A paraphrase and annotations upon all the books of the New Testament briefly explaining all the difficult places thereof / by H. Hammond.

CHAP. III.

1. NOw Peter and John went up together into the Temple [at the hour of prayer, being the ninth houre.]

[Paraphrase] 1. At three in the afer∣noon, which was one of the times of day generally set apart for prayer.

2. And a certain man, lame from his mothers womb, was carried, whom they laid daily at the gate of the Temple, which is called Beautifull, to ask almes of them that entred into the Temple.]

[Paraphrase] 2. And there was an im∣potent man, who was so from his birth, who was therefore daily carried by others, and laid at the gate of the Temple toward the East, in Solomon's porch, ver. 11. which was called the beautifull gate, that there he might beg and receive the almes of those that went up daily to pray there, by which means this man was known to all the pious men of the city that used to go that way, v. 10.

3. Who seeing Peter and John about to go into the Temple, asked* 1.1 an almes.

4. And Peter fastning his eyes on him, with John, said, Look on us.

5. And he† 1.2 gave heed unto them, expecting to receive something of them.

6. Then Peter said, [Silver and Gold have I none, but such as I have give I thee.] In the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth, rise up and walk.

[Paraphrase] 6. I cannot give thee that almes thou lookest for, that of money to relieve thy wants; but that which will eminently supply all thy wants, and make it unnecessary for thee to ask any more, I am able and willing to bestow upon thee.

7. And he took him by the right hand, and lift him up; and immediately [his feet and ancle-bones* 1.3 received strength.]

[Paraphrase] 7. He was able to stand and goe, was perfectly cured of his lamenesse.

8. And he leaping up stood, and walked, and] entred with them into the Tem∣ple, walking, and leaping, and praising God.

[Paraphrase] 8. And he demonstrated the perfectnesse of the cure by using his legs to all services, leaping, standing, walking, and as a testimony of his thankfulnesse to God the author, he

9. And all the people saw him walking, and praising God,

10. And they knew that it was he which sate for almes at the beautifull gate of the Temple: and they were filled with wonder and amazement at that which had hapned unto him.

11. And as the lame man which was healed held Peter and John,] all the peo∣ple ran together unto them in the porch that is called Solomon's, greatly won∣dring.

[Paraphrase] 11. And as this person which was thus healed kept close to Peter and John, and was unwilling to depart from them, from whom he had received so great a mercy,

12. And when Peter saw it, he answered unto the people, Ye men of Israel, [why marvell ye at this, or why look ye so earnestly on us, as though by our own power or holinesse we had made this man to walk?]

[Paraphrase] 12. Why doe you look upon this cure as a strange thing to be wrought? (the mi∣racles of Jesus are farre greater then this,) or, why doe ye attribute any thing to us in this matter, as if 'twere any thing of our own, either strength to doe such a work, or excellency (for which we might be thought worthy to be used in these works, rather then other men) to which this were to be imputed?

13. The God of Abraham, and of Isaac. and of Jacob, the God of our fathers [hath glorified his son Jesus, whom ye delivered up, and denied him† 1.4 in the pre∣sence of Pilate, when he was determined* 1.5 to let him goe.]

[Paraphrase] 13. hath given this power of working miracles to that Jesus whom ye delivered up to Pilate to be crucified, and when he would fain have released him, ye refused to have him released, and absolutely against Pilate's will, required him to be put to death.

14. But ye denied the Holy one and the Just, [and desired a murtherer to be granted unto you,]

[Paraphrase] 14. And when ye had your choice, which should be released, Christ or Barabbas, ye chose the murtherer before him,

15. And killed the‖ 1.6 prince of life, whom God hath raised from the dead, whereof we are witnesses.]

[Paraphrase] 15. And murthered the Messias, put him to death; who came to bring life into the world. And when you had done so; God was then pleased to raise him from the dead, and to make us witnesses thereof.

16. And his name, through faith in his name, hath made this man strong, whom ye see and† 1.7 know, yea, the faith which is by him hath given him this per∣fect soundnesse in the presence of you all.]

[Paraphrase] 16. And now 'tis by be∣leif in him, that he (or his power) hath recovered this man from his lamenesse, whom you now see to be cured, and know before, for many years, to have been unable to goe. And this faith, or believing on him, working not by its self, but by his power on whom we believe, is it that hath wrought this so remarkeable cure on him, which you all so wonder at.

17. And now, brethren, I wote that through ignorance ye did it, as did also your rulers.]

[Paraphrase] 17. Now this, I suppose, brethren, that you of the multitude, which did thus reject Christ, did not know him to be the Messias, and the same I suppose of your rulers, those of the Sanhedrim.

18. But those things which God before had shewed by the mouth of all his prophets, that Christ should suffer, he hath so fulfilled.]

[Paraphrase] 18. And so the many pro∣phecies of scripture that the Messias should be put to death, have by this means had their completion.

19. Repent ye therefore and be converted,* 1.8 that your sins may be blotted out, when the [note a] times of refreshing shall come from the presence of the Lord,

20.‖ 1.9 And he shall send Jesus Christ, which before was† 1.10 preached unto you,]

[Paraphrase] 19, 20. Doe you therefore amend your lives that this may be pardoned, that so the second coming of Christ so often spoken of Mat. 24. for the delivery and rescue of all the faithfull (giving them rest from their troubles and persecutions, and a quiet profession of the Gospel) but withall for the destruction of all the obdurate (which is therefore foreslowed that all may repent) may by your repentance become matter of advantage, and comfort to you, to which end it was that he was at first sent to you Jewes peculiarly, or that he is now preached unto you, before that time, that if ye re∣pent, ye may have the benefit of it, but if not, be destroyed with the obdurate.

21. * 1.11 Whom [note b] the heaven must receive, till the times of restitution of all things, which God hath spoken by the mouth of all his holy prophets, since the world began:

22. For Moses truly said to the Fathers, A prophet shall the Lord your God raise up unto you of your brethren† 1.12 like unto me; him shall ye hear in all things, whatsoever he shall say unto you.

23. And it shall come to passe, that every soul which shall not hear that pro∣phet shall be destroyed from among the people.]

[Paraphrase] 21, 22, 23. This Christ being now entred on his re∣gall power in heaven, thereby to fulfill all the prophecies concerning him (see note on Mat. 17. b.) particularly that of Moses, of destroying and cutting off from the earth all those Jewes that shall reject the Messias, when he cometh; Who being also the persecutors of Christians as they had been before of Christ, their destru∣ction shall consequently bring that refreshment, v. 19. along with it, (as indeed it hapned in Vespasian's time, after the de∣struction of the impenitent Jewes, the believers, which were remarkably preserved in that destruction, had Halcyonian daies attending. See 2 Thess. 2. 1. and note on Rev. 1. d.)

24. Yea and all the prophets from [note c] Samuel, and those that follow after, as many as have spoken, have likewise foretold of [these daies.]

[Paraphrase] 24. the coming of the Messias, the destruction of those that reject, and the speciall mercies to them that believe on him.

25. Ye are the children of the prophets and of the covenant which God made with our fathers, saying unto Abraham, And in thy seed shall all the kindreds of the earth be blessed.]

[Paraphrase] 25. Ye are the peculiar persons, of whom the pro∣phets foretold, and to whom, the covenant belongs, which was made to Abraham, in which was promised, that the posterity of him, that is, the Jews should be so blessed by God, in having Christ given to them, (beside many other speciall prerogatives bestowed on them) that all the families and people of the world also, that would blesse themselves or others, should use this form, God blesse them, as he blessed Abrahams seed, (see note on Gal. 3. c.)

26. ‖ 1.13 [note d] Unto you first God having raised up his son Jesus, sent him to blesse you, in turning away every one of you from his iniquities.]

[Paraphrase] 26. Which is now ac∣cordingly performed. For God having raised this Christ again, hath by our preaching his resurrection first to you over all your cities, sent him again in a most gracious manner to blesse his enemies, to doe all the good to them imaginable, to work upon the most obdurate cru∣cifyers, and turn every one of you from your unbelief and impenitence, and so to make you capable of his pardon and mercy if you shall bee thus wrought on, and converted by so efficacious meanes.

Annotations on Chap. III.

[ a] * 1.14 19. Times of refreshing] 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 daies of refreshment, or comfort, are proverbially taken a∣mong the Hebrewes, for the time of any speciall de∣liverance, whether temporall here, or eternall in the Resurrection; so Gen. 21. Jonathans Chaldee Para∣ph••ase saith, that Leviathan is prepared 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 for the day of consolation, that is, the day of delive∣rance, and 〈◊〉〈◊〉 in commemoration thereof, where∣in, said the Jewes, God was wont to make merry, and to 〈◊〉〈◊〉 with Leviathan. So the name of Noach, 〈…〉〈…〉 Hebrew word, which is rendred con∣solation, signifies deliverance, and was imposed as a 〈…〉〈…〉 mankind▪ which otherwise had been 〈◊〉〈◊〉 destroyed, should in him be rescued from 〈…〉〈…〉. To this belongs the reviving, Ezr. 9. 9. which signifies their restoring from captivity. So for the other deliverance, when Hos. 6. 3. wee read, after three daies he shall quicken, Jonathan reads a∣gain 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 in the daies of consolation, which shall come 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 in the day of the resur∣rection of the dead. And so when Job. 11. 24. we read he shall rise in the resurrection, the Syriack reads 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 in the consolation. Now the connexion of this with the exhortation to repentance lies thus, Should Christ come again in judgment upon the Jewes, fore∣told Mat. 24. while you lie impenitent in your sins, his coming must be the greatest judgment in the world (and so it will be to the impenitent Jews, utter destruction and vastation,) That therefore that coming of his (which as it is a terrible time to the impenitent,

so is a time of deliverance to all penitent believers) may in that notion of consolation and deliverance befall you, that God may thus send his son to you, Doe you now timely repent, so as to have your sins blotted out, see 2 Pet.* 1.15 3. 6. The same thing is called 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 deliverance, Lu. 21. 28. and 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 salvation, or de∣liverance again, Rom. 13. 11. see Note c.

[ b] * 1.16 V. 21. The heaven must receive] Beside the ordina∣ry rendring of 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 whom heaven must receive, another there is, of which the words are capa∣ble literally, and to which the Context more enclines them, that Christ must, or that God hath decreed he should receive heaven, in the sense that Camillus is said 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 to receive the city, that is to undertake the government of the city, parallel to that of Psal. 75. 2. speaking of Christs exaltation, when I shall re∣ceive the congregation, and so this place will be all one with 1 Cor. 15. 25. he must reign, &c. and that pe∣culiarly in the subduing and conquering all his enemies, converting some, and rooting out (v. 23.) all o∣thers, who stand out in hostility against him.

[ c] * 1.17 V. 24. Samuel] The acount of the prophets is here begun from Samuel, because the schools of the prophets were first instituted, and erected by him, and not that there was no Prophet before him. Thus we read 1 Sam. 19. 20. the college, or company, of the prophets at Ramah, and Samuel standing as appointed over them, making him the President of that College, as after Elias was, and therefore before his ascension he goes about from one college to another 2 Kin. 2. 3, &c. and after him, Elisha, to whom therefore the sons of the prophets say, The place in which we dwell before thee, (that is, under thee, under thy government) is too narrow for us, and so they build a larger. These sons of the pro∣phets spent their time in studying the Law, and praising, and serving of God (see Note on Lu. 1. m.) and of them, because (though some were, yet) all were not call'd by God to the prophetick office, sent of messa∣ges to the people, therefore 'tis here added, 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉, as many as spake, that is, as many as out of the schools of the prophets were by God call'd to that publick of∣fice, 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉, foretold what was now to come to passe.

[ d] 26. In turning away] It is matter of some question whether the 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 turning refer to Christ, or the Jewes. It may fitly refer to Christ, turning them by his grace, and so blessing them. But Oecumenius refers it to the Jewes, 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉, if ye will turn every one from his iniquities. And so it may be also as an effect of Christs grace in us, and as a condition to qualifie us to receive benefit by his Resurrection and blessing of us.

Notes

• * 1.1

  to receive an almes, 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉
• † 1.2

  looked o•• them, 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉
• * 1.3

  became firm, 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉
• † 1.4

  against the face of Pilate, 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉
• * 1.5

  to release, 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉
• ‖ 1.6

  captain 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 see Heb. 2. 10.
• † 1.7

  have known, 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉
• * 1.8

  to the blotting out of your sins, that the sea∣sons—may come, 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉
• ‖ 1.9

  And that 〈◊〉〈◊〉 may, 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉
• † 1.10

  Or desi∣gnes, for the Kings MS. and many writ∣ten and printed co∣pies read 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉, and 〈…〉〈…〉
• * 1.11

  Who 〈◊〉〈◊〉 receive hea∣ven, 〈◊〉〈◊〉 the times of 〈◊〉〈◊〉 completion
• † 1.12

  as me 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉
• ‖ 1.13

  or in every one of you 〈◊〉〈◊〉
• * 1.14

  〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉
• * 1.15

  〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉
• * 1.16

  〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉
• * 1.17

  〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉