Matthew Henry's Concise Commentary on the Whole Bible
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Acts
Book: Acts
Chapter: 23
Overview:
Paul's defence before the
Council of the Jews.
(1-5) Paul's
defence. He receives a Divine
Assurance that he shall go to
Rome.
(6-11) The Jews conspire to kill
Paul,
Lysias sends him to
Caesarea.
(12-24) Lysias's
Letter to
Felix.
(25-35)
1-5 See here the character of an honest
Man. He sets
God before
him, and lives as in his sight. He makes
Conscience of what he
says and does, and, according to the best of his knowledge, he
keeps from whatever is evil, and cleaves to what is good. He is
conscientious in all his words and conduct. Those who thus live
before
God, may, like
Paul, have confidence both toward
God and
Man. Though the answer of
Paul contained a just rebuke and
prediction, he seems to have been too angry at the treatment he
received in uttering them. Great men may be told of their
faults, and public complaints may be made in a proper manner;
but the
Law of
God requires respect for those in authority.
6-11 The
Pharisees were correct in the
Faith of the Jewish
Church. The
Sadducees were
No friends to the
Scripture or Divine
Revelation; they denied a future state; they had neither
Hope of
eternal happiness, nor dread of eternal misery. When called in
question for his being a
Christian,
Paul might truly say he was
called in question for the
Hope of the
Resurrection of the dead.
It was justifiable in him,
By this profession of his opinion
On
that disputed point, to draw off the
Pharisees from persecuting
him, and to lead them to protect him from this unlawful
violence. How easily can
God defend his own cause! Though the
Jews seemed to be perfectly agreed in their conspiracy against
religion, yet they were influenced
By very different motives.
There is
No true friendship among the wicked, and in a moment,
and with the utmost ease,
God can turn their union into open
Enmity. Divine consolations stood
Paul in the most stead; the
chief
Captain rescued him out of the hands of cruel men, but the
event he could not tell. Whoever is against us, we need not
fear, if the
Lord stand
By us. It is the will of
Christ, that
his servants who are
Faithful, should be always cheerful. He
might think he should never see
Rome; but
God tells him, even in
that he should be gratified, since he desired to go there only
for the honour of
Christ, and to do good.
12-24 False religious principles, adopted
By Carnal men, urge
On to such wickedness, as human nature would hardly be supposed
capable of. Yet the
Lord readily disappoints the best concerted
schemes of iniquity.
Paul knew that the Divine
Providence acts
By reasonable and prudent means; and that, if he neglected to
use the means in his power, he could not expect
God's
Providence
to work
On his behalf. He who will not help himself according to
his means and power, has neither reason nor
Revelation to assure
him that he shall receive help from
God. Believing in the
Lord,
we and ours shall be kept from every evil work, and kept to his
kingdom. Heavenly
Father, give us
By thy Holy
Spirit, for
Christ's sake, this precious
Faith.
25-35 God has instruments for every work. The natural abilities
and moral virtues of the heathens often have been employed to
protect his persecuted servants. Even the men of the world can
discern between the conscientious conduct of upright believers,
and the zeal of false professors, though they disregard or
understand not their doctrinal principles. All hearts are in
God's
Hand, and those are blessed who
Put their trust in him,
and commit their ways unto him.