Acts 1:17

ὅτι κατηριθμημένος ἦν κ. τ. λ. For the construction see Acts 1:10. ὅτι introduces the ground upon which the Scripture to be cited, which speaks of the vacancy in the Apostolic office, found its fulfilment in Judas; “he was numbered,” “triste est numerari non manere,” Bengel. καὶ ἔλαχεν τὸν κλῆρον : lit [106], “and obtained by lot the lot”: κλῆρος, a lot, that which is assigned by lot, the portion or share so assigned; so amongst the Greeks, and somewhat similarly in English, cf. in LXX Wis 2:9; Wis 5:5, Sir 25:19. The word is used elsewhere in Acts three times, Acts 1:26; Acts 8:21; Acts 26:18; cf. with the last passage its use by St. Paul elsewhere, Colossians 1:12. Here the word no doubt may be used by St. Peter with reference to the actual selection by lot which was about to follow. The same word is used elsewhere by the same Apostle, 1 Peter 5:3, “neither as lording it over the charge allotted to you,” τῶν κλήρων. Tyndale and Cranmer render the word here “parishes,” which really gives a good interpretation of it = the “lots” assigned to the elders as their portions in God's heritage; and so we have by an easy transition clerici = clergy, those to whom such “lots” are assigned: Humphry, Commentary on R. V., p. 446, Lightfoot, Philippians, p. 246 ff. ἔλαχεν : here and in 2 Peter 1:1 with an accusative, as in classical Greek, “received his portion” R.V. On the construction of the verb with the genitive, cf. Blass, Grammatik des N. G., pp. 100, 230, and Plummer's St. Luke, p. 11; with Luke 1:9, cf. 1 Samuel 14:47. In classical Greek it is used as the opposite of χειροτονηθῆναι, to be elected, more commonly with the infinitive. διακονίας : “Apostleship the highest form of ministration is repeatedly designated thus,” Hort, Ecclesia, p. 204, e.g., Acts 1:25; Acts 20:24; Acts 21:19; 2 Corinthians 4:1; 2Co 5:18; 2 Corinthians 6:3; Romans 11:13, and see further on the word, chap. 6. below. It would be difficult to find in such a general term, or in any part of the speech, any reference to a hierarchical constitution of the Church (Zeller, Overbeck). Jüngst cannot derive any such view from this verse, although he sees in the description of διακονία as ἀποστολή, Acts 1:25, the mark of a later period than that of the delivery of the speech (so too Wendt).

[106] literal, literally.