Word Pictures in the New Testament - David Cox

Word Pictures in the NT [Acts: Chapter 14]
\homoios\ (like) and \pasch•\, to experience. In the N.T. only
here and Jas 5:17. It means "of like nature" more exactly and
affected by like sensations, not "gods" at all. Their conduct was
more serious than the obeisance of Cornelius to Peter
(10:25f.). \Humin\ is associative instrumental case. {And bring
you good tidings} (\euaggelizomenoi\). No "and" in the Greek,
just the present middle participle, "gospelizing you." They are
not gods, but evangelists. Here we have Paul's message to a pagan
audience without the Jewish environment and he makes the same
line of argument seen in Ac 17:21-32; Ro 1:18-23. At Antioch in
Pisidia we saw Paul's line of approach to Jews and proselytes
(Ac 13:16-41). {That ye should turn from these vain things}
(\apo tout•n t•n matai•n epistrephein\). He boldly calls the
worship of Jupiter and Mercury and all idols "vain" or empty
things, pointing to the statues and the temple. {Unto the living
God} (\epi theon z•nta\). They must go the whole way. Our God is
a live God, not a dead statue. Paul is fond of this phrase (2Co
6:16; Ro 9:26). {Who made} (\hos epoi•sen\). The one God is
alive and is the Creator of the Universe just as Paul will argue
in Athens (Ac 17:24). Paul here quotes Ps 146:6 and has Ge
1:1 in mind. See also 1Th 1:9 where a new allegiance is also
claimed as here.
14:16 {In the generations gone by} (\en tais par•ich•menais
geneais\). Perfect middle participle from \paroichomai\, to go
by, old verb, here alone in the N.T. {Suffered} (\eiasen\).
Constative aorist active indicative of \ea•\ (note syllabic
augment). Paul here touches God in history as he did just before
in creation. God's hand is on the history of all the nations
(Gentile and Jew), only with the Gentiles he withdrew the
restraints of his grace in large measure (Ac 17:30; Ro
1:24,26,28), judgment enough for their sins. {To walk in their
ways} (\poreuesthai tais hodois aut•n\). Present middle
infinitive, to go on walking, with locative case without \en\.
This philosophy of history does not mean that God was ignorant or
unconcerned. He was biding his time in patience.
14:17 {And yet} (\kaitoi\). Old Greek compound particle (\kai
toi\). In the N.T. twice only, once with finite verb as here,
once with the participle (Heb 4:3). {Without witness}
(\amarturon\). Old adjective (\a\ privative and \martus\,
witness), only here in the N.T. {Left} (\aph•ken\). First aorist
active (\k\ aorist indicative of \aphi•mi\). {In that he did
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