mouth of David spake before con- | us, and had obtained part of this cerning Judas, which was guide to them that took Jesus. 17 For he was numbered with of David spake before concerning Judas. The language of David, which the apostle was about to produce, declared the sad doom which would certainly overtake his opposers. On several occasions, there were men who took a very active part in persecuting him, and who, he declared, would receive from God a signal overthrow. But the language which David had used in thus denouncing the judgments of God against his unrighteous adversaries, had been most eminently fulfilled in the case of Judas, who had become so distinguished an adversary of Jesus, and had so directly and so treacherously contributed to his coming into the power of his enemies. So remarkably had that language been fulfilled in the case of Judas, that, beyond all doubt, the Holy Spirit, whose organ David was in making these declarations, contemplated Judas, Christ's adversary, as the one whose doom it emphatically described; so that it was concerning Judas, even more remarkably than concerning any enemies of David, that the Holy Spirit had spoken. || Which was guide to them that took Jesus. Judas Iscariot agreed with the chief priests to deliver up Jesus to them (Matt. 26: 14-16), led the multitude who went to seize him, and with a kiss pointed out to them the very person. Matt. 26: 47-49. 17. For he was numbered with us; he belonged to our number, as one of the apostles. || Had obtained part of this ministry; had been admitted by the Lord to the service for which the apostles had been appointed. This verse appears to give a reason for considering the scripture, which was in the apostle Peter's mind, as relating to Judas. To show its applicableness to Judas, it was proper to remind the hearers that Judas had been an apostle, and admitted to friendship with the Saviour. Though ministry. 18 Now this man purchased a field with the reward of iniquity; thus distinguished, he had become a traitor, and had fallen under the special displeasure of God. Viewing the passage in this connection, they would see how well it described the doom of Judas. 18, 19. These verses did not, probably, form a part of Peter's address, as the information which they contain was not at all needed by his hearers; the sad events having so recently taken place, and being universally known in Jerusalem. They are the language of the historian Luke, intended to give information to his readers. Luke had not, in his Gospel, given any account of the tragical end of Judas Iscariot. Theophilus, therefore, to whom he dedicated both his Gospel and the present work, would need the information here communicated, in order thoroughly to understand the address of Peter. It would be well to include these verses in a parenthesis; and then the quotation from the Scripture would stand in almost immediate connection with the apostle's mention of it. 18. This man purchased a field. The evangelist Matthew (27: 3—7) informs us that Judas, uneasy in his conscience, would not retain the money he had received for betraying Jesus, but carried it back to the chief priests and elders. They, however, regarding it as the price of blood, or money which had been paid to procure a person's death, would not put it into the treasury of the temple, but bought a potter's field with it, to bury strangers in. As the field was bought with money that was owned by Judas, he is said to have purchased it, though he did not personally make the purchase. An action is often said to be done by a person who is himself, properly, only the occasion of its being done. "No such thing," says Lightfoot, "was in Judas's intention when he bargained for his and falling headlong, he burst desolate, and let no man dwell asunder in the midst, and all his therein: and, His bishopric let bowels gushed out. another take. 19 And it was known unto all the dwellers at Jerusalem; insomuch as that field is called in their proper tongue, Aceldama, that is to say, The field of blood. 20 For it is written in the book of Psalms, Let his habitation be 21 Wherefore of these men which have companied with us, all the time that the Lord Jesus went in and out among us, 22 Beginning from the baptism of John, unto that same day that he was taken up from us, must one ; filled in Judas. His habitation had become desolate, or ruin had befallen him, in consequence of his unrighteous treatment of the Lord Jesus and a vacancy had been thereby occasioned in the number of the apostles, so that it was proper for another to be appointed to take his office. It would have been better, if our translators had here employed the word office, as used in the Old Testament, instead of the word bishopric. money. But Peter showeth the fruit and profit of his wretched covetousness; and how he, that thought to enlarge his resources, and to settle his habitation, by such horrid means, came home by it with the contrary: his revenues, to purchase land for others; his habitation, to be desolate; and himself, to come to so sad an end." | Fulling headlong, he burst asunder, &c. From Matt. 27: 5, we learn that Judas hanged himself. Luke here gives us the additional 21. These men which have compainformation of what afterwards hap-nied with us; the men who have pened. Judas probably hanged himself near the edge of some precipice, and, perhaps, on the limb of a tree. The limb giving way, or the rope breaking, he, of course, fell, and met with the fate here mentioned. 19. In their proper tongue; in their own tongue, the language or dialect spoken by the inhabitants of Jerusalem. This was a form of the Hebrew language, radically the same, but having undergone many changes. The term Syro-Chaldaic is often employed among the learned to denote that dialect. Aceldama; a word compounded of two Syro-Chaldaic words, meaning, as the sacred writer himself explains, a field of blood. Matthew, also, relates in 27: 8, that the field received that name and retained it even to the time when he wrote his Gospel. 20. It is written in the book of Psalms, &c. The apostle proceeds to quote two passages; one from Ps. 69:25," Let their habitation be desoate, and let none dwell in their tents;" and the other from Ps. 109: 8, 'Let another take his office." These passages had been remarkably ful belonged to our company. All the time that the Lord Jesus went in and out among us; during the time that the Lord Jesus was occupied among us in the duties of his office, introducing the new religion, inculcating its truths, and gathering disciples to himself. 22. Beginning from the baptism of John. The word beginning here relates to the Lord Jesus. His public life commenced with his being baptized by John; and a person, in order to be a qualified witness for Jesus as the Messiah, must have been personally acquainted with events pertaining to him from that time. || Unto that same day that he was taken up from us; taken up into heaven. The extent of time is from the commencement of Jesus' public life to his ascension. It includes the great events of his crucifixion and his resurrection from the dead || Must one be ordained; that is, appointed. The word ordain is not here used with reference to any particular ceremony, as when we now speak of a minister's being ordained. The idea is, simply, that some one of the men, be ordained to be a witness with us of his resurrection. 23 And they appointed two, Joseph called Barsabas, who was surnamed Justus, and Matthias. 24 And they prayed, and said, Thou, Lord, which knowest the hearts of all men, show whether of these two thou hast chosen, 25 That he may take part of fact all the doctrines and principles of the Christian religion were most intimately connected; so that this might be mentioned as a part for the whole the great central truth in which the whole system united. To bear witness of the resurrection of Jesus was to bear witness of his being the Messiah, and to give testimony to the divinity of his religion. REMARK. How evidently were Peter and the other faithful apostles men of sincerity! They not only sought for no merely pretended friends, however powerful they might be; they did not even allow any of their own company, how faithful and zealous soever, to be a candidate for the apostleship, unless he had personal knowledge of the facts pertaining to Jesus from the beginning; so that his testimony might be an independent and unquestionable one. They sought not display, or any imposing show of circumstances. They were anxious for truth to be maintained, and that by the proper witnesses, however inconsiderable they might be in the world's esteem. who had been associated with the apostles and disciples from the commencement of the Saviour's public ministry till his ascension, should be selected to act in the place of Judas. Nor are we to understand the apostle Peter as affirming the absolute necessity of maintaining the number twelve among the apostles, as though there was some sacredness in that number, and as though the cause of Christ could not be advanced without a successor to Judas. He meant to affirm the special propriety of appointing a successor. Jesus had, originally, selected twelve men; one of them had proved a traitor, and had hurried himself to perdition. It was specially proper that the vacancy should be supplied; and, in order to be rightly supplied, a man must be selected who had been personally acquainted with events from the baptism of Jesus. By having the original number completed, one of the Saviour's objects in appointing twelve might still be answered; namely, that the apostles might go forth two by two. When Jesus selected the twelve, he chose them from among a larger number who were in the habit of associating with him and attending on his instructions. There were, then, others besides the eleven who could testify to the facts in his history Matthias. Who these were, furfrom the beginning of his public life; ther than is mentioned in this verse, and from among these a choice might we have not the means of ascertainbe made. To be a witness with us ing. The various conjectures of of his resurrection. It was of indis- commentators are of no use. The surpensable importance that one occu- name Justus,given to one of these men, pying the place of an apostle should Joseph, was a word of Latin origin, be able to bear personal testimony to applied, perhaps, in consequence of the resurrection of Jesus. For this his signal reputation for integrity. was the crowning evidence of his being the Messiah. See Matt. 12: 40. 20: 19. 26: 32. Rom. 1: 4. It consequently formed a chief topic in the preaching of the apostles. Compare Acts 2:24, 32. 3:15. 4: 33. 1 Cor. 15: 3, 4. With this great 23. And they appointed two. The company proposed two men as candidates for the vacant office. || Joseph 24. Which knowest the hearts of all men. Compare 15: 8. || Whether of these two; which one of these two. 25. That he may take part, &c.; that he may participate in this office of the apostleship. That he might go to his own place; the place proper this ministry and apostleship, from | lots; and the lot fell upon Matthiwhich Judas by transgression fell, as; and he was numbered with that he might go to his own place. the eleven apostles. 26 And they gave forth their for such a man, most fitting for one of his character. The world of final misery is, doubtless, here meant. To this the conduct of Judas, in the midst of so many advantages for rightly estimating the character of Jesus, and for rendering signal service to him, made it suitable that he should be consigned, or, rather, suitable that he should go; for he evidently rushed upon his own destruction. Townsend mentions it as a common sentiment among the Jews, that “he who betrayeth an Israelite shall have no part in the world to come," and remarks that in a Jewish commentary on Num. 24: 25, it is said, "Balaam went to his own place, that is, into hell." "No dignity of office," Doddridge well observes, "can secure men from sin; and when they break through the solemn bonds of a remarkably high and eminent profession, they must expect a punishment proportionably signal." For all of us there is a place in the future world, appropriate to our characters. Are we righteous, or unrighteous? believers in Jesus, or neglecters of the great salvation? Our future and final recompense will accord with God's estimate of our characters. 26. They gave forth their lots. That is, the persons whose business it was, or who had been appointed to cast the lots, did so. Among the ancients, it was customary to cast lots, in order to decide on important and doubtful matters, whether civil or sacred. The practice was also frequent among the ancient Hebrews, in cases of special importance, when they felt the need of divine guidance. This method of deciding was resorted to, because it appeared so evident a referring of the matter to divine providence. Hence Solomon says, in Prov. 16: 33, "The lot is cast into the lap; but the whole disposing thereof is of the Lord." Pious men, doubtless, resorted to this method of decision in a conscientious and devout frame of mind, submitting all their affairs to the control of God. They were encouraged to expect divine direction; and this was one of the ways in which God frequently led the Hebrews to a proper result. Compare Josh. 7: 14, 15. 1 Sam. 10: 20, 21. 1 Chron. 24: 5-7. We, however, in this age of the world, are so differently situated in regard to acquiring a knowledge of God's will, that a resort to lots for deciding an important question can scarcely ever, if indeed ever, be judicious. A careful study of the Holy Scriptures, an examination of all the circumstances connected with any particular case, with prayer to God and consultation with judicious and pious friends, will almost invariably lead to a right result. In what manner the Christian company proceeded, on the occasion here mentioned, in giving forth their lots, we are not informed. The methods among the ancients were various. The most frequent, probably, was, to place tickets, with the proper words on them, in an urn, and draw them forth. The transaction differed from voting, inasmuch as, probably, only two tickets were used, on each of which was written the name of one candidate. And he was numbered with the eleven apostles. Thus the original number was again rendered complete. A question, however, has sometimes been raised whether this choice of a successor to Judas was not premature, and whether it received the sanction of Heaven. The choice was, indeed, made before the great outpouring of the Holy Spirit which was necessary in order to complete the apostles' qualification for very important measures pertaining to their office. Besides, we have not, in the New Testament, any further notice of Matthias as an apostle, unless, indeed, he was among the CHAPTER II. 1 The apostles, filled with the Holy Ghost, and speaking divers languages, are admired by some, and derided by others. 14 Whom Peter disproving, and showing that the apostles spake by the power of the Holy Ghost, that Jesus was risen from the dead, ascended into heaven, had poured down the same Holy Ghost, and was the Messias, a man known to them to be approved of God by his miracles, wonders, apostles who stood up in company with Peter when he addressed the people on the day of Pentecost. It should be remembered, too, that the design of Luke in writing the Acts of the Apostles, was such as to give him no occasion to speak afterwards of Matthias; and he makes no mention of several other apostles. We know, indeed, that, at a subsequent period, the Lord Jesus gave a special commission to Saul of Tarsus to be his chosen apostle (26:16-18). Still the transaction was performed in a very devout manner, with a practical referring of it to divine providence. The question is one of those very numerous ones, which the wisdom of God has not seen fit to give us the means of answering. It is an inquiry suggested rather by curiosity, than as tending to any practical benefit. CHAPTER II. 1. The day of Pentecost; one of the three great annual festivals of the Jews. It was a festival of thanksgiving for the harvest, and was therefore called the feast of harvest (Ex. 23: 16), and the day of the first-fruits. Num. 28: 26. It was also called the feast of weeks, because it was appointed to be held after a succession of seven weeks from the second day of the passover. Ex. 34: 22. Lev. 23:15, 16. Num. 28: 26. Deut. 16:9, 10. As it was designed to be a grateful acknowledgment of the divine bounty in giving a harvest, an oblation was to be presented to the Lord, of two loaves made of new flour, besides the burnt-offerings and offerings for sin. See Lev. 23: 17 and signs, and not crucified without his determinate counsel and foreknowledge: 37 he baptizeth a great number that were converted. 41 Who afterwards devoutly and charitably converse together: the apostles working many miracles, and God daily increasing his church. ND when the day of Pentecost was fully come, they were all with one accord in one place. 19. Num. 28: 26-31. The word Pentecost is of Greek origin, and signifies fiftieth. It became the name of this festival, because the appointed time for the festival was after seven weeks, or forty-nine days, from the second day of the passover. This, then, was the fiftieth from that day. See Lev. 23: 16. It is also commonly stated, though the circumstance is nowhere alluded to in the Mosaic ritual, that at the feast of Pentecost a commemoration was made of the giving of the law from mount Sinai; as it was believed that that event occurred on the fiftieth day after the departure from Egypt, that is, from the first passover. The Israelites left Egypt the fifteenth day of the first month (according to their sacred year), that is, April, and arrived at Sinai in the third month after, as is generally supposed, on the first day of the month. Ex. 19: 1. As their months were lunar, this day was the forty-sixth after their departure. The. next day, probably, "Moses went up the mount unto God" (Ex. 19:3); and three days after (Ex. 19:11), the law was given. Certainty, however, on this point cannot be attained; as, in Ex. 19: 1, the words the same day may mean, not the same day on which the month commenced, but the same day of the month on which they left Egypt, that is, the fifteenth. If, however, the law of Moses was given on the fiftieth day after the passover at the departure from Egypt, the coincidence is a striking one, that on the fiftieth day from the passover at the death of Christ, the effusion of the Holy Spirit took place, so remarkably confirming |