Bibelkommentare

We have, in this chapter, a further account of the progress of the gospel, by the ministry of Paul and Barnabas among the Gentiles; it goes on conquering and to conquer, yet meeting with opposition, as before, among the unbelieving Jews. Here is, I. Their successful preaching of the gospel for some time at Iconium, and their being driven thence by the violence of their persecutors, both Jews and Gentiles, and forced into the neighbouring countries, Ac 14:1-7. II. Their healing a lame man at Lystra, and the profound veneration which the people conceived of them thereupon, which they had much ado to keep from running into an extreme, Ac 14:8-18. III. The outrage of the people against Paul, at the instigation of the Jews, the effect of which was that they stoned him, as they thought, to death; but he was wonderfully restored to life, Ac 14:19,20. IV. The visit which Paul and Barnabas made to the churches which they had planted, to confirm them, and put them into order, Ac 14:21-23. V. They return to Antioch, whence they were sent forth; the good they did by the way, and the report they made to the church of Antioch of their expedition, and, if I may so say, of the campaign they had made, Ac 14:24-28.

Paul and Barnabas, having preached at Iconium with great success, are persecuted, and obliged to flee to Lystra and Derbe, Acts 14:1-6. Here they preach, and heal a cripple; on which, the people, supposing them to be gods, are about to offer them sacrifices, and are with difficulty prevented by these apostles, Acts 14:7-18. Certain Jews from Antioch and Iconium, coming thither, induce the people to stone Paul; who, being dragged out of the city as dead, while the disciples stand around him, rises up suddenly, and returns to the city, and the next day departs to Derbe, Acts 14:19, Acts 14:20. Having preached here, he and Barnabas return to Lystra, Iconium, and Antioch, confirming the disciples, and ordaining elders in every Church, Acts 14:21-23. They pass through Pisidia and Pamphylia, Acts 14:24. Through Perga and Attalia, Acts 14:25; and sail to Antioch in Syria, Acts 14:26. When, having called the disciples together, they inform them of the door of faith opened to the Gentiles, and there abode a long time with the Church, Acts 14:27, Acts 14:28.

CHAPTER 14

Acts 14:2. ἀπειθοῦντες] A B C א, min. have ἀπειθήσαντες, which Lachm. Tisch. Born. have adopted; and rightly, partly on account of the preponderating authority (D, however, does not here concur, as it has an entirely different reading), and partly because ἀπειθοῦντες most directly presented itself to the mechanical scribes as a contrast to those who had become believers. If they had conformed themselves to πιστεῦσαι, Acts 14:1, they would have written ἀπιστήσαντες.

Acts 14:3. Before διδόντι Elz. has καί, against decisive evidence.

Acts 14:8. After αὑτοῦ Elz. has ὑπάρχων, against greatly preponderating evidence. Added from Acts 3:2 as an unnecessary completion.

περιπεπατήκει] So (not περιεπεπ. as Elz.) D E G H, min. Chrys. Lachm. and Tisch. have περιεπάτησεν, after A B C א, min. But the regular preference, which in relative sentences the Greeks give to the aorist over the pluperfect, here easily supplanted the latter.

Acts 14:9. ἤκουε] Lachm. Tisch. Born, read ἤκουσεν, after A D E G H א, min. Chrys. Theoph. An alteration, as the narrative continues in the aorist, and the intentional selection of the imperfect here was not understood.

Acts 14:10. Lachm. Tisch. Scholz (Born, ἀνήλατο, after D) have ἥλατο. But Elz. has ἤλλετο, against decisive evidence. The aorist yielded to the imperfect on account of περιεπάτει.

Acts 14:12. μέν] is, after A B C* D א, rightly erased by Lachm. Tisch. Born. as a customary insertion.

Acts 14:13. After πόλεως Elz. has αὐτῶν. A current addition, condemned by the witnesses.

Acts 14:14. ἐξεπήδησαν] Elz. has εἰσεπήδ., against decisive evidence. The less the reference of ἐξ—was understood, the more easily would the better known εἰς be inserted, corresponding to εἰς τὸν ὄχλον.

Acts 14:17. καίτοιγε] Others: καίγε (so D E, Born.). Others: καίτοι (so A B C* א**, Lachm.). With this diversity καίτοι, and also γέ, are to be considered as certainly and predominantly attested; and therefore καίτοιγε, with C*** G H א*, min. Chrys. Theoph. Oec., is to be retained. Beside καί sometimes the one particle and sometimes the other was omitted, as is also the case in Acts 17:27.

ἀγαθουργῶν] so to be read, with A B C א, min. Ath. Recommended by Griesb. and adopted by Lachm. Tisch. But Elz. Scholz, Born. have ἀγαθοποιῶν, which, as the more usual word, was inserted.

ὑμῖν … ὑμῶν] Elz. has ἡμῖν … ἡμῶν, against very important witnesses. The alteration arose, because the sentence had become a commonplace.

After Acts 14:18, C D E, min. vss. read διατριβόντων αὐτῶν κ. διδασκόντων. So Born. with δέ after διατρ., and attaching it to what follows. An interpolation, by way of smoothing the transition from Acts 14:18 to its contrast in Acts 14:19, variously enriched by different insertions.

Acts 14:19. νομίσαντες] Lachm. Tisch. and Born, have νομίζοντες, after A B D א, min. The Recepta arose mechanically from the context.

τεθνάναι] Lachm. Tisch. read τεθνηκέναι, after A B C א, min. Correctly, as the contracted form was the more usual.

Acts 14:28. After διέτριβον δέ Elz. has ἐκεῖ, which has been, after A B C D א, min. and several vss., erased or suspected since the time of Griesb. Insertion for the sake of more precise definition.

CHAPTER 15

Acts 15:1. περιτέμνησθε] A B C D א, min. Constitut. Ath. Epiph. have περιτμηθῆτε. Approved by Griesb., adopted by Lachm. Tisch. Born.; and rightly, as the witnesses are so preponderating, and the reference of the aorist easily escaped the notice of the transcribers.

Acts 15:2. οὖν] Tisch. Born, read δέ. The witnesses for δέ preponderate.

ζητήσεως] Elz. has συζητήσεως, in opposition to decisive testimony. From Acts 15:7. It is also in favour of ζητ. that it is inserted in Acts 15:7, instead of συζητ. in A, א, min. vss., which evidently points to the originality of ζητ. in our passage.

Acts 15:4. ἀπεδέχθ.] Lachm. Tisch. and Born, read παρεδέχθ., according to A B D** (D* has παρεδόθησαν) א loti. These witnesses preponderate, and there are no internal reasons against the reading.

ὑπό] Tisch. reads ἀπό, following only B C, min.

Acts 15:7. ἐν ἡμῖν] Lachm. Tisch. read ἐν ὑμῖν, according to A B C א, min. and several vss. and Fathers. But ἡμῖν is necessary; and on this account, and because it might easily be mechanically changed into ὑμῖν after the preceding ὑμεῖς, it is to be defended on the considerable attestation remaining to it.

Acts 15:11. τοῦ Κυρίου Ἰησοῦ] Elz. has Κυρίου Ἰησοῦ Χριστοῦ, against preponderating evidence. Whilst the article was omitted from negligence, Χριστοῦ (which also Born, has) was added in order to complete the dogmatically important saying.

Acts 15:14. τῷ ὀνόματι] so Lachm. Tisch. Born. But Elz. Scholz have ἐπὶ τῷ ὀνόμ.,—an exegetical expansion, against preponderating evidence.

Acts 15:17. After ταῦτα Elz. has πάντα, which is wanting in A B C D א, min. and many vss. and Fathers. From LXX. Amos 9:12, and hence it also stands before, ταῦτα in E G, min.

Acts 15:18. Griesb. Scholz, and Tisch. have only γνωστὰ ἀπʼ αἰῶνος, so that this must be attached to ταῦτα in Acts 15:17. This reading appears as decidedly original, and so ἐστι … αὑτοῦ as decidedly interpolated: partly because B C א, min. Copt. Sahid. Arm. vouch for the simple γνωστὰ ἀπʼ αἰῶνος, and those authorities which have ἐστι … αὑτοῦ present a great number of variations; partly because it was thought very natural to complete γνωστὰ ἀπʼ αἰῶνος into a sentence, and to detach it from Acts 15:17, inasmuch much as no trace of γνωστὰ ἀπʼ αἰῶνος was found in Amos 9:12; partly, in fine, because, if ἐστι … αὑτοῦ is genuine, Acts 15:18 contains a thought so completely clear, pious, and unexceptionable, so inoffensive, too, as regards the connection, and in fact noble, that no reason can be conceived for the omission of ἐστι … αὑτοῦ, and for the numerous variations in the words. Lachm. has γνωστὸν ἀπʼ αἰῶνος τῷ Κυριῳ τὸ ἔργον αὐτοῦ, after A D, Arm. Vulg. Cant. Ir., which betrays a still later origin than the Recepta, as the genuine γνωστὰ ἀπʼ αἰῶνος first gave occasion to the casting of the sentence in the plural form, but afterwards, in order to bring forward the special reference to the ἔργον in question of the conversion of the Gentiles, the change into the singular form was adopted. Matth. has entirely erased Acts 15:18, without evidence.

Acts 15:20. καὶ τοῦ πνικτοῦ] is, following Mill, erased by Born. as a later addition; Ambrosiaster already explains the words as such, and, indeed, as proceeding from the stricter observance of the Greeks. But they are only wanting in D, Cant. Ir. Tert. Cypr. Pacian. Fulgent. Hier. Gaudent. Eucher. Ambrosiast., of whom several omit them only in Acts 15:29. The omission is explained from Leviticus 17:13, where the eating of things strangled generally is not forbidden, but only the pouring out of the blood is made a condition; and from the laxer view of the Latins. After Acts 15:20 (so, too, in Acts 15:29 after πορνείας), D, min. vss. and Fathers have the entirely irrelevant addition from Matthew 7:12 : καὶ ὅσα (or ὅσα ἂν) μὴ θέλωσιν ἑαυτοῖς γίνεσθαι, ἑτέροις μὴ ποιεῖν (ποιεῖτε).

Acts 15:22. ἐπικαλ.] Lachm. has καλούμενον, also commended by Griesb., according to decisive evidence, and adopted by Tisch. and Born. Rightly; the former is an interpretation.

Acts 15:23. καὶ οἱ ἀδελφοί] A B C D א* loti. 13, Arm. Vulg. Cant. and some Fathers have merely ἀδελφοί, which Lachm. and Born, have adopted.[22] But the omission of καὶ οἱ is on hierarchical grounds, for which reason also 34 Sahid. have omitted καὶ οἱ ἀδελφοί entirely.

Acts 15:24. λέγοντες περιτ. κ. τηρεῖν τὸν νόμον is wanting in A B D א, loti. 13, Copt. Aeth. Sahid. Vulg. Cant. Constitut. Ath. Epiph. Vigil. Beda. Besides variations in detail. Deleted by Lachm. Tisch. Born. Probably a gloss; yet it remains surprising that it was drawn not from Acts 15:1, but from Acts 15:5, and so freely. Besides, λέγοντες … νοΜΟΝ might be easily passed over after ὑΜΩΝ.

Acts 15:25. ἐκλεξαμένους] A B G min. read ἐκλεξαμένοις. So Lachm. A stylistic correction.

Acts 15:28. Instead of τῶν ἐπάναγκ. τούτων is to be written, with Lachm., according to preponderating evidence, τούτων τῶν ἐπ.; Tisch. has erased τούτων, yet only after A and some min. and Fathers.

Acts 15:30. ἦλθον] Lachm. and Born. read κατῆλθον, which is so decidedly attested (A B C D א) that it may not be derived from Acts 15:1. The compounds of ἔρχεσθαι were often neglected.

Acts 15:33. ἀποστείλαντας αὐτούς] Elz. reads ἀποστόλους, contrary to A B C D א, min. and several vss. and Fathers. A more precisely defining addition, which, taken into the text, supplanted the original.

After Acts 15:33, Elz. Scholz, Born. have (Acts 15:34): ἔδοξε δὲ τῷ Σίλᾳ ἐπιμεῖναι αὐτοῦ, to which D and some vss. and Cassiod. add: μόνος δὲ ʼΙούδας ἐπορεύθη (so Bornemann). Condemned by Mill, Griesb. Matthaei, also deleted by Lachm. and Tisch., according to A B E G H א, min. Chrys. Theophyl. and several vss. A hasty addition on account of Acts 15:40.

Acts 15:37. ἐβουλεύσατο] Lachm. reads ἐβούλετο, which also Griesb. recommended, after A B C E א, min. Born., following D, reads ἐβουλεύετο. While the two verbs are frequently (comp. on Acts 5:33) interchanged, ἐβούλετο is here to be preferred on account of its far preponderant attestation.

Acts 15:40. Θεοῦ] A B D א, min. vss. have Κυρίου. So Lachm. Tisch., also Born., who only omits τοῦ, following D*. Θεοῦ is from Acts 14:26.

[22] Approved by Buttmann in the Stud. u. Krit. 1860, p. 358.

Ac 14:1-7.

MEETING WITH SIMILAR SUCCESS AND SIMILAR OPPOSITION AT ICONIUM, PAUL AND BARNABAS FLEE FOR THEIR LIVES TO LYSTRA AND DERBE, AND PREACH THERE.

"After this detailed account of Paul's labors at Pisidian Antioch, Luke subjoins only brief notices of his further labors, partly because from the nature of the case his discourses must have embraced nearly the same topics, and partly because the consequences that resulted assumed quite a similar shape" [OLSHAUSEN].

1. they went both together into the synagogue--Though Paul was now the prominent speaker and actor, yet in everything Barnabas went along with him.

a . . . multitude . . . of the Greeks believed--meaning probably the religious proselytes, as opposed to "the Gentiles" mentioned

Ac 14:2.

In Iconium - See the notes on Acts 13:51. In this place, and in Antioch and Lystra, Timothy became acquainted with Paul and his manner of life, 2 Timothy 3:10-11.

So spake - Spake with such power - their preaching was attended so much with the influence of the Spirit.

And also of the Greeks - Probably proselytes from the Greeks, who were in the habit of attending the synagogue.

In Iconium - See the conclusion of the preceding chapter.

So spake - Και λαλησαι οὑτως. With such power and demonstration of the Spirit, that a great multitude both of the Jews, genuine descendants of one or other of the twelve tribes, and also of the Greeks, Ἑλληνων, probably such as were proselytes of the gate, believed, received the Christian religion as a revelation from God, and confided in its Author for salvation, according to the apostles' preaching.

And it came to pass in Iconium,.... When the apostles were got thither, and as soon as they were there; at least the first opportunity they had:

that they went both together into the synagogue of the Jews; which was in Iconium; hither Paul and Barnabas went together, in like manner as they had done at Antioch:

and so spoke; such words, and doctrines of grace, with so much power, authority, and demonstration of the Spirit, with so much plainness, clearness, and evidence, as well as with so much boldness and courage:

that a great multitude, both of the Jews, and also of the Greeks, believed: the doctrines they preached, and in Christ the sum and substance of them; and these were not a few, but a great multitude; and not of one sort, of the Jews only, who expected the Messiah, but of the Greeks, or Gentiles also, who never heard of any; for by Greeks here are meant, not Jews born in Greece, speaking the Greek tongue, and using the Greek Bible, for these were called Hellenists, and not Greeks, but Heathens. These converts laid the foundation of a Gospel church state in this place; for that there was a church here, is certain from Acts 14:21 In the "first" century, Sosipater is said to be bishop, or pastor of this church, and also Tertius, who are both reckoned among the "seventy" disciples of Christ; See Gill on Luke 10:1. In the "third" century, Celsus was bishop of this church; and in the same century, several synods were held here, about the error of Novatus; and in the same century, Nicomes bishop of this place, assisted at the council at Antioch, which condemned the heresy of Samosatenus (f): in the "fourth" century there was a church in this place, and Amphiius was bishop of it, of whom Jerom (g) makes mention; and who read to him a book, concerning the deity and worship of the holy Spirit: in the "fifth" century, it was the metropolitan church of Lycaonia, and Valerianus and Onesiphorus presided over it: in the "sixth" century, a bishop of this church was present at the fifth Roman council under Symmachus: in the "seventh" century, it bore the character of metropolitan, and a bishop of it assisted at the sixth council at Constantinople, whose name was Paul: in the "eighth" century, Leo was bishop of it, who was present at the synod of Nice (h); and after this we hear no more of it, the place falling into the hands of the Turks, who are now possessed of it: here, according to the Roman martyrology, Tryphena and Tryphosa, mentioned in Romans 16:12 heard the Apostle Paul preach; and here the famous virgin and martyr, Thecla, was converted.

(f) Euseb. Eccl. Hist. l. 6. c. 19. & l. 7. c. 28, 30. (g) Catalog. Script. Eccles. fol. 102. H. (h) Magdeburg. Hist. Eccles. cent. 5. c. 7. p. 418. c. 10. p. 596. cent. 6. c. 2. p. 4. cent. 7. c. 2. p. 3. c. 7. p. 112. c. 10. p. 254. cent. 8. c. 2. p. 4.