Matthew Henry's Concise Commentary on the Whole Bible
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Acts
Book: Acts
Chapter: 13
Overview:
The mission of
Paul and
Barnabas.
(1-3) Elymas the
Sorcerer.
(4-13) Paul's discourse at
Antioch.
(14-41) He preaches to the
Gentiles, and is persecuted
By the Jews.
(42-52)
1-3 What an assemblage was here! In these names we see that the
Lord raises up instruments for his work, from various places and
stations in
Life; and zeal for his
Glory induces men to give up
flattering connections and prospects to promote his cause. It is
By the
Spirit of
Christ that his ministers are made both able
and willing for his service, and taken from other cares that
would hinder in it.
Christ's ministers are to be employed in
Christ's work, and, under the
Spirit's guidance, to act for the
Glory of
God the
Father. They are separated to take pains, and
not to take state. A blessing upon
Barnabas and
Saul in their
present undertaking was sought for, and that they might be
filled with the
Holy Ghost in their work. Whatever means are
used, or rules observed, the
Holy Ghost alone can fit ministers
for their important work, and
Call them to it.
4-13 Satan is in a special manner busy with great men and men
in power, to keep them from being religious, for their
Example
will influence many.
Saul is here for the first time called
Paul, and never after
Saul.
Saul was his name as he was a
Hebrew;
Paul was his name as he was a citizen of
Rome. Under the
direct influence of the
Holy Ghost, he gave
Elymas his true
character, but not in
Passion. A
Fulness of deceit and mischief
together, make a
Man indeed a
Child of the
Devil. And those who
are enemies to the doctrine of
Jesus, are enemies to all
Righteousness; for in it all
Righteousness is fulfilled. The
ways of the
Lord Jesus are the only right ways to
Heaven and
happiness. There are many who not only wander from these ways
themselves, but set others against these ways. They commonly are
So hardened, that they will not cease to do evil. The proconsul
was astonished at the force of the doctrine upon his own
Heart
and
Conscience, and at the power of
God By which it was
confirmed. The doctrine of
Christ astonishes; and the more we
know of it, the more reason we shall see to wonder at it. Those
who
Put their
Hand to the
Plough and look back, are not fit for
the
Kingdom of God. Those who are not prepared to
Face
opposition, and to endure hardship, are not fitted for the work
of the ministry.
14-31 When we come together to
Worship God, we must do it, not
only
By Prayer and praise, but
By the reading and hearing of the
Word of God. The bare reading of the Scriptures in public
assemblies is not enough; they should be expounded, and the
people exhorted out of them. This is helping people in doing
that which is necessary to make the
Word profitable, to apply it
to themselves. Every thing is touched upon in this sermon, which
might best prevail with Jews to receive and embrace
Christ as
the promised
Messiah. And every view, however short or faint, of
the
Lord's dealings with his
Church, reminds us of his
Mercy and
long-suffering, and of
Man's ingratitude and perverseness.
Paul
passes from
David to the Son of
David, and shows that this
Jesus
is his promised Seed; a
Saviour to do that for them, which the
Judges of old could not do, to save them from their sins, their
worst enemies. When the apostles preached
Christ as the
Saviour,
they were
So far from concealing his
Death, that they always
preached
Christ crucified. Our complete separation from
Sin, is
represented
By our being buried with
Christ. But he
Rose again
from the dead, and saw
No corruption: this was the great
Truth
to be preached.
32-37 The
Resurrection of Christ was the great proof of his
being the
Son of God. It was not possible he should be held
By
Death, because he was the
Son of God, and therefore had
Life in
himself, which he could not lay down but with a design to take
it again. The sure mercies of
David are that
Everlasting Life,
of which the resurrection was a sure
Pledge; and the blessings
of
Redemption in
Christ are a certain
Earnest, even in this
world.
David was a great blessing to the
Age wherein he lived.
We were not born for ourselves, but there are those living
around us, to whom we must study to be serviceable. Yet here is
the difference;
Christ was to serve all generations. May we look
to Him who is declared to be the
Son of God By his resurrection
from the dead, that
By Faith in him we may walk with
God, and
serve our
Generation according to his will; and when
Death
comes, may we fall asleep in him, with a joyful
Hope of a
blessed resurrection.
38-41 Let all that hear the
Gospel of
Christ, know these two
things: 1. That through this
Man, who died and
Rose again, is
preached unto you the forgiveness of sins. Your sins, though
many and great, may be forgiven, and they may be
So without any
injury to
God's honour. 2. It is
By Christ only that those who
believe in him, and none else, are justified from all things;
from all the guilt and stain of
Sin, from which they could not
be justified
By the
Law of
Moses. The great concern of convinced
sinners is, to be justified, to be acquitted from all their
guilt, and accepted as righteous in
God's sight, for if any is
left charged upon the sinner, he is undone.
By Jesus Christ we
obtain a complete
Justification; for
By him a complete
Atonement
was made for
Sin. We are justified, not only
By him as our
Judge
but
By him as the
Lord our
Righteousness. What the
Law could not
do for us, in that it was weak, the
Gospel of
Christ does. This
is the most needful blessing, bringing in every other. The
threatenings are warnings; what we are told will come upon
impenitent sinners, is designed to awaken us to beware lest it
come upon us. It ruins many, that they despise religion. Those
that will not wonder and be saved, shall wonder and perish.
42-52 The Jews opposed the doctrine the apostles preached; and
when they could find
No objection, they blasphemed
Christ and
his
Gospel. Commonly those who begin with contradicting,
End
with blaspheming. But when adversaries of
Christ's cause are
daring, its advocates should be the bolder. And while many
Judge
themselves unworthy of eternal
Life, others, who appear less
likely, desire to hear more of the glad tidings of
Salvation.
This is according to what was foretold in the Old
Testament.
What
Light, what power, what a treasure does this
Gospel bring
with it! How excellent are its truths, its precepts, its
promises! Those came to
Christ whom the
Father drew, and to whom
the
Spirit made the
Gospel Call effectual, Ro 8:30. As many as
were disposed to eternal
Life, as many as had concern about
their eternal state, and aimed to make sure of eternal
Life,
believed in
Christ, in whom
God has treasured up that
Life, and
who is the only Way to it; and it was the
Grace of
God that
wrought it in them. It is good to see honourable women devout;
the less they have to do in the world, the more they should do
for their own souls, and the souls of others: but it is sad,
when, under
Colour of devotion to
God, they try to show
Hatred
to
Christ. And the more we relish the comforts and
encouragements we meet with in the power of
Godliness, and the
Fuller our hearts are of them, the better prepared we are to
Face difficulties in the profession of
Godliness.