The Pulpit Commentary — Acts — Volume 2 — Section 205

EXPOSITION. OHAPTER XXIIL Ca.mydus (' Ant. Jnd.,' xx. r. 3: v. 2), appears to have been actually high priest Ver. 1.-Looking steadfastly on for earnest- a.t this time. He wa.s a violent, haughty, ly beholding, A.V.; brethren for men and gluttonous, and rapacious man, e.nd yet brethren, A.V.; I have lived bef<>re God, looked up to by the Jews(" tres consiclere," etc., for I have lived, eto., before God, A.V. Ronan). He had probably lately returned Looking steadfastly ; a.re vlcra.s, a.s in eh. i. 10; from Rome, having been confirmed, as it iii. 4, 12; vi. 15; vii. 55; x. 4; xi. 6; xiii seems, in his office by Claudius, to whom 9; xiv. 9. It governs a. dative here, a.a in Quadra.tus, the predecessor of Felix, hau sent oh. iii. 12; x. 4 ; xiv. 9 ; Luke iv. 20; x.xii him a.s a prisoner, to answer certain charges 56; elsewhere it is followed by ,lr. of sedition against him. He seems to have Brethren. He omits here the " fathers " been high priest for the unwually long period which he added in oh. xxii. 1. If there is of over ten years-from A..D. 48 to A..n. 59 any special significance in the omission, it (see Josephus,' Ant. Jud.,' ll. v. 2; vi. 2, may be tha.t he meant now to assume a less 3; viii. 8). But, on the other band, Josephus apologetio tone, a.nd to speak as an equal (' Ant. Jud.,' xx. viii. 5) speaks of a certain to equals. Howson a.nd Lewin think that Jonathan, being higll priest u.uriug the he spoke as being, or having been, himself government of Felix, a.nd bein:; murdered a member of the Sauhedrim. But he ma.y by the Sica.rii nt his instigation; which have meant merely a. friendly address to looks as if Anania.s's high priesthood bat.l his countrymen. I have lived, eto. (,mro?..l- been interrupted. It would appear, too, .,.,vµa., Tei, 0,oi) ; oomp. Phil. iii. 20 ; I ha.ve from xx. viii. 8, that Ismael the son had my conversation (vitam degi') unto God, of Fabi succeeded to Jonatba.n, llCt tn or, for God, i.e. a.ocording to the will of Anll.Ilia.s, as is usually supposed. But tho God, with a. view to God a.a the end of a.11 question is involved in great obscarity. my actions. So Josephus ('De Macca.beis,' Ver. 3.-And for for, A.V.; according lo sect. 4) sa.ys that Antiochus Epipha.nes ma.de for after, A.V. God shall smite thee (ri½rTw' a la.w tha.t a.11 Jews should be put to death er• µhv,u), A distinct announcement of o7rwu tpAvoiev T<p 1ra.rpl<p v&µ<p 1rol',.1revdµe110,, something tha.t would happen. (For tho " who were seen to live a.ccording to the Law incident itself, comp. 1 Kings uii. 2-1, 25 ; of their fathers," And so in 2 Maco. vi. 1 Jer, xxviii. 15, 17; and oh. xii. 1, 2, 23). it is said tha.t he seut to compel the Jews to Ano.nias perished by the daggers of the forsake the La.w of their fothers-1<a.l roisrou Sica.rii (Josephus, • Bell. Jud.,' ii. xvii. 9), eeou v&µa,s µ¾ 1rol',.1revecr8a.1-and not live a.t the beginning of the Jewish war under agreel\bly to the la.wsof God, And onoemore, the procuratorship of Flo1'11S, in tho ye1\r in 3 Ma.cc. iii. 3, 4 the Jews a.re said to fear .LD, 66. He ha.d been previously deposed God and to be rep roorov v&µ<p 1ro?..1rev&µe110,, from the high priesthood by King Agrippa living according to his La.w. Here, then, toward the close of the government of 1ro?..1r•v•cr8a., rw 0e,e mecrns to live in obedi- Felix (' Ant. Jnd.,' xx. viii. 8), about A.n. enoe to God. St. Paul boldly asserts his un- 59, or eo.rly in A,D, 60, lesa tha.n two yeo.rs deviating compliance with the Law of God, from the present time. Thou whited wall, a.an good e.nd consistent Jew (Phil. iii. 6). This expression is admirably illustrated by Ver. 2,-Ananias, tho son of Nebedmus, the quotations from Seneca in Kuinod: •LCcdoBor of Joseph tl,e S)ll of Cnmd, or "These buse C1nd sordi,l spirits are like the  'I'HE ACTS OF THE APOSTLES. Lcu. :um. l-80,