Teks -- Acts 21:40 (NET)

21:40 When the commanding officer had given him permission, Paul stood on the steps and gestured to the people with his hand. When they had become silent, he addressed them in Aramaic,

Tafsiran/Catatan -- Catatan Kata/Frasa (per frasa)

Robertson: Act 21:40 - When he had given him leave

When he had given him leave ( epitrepsantos autou ).

Genitive absolute of aorist active participle of the same verb epitrepō .

Robertson: Act 21:40 - Standing on the stairs

Standing on the stairs ( hestōs epi tōn anabathmōn ).

Second perfect active participle of histēmi , to place, but intransitive to stand. Dramatic scene. Paul had faced many audiences and crowds, but never one quite like this. Most men would have feared to speak, but not so Paul. He will speak about himself only as it gives him a chance to put Christ before this angry Jewish mob who look on Paul as a renegade Jew, a turncoat, a deserter, who went back on Gamaliel and all the traditions of his people, who not only turned from Judaism to Christianity, but who went after Gentiles and treated Gentiles as if they were on a par with Jews. Paul knows only too well what this mob thinks of him.

Robertson: Act 21:40 - Beckoned with the hand

Beckoned with the hand ( kateseise tēi cheiri ).

He shook down to the multitude with the hand (instrumental case cheiri ), while Alexander, Luke says (Act 19:33), "shook down the hand"(accusative with the same verb, which see). In Act 26:1 Paul reached out the hand (ekteinas tēn cheira ).

Robertson: Act 21:40 - When there was made a great silence

When there was made a great silence ( pollēs sigēs genomenēs ).

Genitive absolute again with second aorist middle participle of ginomai , "much silence having come."Paul waited till silence had come.

Robertson: Act 21:40 - In the Hebrew language

In the Hebrew language ( tēi Ebraidi dialektōi ).

The Aramaean which the people in Jerusalem knew better than the Greek. Paul could use either tongue at will. His enemies had said in Corinth that "his bodily presence was weak and his speech contemptible"(2Co 10:10). But surely even they would have to admit that Paul’ s stature and words reach heroic proportions on this occasion. Self-possessed with majestic poise Paul faces the outraged mob beneath the stairs.

Vincent: Act 21:40 - Beckoned with the hand

Beckoned with the hand

Compare Act 26:1.

Vincent: Act 21:40 - Tongue

Tongue ( διαλέκτῳ )

Lit., dialect: the language spoken by the Palestinian Jews - a mixture of Syriac and Chaldaic.

Wesley: Act 21:40 - In the Hebrew tongue

That dialect of it, which was then commonly spoken at Jerusalem.

JFB: Act 21:37-40 - Art not thou that Egyptian, &c.

The form of the question implies that the answer is to be in the negative, and is matter of some surprise: "Thou art not then?" &c.

JFB: Act 21:40 - stood on the stairs

"What nobler spectacle than that of Paul at this moment! There he stood, bound with two chains, ready to make his defense to the people. The Roman commander sits by, to enforce order by his presence. An enraged populace look up to him from below. Yet in the midst of so many dangers, how self-possessed is he, how tranquil!" [CHRYSOSTOM (or in his name) in HACKETT].

JFB: Act 21:40 - a great silence

The people awed at the permission given him by the commandant, and seeing him sitting as a listener.

JFB: Act 21:40 - in the Hebrew tongue

The Syro-Chaldaic, the vernacular tongue of the Palestine Jews since the captivity.

Clarke: Act 21:40 - Paul stood on the stairs

Paul stood on the stairs - Where he was out of the reach of the mob, and was surrounded by the Roman soldiers

Clarke: Act 21:40 - Beckoned with the hand

Beckoned with the hand - Waving the hand, which was the sign that he was about to address the people. So Virgil says of Turnus, when he wished, by single combat between himself and Aeneas, to put an end to the war: -

Significatque manu, et magno simul incipit ore:

Parcite jam, Rutuli; et vos tela inhibete, Latini

He beckoned with his hand, and cried out with a loud voice

Desist, ye Rutulians; and, ye Latins, cease from throwing your javelins

Clarke: Act 21:40 - He spake unto them in the Hebrew tongue

He spake unto them in the Hebrew tongue - What was called then the Hebrew, viz. the Chaldaeo-Syriac; very well expressed by the Codex Bezae, τῃ ιδιᾳ διαλεκτῳ, in their own dialect

Never was there a more unnatural division than that in this chapter: it ends with a single comma! The best division would have been at the end of the 25th verse

Paul’ s embarkation at Tyre is very remarkable. The simple manner in which he was escorted to the ship by the disciples of Tyre, men, women, and children, and their affectionate and pious parting, kneeling down on the shore and commending each other to God, are both impressive and edifying. Nothing but Christianity could have produced such a spirit in persons who now, perhaps for the first time, saw each other in the flesh. Every true Christian is a child of God; and, consequently, all children of God have a spiritual affinity. They are all partakers of the same Spirit, are united to the same Head, are actuated with the same hope, and are going to the same heaven. These love one another with pure hearts fervently; and these alone are capable of disinterested and lasting friendship. Though this kind of friendship cannot fail, yet it may err; and with officious affection endeavor to prevent us from bearing a necessary and most honorable cross. See Act 21:12, Act 21:13. It should, therefore, be kept within Scriptural bounds.

Defender: Act 21:40 - Hebrew tongue

Paul had impressed the Roman soldiers with his ability in the Greek language, but the Jewish throng was accustomed to speaking in Aramaic. This is probably what is meant by the "Hebrew tongue" - that is, the tongue commonly spoken by the Hebrews."

TSK: Act 21:40 - on // and beckoned // a great // Hebrew

on : Act 21:35; 2Ki 9:13

and beckoned : Act 12:17, Act 13:16, Act 19:33

a great : Act 22:2

Hebrew : Act 6:1, Act 26:14; Luk 23:38; Joh 5:2, Joh 19:13, Joh 19:17, Joh 19:20; Rev 9:11, Rev 16:16

Tafsiran/Catatan -- Catatan Kata/Frasa (per Ayat)

Poole: Act 21:40 - Paul stood on the stairs // And beckoned with the hand // He spake unto them in the Hebrew tongue

Paul stood on the stairs as he was now about to be carried into the castle Antonia, before mentioned.

And beckoned with the hand signifying that he craved their audience; as Act 12:17 13:16 .

He spake unto them in the Hebrew tongue the Hebrew tongue being understood by all of them, and most grateful unto them. Yet this was not the pure and ancient Hebrew, which had been corrupted ever since their captivity; but the Syriac tongue, which they there learned, was called Hebrew, it having at first been derived from the Hebrew, and being then in use by those who were, Hebrews.

Haydock: Act 21:40

He spoke in the dialect of the country, which was partly Hebrew and partly Syriac, but the Syriac greatly prevailed; and fro the steps, Greek: epi tous anastathmous, which led to the fortress of Antonia. Here a Roman cohort was lodged; it was situated to the north-west, and joined the temple. The flight of steps was occupied by the lowest orders of the people. Thus Cicero ad Atticum: Gradus templorum ab infima plebe completi erant; and again, pro Cluentio: gradus concitatis hominibus narrat.

Gill: Act 21:40 - And when he had given him licence // Paul stood on the stairs // and beckoned with the hand unto the people // and when there was made a great silence // he spake unto them in the Hebrew tongue // saying

And when he had given him licence,.... To speak to the people, which he could not well deny him, after he had so freely declared who he was, and in so courteous a manner addressed him, and asked leave of him:

Paul stood on the stairs; on the steps of the ascent to the castle, on the top of them:

and beckoned with the hand unto the people; to desire silence, which he might be able to do, notwithstanding his chains; for his being bound with a chain to a soldier, did not hinder the moving and lifting up of his hand:

and when there was made a great silence; either through the authority of the captain, who might command it, or through the desire of the people, to hear what he could say for himself:

he spake unto them in the Hebrew tongue; which the people he spoke to best understood, and was his own mother tongue; the Alexandrian copy reads, "in his own dialect"; this was not pure Hebrew that was spoke in common in those times, but the Syro-Chaldean language:

saying; as in the following chapter.