Acts 14:9

The same heard Paul speak: who stedfastly beholding him, and perceiving that he had faith to be healed, THE SAME HEARD PAUL SPEAK. There being no mention of a synagogue, probably the Jews here were too few to have one. The apostle, therefore, seeing this cripple seated-and possibly having a presentiment that the power of the Lord would be present to heal him by his instrumentality, and thus make way for the truth into the peoples hearts-may have gathered a knot around this spot and addressed them. WHO STEDFASTLY BEHOLDING HIM, AND PERCEIVING THAT HE HAD FAITH TO BE HEALED. In all likelihood the apostle looking to this born cripple, would dwell on the Saviour's miracles of healing, and the grant of the same power to His chosen witnesses, as evinced by Peter's healing the lame man at the beautiful gate of the temple ...

− 9._He heard Paul speak. _Hearing is set down first, that we may know that the faith which Luke will commend by and by was conceived of Paul’s doctrine. Therefore, when he heard Paul, he hoped to be healed. But the question is, whether this was promised to him specially; for God doth not command us to hope for everything by and by, − (16) when he offereth unto us eternal salvation in the gospel. I answer, that this was a singular and extraordinary motion of the Spirit of God in the cripple, as it was on the other side in Paul, when he knew his faith by beholding him only. It may be that many may receive the gospel, and yet they shall not be cured of those diseases wherewith they are vexed. But forasmuch as God was determined to show a token of his grace in the cripple, he prepared his mind before, and made him capable of this that should come upon him. − (17) Wherefor

8-18 All things are possible to those that believe. When we have faith, that most precious gift of God, we shall be delivered from the spiritual helplessness in which we were born, and from the dominion of sinful habits since formed; we shall be made able to stand upright and walk cheerfully in the ways of the Lord. When Christ, the Son of God, appeared in the likeness of men, and did many miracles, men were so far from doing sacrifice to him, that they made him a sacrifice to their pride and malice; but Paul and Barnabas, upon their working one miracle, were treated as gods. The same power of the god of this world, which closes the carnal mind against truth, makes errors and mistakes find easy admission. We do not learn that they rent their clothes when the people spake of stoning them; but when they spake of worshipping them; they could not bear it, being more concerned for God's hono...

Verse Acts 14:9. _THAT HE HAD FAITH TO BE HEALED_] How did this faith come to this poor heathen? Why, by _hearing the word of God preached_: for it is said, _the same heard Paul speak_. And it appears that he credited the doctrine he heard, and believed that Jesus _could_, if he _would_, make him whole. Besides, he must have heard of the miracles which the apostles had wrought, see Acts 14:3; and this would raise his expectation of receiving a cure....

WHO STEDFASTLY BEHOLDING HIM - Fixing his eyes intently on him. See the notes on Acts 1:10. AND PERCEIVING - How he perceived this is not said. Perhaps it was indicated by the ardor, humility, and strong desire depicted in his countenance. He had heard Paul, and perhaps the apostle had dwelt particularly on the miracles with which the gospel had been attested. The miracles performed also in Icontium had doubtless also been heard of in Lystra. HAD FAITH TO BE HEALED - Compare Matthew 9:21, Matthew 9:28; Luke 7:50;...

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

THE SAME HEARD PAUL SPEAK,.... That is, preach the Gospel; he was one of his hearers, and faith came to hint by hearing; the Arabic version adds, "he cried unto him"; that is, to Paul, whom he heard: WHO STEADFASTLY BEHOLDING HIM; not the lame man beholding Paul, but Paul beholding the lame man, as the Syriac and Ethiopic versions both express it, as also Beza's ancient copy and others; so Peter looked on the man he cured, Acts 3:4. AND PERCEIVING THAT HE HAD FAITH TO BE HEALED; as he might by his looks, his gestures, his attention in hearing, and it may be by somewhat that he said, as well as by revelation, or a spirit of discerning, which he had....

ACTS 14:8-9 Several Western witnesses introduce a variety of expansions. At the close of ver. Acts 14:8 ith adds (according to Berger) the phrase _[habens ti]morem dei_ (“having the fear of God”) [Buchanan could not read _dei_ in the manuscript, which is a palimpsest]. According to Blass, the intention of the addition is to describe the cripple as a Jewish proselyte. In accord with this interpretation of the phrase is the addition to ver. Acts 14:9 in the same witness, “he heard the apostle _gladly_” (_libenter_ = h`de,wj). Codex Bezae moves the phrase to ver....

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

LYSTRA. Lystra, 25 miles SW. of Iconium, 10 miles off the trade route, in a secluded glen. Lystra and Derbe were the two cities of the Lycaonian region of Galatia; Roman influence was strong there, and Lystra was a Roman colony. The cure of a lame man in connexion with the preaching leads to serious consequences. The incident reminds us forcibly of Acts 3:2; in both cases the lameness is congenital, and the man leaps. In this case, however, faith plays the part it does in the Gospels; it is awakened apparently by Paul's preaching. Of the language of Lycaonia nothing is now known; _the_ mention of it is like a mist over the whole story. It is not asserted that Paul and Barnabas understood that language; but we know that Greek was currently spoken in the district. The recognition of the missionaries as divine beings (cf....