Commentaries:
Robertson's Word Pictures (NT)
More noble than those (eugenesteroi twn). Comparative form of eugenhv, old and common adjective, but in N.T. only here and Luke 19:12; I Corinthians 1:26. Followed by ablative case twn as often after the comparative.
With all readiness of mind (meta pashv proqumiav). Old word from proqumov (pro, qumov) and means eagerness, rushing forward. In the N.T. only here and II Corinthians 8:11-19; II Corinthians 9:2. In Thessalonica many of the Jews out of pride and prejudice refused to listen. Here the Jews joyfully welcomed the two Jewish visitors.
Examining the Scriptures daily (kaq hmeran anakrinontev tav grafav). Paul expounded the Scriptures daily as in Thessalonica, but the Beroeans, instead of resenting his new interpretation, examined (anakrinw means to sift up and down, make careful and exact research as in legal processes as in Acts 4:9; Acts 12:19, etc.) the Scriptures for themselves. In Scotland people have the Bible open on the preacher as he expounds the passage, a fine habit worth imitating.
Whether these things were so (ei exoi tauta outwv). Literally, "if these things had it thus." The present optative in the indirect question represents an original present indicative as in Luke 1:29 (Robertson, Grammar, pp. 1043f.). This use of ei with the optative may be looked at as the condition of the fourth class (undetermined with less likelihood of determination) as in Acts 17:27; Acts 20:16; Acts 24:19; Acts 27:12 (Robertson, Grammar, p. 1021). The Beroeans were eagerly interested in the new message of Paul and Silas but they wanted to see it for themselves. What a noble attitude. Paul's preaching made Bible students of them. The duty of private interpretation is thus made plain (Hovey).
Other Robertson's Word Pictures (NT) entries containing Acts 17:11:
Acts 4:12
1 Corinthians 2:14
2 Corinthians 8:11
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