Word Pictures in the New Testament - David Cox

Word Pictures in the NT [Acts: Chapter 15]
(\te kai\) us and them. In the matter of faith and conversion God
treated us Jews as heathen and the heathen as Jews. {Cleansing
their hearts by faith} (\t•i pistei katharisas tas kardias
aut•n\). Not by works nor by ceremonies. Peter here has a
thoroughly Pauline and Johannine idea of salvation for all both
Jew and Greek. Cf. 10:15.
15:10 {Why tempt ye God?} (\ti peirazete ton theon;\). By
implying that God had made a mistake this time, though right
about Cornelius. It is a home-thrust. They were refusing to
follow the guidance of God like the Israelites at Massah and
Meribah (Ex 17:7; De 6:16; 1Co 10:9). {That ye should put}
(\epitheinai\). Second aorist active infinitive of \epitith•mi\,
epexegetic, explaining the tempting. {A yoke upon the neck}
(\zugon epi ton trach•lon\). Familiar image of oxen with yokes
upon the necks. Paul's very image for the yoke of bondage of the
Mosaic law in Ga 5:1. It had probably been used in the private
interview. Cf. the words of Jesus about the Pharisees (Mt 23:4)
and how easy and light his own yoke is (Mt 11:30). {Were able
to bear} (\ischusamen bastasai\). Neither our fathers nor we had
strength (\ischu•\) to carry this yoke which the Judaizers wish
to put on the necks of the Gentiles. Peter speaks as the
spiritual emancipator. He had been slow to see the meaning of
God's dealings with him at Joppa and Caesarea, but he has seen
clearly by now. He takes his stand boldly with Paul and Barnabas
for Gentile freedom.
15:11 {That we shall be saved} (\s•th•nai\). First aorist passive
infinitive in indirect discourse after \pisteuomen\. More
exactly, "We believe that we are saved through the grace of the
Lord Jesus in like manner as they also." This thoroughly Pauline
note shows that whatever hopes the Judaizers had about Peter were
false. His doctrine of grace is as clear as a bell. He has lifted
his voice against salvation by ceremony and ritualism. It was a
great deliverance.
15:12 {Kept silence} (\esig•sen\). Ingressive first aorist active
of \siga•\, old verb, to hold one's peace. All the multitude
became silent after Peter's speech and because of it. {Hearkened}
(\•kouon\). Imperfect active of \akou•\, descriptive of the rapt
attention, were listening. {Unto Barnabas and Paul} (\Barnaba kai
Paulou\). Note placing Barnabas before Paul as in verse 25,
possibly because in Jerusalem Barnabas was still better known
than Paul. {Rehearsing} (\ex•goumen•n\). Present middle
http://www.ccel.org/r/robertson_at/wordpictures/htm/AC15.RWP.html (6 of 18) [28/08/2004 09:06:56 a.m.]