Acts 23

Acts 23:1

And when the townclerk had appeased the people. Stopped their foolish outcry so that he could be heard. This town clerk, or recorder, was an officer of great influence in the Grecian cities of Asia. He stood next in rank to the officer that we now call the mayor, and in the absence of the latter acted for him. His address is a very judicious one. The [image] which fell down from Jupiter. It was a common superstition that some hideous image worshiped in a heathen temple had fallen from heaven. Some of them were meteoric stones, of others the origin was unknown, and the delusion was in part due to the deception of the priests. The Palladium of Troy, the Diana of Tauris, and the Pallas of Athena were all said to have fallen.

Acts 23:3

These men. Gaius and Aristarchus (19:29), men against whom there was no charge. They were neither “robbers of temples” (Revised Version) nor blasphemers of Diana.

Acts 23:4

If Demetrius, etc. If they have anything to charge there are courts of justice. Deputies. “Proconsuls”, as in the Revised Version.

Acts 23:6

We are in danger. The Roman law made it a capital offense to incite a riot, nor did the Roman officials wink at any disturbance in the provinces. Ephesus was what was called “a free city”; that is, it governed itself in local matters. It might have its liberties taken away for just such occurrences as those of this day.

Acts 23:9

The Second Visit to Europe and Return SUMMARY OF ACTS 20: Paul Departs to Macedonia. And to Greece. Paul at Troas. The Meeting on the First Day of the Week to Break Bread. To Miletus. The Meeting with the Elders of the Church at Ephesus. Paul’s Affectionate Warnings. The Sorrowful Farewell. After the uproar was ceased. It had been his purpose to go into Macedonia (Acts 19:21), but to remain at Ephesus until after Pentecost (1 Corinthians 16:8), and that time (about the middle of May, A.D. 57 or 58) had probably come. Hence, having “exhorted” the disciples (Revised Version), he departed. It was on his way to Greece that Second Corinthians was written. He speaks in 2 Corinthians 12:14 13:1 of coming “the third time” to Corinth. Hence, Hackett supposes that during the three years at Ephesus he made a flying visit to Corinth by sea to correct disorders in the church there.

Acts 23:10

When he had gone over those parts. Visited Philippi, Thessalonica, Berea at least, and possibly other Macedonian churches. He came into Greece. To Corinth. During the three months that he remained in Corinth, he wrote the greatest of all his letters, the Epistle to the Romans.

Acts 23:11

The Jews laid wait for him. “A plot was laid against him by the Jews” (Revised Version). We have no further details, but it was, no doubt, a murderous plot. To prevent it, his plans were changed, and instead of sailing to Syria, he again took the route to Macedonia.

Acts 23:12

Sopater of Berea. The Revised Version, based on the oldest MSS, calls him “the son of Pyrrhus”. He is otherwise unknown. Berea was in Macedonia. See PNT Acts 17:10. Of the Thessalonians. On Thessalonica, see PNT Acts 17:1. Aristarchus. See Acts 19:29. Secundus. Not named elsewhere. Gaius of Derbe. So named to distinguish him from another Gaius (Acts 19:29). Derbe was in Lycaonia. See PNT Acts 14:6. Timothy. This celebrated disciple was of Lystra near Derbe. See notes on Acts 16:1-4. Of Asia. See PNT Acts 2:9. Tychicus. Supposed to be an Ephesian. See Colossians 4:7-8 Ephesians 6:21 2 Timothy 4:12. Trophimus. He attended Paul all the way to Jerusalem. See Acts 21:29 2 Timothy 4:20.

Acts 23:13

These going before. Paul evidently tarried with the church at Philippi, while they went on to Troas. Us. Luke was now a companion. When Paul first passed into Europe, six or seven years before, he was with him (Acts 16:12), but there are reasons for thinking that he had remained and labored in Philippi until this time. Henceforth he attends the great apostle. Troas. See PNT Acts 16:8.

Acts 23:14

To Troas, See PNT Acts 16:8. In five days. The winds must have been contrary. Formerly the voyage was made in two days (Acts 16:11).

Acts 23:15

On the first [day] of the week, when, etc. The language shows that it was the custom to meet on the first day of the week, and shows the leading object of that meeting. This was not a farewell meeting for Paul, for then the day of the week would not have been mentioned, but the regular weekly assemblage of the saints. They came together, primarily to break bread, i.e., to observe the Lord’s Supper. Dean Howson says: ``We have here an unmistakable allusion to the practice, which began evidently immediately after the resurrection of our Lord, of assembling on the first day of the week for religious purposes.’’ He also shows that the Lord arose on the first day of the week, showed himself to the apostles a second time one week later on the first day of the week, that the church was founded and the Holy Spirit shed forth on Pentecost, which was on the first day of the week. On the same day the disciples at Troas meet to break bread, the Corinthians meet, take collections, and eat the Lord’s Supper (1 Corinthians 16:2 11:20), and the Lord on Patmos reveals himself to John (Revelation 1:10).

In addition to this, the early church writers from Barnabas, Justin Martyr, Irenaeus, to Clement of Alexandria, Origen and Cyprian, all with one consent, declare that the church observed the first day of the week. They are equally agreed that the Lord’s Supper was observed weekly, on the first day of the week. Paul preached. Though it was the special object of this weekly meeting “to break bread”, preaching was a part of the worship. Continued his speech until midnight. About to depart, probably never to see them more, all were anxious to hear the great apostle, and he had much to say.

Acts 23:16

There were many lights. This is mentioned to show how they could meet at night. In those time public meetings and even the games of the theater were by daylight. Means of lighting were very imperfect.

Acts 23:17

Eutychus. Sitting in the window, and at last overcome by drowsiness, he fell to the earth, three stories below. The language implies that he was killed by the fall, and restored by the Divine power, exercised through Paul. The history is plain, simple, and easy to understand. Compare 2 Kings 4:34.

Acts 23:19

When he . . . had broken bread, and eaten. Opinions are divided whether the Lord’s Supper had been celebrated before his long discourse and this was a common meal just before his departure in the early morning, or whether these words allude to the celebration of the Lord’s Supper. I incline to the last opinion. The fact that the same phraseology is used in both places shows that they refer to the same thing. Some, however, insist that if this be true, the Lord’s Supper was celebrated on Monday morning before day. This does not necessarily follow.

The Jews began their day at sunset. Sunday began at sunset of what he call Saturday. The early churches, composed in large part of Jews at first, often followed the Jewish custom. It is probable that this meeting at Troas began at the close of the Sabbath, in the evening, was continued through the night, the Lord’s Supper being celebrated in the latter part of the night, before dawn of Sunday, and that at daybreak Paul departed. He had remained over a week to have the privilege of observing the Lord’s Supper with them. So, too, he remained a week with the disciples at Tyre (Acts 21:4) and with the brethren at Puteoli (Acts 28:14).

Acts 23:21

Sailed to Assos. The distance from Troas to Assos by sea, round Cape Lectum, was about forty miles, while across by land it was only half as far. Paul, probably attended by a number of brethren, chose to walk across. Vast ruins now mark the site of the seaport of Assos.

Acts 23:22

Mitylene. The next stopping place, about thirty miles from Assos, still the capital of the island of Lesbos. It is now called Castro.

Acts 23:23

Chios. A populous island near the Asiatic coast, famed for its wine. In 1822, the Turks almost exterminated the inhabitants in a frightful massacre. Samos. All these islands are celebrated in Greek history. Samos is separated from the coast only by a narrow channel. Trogyllium. A promontory not far from Ephesus. Miletus. A city famous from the time of Homer, but at this period sinking in importance on account of the prosperity of Ephesus, only thirty miles away. A swamp and a few ruins now mark its site.

Acts 23:24

Paul had determined to sail by Ephesus. If he stopped at this scene of three years’ labor, he felt that he could not tear himself away without a considerable stay. But it was his plan to be in Jerusalem at Pentecost, now not far off. Hence, instead of stopping at Ephesus, he sent for the elders to visit him at Miletus.

Acts 23:25

Called the elders of the church. No mention has been made before of their appointment, but it was Paul’s custom to “ordain elders in every church” (Acts 14:23). These elders were also called “bishops” (Revised Version) in Acts 20:28. In apostolic days there was a plurality of elders in every church; these elders were “bishops”, or “overseers”. There was no distinct episcopal order. This is admitted even by the advocates of an episcopate.

Dean Howson, of the Church of England, declares (“Acts”, p. 475) that no special order of bishops was created in the lifetime of Paul, or the apostles, but he dates their origin about the close of the first or beginning of the second century. Prof. Rothe, of Heidelberg (quoted by Lightfoot on Philippians), supposes that after the martyrdom of Paul, Peter and James the necessity was felt for a general supervision, and that this gave rise to the appointment of diocesan bishops. By the admission of all scholars, the episcopal order is “post”-apostolic.

Acts 23:26

Ye know. This is a pastoral address, worthy of the closest study by all pastors and elders. First, the apostle calls attention to his own example. Every elder ought to be an example.

Acts 23:28

Taught you publickly. Three months in the synagogue at Ephesus (Acts 19:8), two years in the school of Tyrannus (Acts 19:9,10), besides his teaching in the church assemblies.

Acts 23:29

Repentance toward God, and faith toward our Lord. These items embrace the sum of Christian doctrine. Repentance of our sins against our Creator, the resolve to turn from them; then faith in Jesus Christ as our Savior, by trust in his grace and obedience to his will.

Acts 23:30

I go bound in the spirit. Urged by a sense of duty, yet knowing from the premonitions of the Holy Spirit that bonds and afflictions awaited him at Jerusalem.

Acts 23:33

Ye . . . shall see my face no more. Paul does not state this as a revelation, but as his conviction. He then thought it not improbable that he would soon die for Christ. Many think that he was released from his first imprisonment in Rome. Dean Howson says: ``It is “almost” certain that Paul, after his liberation from the imprisonment spoken of in Acts 28 did revisit the Asian churches (see notices and greetings and directions in 2 Timothy 4:10-12,20,21 Tit 1:5 especially the words, “Trophimus I have left at Miletum sick”).''

Acts 23:34

Pure from the blood of all [men]. Not responsible, if they are lost, for he had declared “the whole counsel of God” (Revised Version).