Act 1:17, 20 | Clarke | e4.org | Verse 17. Obtained part of this ministry. ] ελαχετονκληρον, He obtained the lot of this ministry -not that he or any of the twelve apostles, was chosen to this ministry by lot , but as lot signifies the portion a man has in life, what comes to him in the course of the Divine providence , or as an especial gift of God's goodness , it is used here, as in many other parts of the sacred writings, to signify office or station . On this subject the reader is referred to the notes on ; : see also .

‏ Acts 1:17

Verse 17. Obtained part of this ministry.] ελαχετονκληρον, He obtained the lot of this ministry-not that he or any of the twelve apostles, was chosen to this ministry by lot, but as lot signifies the portion a man has in life, what comes to him in the course of the Divine providence, or as an especial gift of God's goodness, it is used here, as in many other parts of the sacred writings, to signify office or station. On this subject the reader is referred to the notes on Le 16:8, 9; Jos 14:2: see also Ac 1:26.

‏ Acts 1:20

Verse 20. For it is written in the book of Psalms] The places usually referred to are Ps 69:25: Let their habitation be desolate, and let none dwell in their tents. And Ps 109:8: Let his days be few, and let another take his office, pekudato, his overseership, his charge of visitation or superintendence, translated by the SEPTUAGINT, τηνεπισκοπην, VULGATE, episcopatum; and WE, following both, bishopric, but not with sufficient propriety, for surely the office or charge of Judas was widely different from what we call bishopric, the diocess, estate, and emoluments of a bishop. επισκοπος, episcopos, which was corrupted by our Saxon ancestors into [Anglo-Saxon], biscop, and by us into bishop, signifies literally an overseer or superintendent, from επι, over, and σκεπτομαι, I see, a person who had the inspection, overseeing, or superintendence of others. The ancient επισκοποι were persons who had the care of different congregations of the Church of Christ; who travelled, preached, enforced the discipline of the Church, and took care to prevent false doctrines, heresies, &c. Those who still deserve this title, and it is an august and noble one, walk by the same rule, and mind the same thing. επισκοπος, episcopus, or bishop, is a scriptural and sacred title; was gloriously supported in the primitive Church; and many to the present day are not less ornaments to the title, than the title is ornamental to them. The best defenses of the truth of God, and the Protestant faith, are in the works of the bishops of the British Churches.

The words quoted from the Psalms were originally spoken against the enemies of David; and as David, in certain particulars, was a type of Christ, the words are applied to him in an especial manner who had sinned against his own soul and the life of his Master.