Authenticity of this Book-Internal Evidence-Credibility— CHAP. I.-Theophilus --Christ's Appearance after his Resurrec- tion Jerusalem Judea, Samaria, and Galilee-Olivet- -- - CHAP. II.-Pentecost--Galileans-Parthia-Media-Elam Mesopotamia Judea — Cappadocia - Pontus — Asia Phrygia- Pamphylia-Egypt-Lybia-Cyrene-Rome- CHAP. III.-Temple Of Solomon—Of Zerubbabel—Of Herod Elders, and Scribes-Annas and Caiaphas-Sanhedrim— CHAP. V.- Ananias - Pharisees - Pharisees and Sadducees according to Josephus-Gamaliel - Theudas - Judas of CHAP. VI.-Hebrews-Grecians-The Seven Deacons-Stephen CHAP. VII.-When his Father was Dead'- 400 Years- . CHAP. VIII.- City of Samaria — Simon- Gaza - Ethiopia Candace-Azotus Antioch in Syria-Seleucia-Salamis-Paphos-Perga- Antioch in Pisidia-Iconium-Lystra-Derbe-Attalia ST. PAUL'S SECOND MISSIONARY JOURNEY- - - Syria — Cilicia — Derbe —Lystra —Phrygia― Galatia- -Corinth-Cenchrea - Ephesus--Cæsarea-Jerusalem CHAP. XVII.- Devout Greeks - Epicureans - Stoics-Areo- pagus-Your own Poets '-Dionysius the Areopagite CHAP. XVIII.-Aquila-Pontus-Italy-Claudius - Crispus ST. PAUL'S THIRD MISSIONARY JOURNEY- CHAP. XIX.-Tyrannus -Asia - Sceva - Erastus - Diana- from Jupiter'-Deputies. CHAP. XX.-Greece -Sopater of Berea -The Days of Un- - CHAP. XXII.-A Roman-Chief Priests and all their Council 171 CHAP. XXIV.-Ananias the High Priest-Tertullus-Naza- Summary of St. Paul's History from the Time of his Im- prisonment at Jerusalem to his Appeal to Cæsar CHAP. XXVII.-' They Delivered Paul,' &c.-Augustus' Band Miracles of St. Paul recorded by St. Luke The Propagation of Christianity a.d. 33–63 Of the Conformity of Facts mentioned or referred to in the Acts of the Apostles, with the state of things in PAGB THE ACTS OF THE APOSTLES. PART I. INTRODUCTION. THIS BOOK embraces a period of about thirty years (A.D. 33-63) during which time no fewer than four emperors successively occupied the throne of the Cæsars. Palestine had for ages been governed by her own princes, but long before St. Luke wrote her pride had been humbled, her ancient line of kings had been set aside, and the country had dwindled into an insignificant dependency of the Roman empire. Roman governors were placed in authority, Roman laws administered, and Roman customs introduced. In short, the proud descendants of the patriarchs now felt the mortification of beholding the favoured people of God' prostrate at the feet of a pagan conqueror. 6 Politically, this may be regarded as a tolerable sketch of Palestine during the period under consideration. It is therefore obvious, that, in order to realise the position of the inspired penman, we must fix upon Rome as our starting point, make some enquiries respecting the emperors who flourished during that eventful period, and familiarise ourselves with the histories of men mentioned by St. Luke as holding a subordinate authority under them in Palestine. At the time that the narrative is resumed in the Acts of 1 In the spring of the year B.C. 63 Pompey the Great came down from Damascus by the valley of the Jordan, his Roman soldiers occupied the ford where Joshua had crossed over, and from the Mount of Olives he looked down upon Jerusalem. From that day Judea was virtually under the government of Rome.' (Conybeare and Howson.) B the Apostles the Roman sceptre was swayed by Tiberius. His name is not here mentioned by St. Luke, nor is he even alluded to, but we are supplied with sufficient data to understand that the first few chapters of this portion of Holy Writ contain history which belongs to the latter years of that emperor. And while the reign of his successor, Caligula, may possibly be marked out by the 'rest' which the churches enjoyed throughout all Judea, and Galilee and Samaria,'1 a little further on in the narrative we read that a certain prophet named Agabus signified by the Spirit that there should be great dearth throughout all the world, which came to pass in the days of Claudius Cæsar,' 2 and of an edict issued by this same Claudius, commanding all Jews to depart from Rome.3 Finally, we read of St. Paul, when about to suffer injustice at the hands of the Roman governor, Festus, availing himself of his citizenship and appealing to Cæsar;' and after enumerating a series of calamitous events which befell him, the sacred narrative is brought to a close, leaving 'the great Apostle of the Gentiles' on the one hand, a prisoner, in his humble hired house' under the strict guardianship of a Roman soldier, and a great tyrant (Nero) on the other, enjoying his transient pleasures in the imperial palace within the same city. Having thus pointed out the necessity for our becoming acquainted with some of the acts of these exalted personages, we shall, in the next place, proceed to give a detailed account of their reigns. 6 I. TIBERIUS. Reigned 22 years. A.D. 14-37. Character. The personal appearance of Tiberius, till disfigured by age, debauchery, and disease, was commanding, and his mental capacities strong and somewhat improved by education; but his look and manner had always been repulsive, and he had often acted so as to excite in all ranks suspicion that he was destitute of humanity, even when he performed 3 Acts xviii. 2. 2 Acts xi. 28. 1 Acts ix. 31. |