succession in our times to the peculiar apostolic office. They were to be witnesses of the work of Christ. For this they were sent forth. And when the desired effect resulting from such a witnessing was accomplished, the office itself would cease. Hence there is no record that after this the church even pretended to appoint successors to the apostles to discharge their peculiar work. And hence no ministers of the gospel can now pretend to be their successors in the peculiar and original design of the appointment of the apostles. (4.) The only other apostle mentioned in the New Testament is the apostle Paul, not appointed as the successor of the others, not with any peculiar design except to be an apostle to the Gentiles, as the others were to the Jews, and appointed for the same end, to testify that Jesus Christ was alive, and that he had seen him after he rose. (1 Cor. xv. 8; ix. 1. Acts xxii. 8, 9, 14, ligion, therefore, are successors of the apostles, not in their peculiar office as witnesses, but as preachers of the word, and as appointed to establish, to organize, and to edify and rule the churches. The peculiar work of the apostleship ceased with their death. The ordinary work of the ministry, which they held in common with all others who preach the gospel, will continue to the end of time. CHAPTER II. were blank. The names were then drawn at random, and also the other pieces, and this determined the case. The casting of a lot is determined by laws of nature, as regularly as any thing else. There is properly no chance in it. We do not know how a die may turn up; but this does not imply that it will turn up without any regard to rule, or at haphazard. We cannot trace the influences which may determine either this or that side to come up; but still it is done by regular and proper laws, and according to the circumstances of position, force, &c. in which it is cast. Still although it does not imply any special or miraculous interposition of Providence; though it may not be absolutely wrong, in cases which cannot otherwise be determined, to use the lot, yet it does not follow that it is proper often to make this appeal. Almost all cases of doubt can be determined more satisfactorily in some other way than by the lot. The habit of appeal-15; ix. 15; xxvi. 17, 18.) The ministers of reing to it engenders the love of hazards and of games; leads to heart-burnings, to jealousies, to envy, to strife, and to dishonesty. Still less does the example of the apostles authorize games of hazard, or lotteries, which are positively evil, and attended with ruinous consequences, apart from any inquiry about the lawfulness of the lot. They either originate in, or promote, covetousness, neglect of regular industry, envy, jealousy, disappointment, dissipation, bankruptcy, falsehood, and despair. What is gained by one is lost by another, and both the gain and the loss promote some of the worst passions of man; boasting, triumph, self-confidence, indolence, dissipation, on the one hand; and envy, disappointment, sullenness, desire of revenge, remorse, and ruin, on the other. God intended that man should live by sober toil. All departures from this great law of our social existence lead to ruin. Their lots.The lots which were to decide their case. They are called theirs, because they were to determine which of them should be called to the apostolic office. The lot fell.-This is an expression applicable to casting lots, not to voting. He was numbered.-By the casting of the lot. σvkaTAnpion. This word is from noos, "a calculus, or pebble," by which votes were given, or lots were cast. It means, that by the result of the lot, he was reckoned as an apostle. Nothing further is related of Matthias in the New Testament. Where he laboured, and when and where he died, is unknown, nor is there any tradition on which reliance is to be placed. The election of Matthias throws some light on the organization of the church. (1.) He was chosen to fill the place vacated by Judas, and for a specific purpose, to be a witness of the resurrection of Christ. There is no mention of any other design. It was not to ordain men exclusively, or to rule over the churches, but to be a witness to an important fact. (2.) There is no intimation here that it was designed that there should be successors to the apostles in the peculiar duties of the apostlic office. The election was for a definite object, and was therefore temporary. It was to fill up the number originally appointed by Christ. When the purpose for which he was appointed was accomplished, the peculiar part of the apostolic work ceased of course. (3.) There could be no a VER. 1. And when the day of Pentecost was fully come, they were all with one accord in one place. a Lev. xxiii. 15. Chap. i. 14. And when the day of Pentecost.-The word Pentecost is a Greek word, signifying the fiftieth part of a thing; or the fiftieth in order. Among the Jews it was applied to one of their three great feasts which began on the fiftieth day after the Passover. This feast was reckoned from the sixteenth day of the month ABIB, or April, or the second day of the Passover. The paschal lamb was slain on the fourteenth of the month, at even. (Lev. xxiii. 5.) On the fifteenth of the month was a holy convocation-the proper beginning of the feast; on the sixteenth was the offering of the first-fruits of harvest, and from that day they were to reckon seven weeks, i. e. forty-nine days to the feast called the feast of Pentecost, so that it occurred fifty days after the first day of the feast of the Passover. This feast was also called the feast of weeks, from the circumstance that it followed a succession of weeks. (Ex. xxxiv. 22. Num. xxviii. 26. Deut. xvi. 10.) It was also a harvest festival, and was accordingly called the feast of harvest. And it was for this reason that two loaves, made of new meal, were offered on this occasion as first-fruits. (Lev. xxiii. 17, 20. Num. xxviii. 27, 31.) Was fully come.-V -When the day had arrived. The word means here simply, had come. Comp. Mark i. 15. Luke i. 57. This fact is men ing and sensible manner, so as to convince their tioned, that the time of the Pentecost had come, or fully arrived, to account for what is related afterwards, that there were so many strangers and foreigners present. The promised influences of the Spirit were withheld until the greatest possible number of Jews should be present at Jerusalem at the same time, and thus an oppor- | tunity be afforded of preaching the gospel to vast multitudes in the very place where the Lord Jesus was crucified, and also an opportunity be afforded of sending the gospel by them into distant parts of the earth. They were all.-Probably not only the apostles, but also the one hundred and twenty mentioned in chap. i. 15. With one accord.-See chap. i. 14. It is probable they had continued together until this time, and given themselves entirely to the business of devotion. In one place.-Where this was, cannot be known. Commentators have been much divided in their conjectures about it. Some have supposed it was in the upper room mentioned chap. i. 13; others, that it was a room in the temple; others, that it was in a synagogue; others, that it was in the promiscuous multitude that assembled for devotion in the courts of the temple. See ver. 2. It has by many been supposed that this took place on the first day of the week, that is, on the Christian Sabbath. But | there is a difficulty in establishing this. There was probably a difference among the Jews themselves on this subject. The law said that they should reckon seven sabbaths, that is, seven weeks from the morrow after the sabbath. (Lev. xxiii. 15.) By this sabbath the Pharisees understood the second day of the Passover, on whatever day of the week it occurred, which was kept as a holy assembly, and might be called a sabbath. But the Caraite Jews, or those who insisted on a literal interpretation of the Scriptures, maintained that by the sabbath here was meant the usual sabbath, the seventh day of the week. Consequently, with them, the day of Pentecost always occurred on the first day of the week; and if the apostles fell in with their views, the day was fully come on what is now the Chris-native case but "the sound." And suddenly tian sabbath. But if the views of the Pharisees were followed, and the Lord Jesus had with them kept the Passover on Thursday, as many have supposed, then the day of Pentecost would have occurred on the Jewish sabbath, that is on Saturday. Kuinöel. Lightfoot. It is impossible to determine the truth on this subject. Nor is it of much importance. The day of Pentecost was kept by the Jews also as a festival to commemorate the giving of the law on Mount Sinai. VER. 2. And suddenly there came a sound from heaven, as of a rushing mighty wind, and it filled all the house where they were sitting. e Chap. iv. 31. And suddenly.-It burst upon them at once. Though they were waiting for the descent of the Spirit, yet it is not probable that they expected it in this manner. As this was an important event, and one on which the welfare of the church depended, it was proper that the gift of the Holy Spirit should take place in some strik there was a sound as of a wind, and (the sound) filled the house. In the Greek, the word "wind" is in the genitive or possessive case. It may be remarked here, that this miracle was really far more striking than the common supposition makes it to have been. A tempest might have been terrific. A mighty wind might have alarmed them. But there would have been nothing unusual or remarkable in it. Such things often occurred; and the thoughts would have been directed of course to the storm as an ordinary, though perhaps alarming occurrence. But when all was still; when there was no storm, no wind, no rain, no thunder, such a rushing sound must have arrested their attention, and directed all minds to so unusual and unaccountable an occurrence. All the house.-Some have supposed that this was a room in or near the temple. But as the temple is not expressly mentioned, this is improbable. It was probably the private dwelling mentioned in chap. i. 31. If it be said that such a dwelling could not contain so large a multitude as soon assembled, it may be replied that their houses had large cen tral courts, (see note, Matt. ix. 2;) and that it isnings, and smoke, and fire, striking emblems of not affirmed that the transaction recorded in this chapter occurred in the room which they occupied. It is probable that it took place in the court and around the house. VER. 3. And there appeared unto them cloven tongues like as of fire, and it sat upon each of them. And there appeared unto them.-There were seen by them, or they saw. They were first seen by them in the room before they rested on the heads of the disciples. Perhaps the fire appeared at first as scintillations or corruscations, until it became fixed on their heads. Tongues.yλwooal. The word "tongue" occurs often in the Scriptures to denote the member which is the instrument of taste and speech, and also to denote language or speech itself. It is also used, as with us, to denote that which in shape resembles the tongue. Thus Josh. vii. 21, 24, (in Hebrew,) "a tongue of gold," i. e. a wedge of gold. Josh. xv. 5; xviii. 19. Isa. xi. 15, "The tongue of the sea,' i. e. a bay or gulf. Thus also we say, a tongue of land. The phrase "tongue of fire" occurs once, and once only, in the Old Testament, Isa. v. 24, "Therefore as the fire devoureth the stubble, (Heb. tongue of fire,) and the flame consumeth," &c. In this place the name tongue is given from the resemblance of a pointed flame to the human tongue. Any thing long, narrow, and tending to a point, is thus in the Hebrew called a tongue. The word here means, therefore, slender and pointed appearances of flame; perhaps at first moving irregularly around the room. Cloven.-Divided, separated: diapepizóμevai, from the verb to divide, or distribute into parts. Matt. xxvii. 35, "They parted his garments." Luke xxii. 17, "Take this, (the cup,) and divide it among yourselves." Probably the common opinion is, that these tongues or flames were, each one of them, split, or forked, or cloven. But this is not the sense of the expression. It means that they were separated or divided one from another; not one great flame, but broken up, or cloven into many parts; and probably moving without order in In the Syriac it is, " And there appeared unto them tongues which divided themselves, like fire, and sat upon each of them." The old Ethiopic version reads it, "And fire, as it were, appeared to them, and sat on them." And sat upon each of them.-Or rested, in the form of a lambent or gentle flame, upon the head of each one. This evinced that the prodigy was directed to them, and was a very significant emblem of the promised descent of the Holy Spirit. After the rushing sound, and the appearance of the flames, they could not doubt that here was some remarkable interposition of God. The appearance of fire, or flame, has always been regarded as a most striking emblem of the Divinity. Thus, (Exod. iii. 2, 3,) God is said to have manifested himself to Moses in a bush which was burning, yet not consumed. Thus, (Exod. xix. 16-20,) God descended on Mount Sinai in the midst of thunders, and light the room. his presence and power. See also Gen. xv. 17. Thus, (Deut. iv. 24,) God is said to be “a consuming fire." Comp. Heb. xii. 29. See Ezek. i. 4. Psa. xviii. 12-14. The classic reader will also instantly recall the beautiful description in Other inVirgil. (Eneid, b. ii. 680-691.) stances of a similar prodigy are also recorded in profane writers. (Pliny, H. N. 2, 37. Livy, i. 39.) These appearances to the apostles were emblematic, doubtless, (1.) Of the promised Holy Spirit, as a spirit of purity and of power. The prediction of John the Baptist, "He shall baptize with the Holy Ghost and with fire," (Matt. iii. 11,) would probably be recalled at once to their memory. (2.) The peculiar appearance, that of tongues, was an emblem of the diversity of languages which they were about to be able to utter. Any form of fire would have denoted the presence and power of God; but a form was adopted expressive of the case. Thus any appearance at the baptism of Jesus might have denoted the presence and approbation of God; but the form chosen was that of a dove descending; expressive of the mild and gentle virtues with which he was to be imbued. So in Ezek. i. 4, any form of flame might have expressed the presence of God; but the appearance actually was emblematical of his providence. In the same way, the appearence here, expressed their peculiar endowments for entering on their great work— the ability to speak powerfully with new tongues. VER. 4. And they were all filled with the Holy Ghost, and began to speak with other tongues, as the Spirit gave them utterance. Were all filled with the Holy Ghost.-Were entirely under his sacred influence and power. See Note, Luke i. 41, 67. To be filled with any thing, is a phrase denoting that all the faculties are pervaded by it, engaged in it, or under its influence. Acts iii. 10, Were filled with wonder and amazement." v. 17, "Filled with indignation." xiii. 45, "Filled with envy." Ver. 52, "Filled with joy and the Holy Ghost." Began to speak with other tongues.-In other languages than their native tongue. The languages which they spoke are specified in ver. 8-11. As the Spirit gave them utterance.-As the Spirit gave them power to speak. This language implies plainly that they were now endued with a faculty of speaking languages which they had not before learned. Their native tongue was that of Galilee, a somewhat barbarous dialect of the common language used in Judea, the SyroChaldaic. It is possible that some of them might have been partially acquainted with the Greek and Latin, as both of them were spoken among the Jews to some extent; but there is not the slightest evidence that they were acquainted with the languages of the different nations afterwards specified. Various attempts have been made to account for this remarkable phenomenon, without supposing it to be a miracle. But the natural and obvious meaning of the passage is, that they were endowed by the miraculous power of the Holy Ghost, with ability to speak foreign languages, and languages to them before unknown. It does not appear that each one had the power of speaking all the languages which are specified, (ver. 9-11,) but that this ability was among them, and that together they could speak these languages; probably some one, and some another. The following remarks may perhaps throw some light on this remarkable occurrence. (1.) This ability was predicted in the Old Testament. Isa. xxviii. 11, "With... another tongue will he speak unto this people." Comp. 1 Cor. xiv. 21, where this passage is expressly applied to the power of speaking foreign languages under the gospel. (2.) It was predicted by the Lord Jesus that they should have this power. Mark xvi. 17, "These signs shall follow them that believe... they shall speak with new tongues." (3.) The ability to do it existed extensively and long in the church. 1 Cor. xii. 10, 11, "To another divers kinds of tongues; to another the interpretation of tongues: all these worketh that one and the self-same Spirit." Ver. 28, "God hath set in the church ...diversities of tongues." 30; xiv. 2, 4, 5, 6, 9, 13, 14, 18, 19, 22, 23, 27, 39. From this it appears that the power was well known in the church, and was not confined to the apostles. This also may show that in the case in the Acts, the power was conferred on other members of the church as well as the apostles. (4.) It was very important that they should be endowed with this power in their great work. They were going forth to preach to all nations; and though the Greek and Roman tongues were extensively spoken, yet their use was not universal; nor is it known that the apostles were skilled in those languages. To preach to all nations, it was indispensable that they should be able to understand their language. And it was necessary that they should be endowed with ability to speak them, without the slow process of being compelled to learn them. (5.) One design was to establish the gospel by means of miracles. Yet no miracle could be more striking than the power of conveying their sentiments at once into all the languages of the earth. When it is remembered what a slow and toilsome process it is to learn a foreign tongue, this would be regarded by the heathen as one of the most striking miracles which were ever wrought in the establishment of the Christian faith. (1 Cor. xiv. 22, 24, 25.) (6.) The reality and certainty of this miracle is strongly attested by the early triumphs of the gospel. That the gospel was early spread over all the world, and that too by the apostles of Jesus Christ, by men of Galilee, is the clear testimony of all history. They preached it in Arabia, Greece, Syria, Asia, Persia, Africa, and Rome. Yet how could this have been effected without a miraculous power of speaking the languages used in all those places? Now, it requires the toil of many years to speak in foreign languages; and the recorded success of the gospel is one of the most striking attestations to the fact of the miracle, that could be conceived. (7.) The corruption of language was one of the most decided effects of sin, of pride and ambition, and the source of endless embar rassments and difficulties. (Gen. xi.) It is not to be regarded as wonderful, if one of the effects of the plan of recovering men, should be to show the power of God over all evil; and thus to furnish striking evidence that the gospel could meet all the crimes and calamities of men. And we may add, (8.) That from this we see the necessity now of training men who are to be missionaries to other lands. The gift of miracles is withdrawn. The apostles, by that miracle, simply were empowered to speak other languages. That power must still be had, if the gospel is to be preached. But it is now to be obtained, not by miracle, but by slow and careful study and toil. If possessed, men must be taught it. They must labour for it. And as the church is bound (Matt. xxviii. 19) to send the gospel to all nations, so it is bound to provide that the teachers who shall be sent forth, shall be qualified for their work. Hence one of the reasons of the importance of training men for the holy ministry. VER. 5. And there were dwelling at Jerusalem Jews, devout men, out of every nation under heaven. There were dwelling at Jerusalem.—The word rendered "dwelling," kaтоIKоUVTEC, properly means to have a fixed and permanent habitation, in distinction from another word, wapotкouvres, which means to have a temporary and transient residence in a place. But it is not always confined to this signification; and it is not improbable that many wealthy foreign Jews had a permanent residence in Jerusalem, for the convenience of being near the temple. This was the more probable, as about that time the Messiah was expected to appear. (Matt. ii.) Jews. Jews by birth; of Jewish descent and religion. Devout men, ävôρeç evλaßeig.-Literally, men of cautious and circumspect lives, who lived in a prudent manner. The term is applied to men who were cautious about offending God; who were careful to observe his commandments. It hence is a general expression to denote pious or religious men. Acts viii. 2, "And devout men carried Stephen to his burial." Luke ii. 25, "And the same man (Simeon) was just, and devout." The word "devout" means, "yielding a solemn and reverential attention to God in reli gious exercises, particularly in prayer, pious, sincere, solemn," (Webster,) and very well expresses the force of the original. Out of every nation under heaven.-A general expression, meaning from all parts of the earth. The countries from which they came are more particularly specified in ver. 9—11. The Jews at that time were scattered into almost all nations, and in all places had synagogues. See Note, John vii. 35. Still they would naturally desire to be present, as often as possible, at the great feasts of the nation in Jerusalem. Many would seek a residence there for the convenience of being present at the religious solemnities. Many who came up to the feast of the Passover, would remain to the feast of the Pentecost. And the consequence was, that on such occasions the city would be full of strangers. We are told, that when Titus besieged Jerusalem at about the feast of the Passover, there were no less than three millions of people in the city, and this great multitude greatly deepened the calamities arising from the siege. Josephus also mentions an instance where great multitudes of Jews, from other nations, were present at the feast of Pentecost. (Jewish War, b. ii. chap. iii. § 1.) verbially barbarous and corrupt. (Mark xiv. 70. Matt. xxvi. 73.) They were regarded as an outlandish people, unacquainted with other nations and languages, and hence the amazement that they could address them in the refined language of other people. Their native ignorance was the occasion of making the miracle more striking. The native weakness and inability of Christian ministers, makes the grace and glory VER. 6. Now when this was noised abroad, the of God more remarkable in the success of the multitude came together, and were confound-gospel. "We have this treasure in earthen ed, & because that every man heard them speak of God, and not of us." (2 Cor. iv. 7.) The vessels, that the excellency of the power may be in his own language. When this voice was made. g Or, troubled in mind. When this was noised abroad.-When the rumour of this remarkable transaction was spread, as it naturally would be, without delay. Were confounded, ovvExún. Were violently moved and agitated; were amazed and astonished at the remarkable occurrence. Every man heard them speak, &c.—Though the multitude spoke different tongues, yet they now heard Galileans use the language which they had learned in foreign nations. His own language.- His own dialect, dialéкry. His own idiom, whether it was a foreign language, or whether it was a modification of the Hebrew. The word may mean either; but it is probable that the foreign Jews would greatly modify the Hebrew, or conform almost entirely to the language spoken in the country where they lived. We may remark here, that this effect on the first descent of the Holy Ghost, was not peculiar to that time. A work of grace on the hearts of men, in a revival of religion, will always be noised abroad. A multitude will come together, and God often, as he did here, makes use of this motive to bring them under the influence of religion. Curiosity was the motive here, and it was the occasion of their being brought under the influence of the truth, and of their conversion. In thousands of cases, this has occurred since. The effect of what they saw was to confound them. They made no complaint at first of the irregularity of what was done, but were all amazed and overwhelmed. So the effect of a revival of religion is often to convince the multitude that it is indeed a work of the Holy One; to amaze them by the display of his power; and to silence opposition and cavil by the manifest presence and the power of God. A few afterwards began to cavil, (ver. 13,) as some will always do in a revival; but the mass were convinced, as will be the case always, that this was a mighty display of the power of God. VER. 7. And they were all amazed and marvelled, saying one to another, Behold, are not all these which speak Galileans ? h Chap. i. 11. Galileans.-Inhabitants of Galilee. It was remarkable that they should speak in this manner, because, (1.) They were proverbially ignorant, rude, and uncivilized. (John i. 46.) Hence the term Galilean was used as an expression of the deepest reproach and contempt. (Mark xiv. 70. John vii. 52.) (2.) Their dialect was pro success which God often grants to those who are of slender endowments and of little learning, though blessed with a humble and pious heart, is has chosen the foolish things of the world to often amazing to the men of the world. confound the wise. (1 Cor. i. 27.) This should God teach us that no talent or attainment is too humble to be employed for mighty purposes, in its proper sphere, in the kingdom of Christ, and that pious effort may accomplish much, may awe and amaze the world, and then burn in heaven learning, and talent, may blaze uselessly among with increasing lustre for ever; while pride, and men, or kindle up the worst passions of our nature, and then be extinguished in eternal night. VER. 8. And how hear we every man in our own tongue, wherein we were born? Wherein we were born.―That is, as we say, in our native language; that which is spoken, where we were born. VER. 9. Parthians, and Medes, and Elamites, and the dwellers in Mesopotamia, and in Judea, and Cappadocia, in Pontus, and Asia, and power of this miracle, Luke enumerates the different nations that were represented then at Jerusalem. In this way, the number of languages which the apostles spoke, and the extent of the miracle, can be ascertained. The enumeration of these nations begins at the east, and proceeds to the west. Parthians mean those Jews, or proselytes, who dwelt in Parthia. This country was a part of Persia, and was situated between the Persian Gulf and the Tigris on the west, and the river Indus on the east. To the south, it was bounded by the desert of Caramania, and it had Media on the north. Their empire lasted about four hundred years, and they were much distinguished for their manner of fighting. usually fought on horseback, and when appearing to retreat, discharged their arrows with great execution behind them. They were a part of the vast Scythian horde of Asia, and disputed the empire of the east with the Romans. language spoken there was that of Persia, and in ancient writers, Parthia and Persia often mean the same country. Medes.-Inhabitants of Media. This country was situated north of Parthia, and south of the Caspian sea. It was about the size of Spain, and was one of the richest parts of Asia. In the Scriptures it is called Madai. (Gen. x. 2.) The Medes are often mentioned, Parthians, &c.-To show the surprising extent They The |