in Am. 3, 1. Jer, 3, 14. Mich. 2, 3, and Neh. 3, 5 denotes a nation or people. (Kuin.)

26. ὑμῖν πρῶτον ὁ Θεὸς, ἀναστήσας εὐλογοῦντα ὑμᾶς. Αναστῆναι is (as was observed in the note on ver. 22.) often used of the appearance of Prophets and teachers. The sense seems to be this: "God hath sent forth his Son as teacher and Messiah." "Tuv, as being a Dative of profit, signifies "for your benefit." By Tрτоv is meant especially; as in Matt. 6, 35. Joseph. Ant. 10, 10, 5. and in other passages. 'Inooûv is omitted in many excellent MSS. and is rejected by Mill, Bengel, and Griesbach. Eλoyeîv denotes to confer blessings upon, render any one happy; as in Matt. 25, 34. See Suicer's Thes. 1, 1246.

26. ἐν τῷ ἀποστρέφειν ἕκαστον ἀπὸ τῶν πονηριῶν ὑμῶν. Our Version renders " In turning every one of you away," &c. This mode of translating the words is supported by the authority of the Ital. and Piscator. Others, however, as Erasmus, Beza, Grotius, and Tindal, render: "So that every one should turn, &c." De Dieu, Pearce, and others: "If every one shall turn." Hammond, Morus, Heinrichs, &c. take άлоσTρépe entirely of Christ reforming and blessing the Jewish people; as in Rom. 11, 26. 2 Tim. 4, 4. But this lies open to the objection of Orobio, as stated in his conference with Limborch (referred to by Doddridge); namely, that Christ did not, in fact, turn every one of them from their iniquities, though it must be allowed that he took such steps as were very proper for that purpose. Doddridge, therefore, adopts the version, "Every one of you turning from your iniquities," which he thinks farther preferable, "as the Apostle knew that the Jews would, in fact, reject the Gospel, and bring destruction on themselves as a nation, by that means." It may, I am aware, be said that the action only reaches so far as Christ's wishes and best exertions to effect it extends; yet this is not quite satisfactory. So that, upon the whole, I am inclined to accede to

the interpretation of Beza, Piscator, Bp. Pearce, Doddridge, Rosenmuller, and Kuinoel: "On each one turning himself from his iniquities:" and this (as Kuinoel observes) is most suitable to Peter's words at ver. 19. μετανοήσατε καὶ ἐπιστρέψατε. Fi nally, this interpretation was probably adopted by the ancient Greek Fathers; since it is brought forward by Ecumenius: εἰ ἄρα καὶ αὐτοὶ ἔλοισθε ἐπιστρέψαι ἀπὸ τῶν κακῶν ὑμῶν.

CHAP. IV.

1. ἐπέστησαν αὐτοῖς. This is a formula often used of those who come upon any one suddenly and unexpectedly. See the note on Luke 20, 1. and Krebs and Loesner on this passage. By στρατηγὸς τοῦ ἱεροῦ is not meant (as Schmid and Hammond have thought) the commander of the citadel Antonia, but the Prefect of those Priests and Levites who kept guard in the Temple. See the note on Matt. 26, 47. Luke 22, 4. Deyling, Obss. T. 3, 236. and Schleusner's Lex. It was the duty of this officer to take care that there should be no tumult in the Temple. Under the pretext that the Apostles had excited disturbances there, and acted without the knowledge or consent of the Sanhedrim, to whom belonged the privilege of granting permissions to teach, (see Deut. 17, 18. & 19, 7. Ez. 44, 15 & 24. Acts 4, 2. Matt. 21, 23.,) the Priests (we are told) apprehended them, and committed them to custody. (Kuin.) The Sadducees here mentioned seem to have been private persons. One may observe, by the way, that from the Acts of the Apostles it appears the Sadducees were more intolerant than the Pharisees, and evinced towards the Apostles a yet more persecuting spirit; which peculiar bitterness may be ascribed to the doctrine of the resurrection, that fundamental one of Christianity, so firmly (and fatally for their dogmas) established by the resurrection of Jesus. On

the other hand, the Pharisees were better affected to the Apostles. See 5, 34. 23, 6 seqq.

2. διαπονούμενοι διὰ τὸ δ. α. τ. λ. The word διαποveio das signifies properly to be wearied out, than to be exceedingly vexed, take much to heart, bear with impatience, &c. This signification, however, is not found in the Classical writers, but is purely Hellenistic, and occurs in Gen. 6, 6. Eccl. 10, 9. (Sept.) It answers to the Heb. . Wetstein illustrates this sense of the word from Plut. Lycurg. p. 47 F. τὰ δὲ σώματα τῶν παρθένων δρόμοις καὶ πάλαις — διεπό more. Versio. Vulg. dolentes. Cod. D. dolore percussi E. indignantes. Hesych. diatomeis, unbeis. Other examples are adduced by Wesseling on Diodor. Sic. 2, 7. 'E TO 'I may be explained, "by the example of Jesus;" as in 1 Cor. 4, 5. iva pálete ἐν ἐμοὶ.

νησεν.

3, 4. ἔθεντο εἰς τήρησιν. On the various senses of Tpnos, see Fischer on Vorst de Heb., Dindorf in loc., and Schleusner's Lexicon. Among its other significations is the present one, puλak hold, prison and in this it occurs in Thucyd. 7, 80. KαTEßiβασαν εἰς τὰς λιθοτομίας ἀσφαλεστάτην εἶναι νομίσαντες τὴν τήρησιν· where the Schol. explains φυλακήν.

3. Eorépa, afternoon: for they had entered the Temple at our three o'clock in the afternoon. Now éσépa, like the Heb. 2 is used of all the afternoon hours; and there were among the Hebrews two éréngar the first commencing at our three o'clock; the second at our six o'clock. See the note on Matt. 8, 15. (Kuin.) Πολλοὶ δὲ τῶν ἀκουσάντων τὸν λόγον ἐπίστευσαν, &c. Επίστευσαν must be taken in a Piuperfect sense. Many Commentators, as most of the ancients, and, of the moderns, Lightfoot and Benson, think that this number was exclusive of the three thousand converted on a former day; and Lightfoot argues that propriety of speech would require this sense. But our author is sometimes little attentive to this, and here the sentence is a somewhat inaccurate one. To me it appears clear, as it has done to

Camerarius, Piscator, Doddridge, Rosenmuller, and Kuinoel, that this number includes the three thousand. For, among other reasons, it is not probable that the portico would hold more than five thousand men; and yet many of the preceding three thousand would be present; not to mention those auditors who might not yet be believers. Besides, as Doddridge and others observe, the Apostle does not here say (as before) προσετέθησαν. Εγενήθη is for factus est, was made. At ανδρών we must subaud των πιστευ Gάvrov, taken from the context, namely, from the preceding ἐπίστευσαν. ̓Ανδρών may have the sense either of virorum, or hominum.

5, 6. συναχθῆναι αὐτῶν τοὺς ἄρχοντας, &c. i. e. the members of the Sanhedrim.. So Joh. 3, 1. 1 Macc. 1, 14, & 29. By Josephus Ant. 20, 1, 2. they are called ἄρχοντες Ιερουσολυμιτών, and sometimes simply, as here, and in Luke 23, 15. apxoUTES. It is therefore a general expression, usually defined more exactly by some added words. By αὐτῶν is meant Ἰουδαίων. For pronouns often belong to a noun not expressly mentioned, but to be taken out of the context, or known from the subject treated of. See Glass. Phil. Sacr. 158 seqq. and the note on Joh. 8, 44. 9, 23. 17, 5.

5. εἰς Ἱερουσαλὴμ is put for ἐν Ἱερουσαλὴμ (these prepositions being often interchanged); and the words might perhaps be dispensed with, did we not find in other parts of this book some phrases which would seem superfluous; as in 8, 38. Indeed Beza, Lightfoot, Heuman, and Michaelis, suspect that many members of the Sanhedrim were at their country-seats for the summer; and thus they account for the clause in question. (Kuin.) But this seems very hypothetical, and precarious.

6. καὶ Ανναν τὸν ἀρχιερέα καὶ Καϊάφαν. At Καϊάφαν we must subaud apxegéa; for Caiaphas was then discharging the pontificial office. See Joseph. Ant. 18, 2, 2. 18, 4, 3. Joh. 11, 49. 18, 13. and Krebs in loc. Hence it has been debated by Commentators

how Hanas could be called agxepeús. Petavius, in ἀρχιερεύς. doctr. temp. 10, 58., and most others (following the opinion of Augustin) maintain that there were then two high priests discharging the pontificial office by turns, just as the two Roman consuls used the fasces. Others, however, with more probability, suppose that Hanas was the vicar, or deputy, of Caiaphas the Hight Priest, and was also, by courtesy, styled High Priest.

6. Ἰωάννην, καὶ ̓Αλέξανδρον. Who these persons were, cannot be determined. This only is certain, that they were men of authority, and senators. Alexander is thought by Bishop Pearson, in his Lect. on Acts, Krebs, in his Obs., and Dr. Mangey, to have been the brother of the celebrated Philo Judæus, and of whom frequent mention is made in Josephus, as in Ant. 18, 8. 79, 5. and elsewhere.

6. καὶ ὅσοι ἦσαν ἐκ γένους ἀρχιερατικοῦ. By these words Hammond thinks are meant the chiefs of the twentyfour Sacerdotal classes. And so Schleusner, in his Lex. in v. yévos. But no passages have yet been produced to prove this signification of the word. Grotius supposes that it relates to the Synedri who had gone through the office of High Priest. And so Wetstein, who cites Joseph. Ant. 15, 3, 1. 20, 10. ult. Bell. 4, 3. 6, 7, & 8. Others, with more probability, understand those Synedri who were relations of Hanas and Caiaphas. "Luke makes mention of these, (says Rosenmuller) in order to show his readers what powerful enemies were opposed to the Apostles. (Kuinoel.)

7. ἐν ποίᾳ δυνάμει ἢ ἐν ποίῳ ὀνόματι ἐ. τ. υ. The Sy nedri proposed this question to the Apostles (who, they fancied, would defend themselves very feebly and timidly) in order to elicit from them some answer by which they should find an occasion of ruining them. Most Commentators refer the words ev Toia duvάue, &c. to the discourse delivered by Peter in the Temple, (see Morus and Rosenmuller,) or to the discourse of Peter and the miracle wrought by.