Acts 13

Chap. XIII. Ver. 1—12. The church at Antioch.—Paul and head, and immediately understood that this bird was the messenger (or angel) of ill tidings… and fell into the deepest sorrow,” &c.—Whiston’s Jose- 2 Ver. 25. John whose surname was Mark.—This was evidently a different person from Mark the Evangelist, as is shown by Grotius, to whom Doddridge refers with approbation. ‘The Mark here is understood to have been the son of Mary, at whose house the disciples met to pray for Peter, ch. xii. 12; and he is called “sister’s son to Barnabas,” (Colossians 4:10). j Chap. XIII. Ver. 1. Simeon, called Niger—Or the black man; possibly a negro.—Lucius of Cyrene—Another African, according to Doddridge. Cyrene was a city of Libya, situated in a fertile plain about twelve miles from the Mediterranean, and the capital of Cyrenaica, Cyrenian in the kingdom of Bulea.}—Bagster.

Ver. 2. The Holy Ghost said.—Either by an inspired person, or by an oracular voice. ‘: Ver. 4. Seleucia.—(This was Seleucia Pieria, on the Mediterranean, north of the mouth of the Orontes, called Kepse, according to Dr. Pococke, and are situated about at the sea, on the south-west of a rocky mountain. }—Bagster. Ver. 5. Salamis.—Salamis was a famous city on the eastern coast of the isle of Cyprus, opposite Seleucia, afterwards called Constantia, and now Famagusta. Paphon, now Bafro, or Baff, was another celebrated city of Cyprus, on the western part of the island.|—Bagster Ver. 8. The sorcerer—One who used the “curious arts of necromancy, as at present called astrology,” &c. See ch. xix. 19. 1209 a city of Syria, on the coast The ruins are now mile from would find his Hebrew name difficult to pronounce, and naturally call him Paul.

Ver. 13—41. Paul preaches to the Jews.—Following Barnabas and Saul, who is henceforth called Paul, we now trace them from Paphos to Perga in Pamphylia; where, for some cause with which we are not well acquainted, John Mark deserted them and returned back to Jerusalem, while they persevered in their mission. It is generally supposed that his desertion was occasioned by versatility of temper, or perhaps the dislike of an itinerant life, either of which circumstances would render him unfit for missionary work. From Perga, however, the apostles proceeded to Antioch in Pisidia, where they went into the synagogue on the sabbath-day, and sat down, as usual, during the reading of the law. After service, understanding that they were preachers of popular talents, and having had intimation, perhaps, that they wished to address the people, the rulers of the synagogue invited them to Paul, who, on all occasions, was “the chief speaker,”

and was doubtless a man of distinguished talents, now stood forward, and, soliciting the attention both of Jews and pious proselytes, gave a brief abstract of their national history from the time of the Exodus to that of David, from whose loins God had “‘raised unto Israel a Saviour (even) Jesus.” Paul then adverts to the witness of John the Baptist in his favour, states the abominable conduct of their brethren at Jerusalem towards their Messiah, and the indubitable witness that God himself had given to him, in his resurrection from the dead. He quotes, on this occasion, nearly the same Scriptures of the Old Testament that Peter had done on former occasions, and then gives them this beautiful epitome of the way of salvation by Jesus Christ.

“Be it known unto you, men and brethren, that through this man is preached unto you the remission of sins; and by him all that believe are justified from all things from which ye (bringing the matter home to their own cases and bosoms) could not be justified by the law of Moses,”— which indeed forms the text of his Epistle to the Romans. The discourse concludes with warning his hearers against copying the infidelity of their brethren at Jerusalem, and bringing on themselves the same judgments that were hanging over their heads. ~. Ver. 42—52. Paul and Barnabas preach the same doctrine to the Gentiles on the following Sabbath.—“Now, when the congregation was broken up, many of the Jews and religious (or devout) proselytes followed Paul and Barnabas”

for farther instruction, who exhorted them to “continue in” the exercise and profession of “the grace of God,” which had now been preached to them. The Gentiles also hearing what doctrines had been published, and that they were equally interested in them, requested that the same [message] be preached to them also on the following sabbath. Then “almost the whole city,” both Jews and Gentiles, “came together, to hear the word of God.” But when the unbelieving Jews “saw the multitudes that were attracted by this new doctrine (as they considered it),” “they were filled with envy, contradicting and blaspheming.” Upon this the inspired preachers address themselves exclusively to the Gentiles, quoting their authority for so doing from the prophecy of Isaiah, (Chap.

xlix. 6.) And the Gentiles no sooner heard this than “they were glad, and glorified the word of the Lord:” and as many as were ordained (or appointed) to eternal life, believed. And (thus) the word of the Lord was published throughout all the “region,” or country, round about. The unbelieving Jews, however, became more and more incensed, and stirring up certain devout and honourable women who had hitherto listened to the apostles, by false reports and artful insinuations, drew them to their side; and at the same time, gaining the magistrates of the city in their support, raised such a persecution as compelled the apostles to leave the city; and, as their Lord had directed them to do, they shook off the dust of their feet as a testimony against their persecutors.

This, though it may appear to us a trifling ceremony, is always mentioned by our Lord as a matter of serious alarm to them. It shall be more tolerable for Sodom and Gomorrah in the day of judgment, than for those who treat with hostility and contempt the message of salvation to mankind.

Notes on the verses

Ver. 15. Reading of the law, &c.—The custom of reading the law, the Jews say, existed a hundred and seventy years before the time of Christ. The division of it into sections is ascribed to Ezra. The five books of Moses, here called the law, contained fifty-three sections, so that by reading one on each sabbath, and two in one day, they read through the whole in the course of a year; finishing at the feast of Tabernacles, which they called ‘the rejoicing of the law.”—Orient. Cust. No. 1313. of Joseph. Ay 2 Exalted the people—That is, Jacob’s family, under the protection Ver. 20. Four hundred and fifty years—That is, according to the chronology of the LXX.; but this differs from the Hebrew chronology full one hundred years.

Doddridge reads, ‘And after these transactions, [which lasted] about four hundred and fifty years;’ which, by an alteration in the pointing, reads, ‘He divided the land to them by lot, about four hundred and fifty years, and after that he gave them judges,” &c. ‘He cites the authors of some copies mentioned by Grotius and Usher. or. 21. By the space of forty years.—Beza, Calvin, Grotius, Doddridge, &c. include Samuel’s government as well as Saul’s; for notwithstanding Saul’s being appointed king, Samuel still retained his office of judge as long as he lived; (1 Samuel 7:15). Ver. 27. They have fulfilled them.—See ch. iii. 17, and note. Ver. 33. Raised up Jesus again—i. e. from the dead, as many understand these words; but as there is no distinct word for “again” in the Greek, and the original does not necessarily imply it, Witsius and others understand the words rather as referring to the birth of Jesus.

See ch. iii. 22; vii. 37. Yet it is also applied by the apostle Peter to the resurrection from the dead, ch. ii. 24, 30, 32, Ver. 34. No more to return to corruption—i. e. to the place of corruption, namely, the grave. So Beza, Doddridge, &c.—Sure mercies of David— That is, covenanted mercies to David as a type of Christ.:. Ver. 35. Thou shalt not suffer, &c.—See (Psalms 16:10). (Acts 2:27). “To see corruption,” is to experience it; so to see death, to see life, &c. Ver. 41. Wonder, and perish.—See (Habakkuk 1:5).—Perish.—Doddridge. “Turn pale and disappear,” or “vanish."