13<\/strong>. the priest of Jupiter, which was before their city<\/em> ] i.e. “whose temple was before their city.” He was their tutelar divinity, and it was to his priest that the people ran with their cry, and brought him, with all the preparations for a sacrifice, to the gate of the house where the Apostles were lodged.<\/p>\n brought oxen and garlands<\/em> ] The latter were sometimes put on the heads of the victims, and sometimes used by the worshippers for their own decorations at religious rites. Probably in this case they were meant to make gay some temporary altar.<\/p>\n unto the gates<\/em> ] The word here used in the original is the same which is used for the porch or vestibule of the house of Mary the mother of John Mark (Mar 12:14<\/span>), and that is its sense here. The Apostles were within the house, and as it was meet to offer the victims to the supposed gods in their presence rather than on the altar at Jupiter’s temple, it was to the house of their host that the procession came.<\/p>\n Then the priest of Jupiter – <\/B>He whose office it was to conduct the worship of Jupiter by offering sacrifices, etc.<\/P> Which was before their city – <\/B>The word which here refers not to the priest, but to Jupiter. The temple or image of Jupiter was in front of their city, or near the gates. Ancient cities were supposed to be under the protection of particular gods; and their image, or a temple for their worship, was placed commonly in a conspicuous place at the entrance of the city.<\/P> Brought oxen – <\/B>Probably brought two one to be sacrificed to each. It was common to sacrifice bullocks to Jupiter.<\/P> And garlands – <\/B>The victims of sacrifice were usually decorated with ribbons and chaplets of flowers. See Kuinoel.<\/P> Unto the gates – <\/B>The gates of the city, where were the images or temple of the gods.<\/P> Would have done sacrifice – <\/B>Would have offered sacrifice to Barnabas and Paul. This the priest deemed a part of his office. And here we have a remarkable and most affecting instance of the folly and stupidity of idolatry.<\/P><\/p>\n Verse 13<\/span>. Then the priest of Jupiter, which was before their<\/B><\/I> city<\/I>] There is a meaning here, which ordinary readers will not readily apprehend. Many cities were put under the protection of a particular deity; and the image of that deity placed at the entrance, to signify that he was the guardian and protector. To this St. Luke, every where as accurate as he is circumstantial, refers. Lystra, it appears, was under the guardianship of Jupiter<\/I> Propulaius<\/I>, , which St. Luke translates, , the Jupiter that was before the city<\/I>, which is another term for Jupiter Custos<\/I>, or Jupiter the guardian. All these deities, according to the attributes they sustained, had their peculiar priests, rites<\/I>, and sacrifices<\/I>; and each a peculiar service and priest for the office he bore; so that Jupiter<\/I> Brontes<\/I>, Jupiter the thunderer, had a different service from Jupiter Custos<\/I>, Jove the guardian. Hence we can see with what accuracy St. Luke wrote: the person who was going to offer them sacrifices was the priest of Jupiter Custos<\/I>, under whose guardianship the city of Lystra was, and whom the priest supposed had visited the city in a human form; and Barnabas, probably for the reasons already assigned, he imagined was the person; and as Mercury, the god of eloquence, was the general attendant<\/I> of Jupiter, the people and the priest supposed that Paul, who had a powerful, commanding eloquence, was that<\/I> god, also disguised. A beautiful figure of such an image of Jupiter as, I suppose, stood before the gate of Lystra, still remains; and a fine engraving of it may be seen in Gruter’s Inscriptions, vol. i. p. xx. Jupiter is represented naked, sitting on a curule<\/I> or consular chair<\/I>; in his right hand he holds his thunder<\/I>, and a long staff<\/I> in his left; at his right, stands the eagle<\/I> prepared for flight; and, above, the winged cap<\/I> and caduceus<\/I> of Mercury. On the base is the inscription, IUPPITER CUSTOM DOMUS AUG. Jupiter, the guardian of<\/I> the house of Augustus<\/I>. As the preserver<\/I> or guardian<\/I> of towns, he was generally styled Jupiter Custos, Serenus<\/I> and Servator<\/I>. His name, JUPITER, i.e. jurans pater<\/I>, the helping father, entitled him, in those days of darkness, to general regard. On this false god, who long engrossed the worship of even the most enlightened nations on the earth, much may be seen in Lactantius, Divinar.<\/I> Institution<\/I>. lib. i., in the Antiquite expliquee<\/I> of Montfaucon<\/I>; and various inscriptions, relative to his character as guardian<\/I>, c., may be seen in Gruter<\/I>, as above.<\/P> <\/P> Oxen and garlands<\/B><\/I>] That is, oxen adorned with flowers<\/I>, their horns gilded<\/I>, and neck<\/I> bound about with fillets<\/I>, as was the custom in sacrificial rites. They also crowned the gods<\/I> themselves, the priests<\/I>, and gates of the temples<\/I>, with flowers. Of this method of adorning the victims, there are numerous examples in the Greek and Latin writers. A few may suffice. Thus OVID:- <\/P> Victima labe carens et praestantissima forma<\/I><\/P> Sistitur ante aras et<\/I> vittis praesignis et<\/I> auro.<\/P> OVID, Met. lib. xv. ver. 130.<\/P> <\/P> The fairest victim must the powers appease,<\/P> So fatal ’tis sometimes too much to please:<\/P> A purple filet<\/I> his broad brow adorns<\/P> With flowery garlands, crown<\/I>, and gilded horns<\/I>.<\/P> DRYDEN.<\/P> <\/P> Huic Anius<\/I> niveis circumdata tempora<\/I> vittis<\/P> Concutiens, et tristis ait<\/I>;__________<\/P> Ibid. lib. xiii. ver. 643.<\/P> <\/P> The royal prophet shook his hoary head,<\/P> With fillets<\/I> bound; and, sighing, thus he said___<\/P> CALCOTT.<\/P> <\/P> ________________________fovet ignibus aras<\/I>,<\/P> Muneribus deos implet: feriuntque secures<\/I><\/P> Colla torosa boum vinctorum<\/I> cornua vittis.<\/P> Ibid. lib. vii. ver. 427.<\/P> <\/P> Rich curling fumes of incense feast the skies,<\/P> A hecatomb of voted victims dies,<\/P> With gilded horns<\/I>, and garlands<\/I> on their head<\/I>,<\/P> In all the pomp of death to th’ altar led.<\/P> TATE.<\/P> VIRGIL also refers to the same rites and circumstances: – <\/P> Saepe in honore deum medio stans hostia ad aram<\/I><\/P> Lanea dum<\/I> nivea circumdatur<\/I> infula vitta,<\/P> Inter cunctantes cecidit moribunda ministros<\/I>.<\/P> VIRG. Georg. lib. iii. ver. 486.<\/P> <\/P> The victim ox<\/I> that was for altars pressed,<\/P> Trimmed<\/I> with white ribbons<\/I>, and with garlands<\/I> dressed,<\/P> Sunk of himself, without the god’s command,<\/P> Preventing the slow sacrificer’s hand.<\/P> DRYDEN.<\/P> Many similar examples may be seen in Wetstein<\/I> and others.<\/P> <\/P> At the time of worship, the Hindoo<\/I> priests place garlands of<\/I> flowers on the head of the image<\/I>. Whether the garlands were intended to decorate the oxen<\/I> or the apostles<\/I>, we cannot say; but in either case the conduct of the Lycaonians was conformable to that of the modern Hindoos<\/I>.<\/P><\/p>\n Before their city; <\/B>the temple of Jupiter, whom they took for the patron of their city, was in the suburbs. <\/P> Garlands; <\/B>these were usually in the form of crowns put upon the oxen which they intended to sacrifice; and, by this sign, showed that they were dedicated to Jupiter, whom the heathen blasphemously called, The king of kings, and placed him sitting in his chair, or throne, with a crown on his head. <\/P> Unto the gates; <\/B>the gates or doors of the house where the apostles lodged. <\/P> <\/p>\n 13. the priest of Jupiter, which wasbefore their city<\/B>that is, whose temple stood <\/P> before their city, broughtoxen and garlands<\/B>to crown the victims and decorate, as onfestive occasions, the porches.<\/P><\/p>\n Then the priest of Jupiter, which was before their city<\/strong>,…. Not that the priest was before the city, but Jupiter; and the phrase denotes either his presidency over the city, and so the Arabic version renders it, “who was the chief god of their city”; or the place where his image stood, which was out of the city, and so may be said to be before it; accordingly the Syriac version renders it, “who was without the city”; he who officiated as priest to him:<\/p>\n brought oxen and garlands unto the gates<\/strong>; either “of the city”, as the Arabic and Ethiopic versions add, where was the statue of Jupiter; or else, and which is most likely, he brought them to the gates of the house, where Paul and Barnabas were; and to this sense the Syriac version renders it, “to the door of the dwelling place where they abode”: what the oxen were brought for is easy to conceive, had it not been expressed; but for what should garlands or crowns be brought? These were used in sacrifices, for different purposes; sometimes they crowned the gods t, to whom they sacrificed, and these might be brought to be put upon the heads of Paul and Barnabas; and sometimes the priests wore them u, and which seems to be in imitation of the mitre, wore by the high priest among the Jews; and sometimes even those who came to sacrifice, and implore the assistance of their deities, wore them w; likewise the altars on which they offered sacrifice were crowned with these garlands x; and the sacrifices themselves, and which last seems to be the case here: the garlands were brought to be put upon the oxen; and these were for the most part made of cypress; sometimes of the pine tree, and sometimes of other leaves and flowers, such as were peculiar to the gods y: and there was something like this among the Jews, at the offerings of their first fruits, which were done in this manner z;<\/p>\n “they that were nearest (to Jerusalem) brought green figs and grapes; and they that were more remote brought dried figs and raisins; and an ox went before them, whose horns were covered with gold, , “and a crown of olives” on his head; a pipe sounded before them, till they came near to Jerusalem, and then they sent some before them, who “crowned” their first fruits.”<\/p>\n And would have done sacrifice with the people<\/strong>; that is, the priest and the people with him, would have offered sacrifice to Paul and Barnabas, as to two deities; and the Syriac and Ethiopic versions add, “to them”; to both the apostles, with which agrees the Arabic version.<\/p>\n t Baruch vi. 9. Justin. Apolog. 2. p. 57. Tertull. de Corona, c. 10. Alex. ab. Alex. Gen. dier. l. 4. c. 17. u Tertull. de Idolatria, c. 18. Alex. ab. Alex. ib. Paschalius de Coronis. l. 4. c. 13. w Paschal. ib. x Ovid de Tristibus, l. 3. eleg. 13. y Paschal. ib. c. 16. z Misn. Biccurim, c. 3. sect. 3.<\/p>\n Whose temple was before the city <\/B> ( <\/SPAN><\/span>). The god (Zeus) is identified with his temple. He had a statue and temple there.<\/P> Oxen and garlands <\/B> ( <\/SPAN><\/span>). Probably garlands to put on the oxen before they were slain. It was common to sacrifice bullocks to Jupiter and Mercury.<\/P> Would have done sacrifice <\/B> ( <\/SPAN><\/span>). Imperfect indicative, wanted to offer sacrifice. He was planning to do it, and his purpose now became plain to Paul and Barnabas. <\/P> <\/p>\n Of Jupiter [ ] <\/SPAN><\/span>. Properly, the Jupiter, the tutelary deity of Lystra. It is unnecessary to supply temple, as Rev. The God himself was regarded as present in his temple. <\/P> The gates [] <\/SPAN><\/span>. What gates are intended is uncertain. Some say, the city gates; others, the temple gates; and others, the doors of the house in which Paul and Barnabas were residing. See on ch. Act 12:13<\/span>.<\/P> <\/p>\n <\/strong><\/p>\n 1) “Then the priest of Jupiter,”<\/strong> (ho te hiereus tou dios) “So then the priest of Zeus,” the more prominent of the lifeless false gods, deaf, dumb, blind, lifeless god, Psa 115:3-8<\/span>.<\/p>\n 2) “Which was before their city,”<\/strong> (tou ontos pro tes poleos) “Of the one (statue) existing before, or at the entrance to the city;” The temple of Zeus was located just outside this city of Lystra, Act 14:8<\/span>.<\/p>\n 3) “Brought oxen and garlands unto the gates,”<\/strong> (taurous kai semmata epi tous pulonas enegkas) “He brought (was bringing) bulls and garlands to the entrance gates,” of the city for purposes of sacrifice and adoration of Paul and Barnabas before this false god. Perhaps Paul and Barnabas did not understand the language of the Lycaonians, or know what was being planned to honor them, else they would have interrupted the matter sooner.<\/p>\n 4) “And would have done sacrifice with the people.”<\/strong> (sun tois ochlois ethelen thuein) “Which he the high priest of Jupiter wished to sacrifice in a colleague sentiment with the mixed crowds,” to or toward Paul and Barnabas.<\/p>\n The oxen on their way to the sacrifice-slaughter were adorned by garlands of flowers. Whether they were on their way to the house where Paul and Barnabas were staying, that they counted as a shrine, or on their way to the gate of the city near where the Jupiter temple was said to be located is not certain. What is certain is that sincere heathens, in consort with their priest, were attempting to worship men of God as “gods,” a matter in conflict with the word of God and revealed Christian truth, 1Co 8:6<\/span>.<\/p>\n − <\/p>\n 13. Also Jupiter’s priest. Though Luke doth not express with what affection he [this priest] was moved to be so diligent, yet it is to be thought, that, forasmuch as there was great hope of most plentiful gain offered, he was moved with covetousness. For he had great hope of gain in time to come, if it should be noised abroad that Jupiter appeared there. For this opinion would by and by have followed, that Jupiter was more delighted in the temple of Lystra than in any other. And so soon as such superstition hath once filled the minds of men, they spare no cost to offer sacrifice. − (28) The world is indeed of itself inclined to this, but then came the sacrificing priests, who are like fans and bellows. And it is not to be doubted, but that the whole multitude was moved with ambition, to be so desirous to offer sacrifice to Paul under the name of Jupiter, that their city might be the more famous and noble. Hence hath Satan so great liberty [license] to deceive, whilst that the sacrificing priests set nets to get gain, and the people are delighted to have errors confirmed. <\/p>\n (28) − <\/p>\n “<\/p>\n Donaria,” gifts. <\/p>\n (13) The priest of Jupiter, which was before their city.<\/strong>The latter clause probably describes the position of the Temple of Zeus, standing at the entrance of the city, as the shrine of its protecting deity. The identical phrase used by St. Luke is found in Greek inscriptions at Ephesus.<\/p>\n Brought oxen and garlands unto the gates.<\/strong>The garlands were the well-known vittae, <\/em>so familiar to us in ancient sculptures, commonly made of white wool, sometimes interwoven with leaves and flowers. The priests, attendants, doors, and altars were often decorated in the same way. The gates (the form of the Greek implying that they were the folding-doors of a large entrance) were probably those which led into the atrium, <\/em>or court-yard, of the house where the Apostles were dwelling. The whole action is well represented in Raphaels well-known cartoon. Oxen were, in Greek ritual, the right victims for both Zeus and Hermes.<\/p>\n Would have done sacrifice with the people.<\/strong>This would have involved cutting the throats of the oxen, catching the blood in a patera, <\/em>or deep dish, and pouring it upon an altar. There may have been such an altar in the atrium, <\/em>or one may have been improvised for the occasion.<\/p>\n 13<\/strong>. <\/strong> The priest of Jupiter<\/strong> For Jupiter, who was probably the tutelar deity of Lystra, there was a chief pontiff to preside over the worship and sacrifices. <\/p>\n Jupiter, which was before their city<\/strong> A statue there may have been, fronting their town, called Jupiter-before-the-city; <\/em> but it was not to statues that sacrifices were brought, and so it was probably a temple which was designated by this name, standing before the town. <\/p>\n <\/em><\/p>\n Garlands<\/strong> With which the sacrificial victims were usually crowned. <\/p>\n Unto the gates<\/strong> Not the gates of the city, but the front door at the street of the house where the apostles were lodging. The purpose was to sacrifice to them personally.<\/p>\n ‘And the priest of Zeus whose temple was before the city, brought oxen and garlands to the gates, and would have done sacrifice with the multitudes.’<\/p>\n The priest of Zeus seized the opportunity presented, and responding to popular demand, brought oxen and garlands, either to the Temple outside the gates of the city, or to the place where the two men were, and prepared to lead the crowd in worship by offering sacrifices. That it was opportunism and not genuine credence comes out in that he made no enquiries in order to ascertain the truth. He was playing to the crowds.<\/p>\n Act 14:13<\/span><\/em><\/strong>. <\/strong>Then the priest of Jupiter,<\/em><\/strong><\/strong> This might be rendered more exactly, then the priest of Jupiter, <\/em>that is to say, of the image of Jupiter, before the city gate. <\/em>It was customary to build temples to their idol deities in the suburbs, and to set up their images before the city, at the gates. The heathens considered their several imagesof Jupiter, <\/em>for instance, or any other of their gods,as so many distinct Jupiters; that is, as having some spirit sent from the god, to whom their worship was ultimatelyreferred, to reside in them. It may, however, by a common ellipsis, be, the priest of the temple of Jupiter. <\/em>Some are of opinion, that the garlands <\/em>here mentioned were those which the heathens used to put on the horns of their victims, being generally made of such leaves of trees or flowers as were sacred to the gods to whom they were offered; but others have observed, that among the heathen petitioners to the idol gods, they used to supplicate them with green boughs in their hands, and crowns upon their heads, or garlands upon their necks. These boughs were commonly of laurel or olive, about which they wrapped wool; and there were what the Greeks called , the very word made use of in the sacred text, and rendered garlands. <\/em>The scholiast on Sophocles explains the word to signify “wool wrapped about a green bough.” With these boughs it was usual to touch the knees of the statue, (or sometimes of the man,) whom they addressed: if they had confidence of success, they were raised as high as its chin. This seems to have been the intention of the priest of Jupiter at this time; and the garlands <\/em>mentioned were probably these boughs, <\/em>not the chaplets or crowns about the horns of the unico <\/p>\n Act 14:13<\/span> . But the priest<\/em> (then officiating) of the Zeus, who is before the city, i.e.<\/em> of the Zeus ( ), who had his seat in a temple in front of the city. is not to be supplied, with Kuinoel and others (see Bernhardy, p. 184 f.), as is the genitive directly belonging to ; but the expression . is explained from the heathen conception that the god himself is present in his temple, consequently is<\/em> ( ) at the place where his temple stands: hence the classical expressions ( ad fanum Jovis<\/em> ), (Jacobs, ad Del. epigr.<\/em> p. 229). Wolf thinks that it is spoken “de Jove, cujus simulacrum<\/em> (and so not templum<\/em> ) ante urbem erectum erat.” But mere statues had no special priests. See Valckenaer, Opusc.<\/em> II. p. 295, and Schol<\/em> . I. p. 509. It does not, however, follow from this passage, that there was also a temple of Jupiter in the city<\/em> (Olshausen).<\/p>\n ] bulls and garlands<\/em> . “Taurus tibi, summe Deorum,” Ovid. Metam.<\/em> iv. 755. Beza, Calovius, Raphel, Erasmus Schmid, Palairet, Morus, Heinrichs, and others, have quite erroneously assumed a hendiadys for . This would come back to the absurd idea: bulls and, indeed, garlands<\/em> . See Fritzsche, ad Matth.<\/em> p. 856. Winer, p. 585 [E. T. 786]. The destination of the garlands<\/em> is, moreover, not to be referred to the deified apostles (in opposition to Grotius and Valckenaer), who (like statues, comp. ep. Jer 9<\/span>Jer 9<\/span><\/em> ) were to have been adorned; but to the animals that were to be adorned therewith at the commencement of the sacrifice (see Wetstein and Dougtaeus, Anal.<\/em> p. 80 ff.; Hermann, gottesd. Alterth.<\/em> 24. 7), because the design of the garlands is included in the .<\/p>\n ] to the gates<\/em> (doors of the gate), namely, of the city<\/em> . This reference is required by the correlation in which stands to . The alleged incarnate gods were in the city, and therefore the sacrifice was to be brought at the gates of the city<\/em> . The reference to the doors of the temple<\/em> ( , Plut. Tim.<\/em> 12), or of the house<\/em> where the apostles lodged, is not in keeping with the context.<\/p>\n 13 Then the priest of Jupiter, which was before their city, brought oxen and garlands unto the gates, and would have done sacrifice with the people. <\/p>\n<\/p>\n <\/strong><\/p>\n Ver. 13. And would have done sacrifice<\/strong> ] So the savages of Nova Albion, as they were very much taken with our singing of Psalms and other holy exercises (saith Sir Francis Drake) while we were among them; so when they could not prevail with us to stay longer there, they stole upon us a sacrifice, and set it on fire ere we were aware. We laboured by all means to withhold or withdraw them, but could not prevail; till at last we fell to prayers and singing of Psalms, whereby they were allured immediately to forget their folly, and leave their sacrifice unconsumed (for they supposed us to be gods indeed): suffering the fire to go out, and imitating us in all our actions, they fell a lifting up their hands and eyes to heaven, as they saw us to do. <\/p>\n 13.<\/strong> ] <\/strong> . <\/strong> <\/strong> .<\/strong> (see retf.); i.e. of : no ellipsis of or any thing else.<\/p>\n <\/strong> . <\/strong> <\/strong> ] Not for : the garlands may have been to hang on the doors of the house where the Apostles were: or for manifold purposes connected with the sacrifice. ‘Ips denique fores, ips hosti, ipsi ar, ipsi ministri et sacerdotes eorum coronantur.’ Wetst.<\/p>\n <\/strong> are not the gates of the city, but the doors of the outer court of the house<\/em> : see ch. Act 12:13<\/span> .<\/p>\n Act 14:13<\/span> . . Plural in ; strongly rejected by Blass, with other details. Ramsay defends (p. 118), and points out that at each of the great temples in Asia Minor a college of priests would be in regular service: see also Church in the Roman Empire<\/em> , pp. 52, 53. . , see critical notes. R.V., omitting , renders “whose temple<\/em> was before the city,” i.e.<\/em> , enshrined in the temple outside the gate as the protecting deity. Zckler, with Ramsay, compares “ ” on an inscription at Claudiopolis, cf.<\/em> also (= ad fanum Jovis), , and modern, the name of a church in Rome, “S. Paolo fuori le mura” (see also Holtzmann and Wendt). Here again the reading of [267] seems to bring out the technical force of the phrase more accurately, . (so Blass in [268] ) possibly = ( cf.<\/em> an unpublished inscription of Smyrna with the phrase or ). In this phrase, as read in , the force of the participle is retained in a way characteristic of Acts, as almost = : see on Act 13:1<\/span> , a characteristic lost by the transposition of ; see on the whole question Ramsay, Church in the Roman Empire<\/em> , p. 51 ff., and also on the possible site of the temple. The words cannot refer to the statue of Jupiter (so lately Rendall), to which no priests would be attached. See Blass in Studien u. Kritiken<\/em> , 1900, p. 27, n. 1. : brought by the ministri<\/em> who would be included in the generic term priests. On the sacrifice of a bull to Jupiter, Ovid, Met.<\/em> , iv., 755, as also to Mercury, Persius, Sat.<\/em> , ii., 44. On the garlands to wreathe and adorn the victims, neid<\/em> , v., 366; Eur., Heracl.<\/em> , 529, perhaps also for the priests and the altars, the doors, and the attendants; see instances in Wetstein, and cf.<\/em> Tertullian, De Corona<\/em> , x. The words do not refer to the Apostles; the aim seems to be indicated in . : some see a reference to the gates of the city, mainly because of the collocation . Blass supposes that the priest came from the temple outside to the city gates, but in that case Ramsay urges that Lucan usage would = rather than , cf.<\/em> Act 9:24<\/span> , Act 16:13<\/span> . Others take it of the gates of the temple in front of which the altar stood, cf.<\/em> , Plut., Tim.<\/em> , 12. Ramsay suggests that the priests probably prepared their sacrifices at the outer gateway of the temple grounds, as something beyond the usual ritual, and so not to be performed at one of the usual places, cf.<\/em> ; St. Paul<\/em> , p. 119. Others again refer the words to the gates leading into the atrium<\/em> or courtyard of the house in which the Apostles were lodging, partly on the ground that the word is best referred to the house ( cf.<\/em> Jdt 14:17 , and Susannah, Acts ver. 39). But the verb may mean that they ran hastily out of the city to the temple, and there mingled with the crowd: in 2MMal 3:18<\/span> the same verb is used of a general rush of the people to the temple for supplication to heaven. : What was his motive? Was he acting in good faith, or out of complaisant regard to the wishes of the multitude (Ewald), or for the sake of gain? On the attitude of the native priests see Ramsay, Church in the Roman Empire<\/em> , p. 144. In the present instance it would appear that they had known of the Apostles’ preaching for some time at all events, and also, it may be, of its success, cf.<\/em> ., Act 14:7<\/span> , critical notes, and apparently they were willing to honour the Apostles with divine honours, and to turn the religious revival to their own ends.<\/p>\n [267] Codex Claromontanus (sc. vi.), a Grco-Latin MS. at Paris, edited by Tischendorf in 1852.<\/p>\n [268] R(omana), in Blass, a first rough copy of St. Luke.<\/p>\n which, i.e. whose temple. <\/p>\n oxen and garlands = garlanded oxen. Figure of speech Hendiadys. App-6. <\/p>\n unto. Greek. epi. App-104. <\/p>\n would have, &c. = were desiring (Greek. ethelo. App-102.) to sacrifice. <\/p>\n 13.] . . (see retf.); i.e. of : no ellipsis of or any thing else.<\/p>\n . ] Not for : the garlands may have been to hang on the doors of the house where the Apostles were: or for manifold purposes connected with the sacrifice. Ips denique fores, ips hosti, ipsi ar, ipsi ministri et sacerdotes eorum coronantur. Wetst.<\/p>\n are not the gates of the city, but the doors of the outer court of the house: see ch. Act 12:13.<\/p>\n Act 14:13. , which was before) Therefore they had an idol and shrine outside the gate.-, bulls) A bull especially used to he immolated to Jupiter.-, garlands) to be placed upon the bulls. They were in haste.-, to sacrifice) to perform divine worship.<\/p>\n and would: Act 10:25, Dan 2:46 <\/p>\n Reciprocal: Pro 7:22 – as an Mar 14:63 – his Act 16:18 – being Act 19:35 – Jupiter<\/p>\n 3<\/p>\n Act 14:13. True to their opinion of the preachers, the heathen priest of that city was preparing to do homage to them as gods. The oxen were for the purpose of sacrifice, and the garlands were to be used as crowns.<\/p>\n Act 14:13. Then the priest of Jupiter, which was before their city. The temple of Jupiter stood at the entrance of Lystra, and the explanation of the words, of Jupiter which was before their city, may be found in the Pagan conception that the gods themselves were present in their temples.<\/p>\n Brought oxen and garlands. These garlands were to crown the oxen about to be sacrificed. Such floral crowns were also worn by those sacrificing. They were composed of the various plants and flowers sacred to the gods to whom the sacrifice was offered.<\/p>\n Unto the gates. The gates of the city are here evidently alluded to. Some commentators prefer to understand the expression as referring to the gates of the house where the apostles were lodging. This seems unlikely, as Paul and Barnabas evidently were quite ignorant of the preparations which were made to do them honour, until the report reached their ears, when they at once hurried out to stop the proceedings. The supposed deities were residing in the city, so the worshippers brought the offering to the city gates, as to the gates of the temple which held the divinity.<\/p>\n Observe, 1. How far Paganish superstition did transport and carry these men: they come to the gates of the house where the apostles had lodged, and bring oxen with them, trimmed with garlands of flowers, according to their heathenish rites, verily intending to offer sacrifice unto them. <\/p>\n Learn, How forward the devil is to put honour, much honour, yea, overmuch honour, upon the ministers of Christ, when it is to contradict their doctrine, and gain advantage to himself by it. The devil laughed to see the blind superstitious Lystrians adore the apostles, and adorn them with the names of their heathen gods, hoping to make advantage thereby to himself.<\/p>\n Observe, 2. With what indignation and disdain, detestation and abhorrence, the apostles reject this vile idolatry: telling them that they were men of like passions, and in the same condition of mortality with themselves, and that their business was to turn them from their idols which were mere vanities and nothing, compared with the living and true God, who made them and all the world.<\/p>\n Learn hence, 1. That the worshipping of idols is the most senseless and irrational vanity that ever the devil put into the stupified heart of man.<\/p>\n 2. That all good men hate idolatry in others, and abhor to be idolized themselves.<\/p>\n Observe, 3. The description which the holy apostle gives of the true God, to draw the people off from worshipping idols: he styles him the living God, that made the glorious fabric of heaven and earth, the sea, and all things therein. A good God, that giveth rain and fruitful seasons, filling his creatures’ hearts with food and gladness.<\/p>\n Intimating, 1. That whatsoever concerns the happiness and felicity of man in this life, is wholly derived from God.<\/p>\n 2. That there is no nation nor person under heaven, to whom God exhibits not the evident tokens of his goodness: The Lord is good to all, and his tender mercies are over all his works.<\/p>\n Observe, 4. The character which the apostles give of the former times, in which the heathen world lived: In times past they were suffered to walk in their own ways. That is, of old God suffered all nations, except the Jewish nation to walk in their own ways; the meaning is, he did not check them in their sinful ways and courses, as he did his own people the Jews.<\/p>\n Yet we must not understand the apostle absolutely, but comparatively only; there never was any man, much less any nation, whom God suffered to go on in a course of sin without any stop. Every person and every nation, has had the stop of the light of nature at least; but every nation has not had the stop of the light of the gospel, the stop of ordinances, the preaching of the word, the motions of the Holy Spirit; these the Jews had, but the Gentiles had not.<\/p>\n In this sense God suffered all nations to walk in their own ways; he did not give them his word, his statutes, or his judgments, to show them his ways, or to hinder them walking in their own ways; and this was a sore judgment. To suffer either nation or person to walk without control or check, from word or rod, from ordinances or providences, in the ways of sin and wickedness, is a very dreadful and tremendous judgment: In times past he suffered all nations to walk in their own ways.<\/p>\n Act 14:13-17. Then the priest of Jupiter Who was esteemed the tutelar deity of that place, and whose statue stood just without the gate; brought oxen, or bulls rather, and garlands To put on the victims; the usual offerings to Jupiter; to the gates Of the place where Paul and Barnabas were; and would have done sacrifice to them To acknowledge the obligation they were under to them for this condescending and beneficent visit, and to take this opportunity of imploring their continued protection in their public and private affairs. Which when the apostles heard As they were leading on the sacrificial procession toward them; they rent their clothes In token of that mixture of indignation and sorrow with which they beheld this strange abuse of a miracle, wrought to destroy that idolatry, which from thence they took occasion to practise; and ran in among the people, crying With the greatest vehemence, as in a fire, or other sudden and great danger; Sirs, why do ye these things With regard to us? We are not what you imagine us to be; but men of like passions with you Obnoxious to the same common infirmities of human life with yourselves; and preach that ye should turn from these vanities From worshipping any but the true God. He does not deign to call them gods; unto the living God Not like these dead idols; who made the heaven, and the earth, and the sea Each of which they supposed to have its own gods. Who in time past He prevents their objecting, But if these things were so, we should have heard them from our fathers; steered all nations to walk in their own ways In the idolatries which they had chosen, without instructing them by divinely-inspired teachers; which was an awful, but just judgment upon them. Observe, the multitude of them that err, does not turn error into truth. Though all nations practised idolatry, yet every kind and species of it is founded on a lie. Nevertheless Though even then; he left not himself without witness Of his being, perfections, and providence, in any country. Besides the witness for God within them, the dictates of conscience, they had witnesses for God around them, in the bounties of his providence. Their not having inspired teachers among them, nor the Holy Scriptures, did in part excuse them; and therefore God did not destroy them for their idolatry, as he did the Jewish nation. But that did not wholly excuse them; notwithstanding it they were deeply criminal before God: for there were other witnesses for God, sufficient to inform them that he, and he only, was to be worshipped; and that to him they owed all their services, from whom they received all their comforts, and therefore were guilty of the highest injustice and ingratitude imaginable, in alienating their services from him. In that he did good To all his creatures, with a bountiful hand, and especially to mankind. Even by punishments God testifies of himself: but more peculiarly by benefits. And gave us All, whether Jews or Gentiles; rain from heaven and fruitful seasons Which could not come by chance, nor were caused by the vain idols of the heathen. Observe, reader, 1st, All the powers of nature witness to us a sovereign power in the God of nature, from whom they are derived, and on whom they depend. It is not the heaven that gives us rain, but God that gives us rain from heaven. 2d, The benefits which we have, by these powers of nature, witness to us that we ought to make our acknowledgments, not to the creatures that are made serviceable to us, but to the Creator, who makes them so. God seems to reckon the instances of his goodness to be more cogent proofs of his title to our homage and adoration, than the evidences of his greatness; for his goodness is his glory. As a friend, in sending us frequent presents, expresses his remembrance of us and affection to us, though he neither speak nor write to us; so all the gifts of the divine bounty, which are scattered abroad on every side, are so many witnesses sent to attest the divine care and goodness, and they speak it in very sensible language to the heart, though not to the ear. And with these sayings Plain and reasonable as they were; scarce restrained they the people From their purpose of sacrificing to them. So strongly were idolaters in love with their idolatrous practices!<\/p>\n 13. The people felt the warmest gratitude for the visit of their supposed gods, and gave expression to their feeling in the most approved method. (13) “Then the priest of the Jupiter that was before the city brought bulls and garlands to the gates, and, with the people, wished to offer sacrifices to them.” The garlands of flowers were designed, according to a well-known custom of the ancients, to deck the forms of the bulls about to be offered. It is not altogether certain whether the “gates” referred to are those of a private court within which Paul and Barnabas may have retired when first greeted as gods, or the gates of the city, of which there may have been two or more in the same part of the wall, and near which the apostles may have remained with a part of the crowd. The latter I regard as the most probable supposition. The sacrifices were to be offered to the supposed gods in person, and not to the image which stood before the city. <\/p>\n Verse 13 <\/p>\n Gates; the gates or doors of the building in which the apostles then were.<\/p>\n Acts 14:16,17. That is, he left them to themselves, without any special revelation; while yet there was sufficient evidence of his existence and character, in the visible creation, if they had been disposed to be guided by it.<\/p>\n 14:13 Then the priest of Jupiter, which was before their city, brought oxen and garlands unto the {d} gates, and would have done sacrifice with the people.<\/p>\n (d) Of the house where Paul and Barnabas were.<\/p>\n Customarily the pagan Gentiles decorated animals destined for sacrifice to the Greek gods, like these oxen, with woolen garlands and then led them to the place of sacrifice.<\/p>\n Then the priest of Jupiter, which was before their city, brought oxen and garlands unto the gates, and would have done sacrifice with the people. 13. the priest of Jupiter, which was before their city ] i.e. “whose temple was before their city.” He was their tutelar divinity, and it was to his priest that … Continue reading “Exegetical and Hermeneutical Commentary of Acts 14:13”<\/span><\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[1],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-27386","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-commentary"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.biblia.work\/bible-commentary\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/27386","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.biblia.work\/bible-commentary\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.biblia.work\/bible-commentary\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.biblia.work\/bible-commentary\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.biblia.work\/bible-commentary\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=27386"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.biblia.work\/bible-commentary\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/27386\/revisions"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.biblia.work\/bible-commentary\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=27386"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.biblia.work\/bible-commentary\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=27386"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.biblia.work\/bible-commentary\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=27386"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}Fuente: The Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges<\/b><\/i><\/h4>\n
Fuente: Albert Barnes’ Notes on the Bible<\/b><\/i><\/h4>\n
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<\/P> Fuente: Adam Clarke’s Commentary and Critical Notes on the Bible<\/b><\/i><\/h4>\n
Fuente: English Annotations on the Holy Bible by Matthew Poole<\/b><\/i><\/h4>\n
Fuente: Jamieson, Fausset and Brown’s Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible <\/b><\/i><\/h4>\n
Fuente: John Gill’s Exposition of the Entire Bible<\/b><\/i><\/h4>\n
Fuente: Robertson’s Word Pictures in the New Testament<\/b><\/i><\/h4>\n
Fuente: Vincent’s Word Studies in the New Testament<\/b><\/i><\/h4>\n
Fuente: Garner-Howes Baptist Commentary<\/b><\/i><\/h4>\n
Fuente: Calvin’s Complete Commentary<\/b><\/i><\/h4>\n
Fuente: Ellicott’s Commentary for English Readers (Old and New Testaments)<\/b><\/i><\/h4>\n
Fuente: Whedon’s Commentary on the Old and New Testaments<\/b><\/i><\/h4>\n
Fuente: Commentary Series on the Bible by Peter Pett<\/b><\/i><\/h4>\n
Fuente: Commentary on the Holy Bible by Thomas Coke<\/b><\/i><\/h4>\n
Fuente: Heinrich August Wilhelm Meyer’s New Testament Commentary<\/b><\/i><\/h4>\n
Fuente: John Trapp’s Complete Commentary (Old and New Testaments)<\/b><\/i><\/h4>\n
Fuente: Henry Alford’s Greek Testament<\/b><\/i><\/h4>\n
Fuente: The Expositors Greek Testament by Robertson<\/b><\/i><\/h4>\n
Fuente: Companion Bible Notes, Appendices and Graphics<\/b><\/i><\/h4>\n
Fuente: The Greek Testament<\/b><\/i><\/h4>\n
Fuente: Gnomon of the New Testament<\/b><\/i><\/h4>\n
Fuente: The Treasury of Scripture Knowledge<\/b><\/i><\/h4>\n
Fuente: Combined Bible Commentary<\/b><\/i><\/h4>\n
Fuente: A Popular Commentary on the New Testament<\/b><\/i><\/h4>\n
Fuente: Expository Notes with Practical Observations on the New Testament<\/b><\/i><\/h4>\n
Fuente: Joseph Bensons Commentary on the Old and New Testaments<\/b><\/i><\/h4>\n
Fuente: McGarvey and Pendleton Commentaries (New Testament)<\/b><\/i><\/h4>\n
Fuente: Abbott’s Illustrated New Testament<\/b><\/i><\/h4>\n
Fuente: Geneva Bible Notes<\/b><\/i><\/h4>\n
Fuente: Expository Notes of Dr. Constable (Old and New Testaments)<\/b><\/i><\/h4>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"