Exegetical and Hermeneutical Commentary of Acts 14:18
And with these sayings scarce restrained they the people, that they had not done sacrifice unto them.
18. that they had not done sacrifice unto them ] i.e. “from doing sacrifice,” &c.
Fuente: The Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges
And with these sayings – With these arguments.
Scarce restrained they the people – They were so fully satisfied that the gods had appeared, and were so full of zeal to do them honor.
Fuente: Albert Barnes’ Notes on the Bible
So hard a matter it is to persuade any to leave off these sins they are accustomed unto, or to rectify such errors in religion which men are brought up in.
Fuente: English Annotations on the Holy Bible by Matthew Poole
18. with these sayings scarcerestrained they the people that they had not done sacrifice tothemIn spite of this,and Peter’s repudiation of all such honor(Ac 10:26), how soonidolatrous tendencies began to show themselves in the ChristianChurch, at length to be systematized and enjoined in the Church ofRome!
Fuente: Jamieson, Fausset and Brown’s Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible
And with these sayings,…. Concerning themselves, and concerning the living God, his creation of all things, and his providential goodness:
scarce restrained they the people, that they had not done sacrifice unto them; so resolute were they upon it, that it was with great difficulty that they persuaded them from it: in four of Beza’s manuscripts, and in some other copies, it is added, “but everyone went to his own house”, &c.
Fuente: John Gill’s Exposition of the Entire Bible
Scarce (). Adverb in same sense as old , from , toil.
Restrained (). Effective first aorist active indicative of , old verb in causative sense to make abstain from.
From doing sacrifice unto them ( ). Ablative case of the articular infinitive with redundant negative after , regular Greek idiom (Robertson, Grammar, pp. 1094, 1171). It had been a harrowing and well-nigh a horrible ordeal, but finally Paul had won. If only nobody else had interposed!
Fuente: Robertson’s Word Pictures in the New Testament
1) “And with these sayings,” (kai tauta kegontes) “And continually, repeatedly saying these things,” were Paul and Barnabas. As they rejected, poured contempt upon the gods for whom they were taken, Jupiter and Mercury, whom the people worshipped, while at the same time they extolled, praised the one true living God, creator and sustainer of life.
2) “Scarce restrained they the people,” (molis katepausan tous ochlous tou) “They scarcely (barely) restrained the crowds,” the masses of people who wanted to worship them. It appears that the miraculous healing of the impotent paralytic so emotionally excited the masses with awe and gratitude that they were sincere, though in grave error, in desiring to worship Paul and Barnabas, rather than Jesus Christ whom they preached, Act 28:4-6; Joh 4:24.
3) “That they had not done sacrifice unto them.” (me thuein autois) “Not to do sacrifice to them;” It appears that Paul and Barnabas finally broke up, interrupted, or scattered the crowd of emotionally stirred heathen and idolatrous worshippers, just before sacrifices were killed and offered to them as mere men. To receive worship from man or angel is wrong for any man, Act 12:21-24; Rev 22:8-10. Nebuchadnezzar set up an image to deify himself, requiring worship toward him or certain death, a matter of human and idol worship, prefiguring that required of the beast and antichrist, but the Hebrew children and Daniel refused to bow to such, receiving from their stand Divine sanction, Dan 3:1-18; Rev 13:11-15.
Fuente: Garner-Howes Baptist Commentary
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18. When they had said thus. Luke said before that they did not only use words, but they ran also with violence into the multitude. − (39) Now he addeth, that the fury of the people was scarce appeased − (40) with that vehemency, whereby appeareth how mad and untamed the heat of the world is toward idolatry. For if they believe the [them] gods, why do they not believe their word, whereby they put from them false honor? But all idolaters are sick of this disease, that they are oftentimes ready to shake off the yoke, unless religion be subject to their will and pleasure. Wherefore, no marvel if the prophets say oftentimes that men are carried into the blind affection of superstitions, even as brute beasts are carried into their lust.
(39) −
“
Sed etiam cure impetu irruisse in turbam,” but also rushed impetuously among the multitude.
(40) −
“
Repressum,” repressed.
Fuente: Calvin’s Complete Commentary
(18) with these sayings scarce restrained they the people.On some of those who were thus restrained the effect may well have been that they were roused to a higher life and did turn from vanities to the living God. We must, at any rate, think of St. Pauls work at Lystra as lasting long enough to allow time for the foundation of a church there. Among the more conspicuous converts were the devout Jewesses, Lois and her daughter Eunice (more accurately, Eunike), and the young Timotheus (2Ti. 1:5). No mention is made of his father, and Eunice may have been a widow; but the fact that the boy had grown up uncircumcised rather suggests the influence of a living father. (See Note on Act. 16:3.)
Fuente: Ellicott’s Commentary for English Readers (Old and New Testaments)
18. Scarce restrained they the people As old Lycaon had been destroyed by not recognising the incarnate Jupiter, so these Lycaonians are fearful lest they shall make a similar mistake, and be deceived in mistaking these gods for men. They would, therefore, insist upon it, and stay on the safer side.
Fuente: Whedon’s Commentary on the Old and New Testaments
‘And with these sayings scarce did they restrain the large crowds from doing sacrifice to them.’
Thus they sought to turn the people from their foolish path by facing them up to the truth about the living God, the Creator and Sustainer of heaven and earth (compare Col 1:15-17), thus indicating that they could not be Zeus and Hermes because as there is only one God at least one of these could not exist. And yet such is man’s willingness to worship anything and everything but the true God, they were scarce able by these means to prevent the men from worshipping them.
Had the listeners shown any inclination to respond to the message he would no doubt have continued by giving the full facts of the coming of Christ and His death and resurrection but the unfortunate truth was that because of what had happened he had had to interrupt them at the point of their fervently worshipping their two favourite gods, by denying their existence. This was hardly likely to curry favour with them.
Fuente: Commentary Series on the Bible by Peter Pett
18 And with these sayings scarce restrained they the people, that they had not done sacrifice unto them.
Ver. 18. Scarce restrained they the people ] SeeAct 14:13Act 14:13 . Man’s nature is marvellously prone to idolatry, and the devil helps after; for he is , saith Synesius; for he knows that creature worship is devil worship,Psa 106:37Psa 106:37 ; Rev 9:20 .
Fuente: John Trapp’s Complete Commentary (Old and New Testaments)
Act 14:18 . : used only by Luke and Paul (with one exception of a quotation, 1Pe 4:18 ), Luk 9:39 , W.H [270] ; four times in Acts, and Rom 5:7 . , Act 10:47 , Burton, N. T. Moods and Tenses , pp. 159, 184.
[270] Westcott and Hort’s The New Testament in Greek: Critical Text and Notes.
Fuente: The Expositors Greek Testament by Robertson
with these sayings = saying these things.
scarce = with difficulty. Greek. molis.
restrained = made to cease. Greek. katapauo. Only here and Heb 4:4, Heb 4:8, Heb 4:10.
Fuente: Companion Bible Notes, Appendices and Graphics
Act 14:18-19. , the multitudes) These were driven by impulse from one extreme to the opposite. [There are persons who cannot conceive such a sudden leap (transition) in the state of the feelings. But it was not on that very day that the Jews are said to have interfered against the apostles (Act 14:19): nor indeed is so sudden a change among the Gentiles to be deemed as impossible; comp. ch. Act 28:4; Act 28:6.-V. g.]
Fuente: Gnomon of the New Testament
scarce: Gen 11:6, Gen 19:9, Exo 32:21-23, Jer 44:16, Jer 44:17, Joh 6:15
Reciprocal: Mat 27:20 – persuaded
Fuente: The Treasury of Scripture Knowledge
8
Act 14:18. It took all of this teaching to prevent the people from performing religious services to Paul and Bar-nabas.
Fuente: Combined Bible Commentary
See notes one verse 14