Acts 13:8

But Elymas the sorcerer (for so is his name by interpretation) withstood them, seeking to turn away the deputy from the faith. BUT ELYMAS THE SORCERER (OR 'THE WISE') (FOR SO IS HIS NAME BY INTERPRETATION). It is an Arabic word, signifying 'wise.' WITHSTOOD THEM - perceiving probably with what avidity the proconsul was drinking in the word, and fearing a dismissal of himself in consequence, "seeking to turn away the deputy from the faith....

8._To turn away the deputy from the faith. _No marvel if the seducer seek to put away the light, whereby he saw his own darkness driven away. (782) The same stour [contest] have we at this day with a number of babblers, who use to sell their smokes, and to shut, by all shifts possible, the eyes of the simple, that they may not behold the Sun of righteousness, being now risen. We must wrestle with such lets; for as there be [not] always and everywhere magicians present, which procure us some business, (783) Satan thrusteth in lets (784) enough, which possess our minds to drive away Christ, which the flesh is too ready to receive. Finally, both the enticements of the world and the wicked affections of our flesh are as many charms, whereby Satan ceaseth not to overthrow the faith....

4-13 Satan is in a special manner busy with great men and men in power, to keep them from being religious, for their example will influence many. Saul is here for the first time called Paul, and never after Saul. Saul was his name as he was a Hebrew; Paul was his name as he was a citizen of Rome. Under the direct influence of the Holy Ghost, he gave Elymas his true character, but not in passion. A fulness of deceit and mischief together, make a man indeed a child of the devil. And those who are enemies to the doctrine of Jesus, are enemies to all righteousness; for in it all righteousness is fulfilled. The ways of the Lord Jesus are the only right ways to heaven and happiness. There are many who not only wander from these ways themselves, but set others against these ways. They commonly are so hardened, that they will not cease to do evil. The proconsul was astonished at the force of th...

Verse Acts 13:8. _BUT ELYMAS, THE SORCERER, (FOR SO IS HIS NAME BY_ _INTERPRETATION)_] That is, Elymas is the interpretation of the word μαγος, or _sorcerer_; not of the word _Bar-Jesus_ as some have imagined; and to support which they have been led into strange etymologies on the word βαριησους, Bar-Jesus. But how is _Elymas_, ελυμας, the interpretation of the word μαγος, _magician_ or sorcerer? Ans. Both names are _Asiatic_; but neither Hebrew nor Greek. I have already observed, in _Clarke's note on "_Matthew 2:1_"_, that [Persic] _mogh_ in Persian means an idolater, a worshipper of fire, and sometimes what we term a magician. Elymas is from the Arabic [Arabic] _ilm_, knowledge, science, doctrine, art; from _alama_, he was wise, skilled...

}BUT ELYMAS THE SORCERER (FOR SO IS HIS NAME BY INTERPRETATION) - Elymas the magician. Elymas is the interpretation, not of the name Bar-jesus, but of the word rendered “the sorcerer.” It is an Arabic word, and means the same as Magus. It seems that he was better known by this foreign name than by his own. WITHSTOOD THEM - Resisted them. He was sensible that if the influence of Saul and Barnabas should be extended over the proconsul, that he would be seen to be an impostor, and his power be at an end. His interest, therefore, led him to oppose the gospel. His own popularity was at stake; and being governed by this, he opposed the gospel of God. The love of popularity and power, the desire of retaining some political influence, is often a strong reason why people oppose the gospel. TO TURN AWAY THE DEPUTY FROM THE FAITH - To prevent the influence of the truth o

EXPOSITION ACTS 13:1 _At Antioch., in the Church that was there _for _in the Church that was at Antioch, _A.V.; _prophets, _etc., for _certain prophets, _etc., A.V. and T.R.; _Barnabas, _etc., for _as Barnabas, _etc., A.V.; _Symeon _for _Simeon, _A.V.; _the foster-brother of _for _which had_ _been brought up with, _A.V. AT ANTIOCH, IN THE CHURCH, etc. Κατὰ τὴν οὖσαν ἐκκλησίαν rather means "the existing Church," just as at αἱ οὖσαι ἐξουσίαι_ _means "the existing powers," "the powers that be," in Romans 13:1, A.V. and T.R. _The then Church _seems mere the meaning than _the Church there. _Luke writes from the standpoint of

BUT ELYMAS THE SORCERER, FOR SO IS HIS NAME BY INTERPRETATION,.... Not that Magus a sorcerer is by interpretation Elymas; as if Luke was interpreting the Persic word "Magus", which is sometimes used in a good sense, for a wise man, as in Matthew 2:1 by an Arabic word "Elim", which signifies knowing; but "Elymas" is the interpretation of his name "Bar-jesus"; which as that signifies the son of salvation, or of healing, so this, as De Dieu observes, may be derived from חלם, "Chalam", which signifies "to heal", or to be sound and in health. Junius thinks the name comes from the Arabic word אלאם, which signifies "to mutter", as wizards and sorcerers, and such sort of men used to do; and though he rejects the opinion of Tremellius, taking it for an Hebrew name, and to be the same with אלימעץ "Elimaatz", which signifies "divine counsel"; yet this, or what is near to it, is embraced by a late l...

ACTS 13:8 VElu,maj Instead of VElu,maj codex Bezae reads (with a lacuna of one letter) VEt@)#imaj. That it should be spelled VEtoima/j is shown by the Latin side of the manuscript, which reads _Etoemas,_ as does also Lucifer; the manuscripts of Ambrosiaster vary between _ethimas, etymas, tymas, thimas,_ and _atrmas_. Manuscripts of Pacianus read _hetymam_ or _hetym mÌaÌmÌ_. Likewise in support of the reading of Bezae is the addition in some Old Latin witnesses at the end of ver. Acts 13:6, where E reads o` meqermhneu,etai VElu,maj, but where itgig vg...

PART III The Witness to the Gentiles. The Apostle to the Gentiles; his Ministry and Captivity. Chapter s 13-28 CHAPTER 13 _ 1. The Divine Choice. Barnabas and Saul separated unto the work (Acts 13:1)._ 2. The Beginning of the Journey and the events in Cyprus (Acts 13:4). 3. The Gospel in Galatia. Paul's Address (Acts 13:13). 4. The Gospel rejected by the Jews (Acts 13:42). The thirteenth chapter is the beginning of the third part of this book. The second great center of Christianity comes to the front. It is no longer Jerusalem, but the city of Antioch. The gospel which had been preached in

SUCCESSES IN CYPRUS. Acts 13:4. went down: the usual phrase in connexion with a seaport. SELEUCIA is the port of Antioch, about sixteen miles from it. Acts 13:5. Salamis is the eastern port of Cyprus. IN THE SYNAGOGUES: this was the natural procedure for a Jew with a message bearing on the faith and on the salvation of his race. Ac. develops later a theory as to Paul's practice in addressing Jew and Gentile; the fact as told here may be accepted. What was Mark's function as their attendant? The synagogue was fully supplied with officials, and no services elsewhere are spoken of. Acts 13:6. Paphos is at the W. end of the island, and there Paul, like Peter on his first mission among Gentiles ...