6. As I made my journey. As I was on my journey. IT About noon. ch. xxvi. 13. " At mid-day." This circumstance ia omitted by Luke in his account in ch. ix. Paul mentions it, as being the more remarkable since it occurred at mid-day, to show that he was not deluded by any meteoric or natural appearances, which usually occur at night.
11 And when I could not set- foi the glory of that light, being led by the hand of them that wen- with me, I came into Damascus.
1 2 And one Ananias, ■ a devout man according to the law, haying a good b report of all the.lews which dwelt there,
13 Came unto me, and stood, and said unto me, Brother Saul, receive thy sight. And the same hour I looked up upon him.
14 And he said, The c God of our fathers hath chosen d thee, that
1 1. The glory of that light. The splendour, the intense brilliancy of the light. See this and its effects explained in the Note on ch. ix. 8.
14. Shouldest know his will. His will in the plan of salvation, and in regard to your future life. IT And see thai Jusl One. The Messiah. Note, ch. hi. It. As Paul was to be an apostle, and as it was the peculiar office of an apostle to bear witness to the person and deeds of the Lord Jesus (Note, ch. i. 21, 22.) it was necessary that he should see him, that thus he might be a competent witness of his resurrection. T Shouldest hear the voice of his mouth. Shouldst hear and obey his commands.
15. For thou shalt be his witness, &c. As an apostle to testify to all men that the Messiah has come; that he has died; that he has risen; and that he is the Saviour of the world. ^ Of what thou hast seen and heard. Of the remarkable proof which has been furnished you of the divine mission and character of the Lord Jesus.
16. And now why tarricst thou? Why dost thou delay, or wait any longer? These words are not recorded by Luke inch, ix., where he has given an account of the conversion of Paul: but there is nothing here contradictory to his statement. IT And wash away thy sins. Receive baptism, as an act expressive of ih ing away of sins. It cannot be intended that the external rite of baptism ficient to make the soul pure, but thai it was an ordinance divinely appointed as expressive of the washing away of SUM, or of purifying the heart. Con;;. 22 Sinners are represented in t!
sec ' thai Jus1 •'Our,;uid shouldest hear the voice i' of his mouth* 1 5 For thou " shalt be his « it. into all men, of what thou hast Been and heard.
Ill And now, why tarricst thou 1 arise, and be baptised, and away thy sins, calling J on th<
17 And i when 1 was come again to J lein, even while I prayed in the temple, I was in a trai
of the soul from this polluted in 1 Cor. vi. 11. Rev. L 6; vii. 14. I Ps. li. 2. 7. * Calling on t>i<- not Lord, for pardon and sanctificalion. Rom. x. 13, •■ Whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord shall [j was proper thai this calling on th< of the Lmi should be connect! d with tho ordinance of baptism. Thai ordinance was expressive or o purifying which the Lord onlv could produce. It is proper that the rite of baptism should be attend* ed with extraordinary j»r:i be who is to be baptised should I the occasion of peculiar and verj religious exercises. The external rite will avail nothing without the pardoning mercy of God.
17. When I wan come again to Jenuev lem. That is, three j version. See Gal. i. 17, 18 t 1 prayed in the temple. Paul, like the otha* converts to Christianity from Jews, would naturally i his devotions in the temple. We i with repeated insl ing to comply with the customs of the
18 And saw ° him saying- unto me, Make haste, and get thee quickly out of Jerusalem: for they will not receive thy testimony concerning me.
19 And I said, Lord, they iknow 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 c also
was standing by, and consenting* d unto las death, and kept the raiment of them that slew him.
21 And he said unto me, Depart: for e I will send thee far hence, unte the Gentiles.
22 And they gave him audience unto this word, and then lift up their voices, and said, Away with such a fellow from the earth: for f it is not fit that he should live.
him a direct command to go to the Gentiles. Paul had now stated the evidence of his conversion, which appears to have been satisfactory to them: at least they made no objection to his statement; he had shown by his being in the temple his respect for their institutions; and he now proceeds to show that in his other conduct he had been directed by the same high authority by which he had been called into the ministry, and that the command had been given to him in their own temple and in their own city
18. And saw him. Evidently the Lord Jesus, ver. 14. He had received his commission from him, and he now received a distinct command to go to the Gentiles. IT For they will not receive. The inhabitants of Jerusalem, probably including both Jews and Christians. The Jews would not listen to him, because he had become, in their view, an apostate, and they would hate and persecute him The Christians would not be likely to receive him. for they would remember his former persecutions, and would be suspicious of him, because he had been so long in Arabia, and had not sooner connected nimself with them. See Note on ch. ix. 26. '•' And when Saul was come to Jerusalem, he assayed to join himself to the disciples; but they were all afraid of him, and believed not that he was a disciple."
19. And 1 said, Lord. This shows that it was the Lord Jesus, whom Paul saw in a trance in the temple. The term Lord is usually applied to him in the Acts. Note, ch. i. 24. f They know. Christians know; and they will therefore be not likely to receive to their fellowship their former enemy and persecutor. H Beat in every synagogue. Beating, or scourging, was oftendone in the synagogue. See Note, Matt x. 17. Comp. Acts \>.vi. 11. It was customary for those who were converted to Christianity, still to meet with the Jews in their synagogues, and to join with them in their worship.
20. The Hood of thy martyr Stephen teas shed. See ch. vii. 53; viii. 1. IT jf was standing by. ch. vii. 58. T And consenting unto his death, ch. viii.!. 11 And kept the raiment. The outer robes or garments which were usually laid aside, when they engaged in running or labour- See ch. vii. 58. All this showed, that though Paul was not engaged in stoning Stephen, yet he was with them in spirit, and fully accorded with what they did. These circumstances are mentioned here by him, as reasons why he knew that he would not be received by Christians as one of their number, and why it was necessary, therefore, for him to turn to the gentile world.
21. And he said unto me, Depart. Because the Christians at Jerusalem would not receive him. IF Far hence. Paul travelled far in the heathen nations. A large part of his time in the ministry was spent in remote countries, and in the most distant regions then known. See Rom. xv. 19.
22. And they gave him audience. They heard him patiently. H Unto this word. The word Gentiles. IF Away with such a fellow. Greek, Take such a man from the earth; i. e. put him to death It is language of strong indignation and ah-? horrence. The reasons of their indignation were: not that thev supposed that the Genviles could not be brought into cover nant with God, for they would themselves compass sea and land to make one proselyte; but they were, (1.) That they believed that Paul taught that they might be saved without conforming to the law of Moses; and, (2.) His speech implied that the Jews were more hardened than the Gentiles, and that lie had a greater
23 And as they cried out, and cast oil* their clothes, and threw dust into the air,
0 1 The chief captain commanded him to be broughl into the castle, ami bade thai be should be examined by scourging; that be might know wherefore they cried so against him.
25 And as they hound him with thongs, Paul said unto the centurion that stood by, Is it lawful for
23. Coat off their clothes. Their outer garments. Probably they did it noti inlending to Stone him. ch. vii. 58. If And threw duet into the air. As ezpressh e of their abhorrence and indignation. This was a striking exhibition of rage and vindictive malice. Paul was guarded by Roman soldiers, so that they could net injure him; and their only way of expressing their wrath was by menaces and threats, and by these tokens of furious indignation. Thus Shimei expressed his indignation against David by enreing him, and throwing stones at him, and casting dust. 2 Sam. xvi. 13.
24. The castle. The tower of Antonia. fie would be there removed entirely from the wrath of the Jews. ^ Should be examined. 'Anrifrrdut. The word examine with us commonly means to inquire, to question, to searcn for, or to look carefully into a subject. The word here used is commonly applied to metals whose nature is tested, or examined by fire; and then it means to subject to torture or torments, in order to extort a confession, where persons were accused of" crime. It was often resorted to among the ancients. The usual mode has been by the rack, but various kinds of torment been invented in order to extort eooiee- Bions of guilt from those who wen- aecueed. The whole practice has been one of the most flagrant violations of just one of the foulest blots on human Datura In this case, the tribune Raw mat Paul was accused violently by the J> was ignorant of the Hebrew lat and had not probably understood the address of Paul; ho supposed firona traordinary excitement that Paul must have been guilty of some Sagranl oflenee, and he therefore resolved to tub lo torture, to extort from him a confession. 2 C
W hen tin- centurion ///(//, In- went and. told the chief captain. Baying, Take h< ed what thou doesl: for this m
Becuted, obtain the means or becoming a Roman citizen?' Paul had informed him that he was a native! | ' ■ wi. 39; and the chief captain i thai that was not a tnd that the question, in what way or for what reasons Pad tvai entitled to of a Romas citizen thai Torsos wai a Rom in ■ he thos bet an* /en. But of this thi io he suili. ienl i rool I' that it w!
1 this freedom And Paul said, But I was free born.
29 Then straightway they departed from him which should have l examined him: and the chief captain also was afraid, after he knew that he was a Roman, and because he had bound him.
fKinions, a country (i. e. a free country), aws, honour, authority over the river (Cydranus), and the neighbouring sea." Free cities were permitted in the Roman empire to use their own laws and customs, to have their own magistrates, and they were free from being subject to Roman guards. They were required only to acknowledge the supremacy and authority of the Roman people, and to aid them in their wars. Such a city was Tarsus, and having been born there, Paul was entitled to these privileges of a free man. Many critics have supposed that this privilege of Roman citizenship had been conferred un some of the ancestors of Paul, in consequence of some distinguished military service. Such a conferring of the rights of citizenship was I not unusual, and possibly might have occurred in this case. But there is no direct historical proof of it; and the former fact, that he was born in a free city, will amply account for his affirmation that he was free-born.
29. Then straightway. Immediately. They saw that by scourging him they would have violated the Roman law, and exposed themselves to its penalty. \ WKich should have examined him. Who were about to torture him by scourging him. ver. 24. IT Because he had bound him. Preparatory to scourging him. The act of binding a Roman citizen, with such an intent, untried and uncondemned, was unlawful. Prisoners who were to be scourged were usually bound by the Romans to a pillar or post; and a similar custom prevailed among the Jews. That it was unlawful to bind a man, with this intent, who was tincondemned, appears from an express declaration in Cicero (against Verres). " It is a heinous sin to bind a Roman citizen; it is wickedness to beat him; it is next to parricide to kill him, and what shall I say to crucify him?"
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 set him before them.
brethren, I b have lived in all good and if suffered to go at liberty among tha Jews, his life would have been in danger. IT And commanded the chief priests, &c. Summoned a meeting of the sanhedrim, or great council of the nation. He did this, as he was prevented from scourging Paul, in order to know what he had done, and that he might learn from the Jews themselves the nature of the charge against him. This was necessary for the safety of Paul, and for the ends of justice. This should have been done without any attempt to torture him in order to extort a confession. IT And brought Paul down. From the elevated castle or tower of Antonia. The council assembled commonly in the house of the high-priest. IT And set him before them. He brought the prisoner to their bar, that they might have an opportunity to accuse him, and that thus the chief captain might learn the real nature of the charge against
CHAPTER XXIII. 1. And Paul, earnestly beholding. Anvitrxg. Fixing his eyes intently on the council The word denotes a fixed and earnest gazing 5 a close observation. See Luke iv. 20. Note, Acts iii. 4. Paul would naturally look with a keen and attentive ohservation on the council. He was arraigned before them, and he would naturally observe the appearance, and endeavour to ascertain the character of his judges. Besides, it was by this council that he had been formerly commissioned to persecute the Christians, ch. ix. 1,2. He had not seen them since that commission was given. He would naturally, therefore, regard them with an attentive eye. The result shows, also, that Paul looked at them to see what was the character of the men there assemhled, and what wns the proportion of Pharisees and Sadducees. ver. 6. IT The council. Gr. The sanhedrim cil. xxii. 30. It was the great council composed of seventy elders, to whom was intrusted the affairs of the nation. See Note, Matt. i. 4.
V Men and brethren. Or. 'Men, brethren;' the usual form of beginning an address among the Jews. See ch. ii. 'J'.». Ho addressed them still as his brethren. IT / have lived in a!! <S<><«1 conscience. 1 have conducted myBeu so as to maintain a good conscience. I have done what I believed to be right. This was a hold declaration, atior the tumult, and charges, and accusations of the previous day ch. xxii.); and yet it was strictly true. I lis persecutions of the Christians bad been conducted conscientiously. Acts rxvi. 'J, "I verily thought with myself," says lie, "that I ought to do many ihinurs contrary to the name of Jesus of Nazareth." Of his conscientiousness and fidelity in their service, they could bear witness. Of his conscientiousness since, he could make a similar declaration. And he, doubtless, meant to say, that as he had been conscientious in persecution, so he had been in his conversion, and in his subsequent course. And as they knew that his former life had been with a good conscience, they ought to presume, that he had maintained the same character still. This was a remarkably bold appeal to be made by an accused man, and it shows the strong consciousness which Paul had of his innocence. What would have been the drift of Paul's discourse in proving this, we can only conjecture. He was interrupted (ver. 2); but there can be no doubt that he would have pursued such a course of argument as should tend to establish his innocence. 1T Before God. Gr. To God. rx © = *. He had lived (o God, ot with reference to his commands, keep a conscience pure in his sight. The same principle of conduct he states more at length in ch. xxiv. 16: "And herein do I excuse myself, to have alwaj void of offence toward God and toward men. IT Until this day. Including t fie time before his conversion to riity, and" after. In both conditions he was conscientious; in one. conscientious in persecution and error, though he deemed it to be right; in the other, conscientious in the truth. The mere fid, that a man is o prove thai be is right, or innocent See Note on John xvi. 2.
by him to unite bun ■ on the high-priest when QusdratUS, who [.receded Felix, was president phos, Am. h. xx. < b in consequ< ace of the i Agrippa the Younger, they ed, and return* d to J< rusali m. however, was not n stored i" th< of high-priest For, when I vernor of Judea, tins office was rilled by Jonathan, who succeeded Anani sephus, Ant I). \\. eh. x. Jonatb slam in the temple itself, by the tion of Felix, I hired for the purpose. 'I thus described byJosephus [Ant b xx. eh. viii. $ f>): " Felix bore an i Jonathan, the bigh-priest because he Irequently gave him a. inc. Miti. hi- about t'overning the Jewish affiuis better than he did, lest complaints should be made against him, since he bad procured ol < Vsar the appointment oi Felu ai procurator of Judea. Accordingly, F*lii contrived a method by which he might L'et rid of Jonathan, whose admonitioDJ had troublesome to him. Felix, of Jonathan's most faithful friends, of the name Doras, to bring the robbers upon him, and to pot him to death." This was done m Jerusalem The came into the city as if to worship God, and with daggers, which they ha cealed under their garments, they pot him to death. Alter the death sephus, Ant b xx. ch. vii during this interval, while the • high-pru int that the
3 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 a contrary to the law 1
When Luke here calls Ananias "the high-priest," he evidently intends not to affirm that he was actually such; but to use the word as the Jews did, as applicable to one who had been in that office, and who, on that occasion, when the office was vacant, performed its duties. IT To smile him on (he mouth. To stop him from speaking; to express their indignation at what he had said. The anger of Ananias was excited, because Paul affirmed, that all that he had done had been with a good conscience. Their feelings had been excited to the utmost; they regarded him as certainly guilty; they deemed him to be an apostate; and they could not bear it that he, with such coolness and firmness, declared that all his conduct had been under the direction of a good conscience. The injustice of the command of Ananias is apparent to all. A similar instance of violence occurred on the trial of the Saviour. John xviii. 22.
3. God shall smile thee. God shall punish thee. God is just; and he will not suffer such a manifest violation of all the laws of a fair trial to pass unavenged. This was a remarkably bold and fearless declaration. Paul was surrounded' by enemies. They were see-king his life. And he must have known that such declarations would have only excited their wrath, and made them more thirsty for his blood. That he could thus address the president of the council, was not only strongly characteristic of the man, but was also a strong proof that he was conscious of innocence, and that justice was on his side. This expression of Paul, " God shall smite thee," is not to be regarded in the light of an imprecation, or as an expression of angry feeling, but of a prediction, or of a strong conviction on the mind of Paul, that a man so hypocritical and unjust as Ananias was, could not escape the vengeance of God. Ananias was slain, with Hezekiah his brother, during the agitation that occurred in Jerusalem when the robbers, or Sicarii, under their leader, Manahem, had taken possession of the city. He attempted to conceal himself in an aqueduct, but was drawn forth and killed. See Josephus,
4 And they that stsod by said, Revilest thou God's high-priest 1
5 Then said Paul, 1 wist not, brethren, that he was the highpriest: for it is written, b 'lhou
Jewish Wars, b. ii. ch. xvii. $ 8. Thus Paul's prediction was fulfilled. 1 Thoi whited uxdl. This is evidently a prover bial expression, meaning tnuu hypocrite. His hypocrisy consisted in his pretending to sit there to do justice; and yet, in commanding the accused to be smitten in direct violation of the law, he thus showed that his character was not what, by his sitting there, he professed it to be, but that of one determined to carry the purposes of his parly, and of his own feelings. Our Saviour used a similar expression, to describe the hypocritical character of the Pharisees (Matt, xxiii. 27), when he compares them to whited sepulchres. A whited wall is a wall or enclosure that is covered with lime or gypsum, and that thus appears to be different from what it is, and thus aptly describes the hypocrite. Seneca (de Providentia, ch. 6) uses a similar figure to describe hypocrites: "They are sordid, base, and like their walls adorned only externally." See also Seneca, Epis. 115 IF For sittest thou, &c. The law required that justice should be done, and in order to that, it gave every man an opportunity of defending himself. See Note, John vii. 51. Prov. xviii. 13. Lev. xix. 15, 16. Ex. xxiii. 1, 2. Deut. xix. 15. 18. f To judge me after the lav>. As a judge to hear and decide the case according to the rules of the law of Moses. IT Contrary to the law. In violation of the law of Moses (Lev. xix. 35), " Ye shall do no unrighteousness in judgment."
4. Revilest thou, &c. Dost thou reproach or abuse the high-priest of God? It is remarkable that they who knew that he was not the high-priest, should, have offered this language. He was, however, in the place of the high-priest, and they might have pretended that respect was due to the office.
5. Then said Paid, I wist not. I know not; I was ignorant of the fact, that he was high-priest. Interpreters have been greatly divided on ihe meaning of this expression. Some have supposed that Paul said it in irony; as if he had said. ' Pardon me, brethren, J did not considei that this was the high-priest. It did no! occur to me, that a man who could con
CHAPTKlt Will,
duct thus, could be God's high-priest.1 Others have thought u Qrotioa that Paul used these words lor the purpOM of mitigating their wrath, and as an ao> knowledgment that be bad Bpoken hasn> ly, and that it was contrary to his usual habit, which was not to speak evil of the ruler of the people. As it be bad said, * I acknowledge my error and my baste. I did not consider that I was addressing bun whom c;.>d had commanded me to respect' But tins interpretation is not probable, for Paul evidently did not intend to retract what he bail said. Dr. Doddridge renders it, "1 was not aware, brethren, that it was the bigh-priest," and regards it as an apology for bavins spoken in haste. But the obvious reply to this interpretation is, that if Ananias was the high-priest, Paul could not but be aware of it Of so material a point, it is hardly possible that he could be ignorant Others suppose, that as Paul had been long absent from Jerusalem, and had not known the changes which had occurred there, ho was a stranger to the person of the hi^h-priest. Others suppose that Ananias did not occupy the usual seat which was appropriated to the high-priest, and that he was not clothed in the usual robes of office, and that Paul did not recognise him the high-priest. But these interpre tations are not probable. It is wholly improbable that, on such an occasion, the high-priest, who was the presiding officer in the sanhedrim, should not be known to the accused. The true interpretation, therefore, I suppose is, that which is derived from the fact thai Ananias was not then properly the high-priest; that there was a vacancy in the office, and that be presided by courtesy, or in virtue of his having been formerly invested with thai office. The meaning then will be, 'I did not regard or acknowledge him ns the high-priest. I did not address him as.turfi, since that is not his true character. Had he been truly the lush-priest, even if he had thus been guilty of manifest injustice. I would not have used the language which I did. The office, if not the man, would have claimed respect Bui as he is not truly and property clothed with that office, and as he was guilty of manifest injustice, I did no1 believe thai hrely with the truth of history. The character of Anaina-. as given phus; the la< tS whu h he quainted with the history of thai tune, and has correctly stated it- * For it is written. Ex. veil 8& Paul addix to show that it was Ins purpose the law; thai he would not intentionally violate it; and that, il he bad known Ananias to OS high-priest, lie would have hern restrained by his n g inl I >r ihe law from using the Ian ■ i importance and authority, Paul i here that he would not lie guilty <>l showing disrespect |or;!, or of Ul Ail language towards it.
t*.. Bui when Paulp Probably
by his former acquaintance with the nw ■ who composed the counciL As be had been brought up in Jerusalem, and- had been before acquainted with the drim (ch.ix.2), be would have an acquaintance, doubtless, with the character of mosl of those present, though he had been absent from them for I Gal. n. 1. s /'/.■< tmepaji, • council was divided into two parties i M ait I1!. 7. ' //■ i rted The reasons why 1' iuI n advantage of their differ* no
•i on by blind rage and fury 9 H to show bis uiii.-i ence '•> the - tain. To asci rtain I and the ether Pharisees, he cried I a Pharisee: of h tli€ hope and reout in the council, Men and breth- surrection of the dead I am called ren, a I am a Pharisee, the son of in question.
in reply to this, we may observe, (1.) That there is not the least evidence that Paul denied that he had been, or was then, a Christian. An attempt to deny this, after all that they knew of him, would have been vain; and there is not the slightest hint that he attempted it. (2.) The doctrine of the resurrection of the dead was the main and hading doctrine which he had insisted on, and which had been to him the cause of much of his persecution. See ch. xvii. 31, 32. 1 Cor. xv. Acts xiii. 34; xxvi. 6, 7. 23. 25. (3.) Paul defended this by an argument which he deemed invincible, and which constituted, in fact, the principal evidence of its truth — the fact that the Lord Jesus had been raised. That fact had given demonstration to the doctrine of the Pharisees, that the dead would rise. As Paul had every where proclaimed the fact that Jesus had been raised up, and as this had been the occasion of his being opposed, it was true that he had been persecuted on account of that doctrine. (4.) The real ground of the opposition which the Sadducees made to him, and of their opposition to his doctrine was, the additional zeal with which he urged this doctrine, and the additional argument which he brought for the resurrection c^" the dead. Perhaps the cause of the opposition of this great party among the Jews — the Sadducees— to Christianity, was the strong con. firmaiion which the resurrection of Christ gave to the doctrine which they so much hated — the doctrine of the resurrection of the dead. It thus gave a triumph to their opponents among the Pharisees; and Paul, as a leading and zealous advocate of that doctrine, would excite their special hatred. (5.) All that Paul said, therefore, was strictly true. It was because he advocated this doctrine that he was opposed. That there were other causes of opposition to him might be true also; but still this was the main and prominent cause of the hostility. (60 With great propriety, therefore, he might address the Pharisees, and say, ' Brethren, the great doctrine which has distinguished you from the Sadducees, is at stake. The great doctrine which is at the foundation of all our hopes — the resurrection of the dead, the doctrine of our fathers, of the Scriptures, of our sect, is in danger which actuated the whole council, as a spirit of party-strife, contention, and persecution. Knowing, therefore, how sensitive they were on the subject of the resurrection, he seems to have resolved lo do what he would not. have done had they been disposed to hear him according to the rules of justice, to abandon ihe direct argument for his defence, and to enlist a large part, perhaps a majority of the council, in his favour. Whatever may be thought of the propriety of this course, it cannot be denied that it was a master-stroke of policy, and that it evinced a profound knowledge of human nature. 1T I am a Pharisee. That is, I was of that sect among the Jews. I was born a Pharisee, and I ever continued while a Jewr to be of that sect. In the main he agreed with them still. He did not mean to deny that he was a Christian, but that so far "as the Pharisees differed from the Sadducees, he was in the main with the former. He agreed with them, not with the Sadducees, in regard to the doctrine of the resurrection, and the existence of angels and spirits. IT The son-of a Pharisee. What was the name of his father is not known. But the meaning is, simply, that he was entitled to all the immunities and privileges of a Pharisee. He had, from his birth, belonged to that sect, nor had he ever departed from the great cardinal doctrines which distinguished that sect — the doctrine of the resurrection of the dead. Comp. Phil. iii. 5. 1T Of ihe hope and resurrection of the dead. That is, of the hope that the dead will be raised. This is the real point of the persecution and opposition to me. ITi am called in question. Gr. I am judged; that is, I am persecuted, or brought to trial. Orobio charges this upon Paul as an artful manner of declining persecution, unworthy the character of an upright and honest man. Chubb, a British Deist of the seventeenth century, charges it upon Paul as an act of gross " dissimulation, as designed to conceal the true ground of all the troubles that he had brought upon himself; and as designed to deceive and impose upon the Jews." He affirms also, that " St. Paul probably invented this pretended charge against himself, to draw over a party of the unbelieving Jews unto him." See Chubb's Posthumous Works, vol. ii p. 238. Now,
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7 And when he had so said, then I 9 And there arose arose a dissension between the Pha- and the scribes Mo* and the Sadducees: and the Pharisei b' pari at
8 For the Sadducees ■ say thai there is no resurrection, neither angel nor spirit: hut the Pharisees confess both.
Of that doctrine I have been the advocate. I have never denied it. I have endeavoured to establish it, and have every where defended it. and ha\ voted myself to the work of putting it OQ nn imperishable basis among the Jews and the Gentiles. For my zeal in that,] have been opposed. I have excited the ridicule of the Gentile, and the hatred of the Sadducee. I have thus been persecuted and arraigned; and for my zeal in this, in urging the argument in defence of it, which / have deemed most irrefragable— the resurrection of the Messiah. I have been persecuted and arraigned, and now cast myself on your protection ■-.. the mad zeal of the enemies of the doctrine of our fathers. Not only, therefore, was this an art of policy ainl prudence in Paul, but what he affirmed was Btrictly true, and the effect was as he had anticipated.
7. A dissension. A dispute, or difference." TT And the multitude. The council. Com p. ch. xiv. 4. The Pha? embraced, as he desired and expected, his side of the question, and became his advocates, in opposition to the Sadducees, who were arrayed against him.
8. For the Sadducees sat/. They believe. IT No resurrection. Of the dead. By this doctrine they also understood that there was no future state, and that the soul did not exist after death. See Note, Matt. xxii. 23. 1T Neither angel. That there are no angels. They deny the i of good or bad a:)'_* ite, Matt iii. 7. IT Nor spirit. Nor soul. That there was nothing but matter. They were materialists, and supposed thai all the operations which we ascribe to mind, could be traced to some modification of matter. The Saddu Josephui ml, and the paniahmentB and rewards in Hades." " The doctrine of the Sadducees is this." - b win.
Baying, We find ■ do evil in this man: but if a spirit c or an hath Bpoken to him, lei us nol against I in the universe, ha been held as by the Sadduci • Acknowledge, or r. ceive b ith a> true; i. e. thai there is a i ind that e spirits distinct from rn ind the disembodie I The two points in dispute were, I. Whether the dead would I both. Their belief of the latter point was, that spirits existed in two forms— that of angels, and that of souls of men distinct from the body.
' Of the Pharisee*' part Who were l'ii:ir>qi - j or who belonged to that party. Tic v distinct man. No opinion which is contrary to the law of Mom-; and no conduct in spreading the doctrine which we do not approve. The importance of this doctrine, in tl. so L'reat as to throw into th.:
all the other doctrines that Pat hold; and provided tins wen they were willing i i i tain bun. A similar '• to the im i- by Pilate. John M\. 6. " Butij angel, Sic. They here ret..- ■ to what Paul hid said in He had declared tint he h 1 1 1 » - ( (entiles in obe
10 And when there arose a great dissension, the chief captain, tearing- 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 intb the castle.
11 And the night following, the
mine the friends of Paul, or of Christianity. The true solution of their conduct doubtless is, that they were so inflamed with hatred against the Sadducees, that they were willing to make use of any argument against their doctrine. As the testimony of Paul might be turned to their account, they were willing to vindicate him. It is remarkable too, that they perverted the statement of Paul in order to oppose the Sadducees. Paul had stated distinctly (ch. xxii. 17, 18.) that he had been commanded to go by (he Lord, meaning the Lord Jesus. He had said nothing of "a spnit, or an angel." Yet they would unite with the Sadducees so far as to maintain that he had received no such command from the Lord Jesus. But they might easily vary his statements, and suppose that an " angel or a spirit" had spoken to him, and thus made use of his conduct as an argument against the Sadducees. Men are not always very careful about the exact correctness of their statements, when they wish to humble a r;val. IT Let u* not fight against God. See Note, ch. v. 39. These words are wanting in many MSS. and in some of the ancient versions. The Syriac reads it, " if a spirit or an angel have spoken to him, what is there in this?" i. e. what is there unusual or wrong.
11. The Lord stood by him. Evidently the Lord Jesus. See Note, ch. i. 24. Comp. ch. xxii. 18. The appearance of the Lord in this case was a proof that he approved the course which Paul had taken before the sanhedrim. IT Be of good cheer. It would not be remarkable if Paul, by these constant persecutions, should be somewhat dejected in mind. The issue of the whole matter was as yet doubtful. In these circumstances, it must have been peculiarly consoling to him to hear these words of encouragement from the Lord Jesus, and this assurance that
Lord stood ° by him, and said, Be of good cheer, Paul: for as thou hast testified of me in Jerusalem, so must thou bear witness also at Rome.6
12 And when it was day, certain c of the Jews banded together, and bound themselves ' under a curse, saying, that they would
the object of his desires should be granted, and that he would be permitted to bear the same witness of him in Rome. Nothing else can comfort and sustain the soul in trials, and persecutions, but evideuce of the approbation of God, and the promises of his gracious aid. IT Bear witness also at Rome. This had been the object of his earnest wish (Rom. i. 10; xv. 23, 24), and this promise of the Lord Jesus was fulfilled, ch. xxviii. 30, 31. The promise which was here made to Paul was not directly one of deliverance from the present persecution, but it implied that, and made it certain.
12. Certain of the Jews. Some of the Jews. They were more than forty in number, ver. 13. IT Banded logr'ther. Made an agreement, or compact. They conspired to kill him. IT And bound themselves under a curse. See the margin. The Greek is, " they anathematized them selves;" that is, they bound themselves by a solemn oath. They invoked a curse on themselves, or devoted themselves to destruction, if they did not do it. Lightfoot remarks, however, that they could be absolved from this vow by the Rab bins, if they were unable to execute it Under various pretences they could easily be freed from such oaths, and it was common to take them; an<5 if there was any difficulty in fulfilling them, they could easily apply to their religious teachers and be absolved. 11 That they would neither eat nor drink. That is, that they would do it as soon as possible. This was a common form of an oath, or curse, among the Jews. Sometimes they only vowed abstinence from particular things, as from meat, or wine. But in this case, to make the oath more certain, and binding, they vowell abstinence from all kinds of food and drink till they had killed him. Who these were — whether they were Sadducees or not— is not men tion m! by the sacred writer. It is evi dent, however, that the minds of the Jews were greatly inflamed against Paul j
neither eat nor drink " till they had killed Paul.
13 And they were more than forty which had made this conspiracy.
l l \ud tiu'v came to t 1m- chief 6 priests and elders, and said, \\ V have bound ourselves under a great curse, that we will eat nothing until we have slain Paul.
15 Now therefore ye, with the
mid as they saw him in the custody of the Roman tribune, and as there was no prospect that he would punish him, they resolved to take the matter into their own hands. Michaelis conjectures that they were of the number of the Sicarii, or cut-throats, with which Judea then abounded. See Note on eh. xxi. 38. It is needless to remark that this was a most wicked oath. It was a deliberate purpose to commit murder; and it shows the desperate state of morals among the Jews at that time, and the infuriated malice of the people against the apostle.
13. Which had made (his conspiracy. This oath (<rvv*fti<rUv), this agreement, or compact. This large number of desperate men, bound by so solemn an oath, would be likely to be successful; and the life of Paul was therefore in peculiar danger. The manner in which they purposed to accomplish their design is stated in ver. 15.
14. And they came, &c Probably by a deputation. 1T To the chief priests and ciders. The members of the great council, or sanhedrim. It is probable that the application was made to the party of the Sadducees, as the Pharisees had shown their determination to defend Paul. They would have had no prospect of success had they attacked the castle, and they, therefore, devised this ingenious mode of obtaining access to Paul, where they might easily despatch him. I Under a great curse. Greek, " We have anathematized ourselves with an anathema." We have made the vow as solemn as possible.
15. Ye, with the council. With the concurrence or request of the sanhedrim. It was only by such a request that they had any hope mat the chief captain would remove Paul from the castle. ' to the chief captain. Send a mi request to him. f Thai fm bring Mm down unto 7/o'/. That he- bring him from the castle to the usual placo of the nicct-
tO-morroW, as though ye \% • >u t«l inquire something more p< concerning him: and we, he oome near, arc ready r to kill
l 6 And \\ hen Paul's heard of their lying in wait, be,; went and entered into the castle, and told Paul.
ing of the sanhedrim \ some distance from the castle, or tower of Antonia, where Paul was, they supposed it would be easy to waylay him, and take his life. II 'I'o-miirrotr. This is wanting in the Syriac, V ulgate, and Ethiopic \ersions. li is. however, probably I red reading of the text,ai il would l><! necessary to convene the council, and make the request of the tribui... might require the whoh "I At though ye would itup request appeared so reasonable u did not doubt that the tribune grant it to the council. And tli WIS obviously a false and wi<:.. tence, yet these conspirators knew th^ character of th< to whom they addressed themselves so well, that they did not doubt that they would pr. the council to make the request Public justice must h tve been deep when it was known that such an tous request could be made with tain prospect of sue* enmr mur. Before hi r to tlm sanhedrim The great council will thus not be suspected of i";:i_r privy to the deed. We will waylav him, and i him in the irnj. The plan was W< had bc.n senl there formerly for I cation, it seems more probable that thm young man was sent mere for tl
1 I'.nii red into tA Paul
17 Then a 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 tell him.
18 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 hath something to say unto thee.
19 Then the chief captain took him by the hand, and went with him aside privately, and asked him, What is that thou hast to tell me?
*20 And he said, The Jews have c agreed to desire thee that thou would est bring down Paul to-morrow into the council, as though
17. Called one of ike centurions. Who might at that time have had special charge of the castle, or been on guard. Faul had the most positive assurance that his life would be spared, and that he would yet see Rome; but he always understood the divine promises and purposes as being consistent with his own efforts, and with all proper measures of prudence and diligence in securing his own safety. He did not rest merely on the divine promise without any effort of his own; but he took encouragement from those promises to put forth his own exertions for security and for salvation.
19. Took him by the hand. As an expression of kindness and civility. He did it to draw him aside from the multitude, that, he might communicate his message privately.
20. And he said, &c. In what way this young man had received intelligence of this, we can only conjecture. It is not improbable that he was a student under some one of the Jewish teachers, and that he might have learned it of him. It is not at all probable that the purpose of the forty men would be very closely kept. Indeed it is evident that they were not themselves very anxious about concealing their oath, as they mentioned it fully to the chief priests and elders, ver. 14.
21. Waiting for a promise from thee. Waiting for your consent to bring him down to them.
they would inquire somewhat of him more perfectly.
21 But do not thou yield d untc 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 eal nor drink till they have killed him. and now are they ready, looking foi a promise from thee.
22 So the chief captain then let the young man depart, and charged him, See thou tell no man that thou hast showed these things to me.
23 And he called unto him two centurions, saying, Make ready twro hundred soldiers to go to Cesarea, and horsemen threescore and ten,
ons, &c. Each centurion had under him one hundred men. The chief captain resolved to place Paul beyond the power of the Jews, and to protect him as became a Roman citizen. IT Two hundred soldiers. These foot-soldiers were designed only to guard Paul till he was safely out of Jerusalem. The horsemen only were intended to accompany him to Cesarea. See ver. 32. IT And horsemen. These were commonly attached to foot-soldiers. In this case, however, they were designed to attend Paul to Cesarea. IT And spearmen. A£?<o\i3ou?. This word is found nowhere else in the New Testament, and occurs in no classic writer. It properly means those who take, or apprehend by the right hand; and might be applied to those who apprehend prisoners, or to those who hold a spear or dart in the right hand for the purpose of throwing it. Some have conjectured that it should be read 8iZto£i?.cvg — those who castor throw [a spear] with the right hand. So the Vulgate, the Syriac, and the Arabic understand it. They were probably those who were armed with spears or darts, and who attended on the tribune as a guard. IF At the third hour of the night. At nine o'clock. This was in order that it might be done with secrecy, and to elude the band of desperadoes that had resolved to murder Paul. If it should seem that this guard was very numerous for one man, it should be remembered, (1.) That the number of those who had conspired against him was also large, and
34 And provide f/irm beasts, that they may set Paul on, and bring him safe unto Felix the governor.
25 And he wrote a letter after this manner:
37 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 Roman.
28 And l when I would have known the cause wherefore they accused him, I brought him forth into their council:
(2.) That they were men nccustomed to scenes of blood, of desperate characters, ami who had solemnly sworn that they would take his life. In order, therefore, to deter them effectually from attacking the guard, it was made very numerous and strong, and nearly five hundred men were appointed to guard Paul as he left Jerusalem.
24. And provide them beasts. One for Paul, and one for each of his attendants. The word translated beasts (xt(Jihi) is of a general character, and may be applied either to horses, to camels, or to asses. The latter were most commonly employed in Judea. IT Unto Felix the govt rnor. The governor of Judea. His place of residence was Cesarea, about sixty miles from Jerusalem. See Note, ch. viii. 40. His name was Antonius Felix, and was a freedman of Antonia, the mother of the emperor Claudius. He was high in the favour of Claudius, and was made l>y him governor of Judea. Joscnhus calls him Claudius Felix. He had married three wives in succession that were "I royal families, one of whom was I'n:- nlla, afterwards mentioned in ch. xxiv. 21. who was rater to kincr Aglippa. Tacitus (Hi.-t. v. lJ, says, that lie governed with all the authority of a king, and tlio baseness and insolence of a slave. u Be was an unrighteous governor, I bate, mercenary, and bad man." {Clarke.) See
30 And w ben ' it was told me, liow that the Jews laid wait foi the man, I Bent Btraightway to thee, and gave ' commandnu ni to I cusera also, to Bay b< fore tin ti,t,i had against him. Fan
•11 Then the soldi, ra, as it a as commanded them, took Paul, and brought him by night to Anti
32 On the morrow the) left the horsemi with him, and returned to the caatle:
3 1 And when the govt in
Was about tO l»e lulled by tin in. The life of Paul had been twii in this manner, ch. wi. 90: win. 10. T With an army. With a band diers. ver. 10.
and of course about thirty-five from Jcr Herod the Greal chai tipatris, in honour of I
!52. They lt/f Uu were then beyond the danger of the conspirators, i1 i ed them thus far returned I
province he was. And when he j understood that he was of Cilicia; a ' 35 I will hear thee, said he, when thine accusers b are also come. And he commanded him to be kept in c Herod's judgment-hall.
A ND after five days, Ananias d -£*- the high-priest descended with the elders, and with a certain orator
Of what heparchy (Jsre*e;ei'*s) he was. He knew from the letter of Lysias that he was a Roman, but he was not informed of" what place or province he was. This he doubtless did in order to ascertain whether he properly belonged to his jurisdiction. Roman provinces were districts of country which were intrusted to the jurisdiction of procurators. How far the jurisdiction of Felix extended is not certainly known. It appears, however, that it included Cilicia. IT Was of Cilicia. Tarsus, the birth-place of Paul, was in this province, ch. xxi. 39.
35. In Herod's j udsment-hall. Greek, In the pretorium of Herod. The word here used denoted formerly the tent of the Roman prsetor; and as that was the place where justice was administered, it came to be applied to halls, or courts of justice. This had been reared probably by Herod the Great as his palace, or as a place for administering justice. It is probable also, that prisons, or places of security, would oe attached to such placps.
1. And after five days. This time was occupied, doubtless, hVtheir receiving the command to go to Cesarea, and in making the necessary arrangements. This was the twelfth day after his arrival at Jerusalem. See ver. 11. IT Ananias, the highpriest. See Note, ch. xxiii. 2. 1T Descended. Came down from Jerusalem. This was the usual language when a departure from Jerusalem was spoken of See Note, ch. xv. 1. 1T With a certain orator named Tertullus. Appointed to accuse Paul. This is a Roman name, and this man was doubtless a Roman. As the Jews were, to a great extent, ignorant of the Roman customs and laws, and of their mode of administering justice, it is not improbable that they were in the habit of employing Roman lawyers to plead their causes. ^ Who informed the governor against Paul. Who "acted as the accuser,
named Tertullus, who informed the governor against Paul.
2 And when he was called forth, Tertullus began to accuse him, saying, Seeing that by thee we enjoy great quietness, and that very worthy deeds f are done unto this nation by thy providence,
3 We accept it always, and in all places, most noble Felix, with all thankfulness.
2. And when he was called forth. When Paul was called forth from prison. See ch xxiii. 35. IT We enjoy great quietness. This was said in the customary style of flatterers and orators, to conciliate his favcur, and is strikingly in contrast with the more honest, and straightforward introduction in the reply of Paul. ver. 10. Though it was said for flattery, and though Felix was in many respects an unprincipled man, yet it was true that his administration had been the means of producing much peace and order in Judea, and that he had done many things that tended to promote their welfare. In particular, he had arrested a band of robbers, with Eleazar at their head, whom he had sent to Rome to be punished (Jos. Ant. b. xx ch. viii.); he had arrested the Egyptian false prophet, who had led out four thousand men into the wilderness, and who threatened the peace of Judea (see Note, ch. xxi. 38); and he had repressed a sedition which arose between the inhabitants of Cesarea and of Syria. Jos. Jewish Wars, b. ii. ch. xiii. $ 2. IT Very worthy deeds. Acts that tended much to promote the peace and security of the people. He referred to those which have just been mentioned as having been accomplished by Felix, particularly his success in suppressing riots and seditions - and as, in the view of the Jews, the case of Paul was another instance of a similar kind, he appealed to him with the more confidence that he would suppress that also. V By thy providence. By thy foresight, skill, vigilance, prudence.
3. We accept it always. We admit that u is owing to your vigilance, and we accept your interposition to promote peace, with gratitude. 5 Always, and in ah places. Not merclv in your presence, but we always acknowledge that it is owing to your vigilance that the land is secure,
4 Notwithstanding, that I be nol further tedious unto thee, I pray thee that thou wouldesl hear us of thy clement y a few words.
5 For we have found this tnan a pestilent /WW, ■ and a m sedition among all theJews throughout the world, and a ringleader of the sect of the Nazarenes.
" What we now do in your presence, we do also in your absence; we A I not commend y<»u merely when yo i are present." [Wetstein.) ' nost noble Felix. This was the title of office. * With thankfulness. In tins, there was probably sincerity, for there was no doubt that the peace ol Judea was owing to Felix. But at the same time that he was an energetic and vigilant governor, it was also true that lie was proud, and avaricious, and cruel. Josephus charges him with injustice and cruelty in tho ease of Jonathan, the highpriest (Ant b. xx. eh. viii. v> 5) \ and Tacitus CHist. b. v. ch. 9), and Suetonius (Life of Claudius, eh. 28), concur in the charge.
4. Be not further tedious unto thee. By taking up your time with an introduction, and with commendation.
5. We have found this man a pestilent fellow. Attftbv, This word is commonly applied to a plague, or pestilence, and then to a man who corrupts the morals of others, or who is turbulent, and an exciter of sedition. Our translation somewhat weakens the force of the original expression. Tertullusdid nol say that lie was a pestilent fellow, but thai he was the very pestilence itself. In this he referred to their belief, that he had been the causeofeztensive disturbances every where among the Jews. 1 And a mover of sediti exciter of tumult. Tins they pretended he did by preaching doctrines contrary to the laws and customs ef Moses, and exciting the Jews to tumult and disorder. 1 Throughout the world. Throughout the Roman empire, ami thus leading the Jews tO violate the laws, and to produce
- -■.. This " curs nowhere else in th( ment. It is properly a military word, and denotes one w ■ tn nrmv,
? Bui the chief H oaptaio I came upon us, -and with gn lenoe took him awaj out of out
1 ommanding his Been* come unto tin e: by examini whom, thyself mayesl take knowledge of all these things whereof original word h< re from which we have derired I heresy. It is, however, properly tr i sect, or party, and should ban r Of tin Nazarem % This was the name usually given t" Christians by ■• contempt They were so called Jesus was of Nazareth.
T1n> was a serious, but iinioutided charge. It arose from the gross calumny of the apostle, when they pretended that iuirodu. e ito thai sacred peace, judged. That is. would have condemned and punished. ' According to our law. Their law, which forbade the ini tion of 8tr.mLr<Ts mto the tomph ■
Paul righteously, ii" Lysias had ro t inti rposed: but the truth was, that without regard lolawor justice, they would have murdered him on the sjkii.
9 And the Jews also assented, saying that these things were so.
10 Then Paul, after that the ■ governor had beckoned unto him to
answered, Forasmuch as I and arguments. Such a course was inevitable, unless the New Testament had been swelled to wholly undue proportions.
9. And the Jews also assented. The Jews who had accompanied Tertullus to Cesarea. They had gone as the accusers of Paul, and they bore testimony, when called upon, to the truth of all that the orator had said. Whether they were examined individually or not, is not declared. In whatever way their testimony was arrived at, they confirmed unanimously the accusation which he had brought against Paul.
10. Had beckoned unto him to speak. Either by a nod or by the hand. IT Hast been of many years. Felix and Cumanus had been joint-governors of Judea; but after Cumanus had been condemned for his bad administration of the affairs, the government fell entirely into the hands of Felix. This was about seven years before Paul was arraigned before him, and might be called many years, as he had been long enough there to become acquainted with the customs and habits of the Jews; and it might also be called long in comparison with the short time which any of his immediate predecessors had held the office. See Josephus, Ant. b. xx. ch. vi, vii. ^ A judge. This word is evidently used here in the sense of magistrate, or one appointed to administer the affairs of government. To determine litigated matters was, however, one part of his office. It is remarkable that Paul did not begin his speech as Tertullus had done, by any flattering address, or by any of the arts of rhetoric. He founded his plea on the justice of his cause, and on the fact, that Felix had had so much experience in the affairs of Judea that he was well qualified to understand the merits of the case, and to judge impartially. Paul was well acquainted with his character (see Note, ch. xxiv 25), and would not by flattering words declare that which *"V not strictly true. % I do the more cneerjully, &c. Since you are so well acquainted with the customs and habits of the Jews, I the more readily submit the case to your disposal. This address indicated great confidence in the iustice of his cause;
know that thou hast been of many years a judge unto this nation, 1 do the more cheerfully answer ° for myself:
1/ Because that thou mayest and was the language of a man, bold, fearless, and conscious of his innocence. 11. Because that thou mayest under' stand. Gr. lThou being able to know.' That is, he could understand or know, by taking the proper evidence. Paul does not mean to say that Felix could understand the case, because he had been many years a judge of that nation. That fact would qualify him to judge correctly, or to understand the customs of the Jews. But the fact, that he had been but twelve days in Jerusalem, and had been orderly and peaceable there, Felix could ascertain only by the proper testimony. The first part of Paul's defence (ver. 11 — 13) consists in an express denial of what they alleged against him. IT Are yet but twelvedays. Beza reckons these twelve days in this manner: The first was that on which he came to Jerusalem, ch. xxi. 15. The second he spent with James and the apostles, ch. xxi. 18. Six days were spent in fulfilling his vow. ch. xxi. 21. 26. On the ninth day the tumult arose, being the seventh day of his vow, and on this day he was rescued by Lysias. ch. xxi 27; xxii. 29. The tenth day he was before the sanhedrim, ch. xxii. 30; xxiii. 10. On the eleventh the plot was laid to take his life, and on the same day, at evening, he was removed to Cesarea. The days on which he was confined at Cesarea are not enumerated, since his design in mentioning the number of days was, to show the improbability that, in that time, he had been engaged in producing a tumult; and it would not be pretended that he had been so engaged while confined in a prison at Cesarea. The defence of Paul here is, that but twelve days occurred from the time that he went to Jerusalem tiii he was put under the custody of Felix; and that during so short a time it was wholly improbable that he would have been able to excite sedition. IT For to icorship. This farther shows that the design of Paul was not to produce sedition. He had gone up for the peaceful purpose of devotion, and not to produce riot and disorder. That this was his design in going to Jerusalem, or at least a part of his purpose, is indicated by the pa^ snge in Acts xx. 16. It should be observed, however, that our translation con- understand that there an- yel but twelve days since I wenl ap to ■ Jerusalem for to worship.
12 Ami thej neither ' found me in the temple disputing with any man, neither raising ap the people, neither in the synagogues, nor in the city.
veys an idea which is nol necessarily in the Greek — that this was the design of._r to Jerusalem. The original is,
But his main design in going to Jerusalem was, to convey to his Buffering countrymen there the benefactions of the Gentile churches, See ver. 17. Rom. iv. 25, 26.
The first charge of Tertullus against Paul was (ver. 5), that he was " a pestilent fellow, ami a mover of Bedition." The charge of his being a j>est was bo general, that Paul diil not think it necessary to attempt to refute it. To the specification, that he was a mover of sedition, he replies by a firm denial, and by a solemn declaration that they had not found him in any synagogue, or in the city, or in the temple, either disputing or exciting a tumult. His conduct there had been entirely peaceable; and they had no right to suppose that it had been otherwise any where.
13. Neither can they prove the things, &c. That is, that I am a mover of sedition, or a disturber of the peace of the people. This appeal he boldly makes; he challenges investigation; and as they did not offer to specify any acts of disorder or tumult excited by him, this charge falls of cour.-e.
•r. 5), that he was "a r b of the sect of the.Na/.arenes." To tins. Paul replies in this, and the two follow* ing verses. Of this reply we may observe, (1.) That he does not stoop to notice the contempt implied in the dm of the word Nazan p d in a more important business than to < about the name which they chose to give to Christians. (8.) He admits that he belonged to that seel or class of people. Thai he was a Christian, he neither denied, nor was disposed to deny!!•
14 But th that alter the \\ a) w hich th< hip 1 the I i then, believing all things which are; written m the law and i the prophi thai he was engaged in t in the temple, was suili. n nl prool I He shows them thai he believed only what was written in the law and the j "
16. These are the points ot Into this m cond charge, am thai they fully meei and dispose of the accusation. ' AfU i tht <> <. After the manner or mode oi heresy. Th nol expn k nee and to< /. I continue to won hip I ish people, the prorM r and public ledgmenl of the God. t ti..
15 And have hope a toward God, which they themselves also allow, that there shall be a resurrection b of the dead, both of the just and unjust.
16 And herein do I exercise my-
Jehovah; the God whom I
was really a reply to their charge, that he was setting up a new sect in religion. The same thing Paul affirms of himself in 2 Tim. i. 3: "I thank God, whom I serve from my forefathers with a pure conscience." If Believing all things, <tc. Particularly respecting the Messiah. So he more fully explains his meaning in his speech before king Agrippa. ch. xxvi. 23. IT In the law and in the prophets. Commanded in the law of Moses, and foretold by the prophets. Tnat Paul had ever disbelieved any of these things, they could not prove; and his whole, course had shown that he fully credited the sacred records. Most of his arguments in defending Christianity had been drawn from the Jewish writings.
15. And have hope toward God. Having a hope of the resurrection of the dead, which arises from the promises of God. IT Which they themselves, &c. That is, the Pharisees. Perhaps he designated in this remark the Pharisees who were present. He held nothing in this great cardinal point, which they did not also hold. For the reasons why Paul introduced this point so prominently, and the success of thus introducing it, see Note on ch. xxiii. 1 — 9. IT Both of the just, arid of the unjust. Of the righteous and the wicked; that is, of all the race. As they Held this, they could not arraign him lor holding it also.
16. And herein. In this, or for this purpose. IT Do I exercise myself '. 'A<rxi. I accustom or employ myself; I make it my constant aim and endeavour. It is the purpose of my constant study. Paul often appeal's to his conscientiousness as the leading habit of his life. Even before his conversion he endeavoured to act according to the dictates of conscience. See Acts xxvi. 9. Comp. Phil. iii. 5, 6. IT To have always a conscience, &c. To do that which is right, so that my conscience shall approve of it, and never reproach me. II Void of offence. 'Awjoo-xosrov. That which is inoffensive, or which does not cause one to stumble or fall. He means, that he endeavoured to keep his conscience so enlightened and pure in regard to duty, and that he acted
self, to have c always a conscience void of offence toward God and toward men.
17 Now after many years, I came d to bring alms to my nation, and offerings.
according to its dictates in such a way that his conduct should not be displeasing to God, or injurious to man. To have such a conscience implies two things: (1.) That it be enlightened or properly informed in regard to truth and duty'; and, (2.) That that which is made known to be right should be honestly and faithfully performed. Without these two things, no man can have a conscience that shall be inoffensive and harmless. IT Toward God. In an honest endeavour to discharge all the duties of public and private worship, and to do constantly what he requires. In believing all that he has spoken; doing all that he requires; and offering to him the service which he approves. IT Toward men. In endeavouring to meet all the demands of justice and mercy; to advance their knowledge, happiness, and salvation; so that I may look back on my life with the reflection that I have done all that I ought to have done, and all that I could do, to promote the welfare of the whole human family. What a noble principle of conduct was this! How devoted, and how pure! How unlike the conduct of those who live to gratify debasing sensual appetites, or for gold or honour; and who pass their lives in such a manner as to offer the grossest offence to God, and to do the most injury to man! The great and noble aim of Paul was to be pure; and no slander of his enemies, no trials, persecutions, or perils, and no pains of dying could take away the approving voice of conscience. Alike in his travels, and in his persecutions; among friends and foes; when preaching in the synagogue, the city, or the desert; or when defending himself before governors and kings, he had this testimony of a selfapproving mind. Happy they who thus frame their lives. And happy will be the end of a life where this has been the grand object of the journey through this world.
17. Now after many years. After man;* years absence. Paul here commences a reply to the charges of Tertullus, ihat he had endeavoured to profane the temple. ver. 0. He begins, by saying that hu
is Whereupon certain Jews from Asia Pound me purified in the temple, neither with multitude, nor with tumult:
L9 Who ought to have been here 0 before thee, and object, if they had aught againsl me.
design in coming up to Jerusalem was, t,p bring to them needed aid in a time of It would be absurd to Buppose, therefore, that his object in coming was to violate the customs of the temple, and t<> defile it. IT I came to bring. Seech. ri.29, 30. Note. Rom xv. 25, 26. Charities; the gift of the churches. H To my nation. Not to (ill the nation; but to the poor saints or Christians who were in Judea, and who were Buffering much anions and trials. 1 And offerings. The word used here properly dei offering or gifl of any kind; but it is usually applied to an oblation, or offering made to God in the temple — a thank-offering, a sacrifice. This is probably its meaning here. He came to bring aid to his needy countrymen, and ine to God; and it was. therefore, no part of his purpose to interfere with, or to profine the worship of the temple.
18. Certain Jews from Asia, ch. xxi. 27. IT Found me purified in the temple, ch. xxi. 26,27. They found me engaged in the service of completing the anno of my vow. H Neither with midtilude. Not having introduced a multitude with me — in a quiet and peaceful manner.
They were the proper witnesses: as they had staved away, it showed that they were not prepared to undergo a strut examination. Paul, therefore, justly complains that the very persons who alone r:>nld testify against bira w< and showed that there was really noj well-founded charge against him. I alone could testify Bfl to any thing that occurred in the temple; and as tAey were not present, that charge ought to be dismissed.
20. Or else. Since they are lot here to witness against rne in regard to what occurred in the temple, let th< j. resent bear witness against me, if they?an, in regard to any other jxirl of rny ronduct This was a bold a| t showed his full < of inno-
21 Except it be for this on< that 1 cried standing among them, Touching the resurrection of the
was what Paul had s:tid before thi cil — the ///""( thins on which; ■ on them l i to this, and to show, if they could, that in
[antion he had I,'id other infidels h thai Paul here ackno he was wrong in the declaration whi< h h» reproached him lor appearing to be time-serving, and lor concealing the true cau e •■ him; and wished to liv their attention on tl thing which he had said before the coua-. ihown thai this ' principal doctrine wh i defending:! >' they were • him for holding and ■ > of,nP: doctrine, he called on them to d i it \ ■ en the only thing which they had wim< [ore the council, he • ills on th< dry to what they knew only, and i If they could', that tins was wrong. ■ •pectins die resurrection, ch. xxiu r>.
lodge of that way, he deferred them, and said, When Lysias a the chief captain shall come down, I will know the uttermost of your matter.
23 And he commanded a centu-
is very obscure, and critics are divided about the proper interpretation of the original. Many ^Erasmus, Luther, Michaelis, Morus, &c.) render it, ' although he had a more perfect knowledge of the Christian doctrine than Paul's accusers had, yet he deferred the hearing of the cause nil Lvsias had come down.' They observe that he might have obtained this knowledge, not only from the letter of Lysias, but from public rumour, as there were doubtless Christians at Cesarea. They suppose that he deferred the cause, either with the hope of receiving a bribe from Paul (comp. ver. 26), or to gratify the Jews with his being longer detained as a prisoner. Others, among whom are Beza, Grotius, Rosenmuller, and Doddridge, suppose that it should be rendered, ' he deferred them, and said, after I have been more accurately informed concerning this way, when Lysias has come down, I will hear the cause.' This is doubtless the true interpretation of the passage, and it is rendered more probable by the fact that Felix sent for Paul, and heard him concerning the faith of Christ (ver. 24), evidently with a design to make himself better acquainted wilh the charges against him, and the nature of his belief. IT Of that way. Of the Christian religion. This expression is repeatedly used by Luke to denote the Christian doctrine. Note, ch. ix. 2. IT He deferred them. He put them off; he postponed the decision of the case; he adjourned the trial. IT When Lysias, &c. Lysias had been acquainted with the excitement and its causes, and Felix regarded him as an important witness in regard to the true nature of the charges against Paul. IF / will know the uttermost, <fec. I shall be fully informed and prepared to decide the cause.
23. And he commanded, &c. It is evident from this verse, that Felix was disposed to show Paul all the favours that were consistent with his safe keeping. He esteemed him to be a persecuted man, and doubtless regarded the charges against him as entirely malicious. What was Felix's motive in this cannot be certainly known. It is not improbable, how-
rkm to keep Paul, and to let him have liberty, h and that he should forbid none of his acquaintance to minister or to come unto him.
24 And after certain days, when Felix came with his wife Drusilla,
ever, that he detained him, (1.) To gratify the Jews by keeping him in custody as if he were guilty; and, (2) That he hoped the friends of Paul would give him money to release him. Perhaps it was fur this purpose that he gave orders that his friends should have free access to him, that thus Paul might be furnished with the means of purchasing his freedom.
24. Felix came, with his wife Drusilla, Drusilla was the daughter of Herod Agnppa the elder, and was engaged to be married to Epiphanes, the son of king Antiochus, on condition that he would embrace the Jewish religion; but as he afterwards refused to do mat, the contract was broken off. Afterwards she was given in marriage, by her brother Agrippa the younger, to Azizus king of Emesa, upon his consent to be circumcised. When Felix was governor of Judea, he saw Drusilla, and fell in love with her, and sent to her Simon, one of his friends, a Jew, by birth a Cyprian, who pretended to be a magician," to endeavour to persuade her to forsake her husband, and to marry Felix. Accordingly, in order to avoid the envy of her sister Bernice, who treated her ill on account of her beauty, " she was prevailed on," says Joseph us, " to transgress the laws of her forefathers, and to marry Felix." Josephus, Antiq. b. xx. ch. vii. $ 1, 2. She was, therefore, living in adultery with him, and this was probably the reason why Paul dwelt in his discourse before Felix particularly on " temperance," or chastity. Note, ver. 25. IT He sent for Paul, and heard him. Ver- %aps he did this, in order to be more fully acquainted with the case which was submitted to him. It is possible also that it might have been to gratify his wife, who was a Jewess, and who doubtless had a desire to be acquainted with the principles of this new sect. It is certain also that one object which Felix had in this, was to let Paul see how dependent he was on him, and to induce him to purchase his liberty. IF Concern-!«? the faith in Christ. Concerning the Christian religion. Faith in Christ \s often used to denote the whole of Christianity, as it [a the Leading and characteristic feature of the religion of th<
JN'o argument should be drawn from the word that is used here, to prove thai P&ul particularly appealed t<> reason, or that his discourse was argumentative. That it was so is, indeed, not improbable, from all that we know of the man, and from the topics on which ho discoursed. But the word used here moans simply, as he its- '. and is applied usually to making a public address, to preaching, &c. in whatever way it is done. Acts xvii.2; xviii. I. 19; xix. 8, 9; wiv. 12. and Drusilla intended this as a matter of entertainment or amusement. Paul readily obeyed their summons, at him an opportunity to preach the to them; and as they desired his seniiments in regard to the faith in Christ, he selected those topics which were adapted to their condition, and stated those principles of the Christian religion which were fitted to arrest their attention, and lead them to repentance. Paul seized every opportunity of making known the gospel; and whether a prisoner or at liberty; whether before princes, governors, kings, or common people, was equally prepared to defend the pure and holy doctrines of the cross. His boldness in this instance is the more remarkable as be was dependent on Felix for his pardon. A timeserver or an impostor would have chosen such topics as would have conciliated the favour of the judge, and procured his pardon. He wouid have flattered bis vanity or palliated his
His aim was to d< feud the truth: and to pave, if possible, the so its of Drusilla and of Felix. 1 Of right*
■ of the justice of Go! particularly, but of the nature and requirements of justice in the relations of life. the relation— which w. to God and to man. This was a proper topic with which to introduce course, as it was the office of Felix to dispense i on and man; and as hi- administration was not remarkable for l of thai vir'. evident that he could be influenced by a
; oi his life, and I meeting the i not be bribed, but who ■ equal justice alike to th<
■ '. The word f< n commonly to denote modi ration. (,r restraint in regard to eating and di particularly to abstinence from the
:' lit entioui - oi incontinence. Hew;.- living in adultery with Drusilla; and lor ii. w ished doubtless to bring him t" ance. 1 And judgment to com universal judgment; the judgu < was to come 00 all tran.-L're— tlns topic I'.iul also dwell when he before the '.
truth oti the mind ol B and answered, Go a thy way for this time; when I have a convenient season, 1 wil call for thoe. 26 He hoped also that money truth. It shows the power of conscience, when thus under the preaching of a prisoner, the judge should be thrown mio violent alarm. IT And answered, Go thy way, &c. How different is this answer from that of the jailor of Philippi when alarmed in a similar manner, lie asked, '• what must I do to be saved?" and was directed to him in whom he found peace from a troubled conscience. Acts xvi. 30, 31. Felix was troubled; but instead of asking what he should do, he sent the messenger of God away. lie was evidently not prepared to break off his sins, and turn to God. He sought peace by sending away his reprover; and manifestly intended then to banish the subject from his mind. Yet, like others, he did not intend to banish it altogether. He looked forward to a time when he should he more at leisure; when the cares of office should press less heavily on his attention; or when he should be more disposed to attend to it. Thus multitudes, when they are alarmed, and see their guilt and danger, resolve to defer it to a more convenient time. One man is engaged in a career of pleasure, and it is not now a convenient time to attend to his soul's salvation. Another is pressed with business; with the cares of life; with a plan of gain; with the labours of office, or of a profession, and it is not now a convenient time for him to attend to religion. Another supposes that his time of life is not the most convenient. His youth he desires to spend in pleasure, and waits for a more convenient time in middle age. His middle life he spends in business, and the toils of the world, and this is not a convenient time. Such a period he expects then to find in old age. But as age advances, he finds an increasing disposition to defer it; he is still indisposed to attend to it; still is love with the world. Even old age is seldom found to be a convenient time to prepare for heaven; and it is deferred from one period of life to another, till death closes the scene. — It has been commonly sup- |>osed and said that Felix never "found that more convenient time to call for Paul. That he did not embrace Ihe Christian religion, and forsake his sins, is probable, nay, almost certain. But it is not true that he did not take an opportunity of hearing Paid further on the subject; for it is said that he sent for him often, and communed with him. But though Felix found this opportunity, yet (1.) We have no reason to suppose that the 7nain thing — the salvation of. bis soul ever again occupied his attention. There is no evidence that he v\as again alarmed or awakened, or that he had any further solicitude on the subject of his sins. He had passed for ever the favourable lime; the golden moments when he might have secured the salvation of his soul. (2.) Others have no right to suppose that their lives will be lengthened out that they may have any further opportunity to attend to the subject of religion. (3.) When a sinner is awakened, and sees his past sins, if he rejects the appeal to his conscience then, and defers it to a more convenient opportunity, he hss no reason to expect that his attention will ever be again called with deep interest to the subject. He may live; but he may live without the strivings of the Holy Spirit. When a man has once deliberately rejected the offers of mercy; when he has trifled with the influences of the Spirit of God, he has no right or reason to expect that that Spirit will ever strive with him again. Such, we have too much reason to fear, was the case with Felix. Though he often saw Paul again, rind " communed with him," yet there is no account that he was again alarmed or awakened And thus sinners often attend on the means of grace after they have grieved the Holy Spirit; they listen to the doctrines of the gospel, they hear its appeals, and its warnings, but they have no feeling, no interest; and die in their sins. IT A more conve?dent time. Greek, 'Taking time.' I will take a time for this. 1T / will call for thee. To hear thee further on this subject. This he did. ver. 20. It is remarkable that Drnsilla was not alarmed. She was as much involved in guilt as Felix; but she, being a Jewess, had been accustomed to hear of a future judgment, until it caused in her mind no alarm. Perhaps also she depended on the rites and ceremonies of her religion as a sufficient expiation for her sins. She might have been resting on those false depen dencies which go to free the conscience from a sense of guilt, and which thus be guile and destroy the soul.
20. He hoped also. He thought that by giving him access to his friends, and by often meeting him himself, and showing
should have been given him of Paul, that he mighl loose him: wherefore he sent for him the oftener, add communed with
kindness, Paul might bo induced to attempt to purchase bis freedom with a bribe. If That mom u tkould have bet n given him of rani. That Paul would give him money to procure a release. This shows the character of Felix tie was desirous of procuring a bribe. Paul had proved his innocence, and should have been at once released. I>ut Felix was influenced by avarice; and be therefore detained Paul in custody, with the hope that, wearied with confinement, he would seek bis release by a bribe' Hut 1'aul offered no bribe. He knew what was justice; and he would not be guilty, therefore, of attempting to purchase what was his due, or of gratifying a man who prostituted his high office lor the purpose of gain. The Roman governors m tinprovinces were commonly rapacious and avaricious, like Felix. They usually took the office for the purpose of its pecuniary advantage, and they consequently usually disregarded justice, and made the procuring of money their leading object IT He sent for him the oftener. Il may seem remarkable that he did not fear again being alarmed. But the hope of money overcame all this. And having. once resisted the reasoning of Paul, and the strivings of the Spirit of God, he seems to have had no further alarm or anxiety. He could again hear the same man, and the same truth, unaffected. When sinners have once grieved God's Spirit, they often sit with unconcern under the same truth which once alarmed them, and become entirely hardened and unconcerned. 1 And communed with him. And convened with him.
27. Hut after two years. Paul was unjustly detained during all this time. The hope of Felix seems to have been to weary his patience, and induce him to purchase his freedom. IT Came in/o l'<- lix's room. As governor. IT And lulu willing to thorn the Jew* a pleatt sirous of pleasing them, even at the expense of justice. Tins shows the principle on which he acted 1 hit Bad bound. Left him in custody to the charge of his successor. His object Ul this was JO conciliate the JeWI! U ' the Jews would accuse him i>< fore the emperor; and. tht n fori. the statement m the Acts, that he would be willing to show
'/< aces, w bicb show thai ike author of iho Acts was fully acquainted with the or*
CUmStaitCes of the time, and that his history is true. The account in Jo-.. thai " w Ik n Porciu i
2 Then the high-priest and the chief of the Jews informed him against Paul, and besought him,
3 And desired favour against him, that he would send for him to Jerusalem, laying ° wait in the way to kill him.