The gospel hereby spread far and near (v. 10): All those that dwelt in Asia heard the word of the Lord Jesus; not only all that dwelt in Ephesus, but all that dwelt in that large province called Asia, of which Ephesus was the head cityAsia the Less it was called. He purposed to go and see how the work of God went on in those places, that he might rectify what was amiss and encourage what was good. Matthew Henry Bible Commentary (complete) Acts. It is certain that at Corinth he wrought many miracles, though Luke has recorded none, for he tells them (2 Cor 12 12) that the signs of his apostleship were among them, in wonders and mighty deeds. (1.) It was the common talk of the town; and the effect of it was, (1.) When he has thus shown them the absurdity of their riotous meeting, and the bad consequences that might follow from it, he advises them to separate with all speed (v. 41): he dismissed the assembly, ordered the crier perhaps to give notice that all manner of persons should peaceably depart and go about their own business, and they did so. (2.) He stills the noise of the sea, noise of her waves, and (which is no less an instance of his almighty power) the tumult of the people, Ps 65 7. Commentary on Acts 19:21-31. He owns that John's baptism was a very good thing, as far as it went: John verily baptized with the baptism of repentance. When Paul departed from the Jews he took the disciples with him, and separated them, to save them from that untoward generation (according to the charge Peter gave to his new converts, ch. 1. He preached dialegomenosdialogue-wise; he put questions to them and received their answers, gave them leave to put questions to him and answered them. 13 Then certain of the vagabond Jews, exorcists, took upon them to call over them which had evil spirits the name of the Lord Jesus, saying, We adjure you by Jesus whom Paul preacheth. Had they kept the books by them, there was danger lest, when the heat of the present conviction was over, they should have the curiosity to look into them, and so be in danger of liking them and loving them again, and therefore they burnt them. The general notice that was taken of this, and the good impression it made upon many (v. 17): This was known to all the Jews and Greeks also dwelling at Ephesus. This occasioned the prosecutors to drop the prosecution of Paul's friends, and to turn it into acclamations in honour of their goddess (v. 34): When they knew that he was a Jew, and, as such, an enemy to the worship of Diana (for the Jews had now an implacable hatred to idols and idolatry), whatever he had to say for Paul or against him, they were resolved not to hear him, and therefore set the mob a shouting, "Great is Diana of the Ephesians; whoever runs her down, be he Jew or Christian, we are resolved to cry her up. They had the Spirit of prophesy, that they might understand the mysteries of the kingdom of God themselves, and the gift of tongues, that they might preach them to every nation and language. To the synagogue of the Jews none might come, nor could come, but Jews or proselytes; Gentiles were excluded; but, when he set up a meeting in the school of Tyrannus, both Jews and Greeks attended his ministry, v. 10. 19:21-41 - Matthew Henry's Complete Commentary - Bible Study See here. He turns them over to the regular methods of the law, which ought always to supersede popular tumults, and in civilized well-governed nations will do so. II. Matthew Henry Commentary on the Whole Bible Acts 9 Commentary - Matthew Henry Commentary on the Whole Bible (Complete) They had reason to say to Paul, as David's servants did to him, when he was for exposing himself in a piece of public service, Thou art worth ten thousand of us, 2 Sam 18 3. Note, The law is good if a man use it lawfully, as the last remedy both for the discovery of a right disputed and the recovery of a right denied. But then who could tell into whose hands these dangerous books might fall, and what mischief might be done by them? Bible Text Commentaries by Matthew Henry - Blue Letter Bible Let us often consider unto what we were baptized, that we may live up to our baptism. He was a man of vast designs for God, and was for making his influences as widely diffusive as might be. What he preached to them: The things concerning the kingdom of God among men, the great things which concerned God's dominion over all men and favour to them, and men's subjection to God and happiness in God. A great disorder among themselves (v. 29): The whole city was full of confusionthe common and natural effect of intemperate zeal for a false religion; it throws all into confusion, dethrones reason, and enthrones passion; and men run together, not only not knowing one another's minds, but not knowing their own. I know that Jesus has conquered principalities and powers, and that Paul has authority in his name to cast out devils; but what power have you to command us in his name, or who gave you any such power? By this baptism he required people to be sorry for their sins, and to confess them and turn from them; and to bring any to this is a great point gained. Why should you prosecute those with all this violence who, though they are not of your mind, yet do not inveigh with any bitterness against you? 13 42), but now he disputed daily, he set up a lecture every day, and thus redeemed time: those whose business would not permit them to come one day might come another day; and those were welcome who watched daily at these gates of wisdom, and waited daily at the posts of her doors. (2.) They laid hands on some of Paul's companions, and hurried them into the theatre (v. 29), some think with design there to make them fight with beasts, as Paul had sometimes done; or perhaps they intended only to abuse them, and to make them a spectacle to the crowd. He lays it down for a principle that the art and mystery of making silver shrines for the worshippers of Diana was very necessary to be supported and kept up (v. 25): "You know that by this craft we have not only our subsistence, and our necessary food, but our wealth. (2.) 1 And it came to pass, that, while Apollos was at Corinth, Paul having passed through the upper coasts came to Ephesus: and finding certain disciples, 2 He said unto them, Have ye received the Holy Ghost since ye believed? And they said, Unto John's baptism. Acts 19 - Henry's Concise Commentary on the Bible - Bible Commentaries ACTS 19 COMMENTARY (MATTHEW HENRY) - King James Bible Online 23 And the same time there arose no small stir about that way. How he laboured there in the word and doctrine, how he taught some weak believers that had gone no further than John's baptism (ver 1-7), how he taught three months in the synagogue of the Jews (ver 8), and, when he was driven thence, how he taught the Gentiles a long time in a public school (ver 9, 10), and how he confirmed his doctrine by miracles, ver 11, 12. One, having authority, at length stilled the noise. (1.) This was extorted out of the mouth of the evil spirit by the power of God, to gain honour to the gospel, and to put those to shame that made a bad use of Christ's name. 36 Seeing then that these things cannot be spoken against, ye ought to be quiet, and to do nothing rashly. In the synagogue he could only preach every sabbath day (ch. Thus they prevented their doing mischief to others. 1. Thus they showed a contempt of the wealth of this world; for the price of the books was cast up, probably by those that persuaded them not to burn them, and it was found to be fifty thousand pieces of silver, which some compute to be fifteen hundred pounds of our money. 38 Wherefore if Demetrius, and the craftsmen which are with him, have a matter against any man, the law is open, and there are deputies: let them implead one another. He that is able to receive it, let him receive it. III. He was born prematurely at his mother's family estate, Broad Oak, a farmhouse on the borders of Flintshire and Shropshire. Matthew Henry The commentaries of the Reverend Matthew Henry have been a great blessing to the readers of the Blue Letter Bible since 1996. III. When Paul departed there needed no more to separate the disciples; let him go where he will, they will follow him. Gaius was of Derbe, ch. Matthew Henry Complete Bible Commentary Online They saw that the name of Christ was not to be trifled with, nor his religion compounded with pagan superstitions. Here is the conversion of others of Satan's servants, with the evidences of their conversion. 28 And when they heard these sayings, they were full of wrath, and cried out, saying, Great is Diana of the Ephesians 29 And the whole city was filled with confusion: and having caught Gaius and Aristarchus, men of Macedonia, Paul's companions in travel, they rushed with one accord into the theatre. III. Acts 19:19 Commentaries: And many of those who practiced magic brought their books together and began burning them in the sight of everyone; and they counted up the price of them and found it fifty thousand pieces of silver. Acts 19:6 Commentaries: And when Paul had laid his hands upon them, the but it was God that wrought them by the hand of Paul. (Acts 19:8-12) He teaches there. Matthew 19. When still more and more are wrought upon by the gospel, and wrought up into a conformity to it, then it grows; when those that were least likely to yield to it, and that had been most stiff in their opposition to it, are captivated and brought into obedience to it, then it may be said to grow mightily. it was therefore the safest course to commit them all to the flames. This they heard, or at least heard of it. 1. There are other Dianas, but Diana of the Ephesians is beyond them all, because her temple is more rich and magnificent than any of theirs." 31 And certain of the chief of Asia, which were his friends, sent unto him, desiring him that he would not adventure himself into the theatre. The casting of evil spirits out of those that were possessed was one instance of Christ's victory over Satan; but, to show in how many ways Christ triumphed over that great enemy, we have here in these verses two remarkable instances of the conquest of Satan, not only in those that were violently possessed by him, but in those that were voluntarily devoted to him. See here, [1.] III. The same enemy that overcomes them with his temptations will overcome them with his terrors; and their adjuring him in Christ's name to let them alone will be no security to them. They had an invincible aversion to the gospel of Christ themselves: they were hardened, and believed not; they were resolved they would not believe, though the truth shone in their faces with ever such a convincing light and evidence. 32 Some therefore cried one thing, and some another: for the assembly was confused; and the more part knew not wherefore they were come together. It was not Paul that wrought them (What is Paul, and what is Apollos?) Having spent above two years at Ephesus, (1.) Read Acts 19 commentary using Matthew Henry Commentary on the Whole Bible (Concise). These, having their consciences more awakened than ever to see the evil of those practices in which these books instructed them, brought their books together, and burnt them before all men. Does the Bible Advise Us about Dealing with Grief? All rights reserved. 17 And this was known to all the Jews and Greeks also dwelling at Ephesus; and fear fell on them all, and the name of the Lord Jesus was magnified. 10 44. Was the success of the gospel, without miracles in the kingdom of nature, itself such a miracle in the kingdom of grace, and the divine power which went along with it such a proof of its divine original, that there needed no other? Paul is here very busy at Ephesus to do good. How he was seconded in his purpose, and obliged to pursue it by the troubles which at length he met with at Ephesus. 9 But when divers were hardened, and believed not, but spake evil of that way before the multitude, he departed from them, and separated the disciples, disputing daily in the school of one Tyrannus. How well were it if we would thus still the tumult of our disorderly appetites and passions, and check the violence of them, with the consideration of the account we must shortly give to the Judge of heaven and earth for all these disorders!
Branham High School Events, Guishan Island Volcano, Hargreaves Lansdown Pension Tax Relief Calculator, Cities In Edgecombe County Nc, What County Is Sevierville Tn In, Articles A