#sometimes when i write nero the spirit takes me and the spirit is 'the joy of mocking adult men who should be better than this'

[minarcana]

cid gently kisses nero’s cheek. for valentione’s, then he goes back to ignoring him.

After Nero had shown up at the Ironworks out of the blue (his excuse was that he was bored, but the more correct answer was that he missed being able to more directly annoy Garlond and Co., and Jessie would still cut him paychecks for what she called 'comedic value'), he set right about inserting himself into proceedings despite pretty much everyone's pleas and threats.

It's important to feel like a valuable part of the team, and what's more valued than being better than everyone else to motivate them to try harder! Nothing. Exactly. You're welcome, Cid. Now, ask no further questions about Nero returning the absolutely exorbitant "tip"-- reasonable compensation-- he withdrew from Cid's funds after the Omega venture. Speaking of Omega, he's currently on a venture to recreate the Omega automaton that Biggs and Wedge had created, though with less sentience and more adaptable weapon capabilities.

He can tell Cid's footsteps from the sound of them, which is normal and the correct, average amount of attention to pay to your stupid rival. Nero intends to make Cid behold his artistic supremacy, the vision and mechanical skill required to make a tiny yet operable laser gun atop Omega's diminutive frame, and even gets the first few syllables of such out of his mouth.

The train of thought derails fantastically. Destruction on the tracks. Cid could probably be given a medal for actually putting Nero at a loss for words, even if it is a short-lived affliction. "Nh-- gweh-- what?"

Yet no explanation is forthcoming! Cid just leaves! He doesn't even turn his head at Nero's question! What was that about! Gross! Disgusting! Does Garlond think Nero's standards are so low as to accommodate him?! Nero's rival?! His motivation and favourite person to trouble and vex and--

Look, the moral of the story is that Nero's standards are obviously above where Cid not-even-that-great-is-he Garlond stands! And yet! There he goes, casual as you please! "Garlond!" Not even a flinch from him. The audacity! Nero's already scrambling up and out of his chair to pursue this cad. "Explain yourself! Not even a 'hello' or 'incredible contraption, my friend, you are certainly the best engineer on the star, better even than I'? At least buy me dinner!" It's the first step, Garlond!!!!! Wine and dine him first, you useless-----

[sarenhale]

Just watched the Endwalker trailer.... I am super excited but also heavily thinking about the expansion, and what it will mean for Zenos as a character.

Long ass thoughts under the cut.

He’s posed as the final boss here, the big bad guy, but it made me think a lot when the game and some characters explicitly say: “Maybe Zenos isn’t even our final obstacle, the final days will be’. Which also leads me to think that Zenos is just... well, vibing and thriving in the destruction, but that he could not be the reason the final days are happening and everything is going to shit.

He sure as hell is enabling things to happen, but I don’t know if I believe that he’s the instigator and the one behind the idea. I think he’s more of the opportunist taking advantage of chaos and delirium to act his plan of the final hunt, but I think it has been made clear enough that he doesn’t exactly care about Eorzea ending or wars happening to create an intricate plan such as the one put in motion by Fandaniel, he just wants to relive the hunt with his first friend and enemy once again. (Which don’t get me started, it’s so fucking sad man, don’t make me think about it or I’ll tear up...)

This led me to think ... where will this character go? What will happen? I am VERY torn about this, mostly because SE has done an incredible job at keeping everyone guessing and surprising people everytime with the story. 

Could Zenos end up being an ally? Could he be spared? Can he come to reason? I see people even mentioning that he could be a Scion... I honestly really don’t see that happening, the man is batshit insane and as much as I love him, he doesn’t give a shit about Eorzea or helping the world, and I’m sure 99% of the Scions despise him or just want to see him dead. He won’t be a Scion, that would be really out of character for everyone. (For him to be one, for everyone to accept him as such)

But I do wonder if he will end up being spared, or changing his mind. Maybe being a ‘neutral’ force? Maybe even temporarily allying with the WoL (and only with the Wol, he doesn’t care about the others) to prevent him from dying, because he doesn’t actually want his rival and friend to die. A ‘villain turned ally out of necessity’ situation with him would be cool, and would make sense if he wanted to protect the Wol temporarily from another foe, even for just ‘being the one that has to kill / defeat them’. He’s very possessive over the Wol, I feel like.

I just hope we won’t have to kill him... he’s one of my favourite characters now, so I would honestly be DEVASTATED to see him go, even if I perfectly know he would deserve it and everyone would probably be happy if he did. But I just can’t help thinking about how much I love this character, his story, what he implies, what he represents, all the things he carries with him... I feel like Endwalker will surely give us a lot of content for him, which I am excited and happy about, but I just wish we could not kill him so we get to see more.

This is where I get conflicted because my realist side tells me we already got a fake death, even if we DID kill him, and fight him with the intent to kill. He managed to escape death though, and came back. I just think it would be a bit unrealistic to have him escape death once again, and even more unrealistic having him being an ally. One could argue we already have examples of Garlean villains turned allies, with Nero, Cid and Gaius, but like... they weren’t like this.

What I love about Zenos is also what makes him unreedemable.

Zenos is mad. Zenos doesn’t give a shit about anyone, about life, death, people, slaughtering innocents, about Eorzea, hell, he doesn’t even give a crap about the world ENDING if it means he can have a final dance with his beast. And I LOVE all these unique parts about him, but I also realize those parts are what make imagining him surviving so hard, considering the circumstances. 

Cid, Nero and Gaius weren’t mad with power. Sure, they all did bad things, but you don’t see them talking about how they just wanted to fight one person to feel an emotion and destroyed countries and people for that reason. The others had reasons behind their actions (as bad as those reasons could be, their actions were still guided by logic), Zenos doesn’t. Zenos is a feral animal and follows his istincts, that’s why I find it so hard to imagine him as someone who is not a villain. I would LOVE for him to be saved, to have someone give him a chance, my humane (and emphatic ass) wants someone to take a chance on him also because I feel so close to his struggle, but my realistic side says ‘Yeah, it’s not gonna happen’. 

As much as I love this character and would like him not to die, I also realize he did horrible things and slaughtered innocents without even thinking about it. I went back to check on dialogues of people talking about facing him in the war, and man it’s bad. People basically describe how he wouldn’t even find enjoyement in killing people or winning wars, but how we was just ‘looking for a feeling’ even on the battlefield, while destroying people’s hopes and dreams in Doma and all Yangxia. It’s bad. It’s REAL bad. Sometimes I forget how... bad this character is.

“...I do not think there was any joy in it. Nor justice, nor morality, nor meaning. To him, the weight of one life is no different from that of a thousand.  A challenge had been issued and was accepted. But on finding us no challenge at all, his objective changed. There were tales of imperial soldiers being flayed for slaughtering families. For breaking brave men’s spirits. Only later did I come to understand why. He did not desire obedience. He desired hate… and men consumed by it.  A new battle. A new enemy. A new challenge. The hunt, I am told he called it. A hunt without end. And when all our best lay dead and broken, he left. He left, muttering that we had “bored” him. But our weapons, at least, held his interest. For he took a fallen samurai’s sword, having grown… fond of it. Since that day, he has ever wielded Far Eastern blades. He is said to be fascinated by ones with storied histories, and so soldiers who seek to to curry his favor often present those of defeated enemies as gifts.

Lyse: It’s like all a game to him. People are suffering -- dying -- and he’s collecting swords? “

But man. I don’t know what Endwalker has in store for me, for Zenos, but I sure hope maybe something can happen where he doesn’t die. I don’t know how the fuck that would happen, maybe we would need to see more of him and understand his story/his side better, and see if he actually does want to work with the WoL side by side instead of just fighting him. Maybe that can happen, he does care about the WoL after all, and he knows enjoyement and thrill will come out of being with them. I just don’t know how that could realistically *WORK*... But I sure does hope there’s some kind of compromise, where he maybe just can reflect on his actions and do something about them.

This is my stupid ‘I see too much of myself in Zenos to talk rationally’ self talking, but I am so sad at seeing a character that has struggles and grew up feeling nothing but apathy, being loved by no one, end up like a villain again. Having to just be put down like a feral animal. Again. 

I guess my stupid ass would just like him to be happy, found peace maybe, HELL, I don’t know if he deserves it, but some parts of me tells me he does. I just get so sad when I am reminded at how much his father, family, nation, no one gave a shit about him. That’s too much human and close to home for me to disregard everything entirely and just call him a villain. 

I also am conflicted because I wonder if what I want for him isn’t also out of character, and something that would ruin his character and story. I love Zenos because he’s unapologetically himself, does what he wants, and obeys no one’s agenda, but his wants and instincts. I don’t want his personality and story arc to be ruined by salvation or him randomly becoming an ally and everyone pretending he didn’t do anything wrong, that would make me hate him and SE so much. I would much prefer him dead than him ruined as a character. I do wonder if me wanting him to be spared death and him being unapologetically himself are two things that can’t co-exist- it FEELS like that, honestly. I have faith in SE that they will write him and the story well, and make me enjoy what happens, so at the moment I’m not particularly worried about him being ruined as a character. But I just got to the point where I am so attached that I am of course scared of losing my favourite character. I guess we will have to see, honestly only the game and what will happen in the story can tell me if I am right in having hope for him or if I am not. There’s a lot of possibility in the story, a lot of surprises in SE’s writing everything everytime, and i how they make things WORK, so there’s hope in THAT.

And maybe I want to see a different solution for him that isn’t death. Call it retribution, maybe I am projecting TOO MUCH in this character, but yeah, just being honest and baring my emotions to the world here. I guess we will have to see what happens. 

[polishgene]

My Bad Coffee Travel Guide

There’s something incredibly reliable about good coffee shops. My own dependability on decent barista coffee is similar to that of a heroin addict relying on their drug dealer. 

Yes, I say that, because not getting the right coffee can seriously ruin my day. And people who know what I mean, know what I mean.

So what’s so difficult about getting good coffee when you’re far from home? 

For me personally, there are three relatively annoying barriers to live with:

One:

I’m not into black coffee and I don’t drink milk that came from a cow’s tit (how did we only just realise this isn’t natural?!)

Two:

I can tell good coffee beans from the bad a mile off.

This means I need access to a skilled barista who knows how to source good coffee beans and process them correctly as well as appreciates that silly milk alternatives such as soy, coconut or pea (nice try Sproud, but you’re not quite there) are simply not acceptable. They change the taste of coffee. Unsweetened oat (yes, I’m looking at you, Oatly Barista) is a good alternative - it doesn’t get in the way of coffee. Simple.

Three:

I want to sit down to drink my coffee.

That one may need a bit of explaining. What can I say, I just like to sit down and feel it sink in and stir that God-sent buzz into my blood. I don’t care to run along with a herd of angry commuters, not before I had my fix. 

Yes, I’m that much hard work. And the sit down requirement stands in conflict to the previous two goals. The God Of Caffeinated People knows that if you manage to get a perfect oat latte, you’re most likely in a very busy cafe.

(decaffeinated growl)

Nevertheless, in 2019 all this fussiness can seem carefully marketed to. 

I mean, all over the globe coffee culture is being taken to absolute extremes hitting an all time high with recent nitro cold brew and what not. 

But let me tell ya. Having travelled a fair bit in the last two years whilst often working from cafes I feel I could write a book about bad coffee experiences.

The good ones? They’re good. You get your fix, lift your spirits and on with your day. It’s the bad ones you remember because for some reason they really f*** with you. 

So here’s my completely biased and selected at random Bad Coffee Travel Guide. Here I go. 

1. Surprisingly, there’s no bad coffee in Norway

This came much to my surprise but perhaps the best overall coffee experience I had was in Oslo and Bergen. Something about the seemingly cold, neat and annoyingly healthy Norwegians makes them perfect coffee addicts.

No matter how hard I tested the nordic coffee scene, I just could not get bad coffee in Bergen. And it’s not an insignificant detail that they have a way of pampering you with their waffles. It’s one thing to eat a delicious, warm norwegian waffle (whilst admiring the perfectly erect posture of your nordic barista). It’s quite another to be able to make one yourself, which I came across in a couple of cafes in Norway and wept with pleasure. 

Fussy decaffeinated customer experience: 10/10

2. Obviously, there’s no bad coffee in Italy

We all hate Italy. It’s basically a country which has everything and one does struggle to think of a single reason why they shouldn’t just drop everything and move to Tuscany, or Puglia, or Veneto, or… 

But if you are looking for reasons not to move to Italy (other than grown-up ones such as crime rates) quite possibly the hardest one will be coffee. They make espressos taste like mother’s milk and paint the gentle foam on top of each unmistakable cup with the finesse of Michaelangelo. 

I tried catching the Italians off guard by ordering coffee in petrol stations, at busy airports or very near the northern borders. But no luck. Their coffee is so good, I prefer it in an espresso or alongato so I can savour it. And if I want my afternoon cappuccino, I don’t even mind a bit cow milk. 

In Italy, I’m not even fussy anymore. They’re that good. It’s super annoying. 

Fussy decaffeinated customer experience: 11/10

3. There’s almost no bad coffee in New York 

To decrease your chances of getting a baddie in NYC, go Brooklyn. Brooklyn feels almost like the home of most of this world’s baristas so it’s no wonder I didn’t even have to ask. I just walked in and the person behind the coffee machine would just start making my coffee. They knew.

But even if you stay in Manhattan, you’re likely to be wowed: the Japanese themed, the minimalist, the artsy, the functional - whatever tickles your reusable mug. 

The only annoying aspect of coffee drinking in New York is the price. No, it’s not actually $6,30 because you have to add a 20% tip. And no, it’s not an option, they make sure you feel like a d*** if you just give them a smiley face. And I hope you’re not hungry as that microscopic cinnamon bun might drive the final tag up to $12. And given that Norway, one of the most expensive countries in the world (especially when it comes to food) opened the list, this should hurt even more. 

Get a day job, NYC. 

Love you though!

Fussy decaffeinated customer experience: 9/10

4. There’s some bad coffee etiquette in London

I love London, me and her have a very special relationship. And there are some amazing cafes and coffee companies that make it really hard to get bad coffee. This applies especially to East London and Soho, but really you can dictate a pretty high standard throughout zones 1 and 2. 

What I find difficult to live with sometimes is how tiny a lot of cafes are and how overcrowded they get. Somehow, if you go to a nice cafe anywhere else in the world you’ll be able to walk inside without shrugging your shoulders up against your body like a bobsledder. 

Not in London though! The general expectation is: slide in, try not to breathe too closely to anyone, get your coffee and get out. Forget sitting down. And that takes a lot of joy out of coffee drinking. 

But try Tap Coffee, Kaffeine, Italo or Story Coffee for an unmistakably sublime London finish and possibly even a seat.

Fussy decaffeinated customer experience level: 8/10

5. There’s some adorable coffee in Portugal

I know that some people would talk about France, and I do love dunking a croissant in my coffee, I’ll give them that. But for me Portugal does it better. Something about the size and choice of vessels (love having a small latte in a simple, thin glass!) as well as the pastry selection makes it extremely difficult to complain about. 

The price of coffee in Portugal is an additional bonus. It’s as if someone had recognised espresso machine coffee as a very basic, if life-enhancing, commodity that should not be restricted to busy bodies and hipsters. In Portugal, the time you spend sipping on your tiny yet satisfying cafe au leche is unlimited. 

The only “but”, which probably doesn’t even apply to that many people, is that the Portuguese don’t really care about pleasing the more refined taste buds. Unless you seek out an artisan cafe, you basically get what you get. It’s good coffee but on the whole it won’t knock your socks off like the Italian juice. 

Oh, and forget about vegan milk in a real Portugese caf. They don’t give a sh** about that nonsense.

Fussy decaffeinated customer experience level: 7/10

6. LA doesn’t care that much about coffee

There’s a lot to be said about why living in LA doesn’t require that much coffee. First of all, there’s so much sun and jogging and freshly squeezed juices and kombucha on tap that a primitive caffeine fix is just not that essential. The it girl that trots around East Village with a paper coffee cup will swap it for a beetroot-celery-apple-ginger juice whilst she’s longboarding in Venice Beach. 

And sure enough, I didn’t pay that much attention to coffee in LA. There was just so much else to do. Yet still, I don’t remember getting any noticeably bad coffee in LA.... well maybe apart from the one in Universal Studios canteen. But that only proves the point - if you’re shooting an exciting new series surrounded by industry top dogs (which - let me make it clear - I was not doing, I was taken around on a friendly tour), you don’t need perfect coffee. 

You’re on a pretty sweet natural high!

Fussy decaffeinated customer experience level: 6/10

7. I don’t care about coffee in Cape Town

Coffee culture has a way of mirroring gentrification. If you’re in an ungentrified area in a city and come across an outlet with a bit of scandinavian interior design, thick wooden tables or recycled furniture as well as a shiny new cadillac-of-an-espresso-machine, you feel safer. It’s strange to find that in a place such as Cape Town, as remote and “ethnically complicated” as they come and yet delivering the perfect vegan froth at the snap of your fingers. 

So yes, although they are scarce and make you feel a bit like you’re trying to stay in your european bubble, you can find nice and often worky cafes in Cape Town. But why the hell would you want to go there, when you’re also surrounded by so much beauty and adventure. 

Take a coffee detox in Cape Town and hike up and down Table Mountain instead. Or drive up and down the coast and watch one of the most spectacular sunsets on earth!

Fussy decaffeinated customer experience level: 5/10

8. There’s some amazing coffee in Warsaw

Warsaw, my beloved hometown, has a difficult relationship with coffee. On the one hand, like everything in Poland it’s saturated with mainstream brands and coffee corporations. The first Polish cafe chain Coffee Heaven was bought out by Costa Coffee (insert puke emoji) and the more sophisticated Green Coffee was turned into Nero. This of course killed of most of the character that these independent Polish brands managed to create in their heart-warming outlets. 

On the other hand, since approx 2015, smaller and more locally targeted cafes have been popping up all over the place. And most of them keep a fantastic standard of beans and make all sorts of coffee making techniques available to the general public. So I implore you to skip on Nero and try the likes of Cophi, Coffee Desk or Relaks.

Fussy decaffeinated customer experience level: 4/10

9. There is way too much bad coffee in Oxford

For a town hosting so much poignant brain power, Oxford has still a lot to learn when it comes to serving good coffee. It’s no secret that most English people are more into pubs than cafes and fair enough. But I seriously doubt that all those international scholars, prima sort professors and MBA high flyers run on builder’s tea alone. 

Oxford simply has much more potential for great coffee experience - a well run cofee joint will immediately find customers. That’s why it’s disappointing that there are only a couple of decent joints scattered around it’s Harry Potteresque streets. 

But you can prove me wrong - please send me your Oxford coffee list!  

Fussy decaffeinated customer experience level: 3/10

10. There’s plenty of really bad coffee in Switzerland

I love Switzerland. The efficiency, the timely trains, the impeccable landshafts. Your mind can truly be at rest as the Swiss are taking care of everything. And yet, I dare say it does not apply to coffee. 

Sure, you can find perfectly crafted cafes in Zurich, it is after all an extremely affluent Eauropean capital. But venture out anywhere and coffee turns into something resembling something a friend of mine compares to “milled mammoth bones brew”. 

Why oh why, Switzerland?!

Fussy decaffeinated customer experience level: 2/10 Now, there’s really no need to venture out anywhere that goes below 2/10, unless of course you’re having the adventure of a lifetime and coffee is beside the point. But if, like me, you need the taste of a perfectly crafted coffee to feel grounded and complete at your destination, there’s no need to go there.

[pamphletstoinspire]

THE HOLY GOSPEL OF JESUS CHRIST, - THE ACTS OF THE APOSTLES, FROM THE LATIN VULGATE BIBLE

Chapter 15

PREFACE.

St. Luke, who had published his gospel, wrote also a second volume, which, from the first ages, hath been called the Acts of the Apostles. Not that we can look upon this work, as a history of what was done by all the apostles, who were dispersed in different nations; but we have here a short view of the first establishment of the Christian Church, a small part of St. Peter's preaching and actions, set down in the first twelve chapters, and a more particular account of St. Paul's apostolical labours, in the following chapters, for about thirty years, till the year 63, and the 4th year of Nero, where these acts end.

Chapter 15

A dissension about circumcision. The decision and letter of the council of Jerusalem.

1 And (about the year A.D. 49) some coming down from Judea, taught the brethren: That unless you be circumcised after the manner of Moses, you cannot be saved.

Notes & Commentary:

Ver. 1. Unless you be circumcised. Many who had been converted from Judaism, held that none, not even converted from paganism, could be saved, unless they were circumcised, and observed the other ceremonies of the law of Moses. (Witham) --- See Galatians v. 2.

2 And when Paul and Barnabas had no small contest with them, they determined that Paul and Barnabas and certain others of the other side, should go up to the apostles and priests to Jerusalem, about this question.

Ver. 2. To the apostles and priests, where we find again presbyters in Greek, meaning bishops and priests. (Witham) --- Paul...should go to...Jerusalem. We learn from Galatians ii. 2. 4. that St. Paul undertook this journey in consequence of a divine revelation, and was accompanied by Barnabas and Titus, the latter of whom he would not suffer to be circumcised. Such confidence had he in the rectitude of the opinion he defended. From the example of St. Paul and St. Barnabas, apostles, and men full of the Spirit of God, we learn, that as often as any contest arises about faith, recourse should be had to the supreme visible authority established by Jesus Christ, to have all differences adjusted. This is the order of divine Providence with regard to the Church; without it truth and unity could not be preserved; without it, the Church of God would be more defective and inefficient than any human government. Tell the Church: and if he will not hear the Church, let him be to thee as the heathen and the publican. (Matthew xviii. 17.)

Note:

Ver. 2. presbuterous; presbyteros. For the same Greek word we sometimes find in the vulgar Latin, presbyteros, sometimes seniores, sometimes majores natu: yet it is generally a word of dignity in the ministry of Christ, signifying those who were afterwards known by the name of bishops or priests. When mention is made of presbuteros, or seniores, of the old law, I have translated elders: but where the ministers of the new law are understood, when in the Latin we have presbyteri, I have put priests; when majores natu or seniores, I have put in English seniors, bishops or priests, being to be understood.

3 They, therefore, being brought on their way by the church, passed through Phœnice, and Samaria, relating the conversion of the Gentiles: and they caused great joy to all the brethren.

Ver. 3. No explanation given.

4 And when they were come to Jerusalem, they were received by the church, and by the apostles and ancients, declaring how great things God had done with them.

Ver. 4. No explanation given.

5 But there arose some of the sect of the Pharisees that believed, saying: They must be circumcised, and be commanded to observe the law of Moses.

Ver. 5. No explanation given.

6 And the apostles and ancients assembled to consider of this matter.

Ver. 6. No explanation given.

7 And when there was much disputing, Peter rising up, said to them: Men, brethren, you know that in former days God made choice among us, that the Gentiles by my mouth should hear the word of the gospel, and believe.

Ver. 7. Former days. Literally, in the days of old; that is, at the conversion of Cornelius, many years ago, about the year 35; and it was now 51. (Witham) --- St. Peter at the head of the Council, spoke first; St. James as Bishop of Jerusalem, spoke next, and all, as St. Jerome says, came into the sentence of Peter. (Ep. lxxxix. ad S. Aug. chap. 2.)

8 And God, who knoweth the hearts, gave them testimony, giving the Holy Ghost to them as well as to us.

Ver. 8. No explanation given.

9 And made no distinction between us and them, purifying their hearts by faith.

Ver. 9. No explanation given.

10 Now, therefore, why tempt you God, to put a yoke upon the necks of the disciples, which neither our fathers nor we were able to bear?

Ver. 10. Why tempt you God, by calling in question what he hath sufficiently attested, and approved, and by being incredulous to his promises of giving salvation to the Gentiles, and to all nations. (Witham)

11 But by the grace of the Lord Jesus Christ we believe to be saved, as they also.

Ver. 11. In the historical sense he is speaking of the prosperity of the house of Juda, in the reign of Ezechias, or their return from captivity. But in this respect, it is certain that the prophecy never had its entire accomplishment. The passage in the text is cited from the Septuagint. The Hebrew is, "I will raise up the house of David...that it may possess all the nations," &c. Now it is true that the nations never were subject to the house of David, or known by the name of the people of God; but by their vocation to the gospel, as St. James explains it. (Calmet)

12 And all the multitude held their peace: and gave ear to Barnabas and Paul, relating what great signs and wonders God had wrought among the Gentiles by them.

Ver. 12. No explanation given.

13 And after they had held their peace, James answered, saying: Men, brethren, hear me.

Ver. 13. No explanation given.

14 Simon hath related how God first visited the Gentiles, to take out of them a people to his name.

Ver. 14. No explanation given.

15 And to this agree the words of the prophets, as it is written:

Ver. 15. No explanation given.

16 After these things I will return, and will rebuild the tabernacle of David, which is fallen down, and I will rebuild the ruins thereof, and I will set it up:

Ver. 16. No explanation given.

17 That the rest of men may seek after the Lord, and all nations upon whom my name is invoked, saith the Lord, who doth these things.

Ver. 17. No explanation given.

18 To the Lord was known his own work from the beginning of the world.

Ver. 18. To the Lord was known his own work. He bringeth it to pass, as he hath decreed, though his decrees are to us unknown. (Witham)

19 Wherefore I judge that they, who from among the Gentiles are converted to God, are not to be disquieted.

Ver. 19. Wherefore I judge, and join my judgment with Peter. St. Chrysostom thinks that James had a special authority in the Council, as bishop of Jerusalem, and because of the great veneration, which those zealous for the Jewish law had for him: but his power was certainly inferior to that of St. Peter, who was head of all, as St. Chrysostom teacheth, hom. iii. on the Acts.

20 But that we write to them, that they refrain themselves from the pollutions of idols, and from fornication, and from things strangled, and from blood.

Ver. 20. Things strangled and from blood. In these prohibitions, the Church indulged the particular feelings of the Jews, that the bond of union between them and the Gentiles might be more closely united; the latter in these two instances giving way to the prejudices of the former, who in their turn gave up much, by submitting to the abolition of the ceremonial law of Moses. This prohibition was of course only temporary, and to cease with the reasons, which gave rise to it. (Menochius) --- The Jews had such a horror of blood, that they considered those who eat it as defiled, and violators of the law of nature. The Lord had in effect from the beginning forbidden the use of blood to Noe [Noah], (Genesis ix. 4.) which he likewise reported in the strongest terms in Leviticus viii. 26.[vii. 26.?] By this we see the great authority of God's Church, and Councils which may make permanent or temporary decrees, such as are fitting for the state of the times or peoples, without any express Scripture at all, and by this authoritative exaction, things become of strict obligation, which previous to it, were in themselves indifferent. (Bristow)

21 For Moses, from ancient times, hath in every city them that preach him in the synagogues, where he is read every sabbath.

Ver. 21. For Moses...hath in every city. Not only the Jews, but the Christians converted from Judaism, still followed the ceremonies of the law of Moses. (Witham) --- Let not the Jews complain, that we abandon Moses, and destroy the law by this regulation. No: it shall subsist for ever in a more perfect state, read in the synagogue, and revered by the Church. (Calmet) --- Others give a different explanation of this verse. Let the Jews, say they, follow Moses, and hear him in their assemblies; we have other laws, and enjoy other privileges. (Tirinus)

22 Then it pleased the apostles and ancients, with the whole church, to choose men of their own company, and to send them to Antioch, with Paul and Barnabas; Judas, who was surnamed Barsabas, and Silas, chief men among the brethren,

Ver. 22. No explanation given.

23 Writing by their hands. The apostles and ancients, brethren, to the brethren of the Gentiles, that are at Antioch, and in Syria and Cilicia, greeting.

Ver. 23. The brethren of the Gentiles. Hence we see, that the letter, with the decree of the Council, only regarded those converts, who had been Gentiles; neither are they forbidden to use the Jewish ceremonies, but a declaration is made, that they have no obligation to follow the said ceremonies and precepts, as it will appear by other places. (Witham)

24 Forasmuch as we have heard, that some, who went out from us, have troubled you with words, subverting your souls, to whom we gave no commands:

Ver. 24. Some who went out from us, from Jerusalem, and pretended to speak our mind, and in our name, but we gave them no such commission. (Witham) --- A proper description of heretics, schismatics, and seditious preachers, who go out from their own superiors, and pretend to teach and preach without any mission, et quomodo prædicabunt nisi mittantur; how can they preach, unless they are sent? (Romans x. 15.)

25 It hath seemed good to us, assembled together, to choose out men, and send them to you, with our dearly beloved Barnabas and Paul,

Ver. 25. No explanation given.

26 Men who have given their lives for the name of our Lord Jesus Christ.

Ver. 26. No explanation given.

27 We have sent, therefore, Judas and Silas, who themselves also will, by word of mouth, tell you the same things.

Ver. 27. No explanation given.

28 For it hath seemed good to the Holy Ghost, and to us, to lay no further burden upon you, than these necessary things:

Ver. 28. It hath seemed good to the Holy Ghost, and to us. To us in these matters, wherein by the promises of Christ, we are directed by the Holy Ghost, the spirit of truth, &c. --- Than these necessary things. Necessary at this juncture, and always, if we except that order of abstaining from blood, and things strangled, which was not a perpetual, unchangeable precept, but to last only for a time, as St. Chrysostom observes. (Witham) --- This is the first general council held in the Church, and the model of all succeeding ones. In it the apostles, in a commanding and authoritative manner, laid down the law, which was to be the guide of the faithful, knowing they had a right to impose any regulations in the Church, and that they could not employ this authority but to good purposes, directed as they were by the unerring spirit of truth, which Christ had promised (Matthew xxviii. 20.) should remain with his Church for ever. Hence it would appear that we have no more ground refusing obedience to the voice of the Church at present, than at her first establishment: and that those who will not hear the Church now, speaking in her Councils, would with as little ceremony have opposed the apostles on this occasion, had they lived at the time. By what spirit of seduction has been introduced, and spread, to such an alarming extent, the opinion, that Christianity (the very leading feature of which is to hear and to obey) authorizes unrestricted liberty? Is then authority an unmeaning word? (Haydock)

29 That you abstain from things sacrificed to idols, and from blood, and from things strangled, and from fornication: from which things keeping yourselves, you shall do well. Fare ye well.

Ver. 29. From blood, and from things strangled. The use of these things, though of their own nature indifferent, were here prohibited, to bring the Jews more easily to admit of the society of the Gentiles; and to exercise the latter in obedience. But this prohibition was but temporary, and has long since ceased to oblige; more especially in the western churches. (Challoner) --- See note on ver. 20, above.

30 They, therefore, being dismissed, went down to Antioch: and when they had gathered together the multitude, they delivered the epistle.

Ver. 30. No explanation given.

31 Which when they had read, they rejoiced for the consolation.

Ver. 31. We may here briefly remark, that the controversy was finally adjusted by the decree of the Council. 2ndly, That all, not only the Gentiles, but the abettors and masters of the former dissension, experienced great consolation in the promulgation of the decision, receiving it as the resolve not of mere mortal men, but of the Holy Ghost. It hath seemed good to the Holy Ghost and to us.

32 But Judas and Silas, being prophets also themselves, comforted the brethren with many words, and confirmed them.

Ver. 32. Judas and Silas, being prophets, that is, preachers, as the word prophet, is divers times taken. (Witham) --- Not only such were called prophets, as had the gift of predicting future events, but such moreover as had the gift of interpreting Scripture, and of speaking of the things of God. (Bible de Vence)

33 And having remained there some time, they were dismissed with peace, by the brethren, to those who had sent them.

Ver. 33. No explanation given.

34 But it seemed good to Silas to remain there: and Judas alone set out for Jerusalem.

Ver. 34. No explanation given.

35 But Paul and Barnabas continued at Antioch, teaching and preaching with many others the word of the Lord.

Ver. 35. No explanation given.

36 And after some days, Paul said to Barnabas: Let us return and visit the brethren in all the cities, wherein we have preached the word of the Lord, to see how they do.

Ver. 36. No explanation given.

37 And Barnabas wished to take along with him John also, who was surnamed Mark.

Ver. 37. No explanation given.

38 But Paul desired that he (as having departed from them out of Pamphylia, and not gone with them to the work) might not be received.

Ver. 38. No explanation given.

39 And there was a dissension, so that they departed one from another, and Barnabas indeed taking Mark, sailed to Cyprus.

Ver. 39. There was a dissension,[2] or dispute, with reasoning, and arguing upon the matter. St. Paul represented to St. Barnabas, that he was not for having John Mark to be their companion, because he had before left them, but St. Barnabas was for having with them his kinsman Mark; and the dispute was such, that upon it St. Paul and Barnabas separated; which gave occasion to the preaching of the gospel in more places. See St. Chrysostom, hom. xxxiii. --- The fault in this contention lay with St. Barnabas; o Paulos to dikaion, o Barnabas to philanthropon: Paul sought what was just; Barnabas what was pleasing to nature. The Greeks, moreover, remark, that this severity of Paul was of service in strengthening the too pliant character of Mark, and as such he is saluted by Paul. (Colossians iv. 10.) They separated, as formerly Abraham and Lot, without prejudice to their friendship. (Genesis xiii. 9.) (Mat. Polus, synop. criticorum, fol. 4. p. 1528.)

Note:

Ver. 39. Dissentio, paroxusmos, acris disceptatio. See. St. Chrysostom.

40 But Paul, choosing Silas, departed, being delivered by the brethren to the grace of God.

Ver. 40. No explanation given.

41 And he went through Syria and Cilicia, confirming the churches: commanding them to keep the precepts of the apostles, and the ancients.

Ver. 41. No explanation given.