26 men unto you with our beloved Barnabas and Paul, men that have hazarded their lives for the name of our Lord 27 Jesus Christ. We have sent therefore Judas and Silas, who 28 shall also tell you the same things by mouth. For it seemed good to the Holy Ghost, and to us, to lay upon you no 29 greater burden than these necessary things; that ye abstain from meats offered to idols, and from blood, and from things strangled, and from fornication: from which if ye keep yourselves, ye shall do well. Fare ye well.

with our beloved] The intention of the whole letter is to shew the honour which the church in Jerusalem felt was due to these missionary labourers. Hence the adjective beloved" which in N.T. is specially applied to those who are closely united in faith and love. St Peter applies it to St Paul (2 Pet. iii. 15).

Barnabas and Paul] The name of Barnabas is put first here perhaps because he had been formerly (xi. 22) sent as a special messenger from the church in Jerusalem to Antioch.

26. Men that have hazarded their lives] What the English sentence leaves uncertain the Greek makes quite plain, viz. that these words refer to Barnabas and Paul and to the many dangers into which their first missionary journey had brought them (cp. xiii. 50, xiv. 2, 5, 19).

for the name] Here, as often, name signifies the Messianic dignity and divine authority of Jesus. They have preached everywhere Jesus as the Christ.

27. by mouth] The Greek has by word. Our modern phrase combines the two, by word of mouth, and is given in R. V.

28.

For it seemed good to the Holy Ghost, and to us] A third time in this clause of the narrative from 22-29 does this official word occur, from which is derived the noun dogma. It had been promised that to the Apostles there should be given the Spirit of truth, who should guide them into all truth (John xvi. 13) and the historian of the Acts often speaks of them as "filled with the Spirit:" They put forward therefore this unerring guide as the warrant for their decree. And as they at the suggestion of the Spirit were laying aside their longstanding prejudices against intercourse with Gentiles, they claim that the Gentiles in their turn should deal tenderly with the scruples of Jews.

no greater burden] The Jews themselves could speak thus of the load of legal observances (cp. supra v. 11). They had chosen out but a small part thereof, which the circumstances of the time made necessary to be observed.

29. ye shall do well] Not "ye shall be doing what is right," but "it shall be well with you" (R. V.), "you shall be in a good state."

Fare ye well] This termination and the greeting at the commencement of the letter are in the style of Western epistolary language. See above on verse 23.

30-35. Reception of the letter and messengers at Antioch. Departure of Judas. Silas continues in Antioch.

So when they were dismissed, they came to Antioch: and 30 when they had gathered the multitude together, they delivered the epistle: which when they had read, they rejoiced 31 for the consolation. And Judas and Silas, being prophets 32 also themselves, exhorted the brethren with many words, and confirmed them. And after they had tarried there a 33 space, they were let go in peace from the brethren unto the

30-35. RECEPTION OF THE LETTER AND MESSENGERS AT ANTIOCH. Departure of JUDAS. SILAS CONTINUES IN ANTIOCH.

30.

came to Antioch] An early reading preferred by recent editors is came down, as in Acts viii. 5, Jerusalem being regarded as the chief seat of church-government, and the centre of authority. Throughout the Bible the chosen place is always spoken of as one to which men go up.

gathered the multitude] An expression which shews of how great concern the question had become to the whole Christian body. The same word is used above (v. 12) of the assembly of Christians at Jerusalem.

31. rejoiced for the consolation] Barnabas "the son of consolation" (iv. 36) was a fit member of such an embassy. The consolation would be felt both by Jews and Gentiles, by the former because they knew how much was to be asked of their Gentile fellow-worshippers, by the latter because they were declared free from the yoke of Jewish observances. The noun very often signifies exhortation, but that sense is neither so apt here, nor is it borne out by the character of the letter, which sets forth a ground of peace and comfort, but is not hortatory.

66

32. being prophets also themselves] Prophet" is here used in the earlier and less special sense; not as one who foretells the future, but who, being filled with the Spirit, speaks with His authority in explanation of the will of God. Judas and Silas being thus endowed were well fitted to exhort and confirm the disciples. The exhortations would be most necessary for the Gentiles who were to consent to more strict living than in times past, while the confirmation would uphold the Jews who otherwise might feel unwilling to allow the non-observance of a part of their law. The prophetic character of the speakers would give to their words the force of revelation. Such confirmation or strengthening of the brethren is the special charge laid on St Peter (Luke xxii. 32) who was to be the first preacher of Christ to the Gentiles, and had first received the lesson that what God had cleansed was not to be called common.

33. they were let go in peace] This is the translation of a Hebrew expression, and does not signify 'they were allowed to go quietly away,'

34 apostles. Notwithstanding it pleased Silas to abide there. 35 still. Paul also and Barnabas continued in Antioch, teaching and preaching the word of the Lord, with many others also.

36

36-41. A new Mission-journey proposed. Contention between Paul and Barnabas. They separate, and Paul with Silas goes through Syria and Cilicia.

And some days after Paul said unto Barnabas, Let us go again and visit our brethren in every city where we have 37 preached the word of the Lord, and see how they do. And Barnabas determined to take with them John, whose 38 surname was Mark. But Paul thought not good to take him with them, who departed from them from Pamphylia, 39 and went not with them to the work. And the contention but "in peace" means "with a blessing or prayer for peace, as a parting word."

unto the apostles] The oldest MSS. read "unto those that had sent them forth." So R. V.

34. This verse is omitted in many ancient MSS., and in others the Greek words vary. It may very well be a marginal note placed to explain v. 40, where Paul, who did not leave Antioch, is said to have chosen Silas for his companion in his next journey. Silas therefore must have remained in Antioch after Judas was gone, and such an explanation some reader put on the margin of his copy.

35. teaching and preaching the word of the Lord] In such a community there was need not only of setting forth Jesus as the Saviour, but of much instruction concerning the ways in which God had shewn that the Gentiles were now to be made partakers of the new covenant. So that the two verbs should not be taken one as an explanation of the other.

36-41. A NEW MISSION-JOURNEY PROPOSED. CONTENTION BETWEEN PAUL AND BARNABAS. THEY SEPARATE, AND PAUL WITH SILAS GOES THROUGH SYRIA AND CILICIA.

36.

visit our brethren] The oldest MSS. omit the pronoun, and read the brethren only. So R. V.

37. And Barnabas determined] The Greek of the best MSS. gives a weaker verb "wished." The reason of Barnabas' choice was probably because Mark was his nephew (Col. iv. 10). R. V. renders "was minded."

whose surname was] The Greek is merely "who was called."

38. who departed from them] See above xiii. 14. He turned back to Jerusalem from Perga.

39.

And the contention was so sharp,...that, &c.] More literally (with R. V.), And there arose a sharp contention so that, &c. The Greek