Word Pictures in the New Testament - David Cox

Word Pictures in the NT [Acts: Chapter 16]
frequent visions always came at real crises in his life. {A man
of Macedonia} (\an•r Maked•n\). Ramsay follows Renan in the view
that this was Luke with whom Paul had conversed about conditions
in Macedonia. Verse 10 makes it plain that Luke was now in the
party, but when he joined them we do not know. Some hold that
Luke lived at Antioch in Syria and came on with Paul and Silas,
others that he joined them later in Galatia, others that he
appeared now either as Paul's physician or new convert. Ramsay
thinks that Philippi was his home at this time. But, whatever is
true about Luke, the narrative must not be robbed of its
supernatural aspect (10:10; 22:17). {Was standing} (\•n
hest•s\). Second perfect active participle of \hist•mi\,
intransitive, periphrastic imperfect. Vivid picture. {Help us}
(\bo•th•son h•min\). Ingressive first aorist active imperative of
\bo•the•\ (\bo•, the•\), to run at a cry, to help. The man uses
the plural for all including himself. It was the cry of Europe
for Christ.
16:10 {We sought} (\ez•t•samen\). This sudden use of the plural,
dropped in 17:1 when Paul leaves Philippi, and resumed in
20:5 when Paul rejoins Luke in Philippi, argues conclusively
that Luke, the author, is in the party ("we" portions of Acts)
and shows in a writer of such literary skill as Luke that he is
not copying a document in a blundering sort of way. Paul told his
vision to the party and they were all ready to respond to the
call. {Concluding} (\sunbibazontes\). A very striking word,
present active participle of \sunbibaz•\, old verb to make go
together, to coalesce or knit together, to make this and that
agree and so to conclude. Already in 9:22 of Paul's preaching.
This word here gives a good illustration of the proper use of the
reason in connection with revelation, to decide whether it is a
revelation from God, to find out what it means for us, and to see
that we obey the revelation when understood. God had called them
to preach to the Macedonians. They had to go.
16:11 {Setting sail} (\anachthentes\). Same word in 13:13 which
see. {We made a straight course} (\euthudrom•samen\). First
aorist active indicative of compound verb \euthudrome•\ (in
Philo) from adjective \euthudromos\ (in Strabo), running a
straight course (\euthus, dromos\). In the N.T. only here and
21:1. It is a nautical term for sailing before the wind. Luke
has a true feeling for the sea. {To Samothrace} (\eis
Samothr•ik•n\). A small island in the Aegean about halfway
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