Acts 13:1 - Adam Clarke

Acts 13:1

1 Now ^ain the church that was at Antioch there were certain prophets and teachers: ^bBarnabas, Simeon who was called Niger, ^cLucius of Cyrene, Manaen who had been brought up with Herod the tetrarch, and Saul.

2 As they ministered to the Lord and fasted, the Holy Spirit said, ^a“Now separate to Me Barnabas and Saul for the work ^bto which I have called them.”

3 Then, ^ahaving fasted and prayed, and laid hands on them, they sent them away.

Preaching in Cyprus

4 So, being sent out by the Holy Spirit, they went down to Seleucia, and from there they sailed to ^aCyprus.

5 And when they arrived in Salamis, ^athey preached the word of God in the synagogues of the Jews. They also had ^bJohn as their assistant.

6 Now when they had gone through¹ the island to Paphos, they found ^aa certain sorcerer, a false prophet, a Jew whose name was Bar-Jesus,

Commentaries:

Adam Clarke

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Acts 13:1

Certain prophets and teachers - . It is probable that these were not distinct offices; both might be vested in the same persons. By prophets we are to understand, when the word is taken simply, persons who were frequently inspired to predict future events, and by teachers, persons whose ordinary office was to instruct the people in the Christian doctrine. These also, to be properly qualified for the office, must have been endued with the influence of the Holy Spirit; for, as but a very small portion of the Scriptures of the New Testament could have as yet been given, it was necessary that the teachers should derive much of their own teaching by immediate revelation from God. On prophets and teachers, see the note on Acts 11:27.

Barnabas - Of whom see before, Acts 11:22-24.

Simeon-Niger - Or Simeon the Black, either because of his complexion, or his hair. It was on reasons of this kind that surnames, surnoms , name upon name were first imposed. Of this Simeon nothing farther is known.

Lucius of Cyrene - See Acts 11:20.

Manaen, which had been brought up with Herod - Our margin has given the proper meaning of the original word , a foster-brother; i.e. Manaen was the son of the woman who nursed Herod Antipas; and the son, also, whose milk the young Herod shared. Of a person whose name was Manaen or Menahem, and who was in the court of Herod, we read several things in the Jewish writers. They say that this man had the gift of prophecy, and that he told Herod, when he was but a child, that he would be king. When Herod became king he sent for him to his court, and held him in great estimation. It might have been the son of this Menahem of whom St. Luke here speaks. Dr. Lightfoot has shown this to be at least possible.

Other Adam Clarke entries containing Acts 13:1:

John 4:46
Acts 14:26
Acts 15:32

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Acts 13:2 >>

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Preaching in Cyprus

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