1. Upper coasts (ra dvwrepixa pépn). Coasts is a bad ren- dering. Better, as Rev., “the upper cowntry;” lit., parts or districts. The reference is to districts like Galatia and Phrygia, lying wp from the sea-coast and farther inland than Ephesus. Hence the expedition of Cyrus from the sea-coast toward Central Asia was called Anabasis, a goung-up.
Cu. XIX.] THE ACTS OF THE APOSTLES. 551
Certain disciples. Disciples of John the Baptist, who, like Apollos, had been instructed and baptized by the followers of the Baptist, and had joined the fellowship of the Christians. Some have thought that they had been instructed by Apollos himself; but there is no sufficient evidence of this. “There they were, a small and distinct community about twelve in number, still preparing, after the manner of the Baptist, for the coming of the Lord. Something there was which drew the attention of the apostle immediately on his arrival. They lacked, apparently, some of the tokens of the higher life that pervaded the nascent church ; they were devout, rigorous, aus- tere, but were wanting in the joy, the radiancy, the enthusiasin which were conspicuous in others” (Plumptre, “St. Paul in Asia Minor”).
2. Have ye received the Holy Ghost since ye believed ? The two verbs are in the aorist tense, and therefore denote in- stantaneous acts. The A. V. therefore gives an entirely wrong idea, as there is no question about what happened after believ- ing; but the question relates to what occurred when they be- lieved. Hence Rev., rightly, Did ye receive the Holy Ghost when ye believed ?
We have not heard. Also the.aorist. We did not hear ; referring back to the time of their beginning.
Whether there be any Holy Ghost. But, as Bengel ob- serves, ‘They could not have followed either Moses or John the Baptist without having heard of the Holy Ghost.” The words, therefore, are to be explained, not of their being un- aware of the existence of the Holy Ghost, but of his presence and baptism on earth. The word éo7w, there be, is to be taken in the sense of be present, or be given, as in John vii. 39, where it is said, “‘ The Holy Ghost was not yet (ovrw 7v),” and where the translators rightly render, “ was not yet given.”
3. Unto what (cis 7/). Rev., more correctly, mto. See on Matt. xxviii. 19.
552 WORD STUDIES IN THE NEW TESTAMENT. [Cu. XIX.
John. The last mention of John the Baptist in the New Testament. “Here, at last, he wholly gives place to Christ ” (Bengel).
10. Asia. See on ch. ii. 9.
11. Special (od ras rvyodcas). A peculiar expression. Lit., not usual or common, such as one might fall in with frequently.
12. Body (ypwrtds). Properly, the surface of the body, the skin; but, in medical language, of the body.
Handkerchiefs (covddpia). See on Luke xix. 20.
Aprons (cexivdia). Only herein New Testament. A Latin word, semicinctia. Lit., something passing half-way round the body: an apron or waistband. Perhaps garments worn by Paul when engaged at his trade.
13. Vagabond (rrepuepyopuévwv). Lit., going about. Rev., strolling.
Exorcists (€fopxicrév). Only here in New Testament. The kindred verb, adjure, occurs Matt. xxvi. 63, and means, origi- nally, 2o administer an oath. 'These Jewish exorcists pretended to the power of casting out evil spirits by magical arts derived from Solomon.
14. Did (ovobvres). The participle denotes a practice.
15. | know—| know (ywooxw—érictaywat). There is a pur- pose in using two different words to denote the demon’s recog- nition of the Divine Master and of the human agent, though it is not easy to convey the difference in a translation. It is the difference between an instinctive perception or recognition of a supreme power and the more intimate knowledge of a hu- man agent. A divine mystery would invest Jesus, which the demon would feel, though he could not penetrate it. His