1 And there were certain in Antioch, in the assembly there, prophets and teachers; both Barnabas, and Simeon who is called Niger, and Lucius the Cyrenian, Manaen also -- Herod the tetrarch's foster-brother -- and Saul;
And the account was heard in the ears of the assembly that `is' in Jerusalem concerning them, and they sent forth Barnabas to go through unto Antioch, who, having come, and having seen the grace of God, was glad, and was exhorting all with purpose of heart to cleave to the Lord, because he was a good man, and full of the Holy Spirit, and of faith, and a great multitude was added to the Lord. And Barnabas went forth to Tarsus, to seek for Saul, and having found him, he brought him to Antioch, and it came to pass that they a whole year did assemble together in the assembly, and taught a great multitude, the disciples also were divinely called first in Antioch Christians. And in those days there came from Jerusalem prophets to Antioch,
And some, indeed, did God set in the assembly, first apostles, secondly prophets, thirdly teachers, afterwards powers, afterwards gifts of healings, helpings, governings, divers kinds of tongues; `are' all apostles? `are' all prophets? `are' all teachers? `are' all powers?
and if all may prophecy, and any one may come in, an unbeliever or unlearned, he is convicted by all, he is discerned by all, and so the secrets of his heart become manifest, and so having fallen upon `his' face, he will bow before God, declaring that God really is among you.
and thence did sail to Antioch, whence they had been given by the grace of God for the work that they fulfilled; and having come and gathered together the assembly, they declared as many things as God did with them, and that He did open to the nations a door of faith;
Those, indeed, therefore, having been scattered abroad, from the tribulation that came after Stephen, went through unto Phenice, and Cyprus, and Antioch, speaking the word to none except to Jews only; and there were certain of them men of Cyprus and Cyrene, who having entered into Antioch, were speaking unto the Hellenists, proclaiming good news -- the Lord Jesus,
And Saul was assenting to his death, and there came in that day a great persecution upon the assembly in Jerusalem, all also were scattered abroad in the regions of Judea and Samaria, except the apostles; and devout men carried away Stephen, and made great lamentation over him; and Saul was making havoc of the assembly, into every house entering, and haling men and women, was giving them up to prison;
and having known that he is from the jurisdiction of Herod, he sent him back unto Herod, he being also in Jerusalem in those days. And Herod having seen Jesus did rejoice exceedingly, for he was wishing for a long `time' to see him, because of hearing many things about him, and he was hoping some sign to see done by him, and was questioning him in many words, and he answered him nothing. And the chief priests and the scribes stood vehemently accusing him, and Herod with his soldiers having set him at nought, and having mocked, having put around him gorgeous apparel, did send him back to Pilate,
On that day there came near certain Pharisees, saying to him, `Go forth, and be going on hence, for Herod doth wish to kill thee;' and he said to them, `Having gone, say to this fox, Lo, I cast forth demons, and perfect cures to-day and to-morrow, and the third `day' I am being perfected;
and Herod the tetrarch, being reproved by him concerning Herodias the wife of Philip his brother, and concerning all the evils that Herod did, added also this to all, that he shut up John in the prison.
At that time did Herod the tetrarch hear the fame of Jesus, and said to his servants, `This is John the Baptist, he did rise from the dead, and because of this the mighty energies are working in him.' For Herod having laid hold on John, did bind him, and did put him in prison, because of Herodias his brother Philip's wife, for John was saying to him, `It is not lawful to thee to have her,' and, willing to kill him, he feared the multitude, because as a prophet they were holding him. But the birthday of Herod being kept, the daughter of Herodias danced in the midst, and did please Herod, whereupon with an oath he professed to give her whatever she might ask. And she having been instigated by her mother -- `Give me (says she) here upon a plate the head of John the Baptist; and the king was grieved, but because of the oaths and of those reclining with him, he commanded `it' to be given; and having sent, he beheaded John in the prison,
Worthy.Bible » Commentaries » Matthew Henry Commentary » Commentary on Acts 13
Commentary on Acts 13 Matthew Henry Commentary
Chapter 13
We have not yet met with any things concerning the spreading of the gospel to the Gentiles which bears any proportion to the largeness of that commission, "Go, and disciple all nations.' The door was opened in the baptizing of Cornelius and his friends; but since then we had the gospel preached to the Jews only, ch. 11:19. It should seem as if the light which began to shine upon the Gentile world had withdrawn itself. But here in this chapter that work, that great good work, is revived in the midst of the years; and though the Jews shall still have the first offer of the gospel made to them, yet, upon their refusal, the Gentiles shall have their share of the offer of it. Here is,
Act 13:1-3
We have here a divine warrant and commission to Barnabas and Saul to go and preach the gospel among the Gentiles, and their ordination to that service by the imposition of hands, with fasting and prayer.
Act 13:4-13
In these verses we have,
Act 13:14-41
Perga in Pamphylia was a noted place, especially for a temple there erected to the goddess Diana, yet nothing at all is related of what Paul and Barnabas did there, only that thither they came (v. 13), and thence they departed, v. 14. But the history of the apostles' travels, as that of Christ's, passes by many things worthy to have been recorded, because, if all had been written, the world could not have contained the books. But the next place we find them in is another Antioch, said to be in Pisidia, to distinguish it from that Antioch in Syria from which they were sent out. Pisidia was a province of the Lesser Asia, bordering upon Pamphylia; this Antioch, it is likely, was the metropolis of it. Abundance of Jews lived there, and to them the gospel was to be first preached; and Paul's sermon to them is what we have in these verses, which, it is likely, is the substance of what was preached by the apostles generally to the Jews in all places; for in dealing with them the proper way was to show them how the New Testament, which they would have them to receive, exactly agreed with the Old Testament, which they not only received, but were zealous for. We have here,
Act 13:42-52
The design of this story being to vindicate the apostles, especially Paul (as he doth himself at large, Rom. 11), from the reflections of the Jews upon him for preaching the gospel to the Gentiles, it is here observed that he proceeded therein with all the caution imaginable, and upon due consideration, of which we have here an instance.