The Pulpit Commentary — Acts — Volume 1 — Section 198

work, even though it be a work of charity. thought by some that the Greek character They must give themselves to the Word or of a.II seven names is an indication t.lrnt they God and to prELyer. There are Christian were Hellenists. Such a conclusion, how- faity to eervo tables. ever, is not wa.rranted, aB many Jews who Ver. 8.-Loolt ye out there/Me, brethren, were not Hellenists had Greek or La.tin from for w111rrefore, brethren, loo/, ye out, A.V.; n~mes, e.g. Paul, Sylva.nus, Aquila, Pris- good for honest, A.V.; Spirit for Holy Ghost, c1lla, Marcus, Justus, Petrus, Didymus, etc. A.V. and T.R.; ofwisdomforwisdom,A.V. At the same time, it is likely tlrnt some or Good report ; literally, brYTne witness to; i.e. them w_ere. O □e, Nicolas, was a proselyte. well spoken of. So in Heh. xi. 5 it is said of The obJect, doubtles11, was to ensure perfect Enooh tilat" he had witness borueto him that fairness of distribution of the Church he pleased God," and in Heb. xi. 4 of Abel charities. Stephen and Philip (eh. viii. 5, that "he had witness borne to him that he etc.; xxi. 8) are the only two of whom we was righteous;" and so in eh. x. 22 Cor □ elius know anything beyond their names. ie said to be a man " well reported of by Ver. 6.-When they had prayed, they laid all the nation of the Jews." In eh. xvi. 2 their hands on them. They did not pray Timothy is said to be " well reported of without imposition of hands, nor did they (iµapTup,.,,.o) by the brethren." The Spirit. lay bands on them without prayer. So in The number seven was, perhaps, fixed upon the sacraments, in confirmation, and ordina- with refereuce to the exigencies of the service, tion, the outward sign or rite is accompanied eome think because there were seven tables by prayer for the thing signified. A □ d to be supplied; and partly perhaps from Gocl's grace is given through the sacrament seven being the sacred number, the number or rite in answer to the prayer of faith (sec of completeness-seven Churches, seven eh. viii. 15, and the Office for Baptism, the spirits, seven stars, seven children (1 Sam. Prayer of Consecration in the Office for Holy ii. 5), seven times (Ps. cxix. 164). From Communion, and the Confirmation e.nd seven having been the number of the first Ordination Services). (For the layi□ g on deacons arose the custom in some Churches of hands as a mode of conveying a special of always having seven deacons, which con- grace and blessing, see N u.mb. x.xvii. 3; Deut. tinued some centuries in the Church of Rome. x.xxi.v. 9; Matt. xix. 13-15; Luke iv. 40; One of the Canons of the Counoil of N eo- eh. viii.17; xiii. 3; 1 Tim. v. 22; Heb. vi. 2.) caisarea (A.D. 314) enacted that "there ought Ver. 7.-Exceedingly for greatly, A. V. to be but seven deacons in any city," and Were obedient to the faith. Campa.re the St. Mark ie said to have ordained seven phrase, "obedience of faith " or " to the deacons at Alexandria(see Bingham,' Christ. faith" (Rom. i 5; xvi. 25). The addition Antiq.,' vol. i. p. 232). But the needs of of a great mnltitude of priests was an im- the Churches gradually superseded all snob portant incident in the Church's history, restrictions. Whom we may appoint. The both as they were a higher order of men, multitude elect, the apostles appoint. The and a class very liable to be prejudiced apostolate appears as the sole ministry of against the faith which would rob them of the Church at first. From the apostolate is their importance. evolved first the diaconate, afterwards the Ver. 8.-Grace for faith, A.V. and T.R.; presbyterate, as the neod for each arose wrought for did, A.V.; signs for miracles, (eh. xiv. 23). A.V. Power (ch.i. 8, note); power to work Ver. 4.-Continue stedfastly in for gi1!e mire.oles especially, but also other spiritual oursel1!ea continually to, A.V.; in (the power beyond hie own natural strength (see ministry) for to, A.V. Btedfastly. The ver. 10). Thie power showed itself in the verb 1rpoa-1<apTEp<w ie of frequent use in the signs and wonders which he wrought. Acts (see eh. i. 14; ii. 42; v. 46; viii. 13; Ver. 9.-But for then, A.V.; certain of x. 7; see also Col. iv. 2). It is used of them that were for certain, A. V. ; of the persons and things to which any one adheres Cyreniana and of the .Ale:i:andrians for closely and perseveringly, which are put Cyreniansand .Alexandrians, A.V.; .Asia for in the dative oase, as here. But sometimes of Asia, A.V. Of the synagogue, eto. There it has the prepositions iv or ,ls after it, as in were said to have Leen four hundred and eh. v. 46; Hist. of Susann. 7; Rom. xiii. 6. eighty synagogues in Jerusalem alone in Ver. 5.-Holy Spirit for Holy Ghost, A.V. the time of our Saviour (Olshausen, on Matt. The mention of Stephen, ancl the narrative iv. 23). But this is probably a fanciful whioh follows leading up from Stephen's number; only it may be taken as an indi- mo.rtyrdom to St. Paul (eh. vii. 60), show to cation of the great number of such ph1ces of what the writer ie tending. He selects the Jewish worship. Tiberias is said to have inoidents in the history of the Churoh o.t had twelve synagogues. Ten grown-up Jerusalem whioh connect themselves most people was the minimum congregation of ~ direotly with that after history whioh was synagogue. n seems by the enumeration the objeot he had in view, It has been of synagogues in our text that the foreign ACT!!. 0  THE ACTS OF THE APOSTLES. [oB, VL 1-15,