When they heard these things, they held their peace, and glorified God, saying, Then hath God also to the Gentiles granted repentance unto life.
Ver. 18. They held their peace] And by their silence showed they were satisfied: as did Jonah, by shutting up his prophecy in silence, and giving God the last. It is easier to deal with 20 men's reasons than with one man's will. Convince a humble man of his error or passion, and he will yield presently; whereas a proud opinionist stands as a stake in the midst of a stream; lets all the good reason you can allege pass by him, but he stands where he was. "Nay, but we will have a king," &c. "The word that thou speakest unto us in the name of the Lord, we will not hear."