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Introduction
This Book, which, from the first ages, hath been called, THE ACTS OF THE APOSTLES, is not to be considered as a history of what was done by all the Apostles, who were dispersed into different nations; but only a short view of the first establishment of the Christian Church. A part of the preaching and action of St. Peter are related in the first twelve chapters; and a particular account of St. Paul's apostolical labours in the subsequent chapters. It was written by St. Luke the Evangelist, and the original in Greek. Its history commences from the Ascension of Christ our Lord and ends in the year sixty-three, being a brief account of the Church for the space of about thirty years.
Chapter 2
[23] By the determinate: God delivered up his Son; and his Son delivered up himself, for the love of us, and for the sake of our salvation; and so Christ's being delivered up was holy, and was God's own determination. But they who betrayed and crucified him, did wickedly, following therein their own malice and the instigation of the devil; not the will and determination of God, who was by no means the author of their wickedness; though he permitted it; because he could, and did draw out of it so great a good, viz., the salvation of man.
[24] Having loosed the sorrows: Having overcome the grievous pains of death and all the power of hell. Chapter 6
[1] Greeks: So they called the Jews that were born and brought up in Greece.
Chapter 7
[45] Jesus: That is Josue, so called in Greek.
[48] Dwelleth not in houses: That is, so as to stand in need of earthly dwellings, or to be contained, or circumscribed by them. Though, otherwise by his immense divinity, he is in our houses; and every where else; and Christ in his humanity dwelt in houses; and is now on our altars.
Chapter 8
[17] They laid their hands upon them: The apostles administered the sacrament of confirmation, by imposition of hands, and prayer; and the faithful thereby received the Holy Ghost. Not but they had received the grace of the Holy Ghost at their baptism: yet not that plenitude of grace and those spiritual gifts which they afterwards received from bishops in the sacrament of confirmation, which strengthened them to profess their faith publicly.
[37] If thou believest with all thy heart: The scripture many times mentions only one disposition, as here belief, when others equally necessary are not expressed, viz., a sorrow for sins, a firm hope, and the love of God. Moreover, believing with the whole heart signifies a belief of every thing necessary for salvation.
Chapter 10 [35] In every nation: That is to say, not only Jews, but Gentiles also, of what nation soever, are acceptable to God, if they fear him and work justice. But then true faith is always to be presupposed, without which (saith St. Paul, Heb. 11. 6) it is impossible to please God. Beware then of the error of those, who would infer from this passage, that men of all religions may be pleasing to God. For since none but the true religion can be from God, all other religions must be from the father of lies, and therefore highly displeasing to the God of truth.
Chapter 12 [3] Azymes: The festival of the unleavened bread, or the pasch, which answers to our Easter.
Chapter 13 [34] I will give you the holy: These are the words of the prophet Isaias, 55. 3. According to the Septuagint, the sense is: I will faithfully fulfil the promises I made to David.
Chapter 15
[29] From blood, and from things strangled: The use of these things, though of their own nature indifferent, was here prohibited, to bring the Jews more easily to admit of the society of the Gentiles; and to exercise the latter in obedience. But this prohibition was but temporary, and has long since ceased to oblige; more especially in the western churches.
Chapter 16
[16] A pythonical spirit: That is, a spirit pretending to divine, and tell fortunes.
Chapter 17
[6] City: Urbem. In the Greek, the world.
[11] More noble: The Jews of Berea are justly commended, for their eagerly embracing the truth, and searching the scriptures, to find out the texts alleged by the apostle: which was a far more generous proceeding than that of their countrymen at Thessalonica, who persecuted the preachers of the gospel, without examining the grounds they alleged for what they taught.
[24] Dwelleth not in temples: God is not contained in temples; so as to need them for his dwelling, or any other uses, as the heathens imagined. Yet by his omnipresence, he is both there and everywhere.
Chapter 20
[7] And on the first day of the week: Here St. Chrysostom and many other interpreters of the scripture explain, that the Christians even at this time, must have changed the sabbath into the first day of the week, (the Lord's day,) as all Christians now keep it. This change was undoubtedly made by the authority of the church; hence the exercise of the power, which Christ had given to her: for he is Lord of the sabbath.
Chapter 21
[8] The evangelist: That is, the preacher of the gospel; the same that before converted the Samaritans, and baptized the eunuch, chap. 8., being one of the first seven deacons.
[24] Keeping the law: The law, though now no longer obligatory, was for a time observed by the Christian Jews: to bury, as it were, the synagogue with honour.
Chapter 22
[9] Heard not the voice: That is, they distinguished not the words; though they heard the voice. Acts 9. 7.
[14] Just One: Our Saviour, who appeared to St. Paul, Acts 9. 17.
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