Matthew Henry's Concise Commentary on the Whole Bible
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Acts
Book: Acts
Chapter: 14
Overview:
Paul and
Barnabas at
Iconium.
(1-7) A cripple healed at
Lystra, The people would have sacrificed to
Paul and
Barnabas.
(8-18) Paul stoned at
Lystra, The churches visited again.
(19-28)
1-7 The apostles spake
So plainly, with such evidence and proof
of the
Spirit, and with such power;
So warmly, and with such
concern for the souls of men; that those who heard them could
not but say,
God was with them of a
Truth. Yet the success was
not to be reckoned to the manner of their preaching, but to the
Spirit of
God who used that means. Perseverance in doing good,
amidst dangers and hardships, is a blessed evidence of
Grace.
Wherever
God's servants are driven, they should seek to declare
the
Truth. When they went
On in
Christ's name and strength, he
failed not to give
Testimony to the
Word of his
Grace. He has
assured us it is the
Word of God, and that we may venture our
souls upon it. The
Gentiles and Jews were at
Enmity with one
another, yet united against Christians. If the
Church's enemies
join to destroy it, shall not its friends unite for its
preservation?
God has a shelter for his people in a storm; he
is, and will be their Hiding-place. In times of
Persecution,
believers may see cause to quit a spot, though they do not quit
their Master's work.
8-18 All things are possible to those that believe. When we
have
Faith, that most precious
Gift of
God, we shall be
delivered from the spiritual helplessness in which we were born,
and from the dominion of sinful habits since formed; we shall be
made able to stand upright and walk cheerfully in the ways of
the
Lord. When
Christ, the
Son of God, appeared in the likeness
of men, and did many miracles, men were
So far from doing
Sacrifice to him, that they made him a
Sacrifice to their pride
and malice; but
Paul and
Barnabas, upon their working one
Miracle, were treated as gods. The same power of the
God of this
world, which closes the
Carnal mind against
Truth, makes errors
and mistakes find easy admission. We do not learn that they
Rent
their clothes when the people spake of
Stoning them; but when
they spake of worshipping them; they could not
Bear it, being
more concerned for
God's honour than their own.
God's
Truth
needs not the services of
Man's falsehood. The servants of
God
might easily obtain undue honours if they would wink at men's
errors and vices; but they must dread and detest such respect
more than any reproach. When the apostles preached to the Jews,
who hated
Idolatry, they had only to preach the
Grace of
God in
Christ; but when they had to do with the
Gentiles, they must set
right their mistakes in natural religion. Compare their conduct
and declaration with the false opinions of those who think the
Worship of a
God, under any name, or in any manner, is equally
acceptable to the
Lord Almighty. The most powerful arguments,
the most
Earnest and affectionate addresses, even with miracles,
are scarcely enough to keep men from absurdities and
abominations; much less can they, without special
Grace, turn
the hearts of sinners to
God and to
Holiness.
19-28 See how restless the rage of the Jews was against the
Gospel of
Christ. The people stoned
Paul, in a popular tumult.
So strong is the bent of the corrupt and
Carnal Heart, that as
it is with great difficulty that men are kept back from evil
On
one side,
So it is with great ease they are persuaded to evil
On
the other side. If
Paul would have been Mercury, he might have
been worshipped; but if he will be a
Faithful Minister of
Christ, he shall be stoned, and thrown out of the
City. Thus men
who easily submit to strong delusions, hate to receive the
Truth
in the
Love of it. All who are converted need to be confirmed in
the
Faith; all who are planted need to be rooted. Ministers'
work is to establish saints as
Well as to awaken sinners. The
Grace of
God, and nothing less, effectually establishes the
souls of the disciples. It is true, we must count upon much
Tribulation, but it is encouragement that we shall not be lost
and perish in it. The Person to whose power and
Grace the
converts and the newly-established churches are commended,
clearly was the
Lord Jesus, "
On whom they had believed." It was
an act of
Worship. The praise of all the little good we do at
any time, must be ascribed to
God; for it is He who not only
worketh in us both to will and to do, but also worketh with us
to make what we do successful. All who
Love the
Lord Jesus, will
rejoice to hear that he has opened the door of
Faith wide, to
those who were strangers to him and to his
Salvation. And let
us, like the apostles, abide with those who know and
Love the
Lord.