Exegetical and Hermeneutical Commentary of Acts 13:10
And said, O full of all subtlety and all mischief, [thou] child of the devil, [thou] enemy of all righteousness, wilt thou not cease to pervert the right ways of the Lord?
10. enemy of all righteousness ] We may judge from this expression that St Paul recognized an earnest zeal for truth in the enquiries of the proconsul, and that his wrath against Elymas was not only for what he was doing at the present time, but for his long-continued leading astray of those who were desirous to know the ways of the Lord.
Fuente: The Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges
O full of all subtilty and all mischief – The word subtilty denotes deceit and fraud, and implies that he was practicing an imposition, and that he knew it. The word rendered mischief radiourgias denotes properly facility of acting, and then sleight of hand; sly;, cunning arts, by which one imposes on another, and deceives him with a fraudulent intention. It is not used elsewhere in the New Testament. The art of Elymas consisted probably in sleight of hand, legerdemain, or trick, aided by skill in the abstruse sciences, by which the ignorant might be easily imposed on. See the notes on Act 8:9.
Child of the devil – Under his influence; practicing his arts; promoting his designs by deceit and imposture, so that he may be called your father. See the notes on Joh 8:44. Satan is represented here as the author of deceit and the father of lies.
Enemy of all righteousness – Practicing deceit and iniquity, and thus opposed to righteousness and honesty. A man who lives by wickedness will, of course, be the foe of every form of integrity. A man who lives by fraud will be opposed to the truth; a panderer to the vices of people will hate the rules of chastity and purity; a manufacturer or vendor of ardent spirits will be the enemy of temperance societies.
Wilt thou not cease to pervert – In what way he had opposed Paul and Barnabas is not known. It may have been either by misrepresenting their doctrines, or by representing them as apostate Jews thus retarding or hindering the progress of the gospel. The expression wilt thou not cease. implies that he had been engaged sedulously in doing this, probably from the commencement of their work in the city.
The right ways of the Lord – The straight paths or doctrines of the Christian religion, in opposition to the crooked and perverse arts of deceivers and impostors. Straight paths denote integrity, sincerity, truth, Jer 31:9; Heb 12:13; compare Isa 40:3-4; Isa 42:16; Luk 3:5. Crooked ways denote the ways of the sinner, the deceiver, the impostor, Deu 32:5; Psa 125:1-5; Pro 2:15; Isa 59:8; Phi 2:15.
Fuente: Albert Barnes’ Notes on the Bible
Verse 10. O full of all subtilty] , Deceit, pretending to supernatural powers without possessing any, and having only cunning and deceit as their substitutes.
And-mischief] , from , easy, and , a work; one who is ready at his work; a word which excellently well defines a juggler, one who is expert at sleight of hand; though it is often employed to signify an abandoned and accomplished villain.
Child of the devil] , Son of the devil, possessing his nature; filled with his cunning; and, in consequence, practising deceit.
Enemy of all righteousness] ; Opposed in thy heart to all that is just, true, and good.
Wilt thou not cease to pervert, c.] . Wilt thou not cease perverting? He had probably laboured in this bad work from the beginning of Paul’s ministry in the place and God in his mercy had borne with him; and no doubt the apostle had warned him, for thus much seems implied in the reproof. What a terrible character is given of this bad man! He no doubt passed among the people for what we call a clever fellow; and he was so clever as to hide himself under a pretty dense mask; but God, who searches the heart, plucked it off, and tells him, and those who were perverted by him, what an accomplished deceiver and knave he was.
The right ways of the Lord] , The ways of the Lord, the straight ways. This saying is very emphatical. The ways of Elymas were crooked and perverse; the ways of the Lord, the doctrine taught by him, plain and straight. What is here said of the conduct and teaching of Elymas, for he was a false prophet, is true of all false doctrine: it is complex, devious, and tortuous: while the doctrine of God is simple, plain, and straight; directing in the way, the sure way, that leads to present peace and everlasting happiness. From the phraseology which the apostle employs in this terrible address to Elymas, we may learn, as well as from his name Bar-Jesus, that he was by birth and education a Jew. On this account he was the greater enemy to Christianity; and on this same account he was the less excusable.
Fuente: Adam Clarke’s Commentary and Critical Notes on the Bible
Mischief; radiourgia signifies a facility or readiness in doing mischief, and that such who are given to sorcery are easily drawn to commit any kind of sin whatsoever.
Thou child of the devil; because he did his work who is the destroyer, in hindering what he could the salvation of Sergius Paulus and his family.
To pervert the right ways of the Lord; to make the way of God crooked, which is straight; and rugged, when indeed it is smooth: that is, to lay what rubs he could to keep any from coming unto, or continuing in, the ways of God.
Fuente: English Annotations on the Holy Bible by Matthew Poole
10. full of all subtletyreferringto his magic arts.
and all maliceThe wordsignifies “readiness for anything,” knavish dexterity.
thou child of the devil . . .enemy of all righteousnessThese were not words of passion, forimmediately before uttering them, it is said he was “filled withthe Holy Ghost” [CHRYSOSTOM].
wilt thou not cease topervert the right ways of the Lordreferring to his having tothat hour made a trade of leading his fellow creatures astray.
Fuente: Jamieson, Fausset and Brown’s Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible
And said, O full of all subtlety and all mischief,…. Which may have regard both to his general character as a sorcerer, and a false prophet; in acting up to which he used much deceit and cunning among the people, and did much mischief to them; to which there was a promptness and readiness in him, as the word used signifies; and also to the sophistry he used, and the mischief he endeavoured to do in seeking to turn the deputy from the faith. The minds of carnal men are vain and empty, and destitute of all that is good, and full of all that is evil: their character is,
filled with all unrighteousness, Ro 1:29. They have many of them a great deal of wit, but it is wicked wit, and they employ it in an evil and mischievous way, both to the hurt of themselves and others; they are like the old serpent, whose seed they are, who was more subtle than any beast of the field; they are wiser in their generation than the children of light; they are wise to do evil, though they have no knowledge of what is spiritually good; they are able to form very cunning and artful schemes, to commit sin, and do mischief; for all their craft and subtlety are used in such a way; nor can they sleep, or be easy in their minds, unless they are doing mischief.
Thou child of the devil; perhaps alluding to his name, that instead of Bar-Jesus, the son of a saviour, he should have been called Bar-Satan, the son of Satan, or Ben-Belial, a son of Belial. The phrase , “the firstborn of Satan”, is used by the Jews, sometimes in a good sense, for one that is acute, sharp, and subtle, and that abides by his doctrine, and does his work s: but here a child of the devil is used in an ill sense, for being like him in wicked cunning and subtlety; in like sense as the other phrase was used by Polycarp, whom Marcion the heretic met, and said unto him, know us; to whom Polycarp replied, I know thee, the firstborn of Satan t: thou enemy of all righteousness; a wicked man is an enemy to all righteousness in every branch of it, in whatsoever light it may be considered: he is an enemy, yea, enmity itself against God the righteous being, and who is the fountain of all righteousness; he is an enemy to Jesus Christ the righteous, who is the Lord our righteousness; he is an enemy to that righteousness which he has wrought out; he is an enemy to all righteous persons, and hates their holy and righteous conversation; he is an enemy to the law, and cannot be subject to it, which is the rule of righteousness; and he is an enemy to the Gospel, which reveals the righteousness of God from faith to faith, and teaches men to live soberly, righteously, and godly; in short he is an enemy to all righteousness, moral and evangelical.
Wilt thou not cease to pervert the right ways of the Lord? the doctrines and ordinances of Christ, in which he has directed his people to walk; which this man, through his sophistry and wickedness, in which he was industrious and indefatigable, endeavoured to render intricate and obscure, when they were plain, and straight, and easy. “For the ways of the Lord are right, and the just shall walk in them”, Ho 14:9 they are right, and it is becoming such to walk in them; they are plain to them that have a true knowledge of them, even wayfaring men, though fools shall not err in them; they are entirely consistent with the righteousness and holiness of God, and lead right on to eternal glory and happiness. Christ himself is the true way to eternal life, which is plainly pointed, and clearly directed to in the word of God, and by the ministers of the Gospel, who show unto men the way of salvation; the path of truth is fully described, and such things said of it as are very inviting to walk in it; and good men cannot but choose and delight to walk in it, when led into it by the Spirit of truth: Wisdom’s ways are ways of pleasantness, and all her paths of peace; even all the paths of duty and worship, the ways of righteousness and holiness; but wicked men seek to pervert these ways, to give a false account of them, to set them in a wrong light, and represent them not only as rough and troublesome, but as dangerous, and leading to ruin; and do all they can to hinder persons from entering into them, and to cause those to stumble who are in them; nor will they cease acting this wicked part; they are continually at work to make the ways of Christ odious, to set people against them, to discourage from walking in them by their opposition to them, the false glosses they put upon them, and by their scoffs and jeers at those that walk in them, and by their violent persecutions of them, when it is in their power.
s T. Hieros. Yebamot, fol. 3. 1. & T. Rab. Yebamot, fol. 16, 1. & Juchasin, fol. 14. 1. & 55. 1. t Irenaeus adv. Haeres. l. 3. c. 3.
Fuente: John Gill’s Exposition of the Entire Bible
Of all guile ( ). From , to catch with bait, old word, already seen in Matt 26:4; Mark 7:22; Mark 14:1. Paul denounces Elymas as a trickster.
All villainy ( ). Late compound from (, easy, facile, , deed, one who does a thing adroitly and with ease). So levity in Xenophon and unscrupulousness in Polybius, Plutarch, and the papyri. Only here in the N.T., though the kindred word occurs in Ac 18:14. With deadly accuracy Paul pictured this slick rascal.
Thou son of the devil ( ). Damning phrase like that used by Jesus of the Pharisees in Joh 8:44, a slanderer like the . This use of son () for characteristic occurs in Acts 3:25; Acts 4:36, a common Hebrew idiom, and may be used purposely by Paul in contrast with the name Barjesus (son of Jesus) that Elymas bore (13:6).
Enemy of all righteousness ( ). Personal enemy to all justice, sums up all the rest. Note triple use of “all” (, , ), total depravity in every sense.
Wilt thou not cease? ( ). An impatient rhetorical question, almost volitive in force (Robertson, Grammar, p. 874). Note , not ,
To pervert (). Present active participle describing the actual work of Elymas as a perverter or distorter (see verse 8). More exactly, Wilt thou not cease perverting?
The right ways of the Lord ( ). The ways of the Lord the straight ones as opposed to the crooked ways of men (Isa 40:4; Isa 42:16; Luke 3:5). The task of John the Baptist as of all prophets and preachers is to make crooked paths straight and to get men to walk in them. This false prophet was making even the Lord’s straight ways crooked. Elymas has many successors.
Fuente: Robertson’s Word Pictures in the New Testament
Mischief [] . Only here in New Testament. Originally, ease or facility in doing; hence readiness in turning the hand to anything, bad or good; and so recklessness, unscrupulousness, wickedness. A kindred word (rJadiourghma, lewdness, Rev., villainy) occurs at ch. 18 14.
Right ways. Or straight, possibly with an allusion to Elymas’ crooked ways.
Fuente: Vincent’s Word Studies in the New Testament
1) “And said, 0 full of all subtlety and all mischief,” (o pleres pantos dolou kai pases hradiourgias) -0 (man) full of all deceit and all (kind of) fraud,” as a sorcerer, deceiver, lying prophet, magic arts and prestidigitator. His occupation, and dishonesty – “mischief” refers to the, wickedness of his heart and very character, expressed in his deception for profit, Jer 17:9; 1Ti 6:10.
2) “Thou child of the devil,” (huie diabolou) “Thou son (heir) of (the) devil.” This publicly popular profiteer from magic arts, posing as a miracle working prophet, was a base, dishonest, deceiving child of the devil, Joh 8:44; Mat 7:22-23; 1Jn 3:10.
3) “Wilt thou not cease to pervert,” (ou pause diastrephon) “Wilt thou not cease (and desist) continually, repeatedly perverting, distorting,” misrepresenting and maligning, opposing vehemently, Act 13:8.
4) “The right ways of the Lord?” (tas hodous tou kuriou tas eutheias) “The ways of the Lord which are right?” exist as true and proper for all men, the Divine and holy ways set forth by Jesus Christ, the ways of repentance, faith, and obedience to Jesus Christ, Act 19:13-20. To become a Christian means “to put away” deception and dishonesty in business affairs. Because of this, Elymas did not want to be saved or see the governor saved, See? 1Ti 6:10; Pro 29:1.
Fuente: Garner-Howes Baptist Commentary
10. O thou full of deceit. It was not without a cause that Paul was thus hot and angry; for he had no hope to do any good if he should deal after some moderate and mild sort. We must always begin with doctrine, and those are also to be admonished, exhorted, and pricked forward, who do not as yet appear to be altogether obstinate. Neither doth Paul so vehemently inveigh against the sorcerer at the first dash; but when he seeth him maliciously and manifestly fight against the doctrine of godliness, he handleth him like a bond-slave of Satan. Thus must we deal with the desperate enemies of the gospel, in whom appeareth open contumacy and wicked contempt of God, especially when they stop the way before others, And lest any man should think that Paul was out of measure angry, Luke saith plainly that the inspiration of the Spirit was his guide. Wherefore this heat of zeal is not only not to be reprehended, but it ought to make the profane condemners of God sore afraid, who fear not to rebel against his word; forasmuch as this judgment is given upon them all not by mortal man, but by the Holy Ghost, by the mouth of Paul.
As touching the words, this place refuteth their error who think that Paul took his name of the deputy, as if he had set up some token of victory. There may many reasons be brought, and those strong enough, on the contrary; but this one place is sufficient, where Luke showeth that at such time as the deputy was not brought to the faith he had two names. And it is not to be doubted but that he retained his own name (786) amongst the Jews; and we know that this was a usual thing, that those who were citizens of Rome should borrow some Italian name. Luke joineth subtlety with deceit, which is contrary to sincerity; to wit, whilst crafty men transform their wit hither and thither, so that they have in them no simplicity; though the Greek word which Luke useth signifieth ready boldness to do hurt; but the former signification agreeth better. By the son of the devil is meant a reprobate and desperate man. Such are all those which resist maliciously, and as it were of set purpose, that which is just and right; therefore Paul addeth, that he is a great enemy of all righteousness.
Dost thou not cease to pervert? He calleth all that means whereby the Lord bringeth us unto himself the ways of the Lord. He testifieth that this is plain and straight; and he accuseth the sorcerer for making the same crooked, full of turnings, and doubtful, with his boughts and turns. Whence may be gathered a profitable doctrine, that it cometh to pass through the subtlety of Satan that we do not readily, with straight course, go unto the Lord. For he showeth us in his word a plain way, and such as is not thorny. Wherefore we must take good heed of seducers, which trouble the way with their ditches or thorns, or else make the same hard and unpleasant.
And it shall be convenient to repeat here that which I touched before, that the servants of Christ must not be blamed if they do sore inveigh against the professed enemies of sound doctrine, unless we will accuse the Holy Ghost of intemperance. Neither am I ignorant how easily men may fall in this point; for which cause godly teachers must take so much the more heed, first, that they favor not the affections of the flesh too much under the color of zeal; secondly, that they break not out with headlong and unseasonable heat where there is yet place for moderation; thirdly, that they give not themselves over to foolish and uncomely railing, but only that they express the unseemliness of the thing by gravity and weight of words. Such was the vehemency of holy zeal and of the Spirit in the prophets, which if dainty and soft men judge troublesome and raging, they consider not how dear and precious God’s truth is to him.
Now there riseth not one Elymas to subvert the faith but many, and those which are far more wicked. For we see with what sacrilegious boldness they despoil God of all honor; with what filthy corruptions they profane all religion; how cruelly they throw miserable souls headlong into eternal destruction; how unseemly they mock Christ; how filthily they disfigure all the whole worship of God; with what cruel reproaches they rend the holy truth of God; with what barbarous tyranny they lay waste the Church of God; so that you would say that they tread God under foot. And yet there be many crabbed philosophers who would have these furious giants flattered and clawed by the back. (787) But forasmuch as it doth evidently appear that such did never taste what that meaneth, “The zeal of thine house hath eaten me up,” (Psa 69:9,) let us, bidding adieu to their coldness, or rather sluggishness, be most hot, (788) as becometh us, in maintaining the glory of God.
(786) “ Gentile… nomen,” his family name.
(787) “ Blanditiis mulceri,” soothed by flattery.
(788) “ Usque ad summum fervorem efferamur, “let us be carried even to the highest pitch of fervour.
Fuente: Calvin’s Complete Commentary
(10) Full of all subtilty and all mischief.The Greek of the second noun is found here only in the New Testament. Its primary meaning expresses simply ease in working; but this passed through the several stages of versatility, shiftiness, and trickery. A kindred word is translated in Act. 18:14 as lewdness.
Thou child of the devil.There is, perhaps, an intentional contrast between the meaning of the name Bar-jesus (= son of the Lord who saves) and the character of the man, which led him to oppose righteousness in every form, and to turn the straight paths of Gods making into the crooked ones of mans subtlety. There is a manifest reference to the words in which Isaiah describes the true preparation of the way of the Lord as consisting in making the crooked straight (Isa. 40:4).
Fuente: Ellicott’s Commentary for English Readers (Old and New Testaments)
10. Full of all subtilty As the apostle was filled with the Holy Ghost.
Child of the devil A striking contrast with, perhaps an allusion to, his name Bar-jesus.
Right ways Literally, straight ways.
Of the Lord Of Jehovah-Jesus. The straight ways of the Lord are God’s straight course in Jesus, saving the world through him. These straight ways Elymas distorted, made crooked, by his sophistical mis-constructions and perversions.
Fuente: Whedon’s Commentary on the Old and New Testaments
Act 13:10 . ] knavery, roguery . Polyb. xii. 10. 5, iv. 29. 4; Plut. Cat. m. 16. Comp. , Act 18:14 .
] i.e. a man whose condition of mind proceeds from the influence of the devil (the arch-enemy of the kingdom of the Messiah). Comp. on Joh 8:44 . An indignant contrast to the name Barjesus . is treated as a proper name , therefore without the article; 1Pe 5:8 ; Rev 20:2 .
] of all, that is right , Act 10:35 .
. . ] Wilt thou not cease to pervert the straight (leading directly to the goal) ways of the Lord (to give them a perverted direction)? i.e. applying this general reproach to the present case: Wilt thou, by thy opposition to us, and by thy endeavour to turn the proconsul from the faith (Act 13:8 ), persist in so working that God’s measures (Rom 11:33 ; Rev 15:3 ), instead of attaining their aim according to the divine intention, may be frustrated? The straight way of God aimed here at the winning of Sergius for the salvation in Christ, by means of Barnabas and Paul; but Elymas set himself in opposition to this, and was engaged in diverting from its mark this straight way which God had entered on, so that the divinely-desired conversion of Sergius was to remain unrealized. De Wette takes it incorrectly: to set forth erroneously the ways in which men should walk before God. On , comp. in fact, Pro 10:10 ; Isa 59:8 ; Mic 3:9 ; and notice that the . . . was really that which the sorcerer strove to do , although without attaining the desired success. Observe, also, the thrice repeated emphatic , and that is not to be referred to Christ, but to God (whom the son of the devil resists), as is proved from Act 13:11 .
Fuente: Heinrich August Wilhelm Meyer’s New Testament Commentary
10 And said, O full of all subtilty and all mischief, thou child of the devil, thou enemy of all righteousness, wilt thou not cease to pervert the right ways of the Lord?
Ver. 10. O full of all subtilty and all mischief ] Gr. , maleficiency, thou that by long dealing hast gotten a dexterity in evil doing. This was plain dealing, such as Master Philpot, martyr, used to Morgan, and other popelings that set upon him; such as Maris, the blind bishop of Bithynia, used to Julian the Apostate. For when Julian had said to him, Behold, thou art blind; thinkest thou that the Galilean thy God careth for thee? Maris replied, O tu impie Apostata! gratias ago Deo meo, qui me caecum reddidit, ne vultum tuum videam ita ad impietatem prolapsum: O thou wicked apostate! I bless my Lord Christ who hath made me blind, that I might not see thy cursed countenance. When Servetus condemned Zuinglius for his harsh handling of him, he answers, In aliis mansuetus ero; in blasphemiis in Christum non ita: In other things I will use mildness, but not in dealing with those that blaspheme Christ. a Mihi sane Auxentius erit diabolus quamdiu Arianus, said Hilary, I shall think Auxentias to be no better than a devil so long as he continues an Arian.
Enemy of all righteousness ] The adulterer is an enemy to chastity, the drunkard to sobriety, &c., but he that hindereth others from heaven is an enemy to all righteousness.
To pervert the right ways ] To dig them up, to ditch them over ( ), so as they are not passable. The conversion of great men is of great consequence. Hence Paul was so loth to lose the proconsul.
a Epist. in Servet.
Fuente: John Trapp’s Complete Commentary (Old and New Testaments)
10. . ] Meyer supposes an indignant allusion to the name Bar-jesus. This is possible, though hardly probable (see below). . , which usually has the article, is elsewhere found without it only in ( 1Pe 5:8 ) Rev 12:9 , 22. See Moulton’s Winer, p. 155, note 1.
. . , of all that is right .
. . . .] The evidently makes this apply, not to Elymas’s conduct on this occasion merely, but to his whole life of imposture and perversion of others. The especial sin was, that of laying hold of the nascent enquiry after God in the minds of men, and wresting it to a wrong direction.
, here and Act 13:11 , is Jehovah. If, as some suppose, the reading of the name Bar-jesus is Bar-jehu, the repetition may be allusive: as in the other case might the . to the name Jesus. But Meyer supposes the various readings in the forms of the name (Barsuma, Barjesuban) to have arisen from a desire to reverence the Name Jesus .
] so , Deu 9:7 .
Fuente: Henry Alford’s Greek Testament
Act 13:10 . : for an interesting parallel in Plato cf. Wetstein, in loco , Plato, Legg. , 908 D. : only here in N.T., cf. Act 18:14 , hellenistic, R.V. “villainy,” A.V. “mischief” (so Genevan), but other E. V. “deceit”; the idea of deceit, however, is more properly contained in R.V., “guile”. ., lit [258] , ease in doing, so easiness, laziness, and hence fraud, wickedness, cf. , frequently used, although not necessarily so, in a bad sense. , Joh 8:44 , the expression may be used in marked and indignant contrast to the name “Son of Jesus,” cf. Act 3:25 , Act 4:36 . But without any reference to Act 13:6 the expression would describe him as the natural enemy of the messengers of God. On the phrase and its use here see Deissmann, Bibelstudien , p. 163. Note the thrice , “ter repetitur emphatice” Wetstein. , cf. LXX, Pro 10:9 , and Isa 59:8 , Mic 3:9 . : similar expressions frequent in LXX, so of the ways of the Lord in contrast to the ways of men, Eze 33:17 , Sir 39:24 , Song of the Three Children, Act 13:3 .
[258] literal, literally.
Fuente: The Expositors Greek Testament by Robertson
Acts
TO THE REGIONS BEYOND
Act 13:1 – Act 13:13
We stand in this passage at the beginning of a great step forward. Philip and Peter had each played a part in the gradual expansion of the church beyond the limits of Judaism; but it was from the church at Antioch that the messengers went forth who completed the process. Both its locality and its composition made that natural.
I. The solemn designation of the missionaries is the first point in the narrative.
The order observed in the list is a little window which shows a great deal. The first and last names all the world knows; the other three are never heard of again. Immortality falls on the two, oblivion swallows up the three. But it matters little whether our names are sounded in men’s ears, if they are in the Lamb’s book of life.
These five brethren were waiting on the Lord by fasting and prayer. Apparently they had reason to expect some divine communication, for which they were thus preparing themselves. Light will come to those who thus seek it. They were commanded to set apart two of their number for ‘the work whereunto I have called them.’ That work is not specified, and yet the two, like carrier pigeons on being let loose, make straight for their line of flight, and know exactly whither they are to go.
If we strictly interpret Luke’s words ‘I have called them’, a previous intimation from the Spirit had revealed to them the sphere of their work. In that case, the separation was only the recognition by the brethren of the divine appointment. The inward call must come first, and no ecclesiastical designation can do more than confirm that. But the solemn designation by the Church identifies those who remain behind with the work of those who go forth; it throws responsibility for sympathy and support on the former, and it ministers strength and the sense of companionship to the latter, besides checking that tendency to isolation which accompanies earnestness. To go forth on even Christian service, unrecognised by the brethren, is not good for even a Paul.
But although Luke speaks of the Church sending them away, he takes care immediately to add that it was the Holy Ghost who ‘sent them forth.’ Ramsay suggests that ‘sent them away’ is not the meaning of the phrase in Act 13:3 , but that it should be rendered ‘gave them leave to depart.’ In any case, a clear distinction is drawn between the action of the Church and that of the Spirit, which constituted Paul’s real commission as an Apostle. He himself says that he was an Apostle, ‘not from men, neither through man.’
II. The events in the first stage of the journey are next summarily presented.
So, for the first time, the Gospel went to sea, the precursor of so many voyages. It was an ‘epoch-making moment’ when that ship dropped down with the tide and put out to sea. Salamis was the nearest port on the south-eastern coast of Cyprus, and there they landed,- Barnabas, no doubt, familiar with all he saw; Saul probably a stranger to it all. Their plan of action was that to which Paul adhered in all his after work,-to carry the Gospel to the Jew first, a proceeding for which the manner of worship in the synagogues gave facilities. No doubt, many such were scattered through Cyprus, and Barnabas would be well known in most.
They thus traversed the island from east to west. It is noteworthy that only now is John Mark’s name brought in as their attendant. He had come with them from Antioch, but Luke will not mention him, when he is telling of the sending forth of the other two, because Mark was not sent by the Spirit, but only chosen by his uncle, and his subsequent defection did not affect the completeness of their embassy. His entirely subordinate place is made obvious by the point at which he appears.
Nothing of moment happened on the tour till Paphos was reached. That was the capital, the residence of the pro-consul, and the seat of the foul worship of Venus. There the first antagonist was met. It is not Sergius Paulus, pro-consul though he was, who is the central figure of interest to Luke, but the sorcerer who was attached to his train. His character is drawn in Luke’s description, and in Paul’s fiery exclamation. Each has three clauses, which fall ‘like the beats of a hammer.’ ‘Sorcerer, false prophet, Jew,’ make a climax of wickedness. That a Jew should descend to dabble in the black art of magic, and play tricks on the credulity of ignorant people by his knowledge of some simple secrets of chemistry; that he should pretend to prophetic gifts which in his heart he knew to be fraud, and should be recreant to his ancestral faith, proved him to deserve the penetrating sentence which Paul passed on him. He was a trickster, and knew that he was: his inspiration came from an evil source; he had come to hate righteousness of every sort.
Paul was not flinging bitter words at random, or yielding to passion, but was laying the black heart bare to the man’s own eyes, that the seeing himself as God saw him might startle him into penitence. ‘The corruption of the best is the worst.’ The bitterest enemies of God’s ways are those who have cast aside their early faith. A Jew who had stooped to be a juggler was indeed causing God’s ‘name to be blasphemed among the Gentiles.’
He and Paul each recognised in the other his most formidable foe. Elymas instinctively felt that the pro-consul must be kept from listening to the teaching of these two fellow-countrymen, and ‘sought to pervert him from the faith,’ therein perverting the same word is used in both cases ‘the right ways of the Lord’; that is, opposing the divine purpose. He was a specimen of a class who attained influence in that epoch of unrest, when the more cultivated and nobler part of Roman society had lost faith in the old gods, and was turning wistfully and with widespread expectation to the mysterious East for enlightenment.
So, like a ship which plunges into the storm as soon as it clears the pier-head, the missionaries felt the first dash of the spray and blast of the wind directly they began their work. Since this was their first encounter with a foe which they would often have to meet, the duel assumes importance, and we understand not only the fulness of the narrative, but the miracle which assured Paul and Barnabas of Christ’s help, and was meant to diffuse its encouragement along the line of their future work. For Elymas it was chastisement, which might lead him to cease to pervert the ways of the Lord, and himself begin to walk in them. Perhaps, after a season, he did see ‘the better Sun.’
Saul’s part in the incident is noteworthy. We observe the vivid touch, he ‘fastened his eyes on him.’ There must have been something very piercing in the fixed gaze of these flashing eyes. But Luke takes pains to prevent our thinking that Paul spoke from his own insight or was moved by human passion. He was ‘filled with the Holy Ghost,’ and, as His organ, poured out the scorching words that revealed the cowering apostate to himself, and announced the merciful punishment that was to fall. We need to be very sure that we are similarly filled before venturing to imitate the Apostle’s tone.
III. The shifting of the scene to the mainland presents some noteworthy points.
A striking suggestion is made by Ramsay to the effect that the reason was a sudden attack of the malarial fever which is endemic in the low-lying coast plains, and for which the natural remedy is to get up among the mountains. If so, the journey to Antioch of Pisidia may not have been in the programme to which John Mark had agreed, and his return to Jerusalem may have been due to this departure from the original intention. Be that as it may, he stands for us as a beacon, warning against hasty entrance on great undertakings of which we have not counted the cost, no less than against cowardly flight from work, as soon as it begins to involve more danger or discomfort than we had reckoned on.
John Mark was willing to go a-missionarying as long as he was in Cyprus, where he was somebody and much at home, by his relationship to Barnabas; but when Perga and the climb over Taurus into strange lands came to be called for, his zeal and courage oozed out at his finger-ends, and he skulked back to his mother’s house at Jerusalem. No wonder that Paul ‘thought not good to take with them him who withdrew from them.’ But even such faint hearts as Mark’s may take courage from the fact that he nobly retrieved his youthful error, and won back Paul’s confidence, and proved himself ‘profitable to him for the ministry.’
Fuente: Expositions Of Holy Scripture by Alexander MacLaren
all. Notice the three “alls”.
subtilty = guile. Greek. dolos. Compare Mat 26:4. Mar 14:1. Rev 14:5.
mischief = wickedness. Greek. radiourgia. Only here. Compare Act 18:14.
child = son. Greek. huios. App-108. See Mat 13:38; Mat 23:15. Joh 8:44; Joh 17:12. 1Jn 3:10, and compare “sons of Belial”, so frequent in the O.T.
righteousness. Greek. dikaiosune. App-191. pervert. See Act 13:8.
right = straight
the Lord. App-98. This rebuke is a case of Figure of speech Aganactesis. App-6.
Fuente: Companion Bible Notes, Appendices and Graphics
10. .] Meyer supposes an indignant allusion to the name Bar-jesus. This is possible, though hardly probable (see below). ., which usually has the article, is elsewhere found without it only in (1Pe 5:8) Rev 12:9, 22. See Moultons Winer, p. 155, note 1.
. ., of all that is right.
. …] The evidently makes this apply, not to Elymass conduct on this occasion merely, but to his whole life of imposture and perversion of others. The especial sin was, that of laying hold of the nascent enquiry after God in the minds of men, and wresting it to a wrong direction.
, here and Act 13:11, is Jehovah. If, as some suppose, the reading of the name Bar-jesus is Bar-jehu, the repetition may be allusive: as in the other case might the . to the name Jesus. But Meyer supposes the various readings in the forms of the name (Barsuma, Barjesuban) to have arisen from a desire to reverence the Name Jesus.
] so , Deu 9:7.
Fuente: The Greek Testament
Act 13:10. ) The interjection, O, properly coheres with the substantives, Son (Child) and enemy: but as these signify the severest rebuke, the tiology (reason assigned) is prefixed, full, etc.-, of subtilty) Hereby he is stigmatised as a false prophet.-, craft [versutia]) Hereby he is stigmatised as a sorcerer.- , son of the devil) This too is applicable to a sorcerer, and such a man as is not only himself bad, but also forbids others from becoming better.- , enemy of all righteousness) This also applies to a false prophet: a true prophet teaches righteousness, and that in Christ.- , thou wilt not cease, or wilt thou not cease) Now at least it had been time to have ceased from the wickedness which he had even heretofore practised. Not to cease is devilish. Many read this with an interrogation.- , the right ways) Rectitude and simplicity are characteristic of Divine doctrine.
Fuente: Gnomon of the New Testament
O full: Act 8:20-23, Ecc 9:3, Mat 3:7, Mat 15:19, Mat 23:25-33, Luk 11:39, 2Co 11:3
thou child: Gen 3:15, Mat 13:38, Joh 8:44, 1Jo 3:8
wilt: Act 20:30, Jer 23:36, Mat 23:13, Luk 11:52, Gal 1:7
the right: Act 18:25, Act 18:26, Gen 18:19, 2Ch 17:6, Hos 14:9, Joh 1:23
Reciprocal: Num 22:32 – thy way 1Ki 22:28 – If thou return 2Ch 18:27 – If Job 38:15 – from Psa 25:9 – his way Psa 51:13 – ways Psa 67:2 – thy way Pro 4:11 – led Pro 24:2 – General Jer 23:26 – How Mat 23:15 – ye make Mat 26:4 – by Luk 3:7 – O generation Luk 6:42 – hypocrite Luk 13:15 – Thou hypocrite Joh 6:70 – and one Act 7:55 – full 2Co 10:6 – in 2Co 11:15 – his 2Th 2:9 – is 2Ti 2:14 – the subverting Jam 3:15 – devilish 2Pe 2:2 – ways 2Pe 2:15 – forsaken 1Jo 3:10 – and
Fuente: The Treasury of Scripture Knowledge
0
Act 13:10. Subtilty means deceitfulness, which the sorcerer used with a mischievous motive. Child of the devil. The first word is explained at Joh 17:12.
Fuente: Combined Bible Commentary
See notes one verse 8
Fuente: McGarvey and Pendleton Commentaries (New Testament)
13:10 {5} And said, O full of all subtilty and all {e} mischief, [thou] child of the devil, [thou] enemy of all righteousness, wilt thou not cease to pervert the right ways of the Lord?
(5) The sorcerer, who was stricken by Paul with a physical punishment (although extraordinarily), shows an example to lawful magistrates how they ought to punish those who wickedly and obstinately hinder the course of the Gospel.
(e) He points out a fault of those who run eagerly and with great desire into all types of wickedness with the least bit of prompting from the world.
Fuente: Geneva Bible Notes
Instead of being full of wisdom, Paul accused Elymas of being full of deceit and a fraud. Instead of being the son of a savior or the follower of Jesus, Bar-Jesus was a son of the devil. Instead of being the promoter of righteousness, this magician was making the straight way of the Lord crooked. This is the second of four incidents involving victory over demonic powers in Acts (cf. Act 8:9-23; Act 16:16-18; Act 19:13-17).