iv INTRODUCTION TO THE ACTS OF THE APOSTLES. The first named of these subjects is treated with comparative brevity, because the fact had been previously demonstrated that the Jews should partake the blessings of the Messiah's reign. It was only necessary, therefore, that the historian should relate the fulfilment of the promise concerning the effusion of the divine Spirit, and the remarkable results which ensued. In regard to the other two subjects, kindred in their character, the historian is much more particular and minute in his narration. To the Jews, it was scarcely less incredible that the Gentiles were to be admitted to a perfect equality with themselves, in regard to the divine favor and blessings, than it was that the authority of Moses could be superseded by that of a more illustrious prophet. Hence the propriety of relating, more at large, those events which conclusively and unequivocally manifested the divine purpose, that our Lord Jesus Christ should become literally and truly "the Saviour of the world," by imparting spiritual life to the Gentiles as well as to the Jews. This doctrine was offensive even to the Jewish Christians: to the unconverted Jews, it was an utter abomination. But, though they destroyed the life of Paul, the most prominent advocate of this truth, even as their fathers had destroyed his Master, the truth lived and triumphed. Paul himself, at the close of life, when reviewing his laborious struggle against the power of the adversary, was cheered by the conviction that his labor had not been in vain. God had crowned his exertions with success, and had given him abundant and precious seals of his ministry. And although the disciples still endured persecution, he knew the time was rapidly approaching, when the persecuting power should be paralysed, and the churches should have peace. The remarkable manner in which an “exceedingly mad" persecutor of Christians was transformed into their most devoted and successful defender, the many miraculous interpositions of divine power in behalf of him and his fellow-laborers, and other events which were subservient to the great object embraced in the propagation of Christianity throughout the whole world, will be more particularly noticed elsewhere. THE ACTS OF THE APOSTLES. CHAPTER I. HE former treatise have I made, began both to do and teach. CHAPTER I. "Some apostles after him."-Lightfoot. But I prefer the more common interpretation; namely, that the phrase is a com 1. The former treatise, &c. Literally mon Hebraism, equivalent to did and word; but, according to common usage, taught. Thus it is written, that Je a discourse or narrative, whether spok- sus "called unto him the twelve, and en or written. The reference is man- began to send them forth." Mark vi. 7. ifestly to the Gospel accord. to Luke; Another evangelist expresses the same which was composed by theme au- idea thus: "These twelve Jesus sent thor, addressed particularly oe same forth." Matt. x. 5. So also, person, and devoted to the san general began to spit on him." Mark xiv. 65. subject, as this second part, or ntinu- The same act is described in the paral ation, of the narrative. ¶ The hilus. lel place by an equivalent term, "Then Very little is known concernig this did they spit in his face." Matt. xxvi. individual. He was probably a b liever 67. This form of speech is often used in Christianity; and, from the nanner by Luke. "Jesus himself began to be in which he is elsewhere addressed, it about thirty years of age; that is, he is not unlikely that he held some office was about thirty years of age. Luke of civil trust and power. See note on iii. 23. "Then shall they begin to Luke i. 3. Of all. Rather, concern say;" that is, then they shall say. ing all. Luke does not profess to have Luke xxiii. 30. "He began to speak related, in his former treatise, every act boldly;" that is, he spake boldly. Acts and word of his divine Master. He xviii. 26. "Tertullus began to accuse frequently referred to discourses, with him ;" that is, Tertullus accused him. out recording the language; see Luke Acts xxiv. 2. To do and teach. The iv. 15, 31; v. 3, 17; vi. 6; xix. 47; former treatise embraced an account xx. 1; and John, by a common Eastern both of those works which no man hyperbole, assures us that all the acts could do except God were with him, and language of our Lord could not be and of those doctrines which fell from compressed into so small a space. John the lips of him who spake as none other xx. 25. The meaning evidently is, that ever spake. John iii. 2; vii. 46. the former treatise was concerning the truth of Christianity, and the divine ministry of Jesus, from his birth until commission of its founder, had thus been his ascension to his Father; that it sufficiently demonstrated. The refercontained an abstract of his teaching ence to the preceding work forrns a pro and of his mighty works; and that it per and very natural introduction to the embraced evidence sufficient to demon-second part of the same general design; strate his Messiahship. Began Loth to do and teach. This phrase has been interpreted thus: "In the former treatise, I discoursed of all those things which Jesus himself began to do and to teach: in this, I am to give a relation of those things which were continued by his The in which is related the labors of those servants whom Jesus elected to speak in his name after his departure. 2. Until the day, &c. Our Lord continued to teach the truths of the kingdom, and to confirm his doctrines by miracles, as well after his resurrection 3 To whom also he shewed him- [self alive after his passion, by many See Matt. x. 1-8; Luke vi. and as the apostles were selected as the principal witnesses of this fact, our Lord appeared to them repeatedly, under such circumstances that they could have no possible doubt that he had truly risen. For an account of these various appearances, see note at the end of John. ¶ After his passion. That is, after his death. The word passion. as before his crucifixion, even until the and in a spirit of divine wisdom and day when he was parted from his disci- truth. Before his crucifixion as well as ples, and carried up into heaven. Luke after his resurrection, he gave comxxiv. 51. To this point of time the mandments through the Holy Spirit; former narrative extended, and at this and there seems to be no impropriety point the present narrative commences. in giving this general application to the After a more full relation of the events phrase here used. The apostles. attending the ascension, than had been The twelve disciples whom he selected given in the gospel, the proper history as his special ministers, and who were of the apostolical labors and succes- styled apostles because they were sent ses begins at ver. 15 of this chapter. forth in his name, to proclaim the adHe was taken up. Evidently refer- vent of the kingdom of heaven, and to ing to the ascension of our Lord. The perform wonderful works according to form of expression, here used, denotes its spirit. See note on Matt. x. 2. Of that his translation from earth to heav- the original number, eleven remained, en was effected by the same divine one having miserably fallen. He had power which had enabled him pre-chosen viously to perform miracles; namely, 12-16. the power of his Father and his God. 3. To whom also he showed himself Through the Holy Ghost. That is, alive. As it was of the utmost importhe Holy Spirit, or the spirit or energy tance to the establishment of Chrisof God. Different writers have assigned tianity that the resurrection of its different places to these words, in their founder should be distinctly proved, construction of the sentence; some, joining them with "was taken," implying that our Lord was taken up into heaven by the divine energy; some with "had chosen," implying that he selected his apostles under the guidance of divine wisdom; but the more common and apparently the more natural construction is that adopted in the common translation, implying that, is now ordinarily used to denote anger, when our Lord gave commandments to his disciples, he spake as he was moved by the Holy Ghost. This well agrees with his uniform declaration, "I came down from heaven, not to do mine own will, but the will of Him that sent me," and "My doctrine is not mine, but his that sent me." John vi. 38; vii. 16. In all which he "began both to do and teach," he professed to act under the divine direction and by divine assistance. Had given commandments. Literally, having commanded. Some have supposed particular, if not exclusive, reference is here made to the very important command that the apostles should go into all the world and preach the gospel to every creature, which was his final injunction as he was about to ascend. Matt. xxviii. 19, 20; Mark xvi. 15. But I see no necessity for limiting the meaning to the last commandment, or even to those delivered after the resurrection of our Lord. From the commencement of his ministry, he taught and commanded in his Father's name, or some other violent excitement of the mind. Thus of an angry man, we say he is in a passion; or of one who is prone to sudden outbursts of anger, he is a passionate man. Sometimes also the word is applied to the emotions.produced by love or hope, or despondency. But originally it had the signification of suffering or endurance. The kindred word, patient, retains its original meaning, when applied to a sick person, that is, one who suffers from disease. In this place, as in Luke xxii. 15; xxiv. 26, 46; Acts iii. 18; xvii. 3, where the same word occurs in the original and is rendered suffer, it not only indicates suffering in general, but is technically applied to the death of Christ in par ticular. The meaning is, Jesus, having suffered death on the cross, afterwards showed himself to his disciples, and convinced them beyond doubt that he was again alive. By many infallible proofs. Proofs which could not deceive. His disciples not only had frequent opportunity to see him during the space 4 And being assembled together infallible proofs, being seen of them | forty days, and speaking of the things with them, commanded them that pertaining to the kingdom of God: they should not depart from Jeru of." forty days," and to hear him discourse on familiar topics, as here indicated by the historian, but they also handled him, and he ate and drank with them. Luke xxiv. 39-43; John xx. 27; xxi. 9—13. Indeed the state of their minds was such, that nothing short of infallible proofs would have sufficed to convince them that he who had been dead was again alive. It was an event which they did not expect; because, through a misapprehension of his true character, their faith in him as the Messiah was absolutely crushed by his death; and when they heard that he had risen, the account appeared so improbable, that it was rejected as an idle tale. Yet, that they were finally convinced and made certain of his resurrection, their subsequent conduct affords undeniable testimony. Neither hope, nor fear, nor persecution, nor the pain of death itself, could induce them to waver for one moment in their attestation of this glorious truth; and most of their number sealed their testimony with blood. If any faith may be placed in human testimony, the apostles were not themselves deceived, and they did not deceive others. See this argument more fully stated in the note at the end of Matthew. ¶ Being seen of them forty days. It does not appear that Jesus was constantly with his disciples during this period of time; but he occasionally associated and conversed with them, and did not wholly absent himself from them by ascending to his Father, until forty days after his resurrection. They had abundant time and opportunity for reflection, and for satisfying every doubt which may have arisen in regard to the reality of his appearance. The following remark may be somewhat fanciful, yet perhaps not altogether so: "Forty years after this, a year for a day, was Jerusalem destroyed, and the nation of the Jews rooted out; because they would not believe in Christ, who had so mightily declared himself to be the Son of God by his resurrection from the dead, and who had so plainly declared his resur rection from the dead by so many appearings and infallible proofs for forty days. And, that the sin might be fully legible in the judgment, they were besieged and closed up in Jerusalem, at a Passover; as, at a Passover, they had slain and crucified the Lord of life." Lightfoot. Speaking of the things, &c. His conversation, after as well as before his crucifixion and resurrection, was chiefly devoted to the great object of his mission. To his former instructions he added yet more, that his disciples might be the better prepared to preach the gospel to all nations, and turn their fellow-men from darkness to light, and from the service of sin to the service of God. This fact may be regarded as one of the infallible proofs of his identity. Jesus spake as none other ever spake; and no impostor could have counterfeited the matter and manner of his conversation so successfully as to deceive those who had been so intimately associated with him for many months. If they had not fully understood his instructions, and if they did not even then fully understand, they must certainly have been able to distinguish between the voice of a stranger and the true shepherd; and no impostor could have deceived them. Kingdom of God. See note on Matt. iii. 2. 4. Being assembled together with them. The peculiar form of this phrase has occasioned some perplexity to commentators. Some have suggested that this meeting was in Galilee, whither Jesus commanded his disciples to repair, promising to meet them; and that they were all thus assembled together, agreeably to appointment. Others have preferred to render the participle actively, and drop the preposition, translating the phrase thus, "having assembled them together." It would seem from the context that this meeting was in Jerusalem, not in Galilee; and it does not elsewhere appear that Jesus had commanded his disciples to assemble at this particular time and place. The only important fact, however, is sufficiently manifest; namely, that Jesus and his disciples were all together, whether by previous appointment or not, and that he instructed them. Should not depart from Jerusalem, &c. See note on Luke xxiv. 49. Our Lord did not choose that his apostles should salem, but wait for the promise of the Father, which, saith he, ye have heard of me. 5 For John truly baptized with wa ter; but ye shall be baptized with the Holy Ghost not many days hence. commence the work of their ministry, to all believers. These were, chiefly, until they were fully prepared; nor the ability to perform miracles, to speak would he have them disperse, and com- in languages which they had never mence preaching, each by himself, at learned, and both to remember all the a distance from Jerusalem, as suspi- instructions of their Master, and to recions might be excited if they first ceive from on high, and impart to manproclaimed the resurrection of their kind, additional communications of Master at a distance from the place truth. That the phrase was used, not where it was alleged to have occurred. in its general but in this peculiar sense, But here, where he had been unjustly is evident, because the purifying procondemned, mocked, buffeted, and ig-cess, indicated by baptism with the nominiously crucified between two Holy Ghost, in its general sense, was thieves; here, where his enemies were now triumphing and exulting in the hope that they had utterly crushed him and his cause; here, where an immense concourse of people from distant regions could witness the marvels consequent on the descent of the Holy Spirit upon the disciples, enabling them to speak with various tongues, or in divers languages; here, where the best possible opportunity and means existed for detection of imposture, had any been been attempted; here, in Jerusalem, he would have them remain, until they were empowered by the Spirit to give a convincing and overwhelming testimony to the truth; and here, in the midst of his powerful enemies, would he have them first proclaim his resurrection, that the power of God might openly triumph over human power. Wait for the promise, &c. That is, for the fulfilment of the promise, which Jesus had made in his Father's name; namely, that the Father would send or impart unto them the Holy Spirit, who should teach them all things and bring all his own instructions to their remembrance. John xiv. 26. See also John xv. 26; xvi. 7-15. This promise was shortly afterwards fulfilled; and some of the outward and marvellous manifestations of it are detailed in the succeeding chapter. 5. John truly baptized with water, &c. The reference is evidently to the language of John the Baptist, Matt. iii. 11. Baptized with the Holy Ghost. Concerning the meaning of this phrase, in its general sense, see note on Matt. iii. 11. In this place, it seems to be used in a peculiar sense, indicating certain gifts which should speedily be imparted to the apostles, which are not imparted not accomplished in the apostles at the time implied in the phrase, "not many days hence." Much of moral imper fection cleaved to them long afterwards; and near the close of life, the survivor of them all testified, "If we say that we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us." 1 John i. 8. Nor can it be said that such a purifying process commenced at that period; for it had commenced long before. It is not for one moment to be believed that they had so long enjoyed the personal instructions and admoni tions and faultless example of their Master, without any moral improvement. Whatever may have been true in regard to the traitor, it will not be denied that the eleven faithful apostles had been, partially at least, turned away from their iniquities. And, as matter of fact, we cannot perceive, in the history, any indication of a surpris ing moral change wrought in the apos tles by this baptism on the day of Pen tecost. Except that their former timidity was succeeded by unshrinking boldness (which may be accounted for by their certainty that Jesus had risen and ascended), they seem to have been in a similar condition, as men, after as before the outpouring of the Spirit. But, as apostles, a visible and marvellous change was wrought in them. They were forthwith enabled to speak foreign languages intelligibly, to heal the sick, and to perform many wonders and signs. Acts ii. 4, 43; iii. 1–9. They doubtless shared the moral or spiritual purification resulting from baptism with the Holy Ghost, in common with all who are thus baptized; but there seems no reference to this subject here. A different operation and |