And when they had ordained them elders in every church, and had prayed with fasting, they commended them to the Lord, on whom they believed.
And when they had ordained them elders, х Cheirotoneesantes (G5500) de (G1161) autois (G846) presbuterous (G4245)] - literally, 'Having chosen them elders by show of hands'-that is, having superintended such choice on the part of the disciples; and there is the best reason to conclude that this is the sense intended by the historian, and not "ordained" (as our version, following in this case the Vulgate and Luther, rather than Beza, have rendered the term). There is no evidence an the New Testament that, in apostolic times, the word had lost its proper meaning: this is beyond doubt its meaning in 2 Corinthians 8:19; and there is indisputable evidence that the concurrence of the people was required in all elections to sacred office in the earliest ages of the Church. The expression used (says Lechler) leads to the idea that the apostles appointed and conducted a congregational election; and to this also points the precedent (in Acts 6:1-15) of the election of the seven deacons in Jerusalem, conducted by the apostles. 'And, indeed (adds the same writer, with much judgment), it consisted with the nature of the transaction that the apostles should give the most decided weight to the public opinion and confidence of the members of the church. The distance of these Asiatic churches from Antioch in Syria, which was the mother church, taken in connection with the circumstances of time and place-by reason of which they, being at the commencement detached from the synagogue, were in want of a social footing, and were obliged to find such footing in themselves; and also, opposed as they were to the hostile Jewish multitude, they were necessarily obliged to exist compact and united among themselves-all this made an independent church-government, and therefore overseers, indispensably necessary.'
In every church, х kat' (G2596) ekkleesian (G1577)]. Comparing this expression with the similar one in Acts 2:46 х kat' (G2596) oikon (G3624)], which our version renders "from house to house," but which probably means simply, 'in private houses' (see the note on that verse), it may mean that they caused elders to be chosen for these churches, not in the sense of some for each of them, but of several for all of them; and what is said (in Acts 16:2) of Timothy, who appears to have belonged to Lystra, that he "was well reported of by the brethren that were at Lystra and Iconium," might imply that he acted in this capacity both places. But the former sense is preferable, since there is no evidence that in the apostolic churches the elders were placed over different churches; nor would it be deemed necessary to copy so literally the model of the Jewish synagogues.
And had prayed with fasting - literally, 'fastings.' Compare Acts 13:3, from which it appears that our missionaries set these elders apart to their sacred work, just as they had been themselves, except that no mention is here made of the "laying on of hands." One thing, at least, seems clear, that if this last clause refers to the ordination of these elders, the former clause cannot he meant to express the same thing, but must refer to the choice of them.
They commended, х parethento (G3908) - or 'committed'] them (all these churches), to the Lord (that is, the Lord Jesus), on whom they (had) believed, х pepisteukeisan (G4100)].