Word Pictures in the New Testament - David Cox

Word Pictures in the NT [Acts: Chapter 16]
sake of expediency, "because of the Jews" (\dia tous Ioudaious\),
Paul voluntarily removed this stumbling-block to the ministry of
Timothy. Otherwise Timothy could not have been allowed to preach
ln the synagogues. _Idem non est semper idem_. But Timothy's case
was not the case of Titus. Here it was a question of efficient
service, not an essential of salvation. Hovey notes that Timothy
was circumcised because of Jewish unbelievers, not because of
Jewish believers. {Was a Greek} (\Hell•n hup•rchen\). Imperfect
active in indirect assertion where ordinarily the present
\huparchei\ would be retained, possibly indicating that his
father was no longer living.
16:4 {They delivered them} (\paredidosan autois\). Imperfect
active, kept on delivering to them in city after city. This is a
proof of Paul's loyalty to the Jerusalem compact (Knowling). The
circumcision of Timothy would indicate also that the points
involved were under discussion and that Paul felt no
inconsistency in what he did. {The decrees} (\ta dogmata\). Old
word from \doke•\, to give an opinion. It is used of public
decrees of rulers (Lu 2:1; Ac 17:7), of the requirements of the
Mosaic law (Col 2:14), and here of the regulations or
conclusions of the Jerusalem Conference. Silas was with Paul and
his presence gave added dignity to the passing out of the
decrees, a charter of Gentile freedom, since he was one of the
committee from Jerusalem to Antioch (15:22,27,32). {Which had
been ordained} (\ta kekrimena\). Perfect passive articular
participle of \krin•\, to judge, emphasizing the permanence of
the conclusions reached by the apostles and elders in Jerusalem.
{For to keep} (\phulassein\). This present active infinitive
likewise accents that it is a charter of liberty for continual
living, not a temporary compromise.
16:5 {Were strengthened} (\estereounto\). Imperfect passive of
\stereo•\, old verb to make firm and solid like the muscles (Ac
3:7,16), these three the only examples in the N.T. {Increased}
(\eperisseuon\). Imperfect active of the old and common verb
\perisseu•\ from \perissos\ (overplus). The blessing of God was
on the work of Paul, Silas, and Timothy in the form of a
continuous revival.
16:6 {The region of Phrygia and Galatia} (\t•n Phrugian kai
Galatik•n ch•ran\). This is probably the correct text with one
article and apparently describes one "Region" or District in The
Province of Galatia which was also Phrygian (the old-ethnographic
http://www.ccel.org/r/robertson_at/wordpictures/htm/AC16.RWP.html (2 of 19) [28/08/2004 09:07:01 a.m.]