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NOTES,

EXPLANATORY AND PRACTICAL,

ON THE

ACTS OF THE APOSTLES.

BY

ALBERT BARNES.

Reprinted from the Tenth American Edition, 1841.

LONDON:

THOMAS WARD AND CO.

PATERNOSTER-ROW.

141

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INTRODUCTION.

THERE is no evidence that the title "The Acts of the Apostles," affixed to this book, was given by divine authority, or by the writer himself. It is a title, however, which, with a little variation, has been given to it by the Christian church at all times. The term "Acts" is not used, as it is sometimes with us, to denote decrees or laws, but it denotes the doings of the apostles. It is a record of what the apostles did in founding and establishing the Christian church, It is worthy of remark, however, that it contains chiefly a record of the doings of Peter and Paul. Peter was commissioned to open the doors of the Christian church to both Jews and Gentiles (see note, Matt. xvi. 18, 19); and Paul was chosen to bear the gospel especially to the Pagan world. As these two apostles were the most prominent and distinguished in founding and organizing the Christian church, it was deemed proper that a special and permanent record should be made of their labours. At the same time, occasional notices are given of the other apostles; but of their labours elsewhere than in Judea, and of their death, except that of James, (Acts xii. 2,) the sacred writers have given no information.

All antiquity is unanimous in ascribing this book to Luke, as its author. It is repeatedly mentioned and quoted by the early Christian writers, and without a dissenting voice is mentioned as the work of Luke. The same thing is clear from the book itself. It professes to have been written by the same person who wrote the gospel of Luke, (chap. i. 1;) was addressed to the same person, (comp. ver. 1, with Luke i. 3;) and bears manifest marks of being from the same pen. It is designed evidently as a continuation of his gospel, as in this book he has taken up the history at the very time where he left it in the gospel. (Ver. 1, 2.)

the date of the book at about A. D. 63. It is also probable that it was written at Rome. In chap. xxviii. 16, Luke mentions his arrival at Rome with Paul. As he does not mention his departure from this city, it is to be presumed that it was written there. Some have supposed that it was written at Alexandria in Egypt, but of that there is no sufficient evidence.

The canonical authority of this book rests on the same foundation as that of the gospel by the same author. Its authenticity has not been called in question at any time in the church.

This book has commonly been regarded as a history of the Christian church, and of course the first ecclesiastical history that was written. But it cannot have been designed as a general history of the church. Many important transactions have been omitted. It gives no account of the church at Jerusalem after the conversion of Paul; it omits his journey into Arabia, (Gal. i. 17;) gives no account of the propagation of the gospel in Egypt, or in Babylon, (1 Pet. v. 13 ;) of the foundation of the church at Rome; of many of Paul's voyages and shipwrecks, (2 Cor. xi. 25;) and omits to record the labours of most of the apostles, and confines the narrative chiefly to the transactions of Peter and Paul.

The design and importance of this history may be learned from the following particulars:

1. It contains a record of the promised descent and operations of the Holy Spirit. The Lord Jesus promised that after he had departed to heaven, he would send the Holy Ghost to carry forward the great work of redemption. (John xiv. 16, 17; xv. 26; xvi. 7—14.) The apostles were directed to tarry in Jerusalem until they were endued with power from on high. (Luke xxiv. 49.) The four gospels contained a record of the life, instructions, death, and resurrection of the Lord Jesus. But it is clear that he con

Where, or at what time, this book was written, is not certainly known. As the history, how-templated that the most signal triumphs of the ever, is continued to the second year of the residence of Paul at Rome, (Acts xxviii. 31,) it was evidently written about as late as the year 62; and as it makes no mention of the further dealings with Paul, or of any other event of history, it seems clear that it was not written much after that time. It has been common, therefore, to fix

gospel should take place after his ascension to heaven, and under the influence of the Holy Spirit. The descent of the Spirit, and his influence on the souls of men, was a most important part of the work of redemption. Without an authentic, an inspired record of that, the account of the operations of God the Father,

Son, and Spirit, in the work of redemption, would not have been complete. The purposes of the Father, in regard to that plan, were made known clearly in the Old Testament; the record of what the Son did in accomplishing it, was contained in the Gospels; and some book was needful that should contain a record of the doings of the Holy Spirit. As the gospels, therefore, may be regarded as a record of the work of Christ to save men, so may the Acts of the Apostles be considered as a record of the doings of the Holy Spirit in the same great work. Without that, the way in which the Spirit operates to renew and save, would have been very imperfectly known.

2. This book is an inspired account of the character of true revivals of religion. It records the first revivals that occurred in the Christian church. The scene on the day of Pentecost was one of the most remarkable displays of divine power and mercy that the world has ever known. It was the commencement of a series of stupendous movements in the world to recover men. It was the true model of a revival of religion, and a perpetual demonstration that such scenes as have characterized our own age and nation especially, are strictly in accordance with the spirit of the New Testament. The entire book of the Acts of the Apostles records the effect of the gospel when it comes fairly in contact with the minds of men. The gospel was addressed to every class. It met the Jew and the Gentile, the bond and the free, the learned and the ignorant, the rich and the poor; and showed its power every where in subduing the mind to itself. It was proper that some record should be preserved of the displays of that power; and that record we have in this book. And it was especially proper that there should be given, by an inspired man, an account of the descent of the Holy Spirit, a record of a true revival of religion. It was certain that the gospel would produce excitement. The human mind, as all experience shows, is prone to enthusiasm and fanaticism; and men might be disposed to pervert the gospel to scenes of wild-fire, disorder, and tumult. That the gospel would produce excitement, was weli known to its author. It was well, therefore, that there should be some record to which the church might always appeal as an infallible account of the proper effects of the gospel; some inspired standard to which might be brought all excitements on the subject of religion. If they are in accordance with the first triumphs of the gospel, they are genuine; if not, they are false.

3. It may be further remarked, that this book shows that revivals of religion are to be expected in the church. If they existed in the best and purest days of Christianity, they are to be expected now. If by means of revivals the Holy Spirit chose at first to bless the preaching of the truth, the same thing is to be expected still. in this way the gospel was at first spread among the nations, then we are to infer that this will be the mode in which it will finally spread and triumph in the world.

If

ing of the truth, and chiefly by a simple statement of the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ. The "Acts of the Apostles" contains the highest models of preaching, and the purest specimens of that simple, direct, and pungent manner of addressing men, which may be expected to be attended with the influences of the Holy Spirit. It contains some of the most tender, powerful, and eloquent appeals, to be found in any language. If a man wishes to learn how to preach well, he can probably acquire it nowhere else so readily as by giving himself to the prayerfui and profound study of the specimens contained in this book. At the same time we have here a view of the character of the true church of Christ. The simplicity of this church must strike every reader of "the Acts." Religion is represented as a work of the heart; the pure and proper effect of truth on the mind. It is free from pomp and splendour, and from costly and magnificent ceremonies. There is no apparatus to impress the senses, no splendour to dazzle, no external rite or parade adapted to draw the affections from the pure and spiritual worship of God. How unlike to the pomp and parade of pagan worship! How unlike the vain and pompous ceremonies which have since, alas! crept into no small part of the Christian church!

5. In this book we have many striking and impressive illustrations of what the gospel is fitted to produce, to make men self-denying and benevolent. The apostles engaged in the great enterprise of converting the world. To secure that, they cheerfully forsook all. Paul became a convert to the Christian faith, and cheerfully for that gave up all his hopes of preferment and honour, and welcomed toil and privation in foreign lands. The early converts had all things in common, (chap. ii. 44;) those "which had curious arts," and were gaining property by a course of iniquity, forsook their schemes of illgotten gain, and burned their books publicly, (chap. xix. 19;) Ananias and Sapphira were punished for attempting to impose on the apostles by hypocritical professed self-denials, (chap. v. 1-10;) and throughout the book there occur constant instances of sacrifices and toil to spread the gospel around the globe. Indeed, these great truths had manifestly seized upon the early Christians: that the gospel was to be preached to all nations; and that whatever stood in the way of that was to be sacrificed; whatever toils and dangers were necessary, were to be borne; and even death itself was cheerfully to be met. if it would promote the spread of true religion. This was then genuine Christianity; this is still the spirit of the gospel of Christ.

ment.

6. This book throws important light on the Epistles. It is a connecting link between the Gospels and the other parts of the New TestaInstances of this will be noticed in the Notes. One of the most clear and satisfactory evidences of the genuineness of the books of the New Testament, is to be found in the undesigned coincidences between the Acts and the Epistles. 4. The Acts of the Apostles contains a record This argument was first clearly stated and illusof the organization of the Christian church. trated by Dr. Paley. His little work illustrating That church was founded simply by the preach-it, the "Horæ Paulina," is one of the most un

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