they heard that, they were cut to the heart, and took counsel to slay them. 34j Then stood there up one in the council, a Pharisee, named m Gamaliel, a doctor of the law, m ch. xxii. 3. had in reputation among all the people, and commanded to put the apostles forth a little space; 35 and said unto them, Ye men of Israel, take heed to yourselves what ye intend to do as touching these men. 36 For before these days rose up Theudas, boasting himself to be somebody; j render, But there stood. not say, "to us," which might make an unreal distinction between the Apostles and the then believers, and an implied exclusion of the hearers from this gift,-but generally, to all that obey Him, by this word recalling the opening of the speech, and binding all together. So that the sense of the whole is, We are acting in obedience to God, and for the everlasting good of our common Israel: and otherwise we cannot do.' And a solemn invitation is implied. 'Be ye obedient likewise.' It is remarkable that a similar word, 66 were obedient to the faith," is used of the multitude of converted priests, ch. vi. 7. 33.] When they heard that, they were cut asunder (so literally: i. e. in heart). 34.] Gamaliel (see Num. i. 10; ii. 20) is generally, and not without probability, assumed to be identical with the celebrated Rabban Gamaliel, also entitled "the old man," one of the seven, to whom, among their Rabbis, the Jews give this title Rabban, a wise and enlightened Pharisee, the son of Rabban Symeon (traditionally the Symeon of Luke ii. 25) and grandson of the famous Hillel. His name often appears in the Talmud, as an utterer of sayings quoted as authorities. He died eighteen years before the destruction of the city. He was the preceptor of St. Paul (ch. xxii. 3). Ecclesiastical tradition makes him become a Christian, and be baptized by Peter and John, and in the Clementine Recognitions, he is stated to have been at this time a Christian, but secretly. The Jewish accounts do not agree, which make him die a Pharisee, with much more probability. Nor is the least trace of a Christian leaning to be found in his speech see below on ver. 39. And considering that he was a Pharisee, opposing the prevalent faction of Sadduceism in a matter where the Resurrection was called in question,--and a wise and enlightened man opposing furious and unreasoning zealots,—considering also, that when the anti-pharisaical element of Christianity was brought out in the acts and sayings of Stephen, his pupil Saul was found the foremost persecutor,—we should, I think, be slow to suspect him of any favouring of the Apostles as followers of Jesus. (See particulars respecting Gamaliel collected in Conybeare and Howson's St. Paul, edn. 2, vol. i. p. 69, f.) He does not here appear as the president of the Sanhedrim, but only as a member. to put the apostles forth, i. e. to cause them to withdraw. They are recalled in ver. 40. 35.] The words as touching these men may be joined either with take heed to yourselves, or with what ye intend to do. The latter would give the more usual construction: and seems the more probable of the two. 36.] A great chronological difficulty arises here. Josephus relates, that when Cuspius Fadus was Procurator of Judæa, an impostor named Theudas persuaded a very great multitude to break up their households and follow him to the Jordan, in expectation that he would divide the river for them to go over. He then relates how Fadus sent a squadron of horse against him, killing many of his followers, and taking many prisoners, and bringing his head to Jerusalem. But this was in the reign of Claudius, not before the year A.D. 44: and consequently at least twelve years after this speech of Gamaliel's. On this difficulty I will remark, that we are plainly in no position (setting all other considerations aside) to charge St. Luke with having put into the mouth of Gamaliel words which he could not have uttered. For Josephus himself, speaking of a time which would accord very well with that referred to by Gamaliel, viz. the time when Archelaus went to Rome to be confirmed in the kingdom, says, "Meantime numerous seditional movements took place among the Jews, many men feeding their own ambition by the enmity of the Jews against the Romans, and breaking out in acts of war." And among these there may well have been an impostor of this name, But all attempts to identify Theudas with any other leader of outbreaks to whom a number of men, about four hundred, joined themselves who was slain; and all, as many as obeyed him, were scattered, and k brought to nought. 37 After this man rose up Judas of Galilee in the days of the 1 taxing, and drew away [m much] people after him: he also perished; and all, ["even] as many as obeyed him, were dispersed. 38 And now I unto say you, Refrain n Prov. xxi. 30. from these men, and let them alone; for if this counsel Isa. viii. 10. n Matt. xv. 18. or this work be of men, it will come to nought; 39° but if it be of God, ye cannot overthrow it; lest haply ye be o Luke xxi. 15. 1 Cor. i. 25. p ch. vii, 51: 9. 5: xxiii. found P even to fight against God. 1 m omitted by our oldest authorities. mentioned by Josephus have failed to convince any one except their propounders. See them quoted in my Greek Test. The assumption of Josephus having misplaced his Theudas is perhaps improbable; but by no means impossible, in an historian teeming with inaccuracies. All we can say is, that such impostors were too frequent, for any one to be able to say that there was not one of this name, which was by no means uncommon, at the time specified. It is exceedingly improbable, considering the time and circumstances of the writing of the Acts, and the evident supervision of them by St. Paul, the pupil of Gamaliel, that a gross historical mistake should have been here put into his mouth. about four hundred hardly agrees with Josephus's words above, 66 a very great multitude," which may mean even more, the greatest part of the multitude: and this confirms the idea that different events are pointed at in the two accounts. But the Jewish historian speaks very widely about such matters: see note on ch. xxi. 38. 37.] The decided words, after this man, fix beyond doubt the place here assigned to Theudas. The revolt of Judas, and the occasion of his revolt are related by Josephus. It arose on the mission of Quirinus to enrol the inhabitants of Judæa. They took it quietly at first, but afterwards rose in revolt under Judas as their leader. He says he was a Gaulonite, from a city named Gamala, and in returning to the mention of him as the founder of the fourth sect among the Jews, he calls him "Judas of Galilee." From the above citation it is plain that this enrolment was that so called beyond all others, under Quirinus: see Luke ii. 2 and 40 And to him they render, enrolment. n omit. P render, to fight against God also. note. His revolt took a theocratic character, his followers maintaining, as Josephus tells us, that God was the only ruler and master. His end is not related by Josephus. were dispersed] Strictly accurate-for they still existed, and at last became active and notorious again, under Menahem, son of Judas the Galilæan, as Josephus also relates. 38.] if it be of men... if it is of God implying by the first, perhaps, the manifold devices of human imposture and wickedness, any of which it might be, and all of which would equally come to nought,and, on the other hand, the solemnity and fixedness of the divine purpose by the indicative mood, which are also intimated by the present tense, ye cannot.-Or perhaps the indicative mood is used in the second place, because that is the case assumed, and on which the advice is founded. At all events, the distinction ought to be prescribed, which it is not in our A.V. this counsel] The whole plan the scheme, of which this work, the fact under your present cognizance, forms a part. 39.] He warns them, lest they be found opponents not only to them, but also to God:-even' in A. V., does not give the sense.— -As regards Gamaliel's advice we may remark that it was founded on a view of the issues of events, agreeing with the fatalism of the Pharisees that it betokens no leaning towards Christianity, nor indeed very much even of worldly wisdom;-but serves to shew how low the supreme council of the Jews had sunk both in their theology and their political sagacity, if such a fallacious laissez-aller view of matters was the counsel of the wisest among them. It seems certainly, on a closer view, as if they accepted, from fear of the people (see ver. 26), this oppor : r Matt. x. 17: Mark xiii. 9. 41 And they r in every house, Matt. v. 12. Rom. v. 3. 2 Cor. xii. 10. Heb. x. 34. 1 Pet. iv. 13, 16. agreed and when they had called the apostles, and ach. iv. 18. beaten them, they commanded that they should not speak in the name of Jesus, and let them go. 4 departed from the presence of the council, [ rejoicing] s that they were counted worthy to suffer shame for this name. 42 And daily in the temple, and "they ceased not to teach and preach Jesus VI. 17 And in those days, when the number of the disciples was a multiplied, there arose a murmuring of the bb Grecians against the Hebrews, because their widows were b ch. ix. 29: neglected in the daily ministration. 2 Then the twelve ech. iv. 35. called the multitude of the disciples unto them, and said, A render, departed rejoicing. $ render, because. a ■ render, in the houses: see ch. ii. 46. a render, multiplying. brender, Grecian Jews, or, Hellenists. tunity of compromising the matter, which Gamaliel had designedly afforded them. 40. when they had . . . . beaten them] See Deut. xxv. 2,-for disobedience to their command. 41. the Name] Not "his Name," as A.V., nor "this Name" (as others), but the Name, par excellence, viz. of Christ. So the term " the Name" is used Levit. xxiv. 11, 16. in the houses see note, ch. ii. 46. CHAP. VI. 1-7.] ELECTION OF SEVEN 42.] On PERSONS TO SUPERINTEND THE DISTRIBU- 1.] But, in contrast to the former entire unity of the church: introducing that great and important chapter in her history, of Judaizing divisions, which from this time onward disquieted her. in these days] See ch. i. 15:-but not necessarily as there, 'within a very few days:' the expression is quite indefinite. Some time must have elapsed since ch. iv. 32. The Hellenists were the Grecian Jews: not only those who were themselves proselytes, nor only those who came of families once proselytized,- but all who, on account of origin or habitation, spoke Greek as their ordinary language, and used ordinarily the LXX version.-The Hebrews were the pure Jews, not necessarily resident in Palestine (for example, St. Paul, who was an Hebrew, descended from Hebrews," Phil. iii. 5. See also 2 Cor. xi. 22), nor necessarily of unmixed Jewish descent, else the words of St. Paul just cited would hardly have conveyed an romit. t t ch. ii. 46. ach.it: iv. ver.7. 4: v. 14. xi. 20. render, the Name. 2 render, these. additional distinction,-but rather distinguished by language, as speaking the SyroChaldaic, and using the Hebrew Scriptures. were neglected] literally, overlooked. The use of this appropriate word shews, I think, that Olshausen's supposition, that the term, their widows, implies all their poor, is not correct. Those poor who could attend for themselves and represent their case, were served: but the widows, who required more searching out at their own houses, were overlooked. And this because the Apostles, who certainly before this had the charge of the duty of distribution, being already too much occupied in the ministry of the Word to attend personally to it, had entrusted it apparently to some deputies among the Hebrews, who had committed this oversight. It has been shewn by Biscoe, that the Hellenistic Jews were held in low estimation by the Hebrews. in the daily ministration] Some have argued from this, that there must have been deacons' before: and that those now elected (see below on their names) were only for the service of the Hellenistic Jews. But I should rather believe that the Apostles had as yet, by themselves or by non-official deputies, performed the duty. The ministration spoken of was the daily distribution of food: see on ver. 2. 2.] the multitude of the disciples, -i.e. 'the whole number of disciples in Jerusalem:' summoning a general meeting of the church. How many they were in d Exod. xviii. 17. e d It is not reason that we should leave the word of God, and serve tables. 3 Wherefore, brethren, look ye out 1 Tim. iii. 7. among you seven men of honest report, full of the Holy e Deut. i. 13. ch. i. 21: xvi. 2. fch. ii. 42. g ch. xi. 24. e Ghost and wisdom, whom we may appoint over this business. 4 But we will give ourselves continually to prayer, and to the ministry of the word. 5 And the saying pleased the whole multitude: and they chose Stephen, a man full of faith and of the Holy Ghost, and Philip, and Prochorus, and Nicanor, and i Rev. ii. 6, 15. Timon, and Parmenas, and i Nicolas a proselyte of Antioch : h ch. viii. 5, 20: xxi. 8. render, our pleasure. h d Most of our ancient authorities read, Spirit. number at the time, is not said. Clearly the 120 names of ch. i. 15 cannot be meant. It is not our pleasure] Not, it is not reasonable, as Beza, Calvin, and the A. V. The meaning of the original word is always as above. leave the word of God] For to this it would come, if the seven men] Some have supposed a re- over this business (or duty)] The duty (see above) was, not that of ministering to the Hellenistic Jews only, but that of superintending the whole distribution. 4. the ministry of the word, in opposition to the ministry, or serving, of tables. "This is the noblest portion of the work, which no bishop can delegate to another, as being himself occupied in more important matters." Calvin. 5.] full of faith,not in the lower sense of truthfulness,' e read, will. but in the higher of faith, the root of all Christian virtues: see ch. xi. 24.Of these seven, Stephen and Philip (ch. viii. 5, 26, 40; xxi. 8) only are elsewhere mentioned. On the idea of Nicolas having founded the heretical sect of the Nicolaitans, Rev. ii. 6, 15, see note there. From his being called a proselyte of Antioch, some have argued that he only was a proselyte, and none of the rest: some that all were proselytes,-but the rest, of Jerusa lem. But neither inference seems justified: rather I should say that the addition simply imports that he became better known than the rest, from the very circumstance perhaps of Antioch having been afterwards so important a spot in the Christian history (ch. xi. 19, note).-These names are all Greek: but we cannot thence infer that the seven were all Hellenistic Jews: the Apostles Philip and Andrew bore Greek names, but were certainly not Hellenists. There does appear however, in the case of these two Apostles, to have been a connexion with Greeks of some sort, see John xii. 20-22. Possibly, though Hebrews, they may not have been descended from Hebrews (see above on ver. 1), but sprung from intermarriage with Hellenists. And so these seven may have been partly Hebrews, though their names seem to indicate, and their office would appear to require, that they were connected with Hellenists, and not likely to overlook or disparage them. The title of deacons' is nowhere applied to these seven in Scripture, nor does the word occur in the Acts at all. In 1 Tim. iii. 8 ff. there is no absolute identification of the duties of deacons with those allotted to these seven, but at the same time nothing to imply that they were different. The universal consent of all Christian writers in regarding this as the institution of the office of deacons should k 1ch. viii. 17: iv. 14: v. 22. mch. xii. 24. ix. 17. xiii. 6 whom they set before the apostles: and when they had kch. i. 24. prayed, they laid their hands on them. 7 And m the word of God increased; and the number of the disciples multiplied in Jerusalem greatly; and a great company " of the priests were obedient to the faith. 8 And Stephen, full of faith and power, did great wonders and miracles among the people. 9 h Then there arose certain of the synagogue, which is called the synagogue of the Libertines, and Cyrenians, and Alex But not be overlooked: but at the same time we must be careful not to imagine that we have here the institution of the ecclesiastical order so named. The distinctness of the two is stated by Chrysostom plainly, whose opinion is that these are not to be confounded with any ecclesiastical order, but were merely appointed for the purpose then in hand. So also Ecumenius. that the subsequent office of deacon was founded upon this appointment, is very probable. The only one of these seven who appears in the subsequent history (ch. xxi. 8) is called "Philip the Evangelist," probably from the success granted him as recorded in ch. viii. 12. In these early days titles sprung out of realities, and were not yet mere hierarchical classifications. 6.] they had, viz. the Apostles. Their office of giving themselves to prayer is here specially exercised. The laying on of hands, the earliest mention of which is connected with blessing only (Gen. xlviii. 14), was prescribed to Moses as the form of conferring office on Joshua, Num. xxvii. 18, and from that time was used on such occasions by the Jews. From its adoption by the Apostles, it has ever been the practice of the Christian church in ordaining, or setting apart her ministers. It was also used by the Apostles on those who, having been baptized, were to be fully endowed with the gifts of the Holy Spirit: see ch. viii. 17; xix. 6, and Heb. vi. 2. 7. And, i. e. on this measure being completed; as would be the case, seeing that these seven were not only servants of tables, but men full of the Holy Ghost and of wisdom and we soon hear of the part which Stephen bore in the work. а great multitude of the priests] The number of priests who returned from Babylon, Ezra ii. 36-39, was 4289: and the number would probably have much increased since then. No evasion of the historian's assertion is to be attempted, as has been done by some Commentators.-At this time was probably h 2 Tim. i. 6. xix. 20. Col. i.6. n John xii. 42. render, But. the culminating point of popularity of the church at Jerusalem. As yet, all seemed going on prosperously for the conversion of Israel. The multitude honoured the Apostles; the advice of Gamaliel had moderated the opposition of the Sanhedrim the priests were gradually being won over. But God's designs were far different. At this period another great element in the testimony of the church is brought out, in the person of Stephen,its protest against Pharisaism. arrays against it that powerful and zealous sect, and henceforward it finds neither favour nor tolerance with either of the parties among the Jews, but increasing and bitter enmity from them both. This 8-CH. VII. 60.] THE ACCUSATION, DEFENCE, AND MARTYRDOM OF STEPHEN. 8.] This is the first instance of any, not an Apostle, working signs and wonders. The power was perhaps conferred by the laying on of the Apostles' hands; though, that having been for a special purpose merely, and the working miracles being a fulfilment of the promise, Mark xvi. 17, 18, to believers, I should rather refer the power to the eminence of Stephen's faith. full of grace, i. e. divine grace (not 'favour with the people'): the effects of which, the miracles were called gifts of Grace (charismata, from charis, grace). 9.] The word Libertines is rightly explained by Chrysostom to mean, the freedmen of the Romans. Philo speaks of a large district of Rome beyond the Tiber as inhabited by Jews, who were mostly freedmen that had originally been brought in captivity to Italy. Tacitus relates under A.D. 19, that a decree of the senate passed, to banish to Sardinia four thousand libertines or freedmen, who were infected with Jewish and Egyptian superstitions, and the rest were ordered either to abjure their religion or to leave Italy. In this Josephus agrees, relating a story as one of its causes, in which Ida, a freedwoman, was |