Exegetical and Hermeneutical Commentary of Acts 13:6
And when they had gone through the isle unto Paphos, they found a certain sorcerer, a false prophet, a Jew, whose name [was] Barjesus:
6. And when they had gone through the isle unto Paphos ] Probably teaching at other places in the same way as they had done in Salamis. Paphos was the capital of Cyprus, and therefore the residence of the Roman governor. It was the more modern city, not the old city of Paphos, to which Paul and Barnabas came. See Dictionary of Bible.
they found a certain sorcerer [magician], a false prophet, a Jew ] That there were living among the Jews persons well known as pretenders to magic powers we can see from a story told T. B. Berakhoth 59 a, of a certain Rab Katina who, in his walk, as he was passing the door of one who was known as a professor of witchcraft and magic arts, felt a slight shock of an earthquake. He thereupon called out and asked “Does this wizard diviner know what that shock is?” Upon this the man cried with a sanctimonious promptness worthy of his profession, “In the hour when the Holy One, blessed be He, remembers His children who dwell in sorrow among the nations of the world, He lets fall two tears into the great sea, and that is the cause of the tremor of the earth.” Chaldan astrologers and impostors are mentioned by Juvenal (vi. 562; xiv. 248) and Horace ( Sat. i. 2. 1) and by many other Latin writers, and these were probably Babylonian Jews. See Lucian, Necyomantia, where a wonderful story is told of a magician named Mithrobarzanes. Also Lucian, Philopseudes, where one of the wonder-workers is described as “a Syrian from Palestine.”
Bar-jesus ] This was his Jewish name. The Arabic name or title Elymas = wise, was a self-assumed designation; and for that reason he is called “Magus” = the magician, a name originally applied to the Persian priests, who were deemed the wise men of the realm both in policy and religion, though their title in after times was degraded to baser arts and persons.
Fuente: The Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges
And when they had gone through the isle – The length of the island, according to Strabo, was 1,400 stadia, or nearly 170 miles.
Unto Paphos – Paphos was a city at the western extremity of the island. It was the residence of the proconsul, and was distinguished for a splendid temple erected to Venus, who was worshipped throughout the island. Cyprus was fabled to be the place of the birth of this goddess. It had, besides Paphos and Salamis, several towns of note Citium, the birthplace of Zeno, Areathus, sacred to Venus, etc. Its present capital is Nicosia. Whether Paul preached at any of these places is not recorded. The island is formerly supposed to have had one million inhabitants.
A certain sorcerer – Greek: magus, or magician. See the notes on Act 8:9.
A false prophet – Pretending to be endowed with the gift of prophecy; or a man, probably, who pretended to be inspired.
Bar-jesus – The word Bar is Syriac, and means son. Jesus (Joshua) was not an uncommon name among the Jews. The name was given from his father – son of Jesus, or Joshua; as Bar-Jonas, son of Jonas.
Fuente: Albert Barnes’ Notes on the Bible
Verse 6. Gone through the isle] , The WHOLE isle, is added here by ABCDE, several others, both the Syrian, Coptic, AEthiopic, Armenian, Vulgate, and Itala; and also by several of the Greek fathers; and this must be the true reading, for it is evident they ran through the whole island from east to west.
Unto Paphos] This town, next in importance to Salamis, was situated on the western part of the isle; and having gone from Salamis to this place is a proof that they had gone through the whole island from east to west, according to the reading noticed above. There was probably no town in the universe more dissolute than Papas. Here Venus had a superb temple: here she was worshipped with all her rites; and from this place she was named the Paphian Venus, the queen of Paphos, c. This temple and whole city were destroyed by an earthquake so that a vestige of either does not now remain. There are two islands which go by this name, both adjoining, and on the west side of the island of Cyprus. One is called Old Paphos, the other New Paphos; the latter is probably the island here mentioned, though they are often confounded. On this island there is a Christian Church, dedicated to St. George, in which service is performed by the Greek ministers. It is a bishop’s see, suffragan to the Abp. of Nicosia.
A certain sorcerer] , A magician, one who used magical arts, and pretended to have commerce with supernatural agents. A person who dealt in sleight of hand, or leger-de-main. Such as I have supposed Simon Magus to be. See Clarke on Ac 8:9.
A false prophet]. A deceiver, one who pretended to have a Divine commission, a fortune teller.
Bar-Jesus] That is, the son of Jesus or Joshua; as Bar-jona is the son of Jonah; Bar-tholomew, the son of Thalmi, &c.
Fuente: Adam Clarke’s Commentary and Critical Notes on the Bible
Unto Paphos; this city was on the west end of Cyprus, so that going from Salamis they went through the island: this place was famous for the worshipping of Venus.
A certain sorcerer; there were many magicians about this time amongst the Jews, who by their false miracles endeavoured to bring the real miracles of our Saviour into contempt. As the magicians and sorcerers of Egypt, by their enchantments, for a while did seem to do such wonders as Moses had wrought by the finger of God, Exo 7:11.
Fuente: English Annotations on the Holy Bible by Matthew Poole
6. when they had gone through theisle unto Paphoson the opposite or west side of the island,about one hundred miles by land, along the south coast; the Romancapital, where the governor resided.
they found a . . .sorcererone of a numerous class of impostors who, at this timeof general unbelief, were encouraged even by cultivated Romans.
Fuente: Jamieson, Fausset and Brown’s Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible
And when they had gone through the isle unto Paphos,…. The Alexandrian copy, and the Vulgate Latin and Syriac versions read, “the whole isle”; for through the midst of the whole island they must go, to go from Salarnis to Paphos; for Salamis was on the east, and Paphos on the west of the islands q: it had its name from the Phoenician word, , “peathpaoth”, “the corner of corners”; because both old and new Paphos were situated in the extreme part of the island; and not from Paphus, the son of Pygmalion, by any ivory statue which he had made, whom Venus, at his request, according to the fables of the Heathens, turned into a woman: some say r, that Cinyras, a king of the Assyrians, coming into Cyprus, built Paphos; but Pausanias s affirms, that Agapenor, who came hither after the Trojan war, was the builder of this place, and also of the temple of Venus in it, for which it was famous t; and in a certain area of which, Pliny u says it never rained; and from this place, Venus was called Paphia: according to Chrysostom, it was the metropolis of Cyprus; and it is indeed mentioned by Pliny w, first of the fifteen cities that were in it; and seems at this time to have been the seat of the Roman deputy Paulus Sergius, afterwards spoken of: concerning this place Jerom says x,
“Paphus, a city on the sea coast, in the island of Cyprus, formerly famous for the sacred rites of Venus, and the verses of the poets; which fell by frequent earthquakes, and now only shows, by its ruins, what it formerly was:”
so Seneca y says, “quotiens in se Paphus corruit?”, “how often has Paphus fell within itself?” that is, by earthquakes: the ruins of many goodly churches and buildings are to be seen in it; and the walls of a strong, and almost impregnable tower, situated upon a hill in the middle of the city, supposed to be the habitation of Sergius Paulus; there is also shown, under a certain church, a prison divided into seven rooms, where they say Paul and Barnabas were imprisoned, for preaching the Gospel; what remains of it, is now called Bapho: here
they found a certain sorcerer, a false prophet, a Jew, whose name was Barjesus, or the son of Jesus; Jesus was a name frequent among the Jews, and is the same with Joshua, and was in use long before our Saviour’s time; there was Jesus the son of Sirach, the author of Ecclesiasticus, and who had a grandfather of the same name, the Syriac version here calls him “Barsuma”, which some render “the son of a name”; that is, a man of note, a famous person, of great renown; others, “the son of a swelling”, or “the son of ulcers”; he professing to be a physician, and to cure them, with which they make the name of Barjesus to agree, deriving it from a root, which signifies to heal: Jerom z pronounces this name Barieu, and observes, that some corruptly read it Barjesu; and he makes it to signify an evil man, or one in evil; and Drusius says, he found the name , “Barjeou”, in some papers of his; and a very learned man a of later years says, it is the same with Bar-Jehu, the son of Jehu; and affirms, that the Greek word is , “Barjeus”, which others wrongly turn into “Bar-jesus”; the Magdeburgensian Centuriators call him, “Elymas Barjehu”; the reason Beda gives, why it should be so read, and not Bar-jesus, is because that a magician was unworthy to be called the son of Jesus, the Saviour, when he was a child of the devil; but the Greek copies agree in Barjesus; his name shows him to be a Jew, as he is here called: and he was one of those false prophets our Lord said should arise, and deceive many; he pretended to foretell things to come, and practised sorcery, and was given to magic arts.
q Ptolom. Geograph. l. 5. c. 14. r Apollodorus de deorum orig. l. 3. p. 193. s Arcadica, sive l. 8. p. 461. t Philostrat. Vita Apollonii, l. 3. c. 16. u Nat. Hist. l. 2. c. 96. w Ib. l. 5. c. 31. x De locis Hebraicis, fol. 96. F. & Vita Hilarion, fol. 86. C. y Ep. 91. z De nominibus Hebraicis, fol 105. 1. a Hileri Onomasticum Sacrum, p. 760.
Fuente: John Gill’s Exposition of the Entire Bible
Unto Paphos ( ). The new Paphos at the other end of the island, reached by a fine Roman road, some eight miles north of the old Paphos famous for the worship of Venus.
A certain sorcerer, a false prophet, a Jew ( ). Literally, “a certain man” ( ) with various descriptive epithets. The word does not necessarily mean “sorcerer,” but only a (Matt 2:1; Matt 2:7; Matt 2:10 which see). The bad sense occurs in Acts 8:9; Acts 8:11 (Simon Magus) and is made plain here by “false prophet.” In verse 8 here Barjesus (Son of Jesus) is called “Elymas the sorcerer (or Magian),” probably his professional title, as Luke interprets the Arabic or Aramaic word Elymas. These Jewish mountebanks were numerous and had great influence with the uneducated. In Ac 19:13 the seven sons of Sceva, Jewish exorcists, tried to imitate Paul. If one is surprised that a man like Sergius Paulus should fall under the influence of this fraud, he should recall what Juvenal says of the Emperor Tiberius “sitting on the rock of Capri with his flock of Chaldaeans around him.”
Fuente: Robertson’s Word Pictures in the New Testament
Sorcerer [] . That the man was an impostor is told us in the next word, but not in this term. It is the word used of the wise men who came to the Savior ‘s cradle. See Mt 2:1, 7, 16. Elymas was a magian; of what kind is shown by false prophet. See on Mt 2:1.
Bar – Jesus. Son of Jesus or Joshua.
Fuente: Vincent’s Word Studies in the New Testament
PAUL CONFRONTS TWO SORCERERS BAR-JESUS AND ELYMAS V. 6-13
1) “And when they had gone through the isle unto Paphos,” (dielthontes de holen ten neson achri Paphou) “And passing through (traveling thru) all the island unto Paphos,” having made a missionary preaching tour, an itinerary, thru all the Island of Cyprus, until they came to the city of Paphos, known today as the city of Baffa.
2) “They found a certain sorcerer,” (huron andra tina magon) “They found a certain man (who was) a sorcerer, or fortune-teller, a deceiver. Such were held in high esteem among the heathen, but disapproved in the Scriptures, Jer 27:9; Lev 19:31; Lev 20:6; Mal 3:5; Rev 21:8; Rev 22:15.
3) “A false prophet, a Jew,” (pseudopropheten loudion) “As well as a Jewish false prophet,” one who pretended to be a wizard regarding the future and generally unknown things. Such as soothsayers, wizards, fortunetellers and those having familiar spirits were to be slain among the Jews, Lev 19:31; Lev 20:6; 1Sa 28:3; Mic 5:12.
4) “Whose name was Bar-Jesus:- (ho onoma Bariesous) Who was named Bar-Jesus,” the son or heir of Jesus, a name likely assumed to ape the super-natural miracles of Jesus Christ, to deceive the masses to follow him and give him lucrative gain, much as Simon the sorcerer had done, Act 8:9-11; Act 8:18-24; Certain Jews also later formed a confederation to practice miracle-working wizardry “by the name of Jesus,” which they presumed to use for personal monetary gain, but they were brought to shame, Act 19:13-19.
Fuente: Garner-Howes Baptist Commentary
6. When they had passed over. It is to be thought that this their passage was not altogether without fruit; and, assuredly, Luke would never have passed over with silence a general repulse; but it was sufficient for him to say that they were not idle in the office of teaching in their journey, seeing that he maketh haste unto a famous history, which he will set down immediately. And forasmuch as Salamis, situated upon the east coast, did look toward Syria, it was requisite that Paul and Barnabas should pass through the midst of the island unto the other side, that they might come to Paphos; for Paphos was a city situated upon the sea-coast toward the south. Furthermore though all the island was dedicated to Venus, yet Paphos was the principal seat of the idol. For which cause the goodness of God is more wonderful, in that he would have the light of his gospel to pierce into such a filthy and cruel [dire] den. For we may thereby gather what manner of integrity and chastity, and honesty and temperance, was in that city, in that religion did grant liberty to the inhabitants to commit all manner of shameful and heinous offenses.
They found a certain fake prophet. Seeing that religion was quite corrupt among the Jews, it is no marvel if they fell away unto many wicked superstitions. And forasmuch as they had hitherto professed that they worshipped a certain peculiar god, this was a fair color to deceive withal, seeing that they might pretend the name of the unknown God at their pleasure; but this is a wonder how it was possible for Elymas, with his juggling, to cozen a grave and wise man. For we know that the Jews were at that time hated of all the world, and especially of the Romans, and with hatred was coupled extreme contempt of them.
Now Luke doth not without cause expressly commend Sergius’s wisdom, lest any man should think that his foolishness and lightness was subject to the seducings of the sorcerer. His meaning was, indeed, to show in a clear mirror how frivolous and vain man’s wisdom is, which cannot beware of such gross subtlety of Satan.
And assuredly where the truth of God doth not appear, the more men seem to be wise, the more filthily foolish are they. We see what filthy monsters of superstition did reign amongst the most witty Gentiles, and such as were furnished with all manner of learning. Therefore, there is neither judgment nor wisdom, save only from the Spirit of God. And this is the just vengeance of God upon all idolaters, that being delivered up to a reprobate sense they can discern nothing, (Rom 1:28.) Though it may be that Sergius Paulus, being weary of superstitions, did then begin to desire a more pure worship of God, at such time as he [did] light upon that sorcerer. Which if we receive, it was surely a wonderful judgment of God, that he suffered a man godly-affected to throw himself headlong into the [deadly] snares of Satan. But God doth sometimes so exercise his elect, that he causeth them to wander many ways, before they be directed into the right way.
Fuente: Calvin’s Complete Commentary
4.
AT PAPHOS. Act. 13:6-12.
Act. 13:6
And when they had gone through the whole island unto Paphos, they found a certain sorcerer, a false prophet, a Jew, whose name was Bar-Jesus;
Act. 13:7
who was with the proconsul, Sergius Paulus, a man of understanding. The same called unto him Barnabas and Saul, and sought to hear the word of God.
Act. 13:8
But Elymas the sorcerer (for so is his name by interpretation) withstood them, seeking to turn aside the proconsul from the faith.
Act. 13:9
But Saul, who is also called Paul, filled with the Holy Spirit, fastened his eyes on him,
Act. 13:10
and said, O full of all guile and all villany, thou son of the devil, thou enemy of all righteousness, wilt thou not cease to pervert the right ways of the Lord?
Act. 13:11
And now, behold, the hand of the Lord is upon thee, and thou shalt be blind, not seeing the sun for a season. And immediately there fell on him a mist and a dark ness; and he went about seeking some to lead him by the hand.
Act. 13:12
Then the proconsul, when he saw what was done, believed, being astonished at the teaching of the Lord.
Act. 13:6 The next move of the evangelists took them on a journey of one hundred miles. They traversed the whole isle of Cyprus before Luke saw fit to record the next incident. The words used in the text: had gone through the whole island have the thought of a leisurely journey that would offer opportunity to stop off in several places on the way. It might be suggestive of visiting the previous work of those on this island. (Act. 11:19).
Like the work of Philip among the Samaritans the first fact made known to us is a note of opposition to the gospel. In Samaria it was Simon the sorcerer; in Paphos it is Bar-Jesus the sorcerer.
The city of Paphos was of considerable size, being the capitol of the island. The proconsul or ruler under the Roman Senate, was Sergius Paulus. Bar-Jesus was closely associated with the proconsul. This ruler was a man of understanding and was searching for the truth of God. Bar-Jesus being a Jew was evidently combining what knowledge he had of the Jewish religion with sorcery to give him the position he held.
Act. 13:7-8 It must have been in the providence of God that this sorcerer was a Jew, for when Sergius Paulus heard that two Jews came preaching a message purporting to be the truth or Word of God, he would quite naturally think of what he had heard from Elymas of the Jewish religion and be anxious to hear more on this subject. He called in Barnabas and Saul that they might speak to him. But when Elymas (a Grecianized form of the Arabic word for wise) realized the mission of these two he knew that unless he could defeat their counsel his influence and position were lost. The opposition put forth by Elymas was to withstand Barnabas and Saul. Just what method he used in doing this, we are not informed; we are told, however, of occasions with the Jews which were very similar to this one. The method used by the Jews was to rail and contradict Paul while he was speaking. When no valid objection is known this is the only recourse, The whole effort of the sorcerer was to turn the proconsul from the acceptance of the faith.
414.
How far from Salamis to Paphos?
415.
What thought is contained in the words had gone through the whole island? Of what is it suggestive?
416.
What is the first fact given concerning the work in Paphos?
417.
What special position did the city of Paphos have on the island?
418.
Under whom did the proconsul rule the island?
419.
If the proconsul was a man of understanding why have a sorcerer in his court?
420.
What method of sorcery do you imagine Bar-Jesus employed?
421.
Why is it said that the providence of God enters the fact that Bar-Jesus was a Jew?
422.
What does the name Elymas mean?
Act. 13:9-12 On this occasion we have the movement of Saul to the forefront. Previous to this both men had been speaking (7b). Now Saul is prompted by the Holy Spirit to execute the will of God in the form of a miracle. Through the inspiration of the Spirit of God, Saul lays bare the true character of this perverted Jew. He says:
(1) This one is full of all guile or cunning deceit. This presents something of his hypocrisy in the use of his knowledge of God. (2) He is also full of all villany. This bespeaks the evil ends to which he directed his efforts, (3) His name is Bar-Jesus, i.e. son of Jesus or son of Salvation, but here Paul shows that the exact antithesis is true, he is the son of the devil. (4) He is an enemy of all righteousness. Since he was not sincere in his profession he was truly an enemy of all righteousness. (5) All of these wicked attributes were directed toward the perversion of the right ways of the Lord.
This sorcerer sought to place a false construction upon the things spoken by Saul and Barnabas, thus perverting the truth. The efforts of Elymas were only bringing confusion to the mind of the proconsul. This must be stopped; a rebuke is given by Saul. The reason for such a severe rebuke can be observed in the fact that the person rebuked was altogether worthy of such since he was sinning against his own conscience. The purpose was to save Sergius Paulus from the condemnation of error. The punishment was given to lend meaning and power to the rebuke. It is described in such great detail that we are prone to think that it is the statement of an eye witness. The result sought was secured. Then the proconsul, when he saw what was done, believed, being astonished at the teaching of the Lord.
We should not leave our comment of this work in Paphos without a word about the change of Sauls name. There seem to be two general positions on this matter: (1) First, that Saul was the Hebrew name used up to this time; now since the apostle is to pass into the districts of the Gentiles the use of his Roman name Paul becomes prominent. This is only a theory which is based upon cases of Jews who did something similar to this. It cannot be denied that Saul is Hebrew and Paul is Roman. But it must also be said that it cannot be demonstrated that Saul had borne the name of Paul prior to this incident. (2) The other thought is that the occurrence of the preaching before Sergius Paulus, attended as it was with its good results, gave to Saul the name of the proconsul Sergius Paulus. The change of his name is associated with this event and it is entirely possible that such did take place since many men have been similarly nicknamed by some incident of their lives. This, however, is purely conjectural.
423.
How did Elymas oppose the work of Barnabas and Saul?
424.
What change of leadership took place in Paphos? Why do you imagine this was so?
425.
Give the four attributes of Bar-Jesus given by Paul in his rebuke.
426.
What is meant by perverting the right ways of the Lord?
427.
What twofold reason do we have for the severity of the rebuke?
428.
Why was the rebuke accompanied by punishment?
429.
Give the two ideas proposed for the change of Sauls name.
Fuente: College Press Bible Study Textbook Series
(6) When they had gone through the isle.The better MSS. give, through the whole island. Paphos lay at its western extremity, and appears to have been the head-quarters of the Roman governor. A local tradition, reported by M. de Cesnola (Cyprus, pp. 29, 223), points out a marble column to which St. Paul was bound and scourged by the citizens of Paphos, who are represented as having been among the most wicked of mankind.
They found a certain sorcerer.The word so rendered, Magos, is the same as that used for the wise men of Mat. 2:1 (where see Note), but it is obviously used here in the bad sense which had begun to attach to it even in the days of Sophocles, who makes dipus revile Tiresias under this name, as practising magic arts (d. Rex. 387), and which we have found in the case of Simon the sorcerer. (See Note on Act. 8:9.) The man bore two names, one, Bar-jesus, in its form a patronymic, the other Elymas (an Aramaic word, probably connected with the Arabic Ulema, or sage), a title describing his claims to wisdom and supernatural powers. We have already met with a character of this type in the sorcerer of Samaria. (See Note on Act. 8:9.) The lower class of Jews here, as in Act. 19:14, seem to have been specially addicted to such practices. They traded on the religious prestige of their race, and boasted, in addition to their sacred books, of spells and charms that had come down to them from Solomon.
Fuente: Ellicott’s Commentary for English Readers (Old and New Testaments)
6. Paphos This city would be reached by an easy journey over a Roman road of a hundred miles. Paphos was celebrated for its temple of Venus, and for the corresponding dissoluteness of its inhabitants. Here, too, resided Sergius Paulus, the Roman governor of the island.
Sorcerer According to the Greek, a magus or magian. (See note on Act 8:9; Mat 2:1.)
False prophet Who falsely professed to be a prophet of the true God; for, as a Jew, he would be a professor of the doctrine of one God, and his monotheistic discourse formed his doctrinal attraction to Sergius Paulus. The prefix Bar in Hebrew (like the prefix Mac in the Celtic) signifies son of; and Bar-jesus signifies son of Jesus or Joshua; Jesus being the Greek form of the Hebrew Joshua. It was singular that this opponent of Jesus should bear his sacred name.
Fuente: Whedon’s Commentary on the Old and New Testaments
‘And when they had gone through the whole island to Paphos, they found a certain sorcerer (magos), a false prophet, a Jew, whose name was Bar-jesus, who was with the proconsul, Sergius Paulus, a man of understanding.’
They travelled from town to town throughout Cyprus, proclaiming the Good News, until at last they came to Paphos. There they discovered a man named Bar-Jesus (‘Son of Jesus’), presumably because his father’s name was Jesus (Hebrew: Joshua), a common Hebraic Greek name. He was a magos and a false prophet, and acted as religious adviser to the pro-consul Sergius Paulus.
‘Magos’ could simply indicate a man of wisdom who was a seeker after truth (like the magi who sought the infant Jesus), but it could also include charlatans, consulters of the occult, and those who claimed supernatural powers. Bar-jesus appears to have been one of these latter. There is the possibility that he had taken the name because of the fame of Jesus, seeking to indicate his connection with the famous wonder-worker. This would explain Saul’s vehement, ‘(not son of Jesus but) son of the Devil.’
Bar-jesus was a Jew, but not an orthodox one, for he was mixed up in the occult and practised ‘wonder-working’. His being a ‘false prophet’ presumably refers to his deviation from the Mosaic law (compare Deu 13:1-5). While a Jew he was not true to the teaching of Moses. In many ways he was like Simon the sorcerer before his conversion (Act 8:9), except that Bar-jesus compounded it by being of Jewish extraction. Compare also Act 19:13-14. Renegade Jews appear to have been regularly connected with the occult, possibly because they were seen by Gentiles as belonging to a mysterious and ancient religion, and it was financially profitable.
The parallel with Simon may well be deliberate. Once Jewish territory is left behind such men will regularly be met with, and Luke wants us to know that Christ can easily cope with them, and even turn them to His will.
Bar-jesus had used his background and ‘gifts’ in order to worm his way into the confidence of the pro-consul, the governor of Cyprus. Cyprus was a senatorial province and would therefore have a pro-consul. The name of a pro-consul named Paulus have been discovered on a North Cypriot inscription. It was (and is) not unusual for prominent men to seek such aid. It provided somewhere to turn in a crisis.
‘A man of understanding.’ In other words, one ready and willing to listen to those who claimed to bring the truth.
Fuente: Commentary Series on the Bible by Peter Pett
Act 13:6-8. Paphos, The city of Paphos was seated on the western extremity of the island of Cyprus, and famous among the Heathens for the temple and obscene worship of the Paphian Venus. There resided Sergius Paulus, the Roman proconsul, who was a man of good understanding, and well disposed to receive the truth, and obey it; and as he had heard of the character of these two apostles, and, very probably, some imperfect rumour of the Christian religion, he sent for them, and desired that they would give him an account of the Christian doctrine. As he was the first of the idolatrous Gentiles, to whom the gospel was ever preached, Barnabas and Saul did not go to offer it to him; buthe sent for them, as Cornelius, the first-fruits of the devout Gentiles, sent for St. Peter; requesting it as a favour, that he might hear them preach the gospel. But with the proconsul there was one of the magi, a false prophet of the nation of the Jews, whose name was Bar-jesus. He had a great influence over the governor; and when this Bar-jesus (who was otherwise called Elymas, which in the Arabic tongue signifies the magician,) found that the proconsul was inclined to hear and embrace the Christian doctrine; he secretly, and with all his might, endeavoured to dissuade him from it. St. Paul soon detected his malice and wickedness, and severely reprimanded him, denouncing against him the approaching judgments of God; just as St. Peter had reprimanded the hypocrisy and wickedness of Simon the magian, or magician, and by his apostolic power inflicted death upon Ananias and Sapphira for their fraud and lying.
Fuente: Commentary on the Holy Bible by Thomas Coke
Act 13:6-7 . ] For Paphos, i.e . New Paphos, the capital and the residence of the proconsul, sixty stadia to the north of the old city celebrated for the worship of Venus, lay quite on the opposite western side of the island. See Forbiger, Geogr . I. p. 469 f.
] see on Act 8:9 . Whether he was precisely a representative of the cabalistic tendency (Baumgarten), cannot be determined. But perhaps, from the Arabic name Elymas, which he adopted, he was an Arabian Jew. , although a substantive, is to be connected with (Act 3:14 ).
] i.e. , filius Jesu (Josuae). The different forms of this name in the Fathers and versions, Barjeu, Barsuma, Barjesuban, , have their origin in the reverence and awe felt for the name of Jesus.
] Cyprus, which Augustus had restored to the senate, was, it is true, at that time a propraetorian province (Dio Cass. liv. 4); but all provincial rulers were, by the command of Augustus, called proconsules, Dio Cass. liii. 13.
] although the contrary might be suspected from his connection with the sorcerer. But his intelligence is attested partly by the fact that he was not satisfied with heathenism, and therefore had at that time the Jewish sorcerer with him in the effort to acquire more satisfactory views; and partly by the fact that he does not feel satisfied even with him, but asks for the publishers of the new doctrine. In general, sorcerers found at that time welcome reception with Gentiles otherwise very intelligent. Lucian. Alex. 30, Wetstein in loc.
. ] Description of the new doctrine from the standpoint of Luke. See, moreover, on Act 8:25 .
Fuente: Heinrich August Wilhelm Meyer’s New Testament Commentary
6 And when they had gone through the isle unto Paphos, they found a certain sorcerer, a false prophet, a Jew, whose name was Barjesus:
Ver. 6. Whose name was Barjesus ] The son of Jesus; so he had called himself, as if of nearest alliance to our Saviour. The Syriac hath it Barshuma, the son of name or renown.
Fuente: John Trapp’s Complete Commentary (Old and New Testaments)
6 .] Paphos is on the western shore, with the length of the island between it and Salamis. It is Nea Paphos which is meant, about eight miles north of the Paphos more celebrated in classic poets for the temple and worship of Venus. It was destroyed by an earthquake in Augustus’s reign, but rebuilt by him, Dio Cass. liv. 23. It is now called Baffa, and contains some important ruins. (Winer, Realw.)
, . . .] On the prevalence of such persons at this time, see ch. Act 8:9 , note. The Roman aristocracy were peculiarly under the influence of astrologers and magicians, some of whom were Jews. We read of such in connexion with Marius, Pompey, Crassus, Csar, and later with Tiberius: and the complaints of Horace and Juvenal shew how completely, and for how long a time, Rome was inundated with Oriental impostors of every description. See Hor. Sat. i. 2.1; Juv. Sat. iii. 13 16; vi. 542 546; x. 93, and C. and H. pp. 177 ff.
] He had given himself the Arabic title of Elymas, ‘ the wise man ’ (from the same root as the Turkish ‘Ulemah’), interpreted in our text.
Fuente: Henry Alford’s Greek Testament
Act 13:6 . ( ) .: “and they made a missionary progress through the whole island,” Ramsay, St. Paul , pp. 72 and 384, and “Words demoting Missionary Travel in Acts,” Expositor , May, 1896; on , see critical notes. Ramsay gives nine examples in Acts of this use of or with the accusative of the region traversed, the only other instance in the N.T. being 1Co 16:5 . In each of these ten cases the verb implies the process of going over a country as a missionary, and it is remarkable that in 1 12 this construction of never occurs, though there are cases in which the idea of a missionary tour requires expression. Ramsay therefore sees in the use of the word in the second part of the book a quasi technical term which the writer had caught from St. Paul himself, by whom alone it is also employed. : Nea Paphos the chief town and the place of residence of the Roman governor some little distance from the old Paphos ( , Strabo) celebrated for its Venus temple. The place still bears the name of Baffa , Renan, St. Paul , p. 14; O. Holtzmann, Neutest. Zeitgeschichte , p. 101; C. and H., smaller edition, p. 125. , cf. Act 8:9 ; “sorcerer,” A. and R.V. margin, cf. Mat 2:1 , but word used here as among the Greeks and Romans in a bad sense. Wycl. has “witch,” and this in its masculine form “wizard” has been suggested as an appropriate rendering here. On the absurd attempt to show that the whole narrative is merely introduced as a parallel to St. Peter’s encounter with Simon, chap. 8, see Nsgen, p. 427; Zckler, in loco , and Salmon, Introduction , p. 310. The parallel really amounts to this, that both Peter and Paul encountered a person described under the same title, a magician an encounter surely not improbable in the social circumstances of the time (see below)! For other views see Holtzmann, who still holds that the narrative is influenced by Act 8:14 ff. The word is entirely omitted by Jngst, p. 120, without any authority whatever. Elymas, according to the narrative, says Jngst, was either a magician or a false prophet. But the proconsul is styled , and this could not have been consistent with his relation with a magician: Elymas was therefore a kind of Jewish confessor. But neither supposition does much to establish the wisdom of Sergius Paulus. like in classical writers, here only in Acts; and Luk 6:26 , by St. Luke. But frequently used elsewhere in N.T., and in the LXX, and several times in Didach , xi. On the “Triple beat,” Magian, false prophet, Jew, see Ramsay, St. Paul , p. 415. , on the name see critical notes.
Fuente: The Expositors Greek Testament by Robertson
unto = as far as.
Paphos. The capital and residence of the governor. certain. Greek. tis. App-123.
sorcerer. Greek. magos. Here, Act 13:8, and Mat 2:1, Mat 2:7, Mat 2:16.
false prophet. Greek. pseudoprophetes. Used five times by our Lord.
Bar-jesus. App-94.:8.
Fuente: Companion Bible Notes, Appendices and Graphics
6.] Paphos is on the western shore, with the length of the island between it and Salamis. It is Nea Paphos which is meant, about eight miles north of the Paphos more celebrated in classic poets for the temple and worship of Venus. It was destroyed by an earthquake in Augustuss reign, but rebuilt by him, Dio Cass. liv. 23. It is now called Baffa, and contains some important ruins. (Winer, Realw.)
, …] On the prevalence of such persons at this time, see ch. Act 8:9, note. The Roman aristocracy were peculiarly under the influence of astrologers and magicians, some of whom were Jews. We read of such in connexion with Marius, Pompey, Crassus, Csar,-and later with Tiberius: and the complaints of Horace and Juvenal shew how completely, and for how long a time, Rome was inundated with Oriental impostors of every description. See Hor. Sat. i. 2.1; Juv. Sat. iii. 13-16; vi. 542-546; x. 93, and C. and H. pp. 177 ff.
] He had given himself the Arabic title of Elymas, the wise man (from the same root as the Turkish Ulemah), interpreted in our text.
Fuente: The Greek Testament
Act 13:6. ) Paphos was a city in the west: Salamis, in the east.- , a sorcerer, a false prophet) Two predicates very closely joined together.-) Bar-Jehu was in itself a name, equally as Jehu, applicable to a man, but one very convenient to a sorcerer, a false prophet, for arrogating the claim of divinity. Jehu and Jehovah are kindred names (Collactanea); which also seems to be the reason why the Syriac version has translated Barjehu as Bar Schumo. In Barschumo and in Elymas the Syria Grca of Hermann von der Hardt, pp. 110, 114, states that there is contained the notion of blindness: but even from the fact, that Barschumo is a most frequent name among the Syrians, as is evident from the Bibliotheca, or. T. 2, c. i., of Assemann, a more pleasing notion is to be looked for in it. Ludovicus de Dieu interprets it, the son of ulcers, a physician healing ulcers; as Elymas, in his view, is , healer. Paul calls that Barjehu, Son of the devil, rebutting thus by a parody the impostors arrogant assumption of a name expressive of divinity.[69]
[69] Some MSS. of Vulg. read Barjehu: others, , Barjesu: and so Memph. B (judging from the silence of the collators) CEe Theb. read : AD corrected, : Lucif. 209, etc. Barjesuban.-E. and T.
Fuente: Gnomon of the New Testament
sorcerer
(Greek – ).” See Mat 2:1, “wise men.” The same word was used for a vulgar magician, and for a true wise man of the East.
Fuente: Scofield Reference Bible Notes
certain: Act 8:9-11, Act 19:18, Act 19:19, Exo 22:18, Lev 20:6, Deu 18:10-12, 1Ch 10:13, Isa 8:19, Isa 8:20
a false: Deu 13:1-3, 1Ki 22:22, Jer 23:14, Jer 23:15, Eze 13:10-16, Zec 13:3, Mat 24:24, 2Co 11:13, 2Ti 3:8, 2Pe 2:1-3, 1Jo 4:1, Rev 19:20
whose: Mat 16:17, Mar 10:46, Joh 21:15-17
Reciprocal: Lev 19:31 – General Act 13:8 – for Act 13:13 – loosed Rev 22:15 – sorcerers
Fuente: The Treasury of Scripture Knowledge
6
Act 13:6. Paphos was the other chief city of the island and it was situated on the western shore. Sorcerer is from MAGOS which is the word for “wise men” in Mat 2:1. See the notes at that place for a fuller explanation of the word. This sorcerer was using whatever talent of wisdom he had to make false predictions and to oppose the truth. Bar-Jesus was the proper name given to this man as his personal name. Elymas (verse 8) was a common noun applied to him because of some special meaning derived from the name.
Fuente: Combined Bible Commentary
Act 13:6. Unto Paphos. Salamis was at the eastern extremity of Cyprus, Paphos at the western. The apostles had thus passed through the whole length of the island. New Paphos was then the capital and the residence of the governor; it was only a few miles distant from Old Paphos, where the famous temple of Venus stood.
They found a certain sorcerer, a false prophet, a Jew. On the presence of this Jew, who professed to be a magician, with the Roman governor of Cyprus, Howson (St. Paul, chap, 5) writes: All the Greek and Latin literature of the empire, from Horace to Lucian, abounds in proofs of the prevalent credulity of this sceptical period. . . . The faith of educated Romans was utterly gone. We can hardly wonder when the East was thrown openthe land of mystery, the cradle of the earliest religionsthat the imagination both of the populace and the aristocracy of Rome became fanatically excited, and that they greedily welcomed the most absurd and degrading superstitions. Not only was the metropolis of the empire crowded with hungry Greeks, but Syrian fortune-tellers flocked into all the haunts of public amusement. Athens and Corinth did not now contribute the greatest or the worst part of the dregs of Rome, but, to adopt Juvenals words, The (Syrian) Orontes itself flowed into the Tiber. . . . Every part of the East contributed its share to the general superstition. . . . The more remote districts of Asia Minor sent her music and her medicines, Chaldea her Babylonian numbers and her mathematical calculations. To these … we must add one more Asiatic nation, the nation of the Israelites. . . . The Jewish beggar-woman was the gipsy of the first century, shivering and crowding in the outskirts of the city, and telling fortunes, as Ezekiel of old said, for handfuls of barley and pieces of bread. . . . Not only were the women of Rome drawn aside into this varied fanaticism, but the eminent men of the declining republic and the absolute sovereigns of the early empire were tainted and enslaved by the same superstitions. The great Marius had in his camp a Syrian, probably a Jewish prophetess, by whose divinations he regulated the progress of his campaigns. . . . Pompey, Crassus, and Caesar, at the close of the republic, when their oracles were silent, sought information from Oriental astrology. No picture in the great Latin satirist (Juvenal) is more powerfully drawn than that in which he shows us the Emperor Tiberius sitting on the rock of Capri with his flock of Chaldeans round him.
Fuente: A Popular Commentary on the New Testament
Act 13:6-8. When they had gone through the isle unto Paphos Which lay on its western coast; they found a certain sorcerer Or magician; a false prophet Who falsely pretended to foretel future events; a Jew, whose name was Bar-jesus Or the son of one Jesus, or Joshua. There were many instances of real or pretended sorcery among the Jews in those days, which seems to have been designed by Satan and wicked men to bring into disrepute the miracles of Christ and his apostles. But by comparing them, in several instances, the Christian cause was magnified yet more than it would otherwise have been. Nevertheless, it is to be feared they wrought on many, who were not wise and candid enough to examine, so as to introduce a general contempt of all pretences to supernatural powers as false or inconclusive. Doddridge. Which was with the deputy Which Jew was with the Roman proconsul there, as , the word here rendered deputy, properly signifies; Sergius Paulus, a prudent man A man of a steady conduct and thoughtful temper; and therefore not overswayed by the sorcerer, but desirous to inquire further; who called for Barnabas and Saul Having received some general information of their character and doctrine; and desired to hear the word of God That he might know what was the purport of their preaching, and what regard was due to it. But Elymas the sorcerer (for so is his name by interpretation That is, the word, Elymas, of Arabic or Hebrew derivation, signifies sorcerer, or magician) withstood them Being sensible that he should be no more regarded if their doctrine was received, and therefore setting himself with all his might to hinder the effect of it. Seeking to turn away the deputy from the faith To prevent his embracing it, by a variety of crafty and false insinuations.
Fuente: Joseph Bensons Commentary on the Old and New Testaments
6, 7. Luke is entirely silent in reference to the effect of the apostolic preaching in Salamis, leaving us to suppose that it was not great. After stating that they preached in the synagogues of the Jews, he follows them in their further progress through the island. (6) “And having passed through the whole island as far as Paphos, they found a certain magician, a false prophet, a Jew whose name was Bar-Jesus, (7) who was with Sergius Paulus the proconsul, a prudent man, who called for Barnabas and Saul, and desired to hear the word of God.” Every reader of ancient history has observed that statesmen and generals were in the habit of consulting oracles and auguries, and that they generally kept about them some one supposed to have the power of interpreting the signs of approaching good or evil. In this particular period, the educated Romans had become skeptical in reference to their heathen oracles, but Jewish pretenders still had access to their confidence on the credit of the ancient Jewish prophets. With a knowledge of the true God superior to that of even the greatest philosophers among the Greeks, because derived from the Jewish Scriptures, this Bar-Jesus very naturally gained the confidence of even the prudent Sergius Paulus. When, however, two other Jews appeared in Paphos, claiming to bring additional revelations from the God of Israel, the same prudence which had prompted the proconsul to reject the heathen oracles in favor of the Jewish pretender, now prompted him to send for Barnabas and Saul, that he might hear the word of God from them. Such a mind as his could not fail to hear with profit.
Fuente: McGarvey and Pendleton Commentaries (New Testament)
SATANS PREACHER AND THE CONVERSION OF THE PROCONSUL
6-12. Having traveled across the island of Cyprus throughout the whole length from east to west, everywhere preaching the Word, they arrive at Paphos, on the west coast, the metropolis of the West End and the residence of Sergius Paulus, the Roman proconsul, a well-disposed, intelligent man and an earnest inquirer after truth. They are soon confronted by the resident pastor, Elymas, who forbids them the privilege of preaching in his pastoral charge. He is a Jew and a prophet, i. e., a preacher in good standing, even having the confidence of the Roman governor, and wielding so potent an influence as to have the right to keep all the heresies and strange doctrines out of his bailiwick. We have him here pronounced a false prophet, because the Holy Ghost is the Author of the history. You must remember that the false prophets in the days of Elijah were the popular pastors of the influential churches, who believed themselves to be the true ministers of God and Elijah a false prophet. So Elymas is Pauls brother in the popular church, an able preacher of the gospel, as they understood it, having the confidence of the people and enjoying the patronage of the Roman proconsul, who was looking to him for light and salvation. He forbids Paul and Barnabas to preach at Paphos, and if modern ecclesiastical law be correct he had a right to order them out of his dominion. Good Lord, help us all to profit by the clear truth here elucidated and perfectly explanatory of a thousand parallel cases at the present day. It is only a false prophet who is unwilling to have all the help he can get against the armies of hell, which are running rough-shod all over this wicked world. Every heart in sympathy and co-operation with the Savior of sinners welcomes every helping hand and covers every soul with blessings that will join in the common crusade against the powers of hell, and make an honest effort to rescue the perishing. How the present opposition to the holiness people, who preach no creed and nothing but Jesus and His pure and unadulterated truth, is fulfilling the latter-day prophecies, Men will not endure sound doctrine. But you say we ought to be very polite to the false prophets who forbid us to preach the Word at some place over which they claim the right to wield the scepter of ecclesiastical tyranny. Let us see how polite and courteous Paul was to this false prophet, at the same time remembering that he was his brother in the Jewish church.
Fuente: William Godbey’s Commentary on the New Testament
Verse 6
Bar-jesus; that is, the son of Jesus or Joshua. The prefix Bar is often used in that sense, as In Bar-jona, Bar-tholomew, Bar-timeus.
Fuente: Abbott’s Illustrated New Testament
Barnabas and Saul travelled west across Cyprus coming eventually to Paphos, the provincial capital of the island. Paphos was 90 miles west of Salamis and lay on the western coast of Cyprus. Evidently word reached Sergius Paulus of the missionaries’ preaching. Since he was an intelligent man (Gr. aner syneton, an understanding or sagacious man, cf. Act 13:12), he ordered them to meet with him so he could hear their message personally.
"In the Greek world it was the custom for philosophers, rhetoricians, or religious propagandists, to travel about from city to city and give public orations. By this means they often secured permanent professorships. So when Sergius Paulus heard of Barnabas and Saul, he took them for similar professors, and having an interest in these matters he summoned them to give a declamation before his court." [Note: Rackham, p. 200. See Longenecker, p. 419, for personal background on Lucius Sergius Paulus.]
He was a "proconsul," the highest Roman government official on the island who was there by appointment of Rome’s senate. [Note: See Bruce, "Chronological Questions . . .," pp. 279-80.] In contrast, procurators were appointed by the emperor. Procurators mentioned in the New Testament were Pontius Pilate, Antonius Felix, and Porcius Festus. Evidently Bar-Jesus (lit. Son of a Savior) was a Jewish false prophet in the sense that he claimed to be a prophet of God but was not. He was only a magician who may have had some Satanic power (cf. Act 8:9). The Mosaic Law forbade Jews from practicing magic (Deu 18:10-11). "Elymas" (wise) seems to have been a nickname. It describes a "sorcerer," "magician," or "fortune-teller" (Gr. magos, cf. Mat 2:1; Mat 2:7; Mat 2:16). He may have opposed the missionaries because they brought the true message of God. Furthermore he may have felt that if Sergius Paulus believed the gospel his relationship to the proconsul would suffer.
"It was not usual for such a character to be attached to the household of a Roman dignitary." [Note: Neil, p. 155.]
Roman officials were notoriously superstitious.