Teks -- Acts 16:9 (NET)

16:9 A vision appeared to Paul during the night: A Macedonian man was standing there urging him, “Come over to Macedonia and help us!”

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

Robertson: Act 16:9 - A vision

A vision ( horama ).

Old word, eleven times in Acts, once in Mat 17:9. Twice Paul had been hindered by the Holy Spirit from going where he wanted to go. Most men would have gone back home with such rebuffs, but not so Paul. Now the call is positive and not negative, to go "far hence to the Gentiles"(Act 22:21). He had little dreamed of such a call when he left Antioch. Paul’ s frequent visions always came at real crises in his life.

Robertson: Act 16:9 - A man of Macedonia

A man of Macedonia ( anēr Makedōn ).

Ramsay follows Renan in the view that this was Luke with whom Paul had conversed about conditions in Macedonia. Act 16:10makes it plain that Luke was now in the party, but when he joined them we do not know. Some hold that Luke lived at Antioch in Syria and came on with Paul and Silas, others that he joined them later in Galatia, others that he appeared now either as Paul’ s physician or new convert. Ramsay thinks that Philippi was his home at this time. But, whatever is true about Luke, the narrative must not be robbed of its supernatural aspect (Act 10:10; Act 22:17).

Robertson: Act 16:9 - Was standing

Was standing ( ēn hestōs ).

Second perfect active participle of histēmi , intransitive, periphrastic imperfect. Vivid picture.

Robertson: Act 16:9 - Help us

Help us ( boēthēson hēmin ).

Ingressive first aorist active imperative of boētheō (boē , theō ), to run at a cry, to help. The man uses the plural for all including himself. It was the cry of Europe for Christ.

Wesley: Act 16:9 - A vision appeared to Paul by night

It was not a dream, though it was by night. No other dream is mentioned in the New Testament than that of Joseph and of Pilate's wife.

Wesley: Act 16:9 - A man of Macedonia

Probably an angel clothed in the Macedonian habit, or using the language of the country, and representing the inhabitants of it.

Wesley: Act 16:9 - Help us

Against Satan, ignorance, and sin.

JFB: Act 16:9-10 - a vision appeared to Paul in the night

While awake, for it is not called a dream.

JFB: Act 16:9-10 - There stood a man of Macedonia, and prayed him, saying, Come over into Macedonia, and help us

Stretching his eye across the Ægean Sea, from Troas on the northeast, to the Macedonian hills, visible on the northwest, the apostle could hardly fail to think this the destined scene of his future labors; and, if he retired to rest with this thought, he would be thoroughly prepared for the remarkable intimation of the divine will now to be given him. This visional Macedonian discovered himself by what he said. But it was a cry not of conscious desire for the Gospel, but of deep need of it and unconscious preparedness to receive it, not only in that region, but, we may well say, throughout all that western empire which Macedonia might be said to represent. It was a virtual confession "that the highest splendor of heathendom, which we must recognize in the arts of Greece and in the polity and imperial power of Rome, had arrived at the end of all its resources. God had left the Gentile peoples to walk in their own ways (Act 14:2). They had sought to gain salvation for themselves; but those who had carried it farthest along the paths of natural development were now pervaded by the feeling that all had indeed been vanity. This feeling is the simple, pure result of all the history of heathendom. And Israel, going along the way which God had marked out for him, had likewise arrived at his end. At last he is in a condition to realize his original vocation, by becoming the guide who is to lead the Gentiles unto God, the only Author and Creator of man's redemption; and Paul is in truth the very person in whom this vocation of Israel is now a present divine reality, and to whom, by this nocturnal apparition of the Macedonian, the preparedness of the heathen world to receive the ministry of Israel towards the Gentiles is confirmed" [BAUMGARTEN]. This voice cries from heathendom still to the Christian Church, and never does the Church undertake the work of missions, nor any missionary go forth from it, in the right spirit, save in obedience to this cry.

Clarke: Act 16:9 - A vision appeared to Paul in the night

A vision appeared to Paul in the night - Whether this was in a dream, or whether a representation made to the senses of the apostle, we cannot tell. A man of Macedonia appeared to him, and made this simple communication, Come over into Macedonia, and help us

Some suppose that the guardian angel of Macedonia appeared to St. Paul in a human shape; others, that it was a Divine communication made to his imagination in a dream.

Calvin: Act 16:9 - A vision by night // Help us

9.A vision by night The Lord would not that Paul should stay any longer in Asia; because he would draw him into Macedonia. And Luke expresseth the manner of the drawing, that a man of Macedonia appeared to him by night. Where we must note that the Lord did not always observe the same manner of revelation, because divers kinds are more convenient for confirmation. And it is not said that this vision was offered in a dream, but only in the night season. For there be certain night visions which men see when they be awake. −

Help us This speech setteth forth the ministry committed to Paul. For, seeing that the gospel is the power of God to salvation, ( Rom 1:16,) those which are the ministers of God are said to help those who perish; that having delivered them from death, they may bring them unto the inheritance of eternal life. And this ought to be no small encouragement for godly teachers to stir up the heat of their study and desire, when they hear that they call back miserable souls from destruction, and that they help those who should otherwise perish, that they may be saved. Again, all people unto whom the gospel is brought are taught reverently to embrace the ministers thereof as deliverers, unless they will maliciously reject the grace of God; and yet this commendation and title is not so translated unto men, that God is robbed even of the best part of his praise; because, though he by his ministers give salvation, yet is he the only author thereof, as if he reached out his hands to help. −

TSK: Act 16:9 - a vision // Macedonia // Come

a vision : Act 2:17, Act 2:18, Act 9:10-12, Act 10:3, Act 10:10-17, Act 10:30, Act 11:5-12, Act 18:9, Act 18:10, Act 22:17-21; Act 27:23, Act 27:24; 2Co 12:1-4, 2Co 12:7

Macedonia : Act 18:5, Act 19:21; Rom 15:26; 2Co 7:5, 2Co 8:1, 2Co 9:2, 2Co 11:9; 1Th 1:7, 1Th 1:8, 1Th 4:10

Come : Act 8:26-31, Act 9:38, Act 10:32, Act 10:33, Act 11:13, Act 11:14; Rom 10:14, Rom 10:15

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

Poole: Act 16:9 - A man // Macedonia // Help us

A man an angel in the appearance and likeness (in habit and demeanour) of one of that country.

Macedonia a Grecian province in Europe, extending to the Archipelago.

Help us as to our souls, with the saving light of the gospel: God sends the ministers of the gospel to help such as would otherwise perish: with the gospel, salvation comes.

Haydock: Act 16:9 - A vision

A vision, &c. The tutelar angel of the province, according to most interpreters, under the form of a Macedonian, who implored St. Paul in behalf of the province he guarded.

Gill: Act 16:9 - And a vision appeared to Paul in the night // there stood a man of Macedonia // and prayed him, saying, come over into Macedonia // and help us

And a vision appeared to Paul in the night,.... Either in a dream, or, it may be, when he was awake:

there stood a man of Macedonia; an angel in the form of a man; the Syriac version reads, "as a man of Macedonia", and who might appear in a Macedonian habit, or speak in the Macedonian language; or the apostle might conclude him to be so, from his making mention of Macedonia, as the place where he requested him to come, and assist:

and prayed him, saying, come over into Macedonia; Macedonia was a very large country in Europe; which formerly consisted, as Pliny ^o says, of a hundred and fifty people, or nations, and was called Emathia; it took its name of Macedonia from Macedo, a son of Jupiter, and of Thyd, a daughter of Deucalion: according to Ptolomy ^p it had on the north Dalmatia, superior Mysia and Thracia; on the west, the Ionian sea; on the south Epirus; and on the east, part of Thracia, and the gulfs of the Aegean sea. It had formerly other names besides Emathia and Macedonia, as Mygdonia and Edoma, and is now called Albania or Ronnelli. Troas, where the apostle now was, when he had this vision, was just by the Hellespont, over which he must go to Macedonia; and therefore the Macedonian prays him to "come over", adding,

and help us; by praying and preaching, to pull down the kingdom of Satan, to destroy superstition and idolatry, to enlighten the eyes of men, and turn them from darkness to light, from the power of Satan to God, and save them from utter ruin and destruction. This shows what a miserable condition this country was in; and that God had some chosen people among them to gather in, whose time was now come; and of what use and service the angels, Christ's ministering spirits, are, who are helpful in weakening the kingdom of Satan, and advancing the interest of Christ, and in spreading his Gospel, and particularly in directing the ministers of it where to preach it; though it follows not from hence, that this angel presided over the whole country, and was their tutelar angel, as some think.