Acts 14:19 - Coke's Commentary on the Holy Bible

Having stoned Paul, drew him out, &c.— The remarkable humility wherewith the apostles behaved, in so uncommon an instance of popular applause as that above related, plainlyshewed by what Spirit they were actuated. This, however, could not prevent them from the attacks of envy and malice. The Jews, their most constant enemies, followed them from Antioch and Iconium; and, incensing the populace against them as impostors and ill-designing men, they prevailed with them to stone St. Paul, upon the same account as he himself had formerly consented to the stoning of St. Stephen;and when they had, not in a legal, but in a tumultuous manner, stoned him, they dragged him out of the city, thinking that he was quite dead. The apostle very probably alludes to this, 2 Corinthians 11:23-25. So short-lived are human passions, not moderated by principle, that from imagining him to be a god, the thoughtless multitude were easily persuaded to stone St. Paul, as one of the vilest of men. Thus Israel fell into idolatry within forty days from God's giving them the law from mount Sinai; nor could St. Paul expect any better treatment, when he considered that his Lord and Master was applauded as king of the Jews, and followed with the acclamations of the same multitude who, about six days after, petitioned Pilate that he might be crucified. But though St. Paul's enemies left him for dead, yet the Christians would not leave him: most probably there was something extraordinary in the appearance of his body in this circumstance, which led them to conclude he was dead, while he was yet alive; for one can hardly imagine, that such bitter persecutors would have been content with any very slight and transient inquiry whether he were dead or not. It is observable, we read of no such injury offered to Barnabas, who seems to have had no share in the effects of this popular fury: and it is probable that Paul's distinguished zeal marked him out as the object of their distinguished cr