Acts of the Apostles, Chapter 14, verses 6-18
1 Paul and Barnabas are persecuted from Iconium, 7 At Lystra Paul healeth a cripple, whereupon they are reputed as gods7
7:14 Now at the middle of the feast - Which lasted eight days. It is probable this was on the Sabbath day. Jesus went up into the temple - Directly, without stopping any where else.
7:15 How does this man know letters, having never learned? - How comes he to be so well acquainted with sacred literature as to be able thus to expound the Scripture, with such propriety and gracefulness, seeing he has never learned this, at any place of education?
7:16 My doctrine is not mine - Acquired by any labour of learning; but his that sent me - Immediately infused by him.
7:17 If any man be willing to do his will, he shall know of the doctrine, whether it be of God - This is a universal rule, with regard to all persons and doctrines. He that is thoroughly willing to do it, shall certainly know what the will of God is.
7:18 There is no unrighteousness in him - No deceit or falsehood.
7:19 But ye are unrighteous; for ye violate the very law which ye profess so much zeal for.
7:20 The people answered, Thou hast a devil - A lying spirit.Who seeketh to kill thee? - These, coming from distant parts, probably did not know the design of the priests and rulers.
7:21 I did - At the pool of Bethesda: one work - Out of many: and ye all marvelled at it - Are amazed, because I did it on the Sabbath day.
7:22 Moses gave you circumcision - The sense is, because Moses enjoined you circumcision (though indeed it was far more ancient than him) you think it no harm to circumcise a man on the Sabbath: and are ye angry at me (which anger had now continued sixteen months) for doing so much greater a good, for healing a man, body and soul, on the Sabbath?
7:27 When Christ cometh, none knoweth whence he is - This Jewish tradition was true, with regard to his Divine nature: in that respect none could declare his generation. But it was not true with regard to his human nature, for both his family and the place of his birth were plainly foretold.
7:28 Then cried Jesus - With a loud and earnest voice. Do ye both know me, and know whence I am ? - Ye do indeed know whence I am as a man. But ye know not my Divine nature, nor that I am sent from God.
7:29 l am from him - By eternal generation: and he hath sent me - His mission follows from his generation. These two points answer those: Do ye know me? Do ye know whence I am?
7:30 His hour - The time of his suffering.
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14:9 He had faith to be healed - He felt the power of God in his soul; and thence knew it was sufficient to heal his body also.
14:11 The gods are come down - Which the heathens supposed they frequently did; Jupiter especially. But how amazingly does the prince of darkness blind the minds of them that believe not!The Jews would not own Christ's Godhead, though they saw him work numberless miracles. On the other hand, the heathens seeing mere men work one miracle, were for deifying them immediately.
14:13 The priest of Jupiter - Whose temple and image were just without the gate of the city, brought garlands - To put on the victims, and bulls - The usual offerings to Jupiter.
14:14 They sprang in among the people, crying out - As in a fire, or other sudden and great danger.
14:15 To 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, the sea - Each of which they supposed to have its own gods.
14:16 Who in times past - He prevents their objection, "But if these things are so, we should have heard the in from our fathers." Suffered - An awful judgment, all nations - The multitude of them that err does not turn error into truth, to walk in their own ways - The idolatries which they had chosen.
14:17 He left not himself without witness - For the heathens had always from God himself a testimony both of his existence and of his providence; in that he did good - Even by punishments he testifies of himself; but more peculiarly by benefits; giving rain - By which air, earth, and sea, are, as it were, all joined together; from heaven - The seat of God; to which St. Paul probably pointed while he spoke, filling the body with food, the soul with gladness.