Exegetical and Hermeneutical Commentary of Acts 19:30
And when Paul would have entered in unto the people, the disciples suffered him not.
30. And when Paul would have entered in unto the people ] This scarcely gives the idea of St Paul’s wish, which the Greek contains. Read, with Rev. Ver., was minded to enter in. Through a strength not his own, the Apostle, feeble in frame though he seems to have been, waxed bold in danger and where an opportunity appeared to be offered of testifying unto Christ.
the disciples suffered him not ] The Christian brethren, to some of whom the storm that was rising would be known much sooner than to the Apostle, had evidently conveyed him from his usual abode, and were taking care of him until the excitement was allayed. They would tell him, of course, all that they heard of what was doing, and it was on hearing this, that he wanted to go and appear before the crowd in the theatre.
Fuente: The Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges
Would have entered in unto the people – Probably to have addressed them, and to defend his own cause.
Fuente: Albert Barnes’ Notes on the Bible
Paul would have entered in unto the people; being desirous either to appease the tumult; or, if the worst came of it, to die for Christs sake.
The disciples suffered him not, by their entreaties; to whom this good apostles life, from whom they had received the faith, was more dear than their own.
Fuente: English Annotations on the Holy Bible by Matthew Poole
30-34. when Paul would have enteredinwith noble forgetfulness of self.
unto the peoplethedemos, that is, the people met in public assembly.
the disciples suffered himnotThe tense used implies only that they were usingtheir efforts to restrain him; which might have been unavailingbut for what follows.
Fuente: Jamieson, Fausset and Brown’s Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible
And when Paul would have entered in unto the people,…. In the theatre, in order to have preached to the people, and to have removed their prejudices against him, and the Gospel preached by him, and to have shown them the error and evil of their idolatrous ways and worship, and to have reconciled them to him, and his friends, and to have persuaded them to do them no hurt; which shows the apostle’s greatness of soul, his firmness, constancy, and intrepidity, and his great concern and affection for his companions, to risk his life in this manner: but
the disciples suffered him not; the believers, the members of the church at Ephesus would by no means agree to it, but dissuaded him from it; who hereby, on their part, showed great love to him, and what a value they had for him, and how much they esteemed the life of so great an apostle, and faithful preacher of the Gospel. The Ethiopic version renders it, “the apostles prohibited him”; but there were none of that office with him.
Fuente: John Gill’s Exposition of the Entire Bible
And when Paul was minded to enter in unto the people ( ). Genitive absolute. Plainly Paul wanted to face the howling mob, whether it was the occasion pictured in 2Co 1:9 or not. “St. Paul was not the man to leave his comrades in the lurch” (Knowling).
Suffered him not ( ). Imperfect of , common verb to allow, what Gildersleeve called the negative imperfect (Robertson, Grammar, p. 885), denoting resistance to pressure. The more Paul insisted on going the more the disciples refused to agree to it and they won.
Fuente: Robertson’s Word Pictures in the New Testament
1) “And when Paul would have entered in,” (Paulon de boulomenou eiselthein) “As Paul intended (had determined in his mind) to enter,” to enter the city theatre of Ephesus, where they had dragged Gaius and Aristarchus, his loyal missionary companions in travel, as brethren “born for adversity,” and friends that “loveth at all times,” Pro 17:17; Pro 24:10.
2) “Unto the people,” (eis ton demon) “Into or unto the mass-mob,” to confront them regarding their conduct, and devil-inflamed actions of incited, ignorant behavior, like that of vicious wild beasts, in a ferocious rage, to endanger the life of Paul and other Christians, 1Co 15:32; 1Co 16:9; 2Co 1:8-10. Followers of deceivers, usually wind up in the prison of deceivers, unless they can be halted, arrested in attention, and turned back from their hell-bent course of conduct, Eze 33:7-11; 2Co 11:13-15.
3) “The disciples suffered him not.” (ouk eion auton hoi mathetai) “The disciples (brethren of the church at Ephesus) allowed him not,” restrained him, kept him from going in among the “mad-pack,” the incited mob, the grisly wolf-pack of God haters; They had whisked him away, to save his life from the hate and personal attack of incited mobs as on other occasions, almost always led by infidel Jews, as at Thessalonica, Act 17:6; Act 17:10; and at Jerusalem, Act 23:16; Act 23:23-32; Heb 13:5.
Fuente: Garner-Howes Baptist Commentary
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30. And when Paul would. We may see that Paul’s constancy was coupled with modesty. When as he might well have kept himself out of sight, of his own accord was he prepared to put himself in hazard. And yet he doth not refuse to follow their counsel, who knew the state of matters better than he. If he had not been kept back, that which he determined to do could not have been imputed to rashness. There was no sedition raised through his fault. Why should he not venture his life, especially seeing that he did not despair of better success? But when the brethren, and such friends as were more skillful, dissuade him, his modesty is worthy to be commended, in that he doth not stand stoutly in his purpose. −
Fuente: Calvin’s Complete Commentary
(30) When Paul would have entered in . . .We almost see the impetuous zeal which urged the Apostle not to leave his companions to bear the brunt of the attack alone, and the anxious fear which made his friends eager to prevent a step which would probably endanger his own life without helping his friends. He refers probably to this when he speaks of having, as far as man was concerned, fought with beasts at Ephesus (1Co. 15:32); not that there was any actual danger of martyrdom in that form, but that the multitude in their fanatic rage presented as formidable an ordeal. So Ignatius (Ep. ad Rom. c. 3) speaks of himself as fighting with wild beasts (using the same word as St. Paul), and describes the soldiers who kept guard over him in his journey from Antioch to Rome as the ten leopards who were his companions.
Fuente: Ellicott’s Commentary for English Readers (Old and New Testaments)
30. Paul entered They had not searched very judiciously for their victim, as it is clear that he was within the excited city. Paul probably believed that on being admitted into the theatre he could so address the assembly as to calm its fury. Such is the spontaneous confidence of great personality endowed with a natural mastery over men. What would have been his success is very doubtful, for the fears of friends, both private and official, prevented the experiment.
Fuente: Whedon’s Commentary on the Old and New Testaments
‘And when Paul was of a mind to enter in to the people, the disciples did not let him.’
On recognising the situation, and concerned for his companions who had been seized, Paul bravely wanted to go into the theatre to assist their defence before the people. He was never afraid to put his head in the lion’s mouth. But the disciples knew that while Gaius and Aristarchus might come away from the situation only having been roughed up, if Paul showed his face there he was liable to be torn to pieces. He was Public Enemy Number One. Thus they prevented him from going, no doubt pointing out that while he was free his companions were less likely to be in such deep trouble. It was not his companions that they were after, it was him.
Fuente: Commentary Series on the Bible by Peter Pett
Act 19:30-31 . ] whom doubtless the rioters had not found present at his usual place of abode. “Nulla militaris audacia par huic fortitudini,” Bengel.
. ] among the people that ran together into the theatre (Act 19:31 ). Comp. Act 12:22 , Act 17:5 . . is also among Greek writers very often the multitude (Dem. 383. 5; Diod. Sic. xvi. 84), plebs, vulgus . See Sturz, Lex. Xen. I. p. 665; Ngelsbach on the Iliad , p. 277, Exo 3 . Contrary to the whole course of proceeding as narrated, Otto ( Pastoralbr . p. 103) understands a formal assembly of the people, of which we are not to think even in the case of , Act 19:32 .
The ten presidents of sacred rites as well as of the public games in proconsular Asia were called (corresponding to whom in other provinces were the , , . . .). They had to celebrate, at their own expense, these games in honour of the gods and of the emperor. Each city annually, about the time of the autumnal equinox, delegated one of its citizens, and these collective delegates then elected the ten. It was natural that one of these perhaps chosen by the proconsul should preside, and hence may be explained the remark in Eusebius, H. E. iv. 15, that Polycarp was executed under the Asiarch Philip. But the inference from our passage is historically indemonstrable, that only one was really Asiarch, and that the plural is to be explained from the fact that the other nine, but particularly the retired Asiarchs (like the past high priests of the Jews), bore the title (Salmasius, Valesius, Tillemont, Harduin, and Deyling), which is in itself improbable on account of the enormous expense which in that case would have been laid on one. See generally, Spanheim, de usu et praest. num. II. p. 694; van Dale, Dissertt. ad antiq. et marmor. p. 273 ff.; Winer, Realw. I. p. 97 f.; Babington in Numism. Chronicle , 1866, p. 93 ff. Comp. also Jacobs, ad Anthol. XII. p. 313.
] apprehension of danger to life. On the expression with of a dangerous locality , comp. Polyb. v. 14. 9.
Fuente: Heinrich August Wilhelm Meyer’s New Testament Commentary
30 And when Paul would have entered in unto the people, the disciples suffered him not.
Ver. 30. The disciples suffered him not ] i.e. They persuaded him otherwise, and prevailed. It is best, if a man can so order his affairs, as not to need the counsel of others. And the next best is to rest in good counsel, and to be ruled by it. But he that is uncounsellable is ripe for ruin, and that without remedy, Pro 29:1 .
Fuente: John Trapp’s Complete Commentary (Old and New Testaments)
Act 19:30 . . .: St. Paul was not the man to leave his comrades in the lurch, and he would have followed them with his life in his hands to face the mob of Ephesus; if we may depend upon the picture of Ephesian life given us in Pseudo-Heraclitus, Letter vii., we can understand the imminent danger in which St. Paul was placed at the mercy of men who were no longer men but beasts, ( Die Heraklitischen Briefe , p. 65 (Bernays), and Ramsay, u. s. , p. 280). , Act 19:33 , Act 12:22 , Act 17:5 , so sometimes in classical Greek of the plebs, vulgus in N.T. only in Acts. Both before and after the riot the passions of the vulgar mob were no doubt a real and serious danger to St. Paul, cf. 1Co 15:32 ; 1Co 16:9 , 2Co 1:8-10 . In the former passage the word is generally referred to this danger in Ephesus, the multitude in its ferocious rage being compared to wild beasts, see Ramsay, St. Paul , p. 230, “Ephesus,” Hastings’ B.D., and Plumptre’s note, in loco. With the expression used in 1Co 15:32 we may compare Ignat., Rom. , Act 19:1 , and cf. Ephes. , vii. 1; Smyrn. , iv., 1; so too Pseudo-Heraclitus, u. s. , and Renan, Saint Paul , p. 351, note; Grimm-Thayer, sub v. McGiffert, p. 280 ff., maintains that the word refers to an actual conflict with wild beasts in the arena (so Weizscker), and that 2Co 1:9 more probably refers to the danger from the riot of Demetrius; but if the literal interpretation of the verb in 1 Cor. is correct, it is strange that St. Paul should have omitted such a terrible encounter from his catalogue of dangers in 2Co 11:23 ; see also below at end of chapter.
Fuente: The Expositors Greek Testament by Robertson
would = was wishing. Greek. boulomai. App-102.
people. Greek. demos. See Act 12:22.
Fuente: Companion Bible Notes, Appendices and Graphics
Act 19:30. , when Paul was wishing) With great boldness. See note, 1Co 15:32. No military boldness is equal to this bravery. He was wishing to defend Gaius and Aristarchus, and to confute the worship of Diana.- , the disciples did not permit him) A good wish which is thwarted, may notwithstanding both be good and be? rightly thwarted.- , the disciples) seeing that it was Paul who was principally aimed at: Act 19:26.
Fuente: Gnomon of the New Testament
the Lawlessness of Selfish Greed
Act 19:30-41
The theater of Ephesus still stands, and the writer of these words has spoken in its mighty enclosure, from the very spot where this town clerk-the model of officialism-must have stood to address and calm the frenzied crowd. Paul never knew the fear of man, and was with difficulty prevented from endangering his life in his desire to turn the occasion to account. He probably refers to this incident when he says that he fought with wild beasts at Ephesus, 1Co 15:32. But he could have done no good in the face of such a turmoil. Be valorous, Christian soldiers, but be discreet! Do not throw yourselves from the mountain brow unless God clearly calls for it.
It is well to bear this scene in mind when the Apostle tells us of a peace that passeth understanding which stands sentry over heart and mind. His was not the sequestered life of a religious recluse; he was continually battling his way through a stormy sea. But it is in the floods of great waters that we learn what our Lord can be. Dying outwardly and in human estimation, yet we live, 2Co 4:16; the earthern vessel chipped and broken, but the heavenly treasure unimpaired, 2Co 4:7.
Fuente: F.B. Meyer’s Through the Bible Commentary
Paul: Act 14:14-18, Act 17:22-31, Act 21:39
the disciples: 2Sa 18:2, 2Sa 18:3, 2Sa 21:17
Reciprocal: Act 21:37 – General
Fuente: The Treasury of Scripture Knowledge
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Act 19:30. Paul wished to appear in this public place to reply to the complaints of the mob. Fearing that he might be harmed by the angry populace, the disciples prevented him from entering the theatre.
Fuente: Combined Bible Commentary
Act 19:30. The disciples suffered him not. Paul with his customary chivalrous courtesy would not suffer his companions in travel to be exposed to danger without his being at their side to defend them. He wished, too, to plead the Christian cause, so unwarrantably attacked, before the people of Ephesus. But the disciplesno doubt men of Ephesus converted by Paul, who knew well their countrymens feelings on the subject of their goddesswould not suffer the brave-hearted man to expose himself so uselessly to a deadly peril.
Fuente: A Popular Commentary on the New Testament
Observe here, 1. The undaunted courage of St. Paul in the cause of Christ: he resolves to adventure his life, by going into the theatre, there to make an apology for himself and his companions, and in defence of the Christian religion. He did not account his life dear unto him, but was willing not only to be bound, but to die for the name of Jesus.
Observe, 2. How the divine Providence is to be admired, and awfully adored, in directing to ways and means for the Apostle’s preservation in this time of imminent danger. God now made use of the advice, not only of the apostle’s fast friends or by foes; for he can make enemies become benefactors at his pleasure, and command deliverance for his people, sometimes by opposite and contrary means.
Lord! who would not trust thee in a time of imminent or impending danger, who hast all created nature at thy back, the hearts of all in thy hands, the tongues and hands of the most unruly and outrageous in thy power; and wilt deliver thine in six troubles, and in seven, and there shall no evil touch them! Thou canst and wilt deliver as often as thy children need deliverance, and save them from evil, even when they are in the midst of trouble!
Observe, 3. How the rabble at Ephesus treated Alexander being in the theatre, (the place where they judged offenders, and cast them to the wild beasts:) they would not suffer him to make any defence for himself, or the people of the Jews. This Alexander is supposed by many to be that Alexander, who St. Paul afterwards told Timothy did him much evil: if so, we find here he was first a proselyte, then a professor, next a confessor, almost a martyr; yet, after all, an apostate; making shipwreck of the faith, for which he was excommunicated by the apostle, Of whom is Hymenaeus and Alexander, whom I have delivered unto Satan. 1Ti 1:19-20
This excommunication of the apostle probably was the provocation that occasioned him to do so much mischief to the apostle, of which he complains, Alexander the coppersmith did me much evil; of whom be thou ware also. 2Ti 4:14
Learn thence, 1. That it was possible for a glorious professor to turn a furious persecutor. This Alexander did not only withstand the apostle’s person, but his doctrine also; for which being excommunicated, he sought revenge.
Learn, 2. That excommunication not only angers but enrages wicked and impenitent men; so that, instead of being reformed, they seek revenge: yet must the censures of the church be executed and inflicted without either fear or favour.
Fuente: Expository Notes with Practical Observations on the New Testament
Act 19:30-32. When Paul would have entered in to the people Being above all fear, to plead the cause of his companions, and prove they were not gods which were made with hands; the disciples suffered him not Because, if he had gone in, there would have been no possibility of restraining the multitude. And certain of the chief of Asia Greek, , of the Asiarchs, or principal officers of Asia, probably priests of Diana, who presided over the public games, which, it is thought, they were then celebrating in her honour; who were his friends Not converts to Christianity, or his disciples, which they could not have been, and yet have remained Dianas priests; but friendly to him, as an ingenuous, benevolent man. For, although they derived both dignity and profit from the established idolatry, yet their love of order, and attachment to good morals, led them to befriend Paul on this occasion; sent, desiring that he would not adventure himself into the theatre Since the rage of the people was such, that it would have been with the utmost hazard of his life. Some therefore As they stood together in the theatre; cried one thing, and some another According as their passions influenced them, or as the zeal of others prompted them. For the greater part knew not wherefore they were come together Which is commonly the case in such an assembly.
Fuente: Joseph Bensons Commentary on the Old and New Testaments
30, 31. When Paul heard the tumult, and knew that his companions had been dragged within the theater, he could but suppose that they were torn to pieces. This thought alone was intensely harrowing to his feelings; but it was still more so to know that they were suffering in his stead. He could not endure to remain inactive at such a crisis, but resolved to die with them. (30) “But Paul, having determined to go in to the people, the disciples would not permit him; (31) and some of the Asiarchs, also, who were his friends, sent to him and entreated him not to trust himself within the theater.” By such means he was restrained from his desperate purpose, after having fully made up his mind to die. The desperation to which he was driven he afterward describes to the Corinthians in this touching language: “We would not have you ignorant, brethren, of our trouble which came to us in Asia, that we were exceedingly pressed down beyond our strength, so that we despaired even of life: but we had within ourselves the sentence of death, that we should not trust in ourselves, but in God who raises the dead.” Giving up all hope of life, as he started toward the theater, and trusting in Him who raises the dead, when the tumult had subsided, and he was assured of safety, he felt much as if he had been raised from the dead. He therefore says, in the same connection, “Who delivered me from so grievous a death, and is delivering, in whom I trust that he will even yet deliver us: you also helping by prayer for us, that for the gift bestowed on us by means of many persons, thanks may be given by man on our behalf.”
Fuente: McGarvey and Pendleton Commentaries (New Testament)
Verse 30
Would have entered in; desirous of at least sharing the danger of his friends, even though be might not be able to avert it.
Fuente: Abbott’s Illustrated New Testament
Evidently the silversmiths did not lay hands on Paul as they did on Gaius and Aristarchus. He seems to have been elsewhere in Ephesus when this demonstration broke out. Paul seems to have desired to use this occasion to preach the gospel to the assembled throng in the theater. However the other Christians sensed his danger and would not allow him to make himself a target of their violence.