Exegetical and Hermeneutical Commentary of Acts 19:11
And God wrought special miracles by the hands of Paul:
11. And God wrought special miracles [Gr. powers] by the hands of Paul ] The language of the historian is noteworthy. God works, Paul is the instrument. (Cp. The mighty hand of Moses, Deu 34:12.) The imperfect tense of the verb in the Greek implies that these manifestations of God’s power were continued during the Apostle’s stay. This was no mere spasmodic excitement over some powerful discourse. “By the hands” is probably only the Jewish mode of expressing “by.” See note on Act 5:12.
Fuente: The Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges
Special miracles – Miracles that were remarkable; that were not common, or that were very unusual ( ou tas tuchon). This expression is Classical Greek. Thus, Longinus says of Moses that he was no common man – ouch ho tuchon aner.
Fuente: Albert Barnes’ Notes on the Bible
Verse 11. God wrought special miracles] , Miracles of no ordinary kind, i.e. extraordinary miracles.
Fuente: Adam Clarke’s Commentary and Critical Notes on the Bible
Special miracles; not common or ordinary things, or such as might happen by chance.
By the hands of Paul; as Act 5:12; by his means and ministry.
Fuente: English Annotations on the Holy Bible by Matthew Poole
11, 12. God wrought specialnoordinary
miracles by the hands ofPaulimplying that he had not been accustomed to work such.
Fuente: Jamieson, Fausset and Brown’s Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible
And God wrought special miracles by the hands of Paul. For the confirmation of the doctrine which he preached, and of his mission, as an apostle; and these were not any sort of miracles, common and vulgar ones, and much less things of chance, and what were merely accidental, as the word may signify; but they were rare and uncommon ones, and in which there was a visible display of the power of God; to whom as the efficient cause they are ascribed, the apostle being only an instrument God made use of.
Fuente: John Gill’s Exposition of the Entire Bible
Special miracles ( ). “Powers not the ones that happen by chance,” “not the ordinary ones,” litotes for “the extraordinary.” All “miracles” or “powers” () are supernatural and out of the ordinary, but here God regularly wrought (), imperfect active) wonders beyond those familiar to the disciples and completely different from the deeds of the Jewish exorcists. This phrase is peculiar to Luke in the N.T. (also 28:2), but it occurs in the classical Greek and in the Koine as in III Macc. 3:7 and in papyri and inscriptions (Deissmann, Bible Studies, p. 255). In Samaria Philip wrought miracles to deliver the people from the influence of Simon Magus. Here in Ephesus exorcists and other magicians had built an enormous vogue of a false spiritualism and Paul faces unseen forces of evil. His tremendous success led some people to superstitious practices thinking that there was power in Paul’s person.
Fuente: Robertson’s Word Pictures in the New Testament
Special [ ] . A peculiar expression. Lit., not usual or common, such as one might fall in with frequently.
Fuente: Vincent’s Word Studies in the New Testament
1) “And God wrought special miracles,” (dunameis te ou tas tuchousas ho theos epoiei) “And dynamic, miraculous deeds, not just ordinary, God did,” to attest before the unbelievers that he (Paul) was from God, as Jesus did, Mar 2:9-12; Joh 20:21; Act 28:1-10. Paul repeatedly was used of the Lord, with these supernatural special spiritual gift attestations or certifications of his Divine, mission and message, Heb 2:4.
2) “By the hand of Paul: (dia ton cheiron Paulou) “Through the hands (instrumentality) of Paul,” so that he later asserted that he had labored in the Lord, the will of the Lord, more than anyone of his religious or irreligious accusers, deriders, or sniping faultfinders, 2Co 11:1-28.
Fuente: Garner-Howes Baptist Commentary
−
11. No small miracles. He calleth miracles virtutes or powers, after the common custom of the Scripture, which were testimonies of the extraordinary power of God. And showeth that Paul’s apostleship was set forth with these ensigns, that his doctrine might have the greater authority. For it is a common speech, That wonders and signs are showed by the hand of men. So that the praise thereof is ascribed to God alone as to the author; and man is only the minister. And that he may the more amplify the miracles, he saith that handkerchiefs and partlets − (366) were brought unto the sick, which so soon as they touched they were healed. It is not unknown − (367) to what end Paul had such power given him, to wit, that he might prove himself to be a true apostle of Christ, that he might make the gospel to be believed, and might confirm his ministry. And here it is expedient to call to mind those things which we had before, touching the lawful use of miracles. And whereas God did heal the sick with Paul’s handkerchiefs, it tended to that end, that even those who had never seen the man might, notwithstanding, reverently embrace his doctrine, though he himself were absent. For which cause the Papists are more blockish, who wrest this place unto their relics; as if Paul sent his handkerchiefs that men might worship them and kiss them − (368) in honor of them; as in Papistry, they worship Francis’ shoes and mantle, Rose’s girdle, Saint Margaret’s comb, and such like trifles. Yea, rather, he did choose most simple − (369) things, lest any superstition should arise by reason of the price or pomp. For he was fully determined to keep Christ’s glory sound and undiminished.
(366) −
“
Semicinctia,” girdles.
(367) −
“
Non obscurum est,” it is clear.
(368) −
“
Oscularentur venerabundi homines,” men given to veneration might kiss them.
(369) −
“
Vilissimas,” most worthless.
Fuente: Calvin’s Complete Commentary
(11) And God wrought special miracles by the hands of Paul.The Greek phrase is negative: no common works of powernot such as one might meet with any day. (See Note on Act. 28:2, where the same phrase recurs.) The noun is that which was technically used by physicians for the healing powers or virtues of this or that remedy, and is so far, though used freely by other writers, characteristic of St. Luke.
Fuente: Ellicott’s Commentary for English Readers (Old and New Testaments)
‘And God wrought special miracles by the hands of Paul, (in so much that to the sick were carried away from his body cloths or aprons), and the evil spirits went out.’
It was a period also of great signs and wonders, such that God wrought special miracles ‘through the hands of Paul’ in an unprecedented way, probably literally. He laid hands on the sick and they recovered. He cast out evil spirits. On top of the wonders he himself performed, cloths (see Luk 19:20; Joh 11:44; Joh 20:7) and aprons were take from his body, and the suggestion would appear to be that these resulted in men and women being healed. But there is no need to see this as having been widespread. It is mentioned as unusual. The cloths may have been worn around his head as sweatbands, and the aprons have been worn while he was at work. Both may have been taken without his knowledge. This was no indication of a precedent to be followed.
The deliverance from evil spirits is probably a separate issue as they would be responsive to commands given in the name of Jesus (see following verses). Evil spirits are never cast out by the laying on of hands (and laying hands on a spirit possessed person is foolish for it encourages possession for the one who does it). They are cast out by the name of Jesus. But the whole point is that the wonders of the early days are being repeated (or are continuing), with Messianic healings and demonstrations of the defeat of the tyranny of Satan. This last was now to be highlighted by events that followed.
Fuente: Commentary Series on the Bible by Peter Pett
Paul’s Miraculous Work at Ephesus Some of Paul’s greatest miracles took place while he was ministering in the city of Ephesus. Act 19:11-20 gives us a brief list of some of these miracles.
Act 19:12 Comments – Being healed by the contact of clothing is similar to the woman with the issue of blood being healed by touching the hem of Jesus’ garment (Mar 5:25-34). In fact, many people were healed in this manner in Jesus’ ministry.
Luk 6:19, “And the whole multitude sought to touch him: for there went virtue out of him, and healed them all.”
Mar 5:28-29, “For she said, If I may touch but his clothes, I shall be whole. And straightway the fountain of her blood was dried up; and she felt in her body that she was healed of that plague.”
Mar 6:56, “And whithersoever he entered, into villages, or cities, or country, they laid the sick in the streets, and besought him that they might touch if it were but the border of his garment: and as many as touched him were made whole.”
This working of miracles is still testified today. One of my aunts was stricken with polio as a young girl. My Baptist grandmother went to her Pentecostal cousins and obtained a prayer cloth. The minute that this cloth was laid upon my aunt, she began to get better. She was totally healed and lived a perfectly normal life.
Act 19:11-12 Comments – “special miracles” – This event could be classified as the gift of the working of miracles (1Co 12:10). Verse 12 then gives a list of some of the types of the working of miracles that occurred.
1Co 12:10, “To another the working of miracles; to another prophecy; to another discerning of spirits; to another divers kinds of tongues; to another the interpretation of tongues:”
Act 19:13 Comments – Just using Jesus’ name alone is not enough. You must add faith in His Name (Act 3:16). In order to use the authority of Jesus’ name effectively, you must be a born-again child of God, believing on Jesus.
Act 3:16, “And his name through faith in his name hath made this man strong , whom ye see and know: yea, the faith which is by him hath given him this perfect soundness in the presence of you all.”
Act 19:15 Comments The demon replies and says, “Jesus I know ( ) and Paul I know ( ), but who are you?” Thus, Luke uses two different Greek words to convey the concept of knowing. Henry Alford believes there should be no real distinction in meeting between these two words used together in this context, suggesting it is the author’s attempt to distinguish between the Lord Jesus Christ and His servant Paul the apostle. [252]
[252] Henry Alford, The New Testament, vol. 2 (London: Rivington’s, 1857), 197.
It is interesting to note how there was no power and authority in the name of Jesus when used by these vagabond Jews. Morris Cerullo helps us to understand why this is so. He said that the Lord once spoke to him and said, “Power does not come from the spoken word. Rather, power comes from relationships.” [253] In other words, the power and authority to cast out demons came from Paul’s relationship with the Lord Jesus Christ. These vagabond Jews did not have such a relationship; and thus, they had no power to cast out demons or to work miracles by that Name.
[253] Morris Cerullo, interviewed by Benny Hinn, This is Your Day (Irving, Texas), on Trinity Broadcasting Network (Santa Ana, California), television program.
Act 19:20 Comments – The Word of God is powerful, and when it goes forth through the preaching of the Gospel it carries the power to transform lives. The preaching of the Gospel is accompanied with the anointing of the Holy Spirit, who distributes gifts and anointings as He wills.
Rom 1:16 also tells us that the preaching of the Gospel serves as God’s method of releasing His power to transform lives that results in their salvation. Reinhard Bonnke, the German evangelist, has been evangelizing Africa for the last few decades. He has had the largest gathering of people in the history of the Church. In Nigeria alone his crusades are attended by millions and millions are being saved. He has seen miracles of healings and even the dead raised while he was preaching. He said, “The Gospel inherently holds all the power this whole world will every need to change it. The Gospel has the power to change the whole world. They tell me that the rocks on Mars have locked up so much oxygen. If it was released it could provide an atmosphere as we have it on earth. Well, I think the Gospel holds all the energy and the power this world needs to be totally renewed. It is released when it is preached. Lives are changed. We have seen regions changes. We have seen nations shaken.” [254]
[254] Reinhard Bonnke, interviewed by Cecil Steward, Deciding Your Destiny (Belfast, Ireland: CCN Europe), on Lighthouse Television, Kampala, Uganda, television program, 30 December 2005.
Fuente: Everett’s Study Notes on the Holy Scriptures
Act 19:11-12 . .] not the usual , i.e. distinguished , not to be compared with those of the Jewish exorcists (Act 19:13 ). Comp. Act 28:2 . The opposite: , Polyb. i. 25. 6. On , in the sense of vulgaris , see generally, Vigerus, ed. Hermann, p. 364; and on the very frequent connection by way of litotes with , see Wetstein in loc. ; Valckenaer, p. 559 f.; from Philo, Loesner, p. 219. Comp. Mal 3:7Mal 3:7 .
. . .] so that also (among other things) towels and aprons were brought to the sick from his skin, and (thereby) the ailments were removed from them , etc.
, not preserved elsewhere, the Latin semicinctium , is explained either as a handkerchief (Oecumenius: , , , . , comp. Theophylact and Suicer, Thes . II. p. 959), or usually as an apron , in favour of which is the etymology, and Martial, Epigr . xiv. 151. Very probably it was a linen apron ( , Schol. ap. Matth .), which workmen or waiters (Pignor. de serv . p. lxxv.) wore after laying aside their upper garment, and which, when they had it on, they likewise used for the purpose remarked by Oecumenius.
] so that they had just been used by him and been in contact with his skin. Luke, who also here (comp. Luk 4:40 f. al .) distinguishes the ordinary sick from the possessed, represents the healing of the former and the deliverance of the latter as an effect, which was brought about by the cloths laid on them; for down to . forms together the description of a peculiar kind of those unusual miraculous . Purely historical criticism , independent of arbitrary premisses laid down priori , has nothing to assail in this view, as the healing power of the apostle, analogous to the miraculous power of Jesus, might through his will be transmitted by means of cloths requested from him to the suffering person, and received by means of the faith of the latter. The truth of the occurrence stands on the same footing with the N.T. miraculous cures in general, which took place through the will of the worker of miracles, partly with and partly without sensible transmission. By relegating the matter from the historical domain of miracles, which is yet undoubtedly to be recognised in the working of Paul (Rom 15:19 ; 2Co 12:12 ), to the sphere of legends as to relics (Baur, Zeller), with comparison of Act 5:15 , or to that “of the servants’ rooms and houses behind” (Hausrath), the narrative of our passage is easily dismissed, but not got rid of, although a more special embellishment of it by the importunity of those seeking help, and by the pouring out of the sweat of the apostle as he worked (Baumgarten), of which the text indicates nothing, is to be set aside.
Fuente: Heinrich August Wilhelm Meyer’s New Testament Commentary
11 And God wrought special miracles by the hands of Paul:
Ver. 11. And God wrought special miracles ] Virtutes non vulgares, not common power, yet ordinary in the infancy of the Church, but now not to be expected. Manna ceased when they came to Canaan; as if it would say, Ye need no miracles now you have means. So here.
Fuente: John Trapp’s Complete Commentary (Old and New Testaments)
11. .] See reff. miracles of no ordinary kind . In what they differed from the usual displays of power by the Apostles, is presently related: viz. that even garments taken from him were endued with miraculous power.
Fuente: Henry Alford’s Greek Testament
Act 19:11 . ., cf. Act 28:2 , the phrase is peculiar to St. Luke, “not the ordinary,” i.e. , extraordinary, with which the deeds of the Jewish exorcists could not be compared, see Klostermann, Vindici Lucan , p. 52, for the same phrase cf. Mal 3:7Mal 3:7 , and also Deissmann, Neue Bibelstudien , p. 83; so too in classical Greek. : “continued to work,” or ex more , Blass.
Fuente: The Expositors Greek Testament by Robertson
NASB (UPDATED) TEXT: Act 19:11-20
11God was performing extraordinary miracles by the hands of Paul, 12so that handkerchiefs or aprons were even carried from his body to the sick, and the diseases left them and the evil spirits went out. 13But also some of the Jewish exorcists, who went from place to place, attempted to name over those who had the evil spirits the name of the Lord Jesus, saying, “I adjure you by Jesus whom Paul preaches.” 14Seven sons of one Sceva, a Jewish chief priest, were doing this. 15And the evil spirit answered and said to them, “I recognize Jesus, and I know about Paul, but who are you?” 16And the man, in whom was the evil spirit, leaped on them and subdued all of them and overpowered them, so that they fled out of that house naked and wounded. 17This became known to all, both Jews and Greeks, who lived in Ephesus; and fear fell upon them all and the name of the Lord Jesus was being magnified. 18Many also of those who had believed kept coming, confessing and disclosing their practices. 19And many of those who practiced magic brought their books together and began burning them in the sight of everyone; and they counted up the price of them and found it fifty thousand pieces of silver. 20So the word of the Lord was growing mightily and prevailing.
Act 19:11 This is not the first time God used extraordinary miracles to confirm His truth and His speaker (cf. Act 3:1-10; Act 5:15; Act 8:6; Act 8:13; Act 9:40-42; Act 13:11-12; Act 14:8-11). Superstition and occult practices were widespread and entrenched in Ephesus. God, being rich in mercy, allowed His supernatural power and authority, resident in His Messiah, to express itself through Paul to these Satanic-bound people. Oh, the mercy of God!
Act 19:12 “handkerchiefs” These were possibly sweat bands tied around the head during work.
“aprons” This refers to work aprons, somewhat like carpenters’ aprons. These healings showed God’s compassion, power, and confirmed the gospel and the ministry of Paul.
“the evil spirits went out” Here these demons (cf. Luk 10:17) are called “evil spirits” (cf. Mat 12:45; Luk 7:21; Luk 8:2; Luk 11:26; Act 19:12-13; Act 19:15-16). But Luke also calls them “unclean spirits” (cf. Act 5:16; Act 8:7; see Special Topics at Act 5:3; Act 5:16). In Act 16:16 the demon is called “the spirit of python (divination).” All of these phrases seem to be synonymous.
Paul often speaks of demonic categories like “all rule and authority and power and dominion” (Eph 1:21), “the rulers and the authorities in heavenly places” (Eph 3:10), or “against the rulers, against the power, against the world forces of this darkness, against the spiritual forces of wickedness in the heavenly places” (Eph 6:12). These must refer to some levels of organized demonic spirits. But how, why, where, and who are all speculative because the Bible does not choose to reveal a detailed description of the spiritual realm. It does clearly reveal Christ’s power (and His Apostles’) over Satan and his kingdom of darkness and death. Jesus’ “name” is above every name! Knowing Him brings salvation, peace, wholeness, restoration, and health.
SPECIAL TOPIC: ANGELS IN PAUL’S WRITINGS
Act 19:13-16 “Jewish exorcists” Jewish exorcists were common (cf. Luk 11:19). This context clearly shows that exorcism is not by magic formula (names), but by personal relationship with Jesus. If this passage were not so sad it would be funny! Josephus tells of a Jewish exorcism rite in Antiq. 8.2.5 by one Eleazar, using Solomon’s incantations.
Act 19:13 “evil spirits” This refers to the demonic. The NT speaks often of this spiritual reality, but does not discuss its origin or details about its organization or activities. Curiosity, fear, and practical ministry needs have caused much speculation. There is never a gift of exorcism listed in the NT, but the need is obvious. Some helpful books are
1. Christian Counseling and the Occult by Kouch
2. Biblical Demonology and Demons in the World Today by Unger
3. Principalities and Powers by Montgomery
4. Christ and the Powers by Hendrik Berkhof
5. Three Crucial Questions About Spiritual Warfare by Clinton E. Arnold
See Special Topic: The Demonic at Act 5:16.
Act 19:14 “Sceva, a Jewish chief priest” Modern scholars cannot find this name in any other writings. It is problematic for a Jewish high priest (archiereus) to be in Ephesus. There was a local synagogue, but the only Jewish temple was in Jerusalem. Luke uses this very word several times in his Gospel and Acts for the High Priest and his family in Jerusalem.
Some speculate that this man was somehow connected to the family of the High Priest, or possibly head of one of the twenty-four orders of priests set up by David (cf. 1Ch 24:7-19).
If this man and his sons were priests, it is surprising they did not use YHWH as the powerful name to control the spirits as does the magic or occult.
Act 19:15 “I recognize Jesus, and I know about Paul” This first verb is ginsk; the second is epistamai. They are somewhat synonymous. Both are used often in Acts, but in this context there is obviously a distinction made between this demon’s knowledge of Jesus as the Christ and Paul as His spokesperson.
Act 19:17 Luke records this account to show how the Spirit was magnifying (imperfect passive indicative) Jesus (cf. Joh 14:25; Joh 16:13-14).
Act 19:18 “those who had believed” This is a perfect passive participle. The question is, were they believers in the occult or does this phrase refer to their new belief in the gospel? It is also possible that new believers in the gospel still were initially influenced by their past superstitions. See Special Topic: Greek Verb Tenses Used for Salvation at Act 2:40.
Previous occultists may have been convinced by what happened to the Jewish exorcists in Act 19:13-16. The message of this incident, which showed the power of the person/name of Jesus, spread rapidly (cf. Act 19:17). These people would have been very conscious of the power of “the name.”
“kept coming” This is an imperfect middle indicative.
“confessing and disclosing their practices” The ancient Mediterranean was awash in the occult. It was common belief that revealing one’s magical formula made it ineffective. This was their way of repudiating their past occultic activities. There is a type of magic literature famous in the ancient world called “Ephesian writings”! This incident shows the gospel’s superiority over the occult (cf. Act 19:20).
SPECIAL TOPIC: CONFESSION
Act 19:19 “magic” See Special Topic at Act 8:9.
The “books” (biblous) could refer to large books or small scrolls of papyri on which oaths or curses were written. These were worn as amulets. The huge price shows (1) how superstitious these people were and (2) how the gospel had set them free!
“burning them in the sight of everyone” These were very expensive and sought after books and parchments. Their burning was these new believers’ public repentance and profession of faith in Christ, not “the powers”!
Act 19:20 The gospel message is personified (i.e., the word of the Lord) and summarized. Luke’s summaries help us divide Acts into six sections (cf. Act 6:7; Act 9:31; Act 12:24; Act 16:5; Act 19:20; Act 28:31).
Fuente: You Can Understand the Bible: Study Guide Commentary Series by Bob Utley
God. App-98.
wrought = was doing.
special. Literally no (Greek. ou. App-105) chance, i.e. no ordinary. Greek. tunchano = to happen.
miracles. Greek. dunamis. See App-176.
by = through. Greek. dia. App-104. Act 19:1. Paul was only the instrument, God the worker.
Fuente: Companion Bible Notes, Appendices and Graphics
11. .] See reff. miracles of no ordinary kind. In what they differed from the usual displays of power by the Apostles, is presently related: viz. that even garments taken from him were endued with miraculous power.
Fuente: The Greek Testament
Act 5:12, Act 14:3, Act 15:12, Act 16:18, Mar 16:17-20, Joh 14:12, Rom 15:18, Rom 15:19, Gal 3:5, Heb 2:4
Reciprocal: Mat 8:15 – touched Mat 14:36 – only Mat 15:30 – great Mar 3:10 – pressed Luk 5:17 – power Act 5:15 – they brought Act 28:8 – laid 1Co 12:9 – the gifts 2Co 13:8 – General Gal 2:8 – the same
Fuente: The Treasury of Scripture Knowledge
MIRACLES AT EPHESUS
And God wrought special miracles by the hand of Paul.
Act 19:11
There was special reason in Ephesus for the performance of miracles. The city abounded in magicians and sorcerers, who deceived the people. Among the disciples were some who had evidently practised soothsaying, and who did not at first entirely abandon it. There was something special about St. Pauls miracles which the people could not fail to notice.
I. They were wrought by God.St. Paul was but the instrument; God was the worker. No Apostle could work miracles at will. Where they were necessary, God wrought them.
II. They were special in character.Whatever article of dress was taken from the Apostles body proved effectual in doing what the pretenders to sorcery could not do.
III. They were beneficent.It was not enough to excite the wonder of the multitude. Sickness and disease and demon possession were miraculously cured. The Gospel has always cared for the sick in body, as well as for the spiritually diseased.
The story of what resulted is full of interest. The burning of the books of the sorcerers; the uproar raised by Demetrius, witness to the success of the Apostles work.
Fuente: Church Pulpit Commentary
2
Act 19:11-12. Special miracles denotes those that were not commonly performed even in the days of miracles. God is able to accomplish any kind of wonders and by whatever means He wills. As an encouraging support for the work of the apostle in this center of various thought and activity, the Lord saw fit to use the pieces miraculously that had been in contact with the preacher.
Fuente: Combined Bible Commentary
Act 19:11. And God wrought special miracles by the hands of Paul Special, uncommon, extraordinary, because they were performed without the personal agency and not in the presence of the apostle. A similar expression is used by Longinus when alluding to Moses as no ordinary man ( ). We have had no record of any miracle worked by Paul since he healed the possessed slave first at Philippi some five years before (see Act 16:18). What these uncommon miracles were is detailed in the next verse.
Fuente: A Popular Commentary on the New Testament
Magnifying Jesus’ Name
God caused some great miracles to be worked through Paul. Even pieces of cloth, like a handkerchief or apron, which had touched his body could be placed on the body of the sick and diseases or evil spirits went out. Some wandering Jewish exorcists, who apparently had previously been unsuccessful in casting out demons, tried to capitalize on the power of God they had seen at work through Paul. Particularly, the seven sons of Sceva attempted to cast out an evil spirit by calling on the name of Jesus’ whom Paul preached. The spirit recognized both Jesus and Paul but caused the possessed man to leap on, overpower and strip them, so that they ran away wounded and naked ( Act 19:11-16 ).
Since an irreverent use of the name of Jesus precipitated this attack by the evil spirit, both Jews and Greeks dwelling in Ephesus were moved to reverent awe for the authority of Jesus. Many Christians, along with others, then confessed their previous involvement in the magical arts. Books costing some 50,000 pieces of silver were publicly thrown into a pile and burned. From that point forward, the gospel grew in a great way and conquered the hearts of many in the region. At the end of this great period of growth, Luke reported that Paul mapped out plans to go through Macedonia and Achaia on the way to Jerusalem. Then, he wanted to go on to Rome. He sent Timothy and Erastus on to Macedonia while personally staying on in Asia ( Act 19:17-22 ).
Fuente: Gary Hampton Commentary on Selected Books
Act 19:11-12. And God To add the greater efficacy and success to this important doctrine; wrought special miracles by the hands of Paul Who, as he abode longer at Ephesus than at any other city we read of, so he wrought more and greater miracles than in any other. So that from his body were brought unto the sick handkerchiefs, or aprons Greek, , sudaria vel semicinctia. These two words, originally Latin, have been differently rendered, but the etymology of the first plainly determines it to signify pieces of linen with which they wiped the sweat from their faces, and the latter word signifies things round their waists, doubtless girdles or sashes. Aprons made no part of the ordinary dress of the Greeks; yet they might possibly be occasionally used, both by men and women, to preserve their clothes clean, while they were engaged in some particular kind of work. Dr. Macknight thinks, that these handkerchiefs and aprons belonged to the sick, from whom they were brought to touch Pauls body, and then taken back to them, when they had the effect here mentioned. And the diseases departed from them, and the evil spirits Which occasioned many of these diseases, though they might appear purely natural; went out of them In this respect Paul was equal to Peter, whose shadow, as he passed by, overshadowing the sick, who were laid on couches in the streets of Jerusalem, cured them of their distempers, Act 5:15. Hence we may infer, that it was in a great measure owing to the multitude and greatness of Pauls miracles, that so many of the inhabitants of Ephesus, and of the province of Asia, embraced the gospel.
Fuente: Joseph Bensons Commentary on the Old and New Testaments
See notes on verse 8
Fuente: McGarvey and Pendleton Commentaries (New Testament)
11, 12. We see divine healing became an exceedingly prominent auxiliary of the spiritual work during the Pauline revival at Ephesus, so that diseases were removed and demons exorcised by the mere application of handkerchiefs and aprons, carried from the body of Paul and applied to the bodies of the persons thus possessed of diseases and demons.
Fuente: William Godbey’s Commentary on the New Testament
Act 19:11-20. Miracles, Exorcisms, Burning of Books of Magic.Peters shadow cured the sick (Act 5:15); Pauls minor articles of clothing do the same, according to the widespread belief of antiquity in the indirect communication of personal influence. The belief in possession is best known to us from the Gospels in Palestine; but Greek magical literature shows that it flourished vigorously in other countries also. A humorous story follows, about some wandering Jews who used the name of Jesus as an instrument of exorcism (cf. Act 8:19).
Act 19:13. I adjure you: i.e. to come out of him. Sceva must be intended as a Jewish high priest, but there is none of such a name.
Act 19:16. both: should be all (see Moulton, Prolegomena, p. 80).
Act 19:17. The name of the Lord Jesus is the power by which such things come to pass (Act 3:6*).
Act 19:18. The deeds confessed might be such as we read of in magical papyri.
Act 19:19. curious arts: a euphemism for magic (mg.). These would be books of formul for compelling the assistance of spiritual beings, or securing the affections of a beloved, or for inflicting pain and spiritual torment. Ephesian charms had a special reputation. 50,000 pieces of silver: say 2000, but we do not know the rate at which such books were sold.
Fuente: Peake’s Commentary on the Bible
Jesus continued to work the same supernatural miracles through Paul that He had demonstrated during His own earthly ministry (cf. Mar 5:27; Mar 6:56) and that he had manifested through Peter (Act 5:15). Luke recorded Paul doing the same types of miracles as Peter. Both healed a lame man early in their ministries (Act 14:8; cf. Act 3:2). Both exorcised demons (Act 16:18; cf. Act 5:16), defeated sorcerers (Act 13:6; cf. Act 8:18), raised the dead (Act 20:9; cf. Act 9:36), and escaped from prison (Act 16:25; cf. Act 12:7). Evidently it was because of the multitudes of magicians and religious charlatans that worked Ephesus that God demonstrated His power in these supernatural ways. It was to the church in Ephesus that Paul later wrote his famous instructions about spiritual warfare (Eph 6:10-20). Ephesus was a hotbed of satanic activity.
"The atmosphere of the city was electric with sorcery and incantations, with exorcists, with all kinds of magical impostors." [Note: Morgan, p. 350.]
". . . the phrase ’Ephesian writings’ (Ephesia grammata) was common in antiquity for documents containing spells and magical formulae (cf. Athenaeus Deipnosophistae 12.548; Clement of Alexandria Stromata 5.242)." [Note: Longenecker, p. 496.]
God healed indirectly through Paul’s garments in Ephesus too. The fact that God used Paul’s handkerchiefs (Gr. soudarion, or sweat-cloths) and aprons (simikinthion, lit. workman’s aprons) is unusual, but not without precedent. God had previously healed people who touched Jesus’ cloak (Luk 8:44). The fact that some modern charlatans have abused this form of healing should not lead us to conclude that God never used it.
"Paul is not said to have recommended the use of cloths from his own body as instruments of healing, but God was pleased to honor the faith of these people by granting these miracles." [Note: Kent, p. 151.]
"If God never honoured any faith save that entirely free from superstition, how about Christian people who are troubled over the number 13, over the moon, the rabbit’s foot? . . . God condescends to meet us in our ignorance and weakness where he can reach us." [Note: Robertson, 3:316.]