the execution of them." Of this use, however, they give no examples; nor do any occur to me, except I may be allowed to compare the very same use of a not dissimilar word, namely, the Hebr. 1, to visit, which is used both in a good and bad sense. The Commentators remark, that dòs, and the Latin da, are frequent in prayers. See Rom. 15,5. Hom. II. y. 351. Virg. Æn. 2, 789. and consult Elsner, Wolf, and Raphel, on Mark 10, 37.

30. ἐν τῷ τὴν χεῖρά σου ἐκτείνειν σε εἰς ἴασιν, “ while thou extendest thine hand to heal the sick." A Hebrew phrase, declarative of power. See Glass. 934. · 31. καὶ δεηθέντων αὐτῶν ἐσαλεύθη ὁ τόπος. This unexpected earthquake was to the congregation a sign that God had heard their prayers, and would help them. For even the Gentiles believed that earthquakes were sometimes marks of divine approbation and favour; of which many examples are adduced by Pricæus, Doughty, and Wetstein.* Καὶ ἐπλήσθησαν ἅπαντες Πνεύματος ἁγίου, "filled with sacred ardour," as some recent Commentators render; but which is a mode of interpretation that exceedingly lowers

cum

*Of these the most important are the following. Virg. Æn. 3, 90. Vix ea fatus eram; tremere omnia visa repente, Liminaque laurusque Dei, totusque moveri Mons circum, et mugire adytis cortina reclusis. Callimachus, in Apoll. 1. olov ó 7' wπwλXwvos Εσείατο δάφνινος ὄρπηξ, οἷα τ' ὅλον τὸ μέλαθρον, ἑκὰς, ἑκὼς ὅστις ἀλιτρὸς, καὶ δὴ ποῦ τὰ θύρετρα καλῷ ποδὶ φοῖβος ἀράσσει. Jambli chus de Myster. 2, 4. de apparit. Deor. rǹv тe yñv μŋkétɩ dúvaoðaι korávaι avrŵv Kariovτwv. Ovidius, M. 15, 672. Vix bene desierat, Adventuque suo signumque serasque foresque Marmoreumque solum fastigiaque aurea movit. Esaj. 6, 4. Statius, Theb. 4,331. Mirabar, cur templa mihi tremuisse Dianæ Nuper visa. Plut. Public. p. 101 D. λέγουσι σεισθῆναι τὸ ἄλσος, ἐκ δ' αὐτοῦ φωνὴν ἐκπεσεῖν μεγάλην — ἦν δ ̓ ἄρα θεῖον τι τὸ φθεγξάμενον. Schoettgen has the following Rabbinical examples. Idra Rabba, § 24. Cum R. Simeon aperiret os suum, commotus est locus, Adde locum ex Tanchuma supra ad c. 2. 3. adductum. Sohar Exod. fol. 4. col. 14. R. Simeon extulit vocem, et oravit ad Deum S. B. Quum preces finisset, venit R. Elieser filius ejus et R. Abba, et sederunt coram ipso. Quo facto viderunt, quod tenebræ claro die exortæ sint, et lumen ingens

.et socii commoti sunt אזדעזע אתרא

et totas ואזעזדע כל ההוא אתר,submersum est in mare Tiberiaddis

ille locus commotus est.

ing the sense. There seems to have been a sensible illapse of the Holy Spirit; though I am not prepared to say, with Dr. Doddridge, that this was accompanied with any visible symbol of its descent; still less, with Dr. Benson, that the cloven tongues again fell on them. This, indeed, is being wise above what is written, and such temerity is carefully to be avoided, since it may lead, according to the temper of mind it meets with, as well to superstition, as to scepticism.

32. See the note on 2, 44. Toû dè πańbous TŴY TIOτευσάντων ἦν ἡ καρδία καὶ ἡ ψυχὴ μιὰ. The expression ἡ καρδία καὶ ἡ ψυχὴ μιὰ, it must be observed, was a proverbial description of the most tender affection and close unity.* On the words ouè els TI TŴY, οὐδὲ τι &c. see the note on 2, 44.

33. καὶ μεγάλη δυνάμει ἀπεδίδουν τ. μ. ο. ά. There seems no reason, with Pricæus, to interpret the expression év dvvάpes of miracles. It seems only to have reference to the force and efficacy of their eloquence and power to persuade and move the hearts of their hearers. See the note on Luke 4, 32. 24, 19. (Kuin.) The same view of the subject is taken by Heinrichs and Wolf. For my part, I would not exclude the force of that inartificial, but impressive eloquence, which, founded in conviction, and supported by the visible effects of Divine favour, would give their words an effect rarely to be found in the most polished oratory but I must maintain, that there is comprehended in the expression what would, above every thing else, enable them to speak with such power, namely, the miracles which they were occasionally enabled to work.

* Of the examples adduced by the Commentators, Grotius, Pricæus, Elsner, and Kypke, the following are the most apposite. Plut. in Cat. who cites the following antient verse: Avo piλoì, Yuxǹ μία. Diog. Laert. L. 5. C. 1. § 2. ἐρωτηθεὶς τί ἐστι φίλος ; ἔφη μία 4vxy dvò owμaoiv évoiкovσa. Eurip. Orest. 1047. Aristot. Eth. 9, 8. Ovid, Fast. 4, 72. Minutius Felix: Crederes unam mentem in duobus divisam esse,

· 33. χάρις τε μεγάλη ἦν ἐπὶ πάντας αὐτούς, “and they were all in great favour with the people." By zápis Beza, Pricæus, Heuman, Whitby, and Doddridge, understand the favour of God (as in Luke 2, 40. Ephes. 6, 21. Bengel renders, "in favour both with God and man." But to these interpretations I cannot assent. For the very connexion (compare ver. 37), and the parallel passage of ver. 47. clearly shew that the words are to be here understood of the favour of the people, which the Apostles and the rest of the Christians gained by their mutual love and harmony (ver. 32), and by their liberality towards the poor. See ver. 34. (Kuin.) To this mode of interpretation, which was also adopted by Grotius, Casaubon, Pearce, and Rosenmuller, I entirely accede.

34. ὅσοι γὰρ κτήτορες χωρίων ἢ οἰκιῶν ὑπῆρχον, &c. Calvin and Heuman rightly remark, that it cannot be hence inferred that all and every one of those who had farms or houses, sold part of the possessions. For here we have not άvres oσo, as in 5, 36. Matt. 7, 12, 13 & 44., and rot is elsewhere put indefinitely; as in 9, 39. This view of the subject is strongly confirmed by the words addressed by Peter to Ananias. (See 5, 4. and the note on 2, 44.) The phrase τιθέναι παρὰ τοὺς πόδας τινος, which occurs also in 5, 2. 7, 57. denotes to commit to the care and disposal of; for in the Hebrew, parts of the body are often used for the person himself. Of this Wetstein adduces several examples. (Kuin.) We may observe, moreover, that this action was intended as the most reverential mode of making the deposit; as is remarked by Ecumenius, whose words are these: Ἔτι τὸ πρὸς τοὺς πόδας, καὶ σέβας αὐτοῖς περιποίει, καὶ ὀνείδους ἀφῆρει τῶν ἔνδριαν τῶν τρεφομένων. *

* Wetstein here compares Debarim, R. 4. and Vajikra, R. 5. "R. Elieser, R. Josua, and R. Akiba, came to Antioch, where lived Aba Jodan, who used to give liberally to the Rabbins. His wife said to him, why hast thou not gone down to the market-place for these last two days? He answered: The Rabbins have come, and I have no money to give them; so I am ashamed to go down to

Of ripai, value, the following examples are adduced by Wetstein: Appian. B. c. 5. p. 1088. Tipas τῶν ἔτι πιπρασκομένων. Demosth. C. Aphob. 1. τῶν ἀνδραπόδων τῶν πιπρασκομένων τὰς τιμὰς ἐλάμβανεν. Doddridge has well refuted the insinuation of Orobio, that it was no small advantage to poor fishermen to be treasurers of so considerable a bank." "Nothing (says he) can be more unjust and unnatural than to suspect that men who were so ready to sacrifice their lives to the cause of truth and the happiness of mankind, should be capable of falsifying such a trust as this for the sake of a little money. Their miraculous powers were joined with a thousand marks of probity in their daily conduct to warrant such a confidence, which was but a natural token of due respect. We see in chap. 6, 2, 3, 4. how ready they were soon to transfer the management of this affair to other hands; and the following story furnishes us with an additional answer to this cavil, which is beyond all exception."

36. Of the number of those who sold their pos sessions for charitable purposes, was Barnabas, afterwards a celebrated Christian teacher. On the meaning of this name see Schleusner's Lexicon. This indeed is a point on which the Commentators are not agreed. It is usually thought to denote, son of consolation; but Kuinoel, after summing up the various opinions with his usual diligence and accuracy, determines it to mean, "son of doctrine," i. e. doctor. The question seems one of no easy determination ; but, like most such, is of little importance.

37. ὑπάρχοντος αὐτῷ ἀγροῦ. He could not have sold that which was his paternal inheritance as a Levite; but this might perhaps be some legacy, or purchase of land in Judea, to which he might have a title till the next jubilee, or perhaps some land in the market-place. His wife, who was fond of the precepts of the Rabbins, said to him: Have we not a piece of land remaining? Sell half, and give to them. And he went and did so; sold the half for five coins, and gave them to the Rabbins, saying: Pray for And they prayed for him, saying: God supply thy want, &c.

me.

Cyprus. (Doddridge.) That it was lawful for the Levites to buy land, we learn from the example of Jeremiah himself, who was of the tribe of Levi. (See Jer. 32, 17.) It is observed by Bp. Pearce, that those Commentators who contend that this land must have belonged to his wife, because according to the law mentioned in Numb. 18, 20, 23 & 24. a Levite could have no inheritance in Israel, seem to have mistaken the sense of that law, "which (says he) means only that the Levites, as a tribe, were not to have a share in the division of Canaan among the other tribes. This did not hinder any Levite from possessing lands in Judea either by purchase or by gift, as well as in right of his wife. Josephus was a Levite, and a priest too, and yet in his Life, ch. 76. he speaks of lands which he had lying about Jerusalem, and in exchange of which Vespasian gave him others for his greater benefit and advantage. After all, I see no reason why we may not suppose that this land, which Barnabas had and sold, was not land in Judea; and if so, the words of the law, no inheritance in Israel, did not (however understood) affect their case. His land might have been in his own country, Cyprus, an island of no great distance from Judea: and he might have sold it at Jerusalem to some purchaser there, perhaps to one of his own countrymen."

Xppa is equivalent to T, at ver. 34. It is rarely found (as here) in the singular, to denote money; yet it does so occur in Herodot. 3, 38. Diodor. Sic. 10, 106. where see Wass. (Kuin.) I add Diod. Sic. 6, 479. in Cod. Coislian.

CHAP. V.

After commending the undissembled liberality of Barnabas, Luke adduces a memorable example of the contrary (hinted at by the adversative de) in Ananias and Sapphira, who, on having sold some land, deposited part only with the Apostle, pretending to have brought the whole. And both of