The Pulpit Commentary — Acts — Volume 2 — Section 315

""'Blodia miWarls, I.e. that he W!IB faetenecl spear, with me for ha116 I called /or '!JrYU, 1,, by a single ob11ln to a praitorio.n ( rr-rpa:rnl,-r71r ), Bee you, and to Bpeah with yar.1, A.V.; for but, llB a epeoi11l favour, gmnted probably becriuse o/ for becauBe that jD'T, A.V. To eeo '<ID tho good report of the courteous J ullua, and to speak with me. Meyer, followed by Wile 11llowed to dwell in his own hired houae Alford, rightly prefers the rernlerin" of the (ver. 30) ; see oh. xxiv. 23. A.V. and the margin of the R.V. r1.:'pa,ca;1.,., Vor. 17.-He for Paul, A.V. ancl 'f.R.; is here in its primary sense of calling any oalled together those that were the ohief for one to come to you, aud tbe two infinitives oalled the ol1ief . . . together, A.V.; I, express the object for which he ea.lied them. brethren, though I had done for men and viz. to see 11nd speak with them. Beoa11Be lirell1ren, though I l1ave committed, A. V. 11ud of the hope of Israel ( see eh. xxiii. 6; xxi v. T.R.; the oustoms for customs, A.V.; was I 14, 15, 21; xxvi. 6, 22, 23). I am bound for was, A.V. After three days. He could with this ohai.n (1rtp11<eiµ.a,). In Mark ix. but just have got into hie hired house, but 42 and Luke xvii. 2 the millstone "hancr~ he would not lose II day in seeking out hie about" (-r,pt1<€&1"ai) the necir. But here a,;'d brethren to speak to them of the hope of Heh. v. 2 the construction is different, and Ieroel. Wh11t me.:rvellous activity I what the subject and the object are 1·eversed. unquenchable love I The ohief ('Toi,, /Sv-rar Instead of the chain encompassing Paul, . • • 1rpw-rov,). The expression ol 1rporro,, for Paul is said to be bound with the chain . the principal people of the district or neigh- (For the chain, see ver. 16, note, and eh. bourhood, occurs repeatedly in Josephus. :xxiv, 23.) The force of this saying seems The Jews. They had returned to Rome, to be this, "I have asked you to come to me after their banishment by Claudius (eh. because tbis. chain which bind.s me is not " xviii. 2), some time before this (Rom. xvi token of a renegade Israelite who has come 3, 7). I had done nothing age.inst the people, to Rome to accuse hie nation before the or the oustoms (comp. oh. xxiii. 1, 6; xx.iv. heathen master, but of a faithful Israelite, 14-16, 20, 21; XXV. 8; XXvi. 6, 7, 22, 23). who has endured bondage rather than for- Ver. 18.-Desired to set me at Uberty for sake the hope of hie fathers." would have let ms go, A.V. Had examined Ver. 21.-From for out of, A.. V.; nor ""q me (a.va1<plvl1Jl'TI, p.€); see oh. iv. 9; xii. 19; neither, A. V.; did any of the b-rethren co1,..; xxiv. 8; xxv. 26. Desired to set me at hither and report or apeah for any of the liberty (see oh. nv. 18, 19, 25; xxvi. b-rethren that came showed or spake, A. V. 31, 32). Nor did any of the brethren come hither, Ver.19.-When the J'ews spake against it. etc. Thie is no improvement on the A.V.; 'l'hie is a detail not expressly mentioned for it implies that they denied that any in the direct narrative in eh. xxv., but special messenger he.d been sent to speak which makes that ne.:rrative olearer. It he.:rm of Paul, which nobody could have shows us that Feetue's propose.I in oh. :xxv. 9 thought had been done. What they meant to was made in ooneequence of the opposition say is exactlywhat the A..V. makes them say, of the Jews to the acquittal which he was viz. that, neither by special letters, nor by disposed to pronounce. I was constrained message nor casual information brought by to appeal. Nothing can be more delicate, Jews coming to Rome from Judma, had tbev more conciliatory, or more truly patriotic hee.:rd any harm of him. Thie seems c,dd°; than P11ul'e manner of addressing tbe Jews. but as the Jews had no apparent motive for Himself a Hebrew of the Hebrews, devoted not speaking ~e truth, we must accept it to hie kinsmen o.ocording to the flesh, never as true. The expulsion of the Jews from even putting forward hie own privilege as Rome by Claudius (eh. xviii. 1) may have a Roman citizen till the last necessity, he slackened the intercolll'!le between Juda,a. shows himself the oonste.nt friend of hie and Rome; the attention of the Jews mav own people in spite of all their ill usage. Un- have been absorbed by their accusation of dazzled by the splendour of Rome and the Felix; there he.cl been a very short interval power of the Roman people, hie bee.rt is between Paul's appeal and hie departure for with hie own despised nation, "that they Rome; he he.d only been at Rome three might be saved." He wishes to be well days, and so it is very possible that no report with them : he wants them to und8J'Btand had yet reached Rome ooncerning him at hie position ; he speaks to them as a kins- this early season of the year. man and a brother. Hie appeal to 0181181' Ver. 22.-lt ia k710W1'1 to ua for 11111 know, had been of necessity-to save hie life. But A.V. We desire (~,oiiµ.<v); or, tD6 are will- he was not going to accuse his brethren ing • literally, think it right (so oh. :xvi 38). before the dominant race. Hie first desire 'H£1ov, followed by a negative, means "was was that they should be his friends, and unwilling." It has this senso frequently in she.re with him the hope of the gospel of Xenophon,.11:l:J.ie.n, Josephus, and other Greek Christ. writers (see Kuinoel, on oh. :xvi SO). Thill v~. 20.-,.Did I intreat "ou, to M and lo 111ot (T'iis 11lofutws 'Tau-nJs); see eh. :uiv. 5, 824- THE ACTS OF THE APUSTLES. [cu. xxvm. 1-31,