Acts 9:32-43 And it came to pass, as Peter passed throughout all quarters, he came down also to the saints which dwelled at Lydda.… the Lud of the Old Testament (1 Chronicles 8:12; Ezra 2:33; Nehemiah 7:37; Nehemiah 11:35), was a town in the rich plain of Sharon, one day's journey from Jerusalem, founded originally by settlers from the tribe of Benjamin, and retaining to the present day its old name as "Ludd." It is mentioned by Josephus ("Wars," 3:3, sec. 5) as transferred by Demetrius Soter, at the request of Judas Maccabeus, to the estate of the temple at Jerusalem (1 Macc. 10:30, 38 1 Macc. 11:34). Under the grasping rule of Cassius, the inhabitants were sold as slaves (Jos., "Ant." 14:11, sec. 2). It had, however, recovered its former prosperity, and appears at this time to have been the seat of a flourishing Christian community. In the wars that preceded the destruction of Jerusalem it was partially burned by Cestius Gallus, A.D. 66 (Jos., "Wars," 2:19, sec. 1), all but fifty of the inhabitants having gone up to the Feast of Tabernacles at Jerusalem, and was again occupied by Vespasian, A.D. 68 (Jos., "Wars," 2:08, sec. 1). When it was rebuilt, probably under Hadrian, when Jerusalem received the new name of AElla Capitolina, it also was renamed as Diospolis ( = city of Zeus), and as such was the seat of one of the chief bishoprics of the Syrian Church. It was, at the time when Peter came to it, the seat of a Rabbinic school. Gamaliel, son of the great rabbi who was St. Paul's master, and himself honoured with the title of Rabban, presided over it, and was succeeded by the great Tarphon. The question which we naturally ask, who had planted the faith of Christ there, carries us once more on the track of Philip the Evangelist. Lying as it did on the road from Azotus to Caesarea, it would lie in his way on the journey recorded in Acts 8:40, as he passed "through all the cities"; and we may believe, without much risk, that he was Luke's informant as to what passed in the Church with which he was so closely connected. (Dean Plumptre.) Parallel Verses KJV: And it came to pass, as Peter passed throughout all quarters, he came down also to the saints which dwelt at Lydda. |
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