Acts 19:9 - Exposition

Some for divers, A.V.; disobedient for believed not, A.V. ( ἡπείθουν , as Acts 14:2 ; Acts 17:5 , T.R.); speaking for but spake, A.V.; the Way for that way, A.V.; reasoning for disputing, A.V.; Tyrannus for one Tyrannus , A.V. Were hardened ; or, hardened themselves. Whether considered as active or middle, the hardening their minds against the reception of the truth was just as voluntary an action as that of one who shuts his eyes that he may not see the light. For the use of σκληρύνειν (Hebrew השָׁקְהִ , applied to the heart or the neck), see Romans 9:18 ; Hebrews 3:8 , Hebrews 3:15 ; Hebrews 4:7 —passages all founded upon the LXX . of Psalms 94:8 . See also Exodus 7:22 ; Exodus 8:19 ; and Ecclesiasticus 30:11, where, as here, disobedience is the consequence of being hardened. ΄ήποτε σκληρυνθεὶς ἀπειθήσῃ σοι , "Lest being hardened he disobey thee. " The A.V., by leaving out "were" before "disobedient," and translating as if "hardened" and "disobedient" were two adjectives, destroys this consequence. Speaking evil of ; κακολογοῦντες , frequent in the LXX . as the rendering of ללֵּקִ ( Exodus 21:17 ; 1 Samuel 3:13 ), which is otherwise rendered by κακῶς εἴπειν ," as in Le 20:9. It is nearly synonymous with βλασφημαῖν . The Way (as verse 23; see Acts 9:2 , note). They would speak evil of the gospel by describing it as a blasphemy against God and against Moses, as contrary to the Law, as subversive of all the customs and traditions of the Jews, and so on. He departed . ἀποστάς is more than simply "departing;" it implies a withdrawal and separation front fellowship with them, as in 1 Timothy 6:5 (A.V.), "From such withdraw thyself;" Ecclesiastes 7:2 , "Depart from the unjust" (comp. Luke 13:27 ). Separated the disciples . Hitherto the converted Jews at Ephesus had continued to join their unconverted brethren in the worship of the synagogue; now Paul withdrew them and separated them ( ἀφώρισε , Galatians 2:10 ). The school of Tyrannus ; σχολή , leisure; then, "the employment of leisure," as especially in philosophic discussions and the like; thirdly, the "place" were such discussions were held, a school. It is uncertain whether Tyrannus was a Gentile well known at the time (without the τινός ), who kept a lecture room for philosophic discussions or lectures on rhetoric, or whether he was a Jew who held a private school or meeting in his house—a beth-midrash—as was not uncommon in largo towns where many Jews were. " Beth-midrash—The Jewish divinity school, where their doctors disputed of the more high and difficult matters of the Law" (Index to Lightfoot's Works). It was commonly the upper room in the house of a rabbi (Lightfoot, on Acts 2:13 , vol. 8.363), whence "house of rabbis "was synonymous with beth-midrash, house of discussion. The name Tyrannus occurs in 2 Macc. 4:40; Josephus, 'Ant. Jud.,' 16. 10.4; 'Bell Jud.,' 1. 26.6, of an officer in Herod's bodyguard, who might be a Jew or a Greek; and a certain Tyrannus is described by Suidas as a sophist and an author, possibly the same as is here spoken of. Lightfoot, Meyer, Alford, and others think that the Tyrannus here spoken of was a Jew; Lange, Olshausen, Howson, Farrar, Lewin, etc., think he was a Greek philosopher or rhetorician. Some think that "the school of Tyrannus" was the name of the lecture-room from some former teacher.