Entered according to Act of Congress, in the year 1844, by in the Clerk's Office of the District Court of the District of Massachusetts. STEREOTYPED AT THE BOSTON TYPE AND STEREOTYPE FOUNDRY. PREFACE. THE kind approval of friends, and the generous patronage of the public, for which the author feels a lively gratitude, have operated with other and more serious motives, and induced him to add to the Commentary upon the Gospels one upon the Acts of the Apostles. Like the previous volumes, this has been prepared in the midst of many professional duties and cares; which are mentioned, not by way of complaint,- for experience teaches us that the most energetic exercise of our faculties, consistent with health, yields the greatest happiness, but they are stated, as excuses for imperfections, and foils to a keen-edged criticism. All the aids that could be procured, in ancient or modern commentators, have been resorted to, and the results embodied in the following pages, rather than the processes and reasonings by which those results were obtained. The work has been composed, less for the learned or professional man, than for the general reader, who, it is hoped, in most instances, will be content to trust the honesty and veracity of the writer, and not care to have the margins crowded with a multiplicity of references to tome, book, chapter, section, and edition, where a remark may be found, or a fact confirmed. The reputation of a learned work might be thus enhanced at little cost, except of paper and print; but it is thought that it would add scarcely any thing to the value of an exposition of this description. A catalogue below will indicate the authorities and helps which have been investigated, and more or less used, as occasion required.* The Map, appended to this volume by the liberality of the Publishers, will also be found, perhaps, in some measure serviceable in studying the geography of the Gospels. The Calendar of Events is drawn from various sources, and essentially corresponds to the chronology of Lardner. The Vocabulary of Proper Names is designed to assist in the pronunciation of words which, being derived from the Greek or Latin language, are difficult for an English reader to accentuate correctly. This list is principally derived, though altered, from the excellent Commentary upon the Acts by Professor Ripley. The author is solely responsible for the captions of the chapters. It is the present intention of the writer, should life and strength be spared by a gracious Providence, to publish, in process of time, a Commentary upon the remaining books of the New Testament; though the uncertainties of life, and of life in the ministerial profession at the present day, are too numerous not to rebuke any very presuming or assured plans of so great pith and moment. The Versions and Editions of Luther, Griesbach, Tyndale by Dabney, Beza, Sacy, Wakefield, Thomson, Palfrey, the Catholic Testament, and the Improved Version. The Commentaries of Poole, Fratres Poloni, Pearce, Hammond, Le Clerc, Lightfoot, Henry, Whitby, Goadby, Rosenmüller, Kuinoel, Doddridge, Stack, Scott, Priestley, Clarke, Kenrick, Dabney, Trollope, Olshausen, Bloomfield, Barnes, and Ripley. MS. notes of the valuable Lectures of Norton and Palfrey; Calmet's Dictionary; the Pictorial Bible; Robinson's Greek Lexicon of the New Testament; Wilson's Concessions; the Septuagint; Josephus; Eusebius; and the Works of Haynes, Paley, Gerard, Symonds, Jahn, Winer, Prideaux, Hug, Cappe, Lardner, Horne, Watson, Lyttleton, Burder, the Abbotts, Greenwood, Furness, Allen, W. J. Fox, Farmer, Milman, Neander, Robinson's Researches, Spear; General Repository, Scriptural Interpreter, and other periodicals. With heartfelt remembrances of the aid and approval of the past, from his friends and Christian brethren, and with fervent thankfulness to Heaven for its care and support during the this labor, the author commits his work to the reader. progress of May it not prove wholly unavailing in the cause of Christ; but promote, as is its aim, the high and immortal interests of Christian knowledge, liberty, holiness, charity and piety! KEENE, N. H., April 26, 1844. 1* CALENDAR OF SOME OF THE PRINCIPAL EVENTS DURING THE FIRST CENTURY OF THE CHRISTIAN ERA, CHIEFLY CONNECTED WITH THE ACTS OF THE APOSTLES, AND THEIR EPISTLES. 2. Death of Herod the Great, and the accession of Archelaus. A. D. 7. Archelaus deposed, and Judea reduced to a Roman province. 14. Tiberius succeeds Augustus as Emperor of Rome. 26. Pontius Pilate appointed Procurator of Judea. Ministry of John the Baptist. Baptism of Jesus. Ministry of Jesus Christ. 29. His Crucifixion, Resurrection, and Ascension. The Descent of the Holy Spirit on the day of Pentecost. Acts ii. Cure of the lame man. Chap. iii. The Death of Ananias and Sapphira. Chap. v. The Apostles imprisoned. 35. The Martyrdom of Stephen. Chap. vii. 36. Pontius Pilate removed. Saul converted. Chap. ix. His residence of three years in Arabia. 37. Caligula, Roman Emperor. 39. The Christian Churches enjoy rest. 41. The Conversion of Cornelius. Chap. x. Claudius Cesar, Roman Emperor. 42. Barnabas and Paul come to Antioch. The Disciples first called Christians at Antioch. 44. The Persecution of Herod. Chap. xii. |