Exegetical and Hermeneutical Commentary of Acts 13:17
The God of this people of Israel chose our fathers, and exalted the people when they dwelt as strangers in the land of Egypt, and with a high arm brought he them out of it.
17. The God of this people of Israel chose our fathers ] He commends his words to their hearing by dwelling on the historic facts of their national life as God’s chosen people.
Fuente: The Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges
The God of this people – Who has manifested himself as the special friend and protector of this nation. This implied a belief that he had been particularly their God; a favorite doctrine of the Jews, and one that would conciliate their favor toward Paul.
Of Israel – The Jews.
Chose our fathers – Selected the nation to be a chosen and special people to himself, Deu 7:6-7.
And exalted the people – Raised them up from a low and depressed state of bondage, to freedom, and to special privileges as a nation.
When they dwelt as strangers in the land of Egypt – en te paroikia. This properly refers to their dwelling there as foreigners. They were always strangers there in a strange land. It was not their home. They never mingled with the people; never became constituent parts of the government; never used their language; never united with their usages and laws. They were a strange, separate, depressed people there; not less so than Africans are strangers and foreigners a depressed and degraded people in this land (America), Gen 36:7; Exo 6:4; Exo 22:21; Exo 23:9; Lev 19:34; Deu 10:19.
And with an high arm – This expression denotes great power. The arm denotes strength, as that by which we perform anything. A high arm, an arm lifted up, or stretched out, denotes that strength exerted to the utmost. The children of Israel are represented as having been delivered with an outstretched arm, Deu 26:8; Exo 6:6. With a strong hand, Exo 6:1. Reference is made in these places to the plagues inflicted on Egypt, by which the Israelites were delivered; to their passage through the Red Sea; to their victories over their enemies, etc.
Fuente: Albert Barnes’ Notes on the Bible
Act 13:17-41
The God of this people of Israel chose our fathers.
The hours on the worlds clock
1. Moving slowly forward as the hours of the Eternal God, with whom a thousand years are as one day, and of the long suffering God, whose patience has borne with this perverse world, as it did with Israel for forty years in the wilderness.
2. But unceasingly progressing to the end appointed of God–of the worlds redemption, and the worlds judgment. (K. Gerok.)
The history of the kingdom of God
The history of the world in the light of the gospel transfigured into the history of the kingdom of God.
I. Its place is sketched out before in the eternal counsels of Divine wisdom, power, and love.
II. Its sections of time are stations on the progress of humanity to its destination.
III. Its heroes are the vassals of Christ, and willingly or unwillingly the servants of His kingdom.
IV. Its end is the glorification of God in humanity. (K. Gerok.)
The providence of God in the history of Israel
An encouraging type of the Divine government of mankind.
I. Wherein this providence is recognised.
1. In the history of Israel.
2. In the history of the world.
II. What influence the certainty of this Divine government should have upon us.
1. We should be comforted with the sure confidence that the issue of things will be the best.
2. We should do our part, in order that the Divine plan of salvation may be more and more realised. (Lisco.)
Christ, the worlds Saviour
I. Foretold in the old testament (Act 13:16-25.)
II. Rejected by his people (Act 13:26-29.)
III. Preached as the salvation of believers (Act 13:30-41.)
(Lisco.)
Fuente: Biblical Illustrator Edited by Joseph S. Exell
Verse 17. The God of – our fathers] The apostle begins his discourse with the Egyptian bondage, and their deliverance from it, as points the most remarkable and striking in their history; in which the providence and mighty power of God, exerted so frequently in their behalf, were peculiarly conspicuous.
Exalted the people] Even when they were strangers in the land, and greatly oppressed, God exalted them; made them a terror to their enemies, and multiplied them greatly.
With a high arm] A literal translation of the Hebrew phrase, bezeroa ramah, with a lifted-up arm, to protect them and destroy their enemies. The meaning of the phrase is, a manifest display of the Divine power.
Fuente: Adam Clarke’s Commentary and Critical Notes on the Bible
The God of this people of Israel; God was the God of Israel after a peculiar manner.
Chose our fathers; having chosen them before all nations, to make him known unto them, to be served and worshipped by them.
And exalted the people; and God exalted them in the time of Joseph, and whilst the memory of that great preservation wrought by his means did continue, till another king arose that knew not Joseph.
An high arm; the many miracles done by the power of God towards the Israelites deliverance out of Egypt. By which the apostle would have them remember, that they owed all which they challenged from their progenitors to the grace and blessing of God only, and that God may do with his own as he please.
Fuente: English Annotations on the Holy Bible by Matthew Poole
The God of this people of Israel chose our fathers,…. Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, and their seed after them, to be a peculiar people to himself; wherefore he is often, as here, styled their God, and whom he distinguished and blessed with many blessings, civil and religious, above all people upon the face of the earth. The apostle seems particularly to address himself to the Gentiles, the inhabitants of Antioch, and the proselytes of righteousness, now in the synagogue, Ac 13:42 and, as it were, with his finger pointed to the native Jews present, the descendants of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, a part of the people whose God the Lord was:
and exalted the people when they dwelt as strangers in the land of Egypt as they did for many years, and as the Lord foretold to Abraham they should, Ge 15:13 This refers either to the great honour and dignity Joseph was advanced unto, and to the favours and privileges bestowed on Jacob and his family at the first of their sojourning in that land; or to the great increase of their posterity towards the close of it, even when they were the most oppressed and afflicted.
And with an high arm he brought them out of it out of the land of Egypt, and out of their oppression in it; which was owing to, and was a wonderful display of his mighty power and great strength here expressed by an “high arm” for nothing short of that could have wrought deliverance for them.
Fuente: John Gill’s Exposition of the Entire Bible
Chose (). First aorist middle (indirect), selected for himself. Israel was the chosen people.
Exalted (). From , late verb from so often used of Christ.
When they sojourned ( ). In the sojourn. Late word from (sojourner, dweller, Ac 7:6) common in LXX. In N.T. only here and 1Pe 1:17.
With a high arm ( ). Vivid picture from the LXX (Exod 6:1; Exod 6:6; Deut 5:15; Ps 136:12).
Fuente: Robertson’s Word Pictures in the New Testament
People [] . Restricted in the Acts to the people of Israel.
Fuente: Vincent’s Word Studies in the New Testament
,
1 ) “The God of this people of Israel chose our fathers,” (ho theos tou laou toutou Israel ekseleksato tous pateras hemon) “The God of this people of Israel chose our fathers of His own accord,” even as “He chose the church ye,” Joh 15:16; Joh 15:27; Exo 6:5-6; Exo 33:12-17; Deu 4:37; Deu 7:6-8; Deu 10:15; He chose Israel first by calling Abraham, giving to him a covenant pledge effected in and thru Israel, his seed after him, Gen 12:1-3; Gal 3:8-9.
2) “And exalted the people,” (kai ton laon hupsosen) “And He exalted the people of Israel,” or lifted them up in honor, for a custodial or trust-nature people, to receive His laws of morals and ethics and an order of Divine service and worship. Exo 20:1-17; Rom 3:1-2.
3) “When they dwelt as strangers in the land of Egypt
(en te paroikia enge Aiguptou) “In the sojourn (era of them) in the land of Egypt,” before Pharaoh, while Joseph lived and interceded for them, Gen 47:1-12; God exalted Israel in her wanderings even multiplying them in the land of Goshen in Egypt, Gen 50:15-20.
4) “And with an high arm,” (kai meta Brachionos hupselou) “And with an high arm,” an arm of higher strength, an arm from on high, Exo 14:19-31; Exo 15:5-6; Exo 15:13; Exo 15:16.
5) “Brought He them out of it,” (eksegagen autous eks autes) “He led them forth out of it,” out of the land of Egypt later, in spite of Pharaoh’s oppression and disapproval, Psa 78:53-54; Psa 106:7-10; Psa 107:1-3.
Fuente: Garner-Howes Baptist Commentary
17. The God of this people. This preface did witness that Paul did go about no new thing, which might lead away the people from the law of Moses. There is but one God, who is God of all nations; but he calleth him God of that people, to whom he had bound himself, and who was worshipped amongst the posterity of Abraham, amongst whom alone true and pure religion was to be found. To the same end tendeth that which is added immediately, He chose our fathers. For he testifieth by these words that he seeketh nothing less (799) than that they may fall away from the true and living God, who hath separated them from the residue of the world. Neither do I doubt but that he did more manifestly express that he did not preach to them an unknown or strange God, but the same who revealed himself long ago to their fathers; so that he doth briefly comprehend the sound knowledge of God, grounded in the law, that their faith, conceived out of the law and prophets, may continue firm.
Notwithstanding, he doth, in the mean season, commend and set forth the free love of God toward that people. For how came it to pass that only the children of Abraham were the Church and inheritance of God, save only because it pleased God to dissever them from other nations? For there was no worthiness to distinguish them; but the difference began at the love of God, wherewith he did freely love Abraham.
Of this free love of God, Moses doth oftentimes put the Jews to mind, as Deu 4:7, and in other places; wherein God did set before us a mirror of his wonderful counsel, in that finding no excellence in Abraham, an obscure person and miserable idolater, he doth, notwithstanding, prefer him before all the world. Furthermore, this election was common to all the people, as was also circumcision, whereby God did adopt to himself the seed of Abraham; but there was also a more hidden election, whereby severing to himself a few of many children of Abraham, he did declare, that not all who came of the seed of Abraham according to the flesh are reckoned in the spiritual stock.
He did drive out a people. Paul teacheth that all those benefits which God bestowed afterwards upon the Jews, did proceed and flow from that free favor which he did bear toward their fathers. For this was the cause that they were delivered by the wonderful power of God, and brought by his hand into the possession of the land of Canaan, after that he had driven out so many nations for their sake. For it is no small matter for the land to be deprived of her inhabitants, that she might receive strangers. This is the fountain and root of all good things whereunto Paul calleth us, that God chose the fathers. This was the reason and cause which moved God to so great patience, that he would not cast off that rebellious people, who should otherwise have destroyed themselves a thousand times with their own wickedness. Therefore, where the Scripture maketh mention that their sins were pardoned, it saith that God remembered his covenant. He saith that they were exalted, though they were strangers, that they may remember how worthy and gorgeous their deliverance was.
(799) “ Nihil se minus captare,” that there is nothing he less desires.
Fuente: Calvin’s Complete Commentary
(17) The God of this people of Israel.It will be observed that St. Paul, as far as the plan of his discourse is concerned, follows in the footsteps of St. Stephen, and begins by a recapitulation of the main facts of the history of Israel. It was a theme which Israelites were never tired of listening to. It showed that the Apostles recognised it as the history of Gods chosen people.
And exalted the people when they dwelt as strangers.Literally, in their sojourning in the land of Egypt. The word for exalt is found in the Greek of Isa. 1:2, where our version has, I have nourished and brought up children, and may fairly be considered as an echo from the lesson that had just been read. It may be noted that it was only in this sense, as increasing rapidly in population, that Israel could be spoken of as exalted in the house of bondage.
Fuente: Ellicott’s Commentary for English Readers (Old and New Testaments)
17. Chose our fathers These words send the thoughts back to the dim beginning at the call of Abraham.
Exalted the people Namely, exalted Israel, even in her slavery, over despotic Egypt, by inflicting plagues on the despots withheld from the bondsmen.
Fuente: Whedon’s Commentary on the Old and New Testaments
“The God of this people Israel chose our fathers, and exalted the people when they sojourned in the land of Egypt, and with a high arm he led them forth out of it. And for about the time of forty years he suffered their manners (or ‘bore them as a nursing-father’) in the wilderness. And when he had destroyed seven nations in the land of Canaan, he gave them their land for an inheritance, for about four hundred and fifty years.”
While citing the same basic history and the same connection with Abraham (for that was their history) as Stephen had, Paul’s approach is almost exactly the opposite, although it does lead up to the same final message. This is because he stresses the positive aspects of their history as regards God’s blessing towards Israel, while hardly referring at all to their own failure. He stresses:
1) That God is the One God. He is the God of His people Israel. They must therefore look to Him and find out His will.
2) That He had chosen their fathers, His actions towards them having always been the outcome of His goodness, and totally undeserved.
3) That He had made the people great (exalted, prosperous) during their stay in Egypt. Their time there had not been unblessed and wasted, for God had been with them there, and had multiplied them, and given them status and much cattle.
4) That He had led them out of Egypt with a high and powerful arm, so that their deliverance had been solely due to His sovereign actions and power.
5) That He had borne them through the wilderness for ‘forty years’, putting up with their poor behaviour (or ‘had borne them like a nursing-father’), in the wilderness, an example of His enduring and longstanding ‘forty year’ goodness. He had delivered them there and watched over them, and they had been responsive to His care. Thus His mercy and compassion had continued towards them even when they had failed Him.
6) That He had then destroyed ‘seven nations’ in the land of Canaan, (a totality of nations), and had given them their land for an inheritance (see Deu 7:1). ‘Seven nations’ expresses a completeness of nations in terms of divine action. God had acted powerfully on their behalf against a host of nations in order to freely give them their inheritance.
And all this over a period of four hundred and fifty years.
However we relate the ‘four hundred and fifty years’ to the above it is to be noted that this too was emphasising His longstanding goodness, and the preciseness and faithfulness of His working over a long and continuing period.
Note the emphasis on His sovereignty, His dependability, His continual lovingkindness, His powerful activity on their behalf, His watch and care over them, His ability to provide what they longed for and what He had promised, and His continuing and unceasing activity over so long a period. The Jews therefore had good reason to be grateful to Him. In view of this they should now recognise that God still desires to work in this way towards His people, if only they will hear and be responsive.
Furthermore for the Gentiles present he is emphasising the ancient and solid foundation on which his message is built. It is the message of the One unique God. It is the message of the ancient Scriptures. It is the message of One Who is compassionate and merciful and consistent, all that their gods were not. He wants them to recognise that what he is talking about has not been done in a corner. Rather it is a final fulfilment of what God has been working towards through the set ages. God has been at work, and he knows that they know it, for that is why they are there in the synagogue. Let them therefore now be awake to the fact that this same God is again once more active and now has something even more wonderful to offer them.
‘He suffered their manners (or ‘bore them as a nursing-father’) in the wilderness.’ The translation depends on whether we read etropophoresen (‘endured their behaviour’ with Aleph, B, D) or etrophophoresen (‘bore them in arms’ with A, C*, E, p74). Deu 1:31 LXX may be seen as supporting the latter, which means ‘bore in His arms as a nursing-father’. Yet in the end both are similar for a nursing father not only feeds his young children but also has to bear their tantrums.
(The description mirrors God’s constant graciousness to His own through the ages. He reveals the same graciousness to us. In His covenant love He chooses us, makes us strong in Christ, leads us with a strong arm, feeds us, puts up with our bad behaviour as long as it is repented of, continually delivers us, and guarantees us an inheritance. It is why in all ages men should worship Him).
‘For about four hundred and fifty years.’ The question arises as to whether this is a kind of summary note, tacked on at the end of what he has initially said, signifying the time over which all this had happened (the stay in Egypt, the period in the wilderness and the period of initial conquest), or whether it is to be seen as looking forward to a later period in which they were ruled over by judges and others. The text is not fully clear. But whichever way it was ‘four hundred and fifty years’ in the end means ‘a good long time’, and stresses the length of time over which God had acted. His purpose was in order to bring out for how long God had blessed them and how long He had spent in the carrying out of His purposes without failing, his aim being to bring out God’s longstanding faithfulness and continuing reliability and generosity.
Fuente: Commentary Series on the Bible by Peter Pett
Paul’s Message (13:17-41).
Paul’s message divides into three parts.
In the first he declares the goodness and faithfulness of the One God, Who over long centuries, commencing with Abraham (‘chose our fathers’), has acted on behalf of His chosen people, making them great in the land of Egypt, and then delivering them with a mighty arm, watching over them like a nursing father in the wilderness and defeating powerful nations in order to give them their inheritance. Thus he is affirming the truth of the ancient records which they have received from the beginning, linking Abraham whom God first called, via His redemption of His people, and watch over them in the wilderness, to their final reception of the inheritance in the land (and later to David and the Messiah). All, he declares, came from the One God Who had revealed His mercy and compassion towards them (Act 13:17-19).
In the second he points out how God continually supplied the leadership and guidance that they needed, providing greater and greater rulers under God, reaching their epitome in David, but all finally leading up to great David’s greater Son, Whom men hung on a tree, but Whom God raised again. He then demonstrates this to have been witnessed both by men and by the evidence of Scripture (Act 13:20-37)
And in the third he makes his appeal, calling them to respond and receive forgiveness and ‘justification’ (a being accounted as righteous) so that they may be freed from all their guilt and sin. For this is God’s great work (Act 13:38-41).
Paul’s Message – Part 1. The Goodness and Sovereignty of the One God In Action As the Basis for What He Has Done (Act 13:17-19).
Fuente: Commentary Series on the Bible by Peter Pett
Act 13:17. The God of this people The apostle preached the same God in whom the Jews already believed, and would have persuaded them likewise to have believed in Jesus of Nazareth, the promised Messiah, the eternal Son of God, God over all, blessed for ever. To convince them that he was so, they argued both from facts, and from the prophesies of the Old Testament. This was their usual method of treating both the Jews and devout Gentiles; but when they addressed devout Gentiles alone, they did not recite the history of the Old Testament, and take their rise from the renowned ancestors of the Jewish nation; on the contrary, their language then was, In every nation he that feareth God, and worketh righteousness, is accepted of him: but when the Jews were the only, or the principal persons addressed, then they took their rise from the history of past dispensations, and particularly from Abraham the father of the nation, who was the first that was separated from an idolatrous world, and had the most express promise, that in his Seed all the nations of the earth should be blessed, as they were very eminently in Jesus Christ, his great Descendant. Abraham, for his faith and cheerful obedience, wasentitled, “The father of the faithful;” and pious holy men were stiled, “The children of Abraham.” His name was in high esteem among the Jews, and one of the most likely to procure attention. St. Matthew, who wrote his gospel more immediately for the use of the converted Jews, begins our Lord’s genealogy with Abraham. St. Peter introduces his discourse to the Jews with the name of that great patriarch, ch. Act 3:13. So does St. Stephen, ch. Act 7:2 and St.
Paul in this place mentions the name of Israel, takingoccasion from the history of past dispensations to introduce the gospel doctrine; which was in brief, that the great promise made of old to the fathers, was now accomplished, and the Messiah actually come; for the Abrahamic covenant and the gospel had a great affinity, the law of Moses being only an intermediate state, to preserve at least one nation from idolatry, and prepare them for the reception of the Messiah. May we not hence conjecture, whenever they are said to go to the Jewish synagogue, and preach the word, that this was their common method, which they used more largely or briefly, as they saw occasion. Instead of exalted, Dr. Heylin reads signalized; and instead of, brought them out with an high hand, he reads, brought them forth with high demonstrations of his power. The sense of the verse may be expressed thus: “The God of Israel, the one only living and true God, chose our fathers, to bear their testimony against idolatry, and to receive the revelations of his mind and will; and he increased their numbers, and made them considerable: even when they were strangers in the land of Egypt, and when they were oppressed there, he miraculously, and by his mighty power, raised them from their low estate, and brought them out thence.”
Fuente: Commentary on the Holy Bible by Thomas Coke
Act 13:17 . . (see the critical remarks) refers with to the address ., and with the venerated name the theocratic national feeling is appealed to. Comp. 2Co 11:22 .
] He chose for Himself , namely, from the mass of mankind, to be His peculiar property. On . ., the patriarchs , comp. Rom 9:5 ; Rom 11:1 ; Rom 11:16 . In them the people saw the channels and sureties of the divine grace.
] During the sojourn in Egypt, God exalted the people, making them great in number and strength, and especially distinguishing and glorifying them in the period directly before the Exodus by miraculous arrangements (of Moses). The history , which Paul supposes as known, requires this interpretation (comp. already Chrysostom, who in finds the two points: and ). Others, among whom are Kuinoel, Olshausen, and de Wette, arbitrarily limit merely to the increase of number , appealing even to Gen 48:19 , Sir 44:21 ; Sir 50:22 , where, however, , as always (comp. particularly Isa 1:2 ), signifies nothing else than to exalt . The special nature of the exaltation is derived purely from the context. Calvin, Elsner, and Heinrichs suppose that the deliverance from Egypt is meant. But the exaltation, according to the text, occurred (Act 7:6 ; Act 7:29 ; Wis 19:10 ), during their sojourn as strangers in Egypt. Beza and Grotius think that it is the of the people by and under Joseph that is meant. Erroneously, as stands in historical connection with the following .
] i.e. without figure: . LXX. Deu 4:37 . Jehovah is conceived as a leader who advances with uplifted arm , at the head of His people, for their defence against all their enemies. Comp. Exo 6:1 ; Exo 6:6 ; Bar 2:11 .
Fuente: Heinrich August Wilhelm Meyer’s New Testament Commentary
Act 13:17-22 . An introduction very wisely prefixed to prepare the minds of the Jews, giving the historical basis of the subsequent announcement that the Messiah has appeared, and carried down to David, the royal Messianic ancestor and type; the leading thought of which is not the free grace of God , but generally the divine Messianic guidance of the people before the final appearance of the Messiah Himself.
Fuente: Heinrich August Wilhelm Meyer’s New Testament Commentary
17 The God of this people of Israel chose our fathers, and exalted the people when they dwelt as strangers in the land of Egypt, and with an high arm brought he them out of it.
Ver. 17. Chose our fathers ] Separating them by a wonderful separation, as the Hebrew word signifieth, Exo 33:16 .
Fuente: John Trapp’s Complete Commentary (Old and New Testaments)
17. ] ‘Hoc dicit Pisidis, Judos digito monstrans’ (Grot.). Or rather, perhaps by the indicating, without gesture , the people in whose synagogue they were assembled .
. . ] It is evident that the doctrine so much insisted on afterwards by Paul, that all believers in Christ were the true children of Abraham, was fully matured already: by the he alludes to the time when God was the God of the Jews only: by this he unites all present in the now extended inheritance of the promises made to the fathers.
] Evidently an allusion to Isa 1:2 , where the word is also used in the sense of ‘bringing up,’ nourishing to manhood. This was done by increasing them in Egypt so that they became a great nation: see ref. Gen. There is no reference to any exaltation of the people during their stay in Egypt: whether by their deliverance (Calv., Heinr., Elsner), or by the miracles of Moses (Meyer), or by Joseph’s preferment to honour (Beza, Grot.).
Fuente: Henry Alford’s Greek Testament
Act 13:17 . : this points back to .: an appeal to ‘the national pride of the people in their theocratic privileges and names, cf. 2Co 11:22 , Rom 9:6 . . so often in LXX of God’s choice of Israel. : “exalted,” A. and R.V. Weiss and Wendt, with Bethge and Blass, restrict its meaning to increase in numbers, Gen 48:19 , Act 7:17 , so also Overbeck; whilst others refer it to the miraculous events connected with their sojourn as well as to their increase in numbers (so St. Chrysostom), others take it of the exaltation of the people under Joseph. But the word may certainly mean something more than numerical increase, and include increase in strength and power (so Hackett, Page). It is used once by St. Paul elsewhere, 2Co 11:7 , in contrast with , cf. its similar use in Luk 1:52 . Rendall refers its use here to 2Ki 25:27 , “lifted up,” i.e. , at the end of a miserable state of bondage, a passage where the verb is closely joined with . In Isa 1:2 ; Isa 23:4 it is used of bringing up children. , cf. Act 7:6 , and for the noun as here, LXX, 2Es 8:35 , Wis 19:10 . Prologue of Ecclus., Act 13:26 , Psa 120:5 . ., cf. Exo 6:1 ; Exo 6:6 , Deu 5:15 , etc., Psa 136:12 , Bar 2:11 , etc. Hebraistic, cf. Luk 1:51 , where we have as in Hebrew, but in LXX as of the accompanying the arm of God, and not merely of his power as bringing the people out.
Fuente: The Expositors Greek Testament by Robertson
exalted. Greek. hupsoo. See note on Joh 12:32.
when they dwelt as strangers = in (Greek. en. App-104.) their sojourning. Greek. paroikia. Only here and 1Pe 1:17. Compare Act 7:6.
land. Greek. ge. App-129.
out of. Greek. ek. App-104.
Fuente: Companion Bible Notes, Appendices and Graphics
17. ] Hoc dicit Pisidis, Judos digito monstrans (Grot.). Or rather, perhaps by the indicating, without gesture, the people in whose synagogue they were assembled.
. . ] It is evident that the doctrine so much insisted on afterwards by Paul, that all believers in Christ were the true children of Abraham, was fully matured already: by the he alludes to the time when God was the God of the Jews only: by this he unites all present in the now extended inheritance of the promises made to the fathers.
] Evidently an allusion to Isa 1:2, where the word is also used in the sense of bringing up, nourishing to manhood. This was done by increasing them in Egypt so that they became a great nation: see ref. Gen. There is no reference to any exaltation of the people during their stay in Egypt: whether by their deliverance (Calv., Heinr., Elsner), or by the miracles of Moses (Meyer), or by Josephs preferment to honour (Beza, Grot.).
Fuente: The Greek Testament
Act 13:17. , God) By such a mention of Him their minds were conciliated, when they saw that Paul agrees with the books of the Old Testament. They were proved by Paul to lie under a peculiar obligation towards the supremely good and great God, and were invited to have faith in His promise and its fulfilment. In the six verses, 17-22, the whole recapitulation of the Old Testament is clearly set forth (is completed): the rest of his address treats of the New Testament.- , of this people) Paul especially addresses those whom he calls persons fearing GOD; and he speaks of (not to) Israel, Act 13:23; until in Act 13:26 he more directly addresses the Israelites also.-, chose out) It was the Divine election that exalted the people; not the merit of the people, or any worthiness in them: Eze 20:5.-, fathers) Abraham and his posterity.
Fuente: Gnomon of the New Testament
God: Act 7:2-53, Gen 12:1-3, Gen 17:7, Gen 17:8, Deu 4:37, Deu 7:6-8, Deu 9:5, Deu 14:2, Neh 9:7, Neh 9:8, Psa 105:6-12, Psa 105:42, Psa 105:43, Psa 135:4, Isa 41:8, Isa 41:9, Isa 44:1, Jer 33:24-26, 1Pe 2:9
and exalted: Act 7:17, Exo 1:7-9, Deu 10:22, Psa 105:23, Psa 105:24
and with: Act 7:36, Exo 6:1 – Exo 14:31, Exo 15:1-21, Exo 18:11, Deu 4:20, Deu 4:34, Deu 7:19, 1Sa 4:8, Neh 9:9-12, Psa 77:13-20, Psa 78:12, Psa 78:13, Psa 78:42-53, Psa 105:26-39, Psa 106:7-11, Psa 114:1-8, Psa 135:8-10, Psa 136:10-15, Isa 63:9-14, Jer 32:20, Jer 32:21, Amo 2:10, Mic 6:4, Mic 7:15, Mic 7:16
Reciprocal: Exo 12:40 – sojourning Exo 14:8 – with an high hand Jos 24:7 – ye dwelt Psa 69:6 – O God of Israel Psa 105:37 – brought Act 13:26 – children Act 22:14 – The God
Fuente: The Treasury of Scripture Knowledge
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Act 13:17. As a preparation for his main subject, the story of Christ, Paul rehearsed the history of the Jews, beginning with their sojourn in Egypt. High arm means one of great might and authority.
Fuente: Combined Bible Commentary
First Division of the SermonSketch of the Story of Israel till the Days of David.
Act 13:17. The God of this people of Israel chose our fathers. The Eternal chose Israel out of the various peoples of the world for His own, to keep burning, in the midst of the varied populations given up to idolatry, and exposed to the terrible consequences which followed impure idol- worship, the light of the knowledge of the one true, pure God. The special work of Israel was not what is usually termed human learning, nor were the schools of Jerusalem and the Holy Land at any period resorted to by foreigners, and yet the Hebrew nation ranks with the Greeks as educators of the human race. It has been well and truly said, if we take away two nations from the history of the world, the people of the earth might still have sat in darkness and in the shadow of death, though in their most flourishing periods they have scarcely counted one-hundredth part of the human race; and this influence, which they alone shared with the people of antiquity most famous for letters, was only a small part of the work worked in the world by the people whom God chose for His own.
Exalted the people. Not only by increasing their numbers, but exalting them in the eyes of the nations by the mighty works wrought by Moses previous to the exodus.
With an high arm. The expression high arm is the same used in Exo 6:6 (LXX.), rendered in the English Version with stretched-out arm. The figure was probably originally suggested to Moses and the children of Israel by the familiar hieroglyphic which represents Might by two outstretched arms.
Fuente: A Popular Commentary on the New Testament
Act 13:17-18. The God of this people, &c. Such a commemoration of Gods favours to their fathers, as he here gives, was at once calculated to conciliate their minds to the speaker, to convince them of their duty to God, and to invite them to believe his promise and its accomplishment. This paragraph contains the whole sum of the Old Testament. See the passages referred to in the margin, and the notes thereon. Chose our fathers Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, to be the objects of his special favour, and for their sakes was pleased to promise most important blessings to their offspring; and exalted the people Wrought astonishing miracles in their behalf, and raised them from the state of bondage and depression in which they lay prostrate in Egypt; and with a high arm With an evident and most extraordinary display of uncontrollable and almighty power; brought them out of it In spite of all the efforts of Pharaoh and his host to detain them in slavery. And forty years suffered he their manners Greek, , he endured their behaviour; by which expression the apostle gives an oblique intimation of that perverseness and ingratitude which so early began to prevail among them. But, according to the Alexandrian and Cambridge manuscripts, and the Syriac, Arabic, Coptic, and Ethiopic versions, the genuine reading is, , he nursed, or cherished them: a sense which suggests a fine view of the conduct of Divine Providence toward them; and, as Dr. Hammond observes, is beautifully connected with the expression of taking them up, when they lay like an exposed infant. See Deu 1:31; Eze 16:4-8. The common reading, however, accords better with Psa 96:8-10; Heb 3:8-11, and a variety of other passages of Scripture, where the perverse and ungrateful behaviour of the Israelites toward God, and his great patience with them, are represented as being so extraordinary as to deserve peculiar attention; and therefore, it seems, that reading ought to be preferred; as also, because it is supported by a much greater number of manuscripts and versions.
Fuente: Joseph Bensons Commentary on the Old and New Testaments
17-24. After thus arresting the attention of his hearers, he approaches his main theme, by a rapid glance at some of the most cherished events in Jewish history. (17) “The God of this people Israel chose our fathers, and exalted the people when they dwelt as strangers in the land of Egypt, and with a high hand led them out of it; (18) and about the time of forty years nourished them in the wilderness. (19) And having destroyed seven nations in the land of Canaan, he gave their land to them as an inheritance. (20) After these things, he gave them judges about four hundred and fifty years, until the prophet Samuel. (21) Then they desired a king, and God gave them Saul, the son of Kish, a man of the tribe of Benjamin, forty years. (22) And having removed him, he raised up to them David for a king, to whom he also gave testimony and said, I have found David, the son of Jesse, a man according to my own heart, who will do all my will. (23) From this man’s offspring God has, according to his promise, raised up to Israel a Savior, Jesus; (24) John having preached, before his coming, the immersion of repentance to all the people of Israel.”
This glance at the history of history, from their departure out of Egypt to the reign of David, is a very circuitous method of approaching the announcement of Jesus as a Savior; but, instead of being a defect in the speech, it is one of its chief excellencies. Every speech must be judged with reference to the special character of the audience addressed. The Jews had a glorious history, of which they were justly proud; and any happily expressed allusions to its leading facts always awakened in their hearts the most lively emotions. These incidents furnished the inspiration of their songs, the themes of their orators, the foundation of their national pride, and their comfort in persecution. Whoever, of their own people, appeared most deeply touched by their memories, had the readiest access to their sympathies, and he who would treat them with indifference or contempt, incurred their utmost hatred. Before such an audience, if Paul had abruptly introduced the name and the new doctrine of Jesus, he might have appeared an apostate from the Jewish faith, seeking to supplant it by something entirely new, and would therefore have kindled the resentment of his Jewish hearers at once. But, beginning with a happy reference to the history of the chosen tribes, and the reign of their most glorious king, and catching up the promise made to David, on which their own most cherished hopes were based, he leads them, by almost imperceptible steps, to the favorable consideration of the fulfillment of that promise in the appearance of Jesus as a Savior to Israel. The reference to John, whom all the Jews now accredited as a prophet, served the same purpose, while it designated more specifically the period in which Jesus had first appeared as a Savior.
The commentators have all noticed the striking similarity between this introduction of Paul’s speech and that of Stephen before the Sanhedrim, of which Paul was probably a hearer. But the attentive reader of our comments upon the two speeches will observe that the similarity is merely in the facts referred to, not in the purpose for which the reference is made; Paul’s object being merely to favorably introduce his main theme, while Stephen was gathering up a bundle of misdeeds in the history of the fathers, with which to lash the backs of sons who were so wickedly imitating their resistance to the Holy Spirit.
Fuente: McGarvey and Pendleton Commentaries (New Testament)
13:17 The God of this people of Israel chose our fathers, and {i} exalted the people when they dwelt as strangers in the land of Egypt, and with an {k} high arm brought he them out of it.
(i) Advanced and brought to honour.
(k) Openly and with strong power, breaking in pieces the enemies of his people.
Fuente: Geneva Bible Notes
Paul first reviewed God’s preparation for Israel’s redemption from Abraham through David (cf. Act 7:2-50; Mat 1:2-17). He highlighted five important points that the Jews often stressed in their confessions. God was the God of the Israelites (Act 13:17). God chose the patriarchs (Act 13:17). God created the Israelite nation, redeemed His people out of Egypt, and patiently led them through the wilderness (Act 13:17-18). He then gave them Canaan as an inheritance (Act 13:19). The "about" 450 years mentioned (Act 13:19) probably refer to Israel’s 400 years in Egypt, the 40 years in the wilderness, and the 10 years of conquest and settlement in the Promised Land (1845-1395 B.C.; cf. Act 7:6). [Note: See the diagram "References to Israel’s Years in Egypt" at my notes on 7:2-8. For a different explanation based on a different textual reading, see Eugene H. Merrill, "Paul’s Use of ’About 450 Years’ in Acts 13:20," Bibliotheca Sacra 138:551 (July-September 1981):246-57.] Finally God gave the Israelites faithful King David after a succession of lesser leaders (Act 13:20-22). It was particularly David’s heart for God resulting in his carrying out God’s will that Paul stressed (Act 13:22). These qualities marked David’s successor, Jesus Christ, too.