The harmony, chronicle and order of the New Testament the text of the four evangelists methodized, story of the acts of the apostles analyzed, order of the epistles manifested, times of the revelation observed : all illustrated, with variety of observations upon the chiefest difficulties textuall & talmudicall, for clearing of their sense and language : with an additional discourse concerning the fall of Jerusalem and the condition of the Jews in that land afterward / John Lightfoot ...

ACTS CHAP. XIII. from beginning to Ver. 14.

THe Divine Historian having hitherto followed the Story of the Church and Gospel as both of them were dilated among the Jews, and therein pitched more especially upon the Acts of Peter and Iohn the singular Ministers of the Circumcision, more pe∣culiarly Peters: he doth now turn his Pen, to follow the planting and progresse of the Gospel among the Gentiles, and here he insisteth more especially upon the Story of Paul and Barnabas the singular Ministers of the uncircumcision, more peculiarly Pauls.

There were now in the Church of Antioch five men which were both Prophets and Teachers, or which did not only instruct the people and expound the Scriptures, but had also the Prophetick spirit and were partakers of Revelations: For though Prophets and Teachers were indeed of a distinct notion, 1 Cor. 12.28. Ephes. 4.11. and their abi∣lities to teach were accordingly of a distinct originall, namely the former by revelation, and the latter by study, yet 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉, [which phrase may not passe without observation] according to the state of the Church then being, they not only had pro∣phetick Teachers, but there was a kinde of necessity they should have such, till time and study had inabled others to be Teachers, which as yet they could not have attained unto, the Gospel having been so lately brought among them.

Among these five, the names of Barnabas and Saul are no strangers to the Reader, but the other three are more unknown.

1. Simeon who was called Niger: If the word Niger were Latine, it might then fairly be conjectured, that this was Simon of Cyrene, the Moorish complexion of his Country justly giving him the title of Simeon the black; but since the Patrionymick, Cyrenean, is applied only in the singular number to the next man Lucius, and since the word 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 was then used among the Jews in severall significations, as may be seen in Aruch, we shall rather conceive this man a Cypriot from Chap. 11.20. and as Barnabas also was, Chap. 4.36. and his surname Niger whatsoever it signified, used to distinguish him from Simon Peter, and Simon the Canani••e.

2. Lucius of Cyrene: Held by some and that not without some ground to be Luke the Evangelist: which it is like hath been the reason, why antiquity hath so generally held Luke to be an Antiochian: true, in regard of this his first appearing there under this name Lucius though originally a Cyrenian, and educated as it may be supposed in the Cyrenian Colledge or Synagogue in Ierusalem, Chap. 6.9. and there first receiving the Gospel. In

Rom. 16.21. Paul salutes the Roman Church in the name of Lucius, whereas there was none then in Pauls retinue whose name sounded that way but only Luke: as we shall ob∣serve there.

3. Manaen, who had been brought up with Herod the Tetrach. Iuchasin fol. 19. menti∣oneth one Menahem who was once Vicepresident of the Sanhedrin under Hillel, but de∣parted to the service of Herod the great, with fourscore other eminent men with him: of whom we gave some touch before: It may be this was his sonne, and was called Manaen or Menahem after the father, and as the father was a great favourite of Herod the great the father, so this brought up at Court with Herod the Tetrach the sonne.

As these holy men were at the publick ministration with fasting and prayer, the Holy Ghost gives them advertisement of the separating of Paul and Barnabas, for the Mini∣stry among the Gentiles. A mission that might not be granted, but by such a divine war∣rant; considering how the Gentiles had alwaies lain behind a partition wall to the Jews: For although Peter in the case of Cornelius had opened the door of the Gospel to the Heathen, yet was this a farre greater breaking down of the partition wall, when the Gospel was to be brought into their own Lands and to their own doors: When God saith, Separate them to the work whereunto I have called them, it further confirmeth that it was and had been known before that they should be Ministers of the uncir∣cumcision.

The Romish glossaries would fain strain the Masse out of the word 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉, and the Rhemists think they have done us a courtesie, that they have not translated it to that sense: whereas, besides that the word naturally signifieth any publick ministration, the Holy Ghost by the use of it seemeth to have a speciall aim, namely to intimate to us, that this was a publick fast, as well as another publick ministration. Publick fasts were not ordinary services, and they were not taken up but upon extraordinary occasions, and what the present occasion might be, had been a great deal better worth studying upon, then how to make the Greek word speak the Masse which it never meant.

How publick fastings and daies of humiliation were used by the Jews, and upon what occasions, there is a speciall Treatise in the Talmud upon that subject, called Taanith, and the like in Maymony, that beareth witnesse: and it was no whit unsutable to the Gospel, upon the like exigencies to use the like kinde of service and devotion: And the present famine that was upon all Countries might very well minister occasion to this Church at Antioch at this present for such a work, for we cannot but suppose that the famine was now in being.

Whatsoever the occasion was, the Lord, in the midst of their humiliation, pointeth out Paul and Barnabas, for an imployment of his own, who were but a while ago re∣turned from an imployment of the Churches: And so the other three Simeon, Lucius, and Menaen, understanding what the Lord meant, and having used another solemn day in fasting in prayer, lay their hands upon them and set them apart by Ordination. Ac∣cording as the ordaining of Elders among the Jews was by a Triumvirate, or by three Elders. Sanhedr. per. 1. halac. 3.

This is the second Imposition of hands since the Gospel began, which did not confer the Holy Ghost with it [for these two were full of the Holy Ghost before:] and this is the first Ordination of Elders since the Gospel, that was used out of the Land of Israel. Which rite the Jewish Canons would confine only to that Land. Maym. Sanhedr. per. 4. Which circumstances well considered, with the imployment that these two were to go about, and this manner of their sending forth, no better reason I suppose can be given of this present action, then that the Lord hereby did set down a platform of ordaining Ministers in the Church of the Gentiles to future times.

Paul and Barnabas thus designed by the Lord and ordained and sent forth by this Tri∣umvirate and guided by the Holy Ghost, they first go to Seleucia: most likely Seleucia Pieriae, of which Strabo saith, that it is the first City of Syria from Cilicia, Geogr. lib. 14. to which Pliny assenteth, when he measureth the breadth of Syria, from Seleucia Pieriae to Zeugma upon Euphrates, Nat. hist. lib. 5. cap. 12. The reason of their going thither may be judged to be, that they might take ship for Cyprus, whither they intended, for that this was a Port, appeareth by what follows in Strabo, when he saith, That from Seleucia to Soli is about a thousand furlongs sail: and so it is plain in Lukes text when he saith, they departed unto Seleucin, and from thence they sailed to Cyprus: where let us now follow them.

Cyprus was a Country so exceeding full of Jews, that it comes in for one in that strange story that Dion Cassius relates in the life of Trajan. The Iews [saith he] that dwelt about Cyrene, choosing one Andrew for their Captain, slew the Greeks and Romans, and ate their flesh, and devoured their inwards, and besmeared themselves with their blood, and wore their ••kins. Many they sawed asunder from the head downward: others they cast to wilde beasts: many they made to slay one another, so that there were two hundred and twenty thousand de∣stroyed in this manner. There was the like slaughter made in Aegypt and Cyprus, where there also perished two hundred and fourty thousand. From whence it is that a Iew may not since come into Cyprus: and if any by storms at sea be driven in thither they are slain. But the Iews were subdued by others, but especially by Lucius whom Trajan sent thither. This was the native Country of Barnabas, Act. 4.36.

Although these two Apostles were sent to the Gentiles, yet was it so far from exclu∣ding their preaching to the Jews, that they constantly began with them first in all places where they came.

They begin at Salamis, the place next their landing, and there they preached in the Syna∣gogues of the Iews, having Iohn Mark for their Minister.

From thence they travailed preaching up and down in the Iland, till they come to Paphos which was at the very further part of it, toward the Southwest Angle. There they meet with a Magicall Jew called Barjesus, and commonly titled Elymas, which is the same in sense with Magus: Such Jewish deceivers as this went up and down the Coun∣tries to oppose the Gospel, and to shew Magicall tricks and wonders, for the stronger confirming of their opposition. Such were the vagabond Iews exorcists, Act. 19.13. and of such our Saviour spake, Matth. 24.24. and o•• some such we may give examples out of their own Talmudicall Writers. And here we may take notice of a threefold practice of opposition that the Jews used in these times and forward against the Gospel and the spreading of it, besides open persecution unto blood.

1. Much about these times was made the prayer that hath been mentioned which was called 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 The prayer against Hereticks, which became by injunction one of their daily prayers. Maymony speaketh the matter and intent of it in his Treatise Tephil∣lah, in these words: In the daies of Rabban Gamaliel, Hereticks increased in Israel [by Hereticks he meaneth those that turned from Judaism to Christianity] and they troubled Israel, and perswaded them to turn from their Religion. He seeing this to be a matter of ex∣ceeding great consequence, more then any thing else, stood up, he and his Sanhedrin, and ap∣pointed a prayer, in which there was a petition to God to destroy those Hereticks: and this he se•• among the common prayers, and appointed it to be in every mans mouth, and so their daily prayers became nineteen in number. Pereh 2. So that they daily prayed against Christians and Christianity.

2. The Jews had their emissaries every where abroad, that to the utmost in them cri∣ed down the Gospel, preached against it, went about to consute it, and blasphemed it and Christ that gave it: Of this there is testimony abundant in the New Testament: and in the Jews own Writings.

And 3. they were exceeding many of them skilled in Magick, and by that did many strange things, by such false miracles seeking to outface and vilifie the Divine miracles done by Christ and his Apostles: and striving to confirm their own doctrines which op∣posed the Gospel, by backing them with such strange and wondrous actings. Iuchasin speaks of Abba Chelchiah, and Chamin, and Chamina Ben Dusa, 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 men skilled in miracles, fol. 20. And the Ierus. Talmud speaks of their inchantings, and magicall tricks in Shabb. fol. 8. col. 2. & 3. Sanhedr. fol. 25. col. 4. nay even of their charm∣ing in the Name of Iesu. Shabb. fol. 14. col. 4.

Paul miraculously strikes Elymas blind, and inlightens Sergius Paulus with the light of the Gospel. This was at Paphos where old superstition dreamed of the blinde God Cupid. Doting Elymas grope for thy fellow. The first miracle wrought among the Gentiles is striking a perverse Jew blinde, which thing may very well become an Allegory.

From Paphos they go to Perga in Pamphylia, and there Iohn departs from them and returns to Ierusalem: but what was the occasion is hard to conjecture. Whether it were that he heard of Peters trouble and danger that he had been in at Ierusalem, and desired to see him, for that he had some speciall interest and familiarity with Peter, may be col∣lected from 1 Pet 5.14. and in that Peter was so well acquainted at his mothers house,

Act. 12.12, &c. Or whether in regard of this his relation to Peter the Minister of the Cir∣cumcision, he made it nice to go among the Gentiles into the thickest of which he saw they were coming every day more then other. For at Paphos where they had last been, was a Temple of Venus, and at Perga, where they now are, was a Temple of Diana. Strab. lib. 14. Pomp. Mela. lib. 1. cap. 14. Or whatsoever the matter was, his departure was so unwarrantable, that it made a breach betwixt him and Paul for the present, nay it occasioned a breach betwixt Paul and Barnabas afterward. And so we leave him in his journey to Ierusalem, whither when he came, he staied there till Paul and Barnabas came thither again.