圣经注释书

本章记载了基督徒所受的逼迫，以及基督教因此得以广传。基督的门徒越是受苦，人数越发增多——这事虽奇特，却千真万确。一、教会受苦：在司提反被杀一事上兴起了一场猛烈的风暴，迫使许多人离开耶路撒冷（徒 8:1-3）。二、教会借着腓利以及其他因此分散之人的服事而扩展。本章记载：1. 福音传到撒玛利亚，在那里被传开（徒 8:4,5），在那里被接受（徒 8:6-8），甚至行邪术的西门也信了（徒 8:9-13）；彼得和约翰按手，使一些信主的撒玛利亚人受圣灵的恩赐（徒 8:14-17）；彼得严厉责备行邪术的西门，因他想用钱买这赐恩的权能（徒 8:18-25）。2. 福音借着一位太监——那地的一位显贵——传到埃塞俄比亚。他正坐车从耶路撒冷回去（徒 8:26-28）；腓利被差到他那里，在他的车上向他传讲基督（徒 8:29-35），又因他宣告信仰基督而为他施洗（徒 8:36-38），随后便离开他（徒 8:39,40）。福音就这样以不同的方式和方法在列国中散播开来，或这样、或那样，「他们不都听见了吗？」

A general persecution is raised against the Church, Acts 8:1. Stephen's burial, Acts 8:2. Saul greatly oppresses the followers of Christ, Acts 8:3, Acts 8:4. Philip the deacon goes to Samaria, preaches, works many miracles, converts many persons, and baptizes Simon the sorcerer, Acts 8:5-13. Peter and John are sent by the apostles to Samaria; they confirm the disciples, and by prayer and imposition of hands they confer the Holy Spirit, Acts 8:14-17. Simon the sorcerer, seeing this, offers them money, to enable him to confer the Holy Spirit, Acts 8:18, Acts 8:19. He is sharply reproved by Peter, and exhorted to repent, Acts 8:20-23. He appears to be convinced of his sin, and implores an interest in the apostle's prayers, Acts 8:24. Peter and John, having preached the Gospel in the villages of Samaria, return to Jerusalem, Acts 8:25. An angel of the Lord commands Philip to go towards Gaza, to meet an Ethiopian eunuch, Acts 8:26. He goes, meets, and converses with the eunuch, preaches the Gospel to him, and baptizes him, Acts 8:27-38. The Spirit of God carries Philip to Azotus, passing through which, he preaches in all the cities till he comes to Caesarea, Acts 8:39, Acts 8:40.

CHAPTER 8

Acts 8:1. πάντες τε] Lachm. Tisch. Born. read πάντες δέ, according to B C D E H, min. Vulg. Copt. al., and several Fathers. A, min. Syr. Aeth. have τέ; א* has only πάντες; א** has καὶ π. The δέ has the preponderance of testimony, and is therefore to be adopted, as also in Acts 8:6.

Acts 8:2. ἐποιήσαντο] Lachm. and Born. read ἐποίησαν, according to decisive testimony.

Acts 8:5. πόλιν] Lachm. reads τὴν πόλιν, after A B א, 31, 40. More precise definition of the capital.

Acts 8:7. πολλῶν] Lachm. reads πολλοί,[215] and afterwards ἘΞΉΡΧΟΝΤΟ, following A B C E א, min. Vulg. Sahid. Syr. utr.; ἘΞΉΡΧΟΝΤΟ is also in D, which, however, reads ΠΟΛΛΟῖς (by the second hand: ἈΠῸ ΠΟΛΛΟῖς). Accordingly ἘΞΉΡΧΟΝΤΟ, as decisively attested, is to be considered genuine (with Born. and Tisch.), from which it necessarily follows that Luke cannot have written ΠΟΛΛΟΊ (which, on the contrary, was mechanically introduced from the second clause of the verse), but either ΠΟΛΛῶΝ (H) or ΠΟΛΛΟῖς (D*).

Acts 8:10. Ἡ ΚΑΛΟΥΜΈΝΗ] is wanting in Elz., but is distinctly attested. The omission is explained from the fact that the word appeared inappropriate, disturbing, and feeble.

Acts 8:12. ΤᾺ ΠΕΡΊ] Lachm. Tisch. Born. read ΠΕΡΊ, after A B C D E א. Correctly; ΕὐΑΓΓΕΛΊΖ. is not elsewhere connected with ΠΕΡΊ, and this very circumstance occasioned the insertion of ΤΆ.

Acts 8:13. ΔΥΝΆΜΕΙς ΚΑῚ ΣΗΜΕῖΑ ΜΕΓΆΛΑ ΓΙΝΌΜΕΝΑ] Elz. Lachm. Born. read: ΣΗΜΕῖΑ Κ. ΔΥΝΆΜΕΙς ΜΕΓΆΛΑς ΓΙΝΟΜΈΝΑς. Both modes of arrangement have important attestation. But the former is to be considered as original, with the exclusion, however, of the ΜΕΓΆΛΑ deleted by Tisch., which is wanting in many and correct codd. (also in א), and is to be considered as an addition very naturally suggesting itself (comp. Acts 6:8 for the sake of strengthening. The later origin of the latter order of the words is proved by the circumstance that all the witnesses in favour of it have ΜΕΓΆΛΑς, and therefore it must have arisen after ΜΕΓΆΛΑ was already added.

Acts 8:16. ΟὔΠΩ] A B C D E א, min. Chrys. have ΟὐΔΈΠΩ. Recommended by Griesb. and adopted by Rinck, Lachm. Tisch. Born. The Recepta came into the text, through the inattention of the transcribers, as the word to which they were more accustomed.

Acts 8:18. On decisive evidence ἰδών is to he adopted, with Griesb. and the later editors, instead of θεασάμ. The latter is a more precise definition.

Acts 8:21. ἐνώπιον] A B C D א, min. and several Fathers have ἐναντίον or ἔναντι, which last Griesb. has recommended, and Lachm. Tisch. Born. have adopted. Correctly; the familiar word was inserted instead of the rare one (Luke 1:8).

Acts 8:22. κυρίου] So Lachm. Tisch. Born. But Elz. Scholzhave Θεοῦ, against preponderating evidence. A mechanical repetition, after Acts 8:21.

Acts 8:25. The imperfects ὑπέστρεφον and εὐηγγελίζοντο (Lachm. Tisch. Born.) are decisively attested, as is also the omission of τῆς before βασιλ. in Acts 8:27.

Acts 8:27. ὅς before ἐληλ. is wanting in Lachm. and Born., following A C* D* א*, Vulg. Sahid. Oec. An incorrect expedient to help the construction.

After Acts 8:36, Elz. has (Acts 8:37): εἶπε δὲ ὁ Φίλιππος· εἰ πιστεύεις ἐξ ὅλης τῆς καρδίας, ἔξεστιν. Ἀποκριθεὶς δὲ εἶπε· πιστεύω τὸν υἱὸν τοῦ Θεοῦ εἶναι τὸν Ἰησοῦν Χριστόν. This is wanting in decisive witnesses; and in those which have the words there are many variations of detail. It is defended, indeed, by Born., but is nothing else than an old (see already Iren. iii. 12; Cypr. ad Quir. iii. 43) addition for the sake of completeness.

Acts 8:39. After ΠΝΕῦΜΑ A**, min. and a few VSS. and Fathers have ἍΓΙΟΝ ἘΠΈΠΕΣΕΝ ἘΠῚ (or ΕἸς) ΤῸΝ ΕὐΝΟΥΧΟΝ, ἌΓΓΕΛΟς ΔΈ. A pious expansion and falsification of the history, induced partly by Acts 8:26 and partly by Acts 10:44.

[215] Instead of which, however, he (Praefat. p. viii.) conjectures πολλά.

Ac 8:1-4.

逼迫 持续， 扫罗 在其中 扮演 要角—— 如何 被掌管 成就 益处。

1. 扫罗也喜悦他遇害——这话表示衷心的赞同。

都分散——所有主要的基督徒，尤其是传道者，遵照主的吩咐

(Mt 10:23)，

不过许多人无疑留下，另一些人（从

Ac 9:26-30

可见）很快又回来。

除了使徒以外——他们留下，当然不是因为较少暴露在危险中，而是不惜任何风险，要在最需培育之处看顾这初生的使命。

扫罗也喜悦…… - 对于司提反被处死感到高兴，并加以赞同。参 Acts 22:20。本节这一部分本应与上一章相连。

从这日起 - 即紧接司提反之死以后。这逼迫是因司提反而起的（Acts 11:19）。司提反被杀之后，骚乱并未平息。逼迫他的人向一切基督徒所发的怒气仍在持续。他们因使徒们的热心与成功，并因使徒们屡次指控他们杀害神的儿子，已经变得如此苦毒，以致决意立即终结使徒们的进展与成功。这是对基督徒的第一次逼迫，也是一系列逼迫中的头一次；这一系列逼迫，直到他们想要除灭的宗教在犹太教和异教的废墟上完全建立起来时，才告终结。

教会 - 即当时已组织成教会的基督徒群体。耶路撒冷的教会是最先聚集起来的。

都分散 - 即基督徒的大多数。

犹太和撒马利亚各处…… - 见 Matthew 2:22 注释。

除了使徒以外 - 别的基督徒大概是因惧怕而逃走。至于特别处于危险之中的使徒们为何没有逃走，史家没有说明。然而，他们既比别人受过更充分的教导，又借救主的榜样和教训明白了自己的本分，看来他们决意留下，直面逼迫者的怒火。他们那时若逃走，作为新宗教的领袖和创立者，就会招来怯懦软弱的指控。因此他们决意留在逼迫他们的人中间；仁慈的护理看顾他们，保护他们免受害。这次分散不仅延及犹太和撒马利亚，逃亡的人还把福音带到了腓尼基、居比路和安提阿（Acts 11:19）。这事之所以被许可，是有原因的。早期的归信者都是犹太人。他们对耶路撒冷城、对圣殿、对列祖之地有强烈的依恋之情。然而，主耶稣的旨意是要福音传遍各处。为成就这事，他容让一场逼迫大发烈怒；他们便四散，把他的福音带到别的城市和土地。善就这样从恶中生出；这第一次逼迫，也像其他一切逼迫一样，结果反而推进了那本想加以毁灭的圣工。

Saul was consenting unto his death - So inveterate was the hatred that this man bore to Christ and his followers that he delighted in their destruction. So blind was his heart with superstitious zeal that he thought he did God service by offering him the blood of a fellow creature, whose creed he supposed to be erroneous. The word συνευδοκων signifies gladly consenting, being pleased with his murderous work! How dangerous is a party spirit; and how destructive may zeal even for the true worship of God prove, if not inspired and regulated by the spirit of Christ!

It has already been remarked that this clause belongs to the conclusion of the preceding chapter; so it stands in the Vulgate, and so it should stand in every version.

There was a great persecution - The Jews could not bear the doctrine of Christ's resurrection; for this point being proved demonstrated his innocence and their enormous guilt in his crucifixion; as therefore the apostles continued to insist strongly on the resurrection of Christ, the persecution against them became hot and general.

They were all scattered abroad - except the apostles - Their Lord had commanded them, when persecuted in one city, to flee to another: this they did, but, wherever they went, they proclaimed the same doctrines, though at the risk and hazard of their lives. It is evident, therefore, that they did not flee from persecution, or the death it threatened; but merely in obedience to their Lord's command. Had they fled through the fear of death, they would have taken care not to provoke persecution to follow them, by continuing to proclaim the same truths that provoked it in the first instance.

That the apostles were not also exiled is a very remarkable fact: they continued in Jerusalem, to found and organize the infant Church; and it is marvellous that the hand of persecution was not permitted to touch them. Why this should be we cannot tell; but so it pleased the great Head of the Church. Bp. Pearce justly suspects those accounts, in Eusebius and others, that state that the apostles went very shortly after Christ's ascension into different countries, preaching and founding Churches. He thinks this is inconsistent with the various intimations we have of the continuance of the apostles in Jerusalem; and refers particularly to the following texts: Acts 8:1, Acts 8:14, Acts 8:25; Acts 9:26, Acts 9:27; Acts 11:1, Acts 11:2; Acts 12:1-4; Acts 15:2, Acts 15:4, Acts 15:6, Acts 15:22, Acts 15:23; Acts 21:17, Acts 21:18; Galatians 1:17-19; Galatians 2:1, Galatians 2:9. The Church at Jerusalem was the first Christian Church; and consequently, the boast of the Church of Rome is vain and unfounded. From this time a new era of the Church arose. Hitherto the apostles and disciples confined their labors among their countrymen in Jerusalem. Now persecution drove the latter into different parts of Judea, and through Samaria; and those who had received the doctrine of Christ at the pentecost, who had come up to Jerusalem from different countries to be present at the feast, would naturally return, especially at the commencement of the persecution, to their respective countries, and proclaim to their countrymen the Gospel of the grace of God. To effect this grand purpose, the Spirit was poured out at the day of pentecost; that the multitudes from different quarters, partaking of the word of life, might carry it back to the different nations among whom they had their residence. One of the fathers has well observed, that "these holy fugitives were like so many lamps, lighted by the fire of the Holy Spirit, spreading every where the sacred flame by which they themselves had been illuminated."

And Saul was consenting unto his death,.... This clause, in the Vulgate Latin, Syriac, Arabic and Ethiopic versions, stands at the close of the preceding chapter, and which seems to be its proper place; and so it does in the Alexandrian copy: that Saul consented to the death of Stephen, and approved of that barbarous action, is evident from his taking care of the clothes of the witnesses that stoned him; but the word here used signifies not a bare consent only, but a consent with pleasure and delight; he was well pleased with it, it rejoiced his very heart; he joined with others in it, with the utmost pleasure and satisfaction; this, and what is before said concerning his having the clothes of the witnesses laid at his feet, as well as what follows, about his persecuting the saints, are, the rather mentioned, because this violent persecutor was afterwards converted, and became an eminent preacher of the Gospel; and these accounts serve to set off and illustrate the grace of God, which was abundant towards him.

And at that time there was a great persecution against the church which was at Jerusalem: it began "on that day", as the words may be rendered, on which Stephen was stoned. As soon as they had put him to death, these bloodthirsty wretches were the more greedy after the blood of others; and being now in great numbers, and filled with rage and fury, fell upon the members of the church wherever they met them, and killed them; for that more, besides Stephen, were put to death, seems plain from Acts 26:10 and, according to some accounts, though they cannot be depended on, two thousand persons suffered at this time: and if this was the case, it might be called a great persecution:

and they were all scattered abroad; not all the members of the church, nor perhaps any of the private ones; for we afterwards read of devout then that carried Stephen to his grave; and of the church being made havoc of by Saul; and of men and women being haled out of their houses, and committed to prison by him; but all the preachers of the word, except the apostles; for they that were scattered, went about preaching the word, Acts 8:4 They seem to be the seventy disciples, and other ministers of the word, on whom the Holy Ghost fell at the day of Pentecost, or was since bestowed; among who were Philip, who went to Samaria; and Ananias, who was at Damascus; and others that went as far as Phenice, Cyprus, and Antioch: and particularly they are said to be dispersed

throughout the regions of Judea and Samaria; where their ministry was so greatly blessed, to the conversion of souls, that there were quickly many churches planted and formed in these parts, as appears from Acts 9:31 so that this persecution was for the furtherance and spread of the Gospel: that upon this dispersion any of them came into France and England, or into any other parts of Europe, is not probable; since the particular places they went to are mentioned; and since they preached to Jew only: and this scattering by reason of the persecution, was of all the preachers,

except the apostles; the twelve apostles, who stayed at Jerusalem to take care of the church; to encourage the members of it to suffer cheerfully for the sake of Christ and his Gospel; and to animate them to abide by him: and this was not only an instance of courage and constancy in them, and of the divine protection and preservation of them, in the midst of their enemies; but also of the timidity of their adversaries, who might be afraid to meddle with them; remembering what miraculous works were performed by them, and how they had been delivered out of prison, and especially the case of Ananias and Sapphira, who were struck dead by Peter. Beza's ancient copy adds, "who remained in Jerusalem".