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Word Pictures in the New Testament - David Cox

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<strong>Word</strong> <strong>Pictures</strong> <strong>in</strong> <strong>the</strong> NT [Acts: Chapter 17]<br />

A.D. (Oxyrhynchus Pap. no. 119, 10) "<strong>the</strong> bad boy" uses it = "he<br />

upsets me" or " he drives me out of my senses" (\anastatoi me\).<br />

See Deissmann, _Light from <strong>the</strong> Ancient East_, pp. 84f. It is not<br />

a "Biblical word" at all, but belongs to <strong>the</strong> current _Ko<strong>in</strong>•_. It<br />

is a vigorous and graphic term.<br />

17:7 {Whom Jason hath received} (\hous hupodedektai Ias•n\).<br />

Present perfect middle <strong>in</strong>dicative of \hupodechomai\, to<br />

enterta<strong>in</strong>, old verb, but <strong>in</strong> N.T. only <strong>in</strong> Lu 10:38; 19:6; Ac<br />

17:7; Jas 2:25. This is Jason's crime and he is <strong>the</strong> prisoner<br />

before <strong>the</strong> politarchs. {These all} (\houtoi pantes\). Jason, <strong>the</strong><br />

"brethren" of verse 6, Paul and Silas, and all Christians<br />

everywhere. {Contrary} (\apenanti\). Late compound preposition<br />

(\apo, en, anti\) found <strong>in</strong> Polybius, LXX, here only <strong>in</strong> <strong>the</strong> N.T.<br />

{The decrees of Caesar} (\t•n dogmat•n Kaisaros\). This was a<br />

charge of treason and was a sure way to get a conviction.<br />

Probably <strong>the</strong> Julian _Leges Majestatis_ are <strong>in</strong> m<strong>in</strong>d ra<strong>the</strong>r than<br />

<strong>the</strong> def<strong>in</strong>ite decree of Claudius about <strong>the</strong> Jews (Ac 18:2).<br />

{Say<strong>in</strong>g that <strong>the</strong>re is ano<strong>the</strong>r k<strong>in</strong>g, one Jesus} (\Basilea heteron<br />

legontes e<strong>in</strong>ai I•soun\). Note <strong>the</strong> very order of <strong>the</strong> words <strong>in</strong> <strong>the</strong><br />

Greek <strong>in</strong>direct discourse with <strong>the</strong> accusative and <strong>in</strong>f<strong>in</strong>itive after<br />

\legontes\. \Basilea heteron\ comes first, a different k<strong>in</strong>g,<br />

ano<strong>the</strong>r emperor than Caesar. This was <strong>the</strong> very charge that <strong>the</strong><br />

smart student of <strong>the</strong> Pharisees and Herodians had tried to catch<br />

Jesus on (Mr 12:14). The Sanhedr<strong>in</strong> made it anyhow aga<strong>in</strong>st Jesus<br />

to Pilate (Lu 23:2) and Pilate had to notice it. "Although <strong>the</strong><br />

emperors never ventured to assume <strong>the</strong> title _rex_ at Rome, <strong>in</strong> <strong>the</strong><br />

Eastern prov<strong>in</strong>ces <strong>the</strong>y were regularly termed _basileus_" (Page).<br />

The Jews here, as before Pilate (Joh 19:15), renounce <strong>the</strong>ir<br />

dearest hope of a Messianic k<strong>in</strong>g. It is pla<strong>in</strong> that Paul had<br />

preached about Jesus as <strong>the</strong> Messiah, K<strong>in</strong>g of <strong>the</strong> K<strong>in</strong>gdom of God<br />

over aga<strong>in</strong>st <strong>the</strong> Roman Empire, a spiritual k<strong>in</strong>gdom, to be sure,<br />

but <strong>the</strong> Jews here turn his language to his hurt as <strong>the</strong>y did with<br />

Jesus. As a matter of fact Paul's preach<strong>in</strong>g about <strong>the</strong> k<strong>in</strong>gdom and<br />

<strong>the</strong> second com<strong>in</strong>g of Christ was gravely misunderstood by <strong>the</strong><br />

Christians at Thessalonica after his departure (1Th 4:13-5:4;<br />

2Th 2). The Jews were quick to seize upon his language about<br />

Jesus Christ to his own <strong>in</strong>jury. Clearly here <strong>in</strong> Thessalonica Paul<br />

had faced <strong>the</strong> power of <strong>the</strong> Roman Empire <strong>in</strong> a new way and pictured<br />

over aga<strong>in</strong>st it <strong>the</strong> grandeur of <strong>the</strong> reign of Christ.<br />

17:8 {They troubled <strong>the</strong> multitude and <strong>the</strong> rulers} (\etaraxan ton<br />

ochlon kai tous politarchas\). First aorist active of \tarass•\,<br />

http://www.ccel.org/r/robertson_at/wordpictures/htm/AC17.RWP.html (6 of 23) [28/08/2004 09:07:06 a.m.]

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