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Remarks on the conduct of Gallio

A. D. cir. 55.

THE ACTS.

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towards Paul and the Jews.

A. M. cir.4059. 18 And Paul after this tarried there | into Syria, and with him Priscilla and yet a good while; and then took his Aquila; having shorn his head in leave of the brethren, and sailed thence Cenchrea: for he had a vow.

An. Olymp.

cir.CCVIII.3.

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rage was committed by the Jews; and my reason for it is this: "O. 'Exarves, the Greeks, is omitted by AB. two of the oldest and most authentic MSS. in the world: they are omitted also by the Coptic and Vulgate, Chrysostom and Bede. Instead of 'O. *Exλves, three MSS. one of the eleventh and two of the thirteenth century, have ledai, the Jews; and it is much more likely that the Jews beat one of their own rulers, through envy at his conversion, than that the Greeks should do so; unless we allow, which is very probable, (if 'Exλves, Greeks, be the true reading,) that these Hellenes were Jews, born in a Greek country, and speaking the Greek language.

And Gallio cared for none of those things.] Kai ouder TOUTWY TX гZλλwvi ɛpeλey. And Gallio did not concern himself, did not intermeddle with any of these things. As he found that it was a business that concerned their own religion; and that the contention was among themselves; and that they were abusing one of their own sect only, he did not choose to interfere. He, like the rest of the Romans, considered the Jews a most despicable people, and worthy of no regard: and their present conduct had no tendency to cause him to form a different opinion of them, from that which he and his countrymen had previously entertained. It is not very likely, however, that Gallio saw this outrage; for, though it was before the judgment seat, it probably did not take place till Gallio had left the court; and, though he might be told of it, he left the matter to the Lictors, and would not interfere.

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The conduct of Gallio has been, in this case, greatly censured; and I think with manifest injustice. In the business brought before his tribunal, no man could have followed a || more prudent or equitable course. His whole conduct shewed that it was his opinion, that the civil magistrate had nothing to do with religious opinions, or the concerns of conscience, in matters where the safety of the state was not implicated. He therefore refused to make the subject a matter of legal discussion. Nay, he went much farther; he would not even interfere to prevent either the Jews or the apostles from making proselytes. Though the complaint against the apostles was, that they were teaching men to worship God contrary to the law; see the note on ver. 15. yet, even in this case, he did not think it right to exert the secular power to restrain the free discussion and teaching of matters which concerned the rights of conscience in things pertaining to the worship of the gods. As to his not preventing the tumult which took place, we may say, if he did

see it, which is not quite evident, that he well knew that this could rise to no serious amount; and the Lictors, and other minor officers, were there in sufficient force to prevent any serious riot; and it was their business to see that the public peace was not broken; besides, as a heathen, he might have no objection to permit this people to pursue a line of conduct by which they were sure to bring themselves and their religion into contempt. These wicked Jews could not disprove the apostle's doctrine, either by argument or scripture; and they had recourse to manual logic, which was . an indisputable proof of the badness of their own cause, and the strength of that of their opponents.

But in consequence of this conduct Gallio has been represented as a man perfectly careless and unconcerned about religion in general; and therefore has been considered as a proper type, or representative, of even professed Christians, who are not decided in their religious opinions or conduct. As a heathen, Gallio certainly was careless about both Judaism and Christianity. The latter he had probably never heard of but by the cause now before his judgmentseat; and, from any thing he could see of the other, through the medium of its professors, he certainly could entertain no favourable opinion of it: therefore, in neither case was he to blame. But the words, cared for none of these things, are both misunderstood and misapplied: we have already seen that they only mean that he would not intermeddle in a controversy which did not belong to his province; and sufficient reasons have been alledged why he should act as he did. It is granted that many preachers take this for a text, and preach useful sermons for the conviction of the undecided and lukewarm; and it is to be deplored that there are so many undecided and careless people in the world; and especially in reference to what concerns their eternal interests. But is it not to be lamented also, that there should be preachers of God's holy word, who attempt to explain passages of scripture, which they do not understand? for he who preaches on Gallio cared for none of those things, in the way in which the passage has, through mismanagement, been popularly understood, either does not understand it; or he wilfully perverts the meaning.

Verse 18. And Paul-tarried there yet a good while] The persecuting Jews plainly saw, from the manner in which the proconsul had conducted this business, that they could have no hope of raising a state persecution against the apostles; and the laws provided so amply for the personal safety of every Roman citizen, that they were afraid to proceed any

Paul preaches at Ephesus,

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A. D. cir. 56.

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A. M. cir. 4060.
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cir.CCVIII.4.

19 And he came to Ephesus, and time with them, he consented not An. Olymp. left them there: but he himself en- 21 But bade them farewel, saying, "I An. Olymp. cir.CCVIII.4. tered into the synagogue, and rea- must by all means keep this feast that soned with the Jews. cometh in Jerusalem: but I will return again unto 20 When they desired him to tarry longer you, if God will. And he sailed from Ephesus.

Ch. 19. 21. & 20. 16.

b 1 Cor. 4. 19. Hebr. 6. 3. Jam. 4. 15.

farther in their violence. It could not be unknown, that Paul was possessed of the right of Roman citizenship; and therefore his person was sacred, as long as he did nothing contrary to the laws.

EPHESUS was, at the time in which St. Paul visited it, one of the most flourishing cities of Asia Minor. It was situated in that part auciently called Ionia, but now Natolia; it abounded with the most eminent orators, philosophers, &c.

It is probable that at this time Paul staid, on the whole, || in the world; and was adorned with the most splendid buildat Corinth, about two years.

ings. Here was that famous temple of Diana, reputed one of the seven wonders of the world. This city is now under the dominion of the Turks, and is in a state of almost entire ruin. The temple of Minerva, which had long served as a Christian church, is now so completely ruined, that its site cannot be easily determined; though some ruins of the walls are still standing, with five or six marble columns forty feet in length and seven in diameter, all of one piece. It still has a good harbour, and is about forty miles from Smyrna. In Chandler's Travels in Asia Minor, some curious information is given concerning this once eminent city. His account concludes thus: "The Ephesians are now a few Greek pea

Having shorn his head in Cenchrea] But who was it that shore his head? Paul or Aquila? Some think the latter, who had bound himself by the Nazarite vow, probably before he became a Christian; and, being under that vow, his conscience would not permit him to disregard it. There is nothing in the text that absolutely obliges us to understand this action as belonging to St. Paul. It seems to have been the act of Aquila alone; and therefore both Paul and Priscilla are mentioned before Aquila; and it is natural to refer the vow to the latter. Yet there are certainly some weighty reasons why the vow should be referred to St. Paul, and not to Aquila; and interpreters are greatly divided on the sub-sants, living in extreme wretchedness, dependence, and inject. Chrysostom, Isidore of Seville, Grotius, Hammond, Zegerus, Erasmus, Baronius, Pearce, Wesley, and others, refer the vow to Aquila.-Jerom, Augustin, Bede, Calmet, Dodd, Rosenmuller, and others, refer it to St. Paul. Each party has its strong reasons-the matter is doubtful-the bare letter of the text determines nothing: yet I cannot help leaning to the latter opinion. Perhaps it was from feeling the difficulty of deciding which was under the vow, that the Ethiopic, and two Latin versions, instead of xapapɛvos, having shaved, in the singular, appear to have read xɛipauɛvoi, they shaved; and thus put both Paul and Aquila under the vow.

Cenchrea-this was a port on the east side of the Isthmus of Corinth, opposite to the Lecheum, which was the other port on the west. And it is likely that it was at Cenchrea || that St. Paul took shipping for Syria, as it would be more convenient for him, and a shorter passage, to embark at Cenchrea, in order to go by the Ægean sea to Syria; than to embark at the Lecheum, and sail down into the Mediter

ranean.

Verse 19. He came to Ephesus] Where it appears he spent but one sabbath. It is supposed that Paul left Aquila and Priscilla at this place, and that he went on alone to Jerusalem; for it is certain that they were at Ephesus when Apollos arrived there. See verses 24, and 26.

sensibility: the representatives of an illustrious people, and inhabiting the wrecks of their greatness: some beneath the vaults of the Stadium, once the crouded scene of their diversions: and some live by the abrupt precipice, in the sepulchres which received the ashes of their ancestors. Such are the present citizens of Ephesus; and such is the condition to which that renowned city has been gradually reduced. Its streets are obscured and overgrown: a herd of goats was driven to it for shelter from the sun at noon; and a noisy flight of crows, from the quarries, seemed to insult its silence. We heard the partridge call in the area of the theatre, and of the Stadium. The glorious pomp of its heathen worship is no longer remembered; and Christianity, which was there nursed by apostles, and fostered by general councils until it increased to fulness of stature, barely lingers on, in an existence hardly visible." Travels in Asia Minor, p. 130. Reader! this city was once the capital of Asia Minor; and its ruins alone prove that it has existed; and in it was one of those seven churches, to which a letter was expressly dictated by Jesus Christ himself! Ephesus is pro perly no more! and the church of Ephesus is blotted out of the map of Christianity. Be silent, and adore.

Verse 21. I must-keep this feast] Most likely the pass-over, at which he wished to attend for the purpose of seeing many of his friends; and having the most favourable

Paul lands at Cæsarea, and goes over THE ACTS.

A. M. cir. 4060.
A. D. cir. 56.

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Antioch, Galatia, and Phrygia.

22 And when he had landed at Cæ-of Galatia and Phrygia in order, A. M. cir. 4060. strengthening all the disciples.

An. Olymp. sarea, and gone up, and saluted the church, he went down to Antioch.

eir.CCVIII.4.

23 And after he had spent some time there, he departed, and went over all the country

Gal. 1. 2. & 4. 14. ch. 14. 22. & 15. 32, 41.

opportunity to preach the gospel to thousands who would attend at Jerusalem on that occasion. The whole of this clause I must by all means keep this feast that cometh, in Jerusalem, is wanting in ABE. six others; with the Coptic, Æthiopic, Armenian, and Vulgate. Griesbach leaves it in the text, with the mark of doubtfulness; and Professor White in his Crisews says, probabiliter delenda. Without this clause the verse will read thus; But he bade them farewell, saying, I will return again unto you, if God will. And this he did before the expiration of that same year, chap. xix. 1. and spent three years with them, chap. xx. 31. extending and establishing the church at that place.

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A. D. cir. 56.
An. Olymp.

24 And a certain Jew named cir.CCVIII.4. Apollos, born at Alexandria, an eloquent man, and mighty in the scriptures, came to Ephesus.

* 1 Cor. 1. 12. & 3. 5, 6. & 4. 6. Tit. 3. 13.

fies in order, distinctly, particularly, from xxтa according to, and order, as opposed to confusion, indistinctness, &c. If St. Paul went up to Jerusalem at this time, which we are left to infer, for Luke has not expressed it (ver. 22) it was his fourth journey thither; and this is generally supposed to have been the twenty-first year after his conversion. His first journey is mentioned chap. ix. 26. his second, chap. xi. 30. his third, chap. xv. 4. and his fourth, chap. xviii. 22. the place above.

Verse 24. A certain Jew named Apollos] One MS. with the Coptic and Armenian, call him Apelles; and the Codex Bezæ, Apollonius. It is strange that we should find a Jew, not Verse 22. Landed at Cæsarea.] This must have been only with a Roman name, as Aquila, an eagle; but with the Cæsarea in Palestine. name of one of the false gods, as Apollos or Apollo in the

Gone up] To Jerusalem, though the name is not mentioned: but this is a common form of speech in the Evangelists, Jerusalem being always meant when this expression is used; for the word avabaw, to go up, is often used absolutely, to signify to go to Jerusalem: e. g. e. g. Go ye UP to this feast-I Go not up yet, John vii. 8. but when his brethren were GONE UP, then WENT he also UP unto the feast, ver. 10. There were certain Greeks-that CAME Up to worship, John xii. 20. St. Paul himself uses a similar form of expression, There are yet but twelve days since I WENT UP to Jerusalem for to worship, Acts

xxiv. 11.

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Born at Alexandria] This was a celebrated city of Egypt, built by Alexander the Great, from whom it took its name. It was seated on the Mediterranean Sea, between the Lake Mareotis and the beautiful harbour formed by the Isle of Pharos, about twelve miles West of the Canopic branch of the Nile, in lat. 31. 10. N. This city was built under the direction of Dinocrates, the celebrated architect of the temple of Diana at Ephesus. It was in this city that Ptolemy Soter founded the famous academy called the Museum, in which a society of learned men devoted themselves to philosophical studies. Some of the most celebrated schools of antiquity flourished here; and here was the Tower of Pharos, esteemed one of the seven wonders of the world. Alexandria was taken by the French July 4, 1798, under the command of Buonaparte; and was surrendered to the English under Went down to Antioch.] That is, Antioch in Syria, as General, now Lord Hutchinson, in 1801. And in consethe word is generally to be understood when without addi-quence of the treaty of peace between France and England, tion; so Cæsarea, is always to be understood Cæsarea in Palestine, when without the addition of Philippi.

Saluted the church] That is, the church at Jerusalem, called emphatically THE CHURCH, because it was the FIRST church: the MOTHER, or APOSTOLIC church: and from it all other Christian churches proceeded; those in Galatia, Philippi, Thessalonica, Corinth, Ephesus, Rome, &c. Therefore, even this last, was only a daughter church, when in its purest state.

Verse 23. Went over all the country of Galatia and Phrygia] Both were provinces of Asia Minor: see on chap. ii. 10.

In order] Kabens, a word peculiar to St. Luke: see his Gospel, chap. i. 3. viii. 1. and his history of the Acts chap. iii. 24. xi. 4. and the place above; the only places where || this word occurs in the New Testament. It properly signi

it was restored to the Turks. Near this place was the celebrated obelisk, called Cleopatra's Needle; and the no less famous column, called Pompey's Pillar. This city exhibits but very slender remains of its ancient splendor.

An eloquent man] Having strong rhetorical powers; highly cultivated, no doubt, in the Alexandrian schools.

Mighty in the scriptures] Thoroughly acquainted with the Law and the Prophets; and well skilled in the Jewish method of interpreting them.

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A. M. cir.4060. 25 This man was instructed in the An. Olymp. way of the Lord; and being fercir.CCVIII.4. vent in the spirit, he spake and taught diligently the things of the Lord, knowing only the baptism of John.

26 And he began to speak boldly in the syna

instructed by Aquila and Priscilla.

A.M.cir. 4060. An. Olymp.

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27 And when he was disposed to pass into Achaia, the brethren wrote, exhorting the disciples to receive him: who, when he was come, helped them much, which had believed through grace:

28 For he mightily convinced the Jews, and gogue whom when Aquila and Priscilla had that publickly, shewing by the scriptures that

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heard, they took him unto them, and expounded Jesus unto him the way of God more perfectly.

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was Christ.

■ Rom. 12. 11. ch. 19. 3.- 1 Cor. 3. 6.

Ch. 9. 22. & 17. 3. & ver. 5. Or, is the Christ.

Verse 25. This man was instructed in the way of the Lord]|| certain Corinthians, who sojourned at Ephesus, and heard Karxμevos; he was catechized, initiated, in the way, the him, entreated him to pass over with them to their own coundoctrine of Jesus as the Christ.

ακρι

Being fervent in the spirit] Being full of zeal to propagate the truth of God, he taught diligently, axpibws accurately, (so the word should be translated,) the things of Christ as far as he could know them through the ministry of John the Baptist; for it appears he knew nothing more of Christ than what John preached. Some suppose we should read oux not, before anfibus correctly, or accurately, because it is said that Aquila and Priscilla expounded the way of the Lord axpiLesego more perfectly, rather, more accurately; but of this emendation there is not the slightest necessity; for surely it is possible for a man to teach accurately what he knows; and it is possible that another, who possesses more information on the subject than the former, may teach him more accurately, or give him a larger portion of knowledge. Apollo knew the baptism of John; but he knew nothing farther of Jesus Christ than that baptism taught: but as far as he knew, he taught accurately. Aquila and Priscilla were acquainted with the whole doctrine of the gospel; the doctrine of Christ dying for our sins, and rising again for our justification and in this they instructed Apollo; and this was more accurate information than what he had before received, through the medium of John's ministry.

try. Then, when he had given his consent, the Ephesians wrote to the disciples at Corinth, that they should receive this man. Who when he was come, &c. The same addition is found in the latter Syriac, and in the Itala Version, in the Codex Beza. Which had believed through grace.] These words may either refer to Apollo, or to the people at Corinth. through grace that they had believed; and it was through grace that Apollo was enabled to help them much.

It was

The words δια της χάριτος through grace, are wanting in the Codex Beza, the latter Syriac, the Vulgate, one copy of the Itala, and in some of the Fathers. But this omission might have been the effect of carelessness, in the writers of those copies from which the foregoing were taken : the words convey the same idea that is expressed by St. Paul, 1 Cor. iii. 6. Paul planted, and Apollo watered; but God gave the increase. Though this eminent man became the instrument of mightily helping the believers in Corinth; yet he was also the innocent cause of a sort of schism among them. For some, taken by his commanding eloquence, began to range themselves on his side, and prefer him to all other teachers. This evil St. Paul reprehends and corrects in his first epistle to the Corinthians. St. Jerom says, that Apollo became bishop of Corinth.

Verse 28. He mightily convinced the Jews] EvTovas dia

Verse 26. They took him unto them] This eloquent man, and mighty in the Scriptures, who was even a public teach-xarλEXETO; he vehemently confuted the Jews; and that

er, was not ashamed to be indebted to the instructions of a Christian woman, in matters, that not only concerned his own salvation, but also the work of the ministry, in which he was engaged. It is disgraceful to a man to be ignorant, when he may acquire wisdom; but it is no disgrace to aequire wisdom from the meanest person or thing. The adage is good, Despise not advice, even of the meanest: the|| gaggling of geese preserved the Roman state.

Verse 27. When he was disposed to pass into Achaia]|| There is a very long and important addition here in the Coder Beza, of which the following is a translation: But

publicly, not in private conferences, but in his public preaching: shewing by the Scriptures of the Old Testament, which the Jews received as divinely inspired, that Jesus, who had lately appeared among them, and whom they had crucified, was the Christ, the promised Messiah, and that there was salvation in none other; and that they must receive him as the Messiah, in order to escape the wrath to come. This they refused to do; and we know the consequence. Their city was sacked, their temple burnt, their whole civil and religious polity subverted, more than a million of themselves killed, and the rest scattered over the face of the earth.

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1. The Christian Religion did not hide itself in corners and obscure places at first, in order, privately, to get strength, before it dared to shew itself publicly. Error, conscious of its weakness, and that its pretensions cannot bear examination, is obliged to observe such a cautious procedure. With what caution, circumspection, and privacy, did Mohammed propose his new religion! He formed a party by little and little, in the most private manner, before he ventured to exhibit his pretensions openly. Not so Christianity: it Not so Christianity: it shewed itself in the most public manner, not only in the teaching of Christ, but also in that of the Apostles. Even after the crucifixion of our Lord, the apostles and believers went to the temple, the most public place; and in the most public manner taught and worked miracles. JERUSALEM, the seat of the doctors, the judge of religion, was the first place in which, by the command of their Lord, the disciples preached Christ crucified. They were therefore not afraid to have their cause tried by the most rigid test of Scripture; and in the very place too, where that Scripture was best understood.

2. When the same apostles carried this gospel to heathen countries, did they go to the villages among the less informed, or comparatively ignorant Greeks, in order to form a party, and shield themselves by getting the multitude on their side? No! They went to Cæsarea, to Antioch, to Thessalonica, to ATHENS, to CORINTH, to EPHESUS; to the very places where learning flourished most, where sciences were best cultivated; where imposture was most likely to be detected, and where the secular power existed in the most despotic manner, and could at once have crushed them to nothing, could they have been proved to be impostors; or had they not been under the immediate protection of Heaven! Hence it is evident, that these holy men feared no rational investigation of their doctrines, for they taught them in the face of the most celebrated schools in the universe!

which Christianity was propagated.

the vanity of idolatry, in Athens, in Corinth, and in Ephesus, where idolatry existed in the plenitude of its power; and where all its interests required it to make the most desperate and formidable stand against those innovators. What but the fullest confidence of the truth of what they preached; the fullest conviction of the divinity of their doctrine, and the supernatural influence of God upon their souls, could ever have induced these men to preach Christ crucified, either at Jerusalem or at Athens? I scruple not to assert, that the bold, public manner in which the apostles preached the gospel among the Jews and Greeks, is a most incontestible proof of the conviction they had of its truth; and the success with which they were favoured, is a demonstration that what they preached as truth, God proved to be truth, by stretching forth his hand to heal; and causing signs and wonders to be wrought in the name of the holy child Jesus. This is an additional proof of the sincerity of the apostles, and of the truth of Christianity. If Paul and Peter, Barnabas and Silas, had not had the fullest persuasion that their doctrine was of God, they would never have ventured to propose it before the sanhedrin in JERUSALEM; the literati of CoRINTH, and the Stoics and inexorable judges of the Areopagus at ATHENS.

4. We may be surprised to find that even among the Jews, as well as the Gentiles, there were persons who useď curious arts. Those were inexcusable; these were to be pitied. Blind, as every man is by nature, yet he is conscious that without supernatural assistance he can neither secure the good he needs, nor avoid the evil he fears therefore he endeavours to associate to himself the influence of supernatural agents, in order to preserve him in safety, and make him happy. Thus forsaking and forgetting the fountain of living water, he hews out to himself cisterns that can hold no water. The existence of magical arts and incantations, whether real or pretended, prove the general belief of the existence of a 3. They preached Christ crucified in JERUSALEM, where it spiritual world, and man's consciousness of his own weak. was the most solemn interest of the Jews to disprove theirness, and his need of supernatural help. When shall the eye doctrine, that they might exculpate themselves from the mur- be directed solely to HIM from whom alone true help can der of Jesus Christ. They preached the same Christ, and come, by whom evil is banished, and happiness restored!

CHAPTER XIX.

Paul, coming to Ephesus, finds certain disciples who had not received the gift of the Holy Ghost, knowing only the baptism of John, but receive it through the imposition of his hands, 1-7. He preaches for three months in the synagogues, 8. Many being hardened, he leaves the synagogues, and teaches daily in the school of Tyrannus for two years, 9, 10. He works many miracles, 11, 12. Account of the vagabond exorcist Jews, and the seven sons of Skeva, 13—17. Many are converted, and burn their magical books, 18-20. Paul purposes to pass through Macedonia and Achaia, to go to Jerusalem, and afterwards to Rome; but having sent Timotheus and Erastus to Macedonia, continues a little longer in Asia, 21, 22. Demetrius, a silversmith of Ephesus, raises an uproar against Paul, which, after some tumultuous proceedings, is appeased by the town, clerk, 23-41.

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