Exegetical and Hermeneutical Commentary of Acts 22:15
For thou shalt be his witness unto all men of what thou hast seen and heard.
15. For thou shalt be his witness, &c.] Thus the commission of the later-called Apostle was in the same terms as those in which Christ had spoken (Act 1:8) to the eleven before his Ascension.
unto all men ] Paul does not utter the word “Gentiles” until he is forced to do so.
of what thou hast seen and heard ] For by revelation the Apostle was made aware of the whole scope of Christian truth, and of those doctrines which Christ in His life on earth had communicated to the Twelve.
Fuente: The Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges
For thou shalt be his witness … – As an apostle – to testify to all people that the Messiah has come, that he has died, that he has risen, and that he is the Saviour of the world.
Of what thou hast seen and heard – Of the remarkable proof which has been furnished you of the divine mission and character of the Lord Jesus.
Fuente: Albert Barnes’ Notes on the Bible
Verse 15. Thou shalt be his witness unto all] Thou shalt proclaim Christ crucified, both to Jews and Gentiles.
Fuente: Adam Clarke’s Commentary and Critical Notes on the Bible
His witness; the apostles were in a more special manner Christs witnesses; as Luk 24:48; Joh 1:7; Act 1:8; God giving them extraordinary gifts, not for their own sakes chiefly, but to profit others withal; as the tree bears not fruit, nor the field yields its increase, for itself.
Of what thou hast seen and heard; not that St. Pauls commission extended only to the publishing this wonder at his conversion: for he was intrusted with the gospel, and had that treasure in his earthen vessel: but this miracle is expressly mentioned, because it was unto him and others a great confirmation of the truths which he believed himself, and recommended to the faith of others. And therefore in the course of his ministry he mentions this frequently; as here in this place, and before king Agrippa, Act 26:16; 1Co 9:1; as also 1Co 15:8.
Fuente: English Annotations on the Holy Bible by Matthew Poole
13-15. The God of our fathers hathchosen theestudiously linking the new economy upon the old, asbut the sequel of it; both having one glorious Author.
Fuente: Jamieson, Fausset and Brown’s Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible
For thou shalt be his witness unto all men,…. Gentiles as well as Jews, an eye and an ear witness to them;
of what thou hast seen and heard; as that he saw him personally and alive, and so could witness to the truth of his resurrection; for after he had been seen by all the apostles, he was last of all seen of Paul; and also, that he heard him and received from him the Gospel, and a mission and commission to preach it; for what he preached he did not receive of man, nor was he taught it by any, but he had it by revelation from Jesus Christ.
Fuente: John Gill’s Exposition of the Entire Bible
A witness for him ( ). As in 1:8.
Of what (). Attraction of the accusative relative to the genitive case of the unexpressed antecedent .
Thou hast seen and heard (, present perfect active indicative , first aorist active indicative). This subtle change of tense is not preserved in the English. Blass properly cites the perfect in 1Co 9:1 as proof of Paul’s enduring qualification for the apostleship.
Fuente: Robertson’s Word Pictures in the New Testament
All men. He keeps back the offensive word Gentiles (ch. 9 15).
Fuente: Vincent’s Word Studies in the New Testament
1) “And thou shalt be His witness,” (hoti ese martus auto) “Because you will be a witness to Him,” as all members of the Lord’s church are called to be, Act 1:8.
2) “Unto all men,” (pros pantas anthropous) “Toward all men,” the whole human race, to all races or nations. Tho he cautiously avoided the term “Gentiles” at this point in his address, he included them in the phrase “unto all men,” Mar 16:15; Luk 24:46-47; Act 9:15.
3) “Of what thou hast seen and heard.” (on heorakas kai ekousas) “Of things which you have both seen and heard,” Act 23:11; Act 26:16.
Fuente: Garner-Howes Baptist Commentary
(15) Thou shalt be his witness.This mission, identical with that which had been assigned to the Twelve (Act. 1:8), virtually placed the persecutor on a level with them, and was equivalent to his appointment as an Apostle.
Fuente: Ellicott’s Commentary for English Readers (Old and New Testaments)
15. Unto all men In this announcement of his commission by Ananias (not given in the previous narrative) the Gentiles are not expressly mentioned, but are clearly implied.
Fuente: Whedon’s Commentary on the Old and New Testaments
“For you shall be a witness for him to all men of what you have seen and heard.”
And the reason for this was that he might be a witness for Him to all men of what he had seen and heard, that is of the life, sacrificial death, resurrection and enthronement of Jesus Christ as Lord and Messiah. There is a hint in his use of ‘all men’ of what is to come. But it could be interpreted here by his listeners as meaning all Jews of every class.
So Paul had been fully dedicated to God from birth, he had been taught by the greatest teacher in the land, he had been humbled by the glory of the Lord, he had heard the voice of the Lord, he had seen the resurrected Lord, he would receive visions in a trance, his experience had been confirmed by a pious and revered Jew, what more evidence did they need? And it had pointed him to the Lord Jesus Christ, to be baptised in His name.
Fuente: Commentary Series on the Bible by Peter Pett
15 For thou shalt be his witness unto all men of what thou hast seen and heard.
Ver. 15. Of what thou hast seen ] sc. When rapped into the third heaven, 2Co 12:2 , which might very well be in that three days’ darkness. See Trapp on “ Act 9:9 “
Fuente: John Trapp’s Complete Commentary (Old and New Testaments)
Act 22:15 . : “a witness for him,” R.V., cf. Act 1:8 . .: we may see another evidence of the Apostle’s tact in that he does not yet employ the word . , Blass well compares for the former verb the Apostle’s own words, 1Co 9:1 ; perfect tense, marks what was essential in giving him enduring consecration as an Apostle, cf. Blass, Gram. , p. 237.
Fuente: The Expositors Greek Testament by Robertson
His witness = a witness to Him.
witness. See Act 1:8.
men. Greek. anthropos. App-123.
what = the things which.
seen. Greek. horao. App-133.
Fuente: Companion Bible Notes, Appendices and Graphics
Act 22:15. , a witness) by seeing and hearing: Act 22:14.-, all men) even the Gentiles.
Fuente: Gnomon of the New Testament
thou shalt: Act 1:8, Act 1:22, Act 10:39-41, Act 23:11, Act 26:16-18, Act 27:24, Luk 24:47, Luk 24:48, Joh 15:27
of: Act 4:20, Act 26:20
Reciprocal: Act 5:21 – But Rom 1:1 – called 1Co 9:1 – I not an Gal 1:15 – who Rev 1:2 – and of all
Fuente: The Treasury of Scripture Knowledge
5
Act 22:15. The testimony of Saul was to be based on seeing and hearing.
Fuente: Combined Bible Commentary
Act 22:15. Thou shalt be his witness unto all men. In Lukes account of Act 9:15, the Gentiles are especially mentioned by name in the colloquy between Ananias and the Lord, who spoke to him in a vision: He is a chosen vessel unto me, to bear My name before the Gentiles, etc. Here speaking to the angry and jealous Jewish crowd, the expression the Gentiles is omitted altogether, and Pauls broader mission is expressed by the words, Thou shalt be His witness to all men.
Fuente: A Popular Commentary on the New Testament
See notes on verse 3