Act 19:29, 20:4, 27:2 | Clarke | e4.org | Verse 29. The whole city was filled with confusion ] Thus we find the peace of the whole city was disturbed, not by an apostle preaching the Gospel of Christ, but by one interested, unprincipled knave, who did not even plead conscience for what he was doing; but that it was by this craft he and his fellows got their wealth, and he was afraid to lose it. Rushed-into the theatre. ] The theatres, being very spacious and convenient places, were often used for popular assemblies and public deliberation, especially in matters which regarded the safety of the state. There are several proofs of this in ancient authors. So Tacitus , Hist. ii. 80, speaking concerning Vespasian, says: Antiochensium theatrum ingressus, ubi illis consultare mos est, concurrentes et in adulationem effusos alloquitur . "Having entered into the theatre of the Antiochians, where it was the custom to hold consultations, the people running together, and being profuse in flattery, he addressed them." Frontinus , in Stratagem lib. iii. cap. 2, speaking of a public meeting at the theatre at Agrigentum, observes, ubi ex more Graecorum locus consultationi praebebatur ; which, according to the custom of the Greeks, is the place for public deliberation. See several examples in Kypke .

‏ Acts 19:29

Verse 29. The whole city was filled with confusion] Thus we find the peace of the whole city was disturbed, not by an apostle preaching the Gospel of Christ, but by one interested, unprincipled knave, who did not even plead conscience for what he was doing; but that it was by this craft he and his fellows got their wealth, and he was afraid to lose it.

Rushed-into the theatre.] The theatres, being very spacious and convenient places, were often used for popular assemblies and public deliberation, especially in matters which regarded the safety of the state. There are several proofs of this in ancient authors. So Tacitus, Hist. ii. 80, speaking concerning Vespasian, says: Antiochensium theatrum ingressus, ubi illis consultare mos est, concurrentes et in adulationem effusos alloquitur. "Having entered into the theatre of the Antiochians, where it was the custom to hold consultations, the people running together, and being profuse in flattery, he addressed them." Frontinus, in Stratagem lib. iii. cap. 2, speaking of a public meeting at the theatre at Agrigentum, observes, ubi ex more Graecorum locus consultationi praebebatur; which, according to the custom of the Greeks, is the place for public deliberation. See several examples in Kypke.

‏ Acts 20:4

Verse 4. And there accompanied him] Rather, says Bishop Pearce, there followed him as far as to Asia; for they were not in his company till he set sail from Philippi, and came to them at Troas, in Asia, whither they had gone before, and where they tarried for him, Ac 20:5.

Into Asia] αχριτηςασιας; These words are wanting in two MSS., Erpen, the AEthiopic, Coptic, and Vulgate. Some think that they embarrass this place; for how these could accompany him into Asia, and go before him, and tarry for him at Troas, Ac 20:6, is not so very clear; unless we suppose, what I have glanced at in the table of contents, that they came with him to Asia, but, he tarrying a short time, they proceeded on their journey, and stopped for him at Troas, where he shortly after rejoined them. Mr. Wakefield gets rid of the difficulty by reading the verse thus: Now Sopater of Berea accompanied him; but Aristarchus and Secundus of Thessalonica, Gaius of Derbe, Timothy of Lystra, and Tychicus and Trophimus of Asia, went before, and tarried for us at Troas.

Sopater of Berea] Sopater seems to be the same as Sosipater, whom St. Paul mentions as his kinsman, Ro 16:21. ADE, more than twenty others, with the Coptic, Armenian, later Syriac in the margin, Vulgate, Itala, Theophylact, Origen, and Bede, add πυρρου Sopater the SON OF PYRRHUS. Griesbach has received this into his text.

Aristarchus of Thessalonica] This person occurs in Ac 19:29, and is mentioned there as a Macedonian. He attended Paul in his journey to Rome, Ac 27:2, and was his fellow labourer, Phm 1:24, and his fellow prisoner, Col 4:10, 11. Secundus is mentioned nowhere but in this place.

Gaius of Derbe] This is supposed to be the same who is mentioned Ac 19:26, and who is there called a man of Macedonia, of which some suppose he was a native, but descended from a family that came from Derbe; but as Gaius, or Caius, was a very common name, these might have been two distinct persons. One of this name was baptized by St. Paul at Corinth, 1Co 1:14, and entertained him as his host while he abode there, Ro 16:23, and was probably the same to whom St. John directs his third epistle.

And Timotheus] Of Lystra, is added by the Syriac. This was the same person of whom mention is made, Ac 16:1, and to whom St. Paul wrote the two epistles which are still extant; and who was a native of Lystra, as we learn from the above place. It was on this evidence, probably that the ancient Syriac translator added, of Lystra, to the text. This reading is not supported by any MSS.

Tychicus-of Asia] This person was high in the confidence of St. Paul. He styles him a beloved brother, and faithful minister in the Lord, whom he sent to the Ephesians, that he might know their affairs, and comfort their hearts, Eph 6:21, 22. He sent him for the same purpose, and with the same commendations, to the Colossians, Col 4:7, 8. Paul seems also to have designed him to superintend the Church at Crete in the absence of Titus; see Tit 3:12. He seems to have been the most intimate and confidential friend that Paul had.

Trophimus.] Was an Ephesian; and both he and Tychicus are called εφεσιοι, Ephesians, instead of ασιανοι, Asiatics, in the Codex Bezae, both Greek and Latin, and in the Sahidic. He accompanied Paul from Ephesus into Greece, as we see here; and from thence to Jerusalem, Ac 21:29. He had, no doubt, travelled with him on other journeys, for we find, by 2Ti 4:20, that he was obliged to leave him sick at Miletus, being then, as it is likely, on his return to his own kindred at Ephesus.

‏ Acts 27:2

Verse 2. A ship of Adramyttium] There were several places of this name; and in different MSS. the name is variously written. The port in question appears to have been a place in Mysia, in Asia Minor. And the abb� Vertot, in his history of the Knights of Malta, says it is now called Mehedia. Others think it was a city and seaport of Africa, whence the ship mentioned above had been fitted out; but it is more probable that the city and seaport here meant is that on the coast of the AEgean Sea, opposite Mitylene, and not far from Pergamos. See its situation on the map.

Aristarchus, a Macedonian] We have seen this person with St. Paul at Ephesus, during the disturbances there, Ac 19:29, where he had been seized by the mob, and was in great personal danger. He afterwards attended Paul to Macedonia, and returned with him to Asia, Ac 20:4. Now, accompanying him to Rome, he was there a fellow prisoner with him, Col 4:10, and is mentioned in St. Paul's epistle to Philemon, Phm 1:24, who was probably their common friend.-Dodd. Luke and Aristarchus were certainly not prisoners at this time, and seem to have gone with St. Paul merely as his companions, through affection to him, and love for the cause of Christianity. How Aristarchus became his fellow prisoner, as is stated Col 4:10, we cannot tell, but it could not have been at this time.