CHAPTER XVII. _Paul and his company, passing through Amphipolis and Apollonia,_ _come to Thessalonica, were they preach the Gospel to the Jews,_ _several of whom believe_, 1-4. _Others raise a mob, and bring Jason, who had received the_ _apostles, before the magistrates, who, having taken bail... [ Continue Reading ]
Verse Acts 17:2. _AS HIS MANNER WAS_] He constantly offered salvation first to the Jews; and for this purpose attended their Sabbath-days' meetings at their synagogues.... [ Continue Reading ]
Verse Acts 17:3. _OPENING AND ALLEGING_] παρατιθεμνος, _Proving by_ _citations_. His method seems to have been this: 1st. He collected the scriptures that spoke of the Messiah. 2d. He applied these to Jesus Christ, showing that in him all these scriptures were fulfilled, and that he was the Saviou... [ Continue Reading ]
Verse Acts 17:4. _THE DEVOUT GREEKS_] That is, Gentiles who were proselytes to the Jewish religion, so far as to renounce idolatry, and live a moral life, but probably had not received circumcision.... [ Continue Reading ]
Verse Acts 17:5. _THE JEWS WHICH BELIEVED NOT, MOVED WITH ENVY, TOOK UNTO_ _THEM_] Instead of this sentence, the most correct MSS. and versions read simply, προσλαβομενοι δε οἱ Ιουδαιοι. _But the Jews taking_, c., leaving out the words, ζηλωσαντες, απειθουντες, _which_ _believed not, moved with env... [ Continue Reading ]
Verse Acts 17:6. _THESE THAT HAVE TURNED THE WORLD UPSIDE DOWN ARE COME_ _HITHER ALSO_] The very character our forefathers had for preaching that Gospel, in every part of the land, by which the nation has been illuminated, the mob disciplined into regularity and order, and the kingdom established in... [ Continue Reading ]
Verse Acts 17:7. _THESE ALL DO CONTRARY TO THE DECREES OF CAESAR_] Persecutors always strive to affect the _lives_ of the objects of their hatred, by accusing them of _sedition_, or plots against the _state_. _THAT THERE IS ANOTHER KING_, ONE _JESUS._] How malevolent was this saying! The apostles p... [ Continue Reading ]
Verse Acts 17:8. _AND THEY TROUBLED THE PEOPLE AND THE RULERS_] It is evident that there was no disposition in either the people or the rulers to persecute the apostles. But these wicked Jews, by means of the _unprincipled, wicked lawyers_, those _lewd fellows of the_ _baser sort_, threw the subject... [ Continue Reading ]
Verse Acts 17:9. _TAKEN SECURITY_] λαβοντες το ικανον, _Having taken what_ _was sufficient_, or _satisfactory_. _Sufficient_ for the present, to prove that the apostles were upright, peaceable, and loyal men; and that Jason and his friends were the like, and would be, at any time, forthcoming to ans... [ Continue Reading ]
Verse Acts 17:10. _SENT AWAY PAUL AND SILAS BY NIGHT_] Fearing some farther machinations of the Jews and their associates. _BEREA_] This was another city of Macedonia, on the same gulf with Thessalonica; and not far from Pella, the birth place of _Alexander_ _the Great_.... [ Continue Reading ]
Verse Acts 17:11. _THESE WERE MORE NOBLE THAN THOSE IN THESSALONICA_] ησαν ευγενεστεροι, _Were of a better race, extraction_, or _birth_, than those at Thessalonica; but the word refers more to their _conduct_, as a proof of their _better disposition_, than to their _birth_, or any peculiar _lineal... [ Continue Reading ]
Verse Acts 17:12. _THEREFORE MANY OF THEM BELIEVED_] From the manner in which they heard, received, and examined the word preached to them, it was not likely they could be deceived. And, as it was the _truth_ that was proclaimed to them, it is no wonder that they apprehended, believed, and embraced... [ Continue Reading ]
Verse Acts 17:13. _THE JEWS OF THESSALONICA - STIRRED UP THE PEOPLE._] With what implacable malice did these men persecute the Gospel! And in the same spirit they continue to the present day, though it is evidently the sole cause of their wretchedness.... [ Continue Reading ]
Verse Acts 17:14. _TO GO AS IT WERE TO THE SEA_] This passage is generally understood to mean that the disciples took Paul towards the sea, _as if he had intended to embark, and return to Troas_, but with the _real design_ to go to _Athens_. But it is more likely that his conductors, in order to hi... [ Continue Reading ]
Verse Acts 17:15. _BROUGHT HIM UNTO ATHENS_] This was one of the most celebrated cities in the world, whether we consider its _antiquity_, its _learning_, its _political consequence_, or the _valour_ of its _inhabitants_. This city, which was the capital of Attica, and the seat of the Grecian empir... [ Continue Reading ]
Verse Acts 17:16. _HE SAW THE CITY WHOLLY GIVEN TO IDOLATRY._] κατειδωλον, _Full of idols_, as the _margin_ has it, and very properly. Whoever examines the remains of this city, as represented by Mr. Stuart in his _Antiquities_, already referred to, will be satisfied of the truth of St. Luke's remar... [ Continue Reading ]
Verse Acts 17:17. _DISPUTED HE IN THE SYNAGOGUE WITH THE JEWS_] Proving that Jesus was the Messiah: and _with the devout persons_, probably _heathens_, proselyted to the Jewish religion. _And in the market_: I suppose the αγορα here means some such place as our _exchange_, where people of business u... [ Continue Reading ]
Verse Acts 17:18. _CERTAIN PHILOSOPHERS OF THE EPICUREANS_] These were the followers of _Epicurus_, who acknowledged no gods except in _name_, and absolutely denied that they exercised any government over the world or its inhabitants; and that the chief good consisted in the gratification of the app... [ Continue Reading ]
Verse Acts 17:19. _THEY TOOK HIM, AND BROUGHT HIM UNTO AREOPAGUS_] The Areopagus was a _hill_ not far from the _Acropolis_, already described, where the supreme court of justice was held; one of the most sacred and reputable courts that had ever existed in the Gentile world. It had its name, αρειος... [ Continue Reading ]
Verse Acts 17:20. _THOU BRINGEST - STRANGE THINGS TO OUR EARS_] The doctrine of the apostles was different from any they had ever heard: it was wholly spiritual and divine; thus it was _strange_: it was contrary to their customs and manners; and thus it was _strange_ also. As it spoke much of the ex... [ Continue Reading ]
Verse Acts 17:21. _ALL THE ATHENIANS AND STRANGERS WHICH WERE THERE_] As Athens was renovated for its wisdom and learning, it became a place of public resort for philosophers and students from different parts of the then civilized world. The flux of students was in consequence great; and these, havi... [ Continue Reading ]
Verse Acts 17:22. _PAUL STOOD IN THE MIDST OF MARS' HILL_] That is, in the midst of the judges, who sat in the _Areopagus_. _YE ARE TOO SUPERSTITIOUS._] Κατα παντα ὡς δεισιδαιμονεϚερους ὑμας θεωρω; I perceive that in all respects ye are greatly addicted to religious practices; and, as a religious... [ Continue Reading ]
Verse Acts 17:23. _BEHELD YOUR DEVOTIONS_] σεβασματα, _The objects of your_ _worship_; the different _images_ of their gods which they held in religious veneration, sacrificial instruments, altars, c., c. _TO THE UNKNOWN GOD._] ΑΓΝΩΣΤΩ ΘΕΩ. That there was an altar at Athens thus inscribed, we cann... [ Continue Reading ]
Verse Acts 17:24. _GOD THAT MADE THE WORLD_, c.] Though the _Epicureans_ held that the world was not made by God, but was the effect of a fortuitous concourse of atoms, yet this opinion was not popular and the _Stoics_ held the contrary: 1. St. Paul assumes, as an acknowledged truth, that there was... [ Continue Reading ]
Verse Acts 17:25. _NEITHER IS WORSHIPED WITH MEN'S HANDS_] This is an indirect stroke against making of images, and offering of sacrifices: he is not worshipped with _human hands, as if he needed_ _any thing_, or required to be represented under a particular _form_ or _attitude_; nor has he required... [ Continue Reading ]
Verse Acts 17:26. _HATH MADE OF ONE BLOOD_] In AB, some others, with the _Coptic, AEthiopic, Vulgate, Itala, Clement_, and _Bede_, the word αιματος, _blood_, is omitted. _He hath made of one_ (meaning Adam) _all nations of men_; but αιμα, _blood_, is often used by the best writers for _race, stock,... [ Continue Reading ]
Verse Acts 17:27. _THAT THEY SHOULD SEEK THE LORD_] This is a conclusion drawn from the preceding statement. God, who is infinitely great and self-sufficient, has manifested himself as the maker of the world, the creator, preserver, and governor of men. He has assigned them their portion, and dispen... [ Continue Reading ]
Verse Acts 17:28. _FOR IN HIM WE LIVE, AND MOVE, AND HAVE OUR BEING_] He is the very _source_ of our _existence_: the principle of _life_ comes from him: the principle of _motion_, also, comes from him; one of the most difficult things in nature to be properly apprehended; and a strong proof of the... [ Continue Reading ]
Verse 29. _FORASMUCH THEN AS WE ARE THE OFFSPRING OF GOD_, c.] This inference of the apostle was very strong and conclusive and his argument runs thus: "If we are the offspring of God, he cannot be like those _images of gold, silver_, and _stone_, which are formed by the _art_ and _device of man_;... [ Continue Reading ]
Verse 30. _THE TIMES OF THIS IGNORANCE GOD WINKED AT_] He who has an indisputable right to demand the worship of all his creatures has mercifully overlooked those acts of idolatry which have disgraced the world and debased man; but _now_, as he has condescended to give a revelation of himself, he _c... [ Continue Reading ]
Verse 31. _HE HATH APPOINTED A DAY_] He has fixed the time in which he will judge the world, though he has not revealed this time to man. _BY_ THAT _MAN WHOM HE HATH ORDAINED_] He has also appointed the judge, by whom the inhabitants of the earth are to be tried. Whereof _HE HATH GIVEN ASSURANCE_... [ Continue Reading ]
Verse 32. _WHEN THEY HEARD OF THE RESURRECTION_, c.] Paul undoubtedly had not finished his discourse: it is likely that he was about to have proclaimed salvation through Christ crucified but, on hearing of the _resurrection_ of the body, the assembly instantly broke up; the _Epicureans_ mocking, εχλ... [ Continue Reading ]
Verse Acts 17:33. _SO PAUL DEPARTED FROM AMONG THEM._] He could not be convicted of having done any thing contrary to the law; and, when the assembly broke up, he was permitted to go about his own business.... [ Continue Reading ]
Verse Acts 17:34. _CERTAIN MEN CLAVE UNTO HIM_] Became affectionately united to him, _and believed_ the doctrines he had preached. _DIONYSIUS THE AREOPAGITE_] There can be no doubt that this man was one of the _judges_ of this _great court_, but whether the _president_ or otherwise we cannot tell.... [ Continue Reading ]