Word Pictures in the New Testament - David Cox

Word Pictures in the NT [Acts: Chapter 15]
Barnabas and Paul is not the beginning of work among the
Gentiles. {Did visit} (\epeskepsato\). First aorist middle
indicative of \episkeptomai\, old verb to look upon, to look
after, provide for. This same verb occurs in Jas 1:27 and is
one of various points of similarity between this speech of James
in Acts and the Epistle of James as shown by Mayor in his
_Commentary on James_. Somehow Luke may have obtained notes of
these various addresses. {To take from the Gentiles a people for
his name} (\labein ex ethn•n laon t•i onomati autou\). Bengel
calls this _egregium paradoxon_, a chosen people (\laon\) out of
the Gentiles (\ethn•n\). This is what is really involved in what
took place at Caesarea at the hands of Peter and the campaign of
Barnabas and Paul from Antioch. But such a claim of God's purpose
called for proof from Scripture to convince Jews and this is
precisely what James undertakes to give. This new Israel from
among the Gentiles is one of Paul's great doctrines as set forth
in Ga 3; Ro 9-11. Note the use of God's "name" here for "the
Israel of God" (Ga 6:16).
15:15 {To this agree} (\tout•i sumph•nousin\). Associative
instrumental case (\tout•i\) after \sumph•nousin\ (voice together
with, symphony with, harmonize with), from \sumph•ne•\, old verb
seen already in Mt 18:19; Lu 5:36; Ac 5:9 which see. James
cites only Am 9:11,12 from the LXX as an example of "the words
of the prophets" (\hoi logoi t•n proph•t•n\) to which he refers
on this point. The somewhat free quotation runs here through
verses 16-18 of Ac 15 and is exceedingly pertinent. The
Jewish rabbis often failed to understand the prophets as Jesus
showed. The passage in Amos refers primarily to the restoration
of the Davidic empire, but also the Messiah's Kingdom (the throne
of David his father," Lu 1:32).
15:16 {I will build again} (\anoikodom•s•\). Here LXX has
\anast•s•\. Compound (\ana\, up or again) of \oikodome•\, the
verb used by Jesus in Mt 16:18 of the general church or kingdom
as here which see. {The tabernacle of David} (\t•n sk•n•n
Daueid\), a poetical figure of the throne of David (2Sa 7:12)
now "the fallen tent" (\t•n pept•kuian\), perfect active
participle of \pipt•\, state of completion. {The ruins thereof}
(\ta katestrammena aut•s\). Literally, "the ruined portions of
it." Perfect passive participle of \katastreph•\, to turn down.
It is a desolate picture of the fallen, torn down tent of David.
{I will let it up} (\anorth•s•\). Old verb from \anortho•\ (\ana,
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