[597] The name Christians was probably given by the Gentiles. The word appears but twice, besides here, in the N.T. (Acts xxvi. 8; 1 Pet. iv. 16), and in both cases it is implied that the name was a name applied to the disciples of Jesus by others. The Jews could hardly have originated the name since Christ was to them but the Greek equivalent for their sacred name Messiah, and from that word they would not have formed a name for the hated sect. The Jews called them rather Nazarenes (Acts xxiv. 5). The Romans seem to have misunderstood the origin of the name, as Tacitus says: Auctor nominis ejus (Christiani) Christus, as if Christus was an appellative instead of a title.--G.B.S.
[598] all' hoi tes hodou monon ekouon, so Cat. OEcum. which we adopt. A.B.C. all' hoti, the modern text all' eti.
[599] anankaios de entautha, as above pos anankaios. But in the mss. part of the text v. 28. being transposed, it reads "But here of necessity he says there will be a great dearth," etc.--Below, Ei di autous en, pantos edei kai onta pausasthai. Ti edikesan Ellenes, hina kai autoi ton kakon metechosin; eudokimesai gar autous mallon echren, hoti to auton epoioun, k. t. l. 'All' ei dia ta kaka, phesin, k. t. l. So the old text in mss. and Cat. The meaning is obscure, but on the whole it seems most probable that all this is an interlocution of an objector. "If as you say, it was because of the Jews, assuredly it ought, even when it was there, to have ceased (and not gone on to the rest of the world). What harm had the Gentiles done, that they should share in the punishment? Why, they ought rather to have been distinguished by special marks of the Divine favor, because they were doing their part (in executing God's judgments upon the Jews), were slaying, punishing. etc. Observe, too, the time when this visitation first came--precisely when the Gentiles were added to the Church. Whereas if, as you say, it was because of the evils the Jews inflicted upon the believers, these (the believers, Jews and Gentiles) ought to have been exempted," etc. The modern text has: "But even if (all' ei kai) it were because of them, yet because of the rest (dia tous allous) it ought, even when it was, to have ceased. For what harm had the Gentiles done, that even they, having done no harm, should have their share of the evils? But if not because of the Jews verily they ought rather to have been even marked objects of favor," etc. Perhaps this was intended to mean: "Suppose it was inflicted by the demons, the Gods of the heathen, because of the Christians, why were the Gentiles included? And as for the Jews, if it was not, as I say, sent by God because of their wickedness, but as the heathen say, was a token of the anger of their Gods because of the new religion, why assuredly the Jews ought to have been marked objects of favor because they were doing all they could to exterminate the faith." But if so, it does not appear how the next sentence, was understood, "And observe at what time," etc.
[600] Eti 'Iakobos eze. So, except E., all our mss.--Ben. finds it strange that this clause is added in some mss. "For what is it to the matter in hand, that James was yet living? And which James? For James the brother of John is mentioned presently afterwards, as slain with the sword: and James the brother of the Lord, Bishop of Jerusalem, is repeatedly mentioned as living, in the subsequent history. Then for what purpose should it be noticed here that he was alive? And yet why the copyists should add this clause, is not easy to see." The copyists are not in fault. St. Chrys. (not fully reported) is identifying this visit to Jerusalem with the visit mentioned in Gal. ii. The mention there made (v. 9) of James, whom at the moment he takes to be James the brother of John (especially as he is named with Cephas and John), leads him to remark, "James was yet alive:" i.e. when Paul and Barnabas went up with the alms, and when this conference ensued. (Acts xi.) A similar inadvertency with respect to St. Philip has been noted above, p. 115, note 1--E. substitutes tosouton ophelei ho limos. and connects the following sentence with this by reading Kai hora autous, where the rest have Oras autous, as if the thlipsis here spoken of was the famine: which however had not yet begun. Hence Ben. Et vide illos ex fame, etc. In like manner the innovator has mistaken the connection below. See note 1, p. 165. In fact, the Recapitulation begins here.
[601] Here Edd. from E. insert the formula of recapitulation, all' idomen k. t. l.
[602] Edd, from E.: "Wherefore also with purpose of heart he exhorted all: that is, with encomium and praise:" as if te prothesei tes kardias belonged to parekalei, in the sense, "with heartfelt earnestness he exhorted."
[603] ou Paulon; dia mikron archen to pragma elambane. C. omits Paulon; dia, D. om. ou Paulon. Edd. from E., "not Paul: and how by the small means, the affair took its beginning, but when it became conspicuous, then they sent Barnabas. And why did they not send him before this? They took much forethought for their own people, and did not wish the Jews to accuse them because they received the Gentiles: and yet because of their inevitably mixing with them, since there was some questioning about to arise, the matters relating to Cornelius forestalled (this). Then indeed they say," etc.
[604] The meaning seems to be, that they let the preaching to the Gentiles take its course at first; and were enabled to say to the Jews, "See, the Gentiles receive the word without encouragement from us: kai ou tosautes apolauonta epimeleias."
[605] The matter contained in this second recapitulation looks as if it were derived from a different, and in part fuller, report. The innovator as above (note 1, p. 164) connects it with the preceding: "they receive the offerings sent from them; who also, not as we," etc.
[606] Kai ouk elaloun ton logon ei me 'Ioudaiois monois; houtos ton men ton anthropon phobon ouden hegounto; ton de tou nomou proetimon. 'Ioudaiois monois elaloun. For proetimon, A. B. prosetimoun. The passage is corrupt, but the sense is sufficiently plain, and is thus expressed by E. Edd. "Which thing itself helped not a little. But they came also to Cyprus, where was great fearlessness (adees), and greater freedom from anxiety. But to none,' it says, did they speak the word save to Jews only.' Not because of the fear of men, of which they made no account, did they this thing:" but keeping the law, and still bearing them, kai autous eti diabastazontes."--Below, v. 23, Edd. from E, "Perhaps by praising the multitude and receiving them, by this he converted more: as above, meta enkomiou kai epainou.
[607] He means, There is no lack of wealth, no lack of hearing the word of God: this is the aphthonia diple. Yet many poor around us are famishing, and the rich who might aid them, starve their own souls, by their neglect of almsgiving: diplous limos.
[608] hemeis de en spatale tou eleous ontes tou Theou. Read hemeis de (en spatale hontes), tou eleous tou Theou, sc. aporountes. The mod. text substitutes spanei for spatale.
[609] kathaper kai hemeis tote malista athoumen tinas, hotan legosin hemin...kai me epagagomen, A. B. C. We read tina, and epagagosin. "When people bid us exhort some person, adding, Peradventure he will hear, not, He will certainly hear, we are then most urgent in our endeavor to persuade him." The mod. text hotan legomen. i.e. "When we would induce some persons to exhort some one, we the more effectually urge them to do so, when we say, Peradventure he will hear," etc. The sense would be improved by reading hemas othousi tines, "persons then most urge us, when they say," etc.
[610] ei tautes (mod. text adds monon) tes gumnotetos epistasai ton tropon: which might also be taken with the following sentence, If you know what sort of nakedness this is (why then, only think) what numbers of women, etc. A. has posai oun. The mod. text adds, dunese gnonai rhadios kai ten autes katastolen. "If you know the sort of nakedness this is, you will easily be able to know the (manner of) clothing it."
[611] E. Edd. "Say, We need other (garments) there, not these."--Below, therous de, ouk eti: i.e. cold, not heat, makes the naked body shudder: not cold, but hell-fire, the naked soul.
[612] In the "Acts of Paul and Thekla," Grab. Spicileg. Patr. t. i. p. 95. reprinted with a translation by Jeremiah Jones, On the Canon of the N. T., vol. ii. p. 353 ff. the incident is thus related (ch. ii.): "When the proconsul heard this, he ordered Paul to be bound, and to be put in prison.....But Thekla, in the night taking off her earnings, gave them to the turnkey, and he opened for her the doors, and let her in: and having given to the keeper of the prison a silver mirror, she was admitted unto Paul, and having sat at his feet, heard from him the mighty works of God." The earliest notice of this work occurs in Tertull. de Bapt. c. 17: Thekla is mentioned, or her history referred to, by other ancient writers, as St. Greg. Naz., Sulpic. Severus, St. Augustin; see Jones u. s. p. 387 ff. A Homily in her praise ascribed to St. Chrysostom, t. ii. p. 749, is justly placed by Savile among the amphiballomena.