See note Acts 8:1^1c.

See note 1 Cor. 12:28^3d.

See note 1 Cor. 12:28^4e.

A Levite, a Cyprian by birth (Acts 4:36).

Meaning black and denoting a Negro, probably of African origin.

A Cyrenian from Cyrene in North Africa. He was a Jew if he was the Lucius in Rom. 16:21, a kinsman of Paul.

Herod was governmentally related to the Romans; hence, Manaen, Herod's foster brother, must have been Europeanized.

The one who killed John the Baptist (Luke 9:7-9). It was the Lord's sovereign doing that the foster brother of John the Baptist's murderer became one of the leading functioning members in the church.

A Jew born in Tarsus and taught by Gamaliel according to the law of Moses (Acts 22:3). The five prophets and teachers recorded here were composed of Jews and Gentiles, each having a different background, education, and status. This indicates that the church is composed of all races and classes of people regardless of their background, and that the spiritual gifts and functions given to the members of the Body of Christ are not based on their natural status.

Not conferring with men and organizing.

As the pneumatic Christ, the Head of the Body.

This was a great step taken by the Lord for the spread of the gospel of His kingdom to the Gentile world. It was begun from Antioch, a Gentile center in Syria, without the organizing of a mission, without the raising of funds, without human ordination, and without any human plan or method. It was initiated by five faithful and seeking members of the Body of Christ, who gave the Head of the Body an opportunity through their ministering and fasting, that He, as the Spirit, might set them apart to carry out His great commission to spread His kingdom for the establishing of His church in the Gentile world through the preaching of His gospel. This major step had nothing to do with the church in Jerusalem organizationally, and it was not under the authority and direction of Peter and the other eleven apostles in Jerusalem. It was begun solely and purely from a Gentile center, far away from the atmosphere and influence of any Judaic background and practice and even from the practice and influence of the church in Jerusalem. It was absolutely a move by the Spirit, in the Spirit, and with the Spirit through the coordination of the faithful and seeking members of the Body of Christ on the earth with the Head in the heavens. Hence, this was not a religious movement with a human schedule. From Antioch the Lord's move on the earth for God's New Testament economy had an entirely new start. Although the flow of the Lord's move began from Jerusalem on the day of Pentecost and later came to Antioch and went on from Antioch to the Gentile world, it had a purified start by the Spirit at its turn in Antioch.

Not discussed and decided.

See note 1 Tim. 4:14^4c. Here the laying on of hands denotes identification, signifying that they who laid their hands were one with those on whom they laid hands. By this they declared to all that they were one with the sent ones in their going to carry out the Lord's great commission.

In v. 3 Barnabas and Saul were sent by the other three. But here it says that they were sent out by the Spirit. This proves that the three were one with the Spirit in the Lord's move, and the Spirit honored their sending as His.

This was the start of Paul's first ministry journey, which ended in Acts 14:27.

Barnabas and Saul did not go to attend the Jewish synagogue gathering but to take advantage of that gathering to announce the word of God, just as the Lord did in His ministry on the earth (Matt. 4:23; Luke 4:16). See note Acts 13:14¹.

See note James 2:2¹.

At that time Cyprus was a senatorial province of the Roman Empire, and the head of its local government was the proconsul.

The objective faith, referring to the contents of the gospel, in which the believers in Christ believe (see note 1 Tim. 1:1¹, par. 2).

The change of name may indicate a change in life. In any case, after Paul was filled with the Holy Spirit here, he took the lead in the apostolic ministry all the way.

The outward filling for power. See note Acts 2:4².

See note 2 Pet. 2:15¹.

Based on Acts 15:38, the reason for John's departing must have been negative and hence a discouragement to Paul and his companions. However, he was recovered to Paul in Paul's later ministry (Col. 4:10-11; 2 Tim. 4:11).

The purpose of the apostles' going to the synagogue on the Sabbath day was not to keep the Sabbath but to grasp the opportunity for preaching the gospel (see note Acts 13:5¹).

See note Acts 1:16¹.

See note Acts 7:26¹.

The Gentiles who were seeking God.

I.e., uplifted.

Other MSS read, He put up with them.

The 450 years extends from the people's exodus from Egypt (v. 17) to the time of Samuel the prophet (v. 20), when David reigned completely, ruling over the whole nation of Israel (2 Sam. 5:3-5; cf. Judg. 11:26; 1 Kings 6:1).

David was a man according to God's heart, that is, according to God's heart's desire, not only according to God's words. Such a man will do all God's will.

Lit., before the face of His entrance. A Hebraism.

See note Mark 1:4^3c.

To think secretly or conjecture.

See note Acts 1:16¹.

See note Acts 13:16².

Lit., voices.

I.e., sentencing Him to death (Luke 24:20).

See note Acts 2:24¹.

Resurrection was a birth to the man Jesus. He was begotten by God in His resurrection to be the firstborn Son of God among many brothers (Rom. 8:29). He was the only begotten Son of God from eternity (John 1:18; 3:16). After incarnation, through resurrection He was begotten by God in His humanity to be God's firstborn Son.

The Greek word for the holy things here is in the plural. The same Greek word is used for Holy One in the next verse, but in the singular. However, it is not the regular word for holy; it is a Greek equivalent of the Hebrew word chesed, which is translated mercies in Isa. 55:3 in the KJV, and also in 2 Chron. 6:42 and Psa. 89:1, both in the Septuagint and the KJV. In Psa. 89, the word mercies in plural in Psa. 89:1 is the same word as for Holy One in singular in Psa. 89:19. This Holy One is Christ, the Son of David, in whom God's mercies are centered and conveyed. Hence, the holy things of David, the faithful things refers to the resurrected Christ. This is fully proved by the context, especially by Your Holy One in the next verse, and by the verse following Isa. 55:3.

See note Luke 1:75^1a. So also for Holy in the next verse.

Lit., give.

This indicates that David's reigning as king was a service rendered to his generation by the counsel of God.

Lit., added to.

See note Acts 2:24¹.

See note Acts 1:16¹.

Lit., in.

To be forgiven of sins is on the negative side (v. 38) and is for our release from condemnation. To be justified is on the positive side and is for our reconciliation to God and our being accepted by Him.

See note Acts 2:10¹.

See note Acts 11:23^1a.

Gk. pleroo, filled inwardly. See note Acts 2:4². This infilling by the Holy Spirit is essential, being for life, not for power. Joy, being a matter of life, not of power, proves this.

Or, ordained. One's rejecting the gospel is evidence that he is unworthy of eternal life (v. 46); one's believing it is proof that he was appointed or ordained by God to eternal life. God's ordination, or predestination, for man's salvation is sovereignly of Himself. However, He still leaves man to his own free will. Whether man would believe or reject His salvation is up to man's own decision.

This word is a quotation from Isa. 49:6, which refers to Christ as God's Servant, whom God made a light to the Gentiles that His salvation might reach to the end of the earth. Because he was one with Christ in carrying out God's salvation in Christ, the apostle Paul applied this prophetic word to himself in his ministry of gospel preaching for the turning of the gospel from the Jews, because of their rejection, to the Gentiles. In His ministry on earth the Lord expressed the same thing to the stubborn Jews in Luke 4:24-27.

One's thrusting away the word of God is proof that he, by his own judgment, is unworthy of eternal life. See note Acts 13:48¹.