Ὁ δὲ Σαῦλος : takes up and continues the narrative from Acts 8:3; the resumptive use of δέ. ἔτι : “Sic in summo fervore peccandi ereptus et conversus est” Bengel. ἐμπνέων : only here in N.T., not “breathing out,” A.V., but rather “breathing of,” lit [221], “in” (R.V. simply “breathing”), _cf._ LXX,... [ Continue Reading ]
ᾐτήσατο, see on Acts 3:2, with παρά, in Acts 3:3, we have the imperfect, but “inest in aoristo quod etiam accepit,” Blass; on the use of the verb in N.T., see also Blass, _Gram._, p. 182, and Grimm-Thayer, _sub v._ ἐπιστολὰς, _cf._ Acts 22:5; Acts 26:12; on the jurisdiction of the Sanhedrim, see abo... [ Continue Reading ]
ἐν δὲ τῷ πορεύεσθαι, ἐγένετο : on the frequency of the infinitive as here, and of ἐγένετο in St. Luke, see Friedrich, _Das Lucasevangelium_, p. 13, but whilst St. Luke, even more than the other Evangelists, connects his narratives by more or less Hebraistic formulae, so he often tones down the Hebra... [ Continue Reading ]
καὶ πεσὼν ἐπὶ τὴν γῆν, _cf._ Acts 22:7, both expressions show the over-whelming impression made by the sudden bright light. In Acts 26:14 all fall to the ground, but there is no contradiction with Acts 9:7, see below on Acts 9:7. Lewin, Farrar (so Hackett, and some early interpreters) have held that... [ Continue Reading ]
Τίς εἶ, Κύριε; the title is here used in reverent and awestruck response to the question of a speaker, in whose voice, accompanied as it was by the supernatural light, Saul recognised a divine utterance it is therefore more than a mere word of respect, as in Acts 16:30; Acts 25:26; it indicates, as... [ Continue Reading ]
For this verse see critical notes and also Acts 22:10. Ἀνάστηθι : verb characteristic of St. Luke, see on Acts 5:7. Here, if we compare Acts 26:16 (Acts 14:10), it is evidently used in a literal sense. καὶ λαληθήσεταί σοι, see note on Acts 26:15.... [ Continue Reading ]
οἱ συνοδεύοντες : probably riding in company with him; not found in classical Greek, but used in the same sense as here in Plutarch not elsewhere in N. T; but see Wis 6:23, and Tob 5:16 ([223] [224] _al._), so according to in Zechariah 8:21 ([225] [226] S _al._), _cf._ also Symm. in Genesis 33:12. ε... [ Continue Reading ]
ἀνεῳγμένων; see critical notes. οὐδένα ἔβλεπε : his eyes, which he had closed mechanically, as he fell overwhelmed with the dazzling brightness of the light, and of the appearance of Jesus, he now opens, but only to find that he saw nothing (οὐδέν) (see critical note) he had become blind (so Weiss a... [ Continue Reading ]
ἦν … μὴ βλέπων : on ἦν with participle, characteristic, see above on chap. Acts 1:10. Wendt (in seventh edition, not in eighth), and so Felten, Alford, Hackett, distinguish between μή and οὐ with ἔφαγεν and ἔπιεν, and see especially Winer-Moulton, Leviticus, 5. οὐ β. would have simply meant _blind;_... [ Continue Reading ]
Ἀνανίας : _nomen et omen_, “Jehovah is gracious” (_cf._ Acts 22:12). No doubt a Jewish Christian (he is supposed by some, as by St. Augustine, to have been the presbyter to whose care the Church at Damascus was committed). For more details and traditions concerning him, see Dr. James, “Ananias,” Has... [ Continue Reading ]
ἀναστὰς : the word as has been previously remarked is characteristic of Luke (_cf._ its use in O.T.), and does not in the least support the idea that the vision was a dream of the night, _cf._ Acts 8:26. ἐπὶ τὴν ῥύμην τ. κ. Εὐθεῖαν : ῥύμη, _cf._ Acts 12:10; Matthew 6:2. In Luke 14:21 it seems to be... [ Continue Reading ]
ἐν ὁράματι, see critical notes. ἄνδρα Ἀ. ὀνόμ.: the words would certainly indicate, as Wendt points out (seventh edition, not eighth), that Saul was previously unacquainted with Ananias. Jesus communicates the contents of the vision, and speaks as it were from the standpoint of Saul (see Felten's no... [ Continue Reading ]
Ananias naturally hesitates to go to a man who had undoubtedly inflicted harm upon the Christians, and had come to Damascus with the same intent. But there is nothing inconsistent in the fact that Ananias should not be acquainted with Saul personally, whilst he knew of his persecuting zeal. τοῖς ἁγί... [ Continue Reading ]
ὧδε _hic_ et _huc_ (Blass), Acts 9:21 τοὺς ἐπικ. τὸ ὄνομά σου note the repeated pronoun and compare 1 Corinthians 1:2 s where ἐπικ. is closely joined with ἄγιοι. and on the whole phrase see above Acts 2:21... [ Continue Reading ]
σκεῦος ἐκλογῆς, _cf._ St. Paul's own language in Galatians 1:15, genitive of quality; common Hebraistic mode of expression (_cf._ Acts 8:23) = ἐκλεκτόν, see Blass, _Gram._, p. 96; _cf._ Luke 16:8; Luke 18:6, etc. For σκεῦος similarly used see Jeremiah 22:28; Hosea 8:8, and Schöttgen, _Horæ Hebraicæ,... [ Continue Reading ]
ἐγὼ γὰρ : he is a chosen vessel unto me, and therefore ὑποδ. Wendt disagrees with Meyer, who finds the showing in the experiences of the sufferings (so Hackett and Felten), and refers the word with De Wette, Over-beck, to a revelation or to some directing counsel of Christ, _cf._ Acts 13:2; Acts 16:... [ Continue Reading ]
ἐπιθεὶς ἐπʼ ἀ. τὰς χ.: not as bestowing the Holy Ghost (for see context), but as recovering from his blindness, _cf._ Mark 16:18. Σαούλ, see on Acts 9:4, perhaps too the word used by Jesus would reassure Saul. ἀδελφέ : as a Christian brother, and not merely as a brother in nationality, Acts 2:29; Ac... [ Continue Reading ]
καὶ εὐθέως : as the immediate result of the laying on of hands the recovery of sight is given, but the baptism follows for the reception of the Holy Ghost, _cf._ Acts 22:13 ff. ἀπέπεσον … ὡσεὶ λ.: the words cannot be taken as merely figurative with Weiss or Zöckler, or with Blass as merely indicatin... [ Continue Reading ]
ἡμέρας τινάς : used here apparently, as in Acts 10:48; Acts 16:12; Acts 24:24, etc., of a short period; see note on Acts 9:23, and _cf._ critical notes, Blass in [228], and see Acts 9:23. [228] R(omana), in Blass, a first rough copy of St. Luke.... [ Continue Reading ]
ἐν ταῖς συναγωγαῖς publicly in the Jewish Assemblies: οὐκ ᾐσχύνετο (Chrys.). ὁ υἱὸς τοῦ Θεοῦ : only here in Acts. As the preaching was in the synagogue the term would be used in its Messianic sense (_cf._ John 1:49), according to the early Messianic interpretation of Psalms 2:7; _cf._ Acts 13:33 and... [ Continue Reading ]
παρθήσας : same word used by St. Paul of himself in Galatians 1:13; Galatians 1:23; nowhere else in N.T., but see 4Ma 4:23; 4Ma 11:4; used often in classical Greek. Blass draws attention to the coincidence between this passage and the use of the word in Gal., and adds: “ut a Paulo hoc ipsum verbum s... [ Continue Reading ]
ἐνεδυναμοῦτο : only used here by St. Luke, and elsewhere only by St. Paul (five or six times), and always of religious and spiritual strength; used also three times in the LXX; twice with reference to the power of the Spirit, Judges 6:34, 1 Chronicles 12:18; in Psalms 51:7, perhaps the simple verb δ... [ Continue Reading ]
ἡμέρας ἱκανάς : whether the period thus described was meant to cover the definite period in Galatians 1:16, _i.e._, as including St. Paul's visit to Arabia, it is difficult to decide. Lightfoot holds that ἱκανός in St. Luke's language is connected rather with largeness than with smallness, Luke 7:12... [ Continue Reading ]
ἐπιβουλὴ : “plot”; N.T. only used in Acts; in three other passages, Acts 20:3; Acts 20:19; Acts 23:30. It is used in the same sense in LXX, Esther 2:22 (for other instances of the word see H. and R.), and frequently in classical Greek. παρετήρουν : if we follow R.V., see critical notes, we have the... [ Continue Reading ]
οἱ μαθηταὶ if we add αὐτοῦ, see critical notes, the words would apparently refer to Jews converted by Saul, so Chrysostom: “but his disciples” R.V. Alford, who reads αὐτοῦ, supposes that we have here an unusual government of the genitive by λαβόντες, and compares Luke 8:54 and classical instances, s... [ Continue Reading ]
παραγενόμενος : on its frequency in St. Luke's Gospel and Acts see Acts 5:21; apparently presupposes that Saul betook himself immediately to Jerusalem, so that the stay in Arabia cannot be inserted here (Weiss. _in loco_), a stay which Weiss holds was unknown to the author of Acts, see his note on A... [ Continue Reading ]
Βαρνάβας, _cf._ Acts 4:36. Saul and Barnabas may have been previously acquainted, see J. Lightfoot, _Hor. Heb._, and note on Acts 4:36. St. Chrysostom, _Hom._, xxi. (so Theophylact and Oecumenius), sees here a proof of the kindly nature of Barnabas, so truly called “Son of Consolation”. For an appre... [ Continue Reading ]
ἦν … εἰσπ.: for characteristic construction see Acts 1:10, etc. εἰς καὶ ἐκπ., _cf._ Acts 1:21. Hebraistic formula to express the daily confidential intercourse with the Apostles; _cf._ 1 Samuel 18:13; 2 Chronicles 23:7 (1Ma 13:49; 1Ma 15:14; 1Ma 15:25, for somewhat similar expressions, but see H. an... [ Continue Reading ]
συνεζήτει, _cf._ Acts 6:9. πρὸς τοὺς Ἑλλην., of whom Saul himself was one; see critical notes. Saul's visit was a short one (Galatians 1:18), and although we must not limit his opportunities of disputation to the two Sabbaths with Blass (note the two imperfects), yet it is evident that the Hellenist... [ Continue Reading ]
ἐπιγνόντες : the preposition may signify here as elsewhere accurate and certain knowledge or information a favourite word with St. Luke, in the Gospel seven times, in Acts thirteen times; it was also a favourite word with St. Paul, _cf., e.g._, 1Co 13:12, 2 Corinthians 6:9; frequent in LXX, or it ma... [ Continue Reading ]
αἱ ἐκκλησίαι if we read the singular ἡ ἐκκλ. with the great MS. the word shows us that the Church, though manifestly assuming a wider range, is still one: Hort, _Ecclesia_, p. 55, thinks that here the term in the singular corresponds by the three modern representative districts named, _viz._, Judæa,... [ Continue Reading ]
ἐγένετο δὲ Π. διερχ.: on the formula and its frequency in Luke see Friedrich, p. 13, and above on p. 124. We have here a note of what may fairly be taken as a specimen of many similar missionary journeys, or rather journeys of progress and inspection, mentioned here perhaps more in detail because of... [ Continue Reading ]
_Healing of Aeneas_.... [ Continue Reading ]
Αἰνέαν : the name in this form is found in Thuc, Xen., Pindar. and is not to be identified with that of the Trojan Αἰνείας, although in a fragment of Sophocles we have for the sake of the verse Αἰνέας instead of Αἰνείας; see Wendt, seventh edition, and Wetstein, _in loco_. The name is also used of a... [ Continue Reading ]
ἰᾶται σε Ἰ.: perhaps a _paronomasia_, Acts 4:30 (see Page, _in loco_); present tense, indicating that the healing was immediately effected, Burton, _N. T. Moods and Tenses_, p. 9; Blass, _Gram._, p. 183; verb much more frequent in St. Luke than in the other N.T. writers; in Gospel eleven times, in A... [ Continue Reading ]
τὸν Σάρωνα, on accentuation see critical notes: “at Lydda and in Sharon,” R.V. _In_ Sharon, because it was not a town as Lydda, but rather a level tract, the maritime plain between Carmel and Joppa, so called in Hebrew (with article), meaning “the Level”; in Greek, the Forest, δρυμός, LXX, because i... [ Continue Reading ]
Ἰόππη, on the spelling, Winer-Schmiedel, p. 56; and below on Acts 9:43. μαθήτρια : only here in N.T.: the word occurs in the Apocryphal _Gospel of Peter_ : Mary Magdalene is described as μ. τοῦ Κυρίου : it is also used by Diod., ii., 52; Diog. Laert., iv., 2; viii., 2. The form μαθητρίς is found in... [ Continue Reading ]
_Tabitha raised from the dead_.... [ Continue Reading ]
ἐγέν. δὲ : on the frequency of the formula in Luke see above p. 124, and Plummer, _St. Luke_, p. 45, on the use of ἐγένετο. ἀσθενήσασαν : aorist, marking the time when she fell sick (Weiss). λούσαντες : after the manner of the Jews as well as of the Greeks, _cf._ instances in Wetstein and Hamburger,... [ Continue Reading ]
Λύδδης, on the form see above on Acts 9:35; nine miles from Joppa. παρακαλοῦντες; the only passage in which the _oratio recta_ follows if we read μὴ ὀκνήσῃς, see critical notes; this also best represents the urgency of the message (_cf._ John 11:3), as in R.V. μἠ ὀκν.: “fides non tollit civilitatem... [ Continue Reading ]
It is not said that they sent for St. Peter to work a miracle, but his near presence at Lydda would naturally make them turn to him in a time of sorrow. παραγενόμενον : a characteristic Lucan expression (Weiss), see above Acts 5:21. τὸ ὑπερ.: here the article would naturally be used on referring to... [ Continue Reading ]
ἐκβαλὼν δὲ ἔξω πάντας : nothing could be more natural than this action of St. Peter as a reminiscence of his Master's action, when He was about to perform a similar miracle, _cf._ Matthew 9:25; Mark 5:40 (_cf._ 2 Kings 4:33, and 2 Kings 4:4-5 in same chapter), but in Luke 8:54 it is noteworthy that... [ Continue Reading ]
δοὺς δὲ αὐτῇ χ.: here for help to her to rise, after she had been restored to life, but in the Gospels Christ takes the damsel by the hand _before_ she is restored, Mark 5:41; Luke 8:54. Thus, while retaining a close resemblance, as we might surely expect, to our Lord's action in St. Mark's narrativ... [ Continue Reading ]
καθʼ ὅλης, see above on Acts 9:31.... [ Continue Reading ]
ἐγένετο δὲ, see on Acts 9:37, Plummer, _St. Luke_, p. 45, on the use of ἐγένετο. The phrase also marks (as often in Luke) a transition to the following narrative (Nösgen). ἡμέρας ἱκανὰς, see on Acts 8:11, and Acts 27:7. Kennedy speaks of the adjective as used in the vernacular sense of “long,” “many... [ Continue Reading ]