Abomination
This word is used, (1.) To express the idea that the Egyptians considered themselves as defiled when they ate with strangers ( Gen. 43:32 ). The Jews subsequently followed the same practice, holding it unlawful to eat or drink with foreigners ( John 18:28 ; Acts 10:28 ; 11:3 ). (2.) Every shepherd was “an abomination” unto the Egyptians ( Gen. 46:34 ). This aversion to shepherds, such as the Hebrews, arose probably from the fact that Lower and Middle Egypt had formerly been held in oppressive subjection by a tribe of nomad shepherds (the Hyksos), who had only recently been expelled, and partly also perhaps from this other fact that the Egyptians detested the lawless habits of these wandering shepherds. (3.) Pharaoh was so moved by the fourth plague, that while he refused the demand of Moses, he offered a compromise, granting to the Israelites permission to hold their festival and offer their sacrifices in Egypt. This permission could not be accepted, because Moses said they would have to sacrifice “the abomination of the Egyptians” ( Ex. 8:26 ); i.e., the cow or ox, which all the Egyptians held as sacred, and which they regarded it as sacrilegious to kill. (4.) Daniel (11:31), in that section of his prophecies which is generally interpreted as referring to the fearful calamities that were to fall on the Jews in the time of Antiochus Epiphanes, says, “And they shall place the abomination that maketh desolate.” Antiochus Epiphanes caused an altar to be erected on the altar of burnt-offering, on which sacrifices were offered to Jupiter Olympus. (Comp. 1 Macc. 1:57 ). This was the abomination of the desolation of Jerusalem. The same language is employed in Dan. 9:27 (comp. Matt. 24:15 ), where the reference is probably to the image-crowned standards which the Romans set up at the east gate of the temple (A.D. 70), and to which they paid idolatrous honours. “Almost the entire religion of the Roman camp consisted in worshipping the ensign, swearing by the ensign, and in preferring the ensign before all other gods.” These ensigns were an “abomination” to the Jews, the “abomination of desolation.” This word is also used symbolically of sin in general ( Isa. 66:3 ); an idol (44:19); the ceremonies of the apostate Church of Rome ( Rev. 17:4 ); a detestable act ( Ezek. 22:11 ).
Acts of the Apostles
The title now given to the fifth and last of the historical books of the New Testament. The author styles it a “treatise” (1:1). It was early called “The Acts,” “The Gospel of the Holy Ghost,” and “The Gospel of the Resurrection.” It contains properly no account of any of the apostles except Peter and Paul. John is noticed only three times; and all that is recorded of James, the son of Zebedee, is his execution by Herod. It is properly therefore not the history of the “Acts of the Apostles,” a title which was given to the book at a later date, but of “Acts of Apostles,” or more correctly, of “Some Acts of Certain Apostles.” As regards its authorship, it was certainly the work of Luke, the “beloved physician” (comp. Luke 1:1-4 ; Acts 1:1 ). This is the uniform tradition of antiquity, although the writer nowhere makes mention of himself by name. The style and idiom of the Gospel of Luke and of the Acts, and the usage of words and phrases common to both, strengthen this opinion. The writer first appears in the narrative in 16:11, and then disappears till Paul’s return to Philippi two years afterwards, when he and Paul left that place together (20:6), and the two seem henceforth to have been constant companions to the end. He was certainly with Paul at Rome (28; Col. 4:14 ). Thus he wrote a great portion of that history from personal observation. For what lay beyond his own experience he had the instruction of Paul. If, as is very probable, 2 Tim. was written during Paul’s second imprisonment at Rome, Luke was with him then as his faithful companion to the last ( 2 Tim. 4:11 ). Of his subsequent history we have no certain information. The design of Luke’s Gospel was to give an exhibition of the character and work of Christ as seen in his history till he was taken up from his disciples into heaven; and of the Acts, as its sequel, to give an illustration of the power and working of the gospel when preached among all nations, “beginning at Jerusalem.” The opening sentences of the Acts are just an expansion and an explanation of the closing words of the Gospel. In this book we have just a continuation of the history of the church after Christ’s ascension. Luke here carries on the history in the same spirit in which he had commenced it. It is only a book of beginnings, a history of the founding of churches, the initial steps in the formation of the Christian society in the different places visited by the apostles. It records a cycle of “representative events.” All through the narrative we see the ever-present, all-controlling power of the ever-living Saviour. He worketh all and in all in spreading abroad his truth among men by his Spirit and through the instrumentality of his apostles. The time of the writing of this history may be gathered from the fact that the narrative extends down to the close of the second year of Paul’s first imprisonment at Rome. It could not therefore have been written earlier than A.D. 61 or 62, nor later than about the end of A.D. 63. Paul was probably put to death during his second imprisonment, about A.D. 64, or, as some think, 66. The place where the book was written was probably Rome, to which Luke accompanied Paul. The key to the contents of the book is in 1:8, “Ye shall be witnesses unto me both in Jerusalem, and in all Judea, and in Samaria, and unto the uttermost part of the earth.” After referring to what had been recorded in a “former treatise” of the sayings and doings of Jesus Christ before his ascension, the author proceeds to give an account of the circumstances connected with that event, and then records the leading facts with reference to the spread and triumphs of Christianity over the world during a period of about thirty years. The record begins with Pentecost (A.D. 33) and ends with Paul’s first imprisonment (A.D. 63 or 64). The whole contents of the book may be divided into these three parts: (1.) Chaps. 1-12, describing the first twelve years of the Christian church. This section has been entitled “From Jerusalem to Antioch.” It contains the history of the planting and extension of the church among the Jews by the ministry of Peter. (2.) Chaps. 13-21, Paul’s missionary journeys, giving the history of the extension and planting of the church among the Gentiles. (3.) Chaps. 21-28, Paul at Rome, and the events which led to this. Chaps. 13-28 have been entitled “From Antioch to Rome.” In this book it is worthy of note that no mention is made of the writing by Paul of any of his epistles. This may be accounted for by the fact that the writer confined himself to a history of the planting of the church, and not to that of its training or edification. The relation, however, between this history and the epistles of Paul is of such a kind, i.e., brings to light so many undesigned coincidences, as to prove the genuineness and authenticity of both, as is so ably shown by Paley in his Horae Paulinae . “No ancient work affords so many tests of veracity; for no other has such numerous points of contact in all directions with contemporary history, politics, and topography, whether Jewish, or Greek, or Roman.” Lightfoot. (See PAUL .)
Agabus
A “prophet,” probably one of the seventy disciples of Christ. He prophesied at Antioch of an approaching famine ( Acts 11:27 , 28 ). Many years afterwards he met Paul at Caesarea, and warned him of the bonds and affliction that awaited him at Jerusalem should he persist in going thither ( Acts 21:10-12 ).
Altar
(Heb. mizbe’ah, from a word meaning “to slay”), any structure of earth ( Ex. 20:24 ) or unwrought stone (20:25) on which sacrifices were offered. Altars were generally erected in conspicuous places ( Gen. 22:9 ; Ezek. 6:3 ; 2 Kings 23:12 ; 16:4 ; 23:8 ; Acts 14:13 ). The word is used in Heb. 13:10 for the sacrifice offered upon it—the sacrifice Christ offered. Paul found among the many altars erected in Athens one bearing the inscription, “To the unknown God” ( Acts 17:23 ), or rather “to an [i.e., some] unknown God.” The reason for this inscription cannot now be accurately determined. It afforded the apostle the occasion of proclaiming the gospel to the “men of Athens.” The first altar we read of is that erected by Noah ( Gen. 8:20 ). Altars were erected by Abraham ( Gen. 12:7 ; 13:4 ; 22:9 ), by Isaac ( Gen. 26:25 ), by Jacob (33:20; 35:1, 3), and by Moses ( Ex. 17:15 , “Jehovah-nissi”). In the tabernacle, and afterwards in the temple, two altars were erected. (1.) The altar of burnt offering ( Ex. 30:28 ), called also the “brasen altar” ( Ex. 39:39 ) and “the table of the Lord” ( Mal. 1:7 ). This altar, as erected in the tabernacle, is described in Ex. 27:1-8 . It was a hollow square, 5 cubits in length and in breadth, and 3 cubits in height. It was made of shittim wood, and was overlaid with plates of brass. Its corners were ornamented with “horns” ( Ex. 29:12 ; Lev. 4:18 ). In Ex. 27:3 the various utensils appertaining to the altar are enumerated. They were made of brass. (Comp. 1 Sam. 2:13 , 14 ; Lev. 16:12 ; Num. 16:6 , 7 .) In Solomon’s temple the altar was of larger dimensions ( 2 Chr. 4:1 . Comp. 1 Kings 8:22 , 64 ; 9:25), and was made wholly of brass, covering a structure of stone or earth. This altar was renewed by Asa ( 2 Chr. 15:8 ). It was removed by Ahaz ( 2 Kings 16:14 ), and “cleansed” by Hezekiah, in the latter part of whose reign it was rebuilt. It was finally broken up and carried away by the Babylonians ( Jer. 52:17 ). After the return from captivity it was re-erected ( Ezra 3:3 , 6 ) on the same place where it had formerly stood. (Comp. 1 Macc. 4:47 .) When Antiochus Epiphanes pillaged Jerusalem the altar of burnt offering was taken away. Again the altar was erected by Herod, and remained in its place till the destruction of Jerusalem by the Romans (70 A.D.). The fire on the altar was not permitted to go out ( Lev. 6:9 ). In the Mosque of Omar, immediately underneath the great dome, which occupies the site of the old temple, there is a rough projection of the natural rock, of about 60 feet in its extreme length, and 50 in its greatest breadth, and in its highest part about 4 feet above the general pavement. This rock seems to have been left intact when Solomon’s temple was built. It was in all probability the site of the altar of burnt offering. Underneath this rock is a cave, which may probably have been the granary of Araunah’s threshing-floor ( 1 Chr. 21:22 ). (2.) The altar of incense ( Ex. 30:1-10 ), called also “the golden altar” (39:38; Num. 4:11 ), stood in the holy place “before the vail that is by the ark of the testimony.” On this altar sweet spices were continually burned with fire taken from the brazen altar. The morning and the evening services were commenced by the high priest offering incense on this altar. The burning of the incense was a type of prayer ( Ps. 141:2 ; Rev. 5:8 ; 8:3 , 4 ). This altar was a small movable table, made of acacia wood overlaid with gold ( Ex. 37:25 , 26 ). It was 1 cubit in length and breadth, and 2 cubits in height. In Solomon’s temple the altar was similar in size, but was made of cedar-wood ( 1 Kings 6:20 ; 7:48 ) overlaid with gold. In Ezek. 41:22 it is called “the altar of wood.” (Comp. Ex. 30:1-6 .) In the temple built after the Exile the altar was restored. Antiochus Epiphanes took it away, but it was afterwards restored by Judas Maccabaeus ( 1 Macc. 1:23 ; 4:49 ). Among the trophies carried away by Titus on the destruction of Jerusalem the altar of incense is not found, nor is any mention made of it in Heb. 9 . It was at this altar Zacharias ministered when an angel appeared to him ( Luke 1:11 ). It is the only altar which appears in the heavenly temple ( Isa. 6:6 ; Rev. 8:3 , 4 ).
Antioch
(1.) In Syria, on the river Orontes, about 16 miles from the Mediterranean, and some 300 miles north of Jerusalem. It was the metropolis of Syria, and afterwards became the capital of the Roman province in Asia. It ranked third, after Rome and Alexandria, in point of importance, of the cities of the Roman empire. It was called the “first city of the East.” Christianity was early introduced into it ( Acts 11:19 , 21 , 24 ), and the name “Christian” was first applied here to its professors ( Acts 11:26 ). It is intimately connected with the early history of the gospel ( Acts 6:5 ; 11:19 , 27 , 28 , 30 ; 12:25 ; 15:22-35 ; Gal. 2:11 , 12 ). It was the great central point whence missionaries to the Gentiles were sent forth. It was the birth-place of the famous Christian father Chrysostom, who died A.D. 407. It bears the modern name of Antakia, and is now a miserable, decaying Turkish town. Like Philippi, it was raised to the rank of a Roman colony. Such colonies were ruled by “praetors” (R.V. marg., Acts 16:20 , 21 ). (2.) In the extreme north of Pisidia; was visited by Paul and Barnabas on the first missionary journey ( Acts 13:14 ). Here they found a synagogue and many proselytes. They met with great success in preaching the gospel, but the Jews stirred up a violent opposition against them, and they were obliged to leave the place. On his return, Paul again visited Antioch for the purpose of confirming the disciples ( Acts 14:21 ). It has been identified with the modern Yalobatch, lying to the east of Ephesus.
Antiochus
The name of several Syrian kings from B.C. 280 to B.C. 65. The most notable of these were, (1.) Antiochus the Great, who ascended the throne B.C. 223. He is regarded as the “king of the north” referred to in Dan. 11:13-19 . He was succeeded (B.C. 187) by his son, Seleucus Philopater, spoken of by Daniel (11:20) as “a raiser of taxes”, in the Revised Version, “one that shall cause an exactor to pass through the glory of the kingdom.” (2.) Antiochus IV., surnamed “Epiphanes” i.e., the Illustrious, succeeded his brother Seleucus (B.C. 175). His career and character are prophetically described by Daniel (11:21-32). He was a “vile person.” In a spirit of revenge he organized an expedition against Jerusalem, which he destroyed, putting vast multitudes of its inhabitants to death in the most cruel manner. From this time the Jews began the great war of independence under their heroic Maccabean leaders with marked success, defeating the armies of Antiochus that were sent against them. Enraged at this, Antiochus marched against them in person, threatening utterly to exterminate the nation; but on the way he was suddenly arrested by the hand of death (B.C. 164).