Acts 14:17

17 And yet he left not himself without witnessing in well-doing, for he gave rains from heaven, and times of bearing fruit, and full-filled your hearts with meat and gladness [full-filling with meat and gladness your hearts].

Acts 14:17 Meaning and Commentary

Acts 14:17

Nevertheless, he left not himself without witness
Of his kindness and goodness to them, during this long interval and period of time; for they had not the written law, yet they were not destitute of the law of nature; and had, besides, many instances of providential goodness, by which they might have known God: and should have been thankful to him, and glorified him as God, and not have worshipped the idols of their own hands; the goodness of God should have led them to repentance, and not have been abused to so many wicked purposes as it had been:

in that he did good;
in a providential way, to persons very undeserving of it, of which some particular instances follow:

and gave us rain from heaven,
which none of the gods of the Gentiles could, do, ( Jeremiah 14:22 ) . So (Mymvg xtpm) , "the key of rains", is by the Jews F1 said to be one of the keys which God has in his own hands, and which he does not commit to any other: and a wonderful blessing is this to mankind, and which God gives to the just and to the unjust, and did give to the ignorant and idolatrous Gentiles. Beza's most ancient copy, and four other ancient copies of his, and some others, read "you", instead of "us"; which reading seems most agreeable:

and fruitful seasons;
spring, summer, harvest, and autumn, at which several times, different fruits of the earth appear:

filling our hearts with food and gladness;
giving a sufficiency of food, and even an abundance of it, and that for pleasure and delight, as well as for support and refreshment: the Syriac version reads, "their hearts"; some copies read, "your hearts".


FOOTNOTES:

F1 Targum Jerus. in Gen. xxx. 22. & Jon. in Deut. xxviii. 12.

Acts 14:17 In-Context

15 and said [and saying], Men, what do ye this thing? and we be deadly men like [to] you, and show to you, that ye be converted from these vain things to the living God, that made heaven, and earth, and the sea, and all things that be in them;
16 which in generations passed suffered all folks to go into their own ways.
17 And yet he left not himself without witnessing in well-doing, for he gave rains from heaven, and times of bearing fruit, and full-filled your hearts with meat and gladness [full-filling with meat and gladness your hearts].
18 And they saying these things, scarcely assuaged the people, that they offered not to them.
19 But some Jews came over from Antioch and Iconium, and counseled the people, and stoned Paul, and drew him out of the city, and guessed that he was dead. [Forsooth some Jews came out from Antioch and Iconium, and, the companies sweetly stirred, they stoning Paul, drew out of the city, guessing him to be dead.]
Copyright © 2001 by Terence P. Noble. For personal use only.