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Matthew Henry’s Complete Commentary
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Matthew Henry |
A C T S.
CHAP. XVI.
It is some rebuke to Barnabas that after he left Paul we hear no more
of him, of what he did or suffered for Christ. But Paul, as he was
recommended by the brethren to the grace of God, so his services for
Christ after this are largely recorded; we are to attend him in this
chapter from place to place, wherever he came doing good, either
watering or planting, beginning new work or improving what was done.
Here is,
I. The beginning of his acquaintance with Timothy, and taking him to be
his assistant,
II. The visit he made to the churches for their establishment,
III. His call to Macedonia (after a restraint he had been under from
going to some other places), and his coming to Philippi, the chief city
of Macedonia, with his entertainment there,
IV. The conversion of Lydia there,
V. The casing of an evil spirit out of a damsel,
VI. The accusing and abusing of Paul and Silas for it, their
imprisonment, and the indignities done them,
VII. The miraculous conversion of the jailer to the faith of Christ,
VIII. The honourable discharge of Paul and Silas by the magistrates,
| Paul’s Adoption of Timothy. |
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1 Then came he to Derbe and Lystra: and, behold, a certain
disciple was there, named Timotheus, the son of a certain woman,
which was a Jewess, and believed; but his father was a Greek:
2 Which was well reported of by the brethren that were at
Lystra and Iconium.
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.
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.
5 And so were the churches established in the faith, and
increased in number daily.
Paul was a spiritual father, and as such a one we have him here
adopting Timothy, and taking care of the education of many others who
had been begotten to Christ by his ministry: and in all he appears to
have been a wise and tender father. Here is,
I. His taking Timothy into his acquaintance and under his tuition. One
thing designed in the book of the Acts is to help us to understand
Paul’s epistles, two of which are directed to Timothy; it was therefore
necessary that in the history of Paul we should have some account
concerning him. And we are here accordingly told,
1. That he was a disciple, one that belonged to Christ, and was
baptized, probably in his infancy, when his mother became a believer,
as Lydia’s household was baptized upon her believing,
Him, that was a disciple of Christ, Paul took to be his disciple, that
he might further train him up in the knowledge and faith of Christ; he
took him to be brought up for Christ.
2. That his mother was a Jewess originally, but believed in
Christ; her name was Eunice, his grandmother’s name was
Lois. Paul speaks of them both with great respect, as women of
eminent virtue and piety, and commends them especially for their
unfeigned faith
(2 Tim. i. 5),
their sincerely embracing and adhering to the doctrine of Christ.
3. That his father was a Greek, a Gentile. The marriage of a Jewish
woman to a Gentile husband (though some would make a difference) was
prohibited as much as the marriage of a Jewish man to a Gentile wife,
Thou shalt no more give thy daughter to his son than take his
daughter to thy son; yet this seems to have been limited to the
nations that lived among them in Canaan, whom they were most in danger
of infection from. Now because his father was a Greek he was not
circumcised: for the entail of the covenant and the seal of it, as of
other entails in that nation, went by the father, not by the mother; so
that his father being no Jew he was not obliged to circumcision, nor
entitled to it, unless when he grew up he did himself desire it. But,
observe, though his mother could not prevail to have him circumcised in
his infancy, because his father was of another mind and way, yet she
educated him in the fear of God, that though he wanted the sign of the
covenant he might not want the thing signified.
4. That he had gained a very good character among the Christians: he
was well reported of by the brethren that were at Lystra and
Iconium; he had not only an unblemished reputation, and was free from
scandal, but he had a bright reputation, and great encomiums were given
of him, as an extraordinary young man, and one from whom great things
were expected. Not only those in the place where he was born, but those
in the neighbouring cities, admired him, and spoke honourably of him.
He had a name for good things with good people.
5. That Paul would have him to go forth with him, to accompany
him, to give attendance on him, to receive instruction from him, and to
join with him in the work of the gospel–to preach for him when there
was occasion, and to be left behind in places where he had planted
churches. Paul had a great love for him, not only because he was an
ingenious young man, and one of great parts, but because he was a
serious young man, and one of devout affections: for Paul was always
mindful of his tears,
2 Tim. i. 4.
6. That Paul took him and circumcised him, or ordered it to be done.
This was strange. Had not Paul opposed those with all his might that
were for imposing circumcision upon the Gentile converts? Had he not
at this time the decrees of the council at Jerusalem with him, which
witnessed against it? He had, and yet circumcised Timothy, not, as
those teachers designed in imposing circumcision, to oblige him to keep
the ceremonial law, but only to render his conversation and ministry
passable, and, if it might be, acceptable among the Jews that abounded
in those quarters. He knew Timothy was a man likely to do a great deal
of good among them, being admirably qualified for the ministry, if they
were not invincibly prejudiced against him; and therefore, that they
might not shun him as one unclean, because uncircumcised, he took him
and circumcised him. Thus to the Jews he became as a Jew,
that he might gain the Jews, and all things to all men, that he
might gain some. He was against those who made circumcision
necessary to salvation, but used it himself when it was conducive to
edification; nor was he rigid in opposing it, as they were in imposing
it. Thus, though he went not in this instance according to the letter
of the decree, he went according to the spirit of it, which was a
spirit of tenderness towards the Jews, and willingness to bring them
off gradually from their prejudices. Paul made no difficulty of taking
Timothy to be his companion, though he was uncircumcised; but the Jews
would not hear him if he were, and therefore Paul will humour them
herein. It is probable that it was at this time that Paul laid his
hands on Timothy, for the conferring of the gift of the Holy Ghost upon
him,
II. His confirming the churches which he had planted
(v. 4, 5):
He went through the cities where he had preached the word of
the Lord, as he intended
(ch. xv. 36),
to enquire into their state. And we are told,
1. That they delivered them copies of the decrees of the Jerusalem
synod, to be a direction to them in the government of themselves, and
that they might have wherewith to answer the judaizing teachers, and to
justify themselves in adhering to the liberty with which Christ had
made them free. All the churches were concerned in that decree, and
therefore it was requisite they should all have it well attested.
Though Paul had for a particular reason circumcised Timothy, yet he
would not have that drawn into a precedent; and therefore he
delivered the decrees to the churches, to be religiously
observed; for they must abide by the rule, and not be drawn from it by
a particular example.
2. That this was of very good service to them.
(1.) The churches were hereby established in the faith,
v. 5.
They were confirmed particularly in their opinion against the imposing
of the ceremonial law upon the Gentiles; the great assurance and heat
wherewith the judaizing teachers pressed the necessity of circumcision,
and the plausible arguments they produced for it, had shocked them, so
that they began to waver concerning it. But when they saw the
testimony, not only of the apostles and elders, but of the Holy Ghost
in them, against it, they were established, and did not longer waver
about it. Note, Testimonies to truth, though they may not prevail to
convince those that oppose it, may be of very good use to establish
those that are in doubt concerning it, and to fix them. Nay, the design
of this decree being to set aside the ceremonial law, and the carnal
ordinances of that, they were by it established in the Christian faith
in general, and were the more firmly assured that it was of God,
because it set up a spiritual way of serving God, as more suited to the
nature both of God and man; and, besides, that spirit of tenderness and
condescension which appeared in these letters plainly showed that the
apostles and elders were herein under the guidance of him who is love
itself.
(2.) They increased in number daily. The imposing of the yoke of
the ceremonial law upon their converts was enough to frighten people
from them. If they had been disposed to turn Jews, they could have done
that long since, before the apostles came among them; but, if they
cannot be interested in the Christian privileges without submitting to
the Jews’ yoke, they will be as they are. But, if they find there is no
danger of their being so enslaved, they are ready to embrace
Christianity, and join themselves to the church. And thus the church
increased in numbers daily; not a day passed but some or other
gave up their names to Christ. And it is a joy to those who heartily
wish well to the honour of Christ, and the welfare of the church and
the souls of men, to see such an increase.
| Paul Invited into Macedonia; The Conversion of Lydia. |
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6 Now when they had gone throughout Phrygia and the region of
Galatia, and were forbidden of the Holy Ghost to preach the word
in Asia,
7 After they were come to Mysia, they assayed to go into
Bithynia: but the Spirit suffered them not.
8 And they passing by Mysia came down to Troas.
9 And a vision appeared to Paul in the night; There stood a man
of Macedonia, and prayed him, saying, Come over into Macedonia,
and help us.
10 And after he had seen the vision, immediately we endeavoured
to go into Macedonia, assuredly gathering that the Lord had
called us for to preach the gospel unto them.
11 Therefore loosing from Troas, we came with a straight course
to Samothracia, and the next day to Neapolis;
12 And from thence to Philippi, which is the chief city of that
part of Macedonia, and a colony: and we were in that city
abiding certain days.
13 And on the sabbath we went out of the city by a river side,
where prayer was wont to be made; and we sat down, and spake unto
the women which resorted thither.
14 And a certain woman named Lydia, a seller of purple, of the
city of Thyatira, which worshipped God, heard us: whose heart
the Lord opened, that she attended unto the things which were
spoken of Paul.
15 And when she was baptized, and her household, she besought
us, saying, If ye have judged me to be faithful to the Lord,
come into my house, and abide there. And she constrained us.
In these verses we have,
I. Paul’s travels up and down to do good.
1. He and Silas his colleague went throughout Phrygia and the region of
Galatia, where, it should seem, the gospel was already planted, but
whether by Paul’s hand or no is not mentioned; it is likely it was, for
in his epistle to the Galatians he speaks of his preaching the
gospel to them at the first, and how very acceptable he was among
them,
And it appears by that epistle that the judaizing teachers had then
done a great deal of mischief to these churches of Galatia, had
prejudiced them against Paul and drawn them from the gospel of Christ,
for which he there severely reproves them. But probably that was a
great while after this.
2. They were forbidden at this time to preach the gospel in Asia (the
country properly so called), because it did not need, other hands being
at work there; or because the people were not yet prepared to receive
it, as they were afterwards
(ch. xix. 10),
when all those that dwelt in Asia heard the word of the Lord;
or, as Dr. Lightfoot suggests, because at this time Christ would employ
Paul in a piece of new work, which was to preach the gospel to a Roman
colony at Philippi, for hitherto the Gentiles to whom he had preached
were Greeks. The Romans were more particularly hated by the Jews than
other Gentiles; their armies were the abomination of desolation;
and therefore there is this among other things extraordinary in his
call thither that he is forbidden to preach the gospel in Asia and
other places, in order to his preaching it there, which is an
intimation that the light of the gospel would in aftertimes be directed
more westward than eastward. It was the Holy Ghost that forbade them,
either by secret whispers in the minds of both of them, which, when
they came to compare notes, they found to be the same, and to come from
the same Spirit; or by some prophets who spoke to them from the Spirit.
The removals of ministers, and the dispensing of the means of grace by
them, are in a particular manner under a divine guidance and direction.
We find an Old-Testament minister forbidden to preach at all
Thou shalt be dumb. But these New-Testament ministers are only
forbidden to preach in one place, while they are directed to another
where there is more need.
3. They would have gone into Bithynia, but were not permitted: the
Spirit suffered them not,
v. 7.
They came to Mysia, and, as it should seem, preached the gospel there;
for though it was a very mean contemptible country, even to a proverb
(Mysorum ultimus, in Cicero, is a most despicable man),
yet the apostles disdained not to visit it, owning themselves debtors
both to the wise and to the unwise,
Rom. i. 14.
In Bithynia was the city of Nice, where the first general council was
held against the Arians; into these countries Peter sent his epistle
(1 Pet. i. 1);
and there were flourishing churches here, for, though they had not the
gospel sent them now, they had it in their turn, not long after.
Observe, Though their judgment and inclination were to go into
Bithynia, yet, having then extraordinary ways of knowing the mind of
God, they were overruled by them, contrary to their own mind. We must
now follow providence, and submit to the guidance of that pillar of
cloud and fire; and, if this suffer us not to do what we assay
to do, we ought to acquiesce, and believe it for the best. The
Spirit of Jesus suffered them not; so many ancient copies read it.
The servants of the Lord Jesus ought to be always under the check and
conduct of the Spirit of the Lord Jesus, by whom he governs
men’s minds.
4. They passed by Mysia, or passed through it (so some),
sowing good seed, we may suppose, as they went along; and they came
down to Troas, the city of Troy, so much talked of, or the country
thereabouts, which took its denomination from it. Here a church was
planted; for here we find one in being,
and probably planted at this time, and in a little time. It should seem
that at Troas Luke fell in with Paul, and joined himself to his
company; for henceforward, for the most part, when he speaks of Paul’s
journeys, he puts himself into the number of his retinue, we
went,
II. Paul’s particular call to Macedonia, that is, to Philippi, the
chief city, inhabited mostly by Romans, as appears,
Here we have,
1. The vision Paul had,
v. 9.
Paul had many visions, sometimes to encourage, sometimes, as here, to
direct him in his work. An angel appeared to him, to intimate to him
that it was the will of Christ he should go to Macedonia. Let him not
be discouraged by the embargo laid upon him once and again, by which
his designs were crossed; for, though he shall not go where he has a
mind to go, he shall go where God has work for him to do. Now observe,
(1.) The person Paul saw. There stood by him a man of Macedonia,
who by his habit or dialect seemed so to Paul, or who told him he was
so. The angel, some think, assumed the shape of such a man; or, as
others think, impressed upon Paul’s fancy, when between asleep and
awake, the image of such a man: he dreamt he saw such a one. Christ
would have Paul directed to Macedonia, not as the apostles were at
other times, by a messenger from heaven, to send him thither, but by a
messenger thence to call him thither, because in this way he would
afterwards ordinarily direct the motions of his ministers, by inclining
the hearts of those who needed them to invite them. Paul shall be
called to Macedonia by a man of Macedonia, and by him speaking in the
name of the rest. Some make this man to be the tutelar angel of
Macedonia, supposing angels to have charge of particular places as well
as persons, and that so much is intimated
where we read of the princes of Persia and Grecia, that seem to
have been angels. But there is no certainty of this. There was
presented either to Paul’s eyes or to his mind a man of Macedonia. The
angel must not preach the gospel himself to the Macedonians, but must
bring Paul to them. Nor must he by the authority of an angel order him
to go, but in the person of a Macedonian court him to come. A man of
Macedonia, not a magistrate of the country, much less a priest (Paul
was not accustomed to receive invitations from such) but an ordinary
inhabitant of that country, a plain man, that carried in his
countenance marks of probity and seriousness, that did not come to
banter Paul nor trifle with him, but in good earnest and with all
earnestness to importune his assistance.
(2.) The invitation given him. This honest Macedonian prayed him,
saying, Come over into Macedonia, and help us; that is, “Come and
preach the gospel to us; let us have the benefit of thy labours.”
[1.] “Thou hast helped many; we have heard of those in this and
the other country to whom thou hast been very useful; and why may we
not put in for a share? O come and help us.” The benefits others have
received from the gospel should quicken our enquiries, our further
enquiries, after it.
[2.] “It is thy business, and it is thy delight, to help poor souls;
thou art a physician for the sick, that art to be ready at the call of
every patient; O come and help us.”
[3.] “We have need of thy help, as much as any people; we in Macedonia
are as ignorant and as careless in religion as any people in the world
are, are as idolatrous and as vicious as any, and as ingenious and
industrious to ruin ourselves as any; and therefore, O come, come with
all speed among us. If thou canst do any thing, have compassion on
us, and help us.”
[4.] “Those few among us that have any sense of divine things, and any
concern for their own souls and the souls of others, have done what can
be done, by the help of natural light; I have done my part for one. We
have carried the matter as far as it will go, to persuade our
neighbours to fear and worship God, but we can do little good among
them. O come come, thou over, and help us. The gospel thou
preachest has arguments and powers beyond those we have yet been
furnished with.”
[5.] “Do not only help us with thy prayers here: this will not do; thou
must come over and help us.” Note, People have great need of help for
their souls, and it is their duty to look out for it and invite those
among them that can help them.
2. The interpretation made of the vision
(v. 10):
They gathered assuredly from this that the Lord had called them to
preach the gospel there; and they were ready to go wherever God
directed. Note, We may sometimes infer a call of God from a call of
man. If a man of Macedonia says, Come and help us, Paul thence
gathers assuredly that God says, Go an help them. Ministers may go on
with great cheerfulness and courage in their work when they perceive
Christ calling them, not only to preach the gospel, but to preach it at
this time, in this place, to this people.
III. Paul’s voyage to Macedonia hereupon: He was not disobedient to
the heavenly vision, but followed this divine direction much more
cheerfully, and with more satisfaction, than he would have followed any
contrivance or inclination of his own.
1. Thitherward he turned his thoughts. Now that he knows the mind of
God in the matter he is determined, for this is all he wanted; now he
thinks no more of Asia, nor Bithynia, but immediately we endeavoured
to go into Macedonia. Paul only had the vision, but he communicated
it to his companions, and they all, upon the credit of this, resolved
for Macedonia. As Paul will follow Christ, so all his will follow him,
or rather follow Christ with him. They are getting things in readiness
for this expedition immediately, without delay. Note, God’s calls must
be complied with immediately. As our obedience must not be disputed, so
it must not be deferred; do it to-day, lest thy heart be hardened.
Observe, They could not immediately go into Macedonia; but they
immediately endeavoured to go. If we cannot be so quick as we would be
in our performances, yet we may be in our endeavours, and this shall be
accepted.
2. Thitherward he steered his course. They set sail by the first
shipping and with the first fair wind from Troas; for they may
be sure they have done what they had to do there when God calls them to
another place. They came with a straight course, a prosperous
voyage, to Samothracia; the next day they came to
Neapolis, a city on the confines of Thrace and Macedonia; and at
last they landed at Philippi, a city so called from Philip king
of Macedon, the father of Alexander the Great; it is said
(v. 12)
to be,
(1.) The chief city of that part of Macedonia; or, as some read
it, the first city, the first they came to when they came from
Troas. As an army that lands in a country of which they design to make
themselves masters begin with the reduction of the first place they
come to, so did Paul and his assistants: they began with the first
city, because, if the gospel were received there, it would the more
easily spread thence all the country over.
(2.) It was a colony. The Romans not only had a garrison, but the
inhabitants of the city were Romans, the magistrates at least, and the
governing part. There were the greatest numbers and variety of people,
and therefore the most likelihood of doing good.
IV. The cold entertainment which Paul and his companions met with at
Philippi. One would have expected that having such a particular call
from God thither they would have had a joyful welcome there, as Peter
had with Cornelius when the angel sent him thither. Where was the man
of Macedonia that begged Paul to come thither with all speed? Why did
not he stir up his countrymen, some of them at least, to go and meet
him? Why was not Paul introduced with solemnity, and the keys of the
city put into his hand? Here is nothing like this; for,
1. It is a good while before any notice at all is taken of him: We
were in that city abiding certain days, probably at a public house
and at their own charge, for they had no friend to invite them so much
as to a meal’s meat, till Lydia welcomed them. They had made all the
haste they could thither, but, now that they are there, they are almost
tempted to think they might as well have staid where they were. But so
it was ordered for their trial whether they could bear the pain of
silence and lying by, when this was their lot. Those eminent and useful
men are not fit to live in this world that know not how to be slighted
and overlooked. Let not ministers think it strange if they be first
strongly invited to a place, and then looked shyly upon when they come.
2. When they have an opportunity of preaching it is in an obscure
place, and to a mean and small auditory,
There was no synagogue of the Jews there, for aught that appears, to be
a door of entrance to them, and they never went to the idol-temples of
the Gentiles, to preach to the auditories there; but here, upon
enquiry, they found out a little meeting of good women, that were
proselytes of the gate, who would be thankful to them if they would
give them a sermon. The place of this meeting is out of the city; there
it was connived at, but would not be suffered any where within the
walls. It was a place where prayer was wont to be made;
proseuche—where an oratory or house of prayer was
(so some), a chapel, or smaller synagogue. But I rather take it, as we
read it, where prayer was appointed or accustomed to be. Those that
worshipped the true God, and would not worship idols, met there to pray
together, and, according to the description of the most ancient and
universal devotion, to call upon the name of the Lord. Each of
them prayed apart every day; this was always the practice of those that
worshipped God: but, besides this, they came together on the sabbath
day. Though they were but a few and discountenanced by the town,
though their meeting was at some distance, though, for aught that
appears, there were none but women, yet a solemn assembly the
worshippers of God must have, if by any means it be possible, on the
sabbath day. When we cannot do as we would we must do as we can; if we
have not synagogues, we must be thankful for more private places, and
resort to them, not forsaking the assembling of ourselves
together, according as our opportunities are. This place is said to
be by a river side, which perhaps was chosen, as befriending
contemplation. Idolaters are said to take their lot among the smooth
stones of the stream,
Isa. lvii. 6.
But these proselytes had in their eye, perhaps, the example of those
prophets who had their visions, one by the river of Chebar
(Ezek. i. 1),
another by the great river Hiddekel,
Dan. x. 4.
Thither Paul and Silas and Luke went, and sat down, to instruct
the congregation, that they might the better pray with them. They
spoke unto the women who resorted thither, encouraged them in
practising according to the light they had, and led them on further to
the knowledge of Christ.
V. The conversion of Lydia, who probably was the first that was
wrought upon there to believe in Christ, though not the last. In this
story of the Acts, we have not only the conversion of places
recorded, but of many particular persons; for such is the worth of
souls that the reducing of one to God is a great matter. Nor have we
only the conversions that were effected by miracle, as Paul’s, but some
that were brought about by the ordinary methods of grace, as Lydia’s
here. Observe,
1. Who this convert was that there is such particular notice taken of.
Four things are recorded of her:–
(1.) Her name, Lydia. It is an honour to her to have her name
recorded here in the book of God, so that wherever the scriptures
are read there shall this be told concerning her. Note, The names
of the saints are precious with God, and should be so with us; we
cannot have our names recorded in the Bible, but, if God open our
hearts, we shall find them written in the book of life, and this
is better
and more to be rejoiced in,
Luke x. 20.
(2.) Her calling. She was a seller of purple, either of purple
dye or of purple cloth or silk. Observe,
[1.] She had a calling, an honest calling, which the historian takes
notice of to her praise; she was none of those women that the apostle
speaks of
(1 Tim. v. 13),
who learn to be idle, and not only idle, &c.
[2.] It was a mean calling. She was a seller of purple, not a
wearer of purple, few such are called. The notice here taken of this is
an intimation to those who are employed in honest callings, if they be
honest in the management of them, not to be ashamed of them.
[3.] Though she had a calling to mind, yet she was a worshipper of God,
and found time to improve advantages for her soul. The business of our
particular callings may be made to consist very well with the business
of religion, and therefore it will not excuse us from religious
exercises alone, and in our families, or in solemn assemblies, to say,
We have shops to look after, and a trade to mind; for have we not also
a God to serve and a soul to look after? Religion does not call us from
our business in the world, but directs us in it. Every thing in its
time and place.
(3.) The place she was of–of the city of Thyatira, which was a
great way from Philippi; there she was born and bred, but either
married at Philippi, or brought by her trade to settle there. The
providence of God, as it always appoints, so it often removes, the
bounds of our habitation, and sometimes makes the change of our
outward condition or place of our abode wonderfully subservient to the
designs of his grace concerning our salvation. Providence brings Lydia
to Philippi, to be under Paul’s ministry, and there, where she met with
it, she made a good use of it; so should we improve opportunities.
(4.) Her religion before the Lord opened her heart.
[1.] She worshipped God according to the knowledge she had; she was one
of the devout women. Sometimes the grace of God wrought upon those who,
before their conversion, were very wicked and vile, publicans and
harlots; such were some of you,
1 Cor. vi. 11.
But sometimes it fastened upon those who were of a good character, who
had some good in them, as the eunuch, Cornelius, and Lydia. Note, It is
not enough to be worshippers of God, but we must be believers in Jesus
Christ, for there is no coming to God as a Father, but by him as
Mediator. But those who worshipped God according to the light they had
stood fair for the discoveries of Christ, and his grace to them; for
to him that has shall be given: and to them Christ would be
welcome; for those that know what it is to worship God see their need
of Christ, and know what use to make of his mediation.
[2.] She heard the apostles. Here, where prayer was made, when there
was an opportunity, the word was preached; for hearing the word
of God is a part of religious worship, and how can we expect God should
hear our prayers if we will not hearken to his word? Those that
worshipped God according to the light they had looked out for further
light; we must improve the day of small things, but must not
rest in it.
2. What the work was that was wrought upon her: Whose heart the Lord
opened. Observe here,
(1.) The author of this work: it was the Lord,–the Lord Christ,
to whom this judgment is committed,–the Spirit of the Lord, who is the
sanctifier. Note, Conversion-work is God’s work; it is he that
works in us both to will and to do; not as if we had nothing to do,
but of ourselves, without God’s grace, we can do nothing; nor as if God
were in the least chargeable with the ruin of those that perish, but
the salvation of those that are saved must be wholly ascribed to him.
(2.) The seat of this work; it is in the heart that the change is made,
it is to the heart that this blessed turn is given; it was the heart of
Lydia that was wrought upon. Conversion-work is heart-work; it is a
renewing of the heart, the inward man, the spirit of the mind.
(3.) The nature of the work; she had not only her heart touched, but
her heart opened. An unconverted soul is shut up, and fortified against
Christ, straitly shut up, as Jericho against Joshua,
Christ, in dealing with the soul, knocks at the door that is shut
against him
(Rev. iii. 20);
and, when a sinner is effectually persuaded to embrace Christ, then
the heart is opened for the King of glory to come in–the
understanding is open to receive the divine light, the will opened to
receive the divine law, and the affections opened to receive the divine
love. When the heart is thus opened to Christ, the ear is opened to his
word, the lips opened in prayer, the hand opened in charity, and the
steps enlarged in all manner of gospel obedience.
3. What were the effects of this work on the heart.
(1.) She took great notice of the word of God. Her heart was so
opened that she attended to the things that were spoken by Paul;
she not only gave attendance on Paul’s preaching, but gave attention to
it; she applied to herself (so some read it) the things that
were spoken by Paul; and then only the word does us good, and makes
an abiding impression upon us, when we apply it to ourselves. Now this
was an evidence of the opening of her heart, and was the fruit of it;
wherever the heart is opened by the grace of God, it will appear by a
diligent attendance on, and attention to, the word of God, both for
Christ’s sake, whose word it is, and for our own sakes, who are so
nearly interested in it.
(2.) She gave up her name to Jesus Christ, and took upon her the
profession of his holy religion; She was baptized, and by this
solemn rite was admitted a member of the church of Christ; and with her
her household also was baptized, those of them that were infants
in her right, for if the root be holy so are the branches, and
those that were grown up by her influence and authority. She and her
household were baptized by the same rule that Abraham and his household
were circumcised, because the seal of the covenant belongs to the
covenanters and their seed.
(3.) She was very kind to the ministers, and very desirous to be
further instructed by them in the things pertaining to the kingdom
of God: She besought us saying “If you have judged me to be faithful to
the Lord, if you take me to be a sincere Christian, manifest your
confidence in me by this, come into my house, and abide there.”
Thus she desired an opportunity,
[1.] To testify her gratitude to those who had been the instruments of
divine grace in this blessed change that was wrought upon her. When her
heart was open to Christ, her house was open to his ministers for his
sake, and they were welcome to the best entertainment she had, which
she did not think too good for those of whose spiritual things she had
reaped so plentifully. Nay, they are not only welcome to her house, but
she is extremely pressing and importunate with them: She constrained
us; which intimates that Paul was very backward and unwilling to
go, because he was afraid of being burdensome to the families of the
young converts, and would study to make the gospel of Christ without
charge
that those who were without might have no occasion given them to
reproach the preachers of the gospel as designing, self-seeking men,
and that those who were within might have no occasion to complain of
the expenses of their religion: but Lydia will have no nay; she will
not believe that they take her to be a sincere Christian unless they
will oblige her herein; like Abraham inviting the angels
If now I have found favour in thy sight, pass not away from thy
servant.
[2.] She desired an opportunity of receiving further instruction. If
she might but have them for awhile in her family, she might hear them
daily
and not merely on sabbath days at the meeting. In her own house she
might not only hear them, but ask them questions; and she might have
them to pray with her daily, and to bless her household. Those that
know something of Christ cannot but desire to know more, and seek
opportunities of increasing their acquaintance with his gospel.
| The Expulsion of an Evil Spirit; Persecution of Philippi. |
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16 And it came to pass, as we went to prayer, a certain damsel
possessed with a spirit of divination met us, which brought her
masters much gain by soothsaying:
17 The same followed Paul and us, and cried, saying, These men
are the servants of the most high God, which show unto us the way
of salvation.
18 And this did she many days. But Paul, being grieved, turned
and said to the spirit, I command thee in the name of Jesus
Christ to come out of her. And he came out the same hour.
19 And when her masters saw that the hope of their gains was
gone, they caught Paul and Silas, and drew them into the
marketplace unto the rulers,
20 And brought them to the magistrates, saying, These men,
being Jews, do exceedingly trouble our city,
21 And teach customs, which are not lawful for us to receive,
neither to observe, being Romans.
22 And the multitude rose up together against them: and the
magistrates rent off their clothes, and commanded to beat them.
23 And when they had laid many stripes upon them, they cast
them into prison, charging the jailor to keep them safely:
24 Who, having received such a charge, thrust them into the
inner prison, and made their feet fast in the stocks.
Paul and his companions, though they were for some time buried in
obscurity at Philippi, yet now begin to be taken notice of.
I. A damsel that had a spirit of divination caused them to be
taken notice of, by proclaiming them to be the servants of God.
Observe,
1. The account that is given of this damsel: She was pythonissa,
possessed with such a spirit of divination as that damsel
was by whom the oracles of Apollo at Delphos were delivered; she was
actuated by an evil spirit, that dictated ambiguous answers to those
who consulted her, which served to gratify their vain desire of knowing
things to come, but often deceived them. In those times of ignorance,
infidelity, and idolatry, the devil, by the divine permission, thus led
men captive at his will; and he could not have gained such adoration
from them as he had, if he had not pretended to give oracles to them,
for by both his usurpation is maintained as the god of this world. This
damsel brought her masters much gain by soothsaying; many came
to consult this witch for the discovery of robberies, the finding of
things lost, and especially to be told their fortune, and none came but
with the rewards of divination in their hands, according to the quality
of the person and the importance of the case. Probably there were many
that were thus kept for fortune-tellers, but, it should seem, this was
more in repute than any of them; for, while others brought some gain,
this brought much gain to her masters, being consulted more than
any other.
2. The testimony which this damsel gave to Paul and his companions: She
met them in the street, as they were going to prayer, to the
house of prayer, or rather to the work of prayer there,
They went thither publicly, every body knew whither they were going,
and what they were going to do. If what she did was likely to be any
distraction to them, or a hindrance in their work, it is observable how
subtle Satan is, that great tempter, in taking the opportunity to give
us diversion when we are going about any religious exercises, to ruffle
us and to put us out of temper when we need to be most composed. When
she met with them she followed them, crying, “These men, how
contemptible soever they look and are looked upon, are great men, for
they are the servants of the most high God, and men that should
be very welcome to us, for they show unto us the way of
salvation, both the salvation that will be our happiness, and the
way to it that will be our holiness.”
Now,
(1.) This witness is true; it is a comprehensive encomium on the
faithful preachers of the gospel, and makes their feet beautiful,
Though they are men subject to like passions as we are, and
earthen vessels, yet,
[1.] “They are the servants of the most high God; they attend on
him, are employed by him, and are devoted to his honour, as servants;
they come to us on his errands, the message they bring is from him, and
they serve the purposes and interest of his kingdom. The gods we
Gentiles worship are inferior beings, therefore not gods, but these men
belong to the supreme Numen, to the most high God, who is over
all men, over all gods, who made us all, and to whom we are all
accountable. They are his servants, and therefore it is our duty to
respect them, and harken to them for their Master’s sake, and it is at
our peril if we affront them.”
[2.] “They show unto us the way of salvation.” Even the heathen
had some notion of the miserable deplorable state of mankind, and their
need of salvation, and it was what they made some enquiries after.
“Now,” saith she, “these men are the men that show us what we have in
vain sought for in our superstitious profitless application to our
priests and oracles.” Note, God has, in the gospel of his Son, plainly
shown us the way of salvation, has told us what we must do that we may
be delivered from the misery to which by sin we have exposed
ourselves.
But,
(2.) How came this testimony from the mouth of one that had a spirit of
divination? Is Satan divided against himself? Will he cry up those
whose business it is to pull him down? We may take it either,
[1.] As extorted from this spirit of divination for the honour of the
gospel by the power of God; as the devil was forced to say of Christ
(Mark i. 24):
I know thee who thou art, the Holy One of God. The truth is
sometimes magnified by the confession of its adversaries, in which they
are witnesses against themselves. Christ would have this testimony of
the damsel to rise up in judgment against those at Philippi who
slighted and persecuted the apostles; though the gospel needed no such
testimony, yet it shall serve to add to their commendation that the
damsel whom they looked upon as an oracle in other things proclaimed
the apostles God’s servants. Or,
[2.] As designed by the evil spirit, that subtle serpent, to the
dishonour of the gospel; some think she designed hereby to gain credit
to herself and her prophecies, and so to increase her master’s profit
by pretending to be in the interest of the apostles, who, she thought,
had a growing reputation, or to curry favour with Paul, that he might
not separate her and her familiar. Others think that Satan, who can
transform himself into an angel of light, and can say anything to serve
a turn, designed hereby to disgrace the apostles; as if these divines
were of the same fraternity with their diviners, because they were
witnessed to by them, and then the people might as well adhere to those
they had been used to. Those that were most likely to receive the
apostles’ doctrine were such as were prejudiced against these spirits
of divination, and therefore would, by this testimony, be prejudiced
against the gospel; and, as for those who regarded these diviners, the
devil thought himself sure of them.
II. Christ caused them to be taken notice of, by giving them power to
cast the devil out of this damsel. She continued many days
clamouring thus
(v. 18);
and, it should seem, Paul took no notice of her, not knowing but it
might be ordered of God for the service of his cause, that she should
thus witness concerning his ministers; but finding perhaps that it did
them a prejudice, rather than any service, he soon silenced her, by
casting the devil out of her.
1. He was grieved. It troubled him to see the damsel made an
instrument of Satan to deceive people, and to see the people imposed
upon by her divinations. It was a disturbance to him to hear a sacred
truth so profaned, and good words come out of such a wicked mouth with
such and evil design. Perhaps they were spoken in an ironical bantering
way, as ridiculing the apostles’ pretensions, and mocking them, as when
Christ’s persecutors complimented him with Hail, king of the
Jews; and then justly might Paul be grieved, as any good man’s
heart would be, to hear any good truth of God bawled out in the streets
in a canting jeering way.
2. He commanded the evil spirit to come out of her. He turned
with a holy indignation, angry both at the flatteries and at the
reproaches of the unclean spirit, and said, I command thee in the
name of Jesus Christ to come out of her; and by this he will show
that these men are the servants of the living God, and are able
to prove themselves so, without her testimony: her silence shall
demonstrate it more than her speaking could do. Thus Paul shows the
way of salvation indeed, that it is by breaking the power of
Satan, and chaining him up, that he may not deceive the world
(Rev. xx. 3),
and that this salvation is to be obtained in the name of Jesus
Christ only, as in his name the devil was now cast out and by no
other. It was a great blessing to the country when Christ by a word
cast the devil out of those in whom he frightened people and molested
them so that no man might pass by that way
but it was a much greater kindness to the country when Paul now, in
Christ’s name, cast the devil out of one who deceived people and
imposed upon their credulity. Power went along with the word of Christ,
before which Satan could not stand, but was forced to quit his hold,
and in this case it was a strong hold: He came out the same
hour.
III. The masters of the damsel that was dispossessed caused them to be
taken notice of, by bringing them before the magistrates for doing it,
and laying it to their charge as their crime. The preachers of the
gospel would never have had an opportunity of speaking to the
magistrates if they had not been brought before them as evil doers.
Observe here,
1. That which provoked them was, that, the damsel being restored to
herself, her masters saw that the hope of their gain was gone,
v. 19.
See here what evil the love of money is the root of! If the
preaching of the gospel ruin the craft of the silversmiths
(ch. xix. 24),
much more the craft of the soothsayers; and therefore here is a great
outcry raised, when Satan’s power to deceive is broken: the priests
hated the gospel because it turned men from the blind service of dumb
idols, and so the hope of their gains was gone. The power of Christ,
which appeared in dispossessing the woman, and the great kindness done
to her in delivering her out of Satan’s hand, made no impression upon
them when they apprehended that they should hereby lose money.
2. The course they took with them was to incense the higher powers
against them, as men fit to be punished: They caught them as
they went along, and, with the utmost fury and violence, dragged
them into the marketplace, where public justice was administered.
(1.) They brought them to the rulers, their justices of peace,
to do by them as men taken into the hands of the law, the
duumviri.
(2.) From them they hurried them to the magistrates, the
prætors or governors of the city, tois
strategois—the officers of the army, so the word
signifies; but it is taken in general for the judges or chief rulers:
to them they brought their complaint.
3. The charge they exhibited against them was that they were the
troublers of the land,
They take it for granted that these men are Jews, a nation at this time
as much an abomination to the Romans as they had long ago been
to the Egyptians. Piteous was the case of the apostles, when it was
turned to their reproach that they were Jews, and yet the Jews were
their most violent persecutors!
(1.) The general charge against them is that they troubled the
city, sowed discord, and disturbed the public peace, and occasioned
riots and tumults, than which nothing could be more false and unjust,
as was Ahab’s character of Elijah
Art thou he that troubleth Israel? If they troubled the city, it
was but like the angel’s troubling the water of Bethesda’s pool, in
order to healing-shaking, in order to a happy settlement. Thus those
that rouse the sluggards are exclaimed against for troubling them.
(2.) The proof of this charge is their teaching customs not proper to
be admitted by a Roman colony,
The Romans were always very jealous of innovations in religion. Right
or wrong, they would adhere to that, how vain soever, which they had
received by tradition from their fathers. No foreign nor upstart deity
must be allowed, without the approbation of the senate; the gods of
their country must be their gods, true or false. This was one of the
laws of the twelve tables. Hath a nation changed their gods? It
incensed them against the apostles that they taught a religion
destructive of polytheism and idolatry, and preached to them to turn
from those vanities. This the Romans could not bear: “If this grow upon
us, in a little while we shall lose our religion.”
IV. The magistrates, by their proceedings against them, caused them to
be taken notice of.
1. By countenancing the persecution they raised the mob upon them
(v. 22):
The multitude rose up together against them, and were ready to
pull them to pieces. It has been the artifice of Satan to make God’s
ministers and people odious to the commonalty, by representing them as
dangerous men, who aimed at the destruction of the constitution and the
changing of the customs, when really there has been no ground for such
an imputation.
2. By going on to an execution they further represented them as the
vilest malefactors: They rent off their clothes, with rage and
fury, not having patience till they were taken off, in order to their
being scourged. This the apostle refers to when he speaks of their
being treated at Philippi,
1 Thess. ii. 2.
The magistrates commanded that they should be whipped as vagabonds, by
the lictors or beadles who attended the prætors, and carried rods
with them for that purpose; this was one of those three times that Paul
was beaten with rods, according to the Roman usage, which was not under
the compassionate limitation of the number of stripes not to exceed
forty, which was provided by the Jewish law. It is here said that
they laid many stripes upon them
(v. 23),
without counting how many, because they seemed vile unto them,
Now, one would think, this might have satiated their cruelty; if they
must be whipped, surely they must be discharged. No, they are
imprisoned, and it is probable the present purpose was to try them for
their lives, and put them to death; else why should there be such care
taken to prevent their escape?
(1.) The judges made their commitment very strict: They charged the
jailer to keep them safely, and have a very watchful eye upon them,
as if they were dangerous men, that either would venture to break
prison themselves or were in confederacy with those that would attempt
to rescue them. Thus they endeavoured to render them odious, that they
might justify themselves in the base usage they had given them.
(2.) The jailer made their confinement very severe
(v. 24):
Having received such a charge, though he might have kept them
safely enough in the outer prison, yet he thrust them into the inner
prison. He was sensible that the magistrates had a great
indignation against these men, and were inclined to be severe with
them, and therefore he thought to ingratiate himself with them, by
exerting his power likewise against them to the uttermost. When
magistrates are cruel, it is no wonder that the officers under them are
so too. He put them into the inner prison, the dungeon, into
which none were usually put but condemned malefactors, dark at
noon-day, damp and cold, dirty, it is likely, and every way offensive,
like that into which Jeremiah was let down
and, as if this were not enough, he made their feet fast in the
stocks. Perhaps, having heard a report of the escape of the
preachers of the gospel out of prison, when the doors were fast
barred
he thought he would be wiser than other jailers had been, and therefore
would effectually secure them by fastening them in the stocks; and they
were not the first of God’s messengers that had their feet in the
stocks; Jeremiah was so treated, and publicly too, in the high-gate
of Benjamin
(Jer. xx. 2);
Joseph had his feet hurt with fetters,
Ps. cv. 18.
Oh what hard usage have God’s servants met with, as in the former days,
so in the latter times! Witness the Book of Martyrs, martyrs in queen
Mary’s time.
| Paul and Silas in Prison; Conversion of the Philippian Jailer. |
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25 And at midnight Paul and Silas prayed, and sang praises unto
God: and the prisoners heard them.
26 And suddenly there was a great earthquake, so that the
foundations of the prison were shaken: and immediately all the
doors were opened, and every one’s bands were loosed.
27 And the keeper of the prison awaking out of his sleep, and
seeing the prison doors open, he drew out his sword, and would
have killed himself, supposing that the prisoners had been fled.
28 But Paul cried with a loud voice, saying, Do thyself no
harm: for we are all here.
29 Then he called for a light, and sprang in, and came
trembling, and fell down before Paul and Silas,
30 And brought them out, and said, Sirs, what must I do to be
saved?
31 And they said, Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, and thou
shalt be saved, and thy house.
32 And they spake unto him the word of the Lord, and to all
that were in his house.
33 And he took them the same hour of the night, and washed
their stripes; and was baptized, he and all his, straightway.
34 And when he had brought them into his house, he set meat
before them, and rejoiced, believing in God with all his house.
We have here the designs of the persecutors of Paul and Silas baffled
and broken.
I. The persecutors designed to dishearten and discourage the preachers
of the gospel, and to make them sick of the cause and weary of their
work; but here we find them both hearty and heartened.
1. They were themselves hearty, wonderfully hearty; never were poor
prisoners so truly cheerful, nor so far from laying their hard usage to
heart. Let us consider what their case was. The prætors among the
Romans had rods carried before them, and axes bound upon them, the
fasces and secures. Now they had felt the smart of the rods,
the ploughers had ploughed upon their backs, and made long
furrows. The many stripes they had laid upon them were very sore,
and one might have expected to hear them complaining of them, of the
rawness and soreness of their backs and shoulders. Yet this was not
all; they had reason to fear the axes next. Their master was first
scourged and then crucified; and they might expect the same. In the
mean time they were in the inner prison, their feet in the stocks,
which, some think, not only held them, but hurt them; and yet, at
midnight, when they should have been trying, if possible, to get a
little rest, they prayed and sang praises to God.
(1.) They prayed together, prayed to God to support them and comfort
them in their afflictions, to visit them, as he did Joseph in the
prison, and to be with them,–prayed that their consolations in Christ
might abound, as their afflictions for him did,–prayed that even their
bonds and stripes might turn to the furtherance of the gospel,–prayed
for their persecutors, that God would forgive them and turn their
hearts. This was not at an hour of prayer, but at midnight; it was not
in a house of prayer, but in a dungeon; yet it was seasonable to pray,
and the prayer was acceptable. As in the dark, so out of the depths, we
may cry unto God. No place, no time, amiss for prayer, if the heart be
lifted up to God. Those that are companions in suffering should join in
prayer. Is any afflicted? Let him pray. No trouble, how
grievous soever, should indispose us for prayer.
(2.) They sang praises to God. They praised God; for we must
in every thing give thanks. We never want matter for praise, if
we do not want a heart. And what should put the heart of a child of God
out of tune for this duty if a dungeon and a pair of stocks will not do
it? They praised God that they were counted worthy to suffer shame for
his name, and that they were so wonderfully supported and borne up
under their sufferings, and felt divine consolations so sweet, so
strong, in their souls. Nay, they not only praised God, but they
sang praises to him, in some psalm, or hymn, or spiritual song,
either one of David’s, or some modern composition, or one of their own,
as the Spirit gave them utterance. As our rule is that the
afflicted should pray, and therefore, being in affliction, they prayed;
so our rule is that the merry should sing psalms
(James v. 13),
and therefore, being merry in their affliction, merry after a godly
sort, they sang psalms. This proves that the singing of psalms is a
gospel ordinance, and ought to be used by all good Christians; and that
it is instituted, not only for the expressing of their joys in a day of
triumph, but for the balancing and relieving of their sorrows in a day
of trouble. It was at midnight that they sang psalms, according to the
example of the sweet psalmist of Israel
(Ps. cxix. 62):
At midnight will I rise to give thanks unto thee.
(3.) Notice is here taken of the circumstance that the prisoners
heard them. If the prisoners did not hear them pray, yet they
heard them sing praises.
[1.] It intimates how hearty they were in singing praises to God; they
sang so loud that, though they were in the dungeon, they were heard all
the prison over; nay, so loud that they woke the prisoners: for we may
suppose, being at midnight, they were all asleep. We should sing psalms
with all our heart. The saints are called upon to sing aloud upon their
beds,
But gospel grace carries the matter further, and gives us an example of
those that sang aloud in the prison, in the stocks.
[2.] Though they knew the prisoners would hear them, yet they sang
aloud, as those that were not ashamed of their Master, nor of his
service. Shall those that would sing psalms in their families plead, in
excuse for their omission of the duty, that they are afraid their
neighbours should hear them, when those that sing profane songs roar
them our, and care not who hears them?
[3.] The prisoners were made to hear the prison-songs of Paul and
Silas, that they might be prepared for the miraculous favour shown to
them all for the sake of Paul and Silas, when the prison-doors were
thrown open. By this extraordinary comfort with which they were
filled it was published that he whom they preached was the
consolation of Israel. Let the prisoners that mean to oppose him
hear and tremble before him; let those that are faithful to him hear
and triumph, and take of the comfort that is spoken to the prisoners of
hope,
2. God heartened them wonderfully by his signal appearances for them,
(1.) There was immediately a great earthquake; how far it extended we
are not told, but it was such a violent shock in this place that the
very foundations of the prison were shaken. While the prisoners
were hearkening to the midnight devotions of Paul and Silas, and
perhaps laughing at them and making a jest of them, this earthquake
would strike a terror upon them, and convince them that those men were
the favourites of Heaven, and such as God owned. We had the house of
prayer shaken, in answer to prayer, and as a token of God’s
acceptance of it,
Here the prison shaken. The Lord was in these earthquakes, to
show his resentment of the indignities done to his servants, to testify
to those whose confidence is in the earth the weakness and instability
of that which they confide, and to teach people that, though the
earth be moved, yet they need not fear.
(2.) The prison-doors were thrown open, and the prisoners’ fetters were
knocked off: Every man’s bands were loosed. Perhaps the
prisoners, when they heard Paul and Silas pray and sing psalms, admired
them, and spoke honourably of them, and said what the damsel had said
of them, Surely, these men are the servants of the living God.
To recompense them for, and confirm them in, their good opinion of
them, they share in the miracle, and have their bands loosed; as
afterwards God gave to Paul all those that were in the ship with
him
so now he gave him all those that were in the prison with him. God
hereby signified to these prisoners, as Grotius observes, that the
apostles, in preaching the gospel, were public blessings to mankind, as
they proclaimed liberty to the captives, and the opening of the
prison-doors to those that were bound,
Isa. lxi. 1.
Et per eos solvi animorum vincula–and as by them the bonds of souls
were unloosed.
II. The persecutors designed to stop the progress of the gospel, that
no more might embrace it; thus they hoped to ruin the meeting by the
river side, that no more hearts should be opened there; but here we
find converts made in the prison, that house turned into a meeting, the
trophies of the gospel’s victories erected there, and the jailer, their
own servant, become a servant of Christ. It is probable that some of
the prisoners, if not all, were converted; surely the miracle wrought
on their bodies, in loosing their bands, was wrought on their souls
too. See
Job xxxvi. 8-10; Ps. cvii. 14, 15.
But it is only the conversion of the jailer that is recorded.
1. He is afraid he shall lose his life, and Paul makes him easy as to
this care,
(1.) He awoke out of his sleep. It is probable that the shock of
the earthquake woke him, and the opening of the prison-doors, and the
prisoners’ expressions of joy and amazement, when in the dark they
found their bands loosed, and called to tell one another what they
felt: this was enough to awaken the jailer, whose place required that
he should not be hard to wake. This waking him out of his sleep
signified the awakening of his conscience out of its spiritual slumber.
The call of the gospel is, Awake, thou that sleepest
(Eph. v. 14),
like that of
(2.) He saw the prison-doors open, and supposed, as well he might, that
the prisoners had fled; and then what would become of him? He knew the
Roman law in that case, and it was executed not long ago upon the
keepers out of whose hands Peter escaped,
It was according to that of the prophet,
Keep this man; if he be missing, thy life shall go for his life.
The Roman lawyers after this, in their readings upon the law, De
custodia reorum–The custody of criminals (which appoints that the
keeper should undergo the same punishment that should have been
inflicted on the prisoner if he let him escape), take care to except an
escape by miracle.
(3.) In his fright he drew his sword, and was going to kill
himself, to prevent a more terrible death, and expected one, a
pompous ignominious death, which he knew he was liable to for letting
his prisoners escape and not looking better to them; and the
extraordinarily strict charge which the magistrates gave him concerning
Paul and Silas made him conclude they would be very severe upon him if
they were gone. The philosophers generally allowed self-murder. Seneca
prescribes it as the last remedy which those that are in distress may
have recourse to. The Stoics, notwithstanding their pretended conquest
of the passions, yielded thus far to them. And the Epicureans, who
indulged the pleasures of sense, to avoid its pains chose rather to put
an end to it. This jailer thought there was no harm in anticipating his
own death; but Christianity proves itself to be of God by this, that it
keeps us to the law of our creation–revives, enforces, and establishes
it, obliges us to be just to our own lives, and teaches us cheerfully
to resign them to our graces, but courageously to hold them out against
our corruptions.
(4.) Paul stopped him from his proceeding against himself
(v. 28):
He cried with a loud voice, not only to make him hear, but to
make him heed, saying, Do not practise any evil to thyself; Do
thyself no harm. All the cautions of the word of God against sin,
and all appearances of it and approaches to it, have this tendency,
“Do thyself no harm. Man, woman, do not wrong thyself, nor ruin
thyself; hurt not thyself, and then none else can hurt thee; do not
sin, for nothing else can hurt thee.” Even as to the body, we are
cautioned against those sins which do harm to it, and are taught to
hate our own flesh, but to nourish and cherish it. The jailer
needs not fear being called to an account for the escape of his
prisoners, for they are all here. It was strange that some of
them did not slip away, when the prison-doors were opened, and they
were loosed from their bands; but their amazement held them fast, and,
being sensible it was by the prayers of Paul and Silas that they were
loosed, they would not stir unless they stirred; and God showed his
power in binding their spirits, as much as in loosing their feet.
2. He is afraid he shall lose his soul, and Paul makes him easy as to
this care too. One concern leads him to another, and a much greater;
and, being hindered from hastening himself out of this world, he begins
to think, if he had pursued his intention, whither death would have
brought him, and what would have become of him on the other side
death–a very proper thought for such as have been snatched as a brand
out of the fire, when there was but a step between them and death.
Perhaps the heinousness of the sin he was running into helped to alarm
him.
(1.) Whatever was the cause, he was put into a great consternation. The
Spirit of God, that was sen to convince, in order to his being a
Comforter, struck a terror upon him, and startled him. Whether he took
care to shut the prison-doors again we are not told. Perhaps he forgot
this as the woman of Samaria, when Christ had impressed convictions on
her conscience, left her water-pot and forgot her errand to the
well; for he called for a light with all speed, and sprang
in to the inner prison, and came trembling to Paul and
Silas. Those that have sin set in order before them, and are made
to know their abominations, cannot but tremble at the apprehension of
their misery and danger. This jailer, when he was thus made to tremble,
could not apply to a more proper person than to Paul, for it had once
been his own case; he had been once a persecutor of good men, as this
jailer was–had cast them into prison, as he kept them–and when, like
him, he was made sensible of it, he trembled, and was
astonished; and therefore he was able to speak the more feelingly
to the jailer.
(2.) In this consternation, he applied to Paul and Silas for relief.
Observe,
[1.] How reverent and respectful his address to them is: He called
for a light, because they were in the dark, and that they might see
what a fright he was in; he fell down before them, as one amazed
at the badness of his own condition, and ready to sink under the load
of his terror because of it; he fell down before them, as one that had
upon his spirit an awe of them, and of the image of God upon them, and
of their commission from God. It is probable that he had heard what the
damsel said of them, that they were the servants of the living God,
who showed to them the way of salvation, and as such he thus
expressed his veneration for them. He fell down before them, to beg
their pardon, as a penitent, for the indignities he had done them, and
to beg their advice, as a supplicant, what he should do. He gave them
a title of respect, Sirs, kyrioi—lords,
masters; just now it was, Rogues and villains, and he
was their master; but now, Sirs, lords, and they are his
masters. Converting grace changes people’s language of and to good
people and good ministers; and, to such as are thoroughly convinced of
sin, the very feet of those that bring tidings of Christ are beautiful;
yea, though they are disgracefully fastened in the stocks.
[2.] How serious his enquiry is: What must I do to be saved?
First, His salvation is now his great concern, and lies nearest his
heart, which before was the furthest thing from his thoughts. Not, What
shall I do to be preferred, to be rich and great in the world? but,
What shall I do to be saved? Secondly, He does not enquire
concerning others, what they must do; but concerning himself, “What
must I do?” It is his own precious soul that he is in care about: “Let
others do as they please; tell me what I must do, what course I must
take.” Thirdly, He is convinced that something must be done, and
done by him too, in order to his salvation: that it is not a thing of
course, a thing that will do itself, but a thing about which we must
strive, wrestle, and take pains. He asks not, “What may be done for
me?” but, “What shall I do, that, being now in fear and
trembling, I may work out my salvation?” as Paul speaks in
his epistle to the church at Philippi, of which this jailer was,
perhaps with respect to his trembling enquiry here, intimating that he
must not only ask after salvation (as he had done), but work out his
salvation with a holy trembling,
Phil. ii. 12.
Fourthly, He is willing to do any thing: “Tell me what I must
do, and I am here ready to do it. Sirs, put me into any way, if it be
but the right way, and a sure way; though narrow, and thorny, and
uphill, yet I will walk in it.” Note, Those who are thoroughly
convinced of sin, and truly concerned about their salvation, will
surrender at discretion to Jesus Christ, will give him a blank to write
what he pleases, will be glad to have Christ upon his own terms, Christ
upon any terms. Fifthly, He is inquisitive what he should do, is
desirous to know what he should do, and asks those that were likely to
tell him. If you will enquire, enquire ye,
Isa. xxi. 12.
Those that set their faces Zionward must ask the way thither,
We cannot know it of ourselves, but God has made it known to us by his
word, has appointed his ministers to assist us in consulting the
scriptures, and has promised to give his Holy Spirit to those that
ask him, to be their guide in the way of salvation. Sixthly,
He brought them out, to put this question to them, that their
answer might not be by duress or compulsion, but that they might
prescribe to him, though he was their keeper, with the same liberty as
they did to others. He brings them out of the dungeon, in hopes they
will bring him out of a much worse.
(3.) They very readily directed him what he must do,
They were always ready to answer such enquiries; though they are cold,
and sore, and sleepy, they do not adjourn this cause to a more
convenient time and place, do not bid him come to them the next sabbath
at their meeting-place by the river side, and they will tell him, but
they strike while the iron is hot, take him now when he is in a good
mind, lest the conviction should wear off. Now that God begins to work,
it is time for them to set in as workers together with God. They
do not upbraid him with his rude and ill carriage towards them, and his
going beyond his warrant; all this is forgiven and forgotten, and they
are as glad to show him the way to heaven as the best friend they have.
They did not triumph over him, though he trembled; they gave him the
same directions they did to others, Believe in the Lord Jesus
Christ. One would think they should have said, “Repent of thy
abusing us, in the first place.” No, that is overlooked and easily
passed by, if he will but believe in Christ. This is an example to
ministers to encourage penitents, to meet those that are coming to
Christ and take them by the hand, not to be hard upon any for
unkindness done to them, but to seek Christ’s honour more than their
own. Here is the sum of the whole gospel, the covenant of grace in a
few words: Believe in the Lord Jesus Christ, and thou shalt be
saved, and thy house. Here is,
[1.] The happiness promised: “Thou shalt be saved; not only
rescued from eternal ruin, but brought to eternal life and blessedness.
Though thou art a poor man, an under-jailer or turnkey, mean and
of low condition in the world, yet this shall be no bar to thy
salvation. Though a great sinner, though a persecutor, yet thy heinous
transgressions shall be all forgiven through the merits of Christ; and
thy hard embittered heart shall be softened and sweetened by the grace
of Christ, and thus thou shalt neither die for thy crime nor die of thy
disease.”
[2.] The condition required: Believe in the Lord Jesus Christ.
We must admit the record that God hath given in his gospel concerning
his Son, and assent to it as faithful, and well worthy of all
acceptation. We must approve the method God has taken of
reconciling the world to himself by a Mediator; and accept of Christ as
he is offered to us, and give up ourselves to be ruled and taught and
saved by him. This is the only way and a sure way to salvation. No
other way of salvation than by Christ, and no other way of our being
saved by Christ than by believing in him; and no danger of coming short
if we take this way, for it is the way that God has appointed, and he
is faithful that has promised. It is the gospel that is to be preached
to every creature, He that believes shall be saved.
[3.] The extension of this to his family: Thou shalt be saved, and
thy house; that is, “God will be in Christ a God to thee and to thy
seed, as he was to Abraham. Believe, and salvation shall come to thy
house, as
Those of thy house that are infants shall be admitted into the visible
church with thee, and thereby put into a fair way for salvation; those
that are grown up shall have the means of salvation brought to them,
and, be they ever so many, let them believe in Jesus Christ and they
shall be saved; they are all welcome to Christ upon the same
terms.”
(4.) They proceeded to instruct him and his family in the doctrine of
Christ
(v. 32):
They spoke unto him the word of the Lord. He was, for aught that
appears, an utter stranger to Christ, and therefore it is requisite he
should be told who this Jesus is, that he may believe in him,
And, the substance of the matter lying in a little compass, they soon
told him enough to make his being baptized a reasonable service.
Christ’s ministers should have the word of the Lord so ready to them,
and so richly dwelling in them, as to be able to give instructions
offhand to any that desire to hear and receive them, for their
direction in the way of salvation. They spoke the word not only to him,
but to all that were in his house. Masters of families should
take care that all under their charge partake of the means of knowledge
and grace, and that the word of the Lord be spoken to them; for the
souls of the poorest servants are as precious as those of their
masters, and are bought with the same price.
(5.) The jailer and his family were immediately baptized, and thereby
took upon them the profession of Christianity, submitted to its laws,
and were admitted to its privileges, upon their declaring solemnly, as
the eunuch did, that they believed that Jesus Christ is the Son of
God: He was baptized, he and all his, straightway. Neither
he nor any of his family desired time to consider whether they should
come into baptismal bonds or no; nor did Paul and Silas desire time to
try their sincerity and to consider whether they should baptize them or
no. But the Spirit of grace worked such a strong faith in them, all on
a sudden, as superseded further debate; and Paul and Silas knew by the
Spirit that it was a work of God that was wrought in them: so that
there was no occasion for demur. This therefore will not justify such
precipitation in ordinary cases.
(6.) The jailer was hereupon very respectful to Paul and Silas, as one
that knew not how to make amends for the injury he had done to them,
much less for the kindness he had received from them: He took them
the same hour of the night, would not let them lie a minute longer
in the inner prison; but,
[1.] He washed their stripes, to cool them, and abate the smart
of them; to clean them from the blood which the stripes had fetched. It
is probable that he bathed them with some healing liquor, as the good
Samaritan helped the wounded man by pouring in oil and wine.
[2.] He brought them into his house, bade them welcome to the
best room he had, and prepared his best bed for them. Now nothing was
thought good enough for them, as before nothing bad enough.
[3.] He set meat before them, such as his house would afford,
and they were welcome to it, by which he expressed the welcome which
his soul gave to the gospel. They had spoken to him the word of the
Lord, had broken the bread of life to him and his family; and he,
having reaped so plentifully of their spiritual things, thought it was
but reasonable that they should reap of his carnal things,
What have we houses and tables for but as we have opportunity to serve
God and his people with them?
(7.) The voice of rejoicing with that of salvation was heard in the
jailer’s house; never was such a truly merry night kept there before:
He rejoiced, believing in God, with all his house. There was
none in his house that refused to be baptized, and so made a jar in the
harmony; but they were unanimous in embracing the gospel, which added
much to the joy. Or it may be read, He, believing in God, rejoiced
all the house over; panoiki–he went to every
apartment, expressing his joy. Observe,
[1.] His believing in Christ is called believing in God, which
intimates that Christ is God, and that the design of the gospel is so
far from being to draw us from God (saying, Go serve other gods,
Deut. xiii. 2)
that it has a direct tendency to bring us to God.
[2.] His faith produced joy. Those that by faith have given up
themselves to God in Christ as theirs have a great deal of reason to
rejoice. The eunuch, when he was converted, went on his way
rejoicing; and here the jailer rejoiced. The conversion of the
nations is spoken of in the Old Testament as their rejoicing,
For, believing, we rejoice with joy unspeakable, and full of
glory. Believing in Christ is rejoicing in Christ.
[3.] He signified his joy to all about him. Out of the abundance of the
joy in his heart, his mouth spoke to the glory of God, and their
encouragement who believed in God too. Those who have themselves tasted
the comforts of religion should do what they can to bring others to the
taste of them. One cheerful Christian should make many.
| Paul and Silas Released. |
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35 And when it was day, the magistrates sent the serjeants,
saying, Let those men go.
36 And the keeper of the prison told this saying to Paul, The
magistrates have sent to let you go: now therefore depart, and go
in peace.
37 But Paul said unto them, They have beaten us openly
uncondemned, being Romans, and have cast us into prison; and
now do they thrust us out privily? nay verily; but let them come
themselves and fetch us out.
38 And the serjeants told these words unto the magistrates: and
they feared, when they heard that they were Romans.
39 And they came and besought them, and brought them out, and
desired them to depart out of the city.
40 And they went out of the prison, and entered into the house
of Lydia: and when they had seen the brethren, they comforted
them, and departed.
In these verses we have,
I. Orders sent for the discharge of Paul and Silas out of prison
1. The magistrates that had so basely abused them the day before gave
the orders; and their doing it so early, as soon as it was day,
intimates that either they were sensible the terrific earthquake they
felt at midnight was intended to plead the cause of their prisoners, or
their consciences had smitten them for what they had done and made them
very uneasy. While the persecuted were singing in the stocks, the
persecutors were full of tossings to and fro upon their beds, through
anguish of mind, complaining more of the lashes of their consciences
than the prisoners did of the lashes on their backs, and more in haste
to give them a discharge than they were to petition for one. Now God
caused his servants to be pitied of those that had carried them
captives,
Ps. cvi. 46.
The magistrates sent sergeants,
rabdouchous—those that had the rods, the vergers,
the tipstaves, the beadles, those that had been employed in beating
them, that they might go and ask them forgiveness. The order was,
Let those men go. It is probable that they designed further
mischief to them, but God turned their hearts, and, as he had made their
wrath hitherto to praise him, so the remainder thereof he did restrain,
2. The jailer brought them the news
(v. 36):
The magistrates have sent to let you go. Some think the jailer
had betimes transmitted an account to the magistrates of what had
passed in his house that night, and so had obtained this order for the
discharge of his prisoners: Now therefore depart. Not that he
was desirous to part with them as his guests, but as his prisoners;
they shall still be welcome to his house, but he is glad they are at
liberty from his stocks. God could by his grace as easily have
converted the magistrates as the jailer, and have brought them to faith
and baptism; but God hath chosen the poor of this world,
James ii. 5.
II. Paul’s insisting upon the breach of privilege which the magistrates
had been guilty of,
Paul said to the sergeants, “They have beaten us openly,
uncondemned, being Romans, and have cast us into prison against all
law and justice, and now do they thrust us out privily, and
think to make us amends with this for the injury done us? Nay,
verily; but let them come themselves and fetch us our, and own that
they have done us wrong.” It is probable that the magistrates had some
intimation that they were Romans, and were made sensible that their
fury had carried them further than the law would bear them out; and
that this was the reason why they gave orders for their discharge. Now
observe,
1. Paul did not plead this before he was beaten, though it is probable
that it might have prevented it, lest he should seem to be afraid of
suffering for the truth which he had preached. Tully, in one of his
orations, against Verres, tells of one Ganius, who was ordered by
Verres to be beaten in Sicily, that all the while he was under the lash
he cried out nothing but Civis Romanus sum–I am a citizen of
Rome; Paul did not do so; he had nobler things than this to comfort
himself with in his affliction.
2. He did plead it afterwards, to put an honour upon his sufferings and
upon the cause he suffered for, to let the world know that the
preachers of the gospel were not such despicable men as they were
commonly looked upon to be, and that they merited better treatment. He
did it likewise to mollify the magistrates towards the Christians at
Philippi, and to gain better treatment for them, and beget in the
people a better opinion of the Christian religion, when they saw that
Paul had a fair advantage against their magistrates, might have brought
his action against them and had them called to an account for what they
had done, and yet did not take the advantage, which was very much to
the honour of that worthy name by which he was called. Now here,
(1.) Paul lets them know how many ways they had run themselves into a
premunire, and that he had law enough to know it.
[1.] They had beaten those that were Romans; some think that
Silas was a Roman citizen as well as Paul; others that this does not
necessarily follow. Paul was a citizen, and Silas was his companion.
Now both the lex Procia and the lex Sempronia did
expressly forbid liberum corpus Romani civis, virgis aut aliis
verberibus cædi–the free body of a Roman citizen to be beaten
with rods or otherwise. Roman historians give instances of cities
that had their charters taken from them for indignities done to Roman
citizens; we shall afterwards find Paul making use of this plea,
To tell them they had beaten those who were the messengers of Christ
and the favourites of Heaven would have had no influence upon them; but
to tell them they have abused Roman citizens will put them into a
fright: so common is it for people to be more afraid of Cæsar’s
wrath than of Christ’s. He that affronts a Roman, a gentleman, a
nobleman, though ignorantly, and through mistake, thinks himself
concerned to cry Peccavi–I have done wrong, and make his
submission; but he that persecutes a Christian because he belongs to
Christ stands to it, and thinks he may do it securely, though God hath
said, He that toucheth them toucheth the apple of my eye, and
Christ has warned us of the danger of offending his little ones.
[2.] They had beaten them uncondemned; indicta causa–without a fair
hearing, had not calmly examined what was said against them, much
less enquired what they had to say for themselves. It is a universal
rule of justice, Causâ cognitâ possunt multi absolvi,
incognitâ nemo condemnari potest–Many may be acquitted in
consequence of having had a hearing, while without a hearing no one can
be condemned. Christ’s servants would not have been abused as they
have been if they and their cause might but have had an impartial
trial.
[3.] It was an aggravation of this that they had done it openly, which,
as it was so much the greater disgrace to the sufferers, so it was the
bolder defiance to justice and the law.
[4.] They had cast them into prison, without showing any cause
of their commitment, and in an arbitrary manner, by a verbal order.
[5.] They now thrust them out privily; they had not indeed the
impudence to stand by what they had done, but yet had not the honesty
to own themselves in a fault.
(2.) He insists upon it that they should make them an acknowledgment of
their error, and give them a public discharge, to make it the more
honourable, as they had done them a public disgrace, which made that
the more disgraceful: “Let them come themselves, and fetch us
out, and give a testimony to our innocency, and that we have done
nothing worthy of stripes or of bonds.” It was not a point of honour
that Paul stood thus stiffly upon, but a point of justice, and not to
himself so much as to his cause: “Let them come and stop the clamours
of the people, by confessing that we are not the troublers of the
city.”
III. The magistrates’ submission, and the reversing of the judgment
given against Paul and Silas,
1. The magistrates were frightened when they were told (though it may
be they knew it before) that Paul was a Roman. They feared when they
heard it, lest some of his friends should inform the government of what
they had done, and they should fare the worse for it. The proceedings
of persecutors have often been illegal, even by the law of nations, and
often inhuman, against the law of nature, but always sinful, and
against God’s law.
2. They came and besought them not to take advantage of the law
against them, but to overlook the illegality of what they had done and
say no more of it: they brought them out of the prison, owning
that they were wrongfully put into it, and desired them that they would
peaceably and quietly depart out of the city. Thus Pharaoh and
his servants, who had set God and Moses at defiance, came to Moses, and
bowed down themselves to him, saying, Get thee out,
Exod. xi. 8.
God can make the enemies of his people ashamed of their envy and enmity
to them,
Jerusalem is sometimes made a burdensome stone to those that heave at
it, which they would gladly get clear of,
Yet, if the repentance of these magistrates had been sincere, they
would not have desired them to depart out of their city (as the
Gadarenes desired to be rid of Christ), but would have courted their
stay, and begged of them to continue in their city, to show them the
way of salvation. But many are convinced that Christianity is not to be
persecuted who yet are not convinced that it ought to be embraced, or
at least are not persuaded to embrace it. They are compelled to do
honour to Christ and his servants, to worship before their feet, and
to know that he has loved them
(Rev. iii. 9),
and yet do not go so far as to have benefit by Christ, or to come in
for a share in his love.
IV. The departure of Paul and Silas from Philippi,
They went out of the prison when they were legally discharged, and not
till then, though they were illegally committed, and then,
1. They took leave of their friends: they went to the house of
Lydia, where probably the disciples had met to pray for them, and
there they saw the brethren, or visited them at their respective
habitations (which was soon done, they were so few); and they
comforted them, by telling them (saith an ancient Greek
commentary) what God had done for them, and how he had owned them in
the prison. They encouraged them to keep close to Christ, and hold fast
the profession of their faith, whatever difficulties they might meet
with, assuring them that all would then end well, everlastingly well.
Young converts should have a great deal said to them to comfort them,
for the joy of the Lord will be very much their strength.
2. They quitted the town: They departed. I wonder they should do
so; for, now that they had had such an honourable discharge from their
imprisonment, surely they might have gone on at least for some time in
their work without danger; but I suppose they went away upon that
principle of their Master’s
(Mark i. 38).
Let us go into the next towns, that I may preach there also, for
therefore came I forth. Paul and Silas had an extraordinary call to
Philippi; and yet, when they have come thither, they see little of the
fruit of their labours, and are soon driven thence. Yet they did not
come in vain. Though the beginnings here were small, the latter end
greatly increased; now they laid the foundation of a church at
Philippi, which became very eminent, had its bishops and deacons, and
people that were more generous to Paul than any other church, as
appears by his epistle to the Philippians,
Let not ministers be discouraged, though they see not the fruit of
their labours presently; the seed sown seems to be lost under the
clods, but it shall come up again in a plentiful harvest in due
time.
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