Acts · Chapter 16

Verse 1. A certain disciple] Bishop Pearce would read the latter part of this verse and the beginning of the next thus-A certain disciple named Timotheus, (the son of a certain Jewish woman that believed, but of a father who was a Greek,) who was well reported of by the brethren, &c. This Timothy was the same person to whom St. Paul wrote those two noble epistles which are still extant. His mother’s name was Eunice, as we learn from 2 Timothy 1:5. What his father’s name was we know not; he was either a mere heathen, or, at most, only a proselyte of the gate, who never submitted to circumcision: had he submitted to this rite, he would, no doubt, have circumcised his son; but the son being without it is a proof that the father was so too. Some MSS. state that Timothy’s mother was now a widow; but this does not appear to be well founded.

Verses 1-3. Then — When he had passed through the regions of Syria and Cilicia; came he to Derbe and Lystra — At which places he had preached the gospel in his former progress. And a certain disciple was there, named Timotheus — As Paul (2 Timothy 3:10, 11) speaks of Timothy as having been a witness of his sufferings at Lystra, and we read nothing of any remarkable sufferings which he endured in this his second progress through these parts, it is probable that Timothy was converted by him in his former journey, and was a spectator of what he then suffered at Lystra, (see chap. 14:19, 20,) and that Paul then began to have some acquaintance with him. The son of a certain believing Jewess, but his father was a Greek — These circumstances are mentioned as worthy of note, because he afterward became a very considerable person in the church, as well as a faithful and useful friend to the apostle. Who was well reported of, &c. — Was spoken of; by the brethren at Lystra and Iconium — As an eminently serious and devout young man, who had been remarkable for his early piety, having been trained up by his good mother and his grandmother in an acquaintance with the Holy Scriptures from his childhood, 2 Timothy 1:5; 3:15. Him would Paul have to go forth with him — As an assistant in his work, being directed herein by the Holy Ghost, 1 Timothy 1:18; and, to qualify him for the office, he conferred on him the extraordinary gifts of the Spirit, and had him solemnly set apart for the ministry by the presbytery, or eldership, of Lystra, 1 Timothy 4:14. For, in his former journey, he and Barnabas had ordained elders in every city. Withal, designing to employ Timothy in preaching to the Jews, he circumcised him; because he knew the Jews would not have respected him as a teacher, if they had taken him for an uncircumcised Gentile. This is that Timothy, whose teachableness and tears made such an impression on the apostle’s mind, that he never forgot them, 2 Timothy 1:4; who attended Paul in many of his journeys; and who, in respect of his love to Christ, and zeal for the advancement of the gospel, was like-minded with Paul, Philippians 2:20; so that he was his genuine son; and, as a son serveth with his father, so he served with the apostle in the gospel. On all which accounts, he was of such consideration among the disciples, and also so exceedingly esteemed by Paul for his knowledge and piety, that he allowed him to join him in some of those epistles which he wrote to the churches: while, at the same time, the apostle so greatly honoured him, as to write to him two most excellent letters, found in the canon of Scripture, which bear his name.

Verse 1, 2. Then came he to — Lystra, as in Acts 14:6. In their former labours in that city, Lois a jewess, her daughter Eunice, and Timothy her son, had embraced the faith. Now, they found Timothy growing in grace, and in the knowledge of the Lord. His grandmother Lois had instructed him in the scriptures from a child; and the spirit of prophecy had already designated him for the sanctuary. Timothy, though now very young, was of good report; but his father being a Greek, had not consented that Timothy should be circumcised. This lovely youth, the future hope of the church, accompanied Paul to Jerusalem, Acts 20:4, and also to Rome, where for a time he suffered imprisonment. Hebrews 13:23. He finally seemed fixed at Ephesus; his record is on high, antiquity being silent of other particulars.

1. Came he—Paul is now viewed by Luke as the man; Silas as his second, and Timothy will soon be his minister, as John Mark was once invited to be. Derbe and Lystra—Leaving Antioch by crossing over the bridge of the Orontes, our apostle, with his new coadjutor, passes into his native Cilicia through what was called the Syrian Gates, being a narrow gorge between the mountains, affording the sole entrance. (See map.) His present mission at his native province done, he would pass out through the Taurus range by the Cilician Gates, another memorable gorge. He would then enter the great Lycaonian plain, and soon find his late founded Churches, commencing at the point of his former termination, Derbe. Timotheus—(See note on Acts 14:20.) A Greek—Though the law forbade a Jew to take strange or foreign wives, it was not stringent against a Jewess’ marrying a Gentile husband, like Esther.

Verse 2. Which was well reported of] These words are spoken of Timothy, and not of his father. At this time Timothy must have been very young; for, several years after, when appointed to superintend the Church at Crete, he appears to have been then so young that there was a danger of its operating to the prejudice of his ministry: 1 Timothy 4:12, Let no man despise thy youth. He had a very early religious education from his godly mother Eunice, and his not less pious grandmother Lois; and, from his religious instructions, was well prepared for the work to which God now called him.

Verses 1-3. Then — When he had passed through the regions of Syria and Cilicia; came he to Derbe and Lystra — At which places he had preached the gospel in his former progress. And a certain disciple was there, named Timotheus — As Paul (2 Timothy 3:10, 11) speaks of Timothy as having been a witness of his sufferings at Lystra, and we read nothing of any remarkable sufferings which he endured in this his second progress through these parts, it is probable that Timothy was converted by him in his former journey, and was a spectator of what he then suffered at Lystra, (see chap. 14:19, 20,) and that Paul then began to have some acquaintance with him. The son of a certain believing Jewess, but his father was a Greek — These circumstances are mentioned as worthy of note, because he afterward became a very considerable person in the church, as well as a faithful and useful friend to the apostle. Who was well reported of, &c. — Was spoken of; by the brethren at Lystra and Iconium — As an eminently serious and devout young man, who had been remarkable for his early piety, having been trained up by his good mother and his grandmother in an acquaintance with the Holy Scriptures from his childhood, 2 Timothy 1:5; 3:15. Him would Paul have to go forth with him — As an assistant in his work, being directed herein by the Holy Ghost, 1 Timothy 1:18; and, to qualify him for the office, he conferred on him the extraordinary gifts of the Spirit, and had him solemnly set apart for the ministry by the presbytery, or eldership, of Lystra, 1 Timothy 4:14. For, in his former journey, he and Barnabas had ordained elders in every city. Withal, designing to employ Timothy in preaching to the Jews, he circumcised him; because he knew the Jews would not have respected him as a teacher, if they had taken him for an uncircumcised Gentile. This is that Timothy, whose teachableness and tears made such an impression on the apostle’s mind, that he never forgot them, 2 Timothy 1:4; who attended Paul in many of his journeys; and who, in respect of his love to Christ, and zeal for the advancement of the gospel, was like-minded with Paul, Philippians 2:20; so that he was his genuine son; and, as a son serveth with his father, so he served with the apostle in the gospel. On all which accounts, he was of such consideration among the disciples, and also so exceedingly esteemed by Paul for his knowledge and piety, that he allowed him to join him in some of those epistles which he wrote to the churches: while, at the same time, the apostle so greatly honoured him, as to write to him two most excellent letters, found in the canon of Scripture, which bear his name.

Verse 1, 2. Then came he to — Lystra, as in Acts 14:6. In their former labours in that city, Lois a jewess, her daughter Eunice, and Timothy her son, had embraced the faith. Now, they found Timothy growing in grace, and in the knowledge of the Lord. His grandmother Lois had instructed him in the scriptures from a child; and the spirit of prophecy had already designated him for the sanctuary. Timothy, though now very young, was of good report; but his father being a Greek, had not consented that Timothy should be circumcised. This lovely youth, the future hope of the church, accompanied Paul to Jerusalem, Acts 20:4, and also to Rome, where for a time he suffered imprisonment. Hebrews 13:23. He finally seemed fixed at Ephesus; his record is on high, antiquity being silent of other particulars.

V. 3. He took and circumcised him because of the Jews-The unbelieving Jews, to whom he designed he should preach. For they would not have conversed with him at all, so long as he was uncircumcised.

Verse 3. Took and circumcised him] For this simple reason, that the Jews would neither have heard him preach, nor would have any connection with him, had he been otherwise. Besides, St. Paul himself could have had no access to the Jews in any place, had they known that he associated with a person who was uncircumcised: they would have considered both to be unclean. The circumcision of Timothy was a merely prudential regulation; one rendered imperiously necessary by the circumstances in which they were then placed; and, as it was done merely in reference to this, Timothy was lain under no necessity to observe the Mosaic ritual, nor could it prejudice his spiritual state, because he did not do it in order to seek justification by the law, for this he had before, through the faith of Christ. In Galatians 2:3-5, we read that Paul refuses to circumcise Titus, who was a Greek, and his parents Gentiles, notwithstanding the entreaties of some zealous Judaizing Christians, as their object was to bring him under the yoke of the law: here, the case was widely different, and the necessity of the measure indisputable.

Verses 1-3. Then — When he had passed through the regions of Syria and Cilicia; came he to Derbe and Lystra — At which places he had preached the gospel in his former progress. And a certain disciple was there, named Timotheus — As Paul (2 Timothy 3:10, 11) speaks of Timothy as having been a witness of his sufferings at Lystra, and we read nothing of any remarkable sufferings which he endured in this his second progress through these parts, it is probable that Timothy was converted by him in his former journey, and was a spectator of what he then suffered at Lystra, (see chap. 14:19, 20,) and that Paul then began to have some acquaintance with him. The son of a certain believing Jewess, but his father was a Greek — These circumstances are mentioned as worthy of note, because he afterward became a very considerable person in the church, as well as a faithful and useful friend to the apostle. Who was well reported of, &c. — Was spoken of; by the brethren at Lystra and Iconium — As an eminently serious and devout young man, who had been remarkable for his early piety, having been trained up by his good mother and his grandmother in an acquaintance with the Holy Scriptures from his childhood, 2 Timothy 1:5; 3:15. Him would Paul have to go forth with him — As an assistant in his work, being directed herein by the Holy Ghost, 1 Timothy 1:18; and, to qualify him for the office, he conferred on him the extraordinary gifts of the Spirit, and had him solemnly set apart for the ministry by the presbytery, or eldership, of Lystra, 1 Timothy 4:14. For, in his former journey, he and Barnabas had ordained elders in every city. Withal, designing to employ Timothy in preaching to the Jews, he circumcised him; because he knew the Jews would not have respected him as a teacher, if they had taken him for an uncircumcised Gentile. This is that Timothy, whose teachableness and tears made such an impression on the apostle’s mind, that he never forgot them, 2 Timothy 1:4; who attended Paul in many of his journeys; and who, in respect of his love to Christ, and zeal for the advancement of the gospel, was like-minded with Paul, Philippians 2:20; so that he was his genuine son; and, as a son serveth with his father, so he served with the apostle in the gospel. On all which accounts, he was of such consideration among the disciples, and also so exceedingly esteemed by Paul for his knowledge and piety, that he allowed him to join him in some of those epistles which he wrote to the churches: while, at the same time, the apostle so greatly honoured him, as to write to him two most excellent letters, found in the canon of Scripture, which bear his name.

Ver. 3. Him would Paul have to go forth with him to the work of the Lord, and took and circumcised him, as a proselyte of righteousness. Timothy could otherwise have had no access to the jews. If this then was an act of prudence rather than a legal obligation, the circumcision of Timothy differs from that of Abraham, which was to him “a seal of righteousness by faith.” To Paul, the ceremonial law was not an obligation of conscience. Therefore to the jews he became as a jew, that he might gain the jews; to the gentiles, without the law, he lived as without the law, that he might gain them; to the weak and scrupulous in regard of meats and drinks, he became as weak. He became all things to all men, respecting rights in themselves indifferent, that he might save some. 1 Corinthians 9:20-22. Christian prudence, in the simplicity of wisdom, shines bright in the ministerial character.

3. Would—Willed or determined to have. Took—Implying the perfect mastery of the apostle in matters, yet not excluding the free consent of Timothy. Circumcised him—Known to be of a Gentile father, and probably uncircumcised by that father’s authority, Timothy would not have been admitted to the synagogues of the Jews as a religious teacher had he been uncircumcised, nor Paul as his companion. As by this act Paul conceded, not the necessity of circumcision to salvation, but only removed a bodily hinderance to Timothy’s acceptance among the Jews in various localities, he transgressed no principle he ever asserted. Yet at Jerusalem, when the Judaists made the necessity of circumcision an absolute requisite in the Christian system, he refused to allow Titus to be circumcised, Galatians 2:3. This circumcision of Timothy, and that demanded circumcision of Titus, involved two very different questions. So nice, and yet so accurate, a line did this wise apostle draw between the closely connected right and wrong. For peace and acceptance he would yield up to the very hairbreadth that divided right from wrong; but not all the world could compel him of that hairbreadth to sacrifice one half. His father was a Greek—Circumcised, Judaic-Greek Timothy united in himself the conciliation of the great dispute. He bridged over, in his own person, the gulf between Jew and Gentile.

Verse 4. They delivered them the decrees for to keep] ta dogmata, ta kekrimena upo twn apostolwn. Bishop Pearce contends that ta dogmata, the decrees, is a gloss which was not in the text originally; and that the ta kekrimena, the judgments or determinations of the apostles, was all that was originally written here. He supports his opinion by a reference to the word krinw, I judge, used by James, Acts 15:19, whence the whole decision, as it referred-1. to the inexpediency of circumcising the Gentiles; and, 2. to the necessity of observing the four precepts laid down, was called ta kekrimena, the things that were judged, or decided on; the judgments of the apostolic council. Instead of gegrammena, the Syrian has a word that answers to gegrammena, the decrees that were written. The word dogma, from dokew, to think proper, determine, decree, signifies an ordinance or decree, properly and deliberately made, relative to any important point, and which, in reference to that point, has the force of law. Our term dogma, which we often abuse, is the Greek word in English letters.

Verses 4, 5. And — In order that peace might be secured among the brethren in these parts, and no unnecessary burden might be imposed upon the Gentile converts, through the arts of any Judaizing teachers; as Paul and his companions went through the cities, they delivered them the decrees for to keep — Committed to the custody of each church an exact and attested copy of the decrees, made by the council at Jerusalem. See Acts 15:29: for, although these decrees were written in the form of a letter to the brethren of the Gentiles in Antioch, Syria, and Cilicia, they belonged equally to all the Gentile converts everywhere. And so were the churches established, &c. — The several churches where they came, being watered by such faithful labourers, and encouraged with so favourable a decision of the grand point then in question, were much confirmed in their adherence to the Christian faith; and increased more and more in number daily — For the burdensome yoke of the law of Moses being now broken, a great obstacle to the conversion of the Gentiles was removed.

Ver. 4. They delivered them the decrees to keep. These were the regulations of life and discipline. A short and happy code, no doubt, and well adapted to the circumstances of the church. These dogmas were of a religious, a moral, and a prudential nature, like the letter to the gentiles in the preseding chapter.

4. Decrees—Conclusions of the Council at Jerusalem; accepted as rules of compromise by all parties. Yet, by some strange reaction, it really took place that the Churches of Galatia, which Paul was now about to found, became Judaistic and almost apostate. (See his Epistle to the Galatians.)

Verse 5. And so were the Churches established] The disputations at Antioch, relative to circumcision, had no doubt spread far and wide among other Churches, and unhinged many. The decrees of the apostles came in good time, and prevented farther mischief: the people, saved from uncertainty, became established in the faith; and the Church had a daily accession of converted souls.

Verses 4, 5. And — In order that peace might be secured among the brethren in these parts, and no unnecessary burden might be imposed upon the Gentile converts, through the arts of any Judaizing teachers; as Paul and his companions went through the cities, they delivered them the decrees for to keep — Committed to the custody of each church an exact and attested copy of the decrees, made by the council at Jerusalem. See Acts 15:29: for, although these decrees were written in the form of a letter to the brethren of the Gentiles in Antioch, Syria, and Cilicia, they belonged equally to all the Gentile converts everywhere. And so were the churches established, &c. — The several churches where they came, being watered by such faithful labourers, and encouraged with so favourable a decision of the grand point then in question, were much confirmed in their adherence to the Christian faith; and increased more and more in number daily — For the burdensome yoke of the law of Moses being now broken, a great obstacle to the conversion of the Gentiles was removed.

V. 6. 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 6. Were forbidden of the Holy Ghost to preach the word in Asia.] The Asia mentioned here could not be Asia Minor in general, for Galatia, Phrygia, Pisidia, Lycaonia, and Pamphylia, were provinces of it, and in these the apostles preached; but it was what was called Proconsular Asia, which included only Ionia, Æolia, and Lydia. The apostles were not suffered to visit these places at this time; but they afterwards went thither, and preached the Gospel with success; for it was in this Proconsular Asia that the seven Churches were situated. God chose to send his servants to another place, where he saw that the word would be affectionately received; and probably those in Proconsular Asia were not, as yet, sufficiently prepared to receive and profit by it.

Verses 6-8. Now when they had gone throughout Phrygia — Greek, dielqontev de thn Frugian, kai thn Galatikhn cwran, having passed through Phrygia and the Galatian country, and spoken there what was sufficient, and delivered to the churches in those parts the decrees above mentioned, in order to their establishment in the true faith of the gospel; and were forbidden of the Holy Ghost (probably by an inward dictate) to preach the word in Asia — That is, in the proconsular Asia: for, “as all the places mentioned in the former verses lay in Asia Minor, it is evident that the word Asia must be thus understood. The reason for this prohibition seems to have been, that the time for preaching in that province was not yet come. But it is certain that flourishing churches were afterward planted there, particularly at Colosse, Laodicea, Sardis, Thyatira, and Philadelphia. It seems therefore to have been the determination of Providence, respecting Paul and his companions, that, instead of going through this region now, by such a leisurely progress as that in which they proceeded in their former journey, through Pamphylia, Pisidia, Lycaonia, &c., they should hasten to Europe directly, and preach the gospel first in Philippi, which was a Roman colony, and then in the neighbouring parts; while, in the mean time, the Asian provinces, now passed over, might hear some report of it from their neighbours and so be prepared to receive, with greater advantage, the labours of the apostles, when they should return to them, as Paul afterward did, chap. 18:23, &c. By this means the spread of the gospel would, in any given time, be wider than (other circumstances being equal) it would have been, had they taken all the interjacent places in their way.” — Doddridge. After they were come into Mysia — Which was the most western province of the Lesser Asia, and lay on the coast of the Ægean sea; they assayed to go northward into Bithynia — A country bounded on the west by a part of the Propontis and the Thracian Bosphorus, and on the north by the Euxine sea. Probably their intention was to visit the flourishing cities of Nice, Nicomedia, and Chalcedon, and so pass from thence into Europe. But the Spirit suffered them not — Forbidding them as before. Many manuscripts and versions of undoubted authority read here, The Spirit of Jesus. And so passing by the Lesser Mysia — Which separated Bithynia from the country of Troas; they came to the city Troas — A noted seaport, where travellers from the upper coasts of Asia commonly took ship to pass into Europe. Here Paul and his assistants were joined by Luke, (verse 10,) the writer of this history, and a native of Antioch, as is generally believed, who, to the profession of a physician, had joined that of a Christian minister, or evangelist.

Ver. 6. Now when they had gone throughout Phrygia, and Galatia, that is, the old Phrygia, which comprised all the country west of Galatia, as in Strabo, lib. 13., and was bounded on the south by Lycaonia, ancient Troy being one of its cities, they were forbidden of the Holy Ghost to preach the word in Asia, because the Lord pressed and hurried them away to the new and great harvest fields of labour in Macedonia, and in all the ancient cities of Greece. The churches of Asia had pastors who could feed the flock; but it required apostles to bring the south of Europe to the faith of Christ. This great field of labour Luke traverses with only two or three words. The extent of ground from Antioch to the Hellespont, is seven hundred miles. Where is the journal of all those labours; labours full of glory, full of conflicts, clothed with power, and crowned with harvests of success. That St. Peter followed Paul and Barnabas on the same ground is apparent, as Eusebius admits, Hist. Ecclesiastes 1:4, for Peter addresses his first epistle “to the strangers scattered abroad throughout Pontus, Galatia, Cappadocia, Asia, (a province, as in the map) and Bithynia.” This he could not have presumed to do, had he not been their pastor. St. John also followed in the same direction, but chiefly among the seven churches situate in the province of Asia. After his liberation from the isle of Patmos, he returned to Ephesus, but according to Eusebius, he made excursions into the provinces, constituting bishops, setting churches in order, and appointing pastors. In one of those excursions, the story of his reclaiming the young man who had become captain of a band of robbers, occurs. Euseb. cap. 23. The church of Ephesus had been planted by St. Paul, then the chief city of Consular Asia. John made it the final place of his abode, and here he slept in peace.

6. Throughout Phrygia—The boundary lines of the provinces of Asia Minor were very vague, and by political changes constantly varying both in name and extent. Phrygia was an extensive range of territory, extended at great length east and west, lying on the north of Cilicia and Pisidia. Galatia—Lying yet north of Phrygia. (See map.)

Forbidden of the Holy Ghost—By three separate monitions is Paul warned that his field is no longer Asia, but Europe. Two of these monitions are negative, warning him away; one is positive, inviting him onward. Asia—To our modern ear this word covers the whole continent between Europe and the Pacific. The first known use of the word is in Homer, where the adjective Asian is applied to the meadows near Ephesus. Thence the term enlarged with the enlarged knowledge, by the Greeks, of the eastern regions. At first they distinguished Asia this side the Halys from Asia beyond the Halys. When the Romans conquered western Asia, and governed it by proconsuls, we have proconsular Asia, which included the provinces lining the AEgean, namely Mysia, Lydia, and Caria. The New Testament Asia, the Asia of John’s seven Churches, seems to have coincided with this.

V. 7. 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 7. After they were come to Mysia] They passed through Phrygia into Mysia, which lay between Bithynia on the north, Phrygia on the east, Æolia on the south, and the Mediterranean on the west.

But the Spirit suffered them not] God saw that that was not the most proper time to preach the word at Bithynia; as he willed them to go immediately to Macedonia, the people there being ripe for the word of life. Instead of to pneuma, the Spirit merely, to pneuma ihsou, the Spirit of JESUS, is the reading of ABCDE, several others, with both the Syriac, the Coptic, Æthiopic, Armenian, Vulgate, Itala, and several of the fathers. The reading is undoubtedly genuine, and should be immediately restored to the text.

Verses 6-8. Now when they had gone throughout Phrygia — Greek, dielqontev de thn Frugian, kai thn Galatikhn cwran, having passed through Phrygia and the Galatian country, and spoken there what was sufficient, and delivered to the churches in those parts the decrees above mentioned, in order to their establishment in the true faith of the gospel; and were forbidden of the Holy Ghost (probably by an inward dictate) to preach the word in Asia — That is, in the proconsular Asia: for, “as all the places mentioned in the former verses lay in Asia Minor, it is evident that the word Asia must be thus understood. The reason for this prohibition seems to have been, that the time for preaching in that province was not yet come. But it is certain that flourishing churches were afterward planted there, particularly at Colosse, Laodicea, Sardis, Thyatira, and Philadelphia. It seems therefore to have been the determination of Providence, respecting Paul and his companions, that, instead of going through this region now, by such a leisurely progress as that in which they proceeded in their former journey, through Pamphylia, Pisidia, Lycaonia, &c., they should hasten to Europe directly, and preach the gospel first in Philippi, which was a Roman colony, and then in the neighbouring parts; while, in the mean time, the Asian provinces, now passed over, might hear some report of it from their neighbours and so be prepared to receive, with greater advantage, the labours of the apostles, when they should return to them, as Paul afterward did, chap. 18:23, &c. By this means the spread of the gospel would, in any given time, be wider than (other circumstances being equal) it would have been, had they taken all the interjacent places in their way.” — Doddridge. After they were come into Mysia — Which was the most western province of the Lesser Asia, and lay on the coast of the Ægean sea; they assayed to go northward into Bithynia — A country bounded on the west by a part of the Propontis and the Thracian Bosphorus, and on the north by the Euxine sea. Probably their intention was to visit the flourishing cities of Nice, Nicomedia, and Chalcedon, and so pass from thence into Europe. But the Spirit suffered them not — Forbidding them as before. Many manuscripts and versions of undoubted authority read here, The Spirit of Jesus. And so passing by the Lesser Mysia — Which separated Bithynia from the country of Troas; they came to the city Troas — A noted seaport, where travellers from the upper coasts of Asia commonly took ship to pass into Europe. Here Paul and his assistants were joined by Luke, (verse 10,) the writer of this history, and a native of Antioch, as is generally believed, who, to the profession of a physician, had joined that of a Christian minister, or evangelist.

7. Come to Mysia—He had arrived, apparently, at the point where the corners of Phrygia, Mysia, and Bithynia meet. Not yet realizing the fulness of his European mission, Paul modestly makes the trial of Bithynia. But the spirit of Jesus (for such is now generally admitted to be the true reading) vetoes that step. His sole conclusion now points his inquiring way toward the Hellespont.

Verse 8. Came down to Troas.] The Troad, or part of Phrygia Minor in which the celebrated city of Troy was formerly situated. This city was first built by Dardanus, who was its king, and from whom it was called Dardania; from Tros, his grandson, it was called Troja, or Troy; and from his son, Ilus, it was called Ilium. It has been long so completely destroyed that no ascertainable vestige of it remains; insomuch that some have even doubted of its existence. Those who contend for the reality of the history of Troy suppose it to have stood on the site of the modern village Bounarbachi, about twelve miles from the sea, on an eminence, at the termination of a spacious plain.

Verses 6-8. Now when they had gone throughout Phrygia — Greek, dielqontev de thn Frugian, kai thn Galatikhn cwran, having passed through Phrygia and the Galatian country, and spoken there what was sufficient, and delivered to the churches in those parts the decrees above mentioned, in order to their establishment in the true faith of the gospel; and were forbidden of the Holy Ghost (probably by an inward dictate) to preach the word in Asia — That is, in the proconsular Asia: for, “as all the places mentioned in the former verses lay in Asia Minor, it is evident that the word Asia must be thus understood. The reason for this prohibition seems to have been, that the time for preaching in that province was not yet come. But it is certain that flourishing churches were afterward planted there, particularly at Colosse, Laodicea, Sardis, Thyatira, and Philadelphia. It seems therefore to have been the determination of Providence, respecting Paul and his companions, that, instead of going through this region now, by such a leisurely progress as that in which they proceeded in their former journey, through Pamphylia, Pisidia, Lycaonia, &c., they should hasten to Europe directly, and preach the gospel first in Philippi, which was a Roman colony, and then in the neighbouring parts; while, in the mean time, the Asian provinces, now passed over, might hear some report of it from their neighbours and so be prepared to receive, with greater advantage, the labours of the apostles, when they should return to them, as Paul afterward did, chap. 18:23, &c. By this means the spread of the gospel would, in any given time, be wider than (other circumstances being equal) it would have been, had they taken all the interjacent places in their way.” — Doddridge. After they were come into Mysia — Which was the most western province of the Lesser Asia, and lay on the coast of the Ægean sea; they assayed to go northward into Bithynia — A country bounded on the west by a part of the Propontis and the Thracian Bosphorus, and on the north by the Euxine sea. Probably their intention was to visit the flourishing cities of Nice, Nicomedia, and Chalcedon, and so pass from thence into Europe. But the Spirit suffered them not — Forbidding them as before. Many manuscripts and versions of undoubted authority read here, The Spirit of Jesus. And so passing by the Lesser Mysia — Which separated Bithynia from the country of Troas; they came to the city Troas — A noted seaport, where travellers from the upper coasts of Asia commonly took ship to pass into Europe. Here Paul and his assistants were joined by Luke, (verse 10,) the writer of this history, and a native of Antioch, as is generally believed, who, to the profession of a physician, had joined that of a Christian minister, or evangelist.

8. Passing by Mysia—The Spirit had forbidden them to preach in Asia, (in which Mysia was included,) but did not preclude their passing through without preaching. Paul from the Bithynian border bent his western course, probably to Adramyttium; thence, taking the Roman road along the gulf, in the regions of Mount Ida, comes down to the Hellespont at Alexandria Troas. Before him lie the waters that divide Asia from Europe. Divine warnings have bidden him away from Asia; shall he now cross the celebrated straits, and set his foot on European soil? Yonder lies the vast continent. First in order is Greece, brightened with points of a rare civilization; next comes Rome, the seat of empire; and central in Europe are the vast hives of barbarians, noble in race, the ancestors of modern Europe and of us, but as yet dividing the forests with the savage beasts. To the margin of this Europe, our apostle comes, charged with a mission pregnant with the hopes of modern civilization. To all his queries now comes a divine answer.

3. Man of Macedonia, and Crossing to Europe, 9-12.

V. 9. 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 9. A vision appeared to Paul in the night] Whether this was in a dream, or whether a representation made to the senses of the apostle, we cannot tell. A man of Macedonia appeared to him, and made this simple communication, Come over into Macedonia, and help us.

Some suppose that the guardian angel of Macedonia appeared to St. Paul in a human shape; others, that it was a Divine communication made to his imagination in a dream.

Verses 9, 10. And — While they were in this place, undetermined, probably, to what coast of Europe they should sail, if, according to their intention, they crossed the sea; a vision appeared to Paul in the night — To direct them: it was not a dream, though it was by night. No dream is mentioned in the New Testament, except that of Joseph, and of Pilate’s wife. There stood a man of Macedonia — Before him, probably an angel, clothed in the Macedonian habit, or using the language of that country, and representing the inhabitants of it; and prayed him — With great earnestness; saying, Come over into Macedonia, and help us — Against Satan, ignorance, and sin. And after he had seen the vision — And given an account of it to his companions; immediately we endeavoured to go into Macedonia — Willingly obeying the heavenly admonition; assuredly gathering — From this vision; that the Lord had called us to preach the gospel unto them — In that country. This is the first place in which 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.

9. A vision—The Greek word does not indicate a dream, nor imply sleep, although these might be suggested by the phrase in the night. A man of Macedonia—Macedonia is the Greek province on the European shore opposite Troas. It was the realm of Philip of Macedon, the subduer, in spite of eloquent Demosthenes, of classic Greece, and the father of Alexander the Great, conqueror of Asia. It was by crossing this same Hellespont that Alexander went upon his career of Asiatic conquest. This man in Paul’s night vision is the impersonation, or the representative angel, of this same conquering European Macedon. Grotius holds him to have been the angel of that nation, like the “prince of the kingdom of Persia,” and the “Michael” of Israel in Dan. 10:13. Whether a real objective being or not, he is representative not so much of pagan Macedonia itself, as of the invisible Church of pagan Macedonia; that is, of the human souls in Europe’s moral twilight longing and struggling for the true light. (See our work on The Will, pp. 347-355.) Truly did such souls unconsciously call for Help! So Heber, in his beautiful missionary hymn, represents the cry of those who

“Call us to deliver

Their land from error’s chain.”

Perhaps, indeed, this man is the Lord Jesus himself, identifying himself with the sighing sons of Macedon, longing to know the true way of salvation, (verse 17,) and likely to embrace it when presented, as at Saul’s first call he identified himself with his persecuted saints; and now he completes the call then commenced of this same Paul to the Gentile mission.

Come over—Literally, crossing over, help us.

V. 10. 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 10. We endeavoured to go into Macedonia] This is the first place that the historian St. Luke refers to himself: WE endeavoured, &c. And, from this, it has been supposed that he joined the company of Paul, for the first time, at Troas.

Assuredly gathering] sumbibazontev, Drawing an inference from the vision that had appeared.

That the Lord had called us for to preach] That is, they inferred that they were called to preach the Gospel in Macedonia, from what the vision had said, come over and help us; the help meaning, preach to us the Gospel. Instead of o kuriov, the Lord, meaning JESUS, several MSS., such as ABCE, several others, with the Coptic, Vulgate, Theophylact, and Jerome, have o qeov, GOD. Though this stands on very reputable authority, yet the former seems to be the better reading; for it was the SPIRIT of JESUS, Acts 16:7, that would not suffer them to go into Bithynia, because he had designed that they should immediately preach the Gospel in Macedonia.

Verses 9, 10. And — While they were in this place, undetermined, probably, to what coast of Europe they should sail, if, according to their intention, they crossed the sea; a vision appeared to Paul in the night — To direct them: it was not a dream, though it was by night. No dream is mentioned in the New Testament, except that of Joseph, and of Pilate’s wife. There stood a man of Macedonia — Before him, probably an angel, clothed in the Macedonian habit, or using the language of that country, and representing the inhabitants of it; and prayed him — With great earnestness; saying, Come over into Macedonia, and help us — Against Satan, ignorance, and sin. And after he had seen the vision — And given an account of it to his companions; immediately we endeavoured to go into Macedonia — Willingly obeying the heavenly admonition; assuredly gathering — From this vision; that the Lord had called us to preach the gospel unto them — In that country. This is the first place in which 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.

10. We—This is the first of what have been called “the we passages;” that is, passages where the use of the first person plural seems to indicate that the writer was present and engaged in the transactions. The passages are Acts 16:10-17; 20:5-15; 21:1-18; 27:1-28:16. These passages indicate that Paul found Luke here at Troas, and retaining him as far as Philippi, there leaves him; and that six years afterward Luke again joins him at Philippi, passes with him to Jerusalem, and thence to Rome. The “we” is not in all this route uniformly used, for he still speaks of Paul in the third person in those transactions in which the writer himself is less or not at all included.

Called us for to preach—This us indicates that Luke was not only “the beloved physician,” and Paul’s “fellow-labourer,” and the most eminent historian of Christ and the Church, but that he was “called for to preach,” and so was a minister of the word. When he was left, therefore, by Paul at Philippi, there is no fair room to doubt that he was left as minister to the Churches in Macedonia. (See note on ver. 40, and Acts 20:1.)

V. 11. We ran with a straight course-Which increased their confidence that God had called them.

Verse 11. Loosing from Troas] Setting sail from this place. With a straight course to Samothracia] This was an island of the Ægean Sea, contiguous to Thrace, and hence called Samothracia, or the Thracian Samos. It is about twenty miles in circumference, and is now called Samandrachi by the Turks, who are its present masters.

And the next day to Neapolis.] There were many cities of this name; but this was a sea-port town of Macedonia, a few miles eastward of Philippi. Neapolis signifies the new city.

Verses 11, 12. Therefore, loosing from Troas, we came to Samothracia — An island in these seas, famous for being the seat of certain religious mysteries, in equal estimation with those called Eleusinian. But it does not appear that they went ashore there, for they landed the next day at Neapolis — A seaport town of Macedonia. Nor did they make any stay even there, but went straight to Philippi; because it was the chief city of that part of Macedonia — And a Roman colony. Thus Paul, having preached first at Damascus, next at Jerusalem, after that throughout all the coasts of Judea, and then to the Gentiles in Syria, Cilicia, and most of the countries of the Lesser Asia, went at length, by the particular commandment of Christ, among the Greek nations, to whom it was proper that the glad tidings of salvation should now be given. For, seeing the gospel was a revelation from the true God, and was supported by great and undeniable miracles, it was fit that it should, in due course, be proposed to those nations who were best qualified to judge of its nature and evidences; because if, upon an accurate examination, great numbers of men embraced the gospel, whose minds were improved by science, and every kind of culture, their conversion would render it indubitable, in after times, that the gospel was supported by those great and undeniable miracles, which the Christian records affirm were performed in every country, by the preachers of the gospel. Besides, God, in his infinite wisdom, was determined that the reigning idolatry should be utterly overthrown in those countries of Europe where it had the greatest support, from the ability and learning of its abetters; that no person might suspect, or affirm, in after times, that idolatry was destroyed, and Christianity established, merely through the ignorance and simplicity of the people among whom it was first preached.

11. Loosing from Troas—Directly before them lie the isles of the AEgean, celebrated by the genius of Homer, Tenedos, Lemnos, Imbros, and, farther to the northwest, the tall cliffs of Samothrace overlooking the others, and gazing upon the shore of Troas. By a brisk wind from the south, it must have been, that they were able to take a straight course to Samothrace, and to accomplish in two days their trip to Neapolis, which often takes five. Neapolis was a small marine town, (now called Cavallo,) too unimportant to detain the apostle, who had the large metropolis, Philippi, in view. And when Paul debarks at Neapolis, he sets his foot for the first time on the soil of Europe. From Neapolis, moving to the northwest, he ascends a mountain ridge, from which, in the rear, a beautiful view of the sea which they have crossed is spread before their eyes; while in front they behold the vast plain of PHILIPPI, where was fought one of the great decisive battles of the world.

V. 12. 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 12. And from thence to Philippi] This was a town of Macedonia, in the territory of the Edones, on the confines of Thrace, situated on the side of a steep eminence. It took its name from Philip II., king of Macedon. It is famous for two battles, fought between the imperial army, commanded by Octavianus, afterwards Augustus, and Mark Antony, and the republican army, commanded by Brutus and Cassius, in which these were successful; and a second, between Octavianus and Antony on the one part, and Brutus on the other. In this battle the republican troops were cut to pieces, after which Brutus killed himself. It was to the Church in this city that St. Paul wrote the epistle that still goes under their name. This place is still in being, though much decayed, and is the see of an archbishop.

The chief city of that part of Macedonia] This passage has greatly puzzled both critics and commentators. It is well known that, when Paulus Æmilius had conquered Macedonia, he divided it into four parts, merh, and that he called the country that lay between the rivers Strymon and Nessus, the first part, and made Amphipolis its chief city, or metropolis; Philippi, therefore, was not its chief city. But Bishop Pearce has, with great show of reason, argued that, though Amphipolis was made the chief city of it by Paulus Æmilius, yet Philippi might have been the chief city in the days of St. Paul, which was two hundred and twenty years after the division by P. Æmilius. Besides, as it was at this place that Augustus gained that victory which put him in possession of the whole Roman empire, might not he have given to it that dignity which was before enjoyed by Amphipolis? This is the most rational way of solving this difficulty; and therefore I shall not trouble the reader with the different modes that have been proposed to alter and amend the Greek text.

And a colony] That is, a colony of Rome; for it appears that a colony was planted here by Julius Cæsar, and afterwards enlarged by Augustus; the people, therefore, were considered as freemen of Rome, and, from this, call themselves Romans, Acts 16:21. The Jewish definition of aynlq kolonia (for they have the Latin word in Hebrew letters, as St. Luke has it. here, kolwnia, in Greek letters) is, a free city, which does not pay tribute.

Verses 11, 12. Therefore, loosing from Troas, we came to Samothracia — An island in these seas, famous for being the seat of certain religious mysteries, in equal estimation with those called Eleusinian. But it does not appear that they went ashore there, for they landed the next day at Neapolis — A seaport town of Macedonia. Nor did they make any stay even there, but went straight to Philippi; because it was the chief city of that part of Macedonia — And a Roman colony. Thus Paul, having preached first at Damascus, next at Jerusalem, after that throughout all the coasts of Judea, and then to the Gentiles in Syria, Cilicia, and most of the countries of the Lesser Asia, went at length, by the particular commandment of Christ, among the Greek nations, to whom it was proper that the glad tidings of salvation should now be given. For, seeing the gospel was a revelation from the true God, and was supported by great and undeniable miracles, it was fit that it should, in due course, be proposed to those nations who were best qualified to judge of its nature and evidences; because if, upon an accurate examination, great numbers of men embraced the gospel, whose minds were improved by science, and every kind of culture, their conversion would render it indubitable, in after times, that the gospel was supported by those great and undeniable miracles, which the Christian records affirm were performed in every country, by the preachers of the gospel. Besides, God, in his infinite wisdom, was determined that the reigning idolatry should be utterly overthrown in those countries of Europe where it had the greatest support, from the ability and learning of its abetters; that no person might suspect, or affirm, in after times, that idolatry was destroyed, and Christianity established, merely through the ignorance and simplicity of the people among whom it was first preached.

Ver. 12. Philippi, once the metropolis of the Greek empire, which king Philip, father of Alexander the great, had improved, and called by his own name.

12. The chief city—Literally, first city. Inasmuch as there is no Greek article before the phrase, it would most properly be translated, as Dr. Alexander suggests, a first city, or, “a first-class city” of that section. A colony—A body of Roman citizens thither transferred, as a part of Rome itself, with all the rights of Roman citizenship. It proudly flaunted all the insignia of Rome. Its magistrates ambitiously bore the Roman titles, as we shall learn from Luke before his narrative is finished. The city itself aimed to be a miniature Rome. The Romans planted here were the soldiers of Antony, sent by Augustus. Of course, it would be a very serious thing here to violate the sacred person of a Roman.

First Church in Europe—Philippi, 13-40.

At Philippi Paul is on the great EGNATIA VIA, or Egnatian Way. This grand thoroughfare, the work of Rome, can be traced upon the map as starting from Cypsela on the Hebrus, and cutting across the entire extent of northern Macedonia, through the great cities of Philippi, Thessalonica, and Edessa, and terminating at Dyrrachium, on the western coast. Thence a ferriage over sea brought the traveller to Brundusium, on the coast of Italy, and thence the great Appian Way would bring him to the gates of Rome. The Egnatian Way was the nearest approximation the world had yet made to our great railway route across a continent, from New York to San Francisco.

V. 13. 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 13. By a river side, where prayer was wont to be made] ou enomizeto proseuch einai, where it was said there was a proseucha. The proseucha was a place of prayer, or a place used for worship, where there was no synagogue. It was a large building uncovered, with seats, as in an amphitheatre. Buildings of this sort the Jews had by the sea side, and by the sides of rivers. See this subject considered at large in Clarke’s note on “Luke 6:12”. It appears that the apostles had heard from some of the Gentiles, or from some of the Jews themselves, that there was a place of prayer by the river side; and they went out in quest of it, knowing that, as it was the Sabbath, they should find some Jews there.

Spake unto the women] Probably this was before the time of their public worship, and while they were waiting for the assembling of the people in general; and Paul improved the opportunity to speak concerning Christ and salvation to the women that resorted thither.

Verses 13-15. On the sabbath we went out of the city — The Jews usually held their religious assemblies (either by choice or constraint) at a distance from the heathen; by a river side — The river Strymon, which ran between Philippi and Neapolis; where prayer was wont to be made — That is, where the Jews and their proselytes were wont to assemble for prayer. The original expression, which is peculiar and much controverted, ou enomizeto proseuch einai, may be rendered, Where a proseucha (or place for prayer) was by law allowed. And we sat down, and spake unto the women which resorted thither — At first in a familiar manner; for Paul did not immediately begin to preach. It appears that most or all of the congregation were women; among whom there was one Lydia, a seller of purple, who worshipped the true God — After the Jewish manner; a native of Thyatira — Who had fixed her residence in Philippi, for the sake of commerce; whose heart the Lord opened — The word dihnoixe, here used, properly refers to the opening of the eyes; and the heart, or mind, has its eyes, Ephesians 1:18. These are closed by nature; and to open them is the peculiar work of God. Lydia, it seems, was so strongly affected with what Paul said, that she embraced the gospel with the full assurance of faith, and with all her heart. And she was baptized — It seems, immediately upon her believing, and making a profession of her faith; and her household — Those of them that were infants (if any were such) in her right, as her children, the children of believing parents having a right to be admitted to that ordinance; and those that were grown up, through her influence and authority. She and her household were baptized, by the same rule whereby Abraham and his household were circumcised, because the zeal of the covenant belongs to the covenanters and their seed. As it is not probable, that in so many households and families as are said in the New Testament to have been baptized, there was no infant; so, neither is it likely that the Jews, who had so long been accustomed to circumcise their children, would not, when they embraced the gospel, devote them to God by baptism. She besought us — Earnestly entreated us. See how the souls of the faithful cleave to those by whom they are gained to God! saying, If ye have judged me faithful to the Lord — If you have considered me as being sincere in the profession I have made of believing in the Lord Jesus, and really regard me as a true Christian; come into my house and abide there — As long as you stay in this city. This she desired, 1st, To testify her gratitude to them, who had been God’s messengers, and the instruments of his grace to her; imparting the knowledge of salvation, and producing a blessed change in her heart and life. 2d, She desired an opportunity of receiving further instruction. If she could but have them a while in her family, she might hear their heavenly discourse daily, and not only at the place of prayer on sabbath days; in her own house, also, she might not only hear them, but might make inquiries, and receive satisfaction, on many important subjects; and might have them to pray with and for her and her family daily, and thereby bring down the divine blessing upon herself and them. And she constrained us — By her importunity. The expression implies that they were reluctant to accept her invitation, being unwilling to be, in any respect, burdensome to the families of their friends, and studying to make the gospel without charge, in order that the unbelievers might have no occasion given them of reproaching the preachers of it as designing, self-seeking men; and that the Christians might have no reason to complain of the expenses of their religion. Lydia’s pressing invitations, however, overcame their reluctancy, and they at last consented to her request, and abode at her house as long as they continued at Philippi, which was many days: see verses 12, 18. During this time they laid the foundation of a numerous church, gathered both from among the Jews and the Gentiles; a church which, after the apostle’s departure, increased so exceedingly, that, when he wrote his epistle to the Philippians, they had several bishops, or presbyters, and deacons, Philippians 1:1.

Ver. 13. On the sabbath day — by the river side, where the jews, unable to get a synagogue, had a proseucha, or place of prayer.

13. On the sabbath—It is not clear that this was the first Saturday-Sabbath after their arrival at Philippi. That depends on the number of the certain days of verse 12. By a river side—Of the river Gangas or Gangatis, one of the tributaries of the Strymon, which is nineteen miles distant from Philippi. Prayer—This may have been simply a customary locality of river side prayer, or there may have been a roofless enclosure, or there may have been a complete edifice. For each of these three were customary; and either would be designated by the same word, namely, a proseucha. (See note on Luke 6:12.) Biscoe says: “The seashore was esteemed by the Jews a place most pure, and, therefore, proper to offer up their prayers and thanksgivings to Almighty God. Philo tells us that the Jews of Alexandria, when Flaccus, the governor of Egypt, who had been their great enemy, was arrested by order of the emperor Caius, not being able to assemble at their synagogues, which had been taken from them, crowded out at the gates of the city early in the morning, went to the neighbouring shores, and, standing in a most pure place, with one accord lifted up their voices in praising God. Now (in Flac., p. 982, D.) Tertullian says that the Jews in his time, when they kept their great fasts, left their synagogues, and on every shore sent forth their prayers to heaven, (De Jejun. chap. 16;) and in another place, among the ceremonies used by the Jews, mentions orationes litorales, the prayers they made upon the shores. (Adv. Matthew 1:13.) And long before Tertullian’s time there was a decree made at Halicarnassus in favour of the Jews, which, among other privileges, allows them to say their prayers near the shore, according to the custom of their country. (Jos., Ant., XIV, 10-23.) It is hence abundantly evident that it was common with the Jews to choose the shore as a place highly fitting to offer up their prayers.” Women… resorted—The very fact of there being this proseucha, and not a synagogue, (to which Paul would have gone had there been one,) proves the fewness of Jews. The unpopularity of Jews is indicated in verse 20. Of Jews, how many soever there were, none but women were found at the place of prayer; and of those women, one was a foreigner and a proselyte, faithful, perhaps, when the birthright Jews were faithless. And to her the Gospel is to be an exceeding great reward.

V. 14. 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 14. Lydia, a seller of purple] She probably had her name from the province of Lydia, in which the city of Thyatira was situated. The Lydian women have been celebrated for their beautiful purple manufactures. Which worshipped God] That is, she was a proselyte to the Jewish religion; as were probably all the women that resorted hither. Whose heart the Lord opened] As she was a sincere worshipper of God, she was prepared to receive the heavenly truths spoken by Paul and his companions; and, as she was faithful to the grace she had received, so God gave her more grace, and gave her now a Divine conviction that what was spoken by Paul was true; and therefore she attended unto the things-she believed them and received them as the doctrines of God; and in this faith she was joined by her whole family, and in it they were all baptized.

Verses 13-15. On the sabbath we went out of the city — The Jews usually held their religious assemblies (either by choice or constraint) at a distance from the heathen; by a river side — The river Strymon, which ran between Philippi and Neapolis; where prayer was wont to be made — That is, where the Jews and their proselytes were wont to assemble for prayer. The original expression, which is peculiar and much controverted, ou enomizeto proseuch einai, may be rendered, Where a proseucha (or place for prayer) was by law allowed. And we sat down, and spake unto the women which resorted thither — At first in a familiar manner; for Paul did not immediately begin to preach. It appears that most or all of the congregation were women; among whom there was one Lydia, a seller of purple, who worshipped the true God — After the Jewish manner; a native of Thyatira — Who had fixed her residence in Philippi, for the sake of commerce; whose heart the Lord opened — The word dihnoixe, here used, properly refers to the opening of the eyes; and the heart, or mind, has its eyes, Ephesians 1:18. These are closed by nature; and to open them is the peculiar work of God. Lydia, it seems, was so strongly affected with what Paul said, that she embraced the gospel with the full assurance of faith, and with all her heart. And she was baptized — It seems, immediately upon her believing, and making a profession of her faith; and her household — Those of them that were infants (if any were such) in her right, as her children, the children of believing parents having a right to be admitted to that ordinance; and those that were grown up, through her influence and authority. She and her household were baptized, by the same rule whereby Abraham and his household were circumcised, because the zeal of the covenant belongs to the covenanters and their seed. As it is not probable, that in so many households and families as are said in the New Testament to have been baptized, there was no infant; so, neither is it likely that the Jews, who had so long been accustomed to circumcise their children, would not, when they embraced the gospel, devote them to God by baptism. She besought us — Earnestly entreated us. See how the souls of the faithful cleave to those by whom they are gained to God! saying, If ye have judged me faithful to the Lord — If you have considered me as being sincere in the profession I have made of believing in the Lord Jesus, and really regard me as a true Christian; come into my house and abide there — As long as you stay in this city. This she desired, 1st, To testify her gratitude to them, who had been God’s messengers, and the instruments of his grace to her; imparting the knowledge of salvation, and producing a blessed change in her heart and life. 2d, She desired an opportunity of receiving further instruction. If she could but have them a while in her family, she might hear their heavenly discourse daily, and not only at the place of prayer on sabbath days; in her own house, also, she might not only hear them, but might make inquiries, and receive satisfaction, on many important subjects; and might have them to pray with and for her and her family daily, and thereby bring down the divine blessing upon herself and them. And she constrained us — By her importunity. The expression implies that they were reluctant to accept her invitation, being unwilling to be, in any respect, burdensome to the families of their friends, and studying to make the gospel without charge, in order that the unbelievers might have no occasion given them of reproaching the preachers of it as designing, self-seeking men; and that the Christians might have no reason to complain of the expenses of their religion. Lydia’s pressing invitations, however, overcame their reluctancy, and they at last consented to her request, and abode at her house as long as they continued at Philippi, which was many days: see verses 12, 18. During this time they laid the foundation of a numerous church, gathered both from among the Jews and the Gentiles; a church which, after the apostle’s departure, increased so exceedingly, that, when he wrote his epistle to the Philippians, they had several bishops, or presbyters, and deacons, Philippians 1:1.

Ver. 14. Lydia, a seller of purple, of the city of Thyatira in minor Asia. Revelation 1:18. Lydia had come from thence to Philippi, a city of Greece, to sell “purple,” a celebrated dye used by the Romans in dyeing their splendid robes; and hence their emperors and nobility were clothed in purple and fine linen, as the papal harlot is clothed in scarlet. The purple dye was produced by a species of shell fish on the shores of the Mediterranean near to Tyre and Sidon, and formed an article of sale in ancient times. Ezekiel 27:16. It is mentioned by Moses as one of the colours pertaining to the tabernacle, and must have been known to the Egyptians. Judges 8:36. Daniel 5:7. A shell fish called murex, or purpura, float on the sea in large shoals, and when they retire beneath the surface they leave a bright reddish purple behind them, which when collected and mixed with the alkali of ammonia produces a deep and beautiful purple. The sale of this article was very lucrative, and several women of Tyre dealt largely in it. Lydia was one of these, and probably frequented the markets at Philippi, as well as in other places; and might also occasionally reside in that city.

Whose heart the Lord opened, to wait for his word in faith and prayer, and with her family — to listen to the word with attention and delight. The Lord opened her ears, as in Psalm 40:6. The Lord opened her mind, as the flowers open to the sun, to receive the truth in love. The Lord opened her heart to receive all the promised sweetness and comfort of the word, in regenerating and sanctifying influences. The Lord emboldened her at all hazards to make an open profession of the faith, and to receive his servants into her house.

14. Named Lydia—A personal name, often used, derived from the name of the province of Lydia. Seller of purple—(See note on Luke 16:19.) Thyatira—The purple traffic in this region was earlier than Homer, and women were the purplers. By the great Roman roads the traffic between Thyatira was, at this time, easy; and inscriptions are still extant describing the trade as it once existed. Worshipped—In this piety Lydia was remarkably distinguished from the women of her country. Wetstein gives repeated passages from Greek writers affirming that Lydian women were unchaste, all.

V. 15. 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 coming into Macedonia.

Verse 15. If ye have judged me to be faithful to the Lord] The meaning seems to be this: If my present reception of the Gospel of Christ be a proof to you that I have been faithful to the Lord, in the light previously imparted, and that I am as likely to be faithful to this new grace as I have been to that already received, and, consequently, not likely by light or fickle conduct to bring any discredit on this Divine work, come into my house, and abide there. It is wrong to suppose that this woman had not received a measure of the light of God before this time. And she constrained us.] She used such entreaties and persuasions that at last they consented to lodge there.

Verses 13-15. On the sabbath we went out of the city — The Jews usually held their religious assemblies (either by choice or constraint) at a distance from the heathen; by a river side — The river Strymon, which ran between Philippi and Neapolis; where prayer was wont to be made — That is, where the Jews and their proselytes were wont to assemble for prayer. The original expression, which is peculiar and much controverted, ou enomizeto proseuch einai, may be rendered, Where a proseucha (or place for prayer) was by law allowed. And we sat down, and spake unto the women which resorted thither — At first in a familiar manner; for Paul did not immediately begin to preach. It appears that most or all of the congregation were women; among whom there was one Lydia, a seller of purple, who worshipped the true God — After the Jewish manner; a native of Thyatira — Who had fixed her residence in Philippi, for the sake of commerce; whose heart the Lord opened — The word dihnoixe, here used, properly refers to the opening of the eyes; and the heart, or mind, has its eyes, Ephesians 1:18. These are closed by nature; and to open them is the peculiar work of God. Lydia, it seems, was so strongly affected with what Paul said, that she embraced the gospel with the full assurance of faith, and with all her heart. And she was baptized — It seems, immediately upon her believing, and making a profession of her faith; and her household — Those of them that were infants (if any were such) in her right, as her children, the children of believing parents having a right to be admitted to that ordinance; and those that were grown up, through her influence and authority. She and her household were baptized, by the same rule whereby Abraham and his household were circumcised, because the zeal of the covenant belongs to the covenanters and their seed. As it is not probable, that in so many households and families as are said in the New Testament to have been baptized, there was no infant; so, neither is it likely that the Jews, who had so long been accustomed to circumcise their children, would not, when they embraced the gospel, devote them to God by baptism. She besought us — Earnestly entreated us. See how the souls of the faithful cleave to those by whom they are gained to God! saying, If ye have judged me faithful to the Lord — If you have considered me as being sincere in the profession I have made of believing in the Lord Jesus, and really regard me as a true Christian; come into my house and abide there — As long as you stay in this city. This she desired, 1st, To testify her gratitude to them, who had been God’s messengers, and the instruments of his grace to her; imparting the knowledge of salvation, and producing a blessed change in her heart and life. 2d, She desired an opportunity of receiving further instruction. If she could but have them a while in her family, she might hear their heavenly discourse daily, and not only at the place of prayer on sabbath days; in her own house, also, she might not only hear them, but might make inquiries, and receive satisfaction, on many important subjects; and might have them to pray with and for her and her family daily, and thereby bring down the divine blessing upon herself and them. And she constrained us — By her importunity. The expression implies that they were reluctant to accept her invitation, being unwilling to be, in any respect, burdensome to the families of their friends, and studying to make the gospel without charge, in order that the unbelievers might have no occasion given them of reproaching the preachers of it as designing, self-seeking men; and that the Christians might have no reason to complain of the expenses of their religion. Lydia’s pressing invitations, however, overcame their reluctancy, and they at last consented to her request, and abode at her house as long as they continued at Philippi, which was many days: see verses 12, 18. During this time they laid the foundation of a numerous church, gathered both from among the Jews and the Gentiles; a church which, after the apostle’s departure, increased so exceedingly, that, when he wrote his epistle to the Philippians, they had several bishops, or presbyters, and deacons, Philippians 1:1.

15. And her household—There are too many instances of household baptism following forthwith upon the faith of the householder not to justify the belief that it was just such a consequence in the family as circumcision would have been in case of an induction into Judaism. Dr. Schaff well argues, quoting the well-known passages: “Acts 10:2, 44-48; 16:15, 30-33; 18:8; 1 Corinthians 1:16; 16:15. In none of these places, it is said, are children expressly mentioned, and the families concerned might possibly have consisted entirely of adults. But this is, even in itself, exceedingly improbable, since we have here, not one case only, but five, and these given merely as examples, whence we may readily infer that there were many others. A glance at any neighbourhood will show that families without children are the exceptions, not the rule. But, besides, it is hardly conceivable that all the adult sons and daughters in these five cases so quickly determined on going over with their parents to a despised and persecuted religious society; whereas, if we suppose the children to have been still young, and therefore entirely under paternal authority, the matter presents no difficulty at all.”

Come—With perfect Christian purity she invites these holy men, while remaining, to sojourn at her house; that, free of charge, they may propagate the Gospel among its inhabitants.

Verse 16. As we went to prayer] eiv proseuchn, Into the proseucha: see Clarke on “Acts 16:13”, and see Clarke on “Luke 6:12”. The article, thn, is added here by ABCE, several others, Origen and Theophylact: thus makes the place more emphatic, and seems to determine the above meaning of proseuchn to be right-not the act of prayer or praying to God, but the place, the oratory, in which these proselytes assembled for the purpose of praying, reading the law and the prophets, and such like exercises of devotion. It appears that the apostles spent dome time here; as it is evident, from this and the following verses, that they often resorted to this place to preach the Gospel.

Possessed with a spirit of divination] ecousan pneuma puqwnov, Having a spirit of Python, or of Apollo. Pytho was, according to fable, a huge serpent, that had an oracle at Mount Parnassus, famous for predicting future events; Apollo slew this serpent, and hence he was called Pythius, and became celebrated as the foreteller of future events; and all those, who either could or pretended to predict future events, were influenced by the spirit of Apollo Pythius. As often-times the priestesses of this god became greatly agitated, and gave answers apparently from their bellies, when their mouths remained close, puqwn was applied to the eggastrimuqoi, or ventriloquists. Hesychius defines puqwn, daimonion mantikon, a divining demon; and it was evidently such a one that possessed this young woman, and which Paul expelled, Acts 16:18. See on this subject, Clarke’s notes on “Leviticus 19:31”, and see Clarke on “Deuteronomy 18:11”.

Brought her masters much gain by soothsaying] manteuouenh, By divination, or what we call telling fortunes. Our term soothsaying coming from the Anglo-Saxon [A.S.], truth; and [A.S.], to say, i.e. truth saying, or saying the truth. For, as it was supposed among the heathen that such persons spoke by the inspiration of their god, consequently what they said must be true. However, our translators might have used a term here that would not have been so creditable to this Pythoness; for, what she said concerning the apostles excepted, she certainly could not be supposed to tell the truth, while her inspiration came from him who is the father of lies. But Satan will sometimes conceal himself under the guise of truth, that he may the more effectually deceive. See below.

Verse 16. As we went to prayer — Or to the place of prayer, mentioned before; a certain damsel met us (that is, met Paul and his three companions) possessed with a spirit of divination — Greek, ecousan pneuma puqwnov, having a spirit of Python, or Apollo. This title, it is generally said, was given to Apollo, on account of his having destroyed a monstrous serpent that was called Python; or a person who for his cruelty was surnamed Python, that is, serpent or dragon, from whence Apollo had the name of Pythius. Plutarch tells us, that those who were inspired with this spirit were eggastrimuqoi, persons who spake as seeming to send the voice from their bellies; and Galen mentions the same fact. The manner in which Luke relates the story, plainly implies that he thought this to be a real possession, and that Paul himself viewed it in that light. Nor can the girl’s behaviour, or his, or that of her masters afterward, be accounted for, without allowing this to have been the case. It is well known that the Hebrews called the spirit with which such persons were supposed to be agitated, bwa, ob, because the bodies of those who appeared to be possessed by it were violently distended, like leathern bottles full of wine, and ready to burst. Compare Job 32:18, 19. Which brought her masters much gain by soothsaying — That is, by pretending, with the assistance of a familiar spirit, to discover stolen goods, and to point out the concealed authors of mischiefs, and to disclose the general good or ill-fortune of the persons who applied to her, and their success in particular affairs, with other secrets, for which many ignorant persons, in all countries, are willing to give money. See notes on Deuteronomy 18:10, 11; 1 Samuel 28:7.

Ver. 16. A certain damsel, possessed with a spirit of divination: pneuma Puqwnov, a spirit of Python. The women who delivered oracles in the heathen temples, are by Herodotus in forty places called pythonesses, as stated in the notes on Leviticus 19:31. Isaiah 41:23. Python is but another name for Apollo. Cicero, on the nature of the gods, mentions four of that name; and Plato, in his Cratylus, ascribes to Apollo four principal faculties. The art of divining, as in the text, music, medicine, and archery. He killed a serpent of prodigious magnitude, as the poets are pleased to say. — But this girl really had an evil genius which told her things that could not be known in the course of human events. Augustine denies that Satan can know future things; but he fully allows the reality of some heathen oracles. The foretelling of rain he accounts for on the principle, that evil spirits could mark the rising of vapours in the sea earlier than men, and draw praise to themselves by announcing rain in the time of drought. So also these spirits could sometimes announce a victory, or the defeat of an army before any letter could arrive. Thus when mankind worshipped demons in the visible form of idols, it was just in providence partially to surrender them to their power.

16. Went to prayer—Went to the proseucha, probably on the following day. But the pythoness repeated this, following the apostles many days, (verse 18.) Spirit of divination—Literally, a spirit of Python. Python was the name of an ancient mythical earth-born dragon or snake, which in oldest antiquity existed at the Delphic cave in Greece, and gave oracles to men. The god Apollo, son of Zeus or Jupiter, (so says the legend,) slew Python, and became himself the oracular god. Hence he was called Pythian Apollo; and the female priestess who, sitting upon the tripod, over the vapour ascending from the cave, gave prophetic utterance with agitation and frenzy, was called a pythoness. This Delphic oracle, with its pythoness and predictions, was in the zenith of its reputation when the states of Greece were in the zenith of their glory. Princes, statesmen, and philosophers alike reverenced the inspiration of Delphos. But when Christ came, so agreed both pagans and Christians, the oracles became dumb. But there was no cessation of strolling professional pythons and pythonesses. Generally they were ventriloquists, speaking with deceptive articulations, who, claiming to be possessed with the god, uttered responses from the gastric regions without moving the lips. Whether the maiden thus spoke gastrically is not clear. But when it is said that she had a spirit of Python the words imply possession. Her masters—Her showmen or exhibiters. Soothsaying—Uttering predictions as a mantis or pagan prophet.

V. 17. These men are-A great truth: but St. Paul did not need, nor would accept, of such testimony.

Verse 17. These men are the servants, &c.] It is astonishing how such a testimony could be given in such a case; every syllable of it true, and at the same time full, clear, and distinct. But mark the deep design and artifice of this evil spirit: 1. He well knew that the Jewish law abhorred all magic, incantations, magical rites, and dealings with familiar spirits; he therefore bears what was in itself a true testimony to the apostles, that by it he may destroy their credit, and ruin their usefulness. The Jews, by this testimony, would be led at once to believe that the apostles were in compact with these demons, and that the miracles they wrought were done by the agency of these wicked spirits, and that the whole was the effect of magic; and this, of course, would harden their hearts against the preaching of the Gospel. 2. The GENTILES, finding that their own demon bore testimony to the apostles, would naturally consider that the whole was one system; that they had nothing to learn, nothing to correct; and thus the preaching of the apostles must be useless to them. In such a predicament is this, nothing could have saved the credit of the apostles but their dispossessing this woman of her familiar spirit, and that in the most incontestable manner; for what could have saved the credit of Moses and Aaron, when the magicians of Egypt turned their rods into serpents, had not Aaron’s rod devoured theirs? And what could have saved the credit of these apostles but the casting out of this spirit of divination, with which, otherwise, both Jews and Gentiles would have believed them in compact?

Verses 17, 18. The same followed Paul and us — Luke, Silas, and Timothy; and cried, saying — With great earnestness of voice and gesture; These men are the servants of the most high God, &c. — A great truth: but they did not need, nor would accept of, such testimony. And this she did many succeeding days. But, at length, Paul being wearied with so tedious a circumstance, and grieved — Under an apprehension that this stratagem of Satan might lead the people to imagine that the preachers of the gospel acted in a confederacy with the evil spirit, to whom the heathen worship was addressed; turned — Toward the damsel; and said to the spirit — By whose emotion she spake; I command thee in the name of Jesus Christ — Whose gospel I preach; to come out of her. And he came out the same hour — So that she had never afterward such kind of supernatural agitations, nor pretended to any gift of prophecy for the future.

17. Servants… most high God—Parallel to this are the testimonies of the demons to Christ in Mark 1:24, and 5:7. It is as if the inferior and infernal did by a spontaneous necessity confess and do compulsory homage to the superior and divine. And as the cases are similar, so the conduct of Jesus and Paul are similar. They allow the demon to make his necessitated confession, as if to confound the demoniac side, but do not accept the testimony as congenial or worthy. Christ wants no demon-preachers. Way of salvation—Secular men cannot indulge usually in language so spiritual; but the demons knew the full force of spiritual phraseology. The devils believe and tremble. Yet in this us of the demon there is either a mockery, or the damsel is able to impose a tinge of her own thought into her demoniac utterances. Salvation—Either from Jews, or from the teachings of the apostles, the meaning of the term salvation had become known both to the pythoness and to the jailer, verse 30.

Verse 18. Paul, being grieved] Probably for the reasons assigned above. Turned-to the spirit] Not to the woman; she was only the organ by which the spirit acted.

I command thee, in the name of Jesus] Jesus is the Saviour; Satan is Abaddon and Apollyon, the destroyer. The sovereign Saviour says to the destroyer, Come out of her; and he came out in the same hour. Every circumstance of this case proves it to have been a real possession. We have already had several opportunities of remarking the great accuracy of St. Luke in his accounts of demoniacs: his education as a physician gave him advantages to detect imposture of this kind where it subsisted; but he sees none in this case. He speaks of the spirit and the damsel as distinct persons. The damsel had a spirit of divination. Paul turned to the spirit, and said, I command THEE to come out of HER; and he came out in the same hour. Had not St. Luke considered this as a real case of diabolic possession, he has made use of the most improper language he could choose; language and forms of speech calculated to deceive all his readers, and cause them to believe a lie. But it is impossible that the holy apostle could do so, because he was a good man; and it is not likely he could be deceived by a parcel of charlatans, because he was a wise man; and it would be absurd to suppose that, while he was under the influence of the Holy Spirit, he could be imposed on by the cunning of even the devil himself.

Verses 17, 18. The same followed Paul and us — Luke, Silas, and Timothy; and cried, saying — With great earnestness of voice and gesture; These men are the servants of the most high God, &c. — A great truth: but they did not need, nor would accept of, such testimony. And this she did many succeeding days. But, at length, Paul being wearied with so tedious a circumstance, and grieved — Under an apprehension that this stratagem of Satan might lead the people to imagine that the preachers of the gospel acted in a confederacy with the evil spirit, to whom the heathen worship was addressed; turned — Toward the damsel; and said to the spirit — By whose emotion she spake; I command thee in the name of Jesus Christ — Whose gospel I preach; to come out of her. And he came out the same hour — So that she had never afterward such kind of supernatural agitations, nor pretended to any gift of prophecy for the future.

18. Many days—During which the apostles went to the proseucha, at the river side. Thereby we understand that the Gospel was for a length of time dispensed; a Philippian Church was being formed, and the doctrine of the way of salvation had so rung through the city that when the masters at last appealed to the populace against them as introducers of a new religion the mob was cognizant and ready to spring. Come out… he came out— The language of both Paul and Luke implies beyond question that a foreign being possessed her frame. This case may answer the question, How is it that demoniac possession is unknown out of Palestine and out of the time of our Saviour’s life? Underlying all the falsehood and deception of heathen myths and oracles, there was a demoniac element. In the frenzy of the bacchanals, the corybantes, and the pythonesses, there was a true possession, modified by the nature of that dispensation. (See specially our note on Mark 5:2.)

V. 19. 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 19. When her masters saw] It appears she was maintained by some men, who received a certain pay from every person whose fortune she told, or to whom she made any discovery of stolen goods, &c., &c. The hope of their gains was gone] hJ elpiv, This hope; viz. the spirit. So completely was this spirit cast out that the girl could divine no more; and yet she continued a heathen still, for we do not hear a word of her conversion. Had she been converted, got baptized, and been associated with the apostles, the family of Lydia, &c., there would have been some show of reason to believe that there had been no possession in the case, and that the spirit of divination coming out of her meant no more than that, through scruple of conscience, she had left off her imposing arts, and would no longer continue to pretend to do what she knew she could not perform. But she still continued with her masters, though now utterly unable to disclose any thing relative to futurity!

Drew them into the market-place] This was the place of public resort, and, by bringing them here, they might hope to excite a general clamour against them; and probably those who are here called touv arcontav, the rulers, were civil magistrates, who kept offices in such public places, for the preservation of the peace of the city. But these words, the rulers, are suspected to be an interpolation by some critics: I think on no good ground.

Verses 19-21. And when her masters saw that the hope of their gains was gone — Was vanished with the evil spirit that was cast out. See here of how much evil the love of money is the root! If the preaching of the gospel ruin the craft of the silversmiths, (Acts 19:24,) much more will it ruin that of the soothsayers and fortune-tellers. Hence here is a mighty outcry raised when Satan’s power is broken. 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 lose money by it. They caught Paul and Silas — Timothy and Luke, it seems, not being so obnoxious to them; and drew them into the market-place — With a view to accuse them; unto the rulers — Or inferior magistrates, (as the word arcontav here means,) who held their court there. And brought them — Toiv strathgoiv, to the pretors, or commanders of the army, who, it is probable, as this was a Roman colony, possessed the supreme authority in the city: saying, These men, being Jews — A nation peculiarly despised by the Romans; do exceedingly trouble our city — Disturb it in an insufferable manner; and teach customs which are not lawful for us to receive — Being such as would lead us to renounce the gods of our country, and abstain from many things which the Roman laws require. The world has received all the rules and doctrines of all the philosophers that ever were; but gospel truth has something in it peculiarly intolerable to the world; neither to observe, being Romans — “Though there was, as yet, no express law of the senate, or of the emperor, against Christians, as such, yet there was an old law of the Romans forbidding them, ‘aut novos deos, aut alienigenas colere,’ either to worship new gods, or the gods of other nations; and requiring them to worship the gods of their country; from which Christianity dissuaded men, not suffering any to worship the gods of their fathers, but requiring them to turn from these dumb idols to the living God, 1 Thessalonians 1:10; Acts 14:15.” — Whitby. Perhaps, also, they alluded to something said by the apostle relating to the kingship of Christ, concerning which we know he preached afterward, at Thessalonica, chap. 17:7.

19. Gains were gone—An irremediable change had taken place in the girl, showing both power in the apostle and a previous involuntary condition in her. So impressed was the apostolic superiority over the infernal or the pagan that we wonder not that a Church of intense faith arose in Philippi, as we shall find to have been the fact by reading Paul’s most rich and loving EPISTLE to the Philippians. But, alas for these traders in oracles! they are unable to conjure another response from their pythoness. Drew them—As a plaintiff by ancient law was entitled to drag his defendant. Marketplace—The agora or forum, where legal business was transacted by the magistrates. Rulers—The city was, forsooth, a Roman colonia; the dignity of the Roman law was to be maintained, and the magistrates wore the very titles of a true Roman magistracy.

V. 20. Being Jews-A nation peculiarly despised by the Romans.

Verse 20. Brought them to the magistrates] strathgoiv, The commanders of the army, who, very likely, as this city was a Roman colony, possessed the sovereign authority. The civil magistrates, therefore, having heard the case, as we shall soon find, in which it was pretended that the safety of the state was involved, would naturally refer the business to the decision of those who had the supreme command.

Exceedingly trouble our city] They are destroying the public peace, and endangering the public safety.

Verses 19-21. And when her masters saw that the hope of their gains was gone — Was vanished with the evil spirit that was cast out. See here of how much evil the love of money is the root! If the preaching of the gospel ruin the craft of the silversmiths, (Acts 19:24,) much more will it ruin that of the soothsayers and fortune-tellers. Hence here is a mighty outcry raised when Satan’s power is broken. 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 lose money by it. They caught Paul and Silas — Timothy and Luke, it seems, not being so obnoxious to them; and drew them into the market-place — With a view to accuse them; unto the rulers — Or inferior magistrates, (as the word arcontav here means,) who held their court there. And brought them — Toiv strathgoiv, to the pretors, or commanders of the army, who, it is probable, as this was a Roman colony, possessed the supreme authority in the city: saying, These men, being Jews — A nation peculiarly despised by the Romans; do exceedingly trouble our city — Disturb it in an insufferable manner; and teach customs which are not lawful for us to receive — Being such as would lead us to renounce the gods of our country, and abstain from many things which the Roman laws require. The world has received all the rules and doctrines of all the philosophers that ever were; but gospel truth has something in it peculiarly intolerable to the world; neither to observe, being Romans — “Though there was, as yet, no express law of the senate, or of the emperor, against Christians, as such, yet there was an old law of the Romans forbidding them, ‘aut novos deos, aut alienigenas colere,’ either to worship new gods, or the gods of other nations; and requiring them to worship the gods of their country; from which Christianity dissuaded men, not suffering any to worship the gods of their fathers, but requiring them to turn from these dumb idols to the living God, 1 Thessalonians 1:10; Acts 14:15.” — Whitby. Perhaps, also, they alluded to something said by the apostle relating to the kingship of Christ, concerning which we know he preached afterward, at Thessalonica, chap. 17:7.

Ver. 20. Brought them to the magistrates: toiv Strathgoiv, prefects, pretors, military captains. The magistrates here were military men, this city being now a Roman colony.

20. Magistrates—The pretors, for so the duumviri, or twin magistrates, claimed to be called. Saying—It was difficult to frame a charge against them. Had a pig been stolen from them there was law in their behalf, but no compensation for a lost demon. To have restored the unhappy maid from her unhappy condition—fit emblem of the salvation she ascribed to them—was a beneficent deed which Roman justice could adjudge to be no crime.

These men—But a mob, with a magistrate to match, will be at no loss for a charge against their common victim. Being Jews… being Romans— Here is an antithesis amply sufficient to start a temper, and the deeds will easily be supplied with a pretext. The Jews had lately been expelled from Rome as troublers of that city; and why should not this proud little Macedonian image of Rome enact the same measure?

V. 21. 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 21. And teach customs] eqh, Religious opinions, and religious rites.

Which are not lawful for us to receive] The Romans were very jealous of their national worship. Servius, on the following lines of Virgil, has given us correct information on this point; and has confirmed what several other writers have advanced:-

Rex Evandrus ait: Non hæc solemnia nobis

———— ———— ——— ————

Vana superstitio, veterumque ignara deorum, Imposuit.

Æn. viii. v. 185, &c.

King Evander said:-It is not vain superstition, ignorant of the ancient worship of the gods, which has imposed these rites on us. Duo dicit, says Servius: non ideo Herculem colimus; aut quia omnem religionem veram putamus; aut quia deos ignoramus antiquos. Cautum enim fuerat, et apud Athenienses, et apud Romanos; ne quis NOVAS introduceret RELIGIONES: unde et Socrates damnatus est: et Chaldæi et Judæi unt urbe depulsi. “He says two things: we do not worship Hercules because we believe every religion to be true; nor are we ignorant of the ancient gods. Great care was taken, both among the Athenians and Romans, that no one should introduce any new religion. It was on this account that Socrates was condemned, and on this account the Chaldeans and the Jews were banished from Rome.”

CICERO, Deuteronomy Legibus, lib. ii. c. 8, says: Separatim nemo habessit deos; neve NOVOS; sed nec ADVENAS, nisi publice ADSCITOS, PRIVATIM colunto. “No person shall have any separate gods, nor new ones; nor shall he privately worship any strange gods, unless they be publicly allowed.” The whole chapter is curious. It was on such laws as these that the people of Philippi pleaded against the apostles. These men bring new gods, new worship, new rites; we are Romans, and the laws forbid us to worship any new or strange god, unless publicly allowed.

Verses 19-21. And when her masters saw that the hope of their gains was gone — Was vanished with the evil spirit that was cast out. See here of how much evil the love of money is the root! If the preaching of the gospel ruin the craft of the silversmiths, (Acts 19:24,) much more will it ruin that of the soothsayers and fortune-tellers. Hence here is a mighty outcry raised when Satan’s power is broken. 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 lose money by it. They caught Paul and Silas — Timothy and Luke, it seems, not being so obnoxious to them; and drew them into the market-place — With a view to accuse them; unto the rulers — Or inferior magistrates, (as the word arcontav here means,) who held their court there. And brought them — Toiv strathgoiv, to the pretors, or commanders of the army, who, it is probable, as this was a Roman colony, possessed the supreme authority in the city: saying, These men, being Jews — A nation peculiarly despised by the Romans; do exceedingly trouble our city — Disturb it in an insufferable manner; and teach customs which are not lawful for us to receive — Being such as would lead us to renounce the gods of our country, and abstain from many things which the Roman laws require. The world has received all the rules and doctrines of all the philosophers that ever were; but gospel truth has something in it peculiarly intolerable to the world; neither to observe, being Romans — “Though there was, as yet, no express law of the senate, or of the emperor, against Christians, as such, yet there was an old law of the Romans forbidding them, ‘aut novos deos, aut alienigenas colere,’ either to worship new gods, or the gods of other nations; and requiring them to worship the gods of their country; from which Christianity dissuaded men, not suffering any to worship the gods of their fathers, but requiring them to turn from these dumb idols to the living God, 1 Thessalonians 1:10; Acts 14:15.” — Whitby. Perhaps, also, they alluded to something said by the apostle relating to the kingship of Christ, concerning which we know he preached afterward, at Thessalonica, chap. 17:7.

21. Customs… not lawful—Roman law did by most solemn sanctions decree that to the magistrates it should pertain to forbid all foreign rites, and banish all priestlings, (sacrificulos,) and prophets or preachers, from the forum, circus, or city; and should abolish every sacrificial institute not established by ancient Roman custom. All who imported new or unrecognised religions, whether in doctrine or ceremony, by which men’s minds were disturbed, should be punished, the nobler by banishment, the humbler by death. Such was the law our apostles were bound to face.

Verse 22. The multitude rose up together] There was a general outcry against them; and the magistrates tore off their clothes, and delivered them to the mob, commanding the lictors, or beadles, to beat them with rods, rabdizein. This was the Roman custom of treating criminals, as Grotius has well remarked.

Verses 22-24. And the multitude rose up against them — Excited and inflamed by these accusations; and the magistrates — Or the pretors; rent off their clothes — That is, the clothes of Paul and Silas; for such was the Roman method of proceeding in such cases. Their magistrates were wont to command the lictors to rend open the clothes of the criminals, and to beat their bodies with rods; as Grotius here observes. And when they had laid many stripes upon them — Had severely scourged them; (either they did not immediately say they were Romans, or in the tumult it was not regarded;) they cast them into prison, charging the jailer to keep them safely — Lest, among their numerous friends, a rescue should be attempted; who, having received such a charge — A charge so strict, and from persons of such great rank; thrust them into the inner prison — Where he thought them perfectly secure; especially as he also made their feet fast 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 kept them extended in a very painful manner. So that it is highly probable the situation of Paul and Silas here was much more painful than that of an offender sitting in the stocks among us, especially if they lay, as it is very possible they did, with their backs, so lately scourged, on the damp and dirty ground. These multiplied injuries, however, these servants of God, conscious of their integrity, and enjoying a sense of the divine favour, bore not only with entire resignation, but with great joy.

Ver. 22. The multitude rose up together against them. Mobs in Jerusalem, in Asia minor, and now in Greece, are of the same family. The magistrates, supposing Paul and Silas the ringleaders, rent off their clothes, and gave them the castigation of the lictors. John Albert cites here many testimonies of the severity with which this punishment was often inflicted.

22. Multitude… magistrates—These Philippians would be no true Romans, their illustrious colonia would be no true miniature of the eternal city, if all the blood in their veins was not now in a magnificent tumult. Rent… clothes… beat—No time is taken to examine witnesses, or to try the case of the arraigned; no words are they allowed to utter. What need when all parties, except the prisoners, are agreed? Yet this broke the very letter of the Roman law, which declared, as Cicero says, Cognita causa, possunt multi absolvi; incognita, nemo condemnari potest—”The case being heard, many can be acquitted; unheard, none can be condemned.” The usual sentence after this was concisely and majestically Roman: Summove lictor, despolia, verbera—”Take lictor, strip, scourge.” The wording of this verse, which places the stripping before the commanding, would certainly suggest that the two magistrates on the present occasion did, in the excitement of the moment, perform the lictor’s office so far as stripping was concerned. Nothing but our respect for the Roman magistracy prevents this construction. To beat them—”Happy for us,” says Howson, “that few modern countries know, by the example of a similar punishment, what a Roman scourging was!” The Roman sense of justice was systematic, firm, and high, but in its inflictions needing the gentleness which a true Christianity alone can inspire.

We must not figure this prison after the shape of a modern house or jail, but, according to our cuts, imagine a quadrangular structure enclosing a roofless square yard or court, or courts within. The prison cells are in the ground story, and the jailer resides in an upper story. There is probably a well or fountain in the court. The inner prison may be a subterranean cell in the court. More probably it is the inner row of cells of the ground story which lines the court.

V. 23. 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 23. Laid many stripes upon them] The Jews never gave more than thirty-nine stripes to any criminal; but the Romans had no law relative to this: they gave as many as they chose; and the apostles had, undoubtedly, the fullest measure. And perhaps St. Paul refers to this, where he says, 2 Corinthians 11:23: en plhgaiv uperballontwv, in stripes beyond measure or moderation.

Verses 22-24. And the multitude rose up against them — Excited and inflamed by these accusations; and the magistrates — Or the pretors; rent off their clothes — That is, the clothes of Paul and Silas; for such was the Roman method of proceeding in such cases. Their magistrates were wont to command the lictors to rend open the clothes of the criminals, and to beat their bodies with rods; as Grotius here observes. And when they had laid many stripes upon them — Had severely scourged them; (either they did not immediately say they were Romans, or in the tumult it was not regarded;) they cast them into prison, charging the jailer to keep them safely — Lest, among their numerous friends, a rescue should be attempted; who, having received such a charge — A charge so strict, and from persons of such great rank; thrust them into the inner prison — Where he thought them perfectly secure; especially as he also made their feet fast 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 kept them extended in a very painful manner. So that it is highly probable the situation of Paul and Silas here was much more painful than that of an offender sitting in the stocks among us, especially if they lay, as it is very possible they did, with their backs, so lately scourged, on the damp and dirty ground. These multiplied injuries, however, these servants of God, conscious of their integrity, and enjoying a sense of the divine favour, bore not only with entire resignation, but with great joy.

23. Many stripes… into prison—Showing how intense anger demanded cruel satisfaction. What had raised it? A quiet worship and religious teaching at the Jewish proseucha by the river side; a poor girl relieved from demoniac paroxysms.

Howson illustrates this inner prison by that “dungeon in the court of the prison,” into which Jeremiah was let down with cords, and where he “sunk in the mire.” “They were cells, damp and cold, from which the light was excluded, and where the chains rusted on the limbs of the prisoners.”

V. 24. 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 24. The inner prison] Probably what we would call the dungeon; the darkest and most secure cell.

Made their feet fast in the stocks.] The to xulon, which we here translate stocks, is supposed to mean two large pieces of wood, pierced with holes like our stocks, and fitted to each other, that, when the legs were in, they could not be drawn out. The holes being pierced at different distances, the legs might be separated or divaricated to a great extent, which must produce extreme pain. It is this circumstance to which it is supposed Prudentius refers, in speaking of the torments of St. Vincent:- Lignoque plantas inserit,

Divaricatis cruribus.

“They placed his feet in the stocks, his legs greatly distended!” If the apostles were treated in this way, lying on the bare ground with their flayed backs, what agony must they have suffered! However, they could sing praises notwithstanding.

Verses 22-24. And the multitude rose up against them — Excited and inflamed by these accusations; and the magistrates — Or the pretors; rent off their clothes — That is, the clothes of Paul and Silas; for such was the Roman method of proceeding in such cases. Their magistrates were wont to command the lictors to rend open the clothes of the criminals, and to beat their bodies with rods; as Grotius here observes. And when they had laid many stripes upon them — Had severely scourged them; (either they did not immediately say they were Romans, or in the tumult it was not regarded;) they cast them into prison, charging the jailer to keep them safely — Lest, among their numerous friends, a rescue should be attempted; who, having received such a charge — A charge so strict, and from persons of such great rank; thrust them into the inner prison — Where he thought them perfectly secure; especially as he also made their feet fast 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 kept them extended in a very painful manner. So that it is highly probable the situation of Paul and Silas here was much more painful than that of an offender sitting in the stocks among us, especially if they lay, as it is very possible they did, with their backs, so lately scourged, on the damp and dirty ground. These multiplied injuries, however, these servants of God, conscious of their integrity, and enjoying a sense of the divine favour, bore not only with entire resignation, but with great joy.

24. Feet fast in the stocks—The stocks were a wooden frame, often iron-bound, into which the limbs were fastened so as to be immovable. The feet, hands, or neck might be so cramped as to fill the body with weariness and pain.

V. 25. 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 25. At midnight Paul and Silas-sang praises] Though these holy men felt much, and had reason to fear more, yet they are undismayed, and even happy in their sufferings: they were so fully satisfied that they were right, and had done their duty, that there was no room for regret or self-reproach. At the same times they had such consolations from God as could render any circumstances not only tolerable, but delightful. They prayed, first, for grace to support them, and for pardon and salvation for their persecutors; and then, secondly, sang praises to God, who had called them to such a state of salvation, and had accounted them worthy to suffer shame for the testimony of Jesus. And, although they were in the inner prison, they sang so loud and so heartily that the prisoners heard them.

Verses 25-28. At midnight Paul and Silas prayed — Doubtless, for their persecutors as well as for themselves; and sang praises unto God — Notwithstanding weariness, hunger, stripes, and blood; and the prisoners heard them — Heard a song to which they had not been accustomed, and such as had never been heard in that prison before. And suddenly — While they were thus engaged; there was a great earthquake — A token of God’s favour toward them, and threatening vengeance to their persecutors; so that the foundations of the prison were shaken — And probably of the neighbouring buildings also; and immediately — By the force of the earthquake; all the doors were opened, and, in the same moment, every one’s bands were miraculously loosed — Yet the spirits of the prisoners were impressed with such astonishment, that none of them attempted to escape. And the keeper of the prison — Who, it seems, resided in a part of it, not far from the ward where Paul and Silas lay; awaking out of sleep — Upon this violent concussion of the earth; and seeing the prison-doors open — Was in such consternation, that he drew his sword and would have killed himself — If he had not been prevented by the apostle, to avoid a more severe punishment, supposing that all the prisoners had escaped. For by the Roman laws, in that case, the keeper was liable to the same punishment that awaited the criminals who had escaped. But Paul cried, &c. — 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 hearing same desperate words that declared it, or by some immediate suggestion 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 a bright prospect into another life, yet it absolutely forbids, and effectually prevents, a man’s discharging himself from this. For we are all here — And none of us will take the opportunity of escaping, while the hand of God is working thus awfully around us.

25. Midnight—When perfect exhaustion from scourge and stocks might have been expected. Praises unto God—For the high privilege of suffering for Christ. Here, as in the case of Stephen, the joy of the martyr in suffering was displayed for an example to all who should suffer. So by glorious suffering the cause of a suffering Master should triumph. Herein the moral glory of Christianity is unsurpassable. No higher attainment can humanity gain than the power to suffer for righteousness. Prisoners heard them—God meant this midnight song not only for the sufferers’ joy, but for the prisoners’ hearing. Let men know how Jesus is glorified in the exultation of his martyrs.

Verse 26. There was a great earthquake] Thus God bore a miraculous testimony of approbation to his servants; and, by the earthquake, and loosing the bonds of the prisoners, showed, in a symbolical way, the nature of that religion which they preached: while it shakes and terrifies the guilty, it proclaims deliverance to the captives, and the opening of the prison-doors to them that are bound; and sets at liberty them that are bruised.

Every one’s bands were loosed.] And yet so eminently did God’s providence conduct every thing, that not one of the prisoners made his escape, though the doors were open, and his bolts off!

Verses 25-28. At midnight Paul and Silas prayed — Doubtless, for their persecutors as well as for themselves; and sang praises unto God — Notwithstanding weariness, hunger, stripes, and blood; and the prisoners heard them — Heard a song to which they had not been accustomed, and such as had never been heard in that prison before. And suddenly — While they were thus engaged; there was a great earthquake — A token of God’s favour toward them, and threatening vengeance to their persecutors; so that the foundations of the prison were shaken — And probably of the neighbouring buildings also; and immediately — By the force of the earthquake; all the doors were opened, and, in the same moment, every one’s bands were miraculously loosed — Yet the spirits of the prisoners were impressed with such astonishment, that none of them attempted to escape. And the keeper of the prison — Who, it seems, resided in a part of it, not far from the ward where Paul and Silas lay; awaking out of sleep — Upon this violent concussion of the earth; and seeing the prison-doors open — Was in such consternation, that he drew his sword and would have killed himself — If he had not been prevented by the apostle, to avoid a more severe punishment, supposing that all the prisoners had escaped. For by the Roman laws, in that case, the keeper was liable to the same punishment that awaited the criminals who had escaped. But Paul cried, &c. — 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 hearing same desperate words that declared it, or by some immediate suggestion 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 a bright prospect into another life, yet it absolutely forbids, and effectually prevents, a man’s discharging himself from this. For we are all here — And none of us will take the opportunity of escaping, while the hand of God is working thus awfully around us.

26. And suddenly—What sense, says the Rationalist, in a miracle here where it accomplishes nothing which might not have been attained without one? We reply, with Baumgarten, that the miracle was a true, illustrious, and necessary “Divine Sign,” confirming the apostles in the reality of the divine invitation, from the man of Macedonia, of Christianity into Europe. And Baumgarten also plausibly shows that this whole scene was a symbol and a shadow of the future history of Christianity in Europe. Philippi, as a colonia, is an image, ambitiously so, of the Roman pagan power. She opens the first Gentile persecution against the Church, emblem of the pagan persecution for four centuries. For three centuries the martyred Church sings her songs of triumph in the midnight, the bloodshed, and the stocks. Yet the very foundations of that inner structure are shaken, and by the very majesty of the secular power is the Church at last enfranchised. A great earthquake—The voice of God answers to the voice of man; the earthquake responds to the hymn. The seismov was so much an earthquake as a prison-quake. It was not from below, but from above, as truly as the pentecostal house-shaking. It was not, therefore, a mere indiscriminate jar and crash, but a distinct and specific act of the divine volition by which the foundations of the prison were shaken, the prison doors were flung open, and the fetters all sprung, while the power-bound limbs of the prisoners were unable to escape. Doubtless the city and the magistrates heard and were awed by the concussion; for even the ancient pagan recognised in the earthquake the movement of God. The solemn echoes of the apostles’ preaching had for many days been resounding through the city, convictions and misgivings had disturbed the public heart, and it may be saintly supposed that this immediately following sign should dismay the consciences of the guilty inhabitants and magistrates.

Verse 27. The keeper of the prison-would have killed himself] Every jailor was made responsible for his prisoner, under the same penalty to which the prisoner himself was exposed. The jailor, awaking, and finding the prison-doors open, taking it for granted that all the prisoners had made their escape, and that he must lose his life on the account, chose rather to die by his own hand than by that of others. For it was customary among the heathens, when they found death inevitable, to take away their own lives. This custom was applauded by their philosophers, and sanctioned by some of their greatest men.

Verses 25-28. At midnight Paul and Silas prayed — Doubtless, for their persecutors as well as for themselves; and sang praises unto God — Notwithstanding weariness, hunger, stripes, and blood; and the prisoners heard them — Heard a song to which they had not been accustomed, and such as had never been heard in that prison before. And suddenly — While they were thus engaged; there was a great earthquake — A token of God’s favour toward them, and threatening vengeance to their persecutors; so that the foundations of the prison were shaken — And probably of the neighbouring buildings also; and immediately — By the force of the earthquake; all the doors were opened, and, in the same moment, every one’s bands were miraculously loosed — Yet the spirits of the prisoners were impressed with such astonishment, that none of them attempted to escape. And the keeper of the prison — Who, it seems, resided in a part of it, not far from the ward where Paul and Silas lay; awaking out of sleep — Upon this violent concussion of the earth; and seeing the prison-doors open — Was in such consternation, that he drew his sword and would have killed himself — If he had not been prevented by the apostle, to avoid a more severe punishment, supposing that all the prisoners had escaped. For by the Roman laws, in that case, the keeper was liable to the same punishment that awaited the criminals who had escaped. But Paul cried, &c. — 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 hearing same desperate words that declared it, or by some immediate suggestion 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 a bright prospect into another life, yet it absolutely forbids, and effectually prevents, a man’s discharging himself from this. For we are all here — And none of us will take the opportunity of escaping, while the hand of God is working thus awfully around us.

27. Keeper… awaking—Luke omits his rising and hurrying to the prison cells with a dim torch for examination. He has seen at a glance that the doors are open, and hastily concludes that all have fled. He is before the open cell of Paul more visible, by the light of his own torch, to Paul than Paul to him.

Drew out his sword—He forthwith determines to forestall a worse fate by suicide. “By the Roman law,” says Howson, “the jailer was to undergo the same punishment which the malefactors who escaped by his negligence were to have suffered.” From the escape of the apostles alone he may not have dreaded death; but with how many deaths may not the escape of all the prisoners have overwhelmed him!

V. 28. 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 28. Do thyself no harm] As it was now dark, being midnight, St. Paul must have had a Divine intimation of what the jailor was going to do; and, to prevent it, cried out aloud, Do thyself no harm, for we are all here.

Verses 25-28. At midnight Paul and Silas prayed — Doubtless, for their persecutors as well as for themselves; and sang praises unto God — Notwithstanding weariness, hunger, stripes, and blood; and the prisoners heard them — Heard a song to which they had not been accustomed, and such as had never been heard in that prison before. And suddenly — While they were thus engaged; there was a great earthquake — A token of God’s favour toward them, and threatening vengeance to their persecutors; so that the foundations of the prison were shaken — And probably of the neighbouring buildings also; and immediately — By the force of the earthquake; all the doors were opened, and, in the same moment, every one’s bands were miraculously loosed — Yet the spirits of the prisoners were impressed with such astonishment, that none of them attempted to escape. And the keeper of the prison — Who, it seems, resided in a part of it, not far from the ward where Paul and Silas lay; awaking out of sleep — Upon this violent concussion of the earth; and seeing the prison-doors open — Was in such consternation, that he drew his sword and would have killed himself — If he had not been prevented by the apostle, to avoid a more severe punishment, supposing that all the prisoners had escaped. For by the Roman laws, in that case, the keeper was liable to the same punishment that awaited the criminals who had escaped. But Paul cried, &c. — 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 hearing same desperate words that declared it, or by some immediate suggestion 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 a bright prospect into another life, yet it absolutely forbids, and effectually prevents, a man’s discharging himself from this. For we are all here — And none of us will take the opportunity of escaping, while the hand of God is working thus awfully around us.

28. But Paul—Master of the situation here as ever. Do thyself no harm—A memorable caution, which Christianity addresses, not only to this desperate purposer of suicide, but to every man who is ruining himself by sin, whether in health, in estate, in body, in intellect, in soul. All sinners are suicides, cruel to themselves, relentless upon their own natures.

Verse 29. He called for a light] That he might see how things stood, and whether the words of Paul were true; for on this his personal safety depended.

Came trembling] Terrified by the earthquake, and feeling the danger to which his own life was exposed.

Fell down before Paul and Silas] The persons whom a few hours before he, according to his office, treated with so much asperity, if not cruelty, as some have supposed; though, by the way, it does not appear that he exceeded his orders in his treatment of the apostles.

Verses 29, 30. Then he, &c. — The jailer, greatly terrified by the earthquake, and astonished at Paul’s discovering his purpose to kill himself; called for a light — Greek, fwta, lights, implying, it seems, that on this alarm several of his attendants came with torches, and were present at the inquiry which immediately followed; and sprang in — With a violent and impetuous motion, into the inner prison, and, in the presence of his domestics, fell down trembling before Paul and Silas — Begging them, doubtless, to forgive the injuries he had been obliged to do them; for he was now convinced that they were, what the possessed damsel called them, even the servants of the most high God, who showed to men the way of salvation. And then, in the most respectful manner, brought them out — From the inner prison, in which they were confined; and said, Sirs — Kurioi, a style this in which he did not address them the day before; what must I do to be saved? — From the guilt I feel, and the vengeance I fear; probably referring to the testimony of the Pythoness, which had been so often and so publicly repeated. God, however, undoubtedly 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. Added to this, probably, “a vast multitude of ideas rushed into his mind at once. He saw by the earthquake the power and displeasure of God; and, together with this, the sweetness and joy of Paul and Silas in their bonds, their willing continuance in prison, when they might easily have escaped, and their generous solicitude for the life of one who had used them so ill, were all circumstances fit to strike powerfully on a mind so passionate as his seems to have been, and might all do their part toward convincing him that these men were indeed divine messengers, and that the divine displeasure was falling on the city, and particularly on himself, for persecuting them. Perhaps some kind and pious words, which Paul and Silas, who took all opportunities of doing good, might have uttered while he was fastening their feet in the stocks, might throw further light on his mind, when recollected amidst such extremity of danger; and, no doubt, the Spirit of God added conviction and energy to all.” — Doddridge.

29. Called for a light—More truly, called for lights, plural. He must have already had light sufficient to have learned the state of things. He now calls upon the servants to bring lights to restore the prison to order while he proceeds to bring the apostles from their inner cell.

Sprang in—Into the cell, where Paul and Silas were. Trembling—The jailer at once recognises that God has testified for these men as his own ministers and messengers by the terrible shaking he has given the prison. He recognises his own guilt in being the instrument of the magistrates in violating the sacredness of their persons. He fell down before Paul and Silas, not worshipping them as gods, but, like the pythoness, recognising them as the showers of the way of salvation, salvation, namely, from divine justice.

V. 30. 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 30. Brought them out] Of the dungeon in which they were confined.

What must I do to be saved?] Whether this regard personal or eternal safety, it is a question the most interesting to man. But it is not likely that the jailor referred here to his personal safety. He had seen, notwithstanding the prison doors had been miraculously opened, and the bonds of the prisoners all loosed, that not one of them had escaped: hence he could not feel himself in danger of losing his life on this account; and consequently it cannot be his personal safety about which he inquires. He could not but have known that these apostles had been preaching among the people what they called the doctrine of salvation; and he knew that for expelling a demon they were delivered into his custody: the Spirit of God had now convinced his heart that he was lost, and needed salvation; and therefore his earnest inquiry is how he should obtain it. The answer of the apostles to the jailor shows that his inquiry was not about his personal safety; as his believing on Jesus Christ could have had no effect upon that, in his present circumstances. Men who dispute against this sense of the word are not aware that the Spirit of God can teach any thing to a heart, which the head of a person has not previously learned. Therefore, they say it was impossible that a heathen could make such an inquiry in reference to his eternal state, because he could know nothing about it. On this ground, how impertinent would the answer of the apostles have been: Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, and thou shalt be put in a state of PERSONAL SAFETY, and thy family! I contend that neither he nor his family were in any danger, as long as not one prisoner had escaped; he had, therefore, nothing from this quarter to fear; and, on the ground against which I contend, his own question would have been as impertinent as the apostles’ answer.

Verses 29, 30. Then he, &c. — The jailer, greatly terrified by the earthquake, and astonished at Paul’s discovering his purpose to kill himself; called for a light — Greek, fwta, lights, implying, it seems, that on this alarm several of his attendants came with torches, and were present at the inquiry which immediately followed; and sprang in — With a violent and impetuous motion, into the inner prison, and, in the presence of his domestics, fell down trembling before Paul and Silas — Begging them, doubtless, to forgive the injuries he had been obliged to do them; for he was now convinced that they were, what the possessed damsel called them, even the servants of the most high God, who showed to men the way of salvation. And then, in the most respectful manner, brought them out — From the inner prison, in which they were confined; and said, Sirs — Kurioi, a style this in which he did not address them the day before; what must I do to be saved? — From the guilt I feel, and the vengeance I fear; probably referring to the testimony of the Pythoness, which had been so often and so publicly repeated. God, however, undoubtedly 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. Added to this, probably, “a vast multitude of ideas rushed into his mind at once. He saw by the earthquake the power and displeasure of God; and, together with this, the sweetness and joy of Paul and Silas in their bonds, their willing continuance in prison, when they might easily have escaped, and their generous solicitude for the life of one who had used them so ill, were all circumstances fit to strike powerfully on a mind so passionate as his seems to have been, and might all do their part toward convincing him that these men were indeed divine messengers, and that the divine displeasure was falling on the city, and particularly on himself, for persecuting them. Perhaps some kind and pious words, which Paul and Silas, who took all opportunities of doing good, might have uttered while he was fastening their feet in the stocks, might throw further light on his mind, when recollected amidst such extremity of danger; and, no doubt, the Spirit of God added conviction and energy to all.” — Doddridge.

30. Brought them out—From the inner prison, or interior rows’ of cells. He may have brought them into the hall or aisle between the inner and outer rows of cells. The other prisoners probably remained within their cells, as none appear to have escaped, and to none does the word seem to have been preached.

Be saved—Those who make the jailer ask how he shall be saved from punishment for the escape of his prisoners, forget that his prisoners were all safe. Perhaps they forget, too, that the jailer resided in Philippi, where Christian doctrine had been preached many days, (ver. 18,) where even the pythoness knew and daily testified that these men showed the way of salvation, and where the whole city knew that they proclaimed a new religion. How the apostles understood the question is shown by their answer.

V. 31. Thou shalt be saved and thy household-If ye believe. They did so, and were saved.

Verse 31. Believe on the Lord Jesus] Receive the religion of Christ, which we preach, and let thy household also receive it, and ye shall be all placed in the sure way to final salvation.

Verses 31-34. And they said, Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ — Whom it is our office to preach as the great and only Saviour; and confide wholly in him for salvation; loving, obeying, and living to his glory. As Paul had preached a considerable time at Philippi, the jailer, before this, must have heard of Jesus Christ, perhaps oftener than once: thou shalt be saved — Now and for ever, from every evil; and thy house too, if they also believe. “The meaning cannot be, that the eternal salvation of his family could be secured by his faith, but that his believing in Christ would be the best security of his family from present danger; and that, if they also themselves believed, they would be entitled to the same spiritual and everlasting blessings with himself; which declaration Paul might the rather add, as it is probable that many of them, under this terrible alarm, had attended the master of the family into the dungeon.” And they spake unto him the word of the Lord — That is, Paul declared more fully to them the contents and design of the gospel, giving them a brief account of the person and offices of the Lord Jesus, and of his life, doctrine, miracles, death, resurrection, and ascension; all which Silas confirmed by his testimony. And Paul’s discourse on these subjects was so powerfully convincing, that both the jailer, and all the members of his family, became real converts to Christianity, and were baptized straightway. And he took them the same hour, and washed their stripes — Which still remained unhealed. It should not be forgotten, that the apostles had not the power of working miraculous cures when they pleased, either on themselves or on 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. And when he had brought them into his house — After the solemn rite of baptism had been performed; he set meat before them, and rejoiced — In the knowledge which he had obtained of Christ, and the way of salvation through him. Thus faith makes a man joyful, prudent, liberal: believing in God — In the one living and true God; a very different being from the gods in which he had before believed. With all his house — Who, it seems, were all equally impressed with Paul’s sermon as the jailer himself was. Such were the transactions of this memorable night; and those of the next morning were not much less remarkable.

31. Believe—And what a mighty amount did that word believe embrace in its simple self! Become a full believer in Christ here in pagan Roman Philippi! It meant full self-surrender, in face of whatever persecution, of body, soul, and spirit, of life, name, and history, over to Christ. Yet, instantly, completely, and probably forever, was this great revolution of soul completed! Even here faith, justification, and inner regeneration by the effusion of the Spirit, preceded and were the condition of the external regeneration by the affusion of baptism.

And thy house—The apostle to all appearance says this, unknowing whether the jailer had infants or adult offspring. If the former, they were brought under that recognised salvation which both the Old and New Testament presupposes for infants within the nursery of the Church. Their condition under the old dispensation would have been realized forthwith by circumcision; and, by parity, under the new, by baptism. Through Christ the infant is a true member of the spiritual Church; baptism is the visible recognition of that membership.

Verse 32. And they spake unto him the word of the Lord] Thus, by teaching him and all that were in his house the doctrine of the Lord, they plainly pointed out to them the way of salvation. And it appears that he and his whole family, who were capable of receiving instructions, embraced this doctrine, and showed the sincerity of their faith by immediately receiving baptism. And, by the way, if he and all his were baptized straightway, paracrhma, immediately, instantly, at that very time, dum ipsa res agitur, it is by no means likely that there was any immersion in the case; indeed, all the circumstances of the case, the dead of the night, the general agitation, the necessity of despatch, and the words of the text, all disprove it. The apostles, therefore, had another method of administering baptism besides immersion, which, if practised according to the Jewish formalities, must have required considerable time, and not a little publicity. As the Jews were accustomed to receive whole families of heathens, young and old, as proselytes, by baptism, so here the apostles received whole families, those of Lydia and the jailor, by the same rite. It is therefore pretty evident that we have in this chapter very presumptive proofs: 1. That baptism was administered without immersion, as in the case of the jailor and his family; and 2. That children were also received into the Church in this way; for we can scarcely suppose that the whole families of Lydia and the jailor had no children in them; and, if they had, it is not likely that they should be omitted; for the Jewish practice was invariably to receive the heathen children with their proselyted parents.

Verses 31-34. And they said, Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ — Whom it is our office to preach as the great and only Saviour; and confide wholly in him for salvation; loving, obeying, and living to his glory. As Paul had preached a considerable time at Philippi, the jailer, before this, must have heard of Jesus Christ, perhaps oftener than once: thou shalt be saved — Now and for ever, from every evil; and thy house too, if they also believe. “The meaning cannot be, that the eternal salvation of his family could be secured by his faith, but that his believing in Christ would be the best security of his family from present danger; and that, if they also themselves believed, they would be entitled to the same spiritual and everlasting blessings with himself; which declaration Paul might the rather add, as it is probable that many of them, under this terrible alarm, had attended the master of the family into the dungeon.” And they spake unto him the word of the Lord — That is, Paul declared more fully to them the contents and design of the gospel, giving them a brief account of the person and offices of the Lord Jesus, and of his life, doctrine, miracles, death, resurrection, and ascension; all which Silas confirmed by his testimony. And Paul’s discourse on these subjects was so powerfully convincing, that both the jailer, and all the members of his family, became real converts to Christianity, and were baptized straightway. And he took them the same hour, and washed their stripes — Which still remained unhealed. It should not be forgotten, that the apostles had not the power of working miraculous cures when they pleased, either on themselves or on 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. And when he had brought them into his house — After the solemn rite of baptism had been performed; he set meat before them, and rejoiced — In the knowledge which he had obtained of Christ, and the way of salvation through him. Thus faith makes a man joyful, prudent, liberal: believing in God — In the one living and true God; a very different being from the gods in which he had before believed. With all his house — Who, it seems, were all equally impressed with Paul’s sermon as the jailer himself was. Such were the transactions of this memorable night; and those of the next morning were not much less remarkable.

32. Spake unto him—The apostles lengthened their reply to the jailer’s earnest question by explaining to him in the briefest words the way of salvation. The lights had been brought, and naturally his whole family gather around him and the apostle standing in the hall, so that the word reaches all that were in his house, but not all that were in the prison.

V. 33. 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 33. Washed their stripes] elousen apo twn plhgwn, He washed from the stripes: i.e. he washed the blood from the wounds; and this would not require putting them into a pool, or bath, as some have ridiculously imagined.

Verses 31-34. And they said, Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ — Whom it is our office to preach as the great and only Saviour; and confide wholly in him for salvation; loving, obeying, and living to his glory. As Paul had preached a considerable time at Philippi, the jailer, before this, must have heard of Jesus Christ, perhaps oftener than once: thou shalt be saved — Now and for ever, from every evil; and thy house too, if they also believe. “The meaning cannot be, that the eternal salvation of his family could be secured by his faith, but that his believing in Christ would be the best security of his family from present danger; and that, if they also themselves believed, they would be entitled to the same spiritual and everlasting blessings with himself; which declaration Paul might the rather add, as it is probable that many of them, under this terrible alarm, had attended the master of the family into the dungeon.” And they spake unto him the word of the Lord — That is, Paul declared more fully to them the contents and design of the gospel, giving them a brief account of the person and offices of the Lord Jesus, and of his life, doctrine, miracles, death, resurrection, and ascension; all which Silas confirmed by his testimony. And Paul’s discourse on these subjects was so powerfully convincing, that both the jailer, and all the members of his family, became real converts to Christianity, and were baptized straightway. And he took them the same hour, and washed their stripes — Which still remained unhealed. It should not be forgotten, that the apostles had not the power of working miraculous cures when they pleased, either on themselves or on 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. And when he had brought them into his house — After the solemn rite of baptism had been performed; he set meat before them, and rejoiced — In the knowledge which he had obtained of Christ, and the way of salvation through him. Thus faith makes a man joyful, prudent, liberal: believing in God — In the one living and true God; a very different being from the gods in which he had before believed. With all his house — Who, it seems, were all equally impressed with Paul’s sermon as the jailer himself was. Such were the transactions of this memorable night; and those of the next morning were not much less remarkable.

33. He took them—From among the cells, as we conceive, into the court, where the well or fountain often was. The same hour of the night— Unseasonable as it may have seemed. Washed their stripes—The word elousen probably signifies a plentiful application of water in successive parts to their entire persons. The vessels in the vestibules of the ancient churches for washing hands were called louthrev; the water in pitchers for purifying brides by sprinkling was called loutron; the boy who brought it was called loutroforov? and a bath wash-basin is called a louthrion, pp. 208-211. In all these cases louw signifies the application of water to the person. Baptized—It can hardly be supposed that so many persons should be successively immersed at midnight in the same well, fountain, or tank. Nor could they all have gone down to the river, for Paul’s message to the magistrates (verse 37) clearly implies that he had not left the prison limits. Smith’s “Dictionary of Classical Antiquities.” p. 148, has the following words: “The word baptisterium is not a bath sufficiently large to immerse the whole body, but a vessel or labrum containing cold water for pouring over the head,” p. 336. As this present baptism was performed by one Roman citizen upon another, the passage is in point. There is the purifying of the body and the purifying of the soul reciprocally applied.

V. 34. He set a table before them and rejoiced-Faith makes a man joyful, prudent, liberal.

Verse 34. He set meat before them] They were sufficiently exhausted, and needed refreshment; nor had the apostles any such inherent miraculous power as could prevent them from suffering through hunger, or enable them to heal their own grounds. As they were the instruments of bringing health to his soul, he became the instrument of health to their bodies. Genuine faith in Christ will always be accompanied with benevolence and humanity, and every fruit that such dispositions can produce. The jailor believed-brought them into his house-washed their stripes-and set meat before them.

Verses 31-34. And they said, Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ — Whom it is our office to preach as the great and only Saviour; and confide wholly in him for salvation; loving, obeying, and living to his glory. As Paul had preached a considerable time at Philippi, the jailer, before this, must have heard of Jesus Christ, perhaps oftener than once: thou shalt be saved — Now and for ever, from every evil; and thy house too, if they also believe. “The meaning cannot be, that the eternal salvation of his family could be secured by his faith, but that his believing in Christ would be the best security of his family from present danger; and that, if they also themselves believed, they would be entitled to the same spiritual and everlasting blessings with himself; which declaration Paul might the rather add, as it is probable that many of them, under this terrible alarm, had attended the master of the family into the dungeon.” And they spake unto him the word of the Lord — That is, Paul declared more fully to them the contents and design of the gospel, giving them a brief account of the person and offices of the Lord Jesus, and of his life, doctrine, miracles, death, resurrection, and ascension; all which Silas confirmed by his testimony. And Paul’s discourse on these subjects was so powerfully convincing, that both the jailer, and all the members of his family, became real converts to Christianity, and were baptized straightway. And he took them the same hour, and washed their stripes — Which still remained unhealed. It should not be forgotten, that the apostles had not the power of working miraculous cures when they pleased, either on themselves or on 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. And when he had brought them into his house — After the solemn rite of baptism had been performed; he set meat before them, and rejoiced — In the knowledge which he had obtained of Christ, and the way of salvation through him. Thus faith makes a man joyful, prudent, liberal: believing in God — In the one living and true God; a very different being from the gods in which he had before believed. With all his house — Who, it seems, were all equally impressed with Paul’s sermon as the jailer himself was. Such were the transactions of this memorable night; and those of the next morning were not much less remarkable.

34. Brought them—The Greek word signifies brought them up: implying that his house was above the prison. All the previous transactions have been below. Rejoiced, panoiki, whole-housely. Such is the expressive Greek word. And whether these were infants or not, we are to recollect how completely by the Hebrew law, and still more by the Roman law, the family was identified with its head. When Abraham entered into faith with God (Genesis 17:23) he “took Ishmael, his son, and all that were born in his house, and all that were bought with his money, every male, etc., and circumcised the flesh of their foreskin in the self-same day.” Still more by the Roman law was the personality of the family lost in the father, who could scourge, sell, or execute them at pleasure. Hence, we cannot fairly understand the various phrases here, thy name, ver. 31; in his house, ver. 32; all his, ver. 33; whole-housely, ver. 34; otherwise than that all were as infants, with their faith actually submitted to and contained in his faith, under the assumption that all were hereafter to be taught, discipled, and saved in the Christian religion.

V. 35. 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 35. And the magistrates sent the sergeants] The original word, pabdoucouv, means the lictors, persons who carried before the consul the fasces, which was a hatchet, round the handle of which was a bundle of rods tied. Why the magistrates should have sent an order to dismiss the apostles, whom they had so barbarously used the preceding evening, we cannot tell, unless we receive the reading of the Codex Bezæ as genuine, viz. hJmerav de genomenhv, sunhlqon oi strathgoi epi to auto eiv thn agoran, kai anamnhsqentev ton seismon ton gegonta,

efobhqhsan, kai apesteilan touv rabdoucouv k. t. l. And when it was day, the magistrates came together into the court, AND REMEMBERING THE EARTHQUAKE THAT HAD HAPPENED, they were afraid, and they sent the sergeants, &c. The Itala version of this same MS. has the same reading: so has also the margin of the later Syriac. If this MS. be correct, the cause of the dismissal of the apostles is at once evident: the earthquake had alarmed the magistrates; and, taking it for granted that this was a token of the Divine displeasure against them for their unprincipled conduct towards those good men, they wished to get as quietly rid of the business as they could, and therefore sent to dismiss the apostles. Whether this reading be genuine or not, it is likely that it gives the true cause of the magistrates’ conduct.

Verses 35-39. When it was day, the magistrates — Or pretors, being terrified, probably, by the earthquake, which had been felt all over the city, and having been informed of the miraculous opening of the prison-doors, which had changed their opinion of Paul and Silas; sent the sergeants — Rabdoucouv, the rod-bearers, or lictors; saying — To the jailer; Let these men go — How different from the charge given a few hours before, and how great an ease to the mind of the jailer! And the keeper told this saying to Paul — Being glad that he might release them; adding, Now therefore depart, and go in peace — He does not say this as being desirous to be rid of them, but showing that they were at full liberty to go whenever they pleased, to preach the gospel and fulfil their ministry. But Paul said — Judging it proper to animadvert on the manner in which they had been used; They have beaten us openly, uncondemned, being Romans — Free citizens, as well as themselves; and now they thrust us out privily — Without making us any reparation for the injury they have done us. Nay, verily, but let them come themselves and fetch us out — And, by their dismissing us openly, let them show the people that they imprisoned us unjustly. Paul does not always plead this privilege of being a Roman; but in a country where they were entire strangers, such treatment, if suffered without animadversion, might have brought upon them a suspicion of their having been guilty of some uncommon crime; and so have hindered the success of the gospel. Now when the pretors heard that they were Romans, they were afraid of being called to an account for their conduct toward them, well knowing that even to have torn the garments of a citizen, and much more to have scourged him, especially thus publicly, and without hearing his defence, was a crime which might have exposed them to very high penalties, if the person injured had entered a complaint against them in the legal forms. They came — Therefore, in their own persons, to the prison where Paul and Silas were, and besought them — Not to resent the injury that had been done them, or, as the word parekalesan, here rendered besought, is rendered in the next verse, they comforted them, namely, by acknowledging their innocence, and commending the patience and fortitude with which they had borne the punishment so rashly inflicted upon them, as well as by other kind and conciliating speeches. And brought them out — With the most respectful treatment; and desired them to depart out of the city — With all convenient speed, to prevent any of those popular tumults which might be the consequence of their longer abode in it.

35. When it was day—We can easily conceive that after such a day of crime, and such a night of terror, the guilty magistrates, even without any intelligence from the jailer, would be oppressed with fearful misgivings. Their course had broken the Roman law, and degraded their own Roman official dignity. They wish the past undone and their victims well away. Sergeants—Literally, rod-bearers, sheriffs, or constables, who performed judicial orders, called by the Romans lictors. The provincial lictors carried a bundle of rods as their ensign of office; the lictors at Rome bore rods and axes, implements, for scourging and beheading. Those men—Words indicative not so much of contempt, as some suppose, as of an awkward feeling of having two unwelcome cases on their hands.

Verses 35-39. When it was day, the magistrates — Or pretors, being terrified, probably, by the earthquake, which had been felt all over the city, and having been informed of the miraculous opening of the prison-doors, which had changed their opinion of Paul and Silas; sent the sergeants — Rabdoucouv, the rod-bearers, or lictors; saying — To the jailer; Let these men go — How different from the charge given a few hours before, and how great an ease to the mind of the jailer! And the keeper told this saying to Paul — Being glad that he might release them; adding, Now therefore depart, and go in peace — He does not say this as being desirous to be rid of them, but showing that they were at full liberty to go whenever they pleased, to preach the gospel and fulfil their ministry. But Paul said — Judging it proper to animadvert on the manner in which they had been used; They have beaten us openly, uncondemned, being Romans — Free citizens, as well as themselves; and now they thrust us out privily — Without making us any reparation for the injury they have done us. Nay, verily, but let them come themselves and fetch us out — And, by their dismissing us openly, let them show the people that they imprisoned us unjustly. Paul does not always plead this privilege of being a Roman; but in a country where they were entire strangers, such treatment, if suffered without animadversion, might have brought upon them a suspicion of their having been guilty of some uncommon crime; and so have hindered the success of the gospel. Now when the pretors heard that they were Romans, they were afraid of being called to an account for their conduct toward them, well knowing that even to have torn the garments of a citizen, and much more to have scourged him, especially thus publicly, and without hearing his defence, was a crime which might have exposed them to very high penalties, if the person injured had entered a complaint against them in the legal forms. They came — Therefore, in their own persons, to the prison where Paul and Silas were, and besought them — Not to resent the injury that had been done them, or, as the word parekalesan, here rendered besought, is rendered in the next verse, they comforted them, namely, by acknowledging their innocence, and commending the patience and fortitude with which they had borne the punishment so rashly inflicted upon them, as well as by other kind and conciliating speeches. And brought them out — With the most respectful treatment; and desired them to depart out of the city — With all convenient speed, to prevent any of those popular tumults which might be the consequence of their longer abode in it.

36. Keeper… told this—While the keeper reports the message to Paul the lictors are waiting the reply. They afterward told (verse 38) Paul’s words (reported to them by the jailer) to the magistrates.

V. 37. 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 37. They have beaten us openly-being Romans] St. Paul well knew the Roman laws; and on their violation by the magistrates he pleads. The Valerian law forbade any Roman citizen to be bound. The Porcian law forbade any to be beaten with rods. “Poreia lex virgas ab omnium civium Romanorum corpore amovit.” And by the same law the liberty of a Roman citizen was never put in the power of the lictor. “Porcia lex libertatem civium lictori eripuit.” See CICERO, Orat. pro Rabirio. Hence, as the same author observes, In Verrem, Orat. 5: “Facinus est vinciri civem Romanum, scelus verberari.” It is a transgression of the law to bind a Roman citizen: it is wickedness to scourge him. And the illegality of the proceedings of these magistrates was farther evident in their condemning and punishing them unheard. This was a gross violation of a common maxim in the Roman law. Causa cognita, possunt multi absolvi; incognita, nemo condemnari potest. Cicero. “Many who are accused of evil may be absolved, when the cause is heard; but unheard, no man can be condemned.” Every principle of the law of nature and the law of nations was violated in the treatment these holy men met with from the unprincipled magistrates of this city.

Let them come themselves and fetch us out.] The apostles were determined that the magistrates should be humbled for their illegal proceedings; and that the people at large might see that they had been unjustly condemned, and that the majesty of the Roman people was insulted by the treatment they had received.

Verses 35-39. When it was day, the magistrates — Or pretors, being terrified, probably, by the earthquake, which had been felt all over the city, and having been informed of the miraculous opening of the prison-doors, which had changed their opinion of Paul and Silas; sent the sergeants — Rabdoucouv, the rod-bearers, or lictors; saying — To the jailer; Let these men go — How different from the charge given a few hours before, and how great an ease to the mind of the jailer! And the keeper told this saying to Paul — Being glad that he might release them; adding, Now therefore depart, and go in peace — He does not say this as being desirous to be rid of them, but showing that they were at full liberty to go whenever they pleased, to preach the gospel and fulfil their ministry. But Paul said — Judging it proper to animadvert on the manner in which they had been used; They have beaten us openly, uncondemned, being Romans — Free citizens, as well as themselves; and now they thrust us out privily — Without making us any reparation for the injury they have done us. Nay, verily, but let them come themselves and fetch us out — And, by their dismissing us openly, let them show the people that they imprisoned us unjustly. Paul does not always plead this privilege of being a Roman; but in a country where they were entire strangers, such treatment, if suffered without animadversion, might have brought upon them a suspicion of their having been guilty of some uncommon crime; and so have hindered the success of the gospel. Now when the pretors heard that they were Romans, they were afraid of being called to an account for their conduct toward them, well knowing that even to have torn the garments of a citizen, and much more to have scourged him, especially thus publicly, and without hearing his defence, was a crime which might have exposed them to very high penalties, if the person injured had entered a complaint against them in the legal forms. They came — Therefore, in their own persons, to the prison where Paul and Silas were, and besought them — Not to resent the injury that had been done them, or, as the word parekalesan, here rendered besought, is rendered in the next verse, they comforted them, namely, by acknowledging their innocence, and commending the patience and fortitude with which they had borne the punishment so rashly inflicted upon them, as well as by other kind and conciliating speeches. And brought them out — With the most respectful treatment; and desired them to depart out of the city — With all convenient speed, to prevent any of those popular tumults which might be the consequence of their longer abode in it.

37. Beaten us… Romans—The memorable oratory of Cicero against Verres has universally diffused the knowledge of the fact that the exclamation! “I am a Roman citizen!” exempted the legal utterer from stripes, the punishment of slaves. By the Porcian law the body of a Roman citizen was sacred from stripes or the power of a lictor. Uncondemned— A second violation of law in the same act. And this fact of their allowing of no trial and no hearing deprived them of all plea of ignorance of Paul’s citizenship. It is a difficult question to decide how Paul, being a Jew, became a Roman; that is, endowed with the rights of a citizen of Rome. This right could at some periods be purchased, and some Jews did purchase it on account of its great protective convenience, but Paul “was freeborn,” Acts 22:27, 28. Nor did it arise from his being a Tarsean, for in spite of that known fact (Acts 21:39) the chief captain was ready to scourge him. Tarsus was, by favour of Augustus, “a free city;” that is, under allegiance to Rome it was allowed to choose its own magistrates, pass its own laws, and govern itself; yet this did not endow its inhabitants individually with the immunities of a Roman citizen. His father was such a citizen, it may be, by purchase, or by some public service. There, indeed, is a third supposition. A slave, if emancipated within the city of Rome, became thereby a citizen. Now, as it happens, the Roman general, Cassius, offended at the hostility of Tarsus, sold a large number of the inhabitants into slavery at Rome, and of these Paul’s father may have been one. When Cassius was conquered at Philippi the enslaved Tarsians were emancipated, and thus Paul’s father may have been enfranchised, and Paul “free-born.”

Verse 38. They feared when they heard-they were Romans.] They feared, because the Roman law was so constituted that an insult offered to a citizen was deemed an insult to the whole Roman people. There is a remarkable addition here, both in the Greek and Latin of the Codex Bezæ. It is as follows: “And when they were come with many of their friends to the prison, they besought them to go out, saying: We were ignorant of your circumstances, that ye were righteous men. And, leading them out, they besought them, saying, Depart from this city, lest they again make an insurrection against you, and clamour against you.”

Verses 35-39. When it was day, the magistrates — Or pretors, being terrified, probably, by the earthquake, which had been felt all over the city, and having been informed of the miraculous opening of the prison-doors, which had changed their opinion of Paul and Silas; sent the sergeants — Rabdoucouv, the rod-bearers, or lictors; saying — To the jailer; Let these men go — How different from the charge given a few hours before, and how great an ease to the mind of the jailer! And the keeper told this saying to Paul — Being glad that he might release them; adding, Now therefore depart, and go in peace — He does not say this as being desirous to be rid of them, but showing that they were at full liberty to go whenever they pleased, to preach the gospel and fulfil their ministry. But Paul said — Judging it proper to animadvert on the manner in which they had been used; They have beaten us openly, uncondemned, being Romans — Free citizens, as well as themselves; and now they thrust us out privily — Without making us any reparation for the injury they have done us. Nay, verily, but let them come themselves and fetch us out — And, by their dismissing us openly, let them show the people that they imprisoned us unjustly. Paul does not always plead this privilege of being a Roman; but in a country where they were entire strangers, such treatment, if suffered without animadversion, might have brought upon them a suspicion of their having been guilty of some uncommon crime; and so have hindered the success of the gospel. Now when the pretors heard that they were Romans, they were afraid of being called to an account for their conduct toward them, well knowing that even to have torn the garments of a citizen, and much more to have scourged him, especially thus publicly, and without hearing his defence, was a crime which might have exposed them to very high penalties, if the person injured had entered a complaint against them in the legal forms. They came — Therefore, in their own persons, to the prison where Paul and Silas were, and besought them — Not to resent the injury that had been done them, or, as the word parekalesan, here rendered besought, is rendered in the next verse, they comforted them, namely, by acknowledging their innocence, and commending the patience and fortitude with which they had borne the punishment so rashly inflicted upon them, as well as by other kind and conciliating speeches. And brought them out — With the most respectful treatment; and desired them to depart out of the city — With all convenient speed, to prevent any of those popular tumults which might be the consequence of their longer abode in it.

38. Feared, when they heard—But how is it that they were struck with panic at the mere claim by Paul of citizenship? It was, first, because they had already sad misgivings that they had violated the persons of holy men whose word was sacred; and, second, because to make such a claim falsely was punishable with death and confiscation.

Verses 35-39. When it was day, the magistrates — Or pretors, being terrified, probably, by the earthquake, which had been felt all over the city, and having been informed of the miraculous opening of the prison-doors, which had changed their opinion of Paul and Silas; sent the sergeants — Rabdoucouv, the rod-bearers, or lictors; saying — To the jailer; Let these men go — How different from the charge given a few hours before, and how great an ease to the mind of the jailer! And the keeper told this saying to Paul — Being glad that he might release them; adding, Now therefore depart, and go in peace — He does not say this as being desirous to be rid of them, but showing that they were at full liberty to go whenever they pleased, to preach the gospel and fulfil their ministry. But Paul said — Judging it proper to animadvert on the manner in which they had been used; They have beaten us openly, uncondemned, being Romans — Free citizens, as well as themselves; and now they thrust us out privily — Without making us any reparation for the injury they have done us. Nay, verily, but let them come themselves and fetch us out — And, by their dismissing us openly, let them show the people that they imprisoned us unjustly. Paul does not always plead this privilege of being a Roman; but in a country where they were entire strangers, such treatment, if suffered without animadversion, might have brought upon them a suspicion of their having been guilty of some uncommon crime; and so have hindered the success of the gospel. Now when the pretors heard that they were Romans, they were afraid of being called to an account for their conduct toward them, well knowing that even to have torn the garments of a citizen, and much more to have scourged him, especially thus publicly, and without hearing his defence, was a crime which might have exposed them to very high penalties, if the person injured had entered a complaint against them in the legal forms. They came — Therefore, in their own persons, to the prison where Paul and Silas were, and besought them — Not to resent the injury that had been done them, or, as the word parekalesan, here rendered besought, is rendered in the next verse, they comforted them, namely, by acknowledging their innocence, and commending the patience and fortitude with which they had borne the punishment so rashly inflicted upon them, as well as by other kind and conciliating speeches. And brought them out — With the most respectful treatment; and desired them to depart out of the city — With all convenient speed, to prevent any of those popular tumults which might be the consequence of their longer abode in it.

39. Came and besought—They are now at the feet of the men whose backs they had scourged without law. And the merciful conduct of these two holy men is full proof that personal revenge or pride has no share in this firm claim of their civic rights. It is the holy cause embodied in their person which prompts them to assert their own dignity. To depart—Much as the Gadarenes prayed Jesus to quit their coasts. A sense of their own disgrace prompts them to desire the departure of those who are its authors and reminders.

V. 40. 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.

Verse 40. Entered into the house of Lydia] This was the place of their residence while at Philippi: see Acts 16:15.

They comforted them, and departed.] The magistrates were sufficiently humbled, and the public at large, hearing of this circumstance, must be satisfied of the innocency of the apostles. They, therefore, after staying a reasonable time at the house of Lydia, and exhorting the brethren, departed; having as yet to go farther into Macedonia, and to preach the Gospel in the most polished city in the world, the city of Athens. See the succeeding chapter.

GREAT and lasting good was done by this visit to Philippi: a Church was there founded, and the members of it did credit to their profession. To them the apostle, who had suffered so much for their sakes, was exceedingly dear; and they evidenced this by their contributions to his support in the times of his necessity. They sent him money twice to Thessalonica, Philippians 4:16, and once to Corinth, 2 Corinthians 11:9, and long afterwards, when he was prisoner in Rome, Philippians 4:9, 14, 18. About five or six years after this, St. Paul visited Philippi on his way to Jerusalem, and he wrote his epistle to them about ten years after his first journey thither. The first members of the Church of Christ in this place were Lydia and her family; and the next in all probability were the jailor and his family. These doubtless became the instruments of bringing many more to the faith; for the false imprisonment and public acquittal of the apostles by the magistrates must have made their cause popular; and thus the means which were used to prevent the sowing of the seed of life in this city became the means by which it was sown and established. Thus the wrath of man praised God; and the remainder of it he did restrain. Never were these words more exactly fulfilled than on this occasion.

ACTS

Verse 40. And they went out, &c. — The servants of Christ, being honourably cleared from every crime by this public release, left the prison quietly, and went to the house of Lydia — With whom they had lodged before; and when they had seen the brethren — The disciples whom they had made; they comforted them — By rehearsing what God had done both for them and by them, in prison; and exhorted them (as the word also signifies) to steadfastness in the faith, and such exemplary conduct as Christianity always requires, and was peculiarly suitable to their present circumstances; and then they departed — Though many circumstances now invited their stay at Philippi; yet they showed great wisdom in complying 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.

We may observe here, that of all the churches planted by Paul, this at Philippi seems to have loved and respected him the most. The sufferings he had undergone in their city, for the sake of giving them the knowledge of the gospel, more precious than gold, greatly endeared him to them. Accordingly, while he was at Thessalonica, they sent him money twice, that, by making the gospel without expense to the Thessalonians, they might give the more heed to the things which Paul spake, when they found him a teacher of a different character from the Greek philosophers, who taught only for hire. They likewise sent him money during his first imprisonment at Rome, that he might want nothing necessary for him. In short, the injurious treatment which Paul and Silas met with in this first city of Europe, where they had preached, was abundantly compensated by the readiness of mind with which many of its inhabitants received the gospel; and by the excellent disposition which they showed after their conversion, in the great love which they all along expressed toward their spiritual father.

Ver. 40. When they had seen the brethren, they comforted them, and departed. Satan was rather too late with his work; a church of brethren, as well as sisters in Lydia’s house, was already founded. The apostles could sing out of prison, as well as in it, “Thanks be to God who always causeth us to triumph in Christ Jesus.” — John Albert has a note on the former part of this verse. Eishlqon eis thn Ludian: they entered in to Lydia. Castellio says, ad Lydiam diverterunt; they turned away, or entered into the house of Lydia, as the English reads; a metonymy, which puts the possessor for the possession, as in 1 Corinthians 12:12, where Christ is put for the church.

40. They… departed—The use of the third person indicates that Luke was left at Philippi. While Paul and Silas, as leaders, are assailed by the opposers, and shut in prison. Timothy and Luke retire to the house of Lydia. When the chiefs depart with Timothy, Luke is left at Philippi, as Silas and Timothy unquestionably are at Berea, verse 14. That Luke was left to care for the Church for the ensuing six years we have already (verse 10) shown reason to believe. His skill as a physician, his thorough knowledge of the Christ-history, his gentleness and holy character, would all combine to establish Christianity in Macedonia. Luke, Lydia, and the jailer may be well supposed to have largely contributed to make the Church of Philippi that loving and holy communion which Paul in his epistle describes it. When Paul, coming into Macedonia, visited Philippi, and thence wrote his second epistle, beyond all doubt the author of the third Gospel was the brother “whose praise is in the Gospel, throughout all the Churches,” by whose hand that epistle was sent. 2 Corinthians 8:18. Departed—Deliberately the apostles go out of the prison, pause to return their thanks and adieus to their hostess, Lydia, and then depart in peace, and in genuine, though unostentatious, triumph. In all this scene of suffering and trial Luke and Timothy, as mere attendants, are unmolested. And now, on the dark shores of Europe the first candle is lighted! There may, indeed, already be the elements of a Church formed at Rome by accidental Christian comers, (probably dispersed, however, by imperial decree—see note on Acts 18:2.) but as the landing of scattered old Northmen on the icy shores of Northern America does not invalidate the fame of Columbus as the discoverer of the continent, so the unknown beginnings at Rome cannot weaken the claim of Paul as the founder of Christian Europe. From Paul’s Epistle to the Philippians (which should always be read in connexion with this narrative) we learn that their candle did continue to burn most brightly.