Commentaries:
Robertson's Word Pictures (NT)
But when some were hardened (wv de tinev esklhrunonto). Imperfect passive of sklhrunw, causative like hiphil in Hebrew, to make hard (sklhrov) or rough or harsh (Matthew 25:24). In LXX and Hippocrates and Galen (in medical writings). In N.T. only here and Romans 9:18 and 4 times in Hebrews 3:8, Hebrews 3:13, Hebrews 3:15; Hebrews 4:7-8 quoting and referring to Psalms 95:8 about hardening the heart like a gristle. The inevitable reaction against Paul went on even in Ephesus though slowly.
Disobedient (epeiqoun). Imperfect again, showing the growing disbelief and disobedience (apeiqhv), both ideas as in Acts 14:2; Acts 17:5, first refusal to believe and then refusal to obey. Both sklhrunw and apeiqew occur together, as here, in Ecclus. 30:12.
Speaking evil of the Way (kakologountev thn odon). Late verb from kakologov (speaker of evil) for the old kakwv legw. Already in Mark 7:10; Mark 9:39; Matthew 15:4. Now these Jews are aggressive opponents of Paul and seek to injure his influence with the crowd. Note "the Way" as in Acts 9:2 for Christianity.
He departed from them (apostav ap autwn). Second aorist active participle of afisthmi, made an "apostasy" (standing off, cleavage) as he did at Corinth (Acts 18:7, metabav, making a change).
Separated the disciples (afwrisen touv maqhtav). First aorist active indicative of aforizw, old verb to mark limits (horizon) as already in Acts 13:2. Paul himself was a spiritual Pharisee "separated" to Christ (Romans 1:1). The Jews regarded this withdrawal as apostasy, like separating the sheep from the goats (Matthew 25:32). Paul now made a separate church as he had done at Thessalonica and Corinth.
In the school of Tyrannus (en th sxolh Turannou). Sxolh (our school) is an old word from sxein (exw) to hold on, leisure and then in later Greek (Plutarch, etc.) a place where there is leisure as here. Only this example in the N.T. This is the Greek notion of "school," the Jewish being that of "yoke" as in Matthew 11:29. The name Tyrannus (our tyrant) is a common one. It is an inscription in the Columbarium of the Empress Livia as that of a physician in the court. Furneaux suggests the possibility that a relative of this physician was lecturing on medicine in Ephesus and so as a friend of Luke, the physician, would be glad to help Paul about a place to preach. It was probably a public building or lecture hall with this name whether hired by Paul or loaned to him. The pagan sophists often spoke in such halls. The Codex Bezae adds "from the fifth hour to the tenth" as the time allotted Paul for his work in this hall, which is quite possible, from just before midday till the close of the afternoon (from before the noon meal till two hours before sunset) each day. Here Paul had great freedom and a great hearing. As the church grows there will be other places of meeting as the church in the house of Aquila and Priscilla (I Corinthians 16:19).
Other Robertson's Word Pictures (NT) entries containing Acts 19:9:
Acts 9:2
Acts 14:2
Acts 18:6
Acts 18:7
Acts 18:19
Acts 19:23
Acts 20:18
Acts 21:28
Romans 9:18
1 Corinthians 16:19
Philemon 1:1
Hebrews 3:8
3 John 1:7
Revelation 2:1
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