16 `Men, brethren, it behoved this Writing that it be fulfilled that beforehand the Holy Spirit spake through the mouth of David, concerning Judas, who became guide to those who took Jesus,
Even mine ally, in whom I trusted, One eating my bread, made great the heel against me,
not concerning you all do I speak; I have known whom I chose for myself; but that the Writing may be fulfilled: He who is eating the bread with me, did lift up against me his heel.
For an enemy reproacheth me not, or I bear `it', He who is hating me Hath not magnified himself against me, Or I hide from him. But thou, a man -- as mine equal, My familiar friend, and mine acquaintance. When together we sweeten counsel, Into the house of God we walk in company. Desolations `are' upon them, They go down `to' Sheol -- alive, For wickedness `is' in their dwelling, in their midst.
that the word of Isaiah the prophet might be fulfilled, which he said, `Lord, who gave credence to our report? and the arm of the Lord -- to whom was it revealed?' Because of this they were not able to believe, that again Isaiah said, `He hath blinded their eyes, and hardened their heart, that they might not see with the eyes, and understand with the heart, and turn back, and I might heal them;'
And while he is yet speaking, lo, Judas, one of the twelve did come, and with him a great multitude, with swords and sticks, from the chief priests and elders of the people.
Wherefore, (as the Holy Spirit saith, `To-day, if His voice ye may hear -- ye may not harden your hearts, as in the provocation, in the day of the temptation in the wilderness,
and he said, `Men, brethren, and fathers, hearken: The God of the glory did appear to our father Abraham, being in Mesopotamia, before his dwelling in Haran,
who, through the mouth of David thy servant, did say, Why did nations rage, and peoples meditate vain things? the kings of the earth stood up, and the rulers were gathered together against the Lord and against His Christ; for gathered together of a truth against Thy holy child Jesus, whom Thou didst anoint, were both Herod and Pontius Pilate, with nations and peoples of Israel, to do whatever Thy hand and Thy counsel did determine before to come to pass.
and after the reading of the law and of the prophets, the chief men of the synagogue sent unto them, saying, `Men, brethren, if there be a word in you of exhortation unto the people -- say on.'
`Men, brethren, sons of the race of Abraham, and those among you fearing God, to you was the word of this salvation sent, for those dwelling in Jerusalem, and their chiefs, this one not having known, also the voices of the prophets, which every sabbath are being read -- having judged `him' -- did fulfill, and no cause of death having found, they did ask of Pilate that he should be slain, and when they did complete all the things written about him, having taken `him' down from the tree, they laid him in a tomb;
and there having been much disputing, Peter having risen up said unto them, `Men, brethren, ye know that from former days, God among us did make choice, through my mouth, for the nations to hear the word of the good news, and to believe;
`Men, brethren, and fathers, hear my defence now unto you;' --
and Paul having known that the one part are Sadducees, and the other Pharisees, cried out in the sanhedrim, `Men, brethren, I am a Pharisee -- son of a Pharisee -- concerning hope and rising again of dead men I am judged.'
And it came to pass after three days, Paul called together those who are the principal men of the Jews, and they having come together, he said unto them: `Men, brethren, I -- having done nothing contrary to the people, or to the customs of the fathers -- a prisoner from Jerusalem, was delivered up to the hands of the Romans;
And having heard, they were pricked to the heart; they say also to Peter, and to the rest of the apostles, `What shall we do, men, brethren?'
`Men, brethren! it is permitted to speak with freedom unto you concerning the patriarch David, that he both died and was buried, and his tomb is among us unto this day; a prophet, therefore, being, and knowing that with an oath God did swear to him, out of the fruit of his loins, according to the flesh, to raise up the Christ, to sit upon his throne, having foreseen, he did speak concerning the rising again of the Christ, that his soul was not left to hades, nor did his flesh see corruption.
for it hath been written in the book of Psalms: Let his lodging-place become desolate, and let no one be dwelling in it, and his oversight let another take.
For these things came to pass, that the Writing may be fulfilled, `A bone of him shall not be broken;'
After this, Jesus knowing that all things now have been finished, that the Writing may be fulfilled, saith, `I thirst;' a vessel, therefore, was placed full of vinegar, and they having filled a sponge with vinegar, and having put `it' around a hyssop stalk, did put `it' to his mouth; when, therefore, Jesus received the vinegar, he said, `It hath been finished;' and having bowed the head, gave up the spirit.
and Judas also, who delivered him up, had known the place, because many times did Jesus assemble there with his disciples. Judas, therefore, having taken the band and officers out of the chief priests and Pharisees, doth come thither with torches and lamps, and weapons; Jesus, therefore, knowing all things that are coming upon him, having gone forth, said to them, `Whom do ye seek?' they answered him, `Jesus the Nazarene;' Jesus saith to them, `I am `he';' -- and Judas who delivered him up was standing with them; -- when, therefore, he said to them -- `I am `he',' they went away backward, and fell to the ground. Again, therefore, he questioned them, `Whom do ye seek?' and they said, `Jesus the Nazarene;' Jesus answered, `I said to you that I am `he'; if, then, me ye seek, suffer these to go away;'
if them he did call gods unto whom the word of God came, (and the Writing is not able to be broken,)
for David himself said in the Holy Spirit, The Lord said to my lord, Sit thou on My right hand, till I place thine enemies -- thy footstool;
but all this hath come to pass, that the Writings of the prophets may be fulfilled;' then all the disciples, having left him, fled.
The Spirit of Jehovah hath spoken by me, And His word `is' on my tongue.
And while he is speaking, lo, a multitude, and he who is called Judas, one of the twelve, was coming before them, and he came nigh to Jesus to kiss him,
Worthy.Bible » Commentaries » Matthew Henry Commentary » Commentary on Acts 1
Commentary on Acts 1 Matthew Henry Commentary
An Exposition, With Practical Observations, of
The Acts of the Apostles
Chapter 1
The inspired historian begins his narrative of the Acts of the Apostles,
Act 1:1-5
In these verses,
Act 1:6-11
In Jerusalem Christ, by his angel, had appointed his disciples to meet him in Galilee; there he appointed them to meet him in Jerusalem again, such a day. Thus he would try their obedience, and it was found ready and cheerful; they came together, as he appointed them, to be the witnesses of his ascension, of which we have here an account. Observe,
Act 1:12-14
We are here told,
Act 1:15-26
The sin of Judas was not only his shame and ruin, but it made a vacancy in the college of the apostles. They were ordained twelve, with an eye to the twelve tribes of Israel, descended from the twelve patriarchs; they were the twelve stars that make up the church's crown (Rev. 12:1), and for them twelve thrones were designated, Mt. 19:28. Now being twelve when they were learners, if they were but eleven when they were to be teachers, it would occasion every one to enquire what had become of the twelfth, and so revive the remembrance of the scandal of their society; and therefore care was taken, before the descent of the Spirit, to fill up the vacancy, of the doing of which we now have an account, our Lord Jesus, probably, having given directions about it, among other things which he spoke pertaining to the kingdom of God. Observe,