Atos 16
A.T. Robertson · Citado em PreceptAustin
Atos 16
Robertson on manteúomai- Present middle participle of manteuomai, old heathen word (in contrast with prophēteuō) for acting the seer (mantis) and this kin to mainomai, to be mad, like the howling dervishes of later times. Zodhiates says manteúomai means "To divine or utter spells. Such soothsayers raged, foamed and screamed, making strange and terrible noises, sometimes gnashing with their teeth, shaking and trembling, with many strange motions. Plato calls people caught up in such ecstasy possessed of madness mánteis, from Muses which excited and inspired the mind into enthusiastic songs and poems. In many instances there was a real possession by the devil, e.g., in the case of the prophetic slave girl (Acts 16:16, 18). The mánteis (pl.) were possessed of a maniacal fury which displayed itself by rolling eyes, foaming mouth, and flying hair. It is quite possible that these symptoms were sometimes produced by the inhalation of vapors or other drugs, as they were often aggravated in the seers, the Pythonesses, Sibyls, and the like. No doubt such belonged to a spiritual world not related to the true God, a relationship not with heaven above but with hell below. The Word of God condemns this maniacal fury. Paul says in 1 Cor. 14:32: “The spirits of the prophets are subject to the prophets” and not to any devilish powers. A prophet of God speaks not in an unknown tongue as the soothsayers, but in an understandable language. He indeed speaks not of himself but is possessed by the Spirit of God (Rev. 1:10); his ecstasy is of God (Acts 11:5), being “moved by the Holy Ghost” (2 Pet. 1:21). Man is not “beside himself” when he is moved or led by the Spirit and filled with the presence of God, but is wise and discreet. However, in the mántis or the sorcerer, as Plato testifies, we have one in whom all sense of reason is suspended. Thus the line is drawn sharply between a mántis and a prophḗtēs (4396), prophet." (The Complete Word Study Dictionary - New Testament). Related Resource: What does the Bible say about divination? Should a Christian read fortune cookies? What are tarot cards? Are tarot cards evil? Wikipedia article.- Fortune telling Jack Andrews summarizes this section - Luke declared the possession of the girl, the profit from the girl, the proclamation of the girl, and the power over the girl. God’s servants can discern evil, denounce evil, and defeat evil spirits through the power of the Lord Jesus Christ. It is hard for the modern day church to defeat Satan when many in the modern day church do not believe he exists. Illustration: A George Bama survey revealed what many “Christians” believe about Satan and evil spirits. Four out of Ten Christians (40%) strongly agree that Satan “is not a living being but is a symbol of evil.” An additional two out of ten (19%) said they “agree somewhat with that perspective. A minority of Christians indicated that they believe Satan is real by disagreeing with the statement: one quarter (26%) disagreed strongly and about one-tenth (9%) disagreed somewhat. The remaining 8% were not sure what they believe about the existence of Satan. Those America “Christians” who do not believe that Satan exists are deceived by the one that they do not believe exists. We will not be effective in battling Satan, defeating Satan, or getting victory over Satan without discerning his activity, his power, and his intentions. Homes are being torn apart; lives are left in shambles; children are left helpless and homeless; diseases run rampant; crimes are skyrocketing; suicide is on the increase—Satan and his demons are very active. There was not only demonic activity in Philippi, but there is demonic activity in America! (Jack Andrews Expository Studies – Understanding Acts) Acts 16:16-31 Gloom Index By Mart De Haan At midnight Paul and Silas were praying and singing hymns to God. —Acts 16:25 As Christians, we understand the spiritual significance of Christ’s sacrifice at Calvary, but it’s easy to forget about the tremendous agony He endured there. The worst aspect was separation from the Father, but the physical suffering was also horrible beyond comprehension. In his book Dare To Believe, Dan Baumann shares some thoughts that can deepen our figured into a gloom index. Think about what Paul and Silas endured (Acts 16). Any one of their troubles was enough to ruin the sunniest day. Imagine the irritations of dealing with greedy profiteers who had turned a demon-possessed girl into a sideshow (vv.16-17). Think about the pain of confronting an angry mob and furious judges (v.22), of receiving a whipping and imprisonment (v.23), and of having your feet locked in stocks (v.24). But Paul and Silas rose above it (v.25). How did they do that? They were filled with the Holy Spirit, and they had a sense of mission. They were motivated by a desire to obey God and spread the message of Christ. God often sends me joy through pain, Through bitter loss, divinest gain; Yet through it all—dark days or bright— I know my Father leads aright. —Conklin God's Son can brighten our darkest days. The Gloom Index (Version 2) Mart DeHaan At midnight Paul and Silas were praying and singing hymns to God. —Acts 16:25 Gray skies and blue moods—the two seem to go together. In fact, some weather forecasters describe the amount of cloudy days a region can expect during its winter season as “the gloom index.” Other factors might be figured into a gloom index. Think, for instance, of what Paul and Silas, those two first-century co-workers for Christ, endured (Acts 16). Any one of their troubles was enough to ruin the sunniest day. Try to imagine the frustration of dealing with greedy profiteers who had turned a demon-possessed girl into a sideshow (vv.16-17). Think about the pain of confronting an angry mob and furious judges (v.22), of receiving a whipping and imprisonment (v.23), and of having your feet locked in stocks (v.24). How’s that for a gloomy atmosphere? Paul and Silas were able, though, to rise above their circumstances (v.25) because they were motivated by a desire to obey God and spread the message of Christ. God, give us wings to rise above The clouds of trial that block the sun, To soar above gray skies and see The love and goodness of Your Son. —Sper No day is dark when you live in the light of God's Son. Acts 16:16-25 Choose Your Color By Vernon Grounds I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me. —Philippians 4:13 A college student decided one summer that he would earn money for his tuition by selling Bibles door-to-door. He began at the home of the school president. The president’s wife came to the door and explained politely that her family didn’t need any more books. As the student walked away, she saw him limping. “Oh, I’m sorry,” she exclaimed. “I didn’t know you were disabled!” When the student turned around, she realized she had offended him. So she quickly added, “I didn’t mean anything except admiration. But doesn’t your disability color your life?” To which the student responded, “Yes, it does. But thank God, I can choose the color.” When Paul and Silas were imprisoned at Philippi and their backs were raw from beatings, they sang hymns (Acts 16:23-25). They chose the bright color of praise instead of the dark colors of depression, bitterness, and despair. He gives me joy in place of sorrow; He gives me love that casts out fear; He gives me sunshine for my shadow, And "beauty for ashes" here. —Crabbe God chooses what we go through; we choose how we go through it. Acts 16:16-26 God Will Make A Way By Dave Branon I know that You can do everything. —Job 42:2 Missionary Bill Moore serves in South Africa, but one day he visited neighboring Zambia to help his mission organization buy some property. The first problem he ran into was that the mission was not recognized by the government, which meant they could not buy any land. Registration could take months. Bill and his co-workers prayed, and God provided a contact who helped them secure the needed papers in 15 minutes. Next, Bill’s group needed permission from the land commissioner to buy the property. This was another months-long process—usually. However, they walked out of the office with approval in minutes. What could have taken a year—getting these two documents—took less than an hour! They discovered that God can make a way when it seems there is no way. Paul and Silas found this out too. While they were praying in prison, God sent an earthquake to free them (Acts 16:26). Does this mean that we can always expect God to arrange things exactly how we want them? No. But in His sovereignty, He makes a provision for things to get done the way He wants them done. Our job is to pray, to follow His leading, and to trust Him with the results. If He wants it done, God will make a way. God is greater than our greatest problem. Acts 16:16-29 Everyday Blessings By Vernon Grounds In everything give thanks. —1 Thessalonians 5:18 Missionary Benjamin Weir was held hostage in Lebanon and imprisoned under miserable conditions for 16 months. In his first interview after his release, he was asked how he spent his time and how he dealt with boredom and despair. His answer stunned the reporters. He simply said, “Counting my blessings.” “Blessings?” they responded. “Yes,” he explained. “Some days I got to take a shower. Sometimes there were some vegetables in my food. And I could always be thankful for the love of my family.” We can understand why the reporters were astonished. It’s hard for most of us to be consistently thankful for the commonplace blessings that make life pleasant and comfortable—the unfailing supply of our daily needs, the provision of food and shelter, the companionship of friends and families. There are times when we may even forget the wonderful mercies of God’s redeeming grace. Are you ever burdened with a load of care? Does the cross seem heavy you are called to bear? Count your many blessings, every doubt will fly, And you will be singing as the days go by. —Oatman Praise to God comes naturally when you count your blessings. Acts 16:16-34 The Only Remedy By Richard DeHaan Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, and you will be saved, you and your household. —Acts 16:31 What does it mean to “believe on the Lord Jesus Christ”? (Acts 16:31). Here’s an illustration that may help to answer this question: Suppose you are sick and call for a doctor. After a thorough examination, he says you’ve contracted a fatal disease, but medical science has discovered a cure. You may be convinced that he is the best physician available, that his diagnosis is accurate, and that the medication he prescribes is your only hope. But you must take the medicine. If you just lie there and refuse the remedy, you will die! So it is with God’s offer of salvation. You may say you’re sure that the story of Jesus is true, but if you don’t reach out the hand of faith you will be lost for all eternity. You must personally receive the Lord Jesus Christ. He is the only remedy for your sins. God sent His Son to die for us, No other life would do; So why not trust in Christ today— Accept His gift to you. —JDB Salvation is a free gift, but we must receive it. Acts 16:13-15, 29-34 TODAY IN THE WORD In her book Open Heart—Open Home, Karen Burton Mains writes: “I am firmly convinced that if Christians would open their homes and practice hospitality as defined in Scripture, we could significantly alter the fabric of society. We could play a major role in its spiritual, moral and emotional redemption. “For the Christian, hospitality is not an option. It is an injunction. . . . In Webster’s dictionary, the definition for hospitable is wedged between the word ‘hospice,’ a shelter, and the word ‘hospital’ a place of healing. Ultimately, this is what we offer when we open our home in the true spirit of hospitality. We offer shelter; we offer healing.” This book is right. Hospitality should be the hallmark of every family that has been truly touched by Christ. Once you have tasted the Savior’s love, acceptance and blessing, it is only natural for you to want to extend those gifts to others. Midway through the book of Acts, a chapter details the conversion of two individuals. Paul and his entourage are led by the Spirit of God into Europe (16:9), where they meet Lydia, an upwardly mobile businesswoman. She believes in Christ (v. 14) and immediately insists that her new missionary friends come home with her to be her guests (v. 15). No specifics of that stay are included in the text; however, we get the idea that Lydia made every effort to make her guests feel at home. Perhaps Lydia’s home even became a kind of hostel—a place for weary workers to find spiritual and emotional nourishment. Later, Paul and Silas find themselves in a Philippian jail. Following a midnight praise service and a God-ordained earthquake, the men lead the jailer and his family to Christ. What does the new convert do? He tends to their wounds (v. 33), brings them into his home, and feeds them (v. 34). Then you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free. - John 8:32 TODAY IN THE WORD According to a 2004 report from the U.S. State Department, human trafficking is the third most profitable criminal activity. Each year, around 600,000-800,000 people are trafficked—and 50 percent of those are children. Sometimes children are kidnapped; others are lured with false promises of lucrative work. Instead, they become indentured servants in mines, sex workers, child soldiers, or sweatshop slaves. Exploiting children for profit is not new, and our reading today includes the story of a slave girl whose owners were making a great deal of money from her demon-possessed powers. As the book of Acts recounts how Paul and Silas started the church in Philippi, we are introduced to a diverse assortment of people. First was Lydia, the wealthy woman who believed the gospel and opened her home to the missionaries; second was the slave girl, who could not have been more opposite to Lydia. She had no control over the fortune she was producing, and no status in the city. The work of God in both Lydia and the slave girl reminds us that the gospel can transform anyone, whether rich or poor, slave or free. The spirit that controlled this girl was known as a truth-telling spirit, and her owners used her to tell fortunes. But this spirit also began proclaiming the truth about Paul and Silas; day after day the girl would follow Paul and his companions shouting, “These men are servants of the Most High God, who are telling you the way to be saved” (v. 17). This was, in fact, the truth. But Paul was not content to let the truth about him and his mission be proclaimed as a means to support evil and to profit from this girl's slavery. In the name of Jesus, he commanded the spirit to leave her, freeing her from her demon-possession. But freeing her from the spirit also meant depriving her owners of their profits. Furious, they brought legal charges against Paul and Silas. They valued greed over deliverance. TODAY ALONG THE WAY Paul understood the value of this girl's life—not just her profits. Will we stand for the value of life, even when others profit from its abuse and destruction? Abortion destroys thousands of lives every day in the United States, and many people profit from it, whether financially, socially, or politically. We certainly need to be prayer warriors on this issue. Perhaps you could also support a crisis pregnancy center in your area by volunteering, donating needed supplies, or giving financially. He was filled with joy because he had come to believe in God—he and his whole family. - Acts 16:34 TODAY IN THE WORD One spring evening in Chicago, choir director Joseph Richardson was taking a walk with his four-year-old daughter, Kaniyah. Suddenly, a red Chevy Cavalier jumped the curb and hurtled toward them, speeding out of control with a drunk driver at the wheel. The father had only a split second to react. Richardson grabbed his daughter and lifted her out of the way, just before the car pinned him against an iron fence. He was killed—Kaniyah was injured, but she lived. Richardson made the ultimate sacrifice, giving his own life to save the life of his daughter. Christ loved each of us that much. When the force of this truth hits us, we cannot help but respond with heartfelt joy—whether tears of joy or shouts of joy, it is deep, powerful joy. In today’s reading, Paul and Silas had been carrying out a successful ministry in Philippi, and the church there grew to a size that “disturbed” the city. The trouble began when Paul cast out a demonic spirit from a slave girl who had been following them around, calling out that these men knew the truth (see James 2:19). Since her owners had profited from her fortunetelling abilities and lost out economically from her liberation, they took revenge by dragging the missionaries into court on trumped-up charges. Paul and Silas were stripped, beaten, and imprisoned. They responded by singing hymns (v. 25). For them, faith was not simply the absence of discouragement, or the courage to pray for release, but the presence of godly joy. They felt so secure in Christ that when an earthquake hit and the prison doors sprang open, they felt no need to run. They sensed a greater work of God taking place, and indeed the jailer and his entire household were ripe for saving faith. Within a single, roller-coaster ride of a night, this jailer went from suicidal (because he assumed the prisoners had escaped) to offering hospitality to two former inmates and receiving the joy of eternal life (v. 34). APPLY THE WORD The Philippian jailer asked one of the most significant questions in Scripture: “What must I do to be saved?” And Paul and Silas gave one of the most significant replies: “Believe in the Lord Jesus, and you will be saved” (vv. 30-31). It is the prayer of all of us at Today in the Word that all of our readers trust in Christ for salvation (John 1:12). If you have never been delivered from sin and experienced the joy of faith in Christ, we pray that you will trust the saving work of Jesus today! Paul and Silas were praying and singing hymns to God, and the other prisoners were listening to them. - Acts 16:16-34 TODAY IN THE WORD Thomas Watson, a Puritan pastor and writer in 17th century London, had this to say about suffering: “As the hard frosts in winter bring on the flowers in the spring, as the night ushers in the morning star, so the evils of affliction produce much good to those who love God. . . . Afflictions work for good in that they make way for glory. . . . As plowing prepares the earth for a crop, so afflictions prepare and make us fit for glory. As the painter lays his gold upon dark colors, so God first lays the dark colors of affliction, and then He lays the golden color of glory. The vessel is first seasoned before wine is poured into it; the vessels of mercy are first seasoned with affliction, and then the wine of glory is poured in.” Paul and Silas had this same attitude, and counted it an honor to suffer for the name of Christ (cf. 2 Cor. 11:23-28; Phil. 1:29-30). They’d gotten into trouble in Philippi specifically for doing God’s work. Their persecutors had economic motivations, abetted by spiritual blindness and a fear of foreigners. These factors came together to cause the two men to be beaten and imprisoned without a trial. Sometimes God’s will takes us to hard places. One minute Paul and Silas were casting out a demon, the next minute they were sitting helplessly in jail, but it was all part of God’s sovereign plan. God sustained His missionaries, not just to survive or endure, but to thrive. His grace to them filled them with such joy that they could praise Him, even from a jail cell. By doing so, they became channels of divine mercy to the other prisoners and to the jailer. The other prisoners were listening to them singing, perhaps in amazement. No doubt they heard the truth about Christ in their songs. When God sent an earthquake, the jailer and his family also heard the way of salvation, and gladly received the gift of new spiritual life. APPLY THE WORD Rejoicing in suffering is not a natural response--it’s a supernatural one. How can we learn to share the attitudes displayed by Thomas Watson, Paul, and Silas? Paul and Silas were praying and singing hymns to God, and the other prisoners were listening to them. - Acts 16:25 TODAY IN THE WORD Jean S. Munro, a medical missionary in Zaire, noticed that her water had been tasting bitter. Her water supply, commonly enough in that area, was collected rainwater kept in a sealed storage tank. When her dog and cat refused to drink it and the stench from her tap became overpowering, she asked a colleague to check it out. When the tank was unsealed, the decomposing body of a large, poisonous snake was found. What had happened? A local witch doctor, angered at losing influence, had by some devilry put the dead snake inside the tank. When its poison sacs burst, he thought that the missionary would surely die, proving his power. But Munro didn't die . . . God miraculously saved her from the deadly venom in her drinking water! God delights to exercise His power on behalf of His people. He did so in today's reading as well, powerfully rescuing His servants from a Philippian jail. What was the crime of Paul and Silas? They cast a demon out of a slave-girl. It was referred to as a “python spirit,” associated with fortune telling. Why did she cry out a testimonial to Paul and the gospel (v. 17)? It seems that proximity sometimes causes some demons to confess the truth (see Luke 8:28; James 2:19). At any rate, this girl brought in a tidy income for her owners, so Paul's action was a direct hit in their pocketbook. They had the two missionaries beaten and thrown into prison. Paul and Silas responded with joy despite their circumstances (cf. Rom. 8:28). They praised the Lord, praying and singing hymns. When Paul later wrote to the Philippians, “Rejoice in the Lord always” (Phil. 4:4), they knew he really did mean always! Since the other prisoners listened, this was also evangelism. After God sent an earthquake to free them, Paul and Silas didn't miss a beat, sharing the gospel with the warden and his family. When they accepted the gospel, it's no surprise to find them also “filled with joy” (v. 34)! TODAY ALONG THE WAY Do you have a joyful heart? Let's put it another way: would you praise the Lord and sing hymns if you found yourself unjustly thrown into prison today? Paul later wrote to the Philippians: “Rejoice in the Lord always. I will say it again: Rejoice!” The secret lies in turning all our anxieties over to the Lord in prayer. If we do that, our hearts will be guarded from worry by the ocean-deep peace of Christ, and we'll be liberated to trust and joy (Phil. 4:4-7)! Acts 16:11-17:15 The Lord opened her heart. - Acts 16:14 TODAY IN THE WORD In the 1930s, American missionary to India, J. Waskom Pickett, wrote about “mass movements” in which entire communities came to Christ simultaneously. He noted that where individuals were knit into families and communities, effective evangelism must focus on the whole group. Each person still had to make an individual decision about Jesus, but Pickett discovered that few conversions occurred apart from the family or community. We see similar “mass movements” in the New Testament where entire households come to faith (see Sept. 13). Because there was no synagogue in Philippi, God-fearers met beside the river, just outside of town. The first convert, Lydia, was likely a widow and was probably wealthy, as the purple dye she sold was very valuable. What a stark contrast between Lydia and the slave girl! To understand Paul's rebuke, we need to know that “God most high” also applied to Zeus or the Egyptian goddess, Isis. Philosophers called “the way of salvation” the release from fate. Any association between the gospel and the demonic couldn't be tolerated. We don't know the circumstances of the other prisoners, but they had probably never heard fellow prisoners singing in the night, nor had they experienced an earthquake that set them free! Notice that the jailor's concern was “What must I do to be saved?” Now notice how clearly Paul stressed salvation by faith alone! As Roman citizens, Paul and Silas never should have been treated as they were. Yet Paul's concern wasn't for himself; a dangerous precedent would be set for the Philippian church if such arbitrary treatment were tolerated. From Philippi, Paul and Silas traveled to Thessalonica. Once again, some Jews stirred up opposition. City officials would have been anxious to avoid any trouble. After Philippi and Thessalonica, the Bereans' reception of the gospel must have greatly encouraged Paul. TODAY ALONG THE WAY Although Berea was a small town off the beaten track, its inhabitants exhibited an approach to Scripture that remains a model for believers everywhere. They received Paul's message about Jesus with eagerness and examined the Bible to see if what he said was true. This week, consider taking notes during the Sunday morning sermon so that you can do further study when you get home, or listen to a daily Bible study via podcast or radio for another opportunity to examine the Bible. Robert Morgan Sermon - The Philippian Fortune-Teller Acts 16 Today we are coming to the last of four messages on the subject of witchcraft and the Bible. Our first message on February 21st focused on the Person of Jesus Christ, who is before all things and by whom all things hold together. Our second message consisted of an overview of biblical teaching about witchcraft and the occult. Last week we investigated the story of the most famous witch in the Bible, the Witch of Endor, whom King Saul consulted in 1 Samuel. Today in this final message, I would like to look at a New Testament witch or spiritist, a slave girl whose story is told in Acts 16. Once when we were going to the place of prayer, we were met by a slave girl who had a spirit by which she predicted the future. She earned a great deal of money for her owners by fortune-telling. This girl followed Paul and the rest of us, shouting, "These men are servants of the Most High God, who are telling you the way to be saved." She kept this up for many days. Finally Paul became so troubled that he turned around and said to the spirit, "In the name of Jesus Christ I command you to come out of her!" At that moment the spirit left her. When the owners of the slave girl realized that their hope of making money was gone, they seized Paul and Silas and dragged them into the marketplace to face the authorities. They brought them before the magistrates and said, "These men are Jews, and are throwing our city into an uproar by advocating customs unlawful for us Romans to accept or practice." The crowd joined in the attack against Paul and Silas, and the magistrates ordered them to be stripped and beaten. After they had been severely flogged, they were thrown into prison, and the jailer was commanded to guard them carefully (Acts 16:16-23). This chapter tells the story of the Apostle Paul’s first venture into Europe. Traveling with Luke and Silas, he entered the great city of Philippi and there established a church. His first convert was a prosperous businesswoman named Lydia. But the second person whose story is told is a nameless slave girl who had a demon that enabled her to tell the future. Verse 16 says: Once when we were going to the place of prayer, we were met by a slave girl who had a spirit… A Slave Girl In the ancient Greek version of the Old Testament, the Septuagint, the very same phrase is used to describe the Witch of Endor. This slave girl was a kind of witch, and as such she would have been right at home in our culture today. CNN recently ran an article on the increase of interest in witchcraft in the media, saying: The number of witches invading prime time and movie theaters these days is downright scary. In the last few years, movie audiences have been treated to witchy films like "Hocus Pocus," "The Craft," and the recent box office topper "Practical Magic," starring Nicole Kidman and Sandra Bullock. On TV, there’s "Sabrina the Teenage Witch" on ABC, and "Charmed" on WB. So what is the attraction to witches? "I think we’re in the time when the metaphysical world is so interesting," says actress Alyssa Milano, who stars as one of three sibling witches in "Charmed." "The psychics and the psychic hotlines, people are looking for something to believe in." Kathleen McGowen, a Wiccan priestess (a witch), says being a witch is about being a woman. "(It) is about reclaiming the divine female’s aspects, which is something that’s been denied to us for a very, very long time," McGowen says. If there’s any spell to be cast by the movies and shows, it’s against the negative stereotypes associated with the term "witch." Phyllis Currot, a Wiccan high priestess currently on a book tour promoting "Book of Shadows," says the pop culture demand for witches is a good thing. "A witch is anyone who cultivates divine and sacred gifts," she says. "But what’s important about ’Practical Magic’ and all these shows is that they’re showing witches are good." Well, the passage here in Acts 16 begs to differ. According to Luke, this woman’s powers were the result of her having "a spirit." That is biblical terminology for being possessed by a demon. There are over 100 references to demons in the Bible, most of them occurring in the NT. Every writer of the NT except the author of Hebrews, mentions demons one way or the other. I was taking to Ken Eagleton this week, a friend of mine who spent many years as a missionary in Brazil. He told me of several encounters he had with the demon-possessed. In one case, members of his church asked him to visit someone who was having trouble. When he entered this woman’s bedroom, he found her literally stiff as a board, lying there, he said, like a piece of lumber, unable to move anything but her eyes. The room was very small, but Ken squeezed into a little chair near her bed and tried to talk to her. He learned from her family that she had recently visited a famous witch in the next village who had given her some medicines to take and some rituals to perform to help her feel better. Now she was lying there, unable to talk and unable to open her mouth. The only sound she could make was a faint grunting sound from her throat. As Ken tried to work with her, all at once as fast as lightening, she drew up her knees, spun around as if on a lazy susan, and slammed her feet into his stomach, pressing him against the wall. Others in the room rushed to restrain her. Finally Ken stopped trying to talk to the woman and he addressed instead the demons, asking them their names. (From the New Testament we learn that demons have names, and Jesus sometimes asked them to identify themselves.) To Ken’s surprise, the demons started giving the names of people. As he told me the story he said, "This is the only time demons ever identified themselves to me using human-like names. Usually they called themselves things like Lust, Suicide, Nicotine, Alcohol, Immorality. But this time, they gave personal names." Ken worked and prayed a long time, but he was never able to get the demons to leave the woman. I asked him why the demons would not leave, and he told me that the missionaries in Brazil never had any real success with people who didn’t really want to be delivered. I also asked Ken why we hear and read so much about demon possession overseas yet do not often seem to encounter them in our churches in the United States. Ken’s answer is that in Brazil and Haiti and nations like that, the people openly seek out evil spirits. They overtly interact with the demonic world. "But," Ken continued, "as witchcraft and ouiji boards and dungeon-and-dragon type games become more and more a part of our culture, we’re going to see more and more cases of demon possession here in the United States." Then Ken said something else interesting: "We’d all be terribly surprised," he told me, "if we knew just how deeply our current society is being influenced by demons." I think he’s right. One of the magazines that I read and that I have written for is designed especially for pastors called Leadership Journal. In the current issue, there is an interesting article by a Baptist pastor in Tucson. He said that some time ago on a Sunday night during the closing moments of the evening service, an impression of impending death overwhelmed him. He felt he had just preached his last sermon and would die before the next Sunday. Returning home, he sat down and waited until late in the night, expecting to die. He did the same the next night, and strange tinglings moved down his arms. On Tuesday morning he called a cardiologist and was given a treadmill test, then a neurological examination. "Your symptoms don’t fit any of the usual neurological problems or diseases," he was told. "Perhaps you have some exotic problem we’ve never encountered." The doctors advised him to return home, resume his normal activities, and see if any other symptoms developed. His oppression did not abate. On Thursday, a gentleman in the church called him and said, "I really hate to bother you, but we had something happen that may interest you. A woman struggling to get out of witchcraft just revealed that she and some of her friends had placed a curse on you. They actually prayed for a spirit of death to destroy you. I know this is probably nothing, so I almost did not call. But perhaps you’ll find the information useful." The pastor immediately asked God to protect him by the blood of Jesus Christ and he rebuked the evil spirits. Immediately the oppression lifted and the symptoms dissipated. A Fortune-Telling Spirit So here we have a woman, a slave girl, who had a spirit. What kind of spirit did she have? Verse 16 continues: …we were met by a slave girl who had a spirit by which she predicted the future. She earned a great deal of money for her owners by fortune-telling. This brings up an interesting question. How can a demon foretell the future? I want to tell you something about the devil. He is not the opposite of God. God is omnipotent--all powerful. The devil isn’t. God is omnipresent--always present in every location. The devil isn’t. God is omniscient--all knowing. The devil isn’t. If anything, Satan is the opposite of Michael or Gabriel or one of the archangels of heaven; but he is not the opposite of God. He does not possess all knowledge, and he cannot with assurance foretell the future. How, then, could this demon give someone a spirit of fortune-telling? Well, it seems quite simple to me. The devil may not know what God is going to do tomorrow, but he does have a pretty good idea of what he himself is planning unless God intervenes and hinders him. I can illustrate it like this. I cannot predict the future, and I do not know for sure what I will be doing three or four hours from now. I may have a heart attack and be with the Lord this afternoon. I may be called to the hospital to be with a dear family this afternoon. I don’t know for sure. But I can tell you what I am planning to do mid-afternoon. I am planning to be in my office, working on tonight’s Bible study for the six o’clock service. I’m reasonably sure that’s where I’ll be and what I’ll be doing. So I can make a prediction about it. The devil is a master-planner who devises his schemes with shrewdness and foresight. So we shouldn’t be surprised if some of his demons can make predictions with a better-than-average rate of accuracy. Perhaps the most famous psychic of the Twentieth Century was Jean Dixon. I have read that during World War II, she was regularly consulted by President Roosevelt on how best to carry out his tasks. According to published reports, a few years later, in the fall of 1952, as she entered St. Matthew’s Church in Washington, she had a vision in which she saw the White House with the figure 1960 on the rooftop and a young man standing in front of the building. A voice told her that he would be assassinated in office. Eleven years later, John F. Kennedy’s funeral was held in the very church were Jean Dixon reportedly received her prophetic vision. Now, if that is true how do you explain it? Well, who is behind murder and violence and assassination in the world today? If the devil was plotting to commit murder, perhaps using one contingent of demons, don’t you think he might announce it in advance through another contingent of demons? He wants to imitate God. He tries to duplicate God’s power and God’s miracles? He wants to counterfeit God’s ability to give prophecy. And so his demons evidently give some people the ability to be fortune-tellers. In Philippi, there was such a woman and her services were being marketed by her owners, making them a great deal of money. "Servants of the Most High God" But now we come to verse 17: This girl followed Paul and the rest of us, shouting, "These men are servants of the Most High God, who are telling you the way to be saved." Does it seem odd to you that a demon-possessed girl would go around announcing the arrival of missionaries? How do you explain her words? To be honest, I don’t know why a demonized girl would continually shout, These men are servants of the Most High God, who are telling you the way to be saved. I have three ideas about it. Maybe the demons were so mesmerized by the presence of the Gospel and the Gospel-preachers that they couldn’t help but shout it. We know that during Jesus’ ministry, demons shouted similar things: What do you want with us, Jesus of Nazareth? Have you come to destroy us? I know who you are--the Holy One of God (Mark 1:24). Maybe the demons were mocking the preachers. If we could hear the tone of voice and the voice inflections, perhaps we would realize immediately that the demons were saying these words sarcastically and in derision. Perhaps it wasn’t the demons at all speaking these words, but the slave girl herself. Perhaps she was crying out for liberation and for help. Whatever the reason, her continually shouting and shrieking was a vexation for Paul and he finally turned around and addressed the evil spirit, saying: In the name of Jesus Christ I command you to come out of her! And the Bible says, "At that moment, the spirit left her." There is freedom and power and liberation in the name and by the power of Jesus Christ. As Martin Luther said: The prince of darkness grim We tremble not for him. His rage we can endure For lo, his doom is sure. One little word shall fell him. Charles
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Robertson - There was no actual attack of the mob as Paul and Silas were in the hands of the officers, but a sudden and violent uprising of the people, the appeal to race and national prejudice having raised a ferment. The chief magistrates tore their robes off them - Some think "them" is the Gentile officials but more like it was the robes of the accused.
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Robertson comments that "Already (Timothy) had so borne himself that his gifts and graces for the ministry were recognized. It is a wise precaution that the approval of the local church is necessary for the licensing and the ordaining of a preacher. If God has called a man for the work signs of it will be manifest to others." By the brethren who were in Lystra and Iconium - Brethren refers to the Christian brethren, those who share a common birth, the new birth. Notice that Timothy's reputation was known not only in his hometown of Lystra, but in nearby Iconium. Lystra was about 20 miles south of Iconium about a normal day's travel in the Roman Empire at this time. How was he known in Iconium? Luke does not tell us but clearly it is in a spiritual context. Brethren (80)(adelphos from a = denotes unity + delphus = a womb) means brother or near kinsman. "Adelphós generally denotes a fellowship of life based on identity of origin, e.g., members of the same family (Mt. 1:2; Lk 3:1, 19; 6:14); members of the same tribe, countrymen, and so forth (Acts 3:22; 7:23; Ro 9:3)." (Zodhiates) Figuratively, adelphos describes members of the Christian community, spiritual brother, fellow Christian, fellow believer (Ro 8.29). Jews used adelphos to describe fellow countrymen (Acts 3:22). Lystra and Iconium - See Map of Second Missionary Journey. In Paul's last letter to Timothy he reminds his young disciple (who might have been a bit "timid" - see 2 Ti 1:7) of what happened to him at Lystra and Iconium writing Now you followed my teaching (WHAT I TEACH), conduct (HOW I LIVE IT OUT - NOTICE THAT THIS IS DISCIPLESHIP), purpose, faith, patience, love, perseverance, 11 persecutions, and sufferings, such as happened to me at Antioch (NOT ANTIOCH IN SYRIA - HIS HOME CHURCH BUT ANTIOCH OF PISIDIA IN TURKEY), at Iconium and at Lystra; what persecutions I endured, and out of them all the Lord rescued me! (A REMINDER THAT THE LORD WOULD BE HIS DELIVERER ALSO) (2 Ti 3:10-11) Kitto - Daily Bible Illustrations - Timothy—Acts 16:1–3 In contemplating the journey before him, Paul probably felt that the absence of Barnabas would be likely to place him at some disadvantage; for not only had Barnabas been with him as an equal laborer in the previous visit to the same places, but the name of Barnabas was joined in commission with his own in the apostolic decree, at least so far as regarded the authoritative promulgation of the decree to the churches. The wise providence of God had, however, provided for this exigency by the fact that one of the two distinguished persons who had been sent by the church at Jerusalem to Antioch, with Paul and Barnabas, as vouchers for the decree, in which they are, indeed, expressly named, still remained at Antioch. This was Silas; and it is at once apparent, even to us, that this was the most suitable person to be his companion for the intended journey, whom it could be well possible to find as a substitute for Barnabas. He was a leading man in the church; he was endowed with special gifts; the church at Jerusalem had avouched his character and qualifications; and Paul had been enough in his company to know that he should find in him a valuable coadjutor. Silas readily responded to the call thus made upon him; and the two, having been in united prayer “recommended by the brethren unto the grace of God,” set forth upon their important journey. That journey, though it included all the places where churches had been founded in the former missionary tour with Barnabas, became much more extensive than had been originally contemplated. It commenced, however, by the intended visitation of the churches formerly established. They were, however, visited in a reverted order, those being first reached which had been established last in the previous journey. Departing from Antioch, Paul and Silas necessarily passed through the northernmost part of Syria, and the eastern part of Cilicia, “confirming the churches” in their way. These were, no doubt, churches which had been of earlier establishment. Their names are not given, but we may be allowed to suppose that on this occasion Paul once more saw his native city of Tarsus. They then passed into Lycaonia, lying to the north of Cilicia, and we find them once more at Derbe; but of the circumstances of this, any more than of the former visit to this town, no particulars are given. They now proceeded on their way, and passing the gate before which was the temple or image of Jupiter, stood within the streets of Lystra, where Paul had been first worshipped as a god, and then stoned as an offender. All that is recorded at this place relates to the acquisition of an addition to the missionary party, in the person of a young convert named Timothy. This youth seems to have been a native of Lystra—the son of a Jewish mother, but of a Greek father. He had been very carefully brought up, even from a child, by his grandmother and his mother, in the knowledge of the Old Testament Scriptures, which had thus become familiar to him; and, under such holy training, he inherited, in full measure, the “unfeigned” Messianic “faith that dwelt first in his grandmother, Lois, and his mother, Eunice.” The soil being thus prepared, received favorably the good seed which Paul had sown, in his former visit to these parts. His name, indeed, does not occur in that journey; but we now see that the young man was already a Christian when Lystra was revisited; and as Paul addresses him as “his own son in the faith,”—that is, one converted by himself, it is clear that his conversion must have taken place in the former journey. It was but lately that we called attention to a passage in one of Paul’s epistles to this person, in which he appeals to his intimate knowledge of the persecutions he had endured at Antioch, at Iconium, and at Lystra; and this knowledge was probably personal, at least at Lystra, at which place—if that indeed was his ordinary residence—he had been doubtless an eye-witness of the evil treatment the apostle received, and was probably one of “the brethren” who stood mournfully around him as he lay for dead. What Timothy had heard from Paul, what he had witnessed of his conduct, the example he had so unostentatiously offered of valor for the truth, could hardly fail to make the most profound and salutary impression upon a mind so youthfully impressible as his. It was nutritive; and blessed by the Divine Spirit, it so ministered to his spiritual growth, that by the time Paul had now come back, he had become a marked person in the esteem of the brethren in this and the neighboring towns, particularly at Iconium. His love to Christ was so touchingly profound, his faith so invincible, his devotedness so entire, his zeal so fervent, his endowments so manifest, that the local churches cherished the belief that notwithstanding his delicate health and “often infirmities,” eminent services in the church of Christ might be expected from him. Paul heard of this before he again saw him, and the tidings filled his heart with joy. He gladly yielded to the young man’s entreaty to be permitted to attend him in his journey; and very soon the apostle conceived for his young convert that beautiful paternal regard which shines through his epistles to him, and which will to many minds appear as one of the most charming things in the history of Paul. Before, however, Paul took Timothy with him, he thought proper to subject him to the initiatory Jewish rite. This has occasioned some perplexity, seeing that not long ago Paul had very firmly, and with the sanction of the apostles of the circumcision, resisted the attempts made to impose this rite upon Titus. Some of the early Christian writers made much of this difficulty, and could not surmount it but by supposing that a similar concession had subsequently been made in the case of Titus—a most unwarrantable and wholly needless supposition. The cases were altogether different, and sufficient to explain and justify a difference of procedure. Titus was wholly a Greek; and the object in his case was to withstand false teachers, and protect the flock from their requisitions. In the case of Timothy, the object was to procure admission for him into the synagogues in which the Gospel had not yet been preached, and with which Paul had to connect his labors but to which he could not otherwise have had access. Paul testifies of himself that to the Jews he became a Jew, to win those who would not else be won. Of Timothy he asked no more than this: and he was entitled to ask it; for, according to the Jewish rules, the child should follow the mother, so that the son of a mixed marriage, whose mother was a Jewess, should be circumcised, otherwise (and the Roman Catholic Church now makes similar conditions) the marriage would not have been recognized by the Jewish law. This had been neglected in the case of Timothy, probably from the opposition of the father. The Jews of the neighborhood must have been aware of this; and he would not have been admitted among them had not Paul made good the omission. Acts 16:3 Paul wanted this man to go with him; and he took him and circumcised him because of the Jews who were in those parts, for they all knew that his father was a Greek. KJV Acts 16:3 Him would Paul have to go forth with him; and took and circumcised him because of the Jews which were in those quarters: for they knew all that his father was a Greek. NET Acts 16:3 Paul wanted Timothy to accompany him, and he took him and circumcised him because of the Jews who were in those places, for they all knew that his father was Greek. GNT Acts 16:3 τοῦτον ἠθέλησεν ὁ Παῦλος σὺν αὐτῷ ἐξελθεῖν, καὶ λαβὼν περιέτεμεν αὐτὸν διὰ τοὺς Ἰουδαίους τοὺς ὄντας ἐν τοῖς τόποις ἐκείνοις· ᾔδεισαν γὰρ ἅπαντες ὅτι Ἕλλην ὁ πατὴρ αὐτοῦ ὑπῆρχεν. NLT Acts 16:3 so Paul wanted him to join them on their journey. In deference to the Jews of the area, he arranged for Timothy to be circumcised before they left, for everyone knew that his father was a Greek. ESV Acts 16:3 Paul wanted Timothy to accompany him, and he took him and circumcised him because of the Jews who were in those places, for they all knew that his father was a Greek. CSB Acts 16:3 Paul wanted Timothy to go with him, so he took him and circumcised him because of the Jews who were in those places, since they all knew that his father was a Greek. NIV Acts 16:3 Paul wanted to take him along on the journey, so he circumcised him because of the Jews who lived in that area, for they all knew that his father was a Greek. wanted Ac 15:37,40 took Ac 15:20 1Co 7:19 9:20 Ga 2:3,8 5:1-3,6 Acts 16 Resources - Multiple Sermons and Commentaries PAUL TAKES TIMOTHY INTO MISSIONARY PARTY Paul wanted this man to go with him - This man (touton) is literally "this one" and is first in the sentence for emphasis. As noted above Timothy had a good reputation not only in Lystra but also in Iconium. He had a believing mother and grandmother who were Jewish and a Greek father. One has to believe that Paul did not just rely on the excellent external markers, but that he also prayed for guidance and was led to seek out this man for his missionary service. Paul later refers to Timothy as his "true child in the faith" (1 Ti 1:2) and his beloved son (2 Ti 1:2+), which taken together would support the fact Timothy had been birthed into the kingdom by the Spirit and Paul's proclamation of the Gospel. And Timothy would have had no delusions of grandeur about some great, exciting missionary adventure, for he had either witnessed first hand or had certainly heard the stories about Paul being stoned for preaching the Gospel. In short Timothy would have counted the cost of partnering with Paul and yet it did not deter him from joining the team.
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Robertson writes "Paul voluntarily removed this stumbling-block to the ministry of Timothy. Otherwise Timothy could not have been allowed to preach in the synagogues. Idem non est semper idem. But Timothy's case was not the case of Titus. Here it was a question of efficient service, not an essential of salvation. Hovey notes that Timothy was circumcised because of Jewish unbelievers, not because of Jewish believers." Jews (2453) (Ioudaios) ultimately derived from Hebrew Yehudi = a member of the tribe of Judah) is an adjective refers to one who belongs to the Jewish race with focus on adherence to Mosaic tradition (Acts 10:28, 22:3, 21:39). A Jew in respect to race or religion (as opposed to Gentiles). In the plural, it means the Jews, the people of ancient Palestine. In John's Gospel Ioudaios was used of those hostile to Jesus, especially the Jewish leaders (Jn 2:18, 5:16ff, 6:41, 7:1, 10:31ff, 19:7). Jesus is referred to as King of the Jews (Mt 2:2, Mt 27:11, Mk 15:2, Lk 23:3, Jn 18:33). Jews hated the Samaritans (Jn 4:9) and the missionary activity of Paul (Acts 9:23, 13:45, 14:19, 20:3, 21:27, 23:12, 25:7). Paul qualified the meaning of Ioudaios in light of the New Covenant in his discourse on Romans 2, explaining that there are "Jews" and then there are "real Jews." In so doing he did not say that Jews or Israel ceased to exist, nor that the promises first given to Israel and the Jews would now be transferred to the Church. Read Ro 2:28-note. For (gar) - Term of explanation. Luke is explaining why Timothy was circumcised. NET Note - Under Jewish law at least as early as the 2nd century, a person was considered Jewish if his or her mother was Jewish. It is not certain whether such a law was in effect in the 1st century, but even if it was, Timothy would not have been accepted as fully Jewish because he was not circumcised. They all knew that his father was a Greek - They refers to the Jews who were in those parts. As the NET Note explains "Under Jewish law at least as early as the 2nd century, a person was considered Jewish if his or her mother was Jewish. It is not certain whether such a law was in effect in the 1st century, but even if it was, Timothy would not have been accepted as fully Jewish because he was not circumcised." The Decision to Circumcise” - Allen Ross Acts 16 begins with Paul’s meeting the young Timothy. He was a disciple of Jesus and apparently well thought of in that region. We also learn that his mother was a Jewish believer in Jesus, but his father was a Greek. Here, then, Paul immediately met with a situation that the council had tried to address. Timothy had been brought up in a home with a Gentile father and a Jewish believing mother. He had not be circumcised. They saw no need for it. And indeed, the results of the Jerusalem council would have confirmed that conclusion, namely, that to become a believer in Jesus, a member of the New Covenant, he did not have to go back and fulfill the regulations of the law. But Paul circumcised Timothy “because of the Jews who lived in that area” (v. 3). Paul was going from city to city delivering the decisions reached by the council for the people to obey, and he wanted to take Timothy along. The council had not ruled on circumcision, specifically, but in theory it did. It had ruled that while Gentiles did not have to go under the law in order to become “Christians,” they should conform to certain laws so that they would not offend the Jews. And this seems to be what Paul was doing here. Paul knew that it was not necessary for Timothy to be circumcised for theological reasons. This is the main issue he discusses in Romans 2:17-29. True circumcision is of the heart, that is, by the Spirit. There he reasons that someone who has not been circumcised but who keeps the law’s requirements will be regarded as if he had been circumcised. So to Paul the real issue was faith in Christ. The true believer was circumcised in heart by the Spirit and would therefore begin to live righteously--what the law had been designed to produce. But Paul thought it was necessary for Timothy to be circumcised under the circumstances. He could tell these assemblies what the council had decided, but he could also explain that in the spirit of love and understanding Timothy got circumcised anyway so that the Jews would not be offended. This demonstration of the law of love worked very well as the churches responded well to it. And, we know that Timothy grew in the faith to be a leader in the church. There is a settlement in Israel called Yad Hashmoneh, a substantial number of Jewish believers who live not far from Jerusalem. They are very interesting to see because they are trying to live as biblical Christians without all the trappings of Judaism that are not mentioned in the Bible (prayer shawls, little caps, etc.). But they say that the Israelis who live all around them, who are their friends, always ask them if they eat pork, if they circumcise, and if they keep sabbath. They know that if they ate pork, or did not circumcise, or broke sabbath, they would lose all contact with their neighbors who would have nothing to do with them. In fact, one year when our students were staying at the “moshav” as it is called, they had a circumcision service and invited in all the folks they knew. The contact allowed them to show that their faith in Christ Jesus was not a repudiation of their Jewishness, but a continuation of it to fulfillment in the Jewish Messiah. Here is a modern illustration of what surely was in the mind of Paul when he made the decision to have Timothy circumcised. The principle applies to all of us as well. In Christ Jesus we have certain freedoms. But often we come across new or young believers who are not sure that Christians should be doing certain things, such as eating pork, or doing certain things on what are known as holy days, or a number of other issues. The mature Christian is called on to exercise the law of love, to abstain from some freedoms while those they know are growing in the faith. Likewise, in ministries in other cultures there are things that the mature Christian must give up if there is to be any witness at all. Here is where wisdom and love govern the use of freedoms in Christ. Norman Geisler - Acts 16:1–3—Why did Paul have Timothy circumcised when he himself spoke so strongly against it? PROBLEM: Paul’s main point in Galatians can be summarized in his words, “If you become circumcised, Christ will profit you nothing” (Gal. 5:2). Yet Paul admits that he had Timothy circumcised “because of the Jews who were in that region” (Acts 16:3). Wasn’t this a contradiction to his own teaching. SOLUTION: Even if Paul were wrong here in his action, it would not prove that the Bible erred in its teaching, but simply that Paul erred. Paul, like any other human being, was capable of error. Since the Bible is the Word of God (see Introduction), it is not capable of erring in anything it teaches. Furthermore, Paul’s action in having Timothy circumcised is not necessarily inconsistent with what he taught in Galatians, since the two cases are different. Paul was violently opposed to any who made circumcision necessary for salvation. But he never opposed it as helpful for evangelism. Indeed, Paul said elsewhere, “to the Jews I became as a Jew, that I might win Jews” (1 Cor. 9:20). However, when Judaizers insisted that “unless you are circumcised according to the custom of Moses, you cannot be saved” (Acts 15:1), then Paul took an intractable stand against circumcision. (When Critics Ask) Walter Kaiser - Why Did Paul Circumcise Timothy? Inconsistency confuses us, and arguing for one point of view and then turning around and acting contrary to that point of view appears inconsistent. Of course, we sometimes misunderstand the actions of others, and an inner consistency can exist behind apparently contradictory deeds. Yet when we see truly inconsistent actions we at best call the doer fickle, at worst hypocritical, even deceiving. This is the issue that appears to face us in Acts 16:3. No sooner does Acts report the Jerusalem council’s decision that it is not necessary for one to be circumcised or keep the Mosaic law to be saved (Acts 15) than it mentions Paul’s circumcising Timothy in order to take him along as a coworker. Doesn’t this contradict Paul’s principles in Acts 15? And doesn’t Galatians 2:3 state, “Yet not even Titus, who was with me, was compelled to be circumcised, even though he was a Greek”? How could the Paul who in Galatians 2:5 writes, “We did not give in to [those who wanted to circumcise Titus] for a moment, so that the truth of the gospel might remain with you,” have Timothy circumcised? Was Paul himself two-faced, or is one of the accounts historically inaccurate? The resolution of this issue turns on a very important point. In Jewish eyes Titus was clearly a Gentile, for his parentage was Gentile, but Timothy was considered a Jew, because his mother was a Jew. The Mishnah, the Jewish legal tradition, makes it clear that children of Jewish mothers are really Jews, regardless of the race of their fathers. Acts states that Timothy’s father was a Gentile. It is also clear from the verb tense used that his father was dead by the time Paul selected Timothy as a coworker. Timothy’s mother and grandmother (according to 2 Tim 1:5) were Jews, which fits with what we know about the laxity in the Jewish community in Asia Minor, for allowing a Jewish woman to marry a Gentile was not orthodox Jewish practice. Paul presumably converted the family during his first missionary journey, but even before that Timothy was probably steeped in Scripture and observed the religion of his mother, although she may have practiced it in secret. When his father died and what his father had felt about his religious practice is not known. He may have been a God-fearer, on the fringes of the synagogue. But neither the father himself nor his son had been circumcised. The father had not allowed his son to be fully Jewish (circumcision in the days of public baths was a public mark that would have identified Timothy as a member of a different race, the Jews). Normally, Paul’s missionary practice was to go to the local synagogue first. How could he do so with Timothy, who would have been viewed as a type of renegade Jew? And how could Timothy participate fully in the mission while being only half-Jew? With Titus a principle was involved: Gentiles do not need to become Jews. But with Timothy the question was whether a half-Jew could or should fully actualize his Jewish heritage. Paul’s decision is to regularize Timothy’s status, perhaps to facilitate mission (“To the Jews I became like a Jew, to win the Jews,” 1 Cor 9:20) or perhaps to allay suspicions (“They have been informed that you teach all the Jews who live among the Gentiles to turn away from Moses, telling them not to circumcise their children or live according to our customs,” Acts 21:21). For Paul, Gentiles had no need to become Jews to improve their spiritual status, but it was not wrong for a Jew to live his Jewish culture to the fullest. It might have appeared more consistent if Paul had not taken this step, especially in light of the issues discussed in Galatians and the fact that Timothy lived in the Galatian area. Some have suggested that troubles stemming from this action led to the writing of Galatians and the citing of the counterexample of Titus. However, it is more likely that Galatians was written before the second missionary journey and that this incident clarified Paul’s stance. When seen as a cultural rather than a religious issue, circumcision was an indifferent practice. Where it could be used for the advantage of the gospel, it was good. Where it hindered the gospel, it was to be avoided. In no case did it make the person more or less spiritual. Analogous cultural practices can be found today. Likewise today slavish consistency may hinder mission, while apparent inconsistency may point to a deeper underlying consistency and meet the requirements of a nuanced cultural situation. Until this is understood, it is unwise to criticize the apparent surface vacillation. (Hard Sayings of the Bible) Related Resources: What does the Bible say about circumcision? What is the Christian view of circumcision? What is the difference between the ceremonial law, the moral law, and the judicial law in the Old Testament? Do Christians have to obey the Old Testament law? Acts 16:4 Now while they were passing through the cities, they were delivering the decrees which had been decided upon by the apostles and elders who were in Jerusalem, for them to observe. KJV Acts 16:4 And as they went through the cities, they delivered them the decrees for to keep, that were ordained of the apostles and elders which were at Jerusalem. NET Acts 16:4 As they went through the towns, they passed on the decrees that had been decided on by the apostles and elders in Jerusalem for the Gentile believers to obey. GNT Acts 16:4 ὡς δὲ διεπορεύοντο τὰς πόλεις, παρεδίδοσαν αὐτοῖς φυλάσσειν τὰ δόγματα τὰ κεκριμένα ὑπὸ τῶν ἀποστόλων καὶ πρεσβυτέρων τῶν ἐν Ἱεροσολύμοις. NLT Acts 16:4 Then they went from town to town, instructing the believers to follow the decisions made by the apostles and elders in Jerusalem. ESV Acts 16:4 As they went on their way through the cities, they delivered to them for observance the decisions that had been reached by the apostles and elders who were in Jerusalem. CSB Acts 16:4 As they traveled through the towns, they delivered the decisions reached by the apostles and elders at Jerusalem for them to observe. NIV Acts 16:4 As they traveled from town to town, they delivered the decisions reached by the apostles and elders in Jerusalem for the people to obey. they delivering: Acts 15:6,28,29 Acts 16 Resources - Multiple Sermons and Commentaries DELIVERING THE DECREES FROM THE JERUSALEM COUNCIL Now while they were passing through the cities - This would imply all of the cities they had visited on their first missionary journey for in Acts 15:36+ Luke records that "After some days Paul said to Barnabas, “Let us return and visit the brethren in every city in which we proclaimed the word of the Lord, and see how they are.”" These cities would also include those that had churches in "Syria and Cilicia." (Acts 15:41+). Delivering the decrees - What decrees? The decrees which had been drawn up by the apostles and elders at Jerusalem which can be summarized that salvation is by faith alone (God cleansed the Gentiles "hearts by faith." Acts 15:9+) and does NOT require circumcision or law-keeping, that sexual immorality was forbidden for all believers for all time and that meats offered to idols, from animals that had been strangled, and blood were all forbidden as food, not as matters essential to salvation, but to facilitate fellowship between Jewish and Gentile believers. Some of these instructions were revised (1 Cor. 8-10; 1 Ti 4:4, 5).
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Robertson - Twice Paul had been hindered by the Holy Spirit from going where he wanted to go. Most men would have gone back home with such rebuffs, but not so Paul. Now the call is positive and not negative, to go "far hence to the Gentiles" (Acts 22:21). He had little dreamed of such a call when he left Antioch. Paul's frequent visions always came at real crises in his life. Vision (3705)(horama from horáō = to see, behold; English - panorama) describes literally that which is seen, as opposed to a figment of one's imagination (Mt 17:9; Ac 7:31; 10:3, 17, 19; 18:9). It is something that Paul saw with his eyes, but it was still a supernatural vision by which he received divine communication. In Matthew's use Jesus refers to His transfiguration commanding Peter, John and James “Tell the vision to no one until the Son of Man has risen from the dead.” (Mt 17:9) Luke has most of the NT uses of horama (see below) and describes Jesus appearing to Ananias in a vision telling him to go to Saul who had also seen Ananias in a vision (Acts 9:10, 12+). This "double vision" was reproduced in the parallel visions of Cornelius as God begins to open the Gentiles to the Gospel (Acts 10:3+) and Peter's daytime vision in (Acts 10:17+, Acts 11:5+). All 12 uses of horama in NT (most by Luke) - Matt. 17:9; Acts 7:31; Acts 9:10; Acts 9:12; Acts 10:3; Acts 10:17; Acts 10:19; Acts 11:5; Acts 12:9; Acts 16:9; Acts 16:10; Acts 18:9 A man of Macedonia was standing and appealing to him and saying - Macedonia (see area in blue) was the Roman province of Macedonia in Greece. See Map of Second Missionary Journey Standing (histemi) is the perfect tense indicating he remained standing as he continued to appeal and implore (present tense) to come help (a vivid picture). Ryrie - Although the man of Macedonia represented all the culture, intelligence, religion, and achievements of Greek civilization, he was spiritually bankrupt. Here the Gospel turns to Europe. So after two "no's", then a "go". Appealing (3870)(parakaleo from para = side of, alongside, beside + kaleo = call) means literally to call one alongside, to call someone to oneself, to call for, to summon. Parakaleo can include the idea of giving help or aid but the primary sense in the NT is to urge someone to take some action, especially some ethical course of action. Come over to Macedonia and help us - What to do, where to go, why to go! The plea could not have been stated more plainly. Gangel on Macedonia - Named for Philip of Macedon, it had become a Roman province in 148 b.c. Formerly a Greek kingdom, Macedonia came under strong Athenian influence as early as five hundred years before Christ. There Aristotle came to tutor Alexander the Great after the death of Plato. No less an orator than Demosthenes verbally attacked "the Macedonian menace." Indeed, the army created by Philip of Macedon later followed his son Alexander all the way to the Ganges, overthrowing the Persians on the way.The Bible records several Macedonian Christians such as Gaius, Aristarchus, Secundus, Sopater, and Epaphroditus and their enthusiastic support for Paul (Acts 17:11; 19:29; 20:4; Phil. 4:10-19; 1 Thess. 2:8,17-20; 3:10). It is also likely Luke himself came from Philippi in Macedonia. (Holman New Testament Commentary -Acts) Come over (1223)(diabaino from dia = through + baino = to step) means to step across, to pass through or over as for example, a body of water, a chasm, a valley, etc. (cf uses in Lxx - Ge 31:21; 1 Sa 13:7). BDAG - "to proceed from one side to another over a geographical area." Gilbrant on diabaino - is used extensively in classical Greek and appears over 120 times in the Septuagint to translate different forms of the Hebrew term ‛āvar, meaning “pass over, through, by.” (Complete Biblical Library Greek-English Dictionary) Liddell-Scott on diabaino - I. to make a stride, walk or stand with the legs apart, of a man planting himself firmly for fighting, Il. With accusative - to step across, passive - over a ditch or river, Ib. 2. absol. to cross over, Lat. trajicere, Hdt., etc. Diabaino - 3 uses in the NT - Lk. 16:26; Acts 16:9; Heb. 11:29 Lk. 16:26+ - ‘And besides all this, between us (LAZARUS IN "ABRAHAM'S BOSOM") and you (THE RICH MAN) there is a great chasm fixed, so that those who wish to come over from here to you will not be able, and that none may cross over from there to us.’ Heb 11:29 By faith they passed through the Red Sea as though they were passing through dry land; and the Egyptians, when they attempted it, were drowned. Diabaino in the Septuagint - Ge 31:21,52; 32:10,22-23; Num. 32:7,29-30,32; 33:8,51; 35:10; Deut. 3:21,25,27-28; 4:21-22,26; 9:1; 11:8,29,31; 12:10; 27:2-4,12; 28:1; 30:18; 31:2,13; 32:47; Jos. 1:2,11,14; 2:23; 3:1,11,14,17; 4:1,7,10-13,22-23; 5:1; 22:19; 24:11; Jdg. 3:28; 6:33; 8:4; 10:9; 11:29,32; 12:3,5; 19:18; 1 Sam. 13:7; 14:1,4,6,8; 26:13; 2 Sam. 2:29; 10:17; 15:22-23,33; 16:9; 17:16,21-22,24; 19:18,31,33,36ff; 24:5; 1 Ki. 2:37; 2 Ki. 2:8-9,14; 4:8; 1 Chr. 12:15; 19:17; Job 19:8; Ps. 68:7; Prov. 9:18; 30:29; Isa. 16:8; 43:2; 45:14; 47:2; Ezek. 47:5; Amos 5:5; 6:2
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Robertson adds that sumbibazo is "A very striking word, present active participle of sumbibazo, old verb to make go together, to coalesce or knit together, to make this and that agree and so to conclude. Already in Acts 9:22 of Paul’s preaching. This word here gives a good illustration of the proper use of the reason in connection with revelation, to decide whether it is a revelation from God, to find out what it means for us, and to see that we obey the revelation when understood. God had called them to preach to the Macedonians. They had to go.
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Robertson on Philippi - The city (ancient name Krenides or Wells) was renamed after himself by Philip, the father of Alexander the Great. It was situated about a mile east of the small stream Gangites which flows into the river Strymon some thirty miles away. In this valley the Battle of Philippi was fought B.C. 42 between the Second Triumvirate (Octavius, Antonius, Lepidus) and Brutus and Cassius. In memory of the victory Octavius made it a colony (κολωνια [kolōnia]) with all the privileges of Roman citizenship, such as freedom from scourging, freedom from arrest save in extreme cases, and the right of appeal to the emperor. This Latin word occurs here alone in the N. T. Octavius planted here a colony of Roman veterans with farms attached, a military outpost and a miniature of Rome itself. The language was Latin. Here Paul is face to face with the Roman power and empire in a new sense. He was a new Alexander, come from Asia to conquer Europe for Christ, a new Caesar to build the Kingdom of Christ on the work of Alexander and Caesar. One need not think that Paul was conscious of all that was involved in destiny for the world. Philippi was on the Egnatian Way, one of the great Roman roads, that ran from here to Dyrrachium on the shores of the Adriatic, a road that linked the east with the west. The first of the district (πρωτη της μεριδος [prōtē tēs meridos]). Philippi was not the first city of Macedonia nor does Luke say so. That honour belonged to Thessalonica and even Amphipolis was larger than Philippi. It is not clear whether by μερις [meris] Luke means a formal division of the province, though the Koiné has examples of this geographical sense (papyri). There is no article with πρωτη [prōtē] and Luke may not mean to stress unduly the position of Philippi in comparison with Amphipolis. But it was certainly a leading city of this district of Macedonia.
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Robertson - The whole household (family, warden, slaves) heard the word of God, believed in the Lord Jesus, made confession, were baptized, and rejoiced. Furneaux considers the haste in baptism here “precipitate” as in the baptism of the eunuch. But why delay?
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Robertson - Fasces-bearers, regular Greek word (rhabdos, echō) for Latin lictores
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Robertson - Opening the Scriptures, Luke means, as made plain by the mission and message of Jesus, the same word (dianoigō) used by him of the interpretation of the Scriptures by Jesus (Luke 24:32) and of the opening of the mind of the disciples also by Jesus (Luke 24:45) and of the opening of Lydia‘s heart by the Lord (Acts 16:14). One cannot refrain from saying that such exposition of the Scriptures as Jesus and Paul gave would lead to more opening of mind and heart. (Acts 17 - Word Pictures in the New Testament) Dianoigo was used occasionally in secular authors from Plato, et al, meaning to open by dividing or drawing asunder (dia), to open thoroughly (what had been closed); Dianoigo - 8x in 8v - translated in NAS - explaining(2), opened(5), opens(1). Mark 7:34 and looking up to heaven with a deep sigh, He said to him (to the deaf man - Mk 7:32-33), "Ephphatha!" that is, "Be opened (aorist active imperative)!" Luke 2:23+ (as it is written in the Law of the Lord, "EVERY firstborn MALE THAT OPENS THE WOMB SHALL BE CALLED HOLY TO THE LORD "), Comment: Dianoigo is used somewhat literally because the uterus has to "open" (the cervix has to dilate) in order to allow passage through the birth canal for the newborn male, specifically the firstborn male. Luke 24:31+ Then their eyes were opened (passive voice = the "divine" passive = God did it) and they recognized Him (Ed: Note that this is a clear reversal of their spiritual state in Lk 24:16!; and He vanished from their sight. 32 They said to one another, "Were not our hearts burning within us while He was speaking to us on the road, while He was explaining (Note imperfect tense = over and over Jesus was explaining - what a teaching session this must have been!) the Scriptures to us?" Luke 24:45+ Then He opened (dianoigo - aorist active indicative) their minds to understand (suniemi = put the pieces together so to speak, make sense out of) the Scriptures, Comment - See Pastor Tim Keller's sermon Jesus As Prophet-part 2 - Understanding Jesus in 1994 in which he speaks of dianoigo to describe spiritual illumination Acts 7:56+ and he said, "Behold, I see the heavens opened up (Note: Perfect tense = indicates the state or condition, “standing open.” - Stephen saw the heavens opened and they remained open! And He saw Jesus Who otherwise is depicted as seated, instead standing to give His choice servant "praise, glory and honor at the revelation of Jesus Christ" after his momentary trial - see 1Pe 1:6-7-note. What a welcome home after being stoned to death!) and the Son of Man standing at the right hand of God (cp Lk 22:69, Col 3:1-note, Heb 10:11-12-note,Heb 12:2-note)." Acts 16:14 A woman named Lydia, from the city of Thyatira, a seller of purple fabrics, a worshiper of God, was listening; and the Lord opened her heart (~ her soul) to respond to the things spoken by Paul. Acts 17:3+ (Context - Acts 17:1-2 - "He reasoned with them from the Scriptures" - this refers not to the NT but the OT - could you explain Jesus to others from JUST the Old Testament?) explaining and giving evidence that the Christ had to suffer and rise again from the dead, and saying, "This Jesus whom I am proclaiming to you is the Christ." Comment: The implication of Paul's explaining is that it was accomplished supernaturally, not naturally, a good pattern for all who would seek to proclaim the Living Word in power and in the Spirit (cp this "dynamic" [dunamis] combination in 1Thes 1:5-note). Dianoigo - 34x in 32v in the Septuagint Genesis 3:5+ "(Satan is speaking) For God knows that in the day you eat from it your eyes will be opened (Lxx = dianoigo), and you will be like God, knowing good and evil."...7 Then the eyes of both of them were opened, and they knew that they were naked; and they sewed fig leaves together and made themselves loin coverings. Exodus 13:2 "Sanctify to Me every firstborn, the first offspring (Lxx = dianoigo - idiom [+ metra = womb] "opening the womb" = first-born) of every womb among the sons of Israel, both of man and beast; it belongs to Me." 12 you shall devote to the LORD the first offspring (Lxx = dianoigo - idiom [+ metra = womb] "opening the womb" = first-born) of every womb, and the first offspring (Lxx = dianoigo - idiom [+ metra = womb] "opening the womb" = first-born) of every beast that you own; the males belong to the LORD. 13 "But every first offspring (Lxx = dianoigo - idiom [+ metra = womb] = "opening the womb" = first-born) of a donkey you shall redeem with a lamb, but if you do not redeem it, then you shall break its neck; and every firstborn of man among your sons you shall redeem. 15 'It came about, when Pharaoh was stubborn about letting us go, that the LORD killed every firstborn in the land of Egypt, both the firstborn of man and the firstborn of beast. Therefore, I sacrifice to the LORD the males, the first offspring Lxx = dianoigo - idiom [+ metra = womb] = "opening the womb" = first-born) of every womb, but every firstborn of my sons I redeem.' Exodus 34:19 "The first offspring Lxx = dianoigo - idiom [+ metra = womb] = "opening the womb" = first-born) from every womb belongs to Me, and all your male livestock, the first offspring from cattle and sheep. Numbers 3:12 "Now, behold, I have taken the Levites from among the sons of Israel instead of every firstborn, the first issue Lxx = dianoigo - idiom [+ metra = womb] = "opening the womb" = first-born) of the womb among the sons of Israel. So the Levites shall be Mine. Numbers 8:16 for they are wholly given to Me from among the sons of Israel. I have taken them for Myself instead of every first issue Lxx = dianoigo - idiom [+ metra = womb] = "opening the womb" = first-born) of the womb, the firstborn of all the sons of Israel. Numbers 18:15 "Every first issue Lxx = dianoigo - idiom [+ metra = womb] = "opening the womb" = first-born) of the womb of all flesh, whether man or animal, which they offer to the LORD, shall be yours; nevertheless the firstborn of man you shall surely redeem, and the firstborn of unclean animals you shall redeem. 1 Kings 4:20 Judah and Israel were as numerous as the sand that is on the seashore in abundance; they were eating and drinking and rejoicing. 2 Kings 6:17 Then Elisha prayed and said, "O LORD, I pray, open (Lxx = dianoigo) his eyes that he may see." And the LORD opened (Lxx = dianoigo - Perhaps this is a prayer we dare pray for ourselves and those for whom we are called to intercede - that the Spirit would open eyes to see supernaturally God's truth which is closed to natural vision!) the servant's eyes and he saw; and behold, the mountain was full of horses and chariots of fire all around Elisha. 2 Kings 6:20 When they had come into Samaria, Elisha said, "O LORD, open the eyes of these men, that they may see." So the LORD opened their eyes and they saw; and behold, they were in the midst of Samaria. Job 27:19 "He lies down rich, but never again; He opens his eyes, and it is no longer. Job 29:19 'My root is spread out (Lxx - dianoigo = "opened up") to the waters, And dew lies all night on my branch. Job 38:32 "Can you lead forth (Lxx - dianoigo = "open up") a constellation in its season, And guide the Bear with her satellites? Proverbs 20:13 Do not love sleep, or you will become poor; Open your eyes, and you will be satisfied with food. Proverbs 31:20 She extends her hand to the poor, And she stretches out (Lxx = dianoigo = "she opens up her hands completely" - a picture of her generosity and benevolent spirit) her hands to the needy. 26 She opens (Lxx = dianoigo) her mouth in wisdom, And the teaching of kindness is on her tongue. Isaiah 5:14 Therefore Sheol has enlarged its throat and opened its mouth without measure; And Jerusalem's splendor, her multitude, her din of revelry and the jubilant within her, descend into it. Lamentations 2:16 All your enemies Have opened their mouths wide against you; They hiss and gnash their teeth. They say, "We have swallowed her up! Surely this is the day for which we waited; We have reached it, we have seen it." Lamentations 3:46 All our enemies have opened their mouths against us. Ezekiel 3:2 So I opened my mouth, and He fed me this scroll. Ezekiel 20:26 and I pronounced them unclean because of their gifts, in that they caused all their firstborn (Lxx = dianoigo - idiom [+ metra = womb] "opening the womb" = first-born) to pass through the fire so that I might make them desolate, in order that they might know that I am the LORD."' Ezekiel 21:22 "Into his right hand came the divination, 'Jerusalem,' to set battering rams, to open the mouth for slaughter, to lift up the voice with a battle cry, to set battering rams against the gates, to cast up ramps, to build a siege wall. Ezekiel 24:27 'On that day your mouth will be opened to him who escaped, and you will speak and be mute no longer. Thus you will be a sign to them, and they will know that I am the LORD.'" Hosea 2:15 "Then I will give her her vineyards from there, And the valley of Achor as a door of hope (Lxx uses dianoigo to translate as "to open her understanding"). And she will sing there as in the days of her youth, As in the day when she came up from the land of Egypt. Nahum 2:6 The gates of the rivers are opened And the palace is dissolved. Habakkuk 3:14 You pierced with his own spears The head of his throngs. They stormed in to scatter us; Their exultation was like those Who devour the oppressed in secret. (Septuagint = 3:14 Thou didst cut asunder the heads of princes with amazement, they shall tremble in it; they shall burst [dianoigo] their bridles, they shall be as a poor man devouring in secret.) Zechariah 11:1 Open your doors, O Lebanon, That a fire may feed on your cedars. Zechariah 12:4+ "In that day," declares the LORD, "I will strike every horse with bewilderment and his rider with madness. But I will watch over the house of Judah, while I strike every horse of the peoples with blindness. (LXE In that day, saith the Lord Almighty, I will smite every horse with amazement, and his rider with madness: but I will open mine eyes upon the house of Juda, and I will smite all the horses of the nations with blindness.) Zechariah 13:1+ "In that day a fountain will be opened for the house of David and for the inhabitants of Jerusalem, for sin and for impurity. to respond to the things spoken by Paul - Respond is an interesting Greek verb for Luke to choose because it gives us the picture of Lydia continually holding her mind toward what Paul was speaking (see more below). She kept her mind centered on the things spoken by Paul whose words gripped her attention. Spoken is not the word for official proclamation (as of the Gospel) but here pictures a more personal conversation instead of a sermon. The Spirit of God used Paul as a vessel to win the heart of this woman to Christ. It is important to note that it was the Word which brought the sinner Lydia to the Savior Christ Jesus. As Jesus promised... Truly, truly, I say to you, he who hears My word, and believes Him who sent Me, has eternal life, and does not come into judgment, but has passed out of death into life. (John 5:24+) God's Spirit opening Lydia's heart and Lydia receiving the Word implanted which is able to save our souls is a beautiful illustration of the following passages... For this reason we also constantly thank God that when you received the word of God which you heard from us, you accepted it not as the word of men, but for what it really is, the word of God, which also performs its work (GOD'S PART) in you who believe (MEN'S PART). 14 For you, brethren, became imitators of the churches of God in Christ Jesus that are in Judea, for you also endured the same sufferings at the hands of your own countrymen, even as they did from the Jews, (1 Th 2:13+, 1 Th 2:14+) To respond (pay or give attention) (4337)(prosecho from pros = before, toward + echo = hold) means literally to hold to, toward or before. Originally it was followed by the word "the mind" (nous) but at times "the mind" was omitted but still the idea of "the mind" was implied. To apply one’s self to. To attach one’s self to. NET Note on to respond - Although BDAG 880 s.v. prose,cw 2.b gives the meaning "pay attention to" here, this could be misunderstood by the modern English reader to mean merely listening intently. The following context, however, indicates that Lydia responded positively to Paul's message, so the verb here was translated "to respond." An interesting observation is that here we see one solitary convert, a woman, already a seeker after God, and a native of the very area where they had been forbidden to preach! (See location of Thyatira) And given her influence over her household, one cannot not help but think she would return as somewhat of a missionary to Thyatira! God's ways are so much higher than our ways (Isaiah 55:9). A new era had dawned for lost souls in Europe and for all women everywhere in the conversion of Lydia. Who Alone can open closed hearts but our great, omnipotent God! Related Resource: Tony Garland's use of this passage for a discussion comparing Calvinism and Arminianism Lowell
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Robertson on diaponeo - diaponeō, old verb, to work laboriously, then in passive to be "worked up," displeased, worn out. In the N.T. only here and Acts 4:2 which see (there of the Sadducees about Peter's preaching). Paul was grieved, annoyed, indignant. Paul did not want either the Gospel or the name of God to be promoted by demons. Satan is a liar and will use truth one minute but in the next minute will speak a lie and the unsaved listener would not know the difference. The only other use of diaponeo is Acts 4:2+ - As they were speaking to the people, the priests and the captain of the temple guard and the Sadducees came up to them, 4:2 being greatly disturbed because they were teaching the people and proclaiming in Jesus the resurrection from the dead. (Acts 4:1-2) Jesus commanded the demons not to speak of Him (Mark 1:34; Luke 4:41) and Paul like his Lord wanted no publicity from the forces of darkness. I command you in the Name of Jesus Christ to come out of her! And it came out at that very moment - Notice there was no ritual, simply a command to depart! Modern literature and movies has elevated the practice of so-called exorcism to such a place that it is much like this ancient woman -- good for business! (One thinks of "The Exorcist" which grossed $232.9 million domestically!) Command (3853)(paraggello from para = beside, alongside, near by, at the side of + aggelos = messenger, angello/aggello = to announce) means to hand on or pass on an announcement from one to another who is at one's side, such as to what must be done, usually with the idea of a command or charge.Paraggello often was used in the context of a military command and demanded that the subordinate obey the order from the superior All of Luke's uses of paraggello in Acts - Acts 1:4; Acts 4:18; Acts 5:28; Acts 5:40; Acts 10:42; Acts 15:5; Acts 16:18; Acts 16:23; Acts 23:22; Acts 23:30; In the Name - This speaks of the authority of Jesus. There was nothing "magical" about the name of Jesus as the sons of Sceva painfully discovered - see Acts 19:13-14+. Cults throw around the name Jesus but they clearly refer to "another Jesus." In the judgment men and women will claim they professed Jesus but He will deny them (read Mt 7:21-23)! To profess Jesus is not the same as possessing Jesus and of Him possessing us as His own possession! (read Titus 2:14, 1 Peter 2:9, 1 Cor 6:19-20).
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Robertson - The people of Philippi, unlike those in Antioch (11:26), did not recognize any distinction between Jews and Christians. These four men were Jews. This appeal to race prejudice would be especially pertinent then because of the recent decree of Claudius expelling Jews from Rome (18:2). It was about A.D. 49 or 50 that Paul is in Philippi. The hatred of the Jews by the Romans is known otherwise (Cicero, Pro Flacco, XXVIII; Juvenal, XIV. 96–106). Judaism was not a prohibited religion (the cult of the emperor being the official religion), but propagating it was regarded as a menace. Paul and Silas were regarded as Jews, since, at this time, the Romans considered Christianity to be a Jewish sect.
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Robertson - Note the sharp contrast between “being Jews” in verse 20 and “being Romans” here. This pose of patriotism is all sound and fury. It is love of money that moves these “masters” far more than zeal for Rome. As Roman citizens in a colony they make full use of all their rights of protest. Judaism was a religio licita in the Roman empire, only they were not allowed to make proselytes of the Romans themselves. No Roman magistrate would pass on abstract theological questions (18:15), but only if a breach of the peace was made (ἐκταρασσουσιν ἡμων την πολιν [ektarassousin hēmōn tēn polin]) or the formation of secret sects and organizations. Evidently both of these last points are involved by the charges of “unlawful customs” by the masters who are silent about their real ground of grievance against Paul and Silas. Ἐθος [Ethos] (kin to ἠθος [ēthos], 1 Cor. 15:33) is from ἐθω [ethō], to be accustomed or used to a thing. The Romans granted toleration to conquered nations to follow their religious customs provided they did not try to win the Romans. But the Jews had made great headway to favour (the God-fearers) with increasing hatred also. Emperor worship had in store grave peril for both Jews and Christians. The Romans will care more for this than for the old gods and goddesses. It will combine patriotism and piety. Vincent on Being Romans. - The Romans granted absolute toleration to conquered nations to follow their own religious customs, and took the gods of these countries under their protection. Otho, Domitian, Commodus, and Caracalla were zealous partisans of the worship of Isis; Serapis and Cybele were patronized at Rome; and in the reign of Nero the religious dilettanti at Rome affected Judaism, and professed to honor the name of Moses and the sacred books. Poppaea, Nero’s consort, was their patroness, and Seneca said, “the Jewish faith is now received on every hand. The conquered have given laws to the conquerors.” On the other hand, there were laws which forbade the introduction of strange deities among the Romans themselves. In 186 B.C., when stringent measures were taken by the government for the repression of Bacchanalian orgies in Rome, one of the consuls, addressing an assembly of the people, said: “How often in the ages of our fathers was it given in charge to the magistrates to prohibit the performance of any foreign religious rites; to banish strolling sacrificers and soothsayers from the forum, the circus, and the city; to search for and burn books of divination; and to abolish every mode of sacrificing that was not conformable to the Roman practice” (Livy, xxxix., 16). It was contrary to strict Roman law for the Jews to propagate their opinions among the Romans, though they might make proselytes of other nations. Kent
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Robertson - The duumvirs probably gave orders for Paul and Silas to be stripped of their outer garments (ἱματια [himatia]), though not actually doing it with their own hands, least of all not stripping off their own garments in horror as Ramsay thinks. That would call for the middle voice. In 2 Macc. 4:38 the active voice is used as here of stripping off the garments of others. Paul in 1 Thess. 2:2 refers to the shameful treatment received in Philippi, “insulted” ([hubristhentas]). As a Roman citizen this was unlawful, but the duumvirs looked on Paul and Silas as vagabond and seditious Jews and “acted with the highhandedness characteristic of the fussy provincial authorities” (Knowling). And proceeded to order them to be beaten with rods - This is part of counting the cost for being a Gospel proclaimer. Proceeded to order is in the imperfect tense which speaks of ongoing or repeated action in the past. In Jewish legal tradition, there was a maximum number of blows that could be delivered when beating a person ("40 less one" - they would stop at 39 to make sure they did not go over), but the Romans had no such limit. We can rest assured Paul and Silas were severely beaten.
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Robertson - Why did not Paul say here that he was a Roman citizen as he does later (Acts 16:37) and in Jerusalem (Acts 22:26f.)? It might have done no good in this hubbub and no opportunity was allowed for defence of any kind. Beaten with rods (4463)(rhabidizo from rhabdos = rod for scourging) means to beat with a rod or stick and in the NT is used only of Roman punishment by scourging. This punishment was referred to by the Latin term fustigatio and was distinguished from catigatio (a lashing) and verberatio (flogging with chains). As Paul records (see below) this punishment was inflicted on his body on three separate occasions although this is the only one the NT specifically records in detail. It is interesting that in the Septuagint, rhabdizo is used of threshing wheat to remove the chaff from the grain… So she gleaned in the field until evening. Then she beat out what she had gleaned, and it was about an ephah of barley. (see note Ruth 2:17) Then the angel of the LORD came and sat under the oak that was in Ophrah, which belonged to Joash the Abiezrite as his son Gideon was beating out wheat in the wine press in order to save it from the Midianites. (see note Judges 6:11) Paul alluded to this (and possibly other similar events) as he defended his ministry to the saints at Corinth asking… Are they (false apostles, deceitful workers who were disguising themselves as apostles of Christ) servants of Christ? (I speak as if insane) I more so; in far more labors, in far more imprisonments, beaten times without number, often in danger of death. 24 Five times I received from the Jews thirty-nine lashes. 25 Three times I was beaten with rods, once I was stoned, three times I was shipwrecked, a night and a day I have spent in the deep. (2 Corinthians 11:23-25) Later in Acts Paul does in fact appeal to his Roman citizenship, once to avoid being scourged (Acts 22:25-29) and another time to force the officials to send him to Rome as he appealed to Caesar (Acts 25:11-12) Festus' suggestion that Paul appear in Jerusalem for trial (Acts 25:9) provoked his appeal to Caesar for he realized that the trial would not be impartial especially in Jerusalem, and that he would be in great danger if he was returned to the jurisdiction of the Sanhedrin. The right of appeal was one of the most ancient and cherished rights of a Roman citizen. And to whom ultimately did Paul appeal? To the infamous, nefarious Nero who was emperor at that time (A.D. 54-68)! Jack Andrews - Illustration: At a religious festival in a South American country, a series of booths lined the midway. One booth sold trinkets and necklaces. Printed on the front of the booth was a sign that said, “Cheap crosses here!” Many Christians today are looking for cheap crosses. They want discipleship without demand and sanctification without sacrifice! Following Jesus and serving Jesus will often get you in hot water with people who oppose the truth and serve Satan. Richard Collier, the historian of the Salvation Army, wrote, “Persecution was great from the beginning... Gangs frequently hurled mud and stones through the windows at the preaching and the crowd. The liquor dealers worked hard to have Booth kicked out of East London. The police were no help; in fact, they often broke up outdoor meetings and accused Booth’s followers of being the cause of all the trouble... Beatings were not uncommon: in 1889, at least 669 Salvation Army members were assaulted—some were killed and many were maimed. Even children were not immune; ruffians threw lime in the eyes of a child of a Salvation Army member. The newspapers ridiculed Booth. PUNCH referred to him as “Field Marshal von Booth.” (Jack Andrews Expository Studies – Understanding Acts) Acts 16:16-24 "Singing in the Prison” Allen Ross I do not suppose that Paul and Silas were particularly happy about being in prison. What had happened to them that day was something no one would want to have happen. Paul had cast a demon out of a girl who had been used to foretell things. And when those ruthless people saw that their enterprise was now gone, they brought false charges against Paul. When the mob got involved, then the magistrates had Paul and Silas severely flogged and put in prison. They were not simply in a prison cell--they were in the inner cell, and their feet in stocks (Acts 16:16-24). So what did they do? Acts 16:25 says, “About midnight Paul and Silas were praying and singing hymns to God, and the other prisoners were listening to them.” Amazing! But here is a good example of the difference between being happy and rejoicing. Happiness depends to a large extent on what happens. No one could be “happy” under those conditions. And to put a false appearance of happiness on was probably not going to work. But rejoicing is another matter entirely, because it is based on an inner sense of being right with God. Paul and Silas were in prison, but for a right reason--because they had been doing what God wanted them to do (it would have been altogether different if they had been put in prison for some crime). Jesus had said, “Blessed are those who are persecuted because of righteousness” (Matt. 5:10). These men knew that if they were suffering for righteousness’ sake they were pleasing God, and that meant they could rejoice--and pray of course that they would be released. In Philippians 4:4 Paul wrote, “Rejoice in the Lord always. I will say it again: Rejoice!” Where was Paul when he wrote that? You guessed it--in prison again. Philippians is one of the so-called prison epistles (see Php 1:14). No one wants to be flogged and to be thrown into prison. But if in serving Christ it happens, then there is reason for rejoicing in the Lord. Paul and Silas were strong in their faith because they had been doing what was right and found opposition from the world, as Jesus said they would. So now they sang and prayer--and others in prison heard them. Here was a great witness. People would see that there is a higher power than Rome, a greater king than Caesar, and a faith that overcomes the world. The servant of the Lord can rejoice always, knowing that he or she is right with God. And in any adverse situation that comes as a result of it, such a servant can use the faith to bring glory to God in the sight of others. James Smith - THE JAILOR'S CONVERSION Acts 16:16-40 These incidents remind us of a picture gallery, where you have different scenes grouped together, and that, perhaps, strike you most by way of contrast Shall we look at each separately? 1. A Picture of Demoniac Possession. "A damsel possessed with a spirit of divination" (v. 16). How sad to think of this nice-looking young woman, wholly given over to the control of a deceitful, wicked spirit. She was the property of several sin-hardened wretches, who probably sold her half-mad ravings as the oracles of God. What she cried after the apostles on their way to the prayer meeting was quite true (v. 17), but then the words had such a hollow, fiendish ring about them that "grieved" Paul; so, by faith in the name of Jesus Christ, he "commanded the evil spirit to come out of her." 2. A Picture of Selfishness and Cruelty (Acts 16:19-24). "When her masters saw that the hope of their gains was gone," because the poor girl was now delivered from the soul-maddening power of the devil, instead of being thankful to God for such an emancipation, and because her salvation touched their pockets, they sought the ruin of the servants of God. "The love of money is the root of all evil." The spirit that possessed her masters was no better than the spirit which possessed the deluded damsel; for greed of gain they would traffic in the souls of their fellow-creatures. 3. A Picture of Heaven-Born Happiness. "Paul and Silas prayed and sang praises unto God" (Acts 16:24). Although lying in the deepest, darkest hole of that miserable prison, with bleeding backs and aching limbs, the joy of the Lord so filled their hearts that they were able also to "glory in tribulation." What but the grace of God could make anyone sing in such circumstances. "The prisoners heard them." Might not this have been one of the reasons why God permitted His servants to be cast into prison. These fellow-prisoners also share in the victory which God wrought, for "everyone's bonds were loosed." 4. A Picture of Divine Intervention. "Suddenly there was a great earthquake," etc. Paul and Silas resisted the devil in the damsel, but no doubt they prayed for those who had despitefully used them and persecuted them (Matt. 5:44). Having calmly and joyfully trusted in God, the mighty, wonder-working hand of God is now stretched out for their deliverance. Truly, when they prayed "the place was shaken." This was a fulfilment of Psalm 10:15. 5. A Picture of Sudden Conversion (Acts 16:27-31). It was a very dark moment in the experience of the jailor when he drew out his sword intending to commit suicide; but it was immediately followed by the brightest experience he ever had. "He called for a light" that might guide his feet into the inner prison of the suffering saints, but when he cried, "Sirs, what must I do to be saved?" he was calling for another light that might guide his feet into the paths of righteousness and peace and joy in the Holy Ghost. Then they told him words whereby he and all his house should be saved (v. 31). Just as he had been saved from self-destruction through the word of the apostle— "Do thyself no harm, for we are all here"—so can he be saved from the power of sin and the wrath of God by "believing on the Lord Jesus Christ" (John 3:16). 6. A Picture of Joyful Fellowship (Acts 16:32-34). What a change. A few hours before this the jailor was fastening their feet in the terrible stocks. Now he is bathing their wounds, taking them into his house, and spreading the best he has before them, eating with them, "and rejoicing, believing in God with all his house." He had been suddenly awakened out of his sleep, but now he was at one with the servants of God, and with them enjoying an early hallelujah breakfast— such a scene as would do credit to a modern Salvation Army "glory feast." Acts 16:22-29 Praise—Even In Pain By Vernon C. Grounds [God] has blessed us with every spiritual blessing. —Ephesians 1:3 Terry Waite, a courageous British negotiator during an international hostage crisis, had gone to Lebanon to arrange the release of prisoners. But he himself was arrested and detained in solitary confinement. Through long, lonely days and nights, he was unsure that his life would be spared. Nevertheless, every morning he offered as his own a prayer written in 1596 by Queen Elizabeth I. In it he expressed “most humble and hearty thanks for manifold mercies so abundantly bestowed upon me as well as for my creation, preservation, regeneration, and all other of Thy benefits and great mercies exhibited in Jesus Christ.” Is this how we react to hardships? When troubles engulf us, we plead with God for relief from suffering, for healing of disease, for comfort, for strength, and for the supply of our needs. Such petitions are certainly legitimate, and we should bring them to the Father. But do we remember, as Paul and Silas did from the depths of a jail cell, to offer thanks for God’s lovingkindness? (Acts 16:25). Do we praise God for giving us life itself, as well as the blessed promise of eternal life? When we acknowledge God’s great mercies, we are able to offer Him praise—even in pain. When upon life's billows you are tempest-tossed, When you are discouraged, thinking all is lost, Count your many blessings—name them one by one, And it will surprise you what the Lord has done. —Oatman Praise comes naturally when you count your blessings. Acts 16:23 When they had struck them with many blows, they threw them into prison, commanding the jailer to guard them securely; they threw them into prison : Ac 5:18 8:3 9:2 12:4 Lu 21:12 Eph 3:1 4:1 2Ti 2:9 Phm 1:9 Rev 1:9 Rev 2:10 to guard them securely : Ac 5:23 12:18 1Sa 23:22,23 Mt 26:48 27:63-66 Acts 16 Resources - Multiple Sermons and Commentaries GOD'S MISSIONARIES BEATEN AND IMPRISONED One is reminded of Paul's last words in 2 Ti 2:9+ "for which I suffer hardship even to imprisonment as a criminal; but the word of God is not imprisoned." You can put the missionaries in prison but you cannot prevent God's Gospel from going forth because it has intrinsic, supernatural power. Do you believe that? Paul (based on experiences such as this on in Philippi) would later warn Timothy with a promise you probably won't find in most books that collect "God's Promises!" Indeed, all who desire to live godly in (the only way possible to live godly is to abide IN the Vine) Christ Jesus will be persecuted. (2 Ti 3:12+) When they had struck them with many blows - This sounds like more that 40 blows! They were beaten severely! Use your imagination - no clothes and beaten with rods! Compare Paul's testimony in 2 Corinthians 11:25 Three times I was beaten with rods, once I was stoned, three times I was shipwrecked, a night and a day I have spent in the deep. Many blows (many stripes) - The Jewish law was forty stripes save one (2 Cor. 11:24). The Roman custom depended on the caprice of the judge and was a terrible ordeal. It was the custom to inflict the stripes on the naked body (back) Jack Arnold - Logic was cast to the wind. Emotions took over. This was a lynch mob who were ready to kill the missionaries even without a trial. According to Roman law, a man to be beaten was stripped down to his underwear (loin cloth), exposing his back and legs. Then with canes or ropes about three-quarter inches thick, the victim was beaten until the back was bloody and raw. (sermon) Blows (4127)(plege from plesso = to strike) means a literal blow as from some instrument like a whip (in plural = beating in Lk 12:48; cf Acts 16:23; 2 Cor 11:23). Plege described the result of the blows, and so referred to wound, bruise (Acts 16:33, Rev 13:14). The third sense of plege was to describe a sudden calamity causing severe distress such as a "blow" or "stroke" of judgment sent by God (plague, misfortune, calamity - Rev 9:18, 20; 18:4, 8; 22:18). In the Septuagint plege is used to describe the 10 plagues in Egypt (Ex 11:1) and the protection of the blood of the lamb on the doorposts and lintels of the Jewish homes that saved them from the "plague." Plege is used in Leviticus in an interesting passage Lev 26:21+ where God warned Israel "‘If then, you act with hostility against Me and are unwilling to obey Me, I will increase the plague on you seven times according to your sins." Many think this 7x multiplier is reflected in the fact that after 70 years of exile, they still would be disobedient and so God promised "seventy sevens" (Da 9:24+) which is 490 (7 x 70)! Gilbrant - Classical Greek The basic idea associated with plēgē is “blow” or “stroke,” and it is so used in Greek literature from the earliest records (Liddell-Scott). By extension, plēgē has overtones of its basic meaning, which, when used in different contexts, may denote a “stroke of lightning” or “a stroke of an ax or sword.” The poet Sophocles used the word in connection with someone who, in sorrow, “beats the breasts” (Electra 90). Other Greek authors employed the word in the sense of “stroke or impression made on the eyes or ears”; still others, “the impact of bodies and atoms” or “the beating of the pulse.” As with many substantives there are metaphoric meanings. Plēgē means “blow or stroke of calamity,” especially in reference to war. Some Greek poets used the word metaphorically in the sense of a “heaven-sent plague”; others, of the “sting of wasps” or a “bite.” Septuagint Usage The Septuagint uses the substantive, not uncommon in classical Greek literature, for “plague,” e.g., the 10 plagues sent by God (Exodus 11:1). Plēgē can also indicate the “losses” of an army (1 Samuel 4:17 [LXX 1 Kings 4:17]) or the “affliction” of Job (2:13). (Complete Biblical Library - Incredible Resource) Plege - 22x in 21v - beat*(1), beaten(1), beatings(1), blows(1), flogging(1), plague(3), plagues(10), wound(3), wounds(1). Lk. 10:30; Lk. 12:48; Acts 16:23; Acts 16:33; 2 Co. 6:5; 2 Co. 11:23; Rev. 9:18; Rev. 9:20; Rev. 11:6; Rev. 13:3; Rev. 13:12; Rev. 13:14; Rev. 15:1; Rev. 15:6; Rev. 15:8; Rev. 16:9; Rev. 16:21; Rev. 18:4; Rev. 18:8; Rev. 21:9; Rev. 22:18 Plege in the Septuagint - Ex 11:1; Ex 12:13; Ex 33:5; Lev. 26:21; Nu 11:33; Nu 14:37; Nu 25:8; Nu 25:9; Nu 25:18; Nu 26:1; Nu 31:16; Dt. 25:2; Dt. 25:3; Dt. 28:59; Dt. 28:61; Dt. 29:22; Jos. 22:17; Jdg. 11:33; Jdg. 15:8; 1 Sa 4:8; 1 Sa 4:10; 1 Sa 4:17; 1 Sa 6:19; 1 Sa 14:14; 1 Sa 14:30; 1 Sa 19:8; 1 Sa 23:5; 1 Ki. 20:21; 1 Ki. 22:35; 2 Ki. 8:29; 2 Ki. 9:15; 1 Chr. 21:22; 2 Chr. 6:28; 2 Chr. 13:17; 2 Chr. 21:14; 2 Chr. 22:6; 2 Chr. 28:5; Job 2:13; Job 42:16; Ps. 64:7; Pr 20:30; Pr 22:8; Pr 29:15; Isa. 1:6; Isa. 10:24; Isa. 10:26; Isa. 14:6; Isa. 19:22; Isa. 30:26; Isa. 30:31; Isa. 53:3; Isa. 53:4; Isa. 53:10; Jer. 10:18; Jer. 10:19; Jer. 14:17; Jer. 15:18; Jer. 19:8; Jer. 30:12; Jer. 30:14; Jer. 30:17; Jer. 50:13; Mic. 1:9; Mic. 1:11; Nah. 3:19; Zech. 13:6; They threw them into prison - This event might at first glance seem to signal the end of Paul's ministry in Philippi, but in God's providence it would not be so but would lead to another conversion. God's ways are always higher than our ways. Dear believer, are you in a "dungeon" because of your witness? Take heart from the example of Paul and Silas and by the power of the Spirit, rejoice. And again I say rejoice in the Lord. Rejoice always, pray without ceasing and give thanks for all things (see notes 1 Th 5:16; 17; 18) Paul alludes to these hindrances to sharing the gospel in his letter to the Thessalonians writing that… after we had already suffered and been mistreated in Philippi, as you know, we had the boldness in our God to speak to you the gospel of God amid much opposition. (see note 1Thessalonians 2:2) It is fascinating that here in Acts 16:23 we find the very one who had been throwing Christians into jail, now in jail himself. Luke records… But Saul (later Paul) began ravaging the church, entering house after house; and dragging off men and women, he would put them in prison. (Acts 8:3+) Jailer (1200)(desmophulax from desmos = bond, chain + phulax = keeper from phulasso = to guard) = keeper of bonds, in the N. T. only in Acts 16 (Acts 16:23, 27, 36) of the the government hired “jailer” responsible for Paul and Silas’ safekeeping. In the Septuagint of Ge 39:21–23, we have archidesmophúlax, the chief keeper of the prison. Guard (5083)(tereo from teros - a guard or warden) means to keep an eye on, to keep something in view, to hold firmly, to attend carefully, or to watch over it (watchful care - Jesus' prayer to His Father for His disciples - Jn 17:11). Tereo speaks of watching over, of taking care of, of guarding something which is in one’s possession keeping it from loss or injury. Securely (806)(aphalos) refers to a state of safety and security, so that one is free from danger (safe, safely, secure, securely). Used in (Mark 14:44; Acts 16:23; Gen. 34:25), certainly, assuredly (Acts 2:36). Prison (5438)(phulake from phulasso = to guard, watch) means a guarding (the act of guarding or keeping watch - Lk 2:8, Nu 1:53, 3:7, 28) or guard (the person doing the watching - Acts 12:10) , a prison as a place where someone is guarded (Mt 5:25, 14:3, 10, 18:30, 25:36, 39, 43, etc). Phulake can refer to the period during which a watch is kept (Mt 14:25, 24:43, Mk 6:48, Lk 12:38 - a watch of the night = Ancient Jews had 3 divisions of 4 hours each but under the Romans changed to 4 watches of 3 hours each, the 4th watch being between 3-6 in the morning). It has the root meaning of being kept under guard or on hold and is distinct from desmoterion, a place of bondage. Phulake can have a penal connotation but not in every use. Phulake is used of a holding cell pending trial. Some uses of phulake simply mean "a watch" as in watching over (Mt 14:25, Lk 2:8) The last use of Phulake describes Satan's holding tank before he is released, fully defeated and cast into the lake of fire (Rev 20:7-note). Thus, this speaks of a place of involuntary confinement, not merely a “haunt, den, [or] refuge.” Paul used phulake to describe his imprisonments (2 Cor 6:5). In Revelation 18:2-note Babylon is described figuratively the final refuge, the place of banishment for unclean spirits, "a dwelling place of demons and a prison of every unclean spirit." A derivative word gazophulakion refers to a treasury, a place of deposit for the public treasure, e.g., where the Jews kept the sacred treasury in the court of the Temple (Lxx Neh 10:37, 38, 13:4, 5, 7, 8). The word phylactery is related to phulake/phulasso - phylacteries (Tefillim) were small boxes of parchment on which were written certain portions of the Law and then bound on their forehead and wrist (Mt 23:5). Their original purpose was to remind the Jews to obey the Law but by Jesus' time the Jews had begun to regard them as charms that would protect them from evil, much like they had done with the bronze serpent (compare Nu 21:8-9 with 2 Ki 18:4, 700-800 years later, missing Who the bronze serpent was pointing to - Jn 3:14-15) Phulake - 47x in 45v - Usage: guard(1), imprisonment(1), imprisonments(2), prison(34), prisons(3), time of the night(1), watch(4). Matthew 5:25 "Make friends quickly with your opponent at law while you are with him on the way, so that your opponent may not hand you over to the judge, and the judge to the officer, and you be thrown into prison. Matthew 14:3 For when Herod had John arrested, he bound him and put him in prison because of Herodias, the wife of his brother Philip. Matthew 14:10 He sent and had John beheaded in the prison. Matthew 14:25 And in the fourth watch of the night He came to them, walking on the sea. Matthew 18:30 "But he was unwilling and went and threw him in prison until he should pay back what was owed. Matthew 24:43 "But be sure of this, that if the head of the house had known at what time of the night the thief was coming, he would have been on the alert and would not have allowed his house to be broken into. Matthew 25:36 naked, and you clothed Me; I was sick, and you visited Me; I was in prison, and you came to Me.' Matthew 25:39 'When did we see You sick, or in prison, and come to You?' Matthew 25:43 I was a stranger, and you did not invite Me in; naked, and you did not clothe Me; sick, and in prison, and you did not visit Me.' Matthew 25:44 "Then they themselves also will answer, 'Lord, when did we see You hungry, or thirsty, or a stranger, or naked, or sick, or in prison, and did not take care of You?' Mark 6:17 For Herod himself had sent and had John arrested and bound in prison on account of Herodias, the wife of his brother Philip, because he had married her. Mark 6:27 Immediately the king sent an executioner and commanded him to bring back his head. And he went and had him beheaded in the prison, Mark 6:48 Seeing them straining at the oars, for the wind was against them, at about the fourth watch of the night He came to them, walking on the sea; and He intended to pass by them. Luke 2:8 In the same region there were some shepherds staying out in the fields and keeping watch over their flock by night. Luke 3:20 Herod also added this to them all: he locked John up in prison. Luke 12:38 "Whether he comes in the second watch, or even in the third, and finds them so, blessed are those slaves. Luke 12:58 "For while you are going with your opponent to appear before the magistrate, on your way there make an effort to settle with him, so that he may not drag you before the judge, and the judge turn you over to the officer, and the officer throw you into prison. Luke 21:12 "But before all these things, they will lay their hands on you and will persecute you, delivering you to the synagogues and prisons, bringing you before kings and governors for My name's sake. Luke 22:33 But he said to Him, "Lord, with You I am ready to go both to prison and to death!" Luke 23:19 (He was one who had been thrown into prison for an insurrection made in the city, and for murder.) Luke 23:25 And he released the man they were asking for who had been thrown into prison for insurrection and murder, but he delivered Jesus to their will. John 3:24 for John had not yet been thrown into prison. Acts 5:19 But during the night an angel of the Lord opened the gates of the prison, and taking them out he said, Acts 5:22 But the officers who came did not find them in the prison; and they returned and reported back, Acts 5:25 But someone came and reported to them, "The men whom you put in prison are standing in the temple and teaching the people!" Acts 8:3 But Saul began ravaging the church, entering house after house, and dragging off men and women, he would put them in prison. Acts 12:4 When he had seized him, he put him in prison, delivering him to four squads of soldiers to guard him, intending after the Passover to bring him out before the people. Acts 12:5 So Peter was kept in the prison, but prayer for him was being made fervently by the church to God. Acts 12:6 On the very night when Herod was about to bring him forward, Peter was sleeping between two soldiers, bound with two chains, and guards in front of the door were watching over the prison. Acts 12:10 When they had passed the first and second guard, they came to the iron gate that leads into the city, which opened for them by itself; and they went out and went along one street, and immediately the angel departed from him. Acts 12:17 But motioning to them with his hand to be silent, he described to them how the Lord had led him out of the prison. And he said, "Report these things to James and the brethren." Then he left and went to another place. Acts 16:23 When they had struck them with many blows, they threw them into prison, commanding the jailer to guard them securely; Acts 16:24 and he, having received such a command, threw them into the inner prison and fastened their feet in the stocks. Acts 16:27 When the jailer awoke and saw the prison doors opened, he drew his sword and was about to kill himself, supposing that the prisoners had escaped. Acts 16:37 But Paul said to them, "They have beaten us in public without trial, men who are Romans, and have thrown us into prison; and now are they sending us away secretly? No indeed! But let them come themselves and bring us out." Acts 16:40 They went out of the prison and entered the house of Lydia, and when they saw the brethren, they encouraged them and departed. Acts 22:4 "I persecuted this Way to the death, binding and putting both men and women into prisons, Acts 26:10 "And this is just what I did in Jerusalem; not only did I lock up many of the saints in prisons, having received authority from the chief priests, but also when they were being put to death I cast my vote against them. 2 Corinthians 6:5 in beatings, in imprisonments, in tumults, in labors, in sleeplessness, in hunger, 2 Corinthians 11:23 Are they servants of Christ?-- I speak as if insane-- I more so; in far more labors, in far more imprisonments, beaten times without number, often in danger of death. Hebrews 11:36 and others experienced mockings and scourgings, yes, also chains and imprisonment. 1 Peter 3:19 in which also He went and made proclamation to the spirits now in prison, Revelation 2:10 'Do not fear what you are about to suffer. Behold, the devil is about to cast some of you into prison, so that you will be tested, and you will have tribulation for ten days. Be faithful until death, and I will give you the crown of life. Revelation 18:2 And he cried out with a mighty voice, saying, "Fallen, fallen is Babylon the great! She has become a dwelling place of demons and a prison of every unclean spirit, and a prison of every unclean and hateful bird. Revelation 20:7 When the thousand years are completed, Satan will be released from his prison, Phulake - 121x in 110v in the Septuagint - Gen. 40:3; Gen. 40:4; Gen. 40:7; Gen. 41:10; Gen. 42:17; Gen. 42:19; Gen. 42:30; Exod. 14:24; Lev. 24:12; Num. 1:53; Num. 3:7; Num. 3:8; Num. 3:25; Num. 3:28; Num. 3:31; Num. 3:32; Num. 3:36; Num. 3:38; Num. 4:28; Num. 4:32; Num. 8:26; Num. 9:19; Num. 9:23; Num. 15:34; Num. 18:3; Num. 18:4; Num. 18:5; Num. 31:30; Num. 31:47; Jdg. 7:19; Jdg. 16:21; Jdg. 16:25; 1 Sam. 11:11; 2 Sam. 20:3; 1 Ki. 2:3; 1 Ki. 22:27; 2 Ki. 11:5; 2 Ki. 11:6; 2 Ki. 11:7; 2 Ki. 17:4; 2 Ki. 25:27; 2 Ki. 25:29; 1 Chr. 9:19; 1 Chr. 9:27; 1 Chr. 12:29; 1 Chr. 23:32; 1 Chr. 26:16; 2 Chr. 7:6; 2 Chr. 8:14; 2 Chr. 13:11; 2 Chr. 16:10; 2 Chr. 18:26; 2 Chr. 23:6; 2 Chr. 35:2; Neh. 3:25; Neh. 12:39; Neh. 12:45; Job 7:12; Job 35:10; Ps. 39:1; Ps. 77:4; Ps. 90:4; Ps. 130:5; Ps. 141:3; Ps. 142:7; Prov. 4:23; Prov. 20:28; Isa. 42:7; Jer. 32:2; Jer. 32:8; Jer. 32:12; Jer. 33:1; Jer. 37:4; Jer. 37:15; Jer. 37:18; Jer. 37:21; Jer. 38:6; Jer. 38:13; Jer. 38:28; Jer. 39:14; Jer. 39:15; Jer. 51:12; Jer. 52:33; Lam. 2:19; Ezek. 19:9; Ezek. 23:24; Ezek. 40:45; Ezek. 40:46; Ezek. 44:8; Ezek. 44:14; Ezek. 44:15; Ezek. 44:16; Ezek. 48:11; Dan. 4:17; Dan. 4:25; Hab. 2:1 Gilbrant on phulake - Classical Greek - This word, which appears as early as Homer (Eighth Century B.C.) and throughout the classical period, essentially has four senses: (1) “guarding” as an action; (2) “a guard” made up of persons; (3) “a prison” as a place of guarding; and (4) “a watch in the night,” that is, a division of time (e.g., Herodotus 9:51; cf. Liddell-Scott). Septuagint Usage - In the Septuagint the same wide range of meanings is attested—as evidenced by the various Hebrew words phulakē translates. Phulakē most often translates various forms of the root verb shāmar, “to watch, to guard,” notably mishmār, “a prison.” The papyri also attest this same variety of meaning (see Moulton-Milligan). (Complete Biblical Library Greek-English Dictionary) Acts 16:24 and he, having received such a command, threw them into the inner prison and fastened their feet in the stocks. the inner : 1Ki 22:27 Jer 37:15,16 38:26 La 3:53-55 and made : 2Ch 16:10 *Heb: Job 13:27 33:11 Ps 105:18 Jer 20:2 29:26 Acts 16 Resources - Multiple Sermons and Commentaries NO CHANCE OF ESCAPE Having received (2983)(lambano) means to take or grasp. It can indicate both benevolent and hostile actions, and have as object either people or things; e.g. take a wife, collect taxes, accept a verdict, take a road, and figuratively take courage. Command (instruction, orders) (3852)(paraggelia from para = beside, alongside + aggello = announce, tell, declare) literally describes the handing on of an announcement from one person to the side of another or the passing along of a message from one to another such as to what must be done. Paraggelia represents a directive from an authoritative source and was used of commands received from a superior and transmitted to others. Threw them into the inner prison - Threw is the verb ballo which describes a powerful movement of throwing or propelling and gives us a vivid picture of how God's men were mistreated in every respect - just like their Master had been treated (cf John 15:20, 21, Mt 26:67, 27:30, Mk 14:65)! Satan is not playing games beloved! He hates the Gospel and the gospelizers! This is another reason we need to put on the full armor daily. The inner prison would be the most secure part of the prison and to further decrease their chance of escape they were placed in stocks. The chances of escape were near zero. THOUGHT - Now it was time for God to act in one of the most dramatic prison breaks of all time! Isn't that often how He acts -- we see a situation as hopeless and somehow He comes to the rescue. Of course He does not always set us free from the stocks but if He doesn't, He will be there with us while we are in the "stocks" whatever they might be in our life! Read Hebrews 13:5 where there are 4 negatives piled up! And always provides grace in our place of weakness or distress (see 2 Cor 12:9+, 2 Cor 12:10+). A T Robertson on inner prison - The Roman public prisons had a vestibule and outer prison and behind this the inner prison, a veritable dungeon with no light or air save what came through the door when open. One has only to picture modern cells in our jails, the dungeons in feudal castles, London prisons before the time of Howard, to appreciate the horrors of an inner prison cell in a Roman provincial town of the first century A.D Bruce commenting on the stocks writes that "These stocks had more than two holes for legs, which could thus be forced apart in a such a way as to cause the utmost discomfort and cramping pain. (Bruce) Jack Arnold - Logic was cast to the wind. Emotions took over. This was a lynch mob who were ready to kill the missionaries even without a trial. According to Roman law, a man to be beaten was stripped down to his underwear (loin cloth), exposing his back and legs. Then with canes or ropes about three-quarter inches thick, the victim was beaten until the back was bloody and raw. (sermon) Stocks (see picture - fellow on left looks a little "Paulish!")(3586) (xulon) means wood and in some contexts refers to a cross (Acts 5:30, 10:39, 13:29, 1 Pe 2:24+). In this context xulon describes an instrument that secured the feet (and sometimes the neck and hands) of a prisoner. Stocks were usually constructed of wood with holes to secure the feet. They could also be used as an instrument of torture by stretching the legs apart and causing the prisoner to sit in unnatural positions. The Romans often added chains along with the stocks. Stocks were much used in medieval and later times in the persecution of Christians. The fact that xulon was also translated cross, brings to mind Jesus' charge to all who would desire to follow Him when He declared "“If anyone wishes to come after Me, he must deny himself, and take up his cross (synonym - stauros) and follow Me." (Mk 8:34) Paul and Silas were in a very real sense "taking up Jesus' cross" as they followed His example walking in His steps (1 Pe 2:21+). Wikipedia article on stocks
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Robertson - In the stocks (eis to xulon). Xulo, from xuō, to scrape or plane, is used for a piece of wood whether a cross or gibbet (Acts 5:30; 10:39; 13:29; Gal. 3:13; 1 Peter 2:24) or a log or timber with five holes (four for the wrists and ankles and one for the neck) or two for the feet as here, xulopedē, Latin vervus, to shackle the feet stretched apart (Job 33:11). This torment was practiced in Sparta, Athens, Rome, and Adonirom Judson suffered it in Burmah. Xulon is also used in the N. T. for stick or staff (Matt. 26:47) and even a tree (Luke 23:31). MacArthur rightly remarks "Like Herod (Acts 12:6-11+) and the Sanhedrin (Acts 5:19-25+) before them, the authorities at Philippi were to learn that no prison can hold those whom God wants released. Nor did this satanically inspired persecution intimidate Paul and Silas; it encouraged them to even further boldness. Writing of this incident to the Thessalonians, Paul said, "After we had already suffered and been mistreated in Philippi, as you know, we had the boldness in our God to speak to you the gospel of God amid much opposition" (1 Th 2:2). Paul's indomitable spirit, and joyous anticipation of being with Christ in heaven, gave him an almost reckless boldness in proclaiming the gospel. No amount of opposition could keep him from fulfilling his calling. Writing to the Philippians from prison in Rome, Paul rejoiced that his "circumstances [had] turned out for the greater progress of the gospel" (Phil. 1:12). Far from ending his ministry, that imprisonment saw it spread even to "those of Caesar's household" (Phil. 4:22). Paul could accept whatever suffering resulted from his ministry because he viewed himself as expendable. To the Philippians he wrote, "But even if I am being poured out as a drink offering upon the sacrifice and service of your faith, I rejoice and share my joy with you all" (Phil. 2:17). Paul and Silas manifested that same attitude of joy amid suffering while in prison at Philippi, turning persecution into praise." (Ibid) John G. Butler wrote, “Churches, Christian schools, and other Christian organizations and endeavors will be restricted, limited, and suppressed while evil gets more and more freedom under such things as freedom of speech—a freedom which will not be applied to God’s people and work. Already we are restricted in praying in school while evil is given more freedom than ever to propagate its evil in the schools. Christianity is being put in stocks while the abortionists, gamblers, homosexuals and other vile people are having more and more new laws passed to give them more freedom to propagate their evil.” Matt Chandler (To Live is Christ, to Die is Gain) - As Westerners, when we think of “the stocks,” we picture New England in the 1700's, the embarrassment and shame of having your head and hands stuck in a public contraption. But that is not what first-century Roman Empire stocks were like. These devious contraptions would contort the prisoner’s body into all sorts of excruciating postures, locking limbs and joints in place to the point of making the entire body cramp. The prisoner’s body would seize up with searing pain, and then the Romans would just leave the person there for days. Notice that the jailer is not commanded to treat his prisoners this way. The magistrates simply ask him to keep the missionaries safe, and instead he tortures them. So we aren’t dealing with a very nice man at this moment. This jailer is very good at his job, and he probably likes it more than he should. But when it comes to taking pride in one’s work, this guy could not out-enjoy Paul. “About midnight Paul and Silas were praying and singing hymns to God, and the prisoners were listening to them” (Acts 16:25). If you hated the gospel, wouldn’t the apostle Paul be the most frustrating human being alive? It did not matter what anyone did to this man, he loved God and continued to show it in every possible way. We see Paul’s gospel fixation echoed throughout his letter to the Philippians. He is the man who when threatened says, “Well, to die is gain.” In response his captors will say, “We’ll torture you, then.” He says, “I don’t count the present suffering as worthy to even compare to the future glory.” You can’t win with a guy like this. If you want to kill him, he’s cool with that because it means he gets to be with Jesus. If you want to make him suffer, he’s cool with that, so long as it makes him like Jesus. If you want to let him live, he’s fine with that, because to him, “to live is Christ.” Paul is, as Richard Sibbes says of everyone united with Christ, a man who “can never be conquered.” Paul’s stubborn fixation on Jesus is reminiscent of these words from the early church father John Chrysostom, who apparently was threatened with banishment if he did not renounce his faith: If the empress wishes to banish me, let her do so; “the earth is the Lord’s.” If she wants to have me sawn asunder, I will have Isaiah for an example. If she wants me to be drowned in the ocean, I think of Jonah. If I am to be thrown in the fire, the three men in the furnace suffered the same. If cast before wild beasts, I remember Daniel in the lion’s den. If she wants me to be stoned, I have before me Stephen, the first martyr. If she demands my head, let her do so; John the Baptist shines before me. Naked I came from my mother’s womb, naked shall I leave this world. Paul reminds me, “If I still pleased men, I would not be the servant of Christ.” Was this Paul's attitude? I should say not! Listen to the story in Acts 16:25: "And at midnight Paul and Silas prayed, and sang praises unto God." Singing in prison! Paul knew that "all things work together for good to them that love God." With the eye of faith he could see some future good, and in that confidence was happy even while enduring severe trial. When the Lord had accomplished His purpose, demonstrated His power, and saved the jailer and his family, then Paul and Silas were commanded to "depart and go in peace." Sometimes we find ourselves in troubling situations as the result of our service for the Lord. Doing that which we believe to be right and according to His will, we seem to end up in the "prison" of suffering, hardship, and loss, and are tempted to complain, "Lord, is this what I get for my faithfulness?" Then He comes and assures us that He "doeth all things well," and that Romans 8:28 is still in the Book! When all has been accomplished, we shall be able to look back and clearly see His hand and purpose in it all. "Wherefore let them that suffer according to the will of God commit the keeping of their souls to him in well-doing, as unto a faithful Creator" (1 Pet. 4:19). There's One who will journey beside me, In weal, nor in woe, will forsake; And this is my solace and comfort, "He knoweth the way that I take!" —Anon. Every lock of sorrow has a key of promise to fit it! He gives me joy in place of sorrow; He gives me love that casts out fear; He gives me sunshine for my shadow, And "beauty for ashes" here. -- Crabbe God chooses what we go through; we choose how we go through it. Acts 16:25 But about midnight Paul and Silas were praying and singing hymns of praise to God, and the prisoners were listening to them; about midnight : Job 35:10 Ps 22:2 42:8 77:6 119:55,62 Isa 30:29 praying : Ps 50:15 77:2 91:15 Mt 26:38,39 Lu 22:44 Heb 5:7 Jas 5:13 singing: Ac 5:41 Ps 34:1 Mt 5:10,11 Lu 6:22,23 Ro 5:3 12:12 2Co 4:8,9,16 2Co 4:17 6:10 Php 2:17 4:4-7 Col 1:24 3:15-17 1Th 5:16-18 Jas 1:2 1Pe 1:6-8 4:14 and the : Ezra 3:12,13 Ps 71:7 Zec 3:8 Sir William Ramsay - Acts 16:25 (St Paul the Traveller and Roman Citizen Acts 16 Resources - Multiple Sermons and Commentaries THE MIDNIGHT SERENADE In music, a serenade is a musical performance delivered in honor of someone, in this case in honor of the Most High God! John Stott: It is wonderful that in such pain, with lacerated backs and aching limbs, Paul and Silas at about midnight were praying and singing hymns to God. Not groans but songs came from their mouths. Instead of cursing men, they blessed God. No wonder the other prisoners were listening to them. As Wiersbe said "Prayer and praise are powerful weapons (2 Chron. 20:1-22; Acts 4:23-37). (Bible Exposition Commentary – Be Daring). The Levites, from the sons of the Kohathites and of the sons of the Korahites, stood up to praise the LORD God of Israel, with a very loud voice. 20 They rose early in the morning and went out to the wilderness of Tekoa; and when they went out, Jehoshaphat stood and said, “Listen to me, O Judah and inhabitants of Jerusalem, put your trust in the LORD your God and you will be established. Put your trust in His prophets and succeed.” 21 When he had consulted with the people, he appointed those who sang to the LORD and those who praised Him in holy attire, as they went out before the army and said, “Give thanks to the LORD, for His lovingkindness is everlasting.” 22 When they began singing and praising, the LORD set ambushes against the sons of Ammon, Moab and Mount Seir, who had come against Judah; so they were routed. (2 Chr 20:19-22) About midnight (mesonuktion) is two words which literally means middle of the night (Mark 13:35; Luke 11:5) Harry
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Robertson explains - The Lex Valeria B.C. 509 and the Lex Poscia B.C. 248 made it a crime to inflict blows on a Roman citizen. Cicero says, “To fetter a Roman citizen was a crime, to scourge him a scandal, to slay him—parricide.” Claudius had “deprived the city of Rhodes of its freedom for having crucified some citizen of Rome” (Rackham).
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Robertson - Present middle participle (praying) and imperfect active indicative (singing): Praying they were singing (simultaneously, blending together petition and praise). Humneō (sing) is an old verb from humnos (cf. Isa. 12:4; Dan. 3:23). Paul and Silas probably used portions of the Psalms (cf. Luke 1:39, 67f.; 2:28f.) with occasional original outbursts of praise. Paul and Silas were clearly Word saturated, Spirit filled (controlled) men, for their response is totally unnatural and wholly supernatural as the following passages in Colossians and Ephesians underscore. Paul explains how we can have a song in our heart writing to the saints in Colossae… Let the word of Christ richly dwell (continually) within you, with all wisdom teaching and admonishing one another with psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing with thankfulness in your hearts to God. (see note Colossians 3:16) And to the saints at Ephesus he wrote… And do not get drunk with wine, for that is dissipation, but be (continually) filled with the Spirit, 19 speaking to one another in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing and making melody with your heart to the Lord; 20 always giving thanks for all things in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ to God, even the Father (see notes Eph 5:18; 19; 20) Related Resource: Filled with His Spirit/Richly Indwelt with His Word - See Chart Comparing the Word and the Spirit The Spirit strengthened their inner man to respond not naturally but supernaturally. When you are in pain, the midnight hour is not the easiest time for worship and praise, but we must remember the truth of what God says about Himself… God gives songs in the night, Elihu declaring… But no one says, 'Where is God my Maker, Who gives songs in the night" (Job 35:10) The psalmist whose soul is like a deer panting for the water brooks (Ps 42:1 -
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Robertson adds that epakroanomai is "Rare verb to listen with pleasure as to a recitation or music (Page). It was a new experience for the prisoners and wondrously attractive entertainment to them." Make me an Intercessor Make me an intercessor, one who can really pray, one of the Lord’s remembrances by night as well as day. Make me an intercessor, in Spirit-touch with Thee, and give the heavenly vision praying through to victory. Make me an intercessor, teach me how to prevail, to stand my ground and still pray on, though pow’rs of hell assail. Make me an intercessor, sharing Thy death and life, in praying claiming for others, victory in the strife. Make me an intercessor, willing for deeper death, emptied, broken, then made anew, and filled with Living Breath. Make me an intercessor, hidden-unknown—set apart, thought little of by those around, but satisfying Thine heart. Illustration: Before he became D.L Moody’s famous song leader, Ira Sankey was assigned to night duty in the American Civil War. While on duty one night, he lifted his eyes toward heaven and began to sing, praising the Lord while he was alone. At least, he thought he was alone. Years later, after the war had ended, Sankey was on a ship traveling across the Atlantic Ocean. Since he was now a famous singer a crowd of people approached him and asked him to sing. He lifted up his eyes toward heaven and sang a beautiful hymn. After his song, a man from the crowd asked him if, on a certain night during the Civil War, he had performed night duty for a certain infantry unit. Sankey said, “Yes, I did.” The man continued, “I was on the opposite side of the war, and I was hiding in a bush near your camp. With my rifle aimed at your head, I was about to shoot you when you looked toward heaven and began to sing. I thought, ‘Well, I like music, and this guy has a nice voice. I'll sit here, let him sing the song... and then shoot him. He’s not going anywhere.’ But then I realized what you were singing. It was the same hymn my mother used to sing at my bedside when I was a child. And it’s the same hymn you sang tonight! I tried, but that night during the Civil War, I was powerless to shoot you!” Ira Sankey pointed that man to Christ. He and thousands of others were saved under Sankey’s ministry. All this stemmed from the fact that Sankey praised the Lord at all times. A lost world is watching what we do and listening to what we say. Paul and Silas had the ears of these prisoners. What kind of testimony do we have in the world? The Jack Andrews Expository Studies Jack Arnold - What was the mental attitude of Paul and Silas? Did they say, “O Lord, why did you let this happen to us? Why are you allowing us to be treated so badly when we are your children?“ No, they were praying and singing so loud that prisoners all over the jail could hear their voices. They turned the whole situation into a praise and prayer service. What a positive mental attitude for Christ in the midst of the worst kind of circumstances. Why could they do this? They knew God was in control of all the circumstances and could deliver them when He was ready. They were applying biblical truth to their situation. “And we know that God causes all things to work together for good to those who love God, to those who are called according to His purpos” (Rom. 8:28). “In everything give thanks; for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus” (I Thess. 5:18). Their confidence was in a sovereign God. My friends, this may have been the greatest hymn sing of all time. What were they singing? We are not told but most believe they were singing psalms. Perhaps they were singing Psalm 100: “Shout joyfully to the LORD, all the earth. Serve the LORD with gladness; Come before Him with joyful singing. Know that the LORD Himself is God; It is He who has made us, and not we ourselves; We are His people and the sheep of His pasture. Enter His gate with thanksgiving, And His courts with praise. Give thanks to Him; bless His name. For the LORD is good; His lovingkindness is everlasting, And His faithfulness to all generations.” Perhaps they were chanting and harmonizing such Scripture verses as Isaiah 45:22 which says, “Turn to Me, and be saved, all the ends of the earth; for I am God,. and there is no other.” Whatever they were singing caused the other prisoners to listen intently. The prisoners must have been stunned, for in most jails there is cursing, grumbling and bitter spirits, but these men were praising God. They knew these two prisoners were different and had something that gave them victory in the midst of trials. The unsaved world, for the most part, is not interested in our Christian doctrine, but they are looking to see whether the God Christians claim to follow stabilizes them in the midst of intense pressure. If they can see this, then they may be interested in knowing the Christ Christians claim to follow. Andrew Murray said there are four anchors to remember in suffering. They are: (1) I am here by God's appointment for He brought me here; (2) I am here in His keeping, for God will grant me grace and love to live as His child; (3) I am here under His training, for He has many lessons He intends for me to learn; and (4) I am here for His time, for He will bring me out of the suffering when He is ready. (Sermon) Divine Appointments By Dave Branon Paul and Silas were praying and singing hymns to God, and the prisoners were listening to them. —Acts 16:25 Have you ever been stuck in an airport? For 24 hours? In a city where you can’t speak the language? Four thousand miles from home? It happened to a friend recently, and we can learn from his response. While most of us would find such an inconvenience intolerable, my friend John saw God’s hand in his delay. As he waited out his forced stay, he looked for opportunities to connect with fellow passengers. He “happened” to find some fellow Christians from India—and in talking to them he heard about a ministry they were involved with. In fact, because John’s interests matched his new friends’ ministry, they invited him to India to participate in a short-term project. How often do we experience delays, changes of plans, and redirections and treat them as intrusions? It could be that God is detouring us so we can do something different or new for Him. Consider Paul’s trip to Philippi in Acts 16. He had gone to Macedonia because of a God-directed vision (vv.9-10). How could he know that he would end up in prison there? But even that trip to jail was God-led, because He used Paul to bring salvation to a jailer and his family (vv.25-34). God can use inconveniences in our lives if we look at them as divine appointments. “Disappointment—His appointment,” Change one letter, then I see That the thwarting of my purpose Is God’s better choice for me. —Young God can turn obstacles into opportunities. Christ—The Praise of My Life - Robert Neighbour "And at midnight Paul and Silas prayed, and sang praises unto God: and the prisoners heard them" (Acts 16:25). There can be no scene more soul-stirring than the scene presented in the Book of Revelation, chapters 4 and 5. In this scene Jesus Christ is seated upon a throne and before Him lies a sea of glass, around Him are gathered, first, the four living ones and then the four and twenty elders, and then a great multitude of the Heavenly hosts; then, if you will include chapter 7, a multitude which no man can number who have come up out of the Great Tribulation. These all rend the heavens with praises to Christ, the worthy Lamb. The time is coming when the heavens will rend with the mighty shout of praise that shall ascend from these angelic and redeemed hosts. The glory of that day will eclipse by far the day of old, when God created the worlds and the stars shouted for joy. If such a day of praise awaits our Lord, surely those of us who love the Lord and who have been redeemed, should not await that blessed day to shout the praises of our God. The praises of our God should be continually upon our lips. O that men would praise the Lord for all of His wonderful works! How can we but praise Him? No wonder that Paul and Silas sang at the midnight hour. What cared they if their feet were in the stocks and their bruised backs pressed the hard earth. They could not restrain their overwhelming joy; the very prison walls were shaken with their shouts. It was when the Temple was being dedicated, and the trumpeters and the singers were all filled with joy, and praise, that the glory of the Lord filled the House. When Christ becomes the praise of our lives, then His glory will rest upon us. "Crown the Saviour! angels, crown Him! Rich the trophies Jesus brings: In the seat of power enthrone Him, While the vault of Heaven rings. "Hark the bursts of acclamation! Hark those loud triumphant chords! Jesus takes the highest station: Oh, what joy the sight affords!" Acts 16:25 Powerful Influence By Herbert Vander Lugt At midnight Paul and Silas were praying and singing hymns to God, and the prisoners were listening to them. —Acts 16:25 I’m sure that I am a Christian today because of the formative influence of my parents in my childhood. They taught me by example and from the Bible. Just as Timothy was reminded by Paul of the faith of his mother and grandmother (2 Timothy 1:5), so too I recall the faith of my mother and father. At an early age, I committed my life to Christ. I realized I was a sinner and needed His forgiveness. Strong influences may also come from people outside the family. I know a young man who became a devout believer as a young boy because he saw Christ in the life of his Sunday school teacher. In Acts 16 we read that Paul and Silas sang and prayed in a Philippian jail at midnight. When an earthquake broke open the prison doors, the jailer was so terrified that he was about to commit suicide, but Paul stopped him. Seeing that the prisoners did not try to escape, the jailer fell down trembling. “What must I do to be saved?” he asked (v.30). That day he and his entire household became believers. Why? Because of the powerful influence of two men who were faithful to Christ. The way we live does affect others for good or for bad. This is a sobering and challenging truth that should influence the way we as Christians walk and talk. —HVL Only one life, so live it well, And keep your candle trimmed and bright; Eternity, not time, will tell The radius of that candle's light. —Miller Your life either sheds light or casts a shadow. Choose to Rejoice About midnight Paul and Silas were praying and singing hymns to God, and the prisoners were listening to them.—Acts 16:25 Your joy as a Christian should not depend on your circumstances. Joy comes from God, and therefore it cannot be affected by what is outside of you. Don't be fooled into letting the actions of others determine your joy. True joy comes from knowing that God Himself lives within you and has fellowship with you, regardless of your environment. Real joy lies in the knowledge that holy God has completely forgiven you of every sin, and even now, He has a home prepared in heaven where you can spend eternity with Him (John 14:3). The circumstances of your life cannot change these truths! Paul and Silas faced some of the most difficult circumstances imaginable. They were falsely accused, arrested, and imprisoned. They were beaten and shackled in the darkest, coldest section of the prison. But they refused to allow their horrific situation to dampen their joy! They did not blame God for allowing these things to happen to them. Instead, they praised Him for His goodness! In the darkness of the night, they prayed and they sang. God brought a miracle that released them from their chains, but perhaps the greater miracle was that His Holy Spirit could so fill them that even in their painful imprisonment they could overflow with joy! Do not allow difficult events to cancel the joy of knowing you are a child of God. Choose to allow God's Spirit to fill you with His unquenchable joy, and your life will be a miracle to those who watch you face the trials that come. John
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Robertson - Luke regarded it as an answer to prayer as in Acts 4:31....If the prison was excavated from rocks in the hillside, as was often the case, the earthquake would easily have slipped the bars of the doors loose and the chains would have fallen out of the walls.
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Robertson - Probably the prisoners were so panic stricken by the earthquake that they did not rally to the possibility of escape before the jailor awoke. He was responsible for the prisoners with his life (12:19; 27:42). John G. Butler said, “Today we can have earthquakes, floods, hurricanes, diseases such as AIDS, and other catastrophes and yet most people laugh at the idea that God is judging and trying to say something to us. But it is a calloused heart that will not do some serious soul searching when calamities come.” Related Resources A Kingdom That Cannot Be Shaken- John Piper Whence and Why the Earthquake in Turkey? - John Piper Japan: After Empathy and Aid, People Want Answers- John Piper Acts 16:28 But Paul cried out with a loud voice, saying, “Do not harm yourself, for we are all here!” cried : Lev 19:18 Ps 7:4 35:14 Pr 24:11,12 Mt 5:44 Lu 6:27,28 10:32-37 Lu 22:51 23:34 1Th 5:15 Do : Ex 20:13 Pr 8:36 Ec 7:17 Acts 16 Resources - Multiple Sermons and Commentaries JAILER EXPERIENCES THE GRACE OF GOD But Paul cried out with a loud voice, saying, “Do not harm yourself, for we are all here!” "A hard-hearted person seeking vengeance would have let the cruel jailer kill himself, but Paul was not that kind of a man." (Wiersbe) Loud voice - megalē phōnē ("megaphone!") Do yourself no harm - How paradoxical that it was the jailer who was the prisoner (spiritually speaking in bondage to sin, self and Satan), not Paul and so Paul not only saved the man's physical life (preventing him from committing suicide), but best of all pointed him to the freedom of an eternal life in Christ.
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Robertson - Believe on the Lord Jesus. This is what Peter told Cornelius (Acts 10:43). This is the heart of the matter for both the jailer and his house. NET Note - In this context it refers to trusting the sovereign God’s power to deliver, which events had just pictured for the jailer. If God could deliver physically, He could deliver spiritually. Jack Arnold - What does it mean to believe in Christ? Many people say they believe in Christ but are not saved. To believe means to trust, commit, rely upon. It is not enough to believe about Christ intellectually, but one must believe on and in Christ. To believe in Christ is to abandon to Christ as our only hope of salvation. We stop trusting in self, human works, culture, the church, our baptism, our confirmation and we trust only in Christ and no one else to save us. He becomes our Savior, God and Master. Notice once again that it is not good works, or theology, or religious ritual, or church membership which saves us. It is faith in Christ. Notice once again that it does not say believe in Calvin, Luther, Augustine or even the Apostles, but believe in Christ. Quite often you will hear Christians say., “You don't have to do anything for salvation, except believe in Christ.“ Is not faith something we do? Yes, faith in Christ is what every man must exercise if he is to be saved. God does not believe for a man; a man believes by an act of his will. Man most certainly does do something to appropriate salvation. He believes. Is not faith then a work? No, faith is a gift from God, and it is God who works to bring a man to faith in Christ. Yet, a man's responsibility to be saved is to believe in Christ. He will not and cannot be saved until he believes on the Lord Jesus Christ with the mind, the heart, the will (volition, intellect and sensibility). (Sermon) John
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Robertson - So Paul and Silas gave fuller exposition of the way of life to the jailor “with all that were in his house.” It was a remarkable service with keenest attention and interest, the jailor with his warden, slaves, and family. NET Note - The word of the Lord is a technical expression in OT literature, often referring to a divine prophetic utterance (e.g., Gen 15:1, Isa 1:10, Jonah 1:1). In the NT it occurs 15 times: 3 times as rhēma tou kuriou; Luke 22:61, Acts 11:16, 1 Pet 1:25) and 12 times as logos tou kuriou; here and in Acts 8:25; 13:44, 48, 49; 15:35, 36; 19:10, 20; 1 Thess 1:8, 4:15; 2 Thess 3:1. As in the OT, this phrase focuses on the prophetic nature and divine origin of what has been said. This phrase word of the Lord occurs 257x in 255v in the Old and New Testaments - Gen. 15:1; Gen. 15:4; Exod. 9:20; Exod. 9:21; Num. 3:16; Num. 15:31; Num. 36:5; Deut. 5:5; Deut. 34:5; Jos. 8:8; Jos. 8:27; 1 Sam. 3:7; 1 Sam. 3:21; 1 Sam. 15:10; 1 Sam. 15:23; 1 Sam. 15:26; 2 Sam. 7:4; 2 Sam. 12:9; 2 Sam. 22:31; 2 Sam. 24:11; 1 Ki. 2:27; 1 Ki. 6:11; 1 Ki. 12:24; 1 Ki. 13:1; 1 Ki. 13:2; 1 Ki. 13:5; 1 Ki. 13:9; 1 Ki. 13:17; 1 Ki. 13:18; 1 Ki. 13:20; 1 Ki. 13:26; 1 Ki. 13:32; 1 Ki. 14:18; 1 Ki. 15:29; 1 Ki. 16:1; 1 Ki. 16:7; 1 Ki. 16:12; 1 Ki. 16:34; 1 Ki. 17:2; 1 Ki. 17:5; 1 Ki. 17:8; 1 Ki. 17:16; 1 Ki. 17:24; 1 Ki. 18:1; 1 Ki. 18:31; 1 Ki. 19:9; 1 Ki. 20:35; 1 Ki. 21:17; 1 Ki. 21:28; 1 Ki. 22:5; 1 Ki. 22:19; 1 Ki. 22:38; 2 Ki. 1:17; 2 Ki. 3:12; 2 Ki. 4:44; 2 Ki. 7:1; 2 Ki. 7:16; 2 Ki. 9:26; 2 Ki. 9:36; 2 Ki. 10:10; 2 Ki. 10:17; 2 Ki. 14:25; 2 Ki. 15:12; 2 Ki. 20:4; 2 Ki. 20:16; 2 Ki. 20:19; 2 Ki. 23:16; 2 Ki. 24:2; 1 Chr. 10:13; 1 Chr. 11:3; 1 Chr. 11:10; 1 Chr. 12:23; 1 Chr. 15:15; 1 Chr. 22:8; 2 Chr. 11:2; 2 Chr. 12:7; 2 Chr. 18:4; 2 Chr. 18:18; 2 Chr. 30:12; 2 Chr. 34:21; 2 Chr. 35:6; 2 Chr. 36:21; 2 Chr. 36:22; Ezr. 1:1; Ps. 18:30; Ps. 33:4; Ps. 33:6; Ps. 105:19; Isa. 1:10; Isa. 2:3; Isa. 28:13; Isa. 28:14; Isa. 38:4; Isa. 39:5; Isa. 39:8; Isa. 66:5; Jer. 1:2; Jer. 1:4; Jer. 1:11; Jer. 1:13; Jer. 2:1; Jer. 2:4; Jer. 2:31; Jer. 6:10; Jer. 7:2; Jer. 8:9; Jer. 9:20; Jer. 13:2; Jer. 13:3; Jer. 13:8; Jer. 14:1; Jer. 16:1; Jer. 17:15; Jer. 17:20; Jer. 18:5; Jer. 19:3; Jer. 20:8; Jer. 21:11; Jer. 22:2; Jer. 22:29; Jer. 24:4; Jer. 25:3; Jer. 27:18; Jer. 28:12; Jer. 29:20; Jer. 29:30; Jer. 31:10; Jer. 32:6; Jer. 32:8; Jer. 32:26; Jer. 33:1; Jer. 33:19; Jer. 33:23; Jer. 34:4; Jer. 34:12; Jer. 35:12; Jer. 36:27; Jer. 37:6; Jer. 39:15; Jer. 42:7; Jer. 42:15; Jer. 43:8; Jer. 44:24; Jer. 44:26; Jer. 46:1; Jer. 47:1; Jer. 49:34; Ezek. 1:3; Ezek. 3:16; Ezek. 6:1; Ezek. 6:3; Ezek. 7:1; Ezek. 11:14; Ezek. 12:1; Ezek. 12:8; Ezek. 12:17; Ezek. 12:21; Ezek. 12:26; Ezek. 13:1; Ezek. 13:2; Ezek. 14:2; Ezek. 14:12; Ezek. 15:1; Ezek. 16:1; Ezek. 16:35; Ezek. 17:1; Ezek. 17:11; Ezek. 18:1; Ezek. 20:2; Ezek. 20:45; Ezek. 20:47; Ezek. 21:1; Ezek. 21:8; Ezek. 21:18; Ezek. 22:1; Ezek. 22:17; Ezek. 22:23; Ezek. 23:1; Ezek. 24:1; Ezek. 24:15; Ezek. 24:20; Ezek. 25:1; Ezek. 25:3; Ezek. 26:1; Ezek. 27:1; Ezek. 28:1; Ezek. 28:11; Ezek. 28:20; Ezek. 29:1; Ezek. 29:17; Ezek. 30:1; Ezek. 30:20; Ezek. 31:1; Ezek. 32:1; Ezek. 32:17; Ezek. 33:1; Ezek. 33:23; Ezek. 34:1; Ezek. 34:7; Ezek. 34:9; Ezek. 35:1; Ezek. 36:1; Ezek. 36:4; Ezek. 36:16; Ezek. 37:4; Ezek. 37:15; Ezek. 38:1; Dan. 9:2; Hos. 1:1; Hos. 4:1; Joel 1:1; Amos 7:16; Amos 8:12; Jon. 1:1; Jon. 3:1; Jon. 3:3; Mic. 1:1; Mic. 4:2; Zeph. 1:1; Zeph. 2:5; Hag. 1:1; Hag. 1:3; Hag. 2:1; Hag. 2:10; Hag. 2:20; Zech. 1:1; Zech. 1:7; Zech. 4:6; Zech. 4:8; Zech. 6:9; Zech. 7:1; Zech. 7:4; Zech. 7:8; Zech. 8:1; Zech. 8:18; Zech. 9:1; Zech. 11:11; Zech. 12:1; Mal. 1:1; Lk. 22:61; Acts 8:25; Acts 11:16; Acts 12:24; Acts 13:44; Acts 13:48; Acts 13:49; Acts 15:35; Acts 15:36; Acts 16:32; Acts 19:10; Acts 19:20; 1 Thess. 1:8; 1 Thess. 4:15; 2 Thess. 3:1; 1 Pet. 1:25 Acts 16:33 The jailer took them that very hour of the night and washed their wounds and immediately he was baptized, he and all his household washed : Ac 16:23 Pr 16:7 Isa 11:6-9 Mt 25:35-40 Lu 10:33,34 Ga 5:6,13 and he was baptized : Ac 16:15 Lu 19:9 1Co 1:16 Acts 16 Resources - Multiple Sermons and Commentaries BRINGING FORTH FRUIT IN KEEPING WITH REPENTANCE This is the "about face" supernatural turnaround that one sees when a person is genuinely converted and has a true change in lifestyle. The change in the attitude of the jailer is clearly manifest in washing the wounds of these two prisoners for they were now his brothers in Christ, not his enemies. Jack Arnold - Before his conversion, he was hardened to Paul and Silas; he cared nothing for their pain and suffering. Now as a true Christian, he took them and cared for their wounds and fed them. The person of Christ softened, tenderized and made gentle this hardened, worldly sinner. He was showing love for his Christian brethren. Only Jesus Christ can radically change a man's life like this. The way we know the jailer was truly saved is that good works flowed from his life. (sermon)
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Robertson - They became frightened for their own lives when they saw what they had done to Roman citizens And when they had brought them out, they kept begging them to leave the city - The magistrates are now like frightened dogs with their tails between their legs so to speak! The imperfect tense pictures the magistrates asking Paul and Silas again and again to leave town! The tables are definitely turned! Paul and Silas are in the "driver's seat." Robertson - They kept on begging them to leave for fear of further trouble. The colonists in Philippi would turn against the praetors if they learned the facts, proud as they were of being citizens. This verb (erotao) in the Koiné is often used as here to make a request and not just to ask a question. Kept begging (requesting) (2065)(erotao from éromai = ask, inquire) means to ask for, usually with implication of an underlying question. The verb does not carry the note of an authoritative command but rather that of a friend making an urgent appeal to a friend. The term suggests that those making the request stand in a position of familiarity with those being treated. Indeed these chief magistrates were all "too familiar" with these two men! And they wanted to be quickly "unfamiliar" with them, so to speak! Arnold makes an interesting statement that could be true albeit not clearly substantiated by Luke - Paul demanded a public apology from the magistrates because he was a Roman citizen. But more importantly, Paul went to all this trouble to protect the young church in Philippi from further physical persecution. Paul used leverage against these magistrates, indicating if they would not persecute the Christians at Philippi, he would not tell the Roman authorities about the bad treatment of Silas and him as Roman citizens. Homer Kent adds that "They had been illegally treated, without even an opportunity to claim their Roman citizenship previously. By insisting upon a dignified exit and the personal presence of the magistrates, they doubtless secured a measure of protection for the Philippian believers who might otherwise have suffered continued persecution." Jack Andrews points out that "The government officials were telling the men of God that they were not welcome in their city! That sounds like cities and towns all over America. God is not welcomed or wanted in many places. He has been ushered out of the schools. He has been put out of the government. He has been laughed at and mocked in our universities. He has been put to the side in our homes!" (Jack Andrews Expository Studies – Understanding Acts) Acts 16:40 They went out of the prison and entered the house of Lydia, and when they saw the brethren, they encouraged them and departed. and entered : Ac 16:14 4:23 12:12-17 they encouraged them: Ac 14:22 2Co 1:3-7 4:8-12,16-18 1Th 3:2,3 Acts 16 Resources - Multiple Sermons and Commentaries FELLOWSHIP AND HOSPITALITY WITH THE SAINTS They went out of the prison and entered the house of Lydia - The went to the church at Lydia's house. Note that Luke here resumes the third person, implying that he did not accompany them. We don't see him again until Acts 20:5+ where Luke records "they were waiting for US at Troas." Robertson - Paul and Silas, but not Luke and Timothy. Note “they” here, not “we.” The movements of Timothy are not perfectly clear till he reappears at Berea (Acts 17:15). It seems unlikely that he came to Thessalonica with Paul and Silas since only Paul and Silas obtained security there (Acts 17:9) and were sent on to Berea (Acts 17:10). Probably Timothy was sent to Thessalonica from Philippi with gifts of which Paul spoke later (Php 4:15f.). Then he followed Paul and Silas to Beroea. Paul made it a practice to encourage the church as he had in Acts 15 Judas and Silas, also being prophets themselves, encouraged and strengthened the brethren with a lengthy message. (Acts 15:32) Jack Andrews - Thank God for those who long to come together with the brethren! Do we long to see the brethren? Do we long to fellowship? Do we long to worship our Lord together and serve our Lord together? The modern day church puts God on the clock! If we go past 12 o’clock people get upset! They voice their displeasure—it is going too long! Why is it that we can go to a ball game for three hours, watch a movie for two and a half hours, go shopping for six hours, play video games for untold hours and we are alright with that? The church that does not love to meet together is in desperate need of revival! Did you know that each year in America 2.7 million church members become inactive. Efforts to grow and stabilize churches are constantly being challenged by this continuous exodus.These people, for whatever reason, have chosen to disengage from the local church. (Ibid) And when they saw the brethren, they encouraged them and departed - Paul and Silas had just been beaten and placed in stocks and yet they are the ones who are giving the encouragement. Of course, part of the encouragement may have been the fact that we have been mistreated will probably result in the city officials taking more of a "hands off" attitude on this infant church. We know that there were few Jews in Philippi, so this ever ferocious foe was not likely to give the church much opposition. Encouraged (exhorted, comforted) (3870)(parakaleo from para = side of, alongside, beside + kaleo = call) means literally to call one alongside, to call someone to oneself, to call for, to summon. Parakaleo can include the idea of giving help or aid but the primary sense in the NT is to urge someone to take some action, especially some ethical course of action. Sometimes the word means convey the idea of comfort, sometimes of exhortation but always at the root there is the idea of enabling a person to meet some difficult situation with confidence and with gallantry. Wiersbe reviews this chapter writing that "It is also worth noting that not every sinner comes to Christ in exactly the same manner. Timothy was saved partly through the influence of a godly mother and grandmother. Lydia was converted through a quiet conversation with Paul at a Jewish prayer meeting, while the jailer's conversion was dramatic. One minute he was a potential suicide, and the next minute he was a child of God! Different people with different experiences, and yet all of them changed by the grace of God. Others just like them are waiting to be told God's simple plan of salvation. Will you help them hear? In your own witness for Christ, will you be daring? (Wiersbe, W: Bible Exposition Commentary. 1989. Victor) Guzik sums up the 2 radically different conversions - Lydia was a churchgoer; the guard was not. Lydia was prospering in business; the guard was about to kill himself. Lydia's heart was gently opened; the guard's heart was violently confronted. The guard had a remarkable sign - an earthquake, but all Lydia had was the move of the Holy Spirit in her heart. Both heard the gospel and believed, and through each of them their whole families were touched! As