Acts 21:39

21:27-40 In the temple, where Paul should have been protected as in a place of safety, he was violently set upon. They falsely charged him with ill doctrine and ill practice against the Mosaic ceremonies. It is no new thing for those who mean honestly and act regularly, to have things laid to their charge which they know not and never thought of. It is common for the wise and good to have that charged against them by malicious people, with which they thought to have obliged them. God often makes those a protection to his people, who have no affection to them, but only have compassion for sufferers, and regard to the public peace. And here see what false, mistaken notions of good people and good ministers, many run away with. But God seasonably interposes for the safety of his servants, from wicked and unreasonable men; and gives them opportunities to speak for themselves, to plead for the Redeemer, and to spread abroad his glorious gospel.

Mean (ἀσήμου) Lit., without a mark or token (σῆμα). Hence used of uncoined gold or silver: of oracles which give no intelligible response: of inarticulate voices: of disease without distinctive symptoms. Generally, as here, undistinguished, mean. There is a conscious feeling of patriotism in Paul's expression.

No mean city; it being the metropolis, or chief city, in Cilicia, built by Perseus, as some think; howsoever, having the privilege of the Roman freedom; as Acts 22:28 . I beseech thee: St. Paul begs leave to speak unto the people, that he might not seem to affect popularity, or to be guilty of any insurrection or tumult. Thus he had leave also of Agrippa, before that he made that famous apology, Acts 26:1 .

Acts 21:39 . Μὲν ) Μὲν imparts ἦθος to the beginning of a speech: ch. Acts 22:3 , ἐγὼ μέν εἰμι ἀνήρ .—[ λαλῆσαι , to speak ) With what great prudence did the apostle forthwith avail himself of the opportunity afforded by circumstances! Wheresoever he beheld a multitude, the desire of speaking took possession of him: ch. Acts 19:30 .—V. g.]

39 . But Paul said, I am a man which am a Jew of Tarsus ] The A. V. does not often follow the Greek so closely as this. And here it is better to read with the Rev. Ver. , “ I am a Jew of Tarsus in Cilicia ” (see Acts 6:9 , notes). a citizen of no mean city ] Tarsus was the metropolis of Cilicia, and a city remarkable for its culture, and the zeal of its inhabitants for philosophic studies. and … people ] An objection has been here raised that it is extremely improbable that the chief captain could have held this conversation with St Paul amid the tumult, and also that he would have granted permission to speak to a man whom he had just taken as his prisoner, and whom he afterwards arranges to examine by scourging ( Acts 22:24 ). But we have only to remember that the Apostle and his interlocutor were high up above the crowd, and so away from the noise; that the staircase crowded with soldiers, who could not rapidly be withdrawn because they were restraining the multitude, made some delay absolutely unavoidable, and that, added to this was the surprise of the chief captain that his prisoner could speak Greek, and we have enough warrant for accepting the story as it is here told. Moreover the Greek which the Apostle used was of a very polished character, shewing the education and refinement of the speaker, and making good his claim to respect.

Acts 21:39-40 . I am indeed ( μέν )—not the Egyptian, but— a Jew from Tarsus (and so apprehended by thee through being confounded with another), yet I pray thee , etc. ἄνθρωπος ] In his speech to the people Paul used the more honourable word ἀνήρ (Schaefer, ad Long . p. 408). See Acts 22:3 . οὐκ ἀσήμου ] See examples of this litotes in the designation of important cities, in Wetstein ad loc . Comp. Jacobs, ad Achill. Tat . p. 718. A conscious feeling of patriotism is implied in the expression. κατέσ . τ . χ .] See on Acts 12:17 . πολλῆς δὲ σιγῆς γενομ .] “Conticuere omnes intentique ora tenebant,” Virgil. Aen . ii. 1. τῇ Ἑβρ . διαλ .] thus not likewise in Greek, as in Acts 21:37 , but in the Syro-Chaldaic dialect of the country ( Acts 1:9 ), in order, namely, to find a more favourable hearing with the people . We may add, that the permission to speak granted by the tribune is too readily explainable from the unexpected disillusion which he had just experienced, Acts 21:39 , to admit of its being urged as a reason against the historical character of the speech (Baur, Zeller), just as the silence which set in is explainable enough as the effect of surprise in the case of the mobile vulgus .

And if the following speech, as regards its contents , does not enter upon the position of the speaker towards the law, it was, in presence of the prejudice and passion of the multitude, a very wise procedure simply to set forth facts , by which the whole working of the apostle is apologetically exhibited.

A Jew of Tarsus - A Jew by birth. Of no mean city - Not obscure, or undistinguished. He could claim an honorable birth, so far as the place of his nativity was concerned. See the notes on Acts 9:11. Tarsus was much celebrated for its learning, and was at one time the rival of Alexandria and Athens. Xenophon calls it a great and flourishing city. Josephus (Antiq., book 2, chapter 6, section 6) says that it was the metropolis, and most renowned city among them (the Cilicians).