22, 23. Judas surnamed Barsabas--therefore not the apostle "Judas the
brother of James"
(Ac 1:13),
surnamed "Thaddeus"
(Mt 10:3);
nor can it be shown that he was a brother of "Joseph called
Barsabas"
(Ac 1:23).
But nothing is known of him beyond what is here said.
and Silas--the same as "Silvanus" in the Epistles. He became Paul's
companion on his second missionary journey
(Ac 15:40).
chief men among the brethren--selected purposely as such, to express
the honor in which they held the church at Antioch, and the deputies
they had sent to the council, and, as the matter affected all Gentile
converts, to give weight to the written decision of this important
assembly. They were "prophets,"
Ac 15:32
(and see on
Ac 11:27),
and as such doubtless their eminence in the church at Jerusalem had
been obtained.
JFB.
Picture Study Bible