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Acts Chapter
Thirteen
Acts 13
We come now to the beginning of the direct history of the
work, new in some important respects, that is, connected with Paul's mission by
the immediate intervention of the Holy Ghost. It is not now Christ upon earth,
who by His personal authority sends forth the twelve, afterwards endowed with
the power of the Holy Ghost from on high to announce His exaltation to heaven
and His return, and to gather under the standard of the cross those who should
believe in Him. Paul has seen Christ in glory, and therefore has united himself
to the assembly already gathered. But here there is no Christ personally
present to send him forth as the witness of His presence on earth, or of His
rejection as One whom Paul had known in earth. The Holy Ghost Himself sends
him, not from Jerusalem, but from a Greek city, in which in free and sovereign
power He had converted and gathered together some Gentiles, doubtless some Jews
likewise, but forming an assembly whose existence was first marked by the fact
that the gospel had been preached to the Greeks.
In chapter 13 we find ourselves again in the assembly at Antioch, and
in [1] action of the Spirit of God. Certain prophets
are there, Saul among them. They fasted and were occupied with the service of
the Lord. The Holy Ghost commands them to separate unto Him Barnabas and Saul
for the work to which He had called them Such was the source of the ministry of
these two. Assuredly it bore testimony to Him in whom they had believed, and
whom Saul, at least, had seen, and it was under His authority they acted; but
the positive and obvious source of their mission was the Holy Ghost. It was the
Holy Ghost who called them to the work. They were sent forth (v. 4) by Him-an
all-important principle as to the Lord's ways upon earth. We come out from
Jerusalem, from Judaism, from the jurisdiction of the apostles nominated by the
Lord while He was on earth. Christ is no longer known after the flesh, as Saul
(when become Paul) expresses it. They have to strive against the Judaic
spirit-to shew consideration for it as far as it is sincere; but the sources of
their work are not now in connection with the system which that work no longer
knows as a starting-point. A glorious Christ in heaven, who owns the disciples
as members of His body as Himself on high-a mission from the Holy Ghost on
earth which only knows His energy as the source of action and authority
(bearing testimony of course to Christ)-this is the work which now opens, and
which is committed to Barnabas and Saul. Barnabas, it is true, forms a link
between the two. He was himself a Hellenist of Cyprus; it was he who presented
Saul to the apostles after his conversion near Damascus. Barnabas had more
largeness of heart-was more open to the testimonies of divine grace-than even
the apostles and the others who had been nurtured in a strict Judaism; for God
in His grace provides for everything. There is always a Barnabas, as well as a
Nicodemus, a Joseph, and even a Gamaliel, whenever needed. The actings of God
in this respect are remarkable in all this history. Would that we only trusted
more entirely, while by the Spirit doing His will, to Him who disposes all
things!
Nevertheless even this link is soon broken. It was still
in connection with the "old cloth," the "old bottles";
blessed as the man himself was, to whom the Holy Ghost rendered so fine a
testimony, and in whom we see an exquisite character. He determined to take his
kinsman also (see Col. 4:10), Mark. Mark returns to Jerusalem almost from the
beginning of the work of evangelisation in the Gentile regions; and Saul
continues his work with such instruments as God formed under his hand, or a
Silas who chose to remain at Antioch when (the particular service which had
been committed to him at Jerusalem being ended) he might naturally have
returned thither with Judas.
Sent forth thus by the Holy Ghost, Barnabas and Saul,
with John Mark as their ministering servant, go away to Seleucia, then to
Cyprus; and being at Salamis, a town in that island, they preach the word of
God in the synagogues of the Jews. Whatever therefore might be the energy of
the Holy Ghost, He acts in connection with the counsels and the promises of
God, and that with perfect patience. To the end of his life, notwithstanding
the opposition of the Jews, vexatious and implacable as it might be, the
apostle continues-as the ways and counsels of God in Christ had commanded-to
the Jews first, and then to the Gentiles. Once brought in where truth and grace
were fully revealed in God's assembly, there was no difference between Jew and
Gentile. God is one in His character and fully revealed, and the veil rent; sin
is one in its character and is opposed to God; the foundation of truth changes
not, and the oneness of the assembly is connected with the height of grace in
God and comes down to the deep totality of sin, in respect of which that grace
has displayed itself. But, with regard to the ways of God upon earth, the Jews had
the first place, and the Spirit, who is above all, can therefore act in full
liberty in recognising all the ways of God's sovereignty; even as Christ, who
made Himself a servant in grace, submitted to them all, and now, being exalted
on high, unites all these various ways and dispensations in Himself as head and
centre of a glory to which the Holy Ghost bears witness, in order to accomplish
it here below, as far as may be, by grace.
This does not prevent his giving a distinct and positive
judgment as to the condition of the Jews when the occasion requires it.
Even here, at the commencement of his ministry, the two things are
presented together. We have already noticed that he begins with the Jews.
Having traversed the island, he arrives at the seat of government. There the
proconsul, a prudent and thoughtful man, asks to hear the gospel. Beset already
by a false prophet (who took advantage of the felt need of a soul which, while
ignorant, was earnestly desirous of something that could fill up the void it
experienced in the nothingness of pagan ceremonies, and in its disgusting
immorality), he sends for Barnabas and Saul. Elymas withstands them. This was
natural. He would lose his influence with the governor if the latter received
the truth that Paul preached Now Elymas was a Jew. Saul (who is henceforth
named Paul) filled with the Holy Ghost, pronounces on him the sentence, on
God's part, of temporary blindness, executed at the moment by the mighty hand
of God. The proconsul, struck with the power that accompanied his word, submits
to the gospel of God.
I do not doubt that in this wretched Bar-jesus we see a
picture of the Jews at the present time, smitten with blindness for a season,
because jealous of the influence of the gospel. In order to fill up the measure
of their iniquity, they withstood its being preached to the Gentiles. Their
condition is judged: their history given in the mission of Paul. [2] Opposed to grace, and seeking to destroy its
effect upon the Gentiles, they have been smitten with blindness-nevertheless
only for a season.
Departing from Paphos, they go into Asia Minor; and now
Paul definitively takes his place in the eyes of the historian of the Spirit.
His whole company are only those who were with Paul, an expression in Greek
which makes Paul everything (Paul's company Lit. "those around
Paul"). When they reached Perga, John Mark leaves them to return to
Jerusalem-a milder and more moderate form of the Judaic influence, but shewing
that, wherever it exercised itself, if it did not produce opposition, it at
least took away the vigour needful for the work of God as it was now unfolding
among the Gentiles. Barnabas however goes farther, and still continues with
Paul in the work. The latter, when they were come to Antioch, [3] again begins first with the Jews. He goes on
the sabbath day into the synagogue, and, on the invitation of the ruler,
proclaims Jesus, rejected by the Jews at Jerusalem and crucified, but by the
power of God raised up again, and through whom they might be justified from all
things, from which they could not be justified by the law of Moses. Here the testimony
of Paul is very like that of Peter, and is very particularly allied to the
beginning of the Epistle to the Hebrews, with regard to the character of the
testimony: verse 33 is quite Peter's testimony in Acts 3. In verse 31 he sets
the twelve distinctly in the place of testimony to Israel, as those who had
personally accompanied the Lord, and who had seen Him after His resurrection.
"They are," he says, "his witnesses unto the people." But
Paul's testimony (which, as to the fulfilment of the promises by the coming of
Christ, and the mercies of David made sure in His resurrection, returns into
the order of Peter's preaching) departs from it in an important point. He says
nothing of God's having made Jesus both Lord and Christ. He announces that the
remission of sins is proclaimed in His name, exhorting his hearers not to
neglect this great salvation. [4] [5] and
Barnabas in consequence of this announcement, and are exhorted by them to
continue in the grace which had been proclaimed to them. The mass of the people
come together the following sabbath to hear the word of God; the Gentiles having
besought that this gospel of grace might be preached to them again. Their souls
had found more truth in the doctrine of the one only God, acknowledged by the
Jews, than in the senseless worship of the Pagans, which, to an awakened and
unsatisfied mind, no longer presented any food that could appease it-a mind
that was too active to allow the imagination to amuse itself with ceremonies
which had no charms but for ignorance, which could be captivated by the
pageantry of festivals, to which it was accustomed, and which gratified the
religious element of the flesh. Still, the coldly acknowledged doctrine of one
only true God, although it set the mind free from all that shocked it in the
senseless and immoral mythology of Paganism, did not at all feed the soul as
did the powerful testimony of a God acting in grace, borne by the Holy Ghost
through the mouth of messengers whom He had sent-a testimony which, while
faithful to the promises made to the Jews, yet addressed itself as a "word
of salvation" (v. 26) to all those who feared God. But the Jews, jealous
of the effect of the gospel which thus met the soul's need in a way that their
system could not, withstand Paul and blaspheme the doctrine of Christ. Paul
therefore and Barnabas turn boldly to the Gentiles.
It was a decisive and important moment. These two
messengers of the Holy Ghost quote the testimony of the Old Testament with
regard to God's purpose towards the Gentiles, of whom Christ was to be the
light-a purpose which they accomplished according to the intelligence in it
that the Spirit gave them, and by His power. The passage is in Isaiah (chap.
49), where the opposition of Israel, that made the testimony of Christ useless
to themselves, gave God occasion to declare that this work was but a small thing,
and that Christ should be a light to the Gentiles, and great even to the ends
of the earth.
We shall do well to observe this last circumstance, the
energy in action imparted by spiritual intelligence, and the way in which
prophetic declarations turn into light and authority for action, when the
Spirit of God gives the true practical meaning-the application. Another might
not perhaps understand it; but the spiritual man has a full guarantee for his
own conscience in the word which he has understood. He leaves the rest to God.
The Gentiles rejoice at the testimony, and the election
believe. The word spreads through all the region. The Jews now shew themselves
in their true character of enemies to the Lord and to His truth. With regard to
them Paul and Barnabas shake off the dust of their feet against them. The
disciples, whatever might be their difficulties, are no hindrance to this. The
position here taken by the Jews-which, moreover, we find everywhere-makes us
understand what a source of grief and pain they must have been to the apostles.
[1] The
acting of the Spirit is always independent; but here I mean to express that it
was outside the authority of the apostles. This authority is not the source of
that which is done; nor does that which is done refer itself to it.
[2] I do
not know if the change of name pointed out on this occasion-the meaning of
which has excited the curiosity of etymologists-is not simply an alteration by
which its Jewish form was lost, in order to assume a Roman or Gentile aspect.
[3] In
Pisidia.
[4]
Both, as we have seen, follow (in the main) the commission in Luke 24.
[5] Here
Paul is placed before Barnabas; in the former chapter, Barnabas has the first
place.
── John Darby《Synopsis of Acts》
Acts 13
Chapter Contents
The mission of Paul and Barnabas. (1-3) Elymas the
sorcerer. (4-13) Paul's discourse at Antioch. (14-41) He preaches to the
Gentiles, and is persecuted by the Jews. (42-52)
Commentary on Acts 13:1-3
(Read Acts 13:1-3)
What an assemblage was here! In these names we see that
the Lord raises up instruments for his work, from various places and stations
in life; and zeal for his glory induces men to give up flattering connexions
and prospects to promote his cause. It is by the Spirit of Christ that his
ministers are made both able and willing for his service, and taken from other
cares that would hinder in it. Christ's ministers are to be employed in
Christ's work, and, under the Spirit's guidance, to act for the glory of God
the Father. They are separated to take pains, and not to take state. A blessing
upon Barnabas and Saul in their present undertaking was sought for, and that they
might be filled with the Holy Ghost in their work. Whatever means are used, or
rules observed, the Holy Ghost alone can fit ministers for their important
work, and call them to it.
Commentary on Acts 13:4-13
(Read Acts 13:4-13)
Satan is in a special manner busy with great men and men
in power, to keep them from being religious, for their example will influence
many. Saul is here for the first time called Paul, and never after Saul. Saul
was his name as he was a Hebrew; Paul was his name as he was a citizen of Rome.
Under the direct influence of the Holy Ghost, he gave Elymas his true
character, but not in passion. A fulness of deceit and mischief together, make
a man indeed a child of the devil. And those who are enemies to the doctrine of
Jesus, are enemies to all righteousness; for in it all righteousness is
fulfilled. The ways of the Lord Jesus are the only right ways to heaven and
happiness. There are many who not only wander from these ways themselves, but
set others against these ways. They commonly are so hardened, that they will
not cease to do evil. The proconsul was astonished at the force of the doctrine
upon his own heart and conscience, and at the power of God by which it was
confirmed. The doctrine of Christ astonishes; and the more we know of it, the
more reason we shall see to wonder at it. Those who put their hand to the
plough and look back, are not fit for the kingdom of God. Those who are not
prepared to face opposition, and to endure hardship, are not fitted for the
work of the ministry.
Commentary on Acts 13:14-31
(Read Acts 13:14-31)
When we come together to worship God, we must do it, not
only by prayer and praise, but by the reading and hearing of the word of God.
The bare reading of the Scriptures in public assemblies is not enough; they
should be expounded, and the people exhorted out of them. This is helping
people in doing that which is necessary to make the word profitable, to apply
it to themselves. Every thing is touched upon in this sermon, which might best
prevail with Jews to receive and embrace Christ as the promised Messiah. And
every view, however short or faint, of the Lord's dealings with his church,
reminds us of his mercy and long-suffering, and of man's ingratitude and
perverseness. Paul passes from David to the Son of David, and shows that this
Jesus is his promised Seed; a Saviour to do that for them, which the judges of
old could not do, to save them from their sins, their worst enemies. When the
apostles preached Christ as the Saviour, they were so far from concealing his
death, that they always preached Christ crucified. Our complete separation from
sin, is represented by our being buried with Christ. But he rose again from the
dead, and saw no corruption: this was the great truth to be preached.
Commentary on Acts 13:32-37
(Read Acts 13:32-37)
The resurrection of Christ was the great proof of his
being the Son of God. It was not possible he should be held by death, because
he was the Son of God, and therefore had life in himself, which he could not
lay down but with a design to take it again. The sure mercies of David are that
everlasting life, of which the resurrection was a sure pledge; and the
blessings of redemption in Christ are a certain earnest, even in this world.
David was a great blessing to the age wherein he lived. We were not born for
ourselves, but there are those living around us, to whom we must study to be
serviceable. Yet here is the difference; Christ was to serve all generations.
May we look to Him who is declared to be the Son of God by his resurrection
from the dead, that by faith in him we may walk with God, and serve our
generation according to his will; and when death comes, may we fall asleep in
him, with a joyful hope of a blessed resurrection.
Commentary on Acts 13:38-41
(Read Acts 13:38-41)
Let all that hear the gospel of Christ, know these two
things: 1. That through this Man, who died and rose again, is preached unto you
the forgiveness of sins. Your sins, though many and great, may be forgiven, and
they may be so without any injury to God's honour. 2. It is by Christ only that
those who believe in him, and none else, are justified from all things; from
all the guilt and stain of sin, from which they could not be justified by the
law of Moses. The great concern of convinced sinners is, to be justified, to be
acquitted from all their guilt, and accepted as righteous in God's sight, for
if any is left charged upon the sinner, he is undone. By Jesus Christ we obtain
a complete justification; for by him a complete atonement was made for sin. We
are justified, not only by him as our Judge but by him as the Lord our
Righteousness. What the law could not do for us, in that it was weak, the
gospel of Christ does. This is the most needful blessing, bringing in every other.
The threatenings are warnings; what we are told will come upon impenitent
sinners, is designed to awaken us to beware lest it come upon us. It ruins
many, that they despise religion. Those that will not wonder and be saved,
shall wonder and perish.
Commentary on Acts 13:42-52
(Read Acts 13:42-52)
The Jews opposed the doctrine the apostles preached; and
when they could find no objection, they blasphemed Christ and his gospel. Commonly
those who begin with contradicting, end with blaspheming. But when adversaries
of Christ's cause are daring, its advocates should be the bolder. And while
many judge themselves unworthy of eternal life, others, who appear less likely,
desire to hear more of the glad tidings of salvation. This is according to what
was foretold in the Old Testament. What light, what power, what a treasure does
this gospel bring with it! How excellent are its truths, its precepts, its
promises! Those came to Christ whom the Father drew, and to whom the Spirit
made the gospel call effectual, Romans 8:30. As many as were disposed to eternal
life, as many as had concern about their eternal state, and aimed to make sure
of eternal life, believed in Christ, in whom God has treasured up that life,
and who is the only Way to it; and it was the grace of God that wrought it in
them. It is good to see honourable women devout; the less they have to do in
the world, the more they should do for their own souls, and the souls of
others: but it is sad, when, under colour of devotion to God, they try to show
hatred to Christ. And the more we relish the comforts and encouragements we
meet with in the power of godliness, and the fuller our hearts are of them, the
better prepared we are to face difficulties in the profession of godliness.
── Matthew Henry《Concise Commentary on Acts》
Acts 13
Verse 2
[2] As
they ministered to the Lord, and fasted, the Holy Ghost said, Separate me
Barnabas and Saul for the work whereunto I have called them.
Separate me Barnabas and Saul for the work to
which I have called them — This was not ordaining them. St. Paul was
ordained long before, and that not of men, neither by man: it was only inducting
him to the province for which our Lord had appointed him from the beginning,
and which was now revealed to the prophets and teachers. In consequence of this
they fasted, prayed, and laid their hands on them, a rite which was used not in
ordination only, but in blessing, and on many other occasions.
Verse 3
[3] And when they had fasted and prayed, and laid their hands on them, they
sent them away.
Then having fasted —
Again. Thus they did also, Acts 14:23.
Verse 5
[5] And
when they were at Salamis, they preached the word of God in the synagogues of
the Jews: and they had also John to their minister.
In the synagogues —
Using all opportunities that offered.
Verse 6
[6] And
when they had gone through the isle unto Paphos, they found a certain sorcerer,
a false prophet, a Jew, whose name was Barjesus:
Paphos was on the western, Salamis on the
eastern part of the island.
Verse 7
[7] Which was with the deputy of the country, Sergius Paulus, a prudent man;
who called for Barnabas and Saul, and desired to hear the word of God.
The proconsul —
The Roman governor of Cyprus, a prudent man - And therefore not overswayed by
Elymas, but desirous to inquire farther.
Verse 9
[9] Then
Saul, (who also is called Paul,) filled with the Holy Ghost, set his eyes on
him,
Then Saul, who was also called Paul — It is not improbable, that coming now among the Romans, they would
naturally adapt his name to their own language, and so called him Paul instead
of Saul. Perhaps the family of the proconsul might be the first who addressed
to or spoke of him by this name. And from this time, being the apostle of the
Gentiles, he himself used the name which was more familiar to them.
Verse 10
[10] And
said, O full of all subtilty and all mischief, thou child of the devil, thou
enemy of all righteousness, wilt thou not cease to pervert the right ways of
the Lord?
O full of all guile — As
a false prophet, and all mischief - As a magician.
Thou son of the devil — A title well suited to a magician; and one who not only was himself
unrighteous, but laboured to keep others from all goodness.
Wilt thou not cease to pervert the right ways
of the Lord? — Even now thou hast heard the truth of the
Gospel.
Verse 11
[11] And
now, behold, the hand of the Lord is upon thee, and thou shalt be blind, not
seeing the sun for a season. And immediately there fell on him a mist and a
darkness; and he went about seeking some to lead him by the hand.
And immediately a mist — Or dimness within, and darkness without, fell upon him.
Verse 12
[12] Then
the deputy, when he saw what was done, believed, being astonished at the
doctrine of the Lord.
Being astonished at the doctrine of the Lord — Confirmed by such a miracle.
Verse 13
[13] Now
when Paul and his company loosed from Paphos, they came to Perga in Pamphylia:
and John departing from them returned to Jerusalem.
John withdrawing from them returned — Tired with the fatigue, or shrinking from danger.
Verse 14
[14] But
when they departed from Perga, they came to Antioch in Pisidia, and went into
the synagogue on the sabbath day, and sat down.
Antioch in Pisidia —
Different from the Antioch mentioned Acts 13:1.
Verse 15
[15] And
after the reading of the law and the prophets the rulers of the synagogue sent
unto them, saying, Ye men and brethren, if ye have any word of exhortation for
the people, say on.
And after the reading of the law and the
prophets, the chief of the synagogue sent to them —
The law was read over once every year, a portion of it every Sabbath: to which
was added a lesson taken out of the prophets. After this was over, any one
might speak to the people, on any subject he thought convenient. Yet it was a
circumstance of decency which Paul and Barnabas would hardly omit, to acquaint
the rulers with their desire of doing it: probably by some message before the
service began.
Verse 16
[16] Then
Paul stood up, and beckoning with his hand said, Men of Israel, and ye that
fear God, give audience.
Ye that fear God —
Whether proselytes or heathens.
Verse 17
[17] The
God of this people of Israel chose our fathers, and exalted the people when
they dwelt as strangers in the land of Egypt, and with an high arm brought he
them out of it.
The God — By
such a commemoration of God's favours to their fathers, at once their minds
were conciliated to the speaker, they were convinced of their duty to God, and
invited to believe his promise, and the accomplishment of it. The six verses, Acts 13:17-22, contain the whole sum of the Old
Testament.
Of this people —
Paul here chiefly addresses himself to those whom he styles, Ye that fear God:
he speaks of Israel first; and Acts 13:26, speaks more directly to the
Israelites themselves.
Chose —
And this exalted the people; not any merit or goodness of their own, Ezekiel 20:5.
Our fathers —
Abraham and his posterity. Isaiah 1:2.
Verse 18
[18] And
about the time of forty years suffered he their manners in the wilderness.
Verse 19
[19] And
when he had destroyed seven nations in the land of Chanaan, he divided their
land to them by lot.
Seven nations —
Enumerated Deuteronomy 7:1; about four hundred and fifty
years - That is, from the choice of the fathers to the dividing of the land; it
was about four hundred and fifty years.
Verse 21
[21] And
afterward they desired a king: and God gave unto them Saul the son of Cis, a
man of the tribe of Benjamin, by the space of forty years.
He gave them Saul forty years — Including the time wherein Samuel judged Israel.
Verse 22
[22] And
when he had removed him, he raised up unto them David to be their king; to whom
also he gave testimony, and said, I have found David the son of Jesse, a man
after mine own heart, which shall fulfil all my will.
Having removed him —
Hence they might understand that the dispensations of God admit of various changes.
I have found David, a man after my own heart — This expression is to be taken in a limited sense. David was such at
that time, but not at all times. And he was so, in that respect, as he
performed all God's will, in the particulars there mentioned: But he was not a
man after God's own heart, in other respects, wherein he performed his own
will. In the matter of Uriah, for instance, he was as far from being a man
after God's own heart as Saul himself was. It is therefore a very gross, as
well as dangerous mistake, to suppose this is the character of David in every
part of his behaviour. We must beware of this, unless we would recommend
adultery and murder as things after God's own heart. 1 Samuel 16:12,13.
Verse 24
[24] When
John had first preached before his coming the baptism of repentance to all the
people of Israel.
John having first preached — He mentions this, as a thing already known to them. And so doubtless it
was. For it gave so loud an alarm to the whole Jewish nation, as could not but
be heard of in foreign countries, at least as remote as Pisidia.
Verse 25
[25] And
as John fulfilled his course, he said, Whom think ye that I am? I am not he.
But, behold, there cometh one after me, whose shoes of his feet I am not worthy
to loose.
His course —
His work was quickly finished, and might therefore well be termed a course or
race. Luke 3:16.
Verse 27
[27] For
they that dwell at Jerusalem, and their rulers, because they knew him not, nor
yet the voices of the prophets which are read every sabbath day, they have
fulfilled them in condemning him.
For they that dwell at Jerusalem, and their
rulers — He here anticipates a strong objection,
"Why did not they at Jerusalem, and especially their rulers,
believe?" They know not him, because they understood not those very
prophets whom they read or heard continually. Their very condemning him,
innocent as he was, proves that they understood not the prophecies concerning
him.
Verse 29
[29] And
when they had fulfilled all that was written of him, they took him down from
the tree, and laid him in a sepulchre.
They fulfilled all things that were written
of him — So far could they go, but no farther.
Verse 31
[31] And
he was seen many days of them which came up with him from Galilee to Jerusalem,
who are his witnesses unto the people.
He was seen many days by them who came up
with him from Galilee to Jerusalem — This last journey
both presupposes all the rest, and was the most important of all.
Verse 33
[33] God
hath fulfilled the same unto us their children, in that he hath raised up Jesus
again; as it is also written in the second psalm, Thou art my Son, this day
have I begotten thee.
Thou art my Son, this day have I begotten
thee — It is true, he was the Son of God from
eternity. The meaning therefore is, I have this day declared thee to be my Son.
As St. Paul elsewhere, declared to be the Son of God with power, by the
resurrection from the dead, Romans 1:4. And it is with peculiar propriety
and beauty that God is said to have begotten him, on the day when he raised him
from the dead, as he seemed then to be born out of the earth anew. Psalms 2:7.
Verse 34
[34] And
as concerning that he raised him up from the dead, now no more to return to
corruption, he said on this wise, I will give you the sure mercies of David.
No more to return to corruption — That is, to die no more.
I will give you the sure mercies of David — The blessings promised to David in Christ. These are sure, certain,
firm, solid, to every true believer in him. And hence the resurrection of
Christ necessarily follows; for without this, those blessings could not be
given. Isaiah 55:3.
Verse 35
[35]
Wherefore he saith also in another psalm, Thou shalt not suffer thine Holy One
to see corruption.
He saith —
David in the name of the Messiah. Psalms 16:10.
Verse 36
[36] For
David, after he had served his own generation by the will of God, fell on
sleep, and was laid unto his fathers, and saw corruption:
David, having served the will of God in his
generation, fell asleep — So his service extended not itself beyond
the bounds of the common age of man: but the service of the Messiah to all
generations, as his kingdom to all ages.
Served the will of God — Why art thou here thou who art yet in the world? Is it not that thou
also mayest serve the will of God? Art thou serving it now? Doing all his will?
And was added to his fathers - Not only in body. This expression refers to the
soul also, and supposes the immortality of it.
Verse 39
[39] And
by him all that believe are justified from all things, from which ye could not
be justified by the law of Moses.
Every one that believeth is justified from
all things — Has the actual forgiveness of all his
sins, at the very time of his believing; from which ye could not be justified -
Not only ye cannot now; but ye never could. For it afforded no expiation for
presumptuous sins.
By the law of Moses —
The whole Mosaic institution! The division of the law into moral and ceremonial
was not so common among the Jews, as it is among us. Nor does the apostle here
consider it at all: but Moses and Christ are opposed to each other.
Verse 40
[40]
Beware therefore, lest that come upon you, which is spoken of in the prophets;
Beware — A
weighty and seasonable admonition. No reproof is as yet added to it.
Verse 41
[41]
Behold, ye despisers, and wonder, and perish: for I work a work in your days, a
work which ye shall in no wise believe, though a man declare it unto you.
I work a work which ye will in nowise believe — This was originally spoken to those, who would not believe that God
would ever deliver them from the power of the Chaldeans. But it is applicable
to any who will not believe the promises, or the works of God. Habakkuk 1:5.
Verse 42
[42] And
when the Jews were gone out of the synagogue, the Gentiles besought that these
words might be preached to them the next sabbath.
When the Jews were going out — Probably many of them, not bearing to hear him, went out before he had
done.
The Sabbath between — So
the Jews call to this day the Sabbath between the first day of the month Tisri
(on which the civil year begins) and the tenth of the same month, which is the
solemn day of expiation.
Verse 43
[43] Now
when the congregation was broken up, many of the Jews and religious proselytes
followed Paul and Barnabas: who, speaking to them, persuaded them to continue
in the grace of God.
Who speaking to them — More familiarly, persuaded them to continue - For trials were at hand,
in the grace of God - That is, to adhere to the Gospel or Christian faith.
Verse 46
[46] Then
Paul and Barnabas waxed bold, and said, It was necessary that the word of God
should first have been spoken to you: but seeing ye put it from you, and judge
yourselves unworthy of everlasting life, lo, we turn to the Gentiles.
Then Paul and Barnabas speaking boldly, said — Those who hinder others must be publicly reproved.
It was necessary —
Though ye are not worthy: he shows that he had not preached to them, from any
confidence of their believing, but seeing ye judge yourselves unworthy of
eternal life - They indeed judged none but themselves worthy of it. Yet their
rejecting of the Gospel was the same as saying, "We are unworthy of
eternal life." Behold! - A thing now present! An astonishing revolution!
We turn to the Gentiles - Not that they left off preaching to the Jews in other
places. But they now determined to lose no more time at Antioch on their
ungrateful countrymen, but to employ themselves wholly in doing what they could
for the conversion of the Gentiles there.
Verse 47
[47] For
so hath the Lord commanded us, saying, I have set thee to be a light of the
Gentiles, that thou shouldest be for salvation unto the ends of the earth.
For so hath the Lord commanded us — By sending us forth, and giving us an opportunity of fulfilling what he
had foretold.
I have set thee —
The Father speaks to Christ. Isaiah 49:6.
Verse 48
[48] And
when the Gentiles heard this, they were glad, and glorified the word of the
Lord: and as many as were ordained to eternal life believed.
As many as were ordained to eternal life — St. Luke does not say fore-ordained. He is not speaking of what was done
from eternity, but of what was then done, through the preaching of the Gospel.
He is describing that ordination, and that only, which was at the very time of
hearing it. During this sermon those believed, says the apostle, to whom God
then gave power to believe. It is as if he had said, "They believed, whose
hearts the Lord opened;" as he expresses it in a clearly parallel place,
speaking of the same kind of ordination, Acts 16:14, etc. It is observable, the original
word is not once used in Scripture to express eternal predestination of any
kind. The sum is, all those and those only, who were now ordained, now
believed. Not that God rejected the rest: it was his will that they also should
have been saved: but they thrust salvation from them. Nor were they who then
believed constrained to believe. But grace was then first copiously offered
them. And they did not thrust it away, so that a great multitude even of
Gentiles were converted. In a word, the expression properly implies, a present
operation of Divine grace working faith in the hearers.
── John Wesley《Explanatory Notes on
Acts》
Chapter 13. Sent Off Abroad
Following God's
Purpose
Serve in His Life
I. Sent from
Antioch
II. Paul's
First Sermon
III. Disciples
Filled with Joy
── Chih-Hsin Chang《An Outline of The New Testament》