SEV Biblia, Chapter 9:31
Las Iglesias entonces tenían paz por toda Judea, Galilea y Samaria, y eran edificadas, andando en el temor del Seor; y con consuelo del Espíritu Santo eran multiplicadas.
Clarke's Bible Commentary - Acts 9:31
Verse 31. Then had the Churches rest] Instead of ia ekklhsiai, the Churches, ABC, several others, the Syriac, Coptic, AEthiopic, Armenian, and Vulgate, have hekklhsia, the Church. Every assembly of God's people was a Church; the aggregate of these assemblies was THE CHURCH. The word eirhnhn, which we translate rest, and which literally signifies peace, evidently means, in this place, prosperity; and in this sense both it and the Hebrew wl shalom are repeatedly used. But what was the cause of this rest or success? Some say, the conversion of Saul, who before made havoc of the Church; but this is not likely, as he could not be a universal cause of persecution and distress, however active and virulent he might have been during the time of his enmity to the Christian Church.
Besides his own persecution, related above, shows that the opposition to the Gospel continued with considerable virulence three years after his conversion; therefore it was not Saul's ceasing to be a persecutor that gave this rest to the Churches. Dr. Lardner, with a greater show of probability, maintains that this rest was owing to the following circumstance: Soon after Caligula's accession to the imperial dignity, the Jews at Alexandria suffered very much from the Egyptians in that city; and at length their oratories were all destroyed. In the third year of Caligula, A.D. 39, Petronius, who was made president of Syria in the place of Vitellius, was sent by the emperor to set up his statue in the temple at Jerusalem. This was a thunder-stroke to the Jews, and so occupied them that they had no time to think of any thing else; apprehending that their temple must be defiled, and the national religion destroyed, or themselves run the risk of being exterminated if they rebelled against the imperial decree.
The account given by Josephus will set this in a clear point of view.
"Caligula sent Petronius to go with an army to Jerusalem, to set up his statues in the temple, enjoining him if the Jews opposed it, to put to death all that made resistance, and to make all the rest of the nation slaves.
Petronius therefore marched from Antioch into Judea, with three legions, and a large body of auxiliaries raised in Syria. All were hereupon filled with consternation, the army being come as far as Ptolemais. The Jews, then, gathering together, went to the plain near Ptolemais, and entreated Petronius in the first place for their laws, in the next place for themselves.
Petronius was moved with their solicitations, and, leaving his army and the statues, went into Galilee, and called an assembly of the heads of the Jews at Tiberias; and, having exhorted them without effect to submit to the emperor's orders, said, 'Will ye then fight against Caesar?' They answered that they offered up sacrifices twice every day for the emperor and the Roman people; but that if he would set up the images, he ought first of all to sacrifice the whole Jewish nation; and that they were ready to submit themselves, their wives and children, to the slaughter." Philo gives a similar account of this transaction. See Lardner's Credibility, Works, vol. i. p. 97, &c.
It appears, therefore, that, as these transactions took place about the time mentioned in the text, their persecution from the Romans diverted them from persecuting the Christians; and THEN had the Churches rest throughout all Judea and Galilee, and Samaria; the terror occasioned by the imperial decree having spread itself through all those places.
Were edified] oikodomoumenai, A metaphor taken from a building.
The ground is marked out; 2. the ichnograph, or dimensions of the building, ascertained; 3. the foundation is digged; 4. the foundation stone laid; 5. the walls builded up with course upon course; 6. the top-stone brought on; 7.
the roof raised, and the whole covered in; and, 8. the interior part fitted up and adorned, and rendered convenient for the intended inhabitant. This figure frequently occurs in the sacred writings, especially in the New Testament. It has its reason in the original creation of man: God made the first human being as a shrine or temple, in which himself might dwell. Sin entered, and the heavenly building was destroyed. The materials, however, though all dislocated, and covered with rubbish and every way defiled, yet exist; no essential power or faculty of the soul having been lost. The work of redemption consists in building up this house as it was in the beginning, and rendering it a proper habitation for God. The various powers, faculties, and passions, are all to be purified and refined by the power of the Holy Spirit, and order and harmony restored to the whole soul. All this is beautifully pointed out by St. Peter, 1 Pet. ii. 4, 5: To whom (Jesus Christ) coming as unto a LIVING STONE, chosen of God and precious, ye also, as LIVING STONES, are BUILT UP a spiritual HOUSE, a holy priesthood, to offer up spiritual sacrifices to God by Jesus Christ. And St. Paul, who, from his own profession as a tent-maker, could best seize on the metaphor, and press it into this spiritual service, goes through the whole figure at large, in the following inimitable words: Ye are the HOUSEHOLD of God, and are BUILT upon the FOUNDATION of the apostles and prophets, Jesus Christ himself being the chief CORNERSTONE, in whom all the BUILDING, FITLY FRAMED together, groweth unto a HOLY TEMPLE in the Lord: in whom ye also are BUILDED together for a HABITATION of God, through the Spirit, Eph. ii. 19-22. Edification signifies, therefore, an increase in the light, life, and power of God; being founded on the doctrine of Christ crucified; having the soul purified from all unrighteousness, and fitted, by increasing holiness, to be a permanent residence for the ever-blessed God.
Walking in the fear of the Lord] Keeping a continually tender conscience; abhorring all sin; having respect to every Divine precept; dreading to offend him from whom the soul has derived its being and its blessings. Without this salutary fear of God there never can be any circumspect walking.
In the comfort of the Holy Ghost] In a consciousness of their acceptance and union with God, through his Spirit, by which solid peace and happiness are brought into the soul; the truly religious man knowing and feeling that he is of God, by the Spirit which is given him: nothing less can be implied in the comfort of the Holy Ghost.
Were multiplied.] No wonder that the Church of God increased, when such lights as these shone among men. This is a short, but full and forcible description of the righteousness, purity, and happiness of the primitive Church.
John Gill's Bible Commentary
Ver. 31. Then had the churches rest , etc.] Meaning not spiritual rest in Christ; this they had before, even in tribulation, but rest from persecution; not so much because of the conversion of Saul, the great persecutor of them, for his conversion had been three years before; but rather because of his removal to other parts, the sight of whose person, and especially his ministry, had afresh stirred up the Jews to wrath and fury. The Alexandrian copy, and some others, the Vulgate Latin, Syriac, and Ethiopic versions, read in the singular number, the church: but the several countries hereafter mentioned shows that more are designed: for it follows, throughout all Judea, and Galilee, and Samaria ; for by means of the dispersion, on account of persecution, the Gospel was preached in these several places, and churches gathered, and which shared in the persecution until this time, when they began to have rest; ( Galatians 1:22) ( Thessalonians 2:14) and were edified; or built up on the foundation Christ, and their most holy faith, through the ministry of the word and ordinances, and their mutual love and holy conversation; and had an increase of members, and of grace, and of spiritual knowledge: and walking in the fear of the Lord ; which was always before their eyes, and upon their hearts, continuing in religious exercises, and in the discharge of every duty, both to God and man. Not in a slavish fear of the wrath of the Lord, and of damnation for sin committed against him; for this is not consistent with their characters, as Gospel churches, made of persons who had received not the spirit of bondage to fear, but the Spirit of adoption, nor with their edification in faith and holiness; for he that feareth is not made perfect in love; ( 1 John 4:18) which edifies; nor with the comforts of the Holy Ghost, they are afterwards said to walk in: but in a godly fear, which has the Lord for its author, is not of a mans self, but of the grace of God, and is encouraged and increased by the discoveries of his grace and goodness: and which has the Lord for its object, whose name is holy and reverend, and is to be feared by all his saints: it shows itself in an hatred of sin; in a departure from it; in a carefulness not to offend the Lord; in withholding nothing from him, though ever so dear and valuable, he calls for; and in attending to all the parts of divine worship: and walking in it denotes a continuance in it, a constant progression in all the acts of internal and external worship, which are both included in the fear of the Lord; and it requires strength, and supposes pleasure and freedom. It is said of Enoch, that he walked with God; which the Targum of Onkelos paraphrases, he walked in the fear of the Lord, ( Genesis 5:22,24) the same phrase which is here used. And in the comfort of the Holy Ghost : which he communicated by shedding abroad the love of God in them, taking the things of Christ, and showing them to them, applying covenant blessings and Gospel promises to their souls, owning the word and ordinances, and making them useful to them, thereby leading them into fellowship with the Father, and with the Son. In all which he acts the part of a Comforter, and answers to the character he bears, and the office he is in: the love of God, which he directs into, and sheds abroad in the heart, refreshes and revives the Spirit of Gods people; it influences and encourages every grace that is wrought in them; and makes them easy and comfortable under all providences, even the most afflicting ones: the things of Christ he takes and shows unto them are his blood, righteousness, and sacrifice; which being applied, and interest in them shown, produce abundance of peace, joy, and comfort: the promises of the covenant, and of the Gospel, he opens and applies, being such as hold forth the blessings of grace unto them; and being exceeding great, and precious, and suitable to their cases; and being absolute and unconditional, immutable, and sure, afford them much pleasure and satisfaction: and the word and ordinances being attended with the Holy Ghost, and much assurance, are breasts of consolation to them: and walking in those comforts which he administers, by such means, denotes a continuance of them, a long enjoyment of them, which is not very common; for, generally speaking, these comforts last but for a small time; and also it intimates much delight and pleasure in them, ( Psalm 94:19) and so were multiplied; both in their gifts and graces, and in the number of converts added to them.
Matthew Henry Commentary
Verses 23-31 - When we enter into the way of God, we must look for trials; but the Lord knows how to deliver the godly, and will, with the temptation also make a way to escape. Though Saul's conversion was and is a proo of the truth of Christianity, yet it could not, of itself, convert on soul at enmity with the truth; for nothing can produce true faith, but that power which new-creates the heart. Believers are apt to be to suspicious of those against whom they have prejudices. The world i full of deceit, and it is necessary to be cautious, but we mus exercise charity, 1Co 13:5. The Lord will clear up the characters of true believers; and he will bring them to his people, and often give them opportunities of bearing testimony to his truth, before those wh once witnessed their hatred to it. Christ now appeared to Saul, an ordered him to go quickly out of Jerusalem, for he must be sent to the Gentiles: see ch. 22:21. Christ's witnesses cannot be slain till the have finished their testimony. The persecutions were stayed. The professors of the gospel walked uprightly, and enjoyed much comfor from the Holy Ghost, in the hope and peace of the gospel, and other were won over to them. They lived upon the comfort of the Holy Ghost not only in the days of trouble and affliction, but in days of rest an prosperity. Those are most likely to walk cheerfully, who wal circumspectly.
Greek Textus Receptus
αι 3588 T-NPF μεν 3303 PRT ουν 3767 CONJ εκκλησιαι 1577 N-NPF καθ 2596 PREP ολης 3650 A-GSF της 3588 T-GSF ιουδαιας 2449 N-GSF και 2532 CONJ γαλιλαιας 1056 N-GSF και 2532 CONJ σαμαρειας 4540 N-GSF ειχον 2192 5707 V-IAI-3P ειρηνην 1515 N-ASF οικοδομουμεναι 3618 5746 V-PPP-NPF και 2532 CONJ πορευομεναι 4198 5740 V-PNP-NPF τω 3588 T-DSM φοβω 5401 N-DSM του 3588 T-GSM κυριου 2962 N-GSM και 2532 CONJ τη 3588 T-DSF παρακλησει 3874 N-DSF του 3588 T-GSN αγιου 40 A-GSN πνευματος 4151 N-GSN επληθυνοντο 4129 5712 V-IPI-3P
Vincent's NT Word Studies
31. The churches. The best texts read the church; embracing all the different churches throughout the three provinces of Palestine.Edified. Or build up.
Comfort (paraklhsei). From parakalew, to call toward or to one's side for help. The word is rendered in the New Testament both exhortation and consolation. Compare Acts xiii. 15; Rom. xii. 8; 2 Corinthians viii. 17; Heb. xii. 5; and Luke ii. 25 (see note); 2 Thessalonians ii. 16; Matt. v. 4. In some passages the meaning is disputed, as Philip. ii. 1, where, as in 1 Cor. xiv. 3, it is joined with paramuqion or paramuqia, the meaning of which also varies between incentive and consolation or assuagement. Here exhortation is the rendering approved by the best authorities, to be construed with was multiplied: was multiplied by the exhortation of the Holy Ghost; i.e., by the Holy Spirit inspiring the preachers, and moving the hearts of the hearers.
Robertson's NT Word Studies
9:31 {So the church} (he men oun ekklesia). The singular ekklesia is undoubtedly the true reading here (all the great documents have it so). By this time there were churches scattered over Judea, Galilee, and Samaria (#Ga 1:22), but Luke either regards the disciples in Palestine as still members of the one great church in Jerusalem (instance already the work of Philip in Samaria and soon of Peter in Joppa and Caesarea) or he employs the term ekklesia in a geographical or collective sense covering all of Palestine. The strictly local sense we have seen already in #8:1,3 (and #Mt 18:17) and the general spiritual sense in #Mt 16:18. But in #Ac 8:3 it is plain that the term is applied to the organization of Jerusalem Christians even when scattered in their homes. The use of men oun (so) is Luke's common way of gathering up the connection. The obvious meaning is that the persecution ceased because the persecutor had been converted. The wolf no longer ravined the sheep. It is true also that the effort of Caligula A.D. 39 to set up his image in the temple in Jerusalem for the Jews to worship greatly excited the Jews and gave them troubles of their own (Josephus, _Ant_. XVIII. 8, 2-9). {Had peace} (eicen eirenen). Imperfect active. Kept on having peace, enjoying peace, because the persecution had ceased. Many of the disciples came back to Jerusalem and the apostles began to make preaching tours out from the city. this idiom (ecw eirenen) occurs again in #Ro 5:1 (eirenen ecwmen, present active subjunctive) where it has been grievously misunderstood. There it is an exhortation to keep on enjoying the peace with God already made, not to make peace with God which would be eirenen scwmen (ingressive aorist subjunctive). {Edified} (oikodomoumene). Present passive participle, linear action also. One result of the enjoyment of peace after the persecution was the continued edification (Latin word _aedificatio_ for building up a house), a favorite figure with Paul (#1Co 14; Eph 3) and scattered throughout the N.T., old Greek verb. In #1Pe 2:5 Peter speaks of "the spiritual house" throughout the five Roman provinces being "built up" (cf. #Mt 16:18). {In the comfort of the Holy Spirit} (tei paraklesei tou hagiou pneumatos). Either locative ({in}) or instrumental case ({by}). The Holy Spirit had been promised by Jesus as "another Paraclete" and now this is shown to be true. The only instance in Acts of the use of paraklesis with the Holy Spirit. The word, of course, means calling to one's side (parakalew) either for advice or for comfort. {Was multiplied} (eplequneto). Imperfect middle passive. The multiplication of the disciples kept pace with the peace, the edification, the walking in the fear of the Lord, the comfort of the Holy Spirit. The blood of the martyrs was already becoming the seed of the church. Stephen had not borne his witness in vain.
