Acts 1:22

Verse 22.

(*) "ordained" or, "Appointed"

Acts 5:32

Verse 32. And we are his witnesses. For this purpose they had been appointed, Acts 1:8,21,22, 2:32, 3:15, Lk 24:48.

Of these things. Particularly of the resurrection of the Lord Jesus, and of the events which had followed it. Perhaps, however, he meant to include everything pertaining to the life, teachings, and death of the Lord Jesus.

And so is also, etc. The descent of the Holy Ghost to endow them with remarkable gifts, (Acts 2:1-4,) to awaken and convert such a multitude, (Acts 2:41, 4:4, 5:14,) was an unanswerable attestation of the truth of these doctrines, and of the Christian religion. So manifest and decided was the presence of God attending them, that they could have no doubt that what they said was true; and so open and public was this attestation, that it was an evidence to all the people of the truth of their doctrine.

(a) "witnesses" Lk 24:48 (*) "Holy Ghost" "Holy Spirit" (b) "whom God hath given" Acts 2:4

Acts 10:39

Verse 39. And we are witnesses. We who are apostles. Lk 24:48.

In the land of the Jews. In the country of Judea.

Whom they slew, etc. Our translation would seem to imply that there were two separate acts--first slaying him, and then suspending him. But this is neither according to truth nor to the Greek text. The original is simply, "whom they put to death, suspending him on a tree."

On a tree. On a cross. Acts 5:30.

(h) "we are witnesses" Lk 24:48, Acts 2:32 ( ) "tree" "cross"

Acts 10:42

Verse 42. And he commanded us, etc. Mt 28:19,20, Mk 16:15,16.

And to testify. To bear witness.

That it is he, Jn 5:22-27. Compare the references in the margin.

Of quick. The living. The doctrine of the New Testament is, that those who are alive when the Lord Jesus shall return to judge the world, shall be caught up in vast numbers like clouds, to meet him in the air, without seeing death, 1Thes 4:16,17. Yet before this, they shall experience such a change in their bodies as shall fit them for the judgment and for their eternal residence--a change which shall liken them to those who have died, and have been raised from the dead. What this change will be, speculation may fancy, but the Bible has not revealed. See 1Cor 15:52: "The dead shall be raised, and we shall be changed."

(d) "commanded us to preach" Mt 28:19,20 (e) "that it is he" Jn 5:22,27, Acts 17:31, 2Cor 5:10, 1Pet 4:5 (*) "quick" "living"

Acts 22:16

Verse 16. And now, why tarriest thou? Why dost thou delay, or wait any longer? These words are not recorded by Luke in Acts 9, where he has given an account of the conversion of Paul; but there is nothing here contradictory to his statement.

And wash away thy sins. Receive baptism, as an act expressive of the washing away of sins. It cannot be intended that the external rite of baptism was sufficient to make the soul pure, but that it was an ordinance divinely appointed as expressive of the washing away of sins, or of purifying the heart. Comp. Heb 10:22. Sinners are represented in the Scriptures as defiled or polluted by sin. To wash away the sins denotes the purifying of the soul from this polluted influence, 1Cor 6:11, Rev 1:5, 7:14, Isa 1:16, Ps 51:2,7.

Calling on the name of the Lord. For pardon and sanctification. Rom 10:13, "Whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved." It was proper that this calling on the name of the Lord should be connected with the ordinance of baptism. That ordinance was expressive of a purifying which the Lord only could produce. It is proper that the rite of baptism should be attended with extraordinary prayer; and that he who is to be baptized should make it the occasion of peculiar and very solemn religious exercises. The external rite will avail nothing without the pardoning mercy of God.

(*) "tarriest" "delayest" (e) "wash away" Heb 10:22, 1Pet 3:21 (f) "calling" Rom 10:13, 1Cor 1:2
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