged on a tree : him God raised up the third day, and 
 
 41 shewed him openly ; not to all the people, but unto 
 witnesses chosen before of God, even to us, who did eat 
 
142 Westminster New Testament 
 
 42 and drink with him after he rose from the dead. And he 
 commanded us to preach unto the people, and to testify 
 that it is he which was ordained of God to be the Judge of 
 
 43 quick and dead. To him give all the prophets witness, 
 that through his name whosoever believeth in him shall 
 
 44 receive remission of sins. While Peter yet spake these 
 words, the Holy Ghost fell on all them which heard the 
 
 45 word. And they of the circumcision which believed were 
 astonished, as many as came with Peter, because that on 
 the Gentiles also was poured out the gift of the Holy 
 
 46 Ghost. For they heard them speak with tongues, and 
 
 47 magnify God. Then answered Peter, Can any man forbid 
 water, that these should not be baptized, which have re- 
 
 48 ceived the Holy Ghost as well as we ? And he com- 
 manded them to be baptized in the name of the Lord. 
 Then prayed they him to tarry certain days. 
 
 Peter's address^ of which Luke only gives us a 
 bare resume, assumes a knowledge of the main 
 facts of Christianity on the part of Cornelius and 
 his friends. This knowledge, as has already been 
 suggested, was probably derived from Philip. 
 Peter adds very little to what he has said in other 
 speeches. His general line of thought is in 
 keeping with the theological outlook of the 
 primitive Church. The opening verse, however, 
 marks a most important development. It not 
 merely recognises the principle that Christianity 
 is meant for the Gentiles, but it practically 
 obliterates the distinction between Jew and 
 Gentile. 
 
 ^^. in every nation he that feareth. This 
 is one of the broadest enunciations of the 
 universality of true religion found in the New 
 Testament. It may be compared with the 
 four great utterances of Paul on the same sub- 
 
Acts X. 34-48 143 
 
 ject: cf. xiv. 15-18, xvii. 22-31; Rom. i. 19, 20, 
 ii. 15, 16. 
 
 s6. The word which God sent, etc. The 
 statements in this and the following verses are 
 difficult to follow, because the sentences are 
 involved and broken. The main clause, viz., 
 " ye know," only comes in ver. 37. The passage 
 may be paraphrased thus : " Ye know the message 
 which God sent unto the children of Israel, pro- 
 claiming peace through Jesus Christ (he is Lord 
 of all) — the message, I mean, which was published 
 throughout all Judaea, beginning from Galilee, 
 after the baptism of John — the message how that 
 God anointed Jesus of Nazareth," etc. 
 
 he is Lord of all. The title "Lord" was 
 one of the first to be bestowed on Jesus ; in fact, 
 the earliest Christian creed consisted of the three 
 words, " Jesus is Lord." 
 
 37. ye know. According to the best Greek 
 Text, this phrase is far more emphatic than appears 
 in the A.V. It should be rendered "ye your- 
 selves know." Peter is speaking to men who 
 were already acquainted with the facts of 
 Christianity. 
 
 all Judaea. "Judaea" is here used in a wide 
 sense, and denotes the whole of Palestine. 
 
 38. how God anointed Jesus of Nazareth. 
 Peter here repeats the explanation of Christ which 
 he gave in the earlier speeches, and which is now 
 known as the Adoptionist Theory. See n. on ii. 36. 
 
 anointed = made him Messiah; i.e., "the 
 Anointed One." 
 
 41. who did eat and drink with him. Com- 
 pare Luke xxiv. 30, 42 ; John xxi. 13. 
 
 42. he commanded us to preach. See n. 
 
144 Westminster New Testament 
 
 on i. 8. Compare also Luke xxiv. 47-49 ; Matt, 
 xxviii. 19. 
 to be the Judge of the quick and dead. 
 
 There is no specific instruction in the Gospels 
 ordering the disciples to preach Christ as the 
 Judge of men^ but according to the Fourth Gospel 
 Jesus made explicit claims to this prerogative ; cf. 
 John V. 22, 27. 
 
 43. To him bear all the prophets witness, 
 etc. Another appeal — this time in general terms — 
 to the witness of prophecy : cf. Luke xxiv. 44-46 ; 
 Acts iii. 24. 
 
 every one that believeth on him. Peter's 
 
 address ends in the same broad spirit in which it 
 commenced — by an enunciation of the universality 
 of the gospel. 
 
 44. the Holy Ghost fell on all. Every 
 forward step in the Acts is characterised by a 
 fresh Pentecost (compare viii. 17). The work 
 amongst the Gentiles, like the work in Jerusalem 
 and the mission to Samaria, is inaugurated by a 
 Baptism of the Spirit. 
 
 45. they of the circumcision. The six Jewish 
 Christians who had accompanied Peter from Joppa ; 
 cf. xi. 12. 
 
 46. heard them speak with tongues. It 
 is quite clear that this phrase does not mean 
 speaking in foreign languages. See notes on ii. 
 1-4 ; cf. xix. 6. 
 
 47. Can any man forbid water? It is 
 significant that in the present instance the Baptism 
 of the Spirit preceded the Baptism of water. In 
 Samaria the process was just the reverse (viii. 
 15-18). 
 
 48. commanded them to be baptized. 
 
Acts xi. 1-18 145 
 
 Peter left the actual administration of the rite to 
 others in the present case. Cf. also the custom 
 of Paul (1 Cor. i. 17). 
 
 THE CONVERSION OF THE FIRST 
 
 GENTILE— (conhnued). 
 
 IV. The Protest at Jerusalem, and Peter's 
 Reply (xi. 1-18). 
 
 And the apostles and brethren that were in Judsea heard 
 that the Gentiles had also received the word of God. 
 
 2 And when Peter was come up to Jerusalem, they that 
 
 3 were of the circumcision contended with him, saying, 
 Thou wentest in to men uncircumcised, and didst eat with 
 
 4 them. But Peter rehearsed the matter from the beginning, 
 
 5 and expounded it by order unto them, saying, I was in 
 the city of Joppa praying : and in a trance I saw a vision, 
 A certain vessel descend, as it had been a great sheet, 
 let down from heaven by four corners ; and it came even 
 
 6 to me : upon the which when I had fastened mine eyes, 
 I considered, and saw four-footed beasts of the earth, 
 and wild beasts, and creeping things, and fowls of the 
 
 7 air. And I heard a voice saying unto me, Arise,- Peter ; 
 
 8 slay and eat. But I said, Not so, Lord : for nothing 
 common or unclean hath at any time entered into my 
 
 9 mouth. But the voice answered me again from heaven, 
 What God hath cleansed, that call not thou common. 
 
 10 And this was done three times : and all were drawn up 
 
 11 again into heaven. And, behold, immediately there were 
 three men already come unto the house where I was, sent 
 
 12 from Csesarea unto me. And the Spirit bade me go with 
 them, nothing doubting. Moreover these six brethren 
 accompanied me, and we entered into the man's house : 
 
 10 
 
146 Westminster New Testament 
 
 13 and he shewed us how he had seen an angel in his house, 
 which stood and said unto him, Send men to Joppa, and 
 
 14 call for Simon, whose surname is Peter ; who shall tell 
 thee words, whereby thou and all thy house shall be saved. 
 
 15 And as I began to speak, the Holy Ghost fell on them, 
 
 16 as on us at the beginning. Then remembered I the word 
 of the Lord, how that he said, John indeed baptized with 
 water ; but ye shall be baptized with the Holy Ghost. 
 
 17 Forasmuch then as God gave them the like gift as he 
 did unto us, who believed on the Lord Jesus Christ ; what 
 
 18 was I, that I could withstand God? When they heard 
 these things, they held their peace, and glorified God, 
 saying. Then hath God also to the Gentiles granted 
 repentance unto life. 
 
 The admission of Cornelius into the Church 
 evoked a protest at Jerusalem. The particular 
 point of criticism seems to have been Peter's 
 conduct in visiting Cornelius and partaking of a 
 meal with him (see ver. 3), though it is quite clear 
 from ver. 18 that the larger question entered into 
 the controversy as well. Peter defends himself 
 by recounting the story of the Divine manifesta- 
 tions to himself and Cornelius, and his arguments 
 meet with general approval. 
 
 2. they that were of the circumcision. I.e., 
 
 the Jewish Christians. Many of the Jewish con- 
 verts at Jerusalem carried the narrowness and 
 exclusiveness of Judaism over into Christianity. 
 They were most anxious that the " new wine " 
 should not burst the ^^old bottles." Hence their 
 criticism of Peter. 
 
 3. Ye went in to men uncircumcised. See 
 n. on X. 28. 
 
 4. Peter . . . from the beginning. The last 
 three words are not found in the original. R.V., 
 
Acts xi. 1-18 147 
 
 "Peter began and expounded the matter unto 
 them." 
 
 6. and wild beasts. This phrase does not 
 occur in the account of the vision given in x. 12 
 (R.V.). It is added for the sake of emphasis. 
 
 11. And, behold, immediately, etc This 
 verse should be translated^ as in the R.V., "And 
 behold, forthwith three men stood before the 
 house in which we were." 
 
 12. nothing doubting. The word used in the 
 true Greek Text means " making no distinction " 
 (so R.V.). 
 
 six brethren. In x. 23 the number is not 
 given. We simply read "certain of the brethren." 
 
 13. had seen an angel (R.V., "the angel"). 
 See X. 3. 
 
 15. the Holy Ghost fell on them. See n. on 
 
 X. 44. The significant words, " as on us at the 
 beginning/' prove that Pentecost was not an 
 isolated event in the history of the Church. 
 
 16. John indeed baptized, etc. See n. on i. 5. 
 
 17. who believed. These words belong to 
 " them " as well as to " us." Faith both in the case 
 of the first believers at Jerusalem and the Gentile 
 friends of Cornelius is the condition precedent for 
 the bestowal of the Spirit. 
 
 18. they held their peace. In the light of 
 later history we know that the peace was only 
 temporary. The question was not permanently 
 settled. We learn from Acts xv. and Paul's 
 Epistle to the Galatians that a long struggle had 
 still to be waged before the universality of the 
 gospel became generally accepted by the Jewish 
 element in the Church. 
 
148 Westminster New Testament 
 
 Acts xi. 19-26. 
 THE PROBLEM OF ANTIOCH. 
 
 19 Now they which were scattered abroad upon the persecu- 
 tion that arose about Stephen travelled as far as Phenice, 
 and Cyprus, and Antioch, preaching the word to none but 
 
 20 unto the Jews only. And some of them were men of 
 Cyprus and Cyrene, which, when they were come to 
 Antioch, spake unto the Grecians, preaching the Lord 
 
 21 Jesus. And the hand of the Lord was with them : and a 
 
 22 great number believed, and turned unto the Lord. Then 
 tidings of these things came unto the ears of the church 
 which was in Jerusalem : and they sent forth Barnabas, 
 
 23 that he should go as far as Antioch. Who, when he came, 
 and had seen the grace of God, was glad, and exhorted 
 them all, that with purpose of heart they would cleave 
 
 24 unto the Lord. For he was a good man, and full of the 
 Holy Ghost and of faith : and much people was added 
 
 25 unto the Lord. Then departed Barnabas to Tarsus, for to 
 
 26 seek Saul : and when he had found him, he brought him 
 unto Antioch. And it came to pass, that a whole year 
 they assembled themselves with the church, and taught 
 much people. And the disciples were called Christians 
 first in Antioch. 
 
 Some of the refugees from Jerusalem carried the 
 gospel to Antioch. The success of their work 
 raised a problem which caused no little anxiety 
 to the Church at Jerusalem. There is some doubt 
 as to the exact character of the problem^, because 
 at a crucial point in the narrative (ver. 20) the 
 reading of the Greek Text is uncertain. The varia- 
 tion is clear if we compare the A.V. and the R.V. 
 The A.V. reads, " spake unto the Grecians/' i.e., 
 to the Grecian Jews or Hellenists (see n. on 
 
Acts xi. 19-26 149 
 
 vi. 1). The R.V. reads^ " spake unto the Greeks 
 also." If we adopt the latter translation, it is clear 
 that the misgiving at Jerusalem was due to the fact 
 that these unknown refugees were initiating on 
 their own responsibility a mission to the Gentiles. 
 It was all very well to admit an isolated Gentile 
 like Cornelius, but was the Church prepared to 
 undertake a definite mission to the Gentiles ? If 
 we follow the A.V,, on the other hand (and many 
 scholars think that in the present case the A.V. 
 is more correct), the problem was quite different. 
 There was no question of a Gentile mission. The 
 point was whether the unauthorised mission of the 
 refugees at Antioch was to be recognised by 
 the Church at Jerusalem. They had not been 
 appointed or commissioned to undertake the work. 
 They had acted altogether on their own initiative. 
 It was quite an innovation to go beyond the 
 borders of Palestine. Was it open to anyone — 
 without appointment and without even the 
 consent of the Jerusalem Church — to preach 
 anywhere ? 
 
 Whichever form the problem actually assumed 
 (and it is a matter upon which a certain decision 
 cannot be reached), the Church at Jerusalem, 
 after discussion, commissioned Barnabas to go 
 to Antioch and investigate the matter on the 
 spot. The conclusion which he reached as a 
 result of his visit was altogether favourable to the 
 work at Antioch (see vers. 23, 24), and he was 
 the means of inducing Saul to leave Cilicia and 
 join him in the task of developing the operations 
 which had been so successfully started in the 
 town. 
 
 19. they which were scattered abroad. 
 
ISO Westminster New Testament 
 
 The persecution which resulted in the martyrdom 
 of Stephen turned out to be a blessing in disguise 
 to the Church, because it led to its expansion 
 (see n. on viii. 1). The names of these mission- 
 aries are unknown, but amongst them may have 
 been the prophets and teachers mentioned in 
 xiii. 1. 
 
 Phcenice (R.V., " Phoenicia "). A strip of country 
 on the northern coast of Palestine, which con- 
 tained the important towns of Tyre and Sidon 
 (see XV. 3, xxi. 2). We find disciples at Tyre 
 (xxi. 4), who were possibly the result of this 
 mission. 
 
 Cyprus. The island from which Barnabas had 
 originally come (iv. 36), and which was the scene 
 of Paul's earliest missionary work (xiii. 4-12). 
 Perhaps Mnason, who is described in xxi. l6 as a 
 native of Cyprus and an early disciple (though he 
 subsequently lived at Jerusalem), may have owed 
 his conversion to this mission. 
 
 Antioch, the capital of the province of Syria, 
 was situated on the river Orontes, about 15 miles 
 from the sea. According to Josephus, it was the 
 third city of the Roman Empire, and therefore 
 next in importance to Rome and Alexandria. It 
 has been described as "the Queen of the East," 
 owing to its wealth and luxury. Its magni- 
 ficent temple of Daphne was one of the great 
 centres of pagan idolatry in the ancient world. 
 The significance of the mission to Antioch there- 
 fore cannot be exaggerated. For the first time 
 Christianity entered into the main stream of 
 the world's life. Henceforth it is Antioch, and 
 not Jerusalem, that constitutes the mainspring of 
 Christian enterprise. 
 
Acts xi. 19-26 
 
 I si 
 
 20. Cyrene. See ii. 10. The name of Lucius 
 of Cyrene is mentioned in xiii. 1, and he was 
 probably one of the men alluded to here. 
 
 unto the Grecians (R.V., " Greeks "). The im- 
 portance of the distinction between these two 
 translations has already been pointed out in the 
 introductory paragraph to this section. If we 
 adopt the R.V. rendering, these men were the first 
 missionaries to the heathen. The context certainly 
 seems to be in favour of this interpretation. There 
 is a sharp contrast drawn between '' Jews " and 
 " Greeks " — a contrast which loses much of its 
 force if we substitute Hellenists (_i.e. Grecian 
 Jews) for Greeks. On the other hand, the latter 
 reading has strong support in the MSS. 
 
 22. they sent forth Barnabas. The Church 
 at Jerusalem was evidently very much disconcerted 
 by the news from Antioch. A Church meeting 
 was held, and as a result (probably as a compromise 
 between the two sections of the Church) it was 
 decided to send Barnabas as a commissioner to 
 investigate the work. For Barnabas' qualifications, 
 see notes on iv. 36, 37, and for his insight into 
 character, see n. on ix. 27. His connection with 
 Cyprus, and possibly therefore with " the men of 
 Cyprus " who were responsible for the work at 
 Antioch, was an additional reason for the appoint- 
 ment. 
 
 23. had seen the grace of God. I.e., the 
 
 manifestation of the grace of God in the suc- 
 cess of the mission and the conversion of the 
 Antiochenes. 
 
 cleave unto the Lord. Barnabas imposes no 
 conditions or regulations upon the Church at 
 Antioch. He simply urges the missionaries and 
 
152 Westminster New Testament 
 
 the converts alike to persist in their purpose and 
 remain steadfast. 
 
 24. he was a good man, etc. Similar praise is 
 bestowed on Stephen in vi. 5. Luke seems to 
 recognise how much depended on Barnabas* 
 decision. The future of missionary work was 
 hanging in the balance. Barnabas' wise judgment 
 is attributed to the fact that he was animated by 
 the same Spirit who had inspired the missionaries 
 to take up the work at Antioch. 
 
 25. Then departed Barnabas. This is the 
 
 second occasion upon which Barnabas exhibits re- 
 markable insight as to the possibilities which lay 
 before Saul of Tarsus ; see n. on ix. 27. 
 
 26. for a whole year. The work of Barnabas 
 and Saul was only interrupted when the compelling 
 power of the Spirit sent these two men on a wider 
 mission (xiii. 1-3). 
 
 the disciples were called Christians. 
 Antioch has been described as "a city of nick- 
 names/' and it was doubtless as a nickname that 
 the title " Christian " was first of all bestowed — in 
 fact, it seems to have been regarded as a nickname 
 for some time afterwards, for Tacitus, in describing 
 the Neronic persecution in 64, speaks of those 
 "whom the populace used to call Christians. "i The 
 word " Christian " means " belonging to Christ," " a 
 follower of Christ." It was not till the close of 
 the first century that it came into general use. 
 There are only two other instances of its use in 
 the New Testament, viz., xxvi. 28 and 1 Pet. 
 iv. l6. The names most often employed are 
 "disciples," "brethren," and "saints." 
 
Acts xi. 27-30 153 
 
 Acts xi. 27-30. 
 ANTIOCH'S GIFT TO JERUSALEM. 
 
 27 And in these days came prophets from Jerusalem unto 
 
 28 Antioch. And there stood up one of them named Agabus, 
 and signified by the Spirit that there should be great dearth 
 throughout all the world : which came to pass in the days 
 
 29 of Claudius Caesar. Then the disciples, every man accord- 
 ing to his ability, determined to send relief unto the brethren 
 
 30 which dwelt in Judaea : which also they did, and sent it 
 to the elders by the hands of Barnabas and Saul. 
 
 This little paragraph records an act of liberality 
 on the part of the new community at Antioch 
 towards the Church at Jerusalem. Jerusalem, for 
 reasons already given in a note on iv. 34, contained 
 an abnormal amount of poverty, and in times of 
 famine the distress amongst the poorer classes was 
 very great. Antioch set the precedent, which 
 was afterwards followed by many other churches, 
 of sending relief ^Ho the poor saints" at Jerusalem. 
 
 27. prophets. The prophets of the New 
 Testament represent a distinct order of the ministry. 
 This is clear from Paul's statement in 1 Cor. xii. 28 : 
 '' God hath set in the church, firstly apostles, 
 secondly prophets, thirdly teachers." These 
 prophets were primarily preachers, but some of 
 them, as in the present case, were endowed with 
 special gifts of insight which enabled them to 
 foretell the future. They are mentioned again in 
 xiii. 1, XV. 32, xxi. Q, 10, and there are frequent 
 allusions to them in the Epistles : cf. Rom. xii. 6 ; 
 1 Cor. xii. 10, 28, 29, xiii. 2, 8, xiv. 29-37. The 
 names of some of these prophets at Antioch are 
 given in xiii. 1. 
 
154 Westminster New Testament 
 
 28. And there stood up. Some MSS. preserve 
 a very interesting addition at the commencement 
 of this verse : " And there was much exultant joy. 
 And when we were assembled together one from 
 among them spake/' etc. If this reading is right, 
 we have here the first of the " We-passages/' or 
 personal narratives^ which form such an interesting 
 feature in the second part of Acts, The evidence, 
 however, is not sufficiently strong to warrant a con- 
 fident assertion in the present case. 
 
 Agabus is mentioned again in xxi. 10, 11, where 
 he is represented as prophesying the arrest of Paul 
 in Jerusalem. 
 
 great dearth (R.V., "famine"). There are no 
 records of a world-wide famine, though there are 
 accounts of many local famines in the reign of 
 Claudius. This statement must either be due to 
 prophetic exaggeration or be explained by the fact 
 that even a local famine produced effects which 
 were world-wide in the range of their influence. 
 
 in the day of Claudius (the term "Caesar" is 
 omitted in the R.V.). The Emperor Claudius 
 succeeded Caligula, and reigned from 41 to 54 a.d. 
 There were several severe famines in his time. 
 The one alluded to here is probably the great 
 famine in Judaea, which according to Josephus 
 culminated in the year 45 or 46, and which was so 
 severe that Queen Helena of Adiabene, who was 
 staying at Jerusalem, procured a cargo of corn from 
 Alexandria and a cargo of figs from Cyprus for the 
 relief of the destitute people in Jerusalem. 
 
 29. the disciples. I.e., the Christians at Antioch. 
 Luke still uses the old names in describing 
 them. Cf. also "the brethren that dwelt in 
 Judaea." 
 
Acts xi. 27-30 155 
 
 30. the elders. This is the first reference to 
 "elders" in Acts. Some think that this is the 
 title which was bestowed on " the Seven " (cf. vi. 3). 
 It is probable^ however, that the two offices were 
 distinct, and that the office of elder was borrowed 
 from the organisation of the Jewish synagogue, 
 which was always controlled by a body of elders. 
 For subsequent references in Acts, see xiv. 23, 
 XX. 17, 28, xxi. 18. 
 
 by the hands of Barnabas and Saul. This 
 implies a second visit of Saul to Jerusalem (see also 
 xii. 25), and raises a serious difficulty when the 
 narrative of Acts is compared with the statements 
 of Paul in Gal. i. and ii. In Galatians Paul insists 
 that within a given period he only visited Jerusalem 
 twice. The first occasion is generally identified 
 with the visit in Acts ix. 26, the second with the 
 visit described in chap. xv. The statement in the 
 present passage, therefore, seems definitely excluded 
 by Paul's argument. Several suggestions have 
 been made for removing the difficulty, (l) It is 
 argued that Paul did not actually enter Jerusalem 
 on the present occasion, but only met the elders 
 some distance outside the city. This explanation, 
 however, seems to be in conflict with the express 
 statement in xii. 25. (2) Other scholars think that 
 the visit described here is to be identified with that 
 narrated in chap, xv., the intervening chapters being 
 placed in a wrong chronological order. There is 
 a good deal to be said for this view. (3) Others 
 think that the present visit is to be identified with 
 the second of Galatians, or that both visits in 
 Galatians fall at an earlier point than this, there 
 being no mention at all in Acts of the second. The 
 great objection to this view, especially in its latter 
 
156 Westminster New Testament 
 
 form, is that it necessitates giving an extremely 
 early date to the Epistle to the Galatians. 
 
 Acts xii. 
 
 THE PERSECUTION UNDER HEROD 
 AGRIPPA. 
 
 I. Peter's Marvellous Escape from Prison 
 (xii. 1-11). 
 
 Now about that time Herod the king stretched forth his 
 
 2 hands to vex certain of the church. And he killed James 
 
 3 the brother of John with the sword. And because he saw 
 it pleased the Jews, he proceeded further to take Peter also. 
 
 4 (Then were the days of unleavened bread. ) And when he 
 had apprehended him, he put him in prison, and delivered 
 him to four quaternions of soldiers to keep him ; intending 
 
 5 after Easter to bring him forth to the people. Peter there- 
 fore was kept in prison : but prayer was made without 
 
 6 ceasing of the church unto God for him. And when Herod 
 would have brought him forth, the same night Peter was 
 sleeping between two soldiers, bound with two chains : 
 
 7 and the keepers before the door kept the prison. And, 
 behold, the angel of the Lord came upon him, and a light 
 shined in the prison : and he smote Peter on the side, and 
 raised him up, saying. Arise up quickly. And his chains 
 
 8 fell off from his hands. And the angel said unto him, 
 Gird thyself, and bind on thy sandals. And so he did. 
 And he saith unto him, Cast thy garment about thee, and 
 
 9 follow me. And he went out, and followed him ; and wist 
 not that it was true which was done by the angel ; but 
 
 10 thought he saw a vision. When they were past the first 
 and the second ward, they came unto the iron gate that 
 leadeth unto the city ; which opened to them of his own 
 accord : and they went out, and passed on through one 
 
Acts xii. I -I I 157 
 
 1 1 street ; and forthwith the angel departed from him. And 
 when Peter was come to himself, he said, Now I know of 
 a surety, that the Lord hath sent his angel, and hath 
 delivered me out of the hand of Herod, and from all the 
 expectation of the people of the Jews. 
 
 The narrative now follows Saul and Barnabas to 
 Jerusalem, and gives an account of a severe perse- 
 cution which was assailing the Church at the time 
 of their visit. This persecution, unlike the spas- 
 modic outbreaks recorded in the earlier chapters of 
 Acts which came from the Sadducees and priests, 
 was a systematic attack organised by King Herod 
 Agrippa. The appearance of Herod Agrippa upon 
 the scene is a new factor in the situation. There 
 had been no king at Jerusalem since the death of 
 Archelaus in 6 a.d. Between that date and 41 a.d. 
 the province of Judaea was governed entirely by 
 the Roman Procurator — though, of course, other 
 districts of Palestine had their kings ; e.g., Herod 
 Antipas, and Philip. In 41, however, the whole of 
 Palestine, for the first time since the death of 
 Herod the Great in 4 B.C., was united under a single 
 sovereign — Herod Agrippa i. — who made Jerusalem 
 the centre of his government. Agrippa was 
 naturally anxious to win popular favour with his 
 Jewish subjects, and it was for this reason that he 
 made an attempt to stamp out Christianity at 
 Jerusalem. Luke only records two incidents in 
 connection with the persecution: (l) the murder 
 of James the son of Zebedee ; (2) the imprison- 
 ment of Peter. His main interest is in the story 
 of Peter's miraculous escape from prison, which he 
 attributes to the intervention of an angel. When 
 we remember, however, Luke's habit of introducing 
 angels into his narrative (see n. on viii. 26), we 
 
158 Westminster New Testament 
 
 shall perhaps feel ourselves justified in regarding 
 this part of the story as an embellishment^ though 
 we have no reason for questioning the fact that in 
 some way or other Peter did escape from prison, 
 and so was saved from the fate which befell 
 James. 
 
 1. about that time. I.e., about the time when 
 Saul and Barnabas went to Jerusalem with the gift 
 from the Church at Antioch. As Herod Agrippa 
 died in 44 a.d. and the persecution occurred shortly 
 before his death, we may safely suppose that the 
 phrase refers to a date almost immediately preceding 
 the Passover of that year. 
 
 Herod the king. Herod Agrippa i., who be- 
 came king of the whole of Palestine in 41, and 
 reigned for three years. The most marked feature 
 of his reign is the devotion which he showed 
 towards the Jewish religion. As Josephus says : 
 " He loved to live continually at Jerusalem, and 
 was extremely exact in the observance of the laws 
 of his country. He therefore kept himself entirely 
 pure, nor did any day pass over his head without 
 its appointed sacrifice." 
 
 2. he killed James the brother of John. 
 
 James the brother of John must be distinguished 
 from James the brother of the Lord, who was the 
 leader of the Church at Jerusalem (cf ver. 17 and 
 XV. 1 3). Little is known about the James mentioned 
 here, except that he was one of the inner circle of 
 Christ's disciples. 
 
 3. it pleased the Jews. The main point in 
 Agrippa's policy was to win the favour of the Jews. 
 Josephus draws a contrast between him and his 
 grandfather, Herod the Great, in this respect. 
 Herod the Great was ^^more friendly to the Greeks 
 
Acts xii. I -I I 
 
 159 
 
 than to the Jews/' but Agrippa " was not at all 
 like him in this matter." 
 
 the days of unleavened bread. The Passover 
 
 was followed by a period of seven days during 
 which only unleavened bread was eaten. During 
 the Passover week no executions were allowed, 
 and it was for this reason that Peter was kept in 
 prison. 
 
 4. four quaternions. A quaternion is a group 
 of four men. The four groups divided the watch 
 between them, so that Peter was always guarded 
 by four soldiers. Two of these had their wrists 
 chained to Peter's wrists, and the other two 
 (the first and second ward) kept watch at the 
 door. 
 
 after Easter. R.V., ^^ after the Passover," 
 which is the literal translation of the Greek. The 
 word "Easter" is used in the A.V. to show that 
 the reference is not merely to the Passover day, 
 but to the whole of the Passover week. Peter was 
 arrested just before the feast began, and so it was 
 necessary to keep him in prison for seven days 
 before the execution was possible. 
 
 6. bound with two chains. The word for 
 
 "chains" is a technical expression in the Greek for 
 the "wristbands" by which Peter was bound to 
 the two soldiers (see ver. 4). 
 
 keepers before the door. Two of the quaternion 
 of soldiers who kept guard at the door. 
 
 10. the iron gate that leadeth into the city. 
 The details given in this and the following verse 
 bear the mark of reality stamped on them, and 
 seem to show that Luke obtained his knowledge 
 of this incident from a specially well-informed 
 source. 
 
i6o Westminster New Testament 
 
 THE PERSECUTION UNDER HEROD 
 
 KGRIPPK— {continued). 
 
 II. The Flight of Peter (xii. 12-19). 
 
 12 And when he had considered the thing, he came to the 
 house of Mary the mother of John, whose surname was 
 
 13 Mark; where many were gathered together praying. And 
 as Peter knocked at the door of the gate, a damsel came to 
 
 14 hearken, named Rhoda. And when she knew Peter's 
 voice, she opened not the gate for gladness, but ran in, 
 
 15 and told how Peter stood before the gate. And they said 
 unto her. Thou art mad. But she constantly affirmed that 
 
 16 it was even so. Then said they. It is his angel. But 
 Peter continued knocking : and when they had opened the 
 
 17 door, and saw him, they were astonished. But he, 
 beckoning unto them with the hand to hold their peace, 
 declared unto them how the Lord had brought him out of 
 the prison. And he said, Go shew these things unto 
 James, and to the brethren. And he departed, and went 
 
 18 into another place. Now as soon as it was day, there was 
 no small stir among the soldiers, what was become of 
 
 19 Peter. And when Herod had sought for him, and found 
 him not, he examined the keepers, and commanded that 
 they should be put to death. And he went down from 
 Judaea to Csesarea, and there abode. 
 
 After escaping from prison, Peter pays a visit to 
 a group of disciples who are assembled for prayer 
 at the house of Mary the mother of John Mark — 
 a house which seems to have been a regular 
 rendezvous for Christian gatherings, and then, after 
 recounting the story of his deliverance, seeks safety 
 in flight. The scene, as described by Luke, affords 
 us a glimpse into the home-life of the primitive 
 
Acts xii. 20-24 161 
 
 Church, and enables us to form some conception as 
 to the character of its meetings. 
 
 12. when he had considered the thing. 
 
 I.e., after deliberating as to the best course to 
 adopt. 
 
 the house of Mary. Mary was probably a 
 widow. She seems to have been one of the leading 
 members of the Church at Jerusalem. In all likeli- 
 hood she w^as closely related to Barnabas, since in 
 Col. iv. 10 her son John Mark is described as his 
 cousin (or nephew). 
 
 13. came to hearken. R.V., "to answer/' — a 
 
 better translation of the Greek. 
 
 15. It is his angel. The belief that everyone 
 possessed a guardian angel was very common 
 amongst the Jews at this time : cf. Matt, xviii. 10 ; 
 Heb. i. 14. 
 
 17. to hold their peace. There was no time 
 to waste. If the soldiers awoke, Peter might be 
 followed, and the house of Mary was well known to 
 the authorities as a resort of the Christians. 
 
 to James. James the brother of the Lord — the 
 president of the Church at Jerusalem. See n. on 
 xii. 2. 
 
 to another place. Probably outside the city — 
 some secret place of hiding where the authorities 
 would not be able to find him. 
 
 THE PERSECUTION UNDER HEROD 
 
 KGR\PPPL—{conttmced). 
 
 III. The Tragic Death of Agrippa (xii. 20-24). 
 
 20 And Herod was highly displeased with them of Tyre and 
 Sidon : but they came with one accord to him, and, 
 II 
 
i62 Westminster New Testament 
 
 having made Blastus the king's chamberlain their friend, 
 desired peace ; because their country was nourished by the 
 
 21 king's country. And upon a set day Herod, arrayed in 
 royal apparel, sat upon his throne, and made an oration 
 
 22 unto them. And the people gave a shout, saying, It is 
 
 23 the voice of a god, and not of a man. And immediately 
 the angel of the Lord smote him, because he gave not God 
 the glory : and he was eaten of worms, and gave up the 
 
 24 ghost. But the word of God grew and multiplied. 
 
 The persecution, which threatened to destroy 
 the Church, was soon brought to an end owing to 
 the sudden death of Herod Agrippa at Caesarea. 
 In addition to the narrative of Luke, we have a 
 full account of Agrippa's fate in Josephus. The 
 essential part of Josephus' description is as follows : 
 " Now when Agrippa had reigned three years, he 
 came to Caesarea, and there he exhibited shows in 
 honour of Caesar. At which festival a great multi- 
 tude was gotten together of the principal persons 
 and such as were of dignity through his province. 
 On the second day of the festival he put on a 
 garment made wholly of silver and of a contexture 
 truly wonderful, and came into the theatre early in 
 the morning : the silver of his garment, illuminated 
 by the reflection of the sun's rays, shone out in a 
 surprising manner, and was so resplendent that it 
 created a feeling of awe and dread in the minds of 
 the onlookers, and presently his flatterers cried out 
 that he was a god, and added, ' Be thou merciful 
 unto us, for although we have hitherto reverenced 
 thee only as a man, we shall henceforth recognise 
 thee as superior to mortal nature.' Upon this the 
 king did neither rebuke them nor reject their 
 impious flattery. But as he looked up presently 
 he saw an owl sitting upon a rope, and perceived 
 
Acts xii. 20-24 163 
 
 at once that this bird was the messenger of ill 
 tidings, and fell into sorrow. A severe pain arose 
 also in his belly of a most violent character. 
 Looking upon his friends, he said, ' I whom you 
 call a god am commanded to depart from this life. 
 Providence thus reproves the lying words which 
 you have just uttered to me.' When he had said 
 this, his pain became violent, and he was earned 
 into the palace. . . . And when he had been quite 
 worn out by the pain in his belly for five days, he 
 departed this life, being in the fifty-fourth year 
 of his age." 1 It will be observed that Luke 
 and Josephus are in essential agreement, though 
 the resemblances are not sufficiently minute to 
 warrant the conclusion that the former borrowed 
 his account from the latter. The main differences 
 between the two accounts are (1) Josephus says 
 nothing about the occasion of the visit to Caesarea ; 
 (2) Luke gives the impression that Agrippa's death 
 happened immediately ; Josephus, on the other 
 hand, states that an interval of five days elapsed. 
 
 20. Tyre and Sidon were important ports in 
 Phoenicia. We have no evidence as to the character 
 of the dispute between these cities and Agrippa. 
 
 Blastus the king's chamberlain. The name 
 seems to imply that Blastus was a Roman. His 
 designation shows that he was a court official in 
 charge of the king's sleeping apartments. 
 
 desired peace. This phrase does not imply 
 that a state of war existed. They were anxious 
 simply that the dispute should be ended. 
 
 nourished by the king's country. Tyre and 
 Sidon depended upon Palestine for (l) their supply 
 
 ^ This description has been abbreviated somewhat in places 
 by the omission of non-essential phrases. 
 
i64 Westminster New Testament 
 
 of food^ (2) their commerce. Agrippa had probably 
 penaUsed these cities by diverting commerce to 
 other ports and stopping the food supply. 
 
 21. in royal apparel. The garment of silver 
 mentioned by Josephus. 
 
 23. eaten of worms. This is not inconsistent 
 with the account in Josephus. The same fate 
 befell Antiochus (2 Mace. ix. 5) and Herod the 
 Great (Josephus, Antiquities, xvii. 6. 5). 
 
 Acts xii. 25-xiii. 3. 
 
 THE ORDINATION OF SAUL AND BARNABAS 
 FOR MISSIONARY WORK. 
 
 25 And Barnabas and Saul returned from Jerusalem, when 
 they had fulfilled their ministry, and took with them John, 
 
 1 whose surname was INIark. Now there were in the church 
 that was at Antioch certain prophets and teachers ; as 
 Barnabas, and Simeon that was called Niger, and Lucius 
 of Cyrene, and Manaen, which had been brought up with 
 
 2 Herod the tetrarch, and Saul. As they ministered to the 
 Lord, and fasted, the Holy Ghost said, Separate me 
 Barnabas and Saul for the work whereunto I have called 
 
 3 them. And when they had fasted and prayed, and laid 
 their hands on them, they sent them away. 
 
 This short but momentous paragraph takes us 
 back again v^^ith Paul and Barnabas to Antioch. 
 It follows immediately upon xi. 30^ the account of 
 Agrippa's persecution being a digression. It relates 
 how, through the inspiration of the Spirit, the 
 Church at Antioch was led to consecrate Saul and 
 Barnabas for wider missionary work, and so it 
 forms an introduction to the third part of Acts, 
 
Acts xii. 25-xiii. 3 165 
 
 which describes the carrying of the gospel to 
 " the ends of the earth " (see i. 8). 
 
 25. returned from Jerusalem. The best 
 MSS. read '^ returned to Jerusalem/' but it seems 
 clear that the sense of the passage (which follows on 
 xi. 30) requires '^^from Jerusalem/' — unless, indeed, 
 we take the phrase with the next clause, " when 
 they had fulfilled their ministry at Jerusalem/' 
 
 John Mark. The son of Mary (xii. 12) and 
 cousin of Barnabas (Col. iv. 10). He accompanied 
 Saul and Barnabas on the first missionary journey 
 (xiii. 5), but left them after they departed from 
 Cyprus (xiii. 13), and returned to Jerusalem. 
 Owing to his desertion, Paul refused to take him 
 on the second missionary tour (xv. 37-39). 
 
 xiii. 1. prophets and teachers. See n. on 
 
 xi. 27. Nothing is known about Niger or Lucius. 
 They may possibly have been the original founders 
 of the Church at Antioch (see xi. 20). 
 
 Manaen which had been, etc. R.V., " Manaen 
 the foster-brother of Herod the tetrarch." The 
 Greek word simply indicates that Manaen had 
 been brought up at the court with Herod Antipas. 
 Josephus tells us of a certain Manaen who had 
 won the favour of Herod the Great, and became a 
 member of his court. The Manaen of Antioch 
 may have been his son or grandson, and this would 
 explain why he should have been selected as the 
 playmate and companion of Herod Antipas. We 
 know of at least one lady connected with Herod's 
 court who became a Christian, viz., Joanna the 
 wife of Chuza, Herod's steM^ard, and it may have 
 been through her influence that Manaen was 
 converted. 
 
 Herod the tetrarch = Herod Antipas, who is so 
 
i66 Westminster New Testament 
 
 often mentioned in the Gospels. When Herod the 
 Great died in 4 b.c, his kingdom was divided into 
 four divisions or tetrarchies, and Herod Antipas 
 was made tetrarch ( = ruler of a fourth part) of 
 Galilee and Samaria. 
 
 2. the Holy Ghost said. Once again Luke 
 lays emphasis on the agency of the Spirit (see n. 
 on viii. 17, x. 44). The greatest step that had 
 been taken by the Church is ascribed directly to 
 the inspiration of the Holy Ghost, 
 
 Separate me Barnabas and Saul. Saul and 
 Barnabas had been in Antioch for a year (xi. 26). 
 The claims of the city were very great, but there 
 were even higher claims upon them than the needs 
 of Antioch — the claims of the pagan world. It 
 was a tremendous sacrifice for the Church of 
 Antioch to let them go, but the sacrifice was 
 amply justified by the results of the mission. 
 
 3. they laid hands on them. This was done 
 in token of the fact that the Church dedicated 
 them to missionary work. The rite conferred no 
 gift or grace (see n. on vi. 6). Some ancient MSS., 
 to which Sir W. Ramsay attaches great importance, 
 read here '^they all laid hands on them," indi- 
 cating that the dedication was the act of the whole 
 Church, and not merely of the prophets. 
 
 Acts xiii. 4-12. 
 THE MISSION TO CYPRUS. 
 
 4 So they, being sent forth by the Holy Ghost, departed 
 unto Seleucia ; and from thence they sailed to Cyprus. 
 
 5 And when they were at Salamis, they preached the word of 
 
Acts xiii. 4-12 167 
 
 God in the synagogues of the Jews : and they had also 
 
 6 John to their minister. And when they had gone through 
 the isle unto Paphos, they found a certain sorcerer, a false 
 
 7 prophet, a Jew, whose name was Bar-jesus : which was 
 with the deputy of the country, Sergius Paulus, a prudent 
 man ; who called for Barnabas and Saul, and desired to 
 
 8 hear the word of God. But Elymas the sorcerer, (for so 
 is his name by interpretation,) withstood them, seeking to 
 
 9 turn away the deputy from the faith. Then Saul, (who 
 also is called Paul,) filled with the Holy Ghost, set his 
 
 10 eyes on him, and said, O full of all subtilty and all 
 mischief, thou child of the devil, thou enemy of all right- 
 eousness, wilt thou not cease to pervert the right ways of 
 
 11 the Lord? And now, behold, the hand of the Lord is 
 upon thee, and thou shalt be blind, not seeing the sun for 
 a season. And immediately there fell on him a mist and 
 a darkness ; and he went about seeking some to lead 
 
 12 him by the hand. Then the deputy, when he saw what 
 was done, believed, being astonished at the doctrine of 
 the Lord. 
 
 There were at least three reasons why Cyprus 
 was chosen as the first field for missionary work : 
 (1) some efforts on a small scale had already been 
 commenced there by refugees from Jerusalem 
 (xi. 19) ; (2) Barnabas was a native of Cyprus (iv. 36) ; 
 (3) some of the founders of the Church at Antioch 
 had come from Cyprus (xi. 20). Luke confines his 
 narrative to two incidents : («) the conversion of 
 the governor of the island, Sergius Paulus ; (b) the 
 silencing of Elymas the sorcerer. 
 
 4-. Seleucia. The port of Antioch, a town of con- 
 siderable commercial importance. 
 
 5. Salamis. An important seaport town situated 
 on the eastern coast of the island. 
 
 in the synagogues of the Jews. There were 
 
i68 Westminster New Testament 
 
 large numbers of Jews^ as we know from Josephus, 
 living at Salamis, which was an excellent com- 
 mercial centre, and famed for its copper-mines. 
 Hence the use of the plural ^^ synagogues." One 
 synagogue was not sufficient for the Jewish popu- 
 lation. Note the fact that Paul attempts from 
 the very first to use the Jewish synagogue as his 
 base of operation ; see ver. 14, xiv. 1, xvii. 2, 
 xviii. 4, etc. 
 John as their minister. See n. on xii. 25. 
 
 The R.V. translates ^^ attendant/' indicating that 
 John played a relatively humble part on the tour, 
 possibly i3aptizing and instructing the converts. 
 
 6. when they had gone through. The 
 Greek word means something more than mere 
 travel. To bring out its force we must translate, 
 " When they had made a missionary tour through 
 the island." 
 
 Paphos. The capital of Cyprus and the seat of 
 the Roman governor, situated on the S.W. of the 
 island. 
 
 a certain sorcerer. The Christian Faith con- 
 stantly came into conflict with magicians — a class 
 of men who imposed on the credulity of ignorant 
 people by displays of magic in the name of religion ; 
 compare Simon Magus (viii. 9) and the Jewish 
 exorcists at Ephesus (xix. 13). 
 
 Bar-jesus. The name means " son of Jesus " or 
 "son of a saviour." He also bore the name of 
 Elymas (see ver. 8). 
 
 7. which was with the deputy (R. V., " pro- 
 consul "). Roman provinces were divided into two 
 classes : (1) imperial, under the direct control of the 
 Emperor ; (2) senatorial, under the control of the 
 Senate. In the former case the governor always 
 
Acts xiii. 4-12 169 
 
 bore the title of ^^ Legate/' in the latter that of 
 " Proconsul." We have here, therefore, an instance 
 of Luke's accuracy in calling Sergius Paulus by 
 his proper designation. A further piece of con- 
 firmatory evidence in support of the accuracy of 
 this particular narrative is to be found in an in- 
 scription discovered in Cyprus which contains the 
 
 words, " IN THE TIME OF THE PROCONSUL PAULUs/' 
 
 an evident allusion to the Sergius Paulus men- 
 tioned here. 
 
 a prudent man. R.V., ^^a man of understand- 
 ing." A fair-minded man, anxious to hear all who 
 had any qualification to speak. 
 
 8. Elymas. There is a difficulty about this 
 word. Luke seems to imply that "Elymas" is an 
 equivalent for " Bar-jesus." This, however, unless 
 the form of the words has been corrupted in the 
 transmission of the Text, can scarcely be the case. 
 " Elymas," however, may come from an Arabic root 
 meaning "wise," and so be the equivalent of 
 "magus " or " sorcerer," and perhaps this is what 
 Luke actually meant. 
 
 9. Saul who is called Paul. There is 
 nothing to show that the name "Paul" had only 
 recently been assumed. Like many other people, 
 the Apostle probably possessed both names long 
 before this event. " Saul " was a Jewish name, and 
 was used by him in his relations with Jews. "Paul," 
 on the other hand, was a Gentile term, and employed 
 in his intercourse with Gentiles. It was appropriate 
 — now that he had become an Apostle to the Gen- 
 tiles — that henceforth he should be called Paul. 
 
 10. thou child of the devil. In contrast to 
 Bar-jesus. Elymas had belied his own name, 
 and become a " child of the devil." 
 
I70 Westminster New Testament 
 
 enemy of righteousness. Elymas, instead of 
 proclaiming the righteousness revealed in the Law, 
 as he might have done if he had been a true 
 teacher, had become a charlatan, a mere trickster, 
 deceiving men by his cunning arts. 
 
 12. being astonished at the doctrine (R.V., 
 " teaching ") of the Lord. The Proconsul's con- 
 version was not due to the overthrow of Elymas, 
 but rather to his own appreciation of the teaching 
 of Jesus, as unfolded by Paul and Barnabas. 
 
 Acts xiii. 13-41. 
 
 PAUL'S MISSIONARY SERMON AT 
 ANTIOCH. 
 
 13 Now when Paul and his company loosed from Paphos, 
 they came to Perga in Pamphylia : and John departing 
 
 14 from them returned to Jerusalem. But when they de- 
 parted from Perga, they came to Antioch in Pisidia, and 
 went into the synagogue on the sabbath day, and sat down. 
 
 15 And after the reading of the law and the prophets the 
 rulers of the synagogue sent unto them, saying, Ye men and 
 brethren, if ye have any word of exhortation for the people, 
 
 16 say on. Then Paul stood up, and beckoning with his 
 hand said. Men of Israel, and ye that fear God, give 
 
 17 audience. 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 
 
 18 brought he them out of it. And about the time of forty 
 
 19 years suffered he their manners in the wilderness. And 
 when he had destroyed seven nations in the land of 
 
 20 Chanaan, he divided their land to them by lot. And after 
 that he gave unto them judges about the space of four 
 
 21 hundred and fifty years, until Samuel the prophet. And 
 afterward they desired a king : and God gave unto them 
 
Acts xiii. 13-41 171 
 
 Saul the son of Cis, a man of the tribe of Benjamin, by the 
 
 22 space of forty years. 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 fulfil 
 
 23 all my will. Of this man's seed hath God according to 
 
 24 his promise raised unto Israel a Saviour, Jesus : when 
 John had first preached before his coming the baptism of 
 
 25 repentance to all the people of Israel. And as John ful- 
 filled his course, he said, Whom think ye that I am ? I 
 am not he. But, behold, there cometh one after me, whose 
 
 26 shoes of his feet I am not worthy to loose. Men and 
 brethren, children of the stock of Abraham, and whoso- 
 ever among you feareth God, to you is the word of this 
 
 27 salvation sent. For they that dwell at Jerusalem, and 
 their rulers, because they knew him not, nor yet the voices 
 of the prophets which are read every sabbath day, they 
 
 28 have fulfilled them in condemning him. And though they 
 found no cause of death in him, yet desired they Pilate 
 
 29 that he should be slain. And when they had fulfilled all 
 that was written of him, they took him down from the 
 
 30 tree, and laid him in a sepulchre. But God raised him 
 
 3 1 from the dead : and he was seen many days of them 
 which came up with him from Galilee to Jerusalem, who 
 
 32 are his witnesses unto the people. And we declare unto 
 you glad tidings, how that the promise which was made 
 
 33 unto the fathers, God hath fulfilled the same unto us 
 their children, in that he hath raised up Jesus again ; as it 
 is also written in the second psalm, Thou aH my Scn^ this 
 
 34 day have I begotten thee. And as concerning that he 
 raised him up from the dead, now no more to return to 
 corruption, he said on this wise, / will give you the sure 
 
 35 mercies of David, Wherefore he saith also in another 
 psalm, Thou shalt not suffer thine Holy One to see 
 
 36 corruption. For David, after he had served his own 
 generation by the will of God, fell on sleep, and was laid 
 
 37 unto his fathers, and saw corruption : but he, whom God 
 
172 Westminster New Testament 
 
 38 raised again, saw no corruption. Be it known unto you 
 therefore, men and brethren, that through this man is 
 
 39 preached unto you the forgiveness of sins : and by him 
 all that believe are justified from all things, from which ye 
 
 40 could not be justified by the law of Moses. Beware there- 
 fore, lest that come upon you which is spoken of in the 
 
 41 prophets ; Behold, ye despisers, and wonder, and perish : 
 for I work a work in your days, a work which ye shall 
 
 in no wise believe, though a man declare it tinto you. 
 
 After leaving Cyprus, the two missionaries 
 crossed over to the south of Asia Minor. Starting 
 from Perga, they made a tour through Pamphylia, 
 and then worked their way northwards into South 
 Galatia. In this section Luke gives an account of 
 their labours in Antioch_, the capital of Pisidia. 
 The bulk of the narrative is devoted to a sermon 
 preached by Paul, which is probably given as a 
 specimen of his missionary addresses. Only two 
 other specimens are given in Acts, and they are 
 quite of a different type, viz., (l) the short 
 address at Lystra (xiv. 15-18); (2) the speech 
 at Athens (xvii. 22-31). The sermon at Antioch 
 was addressed to Jews, the two other speeches to 
 the Gentiles. We may regard the present sermon, 
 therefore, as a typical illustration of Paul's method 
 of presenting the gospel to his own country- 
 men. The sermon has many points of afiinity 
 with the speeches of Peter and Stephen, especially 
 in the following points : (l) the appeal to history ; 
 (2) the appeal to prophecy, particularly to the 
 Davidic ideal ; (3) the insistence on the fact of 
 the Resurrection of Christ ; (4) the similarity of its 
 theological outlook, particularly in the absence from 
 it of any allusion to a doctrine of atonement. The 
 semion may be divided into three parts : (a) in the 
 
Acts xiii. 13-41 173 
 
 first part Paul sets himself to prove that Jesus 
 represents the culmination of Israel's history and 
 the fulfilment of the prophetic ideal (vers. 17-25) ; 
 (/)) in the second, Paul explains the reason for the 
 death of Christ, and insists on the fact of the 
 Resurrection (vers. 26-37) ; (c) in the third he asserts 
 that Jesus is the instrument of the Divine forgive- 
 ness, and appeals to his hearers to repent. 
 
 13. Paul and his company. A significant 
 phrase, indicating that Paul had now become the 
 central figure. 
 
 Perga. The capital of Pamphylia, about 1 2 miles 
 N.E. of Attalia, the port at which the missionaries 
 must have landed. 
 
 John departed. No reason is given, but we 
 gather from xv. 38 that Paul considered his con- 
 duct blameworthy. The probability is that he was 
 unwilling to face the dangers of the journey across 
 Mount Taurus into South Galatia. 
 
 14. they came to Antioch in Pisidia. This 
 Antioch must be distinguished from the Syrian 
 Antioch of xiii. 1. The district of Pisidia was 
 situated between Pamphylia and Phrygia. Its 
 greatest length from E. to W. was 120 miles, and 
 its breadth about 50. At this time it was part of 
 the Roman province of Galatia. If we adopt the 
 view that the Epistle to the Galatians was written 
 to the four cities of South Galatia, we know 
 from Gal. iv. 13 that Paul was ill when he reached 
 Antioch. Sir W. Ramsay suggests that his travel 
 in the low-lying districts of Pamphylia had in- 
 duced an attack of malarial fever, and that it was 
 a desire to get rid of the malaria that led him to 
 visit the mountainous district in which Antioch 
 was situated. 
 
174 Westminster New Testament 
 15. after reading the law and the prophets. 
 
 This verse gives us an excellent description of a 
 synagogue service (compare Luke iv. 16-20). 
 
 17. ye that fear God. See n. on x. 2. The 
 synagogue service was attended not only by Jews, 
 but by others who, like Cornelius, accepted the 
 Jewish creed, though they refused to undergo 
 circumcision. 
 
 18. suffered he their manners. Some Greek 
 
 Texts read, ^^ bare them as a nursing father," as in 
 Deut. i. 31. This seems to give the best sense, and 
 it only needs the change of a single letter in the 
 Greek verb, which has the support of the best MSS. 
 
 1.9. destroyed seven nations. For the names 
 of the nations see Deut. vii. 1. 
 
 20. for the space of four hundred and fifty 
 years. This clause ought to be connected with the 
 previous sentence, as in the R.V. : "he gave them 
 their land for an inheritance for about four hundred 
 and fifty years, and after these things he gave them 
 judges." 
 
 22. a man after mine own heart, etc. This 
 quotation combines two passages : Ps. Ixxxix. 20 ; 
 1 Sam. xiii. 14. 
 
 27. In this verse Paul gives the same twofold 
 explanation of the death of Christ which had 
 already been given by Peter : (1) it was due to the 
 ignorance of the rulers (see iii. 17) ; (2) it was in 
 accordance with prophecy (see iii. 18). 
 
 29. they . . . laid him in a sepulchre. The 
 burial of Jesus is here inaccurately ascribed to 
 " the rulers." For the true account see Luke xxiii. 
 50-56. It is impossible to say whether the error 
 is due to a slip of Luke's pen, or whether he is 
 reproducing a mistake made by Paul in ignorance. 
 
Acts xiii. 13-41 175 
 
 31. for many days. See n. on i. 3. 
 
 them that came up from Galilee. All the 
 
 twelve disciples^ except Judas, were Galileans 
 (see i. 11). 
 witnesses unto the people. See n. on i. 8. 
 
 33. raised up Jesus again (R.V. omits 
 " again "). I.e., from the dead. To Paul it was the 
 Resurrection which proved Christ to be Divine ; 
 cf. Rom. i. 3-5. 
 
 Thou art my Son, etc. A quotation from 
 Ps. ii. 7. " This day " must refer, as the context 
 shows, to the day of Resurrection. If this be so, 
 the passage must mean, if w^e are to take it as it 
 stands, that it was on the day of Resurrection that 
 Jesus was begotten and became the Son of God. 
 If this be the true interpretation, Paul's statement 
 is exactly in line with the Adoptionist view of 
 Christ which appears in the speeches of Peter. 
 See n. on ii. 36 and x. 38. 
 
 34. The connection of thought is not quite easy 
 to follow here. Paul has just stated that the 
 Resurrection proved the Divine sonship of Christ. 
 But the question might still be asked, Is this sonship 
 eternal ? or has Christ only been raised up for a 
 time .'' What guarantee is there that the Christ 
 will remain the Son of God for ever? Paul replies 
 to this question as follows : — The doubt may be at 
 once removed by an appeal to prophecy. Jesus 
 inherits " the sure mercies of David" ; among these 
 mercies is the promise of Psalm xvi. that God's Holy 
 One will not suffer corruption — a promise which 
 must apply to Christ, as it was not realised by David. 
 
 now no more to return to corruption. This 
 is the emphatic clause and the main point of the 
 argument. 
 
176 Westminster New Testament 
 the sure mercies of David. R.V., " the holy 
 
 and sure blessings of David." A quotation from 
 Isa. Iv. 3. 
 
 35. This quotation comes from Ps. xvi. 10. (See 
 n. on ii. 25.) The argument of this and the two 
 following verses is a repetition of what is found in 
 Peter's speech at Pentecost (compare ii. 29-31). 
 
 38. through this man . . . forgiveness of 
 sins. Compare v. 31. Note that the forgiveness 
 of sin is not connected with the death of Christ. 
 
 39. all that believe are justified. This verse 
 
 has a distinctly Pauline ring about it. It contains 
 the essential truth of Pauline theology, viz., the 
 doctrine of justification by faith. It is this verse 
 that really differentiates the speech from the ad- 
 dresses of Peter and Stephen. 
 
 ye could not be justified by the law of 
 Moses. A phrase which recalls the account of 
 Paul's own tragic spiritual struggle given in 
 Rom. vii. 7-25. 
 
 41. The quotation is taken from Hab. i. 5. 
 
 Acts xiii. 42-52. 
 
 THE EFFECT OF PAUL'S SERMON 
 AT ANTIOCH. 
 
 42 And when the Jews were gone out of the synagogue, the 
 Gentiles besought that these words might be preached to 
 
 43 them the next Sabbath. Now when the congregation was 
 broken up, many of the Jews and religious proselytes 
 followed Paul and Barnabas : who, speaking to them, per- 
 
 44 suaded them to continue in the grace of God. And the 
 next Sabbath day came almost the whole city together to 
 
Acts xiii. 42-52 177 
 
 45 hear the word of God. But when the Jews saw the multi- 
 tudes, they were filled with envy, and spake against those 
 things which were spoken by Paul, contradicting and blas- 
 
 46 pheming. Then Paul and Barnabas waxed bold, and said, It 
 was necessary that the word of God should first have been 
 spoken to you : but seeing ye put it from you, and judge 
 yourselves unworthy of everlasting life, lo, we turn to the 
 
 47 Gentiles. For so hath the Lord commanded us, saying, 
 / have set thee to be a light of the Gentiles, that thou 
 
 48 shouldest be fo7' salvation unto the ends of the earth. And 
 when the Gentiles heard this, they were glad, and glorified 
 the word of the Lord : and as many as were ordained to 
 
 49 eternal life believed. And the word of the Lord was 
 
 50 published throughout all the region. But the Jews stirred 
 up the devout and honourable women, and the chief men 
 of the city, and raised persecution against Paul and 
 
 5 1 Barnabas, and expelled them out of their coasts. But they 
 shook off the dust of their feet against them, and came 
 
 52 unto Iconium. And the disciples were filled with joy, and 
 with the Holy Ghost. 
 
 Paul's sermon produced a double effect. It 
 roused a great deal of curiosity in Jewish circles, 
 and it won him a large number of supporters. His 
 success, however, excited something approaching a 
 panic amongst the stricter Jews, who developed so 
 bitter a hostility towards the Apostle, that he 
 abandoned all hope of being able to convince 
 his countrymen in Antioch, and turned to the 
 Gentiles. 
 
 42. when the Jews were gone out of the 
 synagogue. The words '^ Jews " and " Gentiles " 
 are omitted by the best Greek MSS. The R.V. 
 renders, " And as they {i.e., Paul and Barnabas) 
 went out, they {i.e., the hearers) besought," etc. 
 The A.V. gives the impression that it was only the 
 12 
 
178 Westminster New Testament 
 
 Gentiles who paid any heed to the address — which 
 is a mistake. 
 
 43. religious (R.V., "devout") proselytes. 
 Probably the class of people mentioned in ver. 17. 
 They were not actual proselytes, because they had 
 not accepted circumcision. 
 
 44. almost the whole city. Antioch contained 
 a large Jewish settlement, and consequently the 
 excitement which Paul's address had aroused in 
 the synagogue soon spread amongst all classes of 
 the population. 
 
 45. contradicting and blaspheming. These 
 words are omitted in the best Texts. 
 
 46. we turn to the Gentiles. This marks a 
 definite crisis in Paul's programme. The rejection 
 of his message by the Jews left him free to appeal 
 to the Gentiles. The same experience was 
 repeated at Corinth (xviii. 6) and in other places. 
 
 47. The quotation is taken from Isa. xlix. 6. 
 Originally, of course, the prophecy refeiTed to the 
 Jewish nation as a whole — or rather to the ideal 
 nation as the servant of Jehovah. 
 
 48. as many as were ordained to eternal 
 
 life. The interpretation of this verse has always 
 caused debate. As the words stand in the Greek, 
 they appear to mean " as many as were appointed 
 to obtain eternal life," and so favour a Predestinarian 
 interpretation. Luke may very possibly have been 
 influenced by Paul's opinion on the subject, and the 
 clause may be an echo of Paul's great statement 
 in Rom. viii. 28-30. At the same time it must be 
 remembered that the predestination is not absolute ; 
 for (1) the words of ver. 46, " ye put it from you, 
 and judge yourselves unworthy of everlasting life," 
 show clearly that human responsibility is implied ; 
 
Acts xiv. 1-7 179 
 
 (2) Paul's own doctrine does not exclude the free- 
 dom of human choice, upon which he insists with 
 the utmost emphasis. This doctrine, however, is 
 not peculiar to Paul and Luke. It was held also 
 by (a) the Pharisees, who, as Josephus says, " main- 
 tain that all things are the work of fate and yet 
 do not take away from men the freedom of acting 
 as they choose ; " (6) the Stoics. Cicero describes 
 Chrysippus as " labouring painfully to explain how 
 all things happen by fate, yet there is something 
 in ourselves." The doctrine of Predestination, 
 therefore, is not specifically Christian, and may 
 even be regarded as an alien belief borrowed from 
 the Pharisees and Stoics. There are other com- 
 mentators, however, who would translate the words 
 of Luke thus : " as many as have set themselves to 
 obtain eternal life." There is some justification for 
 this, because the same form of the verb is found in 
 XX. 13, where it must be translated "as he had 
 arranged." 
 
 50. the devout and honourable women 
 
 (R. v., "of honourable estate"). Josephus tells us 
 that in Damascus the wives of many of the men 
 who were in high position were attracted to the 
 Jewish religion. This was probably also the case 
 at Antioch. 
 
 out of their coasts. R.V., « borders." 
 
 Acts xiv. 1-7. 
 
 THE MISSION TO ICONIUM. 
 
 And it came to pass in Iconium, that they went both to- 
 gether into the synagogue of the Jews, and so spake, that 
 a great multitude both of the Jews and also of the Greeks 
 
i8o Westminster New Testament 
 
 2 believed. But the unbelieving Jews stirred up the Gentiles, 
 and made their minds evil affected against the brethren. 
 
 3 Long time therefore abode they speaking boldly in the 
 Lord, which gave testimony unto the word of his grace, 
 and granted signs and wonders to be done by their hands. 
 
 4 But the multitude of the city was divided : and part held 
 
 5 with the Jews, and part with the apostles. And when 
 there was an assault made both of the Gentiles, and also of 
 the Jews, with their rulers, to use them despitefully, and to 
 
 6 stone them, they were ware of it, and fled unto Lystra 
 and Derbe, cities of Lycaonia, and unto the region that 
 
 7 lieth round about : and there they preached the gospel. 
 
 Driven out of Antioch, the Apostles went to 
 Iconium, where their preaching met with con- 
 siderable success both amongst Jews and Gentiles. 
 Luke gives us no details of the work at Iconium, 
 though they stayed there for a " long time " 
 (ver. 3). The mission was stopped by a riot, 
 organised by "the disaffected Jews." We have, 
 however, a later document, known as the " Acts of 
 Paul and Thecla," which in spite of its legendary 
 character contains, if we are to believe Sir W. 
 Ramsay, a kernel of truth, and gives an account 
 of a most interesting episode in connection with 
 Paul's visit to Iconium. Stripped of its mythical 
 elements, the story is as follows : — During his stay 
 at Iconium Paul lived in the house of Onesiphorus. 
 In an adjoining mansion there resided a noble 
 Iconian lady, named Thecla, who from her chamber 
 could hear Paul's preaching. She was fascinated 
 by his message, and became a Christian. This so 
 enraged the members of her family and her 
 affianced husband, Thamyris, that they induced 
 the magistrates to cast Paul into prison. Thecla 
 visited him in the prison, and when this was dis- 
 
Acts xiv. 1-7 181 
 
 covered, Paul was hurriedly expelled from the 
 city. Theela, however, resisted all the attempts 
 which were made to induce her to renounce her 
 faith, and finally fled to Antioch, where she was 
 arrested, and condemned on a charge of having 
 insulted a pagan high priest. She had, however, 
 a marvellous escape in the amphitheatre, the beasts 
 refusing to touch her, and was afterwards released. 
 She subsequently lived under the protection of 
 Queen Tryphaena, and was the means of converting 
 her and her household. 
 
 1. Iconium. An important town situated about 
 90 miles S*E. of Antioch. Its splendid position on 
 the western edge of the vast plains of Central 
 Asia Minor made it a great commercial centre. 
 
 great multitude ... of Greeks. Evi- 
 dently the synagogue at Iconium was attended by 
 Greeks as well as Jews — a further proof both of the 
 spiritual hunger of the age and the influence which 
 was being exerted by the Jewish faith. 
 
 2. the unbelieving Jews. R.V., "the Jews 
 that were disobedient ; " i.e., the Jews who refused 
 to listen to Paul's message. 
 
 3. Long time therefore, etc. This verse seems 
 to contradict the statement in ver. 2, and many 
 attempts have been made to avoid the difficulty. 
 («) Some ancient MSS. substitute the following for 
 the first clause in ver. 2 : " But the leaders and 
 rulers of the synagogue incited a persecution 
 against the righteous ones," and add at the 
 conclusion of the verse, "But the Lord speedily 
 gave peace." (6) Sir W. Ramsay suggests that the 
 second verse should be omitted altogether, (c) 
 Others think that the order of the two verses 
 should be inverted, and ver. 3 put before ver. 2. 
 
i82 Westminster New Testament 
 
 These rather violent methods, however, are 
 scarcely necessary. Ver. 2 may surely give the 
 reason for ver. 3. The meaning is ; '^ Because of 
 the attack, it was necessary for the apostles to 
 remain for a long period at Iconium." 
 
 5. with their rulers. This phrase impUes 
 that the Jews were the ringleaders in the attack — 
 the pagan magistrates would not have been likely 
 to encourage a resort to violence. Compare also 
 the words " to stone them," which was a Jewish 
 mode of punishment. 
 
 6. They were ware of it. The Apostles had 
 made many friends in Iconium, and it was doubt- 
 less from some of these that they obtained the 
 information about the projected attack. 
 
 Acts xiv. 8-20. 
 THE MISSION TO LYSTRA. 
 
 8 And there sat a certain man at Lystra, impotent in his feet, 
 being a cripple from his mother's womb, who never had 
 
 9 walked : the same heard Paul speak : who stedfastly 
 beholding him, and perceiving that he had faith to be 
 
 10 healed, said with a loud voice, Stand upright on thy feet. 
 
 11 And he leaped and walked. And when the people saw 
 what Paul had done, they lifted up their voices, saying in 
 the speech of Lycaonia, The gods are come down to us in 
 
 12 the likeness of men. And they called Barnabas, Jupiter ; 
 and Paul, Mercurius, because he was the chief speaker. 
 
 13 Then the priest of Jupiter, which was before their city, 
 brought oxen and garlands unto the gates, and would have 
 
 14 done sacrifice with the people. Which when the apostles, 
 Barnabas and Paul, heard of, they rent their clothes, and 
 
 15 ran in among the people, crying out, and saying. Sirs, why 
 do ye these things ? We also are men of like passions 
 
Acts xiv. 8-20 183 
 
 with you, and preach unto you that ye should turn from 
 these vanities unto the living God, which made heaven, and 
 
 16 earth, and the sea, and all things that are therein : who in 
 times past suffered all nations to walk in their own ways. 
 
 17 Nevertheless he left not himself without witness, in that he 
 did good, and gave us rain from heaven, and fruitful 
 
 18 seasons, filling our hearts with food and gladness. And 
 with these sayings scarce restrained they the people, that 
 
 19 they had not done sacrifice unto them. And there came 
 thither certain Jews from Antioch and Iconium, who per- 
 suaded the people, and, having stoned Paul, drew him out of 
 
 20 the city, supposing he had been dead. Howbeit, as the dis- 
 ciples stood round about him, he rose up, and came into the 
 city : and the next day he departed with Barnabas to Derbe. 
 
 Forced to leave Iconium, the missionaries next 
 went to Lystra. Luke's account of the mission at 
 Lystra deals with the following points : (l) the 
 cure of the cripple (vers. 8-10) ; (2) the effect 
 produced by the miracle on the people (vers. 
 11-13); (3) Paul's address to the crowd (vers. 
 14-18); (4) the change of popular opinion owing 
 to the intervention of Jewish agitators from Antioch 
 and Iconium (vers. 19, 20). The most significant part 
 of the narrative is the speech delivered by Paul, 
 which is of a veiy different type from that delivered 
 at Antioch. It is characterised by a breadth of 
 view which is quite unlike anything we have 
 hitherto met with in Acts, but which has its parallels 
 in the speech at Athens (with the exception of 
 Peter's statement in x. 35) and in certain state- 
 ments of the Apostle in the opening chapters of 
 the Epistle to the Romans. 
 
 8. Lystra was about 18 miles S.S.W. of 
 Iconium. It was one of the cities of Lycaonia 
 (ver. 6), a country in the central district of Asia 
 
i84 Westminster New Testament 
 
 Minor, bounded on the west by Pisidia and Phrygia, 
 on the east by Cappadocia, and on the north by 
 Galatia proper. We gather from the narrative in 
 Acts that the Jewish element in Lystra was much 
 smaller than in the other cities. No synagogue is 
 mentioned, and the population seems to have been 
 mainly pagan. 
 
 9. The account of the cure of the cripple should 
 be compared with the narrative of the healing of 
 the lame man in chap. iii. There are several 
 phrases common to both stories, though the A.V. 
 translation, by varying the English rendering, 
 disguises their identity. Note the following: 
 " lame from his mother's womb " (iii. 2) ; " sted- 
 fastly beholding him " (iii. 4) ; " he leaped and 
 walked " (iii. 8). 
 
 The same heard. A better translation would 
 be : " The same used to listen to Paul as he spoke." 
 
 perceiving that he had faith. Note the em- 
 phasis laid on faith as a condition of the healing. 
 
 10. he leaped and walked. There is a dis- 
 tinction between the tenses of these two words in 
 the original which ought to be preserved in the 
 translation : "he leaped up and began to walk." 
 
 11. they lift up their voice. The word 
 "lift" is an old English form for the more modern 
 " lifted " (R.V.). 
 
 in the speech of Lycaonia. The Lycaonians 
 were bilingual. Paul had been speaking in Greek — 
 a language which of course they could understand. 
 But in talking amongst themselves they used the 
 native Lycaonian dialect, which, as we see from 
 the narrative, was an unknown tongue to Paul 
 and Barnabas. 
 
 The gods have come down to us. The 
 
Acts xiv. 8-20 185 
 
 conception of the possibility of the gods assuming 
 human forms was very famiUar in Greek thought, and 
 we have many illustrations of it in Greek mythology. 
 
 12. Jupiter. Mercurius (R.V., "Mercury"). 
 Jupiter, or Zeus, as he is called in Greek, was the 
 father and king of the gods. Mercury, or Hermes, 
 was the messenger of the gods, the attendant on 
 Zeus, and the god of eloquence. Lystra possessed 
 a temple devoted to the worship of Zeus, hence 
 the suggestion that Barnabas, the more dignified 
 and noble of the two Apostles, was the incarnation 
 of the god of the city ; while Paul, who has been 
 described in one of the apocryphal books as " little 
 in height, with a bald head and crooked legs," and 
 was apparently "an ugly little Jew," to use Kenan's 
 phrase, was identified with Mercury because he 
 was "the chief speaker." 
 
 13. which was before their city. R.V., 
 "whose temple was before the city." There is no 
 word for " temple " in the original. Probably the 
 words "before the city" represent a title of 
 Jupiter. A similar title has been discovered on 
 an inscription found at Claud iopolis, in Isauria : 
 "To Jupiter before the city." The title, however, 
 seems to have been conferred because the temple 
 was in the suburbs. 
 
 unto the gates = unto the portals of the temple. 
 
 15. of Hke passions. A better rendering 
 would be, "of like nature with yourselves." Com- 
 pare Jas. V. 17. 
 
 16, 17. Paul's insistence on the universality of 
 religion (note the phrase "He left not himself 
 without witness") finds a parallel in his speech at 
 Athens (xvii. 22-34) and in Rom. i. 19-20: 
 "That which may be known of God is manifest. 
 
i86 Westminster New Testament 
 
 . . . For the invisible things of him since the 
 creation of the world are clearly seen, being per- 
 ceived through the things that are made — even 
 his everlasting power and divinity ; " and also in 
 Rom. ii. 14-15: "Gentiles . . . having no law 
 are a law unto themselves, in that they shew the 
 work of the law written in their hearts, their 
 conscience bearing witness therewith." 
 
 19. certain Jews from Antioch, etc. Not 
 content with driving Paul out of their own cities, 
 his Jewish opponents now begin to follow him into 
 other towns and stir up strife against him. 
 
 having stoned Paul. This must be the 
 occasion alluded to in 2 Cor. xi. 25 : " Once was 
 I stoned." 
 
 20. Derbe was situated to the S.E. of Lystra, 
 and was the frontier town of the Roman province 
 of Galatia. 
 
 Acts xiv. 21-28. 
 
 THE RETURN JOURNEY THROUGH 
 SOUTH GALATIA. 
 
 21 And when they had preached the gospel to that city, and 
 had taught many, they returned again to Lystra, and to 
 
 22 Iconium, and Antioch, confirming the souls of the 
 disciples, and exhorting them to continue in the faith, and 
 that we must through much tribulation enter into the 
 
 23 kingdom of God. And when they had ordained them 
 elders in every church, and had prayed with fasting, they 
 commended them to the Lord, on whom they believed. 
 
 24 And after they had passed throughout Pisidia, they came 
 
 25 to Pamphylia. And when they had preached the word in 
 
 26 Perga, they went down into Attalia : and thence sailed to 
 Antioch, from whence they had been recommended to the 
 
Acts xiv. 21-28 187 
 
 27 grace of God for the work which they fulfilled. And when 
 they were come, and had gathered the church together, they 
 rehearsed all that God had done with them, and how he 
 
 28 had opened the door of faith unto the Gentiles. And there 
 they abode long time with the disciples. 
 
 After paying a visit to Derbe, the Apostles re- 
 traced their steps, returning by the same route 
 through South Galatia. They revisited the cities 
 of Lystra, Iconium, and Antioch, and then passing 
 through PamphyHa, made their way back to their 
 starting-point, viz., Antioch in Syria. 
 
 21. to that city. I-e., Derbe. No details are 
 given, but probably the conversion of Gaius of 
 Derbe, who is mentioned in xx. 4, was one of the 
 fruits of this visit. 
 
 22. we must through much tribulation. 
 The use of the pronoun ^^we" has led some 
 scholars to conjecture that this section belongs to 
 the " We-passages." This, however, is unlikely, as 
 there is no trace of the pronoun elsewhere in the 
 paragraph. Probably Luke had his readers in 
 mind as he wrote this passage, and Paul's message 
 to the cities of South Galatia was converted into a 
 message to the Christians in Domitian's time by 
 the deft use of the pronoun " we." 
 
 23. appointed elders in every church. The 
 
 need of a definite organisation soon made itself 
 apparent, and Paul, with true statesmanlike instinct, 
 met it by the appointment of these elders (see n. 
 on xi. 30). We know from inscriptions that the 
 office of elder was common in the political and 
 social institutions in Asia Minor. 
 
 24. 25. For Perga, Attalia, and Pamphylia, see 
 notes on xiii. 13. 
 
 26. from whence they had been recom- 
 
i88 Westminster New Testament 
 
 mended. See xiii. l-S. We have no means of 
 fixing exactly the amount of time which the first 
 missionary journey had occupied, but it cannot well 
 have been less than two years. 
 
 27. Opened a door of faith unto the Gen- 
 tiles. The first missionary journey had settled 
 the question as to the applicability of Christianity 
 to the Gentiles, and had absolutely confirmed the 
 tentative efforts at Antioch. 
 
 Acts XV. 
 
 THE COUNCIL OF JERUSALEM. 
 
 I. The Problem (xv. 1-5). 
 
 And certain men which came down from Judaea taught the 
 brethren, and said, Except ye be circumcised after the 
 
 2 manner of Moses, ye cannot be saved. When therefore 
 Paul and Barnabas had no small dissension and disputation 
 with them, they determined that Paul and Barnabas, and 
 certain other of them, should go up to Jerusalem unto the 
 
 3 apostles and elders about this question. And being 
 brought on their way by the church, they passed through 
 Phenice and Samaria, declaring the conversion of the 
 Gentiles : and they caused great joy unto all the brethren. 
 
 4 And when they were come to Jerusalem, they were received 
 of the church, and of the apostles and elders, and they 
 
 5 declared all things that God had done with them. But 
 there rose up certain of the sect of the Pharisees which 
 believed, saying. That it was needful to circumcise them, 
 and to command them to keep the law of Moses. 
 
 Antioch had evidently been moving too rapidly 
 for Jerusalem, and consequently it was not long 
 before emissaries came from Jerusalem to protest 
 
Acts XV. 1-5 189 
 
 against the Gentile missions. At first sight it 
 looks as if the description of the Council was at 
 variance with earlier statements in Acts^ which 
 represent the principle of the admission of Gentiles 
 as having been already settled in the case of 
 Cornelius (xi. 18)^ and possibly also in the case 
 of Antioch (xi. 22-23). Two facts, however, have 
 always to be borne in mind : (a) The Church was 
 undoubtedly prepared to recognise isolated cases 
 of converted Gentiles, but it was not ready — at 
 least a large number of its Jewish members were 
 not ready — to admit the universal application of the 
 principle, and to organise missions to the Gentiles. 
 The Church at Jerusalem had recently been recruited 
 from the Pharisees and the stricter Jews (cf. ver. 5), 
 and the new element was strongly opposed to 
 anything like the universalisation of Christianity. 
 (6) While the principle of the admission of Gentiles 
 had already been settled, nothing had been deter- 
 mined as to the demands which would be made 
 upon them after their conversion. Many of those 
 who assented to the principle seem to have tacitly 
 assumed that Gentile converts would be required, 
 as a result of their admission to the Church, to 
 accept circumcision, and so become Jews. When 
 it was found that such a condition was not enforced 
 or even suggested, they seem to have turned hostile 
 to the principle itself. The real question at issue 
 before the Council was not so much whether 
 Gentiles should be admitted, but rather whether 
 after admission they ought not to be required to 
 graduate in Judaism. 
 
 The account which Paul gives of the discussion 
 in Gal. ii. is in the main consistent with the 
 naiTative in Acts, though there are some important 
 
I90 Westminster New Testament 
 
 discrepancies upon points of detail. Sir W. 
 Ramsay, however, and many other scholars think 
 that the second chapter of Galatians does not 
 refer to the same event as this passage in Acts 
 (see n. on xi. 30). 
 
 1. Except ye be circumcised. The Jewish 
 emissaries insisted that circumcision was an ad- 
 ditional condition without which true salvation 
 could not be attained. 
 
 2. no small dissension and disputation 
 (R.V., "questioning"). The dispute between Paul 
 and the Jewish Christians evidently raised mis- 
 giving and questioning in the minds of the 
 Christians at Antioch. 
 
 they determined. "They" refers to the 
 Church at Antioch — the R.V. makes this clear by 
 translating "the brethren appointed." 
 
 3. Phoenice. See n. on xi. 19. 
 
 declaring the conversion. Paul and Barnabas 
 utilised the journey by recounting the story of the 
 mission to the Gentiles to the Christians in all the 
 towns and villages en route. 
 
 4. they were received of the church. A 
 
 meeting of the whole Church was evidently 
 summoned for the purpose of giving a welcome to 
 the Apostles and delegates from Antioch. 
 
 5. certain of the sect of the Pharisees. 
 
 This phrase indicates the source of the trouble. 
 Certain Pharisees had joined the Church and had 
 carried their Pharisaism over into the new religion. 
 To the Pharisee the keeping of the Jewish Law 
 was the essential element of religion, and the 
 converted Pharisees were anxious to make it 
 equally essential to Christianity. 
 
 it is needful to circumcise them. Here 
 
Acts XV. 6-12 191 
 
 again it is plain that the demand was that circum- 
 cision should be imposed on the Gentiles not 
 before but after conversion. 
 
 THE COUNCIL OF JERUSALEM— {conh'nued). 
 II. Peter's Address (xv. 6-12). 
 
 6 And the apostles and elders came together for to consider 
 
 7 of this matter. And when there had been much disputing, 
 Peter rose up, and said unto them, Men and brethren, ye 
 know how that a good while ago God made choice among 
 us, that the Gentiles by my mouth should hear the word 
 
 8 of the gospel, and believe. And God, which knoweth the 
 hearts, bare them witness, giving them the Holy Ghost, 
 
 9 even as he did unto us ; and put no difference between us 
 
 10 and them, purifying their hearts by faith. Now therefore 
 why tempt ye God, to put a yoke upon the neck of the 
 disciples, which neither our fathers nor we were able to 
 
 1 1 bear ? But we believe that through the grace of the Lord 
 
 12 Jesus Christ we shall be saved, even as they. Then all 
 the multitude kept silence, and gave audience to Barnabas 
 and Paul, declaring what miracles and wonders God had 
 wrought among the Gentiles by them. 
 
 A special meeting of the leaders of the Church 
 was held to consider the challenge of the Pharisaic 
 Christians. After a great deal of discussion, Peter 
 rose and recounted the story of his own work 
 amongst the Gentiles, explaining how he had been 
 led by the impulse of the Spirit to admit Cornelius 
 and his Gentile friends into the Church. 
 
 6. the apostles and elders came together. 
 
192 Westminster New Testament 
 
 The meeting apparently was composed^ not of the 
 whole body of Church members, which would have 
 been too unwieldy an assembly for the purpose of 
 deliberation, but of the leaders ; i.e., the Apostles 
 and the elders. Between the previous meeting of 
 welcome and this gathering of the leaders must 
 be placed the private conference between Paul and 
 Barnabas and "the pillars" of the Church men- 
 tioned in Gal. ii. 2. 
 
 7. after much disputing. Luke does not 
 record the debate which took place, or give us the 
 arguments of Paul's opponents ; he contents him- 
 self with recording the speeches of Peter and 
 James, which were made at the close of the 
 meeting. 
 
 a good while ago. The reference, of course, 
 is to the conversion of Cornelius recorded in chap. x. 
 The length of the interval between chap. x. and 
 chap. XV. cannot be accurately determined. 
 
 8. which knoweth the hearts. The Greek 
 adjective represented by this phrase is only found 
 elsewhere in i. 24, and it is noteworthy that it is 
 used both times by Peter. 
 
 giving them the Holy Ghost. See x. 44-46 
 
 and xi. 15-18. 
 
 put no difference. R.V., ^ made no distinction 
 between them and us." See xi. 12. 
 
 10. put a yoke upon the neck of the 
 disciples. The yoke is " the observance of the 
 law," cf. Gal. v. 1, where Paul speaks of it as 
 "the yoke of bondage." 
 
 which neither our fathers . . . able to bear. 
 The Law had completely failed to ensure obedience 
 to the will of God. Cf. Rom. viii. 3, " what the 
 law could not do," a phrase which is illustrated by 
 
Acts XV. 13-21 
 
 193 
 
 the account of Paul's tragic spiritual struggle in 
 Rom. vii. 7-25. 
 
 12. kept silence. Peter's speech produced a 
 deep impression on the assembly^ and afforded Paul 
 and Barnabas an opportunity of describing their work. 
 
 miracles and wonders. R.V., "signs and 
 wonders." The word "sign" is one of the terms 
 employed especially by the writer of the Fourth 
 Gospel to describe the miracles of Christ. 
 
 THE COUNCIL OF JERUSALEM— (conh'nued). 
 III. James sums up the Debate (xv. 13-21). 
 
 13 And after they had held their peace, James answered, 
 
 14 saying, Men and brethren, hearken unto me : Simeon 
 hath declared how God at the first did visit the 
 
 15 Gentiles, to take out of them a people for his name. And 
 to this agree the words of the prophets ; as it is written, 
 
 16 A/ifer this I will 7'ehtrn, and will build again the tabernacle 
 of David, which is fallen dozvn ; and I will build again the 
 
 1 7 ruins thereof, and I will set it up : that the residue of men 
 might seek after the Lord, and all the Gentiles, upon whom 
 viy name is called, saith the Lord, ivho doeth all these 
 
 18 things. Known unto God are all his works from the 
 
 19 begimiing of the zvorld. Wherefore my sentence is, that 
 we trouble not them, which from among the Gentiles are 
 
 20 turned to God : but that we write unto them, that they 
 abstain from pollutions of idols, and from fornication, and 
 
 21 from things strangled, and from blood. For Moses of old 
 time hath in every city them that preach him, being read 
 in the synagogues every sabbath day. 
 
 At this point JameSj who evidently was the 
 president of the meeting, proceeded to sum up the 
 
 13 
 
194 Westminster New Testament 
 
 discussion. The narrative suggests that the 
 method of settling debatable questions in the early 
 Church resembled that which is still in vogue in 
 the Society of Friends. No vote is ever taken 
 amongst the Friends^ but after full discussion the 
 president states what he considers to be the 
 sense of the meeting, and unless his statement is 
 challenged, it is recorded as the decision of the 
 Society. The statement of James evidently re- 
 flected the feeling of the meeting, and was accepted 
 without opposition. The decision arrived at was, 
 that apart from the four specific prohibitions 
 mentioned in ver. 20 no burden was to be laid on 
 the Gentile converts. 
 
 14. Simeon (R.V., '' Symeon "), the Jewish form 
 of Peter's name, occurs only here and in 2 Pet. i. 1. 
 Its emplojTuent seems to suggest that Luke is 
 taking pains to give the actual words of James. 
 
 15. the words of the prophets. Only one 
 illustration is given, viz., the quotation from 
 Amos ix. 11, 12, but other passages would readily 
 occur to the minds of the audience, such as, for 
 instance, those cited by Paul in Rom. xv. 9-12. 
 The quotation given is taken from the Septuagint 
 Version, which differs considerably from the 
 Hebrew. 
 
 20. the pollutions of idols. This phrase is 
 explained in ver. 29 : '' from things sacrificed to 
 idols." Compare the statements of Paul in 
 1 Cor. viii. 1-10 and x. 23-33 — passages which show 
 that this prohibition was not regarded as binding 
 upon the Church of Corinth. 
 
 from fornication. It looks at first sight as if 
 it should have been hardly necessary to lay such 
 stress upon the elementary virtue of chastity. 
 
Acts XV. 22-35 
 
 ^95 
 
 which ought to have been universally regarded 
 as a primary and inseparable characteristic of the 
 Christian religion. When we remember^ however, 
 that in pagan circles immorality and religion were 
 almost convertible terms, and that the rites con- 
 nected with the worship of Aphrodite and Cybele 
 actually consecrated vice, the necessity for the 
 prohibition becomes plain. It is no more super- 
 fluous than the words of Paul in 1 Thess. iv. 3 : 
 " For this is the will of God, even your sanctifica- 
 tion, that ye abstain from fornication." 
 
 from things strangled and from blood. The 
 
 prohibition of the use of blood as animal food was 
 strongly enforced in the Mosaic law (see Lev. iii. 17, 
 vii. 26, xvii. 10-1 6, xix. 26). The ground for the 
 prohibition is found in the Jewish belief that the 
 blood is the seat of life. 
 
 21. For Moses of old time hath . . . R.V., 
 " Moses from generations of old hath " . . . Three 
 of the prohibitions were a concession to the 
 Pharisaic Christians, and the ground upon which 
 James urges their adoption is the desire to avoid 
 wounding the susceptibilities of the Jews who 
 were scattered throughout every part of the world 
 (see n. on ii. 5). 
 
 THE COUNCIL OF JERUSALEM— (con/tnued). 
 
 IV. The Communication of the Decision to the 
 Churches (xv. 22-35). 
 
 22 Then pleased it the apostles and elders, with the whole 
 church, to send chosen men of their own company to 
 Antioch with Paul and Barnabas ; namely, Judas surnamed 
 
196 Westminster New Testament 
 
 23 Barsabas, and Silas, chief men among the brethren : and 
 they wrote letters by them after this manner ; The apostles 
 and elders and brethren send greeting unto the brethren 
 which are of the Gentiles in Antioch and Syria and 
 
 24 Cilicia : forasmuch as we have heard, that certain which 
 went out from us have troubled you with words, subverting 
 your souls, saying, Ye must be circumcised, and keep the 
 
 25 law : to whom we gave no such commandment : it seemed 
 good unto us, being assembled with one accord, to send 
 chosen men unto you with our beloved Barnabas and Paul, 
 
 26 men that have hazarded their lives for the name of our 
 
 27 Lord Jesus Christ. We have sent therefore Judas and 
 Silas, who shall also tell you the same things by mouth. 
 
 28 For it seemed good to the Holy Ghost, and to us, to lay 
 upon you no greater burden than these necessary things ; 
 
 29 that ye abstain from meats offered to idols, and from 
 blood, and from things strangled, and from fornication : 
 from which if ye keep yourselves, ye shall do well. Fare 
 
 30 ye well. So when they were dismissed, they came to 
 Antioch : and when they had gathered the multitude 
 
 31 together, they delivered the epistle: which when they 
 
 32 had read, they rejoiced for the consolation. And Judas 
 and Silas, being prophets also themselves, exhorted the 
 
 33 brethren with many words, and confirmed them. And 
 after they had tarried there a space, they were let go in 
 
 34 peace from the brethren unto the apostles. Notwith- 
 
 35 standing it pleased Silas to abide there still. Paul also 
 and Barnabas continued in Antioch, teaching and preaching 
 the word of the Lord, with many others also. 
 
 The suggestions of James were accepted by the 
 Church and embodied in a letter. A deputa- 
 tion was then appointed to convey the letter to 
 the Church at Antioch, where the dispute had 
 originated. 
 
 22. with the whole church. The compromise, 
 which had been arranged by the Council, had in 
 
Acts XV. 36-41 197 
 
 the meantime received the sanction of the whole 
 Church, and the election of the delegates was also 
 the work of the Christian assembly at Jerusalem. 
 
 Judas surnamed (R.V., "called") Barsabas. 
 Nothing further is known of this man, though 
 some have conjectured that he may have been the 
 brother of Joseph Barsabas mentioned in Acts i. 23. 
 
 Silas. See n. on ver. 40. 
 
 23. the apostles and elders and brethren. 
 The R.V. omits the conjunction between the two 
 last words of the phrase, and renders "the apostles 
 and elder brethren." " Elder brethren " is an 
 allusion to the elders of ver. 6. 
 
 24. saying . . . keep the law. These words 
 are omitted by the best MSS. and the R.V. 
 
 25. being assembled with one accord. R.V., 
 "having come to one accord/' — a better rendering. 
 
 28. it seemed good to the Holy Ghost. 
 The letter claims that the decision of the Church 
 was reached under the inspiration of the Holy 
 Spirit. 
 
 31. rejoiced for the consolation. I.e., for the 
 consolation which the letter produced by ending 
 the strife. 
 
 34. This verse is omitted in the best MSS. and 
 the R.V. 
 
 Acts XV. 36-41. 
 
 THE PREPARATION FOR THE SECOND 
 MISSIONARY TOUR. 
 
 36 And some days after Paul said unto Barnabas, Let us go 
 again and visit our brethren in every city where we have 
 preached the word of the Lord, and see how they do. 
 
 37 And Barnabas determined to take with them John, whose 
 
198 Westminster New Testament 
 
 38 surname was Mark. But Paul thought not good to take 
 him with them, who departed from them from PamphyUa, 
 
 39 and went not with them to the work. And the contention 
 was so sharp between them, that they departed asunder 
 one from the other : and so Barnabas took Mark, and 
 
 40 sailed unto Cyprus ; and Paul chose Silas, and departed, 
 being recommended by the brethren unto the grace of 
 
 41 God. And he went through Syria and Cilicia, confirming 
 the churches. 
 
 Paul remained in Antioch for a short time, until 
 the controversy had died down, and then proposed 
 that a fresh missionary tour should be undertaken. 
 A dispute arose between Paul and Barnabas with 
 regard to John Mark, whom the latter wished to 
 take with him. This led to their separation, 
 Barnabas and Mark going to Cyprus, Paul and 
 Silas to South Galatia. 
 
 36. some days after. The interval of time 
 implied by this phrase cannot be determined, but 
 it was probably during this period that the episode 
 of Peter's visit to Antioch recorded in Gal. ii. 11-21 
 occurred. 
 
 37. John whose surname was Mark. See 
 
 notes on xii. 12 and xiii. 13. 
 
 38. Paul thought not good. Mark had 
 deserted Paul and Barnabas at Perga, when they 
 were about to start for South Galatia (xiii. 1 3). Paul 
 evidently had been much annoyed at the incident, 
 and so refused to take Mark. Later on, however, the 
 two seem to have been reconciled, for we find them 
 together at Rome: see Col. iv. 10; 2 Tim. iv. 11 ; 
 Philem. 24. 
 
 39. Barnabas . . . sailed away unto Cyprus. 
 
 Cyprus was his native country (see iv. 36, 37). 
 Barnabas disappears from sight at this point. 
 
Acts xvi. 1-5 199 
 
 Tradition relates that he subsequently visited 
 Alexandria, and connects his name with the 
 authorship («) of the Epistle to the Hebrews, 
 (b) of the Epistle of Barnabas. 
 
 40. Paul chose Silas. Silas had returned to 
 Jerusalem (ver. S3), so Paul probably had to send 
 for him, unless in the meantime he had returned 
 to Antioch. Henceforth Silas (or Silvanus, as he 
 is called in the Epistles) is Paul's constant com- 
 panion during his second missionary tour: cf. 
 1 Thess. i. 1 ; 2 Cor. i. 19, etc. 
 
 the grace of God. R.V., following the best 
 MSS., "the grace of the Lord." 
 
 41. Syria and Cilicia. See n. on vi. 9. We 
 have no record as to the founding of churches in 
 these districts, but we know from Gal. i. 21 that 
 after his first visit to Jerusalem Paul spent some 
 time in Syria and Cilicia, and it was probably 
 during this period that the churches were founded. 
 
 Acts xvi. 1-5. 
 
 PAUL'S SECOND VISIT TO THE FOUR 
 CITIES OF SOUTH GALATIA. 
 
 Then came he to Derbe and Lystra : and, behold, a 
 certain disciple was there, named Timotheus, the son of a 
 certain woman, which was a Jewess, and believed ; but 
 
 2 his father was a Greek : which was well reported of by 
 
 3 the brethren that were at Lystra and Iconium. Him 
 would Paul have to go forth with him ; and took and 
 circumcised him because of the Jews which were in those 
 quarters : for they knew all that his father was a Greek. 
 
 4 And as they went through the cities, they delivered them 
 
200 Westminster New Testament 
 
 the decrees for to keep, that were ordained of the apostles 
 5 and elders which were at Jerusalern. And so were 
 the churches established in the faith, and increased in 
 number daily. 
 
 After leaving Syria and Cilicia, Paul at once 
 proceeded to South Galatia to revisit the four 
 cities where he had founded churches during 
 his first missionary journey. The chief incident 
 of the tour is the call of Timothy to mission 
 work. 
 
 1. a certain disciple was there. Probably at 
 
 Lystra, where Timothy had been converted during 
 Paul's former visit. Compare 1 Cor. iv. 17, where 
 Paul speaks of him '^ as my beloved and faithful 
 child in the Lord." 
 
 the son . . . Jewess. The name of Timothy's 
 mother is given as " Eunice " in 2 Tim. i. 5 ; his 
 grandmother's name was Lois. Both were devout 
 Jewesses, who seem to have been converted to 
 Christianity through the influence of Paul. 
 
 3. took and circumcised him. According to 
 the Rabbinical code, the son of a Jewish mother 
 was regarded as a Jew. This was the reason for 
 the circumcision. The Council of Jerusalem had 
 waived the necessity for the rite only in the case 
 of Gentiles. We gather from 1 Tim. iv. 14 that 
 Timothy, like Paul and Barnabas themselves, was 
 set apart for the work by the Church and ordained 
 by the presbyters (the elders appointed by Paul, 
 xiv. 23). 
 
 4. delivered the decrees. Le., the decisions of 
 the Council of Jerusalem ; see xv. 28, 29. 
 
Acts xvi. 6-IO 20I 
 
 Acts xvi. 6-10. 
 THE CALL TO EUROPE. 
 
 6 Now when they had gone throughout Phrygia and the 
 region of Galatia, and were forbidden of the Holy Ghost 
 
 7 to preach the word in Asia, after they were come to 
 Mysia, they assayed to go into Bithynia : but the Spirit 
 
 S sufTered them not. And they passing by Mysia came 
 9 down to Troas. And a vision appeared to Paul in the 
 night ; There stood a man of Macedonia, and prayed him, 
 10 saying, Come over into Macedonia, and help us. And 
 after he had seen the vision, immediately we endeavoured 
 to go into Macedonia, assuredly gathering that the Lord 
 had called us for to preach the gospel unto them. 
 
 Paul intended, after visiting the churches in 
 South Galatia, to extend his work by a missionary 
 tour to other parts of Asia Minor. He found, 
 however, on attempting to enter the provinces of 
 Asia and Bithynia that the way was blocked by 
 the intervention of the Holy Spirit. He pressed 
 on northwards, and on reaching Troas received in 
 a vision the call to Europe. This paragraph affords 
 us a remarkable illustration of the way in which 
 Paul's plans were overruled and enlarged by the 
 hand of God. Paul intended to be the Apostle of 
 Asia Minor, God meant him to be the Apostle 
 of the whole Roman world. 
 
 6. when they had gone throughout Phrygia, 
 etc. The R.V. makes two important changes in 
 this verse, (a) " They went through the region of 
 Phrygia and Galatia." This alteration indicates 
 that Luke does not mean, as the A.V. implies, that 
 they traversed the two districts of Phrygia and 
 Galatia, but that they went through one district 
 
202 Westminster New Testament 
 
 which might be called either Phrygia or Galatia, 
 the former being its local, the latter its political 
 designation. This may be made clearer by trans- 
 lating " the region of Phrygo-Galatia/' i.e., the part 
 of the district of Phrygia which belonged to the 
 Roman province of Galatia. (/)) " They went through 
 the region . . . having been forbidden/' etc. In 
 the A.V. the second clause denotes something that 
 happened subsequently to the action indicated by 
 the first clause. In the R.V. the second clause is 
 prior in time to the first. There is no doubt that 
 the order of clauses in the R.V. is the more accurate 
 rendering of the Greek, though Sir W. Ramsay 
 still thinks that the order given in the A.V. really 
 represents the actual facts. 
 
 in Asia. Le., in the Roman province of Asia, 
 which lay on the west coast of Asia Minor. Paul 
 stayed at Ephesus, its capital, for two years on his 
 third missionary journey (xix. 10). 
 
 7. were come to Mysia. This is a misleading 
 translation. R.V. gives, "when they were come 
 over against Mysia." Mysia was a district in the 
 N.W. of Asia Minor. 
 
 into Bithynia. An important province on the 
 north coast of Asia Minor, and N.E. of Mysia. 
 Though Paul was forbidden to enter Bithynia, the 
 province was soon evangelised. About sixty years 
 later, we find in an official letter, written by the 
 Roman governor of the province, Pliny the younger, 
 to the Emperor Trajan, the statement that Christi- 
 anity had permeated the country, penetrating even 
 into the rural districts, and that as a consequence 
 the heathen festivals were neglected, and animals 
 for sacrifice could scarcely find purchasers. 
 
 the Spirit suffered them not. The R.V. 
 
Acts xvi. 11-18 203 
 
 introduces a remarkable change into this phrase, 
 viz., ^^The Spirit of Jesus suffered them not." 
 There can be Uttle doubt that, in the mind of 
 Luke, and probably of the early Church, there is 
 no clear distinction between the " Spirit of Jesus " 
 and ^^the Holy Spirit:" cf Rom. viii. 9; 2 Cor. 
 iii. 17. 
 
 8. Troas. An important seaport and Roman 
 colony in Mysia. 
 
 9. a vision appeared to Paul. Note the 
 Divine leading throughout this passage. The 
 summons to Europe came to Paul direct from God. 
 Sir W. Ramsay thinks that "the man of Macedonia" 
 is to be identified with Luke. Luke appeared to 
 Paul in a vision and summoned him to Macedonia. 
 
 Acts xvi. 11-18. 
 PAUL AT PHILIPPL 
 
 11 Therefore loosing from Troas, we came with a straight 
 course to Samothracia, and the next day to Neapolis ; 
 
 12 and from thence to Philippi, which is the chief city of that 
 part of Macedonia, and a colony : and we were in that city 
 
 13 abiding certain days. And on the sabbath we went out of 
 the city by a river side, where prayer was wont to be made ; 
 and we sat down, and spake unto the women which 
 
 14 resorted thither. And a certain woman named Lydia, a 
 seller of purple, of the city of Thyatira, which worshipped 
 God, heard us: whose heart the Lord opened, that she 
 
 15 attended unto the things which were spoken of Paul. And 
 when she was baptized, and her household, she besought 
 us, saying, If ye have judged me to be faithful to the 
 Lord, come into my house, and abide there. And she 
 
204 Westminster New Testament 
 
 1 6 constrained us. And it came to pass, as we went to 
 prayer, a certain damsel possessed with a spirit of divination 
 met us, which brought her masters much gain by sooth- 
 
 17 saying : the same followed Paul and us, and cried, saying, 
 These men are the servants of the most high God, which 
 
 18 show unto us the way of salvation. And this did she many 
 days. But Paul, being grieved, turned and said to the 
 spirit, I command thee in the name of Jesus Christ to 
 come out of her. And he came out the same hour. 
 
 In obedience to the heavenly vision^ Paul sailed 
 at once for Macedonia and commenced work at 
 Philippi. His mission resulted in three notable 
 conversions, which typified the universal appeal of 
 Paul's message : («) Lydia the purple-seller repre- 
 sented wealth and the Jewish race ; (b) the girl 
 possessed with the spirit of divination represented 
 the slave-class and the Greek nation ; (c) the 
 governor of the prison represented the Roman 
 people and the official classes. Thus_, rich and poor, 
 freeman and slave, Greek, Jew and Roman, em- 
 ployer and employed, the commercial and official 
 classes, alike found that the gospel preached by 
 Paul satisfied the deepest needs of their spiritual 
 nature. 
 
 11. we came. Note the commencement of the 
 " We-passages." Luke is now speaking as an eye- 
 witness. He probably joined Paul at Troas, since the 
 first indication of a personal note occurs in ver. 10. 
 
 Samothracia. An island midway between Troas 
 and Neapolis, in the north of the ^gean Sea. 
 Neapolis. The port of Philippi. 
 
 12. Philippi. An important town in Macedonia, 
 about 8 miles from Neapolis. 
 
 the chief city of that part of Mace- 
 donia. R.V., " a city of Macedonia, the first of the 
 
Acts xvi. 11-18 205 
 
 district." There is a difficulty about this statement, 
 because Amphipolis seems to have been the capital 
 of the district. There was always a rivalry between 
 the two towns, and Luke may be purposely award- 
 ing the premier position to Philippi because of the 
 services which the Philippians had rendered to 
 Christians. Other scholars prefer to take the 
 phrase in a geographical sense : " the first city of 
 the district to which we came." 
 
 a colony. Philippi was originally founded by a 
 settlement of Roman soldiers. As a Roman colony, 
 it was a miniature reproduction of Rome itself as 
 far as government was concerned. 
 
 13. where prayer was wont to be made. 
 The R.V., following the best Greek Text, reads; 
 " where we supposed there was a place of prayer." 
 There were very few Jews at Philippi, and so there 
 was no synagogue, merely a little meeting-house 
 by the river-side. 
 
 spake unto the women. One of the most 
 noticeable features connected with Paul's work in 
 Europe is the effect produced by his message on 
 the women of Greece ; cf. xvii. 4, 12. 
 
 14. Thyatira. A city of Lydia famous for its 
 dyes. Lydia derived her name from that of her 
 native land. 
 
 15. her household. Another feature of the 
 European mission is the conversion of whole 
 households (see ver. 32 and xviii. 8). The word 
 "household" specially refers to the slave establish- 
 ment connected with the house. 
 
 16. spirit of divination. A literal translation 
 of the Greek would be, " having a spirit, a Python." 
 According to Plutarch, those who practised ven- 
 triloquism were called Pythons. The slave-girl 
 
2o6 Westminster New Testament 
 
 was supposed to be a medium through which the 
 messages of the pagan god were conveyed to men, 
 while she herself was in a state of trance. 
 
 17. followed Paul and cried. Compare the 
 accounts of the action of demoniacs in the Gospels 
 (Mark i. 25 ; Luke iv. 41). 
 
 Acts xvi. 19-40. 
 THE IMPRISONMENT OF PAUL AND SILAS. 
 
 19 And when her masters saw that the hope of their gains was 
 gone, they caught Paul and Silas, and drew them into the 
 
 20 marketplace unto the rulers, and brought them to the 
 magistrates, saying, These men, being Jews, do exceedingly 
 
 21 trouble our city, and teach customs, which are not lawful 
 
 22 for us to receive, neither to observe, being Romans. And 
 the multitude rose up together against them : and the 
 magistrates rent off their clothes, and commanded to beat 
 
 23 them. And when they had laid many stripes upon them, 
 they cast them into prison, charging the jailor to keep them 
 
 24 safely : who, having received such a charge, thrust them 
 into the inner prison, and made their feet fast in the stocks. 
 
 25 And at midnight Paul and Silas prayed, and sang praises 
 
 26 unto God : and the prisoners heard them. And suddenly 
 there was a great earthquake, so that the foundations of 
 the prison were shaken : and immediately all the doors 
 
 27 were opened, and every one's bands were loosed. And 
 the keeper of the prison awaking out of his sleep, and 
 seeing the prison doors open, he drew out his sword, and 
 would have killed himself, supposing that the prisoners 
 
 28 had been fled. But Paul cried with a loud voice, saying, 
 
 29 Do thyself no harm ; for we are all here. Then he called 
 for a light, and sprang in, and came trembling, and fell 
 
 30 down before Paul and Silas, and brought them out, and 
 
Acts xvi. 19-40 207 
 
 31 said, Sirs, what must I do to be saved? And they said, 
 Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, and thou shalt be saved, 
 
 32 and thy house. And they spake unto him the word of the 
 
 33 Lord, and to all that were in his house. And he took 
 them the same hour of the night, and washed their stripes ; 
 
 34 and was baptized, he and all his, straightway. And when 
 he had brought them into his house, he set meat before 
 them, and rejoiced, believing in God with all his house. 
 
 35 And when it was day, the magistrates sent the serjeants, 
 
 36 saying, Let those men go. And the keeper of the prison 
 told this saying to Paul, The magistrates have sent to let 
 
 37 you go : now therefore depart, and go in peace. But Paul 
 said unto them. They have beaten us openly uncondemned, 
 being Romans, and have cast us into prison ; and now do 
 they thrust us out privily ? nay verily ; but let them come 
 
 38 themselves and fetch us out. And the serjeants told these 
 words unto the magistrates : and they feared, when they 
 
 39 heard that they were Romans. And they came and be- 
 sought them, and brought them out, and desired them to 
 
 40 depart out of the city. And they went out of the prison, 
 and entered into the house of Lydia : and when they had 
 seen the brethren, they comforted them, and departed. 
 
 The conversion of the soothsayer led to a protest 
 on the part of her employers, and Paul and Silas 
 were brought before the magistrates, who ordered 
 them to be scourged and imprisoned. An earth- 
 quake, however, in the night, wrecked the prison. 
 The conduct of Paul and Silas led to the conversion 
 of the governor of the prison. Next morning the 
 magistrates relented, and ordered the prisoners to 
 be set at liberty. Paul, however, insisted that their 
 summary action, in scourging them without a trial, 
 was an illegal affront to Roman citizens, and claimed 
 a public apology, which was readily given. 
 
 19. the hope of their gains was gone. The 
 
2o8 Westminster New Testament 
 
 soothsayer was a source of profit to her masters, and 
 the loss of this naturally made them indignant. 
 Compare the complaint of Demetrius (xix. 27). 
 
 20. rulers . . . magistrates. Two different 
 words are used in the original for these terms. 
 Possibly they are intended to be synonyms. The 
 former, however, may be a wider term, and denote 
 the whole body of public authorities, " the magis- 
 trates " referring to the duoviri, or two praetors, 
 who presided over the administration of justice in 
 Roman colonies. 
 
 22. rent off their clothes. I.e., the clothes of 
 
 Paul and Silas. The R.V. makes this clear by 
 translating " rent their garments off them." 
 
 26. a great earthquake. Not an unusual 
 phenomenon in the East. Sir W. Ramsay says 
 that he has seen similar effects produced by earth- 
 quakes on Turkish prisons. The prisoners were 
 chained to the walls, and the shock of the earth- 
 quake loosened the fastenings. 
 
 27. was about to kill himself. The keeper 
 of the prison was responsible for the prisoners, and 
 would have to answer for their escape with his life ; 
 cf. xii. 19, xxvii. 42. Hence he preferred suicide 
 to disgrace. 
 
 SO. What must I do ? etc. The keeper of the 
 prison had evidently been impressed by the work 
 of Paul at Philippi, and the conduct of the prisoners 
 had deepened this appreciation, and quickened his 
 dormant religious consciousness. 
 
 31. Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ. The 
 word ^^ Christ" is omitted by the best MSS. and 
 the R.V. The phrase " Lord Jesus Christ " is only 
 found once in Acts, viz., xxviii. 31. In xx. 21 
 it is omitted in the best MSS. 
 
Acts xvii. 1-9 209 
 
 S5. Serjeants. The lictors or attendants on the 
 Roman magistrates. 
 
 36. The magistrates have sent. The change 
 in their attitude may be due either to the super- 
 stitious effects produced on their minds by the 
 earthquake^ or more probably to the fact that re- 
 flection had shown them the hastiness and injustice 
 of their action. 
 
 37. being Romans. The Greek is more 
 emphatic: ^'^men that are Romans." It was the 
 privilege of Roman citizens to be exempt from 
 chains and scourgings. The magistrates had vio- 
 lated the law on both points. The question arises^ 
 "Why did not Paul plead the privilege at the 
 trial ? " The only answer that can be given is 
 that he probably had no chance of making his plea 
 heard owing to the uproar. 
 
 39. they asked them to go away from the 
 city. The magistrates were afraid of the mob, and 
 anxious to avoid a second uproar. 
 
 Acts xvii. 1-9. 
 
 PAUL AT THESSALONICA. 
 
 Now when they had passed through Amphipolis and 
 Apollonia, they came to Thessalonica, where was a syna- 
 
 2 gogue of the Jews : and Paul, as his manner was, went 
 in unto them, and three sabbath days reasoned with them 
 
 3 out of the scriptures, opening and alleging, that Christ 
 must needs have suffered, and risen again from the dead ; 
 and that this Jesus, whom I preach unto you, is Christ. 
 
 4 And some of them believed, and consorted with Paul and 
 Silas ; and of the devout Greeks a great multitude, and of 
 
 5 the chief women not a few. But the Jews which believed 
 
 14 
 
2IO Westminster New Testament 
 
 not, moved with envy, took unto them certain lewd fellows 
 of the baser sort, and gathered a company, and set all the 
 city on an uproar, and assaulted the house of Jason, and 
 
 6 sought to bring them out to the people. And when they 
 found them not, they drew Jason and certain brethren 
 unto the rulers of the city, crying. These that have turned 
 
 7 the world upside down are come hither also ; whom Jason 
 hath received : and these all do contrary to the decrees of 
 
 8 Caesar, saying that there is another king, one Jesus. And 
 they troubled the people and the rulers of the city, when 
 
 9 they heard these things. And when they had taken 
 security of Jason, and of the other, they let them go. 
 
 From Philippi Paul proceeded to Thessalonica, 
 where he worked for some time with great suc- 
 cess, and estabhshed a flourishing church. A 
 riot instigated by Jews compelled him to leave 
 the city. The short account of the work at 
 Thessalonica which is given in Acts may be ex- 
 panded from the information obtainable from the 
 Epistles to the Thessalonians, which give a vivid 
 picture of the relations between Paul and his 
 converts. 
 
 1. Amphipolis and ApoUonia. Both these 
 towns were situated on the famous "Egnatian 
 road/' which was one of the most important lines 
 of communication in the ancient world, and con- 
 nected Europe and Asia. Amphipolis was about 
 half-way between Philippi and ApoUonia, being 
 33 miles from the former and 30 from the latter. 
 Appollonia was 37 miles from Thessalonica. 
 
 Thessalonica was the capital of the province 
 of Macedonia, and the most important town in the 
 north of Greece. It was situated at the head of 
 the Thermaic Gulf. Its population has been esti- 
 mated at 200,000. 
 
Acts xvii. 1-9 211 
 
 2. three sabbath days. The narrative gives 
 the impression that Paul's stay at Thessalonica was 
 Hmited to three weeks or a month. We gather 
 from the First Epistle^ however, that it was of much 
 longer duration. Probably Acts refers simply to 
 the work amongst the Jews. 
 
 3. opening and alleging. Paul's preaching at 
 the synagogue dealt with two points : («) the 
 Scriptures prove that the Messiah must suffer ; 
 (b) Jesus was the Messiah. The statement of Acts 
 on this point is borne out by the Epistles. 
 
 4. some of them believed. Paul's converts 
 
 were drawn from three classes : (l) the Jews ; (2) the 
 God-fearing Greeks ; (3) the chief women of the 
 town. Some MSS. divide the second class into two, 
 separating devout and Greeks — the foi-mer referring 
 to the half-proselytes of whom we hear so frequently 
 in Acts (see n. on x. 2). 
 
 5. lewd fellows of the baser sort. R.V., 
 " vile fellows of the rabble." The phrase means, 
 *'^some of the worst of the loungers in the market- 
 place." 
 
 6. rulers of the city. The title given to these 
 rulers in the Greek — "politarchs " or ^' burgomasters " 
 — is not found elsewhere. An inscription has been 
 discovered, however, at Thessalonica, containing 
 the actual word — a striking testimony to the accuracy 
 of Acts. 
 
 7. the decrees of Caesar. The laws against 
 
 high treason, or lese majeste, which punished 
 with great severity any insult to the Roman 
 Emperor. 
 
 9. taken security. The charges evidently 
 were not sufficiently proved to warrant imprison- 
 ment, so the magistrates merely required Jason to 
 
212 
 
 Westminster New Testament 
 
 give security (or bail) that the peace should not 
 be broken. 
 
 Acts xvii. 10-15. 
 PAUL AT BERCEA. 
 
 10 And the brethren immediately sent away Paul and Silas by 
 night unto Berea : who coming thither went into the 
 
 1 1 synagogue of the Jews. These were more noble than those 
 in Thessalonica, in that they received the word with all 
 readiness of mind, and searched the scriptures daily, 
 
 12 whether those things were so. Therefore many of them 
 believed ; also of honourable women which were Greeks, 
 
 13 and of men, not a few. But when the Jews of Thessalonica 
 had knowledge that the word of God was preached of Paul 
 at Berea, they came thither also, and stirred up the people. 
 
 14 And then immediately the brethren sent away Paul to go 
 as it were to the sea : but Silas and Timotheus abode there 
 
 15 still. And they that conducted Paul brought him unto 
 Athens : and receiving a commandment unto Silas and 
 Timotheus for to come to him with all speed, they 
 departed. 
 
 Paul escaped from Thessalonica to Beroea^ where 
 he was kindly received. His malignant opponents, 
 however, pursued him, and made it necessary for 
 him to flee from the city. We know from the First 
 Epistle to the Thessalonians that Paul was hoping 
 for an opportunity to return to Thessalonica, and 
 it was probably because they were afraid of this 
 that his opponents were determined to drive him 
 further away. 
 
 10. Berea. R.V., "Beroea." A Macedonian city 
 situated about 50 miles S.W. of Thessalonica. 
 
 11. more noble, /.e., in character; more open- 
 minded, less bigoted. 
 
Acts xvii. 16-21 213 
 
 12. of the honourable women. R.V., " Greek 
 women of honourable estate." See n. on xvi. 13. 
 
 of the men. The name of one of these is known 
 to us — Sopater, son of Pyrrhus (xx. 4). 
 
 13. and stirred Up the people. R.V.," stirring 
 up and troubling the multitudes." 
 
 14. to go as it were to the sea. R. V., " to go 
 as far as to the sea." Paul was probably undecided 
 as to his future plans. His friends conducted him 
 to the coast, where an opportunity would be afforded 
 of getting beyond the reach of his enemies. The 
 fact that a boat was available probably decided him 
 to sail for Athens. 
 
 abode there still. Silas and Timothy were less 
 prominent than Paul, and so did not arouse so 
 much opposition. 
 
 Acts xvii. 16-21. 
 PAUL AT ATHENS. 
 
 16 Now while Paul waited for them at Athens, his spirit was 
 stirred in him, when he saw the city wholly given to 
 
 17 idolatry. Therefore disputed he in the synagogue with 
 the Jews, and with the devout persons, and in the market 
 
 18 daily with them that met with him. Then certain philo- 
 sophers of the Epicureans, and of the Stoicks, encountered 
 him. And some said, What will this babbler say? other 
 some, He seemeth to be a setter forth of strange gods : 
 because he preached unto them Jesus, and the resurrection. 
 
 19 And they took him, and brought him unto Areopagus, 
 saying, May we know what this new doctrine, whereof 
 
 20 thou speakest, is ? For thou bringest certain strange 
 things to our ears : we would know therefore what these 
 
214 Westminster New Testament 
 
 21 things mean. (For all the Athenians and strangers which 
 were there spent their time in nothing else, but either to 
 tell, or to hear some new thing.) 
 
 Paul commenced work at Athens in his usual 
 way by preaching in the Jewish synagogue. His 
 addresses in the market - place seem to have 
 attracted great public interest. The curiosity 
 of certain Stoic and Epicurean philosophers was 
 aroused, and they brought him to the Areopagus 
 and urged him to explain his views. 
 
 16. waited for them at Athens. This seems to 
 indicate that Paul did not contemplate undertaking 
 serious work in Athens. He was simply waiting 
 for Silas and Timothy to join him. He was too 
 distracted by his anxiety about the work at 
 Thessalonica to settle down peacefully in any other 
 place. When Timothy arrived (he seems to have 
 come to Athens alone), Paul despatched him at 
 once to Thessalonica ^^to establish and comfort" 
 the brethren (1 Thess. iii. 1-4). 
 
 wholly given to idolatry. R. V., " full of idols." 
 Athens was a stronghold of paganism, and its 
 temples were, as Luke says, " full of idols." 
 
 17. in the market-place. The market-place 
 at Athens is famous in history for the philosophical 
 discussions which took place in it. It was to 
 Athens what Hyde Park is to London, and every 
 phase of thought was advocated in it. 
 
 18. The Epicureans and Stoicks. The Epi- 
 cureans and Stoics were the two great rival schools 
 of philosophy at the time. Epicureanism (so called 
 from its founder Epicurus, 342-270 b.c.) represented 
 what we now term Materialism. Its advocates 
 maintained (l) that the world was created by the 
 fortuitous combination of indestructible atoms ; 
 
Acts xvii. 16-21 215 
 
 (2) that the aim of life is pleasure, which, however, 
 the Epicureans defined as mental repose and free- 
 dom from passions ; (3) that the soul perishes with 
 the body ; (4) that the gods — if gods there are — 
 live apart and care nothing about the world or 
 its inhabitants. The Stoics (the name is derived 
 from the fact that their founder Zeno (360-260 b.c.) 
 lectured in the Stoa or Porch) more nearly 
 resembled what we now term Pantheists. They 
 maintained (1) that God was a force immanent in 
 nature, and that the Universe is simply the ex- 
 pression of this force ; (2) that virtue was the one 
 thing desirable, and that this consisted in living 
 " conformably to nature." All other things, e.g. 
 pain, pleasure, health, riches, etc., were ^^ things 
 indifferent," and ought not to be reckoned of 
 any account. Paul had probably been brought 
 into intimate relationship with Stoicism at Tarsus, 
 which at this time was one of its great strongholds, 
 and so was able to meet the philosophers on their 
 own ground. 
 
 this babbler. The literal meaning of the Greek 
 word is ^^ picker up of trifles" — a man who hangs 
 about the market-place to pick up scraps of gossip 
 or scandal. It seems to have been used in a sense 
 almost equivalent to the English "charlatan." 
 
 19- brought him unto Areopagus. There 
 are two interpretations of this phrase. (1) "They 
 brought him to the hill called Areopagus " (Mars' 
 Hill). This hill is situated on the west of the 
 Acropolis, the site of the principal temples and 
 public buildings of Athens. It afforded an ex- 
 cellent opportunity for quiet discourse. (2) Sir W. 
 Ramsay thinks, however,that the word "Areopagus " 
 in the present passage signifies not so much the 
 
2i6 Westminster New Testament 
 
 hill itself^ but the famous court of Areopagus which 
 met on the hill. Paul was brought before the court 
 to have his credentials examined and his qualifica- 
 tions to lecture tested. 
 
 Acts xvii. 22-34. 
 PAUL'S SPEECH AT ATHENS. 
 
 22 Then Paul stood in the midst of Mars' hill, and said, 
 Ye men of Athens, I perceive that in all things ye are 
 
 23 too superstitious. For as I passed by, and beheld your 
 devotions, I found an altar with this inscription, TO 
 THE UNKNOWN GOD. Whom therefore ye ignorantly 
 
 24 vv^orship, him declare I unto you. God that made the 
 world and all things therein, seeing that he is Lord of 
 heaven and earth, dwelleth not in temples made with 
 
 25 hands ; neither is worshipped with men's hands, as 
 though he needed any thing, seeing he giveth to all life, 
 
 26 and breath, and all things ; and hath made of one blood 
 all nations of men for to dwell on all the face of the earth, 
 and hath determined the times before appointed, and the 
 
 27 bounds of their habitation ; that they should seek the 
 Lord, if haply they might feel after him, and find him, 
 
 28 though he be not far from every one of us : for in him 
 we live, and move, and have our being ; as certain 
 also of your own poets have said. For we are also his 
 
 29 offspring. Forasmuch then as we are the offspring of God, 
 we ought not to think that the Godhead is like 
 unto gold, or silver, or stone, graven by art and man's 
 
 30 device. And the times of this ignorance God winked at ; 
 but now commandeth all men every where to repent : 
 
 31 because he hath appointed a day, in the which he will 
 judge the world in righteousness by that man whom he 
 hath ordained ; whereof he hath given assurance unto all 
 
 32 men, in that he hath raised him from the dead. And 
 
Acts xvii. 22-34 217 
 
 when they heard of the resurrection of the dead, some 
 mocked : and others said, We will hear thee again 
 
 33 of this matter. So Paul departed from among them. 
 
 34 Howbeit certain men clave unto him, and believed : 
 among the which was Dionysius the Areopagite, and 
 a woman named Damaris, and others with them. 
 
 Paul's speech at Athens is marked by the same 
 breadth of view which characterised his address at 
 Lystra (xiv. 15-18). Basing his remarks on an 
 inscription which he had noticed on one of the 
 altars^ " To an unknown God/' Paul dwells upon 
 the Universality of the Divine Revelation and 
 appeals to the convictions of the Stoics themselves 
 in proof of his assertions^ quoting from one of their 
 poets. He then proceeds to attack idolatry and to 
 urge upon his hearers the necessity of repentance 
 in view of the final judgment. An allusion to the 
 Resurrection of Christ leads to an interruption 
 which brings the speech to an abrupt conclusion. 
 
 22. too superstitious. R.V./^ somewhat super- 
 stitious." The word, however, may be translated 
 " religious," This is probably the right rendering, 
 as Paul evidently started with the intention of 
 conciliating his audience. 
 
 23. beheld your devotions. The R.V. gives 
 the explanation of this expression : " observed the 
 objects of your worship." 
 
 To the unknown God. The Greek has no 
 article, and so it is better to translate, with the 
 R.V., "To an unknown God." We have plenty of 
 testimony that such altars existed at Athens. 
 Pausanias, for instance, tells us that there were at 
 Athens "altars to gods styled unknown." These 
 altars were built as an act of homage, though the 
 worshipper was uncertain to which of the gods the 
 
2i8 Westminster New Testament 
 
 benefit he had received was due. Paul, however, 
 interprets the inscription to prove that men were 
 searching after God though they knew Him not. 
 
 Whom therefore ye worship. The relative 
 pronoun in Greek is neuter, so the R.V. renders, 
 " What therefore ye worship in ignorance." 
 
 24. dwelleth not in temples. An echo from 
 Stephen's speech, to which Paul must have listened 
 (vii. 47-50). 
 
 26. he made of one blood all nations. The 
 best MSS. omit the word " blood." This verse 
 must have appealed strongly to the Stoics, who 
 laid great stress on the unity of human nature. 
 
 hath determined the times before 
 appointed. R.V., " having determined their 
 appointed seasons " (see n. on xiv. 16, 17). 
 
 28. in him we live and move. Another senti- 
 ment which must have won the approval of the 
 Stoics. 
 
 certain even of your own poets. The 
 
 quotation is taken from a poem of Aratus of Soli in 
 Cilicia (flourished about 270 B.C.). It appears also 
 in a slightly different form in Cleanthes' (300- 
 220 B.C.) famous hymn to Zeus. The use of this 
 quotation shows Paul's intimate acquaintance with 
 the literature of Stoicism. 
 
 30. And the times . . . winked at. R.V., 
 "The times of ignorance therefore God overlooked." 
 This view of the Divine forbearance appears also in 
 Paul's Epistles ; cf. Rom. iii. 25. 
 
 32. when they heard of the resurrection. 
 The opposition probably came from the Epicureans. 
 The idea of a future life was accepted by many 
 of the Stoics. There is no doubt, however, that on 
 the whole Paul's speech missed fire. He made very 
 
Acts xviii. i-ii 219 
 
 little impression on his audience^ and as a result of 
 his comparative failure he seems to have changed 
 his methods when he reached Corinth. Compare 
 1 Cor. ii. 1-4. 
 
 34. the Areopagite. I.e., a member of the 
 court of Areopagus. 
 
 Acts xviii. i-ii. 
 PAUL AT CORINTH. 
 
 After these things Paul departed from Athens, and came to 
 
 2 Corinth ; and found a certain Jew named Aquila, born in 
 Pontus, lately come from Italy, with his wife Priscilla ; 
 (because that Claudius had commanded all Jews to depart 
 
 3 from Rome :) and came unto them. And because he was 
 of the same craft, he abode with them, and wrought : for 
 
 4 by their occupation they were tentmakers. And he 
 reasoned in the synagogue every sabbath, and persuaded 
 
 5 the Jews and the Greeks. And when Silas and Timotheus 
 were come from Macedonia, Paul was pressed in the spirit, 
 
 6 and testified to the Jews that Jesus was Christ. And when 
 they opposed themselves, and blasphemed, he shook his 
 raiment, and said unto them. Your blood be upon your own 
 heads ; I am clean : from henceforth I will go unto the 
 
 7 Gentiles. And he departed thence, and entered into a 
 certain man's house, named Justus, one that worshipped 
 
 8 God, whose house joined hard to the synagogue. And 
 Crispus, the chief ruler of the synagogue, believed on the 
 Lord with all his house ; and many of the Corinthians 
 
 9 hearing believed, and were baptized. Then spake the 
 Lord to Paul in the night by a vision. Be not afraid, but 
 
 10 speak, and hold not thy peace : for I am with thee, and 
 no man shall set on thee to hurt thee : for I have much 
 
 1 1 people in this city. And he continued there a year and six 
 months, teaching the word of God among them. 
 
220 Westminster New Testament 
 
 After leaving Athens, Paul proceeded to Corinth, 
 where he made a stay of eighteen months. Luke 
 gives us very little information about the work at 
 Corinth — though we know from the Epistles that 
 it marked an epoch in Paul's life. 
 
 1 . Corinth. A most important city, situated on 
 the Isthmus of Corinth, with harbours facing both 
 seas. It was the commercial centre of the ancient 
 world. Corinth was renowned for its abundant 
 wealth, and infamous by reason of its ^^ abysmal vice." 
 It was one of the most cosmopolitan cities of 
 the time, and its population was of a very mixed 
 character. It has been described as a city of 
 "dazzling social contrasts." Nowhere, probably, 
 was there such a wide gulf between rich and poor, 
 except perhaps at Rome and Alexandria. 
 
 2. a certain Jew named Aquila. Aquila 
 and Priscilla play an important part in Paul's life. 
 After helping him in his work at Corinth, they 
 accompanied him to Ephesus, where they re- 
 mained some time (xviii. 24-28 ; cf. 1 Cor. xvi. 19). 
 They afterwards returned to Rome (Rom. xvi. 3, 4). 
 Eight years later they are found again at Ephesus 
 (2 Tim. iv. 19). At one time they risked their lives 
 on Paul's behalf (Rom. xvi. 4). The fact that 
 Priscilla' s name is generally mentioned first has 
 led many scholars to the conclusion that she was 
 the more important of the two. There are some 
 indications that she held a very important position 
 at Rome, (l) There is a church on the Aventine 
 which bears the name of St. Prisca, and which 
 dates back to the fourth century. (2) In the Acts 
 of the Martyrs it is stated that the martyr Pudens 
 was the son of Prisca, and a bronze medal bearing 
 the name of Pudens has been dug up in the garden 
 
Acts xviii. I -I I 
 
 221 
 
 belonging to the church. (3) One of the oldest 
 catacombs in Rome bears the name of the '" cceme- 
 terium Priscillae/' and inscriptions have been 
 found in it in which the names of Acilius (Aquila) 
 and Priscilla are linked together. On the basis of 
 this evidence,, Dr. Hort suggests that Prisca w^as a 
 member of a distinguished Roman family, and that 
 when she married the Jew Aquila she lost caste 
 amongst her own friends, though she subsequently 
 obtained a very high position in the Roman Church. 
 Haniack thinks that the Epistle to the Hebrews 
 was the work of Priscilla. Whether Aquila and 
 Priscilla were Christians before they met Paul at 
 Corinth must be left an open question. 
 
 Pontus. A province on the north of Asia Minor 
 and east of Bithynia. 
 
 Claudius. See n. on xi. 28. Luke's state- 
 ment with regard to the edict is confirmed by the 
 Latin historian Suetonius. 
 
 3. he was of the same craft (R.V., "trade"). 
 Every Jew was bound to learn a trade, and Paul 
 was taught the trade of tent-making — a handicraft 
 which was commonly practised in Cilicia. For 
 references to Paul's work at his trade see xx. 34 ; 
 1 Thess. ii. 9 ; 2 Thess. iii. 8. 
 
 5. pressed in spirit. The translation of the 
 true Text is, " was constrained by the word," 
 •^absorbed in preaching." Probably we should 
 translate, " After the arrival of Silas and Timothy, 
 Paul became absorbed in his message." Hitherto 
 he had been distracted by anxiety about Thes- 
 salonica ; the report of Timothy had reassured him 
 and left him free to devote himself to the work 
 at Corinth. For Paul's own account of the effect 
 of Timothy's message see 1 Thess. iii. 5-10. 
 
222 Westminster New Testament 
 
 6. I will go to the Gentiles. I.e., the Gentiles 
 at Corinth. Cf. xiii. 46. 
 
 7. named Justus. R.V., "Titus Justus." 
 
 8. CrispUS. Paul mentions Crispus in 1 Cor. 
 1-14 as one of the few persons whom he had 
 personally baptized. 
 
 9. Then spake the Lord to Paul, etc. Paul 
 had been so often hindered in his work that it is 
 no wonder that he was discouraged and needed the 
 stimulus of a new vision. The persecution which 
 he suffered at Philippi, Thessalonica, and Athens, 
 and which threatened him at Corinth, must have 
 filled him with misgiving ; cf. 1 Cor. ii. 3. 
 
 Acts xviii. 12-17. 
 THE TRIAL BEFORE GALLIC. 
 
 12 And when Gallio was the deputy of Achaia, the Jews made 
 insurrection with one accord against Paul, and brought him 
 
 13 to the judgment seat, saying, This fellow persuadeth men 
 
 14 to worship God contrary to the law. And when Paul was 
 now about to open his mouth, Gallio said unto the Jews, If 
 it were a matter of wrong or wicked lewdness, O ye Jews, 
 
 15 reason would that I should bear with you : but if it be a 
 question of words and names, and of your law, look ye to 
 
 16 it ; for I will be no judge of such matters. And he drave 
 
 17 them from the judgment seat. Then all the Greeks took 
 Sosthenes, the chief ruler of the synagogue, and beat him 
 before the judgment seat. And Gallio cared for none of 
 those things. 
 
 The hostility of the Jews to Paul's work at 
 Corinth came to a head at last, and they summoned 
 
Acts xviii. 12-17 223 
 
 him to appear before the Roman proconsul, Gallio. 
 Gallio^ however, finding that the charge against 
 him did not come under the cognisance of the law, 
 dismissed the case. 
 
 12. when Gallio was the deputy (R.V., 
 '^ proconsul ") of Achaia. Gallio was the brother 
 of the famous Stoic philosopher Seneca. He seems 
 to have been a very fair-minded and popular ad- 
 ministrator. His brother says of him, " No mortal 
 is so dear to a single man as he is to all." Achaia, 
 the southern portion of ancient Greece, was at this 
 time a senatorial province, and therefore under the 
 government of a proconsul (see n. on xiii. 7). 
 
 made insurrection. R.V., "rose up against 
 
 Paul." 
 
 14. a matter of wrong or wicked lewdness 
 (R.V., "wicked villainy"). A better translation 
 would be : " If this were a misdemeanour or a 
 crime " (Ramsay). 
 
 17. Then all the Greeks took Sosthenes. 
 The subject of the sentence is omitted in the 
 best MSS., and so the R.V. translates, " And they 
 all laid hold on Sosthenes." This leaves it vague 
 as to who the actors were. Some think that the 
 attack on Sosthenes was made by the bystanders 
 (Greeks), who were anxious to wipe off an old 
 score against the Jews. Others think it was more 
 probably the work of Jews who resented Sosthenes' 
 failure. 
 
 Sosthenes. Nothing further is known about 
 him, since we can hardly identify him with the 
 Sosthenes of 1 Cor. i. 1. 
 
224 Westminster New Testament 
 
 Acts xviii. 18-22. 
 PAUL'S RETURN JOURNEY. 
 
 18 And Paul after this tarried there yet a good while, and 
 then took his leave of the brethren, and sailed thence into 
 Syria, and Math him Priscilla and Aquila ; having shorn 
 
 19 his head in Cenchrea : for he had a vow. And he came to 
 Ephesus, and left them there : but he himself entered into 
 
 20 the synagogue, and reasoned with the Jews. When they 
 desired him to tarry longer time with them, he consented 
 
 21 not; but bade them farewell, saying, I must by all means 
 keep this feast that cometh in Jerusalem : but I will return 
 again unto you, if God will. And he sailed from Ephesus. 
 
 22 And when he had landed at Caesarea, and gone up, and 
 saluted the church, he went down to Antioch. 
 
 The work at Corinth marks the cuhnination of 
 the second missionary journey. Upon leaving 
 Corinth, Paul set sail for Asia. He stayed a few 
 days at Ephesus, and then pressed on to Caesarea. 
 Luke does not say definitely that he went to 
 Jerusalem, but the mention of the vow makes it 
 highly probable that this was the case. 
 
 18. Priscilla and Aquila. See n. on xviii. 2. 
 
 having shorn his head in Cenchrea. Cen- 
 chrea was the eastern port of Corinth, about 
 9 miles distant from it. There is nothing in the 
 naiTative which enables us to determine the 
 character of Paul's vow. It can scarcely, however, 
 have been a Nazarite vow (Num. vi. 1), because 
 that involved the necessity of letting the hair grow 
 long till the vow was completed. It probably 
 belonged to the class of vows described by 
 Josephus : " It is usual for those who have been 
 afflicted with illness or with any other distress to 
 
Acts xviii. 23-28 225 
 
 make vows^ and for thirty days before they are to 
 offer the sacrifices to abstain from wine and shave 
 the hair of their head." 
 
 19. he (R.V., "they") came to Ephesus. 
 Ephesus was the most important city in the 
 province of Asia. It was situated at the mouth 
 of the river Cayster, about 3 miles from the 
 sea. Ephesus must have been in Paul's mind at 
 the time of his projected tour into Asia (xvi. 6), 
 and he would doubtless have stayed in the city 
 now, had he not been pressed for time. His short 
 visit on this occasion was probably due to the fact 
 that it was necessary for him to change vessels at 
 the harbour. 
 
 21. I must by all means . . . Jerusalem. 
 These words are omitted in the best MSS. 
 
 I will return again. This promise was re- 
 deemed by Paul on his third missionary journey ; 
 see chap. xix. 
 
 22. gone up and saluted the church. The 
 narrative conveys the impression that the Church 
 at Caesarea is here meant. In that case, however, 
 there is no reference at all to a visit to Jerusalem ; 
 in fact, such a visit seems excluded. Many scholars 
 suppose, therefore, that the Church which Paul 
 saluted is the Church at Jerusalem — " the Church 
 par excellence " in Palestine. 
 
 Acts xviii. 23-28. 
 
 THE COMMENCEMENT OF THE THIRD 
 MISSIONARY JOURNEY. 
 
 23 And after he had spent some time there, he departed, and 
 went over all the country of Galatia and Phrygia in order, 
 
 15 
 
226 Westminster New Testament 
 
 24 strengthening all the disciples. And a certain Jew named 
 Apollos, born at Alexandria, an eloquent man, and mighty 
 
 25 in the scriptures, came to Ephesus. This man was in- 
 structed in the way of the Lord ; and being fervent in the 
 spirit, he spake and taught dihgently the things of the 
 
 26 Lord, knowing only the baptism of John. And he began 
 to speak boldly in the synagogue : whom when Aquila and 
 Priscilla had heard, they took him unto them, and ex- 
 
 27 pounded unto him the way of God more perfectly. And 
 when he was disposed to pass into Achaia, the brethren 
 wrote, exhorting the disciples to receive him : who, when 
 he was come, helped them much which had believed 
 
 28 through grace : for he mightily convinced the Jews, and 
 that publickly, shewing by the scriptures that Jesus was 
 Christ. 
 
 Paul commenced his third missionary journey by 
 revisiting the churches in South Ga]atia_, and then 
 started to redeem the promise which he had made 
 to the Ephesians. The present paragraph is 
 introductory, and gives a short account of the 
 preparatory work which had been done at Ephesus 
 by Apollos and by Priscilla and Aquila. 
 
 23. went over all the country of Galatia 
 and Phrygia. R.V., " went through the region 
 of Galatia and Phrygia." See n. on xvi. 6. 
 
 24. born at Alexandria. Alexandria was the 
 most important and influential centre of Jewish 
 philosophy and theology. The greatest Jewish 
 teacher of the time, Philo, had only recently died. 
 It is clear that Apollos was imbued with the spirit 
 of Alexandria, and he may even have been a pupil 
 of Philo. 
 
 an eloquent man. R.V., "a learned man." 
 The Greek word may mean either, and Apollos 
 was both. 
 
Acts xviii. 23-28 227 
 
 25. instructed in the way of the Lord. I.e., 
 in Christianity. There is no evidence to show where 
 or from whom this instruction had been received. 
 
 taught diligently (R.V., "carefully") the 
 things of the Lord. R.V._, " the things concern- 
 ing Jesus." 
 
 knowing only the baptism of John. I.e., 
 being ignorant of the Baptism of the Spirit ; cf. 
 xix. 2. 
 
 26. Aquila and Priscilla (see n. on xviii. 2) 
 expounded . . . more perfectly (R.V., "care- 
 fully "). There is a considerable difficulty in this 
 account of ApoUos. In what was his know- 
 ledge deficient } We are told that " he taught 
 accurately the things concerning Jesus." Was 
 his ignorance limited^, as has been suggested in the 
 previous note, to the work of the Spirit ? Then 
 the phrase " expounded the way of God more 
 carefully " seems too wide and indefinite to denote 
 the impartation of knowledge upon a particular 
 point. Yet on the whole the latter interpretation 
 seems most free from difficulty. The point of the 
 narrative in this case lies in the new emphasis 
 which is placed on the essential necessity of a 
 Baptism of the Spirit. 
 
 27. into Achaia. We know from the First 
 Epistle to the Corinthians that Apollos visited 
 Corinth, where he created so deep an impression 
 that some of his followers began to depreciate 
 Paul. Cf. also xix. 1. 
 
 the brethren wrote exhorting the disciples. 
 The R.V. reads, " the brethren encouraged him 
 and wrote to the disciples," 
 
 through grace. These words may be taken 
 in two ways: (l) as in the A.V. and R.V., with 
 
228 Westminster New Testament 
 
 '^believed/' or (2) with ^^ helped/' — "helped 
 through grace them that had believed." The 
 former is preferable. 
 
 Acts xix. 1-7. 
 
 PAUL AND THE DISCIPLES OF JOHN 
 THE BAPTIST. 
 
 And it came to pass, that, while Apollos was at Corinth, 
 Paul having passed through the upper coasts came to 
 
 2 Ephesus : and finding certain disciples, he said unto 
 them, Have ye received the Holy Ghost since ye believed ? 
 And they said unto him, We have not so much as heard 
 
 3 whether there be any Holy Ghost. And he said unto 
 them. Unto what then were ye baptized ? And they said, 
 
 4 Unto John's baptism. Then said Paul, John verily 
 baptized with the baptism of repentance, saying unto the 
 people, that they should believe on him which should 
 
 5 come after him, that is, on Christ Jesus. When they 
 heard this, they were baptized in the name of the Lord 
 
 6 Jesus. And when Paul had laid his hands upon them, 
 the Holy Ghost came on them ; and they spake with 
 
 7 tongues, and prophesied. And all the men were about 
 twelve. 
 
 Upon arriving at Ephesus, Paul found some 
 disciples who had not been fully instructed in the 
 main principles of the Christian Faith. Very 
 possibly they were the converts or followers of 
 Apollos. Their exact position is not quite easy to 
 make out. On the one hand they are described 
 as " disciples " and men who had " believed ; " on 
 the other, Paul baptized them in the name of the 
 Lord Jesus as if they had not previously been 
 Christians. It is not possible to say exactly wherein 
 
Acts xix. 1-7 229 
 
 their defect lay. (l) They may have been 
 merely disciples of John the Baptist, and never 
 have advanced beyond his standpoint. (2) Their 
 defect may have consisted in their ignorance of 
 the Baptism of the Spirit. Like Apollos, they may 
 have been living on the pre-Pentecostal plane of 
 Christianity. On the whole, the second view seems 
 the more probable. 
 
 1. through the upper coasts. R.V./^hrough 
 
 the upper region/' — i.e., the high-lying inland 
 regions. The journey from Phrygo-Galatia (see 
 xviii. 23) crossed the mountainous region in the 
 eastern district of Asia Minor. 
 
 2. R.V., " Did ye receive the Holy Ghost when 
 ye believed } " Paul's question may have been 
 prompted either by the fact that he had heard the 
 story of Apollos and knew of the connection 
 between these men and him, or because he saw 
 some deficiency in their lives and characters which 
 could only be explained by some corresponding 
 deficiency in their religious experience. 
 
 whether there be any Holy Ghost. The 
 R.V., "whether the Holy Ghost was given," is a 
 better translation. They could not have been 
 familiar with the teaching of John the Baptist and 
 yet have remained in ignorance of the existence of 
 the Holy Spirit (Matt. iii. 11, 12). 
 
 4. that they should believe ... on Jesus. 
 This and the following verse imply that the men 
 were not yet Christians, but see ver. 2. 
 
 6. they spake with tongues. There is no 
 indication that speaking in foreign languages is 
 implied in this phrase (see n. on ii. 1 foil. ; 
 cp. x. 46). Observe that the work at Ephesus — 
 which commences a new and very important 
 
230 Westminster New Testament 
 
 chapter in Paul's life — begins with a new Pentecost 
 (see notes on viii. 15 and x. 44). 
 
 Acts xix. 8-22. 
 PAUL'S WORK AT EPHESUS. 
 
 S And he went into the synagogue, and spake boldly for the 
 space of three months, disputing and persuading the things 
 
 9 concerning the kingdom of God. But when divers were 
 hardened, and believed not, but spake evil of that way 
 before the multitude, he departed from them, and sepa- 
 rated the disciples, disputing daily in the school of one 
 ID Tyrannus. And this continued by the space of two years ; 
 so that all they which dwelt in Asia heard the word of the 
 
 11 Lord Jesus, both Jews and Greeks. And God wrought 
 
 12 special miracles by the hands of Paul : so that from his 
 body were brought unto the sick handkerchiefs or aprons, 
 and the diseases departed from them, and the evil spirits 
 
 13 went out of them. Then certain of the vagabond Jews, 
 exorcists, took upon them to call over them which had evil 
 spirits the name of the Lord Jesus, saying, We adjure you 
 
 14 by Jesus whom Paul preacheth. And there were seven 
 sons of one Sceva, a Jew, and chief of the priests, which did 
 
 15 so. And the evil spirit answered and said, Jesus I know, 
 
 16 and Paul I know ; but who are ye ? And the man in whom 
 the evil spirit was leaped on them, and overcame them, and 
 prevailed against them, so that they fled out of that house 
 
 17 naked and wounded. And this was known to all the Jews 
 and Greeks also dwelling at Ephesus ; and fear fell on them 
 
 18 all, and the name of the Lord Jesus was magnified. And 
 many that believed came, and confessed, and shewed their 
 
 19 deeds. Many of them also which used curious arts brought 
 their books together, and burned them before all men : 
 and they counted the price of them, and found it fifty 
 
Acts xix. 8-22 231 
 
 20 thousand pieces of silver. So mightily grew the word of God 
 
 21 and prevailed. After these things were ended, Paul pur- 
 posed in the spirit, when he had passed through Macedonia 
 and Achaia, to go to Jerusalem, saying, After I have been 
 
 22 there, I must also see Rome. So he sent into Macedonia 
 two of them that ministered unto him, Timotheus and 
 Erastus ; but he himself stayed in Asia for a season. 
 
 Though Paul laboured at Ephesus for more than 
 two years, Luke gives a most meagre account of his 
 work. The narrative, in barest outline, summarises 
 (1) his work among the Jews, which lasted for three 
 months (vers. 8, 9 ; ) (2) his mission in the school of 
 Tyrannus to the Gentiles, which occupied two years 
 (vers. 10, 11 ) ; (3) the effect of his miracles (ver. 12). 
 Then follows the incident of the Jewish exorcists — 
 the only piece of detail in the narrative. 
 
 8. disputing and persuading. R. V., " reason- 
 ing and persuading." 
 
 9. spake evil of that way. A misleading trans- 
 lation. R.V., " of the Way." " The Way " was one 
 of the terms by which the new religion was desig- 
 nated ; see n. on ix. 2. 
 
 in the school of Tyrannus. The only 
 instance in the New Testament of the use of a 
 public building other than the Temple at Jeinisalem 
 or a Jewish synagogue for Christian preaching or 
 meetings of the Church. Private houses were used 
 as a rule. 
 
 10. two years. Paul in his speech at Miletus 
 (xx. 31) mentions three years as the duration of 
 his stay in Ephesus. This, however, is an inclusive 
 mode of reckoning, such as was common amongst 
 Greeks and Romans. The actual duration was, as 
 we see from this chapter, two years and three 
 months. 
 
232 Westminster New Testament 
 
 they which dwelt in Asia. Paul's influence 
 reached out far beyond the limits of Ephesus, and 
 it was probably during this period that churches 
 were founded at Colossae, Hierapolis^ Laodicea, and 
 other towns in the province. Paul's First Epistle to 
 the Corinthians, which he wrote at Ephesus, contains 
 a Salutation from "the churches of Asia" (1 Cor. 
 xvi. 19 ; see also Acts xix. 26). 
 
 11. special miracles. In the light of the 
 emphatic claims which Paul makes in Rom. xv. 18 ; 
 2 Cor. xii. 12 (both Epistles written soon after he 
 left Ephesus), we cannot reasonably question the 
 fact that Paul did work miracles. We may, however, 
 question whether the statements in the latter part 
 of verse 12 are to be taken quite literally (see 
 V. 15). They illustrate the credulity and supersti- 
 tion of the Ephesian populace, but it is impossible 
 to believe that such magical methods and principles 
 could have received the sanction of the Apostle 
 Paul. 
 
 13. Then certain of the vagabond Jews, 
 exorcists. R.V.,*^^But certain of the strolling Jews, 
 exorcists." These Jews wandered about from place 
 to place claiming the power to expel evil spirits. 
 Josephus tells us that exorcism was practised largely 
 amongst Jews : " God gave Solomon skill against 
 demons for the help and cure of men. And he 
 arranged certain incantations whereby diseases are 
 assuaged, and left behind him forms of exorcism 
 whereby they so overpower and put to flight the 
 evil spirits that they never return. And this 
 method of curing is very prevalent amongst us at 
 the present time." 
 
 the name of the Lord Jesus. The use of this 
 phrase by the exorcists proves that the power of 
 
Acts xix. 23-41 233 
 
 Jesus over evil spirits was generally recognised, and 
 is an incidental testimony to the miracles of Paul. 
 
 14. a Jew and chief of the priests. R.V., '' a 
 chief priest." The term ^^ chief priest" was given 
 in a loose sense to all who were members of the 
 families from which the High Priest was chosen. It 
 was unusual, however, to find a man bearing this 
 designation outside Palestine. 
 
 16. overcame them. R.V., ^'mastered both of 
 them." Probably only two of the seven sons of 
 Sceva were involved in the present case. 
 
 18. shewed their deeds. I.e., their practices 
 connected with sorcery and witchcraft. 
 
 19. curious arts. I.e., magical arts. 
 brought their books. I.e., the books containing 
 
 incantations and charms. 
 
 fifty thousand pieces of silver. As each 
 denarius (or piece of silver) was worth about Qjd., 
 the value of the whole sum was about £1980. 
 
 21. Paul purposed in the spirit. Paul's plans 
 for the future involved (1) a tour through Mace- 
 donia, one object of which was to make a collection 
 for the Church at Jerusalem (see 1 Cor. xvi. 1,2); 
 (2) a visit to Jerusalem ; (3) a further missionary 
 journey to Rome and the West. 
 
 22. Erastus. Probably the treasurer of the city 
 of Corinth (Rom. xvi. 23). 
 
 Acts xix. 23-41. 
 THE RIOT AT EPHESUS. 
 
 23 And the same time there arose no small stir about that 
 
 24 way. For a certain man named Demetrius, a silversmith, 
 which made silver shrines for Diana, brought no small gain 
 
234 Westminster New Testament 
 
 25 unto the craftsmen ; whom he called together with the 
 workmen of like occupation, and said, Sirs, ye know that 
 
 26 by this craft we have our wealth. Moreover ye see and 
 hear, that not alone at Ephesus, but almost throughout all 
 Asia, this Paul hath persuaded and turned away much 
 people, saying that they be no gods, which are made with 
 
 27 hands : so that not only this our craft is in danger to be 
 set at nought ; but also that the temple of the great goddess 
 Diana should be despised, and her magnificence should 
 be destroyed, whom all Asia and the world worshippeth. 
 
 28 And when they heard these sayings, they were full of wrath, 
 and cried out, saying, Great is Diana of the Ephesians. 
 
 29 And the whole city was filled with confusion : and having 
 caught Gaius and Aristarchus, men of Macedonia, Paul's 
 companions in travel, they rushed with one accord into the 
 
 30 theatre. And when Paul would have entered in unto the 
 
 31 people, the disciples suffered him not. And certain of the 
 chief of Asia, which were his friends, sent unto him, de- 
 siring him that he would not adventure himself into the 
 
 32 theatre. Some therefore cried one thing, and some an- 
 other : for the assembly was confused ; and the more part 
 
 33 knew not wherefore they were come together. And they 
 drew Alexander out of the multitude, the Jews putting him 
 forward. And Alexander beckoned with the hand, and 
 
 34 would have made his defence unto the people. But when 
 they knew that he was a Jew, all with one voice about the 
 space of two hours cried out, Great is Diana of the Ephesians. 
 
 35 ^And when the town clerk had appeased the people, he said, 
 
 Ye men of Ephesus, what man is there that knoweth not 
 how that the city of the Ephesians is a worshipper of the 
 great goddess Diana, and of the image which fell down from 
 
 36 Jupiter ? Seeing then that these things cannot be spoken 
 against, ye ought to be quiet, and to do nothing rashly. 
 
 37 For ye have brought hither these men, which are neither 
 robbers of churches, nor yet blasphemers of your goddess. 
 
 38 Wherefore if Demetrius, and the craftsmen which are with 
 him, have a matter against any man, the law is open, and 
 
Acts xix. 23-41 235 
 
 39 there are deputies : let them implead one another. But if 
 ye enquire any thing concerning other matters, it shall be 
 
 40 determined in a lawful assembly. For we are in danger to 
 be called in question for this day's uproar, there being no 
 cause whereby we may give an account of this concourse. 
 
 41 And when he had thus spoken, he dismissed the assembly. 
 
 The tremendous results which followed from 
 Paul's work at Ephesus naturally roused hostility 
 against him. A riot was organised by Demetrius 
 the silversmith, whose trade in the manufacture of 
 silver models of the temple of Diana had been 
 injured. It was with the utmost difficulty that the 
 Town Clerk appeased the uproar and saved Paul 
 from the tumult of the mob. There can be no 
 doubt that the vivid picture which Luke gives of the 
 riot at Ephesus is drawn from life. All the details — 
 e.g., the devotion of Ephesus to the worship of 
 Diana, the authority of the Asiarchs, the inter- 
 vention of the Town Clerk, the allusions to the 
 government of the city — have been verified from 
 inscriptions which have been discovered amid the 
 ruins of Ephesus. Paul's own Epistles, too, bear 
 witness to the terrible danger to which he had been 
 exposed on many occasions at Ephesus ; cf. 1 Cor. 
 iv. 9-13, XV. 32. 
 
 23. about that time. Le., soon after the events 
 described in vers. 17-20, which seemed to promise 
 great success in the future, and in relation to which 
 Paul writes (1 Cor. xvi. 9) : "A great and effectual 
 door is opened unto me, and there are many 
 adversaries." 
 
 24. silver shrines for Diana. R. V., " of Diana." 
 These were small models of the goddess Diana. 
 She was represented, as we know from coins and 
 statues, as partly human, the upper part of her body 
 
236 Westminster New Testament 
 
 covered with rows of breasts (symbolising the 
 fecundity of nature), the lower part consisting of 
 an upright block without legs, covered with symbols 
 and figures of animals ; her head surmounted with 
 an ornament and a veil which hung about her 
 shoulders. The figure stood on a pedestal, over 
 which a canopy was erected. 
 
 25. whom he gathered together. Probably 
 Demetrius was president for that year of the guild 
 of silversmiths at Ephesus. 
 
 26. almost throughout all Asia. See n. on 
 ver. 10. 
 
 27. her magnificence should be destroyed. 
 R.V., ^^and that she should even be deposed from 
 her magnificence." 
 
 29- Gaius and Aristarchus. A Gaius of 
 Derbe is mentioned in xx. 4, but it is doubtful 
 whether he can be identified with the " Gaius 
 of Macedonia" mentioned here. Aristarchus 
 was a companion of Paul. We find him in xx. 4 
 accompanying Paul from Europe to Jerusalem, and 
 in xxvii. 2 sharing the memorable voyage to Rome. 
 Paul speaks of him in Col, iv. 10 as his ^^fellow- 
 prisoner." The mob of Ephesus probably seized 
 Paul's companions because they could not find the 
 Apostle himself. 
 
 into the theatre. I.e., the famous amphitheatre 
 at Ephesus — the scene of the games and public 
 exhibitions. 
 
 31. certain of the chief of Asia. R.V., "the 
 chief officers of Asia." It would be better, how- 
 ever, to keep the technical expression used in the 
 Greek, and translate " certain of the Asiarchs." 
 The Asiarchs were officials appointed by the 
 different cities of the province of Asia to super- 
 
Acts xix. 23-41 237 
 
 intend the temples erected in honour of the 
 Roman Emperor and the Imperial games. Their 
 chief function seems to have been to foster the 
 Imperial spirit throughout the province, and they 
 did this mainly by encouraging Caesar-worship and 
 by lavish displays of shows and games. It is in 
 keeping with the general purpose of Acts that 
 Luke should emphasise the kindness shown by 
 these Imperial officials to Paul. 
 
 33. the Jews putting him forward. The 
 Jews were apparently afraid that the frenzy of 
 the mob would be turned against themselves, and 
 so they put forward Alexander to disclaim any 
 connection between them and Paul. 
 
 35. the town clerk. The secretary to the 
 municipal council at Ephesus — an official of high 
 importance, who is often mentioned in Ephesian 
 inscriptions. 
 
 a worshipper of the great goddess. 
 R.V., "temple-keeper of the great Diana." The 
 word translated "temple-keeper" was a technical 
 title of which Ephesus was proud, as we know from 
 its occurrence in inscriptions and on coins. An in- 
 scription of the second century describes Ephesus 
 as "doubly temple warden," because the city was 
 responsible not only for the worship of Diana but 
 for the worship of the Roman Emperors as well. 
 
 the image which fell down from Jupiter. 
 Better, " which fell down from heaven," as in the 
 margin of the R.V. This was supposed to have 
 been the origin of the image of Diana (see n. 
 on ver. 24). 
 
 38. the law is open. R.V., "the courts are 
 open ;" i.e., "There are the Assizes." 
 
 there are deputies. R.V., "there are pro- 
 
238 Westminster New Testament 
 
 consuls" (see n. on xviii. 12). The plural is used 
 rhetorically, there being only one proconsul for 
 each province. 
 let them implead one another. R.V., "let 
 
 them accuse one another." 
 
 39. in a lawful assembly. R.V., "in the 
 
 regular assembly." The public assembly of free 
 citizens was the final authority at Ephesus. The 
 Town Clerk begs the turbulent citizens to wait till 
 the next regular assembly is held, and to bring 
 their grievances before it in an orderly manner. 
 
 40. The Town Clerk hints in this verse that the 
 Roman authorities might exercise their right of 
 depriving Ephesus of its "popular assembly" if 
 the citizens were guilty of violent or illegal pro- 
 ceedings. 
 
 Acts XX. 1-6. 
 
 PAUL'S SECOND VISIT TO GREECE. 
 
 And after the uproar was ceased, Paul called unto him the 
 disciples, and embraced them, and departed for to go into 
 
 2 Macedonia. And when he had gone over those parts, and 
 had given them much exhortation, he came into Greece, 
 
 3 and there abode three months. And when the Jews laid 
 wait for him, as he was about to sail into Syria, he pur- 
 
 4 posed to return through Macedonia. And there accom- 
 panied him into Asia Sopater of Berea ; and of the 
 Thessalonians, Aristarchus and Secundus ; and Gaius of 
 Derbe, and Timotheus ; and of Asia, Tychicus and 
 
 5 Trophimus. These going before tarried for us at Troas. 
 
 6 And we sailed away from Philippi after the days of 
 unleavened bread, and came unto them to Troas in five 
 days ; where we abode seven days. 
 
Acts XX. 1-6 ' 239 
 
 Luke gives us the most meagre information with 
 regard to this second visit to Greece. Paul went 
 first of all to Macedonia, and doubtless visited the 
 churches at Philippi and Thessalonica. Then he 
 made his way down south, and spent three months 
 probably at Corinth. Then, owing to a plot, he 
 retraced his steps through Macedonia, whence he 
 crossed by sea to Troas. 
 
 1. departed for to go into Macedonia. We 
 
 know from 2 Cor. ii. 13 that Paul went first of all 
 to Troas, where he spent some time waiting for 
 Titus, whom he had sent on an errand to the 
 Church at Corinth. 
 
 2. when he had gone through those parts. 
 
 I.e., Philippi, Thessalonica, and Beroea. It was 
 during this visit that Paul wrote 2 Corinthians. 
 
 3. when he had spent three months there. 
 
 I.e., at Corinth. During this stay at Corinth Paul 
 wrote the Epistle to the Romans. 
 
 a plot was laid against him. The Jews 
 evidently intended to kill him as he was on the 
 point of embarking. 
 
 4. Sopater of Berea. R.V. adds, " the son of 
 Pyrrhus." Some MSS. read Sosipater, and this 
 suggests that he may possibly be identified with 
 the Sosipater mentioned in Rom. xvi. 21. 
 
 Aristarchus. See n. on xix. 29. Nothing 
 further is known of Secundus. 
 
 Gains of Derbe. See n. on xix. 29. 
 
 Tychichus. Probably one of Paul's active 
 helpers at Ephesus. He accompanied Paul to 
 Rome (cf. Eph. vi. 21 and Col. iv. 7). He is called 
 " the beloved brother and faithful minister." He 
 is also mentioned in Tit. iii. 12 and 2 Tim. iv. 12. 
 
 Trophimus. Also an Ephesian ; cf. xxi. 29. He 
 
240 Westminster New Testament 
 
 accompanied Paul during his later travels ; cf. 
 2 Tim. iv. 20. 
 
 5. These going before. They crossed direct 
 from Corinth to Troas, and did not go with Paul 
 through Macedonia. 
 
 6. the days of unleavened bread. Le., the 
 feast of the Passover. 
 
 Acts XX. 7-16. 
 
 PAUL'S JOURNEY FROM TROAS TO 
 MILETUS. 
 
 7 And upon the first day of the week, when the disciples 
 came together to break bread, Paul preached unto them, 
 ready to depart on the morrow ; and continued his speech 
 
 8 until midnight. And there were many lights in the upper 
 
 9 chamber, where they were gathered together. And there 
 sat in a window a certain young man named Eutychus, 
 being fallen into a deep sleep : and as Paul was long 
 preaching, he sunk down with sleep, and fell down from 
 
 ID the third loft, and was taken up dead. And Paul went 
 down, and fell on him, and embracing him said. Trouble 
 
 11 not yourselves; for his life is in him. When he therefore 
 was come up again, and had broken bread, and eaten, and 
 talked a long while, even till break of day, so he departed. 
 
 12 And they brought the young man alive, and were not a 
 
 13 little comforted. And we went before to ship, and sailed 
 unto Assos, there intending to take in Paul : for so had he 
 
 14 appointed, minding himself to go afoot. And when he 
 met with us at Assos, we took him in, and came to 
 
 15 Mitylene. And we sailed thence, and came the next day 
 over against Chios ; and the next day we arrived at Samos, 
 and tarried at Trogyllium ; and the next day we came to 
 
 16 Miletus. For Paul had determined to sail by Ephesus, 
 
Acts XX. 7-16 241 
 
 because he would not spend the time in Asia : for he 
 hasted, if it were possible for him, to be at Jerusalem the 
 day of Pentecost. 
 
 At Troas Paul joined his companions, and almost 
 immediately set sail towards Syria, following the 
 coast of Asia until he came to Miletus. The 
 narrative contains only one incident, viz., the 
 account of the restoration of Eutychus, who had 
 fallen from a high window, and was taken up 
 apparently lifeless. 
 
 7. when the disciples came together. R.V., 
 ''when we were gathered together." Note the 
 re-commencement of the " We-passages." 
 
 to break bread. A technical expression, mean- 
 ing '^to partake of the Lord's Supper," which 
 followed the Agape, or common meal ; cf. 1 Cor. 
 X. 16-21, xi. 20-34. 
 
 ready to depart. R.V., "intending to depart." 
 
 9. from the third loft. R.V., ''from the third 
 story." 
 
 was taken up dead. There can be little 
 doubt that Luke regarded the man as actually 
 dead. There is no qualifying phrase, as in xiv. I9. 
 We must remember, too, that Luke was present on 
 the occasion, and his medical knowledge renders 
 his testimony valuable. At the same time, the 
 doubt must always arise whether a proper medical 
 examination was made, and whether the so-called 
 death may not have been a swoon. 
 
 10. embracing him. Cf. the action of Elijah 
 (1 Kings xvii. 21) and of Elisha (2 Kings iv. 34). 
 
 13. ASSOS. South of Troas and opposite the 
 island of Lesbos. 
 
 to go afoot. R.V., " by land." Assos was only 
 about 20 miles from Troas by road, and the journey 
 16 
 
242 Westminster New Testament 
 
 by land took much less time than was needed for 
 the voyage round Cape Lectum. 
 
 14-. Mitylene. The capital of Lesbos. 
 
 15. Chios. A large island south of Lesbos. 
 Satnos. An island farther south and nearer to 
 
 the coast. 
 
 tarried at Trogyllium. This phrase is omitted 
 in the R.V. 
 
 Miletus. A famous seaport on the coast of Pro- 
 consular Asia — between 20 and 30 miles south of 
 Ephesus. 
 
 16. the day of Pentecost. See n. on ii. i. 
 
 Acts XX. 17-38. 
 
 PAUL'S ADDRESS TO THE ELDERS OF 
 EPHESUS. 
 
 17 And from Miletus he sent to Ephesus, and called the elders 
 
 18 of the church. And when they were come to him, he said 
 unto them. Ye know, from the first day that I came into 
 Asia, after what manner I have been with you at all 
 
 19 seasons, serving the Lord with all humility of mind, and 
 with many tears, and temptations, which befell me by the 
 
 20 lying in wait of the Jews : and how I kept back nothing 
 that was profitable unto you, but have shewed you, and 
 have taught you publickly, and from house to house, 
 
 21 testifying both to the Jews, and also to the Greeks, re- 
 pentance toward God, and faith toward our Lord Jesus 
 
 22 Christ. And now, behold, I go bound in the spirit unto 
 Jerusalem, not knowing the things that shall befall me 
 
 23 there : save that the Holy Ghost witnesseth in every city, 
 
 24 saying that bonds and afflictions abide me. But none of 
 these things move me, neither count I my life dear unto 
 myself, so that I might finish my course with joy, and the 
 
Acts XX. 17-38 243 
 
 ministry, which I have received of the Lord Jesus, to 
 
 25 testify the gospel of the grace of God. And now, behold, 
 I know that ye all, among whom I have gone preaching 
 
 26 the kingdom of God, shall see my face no more. Where- 
 fore I take you to record this day, that I am pure from the 
 
 27 blood of all men. For I have not shunned to declare unto 
 
 28 you all the counsel of God. Take heed therefore unto 
 yourselves, and to all the flock, over the which the Holy 
 Ghost hath made you overseers, to feed the church of God, 
 
 29 which he hath purchased with his own blood. For I know 
 this, that after my departing shall grievous wolves enter in 
 
 30 among you, not sparing the flock. Also of your own selves 
 shall men arise, speaking perverse things, to draw away 
 
 31 disciples after them. Therefore watch, and remember, 
 that by the space of three years I ceased not to warn every 
 
 32 one night and day with tears. And now, brethren, I 
 commend you to God, and to the wordof his grace, which 
 is able to build you up, and to give you an inheritance 
 
 33 among all them which are sanctified. I have coveted no 
 
 34 man's silver, or gold, or apparel. Yea, ye yourselves 
 know, that these hands have ministered unto my necessities, 
 
 35 and to them that were with me. I have shewed you all 
 things, how that so labouring ye ought to support the weak, 
 and to remember the words of the Lord Jesus, how he said, 
 
 36 It is more blessed to give than to receive. And when he 
 had thus spoken, he kneeled down, and prayed with them 
 
 37 all. And they all wept sore, and fell on Paul's neck, and 
 
 38 kissed him, sorrowing most of all for the words which 
 he spake, that they should see his face no more. And 
 they accompanied him unto the ship. 
 
 The farewell address, which Paul delivered to 
 the Ephesian elders who met him at Miletus, is 
 one of the most beautiful and pathetic passages in 
 the New Testament. Paul dwells (1) on his own 
 work at Ephesus (vers. 18-21) ; (2) the suflTerings that 
 awaited him in the future (vers. 22-25); and then (3) 
 
244 Westminster New Testament 
 
 urges the elders to be faithful in their office and to 
 feed the Church of God (vers. 26-28) ; (4) warning 
 them that false teachers would invade the Church 
 and make havoc of the flock (vers. 29, 30) ; and 
 finally (5) makes a last appeal to them to follow his 
 own example and devote their lives to the service of 
 their fellows (vers. 31-35). 
 
 17. elders of the church. See notes on xi. 30 
 and xiv. 23. 
 
 18. The R.V. translates more accm'ately, " Ye 
 yourselves know, from the first day that I set foot 
 in Asia, after what manner I was with you all the 
 time." 
 
 19. R.V., ^'^ with all lowliness of mind and tears." 
 " Lowliness of mind " is a conception often empha- 
 sised in Paul's Epistles : cf. Phil. ii. 3 ; Col. iii. 12. 
 
 temptations. R.V., "trials/' — the word refers 
 to outward and not inward experiences. 
 
 by the lying-in-wait (R.V., "by the plots") 
 of the Jews. 
 
 21. faith toward our Lord Jesus Christ. 
 The word "Christ" is omitted in the best MSS., 
 though it is retained by the R.V. See n. on 
 xvi. 31. 
 
 22. bound in the spirit. Or, as the phrase 
 may be translated, "constrained by the Spirit." 
 Paul's actions are always " under constraint of the 
 Spirit" ; see xiii. 4, xvi. 6, xxi. 4 (see note). 
 
 24. Owing to an alteration in the Greek Text, 
 the R.V. translates the opening part of this verse, 
 '^ But I hold not my life of any account as dear 
 unto myself" It also omits the phrase " with joy." 
 
 25. ye all . . . shall see my face no more. 
 
 It is uncertain whether these words were actually 
 fulfilled. In the Epistle to Philemon, Paul ex- 
 
Acts XX. 17-38 24s 
 
 presses the hope that he will be able to visit Asia 
 again (ver. 22), and the Pastoral Epistles imply 
 that this wish was realised. On the other hand^ it 
 must be remembered that the authorship of the 
 Pastoral Epistles is extremely doubtful, and their 
 evidence is not therefore convincing. All that we 
 can say is that the spirit of despondency which 
 this speech displays was modified to some extent 
 after Paul reached Rome, and that, in spite of what 
 he said to the Ephesian elders, the time came when 
 he was hopeful of being able to revisit Asia. 
 
 28. over which (R. v., "in the which") the Holy 
 Ghost hath made you overseers (R.V., "hath 
 made you bishops "). This is the first occurrence 
 of the term "overseer" or "bishop" as a designa- 
 tion of the officers of the Church. We find it used 
 shortly afterwards in the opening verse of Paul's 
 Epistle to the Philippians. It is quite clear that 
 " elders " and " bishops " are synonymous terms 
 (compare ver. 17 and ver. 28), the latter describing 
 the function or duty of the foi-mer. The elders 
 were appointed to "oversee" or superintend the 
 work and organisation of the Church. The same 
 identification of the two terms is found in 1 Pet. 
 v. 1, 2 ; 1 Tim. iii. 1-7, v. 17-19 ; Tit. i. 5-7. The 
 term "bishop," like "elder," is found in use as the 
 designation of certain officials in pagan societies, 
 and no doubt this fact helped to popularise its 
 adoption by the Christian Church. 
 
 to feed the church of God. The MSS. are 
 divided, some reading "the church of God," as in 
 A.V. and R.V., others "the church of the Lord," i.e. 
 of Christ. The latter reading is simpler. "The 
 church of Christ which he purchased with his own 
 blood " is a perfectly natural statement. But " the 
 
246 Westminster New Testament 
 
 church of God which he purchased with his own 
 blood " is more difficult, and can only be explained 
 by translating " with the blood that was his own ; " 
 i.e., the blood of His own Son. It is scarcely 
 possible to argue that in the phrase ^' church of 
 God/' God stands for Christ, and to quote this 
 passage in proof of the Divinity of Christ. What- 
 ever reading be adopted, it should be observed that 
 this is the only instance in Acts where stress is laid 
 on the atoning value of the death of Christ. 
 
 29. grievous wolves, /.e., false teachers. The 
 prophecy was speedily fulfilled, as we know from 
 the Epistle to the Colossians, in which Paul combats 
 a. fatal heresy which had arisen in the churches 
 of Asia. 
 
 31. three years. See n. on xix. 10. 
 
 32. This verse is full of Pauline phrases and 
 ideas, and bears the stamp of genuineness. Terms 
 like ^^ grace," "build up," "an inheritance among 
 the sanctified," are characteristic of Paul, and 
 frequently occur in the Epistles: cf. Eph. i. 18, 
 ii. 20 ; Col. iii. 24. 
 
 34. these hands have ministered. See n. on 
 
 xviii. 3. 
 
 35. remember the words of the Lord 
 
 Jesus. The words quoted are not found in the 
 Gospels, but this does not militate against their 
 genuineness. We have a considerable number of 
 sayings of Jesus preserved in various writers which 
 do not occur in the Gospels. The Gospel narrative 
 is fragmentary, and never claims to be exhaustive 
 (cf John xxi. 25). The only difficulty is that Paul 
 never quotes the specific words of Jesus in the 
 Epistles (except in the doubtful case of 1 Tim. 
 V. 18), though he often alludes to His teaching in 
 
Acts xxi. I -1 6 247 
 
 a general way (compare 1 Cor. vii. 10-12; Rom. 
 xiii. 6-9). 
 
 Acts xxi. 1-16. 
 
 THE JOURNEY FROM MILETUS TO 
 JERUSALEM. 
 
 And it came to pass, that after we were gotten from them, 
 and had launched, we came with a straight course unto Coos, 
 and the day following unto Rhodes, and from thence unto 
 
 2 Patara : and finding a ship sailing over unto Phenicia, we 
 
 3 went aboard, and set forth. Now when we had discovered 
 Cyprus, we left it on the left hand, and sailed into Syria, 
 and landed at Tyre : for there the ship was to unlade her 
 
 4 burden. And finding disciples, we tarried there seven 
 days : who said to Paul through the Spirit, that he should 
 
 5 not go up to Jerusalem. And when we had accomplished 
 those days, we departed and went our way ; and they all 
 brought us on our way, with wives and children, till we 
 were out of the city : and we kneeled down on the shore, 
 
 6 and prayed. And when we had taken our leave one of 
 another, we took ship ; and they returned home again. 
 
 7 And when we had finished our course from Tyre, we came 
 to Ptolemais, and saluted the brethren, and abode with 
 
 8 them one day. And the next day we that were of Paul's 
 company departed, and came unto Caesarea : and we 
 entered into the house of Philip the evangelist, which was 
 
 9 one of the seven ; and abode with him. And the same 
 man had four daughters, virgins, which did prophesy. 
 
 10 And as we tarried there many days, there came down from 
 
 11 Judaea a certain prophet, named Agabus. And when he 
 was come unto us, he took Paul's girdle, and bound his 
 own hands and feet, and said, Thus saith the Holy Ghost, 
 So shall the Jews at Jerusalem bind the man that owneth 
 this girdle, and shall deliver him into the hands of the 
 
 12 Gentiles. And when we heard these things, both we, and 
 they of that place, besought him not to go up to Jerusalem. 
 
248 Westminster New Testament 
 
 13 Then Paul answered, What mean ye to weep and to break 
 mine heart ? for I am ready not to be bound only, but also 
 
 14 to die at Jerusalem for the name of the Lord Jesus. And 
 when he would not be persuaded, we ceased, saying, The 
 
 1 5 will of the Lord be done. And after those days we took 
 
 16 up our carriages, and went up to Jerusalem. There went 
 with us also certain of the disciples of Caesarea, and brought 
 with them one Mnason of Cyprus, an old disciple, with 
 whom we should lodge. 
 
 After bidding farewell to the Ephesian elders, 
 Paul continued his voyage. Changing ships at 
 Patara, he sailed to Tyre, where the vessel stayed 
 seven days to discharge her cargo. This gave Paul 
 an opportunity of intercourse with the brethren 
 there. The ship next touched at Ptolemais, and 
 the voyage finally ended at Csesarea. At Caesarea 
 Paul stayed for " many days " with Philip the 
 Evangelist, before proceeding on his overland 
 journey to Jerusalem. Both at Tyre and Caesarea 
 the utmost pressure was put upon Paul by his 
 friends to abandon the projected visit to Jerusalem, 
 since it was bound to be attended with the gravest 
 risk, and might end in his imprisonment and even 
 martyrdom. Paul, however, was resolute, and 
 refused to be dissuaded from his programme. 
 
 1. gotten from them. R.V.,^^parted from them." 
 
 Cos. A small island, now called Stanchio, off the 
 Carian coast, on the S.W. of Asia Minor. Rhodes. 
 A large island at S.W. extremity of Asia Minor, off 
 the coast of Lycia and Caria. Patara. A seaport on 
 the coast of Lycia. Phenicia. R.V., " Phoenicia." 
 See xi. 19. 
 
 3. when we had discovered Cyprus. R.V., 
 
 "when we had come in sight of Cyprus." 
 
 Tyre. One of the chief ports of Phoenicia : " an 
 
Acts xxi. I- 1 6 249 
 
 emporium for the commerce of the whole world " 
 (Jerome). See xii. 20. 
 
 4. finding disciples. R.V., "having found 
 the disciples." Christianity was first carried to 
 Phoenicia by the refugees who fled from Jerusalem 
 after Stephen's martyrdom (xi. 19), and Paul had 
 visited the district with Barnabas on a previous 
 occasion (xv. 3). 
 
 said to Paul through the Spirit. See n. on 
 
 XX. 22. Paul felt an inward compulsion drawing 
 him to Jerusalem. If that inward compulsion 
 came to him from the Spirit^ a difficulty arises. 
 The Spirit says one thing to Paul, another thing 
 to the Christians at Tyre. The narrative appears 
 to convey the impression that Luke thought Paul 
 was wrong and the Christians at Tyre right in their 
 interpretation of the meaning of the Spirit. At 
 any rate, Paul was face to face with a " conflict of 
 duties/' or rather, a conflict of spiritual inspirations, 
 and he held tenaciously to his own convictions. 
 
 7. Ptolemais. The modern Acre, a seaport 
 about 30 miles south of Tyre. 
 
 8. The R.V. omits the phrase "we that were of 
 Paul's company." 
 
 Csesarea. The most important seaport in Judaea, 
 and from a political point of view the capital of 
 the province and the seat of the Roman governor ; 
 cf viii. 40, X. 1. Some scholars think that the 
 journey from Tyre was made on foot, but it 
 seems more probable that Paul continued on the 
 ship, as there is no allusion to the "baggage" till 
 we reach ver. 15. 
 
 Philip the evangelist. Cf. viii. 5-13, 26-40. 
 Philip lived at Caesarea, where he settled after his 
 mission to Samaria (viii. 40). The term " evangelist '* 
 
250 Westminster New Testament 
 
 is found in the Epistles, denoting a special order 
 of Christian preachers distinct from "apostles" 
 and "prophets:" cf. Eph. iv. 11 ; 2 Tim. iv. 5. 
 one of the seven. See vi. 1-6. 
 
 9. four daughters. The mention of the 
 daughters of Philip is another illustration of 
 Luke's habit of emphasising the work done by 
 women in the early Church. According to later 
 tradition, Philip and his daughters subsequently 
 settled at Hierapolis, where they exercised a great 
 influence. 
 
 10. a certain prophet. See n. on xi. 27; 
 compare xiii. 1. Agabus. See xi. 28. 
 
 11. The symbolic action of Agabus has many 
 parallels in the history of Old Testament prophecy : 
 cf. Isa. XX. 3; Jer. xiii. 1-7, xix. 10, 11 ; Ezek. iv. 
 1-3; V. 1-4. 
 
 13. What mean ye? R.V., "What do ye, 
 weeping and breaking my heart ? " 
 
 15. we took up our carriages. R.V., "we 
 
 took up our baggage." The word " carriage " is 
 used no less than six times in the A.V. for baggage. 
 Compare 1 Sam. xvii. 22 ; Judg. xviii. 21 ; Isa. x. 28. 
 
 i6. and brought with them one Mnason. 
 Many scholars think that the sentence should be 
 translated "brought them to one Mnason with 
 whom they should lodge." If this translation is 
 right, it is probable that Mnason lived in some place 
 about half-way between Caesarea and Jerusalem. 
 The distance between these two cities was about 
 60 miles. The friends from Caesarea conducted 
 Paul and his companions to Mnason' s house and 
 then returned home. 
 
 an old disciple. R.V., "an early disciple ;" i.e., 
 one of the original disciples. 
 
Acts xxi. 17-26 251 
 
 Acts xxi. 17-26. 
 PAUL AND THE CHURCH AT JERUSALEM. 
 
 17 And when we were come to Jerusalem, the brethren re- 
 
 18 ceived us gladly. And the day following Paul went in 
 with us unto James ; and all the elders were present. 
 
 19 And when he had saluted them, he declared particularly 
 what things God had wrought among the Gentiles by his 
 
 20 ministry. And when they heard it, they glorified the 
 Lord, and said unto him, Thou seest, brother, how many 
 thousands of Jews there are which believe ; and they are 
 
 21 all zealous of the law : and they are informed of thee, 
 that thou teachest all the Jews which are among the 
 Gentiles to forsake Moses, saying that they ought not to 
 circumcise their children, neither to walk after the customs. 
 
 22 What is it therefore ? the multitude must needs come 
 
 23 together : for they will hear that thou art come. Do 
 therefore this that we say to thee : We have four men 
 
 24 which have a vow on them : them take, and purify thy- 
 self with them, and be at charges with them, that they may 
 shave their heads : and all may know that those things, 
 whereof they were informed concerning thee, are nothing ; 
 but that thou thyself also walkest orderly, and keepest the 
 
 25 law. As touching the Gentiles which believe, we have 
 written and concluded that they observe no such thing, 
 save only that they keep themselves from things offered to 
 idols, and from blood, and from strangled, and from 
 
 26 fornication. Then Paul took the men, and the next day 
 purifying himself with them entered into the temple, to 
 signify the accomplishment of the days of purification, 
 until that an offering should be offered for every one 
 of them. 
 
 Paul was kindly received by James and the 
 elders of the Church at Jerusalem. The hostility 
 
252 Westminster New Testament 
 
 of the Jewish Christians, however, remained un- 
 abated ; ill fact, every fresh triumph of Paul seemed 
 only to add fuel to the flames. To conciliate his 
 suspicious opponents, James urged Paul to make 
 a public exhibition of his sympathy with Jewish 
 customs by assisting four poor Jews to perform 
 their vows in the Temple — a request to which 
 Paul readily acceded. 
 
 18. James. See n. on xii. 2, 17, and xv. 13-21. 
 
 elders. See n. on xi. 30. 
 
 20. how many thousands of the Jews. 
 R.V., "how many thousands there are among the 
 Jews which have believed." As it was the time of 
 Pentecost (xx. l6), Jerusalem would be crowded 
 with Jews, and amongst them would be many 
 Jewish Christians who like Paul had come up to 
 Jerusalem to keep the feast. 
 
 21. thou teachest the Jews ... to forsake 
 
 Moses. This was, of course, a calumny. Paul 
 had always shown himself perfectly loyal to Jewish 
 customs, though naturally the spirit of the new 
 religion tended to attach less and less significance 
 to Jewish forms and ceremonies. 
 
 22. the multitude must needs come 
 together. Omitted by the R.V. 
 
 23. four men which have a vow. The vow 
 was probably a Nazarite vow (Num. vi. 1). See 
 n. on Acts xviii. 18. 
 
 24. purify thyself with them— join them in 
 the ritual of purification, be at charges with 
 them — undertake the expenses of the sacrifice, 
 that they may shave their heads — in indica- 
 tion that the vow was complete. See Num. vi. 5. 
 
 25. See n. on xv. 20 and 41. 
 
 26. to signify the accomplishment. I.e., to 
 
Acts xxi. 27-39 253 
 
 give notice to the officials of the Temple that on 
 a specified day the vow would be completed and 
 the sacrifices offered in accordance with the 
 regulations ; cf. Num. vi. 
 
 Acts xxi. 27-39. 
 PAUL'S ARREST AT JERUSALEM. 
 
 27 And when the seven days were almost ended, the Jews which 
 were of Asia, when they saw him in the temple, stirred up 
 
 28 all the people, and laid hands on him, crying out, Men 
 of Israel, help : This is the man, that teacheth all men 
 every where against the people, and the law, and this 
 place : and further brought Greeks also into the temple, 
 
 29 and hath polluted this holy place. (For they had seen 
 before with him in the city Trophimus an Ephesian, whom 
 they supposed that Paul had brought into the temple.) 
 
 30 And all the city was moved, and the people ran together : 
 and they took Paul, and drew him out of the temple : and 
 
 31 forthwith the doors were shut. And as they went about 
 to kill him, tidings came unto the chief captain of the band, 
 
 32 that all Jerusalem was in an uproar : who immediately took 
 soldiers and centurions, and ran down unto them : and 
 when they saw the chief captain and the soldiers, they 
 
 33 left beating of Paul. Then the chief captain came near, 
 and took him, and commanded him to be bound with two 
 chains ; and demanded who he was, and what he had 
 
 34 done. And some cried one thing, some another, among 
 the multitude : and when he could not know the certainty 
 for the tumult, he commanded him to be carried into the 
 
 35 castle. And when he came upon the stairs, so it was, 
 that he was borne of the soldiers for the violence of the 
 
 36 people. For the multitude of the people followed after, 
 
 37 crying. Away with him. And as Paul was to be led into 
 the castle, he said unto the chief captain, May I speak 
 
254 Westminster New Testament 
 
 38 unto thee? Who said, Canst thou speak Greek? Art 
 not thou that Egyptian, which before these days madest 
 an uproar, and leddest out into the wilderness four thou- 
 
 39 sand men that were murderers? But Paul said, I am a 
 man which am a Jew of Tarsus, a city in Cilicia, a citizen 
 of no mean city : and, I beseech thee, suffer me to speak 
 unto the people. 
 
 Just before the completion of the vow, an 
 attack was made on Paul by the Jewish mob, 
 instigated by some Jewish visitors from the 
 province of Asia, who charged him with profaning 
 the Temple by introducing a Gentile into it. An 
 uproar ensued, and Paul would probably have lost 
 his life had it not been for the intervention of the 
 captain of the Roman garrison, who came with a 
 body of soldiers and rescued Paul from the crowd, 
 and carried him off to the fortress of Antonia. 
 
 27. the seven days. The period which elapsed 
 before the completion of the vow. 
 
 the Jews ... of Asia. They had become 
 acquainted with Paul in Asia. Their presence in 
 Jerusalem is accounted for by the fact that they 
 had come up to keep the feast of Pentecost. 
 
 28. brought Greeks also into the temple. The 
 Greeks could enter " the Court of the Gentiles ; " 
 none but Jews, however, were allowed into the inner 
 courts of the Temple, on pain of death. An inscrip- 
 tion has been discovered on a pillar which formed 
 part of " the middle wall of partition " between 
 " the Court of the Gentiles " and the Temple proper, 
 to the following effect : " No man of another nation 
 to enter within the fence and enclosure round the 
 Temple. And whoever is caught will have him- 
 self to blame that his death ensues." 
 
 29. Trophimus the Ephesian. See n. on xx. 4. 
 
Acts xxi. 27-39 255 
 
 30. drew him (R.V,, "dragged him") out of 
 the Temple. Lest the Temple should be profaned 
 by his murder. 
 
 the doors were shut. Probably by the Temple 
 police, to prevent any damage being done to the 
 buildings in the riot. 
 
 31. chief captain of the band. The chief 
 military officer of the garrison which the Romans 
 always kept in the fortress of Antonia — a building 
 adjoining the Temple — for the purpose of main- 
 taining peace in the city. His name was Claudius 
 Lysias (xxiii. 26). 
 
 32. centurions. See n. on X. 1. 
 
 34. into the castle. The fortress of Antonia, 
 which was situated on the north side of the Temple, 
 and communicated with it by means of cloisters 
 and stairs. A cohort of Roman soldiers was always 
 stationed in it to prevent outbreaks of disorder, 
 which were frequent at Jerusalem, especially at the 
 time of the festivals. 
 
 36. Away with him ! The same cry which 
 was raised by the Jewish mob against Jesus 
 (Luke xxiii. 18). 
 
 38. Art not thou then that Egyptian ? The 
 chief captain had come to the conclusion that Paul 
 was the Messianic pretender, known as the 
 Egyptian, who had recently tried to raise a revolt 
 against Rome. Josephus tells us that in the time 
 of Felix the Egyptian gathered together 30,000 
 men on the Mount of Olives and announced that 
 at his word the walls of the city would fall down. 
 Felix, however, speedily made an attack. The 
 Egyptian fled, and the greater part of his followers 
 were captured or slain. There is a discrepancy 
 between Josephus and Acts with regard to numbers. 
 
256 Westminster New Testament 
 
 but little importance need be attached to it, as 
 Josephus' own statements are not consistent on 
 the point. In another place he puts the number 
 of killed at 400 and the number of prisoners at 200. 
 that were murderers. R.V., "of the Assassins." 
 The Assassins were a secret political society of 
 Jewish fanatics, so called because they carried 
 concealed daggers and assassinated their opponents. 
 Josephus describes them thus: '^^ There sprang up 
 a body of plunderers in Jerusalem called Sicarii. 
 They kill men by daylight in the midst of the city. 
 Particularly at the feasts they mix with the crowd, 
 carrying small daggers hid under their clothes. 
 With these they wound their adversaries, and when 
 they have fallen, the murderers mix with the crowd 
 and join in the outcry against the crime." 
 
 39. of Tarsus ... no mean city. Tarsus 
 
 was the capital of Cilicia. It was a University 
 town, and was famous for its philosophy and 
 culture. It was at this time one of the great 
 centres of Stoicism. Strabo ranks Tarsus even 
 above Athens and Alexandria for its love of learn- 
 ing, and says that it sent its scholars all over the 
 world. 
 
 Acts xxi. 40-xxii. 21. 
 
 PAUL'S DEFENCE BEFORE THE JEWS. 
 
 40 And when he had given him Hcence, Paul stood on the 
 stairs, and beckoned with the hand unto the people. And 
 when there was made a great silence, he spake unto them 
 
 1 in the Hebrew tongue, saying, Men, brethren, and fathers, 
 
 2 hear ye my defence which I make now unto you. (And 
 when they heard that he spake in the Hebrew tongue to 
 
 3 them, they kept the more silence : and he saith,) I am 
 
Acts xxi. 40-xxii. 21 257 
 
 verily a man which am a Jew, born in Tarsus, a city in 
 Cilicia, yet brought up in this city at the feet of Gamaliel, 
 and taught according to the perfect manner of the law of 
 the fathers, and was zealous toward God, as ye all are this 
 
 4 day. And I persecuted this way unto the death, binding 
 
 5 and delivering into prisons both men and women. As also 
 the high priest doth bear me witness, and all the estate of 
 the elders : from whom also I received letters unto the 
 brethren, and went to Damascus, to bring them which 
 were there bound unto Jerusalem, for to be punished. 
 
 6 And it came to pass, that, as I made my journey, and was 
 come nigh unto Damascus about noon, suddenly there 
 
 7 shone from heaven a great light round about me. And 
 I fell unto the ground, and heard a voice saying unto me, 
 
 8 Saul, Saul, why persecutest thou me? And I answered, 
 Who art thou, Lord ? And he said unto me, I am Jesus 
 
 9 of Nazareth, whom thou persecutest. And they that were 
 with me saw indeed the light, and were afraid ; but they 
 
 10 heard not the voice of him that spake to me. And I said, 
 What shall I do, Lord? And the Lord said unto me. 
 Arise, and go into Damascus ; and there it shall be told 
 
 1 1 thee of all things which are appointed for thee to do. And 
 when I could not see for the glory of that light, being led 
 by the hand of them that were with me, I came into 
 
 12 Damascus. And one Ananias, a devout man according to 
 the law, having a good report of all the Jews which dwelt 
 
 13 there, came unto me, and stood, and said unto me, 
 Brother Saul, receive thy sight. And the same hour 
 
 14 I looked up upon him. And he said, The God of our 
 fathers hath chosen thee, that thou shouldest know his 
 will, and see that Just One, and shouldest hear the voice 
 
 15 of his mouth. For thou shalt be his witness unto all men 
 
 16 of what thou hast seen and heard. And now why tarriest 
 thou? arise, and be baptized, and wash away thy sins, 
 
 17 calling on the name of the Lord. And it came to pass, 
 that, when I was come again to Jerusalem, even while I 
 
 18 prayed in the temple, I was in a trance ; and saw him 
 
 ^7 
 
258 Westminster New Testament 
 
 saying unto me, Make haste, and get thee quickly out of 
 Jerusalem : for they will not receive thy testimony concern- 
 
 19 ing me. And I said, Lord, they know that I imprisoned 
 and beat in every synagogue them that believed on thee : 
 
 20 and when the blood of thy martyr Stephen was shed, I also 
 was standing by, and consenting unto his death, and kept 
 
 21 the raiment of them that slew him. And he said unto me, 
 Depart : for I will send thee far hence unto the Gentiles. 
 
 After obtaining the permission of Claudius Lysias, 
 Paul addressed his fellow-countrymen in Hebrew 
 from the steps of the fortress of Antonia. He tries 
 to overcome the prejudice of his opponents,, by 
 recounting the story of his life. He shows that 
 at one time he had been as bitterly hostile to 
 Christianity as they were^ but that hostility had 
 been overpowered by the vision which appeared to 
 him on the road to Damascus. The speech thus 
 contains the second of the three accounts of the 
 conversion of Paul which are found in Acts (see 
 notes on ix. 1-9). 
 
 40. given him licence. R.V., "given him 
 leave." 
 
 in the Hebrew tongue. I.e., in the vernacular 
 Hebrew or Aramaic, as it is called. Paul used 
 Aramaic in order to conciliate his countrymen 
 (see xxii. 2). 
 
 xxii. 3. born in Tarsus. See n. on xxi. 39. 
 
 brought up in this city. We do not know at 
 what age Paul left Tarsus and came to Jerusalem, 
 but at any rate he received the most important 
 part of his education at Jerusalem. 
 
 at the feet of Gamaliel. See n. on v. 34. 
 
 taught according to, etc. R.V., "instructed 
 according to the strict manner of the law of our 
 fathers." Compare Gal. i. 13 ; Phil. iii. 4-6. 
 
Acts xxi. 40-xxii. 21 259 
 
 4. and I persecuted this way (R.V., "this 
 
 Way"). See n. on ix, 2. 
 
 binding and delivering into prisons. See 
 ix. 1, 2, xxvi. 10; Gal. i. 13. 
 
 5. all the estate of the elders, /.e., the Jewish 
 
 Council or Sanhedrin. See n. on iv. 5. 
 
 letters unto the brethren. Compare ix. 1, 2, 
 
 xxvi. 12. 
 
 6-10. The account is substantially identical with 
 that given by the historian in chap. ix. For the 
 discrepancies between the three accounts see n. 
 on ix. 7. 
 
 12. Ananias, a devout man. This account 
 
 of the conversation between Ananias and Paul is 
 not given in chap, ix., which, however, recounts the 
 story of the way in which Ananias was divinely 
 prepared to receive Paul. 
 
 14. hath chosen thee, etc R.V., "hath ap- 
 pointed thee to know his will." 
 
 see that Just One. R. V., " see the Righteous 
 One/' i.e., Jesus. Cp. iii. 14, where Jesus is 
 called "the Holy and Just One." See also vii. 52. 
 
 15. a witness . . . unto all men. It seems 
 probable that Paul's account of Ananias' words is 
 coloured by later events. It is hardly probable 
 that the mission to the Gentiles was laid upon 
 Paul immediately after his conversion, though 
 there is no doubt that Paul himself dated his call 
 to work amongst the Gentiles back to his conver- 
 sion ; see Gal. i. 15, I6. 
 
 16. be baptized and wash away thy sins. 
 There can be little doubt that this phrase implies 
 a connection between baptism and the forgiveness 
 of sins. Compare also Eph. v. 25, 26, " Christ also 
 loved the church . . . having cleansed it by the 
 
26o Westminster New Testament 
 
 washing of water with the word ; " Tit. iii. 5, 
 " According to his mercy he saved us, by the wash- 
 ing of regeneration and the renewing of the Holy 
 Ghost." It is highly probable that this magical 
 view of baptism is due to the influence of the 
 current popular conceptions on the subject. The 
 poet Ovid in a well-known passage protests against 
 " easy-going people who think that the sad crime 
 of murder can be removed by river water" (Fasti, 
 ii. 45). Many instances can be given of similar 
 views in connection with Greek and Egyptian 
 worship, and also in the rites of Mithras (see 
 Pfleiderer, Earhj Christian Conceptioji of Christ, 
 pp. 11 7-1 24). The doctrine of Baptismal Regenera- 
 tion is therefore not specifically Christian, but 
 rather seems to belong to the large class of super- 
 stitious ideas which passed into Christianity from 
 paganism. 
 
 17. And it came to pass. Three years must 
 have elapsed between this and the previous verse. 
 See n. on ix. 23. 
 
 18. I was in a trance and saw him. 
 Nothing is said about this vision which came to 
 Paul in the Temple in chap. ix. or xxvi., and there 
 is no allusion to it in the autobiographical passage 
 in Galatians, unless i. 15, 1 6 may be taken as a 
 reference to it ; but we know from 2 Cor. xii. 1 
 that Paul had many '' visions and revelations of 
 the Lord." 
 
 19. Lord, they know. Paul evidently wished 
 to remain in Jerusalem, and so he makes excuses 
 for the unreadiness of the Church to receive him. 
 
 20. the blood of thy martyr Stephen. R.V., 
 "the blood of Stephen thy witness." For Paul's 
 participation in the martyrdom, see vii. 58. 
 
Acts xxii. 22-29 261 
 
 Acts xxii. 22-29. 
 THE EFFECT OF PAUL'S SPEECH. 
 
 22 And they gave him audience unto this word, and then 
 lifted up their voices, and said, Away with such a fellow 
 from the earth : for it is not fit that he should live. 
 
 23 And as they cried out, and cast off their clothes, and threw 
 
 24 dust into the air, the chief captain commanded him to 
 be brought into the castle, and bade that he should be 
 examined by scourging ; that he might know wherefore 
 
 25 they cried so against him. And as they bound him with 
 thongs, Paul said unto the centurion that stood by, Is it 
 lawful for you to scourge a man that is a Roman, and 
 
 26 uncondemned ? When the centurion heard that, he went 
 and told the chief captain, saying. Take heed what thou 
 
 27 doest : for this man is a Roman. Then the chief captain 
 came, and said unto him, Tell me, art thou a Roman ? 
 
 28 He said, Yea. And the chief captain answered, With a 
 great sum obtained I this freedom. And Paul said, But 
 
 29 I was free born. Then straightway they departed from 
 him which should have examined him : and the chief 
 captain also was afraid, after he knew that he was a Roman, 
 and because he had bound him. 
 
 The Jewish mob listened to Paul's apologia 
 without interruption until he uttered the hated 
 word " Gentile." Then they broke out into a 
 frenzy of excitement, and made preparations to 
 stone him. The chief captain, however, intervened, 
 and Paul was carried into the fortress of Antonia. 
 The captain then ordered his officers to torture 
 Paul into confessing his crime. Paul protested 
 against the illegality of the order on the grounds 
 of his Roman citizenship. The protest was accepted 
 and the order cancelled. 
 
262 Westminster New Testament 
 
 22. unto this word. I-e., the word " Gentile." 
 See ver. 21. 
 
 23. cast off their garments. Probably, as in 
 vii. 58, that they might be able to stone Paul. 
 
 24. examined by scourging. Torture was 
 commonly resorted to as a means of extorting a 
 confession from the prisoner. 
 
 25. as they bound him with thongs. R.V., 
 "when they had tied him up with the thongs." 
 Under the Roman system of scourging, the culprit 
 was stripped and tied in a bending posture to a 
 pillar, or stretched on a frame, and the punishment 
 was inflicted with a scourge made of leathern 
 thongs weighted with shai-p pieces of bone or lead. 
 The thongs mentioned in the present passage seem 
 to be the straps with which Paul was bound to the 
 pillar. If they refer to the thongs of the scourge, 
 it would be necessary to translate the sentence, 
 "when they had tied him up for the thongs." 
 
 a man that is a Roman. See n. on xvi. 37. 
 The captain had been guilty of a double illegality : 
 (1) in ordering a Roman citizen to be scourged ; (2) 
 in condemning a prisoner without a trial. 
 
 28. With a great sum obtained I this 
 freedom (R. v., "this citizenship"). In the time 
 of the Emperor Claudius the privilege of Roman 
 citizenship was sold to provincials by court officials, 
 and it was in this way that the chief captain had 
 obtained it. 
 
 I was free born. R. V., "I am a Roman bom." 
 Paul's father or one of his ancestors must have 
 received the citizenship as a reward for service 
 rendered to Rome. 
 
 29. should have examined him. I.e., by 
 torture See ver. 24. 
 
Acts xxii. 30-xxiii. 10 263 
 
 Acts xxii. 30-xxiii. 10. 
 
 PAUL BEFORE THE COUNCIL. 
 
 30 On the morrow, because he would have known the 
 certainty wherefore he was accused of the Jews, he loosed 
 him from his bands, and commanded the chief priests and 
 all their council to appear, and brought Paul down, and 
 
 1 set him before them. And Paul, earnestly beholding the 
 council, said, Men and brethren, I have lived in all good 
 
 2 conscience before God until this day. And the high priest 
 Ananias commanded them that stood by him to smite him 
 
 3 on the mouth. Then said Paul unto him, God shall smite 
 thee, thou whited wall : for sittest thou to judge me after 
 the law, and commandest me to be smitten contrary to the 
 
 4 law? And they that stood by said, Revilest thou God's 
 
 5 high priest? Then said Paul, I wist not, brethren, that 
 he was the high priest : for it is written. Thou shall not 
 
 6 speak evil of the ruler of thy people. But when Paul per- 
 ceived that the one part were Sadducees, and the other 
 Pharisees, he cried out in the council. Men and brethren, 
 I am a Pharisee, the son of a Pharisee : of the hope and 
 
 7 resurrection of the dead I am called in question. And 
 when he had so said, there arose a dissension between the 
 Pharisees and the Sadducees : and the multitude was 
 
 8 divided. For the Sadducees say that there is no resur- 
 rection, neither angel, nor spirit : but the Pharisees 
 
 9 confess both. And there arose a great cry : and the 
 scribes that were of the Pharisees' part arose, and strove, 
 saying. We find no evil in this man : but if a spirit or an 
 angel hath spoken to him, let us not fight against God. 
 
 10 And when there arose a great dissension, the chief captain, 
 fearing lest Paul should have been pulled in pieces of them, 
 commanded the soldiers to go down, and to take him by 
 force from among them, and to bring him into the castle. 
 
 Unable to discover the grounds of the Jewish 
 
264 Westminster New Testament 
 
 hostility against Paul or to find out his crimCj 
 Claudius Lysias determined to bring him before 
 the Council. When the Council met, a scene of 
 great disorder ensued. The High Priest Ananias 
 refused Paul a hearing, and ordered some by- 
 standers to smite him on the mouth. Paul 
 retaliated sharply, calling Ananias " a whited 
 wall." A protest was raised, and Paul subsequently 
 adopted a more conciliatory tone. By a skilful 
 and adroit move, he created dissension between 
 the two rival parties on the Council, and secured 
 the sympathy of the Pharisees. A serious uproar 
 followed, and fearing that the consequences 
 might be serious, the chief captain rescued Paul by 
 force and took him back into the fortress of Antonia. 
 
 30. he loosed him from his bands. The 
 last three words are omitted by the R.V. They 
 evidently ought not to be in the Text, because 
 as a Roman citizen Paul was exempt from chains. 
 "Loosed him" must therefore mean " loosed him 
 from confinement." 
 
 all their council. See n. on iv. 5. 
 
 xxiii. 1. earnestly beholding. R.V., " looking 
 stedfastly." 
 
 I have lived. The Greek word used here 
 means " I have lived as a citizen," and so the 
 phrase refers to Paul's public life as a member of 
 the Jewish community. 
 
 in all good conscience. There is a difference 
 between the meaning of the Greek word trans- 
 lated " conscience " and our modem conception of 
 conscience. The Greek word denotes a faculty 
 which passes judgment on actions after they have 
 been done. Conscience therefore did not mean 
 to Paul, as it means to us, the source of all moral 
 
Acts xxii. 30-xxiii. 10 265 
 
 obligation, but rather a faculty which expressed 
 approval or disapproval of deeds already done. 
 The clause therefore means : " My public life has 
 been devoted to the service of God and has met 
 with the approval of my conscience." The word 
 occurs several times in Paul's Epistles, but never 
 elsewhere in the New Testament, except in 1 Pet. 
 ii. 19 and John viii. 9. 
 
 2. Ananias was High Priest from 47-59 a.d. 
 According to Josephus, he was a most unscrupulous 
 man, — "a great hoarder up of money," — collecting 
 his tithes by violence from the threshing-floors, 
 and defrauding the inferior priests of their dues. 
 In the reign of Claudius he was summoned to 
 Rome, in 52 a.d., on account of his suspected 
 complicity in a massacre of the Samaritans, but 
 was acquitted through the influence of Agrippa 11. 
 He met with a violent end, being murdered by 
 the insurgents at the time of the great rebellion 
 in Jerusalem. 
 
 3. God shall smite thee. Paul's passionate 
 outburst stands in striking contrast to the meek- 
 ness displayed by Jesus under similar circum- 
 stances. The prophecy was fulfilled. See n. on 
 ver. 2. 
 
 whited wall. Compare "whited sepulchres," 
 Matt, xxiii. 27. A proverbial expression, indicating 
 that Ananias was not what he seemed to be — i.e., 
 a minister of justice. 
 
 after the law. R.V., " according to the law." 
 5. I wist not, etc. A great deal of unnecessary 
 difficulty has been discovered in these words. 
 The meaning is quite simple. Paul simply states 
 the fact that he was not aware that Ananias was 
 the High Priest. The question has been asked. 
 
266 Westminster New Testament 
 
 How could Paul plead ignorance, as Ananias' 
 position as president of the Council would make 
 his office clear? The probable answer is, that 
 Ananias may not have been presiding on this 
 occasion ; Lysias had summoned a special meeting 
 of the Council, and so he may have conducted the 
 inquiry himself. 
 Thou shalt not speak evil of the ruler 
 
 (R.V., "a. ruler"). The quotation is taken from 
 Ex. xxii. 28. 
 
 6. But when Paul perceived. Luke repre- 
 sents Paul as deliberately intending to sow 
 dissension between the different parties in the 
 Council, in order to divert the attack from himself. 
 Even if Luke is right, there is no reason why 
 Paul's brilliant piece of tactics should be con- 
 demned on ethical grounds. If his statements 
 had been insincere or untrue to fact, the case 
 would be different. At the worst, all that Paul 
 did was to state the charge against himself in a 
 form which he knew would provoke a controversy 
 between the Pharisees and the Sadducees, hoping 
 that the strife between the two parties would lead 
 to his own escape. If the Council of Jerusalem 
 had been an ideal court of justice, we might have 
 required an ideal course of action from Paul, but 
 we must remember that he was arguing before a 
 tribunal which was bent upon perpetrating an act 
 of gross injustice, and adopted the only available 
 method of saving himself from an illegal con- 
 demnation. Moreover, before we condemn Paul, 
 we must assure ourselves that Luke is connect in 
 imputing the motive to his conduct. It is by no 
 means outside the bounds of possibility that Paul's 
 action may have been quite disingenuous, and 
 
Acts xxii. 30-xxiii. 10 267 
 
 that the effect which it produced led the historian 
 or his informant to regard it as a deliberate scheme 
 to introduce division into the Council. 
 
 the son of a Pharisee. R.V., «a son of 
 
 Pharisees." Paul's family for at least two genera- 
 tions must have belonged to the Pharisaic party. 
 
 ^ of (R.V., " touching ") the hope and resurrec- 
 tion. The two words, '' hope " and ^^ resurrection," 
 contain separate ideas. The phrase is not " hope 
 of the resuiTection," but "^ hope and the resur- 
 rection." " Hope " must be taken in a wide sense, 
 " our hope for the future," though, of course, this 
 " hope " is necessarily conditioned by and dependent 
 on a belief in the resurrection. In the allusion 
 which Paul makes to his statement in xxiv. 21, the 
 word "hope" is omitted. 
 
 7. and the multitude was divided. R.V., 
 " the assembly was divided." 
 
 8. there is no resurrection. This statement 
 is borne out by the testimony of Josephus, who 
 says that the Sadducees " take away the belief in 
 the immortal existence of the soul." 
 
 9. a great cry. 11. V., " clamour." 
 
 scribes ... of the Pharisees' part. The 
 " scribes " were the skilled interpreters of the 
 Scripture — Biblical experts, so to speak. Most 
 of them, but not all (compare Mark ii. I6; Luke 
 V. 30), were associated with the Pharisees, with 
 whom they are generally connected in the New 
 Testament. 
 
 let us not fight against God. These words 
 ought to be omitted, as in the R.V. This leaves 
 the sentence apparently incomplete. It is probably 
 an exclamatory phrase — " What if a spirit hath 
 spoken to him, or an angel ! " 
 
268 Westminster New Testament 
 
 Acts xxiii. 11-22, 
 THE JEWISH CONSPIRACY AGAINST PAUL. 
 
 11 And the night following the Lord stood by him, and said, 
 Be of good cheer, Paul : for as thou hast testified of me 
 at Jerusalem, so must thou bear witness also at Rome. 
 
 12 And when it was day, certain of the Jews banded together, 
 and bound themselves under a curse, saying that they would 
 
 13 neither eat nor drink till they had killed Paul. And they 
 were more than forty which had made this conspiracy. 
 
 14 And they came to the chief priests and elders, and said, 
 We have bound ourselves under a great curse, that we will 
 
 15 eat nothing until we have slain Paul. Now therefore ye 
 with the council signify to the chief captain that he bring 
 him down unto you to morrow, as though ye would enquire 
 something more perfectly concerning him : and we, or ever 
 
 16 he come near, are ready to kill him. And when Paul's 
 sister's son heard of their lying in wait, he went and 
 
 17 entered into the castle, and told Paul. Then Paul called 
 one of the centurions unto him, and said. Bring this young 
 man unto the chief captain : for he hath a certain thing to 
 
 18 tell him. So he took him, and brought him to the chief 
 captain, and said, Paul the prisoner called me unto him, 
 and prayed me to bring this young man unto thee, who 
 
 19 hath something to say unto thee. Then the chief captain 
 took him by the hand, and went with him aside privately, 
 
 20 and asked him. What is that thou hast to tell me ? And 
 he said. The Jews have agreed to desire thee that thou 
 wouldest bring down Paul to morrow into the council, as 
 though they would enquire somewhat of him more per- 
 
 21 fectly. But do not thou yield unto them : for there lie in 
 wait for him of them more than forty men, which have 
 bound themselves with an oath, that they will neither eat 
 nor drink till they have killed him : and now are they 
 
 22 ready, looking for a promise from thee. So the chief 
 
Acts xxiii. 11-22 269 
 
 captain then let the young man depart, and charged 
 him, See thou tell no man that thou hast shewed these 
 things to me. 
 
 The Council having been thwarted in its attempt 
 to get rid of Paul, owing to its own divisions and 
 the careful protection of Claudius Lysias, a band of 
 Jews, more than forty in number, formed a plot to 
 assassinate him. They arranged with the Council 
 to ask Lysias to bring Paul down again for further 
 examination, and detei*mined to murder him on the 
 way from the fortress of Antonia to the Council 
 chamber. Information, however, reached the ears 
 of Paul's nephew, and he disclosed the plot to the 
 governor. 
 
 1 1. thou must bear witness also at Rome. 
 
 It had been Paul's ambition for some time to go to 
 Rome (see xix. 21; Rom. i. 11-13). This vision 
 introduces the third section of Acts (see n. on 
 i. 8), and leads up to the climax of the book. 
 
 12. certain of the Jews. The first two words 
 are omitted in the R.V. 
 
 14. We have bound ourselves. Literally, 
 "With a curse have we cursed ourselves," — a 
 Hebrew mode of expression, denoting intensity of 
 feeling and earnestness of action. 
 
 15. to morrow. Omitted in R.V., which trans- 
 lates " that he bring him down unto you, as though 
 ye would judge of his case more exactly." 
 
 16. Paul's sister's son. This is the only refer- 
 ence we have to Paul's relatives. Paul's sister and 
 her family probably resided in Jerusalem. 
 
 20. as though they would enquire. The 
 R.V. substitutes " thou " for " they." The change 
 represents an attempt on the part of the conspirators 
 
270 Westminster New Testament 
 
 to throw the responsibility on to Claudius Lysias, 
 and is probably meant to be an improvement on 
 the scheme in ver. 15. 
 
 Acts xxiii. 23-35. 
 CLAUDIUS LYSIAS SENDS PAUL TO FELIX. 
 
 23 And he called unto him two centurions, saying, Make 
 ready two hundred soldiers to go to Cassarea, and horsemen 
 threescore and ten, and spearmen two hundred, at the third 
 
 24 hour of the night ; and provide them beasts, that they 
 may set Paul on, and bring him safe unto Felix the 
 
 25 governor. And he wrote a letter after this manner : 
 
 26 Claudius Lysias unto the most excellent governor Felix 
 
 27 sendeth greeting. This man was taken of the Jews, and 
 should have been killed of them : then came I with an 
 army, and rescued him, having understood that he was a 
 
 28 Roman. And when I would have known the cause where- 
 fore they accused him, I brought him forth into their 
 
 29 council : whom I perceived to be accused of questions of 
 their law, but to have nothing laid to his charge worthy of 
 
 30 death or of bonds. And when it was told me how that the 
 Jews laid wait for the man, I sent straightway to thee, and 
 gave commandment to his accusers also to say before thee 
 
 31 what they had against him. Farewell. Then the soldiers, 
 as it was commanded them, took Paul, and brought him by 
 
 32 night to Antipatris. On the morrow they left the horse- 
 
 33 men to go with him, and returned to the castle : who, 
 when they came to Caesarea, and delivered the epistle to the 
 
 34 governor, presented Paul also before him. And when the 
 governor had read the letter, he asked of what province he 
 was. And when he understood that he was of Cilicia ; 
 
 35 I will hear thee, said he, when thine accusers are also 
 come. And he commanded him to be kept in Herod's 
 judgment hall. 
 
Acts xxiii. 23-35 271 
 
 Fearing for the safety of his prisoner in the face 
 of the plot which had been formed against him, 
 Claudius Lysias determined to send Paul to the 
 Roman procurator Felix, at Caesarea. The journey 
 to Cgesarea represents the first stage in Paul's 
 progress to Rome. 
 
 23. Make ready, etc. Lysias took extreme 
 precautions for Paul's protection. A bodyguard of 
 470 soldiers for a single prisoner seems excessive, 
 though it was undoubtedly necessary in view of 
 the disturbed condition of Jerusalem. The body- 
 guard was composed of three classes : (a) 200 
 ordinary soldiers, (b) 70 cavalry, (c) 200 spearmen. 
 It is difficult to decide what exactly the third class 
 represents. The most probable view is that they 
 were light-armed native troops carrying javelins. 
 
 to go to Caesarea. Caesarea was the official 
 residence of the Roman governor ; cf. xxi. 8. 
 
 24. Felix the governor. Felix was the 
 Roman procurator of Judaea. He owed his ap- 
 pointment to the influence of his brother Pallas, 
 the notorious freedman and court favourite of the 
 Emperor Claudius. Jewish and Roman historians 
 unite in describing him as a cruel and profligate 
 ruler. Tacitus, for instance, says of him that "he 
 thought that he could do any evil act with im- 
 punity," since he had so much influence behind 
 him at the court. He was finally recalled to Rome 
 in disgrace. For his relations with Herod and his 
 intrigue with Drusilla, see n. on xxiv. 24. 
 
 26. the most excellent governor. This 
 phrase would be more aptly translated, "to his 
 excellency the governor Felix." The same word 
 is used of Theophilus in i. 1 (see note). 
 
 27. should have been killed. A misleading 
 
272 Westminster New Testament 
 
 rendering. R.V., "was about to be slain of 
 them." 
 29. accused of questions of their law. 
 
 Compare the attitude of Gallio at Corinth, xviii. 14. 
 
 31. Antipatris. A town 42 miles from Jerusalem 
 and 26 from Caesarea. It had been rebuilt by 
 Herod the Great, and called Antipatris in memory 
 of his father, Antipater. 
 
 32. left the horsemen to go with him. 
 
 There was no need for the whole bodyguard to 
 proceed farther, so the 400 soldiers returned, and 
 left the 70 cavalrymen to conduct Paul to Caesarea. 
 
 34. of what province he was. The question 
 was asked in order that Felix might find out 
 whether Paul's case came under his jurisdiction. 
 The answer satisfied him on the point. Cilicia, 
 like Judaea, was attached to the province of Syria, 
 and Felix therefore was bound to try the case as 
 deputy for his superior officer, the Legate of Syria. 
 
 35. in Herod's judgment hall. R.V., "in 
 Herod's palace." The Greek word never means 
 "judgment hall." The building in question had 
 probably been erected by Herod as a palace for his 
 own use, but was now used as a residence for the 
 Roman governor. 
 
 Acts xxiv. 1-26. 
 
 THE TRIAL OF PAUL BEFORE FELIX. 
 
 L The Case for the Prosecution 
 (Acts xxiv. 1-9). 
 
 And after five days Ananias the high priest descended with 
 
 the elders, and with a certain orator named TertuUus, who 
 
 2 informed the governor against Paul. And when he was 
 
Acts xxiv. 1-9 273 
 
 called forth, Tertullus began to accuse him, saying, Seeing 
 that by thee we enjoy great quietness, and that very worthy 
 
 3 deeds are done unto this nation by thy providence, we 
 accept it always, and in all places, most noble Felix, with 
 
 4 all thankfulness. Notwithstanding, that I be not further 
 tedious unto thee, I pray thee that thou wouldest hear us 
 
 5 of thy clemency a few words. For we have found this 
 man a pestilent fellow, and a mover of sedition among all 
 the Jews throughout the world, and a ringleader of the sect 
 
 6 of the Nazarenes : who also hath gone about to profane 
 the temple : whom we took, and would have judged 
 
 7 according to our law. But the chief captain Lysias came 
 upon us, and with great violence took him away out of our 
 
 8 hands, commanding his accusers to come unto thee : by 
 examining of whom thyself mayest take knowledge of all 
 
 9 these things, whereof we accuse him. And the Jews also 
 assented, saying that these things were so. 
 
 After a delay of a few days to enable the 
 accusers to reach Caesarea, Paul's trial before Felix 
 commenced. The case for the prosecution was pre- 
 sented by an advocate or barrister, as we should 
 term him, named Tertullus. The specific charges 
 made against Paul were as follows : (l) he was a 
 disturber of the peace, "a mover of insurrections 
 among Jews throughout the world ; " (2) he was a 
 ringleader of the sect of the Nazarenes ; (3) he 
 had attempted to profane the Temple. 
 
 1. Ananias. See n. on xxiii. 2. 
 
 a certain orator. R.V., " with an orator, one 
 Tertullus." The word ^^ orator" is equivalent to 
 our " advocate " or " barrister." 
 
 2. Seeing that by thee. Tertullus attempts to 
 obtain the favour of Felix by unscrupulous flattery. 
 
 we enjoy great quietness. R.V., "much 
 peace." This statement is in direct opposition to 
 18 
 
274 Westminster New Testament 
 
 facts. The procuratorship of Felix was characterised 
 by an unusual number of outbreaks of lawlessness. 
 very worthy deeds are done unto this 
 nation. R.V., " evils are corrected for this nation." 
 The change is due to an alteration in the Text. 
 The R.V. makes the flattery of Tertullus still more 
 conspicuous. If there was one man who was less 
 worthy than most of his contemporaries to bear the 
 title of Reformer, it was Felix. 
 
 5. a pestilent fellow. Literally, "a plague," 
 "a pestilence." 
 
 a mover of sedition. R.V., " a mover of insur- 
 rections." This charge was very skilfully entered 
 on the indictment. The word ^' insurrection " was 
 certain to frighten Felix, and would therefore lead 
 him to condemn Paul at once. 
 
 a ringleader ... of the Nazarenes. Felix 
 would probably be familiar with the action of his 
 predecessor Pilate in allowing Jesus to be crucified. 
 Tertullus hints that if he wished to follow pre- 
 cedent, he would take the same course with Paul. 
 
 6. hath gone about to profane. R.V., 
 ^'who moreover assayed to profane the temple." 
 Cf xxi. 28, 29. 
 
 6-8. The words from the latter part of ver. 6, 
 beginning with the phrase, ^^and would have 
 judged," down to the end of the first clause in 
 ver. 8, ^^ commanding his accusers to come unto 
 thee," are omitted in the best MSS. and the R.V. 
 
 8. by examining of whom. In the A.V. the 
 antecedent to "whom" is "the accusers." It is clear, 
 however, from the Greek that the pronoun refers 
 to Paul. The mistake of the A.V. is due to the 
 insertion of the omitted clauses in vers. 6—8. The 
 R.V. makes the meaning of the verse clear by 
 
Acts xxiv. 10-21 275 
 
 translating, "from whom thou wilt be able, by 
 examining him thyself, to take knowledge of all 
 these things, whereof we accuse him." 
 
 THE TRIAL OF PAUL BEFORE 
 FELIX — {continued). 
 
 II. Paul's Defence (Acts xxiv. 10-21). 
 
 ID Then Paul, after that the governor had beckoned unto him 
 to speak, answered, Forasmuch as I know that thou hast 
 been of many years a judge unto this nation, I do the more 
 
 11 cheerfully answer for myself: because that thou mayest 
 understand, that there are yet but twelve days since I went 
 
 12 up to Jerusalem for to worship. And they neither found 
 me in the temple disputing with any man, neither raising 
 up the people, neither in the synagogues, nor in the city : 
 
 13 neither can they prove the things whereof they now accuse 
 
 14 me. But this I confess unto thee, that after the way which 
 they call heresy, so worship I the God of my fathers, 
 believing all things which are written in the law and in 
 
 1 5 the prophets : and have hope toward God, which they 
 themselves also allow, that there shall be a resurrection of 
 
 16 the dead, both of the just and unjust. And herein do 
 I exercise myself, to have always a conscience void of 
 
 17 offence toward God, and toward men. Now after many 
 years I came to bring alms to my nation, and offerings. 
 
 18 Whereupon certain Jews from Asia found me purified in 
 
 19 the temple, neither with multitude, nor with tumult. Who 
 ought to have been here before thee, and object, if they 
 
 20 had ought against me. Or else let these same here say, if 
 they have found any evil doing in me, while I stood before 
 
 21 the council, except it be for this one voice, that I cried 
 standing among them, Touching the resurrection of the 
 dead I am called in question by you this day. 
 
276 Westminster New Testament 
 
 After Tertullus had set forth the case for the 
 prosecution, Felix called upon Paul to defend him- 
 self. Paul in his speech rebutted the charges 
 which had been made against him by (1) giving a 
 brief history of the circumstances connected with his 
 visit to Jerusalem ; (2) commenting on the absence 
 of any evidence in support of the accusations ; 
 (3) showing that his real accusers — the Jews from 
 Asia — had not been summoned to Csesarea to give 
 evidence ; (4) stating that his intentions in coming 
 to Jerusalem had been absolutely peaceful, and that 
 he himself was in no way responsible for the tumult. 
 
 10. Forasmuch as I know. The quiet 
 dignity and truthfulness of Paul's opening words 
 compare favourably with the fulsome and false 
 flattery of Tertullus. 
 
 of many years. Felix had probably been 
 appointed in 52, and so had held office for four or 
 five years. It is not unlikely, too, that before his own 
 appointment he may have been associated with his 
 predecessor Cumanus in the government of Judaea. 
 
 11. there are yet but twelve days. H.V., "it 
 is not more than twelve days since I went up," etc. 
 Paul is calling attention to the brevity of his visit 
 to Jerusalem in order to show that the time was 
 quite inadequate for the offences mentioned in the 
 indictment. 
 
 14. after the way which they call heresy. 
 R.V., "after the Way which they call a sect." 
 Observe the two important changes : (a) " way " is 
 spelt with a capital W, to indicate that it was a 
 title of the Christian religion (see n. on ix. 2) ; (6) the 
 term "sect" is substituted for " heresy." The Greek 
 word is the same as that employed in ver. 5 in the 
 phrase " the sect of the Nazarenes." 
 
Acts xxiv. IO-2I 277 
 
 15. a hope ... a resurrection of the just and 
 
 the unjust. Paul's words seem to imply that a 
 belief in the resmrection and in future reward and 
 punishment was unanimously accepted by the Jews. 
 This was not the case exactly. The Sadducees 
 denied the resurrection altogether. A large 
 number of Jews, too, who believed in the resur- 
 rection of the righteous, denied altogether the 
 possibility of a resurrection of the wicked. 
 
 16. herein do I exercise myself. ''In this 
 faith, of which I have spoken," says Paul, " I train 
 myself that I may have," etc. Paul often in his 
 Epistles insists on the discipline of the Christian 
 life: cf. 1 Cor. ix. 24-27; Phil. ii. 12-13. 
 
 a conscience. See n. on xxiii. 1. 
 
 17. after many years. The length of the 
 interval implied by this phrase depends upon the 
 interpretation of xviii. 22 (see note). If Paul paid a 
 visit to Jerusalem before the commencement of the 
 third missionary tour, the interval of absence was 
 about four years ; but if Paul's previous visit to 
 Jerusalem is that recorded in chap. xv. the interval 
 must have extended over seven years. 
 
 I came to bring alms. A collection for the 
 poor saints at Jerusalem is often alluded to in the 
 Epistles (cf. Rom. xv. 26 ; 1 Cor. xvi. 1-4 ; 2 Cor. 
 viii. 4), and it was probably this collection that 
 Paul brought with him to Jerusalem. 
 
 18. certain Jews from Asia. Cf. xxi. 27. The 
 R.V. arranges the clauses differently: ^'Amidst which 
 they found me purified in the temple, with no crowd 
 nor yet with tumult ; but there were certain Jews 
 from Asia," etc. 
 
 purified in the temple. See n. on xxi. 23. 
 21. for this one voice, etc. See xxiii. 6. 
 
278 Westminster New Testament 
 
 Acts xxiv. 22-27. 
 PAUL AND FELIX. 
 
 22 And when Felix heard these things, having more perfect 
 knowledge of that way, he deferred them, and said, When 
 Lysias the chief captain shall come down, I will know the 
 
 23 uttermost of your matter. And he commanded a centurion 
 to keep Paul, and to let him have liberty, and that he 
 should forbid none of his acquaintance to minister or come 
 
 24 unto him. And after certain days, when Felix came with 
 his wife Drusilla, which was a Jewess, he sent for Paul, 
 
 25 and heard him concerning the faith in Christ. And as he 
 reasoned of righteousness, temperance, and judgment to 
 come, Felix trembled, and answered, Go thy way for this 
 time ; when I have a convenient season, I will call for 
 
 26 thee. He hoped also that money should have been given 
 him of Paul, that he might loose him : wherefore he sent for 
 
 27 him the oftener, and communed with him. But after two 
 years Porcius Festus came into Felix' room : and Felix, 
 willing to shew the Jews a pleasure, left Paul bound. 
 
 Felix, after hearing the arguments of both parties, 
 adjourned the case on the pretext that in the 
 absence of Claudius Lysias the evidence was in- 
 complete. As a matter of fact, however, Felix 
 himself was in a dilemma. He knew enough of 
 the history of the Christian movement to be able 
 to see that there was no real case against Paul. 
 Moreover, there can be little doubt that there 
 was something about Paul which fascinated him. 
 Profligate and licentious though he was, Paul's 
 moral earnestness appealed to him. Yet Felix 
 dared not follow his own convictions and acquit 
 the prisoner. He was far too cowardly to face the 
 storm of Jewish hatred which would be aroused if 
 
Acts xxiv. 22-27 279 
 
 the case were dismissed. So he let " I dare not " 
 wait upon " I would," and kept Paul a prisoner at 
 Caesarea for two years, granting him occasional 
 interviews, and showing a readiness to listen to, 
 though not to follow, his teaching. 
 
 22. having more perfect knowledge of that 
 way. R.V., "having more exact knowledge con- 
 cerning the Way." See n. on ver. 14. 
 
 know the uttermost. R. V., " I will determine 
 your matter." 
 
 23. let him have liberty. R. V., " should have 
 indulgence." Paul was allowed access to his friends, 
 who were permitted to provide him with food, 
 books, writing materials, etc. This was a very con- 
 siderable concession, since Paul had many friends in 
 Caesarea — notably, of course, Philip the Evangelist. 
 
 24. with his wife Drusilla. The story of the 
 relations between Felix and Drusilla is one of the 
 most disgraceful episodes of the time. Drusilla 
 was the youngest daughter of Agrippa i., and sister 
 of the Bernice who is mentioned in xxv. 13. She 
 had been married to Azizus, King of Emesa, but 
 she was induced by Felix to leave her husband and 
 become his wife. Felix himself had been married 
 twice before, and has the unenviable notoriety of 
 having been "the husband of three queens." 
 Some scholars think that the intrigue took place 
 at this time, and is referred to in the phrase " when 
 Felix came with his wife ; " but the chronological 
 data are so uncertain that it is impossible to prove 
 or disprove the conjecture. The hypothesis cer- 
 tainly adds vividness to the scene. 
 
 25. And as he reasoned, etc. In speaking 
 to Gentiles, Paul usually dwelt upon that aspect 
 of the gospel which they would be most likely to 
 
28o Westminster New Testament 
 
 appreciate (compare the speech at Athens), viz., 
 its ethical teaching and its promise of a future life. 
 The special circumstances connected with the 
 career of Felix must, however, have added dramatic 
 effect to his words in the present case. Righteous- 
 ness ! How strangely the words of Paul must 
 have sounded in the ears of the man who thought 
 that " he could do any evil act with impunity " ! 
 Temperance! (the word is used with its widest 
 meaning, in the sense of self-control). How Felix, 
 fresh from his intrigue with Drusilla, must have 
 writhed under the lash of Paul's denunciation ! 
 Judgment to come I What a sting there must have 
 been in Paul's language for Felix, who felt himself 
 absolutely secure as long as his brother Pallas was 
 in power at Rome ! The judge and the prisoner 
 had changed places. Paul sat on the bench, 
 Felix stood at the bar. The only parallel is to 
 be found in the equally dramatic scene in which 
 John the Baptist denounced the sin of Herod 
 Antipas (Matt. xiv. 1-12). 
 
 Felix trembled. R.V.,^^ was terrified." Paul's 
 home thrusts had touched his conscience and made 
 him uneasy, though he was too weak to break 
 away from his sin. 
 
 26. He hoped that money would be given. 
 A Roman governor, if he were unscrupulous, had 
 many opportunities of making money by illegitimate 
 means, and Felix evidently, in addition to his other 
 crimes, was guilty of corruption. 
 
 27. Porcius Festus came. Felix was recalled 
 to Rome in disgrace. His successor, Festus, was 
 a finer type of man, and his administration was not 
 disgraced by the crimes which characterised the 
 rule of Felix. The date at which the change of 
 
Acts XXV. I -1 2 281 
 
 governors took place cannot, unfortunately, be 
 settled. Some authorities place it as early as 55, 
 others as late as 6I. The uncertainty affects the 
 whole chronology of Acts and Paul's life. 
 
 Acts XXV. 1-12. 
 
 THE TRIAL BEFORE FESTUS, AND 
 PAUL'S APPEAL TO CiESAR. 
 
 Now when Festus was come into the province, after three 
 
 2 days he ascended from Csesarea to Jerusalem. Then the 
 high priest and the chief of the Jews informed him against 
 
 3 Paul, and besought him, and desired favour against him, 
 that he would send for him to Jerusalem, laying wait in 
 
 4 the way to kill him. But Festus answered, that Paul 
 should be kept at Caesarea, and that he himself would 
 
 5 depart shortly thither. Let them therefore, said he, which 
 among you are able, go down with me, and accuse this 
 
 6 man, if there be any wickedness in him. And when he 
 had tarried among them more than ten days, he went down 
 unto Csesarea ; and the next day sitting on the judgment 
 
 7 seat commanded Paul to be brought. And when he was 
 come, the Jews which came down from Jerusalem stood 
 round about, and laid many and grievous complaints against 
 
 8 Paul, which they could not prove. While he answered for 
 himself. Neither against the law of the Jews, neither 
 against the temple, nor yet against Caesar, have I offended 
 
 9 any thing at all. But Festus, willing to do the Jews a 
 pleasure, answered Paul, and said, Wilt thou go up to 
 Jerusalem, and there be judged of these things before me? 
 
 ID Then said Paul, I stand at Csesar's judgment seat, where I 
 ought to be judged : to the Jews have I done no wrong, as 
 
 1 1 thou very well knowest. For if I be an offender, or have 
 committed any thing worthy of death, I refuse not to die : 
 
282 Westminster New Testament 
 
 but if there be none of these things whereof these accuse 
 me, no man may deliver me unto them. I appeal unto 
 12 Csesar. Then Festus, when he had conferred with the 
 council, answered, Hast thou appealed unto Caesar ? unto 
 Caesar shalt thou go. 
 
 The prompt action of Festus stands out in 
 striking contrast to the dilatoriness of Felix, who 
 had kept Paul under surveillance at Caesarea for 
 two years without attempting to settle the matter. 
 The case passes rapidly through the following 
 stages : (1) Upon the occasion of Festus' visit to 
 Jerusalem, immediately after taking office, the 
 Jews make an appeal to him to send Paul back 
 to Jerusalem. This request Festus refuses to 
 grant, but arranges that the trial shall take place 
 immediately at Caesarea. (2) The trial takes place. 
 The accusers fail to prove their indictment. (3) 
 Festus, anxious to shift the responsibility on to 
 other shoulders, asks Paul whether he is willing to 
 go to Jerusalem and stand a trial before the 
 Council. Paul refuses, and exercises his right of 
 appeal to the Emperor. 
 
 2. Then the high priest, etc. R.V., ^^And 
 the chief priests and the principal men of the 
 Jews." Ver. 15 shows that the phrase "principal 
 men" is equivalent to "elders." 
 
 4. should be kept at Caesarea. This trans- 
 lation scarcely gives the force of the original, which 
 states that " Paul was kept in charge at Caesarea." 
 
 5. which amongst you are able. The 
 ambiguity of this expression is removed by the 
 translation of the R.V., "Let them which are of 
 power among you." 
 
 6. more than ten days. The best MSS. read, 
 " not more than eight or ten days." 
 
Acts XXV. 13-22 283 
 
 7. many and grievous complaints. In addi- 
 tion to the foi-mer charges of (l) teaching contrary 
 to the Law, (2) profaning the Temple, the Jews 
 seem to have tried to strengthen their case by 
 accusing Paul of high treason against Caesar (com- 
 pare Paul's reply in ver. 8). 
 
 10. I stand at Caesar's judgment seat. 
 
 Paul claims the right, as a Roman citizen, of being 
 tried before a Roman tribunal, and declines to 
 return to Jerusalem. 
 
 11. I appeal unto Caesar. Every Roman 
 citizen had the right, in the last resort, of cariying 
 his case to Rome and placing it before the 
 Emperor as the final court of appeal. 
 
 12. conferred with the council, /.e., with the 
 chief members of his staff, who acted as assessors 
 in the Procurator's Court. 
 
 Acts XXV. 13-22. 
 FESTUS CONSULTS KING AGRIPPA. 
 
 13 And after certain days king Agrippa and Bernice came unto 
 
 14 Csesarea to salute Festus. And when they had been there 
 many days, Festus declared Paul's cause unto the king, 
 saying, There is a certain man left in bonds by Felix : 
 
 15 about whom, when I was at Jerusalem, the chief priests 
 and the elders of the Jews informed me, desiring to have 
 
 16 judgment against him. To whom I answered. It is not the 
 manner of the Romans to deliver any man to die, before 
 that he which is accused have the accusers face to face, 
 and have licence to answer for himself concerning the 
 
 17 crime laid against him. Therefore, when they were come 
 hither, without any delay on the morrow I sat on the 
 
284 Westminster New Testament 
 
 judgment seat, and commanded the man to be brought 
 
 1 8 forth. Against whom when the accusers stood up, they 
 brought none accusation of such things as I supposed : 
 
 19 but had certain questions against him of their own super- 
 stition, and of one Jesus, which was dead, whom Paul 
 
 20 affirmed to be ahve. And because I doubted of such 
 manner of questions, I asked him whether he would go to 
 
 21 Jerusalem, and there be judged of these matters. But 
 when Paul had appealed to be reserved unto the hearing 
 of Augustus, I commanded him to be kept till I might send 
 
 22 him to Caesar. Then Agrippa said unto Festus, I would 
 also hear the man myself. To-morrow, said he, thou 
 shalt hear him. 
 
 An opportune visit of King Agrippa 11. to 
 Caesarea afforded Festus an opportunity of consult- 
 ing the highest Jewish authority with regard to 
 the case of Paul. Festus laid the whole matter 
 before Agrippa, and the king expressed a desire to 
 see and hear Paul. 
 
 13. Agrippa. Herod Agrippa 11. was the son 
 and successor of Herod Agrippa i. (see introductory 
 note to chap.^xii. and n. on xii. 1). He was only 
 seventeen years old when his father died in 44 a.d., 
 and pressure was brought upon the Emperor 
 Claudius to refuse him the throne. The whole of 
 Palestine, therefore, passed under direct Roman 
 government for the first time. Later on, however, 
 Agrippa received the title of King, and had allotted 
 to him certain districts on the N.E. of Palestine 
 (Gaulonitis and Trachonitis). Subsequently, too, 
 he also received certain cities of Galilee. His 
 authority, however, was never more than a mere 
 shadow of that possessed by his father. 
 
 Bernice. A daughter of Agrippa i., and con- 
 sequently sister of Agrippa 11. and Drusilla. The 
 
Acts XXV. 23-xxvi. 32 285 
 
 worst rumours are found both in Jewish and 
 Roman historians as to the immoral relations which 
 existed between Bernice and her brother. She 
 had previously been married to Herod of Chalcis. 
 She has been described as a "Jewish Cleopatra on 
 a small scale." Her later life was full of low 
 intrigues, in which the Emperor Titus was the 
 most prominent associate. 
 
 15. desiring to have judgment. R.V., "ask- 
 ing for sentence against him." 
 
 16. to deliver any man to die. R.V. omits 
 the last two words, and translates, " to give up any 
 man." 
 
 19. of their own superstition. R.V., "re- 
 ligion." The Greek word may mean either 
 "religion" or "superstition," but it is scarcely 
 likely that Festus would have described the Jewish 
 religion as a superstition to Agrippa. 
 
 20. because I doubted of such manner, 
 
 etc. The meaning of this expression is made 
 clear by the R.V., " And I, being perplexed how 
 to inquire concerning these things, asked," etc. 
 
 21. unto the hearing of Augustus. "Augus- 
 tus" is the official title borne by the Roman 
 Emperor. R.V., " for the decision of the emperor." 
 
 Acts XXV. 23-xxvi. 32. 
 
 PAUL BEFORE KING AGRIPPA. 
 
 I. Festus opens the Court (xxv. 23-27). 
 
 2 3 And on the morrow, when Agrippa was come, and Bernice, 
 with great pomp, and was entered into the place of hearing, 
 with the chief captains, and principal men of the city, at 
 
286 Westminster New Testament 
 
 24 Festus' commandment Paul was brought forth. And 
 Festus said, King Agrippa, and all men which are here 
 present with us, ye see this man, about whom all the 
 multitude of the Jews have dealt with me, both at 
 Jerusalem, and also here, crying that he ought not to live 
 
 25 any longer. But when I found that he had committed 
 nothing worthy of death, and that he himself hath appealed 
 
 26 to Augustus, I have determined to send him. Of whom I 
 have no certain thing to write unto my lord. Wherefore 
 I have brought him forth before you, and specially before 
 thee, O king Agrippa, that, after examination had, I might 
 
 27 have somewhat to write. For it seemeth to me unreason- 
 able to send a prisoner, and not withal to signify the crimes 
 laid against him. 
 
 In response to Agrippa's request^ Festus held a 
 special meeting of the Court to re-examine Paul 
 and hear his defence. The trial was quite 
 informal. The Court could not override Paul's 
 appeal to Rome. It was held in order to gratify 
 Agrippa's curiosity rather than to serve the interests 
 of justice, though Festus made the excuse that its 
 purpose was to obtain the necessary facts for his 
 official report to the Emperor. 
 
 23. with great pomp. A love of display was 
 one of the most marked characteristics of the 
 Heriodian family, and reached its climax in Agrippa 
 and Bernice. 
 
 24. have dealt with me. R.V._, "made suit 
 to me." 
 
 and also here. The Jews in Jerusalem had 
 evidently stirred up their kinsmen in Csesarea, 
 thinking no doubt that the leading citizens in the 
 seat of Roman government would be able to in- 
 fluence the mind of Festus against Paul. 
 
 25. appealed to Augustus. See n. on ver. 11. 
 
Acts xxvi. 1-23 287 
 
 26. Of whom I have nothing certain to 
 write. Paul's case had obviously baffled Festus, 
 as it had baffled other Roman administrators. No 
 charge had been brought which was actionable 
 under Roman law, yet so much popular prejudice 
 had been aroused that it was hardly possible to 
 take what seemed to be the clear course and acquit 
 the prisoner. Hence Festus felt the utmost 
 difficulty in stating the grounds of Paul's appeal 
 in a way which would be intelligible at Rome. 
 
 PAUL BEFORE KING KGRlPPh— {continued). 
 
 II. Paul s Defence (Acts xxvi. 1-23). 
 
 Then Agrippa said unto Paul, Thou art permitted to 
 speak for thyself. Then Paul stretched forth the hand, 
 
 2 and answered for himself: I think myself happy, king 
 Agrippa, because I shall answer for myself this day before 
 thee touching all the things whereof I am accused of the 
 
 3 Jews : especially because I know thee to be expert in all 
 customs and questions which are among the Jews : where - 
 
 4 fore I beseech thee to hear me patiently. My manner of 
 life from my youth, which was at the first among mine own 
 
 5 nation at Jerusalem, know all the Jews ; which knew me 
 from the beginning, if they would testify, that after the 
 most straitest sect of our religion I lived a Pharisee. 
 
 6 And now I stand and am judged for the hope of the 
 
 7 promise made of God unto our fathers : unto which 
 promise our twelve tribes, instantly serving God day and 
 night, hope to come. For which hope's sake, king 
 
 8 Agrippa, I am accused of the Jews. Why should it be 
 thought a thing incredible with you, that God should raise 
 
288 Westminster New Testament 
 
 9 the dead ? I verily thought with myself, that I ought to 
 do many things contrary to the name of Jesus of 
 
 10 Nazareth. Which thing I also did in Jerusalem : and 
 many of the saints did I shut up in prison, having received 
 authority from the chief priests ; and when they were put 
 
 1 1 to death, I gave my voice against them. And I punished 
 them oft in every synagogue, and compelled them to 
 blaspheme ; and being exceedingly mad against them, I 
 
 12 persecuted them even unto strange cities. Whereupon as 
 I went to Damascus with authority and commission from 
 
 13 the chief priests, at midday, O king, I saw in the way a 
 light from heaven, above the brightness of the sun, shining 
 round about me and them which journeyed with me. 
 
 14 And when we were all fallen to the earth, I heard a voice 
 speaking unto me, and saying in the Hebrew tongue, Saul, 
 Saul, why persecutest thou me ? it is hard for thee to kick 
 
 15 against the pricks. And I said, Who art thou, Lord? 
 
 16 And he said, I am Jesus whom thou persecutest. But 
 rise, and stand upon thy feet : for I have appeared unto 
 thee for this purpose, to make thee a minister and a 
 witness both of these things which thou hast seen, and of 
 
 1 7 those things in the which I will appear unto thee ; de- 
 livering thee from the people, and from the Gentiles, unto 
 
 18 whom now I send thee, to open their eyes, and to turn 
 them from darkness to light, and from the power of Satan 
 unto God, that they may receive forgiveness of sins, and 
 inheritance among them which are sanctified by faith that 
 
 19 is in me. Whereupon, O king Agrippa, I was not dis- 
 
 20 obedient unto the heavenly vision : but shewed first unto 
 them of Damascus, and at Jerusalem, and throughout all 
 the coasts of Judsea, and then to the Gentiles, that they 
 should repent and turn to God, and do works meet for 
 
 21 repentance. For these causes the Jews caught me in the 
 
 22 temple, and went about to kill me. Having therefore 
 obtained help of God, I continue unto this day, witnessing 
 both to small and great, saying none other things than 
 those which the prophets and Moses did say should come : 
 
Acts xxvi. 1-23 289 
 
 23 that Christ should suffer, and that he should be the first 
 that should rise from the dead, and should shew light unto 
 the people, and to the Gentiles. 
 
 The defence which Paul made before King 
 Agrippa consisted mainly in a resume of his own 
 personal history and religious experience. Paul 
 points out that at one time he himself shared the 
 views which were held by his opponents, and 
 thought " that he ought to do many things con- 
 trary to the name of Jesus of Nazareth."^ He 
 then proceeds to show how his attitude had been 
 completely changed by the revelation which came 
 to him on the road to Damascus, recounting the 
 story of his conversion. This is the third account 
 of Paul's conversion which is given in the Acts, 
 the other two being in chaps, ix. and xxii. There 
 are some important points of difference between 
 the account here and that which Paul gives in 
 chap, xxii., the most striking perhaps being the 
 fact that here, in vers. I6-I8, Paul ascribes to 
 Christ the message which in xxii. 14 he puts into 
 the mouth of Ananias. 
 
 2. I think myself happy. Paul recognises 
 that in speaking before Agrippa he is defending 
 himself before one who is acquainted with Jewish 
 thought and customs, and arguments which would 
 be quite unintelligible to the mind of a Roman 
 procurator will carry weight with Agrippa. Paul's 
 difficulty with Festus had been, that Festus lived 
 in one world and he himself lived in quite another. 
 Festus could not appreciate the problems and 
 aspirations of the Jews. Agrippa, being a Jew 
 himself, would be able at any rate to understand 
 Paul's position. 
 
 4. among mine own nation at Jerusalem. 
 19 
 
290 Westminster New Testament 
 
 The R.V. makes an important alteration here by 
 inserting the word "and" before "at Jerusalem." 
 The A.V. implies that Paul lived at Jerusalem 
 from his earliest youth. In the R.V., on the other 
 hand, the phrase "among my own nation" refers 
 to the Jews at Tarsus. With the A.V., we have to 
 suppose that Paul was brought to Jerusalem in 
 infancy. The R.V. shows that his youth was spent 
 at Tarsus. 
 
 5. most Straitest sect. The double super- 
 lative here is unwarranted by the Greek. R.V. 
 therefore omits "most." The Pharisees were the 
 most punctilious and exacting school of thought 
 amongst the Jews. 
 
 6. I stand and am judged. " The real ground 
 of opposition to me/' says Paul, " is that I am a 
 believer in the promises of the prophets. I am 
 convinced that the prophets spoke the truth when 
 they foretold the advent of a Messiah, and I believe 
 that their predictions have been realised in Jesus 
 of Nazareth." 
 
 7. our twelve tribes. The Jews constantly 
 spoke of themselves as "the twelve tribes": cf. 
 Jas. i. 1 ; 1 Pet. i. 1. 
 
 I am accused of the Jews. The phrase " of 
 the Jews " is emphatic in this verse. " The Jews," 
 argues Paul, " are the last people in the world who 
 ought to attack me for believing in the prophets, 
 and yet they are the first to bring the accusation 
 against me." 
 
 10. Which things I also did in Jerusalem. 
 
 This statement is a proof that Paul was something 
 more than an interested spectator of the persecu- 
 tion. He was the organising genius of the attack 
 made upon the Christians. See ix. 2, xxii. 4. 
 
Acts xxvi. 1-23 291 
 
 when they were put to death. There were 
 other martyrdoms besides that of Stephen — unless 
 Paul is here exaggerating his guilt. 
 
 I gave my vote against them. These words 
 indicate that Paul was himself a member of the 
 Council or Sanhedrin of the Jews at Jerusalem, and 
 gave his vote in favour of the persecution. Some 
 scholars, however, think that the expression is used 
 figuratively, and simply denotes Paul's sympathy 
 with the persecution. The Greek word, however, 
 is too definite and precise to admit of this explana- 
 tion. 
 
 11. See notes on ix. 1 and xxii. 4>. 
 compelled them to blaspheme. R.V.," I strove 
 
 to make them blaspheme." The Greek phrase 
 does not indicate that Paul's efforts succeeded. 
 
 12, 13. See notes on ix. 3-5 and xxii. 6-8. 
 
 14. it is hard for thee to kick, etc. This is 
 the only one of the three accounts where the best 
 MSS. give these words. In ix. 5 they are a later 
 insertion. The phrase implies that Paul had for 
 some time been struggling against the goads. 
 The Divine intervention at Damascus does not 
 represent an isolated event in Paul's experience. 
 It is rather the culminating point in God's dealings 
 with him. God had been calling Saul in various 
 ways, but Saul had hitherto been deaf to His voice. 
 The energy with which he had thrown himself into 
 the work of persecution probably only represents 
 a last effort to stifle conscience. We gain some 
 indication as to the character of the goads in the 
 great autobiographical passage in Rom. vii. 7-25. 
 In the moral crisis of his life Paul found the Jewish 
 Law incapable of satisfying the deepest needs of his 
 soul. It convinced him of sin, it held up an ideal. 
 
292 Westminster New Testament 
 
 but it failed to supply the dynamic necessary for con- 
 quest and attainment. It left him in the anguish of 
 despair, crying out in agony of soul, " O wretched 
 man that I am ! who shall deliver me from the body 
 of this death ? " There can be little doubt that this 
 moral struggle prepared the way for his conversion. 
 
 16. for I have appeared unto thee. The 
 commission, which is represented here as having 
 been given to Paul by Christ, in the other two 
 accounts is put into the mouth of Ananias. Paul 
 is probably modifying the story in the present 
 passage in the interests of his hearers, but this 
 should warn us against laying too much stress on 
 the details given in any of the accomits. 
 
 18. The phrases used in this verse are character- 
 istic of Paul's own literary style. It is quite clear 
 that he is describing the vision in his own words, 
 and we must not therefore regard the language 
 as representing the verba ipsissi7na of a Divine 
 communication. 
 
 20. Here again there is an abbreviation. Between 
 Paul's work at Damascus and his visit to Jerusalem 
 there is an interval of three years ; see n. on ix. 23. 
 
 throughout all the coasts of Judaea. This 
 statement has no support in the other narratives, 
 and seems to be in direct contradiction to Gal. i. 22, 
 Avhere Paul says, " I was unknown by face to the 
 churches of Judaea." Many scholars regard the 
 words as a later interpolation, and the variations in 
 the MSB. afford some slight support to the theory. 
 
 23. The R.V. makes several important changes in 
 this verse : " how that the Christ must suffer, and 
 how that he first by the resurrection of the dead 
 should proclaim light," etc. The meaning is : " The 
 prophets foretold that the Messiah would be a 
 
Acts xxvi. 24-32 293 
 
 sufferer, and would prove by the fact that he rose 
 from the dead that he was qualified to bring light 
 to the world." For the importance that Paul 
 attached to the Resurrection as proving the Divine 
 mission of Christ, compare the speech at Antioch in 
 Pisidia (chap. xiii. ; see especially n. on xiii. 33). 
 
 PAUL BEFORE KING AGRlPPA—{con/imfed). 
 
 III. The Effect of Paul's Defence 
 (Acts xxvi. 24-32). 
 
 24 And as he thus spake for himself, Festus said with a loud 
 voice, Paul, thou art beside thyself; much learning doth 
 
 25 make thee mad. But he said, I am not mad, most noble 
 Festus ; but speak forth the words of truth and soberness. 
 
 26 For the king knoweth of these things, before whom also I 
 speak freely : for I am persuaded that none of these things 
 are hidden from him ; for this thing was not done in a 
 
 27 corner. King Agrippa, believest thou the prophets? I 
 
 28 know that thou believest. Then Agrippa said unto Paul, 
 
 29 Almost thou persuadest me to be a Christian. And Paul 
 said, I would to God, that not only thou, but also all that 
 hear me this day, were both almost, and altogether such 
 
 30 as I am, except these bonds. And when he had thus 
 spoken, the king rose up, and the governor, and Bernice, 
 
 31 and they that sat with them : and when they were gone 
 aside, they talked between themselves, saying, This man 
 
 32 doeth nothing worthy of death or of bonds. Then said 
 Agrippa unto Festus, This man might have been set at 
 liberty, if he had not appealed unto Ciesar. 
 
 Paul's defence produced different effects on the 
 minds of Festus and Agrippa. Festus regarded 
 him as mad. There was very little in his address 
 
294 Westminster New Testament 
 
 that the Procurator could understand. Paul seemed 
 to him an eccentric fanatic talking nonsense. 
 Agrippa^ on the other hand, understood Paul, and 
 seems to have been impressed by his moral 
 earnestness. Both agreed, however, that he was 
 no criminal, and might have been acquitted but 
 for his appeal to Caesar. 
 
 24. much learning doth make thee mad. 
 R.V., '^^thy much learning doth turn thee to 
 madness." Festus, who seems to have been a 
 good example of the cool, level-headed, practical 
 Roman, thought that Paul's learning had 
 destroyed his common sense and that religious 
 excitement had unhinged his mind. 
 
 26. Paul turns from Festus to Agrippa, and 
 appeals to the latter's knowledge of the facts. He 
 feels that it is hopeless to attempt to make Festus 
 believe in the Resurrection of Christ. But Agrippa 
 is different. He was acquainted with what had 
 happened in Jerusalem. He must have heard the 
 story of Christ's Crucifixion and Resurrection. He 
 believed, too, in the prophets, and they were on 
 Paul's side. 
 
 28. Almost thou persuadest me, etc. It is 
 not easy to determine the exact force and signifi- 
 cance of Agrippa' s remark. One thing, however, 
 is quite clear: the translation of the A.V. is ab- 
 solutely wrong. The words rendered " almost " 
 cannot have that meaning, but must be translated 
 ^^with Httle trouble." The best MSS., too, read 
 'Ho make," instead of "to become," a Christian. 
 The R.V. translates, "With but little persuasion 
 thou wouldest fain make me a Christian," and this 
 is probably the most accurate interpretation of the 
 Text. The import of the passage seems to be as 
 
Acts xxvi. 24-32 295 
 
 follows : — Paul is attempting to cross-examine 
 Agrippa and extract an admission from him which 
 would have been damaging to his opponent. " Do 
 you believe the prophets ? " he asks. " I know you 
 do." If Agrippa had assented, Paul would have 
 at once proceeded to build up an argument to 
 prove that belief in the prophets involved the ac- 
 ceptance of Jesus as Messiah. Agrippa saw through 
 the design^ and at once parried the question and 
 stopped the argument. "You are making a mis- 
 take/' he says to Paul^ "in supposing that it will 
 only need a little persuasion to make me a 
 Christian. I am not to be convinced by any 
 * short argument' of yours." 
 
 29. both almost and altogether. The change 
 in the translation of ver. 28 necessitates an altera- 
 tion here. The R.V. renders, " that whether with 
 little or with much, not thou only, but all that 
 hear me this day, might become such as I am." 
 " Whether by little persuasion or much," says Paul, 
 " whether by short argument or by long, I would to 
 God that I could convince you and all my hearers 
 of the truth of my belief." 
 
 30. when he had thus spoken. This phrase 
 is omitted in the R.V. 
 
 32. This man might have been set at 
 liberty. Agrippa, looking at the matter from the 
 Jewish standpoint, confirms the opinion of the 
 Roman procurator that from a legal point of view 
 there was no case against Paul. Roman and 
 Jewish law, therefore, were at one in declaring 
 Paul's innocence. 
 
296 Westminster New Testament 
 
 Acts xxvii. i-xxviii. 16. 
 
 PAUL'S VOYAGE TO ROME. 
 
 I. The First Stage of the Voyage (Acts xxvii. 1-8). 
 
 And when it was determined that we should sail into Italy, 
 they delivered Paul and certain other prisoners unto one 
 
 2 named Julius, a centurion of x\ugustus' band. And enter- 
 ing into a ship of Adramyttium, we launched, meaning to 
 sail by the coasts of Asia ; one Aristarchus, a Macedonian 
 
 3 of Thessalonica, being with us. And the next day we 
 touched at Sidon. And Julius courteously entreated Paul, 
 and gave him liberty to go unto his friends to refresh him- 
 
 4 self. And when we had launched from thence, we sailed 
 
 5 under Cyprus, because the winds were contrar}'. And 
 when we had sailed over the sea of Cilicia and Pamphylia 
 
 6 we came to Myra, a city of Lycia. And there the cen- 
 turion found a ship of Alexandria sailing into Italy ; and 
 
 7 he put us therein. And when we had sailed slowly many 
 days, and scarce were come over against Cnidus, the wind 
 not suffering us, we sailed under Crete, over against 
 
 8 Salmone ; and, hardly passing it, came unto a place 
 which is called The fair havens ; nigh whereunto was the 
 city of Lasea. 
 
 Under the escort of a centurion named Julius^ 
 Paul in company with some other prisoners com- 
 menced his eventful voyage to Rome on a coasting 
 vessel which conveyed the travellers from Caesarea 
 to Myra. At Myra the party changed vessels and 
 took a ship which was bound for Italy. With some 
 difficulty they reached Fair Havens, in the south of 
 Crete. 
 
 1. of Augustus' band. R.V., '-of the Augustan 
 band." The exact meaning of the phrase '• Augustan 
 band " is difficult to determine. It may have been 
 
Acts xxvii. 1-8 297 
 
 a cohort which had received the title " Augustan " 
 or "Imperial" for some achievement in war. Sir 
 W. Ramsay thinks that the name is a popular title 
 for a particular cohort specially detached for Im- 
 perial service. 
 
 2. a ship of Adramyttium. Probably a coast- 
 ing vessel, trading between Adramyttium and 
 Caesarea. Adramyttium was a seaport in Mysia, 
 opposite to the island of Lesbos. The vessel was 
 returning home for the winter. 
 
 Aristarchus. See n. on xix. 29. Cp. xx. 4. 
 
 3. Sidon. See n. on xi. 20. 
 
 courteously entreated Paul. R.V., " treated 
 
 Paul kindly." 
 
 4. we sailed under Cyprus. R.V., "we 
 sailed under the lee of Cyprus/' i.e., between Cyprus 
 and the mainland, to escape the force of the wind. 
 
 5. sea of Cilicia and Pamphylia. Literally, 
 
 as in the R.V., "the sea which is off Cilicia 
 and Pamphylia." For Cilicia see vi. 9^ and for 
 Pamphylia xiii. 13. 
 
 Myra. A port on the south of Lycia, at the 
 mouth of the river Andriacus. 
 
 6. found a ship. At Myra the party had what 
 seemed to be the good fortune to find a vessel, 
 probably a corn-ship, from Alexandria bound direct 
 for Italy. Otherwise they would have been bound 
 to continue the coasting voyage and join the Via 
 f2gnatia, in the north of Greece, whence they could 
 proceed overland to Rome. 
 
 7. Cnidus. The extreme south-west point of 
 Asia Minor. Owing to the wind, the ship had been 
 compelled to hug the coast from Myra to Cnidus, 
 instead of steering a straight course for Cythera, 
 the island on the south of Greece. 
 
298 Westminster New Testament 
 we sailed under Crete. R.V., ^^ under the lee 
 
 of Crete." The dh'ect course would have been 
 considerably north of Crete. The unfavourable 
 wind, however, compelled the ship to sail round 
 Crete. 
 
 Salmone. The cape at the N.E. extremity of 
 Crete. 
 
 8. and hardly passing it. R.V., " with diffi- 
 culty coasting along it." 
 
 Fair Havens. A harbour on the south of Crete, 
 four or five miles east of Cape Matala. 
 
 Lasea. Ruins of a city have been discovered 
 four miles east of Fair Havens, which are generally 
 identified with Lasea. The city is otherwise com- 
 pletely unknown to us. 
 
 PAUL'S VOYAGE TO ROMR— {continued). 
 
 II. The Storm at Sea (Acts xxvii. 9-26). 
 
 9 Now when much time was spent, and when sailing was 
 now dangerous, because the fast was now already past, 
 
 10 Paul admonished them, and said unto them. Sirs, I 
 perceive that this voyage will be with hurt and much 
 damage, not only of the lading and ship, but also of 
 
 1 1 our lives. Nevertheless the centurion believed the master 
 and the owner of the ship, more than those things 
 
 12 which were spoken by Paul. And because the haven was 
 not commodious to winter in, the more part advised to 
 depart thence also, if by any means they might attain to 
 Phenice, and there to winter ; which is an haven of Crete, 
 
 13 and lieth toward the south west and north west. And 
 when the south wind blew softly, supposing that they had 
 obtained their purpose, loosing thence, they sailed close 
 
Acts xxvii. 9-26 299 
 
 14 by Crete. But not long after there arose against it a 
 
 15 tempestuous wind, called Euroclydon. And when the 
 ship was caught, and could not bear up into the wind, we 
 
 16 let her drive. And rimning under a certain island which 
 is called Clauda, we had much work to come by the boat : 
 
 17 which when they had taken up, they used helps, under- 
 girding the ship ; and, fearing lest they should fall into the 
 
 18 quicksands, strake sail, and so were driven. And we 
 being exceedingly tossed with a tempest, the next day they 
 
 19 lightened the ship'; and the third day we cast out with 
 
 20 our own hands the tackling of the ship. And when 
 neither sun nor stars in many days appeared, and no small 
 tempest lay on us, all hope that we should be saved was 
 
 21 then taken away. But after long abstinence Paul stood 
 forth in the midst of them, and said, Sirs, ye should have 
 hearkened unto me, and not have loosed from Crete, and 
 
 22 to have gained this harm and loss. And now I exhort you 
 to be of good cheer ; for there shall be no loss of any man's 
 
 23 life among you, but of the ship. For there stood by me 
 this night the angel of God, whose I am, and whom I 
 
 24 serve, saying, Fear not, Paul ; thou must be brought 
 before Csesar : and, lo, God hath given thee all them that 
 
 25 sail with thee. Wherefore, sirs, be of good cheer : for I 
 
 26 believe God, that it shall be even as it was told me. How- 
 beit we must be cast upon a certain island. 
 
 The ship was delayed for some time at Fair 
 Havens by unfavourable winds, and Paul advised 
 the centurion to let the prisoners remain there till 
 the spring. The captain was anxious, however, to 
 proceed a little farther. There was no chance now 
 of getting to Italy before winter set in, but he 
 proposed to make for the harbour of Phoenix, in 
 the S.W. of Crete. The centurion was persuaded 
 to accompany the ship to its winter quarters. Soon 
 after starting a terrible storm arose, and the ship 
 
300 Westminster New Testament 
 
 was driven out of its course. The storm lasted for 
 the greater part of a fortnight. The ship was in 
 the gravest perils and it became necessary to jettison 
 the cargo. Paul constantly encouraged the sailors^ 
 assuring them that they would get safely to land 
 without the loss of a single life. 
 
 9. much time was spent. I.e., in waiting for a 
 favourable wind. 
 
 the fast was . . . past. The fast is the Day 
 of Atonement, which was kept on the tenth of Tisri 
 (towards the end of September or the beginning 
 of October). Navigation in ancient times ceased 
 about this date for the winter. 
 
 12. toward the south west and north west. 
 
 R.V., "looking north-east and south-east." The 
 ground upon which the change is made is as follows : 
 The original reads, " looking down the south-west 
 wind and down the north-west wind." To "look 
 down a wind "is to look in the direction towards 
 which it blows. A south-west wind blows in a 
 north-easterly direction, and a north-west wind in a 
 south-easterly. Hence the change. If the R.V. is 
 right, Phoenice (R.V., "Phoenix") must be identified 
 with the modern Lutro. Many scholars, however, 
 think that the A.V. is more correct, and that the 
 original Greek does not mean "looking down in 
 the direction of the wind," but facing the wind. 
 In this case, the place indicated must be identified 
 with the modern Phineka. The similarity in the 
 names is a strong argument in favour of this view. 
 
 13. loosing thence. I.e., from Fair Havens. 
 close by Crete. R.V., "sailed along Crete, 
 
 close in shore." 
 
 14. Euroclydon. R.V., "Euraquilo." The 
 name given to the north-east wind. " Euroclydon " 
 
Acts xxvii. 9-26 301 
 
 may possibly be a popular corruption for the more 
 accurate " Euraquilo." 
 
 16. running under a certain island. R.V., 
 " rimning under the lee of a certain island." 
 
 Clauda. R.V., "Cauda." A small island S.W. 
 of Crete. 
 
 to come by the boat. R.V._, " to secure the 
 boat." The small boat was towed from the stern 
 of the ship. Owing to the severity of the storm, 
 it was in danger of being washed away. 
 
 17. they used helps, /.e., strong cables which 
 were used to " undergird " the ship. They were 
 passed round the hull and tied firmly to prevent 
 the timbers from parting. 
 
 should fall into the quicksands. R.V., "be 
 cast upon the Syrtis." " Syrtis " is the name given 
 to the quicksands on the N.E. of Africa. 
 
 Strake sail. R.V., "lowered the gear." 
 
 18. they lightened the ship. R.V., "they 
 began to throw the freight overboard." 
 
 19. we cast out. The best MSS. read, " they 
 cast out." 
 
 the tackling. The furniture and fittings of the 
 vessel — all the tackle not actually in use at the 
 time. 
 
 23. the angel of God. R.V., "an angel of God." 
 Though we need not press this phrase, it is certain 
 that Paul must have received a Divine assurance 
 which convinced him that the storm would not be 
 attended with loss of life. 
 
302 Westminster New Testament 
 
 THE VOYAGE TO KOm^—iconttnuecf). 
 III. The Shipwreck (Acts xxvii. 27-4<4). 
 
 27 But when the fourteenth night was come, as we were 
 driven up and down in Adria, about midnight the shipmen 
 
 28 deemed that they drew near to some country ; and 
 sounded, and found it twenty fathoms : and when they 
 had gone a little further, they sounded again, and found it 
 
 29 fifteen fathoms. Then fearing lest we should have fallen 
 upon rocks, they cast four anchors out of the stern, and 
 
 30 wished for the day. And as the shipmen were about to 
 flee out of the ship, when they had let down the boat into 
 the sea, under colour as though they would have cast 
 
 31 anchors out of the foreship, Paul said to the centurion 
 and to the soldiers. Except these abide in the ship, ye 
 
 32 cannot be saved. Then the soldiers cut off the ropes of the 
 
 33 boat, and let her fall off. And while the day was coming 
 on, Paul besought them all to take meat, saying. This day 
 is the fourteenth day that ye have tarried and continued 
 
 34 fasting, having taken nothing. Wherefore I pray you 
 to take some meat ; for this is for your health : for there 
 
 35 shall not an hair fall from the head of any of you. And 
 when he had thus spoken, he took bread, and gave thanks 
 to God in presence of them all : and when he had broken 
 
 36 it, he began to eat. Then were they all of good cheer, 
 
 37 and they also took some meat. And we were in all in 
 
 38 the ship two hundred threescore and sixteen souls. And 
 when they had eaten enough, they lightened the ship, and 
 
 39 cast out the wheat into the sea. And when it was day, 
 they knew not the land : but they discovered a certain 
 creek with a shore, into the which they were minded, if 
 
 40 it were possible, to thrust in the ship. And when they 
 had taken up the anchors, they committed themselves unto 
 the sea, and loosed the rudder bands, and hoised up the 
 
 41 mainsail to the wind, and made toward shore. And 
 
Acts xxvii. 27-44 303 
 
 falling into a place where two seas met, they ran the ship 
 aground : and the fore part stuck fast, and remained un- 
 moveable, but the hinder part was broken with the violence 
 
 42 of the waves. And the soldiers' counsel was to kill the 
 prisoners, lest any of them should swim out, and escape. 
 
 43 But the centurion, willing to save Paul, kept them from 
 their purpose ; and commanded that they which could 
 swim should cast themselves first into the sea, and get to 
 
 44 land : and the rest, some on boards, and some on broken 
 pieces of the ship. And so it came to pass, that they 
 escaped all safe to land. 
 
 On the fourteenth night of the voyage there 
 were signs that the ship was approaching land. 
 The vessel was ^^hove to," and the sailors made 
 an attempt to escape in the small boat. Their 
 plan, however, was thwarted by the vigilance 
 of Paul. The narrative throws a brilliant light 
 on the commanding personality of the Apostle. 
 Prisoner though he was, he virtually assumed the 
 command of the ship, and it was mainly due to his 
 foresight that the safety of the passengers was 
 assured. When morning came, the ship was run 
 ashore. It was smashed in the process, but all who 
 were on board got safely to land. 
 
 27. up and down in Adria. R.V., " in the sea 
 of Adria." The " Sea of Adria " is the name given 
 to that part of the Mediterranean which lay between 
 Italy, Greece, and Africa. 
 
 29. lest we should have fallen upon rocks. 
 R.V., ^^ should be cast ashore on rocky ground." 
 
 30. as the shipmen were about to flee. 
 
 R.V., "as the sailors were seeking to flee." 
 
 SS. Paul besought them, etc. A fine illustra- 
 tion of Paul's practical common sense. The Divine 
 promise did not exonerate the sailors from taking 
 
304 Westminster New Testament 
 
 all due precaution and using all human means to 
 ensure safety. Paul urges them to take food, lest 
 when the critical moment arrived they should be 
 too weak and enfeebled to grasp the opportunity. 
 
 37. two hundred threescore, etc. The 
 figure here given — 276 — seems far too large for 
 an ancient merchant-ship. Some MSS. put the 
 number at 76 — a much more reasonable estimate. 
 
 39. The R.V. contains some important points of 
 difference in its rendering of this verse : " but they 
 perceived a certain bay with a beach, and they 
 took counsel whether they could drive the ship 
 upon it." 
 
 40. they committed themselves unto the 
 sea. A mistranslation. The R.V. rightly renders, 
 " And casting off the anchors, they left them in 
 the sea," 
 
 loosed the rudder bands. The rudder 
 of an ancient ship consisted of a large flat oar 
 which was either fastened to or passed through an 
 aperture in the stern. In large vessels there were 
 two rudders, as in the present case, attached to 
 both sides of the stern. When the vessel had 
 cast anchor, the rudders were raised out of the 
 water and lashed to the stern. It was necessary, 
 therefore, to untie the ropes and let them down 
 into the water, before they could steer again. 
 
 the mainsail. The Greek word used here 
 means not "mainsail" but "foresail," so R.V. 
 
 41. a place where two seas met. The scene 
 of the shipwreck is generally located in what is 
 now called " St. Paul's Bay," which is situated on 
 the N.W. of Valetta, the capital of Malta. On the 
 west of the bay there is a small island, called 
 Salmonetta, separated from the mainland by a 
 
Acts xxviii. I- 10 305 
 
 narrow channel. It is generally assumed that this 
 channel is '' the meeting of the two seas " men- 
 tioned here. 
 
 the hinder part was broken. R.V., "the 
 stern began to break up by the violence of the 
 waves." 
 
 THE VOYAGE TO ROmR—{contmuei{). 
 IV. Paul at Malta (Acts xxviii. 1-10). 
 
 And when they were escaped, then they knew that the 
 
 2 island was called Melita. And the barbarous people 
 shewed us no little kindness : for they kindled a fire, and 
 received us every one, because of the present rain, and 
 
 3 because of the cold. And when Paul had gathered a 
 bundle of sticks, and laid them on the fire, there came 
 
 4 a viper out of the heat, and fastened on his hand. And 
 when the barbarians saw the venomous beast hang on his 
 hand, they said among themselves, No doubt this man is a 
 murderer, whom, though he hath escaped the sea, yet venge- 
 
 5 ance suffereth not to live. And he shook off the beast into 
 
 6 the fire, and felt no harm. Howbeit they looked when he 
 should have swollen, or fallen down dead suddenly : but 
 after they had looked a great while, and saw no harm 
 come to him, they changed their minds, and said that he 
 
 7 was a god. In the same quarters were possessions of the 
 chief man of the island, whose name was Publius ; who 
 
 8 received us, and lodged us three days courteously. And 
 it came to pass, that the father of Publius lay sick oi a 
 fever and of a bloody flux : to whom Paul entered in, anci 
 
 9 prayed, and laid his hands on him, and healed him. So 
 when this was done, others also, which had diseases in the 
 
 10 island, came, and were healed : who also honoured us 
 with many honours ; and when we departed, they laded 
 us with such things as were necessary. 
 20 
 
3o6 Westminster New Testament 
 
 The shipwrecked company were kindly received 
 by the natives of Malta^ who ministered to their 
 needs. The governor of the island, Publius, gave 
 them food and lodging for three days, and made 
 arrangements for them to spend the winter in 
 Malta. The naiTative contains two apparently 
 miraculous incidents : (l) Paul's escape from the 
 viper (vers. 4-6) ; (2) the healing of Publius' 
 father (ver. 8). 
 
 1. was called Melita. The ancient equivalent 
 for the modern Malta. 
 
 2. the barbarous people. The Greeks be- 
 stowed the name '^'^ barbarian " upon all who did 
 not use the Greek language. The phrase used 
 here does not therefore indicate that the inhabit- 
 ants of Malta were savages. It simply refers to 
 the fact that their language was Phoenician, and not 
 Greek. 
 
 3. out of the heat. R.V., " by reason of the 
 heat." 
 
 4. the venomous beast. There is no word 
 for '^^ venomous " in the original. Its addition is an 
 unwarranted attempt on the part of the translators 
 to heighten the eifect of the story. 
 
 vengeance suffereth not to live. R.V., more 
 correctl}^, '' Justice hath not suffered to live." The 
 abstract term is here personified. 
 
 6. The R.V. is a truer rendering of the Greek, 
 and makes better English : '' But they expected 
 that he would have swollen, or fallen down dead." 
 
 said he was a god. Compare the action of the 
 people of Lystra (xiv. 11). 
 
 7. In the same quarters. R.V.," in the neigh- 
 bourhood of that place." 
 
 chief man of the island. Another illustration 
 
Acts xxviii. 11-16 307 
 
 of the accuracy of Luke. Inscriptions which have 
 been discovered in Malta prove that the governor 
 of the island bore the title of " chief man." 
 
 8. The R.V. renders "^ sick of fever and dysentery." 
 The technical terms used to describe the illness 
 imply that the writer of Acts was acquainted with 
 medicine. See iii. 7. 
 
 10. honours. Tokens of respect — gifts of money 
 and other presents over and above the necessaries 
 mentioned in the next clause. 
 
 THE VOYAGE TO ROME-(^^;///«//^^. 
 
 V. The Journey from Malta to Rome 
 (Acts xxviii. 11-16). 
 
 11 And after three months we departed in a ship of Alex- 
 andria, which had wintered in the isle, whose sign was 
 
 12 Castor and Pollux. And landing at Syracuse, we tarried 
 
 13 there three days. And from thence we fetched a compass, 
 and came to Rhegium : and after one day the south wind 
 
 14 blew, and we came the next day to Puteoli : where we 
 found brethren, and were desired to tarry with them seven 
 
 1 5 days : and so we went toward Rome. An^, from thence, 
 when the brethren heard of us, they came to meet us as far 
 as Appii forum, and The three taverns : whom when Paul 
 
 16 saw, he thanked God, and took courage. And when 
 we came to Rome, the centurion delivered the prisoners 
 to the captain of the guard : but Paul was suffered to dwell 
 by himself with a soldier that kept him. 
 
 After remaining three months in Malta, the 
 prisoners were embarked on an Alexandrian ship, 
 and sailed for Italy. They touched at Syracuse 
 and Rhegium, and finally landed at Puteoli, from 
 
3o8 Westminster New Testament 
 
 which port they journeyed by road to Rome — a 
 distance of 140 miles. The Christians of the 
 Roman Church hearing of Paul's arrival^ sent some 
 of their number to Appii forum (a distance of 40 
 miles from Rome) to welcome the Apostle and 
 conduct him to the city. 
 
 11. after three months. Probably about 
 February^ M'hen navigation commenced again after 
 the winter. 
 
 whose sign was Castor and Pollux. R.V., 
 " whose sign was The Twin Brothers." The name 
 of the ship was "The Twin Brothers" : the A.V. is 
 an explanation rather than a translation of the 
 Greek. " The Twin Brothers " were Castor and 
 Pollux^ the two sons of Jupiter, who afterwards 
 gave their names to the femous constellation^ and 
 were regarded as the tutelary deities of sailors. 
 
 12. landing ("R.V. touching") at Syracuse. 
 Syracuse was one of the principal towns in Sicily, 
 and was situated on the eastern coast of the 
 island. It was a port of call for corn-ships trading 
 between Rome and Alexandria. 
 
 13. we fet a compass. R.V., " made a circuit ; " 
 i.e., took a circuitous route because the wind was 
 unfavourable. There is another reading in the 
 original which has strong support and is preferred 
 by many scholars : " we cast loose/' i.e., weighed 
 anchor. The word "fet" in the A.V. is an Old 
 English contraction for "fetched." 
 
 Rhegium. The modern Reggio, situated at the 
 southern point of Italy, on the Straits of Messina. 
 
 Puteoli. The port of Rome, situated on the 
 north of the Bay of Naples. The distance between 
 Rhegium and Puteoli was about 180 miles. 
 
 14. we found brethren. There was obviously 
 
Acts xxviii. 11-16 309 
 
 a Christian Church at Puteoli — though in what 
 way it originated, we cannot tell. The story of 
 the planting of Christianity in Italy is one of 
 those secrets of history which will probably never 
 be revealed. 
 
 to tarry . . . seven days. Paul had evidently 
 obtained such an influence over the centurion that 
 he seems to have readily fallen in with the pro- 
 posal, and allowed his prisoner to stay for a week 
 at Puteoli and hold intercourse with his fellow- 
 Christians in the town. 
 
 and so we went toward Rome. R.V., "and 
 
 so we came to Rome." In his hurry to reach his 
 climax, Luke conveys his hero to Rome. In the 
 following verse, however, he returns to the journey, 
 and records the incident of the welcome given to 
 Paul by the Roman Christians at Appii forum. 
 
 15. from thence. I.e., from Puteoli. 
 
 as far as Appii forum. R.V., "the Market of 
 Appius." Appii forum was a town situated on the 
 famous Appian Way, about 40 miles from Rome. It 
 owed its name to its founder, "Appius." 
 
 The Three Taverns. The name of a halting- 
 stage on the Appian Way, about 10 miles from 
 Appii forum, and 30 from Rome. The name 
 "Tavern" is used in a wider sense than the 
 English word. It denotes any kind of shop, and 
 not merely a place of refreshment. 
 
 16. The words "the centurion delivered the 
 prisoners to the captain of the guard " are omitted 
 in the R.V. 
 
310 Westminster New Testament 
 
 Acts xxviii. 17-31. 
 PAUL AT ROME. 
 
 17 And it came to pass, that after three days Paul called the 
 chief of the Jews together : and when they were come 
 together, he said unto them, Men and brethren, though I 
 have committed nothing against the people, or customs of 
 our fathers, yet was I delivered prisoner from Jerusalem 
 
 18 into the hands of the Romans. Who, when they had 
 examined me, would have let me go, because there was no 
 
 19 cause of death in me. But when the Jews spake against 
 it, I was constrained to appeal unto Caesar ; not that I had 
 
 20 ought to accuse my nation of. For this cause therefore 
 have I called for you, to see you, and to speak with you : 
 because that for the hope of Israel I am bound with this 
 
 21 chain. And they said unto him, We neither received 
 letters out of Judaea concerning thee, neither any of the 
 brethren that came shewed or spake any harm of thee. 
 
 22 But we desire to hear of thee what thou thinkest : for as 
 concerning this sect, we know that every where it is 
 
 23 spoken against. And when they had appointed him a day, 
 there came many to him into his lodging ; to whom he 
 expounded and testified the kingdom of God, persuading 
 them concerning Jesus, both out of the law of Moses, and 
 
 24 out of the prophets, from morning till evening. And 
 some believed the things which were spoken, and some 
 
 25 believed not. And when they agreed not among them- 
 selves, they departed, after that Paul had spoken one 
 word. Well spake the Holy Ghost by Esaias the prophet 
 
 26 unto our fathers, saying, Go unto this people, and say. 
 Hearing ye shall hear, and shall not understand ; and 
 
 27 seeing ye shall see, and not perceive : for the heart of this 
 people is waxed gross, and their ears are dull of hearing, 
 and their eyes have they closed ; lest they shoitld see with 
 their eyes, and hear with their ears, and understand with 
 
Acts xxviii. 17-31 311 
 
 their heart, and should be converted, and I should heal 
 
 28 them. Be it known therefore unto you, that the salvation 
 of God is sent unto the Gentiles, and that they will hear it. 
 
 29 And when he had said these words, the Jews departed, and 
 
 30 had great reasoning among themselves. And Paul dwelt 
 two whole years in his own hired house, and received all 
 
 31 that came in unto him, preaching the kingdom of God, 
 and teaching those things which concern the Lord Jesus 
 Christ, with all confidence, no man forbidding him. 
 
 The final paragraph of the book contains (1) 
 an account of Paul's appeal to the Jews in Rome 
 (vers. 17-29) ; (2) a short postscript describing Paul's 
 life at Rome (vers. 30^ 31). For a discussion of the 
 problem raised by the abrupt ending of the book, 
 see Introduction, pp. 12, 13. 
 
 17. called the chief of the Jews together. 
 
 Up to the very end, Paul was true to his principle 
 " to the Jews first," and not even the fierce 
 attacks which had been made upon him at 
 Jerusalem could deter him from seeking out his 
 brethren in Rome and submitting his case to them. 
 
 19. not that I had ought, etc. The magna- 
 nimity of Paul shines out prominently in this state- 
 ment. He disclaims altogether the idea that his 
 appeal to Caesar was a covert attack on his own 
 countrymen. 
 
 20. for the hope of Israel. The attack upon 
 
 him, Paul argues, v/as not caused by his disloyalty 
 to the Jewish religion, but rather by his fidelity to 
 it. It was because he believed in the promises 
 made to Israel that he had become a convert 
 to the Christian Faith. It was not because he 
 was a worse Jew than his kinsmen, but because 
 he was a better, that he had embraced Christianity. 
 bound with this chain. I.e., the chain which 
 
312 Westminster New Testament 
 
 bound Paul's wrist to the wrist of the Roman 
 soldier who always accompanied him. Cf. xxvi. 29 ; 
 Eph. vi. 20. 
 
 23. into his lodging. This may be "the 
 hired house" of ver. 30, or more probably a lodging 
 placed at Paul's disposal by his friends in Rome. 
 
 26, 27. This passage is taken from Isa. vi. 9. It 
 was quoted by Christ (Matt. xiii. 14 ; Mark iv. 12 ; 
 Luke viii. 10 ; compare John xii. 40). There is one 
 important variation from the original in Isaiah. 
 Instead of " for the heart of this people is waxed 
 gross/' Isaiah reads, " make the heart of this people 
 fat." Paul, like Christ (according to Matt. xiii. 14, 
 but not according to the other references), follow- 
 ing the Septuagint, softens down the harshness of 
 the original. As quoted by Paul, the phrase " lest 
 they should see with their eyes " is dependent upon 
 the statement '^ their eyes have they closed." 
 The spiritual blindness of the people is the result 
 of their own action, and not of the work of the 
 prophet, as in the Hebrew version of Isaiah. 
 
 28. the salvation of God, etc. R.V., "this 
 salvation of God." Luke gives here a final illustra- 
 tion of Israel's rejection of the message. It was 
 this rejection that justified the work amongst the 
 Gentiles. 
 
 30. two whole years. This is the only refer- 
 ence to the length of the time of Paul's residence 
 in Rome. It was during this period that he wrote 
 the Epistles to the Philippians, the Colossians, and 
 Philemon, which throw some light upon his work in 
 the Imperial city (see especially Phil. i. 12-20). 
 What happened at the end of the two years is 
 quite uncertain. Some scholars hold that Paul was 
 released for a time and continued his missionary 
 
Acts xxviii. 17-31 313 
 
 work, others that the trial resulted in his con- 
 demnation to death. 
 
 in his own hired house. An illustration of 
 the comparative freedom allowed to Paul during 
 the interval preceding his trial. Though he lived 
 in his own house, however, he was under the con- 
 stant surveillance of the soldiers who guarded him. 
 
 31. the Lord Jesus Christ. The only instance 
 in Acts where this full title is bestowed on Jesus, 
 though it is often found in the Pauline Epistles. 
 The origin of the phrase is probably as follows : — 
 Amongst the Jews Jesus was termed " the Christ " 
 (or "the Messiah") from the first. In the wider 
 Gentile world this title was unknown, and conse- 
 quently the term " Lord " was used as a substitute. 
 The two ideas were subsequently combined, and 
 the full phrase means "Jesus who is the Jews' 
 Messiah and the Gentiles' Lord." 
 
 no man forbidding him. A most emphatic 
 phrase. Acts was written probably at a time when 
 the Christians' right to propagate their faith was 
 being challenged and when persecution was being 
 threatened by the Empire. One of the objects 
 of Luke (see Introduction, pp. 6-8) was to defend 
 the rights of his fellow-Christians, by showing that 
 the Roman Empire had always in earlier times 
 protected them. He ends his book by the 
 triumphant statement that when Paul was brought 
 to Rome, though he was a prisoner, he was allowed 
 absolutely unimpeded liberty to proclaim his 
 message. 
 
INDEX 
 
 Abraham, 98, 99. 
 Acts, aim of, 5-12. 
 
 authorship, 2-5. 
 
 characteristics, 15-18. 
 
 chronology, 30, 31. 
 
 conchision, 12. 
 
 date, 12-15. 
 
 historical value, lS-25. 
 
 theology, 27-30. 
 Adoptionism, 28, 54, 143, 
 
 175- 
 Agabus, 154, 250. 
 Agrippa i. and ii. See 
 
 Herod. 
 Alexandria, 226. 
 Amphipolis, 210. 
 Ananias and Sapphira, 77- 
 
 79. 
 Ananias (of Damascus), 125, 
 
 126, 259, 292. 
 Ananias (High Priest), 265. 
 Angel, 17, 82, 108, 118, 
 
 161, 301. 
 Annas, 67, 123. 
 Antioch (Syria), 148-152. 
 Antioch (Pisidia), 173. 
 Antipatris, 272. 
 Antonia, 255. 
 Apollonia, 210. 
 Apollos, 227. 
 
 315 
 
 Appii Forum, 309. 
 
 Aquila, 220, 224. 
 
 Areopagus, 215. 
 
 Aristarchus, 236. 
 
 Ascension, the, 38. 
 
 Asia, 48, 202. 
 
 Asiarchs, 236. 
 
 Assassins, the, 256. 
 
 Assos, 241. 
 
 Athens, 214. 
 
 Atonement, the, 28, 32, 52, 
 
 63. 
 
 Augustan band, 296. 
 Augustus, 296. 
 
 Baptism, 259. 
 
 Baptism of John, 37, 227, 
 
 229. 
 Bar-jesus, 168. 
 Barnabas, 76, 131, 151, 152, 
 
 166, 198. 
 Beautiful gate, 58. 
 Bernice, 284. 
 Beroea, 212. 
 Bishops, 245. 
 Bithynia, 202. 
 Blastus, 163. 
 Breaking of bread, 55. 
 
 Csesar, appeal to, 283. 
 
3i6 
 
 Index 
 
 Csesarea, 121, 137, 249, 
 
 271. 
 Candace, 119. 
 Cappadocia, 48. 
 Captain of Temple, 66. 
 Castor and Pollux, 308. 
 Cenchrea, 224. 
 Christian (the name), 152. 
 Christology, 27-30, 28, 32, 
 
 52, 54, 63, 175. 
 Chronology, 30, 31. 
 Cilicia, 94, 199. 
 Citizenship, Roman, 262. 
 Claudius, 154. 
 Common Life, 54-57, T^- 
 
 76. 
 Conscience, 264. 
 Corinth, 220. 
 Cornelius, 136, 137, 142. 
 Council. See Sanhedrin. 
 Council of Jerusalem, 188- 
 
 191, 193. 
 Cyprus, 76, 150, 167. 
 
 Damascus, 123, 128. 
 Deacons, 89. 
 Deputy, 168. 
 Derbe, 186. 
 Diana, 237. 
 Diaspora, 10, 47. 
 Dorcas, 134. 
 Drusilla, 279. 
 
 Egyptian, the, 255. 
 Elders, 89, 155, 187, 244, 
 
 245- 
 Elymas, 169. 
 
 Ephesus, 21, 225, 228-238. 
 Epicureans, 214. 
 Erastus, 232. 
 
 Ethiopian eunuch, 118-121. 
 Euroclydon, 300. 
 Exorcism, 232. 
 
 Felix, 270-280. 
 
 Festus, 282, 285, 289, 294. 
 
 Gaius, 139. 
 
 Galatia, 201. 
 
 Galatians, Epistle to, 129, 
 
 135- 
 Gallio, 223. 
 Gamaliel, 84, 85. 
 Gaza, 119. 
 Gentiles, 25-27, 136, 148, 
 
 149, 189. 
 Grecians, 90, 91, 157. 
 
 Hellenists. See Grecians. 
 Herod Agrippa I., 157, 158, 
 
 162, 163. 
 Herod Agrippa 11,, 284, 289, 
 
 294. 
 Herod Antipas, 72, 165. 
 Holy Spirit, 29, 35, 45, 46, 
 
 68, 91, 116, 127, 144, 
 
 147, 166, 202, 227, 
 
 229. 
 
 Iconium, 181. 
 
 Inscriptions, 21, 169, 211, 
 
 235, 237, 307. 
 Italian band, 136. 
 
 James, brother of John, 158. 
 James, brother of the Lord, 
 
 161, 193- 
 Jerusalem, poverty, 75. 
 
 Paul's visits, 155. 
 John the Baptist, 37, 227, 
 
 229. 
 John Mark, 165, 168. 
 Joppa, 138. 
 Tosephus, 13, 58, 85-87, 
 
 162, 232, 255, 256. 
 Judas Barsabas, 197. 
 Judas Iscariot, 42, 43. 
 
Index 
 
 317 
 
 Judas of Galilee, 87. 
 Jupiter, 185. 
 
 Kingdom, the, 37. 
 
 Law, the, 96. 
 
 Laying on of |hands, 92, 
 
 116, 127, 166. 
 Libertines, 94. 
 "Lord Jesus Christ," 208, 
 
 313- 
 Lots, 44. 
 
 Luke, 4, 5, 15-18. 
 Lycaonia, 184. 
 Lydda, 133. 
 Lysias, Claudius, 254, 261, 
 
 264, 266, 269, 271. 
 Lystra, 183. 
 
 Macedonia, 203. 
 
 Magic, 82, 232. 
 
 Malta, 306. 
 
 Manaen, 165. 
 
 Mark, 165, 168. 
 
 Mary, 161. 
 
 Medical language, 5, 59, 
 
 307. 
 Mercury, 185. 
 Miletus, 242. 
 Miracles, 23, 24, 58, 81, 
 
 193, 232. 
 Mnason, 150, 250. 
 Moloch, 105. 
 Moses, 100-104. 
 
 Name, in the, 59. 
 Nicolas, 91. 
 
 Olivet, 40. 
 Organisation, 89. 
 
 Parousia, 28, 61. 
 Parthia, 48. 
 
 Paul, conversion of, 121- 
 124, 258-260, 289-292. 
 visits to Jerusalem, 155. 
 the name, 169. 
 speeches, 172, 183, 217, 
 
 243. 
 Christology, 175. 
 miracles, 23, 24, 232. 
 vow of, 224. 
 Pentecost, 45-47. 
 Peter, speeches, 42, 49-54, 
 59-64, 141-144, 191- 
 miracles, 57-59, 81, 132- 
 
 134. 
 vision, 138. 
 Pharisees, 85, 190, 267, 
 
 290. 
 Philip, 113, 118, 137, 249. 
 Philippi, 204. 
 Philo, 47. 
 Phoenicia, 150. 
 Phr>'gia, 48, 201. 
 Pilate, 73. 
 Pisidia, 173. 
 Predestination, 178. 
 Priests, 92. 
 Priscilla, 220. 
 Proconsul, 168. 
 Prophets, 153. 
 Provincial government, 20- 
 
 22, 168. 
 Publius, 306. 
 
 Quaternion, 159. 
 
 Remphan, 105. 
 Resurrection, 33, 35. 
 Roman Empire, 6-8. 
 
 Sadducees, 66, 82, 266. 
 Salamis, 167. 
 Samaria, 113. 
 
3i8 
 
 Index 
 
 Sanhedrin, d"], 82, 264. 
 
 Sapphira, 77-79. 
 
 Saron, 134. 
 
 Scribes, 267. 
 
 Seleucia, 167. 
 
 Sergius Paulus, 169. 
 
 Servant of God, 62, 64. 
 
 Seven, the, 89-92. 
 
 Silas, 199. 
 
 Simon Magus, 113, 114, 116. 
 
 Solomon's Porch, 61. 
 
 Son of Man, no. 
 
 Sopater, 239. 
 
 Sosthenes, 223. 
 
 Stephen, 26, 92, 93, 95-96, 
 
 102, 106, 109. 
 Stoics, 214. 
 Sychem, 100, 
 Synagogues, 94. 
 
 Tabitha, 134. 
 Tarsus, 131, 256. 
 
 Tertullus, 273, 276. 
 
 Thecla, 180. 
 
 Theophilus, 34. 
 
 Thessalonica, 210. 
 
 Theudas, 23, 85. 
 
 Three Taverns, 309. 
 
 Thyatira, 205. 
 
 Times of refreshing, 63. 
 
 Times of restitution, 64. 
 
 Timothy, 200. 
 
 Tongues, gift of, 45-47, I44» 
 
 229. 
 Trophimus, 239. 
 Tychicus. 239. 
 Tyrannus, 231. 
 
 Vows, 224, 252. 
 
 "Way, The," 123,231,259, 
 
 276, 279. 
 We-passages, 2-4, 154, 204. 
 Women, 179, 213. 
 
 Printed by Mokkjson & Gibb Li.Mii i:i>, Edinburgh 
 
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