Acts 19:33

And they drew Alexander out of the multitude, the Jews putting him forward. And Alexander beckoned with the hand, and would have made his defence unto the people. AND THEY DREW ALEXANDER OUT OF THE MULTITUDE, THE JEWS PUTTING HIM FORWARD - rather, 'And some of the multitude urged forward Alexander, the Jews thrusting him forward.' As the blame of such a tumult would naturally be thrown upon the Jews, who were regarded by the Romans as the authors of all religious disturbances, they seem to have put forward this man to clear themselves of all responsibility for the riot. (Bengel's conjecture, that this was Alexander the coppersmith, , has little to support it.) AND ALEXANDER BECKONED WITH THE HAND (CF. ;...

− 33._They drew out Alexander. _It is to be thought that the Jews did not send forth this Alexander to plead the common cause of the nation, but that they were desirous to bring him before the people that he might be murdered. Nevertheless, the name Jew made him to be so hated, that they did outrageously refuse whatsoever he was about to speak in the matter and cause; yea, he did hardly escape with his life in such an uproar. Moreover, it is uncertain whether this be that Alexander of whom Paul maketh mention elsewhere, ( Titus 1:20; and 2 Timothy 4:14) yet the conjecture seemeth to me allowable. But and if we believe that it is he, let us learn by this fearful example to walk circumspectly, lest Satan carry us away into like falling away [defection]. For we see that he who was at the point to suffer martyrdom, became

32-41 The Jews came forward in this tumult. Those who are thus careful to distinguish themselves from the servants of Christ now, and are afraid of being taken for them, shall have their doom accordingly in the great day. One, having authority, at length stilled the noise. It is a very good rule at all times, both in private and public affairs, not to be hasty and rash in our motions, but to take time to consider; and always to keep our passions under check. We ought to be quiet, and to do nothing rashly; to do nothing in haste, of which we may repent at leisure. The regular methods of the law ought always to stop popular tumults, and in well-governed nations will do so. Most people stand in awe of men's judgments more than of the judgement of God. How well it were if we would thus quiet our disorderly appetites and passions, by considering the account we must shortly give to the Judge...

Verse 33. _THEY DREW ALEXANDER OUT OF THE MULTITUDE, THE JEWS_ _PUTTING HIM FORWARD_] From this and the following verses it is pretty evident that this Alexander was brought forward on this occasion by the Jews, that he might make an oration to the multitude, in order to exculpate the _Jews_, who were often by the heathens confounded with the _Christians_; and cast the whole blame of the uproar upon Paul and his party. And he was probably chosen because he was an able _speaker_; and when he beckoned with his hand; to gain an audience, the Greeks, knowing that he was a _Jew_, and consequently as much opposed to the worship of Diana as Paul was, would not hear him; and therefore, to drown his apology, τω δημω, _for the people_, viz. the Jews, they vociferated for the space of two hours, _Great is Diana of the Ephesians_! There does not seem any just ground from the text to suppose that th...

AND THEY DREW ALEXANDER - Who this Alexander was is not known. Grotius supposes that it was “Alexander the coppersmith, who had in some way done Paul much harm 2 Timothy 4:14; and whom, with Philetus, Paul had excommunicated. He supposes that it was a device of the Jews to put forward one who had been of the Christian party, in order to accuse Paul, and to attempt to cast the odium of the tumult on him. But it is not clear that the Alexander whom Paul had excommunicated was the person concerned in this transaction. All that appears in this narrative is, that Alexander was one who was known to be a Jew, and who wished to defend the Jews from being regarded as the authors of this tumult. It would be supposed by the pagan that the Christians Were only a sect of the Jews, and the Jews wished, doubtless, to show that they had not been concerned in giving occasion

EXPOSITION ACTS 19:1 _Country _for _coasts, _A.V.; _found _for _finding, _A.V. and T.R. THE UPPER COUNTRY (τὰ ἀνωτερικὰ μέρη); the inland districts of Galatia and Phrygia, through which St. Paul journeyed on his way to Ephesus, as distinguished from the seacoast on which Ephesus stood. DISCIPLES. They were like Apollos, believers in the Lord Jesus through the preaching of John the Baptist. It looks as if they were companions of Apollos, and had come with him from Alexandria, perhaps for some purpose of trade or Commerce. ACTS 19:2 _And he said _for _he said, _A.V. and T.R.; _did ye receive _for _have ye received, _A.V.; _when _for _since, _A.V.

AND THEY DREW ALEXANDER OUT OF THE MULTITUDE,.... Or "some of the multitude brought forth Alexander"; into the theatre, in order to kill him, by casting him to the wild beasts. Some think this is the same with Alexander the coppersmith, who apostatized upon this danger he was exposed to, and became a blasphemer, and a great enemy of the apostle, and did him much evil, 1 Timothy 1:20. This man, though his name was a Greek name, yet was a Jew, as is expressed in Acts 19:34 and from the times of Alexander the great, who was at Jerusalem, this name became common among the Jews; Acts 4:6. THE JEWS PUTTING HIM FORWARD; being equally enemies to him, as being under a profession of Christianity, as the Heathen

ACTS 19:33 sunebi,basan {B} The difficulty of understanding sunebi,basan in the context doubtless led scribes to change it to katebi,basan or to proebi,basan....

CHAPTER 19 _ 1. The second visit of Paul to Ephesus. The twelve disciples of John (Acts 19:1)._ 2. The Apostle's continued labors. The separation of the disciples. The Province Asia evangelized (Acts 19:8). 3. The Power of God and the Power of Satan (Acts 19:11). 4. Paul plans to go to Jerusalem and to visit Rome (Acts 19:21). 5. The opposition and riot at Ephesus (Acts 19:23). The disciples whom Paul found at Ephesus were disciples of John. The question the Apostle asked them has often been made the foundation of wrong teach

TUMULT AT EPHESUS. A change of religion (for the Way, _cf. Acts 9:2_) bears hardly on certain trades. In ch. 16 the Gospel interfered with the trade of soothsaying; here the art of the silversmith suffers. This opens a large chapter in the early history of Christianity (_cf._ Tertullian, _On the Public Games; The Soldier's Crown)._ Demetrius, to judge from his speech, is rather an employer than a craftsman. His business has been falling off, or he fears it may do so. The silver shrines would be used as mementoes of travel, but people would not purchase them if they ceased to believe in Artemis, and this was the evident outcome of Paul's teaching. The silversmiths and allied trades are therefore called together, and it is pointed out that not only the trade but the goddess herself must suffer if the preaching goes on. The audience fully agrees, works itself up, and vents its feelings in