[The posts which follow make extensive use of The Acts of the Apostles, by Madame Cecilia, (Religious of St Andrew's Convent, Streatham), with an Imprimi potest dated 16 October 1907 (Westminster); Burns, Oates & Washbourne Ltd. (London). With grateful prayers for the author and her team:
REQUIEM æternam dona eis, Domine, et lux perpetua luceat eis. Requiescant in pace. Amen.ETERNAL rest grant unto them, O Lord, and let perpetual light shine upon them. May they rest in peace. Amen.]
Acts XIII : 1-12
 |
| Reproduced from FreeBibleImages. Creative Commons non-commercial. |
[2] And as they were ministering to the Lord, and fasting, the Holy Ghost said to them: Separate me Saul and Barnabas, for the work whereunto I have taken them.
[3] Then they, fasting and praying, and imposing their hands upon them, sent them away.
[4] So they being sent by the Holy Ghost, went to Seleucia: and from thence they sailed to Cyprus.
[5] And when they were come to Salamina, they preached the word of God in the synagogues of the Jews. And they had John also in the ministry.
[6] And when they had gone through the whole island, as far as Paphos, they found a certain man, a magician, a false prophet, a Jew, whose name was Bar-jesu:
 |
| The Blinding of Elymas. Raphael, 1515. V & A. Public Domain. "L. Sergius Paullus Proconsul of Asia : embracces the Christian faith through the preaching of Saul. |
[8] But Elymas the magician (for so his name is interpreted) withstood them, seeking to turn away the proconsul from the faith.
[9] Then Saul, otherwise Paul, filled with the Holy Ghost, looking upon him,
[10] Said: O full of all guile, and of all deceit, child of the devil, enemy of all justice, thou ceasest not to pervert the right ways of the Lord.
[11] And now behold, the hand of the Lord is upon thee, and thou shalt be blind, not seeing the sun for a time. And immediately there fell a mist and darkness upon him, and going about, he sought some one to lead him by the hand.
[12] Then the proconsul, when he had seen what was done, believed, admiring at the doctrine of the Lord.
[1] Erant autem in ecclesia, quae erat Antiochiae, prophetae, et doctores, in quibus Barnabas, et Simon, qui vocabatur Niger, et Lucius Cyrenensis, et Manahen, qui erat Herodis Tetrarchae collactaneus, et Saulus. [2] Ministrantibus autem illis Domino, et jejunantibus, dixit illis Spiritus Sanctus : Segregate mihi Saulum et Barnabam in opus ad quod assumpsi eos. [3] Tunc jejunantes, et orantes, imponentesque eis manus, dimiserunt illos. [4] Et ipsi quidem missi a Spiritu Sancto abierunt Seleuciam : et inde navigaverunt Cyprum. [5] Et cum venissent Salaminam, praedicabant verbum Dei in synagogis Judaeorum. Habebant autem et Joannem in ministerio.
[6] Et cum perambulassent universam insulam usque Paphum, invenerunt quemdam virum magnum pseudoprophetam, Judaeum, cui nomen erat Barjesu, [7] qui erat cum proconsule Sergio Paulo viro prudente. Hic, accersitis Barnaba et Saulo, desiderabat audire verbum Dei. [8] Resistebat autem illis Elymas magus ( si enim interpretatur nomen ejus), quaerens avertere proconsulem a fide. [9] Saulus autem, qui et Paulus, repletus Spiritu Sancto, intuens in eum, [10] dixit : O plene omni dolo et omni fallacia, fili diaboli, inimice omnis justitiae, non desinis subvertere vias Domini rectas.
[11] Et nunc ecce manus Domini super te, et eris caecus, non videns solem usque ad tempus. Et confestim cecidit in eum caligo, et tenebrae, et circuiens quaerebat qui ei manum daret. [12] Tunc proconsul cum vidisset factum, credidit admirans super doctrina Domini.
Notes
1. at Antioch. For the foundation of the Christian Church at Antioch see ch. xi. 19-20 and Annotations.
prophets. Those who, in virtue of a special gift of the Holy Ghost, were enabled to foretell future events, to reveal the unknown, and (in its widest sense) to explain and interpret difficult passages of the Scriptures, or any other matters connected with Christian doctrine or practical piety.
Cf. He that prophesieth, speaketh to men unto edification and exhortation and comfort (1 Cor. xiv. 3). The prophets were a recognized order in the early Churcli.
doctors. Those who had received the spiritual gift of explaining the doctrines of the Christian faith, and of enlightening the intelligence on these points.
The doctors ranked below the prophets. Cf. And God indeed hath set some in the church, first apostles, secondly prophets, thirdly doctors (1 Cor. xii. 28).
Barnabas. Having been sent by the church of Jerusalem to guide and assist the church in Antioch (ch. xi. 22), Barnabas is named first here, later on Saul takes precedence.
Simon who was called Niger. “ Simon ” is a Hebrew name, and the Latin word “Niger” signifies “black.” The Jews frequently added a second name (non-Jewish), especially when residing out of Palestine. It has been conjectured that this Simon was an African proselyte.
Lucius of Cyrene. He may be the kinsman mentioned by St Paul in his epistle to the Romans. Cf. Timothy, my fellow-labourer, saluteth you and Lucius, and Jason and Sosipater, my kinsmen (xvi. 21). It is also very probable that he was one of the men of Cyprus and Cyrene, who founded the church at Antioch and evangelized the Greeks (see xi. 20).
Some commentators identify this Lucius with St Luke, but the names are radically different, as Luca is an abbreviation of Lucanus, not of Lucius.
Manahen .... the foster-brother, etc. Josephus relates that a certain Essene prophet, named Manahem, predicted to Herod the Great, while yet a boy, that he should one day be a powerful king. When the prophecy was accomplished, Herod shewed great favour to the Essenes. It is therefore very probable that the Manahem mentioned by St Luke was the son or grandson of this Essene prophet.
The correct orthography is “ Manahem ” as it is spelt in the Hebrew, but as the Greek never places an “ m " at the end of a word, St Luke substitutes an “n ” and writes (Μαναην) Manahen.
Herod the tetrarch. Herod Antipas, son of Herod the Great and brother of Archelaus. The Greek word here translated (συντοφος) “ foster-brother ” may mean one nourished by the same mother, or a “playmate.” The Vulgate favours the former rendering (collactaneus). Both Antipas and Archelaus were in exile in Gaul when St Paul started on his first journey ; the former was at Lyons, the latter at Vienne. Mahahem was evidently a man of good position ; thus we see that the Church was (also) recruiting converts from the higher classes of society.
“The one (Manahem) is a prophet; the other (Herod) killed one of the greatest of prophets. It is not on our circumstances, but on our heart that our eternal happiness depends. In all states of life, ‘ one is taken, the other left ' ” (Wordsworth).
Saul. He is named last because he had not yet come prominently forward as the Apostle of the Gentiles. He knew his mission, but he awaited God’s hour. A few writers have conjectured from the phrasing of the original Greek that the first three mentioned were prophets, and the last two, Manahem and Saul, doctors, but this theory does not harmonize with St Paul’s own words : What shall I profit you, unless I speak to you either in revelation, or in knowledge, or in prophecy, or in doctrine ? (1 Cor. xiv. 6). From these words we see that St Paul was also a prophet, unless, indeed, he received the gift of prophecy at a later period.
“ The various connections and nationalities of the men who are here named are worthy to be noticed when we reflect on the work which was to have its beginning from Antioch. One a Cypriote, another a Cyrenian, another a Jew, but from his double name accustomed to mix among non-Jews, one a connection of the Idumean house of Herod, and Saul the heaven-appointed Apostle of the Gentiles, — the list may be deemed in some sort typical of ‘all the world,’ into which the Gospel was now to go forth” (Lumby, Greek Testament, p. 239).
2. ministering. () The Greek word “leitourgia” has an interesting civil and religious history. It originally signified any service rendered to the state by a private citizen, e.g. fitting out a vessel, providing games, giving food to the poor, etc. When the Hebrew Scriptures were translated into Greek, this word was adopted by the translators as an equivalent for the Hebrew word usually rendered “ministration,” whence it came to be applied to any public service of the Temple ; thence it passed into the Christian terminology, and, in the third century, was almost exclusively confined to the office for the celebration of the Holy Eucharist. From it we derive our word “ Liturgy,” which has the same meaning. The word “ ministering ” in this passage undoubtedly includes the celebration of the Holy Eucharist, for the distinctive act of Christian worship would not have been omitted on such a solemn occasion.
fasting. This is a proof that fasting was practised in the primitive Church.
From the special intervention of the Holy Spirit, we may conclude that the Church of Antioch had undertaken this solemn ministry and fast in order to obtain from God some indication of His Will as regards the work of evangelizing. “In the Cenacle of Jerusalem, and with the assurance that the solemn moment was at hand, the community of Antioch were united in prayer and fasting. When serious resolutions have to be taken and hazardous enterprises attempted, then silence, mortification, and the elevation of the soul to God invite Him to reveal His will” (Mgr. le Camus, L'œuvre des Apôtres, vol, ii. p. 8).
the Holy Ghost said, etc. Both the Divinity and Personality of the Holy Spirit are here implied. The Church was praying to the Lord, and the Holy Spirit replied and pointed out those whom He had chosen, one of whom, Saul, had previously been called by our Lord Himself. This communication was made through the lips of the prophets, since the Spirit spoke “to them." It was evidently not made known by an interior prompting, experienced by one person only, as when Philip was sent to Gaza (see viii. 29).
Separate me. Lit. “set apart to me” (Ἀφορισατε δη μοι). In the Septuagint this same verb is used of any person or thing consecrated to God : e.g. of the consecration of the first-born, of the Levite, of the high-priest, also of the wave-offering, and of certain portions of the victims. The urgency of the command is shewn by the adverb δη “now,” “truly,” or “indeed,” which has no counterpart in our rendering. It may be compared to the use of “donc” in French (cf. Dites-moi donc).
for the work, etc., — i.e. of evangelizing the Gentiles.
I have taken them. The office of the priesthood in all its degrees presupposes a divine call.
Thus in the epistle to the Hebrews we read : Neither doth any man take the honour to himself (i.e. of the high-priesthood), but he that is called by God, as Aaron was (v. 4). And again, in the epistle to the Romans, St Paul asks : How shall they hear without a preacher ? And how shall they preach unless they be sent ? (x. 14-16).
3. fasting and praying. This was evidently a special “ ministry ” distinct from that mentioned in verse 1, and a preparation for the laying on of hands which followed.
imposing their hands. It is generally held by Catholic theologians that, by this outward sign, Saul and Barnabas received the episcopal character.
Others are of opinion that the laying on of hands was a dismissal ceremony, which signified that they went forth with the full sanction and blessing of the Church.
sent them away. Although these two were divinely chosen, yet the instrumentality of the legitimate rulers of the Church was not passed over.
4 . being sent by the Holy Ghost. The Holy Spirit also directed their course.
Seleucia. This seaport of Antioch stood some five miles from the mouth of the Orontes, and was called “ Seleucia by the sea.” It was founded by Seleucus Nicator in B.C. 300. Seleucia was about sixteen miles from Antioch.
Cyprus. This was the native country of Barnabas.
5. Salamina. This was the nearest Cyprian port, situated at the eastern side of the island on the modern Bay of Famagusta. Salamis is the more correct form of the word. It was one of the seventeen large towns of Cyprus, and had a considerable Jewish population. The old harbour is now nearly silted up, and only ruins mark the site of the ancient city. The foundation of the new city of Famagusta by the Venetians caused the old town to be utterly neglected. The journey from Seleucia to Salamis covered about one hundred miles. On a clear day the island of Cyprus is visible from the Syrian coast The old town is said to have received its name from its founder Teucer, son of Telamon, king of Salamis, in memory of that celebrated island.
synagogues. In a large city like Salamis, there must have been several synagogues. St Paul habitually began by addressing the Jews (see infra, xiv. 1, xvii. 2, xviii. 4, xix. 8), but when they rejected his teaching he turned to the Gentiles.
they had John also, etc. See Annot. on ch. xii. 12. It is probable that he assisted the apostles by baptizing, as they rarely conferred this sacrament themselves. The word ‘‘ ministry ” is also used in the New Testament of the chazzan, or minister of the synagogue.
6. Paphos, A town on the west of the island, now known as Baffa, on the banks of a stream some seven and a half miles north-west of the old city of Paphos. Its port, once spacious and safe, is now choked up with mud and debris, and is consequently unsafe.
Paphos was celebrated for the famous temple of Aphrodite, whose worship was introduced into the island by the Phoenicians, who had received it from the Assyrians. The goddess was worshipped under the symbol of a block of stone cut in the form of a truncated cone, and sacred doves were kept in her honour. Incense was the only sacrifice offered at her shrine, and once a year there was a great procession to the most ancient shrine of the island, that of Old Paphos.
a magician. Here used in a bad sense, as in ch. viii. 9, on which see the annotation. From classical literature, we learn that Oriental impostors, by their spells and charms, obtained a great ascendancy over the Romans. Conybeare and Howson give a vivid word-picture of this prevailing evil.
“ The Gods of Egypt and Phrygia found unfailing votaries. Before the close of the republic, the temples of Isis and Serapis had been more than once erected, destroyed and renewed. . . . The more remote districts of Asia Minor sent their itinerant sooth- sayers ; Syria sent her music and her medicines ; Chaldea her ‘ Babylonian numbers ’ and ‘ mathematical calculations.’ To these corrupters of the people of Romulus we must add one more Asiatic nation, the nation of the Israelites ; and it is an instructive employment to observe that, while some members of the Jewish people were rising, by the Divine power, to the highest position ever occupied by men on earth, others were sinking themselves, and others along with them, to the lowest and most contemptible degradation. . . . Eminent men of the declining republic, and the absolute sovereigns of the early empire, were tainted and enslaved by the same superstitions. The great Marius had in his camp a Syrian, probably a Jewish prophetess, by whose divinations he regulated the progress of his campaigns. As Brutus, at the beginning of the republic, had visited the oracle of Delphi, so P.ompey, Crassus, and Cæsar, at the close of the republic, when the oracles were silent, sought information from Oriental astrology [Life and Epistles. 118-119).
a false prophet. Christ had foretold that false prophets would arise, e.g. — Many false prophets shall rise, and shall seduce many (St Matt, xxiv. 11). St John, who had heard these words uttered by Christ, lived to see them fulfilled. (Many false prophets are gone out into the world ) — 1 St John iv. 1.)
Bar-jesu, This is a patronymic (son of Jesus), not the man’s own name.
7. who was with the proconsul, — i.e. attached to his suite ; his constant companion.
the proconsul, (τω ἀνθυπατω) St Luke uses the technical Greek word for the Latin “proconsul.” The use of this term is a striking proof of St Luke’s historical accuracy. When the provinces were first divided between the emperor and the senate, Cyprus was placed under Augustus, and, in consequence, was governed by a pro-praetor. But according to Dion Cassius (liii. 13, liv. 4) the island was afterwards transferred to the senate, and was henceforth governed by a proconsul who held office for one year only. Ancient coins have been found which prove that, under Claudius, Cyprus was governed by a proconsul. Sergius Paulus, as proconsul, had been chosen by lot ; he had his lictors and the fasces were carried before him, but no soldiers were under him, as cohorts were not quartered in senatorial provinces. The imperial provinces were under a military governor in command of a resident cohort.
Note. — An ancient Cyprian coin has been found bearing on the obverse the head and name of Claudius, and on the reverse this inscription of the Cyprians — “Under Cominus Proclus, Proconsul.” This Cominus Proclus is thought to have been the immediate successor of Sergius Paulus.
Sergius Paulus. This proconsul is unknown to history, but the name occurs in Galen’s works. The reference, however, cannot be to the governor mentioned by St Luke, but to one who lived about one hundred years later.
sending. Saul and Barnabas did not seek him, but they accepted his invitation. The governor’s residence was in New Paphos.
8. Elymas. The name is probably derived from the Arabic, “elim* (pl. oulema), meaning a wizard or magician. Codex Bezae (D) gives “ Etoimas.”
This is an example of a Jew having two names, one national, the other foreign.
There is a paragraph in Pliny’s Natural History which may refer to Elymas and his disciples : “ There is another school of magic which springs from Moses and Jannes who were Jews, but many thousand years later than Zoroaster, so much more recent is the school of Cyprus ” (xxx. 1).
withstood them. Elymas imitated the conduct of the Egyptian magicians. Cf. Now as Jannes and Mambres resisted Moses, so these also resist the truth, men corrupted in mind, reprobate concerning the faith (2 Tim. iii. 8).
to turn away the proconsul from the faith. The Bezan text adds here, “because he was listening with much pleasure to them.”
9. Then Saul, otherwise Paul. There are three theories as regards the adoption of the name of ‘‘ Paul,” by which Saul is henceforth spoken of in the Acts, and which he always gives himself in his epistles : —
1. It was a Roman name he had always borne, but which he did not generally use until his first missionary journey, when he came continually in contact with Gentiles.
2. He took it in honour of Sergius Paulus, the proconsul, just as Scipio took the name of Africanus after his conquests in that continent (St Jerome, Epis. ad Philem.).
3. As “ Paulus ” signifies “ little,” Saul adopted it out of humility, as the least of the apostles. (Nomen elegit ut se ostenderet parvum,-— St Aug., de Spir. et Lit., c. 7).
The first of these explanations is the one which is most generally accepted, especially as we know that the Jews were accustomed to adopt a foreign name when mixing with Gentiles, e.g. John Mark, Barsabas Justus, Simon Niger. Hence we may infer that among the Hebrews the apostle was known as Saul, and among the Gentiles as Paul. The similarity of the two names probably led to the adoption of the latter. It was certainly not in keeping with St Paul’s character to adopt the name of Paul in honour of the governor.
filled with the Holy Ghost. The sequel proved him to be inspired, for immediately the punishment he foretold fell upon Elymas.
10. full of all guile. (πληρης παντος δολου.) The Greek word (δολος) here rendered “guile” signifies “a bait” or “a snare,” hence the derived meaning of “craft” or “guile.”
deceit. ( ῥαδιουργιας.) This word originally denoted “ facility of action,” whence the derived meanings of “ unprincipled ” or “ knavish.”
child of the devil. Our Lord had once used similar language to the Jews who resisted the truth. Cf. You are of your father the devil, and the desires of your father you will do (St John viii. 44). Compare also this rebuke of St Paul with that of St Peter to Simon Magus (supra, viii. 20-23).
all justice. Note the threefold repetition of the word “ all.”
thou ceasest not, etc. In some MSS. this is put in the interrogative form, “Wilt thou not cease?” etc. St Paul refers not only to this particular case, but to the general tendency of the magician’s whole life.
the right ways of the Lord. These ways of the Lord were straight (εὐθειας), but sinners leave the right way, and walk by dark ways, who are glad when they have done evil, and rejoice in most wicked things ; whose ways are perverse, and their steps infamous (Prov. ii. 13-15). Isaias had prophesied that in the days of the Messias the crooked should become straight, and the rough ways plain (Isa. xl. 4).
11. the hand of the Lord. See Annot. on ch. xi. 21.
thou shalt be blind, not seeing the sun. This is an example of Hebrew parallelism, a common idiom by which the same thought is. expressed in other words, generally, as here, with greater intensity, for even the blind can often distinguish day from night.
for a time. The punishment was remedial, and there seems to have been more hope of the amendment of Elymas than of the conversion of Simon Magus. The former, however, had not received the same graces nor such opportunities of knowing the truth as Simon, yet the latter received no formal punishment, but God deals with His creatures individually, and always for the greater good of each one.
a mist. (ἀχλυς) St Luke employs the correct technical term for the darkening and clouding of the vision, caused by cataract and other diseases of the eye.
darkness. Another detail worthy of “ Luke, the beloved physician,” is given here. We may infer that this particular punishment was inflicted on Elymas because he had pretended to read the future by means of observations of the heavenly bodies.
On this passage, Mgr, le Camus remarks that St Paul “ caused a temporary darkness to veil the eyes of the magician, in order that the true light might shine upon the repentant soul. The Gospel is characterised by charity, as St Paul teaches ; in this case, however, it is not the apostle, but God who acts. It would be an error to think that the apostles had the power to work miracles how and when they pleased. Had this been the case, St Paul could have cured Epaphroditus (see Phil. ii. 25-27), and removed the sting in his own flesh, from which he prayed thrice for deliverance (2 Cor. xii. 8). The apostles awaited the inspiration from above, and only imposed their will on nature at God’s bidding ” (L’œuvre des Apôtres, tome it. p. 80 ).
sought some one, etc. This was a manifest sign that he was really blind ; the mist and darkness were only perceived by Elymas. In like manner, when Saul was blinded by the vision of Christ in glory, he needed to be led by the hand into the city.
12. the proconsul .... believed. Judging from analogy, we may conclude that he was also baptized.
“What became of Sergius Paulus? At tbe close of his year of office he must have returned to Rome, where perhaps the great apostle met him later. If we accept the ancient tradition of our old and famous church of Narbonne, he was appointed bishop of this town by St Paul himself ; thus, by a strange coincidence, the two provinces, which Augustus gave back to the Roman senate, Cyprus and Narbonne in Gaul, were the scenes of the labours of Sergius Paulus; of the former he was the proconsul, of the latter the bishop. Modern critics, however, reject this tradition ” (Mgr. le Camus tome ii. p. 31). *
of the Lord. The objective genitive must be understood, i.e. not the Lord’s doctrine, but the doctrine concerning the Lord.
Totus tuus ego sum
Et omnia mea tua sunt;
Tecum semper tutus sum:
Ad Jesum per Mariam.
No comments:
Post a Comment