Изображения страниц
PDF
EPUB
[blocks in formation]

12 And when he had considered the thing, he came to the house of Mary the mother of John, whose surname was Mark; where many were gathered together praying.

13 And as Peter knocked at the door of the gate, a damsel came to hearken, named Rhoda.

14 And when she knew Peter's voice, she opened not the gate for gladness, but ran in, and told how Peter stood before the gate.

15 And they said unto her, Thou art mad. But she constantly affirmed that it was even so. Then said they, It is his angel.

16 But Peter continued knocking: and when they had opened the door,

[by an angel.

and saw him, they were astonished. 17 But he, beckoning unto them with the hand to hold their peace, declared unto them how the Lord had brought him out of the prison. And he said, Go shew these things unto James, and to the brethren. And he departed, and went into another place.

18 Now as soon as it was day, there was no small stir among the soldiers, what was become of Peter.

19 And when Herod had sought for him, and found him not, he examined the keepers, and commanded that they should be put to death. And he went down from Judea to Cesarea, and there abode. (Z)

20 ¶ And Herod was highly dis

CHAP. XII.

EXPOSITION.

(2) Ver. 1-19. Herod's cruelty-Peter's miraculous deliverance.-Of all the royal names recorded in sacred history, those of Pharoah and of Herod rank the highest for crueity and impiety. Herod the Great murdered a number of infants, in hope of destroying the infant Jesus (Matt. iii. 16); to say nothing of his cruelty to his own children, which led Augustus to say, it were better to have been his hog than his son. Herod Antipas, his son, sacrificed the holy prophet, John the Baptist, in order to gratify an adulteress, with whom he lived in incest. The Herod here introduced to our notice was Herod Agrippa, grandson of the former, whom he much resembled, both in his character and end. St. Luke calls him "Herod the king." At first he was simply a tetrarch, with a royal title; but his dominions were gradually increased, till they became equal in extent to those of his grandfather, and his power no less absolute and tyrannical. Josephus speaks of his great kindness to the Jews his countrymen, which induced him to live much at Jerusalem, where he "observed the Jewish institutions, practised the purity they require, and did not let a

day pass without worshipping God according to the law." Yet notwithstanding all this religion, he killed James, the brother! of John; and "because it pleased the Jews," he imprisoned Peter also, meaning to bring him out to public execution at the close of Easter, or, more properly, the Passover.

Here we stop to make two observations: 1. That the strictest forms of outward religion may be observed, while the deepest villany still lurks within the heart. Herod failed not daily to worship God, while he committed one murder after another to gratify the Jews.-2. "It is hard to kick against the pricks," or to fight against the Almighty. Herod had seized Peter, and held him now in prison, under guard of sixteen soldiers, who were to relieve each other in parties of four each, to watch him night and day, and he was kept in perfect safety till the very night before his intended execution. But a machinery was now at work of which Herod had no conception. While soldiers watched him night and day, so did angels; and the whole church of God at Jerusalem were engaged in prayer, "without ceasing," on his behalf. This was not necessary for his deliverance, for the eye

NOTES-Chap. XII. Con.

Ver. 12. When he had considered.-Doddr. rather, when be recollected himself.

Ver. 13. To hearken.-Marg. "To ask who was there."

Ver. 17. Unto James-Not James the kinsman of John, for he was beheaded; but James the less (as he is called), author of the general Epistle.—Into

another place-Probably to secrete himself more effectually-which he did.

Ver. 19. Put to death.-Doddr. "Led away to execution." So Hammond.

Ver. 20. Was highly displeased.-Marg. "Bare an hostile mind."-Doddr. "Was highly incensed" on account of some supposed affront.

[blocks in formation]

of God was on him; but the occasion called forth all the pious affections of the brethren, and all the holy energy of prayer. We hear nothing of Peter's prayers, but he was a prisoner in Christ's cause, and had doubtless committed himself into his hands and gone to sleep. Though he had before been rescued by an angel, it does not appear that he expected the visit of another heavenly messenger, or he would have kept awake for him. Peter was secure, however, as human power could make him, bound with chains, and sleeping between two soldiers. But the moment of deliverance is now come. "Man's extremity is God's opportunity." A heavenly radiance, in the dead of night, penetrates those walls which, perhaps, the sun-beams had never entered. An angel enters and smites Peter to awake him, while probably the same stroke smote the guards, both within and without, with slumbers irresistable. Peter rises in surprise; his chains drop from him like burnt flax; locks and bolts give way instantly to the angelic touch; and even the massy iron gate leading outward into the street "opens of its own accord." The angel conveyed him so far as he was commissioned, and then vanished. Hitherto Peter thought it was all a dream; but, finding himself at liberty, be repaired instantly to the house of John, surnamed Mark, where he knew the brethren were accustomed to assemble for devotion. Here he knocked, and the maid

Rhoda, who kept the gate, came (perhaps under much alarm) to listen and enquire who was there. She knew Peter's voice in a moment, and, frantic with joy, ran in to announce it. At first they thought the woman mad, and, when she still persisted in her story, they concluded it must be his angel, or perhaps his ghost. At length they opened the door and saw him, when they were no less astonished than the girl; but he beckoning to them to be quiet, entered, and related all the circumstances. No alarm of his escape was, it seems, excited till the morning, probably at the time of relieving guard: then, not the prison only, but the palace was in alarm. Herod, being able to obtain no information from the keepers or the guard, commanded them to be put to death, and thus revenged himself for the escape of Peter. But we shall see, in our next section, that vengeance followed Herod.

(A) Ver. 20-25. The impiety and awful death of Herod.-The last clause of the preceding verse informs us, that after the imortification (as it doubtless was) of Peter's deliverance from his hands, just at the time when he was about to make a public sacrifice of him for the gratification of the Jews, "Herod went down from Judea to Cesarea, and there abode." On some occasion, not worthy of our enquiry, he found himself much offended with the inhabitants of Tyre and Sidon, who, re

NOTES.

Ver. 22. The people gave a shout.-Hammond, "shouted, The voice of God," &c.

Ver. 23. The angel of the Lord.-Instead of this angel, Josephus tells us of an owl. He states that, presently after" he had received the flattery of the multitude, looking up, he saw an owl, sitting on a certain rope over his head, and immediately understood that this bird was the messenger (or angel) of ill tidings .... and fell into the deepest sorrow," &c.

Whiston's Jos., bk. xix. ch. 8, 2, and Note.

Ver. 25. John, whose surname was Mark.-This was evidently a different person from Mark the Evangelist, as is shown by Grotius, to whom Doddridge refers with approbation. The Mark here is understood to have been the son of Mary, at whose house the disciples met to pray for Peter, chap. xii. 12; and he is called "sister's son to Barnaba Col. iv. 10.

[blocks in formation]

siding upon the coast, depended on Judea for a supply of corn and other provisions: without, therefore, contending for the justice of their cause, they thought it the wisest way to employ the king's chamberlain to speak on their behalf; beside which they sent ambassadors to procure reconciliation, to which Herod, whose interest it perhaps equally was, seems to have made no objection.

Herod at this time celebrating by command a festival in honour of the Emperor, the above persons were invited to attend, while the great and the gay were collected together from all parts of the country. On the second day of the shows (says Josephus), "Herod came into the theatre early in the morning, dressed in a robe of silver, of most curious workmanship. The rays of the rising sun, reflected from so splendid a garb, gave him a majestic and awful appearance. In a short time they began in several parts of the theatre flattering acclamations, which proved pernicious to him. They called him a god, and entreated him to be propitious to them, saying, Hitherto we have respected you as a man, but now we acknowledge you to be more than mortal. The King neither reproved these persons, nor rejected the impions flattery..... Immediately after this, he was seized with pains in his bowels, extremely violent at the very first. Then turning himself toward his friends, he spoke to them in this manner:-1, your god, am required to leave this world; Fate instantly confuting these feigned applauses just bestowed upon me, I, who have been called immortal, am hurried away to death. But God's appointment must be submitted to. Nor has our condition in this world been

6

despicable; we have lived in the state which is accounted happy.' While he was speaking these words, he was oppressed with the increase of his pains: he was carried, therefore, with all haste to his palace. These pains in his bowels conti. nually tormenting him, he expired in five days time, in the fifty-fourth year of his age, and of his reign the seventh." (Jos. Antiq. lib. xix. cap. 8, § 2.)

We have given this extract in order to show how well the Jewish historian here agrees with the Evangelist: but Josephus knew nothing of the angel, or the final cause of Herod's death. Yet there are some

points of harmony which particularly call for our remark. St. Luke says, that when the multitude so profanely flattered him, "he gave not God the glory:" Josephus, though he had before represented him as a pious and religious man, frankly confesses he "neither reproved these persons, nor rejected the impious flattery" they offered. Josephus agrees also in the sudden mauuer in which he was seized; and though he says nothing here of worms, he describes his disorder as much resembling his grandfather's, which produced ulcerations and bred worms. (See Lardner's Cred. vol. i. ch. 1; whence most of our observations on this subject are derived.)

Men of every rank are mortal. Even kings, "those earthly gods," as Watts calls them, however they may be flattered, must die; and, when they have dared to persecute the Church of God, they have been often cut off with marks of the divine displeasure. Scripture affords many instances of this, and modern history is not without them. But Jesus lives for ever; and, while princes die, and their decrees and works

NOTES.

CHAP. XIII. Ver. 1. Simeon, called Niger-Or the black man; possibly a Negro. Lucius of Cyrene, another African, according to Doddr.,Manaen, which had been brought up with Herod the tetrarch.-Marg. "Herod's foster-brother;"

perhaps one sent to school with him, to wait upon and tend him. Orient. Lit. No. 1408. Ver. 2. The Holy Ghost said-Either by an inspired person, or by an oracular voice.

[blocks in formation]

they preached the word of God in the synagogues of the Jews: and they had also John to their minister.

6 And when they had gone through the isle unto Paphos, they found a certain sorcerer, a false prophet, a Jew, whose name was Bar-jesus:

7 Which was with the deputy of the country, Sergius Paulus, a prudent man; who called for Barnabas and Saul, and desired to hear the word of God.

8 But Elymas the sorcerer (for so is his name by interpretation) withstood them, seeking to turn away the deputy from the faith.

9 Then Saul, (who also is called Paul,) filled with the Holy Ghost, set his eyes on him,

[of Sergius Paulus.

10 And said, O full of all subtilty and all mischief, thou child of the devil, thou enemy of all righteousness, wilt thou not cease to pervert the right ways of the Lord?

11 And now, behold, the hand of the Lord is upon thee, and thou shalt be blind, not seeing the sun for a season. And immediately there fell on him a mist and a darkness; and he went about seeking some to lead him by the hand.

was

12 Then the deputy, when he saw what done, believed, being astonished at the doctrine of the Lord. (B)

13 T Now when Paul and his company loosed from Paphos, they came to Perga in Pamphylia: and John de

EXPOSITION.

perish, the word of God must grow and prosper.

The close of this chapter informs us that "Barnabas and Saul returned from Jerusalem to Antioch when they had fulfilled their ministry;" alluding particularly, as we suppose, to the charitable aid which they had carried to the church there. To relieve brethren in necessity or distress, is an office not unworthy of an apostle.

CHAP. XIII.

(B) Ver. 1-12. The Church at Antioch. -Paul and Barnabas set apart to preach to the Gentiles." When it is remembered (says Dr. Morrison) that the prophets declared the Messiah should be a light to the Gentiles, and for salvation to the ends of the earth' (Isa. Ixix. 6); that the angels at the Saviour's birth declared the Saviour's advent was good tidings to all people,' (Luke ii. 10); and that Jesus, when ascending to heaven, commanded his gospel to be taught to all nations,'-it is surprising how slow of apprehending this essential truth the first Christians were." Even Peter, zealous as he was, Dr. M. goes on to observe, "required an express revelation from heaven to induce him to go to a Roman military officer, Cornelius; and, when he did go, the apostles and brethren at Jerusalem censured him for it," till he produced divine authority in his

defence. (Morrison's Part. Mem. p. 74.) And it is not certain that any Gentile Church was formed anterior to the period now before us, about A.D. 45, when Barnabas and Saul were, by divine direction, sent out from the Church of Antioch on a special mission to the heathen.

This we consider as the first Missionary tour beyond the pale of the Jewish Church, and it was conducted by two apostolic missionaries, of whom Barnabas was evidently much the elder. His nephew, John Mark, went with them, both as their serviter, or attendant, and with a view to his future employment in the missionary work. A circumstance that seems to intimate the proper means of introduction to this work; namely, after receiving such previous instruction as may be judged necessary, to send them out under the direction and advice of experienced preachers, none of whom surely ought to be above following the example of Barnabas and Saul. Their missionary route is here distinctly marked out. They departed first to Seleucia, a sea-port about fifteen miles from Antioch, and sailed thence, as it should seem, immediately to Cyprus, the native place of Barnabas (ch. iv. 36), and where probably he was well known, and in consequence invited to preach in the synagogues of Salamis, a sea-port on the east entrance of the island. No particular success is

NOTES.

Ver. 8. The sorcerer-One who used the "curious arts of necromancy, astrology," &c.-Seo ch. xix. 19,

Paul preaches]

THE ACTS.

parting from them returned to Jerusalem.

14 But when they departed from Perga, they came to Antioch in Pisidia, and went into the synagogue on the sabbath day, and sat down.

15 And after the reading of the law and the prophets the rulers of the synagogue sent unto them, saying, Ye men and brethren, if ye have any word of exhortation for the people, say on.

16 Then Paul stood up, and beckoning with his hand said, Men of Israel, and ye that fear God, give audience.

17 The God of this people of Israel

[to the Jews, chose our fathers, and exalted the people when they dwelt as strangers in the land of Egypt, and with an high arm brought he them out of it.

18 And about the time of forty years suffered he their manners in the wilderness.

19 And when he had destroyed seven nations in the land of Canaan, he divided their land to them by lot.

20 And after that he gave unto them judges about the space of four hundred and fifty years, until Samuel the prophet.

21 And afterward they desired a king and God gave unto them Saul the son of Cis, a man of the tribe of

EXPOSITION-Chap. XIII. Continued.

hitherto recorded; but when they had gone through the isle to Paphos, a city devoted to the most gross idolatry, which was at the western extremity, they met with opposition, which, as it respects the ministry of the gospel, is generally the harbinger of success. Sergius Paulus, "the deputy of the country,' or proconsul appointed by the Senate, who is described as a prudent, or intelligent man, called for Barnabas and Saul, and "desired to hear from them the word of God," which implied a conviction that he considered them commissioned to deliver it. With him, probably in some secular capacity, resided a Jew of the name of Bar-jesus, a false prophet and a sorcerer, or magician, as the Arabic name Elymas imports; and he, knowing that if the gospel were to prevail, he must lose his craft, resolutely withstood their preaching; and, when he found the deputy disposed to listen thereto, he endeavoured to turn him from it.

Paul, who on this occasion probably was the preacher, being filled with the Holy Ghost, fixed his eyes upon him, "O full of subtlety and all mischief, thou child of

the devil!" a name to which he was entitled both from his personal character, as a wicked man, and from his iniquitous profession as a sorcerer and a false prophet. "The hand of the Lord is upon thee!" added Paul, and he was immediately struck with temporary blindness. This had such an effect upon the deputy, that, being astonished at the power which attended on the apostles' doctrine, he became a confirmed believer.

We have here followed St. Luke in adopting the name of Paul instead of Saul, and this becomes his designation throughout the remainder of the New Testament. This apostle being now devoted to the service of the Gentiles, it might be proper that he should now assume a Roman name; and he might adopt this in honour of his illustrious convert, the governor. Others suppose it the name which he assumed when he became a Roman citizen; but this seems hardly consistent with his being born free. Beza thinks that the Greeks and Romans would find his Hebrew name difficult to pronounce, and naturally call him Paul.

NOTES-Chap. XIII. Con.

Ver. 17. Exalted the people-That is, Jacob's family, under the protection of Joseph.

Ver. 18. Suffered he their manners.-Our translators in the Margin, for etropophoresen, "bore with," propose another reading-etrophophoresen, bore or nursed them, as an infant is nursed,-which Las the recommendation of Chrysostom and Beza. See Deut. i. 12.

Ver. 20. Four hundred and fifty years-That is, According to the chronology of Josephus and the 1xx.; but this differs from the Hebrew chronology full 100 years. Doddr. reads, "And after these transactions [which lasted] about 450 years;" 408

which, by an alteration in the pointing, reads, "He divided the land to them by lot, about 450 years, and after that he gave them judges," &c. He cites the authority of some copies mentioned by Grotius and Usher.

Ver. 21. By the space of forty years.-Beza, Calvin, Grotins, Doddridge, &c. include Samuel's government as well as Saul's; for notwithstanding Saul's being appointed king, Samuel still retained his office of Judge as long as he lived; 1 Sam. vii, 15, There are confessedly some chronological errors in our present copies of Scripture; but we have very little room for discussions of that nature..

« ПредыдущаяПродолжить »