[d] exhorting] For the use of προτρίψασθαι for putting forward, encouraging, see Wisd. xiv. 18. [e] grace] What χάρις here signifies may best be collected from ch. xi. 23, and xiii. 43. In many other places it signifies the gospel of Christ, (see note [d] on Heb. xiii.) as when it is opposed to νόμος, the law, John i. 17. The law was given by Moses, but grace and truth came by Jesus Christ. So the σωτήριος χάρις, the salvific grace of God, Titus ii. 11. But in those and many the like places, grace signifies the matter or subject of the gospel, not the preaching of it, for that is expressed by the coming or appearing of that grace. But in that place of ch. xi. 23, where it is said, that seeing the grace of Christ he rejoiced, (that is, seeing that the gospel had been preached with so good success among them,) it signifies the preaching or promulgating of the gospel, (just as εὐαγγέλιον, gospel, doth Rom. i. 1, and ix. 16.) and so ch. xiii. 43, when they exhort them to continue in the grace of God, that was the work of confirmation following that of preaching the gospel to them. And that notion of it seems to be the most adequate and proper for this place, so that πεπιστευκότες διὰ τῆς χάριτος shall signify those that had been formerly converted to the faith by the preaching of the gospel by St. Paul, according to that of Paul planteth and Apollos watereth: for that watering, being the instructing them further who already had received the faith, the edifying, or superstructing on the foundation, is all one with πολύ συνεβάλετο, he conferred much, or contributed his assistance, (or, as perhaps it should be read, συνελάβετο, assisted,) helped to improve them that before believed. As for that of applying διὰ τῆς χάριτος, by grace, to συνεβάλετο, he conferred, that Apollos by grace, that is, his gift and power in scripture contributed much to the believers, there is no necessity of flying to that refuge, nor probability from the placing of those words (which follow, and go not before πεπιστευκόσι) to favour that rendering. In the same sense we find ἐν χάριτι Χριστοῦ, in, or to, or through, the grace, that is, the gospel, of Christ, Gal. i. 6, to, or by which Paul is said to have called them, and is there set opposite to ἄλλο εὐαγγέλιον, another gospel, a doctrine of some false teachers crept in among them. And when he mentioned that of rising from the dead, some of those learned men, the Epicureans especially, which denied all future life, fell a scoffing, and others said— And some believed, and associated with him, particularly Dionysius, one of the senators or judges in Areopagus, (see note [e],) and Damaris his wife, and some others. ### CHAP. XVIII. * (Claudius, the emperor of Rome, having about this time, toward the latter end of his reign, (see note [a] ch. xxvi.,) made an edict to banish the Jews out of his dominions, especially from Rome and Italy, and those parts.) And he said, How can that be, when the Christian baptism is in the name of the Holy Ghost? To which they replied, that John's baptism was all that they had received. And Paul knowing that they by John's baptism had implicitly acknowledged Christ under the title of he that comes after, and had promised to repent and reform their lives, he explicitly taught them the whole doctrine of Christ and of the Holy Ghost also. And they presently received and believed it, and were received in as Christian proselytes in the name of the Father, and the Son, and the Holy Ghost. After this, Paul by imposition of hands and beprediction gave them confirmation, by which means the Holy Ghost came on them, and therewith gifts of tongues and some other extraordinary gifts of the And he went and preached the gospel in the synagogues that were at Ephesus, to the Jews, for the space of three months, labouring to convince them. But when, instead of being convinced, he saw them (in an obdurate refractory manner) not only reject the gospel, but speak of it contumeliously in public before the people, he left them, and took those that were converted by themselves, and instructed them daily in a place which was used to entertain scholars privately. [a] school of one Tyrannus] There were two kinds of schools among the Jews wherein the law was taught, private or public: 1st, private, wherein any doctor entertained scholars; and such was this of Tyrannus here, contained under the title בתי המדרש, houses of learning, mentioned by Maimonides as one kind of their holy places; their schools, and not only their synagogues, being accounted so: then, 2dly, public, where consistories sat to resolve differences of the law. And doing thus for the space of two years, all the inhabitants of the proconsular Asia, both Jews and proselytes, had in that space the gospel preached to them. And many extraordinary miracles were wrought by Paul, through the power of God, among them: For he did not only cure them which came to him, but by his touching of linen clothes, and sending them to such as were sick, or possessed with devils, they were cured immediately. [b] aprons] Σιμικίνθιον is lightly changed from the Latin semicinctum, that which is called by the Chaldee בשן, or cingulum coriaceum, or succinctorium, which workmen put before them that they may not foul their clothes, an apron, or napkin supplying the apron's place. The difference which Theophylact and Œcumenius make between σουδύρια and these, is, that sudaria are applied to the head, as a cap or kerchief, the latter to the hands, as an handkerchief. Τὰ σιμικίνθια, saith Œcumenius, ἐν ταῖς χερσὶ κατέχουσι πρὸς τὸ ὑπομάττεσθαι τὰς ὑγρότητας τοῦ προσώπου, οἷον ἱδρῶται, πτυελὸν, δάκρυον, καὶ τὰ ὅμοια, "they carry them in their hands to wipe off moistures from the face, sweat, spittle, tears, and the like." And some of the Jews, that went about to cure diseases and cast out devils, (see note [g] Matt. xii.,) tried to cast them out by using the name of Jesus Christ, saying— one of the chief of the families of the priests, (see note [a] ch. iv.,) which did so. But the devil would not obey them, as not coming with any authority from Christ, which had given it to Paul. But made the man that was possessed fall violently upon them, which accordingly he did, and was too hard for them all, and tore off their clothes, and wounded them, and made them run away. And this accident being made known to the Jews and natives of Ephesus wrought very much upon them, and brought many to the faith of Christ. And they that were thus wrought on came many of them to the apostles, and told them the actions or courses of their former lives, to know how agreeable they were to the faith, that so they might forsake or continue in them. And many that had studied and practised magic and sorcery brought out and publicly burnt their books, though they were of a very high value. [c] curious arts] What is the meaning of the περίεργα, or curious things, here used among the Ephesians, will be best guessed first by Hesychius's gloss, and then by a passage in Irenæus, both misread in the ordinary copies. In Hesychius we have Περιεργεία (that should be Περίεργα) καθάρσια. The word denotes their "heathen rites of purgations." Of their lustrations or purgations, the heathen books are full; see Porphyry πε. ἀπ., Iamblichus, Hierocles, Marinus de Vita Procli, Plotinus, &c. All which were nothing but magic and sorcery, γοητεῖαι and θεουργεῖαι, and accordingly the Greek fathers on this place, say they were their γοητικαὶ βίβλοι, "books of sorcery," that here were burnt. Irenæus, l. i. c. de Simonian. hath these words; Amatoria quoque et agogima—et quæcunque sunt alia parerga (it should certainly be perierga) apud eos studiose exercentur, "Love-charms and philtres, and all other such curious, that is, magical tricks, are in great use among them." So in Aristænetus, τίς εἶναι τῶν περιέργων ἰδόκει, "he seemed to be a magician," and ὑποκρινόμενος τῶν περιέργων τὸ σχῆμα, "acting the part of witches." So in St. Augustine's Confessions¹, curiosæ visiones are "magical apparitions." These are the φαρμακεῖαι, medicaments, from which sorcerers are generally called φαρμακενταὶ, medicamentarii, as the Latins use veneficæ, "witches," from venena, "poisons;" not that they always use medicaments, but many times only charms and words instead of them. And accordingly Menander mentions them proverbially of Ephesus here, Ἐφέσια ἀλεξιφάρμακα, "Ephesian charms or spells," which such an one τοῖς γαμοῦσι περιπατεῖ λέγων, "walks and speaks to the bridegroom and his bride." These are the Ἐφέσια γράμματα, "Ephesian words or writings," so often spoken of by writers as charms or spells. Of them Hesychius gives an account: Ἐφέσια γράμματα ἦν μὲν πάλαι, ὕστερον δὲ προσέθεσάν τινες ἀπατεῶνες καὶ ἄλλα. Φασὶ δὲ τῶν πρώτων τὰ ὀνόματα τάδε, ἄσκι, κατάσκι, αἷξ, τέτραξ, δαμναμενεὺς, αἴσιον. Δηλοὶ δὲ ὁ μὲν ἄσκι, σκότος· τὸ δὲ κατάσκι, φῶς· τὸ δὲ αἷξ, αὐτός· δαμναμενεὺς δὲ, ἥλιος· αἴσιον δὲ, ἀληθές. These words are much deformed. [d] pieces of silver] The Hebrew כַּסָּה, that is literally rendered ἀργύριον, silver, signifies peculiarly siclum argenteum, "a silver shekel," among the Hebrews. See note [d] on Matt. xxvi. Of so great authority was the word of God, the gospel of Christ, as it was now preached by Paul among the Ephesians and those of Asia. After this, Paul resolved or determined with himself in his passage through Macedonia— And sending into Macedonia two of his assistants that went with him, and were ready to do whatsoever he appointed them, viz., Timothy and Erastus, (see note [b] John xx.,) he himself— ⁵ charms, or sorcery. ⁶ shokels. [e] silver shrines for Diana] In the idolatry of the heathens it is sufficiently known that they were wont to carry the images of their false gods about in pomp, that is, procession, from one city to another. This they did in a chariot that was solemnly consecrated for that employment, and by the Romans styled thensa, that is, "the chariot of their gods." But besides this greater, there was a lesser frame wherein it was placed, a box or shrine, called ferculum by them. Accordingly at the bestowing of divine honours on their great men alive or dead, the Romans had their Circæan games, and in them thensam and ferculum, that chariot and that shrine bestowed on them; as it is related of Julius Cæsar. This ferculum among the Romans differs not much from the Grecians' ναὸς, a little chapel, representing the form of a temple, with an image in it, which being set upon the altar or other solemn place, and the valve, the leaves or doors opened, the image stood or sat in state, and so was represented to the spectators. Accordingly an old anonymous Scholiast on Aristotle's Rhetorics, l. 1. c. 15, hath these words: Νιωποιοὶ οἱ τοὺς ναοὺς ποιοῦσι, ἤτοι εἰκονοστάσιά τινα μικρὰ ξύλινα ἃ πωλοῦσι, noting the ναοὶ here to be εἰκονοστάσια, "chaplets with images in them," of wood or any other metal, (as here of silver, ver. 24,) which they make and sell, as here, ver. 25, they are supposed to do, and so get wealth by that trade. Thus we have mention in Athenæusᵐ of καθίσκος, which, saith he, is ἀγγεῖον, ἐν ᾧ τοὺς κτησίους Δίος καθιδρύουσι, "a vessel wherein they place their images of Jupiter." On which, saith the learned ᵒ Casaubon, erant simulacra hæc armariis inclusa, quæ ad succllorum modum fiebant, "these images were put in cases, which were made like chapels." So St. Chrysostom, making them to be ὡς κιβώτια μικρὰ, "as little cases or shrines." Agreeable to this is it that ᵒ Ammianus Marcellinus saith of Asclepiades, that "whithersoever he went, he carried about with him deæ celestis argenteum breve figmentum, "a small silver image of Urania." And ᵖ Dion of the Roman ensign, (which is known to be an eagle,) that it was νεὼς μικρὸς. ᵐ Deipnos. l. 11. ᵒ P. 500. ᵒ Lib. 22. ᵖ Ῥωμαικ. l. 40. And hereupon they were enraged, and cried down the doctrine of Paul, by crying up Diana the goddess of the Ephesians, so long worshipped by them. ⁸ and in this hurry they seized upon two of Paul's companions and brought them out, probably with an intention (howsoever they were hindered) to throw them to combat with wild beasts upon the stage, (see note [e],) as it was ordinary to do with malefactors. ⁷ chapels of Diana, Ἀρτέμιβος. ⁸ work, ἑργασίαν. ⁹ work: ver. 24 ¹⁰ portion, μέρος. ¹¹ the great Diana, Μεγάλη ἡ Ἀρτέμις. And Paul was willing to have come among them, with an intention to give them an account of the faith of Christ contrary to these idol worships of theirs; but the Christians that were there persuaded him to the contrary. And some of the præfects of the games or sports there, which being consecrated to their gods were intrusted to the charge of the priests, were so kind to him, that, knowing the purpose of the people to cast him to the wild beasts, they sent to him to keep close, and not to come out among the people as he meant, ver. 30, lest if they took him they should carry him (as it seems they meant, see note [d] 1 Cor. xv.) and cast him to wild beasts on the theatre. b a great hubbub and confusion there was; and the more part— [f] chief of Asia] Among the heathens there were agones and games instituted ad placanda bona numina, "to appease the good deities," saith Labeo, as sacrifices and victims "to appease the bad or angry." And therefore in the Anthology, the τέσσαρες ἀγώνες ἀν' Ἑλλάδα, "the four games in Greece," Olympian, Nemæan, Isthmian, Pythian, are called τέσσαρες ἱεροί, all "four sacred;" and so in Julian μισοπωγ. there is mention of the ἱπποδρόμια, "the running of horses," ἐν ταῖς ἑορταῖς τῶν θεῶν, "in the feasts of the gods;" and in the Rescript of Honorius and Theodosius, sacra munera, sacra festa, sacros agones, "sacred offices, sacred feasts, and sacred games." The original of them is set down by ¹ Dionysius Halicarnassæus, as from the Grecians they were imitated by Servius Tullus, and put into one body. "They built temples," saith he, "by common charge, some to Diana of Ephesus, some to Apollo; and assembling there at set times with their wives and children, they employed themselves both in sacrifices and in merchandise. There were public agones, racehorses, wrestlers, musicians, and rewards were proposed to the victors, and presents were by the cities brought to the gods. And when the games and marts, and other festival and public jollities were ended, if any city had a quarrel against another, the judges were ready to compose it. Then they consulted of common affairs of war against the barbarians, and peace among themselves." Thus far Halicarnassæus. At Rome the pontifices or chief priests were presidents of these. And therefore when the heathen customs had gotten in among the Jews, we find Jason, 2 Mac. iv. 7, buying the pontificate, and with it the power of instituting and moderating their games; and so in the several provinces the several chief priests, who were called by the names of the provinces which they administered; so Κυπριάρχης, the governor of Cyprus, 2 Mac. xii. 2; so Συριάρχαι, saith ² Cujacius, Sacerdotes istius provinciæ, qui ludos in honorem deorum celebrari solitos curorent, moderarentur, præsiderent; "The officers of Syria, ¹ Ῥωμαίω. l. 39. ² Antiq. Rom. l. 4. ³ Observ. l. 2. c. 13. And some of the popular officers brought out Alexander, a Jewish professor of the faith, and the Jews examined and questioned him, believing (probably) that he would excuse himself, and lay the fault upon Paul; and he made a sign with his hand that he would gladly make his own apology, and give them an account of the whole matter. [g] putting him forward] Προβάλλειν hath a peculiar notion among the grammarians proper to forensical matters; it signifies to examine, to question upon interrogatories, to call any man into the court to testify his knowledge concerning any thing in question. So saith Phavorinus, προβάλειν and προβάλλεσθαι, ἐρωτᾶν, "to question," and προβάλλεσθαι μάρτυρα, "to call a man as a witness." So Domninus (cited by Jo. Malela, l. 12,) speaking of the ἀμφιθαλῆς, an officer in the agones, αὐτὸν βουλὴ καὶ ὁ δῆμος προεβάλλοντο, "the senate and people called him to testify what was done in the agones." Accordingly must the gloss of Hesychius be mended, not as the printed copy hath it, Προβάλλει, ἐρωτήσει. Προβάλλειν ἄρνα, τὸ ἀπαγγεῖλαι, but Προβαλεῖ, ἐρωτήσει. Προβάλλειν, μάρτυρα, τὸ ἐπαγγεῖλαι, noting this use of the word for "interrogating a witness, calling a man to testify," ἐκκαλεῖν, "to appeal to" for the truth of what is controverted. And so the meaning of this whole passage is, that Alexander, a Christian of Ephesus, but a Jew by birth, was in this tumult about St. Paul seized upon by the sergeants, and brought forth, and the Jews, that were malicious to St. Paul, thinking that Alexander might be brought to lay some blame upon him, questioned and examined him, and then he was presently desirous to have made his apology to the people, that is, to avert the danger from himself, by laying it upon others. And although, by reason of the cry that follows, ver. 34, he is not permitted to do it to the people, yet by what St. Paul after saith of him, it appears that he forsook the Christian profession, 1 Tim. i. 20, and renounced or blasphemed, that is, forsook Christ, and did St. Paul very great injury. 2 Tim. iv. 14. But the heathens of Ephesus knowing that he was a Jew, and supposing that he was for Paul's way, and that derogatory to Diana, (though the truth is, he meant to clear himself, and lay the blame on Paul, for which he is said to have done him much injury, 1 Tim. i. 19, and 2 Tim. iv. 14,) they would not permit him to be heard, but cried for two hours' space, Diana, the great Diana, the goddess of the Ephesians! And the register of their games composed and quieted the people with this oration: 'Everybody knows that Ephesus, among the cities of Greece, hath the honour to be called the chief officer in the worship of Diana, to whom it belongs to preserve and adorn her temple, and the temple that encloses that image that fell down out of heaven from Jupiter,' (so much talked of among the heathens). [h] townclerk] Γραμματεύς is the name of an office in the sacri agones, the register or actuary, who registered the victors' names in a book or table called γράμματα τῶν ἱερονίκων, and the office where those records were put was γραμματεῖον, saith Petrus Faber Agonist. l. 3. c. 23 and 27. Of the ordinary γραμματεῖς, saith Phavorinus, οὐδενὸς ἦσαν κύριοι οὗτοι ἀλλ' ἢ τοῦ γραφεῖν καὶ ἀναγνῶναι, "they had no authority, but only to write and read what they had written." So saith the Scholiast on Thucydides, γραμματεὺς ὁ εἰωθὼς ἐν τῷ δῆμῳ τὰ τοῦ δήμου γράμματα ἀναγινώσκειν, "that used to read to the people the registers of their business." But in these sacred games, where every thing was sacred also, (the Alytarcha bearing the person of Jupiter, the Amphithales of Mercury,) the γραμματεύς here, saith Domninus, cited by Johannes Antiochenus, "was honoured and adored as Apollo, wearing a white robe, and a crown of pure gold;" and being, saith he, "chosen by the senate and people," he was the better qualified to do what is here affirmed of him, "to appease the people." For that this should be applicable to Alexander the Jew, ver. 33, and that it was he of [i] a worshipper of Diana] That the Ephesians, when they were besieged by Cræsus, devoted or consecrated their city to Diana, ἐξάψαντες ἐκ τοῦ νηοῦ σχοινίον εἰς τὸ τεῖχος, “tying with a rope the temple and the wall of the city together,” is affirmed by Herodotus, l. 2. From hence it is, that that city had a peculiar relation to Diana ever after. But there being other cities that worshipped that goddess also, this is not alone sufficient to appropriate that title to Ephesus, to be her νεωκόρος or sacrist. That this was the title of a sacred office, appears by Plato de Legib., Καταστατέον ἱερέας καὶ ἱερείας νεωκόρους γίνεσθαι τοῖς θεοῖς, “They must constitute priests of both sexes, to be in this office of sacrist to their gods.” The word signifies τὸν τοῦ ναοῦ ἐπιμελούμενον, saith Phavorinus, “he that takes care of the temple;” ὁ τὸν ναὸν κοσμῶν, “he that adorns it,” saith Hesychius; and ὁ εὐτρεπίζων, “he that makes clean,” saith Suidas; from κορεῖν, “to sweep,” or καλλωπίζειν, “to beautify,” saith the Scholiast on Aristophanes in Νεφ. p. 61. This office at other times belonged to other cities, and accordingly in ancient inscriptions we find Νικομηδέων τρὶς Νεωκόρων, “the Nicomedians being the third time in that office;” and particularly of Diana, Μαγνητῶν Νεωκόρων Ἀρτέμιδος, “the Magnesians having that office,” in Maximinus’s time; and this in respect of the ἱροὶ ἀγῶνες, the holy games, which in honour of the gods, peculiarly of Diana, were in Greece, sometimes in one city, sometimes in another, according to the gods which were celebrated by them. So that now those festivities being celebrated to Diana, and this year and at this time kept at Ephesus, (which is also the reason of the concourse of the people at this time,) Ephesus had now the honour to take care of Diana’s service, and so to be her νεωκόρος, her sacrist, or æditua, or churchwarden, as the Syriac renders the word in this place; and that is the meaning of the νεωκόρος οὖσα, being at this time, this year, Diana’s sacrist. [k] a matter] The Hebrew דבר, which signifies λόγον, word or speech, signifies also accusation, and is accordingly rendered κρίμα, Exod. xviii. 22, and ἀντιλογία, indictment, Exod. xviii. 16, and accordingly here the one is taken for the other, λόγος, speech, for an accusation. [l] the law is open] Ἡ ἀγόραιος, saith Phavorinus, is ἡ ἡμέρα ἐν ᾗ ἀγορὰ τελεῖται, “a day when a court is kept;” and so in Suidas and the Glossary, ὅτε ἡ ἀγόραιός ἐστι is expounded to be “the time when men go to law; and the same is the meaning of ἀγόραιοι ἄγονται, a time not of vacation or lay days, but of judicatures, term-time as we call it, when the proconsuls, who are the judges, were present to decide any controversy. The word signifies also judicature simply; so in Strabo Geog. l. 13. p. 629, διοικήσεις ἐν αἷς τὰς ἀγοραίους ποιοῦνται, καὶ δικαιοδοσίας, “the provinces in which they exercise their judicatures, and give every man his right.” And so in Hesychius, Ἀγορπίαν (perhaps it should be ἀγόραιον) δικαιολογίαν, “distribution of justice;” and Ἀγοραία, θέμις, καὶ ἐκκλησιαστική, “judgment, and calling of a court.” ² An. ch. 57. n. 180. And this commotion being thus composed at Ephesus, Paul called all the Christians together, and having constituted Timothy bishop of Ephesus, 1 Tim. i. 3, he took his leave of them and departed from Ephesus, and passed the direct way from thence (by Troas, 2 Cor. ii. 12, 13.) to Macedonia. And there he spent some time instructing and confirming them in the faith and in all Christian practice, (see note [b] John xiv.,) and after that, departing thence, he wintered in Epirus, Tit. iii. 12, and came into Greece. ¹⁸ no heady thing, μηδὲν προκεῖτε. ¹⁹ the court days are come, and the proconsuls are present. ²⁰ seek or require any thing, τί ἐπιζητεῖτε. ²¹ accused of a riot for this day's work, ἐγκαλεῖσθαι στάσεως περὶ τῆς σήμερον. And there he stayed three months. And being now on his journey to Syria, to carry alms to Judæa, he was diverted by an advertisement that the Jews which knew of his purpose laid wait for him in the way thither, to rob him, and to take away his life: thereupon he changed his determination, and resolved to go a little out of his way, and again to pass through Macedonia the third time. 4, 5. And Sopater went along with him as far as Asia, never parting from him; but Aristarchus, and Secundus, and Gaius, and Timotheus, and Tychicus, and Trophimus, these six, went not with him through Macedonia, (Sopater only doing so,) but went before to Asia, and expected Paul and his company at Troas, who accordingly came thither. And after the passover we departed from Philippi in Macedonia, and came and met them at Troas, and stayed there with them seven days. And on the Lord's day, or Sunday, the Christians being met together to receive the sacrament, (Acts ii. 46,) Paul spake to them at large, and meaning to be gone the morrow, continued his exhortation to them until midnight. ¹ resolved, ἁγίπτετο γνώμη. ² And Sopater of Berna accompanied him as far as Asia, Ἐντείνετο δὲ αὐτῷ ἄχρι τῆς Ἀσίας Σάκ. Βερ. ³ on the, ἐπὶ τῆς. And they spent the time together in receiving the sacrament of the body of Christ; and Paul further instructing them till the next morning, then he departed. And the youth that fell out of the window, and was dead, ver. 9, recovered; and they were joyful at it. • Assos, a sea town of Asia, there intending— b not to go in or stay at Ephesus, but to pass by, because he would— [a] Assos] Strabo maketh this Assos a city of Æolis, l. 15, p. 735, and so, saith he, doth Hellanicus, Ἑλλάνικος Αἰολίδα φησί, l. 13, p. 610. And so (saith 7 Stephanus Byzantius) doth Alexander Cornelius, Ἀλέξανδρος δέ ὁ Κορνήλιος ἐν τῷ περὶ τῶν παρ' Ἀλκμᾶν τοπικῶς ἱστορουμένων, Μιτυληναίων ἄποικον ἐν τῇ Μυσίᾳ φησὶν Ἄσσον, "Alexander Cornelius saith that Assos is in Mysia:" for what is there Mysia is all one with Æolis in other writers; for of Mysia saith 2 Pomponius Mela, Ex quo ab Æoliis incolli cœpit, Æolis facta, "From the time that it was inhabited by the Æolians it was called Æolis;" and 3 Pliny, Æolis proxima est, quondam Mysia appellata, "Æolis, sometime called Mysia." This Assos is by Strabo reckoned as the first principal sea town of Mysia, going from Lectum to Caicus over against Lesbus and Adramyttium, mentioned here, ch. xxvii. 2. Ἀπὸ Λεκτοῦ μέχρι Καΐκου ποταμοῦ ἐστι τὰ περὶ Ἄσσον, καὶ Ἀδραμύττιον, καὶ Ἀταρνέα, καὶ Πιτάνην, καὶ τὸν Ἐλιώτικὸν κολπὸν, οἷς πᾶσιν ἀντιπαρήκει ἡ τῶν Λεσβίων νῆσος. Strabo Geogr. l. 13, p. 581. But yet, desirous to speak with the bishops of Asia, (see note on ch. xi. 6,) he sent to Ephesus, the chief metropolis of Asia, and by that means gave notice to the bishops of Asia that they should come to him to Miletus. c Ye know in what manner I behaved myself among you of Asia, all the space of three years that HAMMOND, VOL. I. And how without all fear or tergiversation I freely declared to you all things that I thought useful for you to know, willing to use all opportunities of instructing any, both in the public synagogues, ch. xix. 8, and in private schools, ver. 9, and in your several houses, whither I also came, Preaching to the Jews and proselytes in their synagogues, and to the Gentiles elsewhere, the whole doctrine of the gospel, assuring them that there was pardon to be had from God upon amendment of their former lives, forsaking of all the impieties which they had been guilty of through neglect of the Mosaical law and the dictates of nature, which before they stood obliged to observe, and exhorting them that they should live according to the pure doctrine of Christ for the future. 22—24. And now I am agoing to Jerusalem, willing and ready to endure what shall befall me there, and foreseeing that there I shall be apprehended and imprisoned, being told it by those that have the gift of prophecy, (as afterwards again it appears he was, ch. xxi. 4.11,) wheresoever I come; and I am prepared for it; and I know not whether death itself may not attend it; but whatsoever it is, I am ready to suffer it for the gospel's sake, (see ch. xxi. 13,) and count nothing of it, no, nor of loss of life, if I may successfully preach the gospel, and serve Christ faithfully in the office which he hath intrusted to me: (see note [d] Heb. xiii.) [b] bound in the spirit] What bound in spirit signifies may perhaps be judged by the like phrase, poor in spirit, Matt. v. 2. That signifies him, which though he be not actually poor, yet is prepared to bear poverty contentedly. And so Paul resolving to venture the hazard of imprisonment here, by going up to Jerusalem, whither if he go he knows, and the Spirit of God tells him, ver. 23, it will befall him, may be said to be bound in spirit. But it may also be interpreted only of his presaging and foreseeing his bonds, which being revealed by the Spirit of God to others of him, and probably immediately to him also, he may be said to be δεδεμένος τῷ πνεύματι, bound in the spirit in that respect. Nay, it is possible it may signify no more than resolved, and so bound in spirit, or full purpose of mind, as ch. xix. 21. Ἔθετο ἐν τῷ πνεύματι, he purposed in spirit: but this more unmovable than that. See ch. xxi. 12, 13. And now this I know, that after this my departure from you ye are never likely to see me again, ye, I say, of Asia, whom I have so long conversed with, preaching the gospel among you: and therefore I shall take this long farewell of you. ⁴ how I have not drawn back, or, refused to declare unto you whatsoever was profitable, and to teach, obliv ὑποσυνέλθμην τῶν συμφερόντων, τοῦ μὴ ἀναγγεῖλαι ὑμῖν καὶ διδάξαι. ᵃ being bound in spirit I go. And to that end I proclaim to you all, that I am guiltless of that ruin that will, I foresee, befall those that do not keep close to Christ, having done my best to prevent it. For I have fully communicated to you the whole Christian doctrine, which may serve you as an antidote against all the heresies which are likely to break in among you, ver. 29. Wherefore, ye that are bishops or governors of the several churches of Asia, Revel. i. 11, (see note on Phil. i. 6,) and who were designed to that office by the appointment of God himself, look to yourselves, and to the churches committed to your trust, to rule and order all the faithful Christians under you, those whom that Christ might gain to himself he laid down his own life to purchase them. [c] hath made you overseers] What ἱθετο, put, or set, or appointed, importeth here, is somewhat uncertain. It may signify their ordination to the episcopal office, attributed to the Holy Ghost, as to the original, by whose descent upon the apostles they were authorized to communicate this authority, to give commissions to others who were to succeed them in the dignity and office of governing of churches. But it may also signify the act of designation, election, nomination to this dignity, which at that time was done by the special revelation of God, and so might properly be attributed to the Holy Ghost. So of Matthias it appears that he was designed by lot, and chosen by God to succeed Judas in his office, Acts i. 24. So ch. xiii. 2, the Holy Ghost said, Separate me Saul and Barnabas for the work, &c. So Timothy the bishop of Ephesus is said to be advanced to it, διὰ προφητείας, by prophecy, by particular revelation; of which St. Chrysostom saith, that as the priests anciently were made by prophecy, so Timothy was τῇ τοῦ Θεοῦ ψήφῳ, "by the suffrage of God chosen to his office," ἠρήθη εἰς τὴν ἱερωσύνην. So saith Clemens Romanus Ep. ad Cor., that "the apostles constituted bishops, δοκιμάσαντες τῷ πνεύματι, trying or approving them by the For it is certain that when I am gone you will soon be solicited with false teachers, seducing the faithful, and doing great mischief. And some of your own churches shall vent pernicious false doctrines, to make divisions and factions, and get followers. Be ye careful therefore, remembering how much sorrow and tears it hath cost me to forewarn you of these things beforehand. And now I recommend you to God and the gospel, (see note [d] Heb. xiii.,) which if adhered to will be able to instruct and perfect you, and to bring you to the bliss of saints. I have not endeavoured to make any worldly advantage by my preaching. But you can witness for me that I have, by working at my trade of making tents, maintained myself and those that are with me. * appointed you bishops. † govern. τουμαλεν. And therefore this being granted by all, what need is there of this so much ado? For this Paul &c. hath neither robbed your temples nor spoken any thing against your goddess Diana. As for Demetrius and the tradesmen that depend on him, if any man hath done them any injury, let them form their indictment or accusation; it is now a fit time for them to have justice done them; the court sits, let them bring in their charge.