Exegetical and Hermeneutical Commentary of Acts 14:2
But the unbelieving Jews stirred up the Gentiles, and made their minds evil affected against the brethren.
2. But the unbelieving Jews ] Better, “But the Jews that were disobedient.” The verb is the same which is found Joh 3:36, where the rendering should be “He that obeyeth not the Son shall not see life.” The word is stronger than “unbelieving,” it expresses unbelief breaking forth into rebellion, and so exactly describes the character of these Jews who were persecuting Paul and Barnabas.
made their minds evil affected ] The verb is an unusual one in this sense. It is that by which the “harm” done to the Church by Herod Agrippa is described (Act 12:1). It implies not only an ill disposition aroused towards the brethren, but injury also done to the minds in which the feeling was stirred up.
Fuente: The Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges
But the unbelieving Jews … – See the notes on Act 13:50.
And made their minds evil-affected – Irritated, or exasperated them.
Against the brethren – One of the common appellations by which Christians were known.
Fuente: Albert Barnes’ Notes on the Bible
Verse 2. Stirred up the Gentiles] , Such as were mere heathens, and thus distinguished from the Jews, and the Greeks who were proselytes.
Evil affected] , Irritated or exasperated their minds against the brethren, the disciples of Christ; one of their appellations before they were called Christians at Antioch. See Clarke on Ac 11:26.
Fuente: Adam Clarke’s Commentary and Critical Notes on the Bible
The unbelieving, or disobedient, Jews, who did not believe the truths or obey the precepts of the gospel,
stirred up the Gentiles; urging, persuading, and pressing of them, who of themselves (though as yet ignorant of Christ, and his word) would not have been so cruel.
The brethren; the apostles themselves, and others that were converted by them, whose common father God through Christ was, and were accordingly endeared one to another.
Fuente: English Annotations on the Holy Bible by Matthew Poole
But the unbelieving Jews stirred up the Gentiles,…. That part of the Jews, which continued in unbelief, and rejected the doctrine of the apostles, concerning Jesus of Nazareth being the Messiah; these stirred up the Gentiles, who had no knowledge of, nor faith in this matter:
and made their minds evil affected against the brethren; either in general against all those that embraced the Gospel of Christ; who being of the same faith and family, having the same God to be their Father, and equally related to, and interested in Christ Jesus, are called brethren; or in particular against the Apostles Paul and Barnabas, by representing them as seditious persons, and of bad designs.
Fuente: John Gill’s Exposition of the Entire Bible
That were disobedient ( ). First aorist active articular participle, not the present as the Textus Receptus has it. But the meaning is probably the Jews that disbelieved, rather than that disobeyed. Strictly does mean to disobey and to disbelieve, but that distinction is not observed in Joh 3:36 nor in Acts 19:9; Acts 28:24. The word means to be , to be unwilling to be persuaded or to withhold belief and then also to withhold obedience. The two meanings run into one another. To disbelieve the word of God is to disobey God.
Made them evil affected (). First aorist active indicative of , old verb from , to do evil to, to ill-treat, then in later Greek as here to embitter, to exasperate as in Ps 105:32 and in Josephus. In this sense only here in the N.T. Evidently Paul preached the same message as in Antioch for it won both Jews and Gentiles, and displeased the rabbis. Codex Bezae adds here that “the chiefs of the synagogue and the rulers” brought persecution upon Paul and Barnabas just as was argued about Antioch. Outside the synagogue the Jews would poison the minds of the Gentiles against Paul and Barnabas. “The story of Thecla suggests a means, and perhaps the apostles were brought before the magistrates on some charge of interference with family life. The magistrates however must have seen at once that there was no legal case against them; and by a sentence of acquittal or in some other way the Lord gave peace” (Rackham). As we have it, the story of Paul and Thecla undoubtedly has apocryphal features, though Thecla may very well be an historical character here at Iconium where the story is located. Certainly the picture of Paul herein drawn cannot be considered authentic though a true tradition may underlie it: “bald, bowlegged, strongly built, small in stature, with large eyes and meeting eyebrows and longish nose; full of grace; sometimes looking like a man, sometimes having the face of an angel.”
Fuente: Robertson’s Word Pictures in the New Testament
1 ) “But the unbelieving Jews,” (hoi de apeithesantes loudaioi) “Then the unpersuaded, obstinate, disobedient, or unbelieving Jews,” of the synagogue and city of lconium.
2) “Stirred up the Gentiles and made their minds evil affected,” (epegeiran kai ekakosan tas psuchas ton ethnon) “Excited, incited, or embittered the minds, or emotions of the Gentiles or the other races of people; There are no neutral unbelievers, none lives neutral, without influence for good or bad. This was expressed by our Lord, “He that is not with me is against me,” etc. Mat 12:30. And Paul certified that none “lived or died to himself” alone, without influencing others, Rom 14:7.
3) “Against the brethren,” (kata ton adelphon) “Against the brethren,” Paul and Barnabas, and perhaps the brethren of the local church or congregation of disciples, Act 13:51-52; Act 14:1. Our Lord forewarned His disciples of the attitude that the unsaved world would take toward them because they were enemies to Him and His word, Mat 5:11-12; Joh 15:20-25; Joh 16:1-4.
Fuente: Garner-Howes Baptist Commentary
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2. And those Jews which believed not Lo, they are persecuted now afresh, and that by the Jews, for they were like firebrands to inflame the minds of the Gentiles; for it is to be thought that the Gentiles could abide to hear the gospel preached, unless they had been incensed to resist by these fans. − (5) I interpret κακωσαι in this place for to resist − (6) with a malicious affection, or to enforce to do hurt. Under the name brethren, Luke comprehendeth, in my judgment, all the godly; to wit, that they were vexed and troubled whosoever embraced the gospel, as if some pernicious sect had risen to spread discord, to trouble the peace of the city, to shake the public state; yet if any had rather restrain it unto Paul and Barnabas I am not greatly against him. −
(5) −
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Nisi liabellis illis accensae fuissent ad resistendum ,” had not these like fans kindled their resistance.
(6) −
“
Inficere,” to infect.
Fuente: Calvin’s Complete Commentary
(2) The unbelieving Jews stirred up the Gentiles . . .It is the distinguishing feature of nearly all the persecutions in the Acts that they originated in the hostility of the Jews. The case of Demetrius furnishes almost the only exception (Act. 19:24), and even there the Jews apparently fomented the enmity of the Greek craftsmen. So at a considerably later date (A.D. 169) we find them prominent in bringing about the persecution which ended in the death of Polycarp at Smyrna (Mart. Polyc. c. 13).
Fuente: Ellicott’s Commentary for English Readers (Old and New Testaments)
‘But the Jews who were disobedient stirred up the souls of the Gentiles, and made them evilly disposed against the brethren.’
But Iconium was a very democratic city with its own broad assembly which determined civic matters. Thus the Jews who were unresponsive (‘disobedient’), and even hostile, and who were unhappy at what was happening in their synagogue, and offended by it, knew that if they wanted to be able to proceed against the new Christians they would only be able to do so if they whipped up sufficient Gentile support. They knew that they would need a majority opinion in the assembly in order to be able to do anything. And the result was that over the weeks they began to stir up a good number of Gentiles, seeking to turn them against those who were being converted to Paul’s teaching.
Fuente: Commentary Series on the Bible by Peter Pett
Act 14:2. Brethren That is, the Christians; of whom this was one appellation before they were so called at Antioch. See on ch. Act 11:26.
Fuente: Commentary on the Holy Bible by Thomas Coke
2 But the unbelieving Jews stirred up the Gentiles, and made their minds evil affected against the brethren.
Ver. 2. Made their minds evil affected ] Envenomed ( ) their minds with rage against the brethren, but God made peace, as the ancient copies add here, Beza from Beda. His peace that passeth all understanding guarded their hearts and minds in Christ Jesus.
Fuente: John Trapp’s Complete Commentary (Old and New Testaments)
2. ] The past part. indicates who believed not , viz. when Paul preached.
, ‘male affecerunt,’ , Chrys. So Jos. Antt. xvi. 1. 2, ,. .
Act 14:3 gives the sequel of Act 14:1 , Act 14:4 , of Act 14:2 . The , as usual (see ch. Act 11:19 ), takes up the narrative which had been interrupted.
Fuente: Henry Alford’s Greek Testament
Act 14:2 . , see critical notes. If we read , “that were disobedient,” R.V., but cf. Joh 3:36 , and Page’s note in loco . Lumby quotes Bar 1:19 , and regards the expression here as stronger than “unbelieving,” rather unbelief breaking forth into rebellion, as in the case of these Jews at Iconium and elsewhere. Ramsay renders “the disaffected”. : “exasperated,” Ramsay; only here in N.T. in this sense, five times in Acts, once in quotation; only once elsewhere in N.T., 1Pe 3:13 , cf. for its use here Jos., Ant. , xvi., 1, 2; vii., 3; viii., 6. It is used several times in LXX, but not in this sense, the nearest approach to it is Psalms 105 :(LXX)32. The same phrase occurs twice, Num 29:7 ; Num 30:14 , but with a different meaning or reading in D. See critical notes.
Fuente: The Expositors Greek Testament by Robertson
unbelieving. Greek. apeitheo. Compare App-150. This is the second occurrence. First occurrence Joh 3:36. Often translated “disobedient”.
stirred up. Greek. epegeiro. See note on Act 13:50.
Gentiles. Greek. ethnos. The Greek reads, “stirred up and made evil affected the minds of the Gentiles”.
made . . . evil affected = embittered, or poisoned. Greek. kakoo. See note on Act 7:6.
minds = souls. Greek. psuche. App-110.
Fuente: Companion Bible Notes, Appendices and Graphics
2.] The past part. indicates who believed not, viz. when Paul preached.
, male affecerunt,- , Chrys. So Jos. Antt. xvi. 1. 2, ,. .
Act 14:3 gives the sequel of Act 14:1,-Act 14:4, of Act 14:2. The , as usual (see ch. Act 11:19), takes up the narrative which had been interrupted.
Fuente: The Greek Testament
Act 14:19, Act 13:45, Act 13:50, Act 17:5, Act 17:13, Act 18:12, Act 21:27-30, Mar 15:10, Mar 15:11, 1Th 2:15, 1Th 2:16
Reciprocal: 1Ki 21:25 – whom Jezebel Mat 10:34 – that I Mat 23:15 – ye make Luk 4:31 – taught Luk 15:28 – he Act 6:12 – they stirred Act 8:4 – General Act 9:23 – the Jews Rom 11:28 – are enemies 2Th 3:2 – for 2Ti 3:11 – at Antioch 2Pe 2:2 – evil
Fuente: The Treasury of Scripture Knowledge
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Act 14:2. The Jews ordinarily had little or no interest in the Gentiles, but it grieved them to see these people becoming interested in the work of the brethren. They agitated them so much that it turned their minds against Paul and Barnabas.
Fuente: Combined Bible Commentary
Act 14:2. But the unbelieving Jews. Gloag calls attention to the fact that of the numerous persecutions recorded in the Acts, there were only two which were not occasioned by the Jews.
Stirred up the Gentiles. That is, rendered hostile. The Jews saw that all those privileges which belonged to the covenant people, and of which they were so jealously proud, would cease altogether to be their peculiar heritage if the Gentiles were admitted on the same terms into the kingdom of God. The very word here used by the writer of the Acts, the brethren,the favourite expression by which the members of the Christian society used to designate themselves,was especially obnoxious to the stubborn Jews, who refused to accept Christ as Messiah. To these unhappy men, the thought that believing Jews and believing Gentiles should constitute one holy brotherhood, was strangely hateful.
Fuente: A Popular Commentary on the New Testament
Act 14:2-4. But the unbelieving Jews Who were greatly provoked at the growing success of the gospel, and studied all they could to put a stop to its progress; stirred up the Gentiles The idolatrous Gentiles, the heathen inhabitants of the place; and made their minds evil affected Greek, , irritated; or, exasperated their souls against the brethren Against the disciples of Christ, and especially against those celebrated teachers of a religion against which they had imbibed strong prejudices. Long time, therefore, abode they Namely, Paul and Barnabas; speaking boldly in the Lord Because the minds of the Gentiles were so filled with prejudice and malignity against them, one would have thought, that therefore they should have withdrawn and hastened out of the way; or, if they had preached, should have preached cautiously, for fear of giving further provocation to those who were already sufficiently enraged: no, but the contrary; therefore they abode there a long time, speaking boldly in the Lord: the more they perceived the spirit and rancour of the town against the new converts, the more they were animated to go on in their work, and the more needful they saw it to continue among them, to confirm them in the faith, and to comfort them. Who gave testimony unto the word of his grace Which they delivered, working with them according to his promise, Lo, I am with you always: and granted signs and wonders to be done by their hands Which were of great use to confirm the faith of the new converts, and to prevail with many others to receive the gospel, and which might have convinced all the inhabitants, if they had exercised a becoming candour. But the multitude of the city was divided Into two parties, and both very active and vigorous: among the rulers and persons of rank, and among the common people, there were some that held with the unbelieving Jews, and others that held with the apostles. It seems this business of the preaching of the gospel was so universally taken notice of with concern, that almost every adult person, even of the multitude of the city, was either for it or against it; none stood neuter: all were either for them or their enemies; for God or Baal; for Christ or Beelzebub.
Fuente: Joseph Bensons Commentary on the Old and New Testaments
See notes one verse 1
Fuente: McGarvey and Pendleton Commentaries (New Testament)
14:2 But the {b} unbelieving Jews stirred up the Gentiles, and made their minds evil affected against the brethren.
(b) Who did not obey the doctrine.