Charles Spurgeon Commentary Acts 13:15-17

"And after the reading of the law and the prophets the rulers of the synagogue sent unto them, saying, Brethren, if ye have any word of exhortation for the people, say on. And Paul stood up, and beckoning with the hand said, Men of Israel, and ye that fear God, hearken: The God of this people Israel chose our fathers, and exalted the people when they sojourned in the land of Egypt, and with a high arm led he them forth out of it." — Acts 13:15-17 (ASV)

And after the reading of the law and the prophets the rulers of the synagogue sent unto them, saying, Ye men and brethren, if ye have any word of exhortation for the people, say on. Then Paul stood up, and beckoning with his hand, said, Men of Israel, and ye that fear God, give audience. The God of this people of Israel chose our fathers, and exalted the people when they dwelt as strangers in the land of Egypt, and with an high arm brought he them out of it.

They always liked to hear the story of their people. It was sure to win their attention.

Notice how expressly Paul puts it that, though they were a favored people, it was by the election of divine grace that they were so: The God of this people of Israel chose our fathers.

The Lord chooses whom he will, and he chose the fathers of the house of Israel: and exalted the people when they dwelt as strangers in the land of Egypt. God took care of them when they were aliens and foreigners under a cruel power in the land of Egypt: and with an high arm brought he them out of it.

This was the glory of Israel; the Jews always delighted to hear of Egypt, and of the Exodus, and of the great things that God did for them in the day of their redemption when, by the sprinkling of the blood of the paschal lamb, they were protected from the sword of the destroying angel.