Acts XIII. 4, 5
So they, being sent forth by the Holy Ghost, departed unto Seleucia; and from thence they sailed to Cyprus. And when they were at Salamis, they preached the word of God in the synagogues of the Jews: and they had also John to their minister.
As soon as they were ordained they went forth, and hasted to Cyprus, that being a place where was no ill-design hatching against them, and where moreover the Word had been sown already. In Antioch there were (teachers) enough, and Phœnice too was near to Palestine; but Cyprus not so. However, you are not to make a question of the why and wherefore, when it is the Spirit that directs their movements: for they were not only ordained by the Spirit, but sent forth by Him likewise. And when they had come to Salamis, they preached the word of God in the synagogues of the Jews. Do you mark how they make a point of preaching the word to them first, not to make them more contentious? The persons mentioned before spoke to none but to Jews only, and so here they betook them to the synagogues. And when they had gone through the isle unto Paphos, they found a certain sorcerer, a false prophet, a Jew, whose name was Bar-jesus: which was with the deputy of the country, Sergius Paulus, a prudent man; who called for Barnabas and Saul, and desired to hear the word of God. But Elymas the sorcerer (for so is his name by interpretation) withstood them, seeking to turn away the deputy from the faith. Again a Jew sorcerer, as was Simon. And observe this man, how, while they preached to the others, he did not take it much amiss, but only when they approached the proconsul. And then in respect of the proconsul the wonder is, that although prepossessed by the man’s sorcery, he was nevertheless willing to hear the Apostles. So it was with the Samaritans: and from the competition (συγκρίσεως) the victory appears, the sorcery being worsted. Everywhere, vainglory and love of power are a (fruitful) source of evils! But Saul, who is also Paul, — here his name is changed at the same time that he is ordained, as it was in Peter’s case, — filled with the Holy Ghost, looked upon him, and said, O full of all guile and all villany, thou child of the devil: and observe, this is not abuse, but accusation: for so ought forward, impudent people to be rebuked thou enemy of all righteousness; here he lays bare what was in the thoughts of the man, while under pretext of saving he was ruining the proconsul: will you not cease, he says, to pervert the ways of the Lord? (He says it) both confidently (αξιοπίστως), It is not with us you are warring, nor are you fighting (with us), but the ways of the Lord you are perverting, and with praise (of these, he adds) the right ways. And now, behold, the hand of the Lord is upon you, and you shall be blind. It was the sign by which he was himself converted, and by this he would fain convert this man. As also that expression, for a season, puts it not as an act of punishing, but as meant for his conversion: had it been for punishment, he would have made him lastingly blind, but now it is not so, but for a season (and this), that he may gain the proconsul. For, as he was prepossessed by the sorcery, it was well to teach him a lesson by this infliction (and the sorcerer also), in the same way as the magicians (in Egypt) were taught by the boils. And immediately there fell on him a mist and a darkness: and he went about seeking some to lead him by the hand. Then the deputy, when he saw what was done, believed, being astonished at the doctrine of the Lord. But observe, how they do not linger there, as (they might have been tempted to do) now that the proconsul was a believer, nor are enervated by being courted and honored, but immediately keep on with their work, and set out for the country on the opposite coast. Now when Paul and his company loosed from Paphos, they came to Perga in Pamphylia; and John departing from them returned to Jerusalem. But when they departed from Perga, they came to Antioch in Pisidia, and went into the synagogue on the sabbath day, and sat down. (v. 13, 14.) And here again they entered the synagogues, in the character of Jews, that they might not be treated as enemies, and be driven away: and in this way they carried the whole matter successfully. And after the reading of the Law and the Prophets, the rulers of the synagogue sent unto them, saying, You men and brethren, if you have any word of exhortation for the people, say on. From this point, we learn the history of Paul’s doings, as in what was said above we have learned not a little about Peter. But let us review what has been said.
(Recapitulation.) And when they had come to Salamis, the metropolis of Cyprus, they preached the word of God. They had spent a year in Antioch: it behooved that they should go hither also (to Cyprus) and not sit permanently where they were (the converts in Cyprus): needed greater teachers. See too how they remain no time in Seleucia, knowing that (the people there) might have reaped much benefit from the neighboring city (of Antioch): but they hasten on to the more pressing duties. When they came to the metropolis of the island, they were earnest to disabuse (διορθωσαι) the proconsul. But that it is no flattery that (the writer) says, he was with the proconsul, a prudent man, you may learn from the facts; for he needed not many discourses, and himself wished to hear them. And he mentions also the names. * * * Observe, how he said nothing to the sorcerer, until he gave him an occasion: but they only preached the word of the Lord. Since (though Elymas) saw the rest attending to them, he looked only to this one object, that the proconsul might not be won over. Why did not (Paul) perform some other miracle? Because there was none equal to this, the taking the enemy captive. And observe, he first impeaches, and then punishes, him. He shows how justly the man deserved to suffer, by his saying, O full of all deceit: (full of all,) he says: nothing wanting to the full measure: and he well says, of all deceit, for the man was playing the part of a hypocrite. — Child of the devil, because he was doing his work: enemy of all righteousness, since this (which they preached) was the whole of righteousness (though at the same time): I suppose in these words he reproves his manner of life. His words were not prompted by anger, and to show this, the writer premises, filled with the Holy Ghost, that is, with His operation. And now behold the hand of the Lord is upon you. It was not vengeance then, but healing: for it is as though he said: It is not I that do it, but the hand of God. Mark how unassuming! No light, as in the case of Paul, shone round about him. You shall be blind, he says, not seeing the sun for a season, that he may give him opportunity for repentance: for we nowhere find them wishing to be made conspicuous by the more stern (exercise of their authority), even though it was against enemies that this was put forth: in respect of those of their own body (they used severity), and with good reason, but in dealing with those without, not so; that (the obedience of faith) might not seem to be matter of compulsion and fear. It is a proof of his blindness, his seeking some to lead him by the hand. And the proconsul sees the blindness inflicted, and when he saw what was done, he believed: and both alone believed not merely this, but, being astonished at the doctrine of the Lord: he saw that these things were not mere words, nor trickery. Mark how he loved to receive instruction from his teachers, though he was in a station of so high authority. And (Paul) said not to the sorcerer, Will you not cease to pervert the proconsul? What may be the reason of John’s going back from them? For John, it says, departing from them returned to Jerusalem: (he does it) because they are undertaking a still longer journey: and yet he was their attendant, and as for the danger, they incurred it (not he).— Again, when they had come to Perga, they hastily passed by the other cities, for they were in haste to the metropolis, Antioch. And observe how concise the historian is. They sat down in the synagogue, he says, and, on the sabbath day (v. 14, 15): that they might prepare the way beforehand for the Word. And they do not speak first, but when invited: since as strangers, they called upon them to do so. Had they not waited, there would have been no discourse. Here for the first time we have Paul preaching. And observe his prudence: where the word was already sown, he passes on: but where there was none (to preach), he makes a stay: as he himself writes: Yea, so have I strived to preach the Gospel, not where Christ was named. Great courage this also. Truly, from the very outset, a wonderful man! crucified, ready for all encounters (παρατεταγμένος), he knew how great grace he had obtained, and he brought to it zeal equivalent. He was not angry with John: for this was not for him: but he kept to the work, he quailed not, he was unappalled, when shut up in the midst of a host. Observe how wisely it is ordered that Paul should not preach at Jerusalem: the very hearing that he has become a believer, this of itself is enough for them; for him to preach, they never would have endured, such was their hatred of him: so he departs far away, where he was not known. But it is well done, that they entered the synagogue on the sabbath day when all were collected together. And after the reading of the Law and the Prophets, the rulers of the synagogue sent unto them, saying, You men and brethren, if you have any word or exhortation for the people, say on. Behold how they do this without grudging, but no longer after this. If you did wish this (really), there was more need to exhort.