Jamieson, Fausset & Brown

“Mark--(See on Ac 12:12), not to be confounded with the second Evangelist, as is often done. As his uncle was Barnabas, so his spiritual father was Peter (1Pe 5:13).”

“He is mentioned, in Ro 16:21, as one of Paul's kinsmen. Manaen--or Menahem, the name of one of the kings of Israel (2Ki 15:14). which had been brought up with--or, the foster brother of. Herod the tetrarch--that is, Antipas, who was himself "brought up wit…”

“Here it signifies the corresponding ministrations of the Christian Church. and fasted--As this was done in other cases on special occasions (Ac 13:3, 14, 23), it is not improbable that they had been led to expect some such prophetic announcement at this tim…”

“At this busy mercantile port immense numbers of Jews were settled, which accounts for what is here said, that they had more than one synagogue, in which Barnabas and Saul preached, while other cities had one only. they had . . . John--Mark. to their minister…”

“Which was with the deputy--properly, "the proconsul." This name was reserved for the governors of settled provinces, which were placed under the Roman Senate, and is never given in the New Testament to Pilate, Felix, or Festus, who were but procurators, or sub…”

“But Elymas--or "the wise." for so is his name by interpretation--the word is from the Arabic. withstood them--perceiving, probably, how eagerly the proconsul was drinking in the word, and fearing a dismissal.”

“What fruit, if any, followed this remarkable conversion, or how long after it the missionaries remained at Paphos, we know not. AT PERGA JOHN MARK FORSAKES THEM--AT ANTIOCH IN PISIDIA, PAUL PREACHES WITH GLORIOUS EFFECT--THE JEWS, ENRAGED, EXPEL THEM OUT OF TH…”

“The whole region was, and to this day is, infested by robbers, as ancient history and modern travels abundantly attest; and there can be but little doubt that to this very journey Paul many years after alludes, when he speaks amidst his "journeyings often," of…”

“Men of Israel, and ye that fear God--by the latter expression meaning religious proselytes, who united with the Jews in all acts of ordinary worship. and exalted the people when they dwelt as strangers in Egypt--by marvellous interpositions for them in their …”

“Taking the words as they stand in the Greek, thus, "after that, by the space of four hundred fifty years, He gave judges," the meaning may be, that about four hundred fifty years elapsed from the time of the covenant with Abraham until the period of the judges…”

“God gave . . . them Saul . . . of the tribe of Benjamin--That the speaker was himself of the same name and of the same tribe, has often been noticed as in all likelihood present to the apostle's mind while speaking. forty years--With this length of Saul's rei…”

“Of this man's seed hath God, according to . . . promise, raised unto Israel a Saviour, Jesus--The emphasis on this statement lies: (1) in the seed from which Christ sprang--David's--and the promise to that effect, which was thus fulfilled;”

“For they that dwell at Jerusalem, and their rulers, because they knew him not, &c.--The apostle here speaks as if the more immediate guilt of Christ's death lay with the rulers and people of the metropolis, to which he fondly hoped that those residing at such …”

“(Such declarative meaning of the verb "to be" is familiar to every reader of the Bible). See Joh 15:8, "So shall ye be," that is, be seen to be "My disciples." It is against the whole sense of the New Testament to ascribe the origin of Christ's Sonship to Hi…”

“But when the Jews--those zealots of exclusive Judaism. saw the multitudes, they were filled with envy--rather, "indignation," and broke out in their usual manner. contradicting and blaspheming--There is nothing more awful than Jewish fury and execration of t…”

“Then Paul and Barnabas waxed bold, and said, &c.--This is in the highest style of a last and solemn protestation. It was necessary that the word should first have been spoken to you--See the direction of Christ in Lu 24:47; also Ro 1:16. since ye judge you…”

“I have set thee--that is, Messiah; from which Paul inferred that he was but following out this destination of his Lord, in transferring to the Gentiles those "unsearchable riches" which were now by the Jews rejected and despised.”

“AT LYSTRA PAUL HEALING A CRIPPLE, THE PEOPLE ARE SCARCE RESTRAINED FROM SACRIFICING TO THEM AS GODS, BUT AFTERWARDS, THEIR MINDS BEING POISONED, THEY STONE PAUL, LEAVING HIM FOR DEAD--WITHDRAWING TO DERBE, THEY PREACH AND TEACH THERE. There being no mention of…”

“Barnabas and Paul heard--Barnabas is put first here, apparently as having been styled the "Jupiter" of the company. they rent their clothes and ran in--rather (according to the true reading), "ran forth." among the people, crying out . . .”

“We . . . are men of like passions, &c.--How unlike either imposture or enthusiasm is this, and how high above all self-seeking do these men of Christ show themselves to be! unto the living God--This is the most glorious and distinctive of all the names of God…”

“Who in times past suffered all nations to walk in their own ways--that is, without extending to them the revelation vouchsafed to the seed of Abraham, and the grace attending it; compare Ac 17:30; Yet not without guilt on their part was this privation (Ro 1:…”

“In Lycaonia, where, as ancient writers attest, rain is peculiarly scarce, this allusion would have all the greater effect. filling our hearts with food and gladness--a natural colloquialism, the heart being gladdened by the food supplied to the body.”

“The words seem to imply that it was the Jews who did this; and no doubt they took the lead (Ac 14:19), but it was the act of the instigated and fickle multitudes along with them. drew him out of the city--By comparing this with Ac 7:58 it will be seen tha…”

“But certainly the impression naturally left on the mind by the words is that the restoration was miraculous; and so the best interpreters understand the words. This is confirmed by what follows. came into the city--Noble intrepidity! next day he departed wit…”

“For if "ordination" was by prayer and fasting (see Ac 13:3), why should it be said they first "ordained elders," and after that "prayed with fasting?" Whereas if the first clause refer to the choice and the second to the ordination, all is natural. they com…”