Acts 24:12

Act 24:12. Ἱερῷ, in the temple) He hereby refutes Tertullus, Act 24:6. Add Act 24:18.—ἐπισύστασιν) A double compound. The people were in crowds in the temple: Paul did not congregate together the crowd [ποιεῖν ἐπισύστασιν, to excite a concourse of people].—συναγωγαῖς, in the synagogues) of Jerusalem, ch. Act 26:11.—κατὰ τὴν πόλιν, in the city) Jerusalem, Act 24:11: κατὰ, when followed by the article, has not the distributive force (city by city).

Bengel's Gnomon of the New Testament — English translation (T&T Clark, Edinburgh, 1860) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

Act_24:12-13. Ἐπισύστασιν] uproar. LXX. Num_26:9; Num_17:5; Joseph. c. Ap. i. 20.

Both after οὔτε ἐν ταῖς συναγ. and after οὔτε κατὰ τὴν πόλιν (throughout the city) εὗρόν με πρός τινα διαλεγόμενον, ἢ ἐπισύστασιν ποιοῦντα ὂχλου is mentally to be supplied.

See examples of παραοτῆσαι, to present, i.e. to make good, to prove, in Kypke, II. p. 121 f.; Morus, ad Longin. p. 43; and from Philo in Loesner, p. 230 f.

Act_24:12-21. In the following speech Paul first disclaims the accusations of his opponents generally and on the whole as groundless (Act_24:12-13); then gives a justifying explanation of the expression πρωτοστάτην τῆς τῶν Ναζωρ. αἱρέσ., by which they had maliciously wished to bring him into suspicion (Act_24:14-16); and lastly refutes the special accusation καὶ τὸ ἱερὸν ἐπείρ. βεβηλῶσαι (Act_24:17-21).

Meyer — Critical and Exegetical Commentary on the New Testament — English translation by Peter Christie, edited by Frederick Crombie (T&T Clark, 1880) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

Act 24:12 . οὔτε ἐν τῷ ἱερῷ … οὔτε … οὔτε : step by step he refutes the charge. οὔτε εὗρον , cf. Act 24:5 , εὑρόντες , a flat denial to the allegation of Tertullus; R.V. reads more plainly: both acts, the disputing and the exciting a tumult, are denied with reference to the Temple, the synagogue, the city. In διαλ . there would have been nothing censurable, but even from this the Apostle had refrained. ἢ ἐπισύστασιν ποι . ὄχ .: R.V. reads ἐπίστασιν ; the Apostle had been accused as κινοῦντα στάσεις , Act 24:5 ; here is his answer to the charge, they had not found him “stirring up a crowd,” R.V. This rendering however seems to make ἐπίστασις almost = ἐπισύστασις , a stronger word, cf. Num 26:9 , 1Es 5:73 , conjuratio . In 2Ma 6:3 we have ἐπίστασις τῆς κακίας , incursio malorum , Vulgate, but its meaning here would seem to be rather concursus , in the sense of a concourse, an assembly, not an onset or attack; and the phrase expresses that the Apostle had not been guilty of even the least disturbance; not even of causing the assembling of a crowd (see Wendt and Weiss, in loco ), “aut concursum facientem turbæ,” Vulgate. In 2Co 11:28 it is possible that ἐπισύστασις may be used of the presence of a multitude, almost like ἐπίστασις , see Grimm-Thayer. συναγωγαῖς : plural, because so many in Jerusalem, cf. Act 6:9 . κατὰ τὴν πόλιν : Alford renders “up and down the streets,” cf. Luk 8:39 ; Luk 15:14 .

The Expositor's Greek Testament, edited by W. Robertson Nicoll (1897–1910) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

they neither found me . . . Neither can they prove the things, &c.--After specifying several particulars, he challenges proof of any one of the charges brought against him. So much for the charge of sedition.

Jamieson, Fausset & Brown — Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible (1871) — public domain (CC PDM 1.0). Text via the HelloAO Bible API.

12. Disputing with any man. Paul had no need to deny any of these things if he had done them; because he might have answered for himself that it was well done. He had been one of the scribes which disputed daily; neither were they forbidden either by the law or by custom, but that they might assemble themselves together to be taught. Yea, to this end there were in divers places of the city synagogues, wherein they met together. Moreover, he knew that both Christ and also his apostles had done the same thing. Also he might easily have turned [retorted] back upon his adversaries the crime which they did object to him, who did daily use the very same things. But because he aimeth at no other thing at this present, but to refute the false accusations of his adversaries, and to prove that importunate men had unadvisedly molested him for no cause; he intreateth not of the lawfulness of the fact, (as they say) but only of the fact. And he standeth chiefly upon this point to refute that slander, because he was burdened to be a raiser of tumults. Therefore he concludeth that he was falsely and unjustly accused; because the adversaries had never proved those things which they had alleged. This ought to have been sufficient to discharge him, seeing he was thus burdened with wicked lies, whereas there rested in him not the very least suspicion that could be devised.

John Calvin's Commentaries (1540-1563) — public domain. Text from the Calvin Translation Society English edition (1840s-50s) via the Christian Classics Ethereal Library (ccel.org). Calvin's coverage is partial (roughly two-thirds of the Bible); uncommented books and verses are honest gaps, never fabricated. The 19th-century editor's footnotes and remarks are omitted so the notes are faithfully Calvin's own voice.

(12) They neither found me in the temple . . .—The answer traverses all parts of the indictment. He had not even entered into a discussion in the Temple. He had not even gathered a crowd around him in any part of the city. He challenges the accusers to bring any adequate evidence—i.e., that of two or three witnesses, independent and agreeing—in proof of their charges.

A Bible Commentary for English Readers, edited by Charles John Ellicott (1878–1897) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

12. And they neither found me, &c.] The Apostle gives a flat denial to the charge of insurrection, and challenges them to prove any single point of it. He had not even entered into discussion with any man.

raising up the people] Rev. Ver. “stirring up a crowd.” For the crowd was gathered by the Jews.

The Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges (gen. ed. J. J. S. Perowne; Cambridge University Press, 1878–1918) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

And they neither found me in the temple disputing with any man,.... Either about civil or religious affairs: not that it was criminal to dispute in the temple; it was a common thing for the doctors to dispute about matters of religion, in the porches, and courts, and chambers of the temple, as it may be observed they often did with Christ; but the apostle mentions this to show, that he was so far from moving sedition among the people of the Jews, that he never so much as entered into any conversation with them, upon any subject whatever: true indeed, he was in the temple, and was found there, but not disputing with any, but purifying himself according to the law of Moses:

neither raising up the people; stirring them up to sedition, and tumult, to rebel against the Roman government:

neither in the synagogues; where there were the greatest concourse of people, and the best opportunity of sowing seditious principles, and of which there were many in the city of Jerusalem. The Jews say (p) there were four hundred and sixty synagogues in Jerusalem; some say (q) four hundred and eighty:

nor in the city; of Jerusalem, in any of the public streets or markets, where there were any number of people collected together; the apostle mentions the most noted and public places, where any thing of this kind might most reasonably be thought to be done.

(p) T. Hieros. Cetubot, fol. 35. 3. (q) Ib. Megilla, fol. 73. 4.

John Gill's Exposition of the Whole Bible (1746–1763) — public domain (CC PDM 1.0). Text via the HelloAO Bible API.

12 And they neither found me in the temple disputing with any man, neither raising up the people, neither in the synagogues, nor in the city:

Ver. 12. And they neither found me in the temple] As he had argued from the circumstance of time, Act 24:11; (to disprove their empty allegations), so here of place. It fared with the apostle as the historian saith it did with Cuthbert Tunstal, bishop of Durham, who was sent to the Tower for concealment of (I know not what) treason written to him (I know not by whom), and not discovered until (what shall I call) the party did reveal it. False accusers, as they affirm without reason, so they may be dismissed without refutation: unless we will answer them with a downright denial, as here. It happens often, that plain dealing puts craft out of countenance.

John Trapp, A Commentary or Exposition upon All the Books of the Old and New Testament (1647–1656) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

And they neither found me ... - The first charge of Tertullus against Paul was Act 24:5 that he was “a pestilent fellow, and a mover of sedition.” The charge of his being a Test was so general that Paul did not think it necessary to attempt to refute it. To the specification that he was a mover of sedition, he replies by a firm denial, and by a solemn declaration that they had not found him in any synagogue, or in the city, or in the temple, either disputing or exciting a tumult. Pits conduct there had been entirely peaceable, and they had no right to suppose that it had been otherwise anywhere.

Albert Barnes' Notes on the Bible (1834–1885) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword/MySword module.

In Jerusalem there was only one temple, nor could there, by an express command of the Almighty, be any more throughout the whole kingdom. (Perhaps the Almighty may have wished by this singular circumstance to have impressed more forcibly on their minds the absolute necessity of unity in religion. (Haydock)) But there were many synagogues, which were a kind of schools, in which the law was publicly taught, and the people assembled to read the Scriptures, and to pray. (Calmet)

George Leo Haydock (1774–1849), Haydock's Catholic Family Bible and Commentary, 1859 edition — public domain. Excludes Psalms (Douay-Rheims chapter numbering differs from Protestant) and Deuterocanonical books (Catholic canon only).

Disputing, or discoursing. Although it seems not to have been unlawful, after the sacrifices were offered, to discourse about the meaning of any place in the law or the prophets; for thus our Saviour is said to have heard and asked questions of the doctors in the temple, Luk 2:46; yet St. Paul would hereby show how far he was from doing aught that was unlawful, in that he had forborne to go to the utmost of what might have been lawful.

Matthew Poole's English Annotations on the Holy Bible (1683–1685) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword/MySword module.

Neither in the temple did they find me for they neither found me in the temple, A.V.; or stirring up a crowd for neither raising up the people, A.V.; nor... nor for neither... nor, A.V. Stirring up a crowd. The reading of the R.T. is ejpistasin poiounta oclou, which must mean "a stoppage of the crowd," in which sense it is a medical term. But Meyer thinks it is a mere clerical error for the reading of the T.R. ejpisustasin, which is used in the LXX for "a tumultuous assembly", (Num_26:9) and in Josephus, "Contr. Apion.," 1:20, of a conspiracy or revolt. In the LXX also the verb ejpisunistamai means "to rise in revolt against". (Num_14:25 Num_16:19 Num_26:9)

The Pulpit Commentary (1880–1919), ed. H.D.M. Spence-Jones & Joseph S. Exell — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

See notes on verse 10

J. W. McGarvey (with Philip Y. Pendleton), Commentaries on the New Testament (The Fourfold Gospel, 1914; Acts; and the epistles) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword/MySword module.

12. καὶ οὔτε ἐν τῷ ἱερῷ κ.τ.λ., and they neither found me in the Temple disputing, &c. The Apostle gives a flat denial to the charge of insurrection, and challenges them to prove any single point of it. He had not even entered into discussion with any man.

On St Paul’s reply Chrysostom remarks: καὶ οὐδὲν εἶπεν ὧν εἶχεν εἰκότως εἰπεῖν· ὅτι ἐπεβούλευσαν· ὅτι κάτεσχον αὐτόν· ὅτι ἔνεδρον ἐποίησαν· ταῦτα γὰρ παρ’ ἐκείνων λέγεται γενέσθαι, παρὰ δὲ τούτου, καὶ κινδύνου ὄντος, οὐκ ἔτι· ἀλλά σιγᾷ καὶ μόνον ἀπολογεῖται καί τοι μυρία ἔχων εἰπεῖν.

ἢ ἐπίστασιν ποιοῦντα ὄχλου, or causing a stir of the crowd. Rev. Ver. ‘stirring up a crowd.’ The crowd had really been gathered by the Jews.

Cambridge Greek Testament for Schools and Colleges (Cambridge University Press, 1896; 21 vols, various authors incl. Carr, Maclear, Plummer, Farrar, Lumby, Moule, M. R. James, Simcox) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

12. κατὰ τὴν πόλ.] throughout the city, ‘any where in the city;’ as we say, ‘up and down the streets.’

Henry Alford, The Greek Testament (1849–1861) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.