Chú giải Kinh Thánh

In this chapter we have, I. The famous story of St. Paul's conversion from being an outrageous persecutor of the gospel of Christ to be an illustrious professor and preacher of it. 1. How he was first awakened and wrought upon by an appearance of Christ himself to him as he was going upon an errand of persecution to Damascus: and what a condition he was in while he lay under the power of those convictions and terrors, Ac 9:1-9. 2. How he was baptized by Ananias, by immediate directions from heaven, Ac 9:10-19. 3. How he immediately commenced doctor, and preached the faith of Christ, and proved what he preached, Ac 9:20-22. 4. How he was persecuted, and narrowly escaped with his life, Ac 9:23-25. 5. How he was admitted among the brethren at Jerusalem: how he preached, and was persecuted there, Ac 9:26-30. 6. The rest and quietness which the churches enjoyed for some time after this, Ac 9:31. II. The cure wrought by Peter on Eneas, who had long been laid up with a palsy, Ac 9:32-35. III. The raising of Tabitha from death to life, at the prayer of Peter, Ac 9:36-43.

This chapter Acts 9 commences a very important part of the Acts of the Apostles the conversion and labors of Saul of Tarsus. The remainder of the book is chiefly occupied with an account of his labors and trials in the establishment of churches, and in spreading the gospel through the Gentile world. As the fact that the gospel was to be thus preached to the Gentiles was a very important fact, and as the toils of the apostle Paul and his fellow-laborers for this purpose were of an exceedingly interesting character, it was desirable to preserve authentic record of those labors; and that record we have in the remainder of this book.

Saul, bent on the destruction of the Christians, obtains letters from the high priest, authorizing him to seize those whom he should find at Damascus, and bring them bound to Jerusalem, Acts 9:1, Acts 9:2. On his way to Damascus, he has a Divine vision, is convinced of his sin and folly, is struck blind, and remains three days without sight, and neither eats nor drinks, Acts 9:3-9. Ananias, a disciple, is commanded in a vision to go and speak to Saul, and restore his sight, Acts 9:10-16. Ananias goes and lays his hands on him, and he receives his sight, and is baptized, Acts 9:17-19. Saul, having spent a few days with the Christians at Damascus, goes to the synagogues, proclaims Christ, and confounds the Jews, Acts 9:20-22. The Jews lay wait to kill him, but the disciples let him down over the walls of the city in a basket, by night, and he escapes to Jerusalem, Acts 9:23-25. Having wished to associate with the disciples there, they avoid him; but Barnabas takes and brings him to the apostles, and declares his conversion, Acts 9:26, Acts 9:27. He continues in Jerusalem preaching Christ, and arguing with the Hellenistic Jews, who endeavor to slay him; but the disciples take him to Caesarea, and send him thence to his own city Tarsus, Acts 9:28-30. About this time, the Churches, being freed from persecution, are edified and multiplied, Acts 9:31. Peter heals Eneas at Lydda, who had been afflicted with the palsy eight years: in consequence of which miracle, all the people of Lydda and Saron are converted, Acts 9:32-35. Account of the sickness and death of a Christian woman named Tabitha, who dwelt at Joppa; and her miraculous restoration to life by the ministry of Peter, Acts 9:36-41. Gracious effects produced among the inhabitants of Lydda by this miracle, Acts 9:42, Acts 9:43.

CHAPTER 9

Acts 9:3. ἀπό] A B C G א, min. have ἐχ, which is, no doubt, recommended by Griesb. and adopted by Lachm. Tisch. and Born., but is inserted from Acts 22:6 to express the meaning more strongly.

Instead of περιήστραψ. Lachm. has περιέστραψ. A weakly attested error of transcription.

Acts 9:5. κύριος εἷπεν] Deleted by Lachm. Tisch. Born., after A B C, min. Vulg. In some other witnesses (including א), only κύριος is wanting; and in others, only εἶπεν. The Recepta is a clumsy filling up of the original bare ὁ δέ.

After διὡχεις, Elz., following Erasm., has (instead of ἀλλά, Acts 9:6) σκληρὐν σοι πρὸς κέντρα λακτίζειν. Τρέμων τε καὶ θαμβῶν εἶπε· κύριε, τί με θέλεις ποιῆσαι; καὶ ὁ κύριος πρὸς αὐτόν, against all Greek codd. Chrys. Theoph. and several VSS.[234] An old amplification from Acts 22:10, Acts 26:14.

Acts 9:8. οὐδένα] A* B א, Syr. utr. Ar. Vulg. have οὐδέν. So Lachm. Tisch. Born. The Recepta has originated mechanically from following Acts 9:7.

Acts 9:10. The order ἘΝ ὉΡΆΜΑΤΙ Ὁ ΚΎΡ. (Lachm. Tisch. Born.) has the decisive preponderance of testimony.

Acts 9:12. ἘΝ ὉΡΆΜΑΤΙ] is wanting in A א, loti. Copt, Aeth. Vulg. B C have it after ἌΝΔΡΑ (so Born.). Deleted by Lachm. and Tisch. An explanatory addition to ΕἾΔΕΝ.

Instead of ΧΕῖΡΑ, Lachm. and Born. have ΤᾺς ΧΕῖΡΑς, after B E, VSS.; also A C א* loti, which, however, do not read rag ΤΆς. From Acts 9:17, and because ἘΠΙΤΙΘ. ΤᾺς ΧΕῖΡΑς is the usual expression in the N. T. (in the active always so, except this passage).

Acts 9:17. ἀκήκοα] Lachm. Born, read ἤκουσα, which is decidedly attested by A B C E א, min.

Acts 9:18. After ἀνέ βλεψέ τε, Elz. has παραχρῆμα, which is wanting in decisive witnesses, and, after Erasm. and Bengel, is deleted by Lachm. Tisch. Born. A more precisely defining addition.

Acts 9:19. After ἐγένετο δέ, Elz. has ὁ Σαῦλος, against decisive testimony. Beginning of a church-lesson.

Acts 9:20. Ἰησαῦν] Elz. reads Χριστόν, against A B C E א, min. VSS. Iren. Amid the prevalent interchange of the two names this very preponderance of authority is decisive. But Ἰησαῦν is clearly confirmed by the following ὄτι οὖτός ἐστιν ὁ υἱὸς τ. Θεοῦ, as also by Acts 9:22, where οὖτος necessarily presupposes a preceding Ἰησαῦς.

Acts 9:24. παρετήρουν τε] Lachm. Tisch. Born, read παρετηροῦντο δὲ καί, which is to be preferred according to decisive testimony.

αὐτὸν οἱ μαθηταί] Lachm. Tisch. Born, read οἱ μαθηταὶ αὐτοῦ, after A B C F א, loti. * Or. Jer. This reading has in its favour, along with the preponderance of witnesses, the circumstance that before (Acts 9:19) and after (Acts 9:26) the μαθηται are mentioned absolutely, and the expression ΟἹ ΜΑΘ. ΑὐΤΟῦ might appear objectionable. In what follows, on nearly the same evidence, ΔΙᾺ ΤΟῦ ΤΕΊΧΟΥς ΚΑΘῆΚΑΝ ΑὐΤΌΝ is to be read.

Acts 9:26. After ΠΑΡΑΓ. ΔΈ, Elz. has Ὁ ΣΑῦΛΟς, E, Ὁ ΙΙΑῦΛΟς. An addition.

ΕἸς] B E G H, min. Oec. Theophyl. have ἘΝ, recommended by Griesb. and adopted by Lachm. Tisch. Born. The evidence leaves it doubtful; but considering the frequency of ΠΑΡΑΓΊΝ. with ΕἸς (Acts 13:14, Acts 15:4; Matthew 2:1; John 8:2), whereas it does not further occur with ἘΝ in the N. T., ἘΝ would be more easily changed into ΕἸς than the converse.

ἘΠΕΙΡᾶΤΟ] Lachm. and Born. read ἘΠΕΊΡΑΖΕΝ (after A B C א, min.), which was easily introduced as the usual form (ΠΕΙΡΆΟΜΑΙ only again occurs in the N. T. in Acts 26:21; Hebrews 4:15?).

Acts 9:28. ἘΝ ἹΕΡΟΥΣ] Lachm. Tisch. Born, have rightly adopted ΕἸς ἹΕΡΟΥΣ., which already Griesb. had approved after A B C E G א, min. Chrys. Oec. Theophyl. ἘΝ was inserted as more suitable than ΕἸς, which was not understood. Accordingly, ΚΑΊ before ΠΑῤῬΗΣ. is to be deleted with Lachm. and Tisch., following A B C א, min. VSS. An insertion for the sake of connection.

Acts 9:29. ἙΛΛΗΝΙΣΤΆς] A has ἝΛΛΗΝΑς. From Acts 11:20.

Acts 9:31. Lachm. Tisch. Born. read Ἡ … ἘΚΚΗΗΣΊΑ … ΕἾΧΕΝ ΕἸΡ. ΟἸΚΟΔΟΜΟΥΜΈΝΗ Κ. ΠΟΡΕΥΟΜΈΝΗ … ἘΠΛΗΘΎΝΕΤΟ, after A B C א, min. and several VSS., including Vulg. Rightly. The original Ἡ ΜῈΝ ΟὖΝ ἘΚΚΛΗΣΊΑ, Κ.Τ.Λ., in accordance with the apostolic idea of the unity of the church, was explained by ΑἹ ΜῈΝ ΟὖΝ ἘΚΚΛΗΣΊΑΙ ΠᾶΣΑΙ (so E), which ΠᾶΣΑΙ was again deleted, and thus the Recepta arose.

Acts 9:33. Instead of κραββάτῳ, κραββάτου is to be adopted, with Lachm. Tisch. Born., on preponderating evidence.

Acts 9:38. ὀκνῆσαι … αὐτῶν] Lachm. and Tisch. read ὀκνήσῃς … ἡμῶν, after A B C* E א, loti. Vulg., which with this preponderance of evidence is the more to be preferred, as internal grounds determine nothing for the one reading or the other.

[234] The words are found in Vulg. Ar. pol. Aeth. Arm. Syr. p. (with an asterisk) Slav. Theophyl. 2, Oec. Hilar. in Psalms 2, but with many variations of detail.

Ac 9:1-25.

CONVERSION OF SAUL, AND BEGINNINGS OF HIS MINISTRY.

1. Saul, yet breathing out threatenings and slaughter against the disciples of the Lord, &c.--The emphatic "yet" is intended to note the remarkable fact, that up to this moment his blind persecuting rage against the disciples of the Lord burned as fiercely as ever. (In the teeth of this, NEANDER and OLSHAUSEN picture him deeply impressed with Stephen's joyful faith, remembering passages of the Old Testament confirmatory of the Messiahship of Jesus, and experiencing such a violent struggle as would inwardly prepare the way for the designs of God towards him. Is not dislike, if not unconscious disbelief, of sudden conversion at the bottom of this?) The word "slaughter" here points to cruelties not yet recorded, but the particulars of which are supplied by himself nearly thirty years afterwards: "And I persecuted this way unto the death"

(Ac 22:4);

"and when they were put to death, I gave my voice [vote] against them. And I punished them oft in every synagogue, and compelled them to [did my utmost to make them] blaspheme; and being exceedingly mad against them, I persecuted them even unto strange [foreign] cities"

(Ac 26:10, 11).

All this was before his present journey.

And Saul - See the notes on Acts 7:58; Acts 8:3. He had been engaged be fore in persecuting the Christians, but he now sought opportunity to gratify his insatiable desire on a larger scale.

Yet breathing out - Not satisfied with what he had done, Acts 8:3. The word breathing out is expressive often of any deep, agitating emotion, as we then breathe rapidly and violently. It is thus expressive of violent anger. The emotion is absorbing, agitating, exhausting, and demands a more rapid circulation of blood to supply the exhausted vitality; and this demands an increased supply of oxygen, or vital air, which leads to the increased action of the lungs. The word is often used in this sense in the Classics (Schleusner). It is a favorite expression with Homer. Euripides has the same expression: "Breathing out fire and slaughter." So Theocritus: "They came unto the assembly breathing mutual slaughter" (Idyll. 22:82).

Threatening - Denunciation; threatening them with every breath the action of a man violently enraged, and who was bent on vengeance. It denotes also "intense activity and energy in persecution."

Slaughter - Murder. Intensely desiring to put to death as many Christians as possible. He rejoiced in their death, and joined in condemning them, Acts 26:10-11. From this latter place it seems that he had been concerned in putting many of them to death.

The disciples of the Lord - Against Christians.

Went unto the high priest - See the notes on Matthew 2:4. The letters were written and signed in the name and by the authority of the Sanhedrin, or written and signed in the name and by the authority of the Sanhedrin, or Great Council of the nation. The high priest did it as president of that council. See Acts 9:14, and Acts 22:5. The high priest at that time was Theophilus, son of Ananus, who had been appointed at the feast of Pentecost, 37 a.d., by Vitellius, the Roman governor. His brother Jonathan had been removed from that office the same year (Kuinoel).

Saul, yet breathing out threatenings and slaughter - The original text is very emphatic, ετι εμπνεων απειλης και φονου, and points out how determinate Saul was to pursue and accomplish his fell purpose of totally destroying the infant Church of Christ. The mode of speech introduced above is very frequent in the Greek writers, who often express any vehement and hostile affection of the mind by the verb πνεειν, to breathe, to pant; so Theocritus, Idyll. xxii. ver. 82:

Ες μεσσον συναγον, φονον αλλαλοισι πνεοντες.

They came into the assembly, breathing mutual slaughter.

Euripides has the same form, πυρ πνεουσα και φονον, breathing out fire, and slaughter, Iphig. in Taur.

And Aristophanes more fully, referring to all the preparations for war: -

Αλλα πνεοντας δορυ και λογχας και λευκολοφους τρυφαλειας,

Και πηληκας, και κνημιδας, και θυμους ἑπταβοειους.

They breathed spears, and pikes, and helmets, and crests, and greaves, and the fury of redoubted heroes.

The figure is a favourite one with Homer: hence μενεα πνειοντες Αβαντες, the Abantes breathing strength. - Il. ii. 536. And how frequently he speaks of his fierce countrymen as, μενεα πνειοντες Αχαιοι, the Greeks breathing strength, see Il. iii. 8; xi. 508; xxiv. 364, which phrase an old Scholiast interprets, being filled with strength and fury. St. Luke, who was master of the Greek tongue, chose such terms as best expressed a heart desperately and incessantly bent on accomplishing the destruction of the objects of its resentment. Such at this time was the heart of Saul of Tarsus; and it had already given full proof of its malignity, not only in the martyrdom of Stephen, but also in making havoc of the Church, and in forcibly entering every house, and dragging men and women, whom he suspected of Christianity, and committing them to prison. See Acts 8:3.

Went unto the high priest - As the high priest was chief in all matters of an ecclesiastical nature, and the present business was pretendedly religious, he was the proper person to apply to for letters by which this virulent persecutor might be accredited. The letters must necessarily be granted in the name of the whole Sanhedrin, of which Gamaliel, Saul's master, was at that time the head; but the high priest was the proper organ through whom this business might be negotiated.