Matthew Poole and continuators on Acts 21:20

20 And when they heard it, they glorified the Lord, and said unto him, Thou seest, brother, how many thousands of Jews there are which believe, and they are all ze[illegible: 1 letter]lous of the law.

Acknowledging all in that great work of the conversion of the Gentiles, to have been from God; and that Paul that had planted, and Apollos that had watered, were nothing, 1 Cor. 3.6, 7.

Tens of thousands, as the word does usually signify; a definite, for an indefinite number, signifying very many: And considering out of what small beginnings, and by what despicable means, and all within the space of about five and twenty years that this grain of Mustardseed had spared its self; and add to this, that they were Iews, that obstinate and prejudiced generation who are here spoken of, and they were then so many, so wonderfully many, who believed.

Of Ceremonies, and concerning forbidden Meats, &c. For the Decree of the Apostles, Chap. 15.29. concerning these things, did only respect such as were converted from Paganisme to the Faith of Christ. And the Iews that were converted before the dispersion by Adrian (the Roman Emperor) many years after this time, did not throughly understand their freedom from that Law, but were under the burden of it, as appears by several Ecclesiastical Writers.

Marginal references: Rom. 10.2. Gal. 1.14.