SEV Biblia, Chapter 14:23
Y habindoles constituido ancianos en cada una de las Iglesias, y habiendo orado con ayunos, los encomendaron al Seor en el cual habían creído.
Clarke's Bible Commentary - Acts 14:23
Verse 23. When they had ordained them elders] Elder seems to be here the name of an office. These were all young or new converts, and yet among them the apostles constitute elders. They appointed persons the most experienced, and the most advanced in the Divine life, to watch over and instruct the rest. But what is the meaning of the word ceirotonhsantev, which we translate ordained? The word ordain we use in an ecclesiastical sense, and signify by it the appointment of a person to an office in the Church, by the imposition of the hands of those who are rulers in that Church. But ceirotonia a signifies the holding up or stretching out the hand, as approving of the choice of any person to a particular work: whereas ceiroqesia signifies the imposition of hands. "Zonaras gives he proper meaning of the word in the text, in his Scholia upon the first canon of the apostles, nun men ceirotonia kaleitai, k.
t. l. 'Nowadays, a course of prayers and invocation on the Holy Spirit, when one is initiated into the priesthood, and receives consecration, is called ceirotonia, cheirotonia, so termed because the bishop extends his hand over him whom he blesses, when he is chosen into holy orders.
Anciently, the choice or suffrage was called cheirotonia; for, when it was lawful for the multitude in their cities to choose their priests or bishops, they met together, and some chose one man, some another; but, that it might appear whose suffrage won, they say the electors did use ekteinein tav ceirav, to stretch forth their hands, and by their hands so stretched forth, or up, they were numbered who chose the one, and who the other; and him who was elected by the most suffrages they placed in the high priesthood. And from hence was the name cheirotonia taken, which the fathers of the councils are found to have used, calling their suffrage cheirotonia.' St. Paul, 2 Cor. viii. 19, intimates that St. Luke was thus appointed to travel with him ceirotonhqeiv upo twn ekklhsiwn, who was chosen of the Churches. Ignatius, in his epistle to the Philadelphians, uses the same term, prepon estin umin, wv ekklhsia qeou, ceirotonhsai episkopon, ye ought, as a Church of God, to choose your bishop." Much more on this subject may be seen in Sir Norton Knatchbull, who contends that cheirotonia implies simply appointment or election, but not what he calls ordination by the imposition of hands. I believe the simple truth to be this, that in ancient times the people chose by the cheirotonia (lifting up of hands) their spiritual pastor; and the rulers of the Church, whether apostles or others, appointed that person to his office by the cheirothesia, or imposition of hands; and perhaps each of these was thought to be equally necessary: the Church agreeing in the election of the person; and the rulers of the Church appointing, by imposition of hands, the person thus elected. See the note on chap. vi. 6.
And had l prayed with fasting] This was to implore God's special assistance; as they well knew that, without his influence, even their appointment could avail nothing.
Commended them to the Lord] To his especial care and protection.
John Gill's Bible Commentary
Ver. 23. And when they had ordained them elders in every church , etc.] As soon as ever any number of disciples were made, or souls were converted to Christ in any place, they were at once formed, by the apostles, into a church state; and as the gifts, as well as the grace of the Holy Ghost, attended the ministry of the word, so among those that were converted, there were some that were honoured with ministerial gifts, qualifying them to preach the Gospel, and take upon them the care of the churches: these the apostles directed the churches to look out from among themselves, as in the case of deacons, an inferior office, who by joint suffrages declared their choice of them by the stretching out, or lifting up of their hands, as the word here used signifies, and not the imposition of them; and the apostles presiding in this affair, they were installed into the office of bishops, elders, or pastors over them; which expresses the great regard the apostles had to the order, as well as to the doctrine of the Gospel, and the concern they had for the welfare of souls converted under their ministry, by making a provision for them when they were gone. And had prayed with fasting ; for the elders ordained, that they might have a larger measure of gifts, and might be kept faithful to the trust committed to them, and be succeeded in their ministry; and for the members of the church, that they might abide by the truths of the Gospel, and the ordinances of it, and walk worthy of it in their conversations, and behave aright in their church state, both to their elders, and to one another, and that they might persevere to the end: they commended them to the Lord ; both the elders and the churches, to be blessed by him with fresh supplies of grace, to be kept by his power, and to be preserved by him safe to his kingdom and glory. The Lord Jesus Christ seems to be intended by the Lord, to whom the apostles commended them; and who is every way qualified, and fully able to answer such a commendation; (see Acts 20:32) on whom they believed; meaning Christ, whom they received by faith, in whom they trusted, and on whom they believed with the heart for righteousness, life, and salvation: this was true, both of the apostles, who commended the elders and churches to the Lord, and was the reason why they commended them to him, because they believed on him themselves; and of the churches and elders commended, who could be commended to none better than to him, on whom they had believed.
Matthew Henry Commentary
Verses 19-28 - See how restless the rage of the Jews was against the gospel of Christ The people stoned Paul, in a popular tumult. So strong is the bent of the corrupt and carnal heart, that as it is with great difficulty tha men are kept back from evil on one side, so it is with great ease the are persuaded to evil on the other side. If Paul would have bee Mercury, he might have been worshipped; but if he will be a faithfu minister of Christ, he shall be stoned, and thrown out of the city Thus men who easily submit to strong delusions, hate to receive the truth in the love of it. All who are converted need to be confirmed in the faith; all who are planted need to be rooted. Ministers' work is to establish saints as well as to awaken sinners. The grace of God, an nothing less, effectually establishes the souls of the disciples. It is true, we must count upon much tribulation, but it is encouragement tha we shall not be lost and perish in it. The Person to whose power an grace the converts and the newly-established churches are commended clearly was the Lord Jesus, "on whom they had believed." It was an ac of worship. The praise of all the little good we do at any time, mus be ascribed to God; for it is He who not only worketh in us both to will and to do, but also worketh with us to make what we do successful All who love the Lord Jesus, will rejoice to hear that he has opene the door of faith wide, to those who were strangers to him and to his salvation. And let us, like the apostles, abide with those who know an love the Lord __________________________________________________________________
Greek Textus Receptus
χειροτονησαντες 5500 5660 V-AAP-NPM δε 1161 CONJ αυτοις 846 P-DPM πρεσβυτερους 4245 A-APM κατ 2596 PREP εκκλησιαν 1577 N-ASF προσευξαμενοι 4336 5666 V-ADP-NPM μετα 3326 PREP νηστειων 3521 N-GPF παρεθεντο 3908 5639 V-2AMI-3P αυτους 846 P-APM τω 3588 T-DSM κυριω 2962 N-DSM εις 1519 PREP ον 3739 R-ASM πεπιστευκεισαν 4100 5715 V-LAI-3P
Vincent's NT Word Studies
23. Ordained (ceirotonhsantev). Only here and 2 Cor. viii. 19. Rev., more correctly, appointed. The meaning ordain is later. See on ch. x. 41.Elders (presbutepouv). For the general superintendence of the church. The word is synonymous with ejpiskopoi, overseers or bishops (see on visitation, 1 Pet. ii. 12). Those who are called elders, in speaking of Jewish communities, are called bishops, in speaking of Gentile communities. Hence the latter term prevails in Paul's epistles.
Commended (pareqento). See on set before, Luke ix. 16; and commit, 1 Peter iv. 19.
Robertson's NT Word Studies
14:23 {And when they had appointed for them elders in every church} (ceirotonesantes de autois kat' ekklesian presbuterous). They needed also some form of organization, though already churches. Note distributive use of kata with ekklesian (#2:46; 5:42; Tit 1:5). ceirotonew (from ceirotonos, extending the hand, ceir, hand, and teinw, to stretch) is an old verb that originally meant to vote by show of the hands, finally to appoint with the approval of an assembly that chooses as in #2Co 8:19, and qen to appoint without regard to choice as in Josephus (_Ant_. XIII. 2, 2) of the appointment of Jonathan as high priest by Alexander. So in #Ac 10:41 the compound proceiratonew is used of witnesses appointed by God. But the seven (deacons) were first selected by the Jerusalem church and qen appointed (katastesomen) by the apostles. That is probably the plan contemplated by Paul in his directions to Titus (#Tit 1:5) about the choice of elders. It is most likely that this plan was the one pursued by Paul and Barnabas with these churches. They selected the elders in each instance and Paul and Barnabas "ordained" them as we say, though the word ceirotonew does not mean that. "Elders" were mentioned first in #11:30. Later Paul will give the requirements expected in these "elders" or "bishops" (#Php 1:1) as in #1Ti 3:1-7; Tit 1:5-9. It is fairly certain that these elders were chosen to correspond in a general way with the elders in the Jewish synagogue after which the local church was largely copied as to organization and worship. Paul, like Jesus, constantly worshipped and spoke in the synagogues. Already it is plain, as at Antioch in Syria (#11:26), that the Christians can no longer count on the use of the Jewish synagogue. They must have an organization of their own. The use of the plural here implies what was true at Philippi (#Php 1:1) and Ephesus (#Ac 20:17,28) that each church (one in each city) "had its college of elders" (Hackett) as in Jerusalem (#21:18). Elder (presbuteros) was the Jewish name and bishop (episkopos) the Greek name for the same office. "Those who are called elders in speaking of Jewish communities are called bishops in speaking of Gentile communities" (Hackett). Hovey rightly holds against Hackett that teaching was a normal function of these elders, pastors or bishops as they were variously called (#1Ti 3:2; Tit 1:9; 1Co 12:28,30; Eph 4:11). {Had prayed with fasting} (proseuxamenoi meta nesteiwn). It was a serious matter, this formal setting apart of these "elders" in the churches. So it was done in a public meeting with prayer and fasting as when Paul and Barnabas were sent forth from Antioch in Syria (#13:3) on this mission tour. {They commended them to the Lord} (pareqento autous twi kuriwi). Second aorist middle indicative of paratiqemi. Old and solemn word, to entrust, to deposit as in a bank (#1Ti 1:18; 2Ti 2:2). Cf. paraqeke in #1Ti 6:20; 2Ti 1:12,14. It was all that they could now do, to commit them to the Lord Jesus. Jesus used this word on the cross (#Lu 22:32). {On whom they had believed} (eis hon pepisteukeisan). Past perfect indicative (without augment) of pisteuw. They had "trusted" in Jesus (#2Ti 1:12) and Paul now "entrusts" them to him with confidence. It was a solemn and serious occasion in each instance as it always is to set apart men for the ministry. These men may not have been ideal men for this service, but they were the only ones available and they were chosen from the actual membership in each instance, men who knew local conditions and problems.
