Acts 9:32

And it came to pass, as Peter passed throughout all quarters, he came down also to the saints which dwelt at Lydda. AND IT CAME TO PASS, AS PETER PASSED THROUGHOUT ALL [QUARTERS]. Our translators seem here to have inserted a wrong supplement, as what follows makes it pretty clear that not places, but persons, are meant. The historian's object is to inform us that the apostle made a tour of inspection on visitation among all the disciples throughout the country. The supplement, therefore, if any were needed, should be, 'as Peter passed through all' (the disciples), HE CAME DOWN ALSO TO THE SAINTS WHICH DWELT AT LYDDA. But no supplement is required, "as Peter passed through all" [ dia (G1223) pantoon (G3956)] being rendered quite intelligible by the next cla...

32.Luke setteth down how the Church was increased by miracles. And he reciteth two miracles: That a man who had been bedrid eight years, having the palsy, was suddenly healed; and that a certain woman was raised from death. First, he saith, that as Peter walked throughout all, he came to Lydda. And by all understand not Churches, but the faithful, because it is in Greek of the masculine gender, though that skilleth not much for the sense. And it was meet that the apostles, who had no certain place of abode, should wander hither and thither as occasion was offered. Wherefore, whilst they are all occupied in divers parts, Peter took upon him this charge, whereby the foolishness of the Papists is refuted, who gather Peter’s primacy by the authority which he had to visit; as if the rest of the apostles did live idly at Jerusalem like private men, when Peter did visit the Churches. Again, adm...

32-35 Christians are saints, or holy people; not only the eminent ones, as Saint Peter and Saint Paul, but every sincere professor of the faith of Christ. Christ chose patients whose diseases were incurable in the course of nature, to show how desperate was the case of fallen mankind. When we were wholly without strength, as this poor man, he sent his word to heal us. Peter does not pretend to heal by any power of his own, but directs Eneas to look up to Christ for help. Let none say, that because it is Christ, who, by the power of his grace, works all our works in us, therefore we have no work, no duty to do; for though Jesus Christ makes thee whole, yet thou must arise, and use the power he gives thee....

Verse 32. _AS PETER PASSED THROUGHOUT ALL_ QUARTERS] δια παντων, Bp. Pearce thinks, should be translated, not _through all quarters_, but _through all the saints_. The Churches having rest, the apostles made use of this interval of quiet to visit the different congregations, in order to build them up on their most holy faith. Of Saul we hear no more till Acts 11:30, which is supposed to be about _five years_ after this time; _eight_ in all from his conversion. Peter, it seems, had continued in Jerusalem all the time that the Churches were in a state of persecution throughout the whole land. Great as he was, he never evidenced that _steady_ _determinate courage_ by which St. Paul was so eminently distinguished; nor did he ever suffer half so much for God and his truth. _TO THE SAINTS_] The _Jews_, who had been converted

TO THE SAINTS - To the Christians. WHICH DWELT AT LYDDA - This town was situated on the road from Jerusalem to Caesarea Philippi. It was about 10 or 12 miles southeast from Joppa, and belonged to the tribe of Ephraim. It was called by the Greeks Diospolis, or city of Jupiter, probably because a temple was at some period erected to Jupiter in that city. It is now so entirely ruined as to be a miserable village. Since the Crusades, it has been called by the Christians George, on account of its having been the scene of the martyrdom of a saint of that name. Tradition says that in this city the Emperor Justinian erected a church....

EXPOSITION ACTS 9:1 _But _for _and, _A.V.; _breathing _for _breathing out, _A.V.; _threatening _for _threatenings, _A.V. THREATENING AND SLAUGHTER. The phrase ἐμπνέων ἀπειλῆς κ.τ.λ., is rather a difficult one, and is variously explained. Schleusner takes the genitives in "threatening and slaughter" as genitives of the thing desired, "punting after threatening and slaughter" (comp. Amos 2:7). Meyer explains it "out of the threatenings and murder [in his heart] breathing hard at the disciples"—an expression indicating passion. Alford, taking nearly the sense of the A.V., makes "threatenings and slaughter" to be as it were the very material of his breath, whether breathed out or breathed in. Considering that ἐμπνέω means "to br

AND IT CAME TO PASS, AS PETER PASSED THROUGH ALL QUARTERS,.... The Arabic version reads, "all the foresaid places", as Judea, Galilee, and Samaria; through which he took a tour, in order to visit the new churches here planted, fix pastors over them, and confirm the Gospel by miracles, which they had received: HE CAME DOWN ALSO TO THE SAINTS WHICH DWELT AT LYDDA: a city which lay on the west of Jerusalem, and is said u to be a day's Journey from it; and a day's journey were ten parsas, or forty miles w: it was but thirty two miles from Jerusalem, and was a place famous for Jewish doctors; for which reason it is frequently mentioned in the Talmudic writings, under the name of Lod or Lud. Mention is made of R. Simlai, who was of Lydda x, and of the chambers of Beth Nithzah, and of Arum in Lydda y where the doctors disputed; there was a school here, of which R. Akiba was president z here al...

CHAPTER 9 __ 1. The vision of Glory on the road to Damascus (Acts 9:1). 2. Instructions given to Ananias (Acts 9:10). 3. Saul filled with the Spirit, is baptized and preaches that Jesus is the Son of God (Acts 9:17). 4. Saul persecuted and back in Jerusalem (Acts 9:23). 5. Further Acts of Peter (Acts 9:32). The previous chapter must be looked upon in its main part as a parenthesis. The record now leads us back to the close of the seventh, and the person who was connected with the great tragedy enacted there is prominently brought n

Æ NEAS. His name shows him to have been probably a Hellenist. This story is modelled on that of the paralytic in Mark 2:1. Many of the words are the same; the case is similar, and only the command to the patient is different. He is told that Jesus is curing him, and that he is to rise and manage his bed himself, which others had hitherto done for him. The use of the Name (Acts 3:6 *) is effective; and the result is seen by all the inhabitants of Lydda and in the plain of Sharon; a general conversion to the Lord follows....

SURRENDER (Acts 9:1-9)...