Richard Challoner

Most tender: He appeared like one tender and weak, but was indeed most valiant and strong. It seems the Latin has here given the interpretation of the Hebrew name of the hero, to whom Jesbaham was like, instead of the name itself, which was Adino the Eznite, one much renowned of old for his valour.

Jesbaham: The son of Hachamoni. For this was the name of this hero, as appears from 1 Chron. or Paralip. 11.-- Ibid.

Dodo: In Latin, Patrui ejus, which is the interpretation of the Hebrew name Dodo. The same occurs in ver. 24.

Stirred up: This stirring up was not the doing of God, but of Satan; as it is expressly declared, 1 Chron. or Paralip. 21. 1.

David's heart struck him, after the people were numbered: That is he was touched with a great remorse for the vanity and pride which had put him upon numbering the people.

St. John praises Gaius for his walking in truth and for his charity, complains of the bad conduct of Diotrephes and gives a good testimony to Demetrius.

No greater grace: that is nothing that gives me greater joy and satisfaction.

Taking nothing of the Gentiles: These ministers of the gospel are commended by St. John, who took nothing from the Gentiles, lest they should seem to preach in order to get money by it.

Diotrephes, who loveth: This man seemeth to be in power, but not a friend to the faithful; therefore this part of the letter might be an admonition to him from the apostle.

This Book, which, from the first ages, hath been called, THE ACTS OF THE APOSTLES, is not to be considered as a history of what was done by all the Apostles, who were dispersed into different nations; but only a short view of the first establishment of the Christian Church. A part of the preaching and action of St. Peter are related in the first twelve chapters; and a particular account of St. Paul's apostolical labours in the subsequent chapters. It was written by St. Luke the Evangelist, and the original in Greek. Its history commences from the Ascension of Christ our Lord and ends in the year sixty-three, being a brief account of the Church for the space of about thirty years.

By the determinate: God delivered up his Son; and his Son delivered up himself, for the love of us, and for the sake of our salvation; and so Christ's being delivered up was holy, and was God's own determination. But they who betrayed and crucified him, did wickedly, following therein their own malice and the instigation of the devil; not the will and determination of God, who was by no means the author of their wickedness; though he permitted it; because he could, and did draw out of it so great a good, viz., the salvation of man.

Having loosed the sorrows: Having overcome the grievous pains of death and all the power of hell.

Greeks: So they called the Jews that were born and brought up in Greece.

Jesus: That is Josue, so called in Greek.

Dwelleth not in houses: That is, so as to stand in need of earthly dwellings, or to be contained, or circumscribed by them. Though, otherwise by his immense divinity, he is in our houses; and every where else; and Christ in his humanity dwelt in houses; and is now on our altars.

They laid their hands upon them: The apostles administered the sacrament of confirmation, by imposition of hands, and prayer; and the faithful thereby received the Holy Ghost. Not but they had received the grace of the Holy Ghost at their baptism: yet not that plenitude of grace and those spiritual gifts which they afterwards received from bishops in the sacrament of confirmation, which strengthened them to profess their faith publicly.

If thou believest with all thy heart: The scripture many times mentions only one disposition, as here belief, when others equally necessary are not expressed, viz., a sorrow for sins, a firm hope, and the love of God. Moreover, believing with the whole heart signifies a belief of every thing necessary for salvation.

In every nation: That is to say, not only Jews, but Gentiles also, of what nation soever, are acceptable to God, if they fear him and work justice. But then true faith is always to be presupposed, without which (saith St. Paul, Heb. 11. 6) it is impossible to please God. Beware then of the error of those, who would infer from this passage, that men of all religions may be pleasing to God. For since none but the true religion can be from God, all other religions must be from the father of lies, and therefore highly displeasing to the God of truth.

Azymes: The festival of the unleavened bread, or the pasch, which answers to our Easter.

I will give you the holy: These are the words of the prophet Isaias, 55. 3. According to the Septuagint, the sense is: I will faithfully fulfil the promises I made to David.