But he beckoning unto them with the hand
This is what the Jews call (hzymr) , "an hint" F13, which is a beckoning, or
making signs, either with the head or hand: and this was now
made, to hold their peace; to be silent, and not clamorous in
their expressions of joy and wonder, lest it should alarm the
neighbourhood, and the consequence be bad both to him and them;
as also that he might have an opportunity of relating the whole
affair to them; which he did, after he had entered into the
house; which though not expressed is understood, and is added in
Beza's ancient copy, and in the Syriac version:
and he went in;
that is, into the house: and declared unto them how the Lord had
brought him out of prison: how he had sent his angel to him in
prison, what a light shone about him, how his chains fell from
his hands, and how the angel conducted him through the several
wards, till they came to the iron gate, which opened of itself;
and how when he had brought him into the public streets, he left
him; he ascribes this wonderful deliverance not to the angel, but
to the Lord himself:
and he said, go show these things to James;
the son of Alphaeus, sometimes called the brother of our Lord;
for James the son of Zebedee, the brother of John, Herod had
lately killed with the sword, ( Acts 12:2 ) and this
other James very likely succeeded him as pastor of the church at
Jerusalem, or at least had the superintendency of affairs there:
and to the brethren;
the rest of the apostles, and even all the members; whom he would
have acquainted with these things, which he knew would be matter
of joy unto them, and a means of strengthening them in the ways
of the Lord:
and he departed, and went into another place;
to Rome, say the Papists, but without any foundation; if he went
out of the city, and to any distant place for more safety, very
likely he went to Antioch; but the words do not necessarily
oblige us to conclude, that he went out of the city at that time,
only that he went from Mary's house; "and went", as the Ethiopic
version reads, "to another house": where another company of
saints might be assembled, and where he might be more private and
secure.
F13 Bartenora in Misn. Gittin, c. 5. sect. 7.