Which is now accordingly performed. For God having raised this Christ again, hath by our preaching his resurrection first to you over all your cities, sent him again in a most gracious manner to bless his enemies, to do all the good to them imaginable, to work upon the most obdurate crucifiers, and [d] in turning away] It is matter of some question whether the ἀποστρίφειν, turning, refer to Christ or the Jews. It may fitly refer to Christ turning them by his grace, and so blessing them. But Œcumenius refers it to the Jews, εἰ ἄρα καὶ αὐτοὶ ἐλοῖσθε ἐπιστρίψαι, if ye And a general astonishment surprised men to see first those strange operations of the Holy Ghost, ver. 4, (a consequent of which was this wonderful accession of converts, ver. 41.) And withal the apostles did many miracles of very different sorts, some of cures, and some of exemplary severities, and thereby came to have a very great authority among all that heard it, ch. v. 5. 44, 45. And all that received the faith assembled together for the service of God, observed constant times of public prayers, and receiving the sacrament of the Lord's supper, (see note [c] ch. i.,) the richer communicated their goods to the poorer as freely as if they had been theirs. And they daily assembled in the temple, and received the Lord's supper in some of those upper rooms, (see note [d] ch. i.,) and eat together in a most pious charitable manner, with great cheerfulness and cordial sincere bounty and liberality, Blessing the name of God, and exercising works of mercy to all that wanted; and God daily moved the hearts of some or other to come in to this number, gave the apostles a fruitful harvest, every day brought them in some that obeyed the exhortation given them, ver. 40, repented and got out of the actions and wicked lives of that crooked generation, and betook themselves to the obedience of Christ: (see note [b] Luke xiii. 23.) The priests, or those of the sanhedrim opposing the doctrine preached by them, of Christ's being the Messias, the captain suspecting it would tend to an uproar or commotion in the city, and the Sadducees disliking the doctrine of the resurrection proclaimed by them, and so all much concerned in their preaching to the people at that time. ᵇ into prison: ᶜ their auditors, the people, ver. 1, was about five thousand. ᵈ they of whom the sanhedrim consisted, the chief priests, elders and scribes, and particularly Annas and Caiaphas, (see note [r] Luke iii.,) met at the court where the sanhedrim used to sit in counsel. [a] kindred of the high priest] What is meant by ὄσω ἦσαν ἐκ γίνοια ἀρχιερατικοῦ, as many as were of the kindred of the high priest, will be resolved by the context, where an assembling or meeting of the sanhedrim is described, ver. 5, which, consisting of three sorts of men, priests, elders, and doctors of the law, (see note [c] Mark v,) is oft-times expressed by the enumeration of those parts, ἀρχιερεῖς καὶ γραμματεῖς καὶ πρεσβύτεροι, high priests, scribes, and elders, Matt. xxvi. 3, and very often in the Gospels. In this place there is another way of enumeration than is usual, the rulers, and elders, and scribes, and Annas the chief priest, and Caiaphas, and John, and Alexander, and as many as were of the kindred of the high priest. Where yet ἀρχοντες, rulers, seems to be a general word, denoting, as elsewhere, men in authority. Then Annas was the nasi or chief person among them, (see note [b] Luke iii,) and Caiaphas the person that by the procurator was put into the pontificate instead of the Aaronical line. And so there remains only the elders and scribes, and ὄσω ἦσαν, not indefinitely as many as were, but, in a more limited notion of ὄσω, those that were, in the sanhedrim of this sort, of the kindred of the high priest, (and of that number John and Alexander by name,) which therefore appear to be the same with ἀρχιερεῖς, high priests joined with the elders and scribes in other places, that is, that third sort of the sanhedrim, consisting of priests. Now the reason of these titles being applied to them is evident: for as of Aaron's posterity the lineal descendant only succeeded him in the high priest's office, so of his two sons, Eleazar and Ithamar, sprang twenty-four families, (betwixt whom the priest's office was divided by David, 1 Chron. xxiv,) which should by weekly turns perform the service of the sanctuary, (see Luke i. 5,) sixteen of the sons of Eleazar, and eight of Ithamar. Of every one of these families and courses there was a chief, the head of the family, and these are consequently called ἀρχιερεῖς, chief priests, and ἐκ γίνοια ἀρχιερατικοῦ, of the kindred of the high priest, viz. as springing from Aaron, and still allied to the one high priest's family, as inferior branches of it; and many, if not all these, were members of the sanhedrim, (for here they sit in judicature with Annas and Caiaphas, as with Moses and Aaron, and the elders, and the scribes, ver. 7,) and being four and twenty in number, would make up a third part of the whole number of seventy-two, leaving the other two portions to be divided between the elders and the scribes, if there were, as it is not certain there was, this equal division. And causing the disciples to be brought before them, they examined them on these interrogatories: first, how they came to be able to do that miracle, ch. iii. 7, and whose name they called upon that infirm man (see ver. 10.) in the working of the cure, (see ch. iii. 6,) and consequently from whom they pretended to have commission to do what they did, thus to preach unto the people? Then Peter being by the Spirit of God (such as was promised, Matt. x. 19, 20.) endued with a great extraordinary presentness of speech and elocution, ver. 13, and taking great boldness and confidence upon him, began thus, Ye rulers of the people— ᶜ of an action, which is so far from being a crime, This is he that was prophesied of under the title of a refuse stone rejected by you, the chief men among the Jews, and looked upon with despite and contempt, but is now by his resurrection installed in all power and dignity, (an effect of which is this miracle wrought in his name,) and is indeed become the ruler and king of the whole church, the prime foundation stone of the whole fabric. And by him, and him only, by receiving and embracing of his doctrine, salvation must now be hoped for by all: for there is no other religion in the world, whether that which was delivered by Moses, or by any other, by which salvation can be had for those which do not now come in to this at the preaching of it. And when they observed the elocution ver. 8. and freeness of speech with which they taught, (see note [a] John vii.,) and withal considering that their education had not thus elevated them above other men, being neither skilled in the learning of the Jews, nor, as men of place, or magistracy among them, instructed in their laws, they were amazed at it, but withal they either remembered or were told that they were those that had been attending on Jesus in his lifetime. And being not able to conceal what was already known, they had nothing to do but to keep others from knowing it, and thereupon their decree in council was to send for them, and to forbid them, upon severe penalties, to preach Christ and his resurrection and gospel any more. talk privately, or teach publicly any thing concerning the faith of Christ. But Peter and John made light of this interdict, or terrors, and told them plainly they were commanded by God to preach, and that in all reason God must be obeyed before them, or the greatest magistrate on earth, and that they themselves could not but confess so much. choose but testify of Christ those truths of so high importance, made known to us peculiarly to that end, that we should proclaim them to others from our certain knowledge, being ourselves the eye and ear witnesses of them. And so not knowing what else to say to them, being not able to deny the force of their argument, they added more threatenings, if possibly that might terrify them, and so dismissed them, having nothing to lay to their charge but the curing of the lame man in the name of Jesus; and for this all the people looked on them with admiration, and counted it an act of God's immediate infinite mercy, for which they, that were instruments of it, ought to be blessed, not punished by them, and therefore they durst not punish or censure them for this. For it was an inveterate lameness from his very birth, ch. iii. 2, and had been now above forty years upon him, when this cure was wrought by Peter. the rest of the apostles that were then at Jerusalem, and the believers that consorted with them, ver. 23, lifted up their voice to God— HAMMOND, VOL. I. Who foretold by his prophet David, Psalm ii. 1, what was now come to pass, viz., that the Jews should oppose Christ, and say false things of him, deny and crucify him first, and then, when God raised him from the dead, oppose the preaching of him. That the Roman governors in Judæa, Herod and Pilate, ver. 27, should combine against him, and the rulers of the Jews should meet in council in their sanhedrim (as ver. 15. they here did) purposely to oppose the Messias, and in him God that sent him. both the Roman governors, Pilate and Herod, and the Jewish sanhedrim have conspired, and joined their malicious counsels against thy holy Son and servant Jesus, whom thou hast sent to be the Messias of the world, (see note [c] ch. x.) To act in the crucifying of Christ, and so (though little meaning it) to be the instruments of God's gracious providence and disposal, who determined to give his only Son to die for us. and enable us to preach the gospel powerfully, fearlessly, and with authority, (see note [a] John vii.) and give power also to us thy servants, the disciples of Christ, to work miraculous cures on all those on whom we shall call the name of Jesus. [b] thy hand and thy counsel] What is meant by the latter part of this speech, whatsoever thy counsel hath determined before to be done, hath little difficulty in it. The truth is clear that God decreed that those things should γενεῖσθαι, be done, although he decreed not that the Jews should do them, but only permitted them to do what he foresaw they would do if they were thus permitted. The only difficulty is, what is meant by ἡ χεὶρ σου, thy hand, and that will best be explained by looking on the law of Moses, Levit. xvi. 8, where Aaron casts lots on the goats, one lot, on which was written ὕψω for the Lord, another, on which And upon this prayer of theirs there came the like wind as is mentioned ch. ii. 2, and shook the place where they were, and special eminent gifts of God's Spirit fell upon those that were there present (see note [d] ch. ii.); and this was such a confirmation to them all, that without all doubt or fear they published the gospel of Christ: see ver. 29. And the believers, although there were many nations, Ibræ: see note [e] Matt xxiv., and note [b] Matt. xxviii., and note [g] Rev. xl. 1 and, γῆι: see note [e] Matt. xxiv., and note [u] Rev. xl. 10 Here is added in the King's MS. and other printed copies, &τῇ πόλει σου ταύτῃ, in this thy city. 11 nations, Ibræ: see ver. 25. And one of those that came in to the faith of Christ, named Ananias, and Sapphira his wife, with joint consent devoted their estate, all that they had, to the use of the church, and to that purpose made sale of it. And when they had done so, consented also, or combined together, to keep some part of the money ¹³ After this the ancient Gr. and Lat. MS. adds, καὶ οὐκ ἦν διάκρισιν ἐν αὐτοῖς οὐδεμίᾳ, and there was no difference among them. ¹⁴ peculiar, Ἰδιον. ¹⁵ rendered. ¹⁶ a Cypriot by birth, or, born in Cyprus, Κύπριος τῷ γένει. [a] filled thine heart] The phrase πληροῦν καρδίαν, to fill the heart, is used by the Hebrews in the Old Testament for to make one bold, so Esth. vii. 5, Who hath filled his heart to do this? the Greek, Τίς οὗτος ὃς ἐτόλμησε; Who is it that hath dared &c. So Eccl. viii. 11, The heart of the sons of men is filled to do evil, that is, is emboldened, where the Greek read, ἐπληροφορήθη, is filled. [b] to lie] The verb ψεύδομαι hath among authors these three distinct uses, and agreeably three notions and interpretations proportioned to them: 1. It is used with a genitive case, and then it signifies passively, to be deceived, frustrated, cheated of any thing, ψεύδεσθαι ἐλπίδος, to be frustrated, defeated of his hope, and in Plato Apol., τούτου οὐκ ἐψεύσθην, "in this I was not deceived, or mistaken." But this clearly belongs not to this place. 2dly, It is used with a dative case of the person, or (which is all one) with a preposition εἰς or κατὰ joined to the person, and then it is absolutely to lie. So it is here ver. 4. οὐκ ἐψεύσω ἀνθρώποις, ἀλλὰ τῷ Θεῷ, thou hast not lied to men, but to God, the lie which thou hast told was not told to men only, or was not injurious to men only, but to God also. So James iii. 14, ψεύδεσθε κατὰ τῆς ἀληθείας, ye lie against the truth, your lying is contrary to the gospel doctrine and temper, and destructive to it. So Col. iii. 9, μὴ ψεύδεσθε εἰς ἀλλήλους, lie not against one another. 3dly, It is used with an accusative case of the person again, and then it signifies actively, to deceive, Before it was sold, was it not wholly thine, no other man having right to any part of it? (so the Syriac reads it;) and when it was sold, didst not thou receive the whole sum or price for which it was sold? was it not all in thine hand and power, so as thou mightest have fully performed thy vow? what motive hadst thou to do such a thing as this? The falsity which was committed, in telling us that thou hadst sold thy possessions, and brought the whole price of it for the use of the church, (when thou didst keep a part of it for thyself,) was an injury, not only to the church, nor so much to us the apostles, as to God himself, to the Holy Ghost, who came lately down to plant this church, and hath such a peculiar relation to it, that what is done to that, is by interpretation done to the Holy Ghost, who had the privity of the vow, and knew that it was the consecrating of all, and not of this part only which thou hast brought to us. [c] Whiles it remained] There is some difficulty in this verse: and the best way of clearing it is, by setting the first word right, τὸ μῖνον (which is commonly rendered, whilst it remained). That sure signifies a possession immovable, an estate in land, which is called a demesne in this very notion of μῖνειν, remaining, because when the fruit is taken off the land remains, and so is applied here to κτῆμα, a possession, ver. 1. Upon the same account again it is called an estate, as being a standing, remaining, continuing possession. Proportionable to this, τὸ πραθίν is wealth in money, or land sold or put into money. And then the meaning of the whole is clear, Οὐχὶ μῖνον σοὶ ἵμειν; "Was not the land, estate, demesnes, thy own land, estate, demesnes?" καὶ πραθὶν ἐν τῇ σῇ ἑξουσίᾳ ὑπῆρχε; "and was not the price for which it was sold wholly in thy power?" that is, in thy hand, as בְּרִר, in the hand, signifies in the power, not as of an owner, but as a receiver; as Gen. xxiv. 10 it is said of Abraham's servant, that all the goods of his master were in his hand, as in the steward's hand, to receive and look to. So that in both respects the possession being wholly thine, and the money coming wholly to thy hands, paid wholly to thee, (the contrary of either of which would have allowed him some pretence and excuse,) there was no excuse for thy not bringing, according to thy vow, the whole value of it. And as Peter spake these words, Ananias fell down dead in the place immediately, to the great astonishment and terrifying of all those that were there present. And the men of inferior rank, the officers to whom it belonged to bury the dead, (see note [c] Phil. i.,) took him, and stripped and swathed him, as they used to do the dead, (see note [g] John xix.,) and taking him up, carried him out and buried him. And about three hours after this judgment fell on Ananias, Sapphira his wife— And Peter examined and asked her, saying, Was that sum which ye brought the full sum for which the field was sold? And she answered, It was. ⁶ to provoke and dare God, (see note [c] Matt. iv.,) to try whether he will punish your fraud or no. Behold, (that thou mayest see what a provocation this hath been to God,) the men are coming in which have buried thy dead husband, and now they shall do as much for thee. ¹ that thou shouldst deceive the Holy Ghost. thine own? and being sold— ² Was not the possession or demesne And all the believers were stricken with a great reverence, and so were all others to whom it was related. (and they solemnly met together to preach and do miracles in the entrance to the temple, called Solomon's porch. And no other of the believers or Christians—called the church, ver. 11—durst consort with the twelve apostles, through the reverence, ver. 11, which these late acts had wrought in them; but the people that saw and heard what was done magnified them. And these miracles, that wrought such a reverence in the believers, were a means also to work faith in all the common sort of the people. And the people, ver. 12, had such confidence in their power of working miraculous cures, that they believed that the very shadow of Peter, walking by a diseased man, would work a cure on him; and thereupon they brought forth their sick and impotent friends, those that were not able to go or stand, and laid them upon beds, &c. in the passage, that as Peter came by, his shadow might come over some of them. And the fame of their miracles spread into the country and region, and other cities about Jerusalem; and from thence they brought sick folks— And the sanhedrim (most of them being of the sect of the Sadducees) set themselves very zealously against them, ¹ being the sect, ἡ οἶσα εἴρεσι. And apprehended the apostles, and imprisoned them in the common gaol. * all the doctrine of Christianity. [d] this life] What ῥήματα ζωῆς ταύτης, the words of this life, here signifies, will soon be discerned by the use of ζωή, life, in the gospel, for that doctrine which is the setting down of the way, which will bring him that walks in it to eternal life. Thus John xii. 50, I know, saith Christ of the message which he brought from his Father, that his commandment is eternal life, where eternal life must signify that way which leads to it; so John xvii. 3, This is eternal life, that they may know thee the only true God, that is, their knowing (and performing faithful, sincere obedience to) the only true God is the sure way to eternal life. And accordingly the words of this life are the sum of this Christian doctrine, which being obeyed will bring any man to life eternal; and so it is all one with St. Peter's expression to Christ, Lord, to whom shall we go? thou hast the words of eternal life, the word ταύτης, this, being here emphatical, and denoting that more valuable, spiritual, and eternal life. And in obedience to that direction, they betook themselves early in the morning to the temple, and there expounded the scripture, and taught the doctrine of Christ out of it. But they of the sanhedrim thinking they had still been in hold, went into the court, and sent sergeants to the prison to have them brought before them. * and a guard of soldiers without, watching the doors of the prison; but when we entered, none of these prisoners were within. And when the sanhedrim of the Jews, as also the captain of that band of soldiers who had set the guard upon the prison, ver. 23, (see ch. iv. 1, and note [f] Luke xxii.,) had this word brought to them, they were much perplexed, and wondered how it could come to pass, that the prison being shut, and the watch at the doors, yet none of the prisoners should be within, and conceived that this did abode some strange matter. anger, zeal, ζῆλον. concerning them, what this was, or, would be, γειρὶ ἀντῶν, τί And the captain that guarded the temple, (see note [f] Luke xxii.,) together with his soldiers, went to the temple, and apprehended them without— brought them before the court, and the high priest examined them, not to publish this doctrine of Christ! and ye contrariwise have published it in the temple to all the city, and done your best, by laying his blood to our charge, to raise up the people against us, as against murderers. And the apostles answered, as before they had done, ch. iv. 19. We were commanded by God to publish it, and then your interdict was not to have any force. Though magistrates are to be obeyed in all their lawful commands, and their punishments to be endured without resistance, (as they were by us, vv. 18. 26,) yet when God fetches us out of prison, and commands us to go into the temple and preach the faith of Christ, (as he did by his angel, ver. 20,) we are to render obedience to him, and not to your contrary interdicts. 30, 31. The God of Israel, acknowledged by us all, hath sent the Messias into the world, furnished with his special commission, and when ye crucified him as a malefactor, raised him from death, took him into heaven, and instated him in his regal power, (that he might be a spiritual prince, reigning in men's hearts,) at his Father's right hand, from thence to send the Spirit of his Father, (who was not to descend till he was ascended,) and by that means to give you Jews place of repentance, that if ye yet come in and repent, and believe on him, ye may have pardon of sin. [e] a Prince and a Saviour] These two words ἀρχηγός, captain, and σωτήρ, saviour, in the style of the Old Testament signify such an one as Joshua and the judges were (see note [c] Rom. xiii.) expressed here, ch. vii. 27, by ἄρχων καὶ δικαστής, a ruler and a judge, by διδόναι σωτηρίαν, ver. 25, giving deliverance, bringing them out of their slavery in Egypt; and therefore, ver. 35, (in setting down the Israelites' mistake, when they asked Moses who appointed him ἄρχοντα καὶ δικαστὴν, a ruler and a judge?) St. Stephen tells them, God had by the hand of an angel sent Moses, ἄρχοντα καὶ λυτρωτὴν, a captain and deliverer, by λυτρωτὴν, deliverer, meaning the same that by σωτηρία, deliverance, ver. 25, and by σωτήρ, saviour here, one that leads and rules them, manages their military affairs to the avenging them of their enemies, and pre- The truth of this we testify, and so doth the Holy Ghost, that came down upon us, and upon the rest that have come in, and consorted with us, ch. iv. 31, and by us is communicated to all that come in and believe, and yield obedience to him. And the apostles confirmed with many miracles their preaching of Christ's resurrection, and accounted it as a debt which they ought Christ for his great dignations among them; and there were great instances of liberality and frankness among them that received the faith, all the believers bringing in plentiful contributions to the apostles' hands, who received it of them for the public use of the believers. And upon this answer of theirs, they fell into you would bring, Βούλασθε ἕναγ. to his right hand, τῇ δεξιᾷ αὐτοῦ. you would bring, Βούλασθε ἕναγ. [c] gave the apostles witness] Ἀπεδίδων is by Theophylact observed to have some energy in it, καθάπερ ἐγχειρισθέντος αὐτοὺς τι δείκνυσι, καὶ ὡς περὶ ὀφλήματος λέγει, "he signifies somewhat to be intrusted with them as a depositum, which they were to restore, and so speaks as of a debt." Accordingly the vulgar Latin duly reads reddebant testimonium, "they rendered testimony." [f] cut to the heart] What διπρόνοτο here signifies will be best resolved from Hesychius's rendering of the word; the ordinary copy hath it διαπρίεται, διαγοράζει, μαίνεται. But that is a mistake; it should certainly be read ἀγριάζει or διαγριάζει, grows wild or angry, for that is all one with μαίνεται, is mad, which follows, but διαγοράζει is quite another matter, and would rather belong to διαπρίεται, (which might be the cause of this mistake by the nearness of the words,) as πριάμενος and ἀγοράσας are all one. By this then the word appears to signify rage or vehement displeasure, (as ἀγριάζει is ὀργίζεται,) such as is in bears and other wild beasts, when it makes them tear in pieces those that are next to them, or against whom it is conceived; as here it follows, they consulted to put them to death. So that there was a competent provision for all: and this was thus raised and managed: as many as had possessions— " and the apostles distributed unto every man— For we have examples of men that have gathered followers, and raised seditions among the people, and come to nothing: as for instance, Theudas, that undertook to be a general, boasting that he was sent by God to that purpose, and so got four hundred men to follow him, but soon miscarried, and was himself killed, and all put to flight that adhered to him; and so his design was utterly frustrated. ¹ Dismiss these men, and make not such haste to proceed against them; (for the doctrine which they preach is either from God or no; if it be not from God, then our experience tells us, that false prophets, though they thrive a while, yet without our opposition they generally come to nought: [g] Theudas] A story there is of one Theudas which Josephus mentions, Ant. lib. 20. c. 5, and Eusebius Hist. lib. 2. c. a, who undertook to be a prophet, and promised that he would divide Jordan, &c. But that was in Claudius's time, in the time of Fadus's prefecture, who destroyed him and his followers. And so that cannot be the person here mentioned, for this here was before Judas Galilæus, ver. 37, and he was in the time of Cyrenius's being governor of Syria, (see note [h]). This Theudas here then must needs be some other person whom they had recorded in their writings, and from thence Gamaliel here recites the story, though we have not other record of it. Having a piece of land of his own (not part of the Levites' portion, which he might not alienate, but probably somewhat which belonged to him in Cyprus, where he was born, ver. 36.) made sale of it, and brought the full price of it, and put it wholly in the apostles' power to dispose of or distribute it. # CHAP. V. [h] Judas of Galilee] Of this Judas of Galilee, and of this enrolling, Josephus's testimony is most clear, a Antiq. l. 18. c. 1. "Cyrenius," saith he, "came to Syria, sent from Cæsar, (or under him,) δικαιοδότης τοῦ ἴθνος, καὶ τιμητὴς τῶν οὐσιῶν γνησόμενος, as judge of the nation, and to take the valuation of their estates." Upon this, "Judas Gaulonita ἠπείγετο ἐπὶ ἀποστάσει, rebelled, or made defection, and Saddochus with him, τὴν ἀποτίμησιν οὐδὲν ἄλλο ἢ ἀντικρὺς δουλείαν ἐπιφέρειν λέγοντες, saying that this valuation of their estates" (the enrolling here) "brought in direct servitude upon them, καὶ τῆς ἐλευθερίας ἐπ' ἀντιλήψει παρακολοῦντες τὸ ἴθνος, and therefore called the whole nation to follow them, and vindicate their liberties." So again De Bell. Jud. lib. 2. a See Euseb. Hist. Eccl. l. 1. c. v. But if it be from God, then ye may be sure you shall not prevail against it,) lest ye be found to be a kind of Babel-builders, (like those giants there, that went about to fortify themselves against heaven,) ⁹ wore mad against them. ⁹ touching these men, what you go about to do, διὶ τοῦ ἀν- θρώπους τούτοις τί μιλλίτε πράσιον. ¹⁰ enrolling, ἀπογραφῇ; see note [b] Luke ii. ¹¹ for the present, τὰ νῦν. ¹² deprist, ἀπόστητε. ¹³ be overthrown, καταλυθήσεται. [a] Grecians] The word Ἑλληνισταὶ is by the Syriac rendered "Jews that understand Greek;" and by St. Chrysostom, τοὺς Ἑλληνιστὶ φθεγγομένους, "those that speak Greek," in opposition to the βαθεὶς Ἑβραίοι, "the profound, or deep, Hebrews;" so saith Phavorinus, Ἑλληνίζω, Ἑλληνικῶς φθέγγομαι, καὶ τὰ Ἑλλήνων φρονῶ, "to Hellenize is to speak Greek, and to have skill in the Greek learning." So saith Scaliger, "Ἑλληνίζειν non est habitare in Græcia, sed lingua Græca uti," It is not to dwell in Greece, but to use the Greek language." And so those here that used the Septuagint's translation of the Bible are called Ἑλληνισταὶ, Hellenists. And so are differenced here from the Ἑβραίοι, Hebrews, which used the Jerusalem paraphrase. Thus are Ἑλληνισταὶ, Acts xi. 20, differenced from the Jews in general, ver. 19, not that those Hellenists were not Jews, (for there, ver. 20, it is said that they b De Pudic. c. 9. c Theodor. Qu. 12. in Deut. the number of Christians increasing, the Jews that understood Greek, and used the Greek Bible in their congregations, complained of unequal dealing, viz., that there was little care of their widows (see note [a] 1 Tim. v.) in proportion or comparison with the Hebrews, in the daily distribution or provision that was made for the poor: (see note [a] Luke viii.) And the twelve apostles calling the church together, said unto them, We have resolved or decreed (see note [c] John viii.) that it is no way fit or reasonable that we should neglect the preaching of the gospel, and undertake the care of looking to the poor. [b] the multitude of the disciples] Τὸ πλῆθος τῶν μαθητῶν, multitude of disciples here are the community or society of Christians, called sometimes πάντες, the all. 1 Tim. v. 20, πλείονες, the many, 2 Cor. ii. 6, answerable to the multitude here; and sometimes Χριστιανοί, Christians, or followers of Christ, in respect of whom, as their doctor or master, they are here called μαθηταί, disciples; and both ordinarily united together in the word ἐκκλησία, church, and ἀδελφοί, the brethren: see ch. xv. 3, 4, 23, and Matt. xviii. 17. Now what power the church or brethren considered in this notion, the society of Christians, do here appear to have, may be considerable. The choice of the persons of the deacons is here committed to them: but that first by the appointment of the apostles declared to them. The twelve called to them the multitude, and said, Look out &c., vv. 2, 3. Secondly, they had by the apostles these bounds set them: 1st, To take seven, the number specified by the apostles, not left arbitrary to them. 2dly, To pitch on ἄνδρας μαρτυρουμένους, men generally known and well reputed of. 3dly, With these qualifications: 1st, faith, supposed in the ἐξ ὑμῶν, some of you, that is, believers, Christians; 2dly, fulness of the Holy Ghost, extraordinary gifts; 3dly, fulness of wisdom, fitted by all these for this employment. And when by the apostles' appointment, together with the observation of these prescribed rules, the multitude have sought out the persons, then still the apostles reserve the καταστήσομεν, the ordination or constitution of them, to themselves, ver. 3. In the nomination of bishops and deacons in other churches, the like may be concluded from the Epistles to Timothy and Titus, viz. that somewhat was referred to the church, particularly their testimony concerning the qualifications of the persons. For the bishop that was to ordain is by St. Paul's direction first to inquire, as it were upon articles, (εἴ τις ἐστὶν ἀνέγκλητος, if, or whether, he be blameless, &c.) which concerning a bishop are fifteen, Tit. i. 6, seventeen, 1 Tim. iii. 1, fewer concerning a deacon: and all of them being matters of fact and manners, Timothy, which was newly entered upon his province, and Titus, lately left in Crete, could not possibly be instructed sufficiently from their own experience, and therefore must be supposed to have it by inquiry of the church. So in the censures of the church the offender must be rebuked before the many, 2 Cor. ii. 6, ἐπιτιμία ὑπὸ τῶν πλειόνων, before the church, Matt. xviii. 17, ἐνώπιον πάντων, before all, 1 Tim. v. 20. Where yet it is Timothy the bishop that must ἐλέγχων, rebuke the offenders, only in the presence, and with the notice of the church, to make the rebuke more considerable, to produce shame and reformation. Lastly, in the council at Jerusalem, with the apostles and elders, or bishops of Judæa, is joined ὅλη ἐκκλησία, the whole church, ch. xv. 22, in the choosing and sending messengers to Antioch; but that with a most discernible distinction, the apostles and elders, as they whose decree or appointment it was, ἔδοξε τοῖς ἀποστόλοις καὶ πρεσβυτέροις, it pleased or seemed good Therefore do you nominate to us seven men, who have approved themselves to be faithful trusty persons, the most eminent of the believers among you, that we may consecrate or ordain them to this office of deacons in the church, and intrust them with the task of distributing to them that want out of the stock of the church; and in the choice of them let it also be observed, that they be persons of eminent gifts, and knowledge in divine matters, see ver. 10. (who consequently may be fit to be employed by us in preach- dishonourably used, κατηξιώθησαν ἀντμ. 15 in some house, κατ' οἶκον: see note [c] ch. i. 1 the Hellenists. 2 thought fit, ἀριστὸν. 3 seven men of you, that are approved, ἄνδρας ἐξ ὑμῶν μαρτυρουμένους ἑπτὰ. 4 for this use, ἐκὶ τῆς χρείας ταύτης: see note [f] Titus iii. [c] full of the Holy Ghost] What is meant by πλήρεις Πνεύματος Ἁγίου, full of the Holy Ghost, in this place, may perhaps be best collected by a further consideration of the words of Christ, Mark xvi. 17, 18: But signs shall attend them which believe these things, (so σημεῖα δὲ τοῖς πιστεύσασι ταῦτα παρακολουθήσει may be rendered,) or these signs shall attend, or follow, them that believe. These words seem to contain a promise of extraordinary gifts (of casting out devils, speaking strange languages, healing, &c., vv. 17, 18.) to others (beside the apostles) under the name of believers. For the believers there, πιστεύσαντες, are all one with the he that believeth, ὁ πιστεύσας, and is baptized, ver. 16, and that is those that upon the apostles' preaching shall believe and enter into the church, or be added to it: but this not so unlimitedly on one side, as that all that did believe should have those gifts bestowed upon them, (see note [d] ch. ii,) for then here would have been no choice; all being full of the Holy Ghost, they could not look out men that were full; nor yet with such restrictions on the other side, as that none had these gifts but those that were ordained to sacred functions, for then these, who were not yet so ordained, could not thus be full. But I suppose the truth is in the middle. At the apostles' preaching and men's receiving the gospel, many of them that believed had extraordinary gifts, miraculous powers bestowed upon them, for the testifying to themselves and others the truth of the gospel in those first times, and to qualify them for the services of the church when they should be called to it. And agreeably those that were thus endowed were generally chosen to such employments (before others who had them not) as there was need of them; and such I suppose are here meant under the phrase of full of the Holy Ghost, and that phrase mentioned by the apostles as a qualification required in those whom they would appoint And by that means we shall be less disturbed or interrupted in our daily employment of praying, and preaching the gospel. And the thing was thus agreed on by those other that associated with the apostles. And they pitched upon Stephen first, a very worthy person, that was richly instructed in the doctrine of Christ, and was by the Holy Ghost's coming upon him fitted with elocution and all other abilities to preach the gospel, and Philip— These seven, the whole number of disciples that associated with them, presented to the twelve apostles, and they, that is, the apostles, by prayer and imposition of hands, (see note [f] 1 Tim. v.,) consecrated or ordained them to this office of deacons. And the faith of Christ was propagated, and a very great number of men in Jerusalem associated with the apostles, every day more and more; and many of the Jewish priests received the gospel thus preached by the apostles. And Stephen, the deacon, being endued with great abundance of Christian knowledge, and also with the power of working miracles, did great wonders and miracles— And as he preached the faith of Christ, some men of that synagogue which was called by the name (because perhaps built at the charges) of the Libertines, (that is, those which were the sons of them which being Jews had been made free denisons by the Romans, or were born of Jewish parents, in cities which had those privileges under the Romans, such as Tarsus, (see note [c] ch. xxii.,) where Paul was born, who was an active person in this business, ch. vii. 58; some, I say, of those Jews,) and of those that dwelt in Cyrene and Alexandria and in Cilicia and Asia, opposed Stephen, and contradicted him. And he spake with so much knowledge and conviction of argument, and with so great excellence of elocution, that they were no way able to deal with him. And being overcome by his reasons and power of speaking, they betook themselves to other viler arts, and hired some men to accuse him falsely, and to make complaint to the sanhedrim, that they had heard him speak dishonourably of the Jewish religion. a continue in, προκαταπλημιν τῇ. a they prayed, and laid, προκαταπλημιν αὐτοῦ.