out of Jerusalem: for they will not receive thy testimony concerning me" (Acts xxii. 17, 18). But these two motives do not exclude each other. Paul, notwithstanding the opposition and machinations of the Jews, may have felt desirous to remain: he had a warm heart toward his brethren according to the flesh; he was eager for their conversion ; and it required a revelation from Christ Himself to cause him to comply with the importunity of his friends, and to depart. Luke mentions the external reason; Paul the internal motive. Eis Kaιoápelav-to Cæsarea. Paul says that after he departed from Jerusalem, he came into the regions of Syria and Cilicia. Some (Calovius, Doddridge, Du Veil, and Olshausen) suppose that Cæsarea Philippi is here meant, because that was the most direct road between Jerusalem and Syria. But the word Cæsarea by itself evidently points to the much more celebrated city on the Mediterranean, the residence of the Roman procuratorsCæsarea Palestinæ. And as to his journey through Syria, this might easily have taken place, either by his proceeding from Cæsarea to Tarsus by land, or by sailing to Tyre or Sidon or any of the Phoenician ports, or perhaps at once to Seleucia, the port of Antioch, and then by land from Antioch to Tarsus.

Eis Tapoóv-to Tarsus. This city must always be interesting to Christians, as the birthplace of Paul-" a Jew of Tarsus, a city of Cilicia, a citizen of no mean city" (Acts xxi. 39). Situated on a fertile plain on the banks of the Cydnus, which flowed through it, it was then a populous city, and the capital of the Roman province of Cilicia. Tarsus was celebrated for its schools, and rivalled the renowned universities of Athens and Alexandria. "They of Tarsus," observes Strabo, "are much addicted to the study of philosophy, and excel Athens and Alexandria, and every other place where there are schools of philosophy. And the reason of this is, because at Tarsus both the natives and strangers are fond of learning: whereas in the other cities, except Alexandria, many come to them; but you will see few of the natives either going abroad or caring to study at

home." And he adds: "Rome is best able to inform us what number of learned men this city has produced, for it is filled with persons from Tarsus and Alexandria” (Strabo, xiv. 5. 12–15).1 In all probability, it was at these celebrated schools that Paul received his first instructions. Tarsus obtained from Antony the privilege of a free city,—that is, although belonging to the Roman empire, it enjoyed the right of being governed by its own laws, and of choosing its own magistrates; but it is a mistake to suppose that this privilege constituted its inhabitants Roman citizens. It was not until several years afterwards that it became a Roman colony. It is now a poor and dirty town, known by the name Tarsous, though it has still a population of 30,000.

Paul in Tarsus was now in his native city. He had gone forth from it a Pharisee, a zealot for Judaism; he had now returned a Christian, and was about to commence his apostolic career. He did not spend his time here, as in Arabia, in retirement, but in preaching the gospel. He himself tells us that he preached Christ in Cilicia, of which Tarsus is the capital; and doubtless the churches of Cilicia, afterwards mentioned (Acts xv. 23, 41), owe their origin to this residence of Paul in his native country. Here, in all probability, he resided for about two years; after which he was sought out by the same Barnabas who had introduced him to the apostles, and was called to engage in a far wider sphere of labour-as the apostle, not of Cilicia merely, but of the whole Gentile world.

1 Strabo makes frequent mention of the gymnasium for young men at Tarsus. Perhaps it was from the games exhibited in this gymnasium of his native city, that Paul derived his numerous illustrations drawn from the Greek games.

2 Winer's Realwörterbuch; Conybeare and Howson, vol. i. pp. 27 and 130.

SECTION XX.

THE MIRACLES OF PETER.-ACTS IX. 31-43.

31 Then the church had peace throughout all Judea, and Galilee, and Samaria, being edified and walking in the fear of the Lord, and by the exhortation of the Holy Ghost, was multiplied. 32 And it came to pass that Peter, passing through all places, came down also to the saints who dwelt at Lydda. 33 And he found there a certain man named Eneas, who had kept his bed for eight years, and was paralyzed. 34 And Peter said to him, Æneas, Jesus the Christ makes thee whole; arise, and make thy bed. And immediately he arose. 35 And all the inhabitants of Lydda and Saron saw him, and they turned to the Lord.

36 Now there was at Joppa a certain disciple named Tabitha, who by interpretation is called Dorcas: she was full of good works and alms which she did. 37 And it came to pass in those days, that she fell sick, and died whom when they had washed, they laid in an upper chamber. 38 And as Lydda was near Joppa, the disciples having heard that Peter was there, sent two men to him, exhorting him, Delay not to come to us. 39 Then Peter arose, and went with them. When he was come, they brought him to the upper chamber: and all the widows stood by him weeping, and showing tunics and garments which Dorcas made while she was with them. 40 But Peter, having put them all out, kneeled down and prayed; and having turned to the body, he said, Tabitha, arise. And she opened her eyes; and seeing Peter, she sat up. 41 And having given her his hand, he raised her up; and when he had called the saints and widows, he presented her alive. 42 And it was known throughout all Joppa; and many believed on the Lord. 43 And it came to pass, that he remained many days in Joppa with one Simon a tanner.

CRITICAL NOTES.

Ver. 31. The singular . . . ἐκκλησία

οἰκοδομουμένη καὶ πορευομένη

ἐπληθύνετο, is the reading

of A, B, C, N, and is preferred by all the recent critics to the plural, the reading of the textus receptus, which is found in E, G, H. Ver. 38. Μὴ ὀκνήσῃς διελθεῖν ἕως ἡμῶν is found in A, B, C, E, N, and is preferred by all the recent critics

to μὴ ὀκνῆσαι διελθεῖν ἕως αὐτῶν of the textus receptus, found in G, H.

EXEGETICAL REMARKS.

Ver. 31. 'H μèv ovv èkкλŋoía—Then the church. The church (see Critical Note) is here mentioned in its unity, as embracing all the different churches throughout the three provinces of Palestine. "The external bond of this unity was the apostles; the internal, the Holy Ghost: Christ, the one head the forms of the union were as yet undeveloped (Meyer). Καθ' ὅλης τῆς Ἰουδαίας, καὶ Γαλιλαίας, καὶ Σαμα peias-throughout all Judea, and Galilee, and Samaria-the three districts into which Palestine was at that time divided. We have been already informed of the planting of the church in Samaria by Philip the evangelist; the dispersed preached the gospel in Judea, and doubtless established churches there (Acts viii. 1); and in Galilee, the chief scene of Christ's ministry, and the residence of the apostles, the disciples were numerous from the beginning-it was the cradle of Christianity.

Eixev eipnvnv-had peace; i.e. rest from the persecution which arose after the death of Stephen. The time when this peace occurred was probably before Paul came to Jerusalem, and during his three years' residence in Damascus and Arabia; for there is no reason to believe that the persecution lasted three years.1 According to this view, the account of Paul's visit to Jerusalem (vers. 26-30) is given by anticipation. Different causes have been assigned for this cessation of the persecution. The common opinion is, that it was caused by the conversion of Paul, the chief persecutor having turned a Christian. But there is no reason to suppose that Paul's influence was so great: he was only an instrument in the hands of the Sanhedrim. Calvin thinks that the peace is to be ascribed to the departure of Paul from Jerusalem; that the sight of him provoked the fury of his enemies, and that 1 The peace extended from the year 38 to the year 44.

2 Calvin on Acts ix. 31.

on his departure their fury was quieted. But the peace, here referred to, is not merely the peace of the church in Jerusalem, but of the church throughout Palestine. De Wette, with greater probability, supposes that it was occasioned by the general alarm among the Jews, when Petronius, the proconsul of Syria, attempted to introduce the statue of Caligula into the temple.1 This occasioned great commotion in Palestine, so that there was imminent danger of a war with the Romans. The Jews would then be too much engrossed by their opposition to it, to attend to other matters. The calamity was only averted by the opportune death of Caligula (Joseph. Ant. xviii. 8. 2–5; Bell. Jud. ii. 10. 1).

Oikodoμovμévη-being edified; i.e. made progress in Christian perfection, according to the usual meaning of the word in the New Testament: not "increased in numbers" (Kuinol), for that idea is expressed in the succeeding clause. Καὶ πορευομένη τῷ φόβῳ τοῦ Κυρίου—and walking in the fear of the Lord; i.e. leading a holy life. Christianity proved its efficacy by the holiness of the lives of its disciples. Kaì Tỷ παρακλήσει τοῦ ἁγίου Πνεύματος ἐπληθύνετο—and by the exhortation of the Holy Ghost, was multiplied. This difficult clause has been variously translated. Some (Beza, Rosenmüller), as in our English version, connect it with Toρevoμévn

-"walking in the fear of the Lord, and in the comfort of the Holy Ghost; " but it rather appears to be connected with enoúvero, for which it assigns the reason. Some (Beza, Calvin) render aρaxλýσe comfort, a meaning which the word certainly has, but which does not here give a very intelligible sense. The other meaning of the word, exhortation, is more appropriate; namely, that the Holy Ghost inspired those who preached the gospel, and inclined the hearts of those who heard. (So Meyer, De Wette, Alford, Lechler.) 'EηOúveто-not was filled (Calvin), but, according to the usual meaning of the word in the Acts, was multiplied. The piety of the Christians, and their freedom 1 De Wette's Apostelgeschichte, p. 91; see also Lardner's Works, vol. i. pp. 54-56.