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Acts Chapter
Sixteen
Acts 16
There is perhaps no example of this more remarkable than
that which Paul does with regard to Timothy. He uses circumcision in all
liberty to set aside Jewish prejudice. It is very doubtful whether
according
to the law
he ought to have been circumcised. Ezra and Nehemiah shew us the
strange wives sent away; but here
the mother being a Jewess
Paul causes the
child of this mixed marriage to follow the rule of the Jews and submit to that
rite. Liberty fully recognises the law in its place
although itself exempt
from it
and distinctly states
for the assurance of the Gentiles
the absence
of all pretension
on the part of the Judaean Christians
to impose the law
upon Gentiles. Paul circumcises Timothy
and does not give subjection for an
hour to those who would have compelled Titus to be circumcised. He would become
a Jew to the Jews from love; but the Jews themselves must renounce all
pretension to impose the law on others. The decrees given at Jerusalem are left
with the churches-a plain answer to every Jew who desired to subject the
Gentiles to Judaism. The decrees
we may remark
were those of the apostles and
the elders.
It is the Holy Ghost alone who directs the apostle. He forbids him to
preach in Asia (the province)
and will not suffer him to go into Bithynia. By
a vision in the night they are called to go into Macedonia. Here the historian
meets them. It is the Lord who calls them into Macedonia. It is well to note
here that
while the gospel is sent under Paul's ministry to the whole creation
under heaven
yet there is specific direction as to where we are to go.
Here the apostle goes first to the Jews
even when it was
only a few women who came together by the river side-a place
as it appears
usually chosen where there was no synagogue. A Greek woman
who worshipped the
God of Israel
is converted by grace. Thus the door is opened
and others also
believe (v. 40). Here Satan tries to tamper with the work by bearing a
testimony to the ministers of the word. Not that this spirit acknowledged
Jesus-he would not then have been an evil spirit
he would not have thus
possessed the damsel. He speaks of the agents
in order to have a share of the
glory
and of the most high God-compelled perhaps by the presence of the Spirit
to speak
as had been the case with others by the presence of Jesus
when His
power was before their eyes. The testimony of Satan could not go so far as to
own Him Lord; and if Paul had not been faithful
it would have mixed up the
work of the enemy with that of the Lord. But it was not a testimony to Paul
that Paul sought
nor a testimony rendered by an evil spirit
whatever might be
the appearance of its testimony. The proof which the evil spirit had to give
that the power of God was present
was to submit to it by being driven away. It
could not be a support to the work of God. We see in this circumstance the
disinterestedness of the apostle
his spiritual discernment
the power of God
with him
and the faith which will have no other support than that of God. It
would have been useful to have a testimony rendered to his ministry: the
reasonings of the flesh might have said
'I did not seek it.' Persecution would
have been avoided. But God will have no other testimony than that which He
bears to Himself. No other can be a testimony from Him
for He reveals Himself
where He is not known; faith waits only on Him to render it. Paul went on
without troubling himself about this malicious attempt of the enemy's
and
possibly in wisdom avoiding conflict where there was no fruit for the Lord
until by its persistency the apostle was forced to attend to it. The Spirit of
God does not tolerate the presence of an evil spirit when it makes itself
actively manifest before Him. He does not lend Himself to its devices by giving
it importance through a voluntary interposition; for He has His own work
and
He does not turn away from it to occupy Himself about the enemy. He is
occupied
in love
about souls. But if Satan comes in His way
so as to perplex
these souls
the Spirit reveals Himself in His energy
and the enemy flees
before Him.
But Satan is not without resources. The power which he
cannot exercise in a direct way
he employs in exciting the passions and lusts
of men in opposition to that power against which he cannot himself stand
and
which will neither unite itself to him nor recognise him. Even as the Gadarenes
desired Jesus to depart
when He had healed Legion
so the Philippians rise up
tumultuously against Paul and his companions at the instigation of the men who
had lost their dishonest gains. But God makes use of all this to direct the
progress of His own work
and give it the form He pleases. There is the gaoler
to be converted
and the magistrates themselves are to confess their wrong with
respect to the messengers of God. The assembly is gathered out
a flock (as the
epistle addressed to them bears witness) full of love and affection. The
apostle goes to labour elsewhere. We see a more active
a more energetic
testimony here than in the similar case that happened to Peter. The
intervention of God is more striking in Peter's case. It is the old Jerusalem
worn out in everything except hatred
and God faithful to the one who trusted
in Him. The hatred is disappointed. Paul and Silas sing
instead of quietly sleeping;
the doors burst suddenly open; and the gaoler himself is converted
and his
family. The magistrates are obliged to come as supplicants to Paul. Such is the
result of the tumult. The enemy was mistaken here. If he stopped their work at
Philippi
he sent the apostles to preach elsewhere according to the will of
God.
We must not pass over in silence this energy which
embraced whole houses
and subdued them to the christian faith. We only see it
however
when it is a question of bringing in the Gentiles. [1] But Cornelius
Lydia
the gaoler of
Philippi
are all witnesses to this power.
[1] We
see however
in the case of Lydda and Saron
what is more analogous to the
introduction of a people. They heard of the miracle done to Aeneas; and the
town and neighbourhood turned to the Lord. Saron is a district along the coast.
── John Darby《Synopsis of Acts》
Acts 16
Chapter Contents
Paul takes Timothy to be his assistant. (1-5) Paul
proceeds to Macedonia
The conversion of Lydia. (6-15) An evil spirit cast out
Paul and Silas scourged and imprisoned. (16-24) The conversion of the jailer at
Philippi. (25-34) Paul and Silas released. (35-40)
Commentary on Acts 16:1-5
(Read Acts 16:1-5)
Well may the church look for much service from youthful
ministers who set out in the same spirit as Timothy. But when men will submit
in nothing
and oblige in nothing
the first elements of the Christian temper
seem to be wanting; and there is great reason to believe that the doctrines and
precepts of the gospel will not be successfully taught. The design of the
decree being to set aside the ceremonial law
and its carnal ordinances
believers were confirmed in the Christian faith
because it set up a spiritual
way of serving God
as suited to the nature both of God and man. Thus the
church increased in numbers daily.
Commentary on Acts 16:6-15
(Read Acts 16:6-15)
The removals of ministers
and the dispensing the means
of grace by them
are in particular under Divine conduct and direction. We must
follow Providence: and whatever we seek to do
if that suffer us not
we ought
to submit and believe to be for the best. People greatly need help for their
souls
it is their duty to look out for it
and to invite those among them who
can help them. And God's calls must be complied with readily. A solemn assembly
the worshippers of God must have
if possible
upon the sabbath day. If we have
not synagogues
we must be thankful for more private places
and resort to them;
not forsaking the assembling together
as our opportunities are. Among the
hearers of Paul was a woman
named Lydia. She had an honest calling
which the
historian notices to her praise. Yet though she had a calling to mind
she
found time to improve advantages for her soul. It will not excuse us from
religious duties
to say
We have a trade to mind; for have not we also a God
to serve
and souls to look after? Religion does not call us from our business
in the world
but directs us in it. Pride
prejudice
and sin shut out the
truths of God
till his grace makes way for them into the understanding and
affections; and the Lord alone can open the heart to receive and believe his
word. We must believe in Jesus Christ; there is no coming to God as a Father
but
by the Son as Mediator.
Commentary on Acts 16:16-24
(Read Acts 16:16-24)
Satan
though the father of lies
will declare the most
important truths
when he can thereby serve his purposes. But much mischief is
done to the real servants of Christ
by unholy and false preachers of the
gospel
who are confounded with them by careless observers. Those who do good
by drawing men from sin
may expect to be reviled as troublers of the city. While
they teach men to fear God
to believe in Christ
to forsake sin
and to live
godly lives
they will be accused of teaching bad customs.
Commentary on Acts 16:25-34
(Read Acts 16:25-34)
The consolations of God to his suffering servants are
neither few nor small. How much more happy are true Christians than their
prosperous enemies! As in the dark
so out of the depths
we may cry unto God.
No place
no time is amiss for prayer
if the heart be lifted up to God. No
trouble
however grievous
should hinder us from praise. Christianity proves
itself to be of God
in that it obliges us to be just to our own lives. Paul
cried aloud to make the jailer hear
and to make him heed
saying
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. Man
woman
do not ruin
thyself; hurt not thyself
and then none else can hurt thee; do not sin
for
nothing but that can hurt thee. Even as to the body
we are cautioned against
the sins which do harm to that. Converting grace changes people's language of
and to good people and good ministers. How serious the jailer's inquiry! His
salvation becomes his great concern; that lies nearest his heart
which before
was furthest from his thoughts. It is his own precious soul that he is
concerned about. Those who are thoroughly convinced of sin
and truly concerned
about their salvation
will give themselves up to Christ. 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. The Lord so blessed the
word
that the jailer was at once softened and humbled. He treated them with
kindness and compassion
and
professing faith in Christ
was baptized in that
name
with his family. The Spirit of grace worked such a strong faith in them
as did away further doubt; and Paul and Silas knew by the Spirit
that a work
of God was wrought in them. When sinners are thus converted
they will love and
honour those whom they before despised and hated
and will seek to lessen the
suffering they before desired to increase. When the fruits of faith begin to
appear
terrors will be followed by confidence and joy in God.
Commentary on Acts 16:35-40
(Read Acts 16:35-40)
Paul
though willing to suffer for the cause of Christ
and without any desire to avenge himself
did not choose to depart under the
charge of having deserved wrongful punishment
and therefore required to be
dismissed in an honourable manner. It was not a mere point of honour that the
apostle stood upon
but justice
and not to himself so much as to his cause.
And when proper apology is made
Christians should never express personal
anger
nor insist too strictly upon personal amends. The Lord will make them
more than conquerors in every conflict; instead of being cast down by their
sufferings
they will become comforters of their brethren.
── Matthew Henry《Concise Commentary on Acts》
Acts 16
Verse 6
[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
And having gone through Phrygia — And spoken there what was sufficient
as well as in the region of
Galatia
being forbid by the Spirit (probably by an inward dictate) to speak as
yet in the proconsular Asia
the time for it not being come.
Verse 7
[7] After they were come to Mysia
they assayed to go into Bithynia: but the
Spirit suffered them not.
Coming to Mysia
and passing it by
as being
a part of Asia
they attempted to go into Bithynia; but the Spirit suffered
them not - Forbidding them as before. Sometimes a strong impression
for which
we are not able to give any account
is not altogether to be despised.
Verse 9
[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.
A vision appeared to Paul by night — It was not a dream
though it was by night. No other dream is mentioned
in the New Testament than that of Joseph and of Pilate's wife.
A man of Macedonia —
Probably an angel clothed in the Macedonian habit
or using the language of the
country
and representing the inhabitants of it.
Help us —
Against Satan
ignorance
and sin.
Verse 10
[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.
We sought to go into Macedonia — This is the first place in which St. Luke intimates his attendance on
the apostle. And here he does it only in an oblique manner. Nor does he
throughout the history once mention his own name
or any one thing which he did
or said for the service of Christianity; though Paul speaks of him in the most
honourable terms
Colossians 4:14; 2 Timothy 4:11; and probably as the brother
whose praise in the Gospel went through all the Churches
2 Corinthians 8:18. The same remark may be made
on the rest of the sacred historians
who every one of them show the like
amiable modesty.
Verse 11
[11] Therefore loosing from Troas
we came with a straight course to
Samothracia
and the next day to Neapolis;
We ran with a straight course — Which increased their confidence that God had called them.
Verse 12
[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.
The first city —
Neapolis was the first city they came to in that part of Macedonia which was
nearest to Asia: in that part which was farthest from it
Philippi. The river
Strymon ran between them. Philippi was a Roman colony.
Verse 13
[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.
We went out of the gate — The Jews usually held their religious assemblies (either by choice or
constraint) at a distance from the heathens: by a river side - Which was also
convenient for purifying themselves.
Where prayer was wont to be made — Though it does not appear there was any house built there.
We spake — At
first in a familiar manner. Paul did not immediately begin to preach.
Verse 14
[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.
A worshipper of God —
Probably acquainted with the prophetic writings whose heart the Lord opened -
The Greek word properly refers to the opening of the eyes: and the heart has
its eyes
Ephesians 1:18. These are closed by nature and
to open them is the peculiar work of God.
Verse 15
[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.
She was baptized and her family — Who can believe that in so many families there was no infant? Or that
the Jews
who were so long accustomed to circumcise their children
would not
now devote them to God by baptism? She entreated us - The souls of the faithful
cleave to those by whom they were gained to God.
She constrained us — By
her importunity. They did not immediately comply
lest any should imagine they
sought their own profit by coining into Macedonia.
Verse 17
[17] The
same followed Paul and us
and cried
saying
These men are the servants of the
most high God
which shew unto us the way of salvation.
These men are — A
great truth: but St. Paul did not need
nor would accept
of such testimony.
Verse 19
[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
The magistrates —
The supreme magistrates of the city. In the next verse they are called by a
title which often signifies pretors. These officers exercised both the military
and civil authority.
Verse 20
[20] And
brought them to the magistrates
saying
These men
being Jews
do exceedingly
trouble our city
Being Jews — A
nation peculiarly despised by the Romans.
Verse 21
[21] And
teach customs
which are not lawful for us to receive
neither to observe
being Romans.
And teach customs which it is not lawful for
us to receive — The world has received all the rules and
doctrines of all the philosophers that ever were. But this is a property of
Gospel truth: it has something in it peculiarly intolerable to the world.
Verse 23
[23] And
when they had laid many stripes upon them
they cast them into prison
charging
the jailor to keep them safely:
They laid many stripes upon them — Either they did not immediately say they were Romans
or in the tumult
it was not regarded.
Charging the jailer —
Perhaps rather to quiet the people than because they thought them criminal.
Verse 24
[24] Who
having received such a charge
thrust them into the inner prison
and made
their feet fast in the stocks.
Secured their feet in the stocks — These were probably those large pieces of wood
in use among the Romans
which not only loaded the legs of the prisoner
but also kept them extended in
a very painful manner.
Verse 25
[25] And
at midnight Paul and Silas prayed
and sang praises unto God: and the prisoners
heard them.
Paul and Silas sung a hymn to God — Notwithstanding weariness
hunger stripes
and blood.
And the prisoners heard — A song to which they were not accustomed.
Verse 28
[28] But
Paul cried with a loud voice
saying
Do thyself no harm: for we are all here.
But Paul cried — As
they were all then in the dark
it is not easy to say
how Paul knew of the
jailer's purpose; unless it were by some immediate notice from God
which is by
no means incredible.
With a loud voice —
Through earnestness
and because he was at some distance.
Do thyself no harm —
Although the Christian faith opens the prospect into another life
yet it
absolutely forbids and effectually prevents a man's discharging himself from
this.
Verse 30
[30] And
brought them out
and said
Sirs
what must I do to be saved?
Sirs — He
did not style them so the day before.
What must I do to be saved? — From the guilt I feel and the vengeance I fear? Undoubtedly God then set
his sins in array before him
and convinced him in the clearest and strongest
manner that the wrath of God abode upon him.
Verse 31
[31] And
they said
Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ
and thou shalt be saved
and thy
house.
Thou shalt be saved and thy household — If ye believe. They did so
and were saved.
Verse 33
[33] And he
took them the same hour of the night
and washed their stripes; and was
baptized
he and all his
straightway.
He washed their stripes — It should not be forgot
that the apostles had not the power of working
miraculous cures when they pleased
either on themselves
or their dearest
friends. Nor was it expedient they should
since it would have frustrated many
wise designs of God
which were answered by their sufferings.
Verse 34
[34] And
when he had brought them into his house
he set meat before them
and rejoiced
believing in God with all his house.
He set a table before them and rejoiced — Faith makes a man joyful
prudent
liberal.
Verse 35
[35] And
when it was day
the magistrates sent the serjeants
saying
Let those men go.
The pretors sent —
Being probably terrified by the earthquake; saying
Let those men go - How
different from the charge given a few hours before! And how great an ease of
mind to the jailer!
Verse 37
[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.
They have beaten us publicly
being Romans — St. Paul does not always plead this privilege. But in a country where
they were entire strangers
such treatment might have brought upon them a
suspicion of having been guilty of some uncommon crime
and so have hindered
the course of the Gospel.
Verse 40
[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.
When they had seen the brethren
they
comforted them and departed — Though many circumstances now invited
their stay
yet they wisely complied with the request of the magistrates
that
they might not seem to express any degree of obstinacy or revenge
or give any
suspicion of a design to stir up the people.
── John Wesley《Explanatory Notes on
Acts》
Chapter 16. Paul in Prison
What Must I Do?
Believe in Jesus
I. Timothy the
New Fellow Worker
II. Vision of
the Man of Macedonia
III. Preach in
Philippi
── Chih-Hsin Chang《An Outline of The New Testament》