Atos 13
Theophylact of Ohrid
Atos 13:1
He mentions Barnabas first, since Paul had not yet become famous and had not yet performed any sign. But it should be noted that both Paul and Barnabas were numbered among the rank of the apostles. "Manaen, who had been brought up with Herod the tetrarch." Here is what the character of each person means, and upbringing does not have an influence: look how Herod remained such a wicked man, while his foster-brother Manaen changed so much that he was even deemed worthy of the gift of prophecy. — Commentary on Acts
Atos 13:2
What does "when they served" mean? It means "preached." And the expression "for the work" is used instead of "for apostleship." By whom is Paul ordained? By Lucius and Manaen, or rather by the Holy Spirit. He is ordained so that he might preach with authority. How then does Paul himself say: "chosen not by men nor through man" (Gal. 1:1)? This is in the sense that no man called him and converted him. — Commentary on Acts
Atos 13:3
They ordained not as they did deacons, but "having laid hands on them" after preliminary fasting and prayer, so that from this one may conclude that Barnabas and Paul through such ordination received a higher hierarchical rank than that of deacons. — Commentary on Acts
Atos 13:4
They do not stop in Seleucia, knowing that its inhabitants could gain much benefit from the neighboring city, but hasten to fulfill what was urgent. — Commentary on Acts
Atos 13:7
What is remarkable about the proconsul is that, having already been previously captivated by the sorcerer's magic, he still desired to listen to the apostles. — Commentary on Acts
Atos 13:8
But pay attention also to the sorcerer: when the apostles were preaching to the other people, he was not very indignant; but he became especially indignant when they came to the proconsul. — Commentary on Acts
Atos 13:9
Here, together with Saul's ordination, his name is also changed. He was renamed so that in this respect too he would be no less than the apostles. And as for the preeminence that the chief of Christ's disciples, Peter, had, Paul too, it seems, enjoyed the same esteem and had occasion to win even greater favor. — Commentary on Acts
Atos 13:10
No kind of subtlety, he says, remained which you did not possess. He rightly said "all subtlety," because the sorcerer was a flatterer and a liar. And he calls him "son of the devil" because he was doing the devil's work. — Commentary on Acts
Atos 13:11
It is not with us, says Paul, that you wage war and fight, but you turn people away "from the straight paths of the Lord. And now behold, the hand of the Lord is upon you: you shall be blind and not see the sun for a time." By the same means by which he himself was converted, he wanted to convert him as well. Therefore, this was not a punishment, but a healing, because Paul said: "It is not I who do this, but 'behold, the hand of the Lord is upon you.'" And "for a time" was evidently the word not of one punishing, but of one converting, because if it had been the word of one punishing, Paul would have made him blind permanently; but here it is not so, but rather "for a time." He speaks thus in order to make an impression on the proconsul, for he gives him to understand by this that it depends on the sorcerer himself to receive his sight again: he needs to change his way of life for the better. — Commentary on Acts
Atos 13:12
"Turning here and there, he sought a guide." This is proof of his blindness. It was necessary through precisely such a punishment to bring to his senses the one who had previously been carried away by magic. In this way, punishments served, as it were, to bring even the sorcerers to their senses. — Commentary on Acts
Atos 13:13
John, called Mark, accompanied them in their evangelical journey from Palestine to Perga of Pamphylia. Then, when the apostles hastened their journey and with a firm, unyielding spirit began to arm themselves for labors, Mark, being a weak man who did not dare to undertake such a journey and those labors, dangers, and struggles that presented themselves in every city, fell behind the apostles and returned to Palestine — not denying Christ, but refusing to continue the journey, since it was difficult for him. Paul and Barnabas returned to Jerusalem with abundant fruits of faith and proclaimed to the church in Jerusalem the conversion and repentance of the Gentiles. And when all began to praise Paul and Barnabas for their successful labors, Mark grew sorrowful, troubled in soul, and perhaps thought: "If I too had been with the apostles, I too would have become a partaker in their glory" — and again desired to set out together with the apostles to preach. They come again to Perga, because they were hastening to the metropolis of Antioch. — Commentary on Acts
Atos 13:14
They entered the synagogues in Jewish clothing, so as not to meet resistance and not be driven out, and thus achieved their goal in everything. — Commentary on Acts
Atos 13:15
The Jews had the custom of reading on the Sabbath the Law of Moses and the Prophets, and after the reading, of addressing the people with a speech and explaining what had been read. Therefore the rulers of the synagogue invite those who were with Paul to speak in the synagogue. — Commentary on Acts
Atos 13:16
Paul preaches here for the first time, and see with what prudence: those places where the discussion concerns God the Word, he passes over and stops at places that did not mention the seed of David, as he himself says when writing to the Romans: "I strived to preach the gospel not where the name of Christ was already known" (Rom. 15:20). Notice: Barnabas also yields to Paul, just as John everywhere yields to Peter. Although Barnabas enjoyed great respect, he acted this way with the common good in mind. — Commentary on Acts
Atos 13:17
"God of this people chose our fathers." Having reminded them of ancient events, he points out, just as Stephen did, the great benefactions of God that occurred at that time. — Commentary on Acts
Atos 13:22
It should be noted that these words are not found in the Book of Kings in the same form as here; there it is only prophetically said by Samuel to Saul: "The Lord will find for Himself a man after His own heart, and the Lord will command him to be a ruler over His people, since you have not fulfilled what was commanded to you by the Lord" (1 Sam. 13:14). From these words Paul composed the following statement: "I have found a man after My own heart…" — Commentary on Acts
Atos 13:23
"From his seed God, according to the promise, raised up for Israel a Savior, Jesus." The name of David was especially beloved by the Jews; therefore it is said that a king reigns from his lineage. — Commentary on Acts
Atos 13:24
"Before His very appearance John preached." By appearance he means the incarnation. — Commentary on Acts
Atos 13:25
John does not simply testify, but denies the very glory that everyone attributed to him. It is not the same thing to refuse honor when no one offers it, and to do so when everyone bestows it. — Commentary on Acts
Atos 13:26
"Men and brethren, children of the stock of Abraham." He points here to the noble origin of the Jews. — Commentary on Acts
Atos 13:27
"Not having known Him." He somewhat excuses them: they crucified Him, he says, not knowing who He was; because the crime was committed as a result of ignorance. — Commentary on Acts
Atos 13:28
"Finding no cause of death in Him, they asked Pilate to kill Him." He says that the death penalty was desired by them. He brings Pilate onto the scene so that, on the one hand, the suffering might be made widely known, and on the other, they might subject themselves to a greater accusation as having handed Christ over to a foreign man. And he did not say "demanded," but "asked." They requested, he says, permission for the killing, although Pilate was, as it were, unwilling. Peter speaks more clearly about this: "When he was resolved to let Him go" (Acts 3:13). — Commentary on Acts
Atos 13:30
"But God raised Him from the dead." Let it not trouble you that it is said of Jesus that He was raised by God, because if Jesus is none other than the incarnate Word, and the Word, according to the testimony of Scripture, Christ, the Power of God and the Wisdom of God, is the power of the Father by which He accomplishes all things, then it follows that Jesus raised Himself. And if it is said that He was raised by the Father, it is said in the sense that to the Father, as such a principle and such a cause which are outside of time, all things are attributed. And Jesus Himself says: "Destroy this temple, and in three days I will raise it up" (John 2:19). — Commentary on Acts
Atos 13:31
"Who came up with Him from Galilee to Jerusalem, and who are now His witnesses before the people." Which they could in no way have been, if the power of God had not sustained them. — Commentary on Acts
Atos 13:33
"Unto us their children, raising up Jesus." The name "Jesus" the brothers of the God-slayers take as the name of a man. Having said above that the Word was laid in the tomb, Paul — lest anyone think that he called the Word incorporeal — again calls Him Jesus and does not allow, for a single moment after the union of the two natures, any division in the incarnate Word. "You are My Son: today I have begotten You." Understand these words in relation to the incarnation of Christ, which took place in time, since the expressions "today and tomorrow" contain within themselves the meaning of days. But from the Father the Son is born, as even the heretics acknowledge, timelessly. — Commentary on Acts
Atos 13:35
"You will not allow Your Holy One to see corruption." The body of the Lord and Savior Christ is called incorruptible and immortal, because it is clear that it possessed the property of incorruption from the time of the incarnation itself, since Christ was sinless. — Commentary on Acts
Atos 13:37
The One Whom God raised up did not see corruption, but made the place of the tomb a place of incorruption, because Christ, having risen by His own power, truly shone forth as the author of incorruption, so that we too might rise from the tombs and go out "to meet the Lord" (1 Thess. 4:17), when, on the day of the expected resurrection, He comes a second time with glory upon the clouds. — Commentary on Acts
Atos 13:38
See how he does not finish speaking about the essence of the matter, about the promised seed. He did not bring forward the testimony on which they could rely that the remission of sins is accomplished through Jesus, and this was beyond doubt. — Commentary on Acts
Atos 13:41
The prophet Habakkuk exclaims: "Look, you scoffers, marvel and perish," and God answers the people of lawlessness that misfortunes threaten them both now and in the future. And it was worthy of great wonder how Israel, enrolled among the company of the children of God and called the firstborn — that Israel, for whose sake Egypt perished — is handed over to the Babylonians, handed over not only to their sword, but even to captivity, and slavery, and every possible suffering. "You would not believe, even if someone were telling you." The matter is so magnificent that it would seem even incredible, if someone were to report it to you. — Commentary on Acts
Atos 13:42
You saw the wise resourcefulness of Paul. In order to attach and endear the Gentiles to himself, and also so as not to scatter their attention by communicating everything to them all at once, he first offered several hints and did not resolve them, and by this aroused in the Gentiles a desire to hear him another time. He said that the forgiveness of sins was being proclaimed, but how this forgiveness would be accomplished, he did not explain. He did not baptize them immediately, because it was untimely. — Commentary on Acts
Atos 13:45
So great is the intolerance of envy! Many utterly grow faint and die from seeing others held in honor. And people of this sort are capable of opposing not only man, but also the will of God. — Commentary on Acts
Atos 13:46
So that the words "you make yourselves unworthy of eternal life" might not be interpreted by someone as evidence of their humility, Paul first said "as you reject it." Then he added "we turn to the Gentiles." He does not say "we are leaving you," but expresses himself in such a way that allows for the possibility of his return to Antioch. — Commentary on Acts
Atos 13:47
"I have set You as a light to the Gentiles," that is, for the knowledge of salvation by the Gentiles, and not only by the Gentiles, but by all. — Commentary on Acts
Atos 13:48
"Who were ordained to eternal life." Ordained not by compulsion, for it is said, "whom He foreknew, He also predestined" (Rom. 8:29). Thus, the kindred of the Lord is essentially the entire human race, but Israel is His especially close kindred. And since He came to Israel, and enlightened the other nations through the apostles, it is said: "God according to His promise raised up for Israel a Savior, Jesus" (Acts 13:23), while the Gentiles through Him were illumined with light (cf. Luke 2:32), and salvation was granted to all, for this is precisely what is signified by the words "to the end of the earth," and the promises made to their fathers were fulfilled. Although they were appointed or predestined to eternal life according to foreknowledge, they believed by their own desire, by their own will. God's foreknowledge does not destroy the freedom of our will. Appointed before the foundation of the world, according to God's foreknowledge, to be a chosen vessel, Paul did not become one immediately at birth or in his youth, but after a considerable time, when he had formed a notion of his own significance and his own virtues. — Commentary on Acts
Atos 13:50
The Jews were not limited to feelings of envy, but resorted to actions as well. By "devout women" he means not believing women, but Jewish or Greek ones, and by "honorable" he means wealthy. Do you see what a vile deed they persuaded the women to commit? They strive to block people's path to salvation with the help of women, in imitation of the ancient deceiver — the devil, who chose Eve as the instrument for blocking people's entrance into paradise. — Commentary on Acts
Atos 13:51
They did not do this without reason, but because they had been driven out by the Jews. — Commentary on Acts
Atos 13:52
"And the disciples were filled with joy and with the Holy Spirit." The teachers were being persecuted, yet they rejoiced: such is the power of the Gospel. The suffering of the teacher does not take away boldness from the disciple, but makes him more courageous. — Commentary on Acts