Lange Commentary - Acts 16:1 - 16:8

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Lange Commentary - Acts 16:1 - 16:8


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B.—ON THE ROAD PAUL ASSOCIATED TIMOTHEUS WITH HIMSELF, and, after visiting the congregations which had been recently established, travels rapidly though asia minor, to troas.

Act_16:1-8

1Then came he to Derbe and Lystra: and behold, a certain disciple was there, named Timotheus, the son of a certain [om. certain] woman, which [who] was a Jewess, and believed; but his father was a Greek: 2Which [Who] was well reported of by the brethren that were at [brethren in] Lystra and Iconium. 3Him would Paul have to [Paul desired, ἠèÝëçóåí , that this man should] go forth with him; and took and circumcised him because of the Jews which [who] were in those quarters [places]: for they knew all that his father [for all knew of his father, that he] was a Greek. 4And as they went [But as they journeyed] through the cities, they delivered them the decrees for to keep, that were ordained of [delivered to them for their observance the decrees which had been made by] the apostles and elders which were at [elders in] Jeru salem. 5And so [Thus, then, ìὲí ïὖí ] were the churches [congregations] established in the faith, and increased in number daily. 6Now [But] when they had gone throughout [through] Phrygia and the region of Galatia [the Galatian region], and were forbidden of [restrained by] the Holy Ghost to preach [from preaching] the word in Asia, 7After they were come to [And came towards] Mysia, they assayed to go into [they attempted to journey to] Bithynia: but [and, êáὶ ] the Spirit [of Jesus] suffered them not. 8And [Then, äὲ ] they passing by Mysia came down to Troas.

EXEGETICAL AND CRITICAL

Act_16:1-2. Then came he to Derbe and Lystra.—Timotheus [whose name is “sometimes written in our Bible with an English termination, Timothy” (Alex. ad. loc).—Tr.] was, without doubt, a native of Lystra and not of Derbe, for the former name is the nearest antecedent to ἐêåῖ . This view is supported by Act_16:2, in which Lystra is again mentioned, along with Iconium, while Derbe is not named. This is also the opinion of de Wette, Winer, and Meyer, although, according to the usual supposition (which Neander also entertains), Derbe was his native city.—Timotheus was already a ìáèçôÞò , when Paul, in the course of the present journey, came to this region; it may therefore be assumed that he had been converted during the first missionary journey [through the agency of Paul, who calls him his son in the Lord, 1Co_4:17; 1Ti_1:2; 2Ti_1:2, perhaps in Antioch in Pisidia; see 2Ti_3:10-11 (Alford).—Tr.]. He was the offspring of a mixed marriage, inasmuch as his mother (named Eunice, 1Ti_1:5), was a Judæo-Christian, while his father was a Ἕëëçí , a pagan. [“ Ἰïõäáßáò is an adjective (Joh_3:22), as well as Ἕëëçíïò .” (Meyer).—Tr.]. There is no indication whatever here found that the latter had embraced the Christian religion; it may, on the contrary, be inferred from the words: ὁôé Ἕëëçí ὑðῆñ÷åí , Act_16:3, that he was still a pagan at that time, and that he had neither become a Jewish proselyte, nor been converted to Christ, (Luther’s version: ’ his father had been a Greek, conveys a wrong sense).

Act_16:3. a. Him would Paul have to go forth with him.—Paul resolved ( ἠèÝëçóåí ) that Timotheus should leave the house of his parents ( ἐîåëèåῖí ), and proceed with him on his missionary journey. The motives which influenced him in selecting precisely this individual, are not stated in direct terms. The connection, however, indicates that one motive, at least, was furnished by the high regard ( ἐìáñôõñåῖôï ) which the Christians in Lystra and Iconium entertained for Timotheus—a regard which was doubtless justified alike by his character, by his godly and upright walk, and by his gifts. Moreover, the very circumstance that, on account of his descent, he was equally allied to the Jews and to the pagans, may have aided in determining the apostle’s choice. [“Supposing Timothy to have been converted during Paul’s first visit to Lystra, he had now been a disciple three or four years.” (Hackett, ad. loc.); see, further, 1Ti_4:14; 1Ti_6:12; 2Ti_1:6.—Tr.]

b. And took and circumcised him (Timotheus).—The expression ëáâ . ðåñéÝô . seems to indicate that the apostle did it personally, and not through the agency of a third party (Neander); like every Israelite, he was fully authorized to do it. It must necessarily be supposed that Timotheus voluntarily submitted to circumcision. What was the apostle’s motive in performing this act? It had a reference to the Jews of those cities, who well knew that the father of Timotheus was a pagan. Accordingly, the motive cannot be traced to any disposition to yield to Christians who entertained Pharisaic or Judaistic views, and still less to any belief on the part of the apostle that circumcision was per se necessary to salvation. He was influenced solely by considerations connected with the unconverted Jews of that region, who would unquestionably have taken offence, and been less accessible, if Timotheus, as the son of a pagan, and uncircumcised, had actively engaged with Paul in the work. [Paul conformed to the principle stated in 1Co_9:20. (de Wette).—Tr.]. Besides, a Jewess was not at liberty, according to strict Jewish views, to marry a pagan, and the children who were the issue of such marriages, were regarded as bastards; see Ewald, Gesch. d. a. Z. p. 445, and, below, Doctr. etc. no. 1. [“Intermarriage with the heathen was forbidden by the law (see Deu_7:3; Ezr_10:2; Ezr_10:44; Neh_13:23); but some suppose a distinction between strange wives and strange husbands, founded on the cases of Esther and Drusilla (Act_24:24).” (Alexander, ad. loc.).—Tr.]

Act_16:4-6. a. And as they went through the cities.—Paul delivered the decrees of Jerusalem which were to be observed, when he revisited the cities of Pisidia, Lycaonia, and Pamphylia; he was accompanied, on this occasion, by Silas and Timotheus. These decrees and the renewed intercourse of the congregations with the apostle, strengthened the believers spiritually, and promoted their external growth. Bengel here makes the happy remark: rarum incrementum, numero simul et gradu.

b. The party continued their missionary journey; after leaving Pisidia, they crossed the mountain range of Taurus, and, proceeding in a northerly direction, went to the midland districts of Asia Minor. They visited Phrygia (the Phrygia Major of the ancient geographers) and Galatia; the latter received its name from certain Gaulish or Celtic tribes, which, during the third century before the Christian era, had left Thrace, and, after inundating Asia, had established themselves in this region. [For Galatia, see Conyb. and H., Life etc. of St. Paul, I. 262. London. 1854.—Tr.]. Although the narrative mentions these provinces only in a cursory manner, we can, nevertheless, assume that, during the present journey, Paul established those congregations in several Galatian cities, to which, about the year 55 A. D., he. addressed his important Epistle. [“This very cursory notice of a journey in which we have reason to think so much happened (see Act_18:23; Gal_4:13 ff.), seems to show that the narrator was not with him (Paul) during this part of the route; an inference which is remarkably confirmed by the sudden resumption of circumstantial detail with the use of the first person, at Act_16:10.” (Alf.)—Tr.].

Act_16:7-8. But the Spirit suffered them not.—Paul intended, as it seems, to proceed at once from Galatia and Phrygia, in a westerly direction, to Asia, i.e., Asia proconsularis, or, to the western coast, namely, to Mysia, Lydia, and Caria. But he and his attendants were restrained by the Holy Ghost(by some intimation or internal direction) from entering this region, and there preaching the Gospel. When they had, therefore, reached the eastern boundary of the latter, they continued their journey in a northerly direction as far as Mysia, where this northwest angle of Asia Minor touches Bithynia and the coast of the Bosphorus and the Black Sea, intending to enter the latter district; but, here again, they were turned back by the Spirit of Jesus [see note 5, appended to the text.—Tr.], and were restrained from preaching the Gospel there. [“Under these circumstances they perceived that they were directed to proceed to the west, to Greece, and it was this course which the Spirit really indicated.” (Meyer).—Tr.].—With respect to the grammatical construction, the most simple method seems to us to be that of regarding the three participles in Act_16:6-7, äéåëèüíôåò — êùëõèÝíôåò — ἐëèüíôåò , as expressing a certain sequence in the order of time; and this interpretation is also the most natural, in a geographical point of view. They were, accordingly, induced to pass along the borders of Mysia, Act_16:8, i.e., along the southern borders of Mysia Minor, and down the coast of the Ægean sea to the sea-port of Troas, on the south of the promontory of Sigæum. [“Little Mysia belonged to Bithynia, Great Mysia, on the other hand, belonged to the province of Asia.” (de Wette).—“Troas … as a district, though geographically a part of Mysia, and politically a part of the province of Asia, was yet usually spoken of as distinguished from both. … Thus Ptolemy treats it as distinct from Great Mysia and Little Mysia. He calls it also by the name of Little Phrygia.” (Conyb. and H. I. 300, and no. 4.)—Tr.].

DOCTRINAL AND ETHICAL

1. The circumstance that Paul should have circumcised Timotheus, while, as he himself states in Gal_2:3, he would not, when he was in Jerusalem, permit his attendant Titus to be circumcised, has given very great offence to some writers. They suppose that if the statement in the present passage were true, the apostle would have betrayed great weakness and inconsistency of character, and they therefore assert that the present narrative is absolutely incredible. (Baur, Paulus, p. 129 ff. note; Zeller, Apostgesch., p. 239 ff.). But the two cases differ so widely in their whole nature, that they cannot possibly be placed in the same category. In Jerusalem, Paul found Judaizing Christians before him, to whom he was not at liberty to yield; here, on the other hand, he had respect to the unconverted Jews of Asia Minor, whom he was apprehensive of repelling, if an uncircumcised missionary assistant had stood at his side, but to whom the circumcision of the latter might open an avenue for the Gospel. Moreover, circumcision was demanded in the former indispensable to salvation; the language employed, admitted of no other construction. Under such circumstances, it became a duty which Paul owed to the truth of the Gospel, not to yield. But here, the motive which actuated him proceeded from the peculiar circumstances in which he was placed, and was not derived from any supposed religious necessity. (Comp. my [Lechler’s] Apost. u. nachap. Zeitalter, 2d ed. p. 419. note 1). [This note of the author, exhibits the foregoing views, and is chiefly occupied with remarks on the objections of Baur and Zeller.—Tr.]. The Formula Concordiæ (p. 792, ed. Rech.) already explains the distinction with accuracy:—Circumcisionem Paulus alias (in libertate tamen Christiana et spirituali) observare aliquoties solebat, Act_16:3. Cum autem pseudoapostoli circumcisionem ad stabiliendum falsum suum dogma (quod opera legis ad justitiam et salutem necessaria essent) urgerent, eaque ad confirmandum suum errorem in animis hominum abuterentur, ingenue affirmat Paulus, quod ne ad horam [Gal_2:5] quidem ipsis cesserit, ut veritas evangelii sarta tectaque permaneret.

2. Paul was guided by the Spirit of God, when he directed his steps from the interior of Asia Minor to the sea-coast, opposite to Europe. Ðíåῦìá ἅãéïí , (Act_16:6) cannot mean the holy spirit of prudence which judged correctly of the circumstances (de Wette), but designates, in accordance with the doctrine and language of the whole book, the objective Spirit of God, whose communications, however, are received within the sphere of the human spirit, and who can announce His will, His divine and holy determination, positively or negatively, to the soul. The guidance of the Holy Ghost is not, in the present case, of a positive nature—He does not command, (as, for example, in Act_13:2; Act_13:4); His influence assumes a negative form—He hinders, keeps away from, ( êùëõèÝíôåò — ïὐê åἴáóåí áὐôüò ); the latter act seems to have been even more earnest and energetic in character than the former.—The Spirit is, in a single case, Act_16:7, [see note 5, appended to the text.—Tr.], named ôὸ ðíåῦìá Ἰçóïῦ . The Spirit of the glorified Redeemer, who truly lives and reigns, directly interposed on this occasion, when the Gospel was to be carried beyond the confines of one quarter of the globe, and brought to Europe; He restrained by his irresistible intimations, so that ultimately no other route remained open, except the one which conducted to the sea-coast, and thence to Europe.

HOMILETICAL AND PRACTICAL

Act_16:1. Then came he to Derbe and Lystra.—This was the soil which Paul had moistened with his blood, Act_14:19; but how abundant were those fruits of his sufferings, which God afterwards enabled him to witness with joy. He here finds a number of disciples, when he revisits the spot, and among them, his own Timotheus—the trophies of his sufferings, the seals of his apostleship. (Ap. Past).—Timotheus, the son of … Greek.—Who could have expected such a blessing from this unequal marriage? It is probable that his father either was already dead or had forsaken his wife, so that the believing mother enjoyed the more freedom in bringing up her son in the knowledge of the Holy Scriptures. She had not, on the other hand, been able to effect his circumcision in his infancy. How many an orphan might be found in the world, bedewed with the tears of a devout mother, and growing up as a plant of the Lord! (Rieger).—The true disciples and servants of Jesus, are not in every case the sons of learned and devout fathers.—It was often only the prayer or blessing of a godly mother or grandmother, which first enkindled the flame of a living knowledge of Jesus in a youthful heart. (Ap. Past.).

Act_16:2. Well reported of by the brethren.—This is far more honorable than a testimonium which a candidate obtains by low arts from people of the world. (Ap. Past.).—The child Jesus increased in favor not only with God, but also with man [Luk_2:52]; so God often prepares his agents by the formal testimony which a young man receives from others, and which often exercises a great influence on his future career. (Rieger).

Act_16:3. Him would Paul have to go forth with him.—Besides the favorable testimony of others, Paul must have had a presentiment “that he would find no one who was so entirely like minded as Timotheus” [Php_2:19-20]. (Rieger).—When we deny ourselves, and consequently seem to sustain a loss, but when our motives are pure, God provides a recompense in another and a better object. Paul declined, from a pure motive, to take Mark with him; God now gives him Timotheus, who is both more competent, and more steadfast. (Starke).—Circumcised him, because of the Jews.—This act was not contrary to the apostolic decree of Jerusalem, for the latter only declared that circumcision should not be forced on any one, as if it were necessary to salvation. Paul acted in each case solely in the interest of the Gospel. When he had reason to apprehend that the latter would suffer injury, he resisted the attempt to enforce the law of circumcision; but when he hoped that the cause of the Gospel would be promoted by it, he could direct another to be circumcised; and in other respects also, he could become to the Jews as a Jew. The act of an individual may often seem to proceed from carnal wisdom, or provoke the charge of fickleness, and may, nevertheless, have been performed in accordance with the same principle of faith or love. (Rieger).—“Paul circumcised Timotheus, in order to abolish circumcision,” that is, in order to open an avenue for the Gospel to the Jews. (Chrysostom).—“It is just as if I should now go among the Jews in order to preach the Gospel, and should find that they were weak; I might, in that case, be willing to submit to circumcision, and to eat or to abstain, even as they do. But I would do all this in no other case, and no longer than while I could be with them and labor for the Gospel.” (Luther).—Thus, in our own day, Gützlaff, the missionary, became a Chinese among the Chinese.

Act_16:4. Delivered them the decrees for to keep.—Salutary decrees and ordinances should be diligently observed, or else they resemble a bell without a clapper. (Starke).—He became as a Jew unto the Jews [1Co_9:19 ff.], until faith was awakened in their souls; he took a deep interest in the believing Gentiles, announced their perfect freedom from the Jewish law, and directed their attention solely to the grace of the Lord Jesus, until he saw both Jews and Gentiles united in the same spirit of faith. (Ap. Past.).

Act_16:5. And so were the churches established in the faith.—It is often only necessary that a single difficulty should be removed, in order to see the divine blessing widely diffused.—The progress of the Gospel was checked, as long as the dread of the burdensome law of Moses prevailed among the congregations. They exhibited a vigorous growth, as soon as Paul removed this obstacle. Let us diligently watch over Our congregations, and ascertain the particular false opinion, or the prevailing folly or sin, in consequence of which our sermons seem to be unattended by a blessing.—And increased in number daily.—A rare increase—in numbers, and, at the same time, in the measure of faith. (Bengel).

Act_16:6. And were forbidden of the Holy Ghost.—Although the grace of God in Christ Jesus is intended for all men, He has, nevertheless, appointed a particular day of visitation for every country, every city, every individual.—It is, consequently, our duty, to submit, in all humility and faith, the appointment of the seasons of the awakening of countries and nations, to the wisdom of God; but it is also our duty, in our particular office, to walk in the path in which God goes before us, that is, to consider whether there be not some soul near us that specially needs our aid or exhortations, and ascertain the spot in which we may labor with the greatest success. And yet we are not to be guided by our own wishes, but to obey the directions of the Spirit of God. (Ap. Past.).—He who is resolved on succeeding, in opposition to the drawing of God, and the call of his Spirit, exhibits an indiscreet activity, which may often receive the praise of men, but which is of less avail before His searching eye. (Rieger).—The apostle was here restrained by the Holy Ghost; at another time, he was hindered by Satan, 1Th_2:18. Hence, any unwillingness which may be felt to preach the Gospel in a particular place, cannot always be traced to the Spirit of God. (Ap. Past.).—It is very desirable that all the preachers and candidates for the ministry, should give heed to the restraints and to the intimations of the Holy Ghost; the church would then obtain the services of the right men in the right places. (Besser).

Act_16:8. And they … to Troas.—The restraint to which, apparently, the cause of Christ was subjected, was the means of promoting its progress anew, although the manner in which such a result would be produced, was still unknown to them. This exact statement is of special importance to us who are Europeans. It appears that the act of transplanting the Gospel to our part of the world, was not in conformity to a plan devised by men, and one which the Lord simply permitted; the apostles were, on the contrary, impelled to it against their own purpose—it proceeded in a direct manner from the authoritative will of the Lord. (Williger).—The name Troas (Troy) reminds us of the first famous contest between Europe and Asia, in hoary antiquity. From the places where the heroes of Greece once fought, the soldiers of Christ now go forth to the holy war, the object of which is the conquest of Greece and the whole world. (Besser).

ON THE WHOLE SECTION, Act_16:1-8.

Timotheus a model, as a youth on whom grace has been bestowed: I. The grace bestowed upon him: (a) his mother, a devout Christian, Act_16:1; (b) his associates, believing disciples, Act_16:2; (c) his teacher, Paul the apostle. II. The change wrought in him by grace: he became (a) the joy and comfort of his mother, as contradistinguished from her unbelieving husband, Act_16:1; (b) an ornament and a blessing to the Church, 1 and 2 Tim.; 2Co_1:19; Php_2:22; 1Co_16:10; (c) the hope and support of the apostle, 1Th_3:2; 2Ti_1:4. Php_2:20 ff.

The blessing which attends religion in the young.

The elevated position of devout mothers in the kingdom of God: (Hannah, the mother of Samuel; Salome, the mother of Zebedee’s children; Eunice, the mother of Timotheus; Monica, the mother of Augustine, etc.).

The mother’s prayers, the guardian angels of her children.

Timotheus, the well trained up son, or, The joyful harvest which follows after a mother’s tears: I. His mother’s tears, no doubt, flowed (a) while she educated him, at a time when he was under the control of a heathen father; (b) when, as a youth, he departed from her in order to engage in a dangerous missionary service. But, II. A joyful harvest arrived: (a) the cheering progress which he made at home, (Act_16:2) in his early years; (b) his subsequent noble ripening for the service of the Lord.

Paul and Timotheus, or, The blessed bond which unites a noble teacher and a faithful disciple: it is blessed, I. For the disciple; II. For the master; III. For the world.

By what means can we, in the service of the divine word, be lawfully made all things to all men [1Co_9:22]? Act_16:3. I. When we carefully consider the spiritual wants of the hearers before us; but also, II. When human considerations do not cause us to be unfaithful to divine truth. (Lisco).

Seasons of grace in the kingdom of God (for nations, congregations, individual souls, Act_16:6-7): I. The coming of such seasons, not hastened by the will of man; II. Not retarded by any power of man.

“To every thing there is a season” [Ecc_3:1], illustrated in the history of the kingdom of God on earth.

Compulsion is of no avail in the kingdom of the Spirit.

Apparent obstacles in the kingdom of God, in reality the means by which its progress is promoted.

“A man’s heart deviseth his way: but the Lord directeth his steps.” (Pro_16:9; Pro_21:2).

Footnotes:

Act_16:1. [ ôéíïò after ãõí ., of text. rec., from G. H., fathers, etc. is omitted by Lach., Tisch., and Alf., in accordance with A. B. C. D. E. Cod. Sin., many minuscules, versions, and fathers.—Tr.]

Act_16:4. [For ðáñåäßïõí , of text. rec., Lach., Tisch., and Alf. read ðáñåäïóáí , with A. B. C. (— äïõòáí ). E., and Cod. Sin. The reading of D., in the whole verse, varies considerably from that of the other MSS.—See Winer: Gr. N. T. § 14, 1. c—Tr.]

Act_16:6. [Lach. and Tisch., with whom Meyer concurs, read, not äéåëèüíôåò , as in text. rec. from G. H. and most minuscules, but äéῆëèïí , with A. B. C. D. E. and also Cod. Sin., etc. Alford, with whom de Wette is inclined to concur, rejects the latter as an “emendation to avoid the repeated participial clauses.” Lach. and Tisch. also insert äὲ after ἐëèüíôåò in Act_16:7, with A. B. C. D. E. and Cod. Sin., which Alf. omits in accordance with G. H.—Tr.]

Act_16:7. a. åἰò ôὴí B éèõíßáí is fully attested [by A. B. C. D. E. Cod. Sin., fathers], whereas êáôÜ ô . B. [of text. rec.] is supported by only two later manuscripts [G. H.—E ἰò is adopted by all the recent editors; “ êáôÜ ô .B is either an error of the copyists, occasioned by êáôὰ ô .M. M. which precedes, or is an intentional explanatory alteration.” (Meyer).—Tr.]

Act_16:7. b. The text. rec. has merely ôὸ ðíåῦìá [in accordance with G. H.], while the five oldest manuscripts [A. B. C (corrected).: êõñéïõ , (original). D. E. and Cod. Sin., with Syr. Vulg. etc.] exhibit ôὸ ðí . ̓I çóïῦ , which is undoubtedly the genuine reading. [̓I çóïῦ is inserted by recent editors generally, and unhesitatingly acknowledged by Meyer, de Wette, etc.—Tr.]