And when the Gentiles heard this, they were glad, and glorified the word of the Lord: and as many as were ordained to eternal life believed.
Acts 13:48
"Whatever τεταγμενοι may mean, which is the word we translate ordained, it is neither προτεταγμενοι nor προορισμενοι which the apostle uses, but simply τεταγμενοι, which includes no idea of pre-ordination or pre-destination of any kind. And if it even did, it would be rather hazardous to say that all those who believed at this time were such as actually persevered unto the end, and were saved unto eternal life. But, leaving all these precarious matters, what does the word τεταγμενος mean? The verb ταττω or τασσω signifies to place, set, order, appoint, dispose; hence it has been considered here as implying the disposition or readiness of mind of several persons in the congregation, such as the religious proselytes mentioned Acts 13:43, who possessed the reverse of the disposition of those Jews who spake against those things, contradicting and blaspheming, Acts 13:45. Though the word in this place has been variously translated, yet, of all the meanings ever put on it, none agrees worse with its nature and known signification than that which represents it as intending those who were predestinated to eternal life: this is no meaning of the term, and should never be applied to it."
- Adam Clarke's Commentary
It is God's ordination that those of humble, teachable, honest hearts, seeking the truth and life, shall come to life when it is offered, and such accepted the gospel on this occasion.
- People's New Testament
Because the Jewish people believed they were predestined to eternal life by virtue of their descent from Abraham , therefore the idea that many gentiles were ordained to eternal life could be offensive - but was exactly what Isaiah 49:6 implied.
- The Bible Background commentary of the New Testament
http://books.google.co.in/books?id=cnAAOuN2_JIC&printsec=frontcover#v=onepage&q&f=false
13:48 As many as were ordained to eternal life - St. Luke does not say fore - ordained. He is not speaking of what was done from eternity, but of what was then done, through the preaching of the Gospel. He is describing that ordination, and that only, which was at the very time of hearing it. During this sermon those believed, says the apostle, to whom God then gave power to believe. It is as if he had said, They believed, whose hearts the Lord opened; as he expresses it in a clearly parallel place, speaking of the same kind of ordination, Acts 16:14, and c. It is observable, the original word is not once used in Scripture to express eternal predestination of any kind. The sum is, all those and those only, who were now ordained, now believed. Not that God rejected the rest: it was his will that they also should have been saved: but they thrust salvation from them. Nor were they who then believed constrained to believe. But grace was then first copiously offered them. And they did not thrust it away, so that a great multitude even of Gentiles were converted. In a word, the expression properly implies, a present operation of Divine grace working faith in the hearers.
- Wesley's Note
So this passage is not about predestination or election for those words are not used here as demonstrated above.
The Jews rejected the Gospel , but the gentiles were happy i.e they did not reject the Gospel and God ordained such open minded seekers to eternal life. He helped them to believe because they did not reject the message of Paul but were rather happy and honored the word of God.
An important lesson could be infered from here . God presents the Gospel to people , those who reject/resist it are not given help to believe whereas those who are happy to hear it and honor God for it were given appointment for eternal life. This is what this passage means. It has nothing to do with preordination or unconditional election for salvation.
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