13. His son (aida). Rightly, servant, as Rev. See on Luke i. 54. The A. V. renders, in Matt. xii. 18, servant, quot- ing from Isa. xlii. 1; but elsewhere, where applied to Jesus, son or child, which Rey. in every case has changed to servant. The word is continually used, like the Latin pwer, in the sense of servant, and in the Septuagint as the servant of God. See 2 Sam. vii. 5, 8, 19, 20, 21, 25, 26. Compare Luke i. 69. The term servant of Jehovah, or servant of the Lord, is applied in the Old Testament (1) to a worshipper of God, Neh. i. 10; Dan. vi. 21; so to Abraham, Ps. ev. 6, 42; to Joshua, Josh. xxiv. 29; to Job, Jobi. 8. (2) To a minister or ambassador of God called to any service, Isa. xlix. 6; of Nebuchadnezzar, Jer. xxvii. 6; of the prophets, Amos iii. 7; of Moses, Deut. xxxiv. 5. (3) Peculiarly of the Messiah, Isa. xlii. 1; li. 18; as God’s chosen servant for accomplishing the work of re- demption. ‘‘ Unless we render servant in the passages where the phrase trais @eod occurs in the New Testament, there will be no allusion throughout it all to that group of prophecies which designate the Messiah as the servant of: Jehovah, who learned obedience by the things which he suffered” (Trench, “On the Authorized Version of the New Testament ”).
When he. J is éxetvou, the pronoun of more definite and emphatic reference, the latter, Pilate, “in order to make the contrast felt between what Pilate judged and what they did.” This is further emphasized in the next verse.
14. Desired (jrjcacde). Or demanded. See on Luke xi. 9.
A murderer (dvSpa dovéa). Lit., a man who was a mur- deren.
462 WORD STUDIES IN THE NEW TESTAMENT. [Cu. IIL.
To be granted (yapiodjvar). By way of favor (yapus).
15. The Prince of life (a4pynyov Tis Swfjs). The Greek brings out by the position of these words what Bengel calls “ the mag- nificent antithesis” between a murderer and the Prince of life. “Ye demanded a murderer, but the Prince of life ye killed.” This is the only place where the phrase occurs. “Apynyos, though sometimes rendered prince, means, primarily, beginning, and thence originator, author. Better here as Rev., in margin, author, and so by Rev. at Heb. ii. 10; xii. 2.
16. Through faith (él 79 wicrer). Note the article: the faith which we had; not the cripple’s faith, which was not de- manded as a condition of his cure. Zhrough faith (ér) is rather on account of, or on the basis of. Rev., by. Compare ch. ii. 88; and see on Matt. xxviii. 19.
Made strong (écrepéwoe). See on ver. 7. Ve see (Jewpetre). See on Luke x. 18.
Perfect soundness (6doxAnpiav). Only here in New Testa- ment. From 60s, entire, and kdjpos, a lot. Denoting, there- fore, the condition of one who has his entire allotment. -
19. Be converted (émictpépare). Not a good rendering, because the verb is in the active voice. Better as Rev., turn agai. See on Luke xxii. 32.
Blotted out (éfarerp.9jvar). Forgiveness of sins under the figure of the erasure of hand-writing. The word is used thus in Ps. li. (Sept. 1), 1; Isa. xlifi. 25. Also at‘ Col. if. 14. In classical Greek the verb is opposed to eyypadewy, to enter a name. So Aristophanes: “They do things not to be borne, entering (éyypapovtes) some of us, and others, erasing (¢Eanelpovres) up and down, twice or thrice” (“ Peace,” 1180). . More espe- cially with reference to an item in an account.
Cu. ITI] THE ACTS OF THE APOSTLES. ; 463
When (é7ras av). Wrong. Render im order that, or that (so there may come), as Rev.
Times (xazpot). Better, seasons. See on ch. i. 7.
Of refreshing (dvayvEews). Only here in New Testament. The word means cooling, or reviving with fresh air. Compare the kindred verb, to wax cold, Matt. xxiv. 12, and see note.