Charles Ellicott Commentary Acts 13:7

"who was with the proconsul, Sergius Paulus, a man of understanding. The same called unto him Barnabas and Saul, and sought to hear the word of God." — Acts 13:7 (ASV)

Which was with the deputy of the country, Sergius Paulius.—The translators consistently use the word “deputy” as representing the Greek for “proconsul.” It will be remembered that it was applied, under Elizabeth and James, to the governor, known in more recent times as the Viceroy, or Lord-Lieutenant of Ireland, and was therefore a very close approximation to the meaning of the Latin.

The provinces of the Roman Empire, under the organisation of Augustus, were divided (27 BC) into two classes. Those that were looked on as needing direct military control were placed under the emperor as commander of the legions, and were governed by propraetors, or generals; the others were left to the Senate, and were under the rule of proconsuls.

Strabo (Book 14, at the end) describes Cyprus as a military or propraetorian province, and this has led some to question St. Luke’s accuracy. It appears, however, that Augustus, in AD 22, reassigned it to the Senate (Dio Cassius, Book 4, p. 523). Surviving coins of Cyprus bear the date of Claudius and the name of Cominius Proclus as proconsul (Akerman, Numismatic Illustrations, pp. 39-42), and, as stated above , one has recently been discovered in Cyprus itself, in which that title appears as borne by someone named Paulus.

Under Hadrian, it appears to have been under a propraetor; under Severus, it was again under a proconsul. Of the proconsul himself, we know nothing certain beyond what is recorded here. The name probably implied a connection with the old Aemilian gens, among whom, as in the case of the great conqueror of Macedonia, it was a favourite cognomen.

Dr. Lightfoot has, however, pointed out that Pliny, writing circa AD 90, names a Sergius Paulus as his chief authority for the facts in Books 2 and 18 of his Natural History, and that among these are two specially connected with Cyprus. Galen, writing circa AD 150, speaks of one bearing the same name, also a proconsul, as a contemporary of his own, and as distinguished for his love of wisdom. Here, of course, identity is out of the question, but a relationship is, at least, probable.

A prudent man.—The adjective describes what we would call general intelligence and discernment, as in Matthew 11:25, Luke 10:21, and 1 Corinthians 1:19. This quality was shown in this instance by his recognising at once the higher type of character presented by the Apostles, and desiring to know more of the word which they spoke to him as a message from God.