Act 12:20, 1Jo 3:19 | Barnes | STEP | Verse 20. And Herod was highly displeased , etc. Greek, Bare an hostile mind, intending war . See the margin. The Greek word--θυμομαχων --does not occur elsewhere in the New Testament. It means to meditate war; to purpose war in the mind; or here probably, to be enraged or angry at them. What was the cause of this hostility to the people of Tyre and Sidon is not mentioned, and conjecture is useless. It is not at all inconsistent, however, with the well-known character of Herod. It was probably from some cause relating to commerce. Tyre and Sidon were under the Roman power, and had some shadow of liberty, ( Grotius ;) and it is probable that they might have embarrassed Herod in some of his regulations respecting commerce. Tyre and Sidon . . They were north of Caesarea. They came with one accord . Fearing the effects of his anger, they united in sending an embassage to him to make peace. Blastus the king's chamberlain . See . The word chamberlain denotes an officer who is charged with the direction and management of a chamber, or chambers, particularly a bed-chamber. It denotes, here, a man who had charge of the bed-chamber of Herod. Because their country was nourished , etc. Was supplied by the territories of Herod. The country of Tyre and Sidon included a narrow strip of land on the coast of the Mediterranean. Of course they were dependent for provisions, and for articles of commerce, on the interior country; but this belonged to the kingdom of Herod; and as they were entirely dependent on his country, as he had power to dry up the sources of their supports, and commerce, they were the more urgent to secure his favour. (1) "highly displeased" "bare an hostile mind, intending war" (*) "accord" "consent" (2) "king's chamberlain" "That was over the king's bed-chamber" (a) "their country"

Acts 12:20

Verse 20. And Herod was highly displeased, etc. Greek, Bare an hostile mind, intending war. See the margin. The Greek word--θυμομαχων --does not occur elsewhere in the New Testament. It means to meditate war; to purpose war in the mind; or here probably, to be enraged or angry at them. What was the cause of this hostility to the people of Tyre and Sidon is not mentioned, and conjecture is useless. It is not at all inconsistent, however, with the well-known character of Herod. It was probably from some cause relating to commerce. Tyre and Sidon were under the Roman power, and had some shadow of liberty, (Grotius;) and it is probable that they might have embarrassed Herod in some of his regulations respecting commerce.

Tyre and Sidon. Mt 11:21. They were north of Caesarea.

They came with one accord. Fearing the effects of his anger, they united in sending an embassage to him to make peace.

Blastus the king's chamberlain. See Rom 16:23. The word chamberlain denotes an officer who is charged with the direction and management of a chamber, or chambers, particularly a bed-chamber. It denotes, here, a man who had charge of the bed-chamber of Herod.

Because their country was nourished, etc. Was supplied by the territories of Herod. The country of Tyre and Sidon included a narrow strip of land on the coast of the Mediterranean. Of course they were dependent for provisions, and for articles of commerce, on the interior country; but this belonged to the kingdom of Herod; and as they were entirely dependent on his country, as he had power to dry up the sources of their supports, and commerce, they were the more urgent to secure his favour.

(1) "highly displeased" "bare an hostile mind, intending war" (*) "accord" "consent" (2) "king's chamberlain" "That was over the king's bed-chamber" (a) "their country" Eze 27:17

1 John 3:19

Verse 19. And hereby. Gr., by this; that is, by the fact that we have true love to others, and that we manifest it by a readiness to make sacrifices to do them good.

We know that we are of the truth. That we are not deceived in what we profess to be; that is that we are true Christians. To be of the truth stands opposed to cherishing false and delusive hopes.

And shall assure our hearts before him. Before God, or before the Saviour. In the margin, as in the Greek, the word rendered shall assure, is persuade. The Greek word is used as meaning to persuade, e.g., to the reception and belief of truth; then to persuade any one who has unkind or prejudiced feelings towards us, or to bring over to kind feelings, to conciliate, and thus to pacify or quiet. The meaning here seems to be, that we shall in this way allay the doubts and trouble of our minds, and produce a state of quiet and peace, to wit, by the evidence that we are of the truth. Our consciences are often restless and troubled in view of past guilt; but, in thus furnishing the evidence of true piety by love to others, we shall pacify an accusing mind, and conciliate our own hearts, and persuade or convince ourselves that we are truly the children of God. See Rob. Lex. sub voce πειθω, I. b. In other words, though a man's heart may condemn him as guilty, and though he knows that God sees and condemns the sins of his past life, yet the agitations and alarms of his mind may be calmed down and soothed by evidence that he is a child of God, and that he will not be finally condemned. A true Christian does not attempt to conceal the fact that there is much for which his own heart and conscience might justly accuse him; but he finds, notwithstanding all this, evidence that he is a child of God, and he is persuaded that all will be well.

(a) "hereby" Jn 13:35 (1) "shall assure" "persuade"