Acts 13

PAUL'S FIRST MISSIONARY JOURNEY:

In Company with Barnabas.

Ac 13:1-14:28.

Ac 13:1-3.

BARNABAS AND

SAUL,

DIVINELY

CALLED TO

LABOR AMONG THE

GENTILES,

ARE

SET

APART AND

SENT

FORTH BY THE

CHURCH AT

ANTIOCH.

The first seven chapters of this book might be entitled, The Church

among the Jews; the next five (chapters eight through twelve),

The Church in Transition from Jews to Gentiles; and the last

sixteen (chapters thirteen through twenty-eight), The Church among

the Gentiles [BAUMGARTEN]. "Though

Christianity had already spread beyond the limits of Palestine, still

the Church continued a stranger to formal missionary effort.

Casual occurrences, particularly the persecution at Jerusalem

(Ac 8:2),

had hitherto brought about the diffusion of the Gospel. It was from

Antioch that teachers were first sent forth with the definite purpose of

spreading Christianity, and organizing churches, with regular

institutions

(Ac 14:23)"

[OLSHAUSEN].

1. there were . . . certain prophets--(See on

Ac 11:27).

and teachers; as Barnabas, &c.--implying that there were others there,

besides; but, according to what appears the true reading, the meaning is

simply that those here mentioned were in the Church at Antioch as

prophets and teachers.

Simeon . . . Niger--of whom nothing is known.

Lucius of Cyrene--

(Ac 2:20).

He is mentioned, in

Ro 16:21,

as one of Paul's kinsmen.

Manaen--or Menahem, the name of one of the kings of Israel

(2Ki 15:14).

which had been brought up with--or, the foster brother of.

Herod the tetrarch--that is, Antipas, who was himself "brought

up with a certain private person at Rome" [JOSEPHUS, Antiquities, 17.1,3]. How differently

did these two foster brothers turn out--the one, abandoned to a

licentious life and stained with the blood of the most distinguished of

God's prophets, though not without his fits of reformation and seasons

of remorse; the other, a devoted disciple of the Lord Jesus and prophet

of the Church at Antioch! But this is only what may be seen in every

age: "Even so, Father, for so it seemeth good in Thy sight.' If the

courtier, whose son, at the point of death, was healed by our Lord

(Joh 4:46)

was of Herod's establishment, while Susanna's husband was his steward

(Lu 8:3),

his foster brother's becoming a Christian and a prophet is something

remarkable.

and Saul--last of all, but soon to become first. Henceforward this

book is almost exclusively occupied with him; and his impress on the New

Testament, on Christendom, and on the world is paramount.

2. As they ministered to the Lord--The word denotes the performance of

official duties of any kind, and was used to express the priestly

functions under the Old Testament. Here it signifies the corresponding

ministrations of the Christian Church.

and fasted--As this was done in other cases on special occasions

(Ac 13:3, 14, 23),

it is not improbable that they had been led to expect some such

prophetic announcement at this time.

the Holy Ghost said--through some of the prophets mentioned in

Ac 13:1.

Separate me--So

Ro 1:1.

for the work whereunto I have called them--by some communication,

perhaps, to themselves: in the case of Saul at least, such a designation

was indicated from the first

(Ac 22:21).

Note.--While the personality of the Holy Ghost is

manifest from this language, His supreme divinity will appear

equally so by comparing it with

Heb 5:4.

3. laid their hands on them--(See on

Ac 6:6)

--"recommending them to the grace of God for the work which they had to

fulfil"

(Ac 14:26).

sent them away--with the double call--of the Spirit first, and next

of the Church. So clothed, their mission is thus described: "They being

sent forth by the Holy Ghost." Have we not here for all time the true

principle of appointment to sacred offices?

Ac 13:4-12.

ARRIVING IN

CYPRUS

THEY

PREACH IN THE

SYNAGOGUES OF

SALAMIS--AT

PAPHOS,

ELYMAS

IS

STRUCK

BLIND, AND THE

GOVERNOR OF THE

ISLAND

IS

CONVERTED.

4, 5. departed unto Seleucia--the seaport of Antioch, from which it

lay nearly due west fifteen miles, and five from the Mediterranean

shore, on the river Orontes.

thence sailed to Cyprus--whose high mountain summits are easily

seen in clear weather from the coast [COLONEL

CHESNEY in

HOWSON]. "Four

reasons may have induced them to turn in first to this island: (1) Its

nearness to the mainland; (2) It was the native place of Barnabas, and

since the time when Andrew found his brother Simon, and brought him to

Jesus, and "Jesus loved Martha, and her sister, and Lazarus," family

ties had not been without effect on the progress of the Gospel. (3) It

could not be unnatural to suppose that the truth would be welcomed in

Cyprus when brought by Barnabas and his kinsman Mark, to their own

connections or friends. The Jews were numerous in Salamis. By sailing

to that city, they were following the track of the synagogues; and

though their mission was chiefly to the Gentiles, their surest course

for reaching them was through the proselytes and Hellenizing Jews. (4)

Some of the Cypriotes were already Christians. Indeed, no one place

out of Palestine, except Antioch, had been so honorably associated with

the work of successful evangelization" [HOWSON].

5. and when they were at Salamis--the Grecian capital of the island,

on the eastern side, and not many hours' sail from Seleucia. At this

busy mercantile port immense numbers of Jews were settled, which

accounts for what is here said, that they had more than one synagogue,

in which Barnabas and Saul preached, while other cities had one only.

they had . . . John--Mark.

to their minister--"for their officer". (See on

Lu 4:20).

With what fruit they preached here is not said. Probably their feeling

was what Paul afterwards expressed at Antioch in Pisidia

(Ac 13:46).

6. when they had gone through the isle unto Paphos--on the opposite or

west side of the island, about one hundred miles by land, along the

south coast; the Roman capital, where the governor resided.

they found a . . . sorcerer--one of a numerous class of impostors who,

at this time of general unbelief, were encouraged even by cultivated

Romans.

7. Which was with the deputy--properly, "the proconsul." This name

was reserved for the governors of settled provinces, which were placed

under the Roman Senate, and is never given in the New Testament to

Pilate, Felix, or Festus, who were but procurators, or subordinate

administrators of unsettled, imperial, military provinces. Now as

Augustus reserved Cyprus for himself, its governor would in that case

have been not a proconsul, but simply a procurator, had not the emperor

afterwards restored it to the Senate, as a Roman historian [DIO

CASSIUS]

expressly states. In most striking confirmation of this minute accuracy

of the sacred historian, coins have actually been found in the island,

stamped with the names of proconsuls, both in Greek and

Latin [AKERMAN,

Numismatic Illustrations of the New Testament].

(GROTIUS and

BENGEL, not aware of this, have missed the mark here).

Sergius Paulus, a prudent man--an intelligent man, who thirsting for

truth, sent for Barnabas and Saul, desiring ("earnestly desiring") to

hear the Word of God.

8-12. But Elymas--or "the wise."

for so is his name by interpretation--the word is from the Arabic.

withstood them--perceiving, probably, how eagerly the proconsul was

drinking in the word, and fearing a dismissal. (Compare

2Ti 3:8).

9. Then Saul . . . also . . . called Paul--and henceforward Paul only;

a softening of his former name, in accommodation to Roman ears, and (as

the word signifies "little") probably with allusion as elsewhere to his

insignificance of stature and appearance

(2Co 10:1, 10)

[WEBSTER and

WILKINSON].

filled with the Holy Ghost--the Spirit coming mightily upon him.

set his eyes on him and said--Henceforward Barnabas sinks into the

background. The whole soul of his great colleague, now drawn out, as

never before, shoots, by the lightning gaze of his eye, through the dark

and tortuous spirit of the sorcerer. What a picture!

10. full of all subtlety--referring to his magic arts.

and all malice--The word signifies "readiness for anything," knavish

dexterity.

thou child of the devil . . . enemy of all righteousness--These were

not words of passion, for immediately before uttering them, it is said

he was "filled with the Holy Ghost" [CHRYSOSTOM].

wilt thou not cease to pervert the right ways of the Lord--referring

to his having to that hour made a trade of leading his fellow creatures

astray.

11. the hand of the Lord is upon thee, and thou shalt be blind for a

season--the judgment being mercifully designed to lead him to

repentance. The tradition that it did is hardly to be depended on.

there fell on him a mist, &c.--This is in Luke's medical style.

12. Then the deputy, when he saw what was done, believed, being

astonished at the doctrine of the Lord--so marvellously attested;

compare

Mr 1:27.

What fruit, if any, followed this remarkable conversion, or how long

after it the missionaries remained at Paphos, we know not.

Ac 13:13-52.

AT

PERGA

JOHN

MARK

FORSAKES

THEM--AT

ANTIOCH IN

PISIDIA,

PAUL

PREACHES WITH

GLORIOUS

EFFECT--THE

JEWS,

ENRAGED,

EXPEL

THEM

OUT OF

THEM

COASTS.

13. they came to Perga in Pamphylia--The distance from Paphos to

Attalia, on the Gulf of Pamphylia (see on

Ac 14:25),

sailing in a northwest direction, is not much greater than from

Seleucia to Salamis on the east. Perga was the metropolis of Pamphylia,

on the river Cestrus, and about seven miles inland from Attalia.

and John departing from them returned to Jerusalem--As Paul afterwards

peremptorily refused to take Mark with him on his second missionary

journey, because he "had departed [or 'fallen off'] from them and had

not gone with them to the work"

(Ac 15:38),

there can be no doubt that he had either wearied of it or been deterred

Ac 15:37,

&c.).

14. departed from Perga--apparently without making any stay or doing

any work: compare the different language of

Ac 14:25,

and see immediately below.

came to Antioch in Pisidia--usually so called, to distinguish it

from Antioch in Syria, from which they had started, though it actually

lies in Phrygia, and almost due north from Perga. It was a long journey,

and as it lay almost entirely through rugged mountain passes, while

"rivers burst out at the base of huge cliffs, or dash down wildly

through narrow ravines," it must have been a perilous one. The whole

region was, and to this day is, infested by robbers, as ancient history

and modern travels abundantly attest; and there can be but little doubt

that to this very journey Paul many years after alludes, when he speaks

amidst his "journeyings often," of his "perils of rivers"

(as the word is),

and his "perils of robbers"

(2Co 11:26).

If this journey were taken in May--and earlier than that the passes

would have been blocked up with snow--it would account for their not

staying at Perga, whose hot streets are then deserted; "men, women, and

children, flocks, herds, camels, and asses, all ascending at the

beginning of the hot season from the plains to the cool basin-like

hollows on the mountains, moving in the same direction with our

missionaries" [HOWSON].

15-17. Then Paul stood up, and beckoning with his hand--as was his

manner on such occasions

(Ac 21:40;

and see

Ac 26:1).

Men of Israel, and ye that fear God--by the latter expression meaning

religious proselytes, who united with the Jews in all acts of ordinary

worship.

and exalted the people when they dwelt as strangers in Egypt--by

marvellous interpositions for them in their deepest depression.

18-22. forty years suffered he their manners--rather, according to what

appears the true reading, "cherished he them" (as a nurse the infant in

her bosom).

20. after that he gave . . . judges . . . about

the space of four hundred and fifty years--As this appears to

contradict

1Ki 6:1,

various solutions have been proposed. Taking the words as they stand in

the Greek, thus, "after that, by the space of four hundred fifty

years, He gave judges," the meaning may be, that about four hundred

fifty years elapsed from the time of the covenant with Abraham

until the period of the judges; which is historically correct,

the word "about" showing that chronological exactness was not aimed at.

But taking the sense to be as in our version, that it was the period of

the judges itself which lasted about four hundred fifty years, this

statement also will appear historically correct, if we include in it

the interval of subjection to foreign powers which occurred during the

period of the judges, and understand it to describe the whole period

from the settlement of the tribes in Canaan to the establishment of

royalty. Thus, from the Exodus to the building of the temple were five

hundred ninety-two years [JOSEPHUS,

Antiquities, 8.3.1]; deduct forty years in the wilderness;

twenty-five years of Joshua's rule [JOSEPHUS,

Antiquities, 5.1.29]; forty years of Saul's reign

(Ac 13:2);

forty of David's and the first four years of Solomon's reign

(1Ki 6:1),

and there remain, just four hundred forty-three years; or, in round

numbers, "about four hundred fifty years."

21. God gave . . . them Saul . . . of the tribe of Benjamin--That the

speaker was himself of the same name and of the same tribe, has often

been noticed as in all likelihood present to the apostle's mind while

speaking.

forty years--With this length of Saul's reign (not mentioned in the

Old Testament), JOSEPHUS coincides [Antiquities, 6.14.9].

22. I have found David, &c.--This quotation is the substance of

Ps 89:20;

1Sa 13:14;

and perhaps also of

Ps 78:70-72.

23-25. Of this man's seed hath God, according to . . .

promise, raised unto Israel a Saviour, Jesus--The emphasis on this

statement lies: (1) in the seed from which Christ

sprang--David's--and the promise to that effect, which was thus

fulfilled; (2) on the character in which this promised Christ

was given of God--"a SAVIOUR." His personal name

"JESUS" is emphatically added, as designed to

express that very character. (See on

Mt 1:21).

26-31. children . . . of Abraham, and whosoever among you feareth God--Gentile proselytes.

to you is the word of this salvation sent--both being regarded as one

class, as "the Jew first," to whom the Gospel was to be addressed in the

first instance.

27. For they that dwell at Jerusalem, and their rulers, because they

knew him not, &c.--The apostle here speaks as if the more immediate

guilt of Christ's death lay with the rulers and people of the

metropolis, to which he fondly hoped that those residing at such a

distance as Antioch would not set their seal.

28. found no cause of death--though they sought it

(Mt 26:59, 60).

29. they took him down . . . and laid him in a sepulchre--Though the

burial of Christ was an act of honor and love to Him by the disciples to

whom the body was committed, yet since His enemies looked after it and

obtained a guard of soldiers to keep watch over it as the remains of

their own victim, the apostle regards this as the last manifestation on

their part of enmity to the Saviour, that they might see how God laughed

all their precautions to scorn by "raising Him from the dead."

31. he was seen many days of them which came up with him from Galilee

to Jerusalem, &c.--that is, by those who, having gone out and in with

Him in closest intimacy during all His public ministry, which lay

chiefly in Galilee, and having accompanied Him on His last journey to

Jerusalem, could not possibly be mistaken as to the identity of the

risen One, and were therefore unexceptionable and sufficient witnesses.

33. God hath fulfilled the same--"hath completely fulfilled."

in that he hath raised up Jesus again--literally, "raised up"; but

the meaning is (notwithstanding the contrary opinion of many excellent

interpreters) "from the dead"; as the context plainly shows.

as it is written in the second psalm--in many manuscripts "the first

Psalm"; what we call the first being regarded by the ancient Jews as

only an introduction to the Psalter, which was considered to begin with

the second.

this day have I begotten thee--As the apostle in

Ro 1:4

regards the resurrection of Christ merely as the manifestation

of a prior Sonship, which he afterwards

(Ac 8:32)

represents as essential, it is plain that this is his meaning

here. (Such declarative meaning of the verb "to be" is familiar

to every reader of the Bible). See

Joh 15:8,

"So shall ye be," that is, be seen to be "My disciples." It is

against the whole sense of the New Testament to ascribe the

origin of Christ's Sonship to His resurrection.

34-37. now no more to return to corruption--that is, to the grave

where death reigns; and compare

Ro 6:9,

"Christ being raised from the dead dieth no more, death hath no more

dominion over him."

I will give you the sure mercies of David--

(Isa 55:3).

The word rendered "mercies" is peculiar, denoting the sanctity

of them, as comprehending the whole riches of the new covenant; while

the other word, "sure," points to the certainty with which they

would, through David's Seed, be at length all substantiated. See on

Joh 1:14.

But how do these words prove the resurrection of Christ? "They

presuppose it; for since an eternal kingdom was promised to David, the

Ruler of this kingdom could not remain under the power of death. But to

strengthen the indefinite prediction by one more definite, the apostle

adduces

Ps 16:10,

of which Peter had given the same explanation (see on

Ac 2:27;

Ac 2:30, 31),

both apostles denying the possibility of its proper reference to David"

[OLSHAUSEN].

36. For David, after he had served his own generation by the will of

God--rather, "served," in his own generation, the will (or "counsel")

of God; yielding himself an instrument for the accomplishment of God's

high designs, and in this respect being emphatically "the man after

God's own heart." This done, he "fell asleep, and was gathered to his

fathers, and saw corruption." David, therefore (argues the apostle),

could not be the subject of his own prediction, which had its proper

fulfilment only in the resurrection of the uncorrupted body of the Son

of God, emphatically God's "Holy One."

38-41. the forgiveness of sins--the first necessity of the sinner, and

so the first experienced blessing of the Gospel.

39. by him all that believe are justified from all things--The sense

requires that a pause in the sentence be made here: "By him the believer

is absolved from all charges of the law." What follows,

from which ye could not be justified by the law of Moses--is not an

exceptional but an explanatory clause. The meaning is not,

"Though the law justifies from many things, it cannot justify from all

things, but Christ makes up all deficiencies"; but the meaning is, "By

Christ the believer is justified from all things, whereas the law

justifies from nothing." (Note.--The deeper sense of justification,

the positive side of it, is reserved for the Epistles, addressed to

the justified themselves: and whereas it is the resurrection of

Christ here, and throughout the Acts chiefly, which is dwelt on, because

the first thing in order to bring peace to the guilty through Christ was

to establish His Messiahship by His resurrection, in the Epistles to

believers His death as the way of reconciliation is fully unfolded).

40. Beware, therefore, &c.--By this awful warning of the Old Testament

the apostle would fain "shut them up unto the faith."

41. ye will not believe though a man declare it unto you--that

is, even on unexceptionable testimony. The words, from

Hab 1:5,

were originally a merciful but fruitless warning against the

approaching destruction of Jerusalem by the Chaldeans and the

Babylonish captivity. As such nothing could more fitly describe the

more awful calamity impending over the generation which the apostle

addressed.

42, 43. And when the Jews were gone out of the synagogue, the Gentiles

besought that these words might be preached to them the next sabbath--rather

(according to what is beyond doubt the true reading), "Now, as

they were going out [of the synagogue], they besought"--that is, not the

Gentiles, whose case comes in afterwards, but the mixed congregation of

Jews and proselytes, to whom the discourse had been addressed, entreated

to have another hearing of such truths; those of them, that is, who had

been impressed. "And after the breaking up of the synagogue, many of"

both classes, Jews and religious; proselytes, followed Paul and Barnabas

(observe, from this time forward, the inverted order of these names;

except

Ac 14:14; 13:7; 12:25;

see on

Ac 14:14;

Ac 13:7;

Ac 12:25).

These names evidently been won to the Gospel by what they had heard,

and felt a clinging to their spiritual benefactors.

43. who, speaking to them--following up the discourse in the synagogue

persuaded them to continue in the grace of God--which they had

experienced through the Gospel. (Compare

Ac 11:23).

44-48. the next sabbath came almost the whole city together to hear the

word of God--the intervening days having been spent in further inquiry

and instruction, and the excitement reaching the Gentiles, who now for

the first time crowded, along with the usual worshippers, into the

synagogue.

45. But when the Jews--those zealots of exclusive Judaism.

saw the multitudes, they were filled with envy--rather, "indignation,"

and broke out in their usual manner.

contradicting and blaspheming--There is nothing more awful than Jewish

fury and execration of the name of Jesus of Nazareth, when thoroughly

roused.

46. Then Paul and Barnabas waxed bold, and said, &c.--This is in the

highest style of a last and solemn protestation.

It was necessary that the word should first have been spoken to

you--See the direction of Christ in

Lu 24:47;

also

Ro 1:16.

since ye judge yourselves unworthy of everlasting life--pass sentence

upon yourselves.

47. For so hath the Lord commanded us, saying, &c.--These and other

predictions must have been long before this brought vividly home to

Paul's mind in connection with his special vocation to the Gentiles.

I have set thee--that is, Messiah; from which Paul inferred that he

was but following out this destination of his Lord, in transferring to

the Gentiles those "unsearchable riches" which were now by the Jews

rejected and despised.

48. when the Gentiles heard this, they were glad--to perceive that

their accession to Christ was a matter of divine arrangement as well as

apostolic effort.

and glorified the word of the Lord--by a cordial reception of it.

and as many as were ordained to eternal life believed--a very

remarkable statement, which cannot, without force, be interpreted of

anything lower than this, that

a divine ordination to eternal life is the cause, not the effect,

of any man's believing.

49-52. And the word of the Lord was published throughout all the

region--implying some stay in Antioch and missionary activity in its

vicinity.

50. the devout and honourable women--female proselytes of distinction,

jaundiced against the new preachers by those Jewish ecclesiastics to

whom they had learned to look up. The potent influence of the female

character both for and against the truth is seen in every age of the

Church's history.

expelled them--an easier thing than to refute them.

51. shook off the dust of their feet against them--as directed

(Mt 10:14).

came unto Iconium--a populous city about forty-five miles southeast

from Pisidian Antioch: at the foot of Mount Taurus; on the borders of

Lycaonia, Phrygia, and Pisidia; and in later times largely contributing

to the consolidation of the Turkish empire.

52. the disciples--who, though not themselves expelled, had to endure

sufferings for the Gospel, as we learn from

Ac 14:22.

were filled with joy and with the Holy Ghost--who not only raised them

above shame and fear, as professed disciples of the Lord Jesus, but

filled them with holy and elevated emotions.