The Ancient World—an Historical Introduction to the Study of the Acts
1 The Lord said “Jerusalem shall be trodden down by the Gentiles until the times of the Gentiles are fulfilled” —Luke 21:2424And they shall fall by the edge of the sword, and shall be led away captive into all nations: and Jerusalem shall be trodden down of the Gentiles, until the times of the Gentiles be fulfilled. (Luke 21:24). Even though Jerusalem is now in Jewish hands it is going to be trodden down again. The present day return of the Jews to Israel in unbelief was predicted in Isa. 18, as well as a calamity after that return. Jerusalem will never be safe from Gentile attack until, as the Lord said, the times—i.e. divinely appointed years of Gentile world rule come to an end—in other words when He sets up His world kingdom for one thousand years.
A Brief Sketch of the Roman Empire in History and Prophecy
1 Josephus— “Wars of the Jews” Book 3 Chapter 5
2 Daily Life in Ancient Rome—P. 254 Jerome Carcopino Penguin Books
Chapter 1
Lectures Introductory to the Acts, the Catholic Epistles and the Revelation—Ps. 8-9—W Kelly—published in London, 1870 by W.H. Broom.
Chapter 3
1 “The Apostles’ doctrine and fellowship” are linked together as one thought in the Greek and “the breaking of bread and prayers” as another see W. Kelly P. 18-19 “Lectures Introductory to the Acts, the Catholic Epistles and the Revelation” W.H. Broom, London.
Appendix “A” to Chapter 3 the Temple at Jerusalem
1 The so-called “Court of the Gentiles” was open to both Jews and Gentiles. It probably got its name because Gentiles were off limits to other courts. A sign warned Gentiles of the death penalty for proceeding further. The next court was called “The Court of Women.” This was another misnomer for it was for Jews of both sexes. It was so named because Jewish women were prohibited from leaving it for the next higher court unless attending a sacrifice.
2 The Temple—Alfred Edersheim—P. 53, 4. James Clarke & Co. London.
3 Wars of the Jews—Josephus—Book 6, Chapter 9.
Chapter 4
1 The Sadducees became the stronger element after the Lord’s ministry was over and rejected. This is analogous to the closing period of the Church’s time on earth when, in the professing Church, formal links with the authority of Scripture have been largely given up. So the free gift of God, eternal life, is spurned. As a result, moral death takes over—and occupation with death. The ritualist collected the bones of the saints; the rationalist the bones of dinosaurs. The ritualist built ostentatious cathedrals whose stained glass and architectural beauty played on his senses; the rationalist built great universities to exalt his mind. In death the ritualist had great crosses or elaborate statues erected over his grave; the rationalist a simple slab with just his name on it, for all was over, he thought.
Chapter 8
1 “The Servant of Jehovah” by David Baron—published by Marshall Morgan and Scott—London and Edinburgh—helps us understand the teaching of the rabbis. Baron was a converted Jew and a rabbinical scholar himself.
2 “Collected writings of J.N. Darby—Vol 25 P. 250 Morrish Edition.
3 “Fire on the Mountains” —the story of a miracle— “The Church in Ethiopia” —Raymond J Davis—Zondervan.
4 “Lectures on Philippians and Colossians” —W Kelly—Morrish Edition
Chapter 9
1 “The Cities of St. Paul” —Ramsay P. 119 Baker Book House Grand Rapids Michigan.
2 Conybeare and Howson P. 42-3 say “The educational maxim of the Jews at a later period, was as follows—‘at five years of age let children begin the Scripture; at ten the Mischna, at thirteen let them be subjects of the law.’ There is no reason to suppose that the general practice was very different before the floating maxims of the great doctors were brought together in the Mischna. It may therefore be concluded, with a strong degree of probability, that Saul was sent to the Holy City between the ages of ten and thirteen. Had it been later than the age of thirteen he could hardly have said that he was ‘brought up’ in Jerusalem.
3 He died eighteen years before the destruction of Jerusalem and about the time his famous pupil Saul was shipwrecked at the end of Acts. He headed up one of two competing schools of Pharisees in Jerusalem. His school upheld tradition as even superior to the law. Some authorities believe he was the man who urged moderation in the Sanhedrin in dealing with the Apostles’ case. Others are uncertain.
4 This was Jacob’s prediction to his sons on his death bed. He said, “gather yourselves together, that I may tell you what shall befall you in the last days.” While applicable to Saul here in a general sense, the prediction covers Israel’s long history up to the millennium.
5 Seven groupings of any subject in Scripture are customarily broken down into either 4 and 3 or 3 and 4. The example given here simply follows the general pattern.
6 We have a prior mention of the word in 1:13— “Jude, the brother of James. These gave themselves etc.” But this is mere natural relationship Brothers in the Lord are presupposed before the meeting of Ananias and Saul, of course, but the first mention is reserved for this incident. Significantly the disciples were first called Christians at Antioch, sometime later.
7 Stephen, 6:5 and Barnabas 11:24 are said to be “full of the Holy Spirit.” This is a different expression from “filled with the Holy Spirit.”
8 Dr. Paley, in a note in the “Horae Paulinae” remarked on the force of this expression in 1 Ki. 2:38, 3938And Shimei said unto the king, The saying is good: as my lord the king hath said, so will thy servant do. And Shimei dwelt in Jerusalem many days. 39And it came to pass at the end of three years, that two of the servants of Shimei ran away unto Achish son of Maachah king of Gath. And they told Shimei, saying, Behold, thy servants be in Gath. (1 Kings 2:38‑39) where “many days” is related to “at the end of three years.” It was this observation which made the present writer examine the passage as a whole. From this examination it became evident that Shimei is a type not only of the Christ-rejecting Jew, but of Saul of Tarsus in particular, who typified him.
10 Eliezer of Damascus is a figure of the Holy Spirit; Isaac of Christ risen—Heb. 11:1919Accounting that God was able to raise him up, even from the dead; from whence also he received him in a figure. (Hebrews 11:19); Abraham of God the Father. But Paul was distinctly the vessel of the Spirit in seeking a bride for God’s risen Son, and the expression “Eliezer of Damascus” —that is, the link with the place of Saul’s conversion—seems to suggest this.
11 “St. Paul—the traveler and the Roman citizen” P. 46 Ramsay—Baker Book House, Grand Rapids Michigan.
Chapter 10
1 Note that the expression is plural, reverting to an earlier reference in the Book of Daniel. The distinction is not taken up by commentators, so throughout this book the terms ‘kingdom of heaven’ and ‘the kingdom of the heavens’ are used interchangeably.
2 The force of the expression is lost in some translations which rather loosely use it where the original does not and fail to use it where the original does. Two correct usages of the expression are to be found previous to the three occurrences we are now considering. These denote Peter’s power in testimony to the world 4:5 and in dealing with sin in the Church 5:7.
3 Those who followed the Lord in the days of His ministry on earth were called disciples, a word which means pupils or students. The disciples were called Christians at Antioch 11:26 a term which is explained in Note (1) to Chapter 11. The term “brethren” denotes common possession of eternal life as belonging to the family of God. “Saints” denotes holiness of walk suited to those in that family.
4 This should not be interpreted as three years as in the case of Saul of Tarsus, where the period is defined to link him with the type of Shimei only. “Many days” is an expression used to divide the Acts into three parts as explained in Chapter 25 of this book.
5 A similar figure occurs in Mat. 13:1. A commentator writes as follows “the very beginning of this chapter prepares us for the new scene the same day went Jesus out of the house, and sat by the sea side v. 1. Up to this time the house of God was connected with Israel. There God dwelt, as far as this could be said of the earth; He counted it as His habitation. But Jesus went out of the house, and sat by the sea side. We all know that the sea, in the symbolic language of the Old and New Testaments is used to represent masses of men, roving hither and thither outside, and not under the settled government of God. ‘And great multitudes were gathered unto Him, so that He went into a ship and sat.’ From thence He teaches them.” Lectures on the Gospel of Matthew Wm. Kelly P. 264 Loizeaux Bros.
6 The closest to it is “the promise of the Father” at the beginning.
7 Synopsis of the Books of the Bible J.N. Darby Vol 4 P. 28 Stow Hill Edition.
8 See “Lectures on the Gospel of Matthew” Wm. Kelly P. 333 Loizeaux Bros Neptune New Jersey
Chapter 11
1 Conybeare and Howson say “it is not likely that they received this name from the Jews. The ‘children of Abraham’ employed a term much more expressive of hatred and contempt. They called them ‘the sect of the Nazarenes.’ These disciples of Jesus traced their origin to Nazareth in Galilee and it was a proverb that nothing good could come from Nazareth. Besides this, there was a further reason why the Jews would not have called the disciples of Jesus by the name of Christians. The word ‘Christ’ has the same meaning with Messiah, and the Jews, however blinded and prejudiced on this subject, would never have used so sacred a word to point an expression of mockery and derision... there is little doubt that the name originated with the Gentiles, who began now to see that this new sect was so far distinct from the Jews that they might naturally receive a new designation. And the form of the word implies that it came from the Romans, not from the Greeks... ‘Christ’ was the title of Him, whom they avowed as their leader and their chief ... thus ‘Christian’ was the name which naturally found its place in the reproachful language of their enemies... it is a Latin derivative from the Greek term for the Messiah of the Jews. It is connected with the office, not the Name of the Saviour.” Wm. B Eerdmans Publishing Co Grand Rapids P. 99.
2 See Sir Wm. Ramsay’s cogent arguments as to why this was not Paul’s first visit to Jerusalem as some think “St. Paul, the Traveler and the Roman Citizen” P. 61 Baker Book House, Grand Rapids, Michigan.
3 It should not be merely individual if need is known. Some years ago, J.H. Smith, a missionary in South America, wrote a letter to one’s local assembly about the sufferings of believers completely unknown to us in Peru. Due to an earthquake they had lost homes, food, clothing. A substantial collection was raised to alleviate their sufferings. It is not God’s thought that we should cease to feel that if one member suffers all members suffer.
4 “I was among the Captives” G.C. Willis Christian Book Room, Kowloon, Hong Kong.
Chapter 12
1 In the New Testament Herod is a dynastic name like Pharaoh in the Old Testament. Scripture employs this method so as not to fill the mind of the general reader with historical detail when the point is largely moral. On the other hand it is not so written that the historian cannot trace the man. The Herod here is known as Herod Agrippa 1, the grandson of Herod the Great.
Arno C Gaebelein comments “four Herods are mentioned in the New Testament . . . Herod the Great who had the children of Bethlehem killed. The Herod who killed John the Baptist. The Herod who slew James, and the Herod Agrippa before whom Paul stood and preached.” — “The Acts of the Apostles” —A.C. Gaebelein—Loizeaux Bros.
2 In a work entitled “An exposition of the Acts of the Apostles” —P. 174, published by the C.A. Hammond Trust, London, Wm. Kelly writes “that he went to Rome then, and began his first year of reigning five and twenty years there as Pope, is the wildest of dreams; which is not only without a shred of Scripture proof but in the strongest way is set aside by all that Scripture does tell us . . . The Apostle Paul, long after A.D. 44 (15 or 16 years) writes to the Romans in terms which imply that no Apostle had as yet visited the capital of the Gentile world, in terms of his own ardent desire to impart some spiritual gift to the saints there, as one who built not on another man’s foundation but recognized in Rome part of that measured province which God apportioned to him. This, which is but a single testimony out of several, is enough to dissipate the tale into thin air.”
3 Notably Gaebelein and August Van Ryn, both reliable commentators.
4 In the 1973 war General Dayan told the Air Force Commander— “the fate of the third temple is at stake.” ‘The third temple’ is a Jewish expression for the re-established state of Israel. (From “a History of Israel” Howard M. Sachar published by Alfred A. Knopf, New York).
Chapter 13
1 The order is Barnabas and Saul in the Council at Jerusalem and in the letter of the apostles and elders—15:12, 25—since that was the order in which they were sent out. But at Lystra Barnabas is named first because to the oriental mind the chief god remains silent or relatively so, delegating activity to a subordinate deity. So Paul was taken for Hermes, the messenger of the gods.
2 A good summary of these views is given in Thomas Walker’s work “The Acts of the Apostles” originally published in Madras India in 1910 and republished 1965 by the Moody Bible Institute Chicago.
3 Critics of the Bible often point to the alleged contradictions in the gospels. But God is primarily concerned, not with a literal description of incidents in chronological order, but with impressions of Christ which vary with the specific treatment unfolded by each author. Thus, Matthew gives us Christ as the Messiah, Luke Christ as Son of Man, John Christ as Son of God, but Mark Christ as the perfect servant. The servant character of Mark’s gospel is indicated by the repeated use of “immediately” in it
6 Paul was influenced to some extent by Stephen’s inspired address to the Sanhedrin. In the mouth of two or three witnesses every word should be established. So in Acts there are two great witnesses before the Sanhedrin and one in the synagogue; two to the Jews in the land, one to the Jews out of the land.
7 An Exposition of the Acts of the Apostles—Wm Kelly Hammond Edition P. 191.
Chapter 14
1 Conybeare and Howson P. 150, 152.
Chapter 15
1 There is a symmetrical beauty in the way the word Jerusalem is ordered in Acts. First of all, it is mentioned 60 times—that is 6 x 10. Six is the number that stands for incompleteness in Scripture. But in Acts it seems to be representative of witness also—a reminder that the Lord Himself is the Faithful and True witness. Following the Lord’s words “ye shall be MY witnesses” there are 6 references to the Lord’s witnesses in Acts— (6:13 and 7:58 are excluded since these refer to false witnesses). Peter took six brethren with him to Caesarea as witnesses—11:12. As to 10 it is the well-known number chosen to represent human responsibility—e.g. the 10 commandments.
These 60 references are broken down into seven groups of three and four as follows:
Groupings of three— (This classification arises because only single verses are included) — “all Jerusalem” —21:31— “filled Jerusalem” 5:28— “out of Jerusalem” —22:18.
Groupings of four— (This classification arises because only multiple verses are included) — “at Jerusalem” —17 references— “from Jerusalem” —7 references— “in Jerusalem” —9 references— “to Jerusalem” —24 references
Only God could do such a thing. The numerical symmetry demonstrates the central character of Jerusalem in God’s eyes. As everything flowed in and out of the earthly city Jerusalem so will it flow in and out of the holy city in the coming day.
2 The Collected Writings of J.N. Darby—Expository Vol 8, No 28—Morrish Edition.
3 In “Lectures on the Epistle to the Ephesians” Morrish Edition P. 172-3 Wm. Kelly writes “and He gave some Apostles; and some prophets.” I apprehend that the apostles and prophets are clearly what may be called the foundation gifts, such as God used for the purpose of laying a broad and deep platform on which the Church was to be built. This was done by those whom God empowered in a special manner. The apostles and prophets were the two classes that first of all entered as instruments into the calling of the Church of God. Evangelists were at work from early days, also pastors soon after. But the first two, apostles and prophets were peculiar in their full force to the original laying down of the Church of God. There is no ground to suppose that, in the strict sense, apostles and prophets were meant to continue, or do so in fact, though something analogous to an apostle may be raised up at fitting times. Take Luther, for instance. There was a partial recall of the saints of God generally to fundamental truth, which had been long lost sight of. This answers in a little measure to what an apostle did. A prophet, again, was one who not merely expounded the Scriptures but who so brought home the truth as immediately to connect the soul with God.
At the very beginning, men of God appeared who were not apostles, nor necessarily inspired communicators of truth, such as Mark and Luke, but prophets like Judas and Silas 15:32. The Scriptures were not all written when the Church began, nor were the apostles everywhere. God, therefore, raised up prophets, who, in certain cases at least, were the means of revelation. And why is it that we have not such channels now? Because revelation is complete. We have the Word of God, and want no more.
Chapter 16
1 For more information on Roman citizenship and those excluded from it in Republican times consult Smith’s “Smaller History of Rome” P. 81. The evolution of Roman citizenship at a later date is traced in the works of Sir Wm. Ramsay.
2 Ramsay St. Paul the traveler and the Roman Citizen under “the coming of Luke” P. 201 Baker Book House, Grand Rapids.
3 Walker remarks “she was, evidently, the owner of a house of considerable size and in somewhat affluent circumstances” P. 268 then under “maid” that is ‘the porteress’ showing that Mary was fairly well-to-do, with domestic servants under her “The Acts of the Apostles” Thomas Walker, Moody Press, Chicago.
4 Morrison comments “the practice of denouncing Gentiles as unfit to be associated with, was sufficient in itself to make the Jews detested, and was utterly opposed to the humane sentiments of national brotherhood which were taking root in the ancient world. ‘The Jews’ says Appolonius of Tyana, ‘have for a long time fallen away, not only from the Romans, but from all mankind; for a people that devises an anti-social life... is further apart from us than Susa or Bactria, or the still more distant inhabitants of India.’ The contempt which the Jews brought upon themselves by their separatist customs is also expressed by Appolonius in a conversation which he is said to have had with Vespasian on the Jewish war. ‘If’ said he ‘some one came from the seat of war, and announced that thirty thousand Jews had fallen through you, and in the next battle that fifty thousand had fallen, I took the narrator aside and intentionally asked him what he was thinking of, that he had nothing more important to say than this.’” W.D. Morrison “The Jews under Roman Rule” G.P. Putnam’s Sons, New York 1890.
5 History of Greece—J.B. Bury Macmillan & Co.
6 The Two Babylons Alexander Hislop Loizeaux Bros., Neptune, N.J.
7 The Catacombs of Rome 5th Edition P. 509-10 W.H. Withrow, Hodder and Stoughton, London.
8 Hymn composed by Mrs. G. Helyar.
Chapter 17
1 The Acts of the Apostles—Arno C Gaebelein—Loizeaux Bros., New York. To make sure that this quotation is clearly understood we stress that the day of the Lord is an expression used for His coming in judgment on the world—not in blessing for His own. The day of the Lord is preceded by the second coming of Christ for His own and by the coming of Antichrist to deceive the world.
2 The Genesis Flood—Morris and Whitcomb P. 49 Baker Book House, Grand Rapids, Michigan.
3 Zeus (Greek)—Jupiter (Roman) was the king of the gods. The others were Hera (Greek)—marriage—Juno (Roman); Poseidon (Greek) the sea—Neptune (Roman); Hestia (Greek) hearth—Vesta (Roman); Apollo (Greek and Roman for the god of light truth and music); Athena (Greek)—wisdom—Minerva (Roman); Aphrodite (Greek)—love and beauty—Venus (Roman); Ares (Greek)—war—Mars (Roman); Hermes (Greek)—travel trade and thieves—Mercury (Roman); Artemis (Greek)—youth and the hunt—Diana (Roman); Hephaestus (Greek) fire—Vulcan (Roman).
4 History of European Morals, Lecky 2, 34 cited from Withrow.
5 “Observations on the Conversion and Apostleship of St. Paul” 4th Edition 1749 (published in London and long out of print, the original M.S.S. is in the Bodleian Library, Oxford University.) See also Flavius Josephus Against Apion—Book 2, Chapter 38.
In a few words Paul compresses much truth as to the body of man. Scoffers, looking as man always does on the outward appearance, pour scorn on the common origin of man in view of such widespread differences as say the color of the skin. Paul’s answer is that God has made man of one blood. In this connection “Science Digest” of November 1963 carried a story of a race of blue skinned men in Kentucky U.S.A. These men came from white men originally. Their blue skin is a hereditary trait passed on in the blood through constant intermarriage for only two hundred years.
Other men scoff at the resurrection of the body after death, pointing out how men’s bodies have been destroyed in wars, eaten by animals and fish, burned, etc. They forget that God anticipated these forms of destruction in the original sentence of death passed on our race— “dust you are, and to dust you shall return.” Dust is the unformed state, with all semblance of the formed body gone. Then the Scripture “God is able of these stones to raise up children unto Abraham” —Mat. 3:9—shows that in so doing even the characteristics of a man’s children are not lost when God manifests His power. Paul goes beyond the fact of resurrection to show the underlying reason for it—a holy God will make His creature account for what he has done in the body.
Chapter 18
1 Prior to Roman times this was known to the Greeks as the Peloponnesus—a name given to their great civil war.
2 In commenting on Luke’s habit of defining each new sphere of work according to the existing political divisions of the Roman Empire, Ramsay comments— “it is characteristic of Luke’s method never formally to enunciate Paul’s principle of procedure, but simply to state the facts and leave the principle to shine through them, for he made the limit of Roman territory the limit of his work, and turned back when he came to Lystra. He did not go on to Laranda, which was probably a greater city than Derbe at the time, owing to its situation and the policy followed by King Antiochus. Nor did he go on to the uncivilized, uneducated native villages or towns of Roman Galatia such as Barata.” “St. Paul the Traveller and the Roman Citizen” —P. 112—Ramsay. (Note—we cite this here to support our general statement, although Ramsay is commenting on an earlier incident.)
3 It is difficult to visualize a city where vice is not only publicly condoned but sanctioned as divine. “Aphrodite of all the People” as their goddess was known, had a temple on the Acrocorinth. Her priestesses wore studded sandals whose imprint in the dust spelled out a scurrilous invitation. Over a thousand prostitutes lived in luxurious quarters around the shrine.
4 The sunny climates of the Mediterranean lent themselves to open air tribunals. More pretentious buildings such as the Halls of Justice in the Palatine were enclosed, but their ceilings were painted to simulate the starry sky. The ruins of an open-air judgment seat—in what was once the forum at Philippi are illustrated in the Biblical Archaeologist of Sept. 1963. Its four steps can still be clearly seen.
Chapter 19
1 The standard formula for baptism is in the Name of the Father, of the Son and of the Holy Spirit—Mat. 28:19. This was doubtless used here, but Luke records only “to the Name of the Lord Jesus”, the first and third persons of the Trinity being understood. This is done deliberately to contrast this baptism to the baptism of John. So with Peter at Pentecost— “in the Name of Jesus Christ” —2:38.
2 Archbishop Trench’s account of the origin of the word “Church” in the English language is interesting . . . “There can, I think, be no reasonable doubt that ‘church’ is originally from the Greek ‘kuriake’ and signifies ‘that which pertains to the Lord’ or ‘the house which is the Lord’s.’ But here a difficulty meets us. How to explain a Greek word in the vocabulary of our Anglo-Saxon forefathers . . . what contact direct or indirect was there between the languages to account for this? . . . While the Anglo-Saxons and other tribes of the Teutonic stock were almost universally converted through contact with the Latin Church in the western provinces of the Roman Empire, or by its missionaries; yet it came to pass that before this some of the Goths on the lower Danube had been brought to a knowledge of Christ by Greek missionaries from Constantinople; and this word ‘kuriake’ or ‘church’ did, with certain others, pass over from the Greek to the Gothic tongue; and these Goths, the first converted to the Christian faith, the first therefore which had a Christian vocabulary, lent the word to the other German tribes, among others to our Anglo-Saxon forefathers; thus it has come round by the Goths from Constantinople to us.” — “Scripture Truth” of 1921 Vol. 13, P. 93-4.
3 Plummer says “in the collection at Wittenberg there were 5005 relics; among them pieces of the rods of Moses and Aaron and ashes of the burning bush. At Halle there were 8933 relics; among them wine from the wedding feast at Cana and some of the earth out of which Adam was made. In ridicule of such things Luther advertised ‘a piece of the left horn of Moses, three flames from the burning bush, and a lock of Beelzebub’s beard’” — “The Continental Reformation” —Alfred Plummer P. 41 Robert Scott, London.
4 “Earth’s Earliest Ages” —G.H. Pember, Fleming H. Revell Company London.
5 In 16:16, 18 we have the spirit of Python, otherwise not identified. The other references are to “unclean spirits” 5:16; 8:7; and “wicked spirits” 19:12, 13, 15, 16.
6 In Volume 2 of “Nineveh and its Remains” Layard writes, “The gods of the two cities Nineveh and Babylon, were, there can be little doubt, nearly the same. The first deity mentioned is Jupiter, the Belus, or Baal of the Babylonians” Page 452. “We have little difficulty in identifying Hera, the second deity mentioned by Diodorus, with Astarta, Myletta or Venus; whose worship, according to the united testimony of Scripture and ancient authors, formed so prominent a part of the religious system of all the Semitic nations, and particularly the Assyrians. ‘She held a serpent in one hand’” —Page 454. “She was ‘the Queen of Heaven’ frequently alluded to in the sacred volumes—Jeremiah 7:1818The children gather wood, and the fathers kindle the fire, and the women knead their dough, to make cakes to the queen of heaven, and to pour out drink offerings unto other gods, that they may provoke me to anger. (Jeremiah 7:18). She was called Beltis because she was the female form of the great divinity or Baal” Page 456. “To the Shemites she was known under the names of Astarte, Ashtaroth, Myletta, and Alitta according to the various dialects of the nations amongst which her worship prevailed.” Page 457.
7 The title of Asiarch was given to the leading men in the cities of the province from whose ranks were drawn the annually elected high priests of the cult “Rome and the Emperor.”
Chapter 20
1 Conybeare and Howson—P. 477.
2 Acts of the Apostles—August Van Ryn—Loizeaux Bros.
3 This is Jewish reckoning of time. Any space of time over two years and up to three is reckoned as three years.
Chapter 21
1 See “The Book of the Acts” —F.F. Bruce—P. 429 WM. B. EERDMANS Publishing Co., Grand Rapids, Mich.
2 Just as there are two references to ministry in Paul’s part of the Acts, so there are two in Peter’s part of the Acts. The last words of the Apostles before the people chose Stephen were “We will give ourselves to prayer and to the ministry of the Word” —6:4. Now the last words of Stephen—the man chosen so the Apostles’ ministry would not be hindered—are that the Jews had received the law by the ministry of angels and had not kept it.
In returning to Jerusalem, the center of the old ministry, Paul by his own lips acknowledges that the new ministry the Lord had committed to him is ended. Then he gives an account of it to James and the elders, summarizing, so to speak, what it had been.
3 A military tribune in charge of one thousand men: Ten centurions, each over one hundred men, reported to him. His personal intervention with soldiers instead of a centurion shows the seriousness of the riot in his eyes. The troops under the Chiliarch’s command in the fortress of Antonia seem to be composed of infantry 75% and cavalry 25%.
Chapter 22
1 J.N. Darby explains it this way— “The companions of Paul saw the light, but did not hear the voice of Him who spoke with him. In chapter 9 we read that they heard the voice, but saw no one. They did not see the Lord, nor did they hear his Words, but they saw a great light, and heard a voice without being able to distinguish the words. This is just what is necessary. They were undeniable witnesses that the vision was true and real, but the communication was for Paul alone. Only he saw the Lord Acts 22:14, 1514And he said, The God of our fathers hath chosen thee, that thou shouldest know his will, and see that Just One, and shouldest hear the voice of his mouth. 15For thou shalt be his witness unto all men of what thou hast seen and heard. (Acts 22:14‑15). For he had to be taught by Him, and bear testimony as an ocular witness that he had seen Him.” Meditations on the Acts of the Apostles P. 643-4 Volume 25—Morrish Edition.
2 There are six references in the “Peter” part of the Acts—1:22; 4:33; 7:44, 10:43, 14:17, 15:8 and four in the “Paul” part—22:5; 22:15; 23:11; 26:16.
3 In all of this the overriding providence of God is seen. As time passed the Roman citizenship declined in importance—It could be bought readily, and it did not secure immunity from scourging. But in these times, it was highly prized, and its chief purpose really was to shield God’s great servants such as Paul, Silas, etc. when in peril.
4 Alexander says “The reference is rather to the binding mentioned in v. 25 in order to his being scourged, a measure inconsistent with Paul’s civil rights, as well as with the statute of Augustus, still preserved in the Digest of the Civil Law, that process must never begin with torture.” The Acts of the Apostles—P. 315 J.A. Alexander, Banner of Truth Trust.
Chapter 23
1 Outline studies in Acts—Griffith Thomas, P. 407, Wm. B. Eerdmans Publishing Co., Grand Rapids, Mich.
2 The Jews found this Roman control so objectionable that they petitioned the Romans through Agrippa later to retain custody of their holy vestments commencing with the time of the dedication of the temple—A.D. 65. The petition was granted but since the temple was destroyed in A.D. 70, they only enjoyed the privilege five years.
3 The Acts of the Apostles—J.A. Alexander—Banner of Truth Trust, 78B Chiltem St. London, W.1 (Alexander is described by the SCHAFFHERZOG Encyclopaedia as the most remarkable linguist America ever produced. He occupied successively the chairs of Oriental and Biblical literature, Church History and New Testament literature at Princeton University).
4 The student of prophesy will recognize the link here between Paul and the two witnesses at Jerusalem in the time of Antichrist, for “in the mouth of two or three witnesses every word shall be established” —2 Cor. 13:11This is the third time I am coming to you. In the mouth of two or three witnesses shall every word be established. (2 Corinthians 13:1). In those days the Antichrist will seek to silence the two witnesses as the High Priest tried to silence Paul. All this will happen at Jerusalem—see Rev. 11:3-133And I will give power unto my two witnesses, and they shall prophesy a thousand two hundred and threescore days, clothed in sackcloth. 4These are the two olive trees, and the two candlesticks standing before the God of the earth. 5And if any man will hurt them, fire proceedeth out of their mouth, and devoureth their enemies: and if any man will hurt them, he must in this manner be killed. 6These have power to shut heaven, that it rain not in the days of their prophecy: and have power over waters to turn them to blood, and to smite the earth with all plagues, as often as they will. 7And when they shall have finished their testimony, the beast that ascendeth out of the bottomless pit shall make war against them, and shall overcome them, and kill them. 8And their dead bodies shall lie in the street of the great city, which spiritually is called Sodom and Egypt, where also our Lord was crucified. 9And they of the people and kindreds and tongues and nations shall see their dead bodies three days and an half, and shall not suffer their dead bodies to be put in graves. 10And they that dwell upon the earth shall rejoice over them, and make merry, and shall send gifts one to another; because these two prophets tormented them that dwelt on the earth. 11And after three days and an half the Spirit of life from God entered into them, and they stood upon their feet; and great fear fell upon them which saw them. 12And they heard a great voice from heaven saying unto them, Come up hither. And they ascended up to heaven in a cloud; and their enemies beheld them. 13And the same hour was there a great earthquake, and the tenth part of the city fell, and in the earthquake were slain of men seven thousand: and the remnant were affrighted, and gave glory to the God of heaven. (Revelation 11:3‑13).
5 The number forty in Scripture signals a time of testing. In Acts we find it in 1:3; 4:22; then four times in Stephen’s defense—7:23; 7:30; 7:36; 7:42. Then in the “Paul” part of the Acts it first appears in 13:18 and 13:21 in the beginning of things in Antioch here at the end of things in Jerusalem—23:13; 23:21. This is the end of Israel’s testing—a conspiracy to slay their Messiah’s representative.
6 Blaiklock says “Cilicia was included in Syria and the legate of Syria was Felix’s immediate superior. He was therefore competent to try the case as a deputy” —The Acts of the Apostles—E.M. Blaiklock—Eerdmans Publishing Co., Grand Rapids, Michigan.
Chapter 25
1 We have mentioned before how in the text the words comprising Paul’s ministry begin to disappear as he goes to Jerusalem—words such as “Assembly,” “Gospel,” “Kingdom of God,” “Holy Spirit,” “the Lord Jesus,” etc. Then other words—words of barrenness, begin to replace them. “Caesar” is one of that class of words which now appear words such as temple, ship, Pharisee, etc. Paul has reverted to what he came out of, and lays claim in this portion of the Acts to being “a Pharisee, the son of a Pharisee,” etc. “Caesar” is mentioned eight times in this portion of the Acts—only twice before.
2 To the practical Roman it is inconceivable that a man can rise from the dead. Therefore, Festus reduces the matter to an internal squabble among the Jews as to whether a Man named Jesus is dead or alive.
3 Agrippa was the guardian of the temple at the time and had the power of appointing the high priest, and controlling the sacred vestments on behalf of the Romans. These powers were granted to him by the Emperor Claudius following the death of his father—the “Herod” of the earlier part of Acts. He was acquainted with the Jewish law from his youth.
4 Caesar Baronius, 1538-1607. Librarian of the Vatican Library. Author of “Ecclesiastical Annals” compiled from the papal archives.
Chapter 26
1 In Backhouse and Taylor’s “Early Church History” printed in London in 1892 we read an account on Page 24 of how this hope sustained the early believers in the hour of trial:
Trajan: “dost thou then carry within thee him who was crucified?”
Ignatius: “I do, for it is written I will dwell in them and walk in them.”
Trajan (at end of examination): “We command that Ignatius, who affirms that he carries within him Him who was crucified, be put in chains and taken by soldiers to great Rome, there to be devoured by the beasts for the gratification of the people.”
Ignatius: “I thank Thee, O Lord, that Thou hast vouchsafed to honor me with a perfect love towards Thee, and hast made me to be bound with iron chains like Thy Apostle Paul.”
2 The Gospel of John is a special case. In that gospel the Lord is presented as rejected from the beginning. What John teaches is the opposition of the two natures—the life of Christ meeting instant rejection by the nature of fallen man. Thus “He came to His own and His own received Him not.” The life of Christ and the life of Adam abide distinct. In the Synoptic gospels, rejection is gradual, for they give us the historical presentation of events.
3 Since Acts is not a book of doctrine little is said about the Lord’s Supper in it. But it spans the whole book—i.e. from the beginning of Peter’s ministry—2:46—to the close of Paul’s—20:11. The Lord instituted His Supper in the upper room in Jerusalem—Luke 22:19, 2019And he took bread, and gave thanks, and brake it, and gave unto them, saying, This is my body which is given for you: this do in remembrance of me. 20Likewise also the cup after supper, saying, This cup is the new testament in my blood, which is shed for you. (Luke 22:19‑20); Paul observed it in the upper room at Troas. The same Lord who instituted His Supper on earth delivered it to Paul 1 Cor. 11:23-2623For I have received of the Lord that which also I delivered unto you, That the Lord Jesus the same night in which he was betrayed took bread: 24And when he had given thanks, he brake it, and said, Take, eat: this is my body, which is broken for you: this do in remembrance of me. 25After the same manner also he took the cup, when he had supped, saying, This cup is the new testament in my blood: this do ye, as oft as ye drink it, in remembrance of me. 26For as often as ye eat this bread, and drink this cup, ye do show the Lord's death till he come. (1 Corinthians 11:23‑26), from the glory by a special revelation to ensure that He would be commemorated in it by the Church until His coming again for us.
Chapter 27
1 See Ramsay “St. Paul the traveler and the Roman Citizen”, P. 315, 316, Baker Book House, Grand Rapids, Michigan. This interpretation agrees with the text. The prisoners were only delivered to Julius after approval was given for Luke and Aristarchus to sail with Paul. God of course was over it all.
2 Caesar, Bell Civ. 3, 47.
3 Social Life at Rome in the age of Cicero W.W. Fowler, MacMillan Press.
4 Paul is mentioned nine times in the narrative, “they” twenty-one times, “their” three times, “them” three times, “themselves” three times and the sailors and soldiers combined three times.
5 In the baths the Roman citizen enjoyed sports to exercise his body and waters at varying temperatures and in special rooms to cleanse it. The Romans bathed daily in these fabulously decorated structures. Carcopino tells us that “in 33 B.C. Agrippa had a census of baths taken; there were 170, and the number grew steadily as time went on. Pliny the Elder gave up trying to count those of his time and later they approached a thousand” “Daily life in Ancient Rome” Jerome Carcopino P. 277 Penguin Books.
6 Hardy settles for this figure as a minimum, although he cites Carcopino’s estimate of 260,000 and the fourth century figure of the Regionaries at 385,000.
Chapter 28.1
1 Trees in Scripture depict stable power systems rooted in the earth, providing food or shelter for man e.g. “the tree in the middle of the earth” in Nebuchadnezzar’s dream Dan 4:10:27.
2 The cedar tree was felled in successive stages. First the branches were lopped off as we see in Ezekiel 17. This prophetically deals, in parable and riddle, with the removal of Jehoiakim, Jehoiachin and the judgment upon Zedekiah, as history shortly after shows c.f. 2 Ki. 23:2929In his days Pharaoh-nechoh king of Egypt went up against the king of Assyria to the river Euphrates: and king Josiah went against him; and he slew him at Megiddo, when he had seen him. (2 Kings 23:29) on.
Because Christ alone fulfilled all the requirements to sit upon David’s throne, the cedar tree remained standing until He came to claim His royal rights. God had said “once have I sworn by My holiness that I will not lie to David. His seed shall endure forever, and his throne as the sun before Me” Ps. 89:35. But Christ was David’s son. So when He came into the world the angel Gabriel said “He shall be great and shall be called the Son of the Highest, and the Lord God shall give to Him the throne of His father David” Luke 1:3232He shall be great, and shall be called the Son of the Highest: and the Lord God shall give unto him the throne of his father David: (Luke 1:32). The title of the Lord Jesus to the throne of His father David is traced in the genealogies of Joseph and Mary. Joseph’s genealogy is important to a Jew because Israel had no lawful queens. Matthew, then, gives us the royal legal line. In Matthew’s genealogy David’s lineage ends with Joseph, “the husband of Mary, of whom was born Jesus, who is called Christ.” But God had written one of Joseph’s ancestors childless that is, stricken him from the written genealogy, and further decreed that no man of his seed should sit on the throne of David. This man was Jeconiah (Coniah) see Jeremiah 22:24-3024As I live, saith the Lord, though Coniah the son of Jehoiakim king of Judah were the signet upon my right hand, yet would I pluck thee thence; 25And I will give thee into the hand of them that seek thy life, and into the hand of them whose face thou fearest, even into the hand of Nebuchadrezzar king of Babylon, and into the hand of the Chaldeans. 26And I will cast thee out, and thy mother that bare thee, into another country, where ye were not born; and there shall ye die. 27But to the land whereunto they desire to return, thither shall they not return. 28Is this man Coniah a despised broken idol? is he a vessel wherein is no pleasure? wherefore are they cast out, he and his seed, and are cast into a land which they know not? 29O earth, earth, earth, hear the word of the Lord. 30Thus saith the Lord, Write ye this man childless, a man that shall not prosper in his days: for no man of his seed shall prosper, sitting upon the throne of David, and ruling any more in Judah. (Jeremiah 22:24‑30). But the Lord’s life as Man did not come from Joseph but the Holy Spirit. His natural mother Mary was also a descendant of David, but through the line of Nathan, not of Coniah. The union of Joseph and Mary barred Mary’s later children by Joseph from the throne, because of Joseph’s descent from Coniah. It also established Christ’s exclusive title to sit on David’s throne as the last of the royal line.
In spite of full proof that Jesus was their lawful King, the Jews rejected Him, crying out “we have no king but Caesar.” This made it inevitable that the Roman ax would fall on the root of the cedar tree, ending the kingdom for Israel at that time. “Shall I crucify your King?” Pilate asked. Over the cross he wrote “Jesus of Nazareth, the King of the Jews” and refused to change the wording. “What I have written I have written” he said. Thus the Roman ax felled the cedar tree and it was cast into the fire. The Jews lost all hope of a king sitting on David’s throne to rule them at that time.
3 Josephus— “Wars of the Jews” —Chapter 10
4 First of all they were warned by the Lord and by the Epistle to the Hebrews. Then Josephus tells us that before the city was besieged there were fiery signs in the heavens warring chariots, soldiers etc. Eusebius says they were warned by an oracle to their leaders; Epiphanius says by an angel see “The early days of Christianity” F.W. Farrar Vol 2 P. 193. Acting on these warnings the Christians fled to Pella, a mountainous city under Agrippa’s protection.
Chapter 28:2
1 In Scripture the land is a figure of stability, in contrast to the sea, which is restless—and so by extension of Israel and the nations of the world respectively. For example— “Jesus went out from the house and sat down by the sea” —Mat. 13:1. The setting of this action makes it clear that He was withdrawing from Israel and approaching the Gentile nations. There is a similar thought in connection with Peter in Acts. When he is about to let the Gentiles into the kingdom of the heavens, we find him at Joppa, lodging with Simon a tanner— “whose house is by the sea.” Then when Peter lets the Gentiles in, Paul, so to speak, sets sail. Acts is full of the sailings of Paul.
2 “The Christian Testimony through the Ages” —T.W. Carron—Morrish edition, 1957 impression P. 46-7.
3 The New and Concise Bible Dictionary. Morrish edition P. 23 says of ‘Adria’— “The term ‘Adriatic’ is now confined to the sea that lies between Italy and Dalmatia; but formerly it had a wider signification and included that part of the Mediterranean which was bounded by Sicily, Italy, Greece, and Africa. The difference is of importance inasmuch as Malta (Melita) where Paul was shipwrecked, is not within the present Adriatic Sea, though it is within that which was formerly called so. Attention to this would have prevented objectors calling in question Paul’s being shipwrecked at Malta.” Another commentator, Alexander, states that in ancient geography it is the whole central basin of the Mediterranean.
4 “The Greek and Roman World” —W.G. Hardy. McClelland & Stewart Ltd., P. 108.
5 Between these two events all references to ‘land’ in the Acts are Jewish. Stephen refers to the land of Egypt and the promised land eight times in his address to the Sanhedrin; Paul three times concerning the same subjects in his address to the synagogue in Pisidian Antioch. The teaching is clear that the primitive Church abandoned its first love and turned to earthly things, becoming shipwrecked and eventually Babylon the Great—Rev. 17:18, 19.
6 The Genesis record of creation tells us of seven days—six of divine work—one of rest at the end. Figuratively speaking the six days are six thousand years—the last day the millennial rest. This is based on “one day is with the Lord as a thousand years, and a thousand years as one day” —2 Pet. 3:88But, beloved, be not ignorant of this one thing, that one day is with the Lord as a thousand years, and a thousand years as one day. (2 Peter 3:8). Creation being marred by the entrance of sin the Lord said “My Father works hitherto and I work.” So four of these days span the four thousand year period from Adam to Christ. Two days more are largely accounted for by the period of Christianity, although strictly speaking they run on past the rapture to the end of the judgments in Revelation and the establishment of Christ’s Kingdom. Then comes the last day—the Sabbath of God’s rest on earth when Satan is confined to the abyss for one thousand years—Rev. 20:22And he laid hold on the dragon, that old serpent, which is the Devil, and Satan, and bound him a thousand years, (Revelation 20:2)—ensuring peace on earth during this period.
Chapter 28.3
1 “The Origins of the Second World War” —A.J.P. Taylor—Penguin—P. 41-2. We would add that the opinions Taylor expresses here have filtered down to the general public, which once held strong views on the rights and wrongs of the first war.
2 The rebuilding of the Temple was predicted by “Father” Malachi, the Toronto leader of the Process Church of the Final Judgment. This “Church” teaches that Christ and Satan must be unified in love before goodness will reign on earth—Toronto Star, May 16, 1973. Malachi was quoted in the Canadian Magazine of Dec 30, 1972 as saying “plans for a synagogue to be built near Jerusalem’s Wailing Wall will be announced. This in reality, will be the Third Temple.”
3 “The Gospel Truth” —March 1982—Vol 22 Southwest Radio Church.
4 “All previous structures will dwindle into insignificance by comparison; a building whose facade is over one mile long, whose outer wall is twelve feet thick, whose towers are 360 feet square, and 480 feet high; whose outermost buildings are a double range of magnificent rooms, each 100 feet long by 50 feet wide, and 120 feet high in their several stories, is far, far removed in magnificence from anything the world has ever seen either in ancient or modern times” —Henry Sulley— “The Temple of Ezekiel’s Prophecy” —2nd edition 1892—P. 37-8.
5 The false church— “the great whore” —Rev. 17:11And there came one of the seven angels which had the seven vials, and talked with me, saying unto me, Come hither; I will show unto thee the judgment of the great whore that sitteth upon many waters: (Revelation 17:1)—is arrayed with pearls—Rev. 17:44And the woman was arrayed in purple and scarlet color, and decked with gold and precious stones and pearls, having a golden cup in her hand full of abominations and filthiness of her fornication: (Revelation 17:4)—pearls are found in her merchandise—Rev. 18:1212The merchandise of gold, and silver, and precious stones, and of pearls, and fine linen, and purple, and silk, and scarlet, and all thyine wood, and all manner vessels of ivory, and all manner vessels of most precious wood, and of brass, and iron, and marble, (Revelation 18:12)—and again she is lamented over as one decked with pearls—Rev. 18:1616And saying, Alas, alas, that great city, that was clothed in fine linen, and purple, and scarlet, and decked with gold, and precious stones, and pearls! (Revelation 18:16). It is all a counterfeit of the pearl of great price, which is displayed in the gates of the Holy City.
Epilogue
1 The ten-kingdomed state of Revelation was long dreamed about by European thinkers who deplored the endless warfare of European states with one another. Since political union did not seem the way to go, the economic road to union was tried. The genesis was the Schuman Plan, better known as the European Coal and Steel Community, launched by a treaty signed in 1952. The six signatory European nations made provision for other states joining the Community. These six nations—Belgium, France, Holland, Italy, Luxembourg, West Germany, became known as “the inner six.” The treaty pooled the coal and steel resources of the members and gave them authority to eliminate customs duties on coal and steel. In 1957 “the inner six” expanded the original concept by signing the Treaty of Rome—how significant the name—establishing the European Economic Community “the common market” in popular parlance. The stated purpose of this body was to allow goods to flow between member countries without customs duties as in the days of the old Roman Empire. Due to the intransigence of France a united military stance against Russia, Europe’s old enemy, fell by the wayside. In 1954 the French National Assembly rejected a plan for a unified European army and since then the E.E.C. had drifted without leadership. It will remain listless until the Beast appears. Then the loose confederacy will hand over its political power to him Rev. 17:12, 1312And the ten horns which thou sawest are ten kings, which have received no kingdom as yet; but receive power as kings one hour with the beast. 13These have one mind, and shall give their power and strength unto the beast. (Revelation 17:12‑13). The resurrection of the Roman Empire will be Satan’s answer to the first resurrection and the second coming of Christ. The Beast will energize the revived Roman Empire and lead it against God until its end at Armageddon.
2 At the beginning of the Revelation, before the judgments fall, the Lord assures the Church that He will keep her from “the hour of temptation which shall come upon all the world.” Then at the end of the tribulation “the marriage of the Lamb is come and His wife has made herself ready” —Rev 19:77Let us be glad and rejoice, and give honor to him: for the marriage of the Lamb is come, and his wife hath made herself ready. (Revelation 19:7). Then we come out of heaven with the Lord on white horses when He goes to crush His enemies. The only explanation of this is that the Lord loved the Church too much to let her pass through the tribulation on earth He took her to Himself before the judgments fell.
Heaven is opened and the Lord and His saints go out to meet the Beast and his armies at Armageddon. The Beast and his false prophet are thrown into the lake of fire Rev. 19:2020And the beast was taken, and with him the false prophet that wrought miracles before him, with which he deceived them that had received the mark of the beast, and them that worshipped his image. These both were cast alive into a lake of fire burning with brimstone. (Revelation 19:20) and Satan is bound for the entire duration of the millennium Rev. 20:1-31And I saw an angel come down from heaven, having the key of the bottomless pit and a great chain in his hand. 2And he laid hold on the dragon, that old serpent, which is the Devil, and Satan, and bound him a thousand years, 3And cast him into the bottomless pit, and shut him up, and set a seal upon him, that he should deceive the nations no more, till the thousand years should be fulfilled: and after that he must be loosed a little season. (Revelation 20:1‑3).
The Church, pictured as the holy city Jerusalem, reigns over the earth in the kingdom. Note that she is seen from “a great and high mountain” Rev. 21:1010And he carried me away in the spirit to a great and high mountain, and showed me that great city, the holy Jerusalem, descending out of heaven from God, (Revelation 21:10). When Christ, the stone cut out without hands, smites the image of Gentile rule on its feet Daniel 2 The stone becomes “a great mountain, and filled the whole earth.” It is Christ’s act of judgment on the Roman Empire which establishes His exalted kingdom, filling the whole earth with His glory. This kingdom is administered through the Church, see from “a great and high mountain.” Well may we add our Amen to Eph. 3:2121Unto him be glory in the church by Christ Jesus throughout all ages, world without end. Amen. (Ephesians 3:21) “to Him be glory in the Assembly in Christ Jesus unto all generations of the age of ages. Amen.”