Acts 14:23

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. AND WHEN THEY HAD ORDAINED THEM ELDERS, [ Cheirotoneesantes (G5500) de (G1161) autois (G846) presbuterous (G4245)] - literally, 'Having chosen them elders by show of hands'-that is, having superintended such choice on the part of the disciples; and there is the best reason to conclude that this is the sense intended by the historian, and not "ordained" (as our version, following in this case the Vulgate and Luther, rather than Beza, have rendered the term). There is no evidenc...

− 23._When they had ordained elders. _By this it appeareth sufficiently, that it is not enough if men have been once taught the doctrine of godliness, and to have [hold] the sum of faith, unless they go forward continually; therefore, Christ did not only send his apostles to preach the gospel, but he commanded also that there should be pastors appointed, that the preaching of the gospel might be perpetual and in daily use. Paul and Barnabas do mark that this order was set down by Christ, when they assigned pastors to every church, lest, after their departure, doctrine should cease and be whisht, (silent.) Furthermore, this place teacheth, that the Church cannot want an ordinary ministry, neither can any be counted Christians before God but those who, during their whole life, are willing to learn. I take it that those are called elders, in this place, who had the office of teaching enjoin...

19-28 See how restless the rage of the Jews was against the gospel of Christ. The people stoned Paul, in a popular tumult. So strong is the bent of the corrupt and carnal heart, that as it is with great difficulty that men are kept back from evil on one side, so it is with great ease they are persuaded to evil on the other side. If Paul would have been Mercury, he might have been worshipped; but if he will be a faithful minister of Christ, he shall be stoned, and thrown out of the city. Thus men who easily submit to strong delusions, hate to receive the truth in the love of it. All who are converted need to be confirmed in the faith; all who are planted need to be rooted. Ministers' work is to establish saints as well as to awaken sinners. The grace of God, and nothing less, effectually establishes the souls of the disciples. It is true, we must count upon much tribulation, but it is en...

Verse Acts 14:23. _WHEN THEY HAD ORDAINED THEM ELDERS_] _Elder_ seems to be here the name of an _office_. These were all _young_ or _new converts_, and yet among _them_ the apostles constitute _elders_. They appointed persons the most experienced, and the most advanced in the Divine life, to watch over and instruct the rest. But what is the meaning of the word χειροτονησαντες, which we translate _ordained_? The word _ordain_ we use in an _ecclesiastical_ sense, and signify by it the appointment of a person to an office in the Church, _by the_ _imposition of the hands of those who are rulers in that Church_. But χειροτονια a signifies the _holding up_ or _stretching out_ the _hand_, as _approving_ of the _choice_ of any person to a particular work: whereas χειροθεσια signifies the _imposition of hands_. ...

AND WIDEN THEY HAD ORDAINED - χειροτονήσαντες cheirotonēsantes. The word “ordain” we now use in an ecclesiastical sense, to denote “a setting apart to an office by the imposition of hands.” But it is evident that the word here is not employed in that sense. That imposition of hands might have occurred in setting apart afterward to this office is certainly possible, but it is not implied in the word employed here, and did not take place in the transaction to which this word refers. The word occurs in only one other place in the New Testament, 2 Corinthians 8:19, where it is applied to Luke, and translated, “who was also chosen of the church (that is, appointed or elected by suffrage by the churches) to travel with us, etc.” The verb properly denotes “to stretch out the hand”; and as it was custom

EXPOSITION ACTS 14:1 _Entered _for _went both, _A.V.; _Jews _for _the Jews, _A.V.; _and _for _and also, _A.V.; Greeks for _the Greeks, _A.V. Observe how in every case Greeks are found attending the synagogue. SO SPAKE, etc. This illustrates the statement in Romans 10:17, that "faith cometh by hearing, and hearing by the Word of God." ACTS 14:2 _The Jews that were disobedient _for _the unbelieving Jews, _A.V. and T.R.; _stirred up the souls of the Gentiles, and made them, _etc., for _stirred up the Gentiles, and made their minds, _etc., A.V. The Jews that were disobedien

AND WHEN THEY HAD ORDAINED THEM ELDERS IN EVERY CHURCH,.... As soon as ever any number of disciples were made, or souls were converted to Christ in any place, they were at once formed, by the apostles, into a church state; and as the gifts, as well as the grace of the Holy Ghost, attended the ministry of the word, so among those that were converted, there were some that were honoured with ministerial gifts, qualifying them to preach the Gospel, and take upon them the care of the churches: these the apostles directed the churches to look out from among themselves, as in the case of deacons, an inferior office, who by joint suffrages declared their choice of them by the stretching out, or lifting up of their hands, as the word here used signifies, and not the imposition of them; and the apostles presiding in this affair, they were installed into the office of bishops, elders, or pastors ov...

ORDAINED (Greek, "cheirotoneō", to designate by stretching out (or pointing with) the hand)....

CHAPTER 14 _ 1. The work in Iconium and the persecution of the Apostles (Acts 14:1)._ 2. In Derbe and Lystra; the Impotent Man healed (Acts 14:7). 3. The Stoning of Paul and further ministries (Acts 14:19). 4. The Return to Antioch (Acts 14:25). Iconium was a Phrygian town, bordering on Lycaonia. Here again the unbelieving Jews stirred up the Gentiles. They abode there a long time, and in spite of opposition and persecution they spoke with much boldness the Word of God. Signs and wonders were also done by their hands. When their lives were threatened by the unbelieving Jews and Gentiles, they fled to Lystra and Der

CLOSE OF THE FIRST TOUR. The places already visited are now taken in the reverse order, but no further information is given about them. Acts 14:23. An appointment of elders is made (_cf._ Titus 1:5) in each church; the institution takes place in each case with prayer and fasting. The word translated appointed (AV ordained) denotes strictly a popular election by voting (_cf._ 2 Corinthians 8:19; _Didaché,_ xv. 1), though it may also be used of cases where there is no popular vote. The elder is in Titus also called bishop: he is a local functionary, with no duties except to his own church. In Acts 11:30 the elders at