NT-GOSPEL.filter - rwp Fastened:

rwp@Acts:13:9 @{But Saul, who is also called Paul} (\Saulos de, ho kai Paulos\). By this remarkably brief phrase Luke presents this epoch in the life of Saul Paul. The "also" (\kai\) does not mean that the name Paul was given now for the first time, rather than he had always had it. As a Jew and a Roman citizen, he undoubtedly had both names all the time (cf. John Mark, Symeon Niger, Barsabbas Justus). Jerome held that the name of Sergius Paulus was adopted by Saul because of his conversion at this time, but this is a wholly unlikely explanation, "an element of vulgarity impossible to St. Paul " (Farrar). Augustine thought that the meaning of the Latin _paulus_ (little) would incline Saul to adopt, "but as a proper name the word rather suggested the glories of the Aemilian family, and even to us recalls the name of another Paulus, who was 'lavish of his noble life'" (Page). Among the Jews the name Saul was naturally used up to this point, but from now on Luke employs Paul save when there is a reference to his previous life (Acts:22:7; strkjv@26:14|). His real career is work among the Gentiles and Paul is the name used by them. There is a striking similarity in sound between the Hebrew Saul and the Roman Paul. Paul was proud of his tribe of Benjamin and so of King Saul (Phillipians:3:5|). {Filled with the Holy Spirit} (\plstheis pneumatos hagiou\). First aorist (ingressive) passive participle of \pimplmi\ with the genitive case. A special influx of power to meet this emergency. Here was a cultured heathen, typical of the best in Roman life, who called forth all the powers of Paul plus the special help of the Holy Spirit to expose the wickedness of Elymas Barjesus. If one wonders why the Holy Spirit filled Paul for this emergency rather than Barnabas, when Barnabas was named first in strkjv@13:2|, he can recall the sovereignty of the Holy Spirit in his choice of agents (1Corinthians:12:4-11|) and also the special call of Paul by Christ (Acts:9:15; strkjv@26:17f.|). {Fastened his eyes} (\atenisas\). As already in strkjv@Luke:4:20; strkjv@22:56; strkjv@Acts:3:4,12; strkjv@6:15; strkjv@10:4|.

rwp@Acts:28:3 @{When Paul had gathered} (\sustrepsantos tou Paulou\). Genitive absolute with first aorist active participle of \sustreph\, old verb to twist or turn together or roll into a bundle. In N.T. only here and strkjv@Matthew:17:22|. {A bundle of sticks} (\phrugann ti plthos\). "Some multitude (or pile) of dry twigs" (\phrugann\ from \phrug\ or \phruss\, to dry. Only here in N.T.). {Laid} (\epithentos\). Songs:genitive absolute again with second aorist active participle of \epitithmi\, to place upon. Few things show Paul to better advantage than this incident. {By reason of the heat} (\apo ts therms\). Old word, only here in N.T. Ablative case with \apo\ (from the heat). The viper was in a state of torpor in the bundle of sticks. The heat wakened him. {A viper} (\echidna\). The old word used by the Baptist of the Pharisees (Matthew:3:7; strkjv@Luke:3:7|) and by Jesus also (Matthew:12:34; strkjv@23:33|). It is objected that there is little wood in the island today and no vipers, though Lewin as late as 1853 believes that he saw a viper near St. Paul's Bay. But the island now has 1,200 people to the square mile and snakes of any kind have a poor chance. The viper has also disappeared from Arran as the island became more frequented (Knowling). Ramsay thinks that the small constrictor (_Coronella Austriaca_) which still exists in the island may be the "viper," though it has no poison fangs, but clings and bites. The natives thought that it was a poisonous viper. {Fastened on his hand} (\kathpse ts cheiros autou\). First aorist active indicative of \kathapt\, to fasten down on with the genitive case. Old verb, here only in N.T. Cf. strkjv@Mark:16:18|.

rwp@John:11:10 @{But if a man walk in the night} (\ean de tis peripati en ti nukti\). Third condition again. It is spiritual darkness that Jesus here pictures, but the result is the same. See the same figure in strkjv@12:35| (1John:2:11|). The ancients had poor illumination at night as indeed we did before Edison gave us electric lights. Pedestrians actually used to have little lamps fastened on the feet to light the path. {In him} (\en auti\). Spiritual darkness, the worst of all (cf. strkjv@Matthew:6:23; strkjv@John:8:12|). Man has the capacity for light, but is not the source of light. "By the application of this principle Christianity is distinguished from Neo-Platonism" (Westcott).

rwp@Luke:4:20 @{He closed the book} (\ptuxas to biblion\). Aorist active participle of \ptuss\. Rolled up the roll and gave it back to the attendant who had given it to him and who put it away again in its case. {Sat down} (\ekathisen\). Took his seat there as a sign that he was going to speak instead of going back to his former seat. This was the usual Jewish attitude for public speaking and teaching (Luke:5:3; strkjv@Matthew:5:1; strkjv@Mark:4:1; strkjv@Acts:16:13|). {Were fastened on him} (\san atenizontes auti\). Periphrastic imperfect active and so a vivid description. Literally, the eyes of all in the synagogue were gazing fixedly upon him. The verb \ateniz\ occurs in Aristotle and the Septuagint. It is from the adjective \atens\ and that from \tein\, to stretch, and copulative or intensive \a\, not \a\ privative. The word occurs in the N.T. here and in strkjv@22:56|, ten times in Acts, and in strkjv@2Corinthians:3:7,13|. Paul uses it of the steady eager gaze of the people at Moses when he came down from the mountain when he had been communing with God. There was something in the look of Jesus here that held the people spellbound for the moment, apart from the great reputation with which he came to them. In small measure every effective speaker knows what it is to meet the eager expectations of an audience.

rwp@Mark:2:4 @{Come nigh} (\proseggisai\). But Westcott and Hort read \prosenegkai\, to bring to, after Aleph, B, L, 33, 63 (cf. strkjv@John:5:18|). {They uncovered the roof} (\apestegasan tn stegn\). They unroofed the roof (note paronomasia in the Greek and cognate accusative). The only instance of this verb in the N.T. A rare word in late Greek, no papyrus example given in Moulton and Milligan _Vocabulary_. They climbed up a stairway on the outside or ladder to the flat tile roof and dug out or broke up (\exoruxantes\) the tiles (the roof). There were thus tiles (\dia tn keramn\, strkjv@Luke:5:19|) of laths and plaster and even slabs of stone stuck in for strength that had to be dug out. It is not clear where Jesus was (\hopou n\), either downstairs, (Holtzmann) or upstairs (Lightfoot), or in the quadrangle (_atrium_ or _compluvium_, if the house had one). "A composition of mortar, tar, ashes and sand is spread upon the roofs, and rolled hard, and grass grows in the crevices. On the houses of the poor in the country the grass grows more freely, and goats may be seen on the roofs cropping it" (Vincent). {They let down the bed} (\chalsi ton krabatton\), historical present again, aorist tense in strkjv@Luke:5:19| (\kathkan\). The verb means to lower from a higher place as from a boat. Probably the four men had a rope fastened to each corner of the pallet or poor man's bed (\krabatton\, Latin _grabatus_. Songs:one of Mark's Latin words). Matthew (Matthew:9:2|) has \klin\, general term for bed. Luke has \klinidion\ (little bed or couch). Mark's word is common in the papyri and is spelled also \krabbatos\, sometimes \krabatos\, while W, Codex Washingtonius, has it \krabbaton\.

rwp@Mark:11:4 @{A colt tied at the door without in the open street} (\plon dedemenon pros thuran ex epi tou amphodou\). A carefully drawn picture. The colt was outside the house in the street, but fastened (bound, perfect passive participle) to the door. "The better class of houses were built about an open court, from which a passage way under the house led to the street outside. It was at this outside opening to the street that the colt was tied" (Gould). The word \amphodos\ (from \amph\, both, and \hodos\, road) is difficult. It apparently means road around a thing, a crooked street as most of them were (cf. Straight Street in strkjv@Acts:9:11|). It occurs only here in the N.T. besides D in strkjv@Acts:19:28|. It is very common in the papyri for _vicus_ or "quarter." {And they loose him} (\kai luousin auton\). Dramatic present tense. Perhaps Peter was one of those sent this time as he was later (Luke:22:8|). If so, that explains Mark's vivid details here.

rwp@Matthew:23:5 @{To be seen of men} (\pros to theathnai tois anthrpois\). See strkjv@6:1| where this same idiom occurs. Ostentation regulates the conduct of the rabbis. {Phylacteries} (\phulaktria\). An adjective from \phulaktr, phulass\ (to guard). Songs:a fortified place, station for garrison, then a safeguard, protecting charm or amulet. The rabbis wore \tephillin\ or prayer-fillets, small leather cases with four strips of parchment on which were written the words of strkjv@Exodus:13:1-10,11-16; strkjv@Deuteronomy:6:4-9; strkjv@11:13-21|. They took literally the words about "a sign unto thy hand," "a memorial between thine eyes," and "frontlets." "That for the head was to consist of a box with four compartments, each containing a slip of parchment inscribed with one of the four passages. Each of these strips was to be tied up with a well-washed hair from a calf's tail; lest, if tied with wool or thread, any fungoid growth should ever pollute them. The phylactery of the arm was to contain a single slip, with the same four passages written in four columns of seven lines each. The black leather straps by which they were fastened were wound seven times round the arm and three times round the hand. They were reverenced by the rabbis as highly as the scriptures, and, like them, might be rescued from the flames on a sabbath. They profanely imagined that God wore the _tephillin_" (Vincent). It is small wonder that Jesus ridiculed such minute concern for pretentious externalism and literalism. These _tephillin_ "are still worn at the present day on the forehead and left arm by Jews at the daily Morning Prayer" (McNeile). "The size of the phylacteries indexed the measure of zeal, and the wearing of large ones was apt to take the place of obedience" (Bruce). Hence they made them "broad." The superstitious would wear them as mere charms to ward off evil. {Enlarge the borders} (\megalunousin ta kraspeda\). In strkjv@9:20| we see that Jesus, like the Jews generally, wore a tassel or tuft, hem or border, a fringe on the outer garment according to strkjv@Numbers:15:38|. Here again the Jewish rabbi had minute rules about the number of the fringes and the knots (see on ¯9:20|). They made a virtue of the size of the fringes also. "Such things were useful as reminders; they were fatal when they were regarded as charms" (Plummer).