SEV Biblia, Chapter 14:22
confirmando los nimos de los discípulos, exhortndoles a que permaneciesen en la fe, y ensendoles que es necesario que por muchas tribulaciones entremos en el Reino de Dios.
Clarke's Bible Commentary - Acts 14:22
Verse 22. Confirming the souls of the disciples] The word disciple signifies literally a scholar. The Church of Christ was a school, in which Christ himself was chief Master; and his apostles subordinate teachers. All the converts were disciples or scholars, who came to this school to be instructed in the knowledge of themselves and of their GOD: of their duty to Him, to the Church, to society, and to themselves. After having been initiated in the principles of the heavenly doctrine, they needed line upon line, and precept upon precept, in order that they might be confirmed and established in the truth. Though it was a great and important thing to have their heads, their understanding, properly informed, yet, if the heart was not disciplined, information in the understanding would be of little avail; therefore they confirmed the SOULS of the disciples. As there must be some particular standard of truth, to which they might continually resort, that their faith might stand in the power of God, it was necessary that they should have such a system of doctrine as they knew came from God. These doctrines were those which contained all the essential principles of Christianity, and this was called THE FAITH; and, as they must have sound principles, in order that they might have righteous practices, so it was necessary that they should continue in that faith, that it might produce that obedience, without which even faith itself, however excellent, must be useless and dead.
Again, as the spirit of the world would be ever opposed to the spirit of Christ, so they must make up their minds to expect persecution and tribulation in various forms, and therefore had need of confirmed souls and strong faith, that, when trials came, they might meet them with becoming fortitude, and stand unmoved in the cloudy and dark day. And as the mind must faint under trouble that sees no prospect of its termination, and no conviction of its use, it was necessary that they should keep in view the kingdom of God, of which they were subjects, and to which, through their adoption into the heavenly family, they had a Divine right. Hence, from the apostles teaching, they not only learned that they should meet with tribulation, much tribulation, but, for their encouragement, they were also informed that these were the very means which God would use to bring them into his own kingdom; so that, if they had tribulation in the way, they had a heaven of eternal glory as the end to which they were continually to direct their views.
John Gill's Bible Commentary
Ver. 22. Confirming the souls of the disciples , etc.] Not wicked men in their wickedness, nor self-righteous persons in an opinion of their own righteousness, as sufficient for justification, both being contrary to the nature and tendency of the ministry of the word; the Gospel being a doctrine according to godliness, and a revelation of the righteousness of Christ; but the disciples and followers of Jesus, whom they had already made in those places, these they confirmed in the doctrines of the Gospel, and fortified them against the contradictions and blasphemies of the Jews, and the reproaches, afflictions, and persecutions they met with, by which they might be staggered: they did not confirm the bodies of these disciples, and the health of them, which is the business of the physician to confirm; nor their estates and civil property, to secure and defend which belongs to the civil magistrate; but their souls, their more noble and valuable part, their hearts, which are apt to be unstable; the frames of their hearts, which are precarious, and so as not to be too much depressed when disagreeable, or be too much elated when agreeable, placing too much trust and confidence in them; and also the graces of the Spirit in their hearts, as to act and exercise, as faith, hope, and love; and likewise their judgments and understandings in the truths of the Gospel, in what relates to the love of God; the covenant of grace, the person of Christ, and their interest in them: and exhorting them to continue in the faith : in the exercise of the grace of faith, and in the doctrine of faith, and in the profession of both, whatever they might meet with on the account thereof, and which they were to expect: and that we must through much tribulation enter into the kingdom of God either into a Gospel church state, which is sometimes so called, there being much trouble often attending an entrance into it, both from within, from the corruption and unbelief of the heart, and from without, from the temptations of Satan, and from the revilings and insults of men, and even from friends and relations; or into the heavenly glory, the way to that lying through many tribulations; and which, though a rough, is a right way: so it must be, there is a necessity of it, partly on account of the decrees of God, who has appointed afflictions for his people, and them to afflictions; and partly on account of the predictions of Christ, who foretold his disciples, that in the world they should have tribulation; as also, that there might be a conformity to him, that as he the head must, and did suffer many things, and enter into his glory, so must they his members: as well as likewise for the trial and exercise of the several graces of the Spirit, and to make the saints meet for heaven, and to make that the sweeter to them.
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
επιστηριζοντες 1991 5723 V-PAP-NPM τας 3588 T-APF ψυχας 5590 N-APF των 3588 T-GPM μαθητων 3101 N-GPM παρακαλουντες 3870 5723 V-PAP-NPM εμμενειν 1696 5721 V-PAN τη 3588 T-DSF πιστει 4102 N-DSF και 2532 CONJ οτι 3754 CONJ δια 1223 PREP πολλων 4183 A-GPF θλιψεων 2347 N-GPF δει 1163 5904 V-PQI-3S ημας 2248 P-1AP εισελθειν 1525 5629 V-2AAN εις 1519 PREP την 3588 T-ASF βασιλειαν 932 N-ASF του 3588 T-GSM θεου 2316 N-GSM
Vincent's NT Word Studies
22. Confirming. See on stablish, 1 Pet. v. 10.
Robertson's NT Word Studies
14:22 {Confirming} (episterizontes). Late verb (in LXX), in N.T. only in #Ac 14:22; 15:32,41, to make more firm, to give additional (epi) strength. Each time in Acts the word is used concerning these churches. {To continue in the faith} (emmenein tei pistei). To remain in with locative, old verb. It is possible that pistis here has the notion of creed as Paul uses it later (#Col 1:23 with epimenw; #1Ti 5:8). It seems to be here more than trust or belief. These recent converts from heathenism were ill-informed, were persecuted, had broken family and social ties, greatly needed encouragement if they were to hold out. {We must} (dei hemas). It does not follow from this use of "we" that Luke was present, since it is a general proposition applying to all Christians at all times (#2Ti 3:12). Luke, of course, approved this principle. Knowling asks why Timothy may not have told Luke about Paul's work. It all sounds like quotation of Paul's very language. Note the change of construction here after parakalountes (infinitive of indirect command, emmenein, but hoti dei, indirect assertion). They needed the right understanding of persecution as we all do. Paul frankly warned these new converts in this heathen environment of the many tribulations through which they must enter the Kingdom of God (the culmination at last) as he did at Ephesus (#Ac 20:20) and as Jesus had done (#Joh 16:33). These saints were already converted.
