The Work in Philippi Part 1

January 28, 2015

Commentary on the Acts of the Apostles

By: Tom Lowe

Topic #IV. The Church Advancing to the End of the Earth (Acts 13-28)

Subtopic C: The Second Missionary Journey (15:36-18:22)

Lesson: IVC.4: The Work in Philippi (16:11-40)

Part 1: Founding a Church with Lydia (16:11-15; KJV)

11 Therefore loosing from Troas, we came with a straight course to Samothracia, and the next day to Neapolis;

12 And from thence to Philippi, which is the chief city of that part of Macedonia, and a colony: and we were in that city abiding certain days.

13 And on the sabbath we went out of the city by a river side, where prayer was wont to be made; and we sat down, and spake unto the women which resorted thither.

14 And a certain woman named Lydia, a seller of purple, of the city of Thyatira, which worshipped God, heard us: whose heart the Lord opened, that she attended unto the things which were spoken of Paul.

15 And when she was baptized, and her household, she besought us, saying, If ye have judged me to be faithful to the Lord, come into my house, and abide there. And she constrained us.

Introduction

The remainder of chapter 16 concerns Paul’s work in Philippi. It falls into four separate scenes. Verses 11-15 relates the group’s (Paul, Silas, Mark, and Timothy) journey to Philippi and the conversation of a prominent woman named Lydia. Verses 16-24 deal with the healing of a possessed servant girl and its unfortunate result. Verses 25-34 tell of the conversion of the Philippian Jailer. Verses 35-40 deals with the final encounter of Paul the Roman citizen with the city magistrates.

Commentary

11 Therefore loosing from Troas, we came with a straight course to Samothracia, and the next day to Neapolis;

Verses 11-12 relates the journey from Troas to Philippi. The weather must have been good and the winds favorable because their ship cited Samothrace(an island located off the Thracian coast on a direct line between Troas and Neapolis[1].) the first day. Samothrace was a mountainous island with a peek rising 5,000 feet above sea level. It was an unmistakable point of interest midway between Troas and Neapolis, the port of Philippi. The Island had been, from ancient times, the seat of the Cabiri cult. It would need evangelizing, of course, but Paul’s sites were now set on the mainland of Europe. The island was soon left far behind, and the next day they arrived at Neapolis (From Troas to Neapolis was a distance of about 150 miles.) and Paul’s feet stood at last upon European soil[2]. Luke may have seen this good crossing as a sign of God’s approval. In Acts 20:6 the voyage from Philippi to Troas took considerably longer—five days in all, apparently because of contrary winds and a strong current in the opposite direction.

12 And from thence to Philippi, which is the chief city of that part of Macedonia, and a colony: and we were in that city abiding certain days.

The group would have taken the “Via Egnatia” (also called the “Ignatian Way”)—a Roman road that linked the Aegean Sea with the Adriatic Sea—the ten miles or so to Philippi. This route was the main east–west highway through Macedonia, beginning at Dyrrhachium on the Adriatic coast, traveling through Thessalonica, Amphipolis, and Philippi and terminating at Neapolis. Paul often traveled this road. Again, Paul did not linger at Neapolis. He had his eyes on bigger fields.

And from thence Philippi, which is the chief city of that part of Macedonia . . .

Paul arrived in Philippi about 20 years after the foundation of the Church at Jerusalem, and after the Pentecostal outpouring. Philippi was 10 miles inland from Neapolis. It crowned a steep hill that was encircled by two Rivers. It was settled from ancient times largely because of the copper and gold deposits in the region. Formerly known as Krenides, it was seized in the fourth century b.c. from the native Thracians by Philip of Macedon, the father of Alexander the Great. Philip renamed the city for himself and enlarged the gold-mining operations. It came under Roman domination in 168 b.c. and was enlarged in 42 b.c. when Antony and Octavian (later to be the Emperor Augustus, in whose reign Christ was born) defeated Brutus and Cassius on the plains southwest of the city, thus avenging the murder of Julius Caesar. In 31 b.c., after defeating Antony at the battle of Actium, Octavian granted the city the status of a colony.

. . . and a colony.

One of the ways Rome ruled the world was through her colonies. At strategic points on the map she founded Roman settlements, where Roman citizens set up outposts for the empire. Such colonies promoted the Roman way of life a “Rome away from Rome,” gave Rome loyal bases abroad, provided secure locations for the military, and enabled Rome to hold down the outlying areas. In return, they were given certain political privileges, not the least of which was exemption from taxes. This was their reward for leaving their homes in Italy and relocating elsewhere. In the book of Acts, Philippi, Pisidian Antioch, Lystra, Ptolemais, and Corinth are all Roman colonies. They were transplants of Rome, patriotic and proud ambassadors of a way of life; these people had Roman customs and they spoke Latin. Later, writing to the church he founded at Philippi, Paul said, “For our citizenship [literally] is in heaven” (Philippians 3:20). Moffett translates that,“We are a colony of heaven”. What a magnificent concept of the role of the Christian in this hostile world. We are here to represent a way of life and to represent an empire not of this world.

The Roman influence was particularly strong in Philippi as reflected in Paul’s Letter to the Philippians, and in the present narrative; it was also where the Roman governor resided. When Macedonia had first come under Roman influence, it had been divided into four administrative districts. Although these were later dissolved into a single provincial structure with Thessalonica as the capital, the distinction between the four districts seems to have persisted. This is perhaps reflected in Luke’s designating the city as “the leading city of that district of Macedonia[3]”. Actually, Amphipolis was the larger city and had been the capital of the district before the provincial reorganization. Perhaps Luke reflected a local claim that Philippi was Macedonia’s “foremost city,” a claim not totally unjustified when one considers its illustrious history.

. . . and we were in that city abiding certain days.

For the first few days he seems to have scoured the city making inquiries and looking for a friendly face.

13 And on the sabbath we went out of the city by a river side, where prayer was wont to be made; and we sat down, and spake unto the women which resorted thither.

The four missionaries evidently set themselves up in the city and waited until the next Sabbath before beginning their witness. Paul and his friends did not plunge immediately into evangelizing the city, even though they knew God had called them there. No doubt they needed to rest and pray and make their plans together. On the Sabbath, according to Paul’s usual pattern, they sought out the Jewish place of worship first. In this instance there does not seem to have been a Jewish synagogue at Philippi[4]. Paul was unable to follow his usual practice of making his first point of contact in the synagogue, where as a trained rabbi he could always be assured of a warm initial welcome and at least one good initial hearing for the gospel. Instead, they learn of a place of prayer (where prayer was wont to be made) outside the city gates[5]. Luke’s comment was, “we went out of the city,” but what is meant is that they went outside the (city) gate. The “place of prayer” is a technical phrase. Jewish places of prayer were found throughout all these cities where no synagogues were built. They were almost invariably placed by the side of a river; sometimes they consisted of a circle enclosed by some kind of wall and yet under the open sky; sometimes without any outward sign of enclosure. That was “the place of prayer,” and there, in cities where no synagogue was built, the Hebrews gathered on Sabbath for prayer.

The “place of prayer” was by a small river, probably the Gangas (or, Gangites), which lies about a mile and a quarter from the city gates. The Romans were sometimes uneasy about foreign cults. Judaism was a recognize religion; but perhaps because there was no formally constituted synagogue, the women had to meet outside the city[6]. If there were no Jews present and all the women were Gentile “god-fearers” like Lydia, this may have made their gathering even more suspect in the city. In any event, the gathering of women was the closest thingto a synagogue at Philippi. An unofficial group met by the river to engage in prayer each Sabbath day. Paul made for this place on the banks of the Gangas River. We can picture the courteous introduction as Paul introduced himself and Silas, who being from Jerusalem would command a special interest. Then there were Timothy and Luke. The women would look curiously at Luke especially if he was obviously a Greek. Paul would have taken the posture a speaker assumed in a synagogue, sitting down, to address the women. Most likely the event took place in the open air beside the river. So, this was Paul’s first congregation in Philippi. Not a very promising one! All women and no men; no building to meet in; no prestige or influence in the city to count on. Nevertheless it grew into one of the strongest, most generous of all the churches that Paul founded. It can be assumed that Lydia played a large part in its growth and development. If considering the small regard ancient Jews had for women as people to be taught, we are again reminded of how important a part women played in the story of Acts by comparison.

Before long the little group by the river would be held enthralled as Paul told them the story of Jesus. It was possibly only a small congregation. But here was an outpost of the empire to be stormed and taken for the kingdom of God. Paul never turned down an opportunity to present the gospel, however small and unpromising it might at first appear. Small things can grow into big things.

So Paul set about his first European conquest. It might not have been as large as he would have liked, but it would at least be a bridgehead on the mainland, and once secured, it could be enlarged.

And a certain woman named Lydia, a seller of purple, of the city of Thyatira

Among the women gathered there, one stood out. Her name was Lydia (Her name means “woman of Lydia.”), the same name as the ancient territory in which her native city of Thyatira was located. She is described as a dealer in goods dyed purple, a likely occupation since Thyatira was indeed a center of the purple dye trade. Lydia’s business is not an incidental detail. It marks her as a person of means. Purple goods were expensive and often associated with royalty; thus the business was a lucrative one[7]. This capable woman was captivated by Paul’s message.

Which worshipped God, heard us: whose heart the Lord opened, that she attended unto the things which were spoken of Paul.

Lydia above all was a deeply religious person. She had been drawn to the Jewish community because she found there an oasis in the midst of the spiritual and moral drought that prevailed elsewhere. Paul shared the Word (“spoken,” as it is used here means personal conversion, not preaching). God opened her heart to the truth, and she believed and was saved. This is another proof of the sovereignty of God in salvation. God chooses man for salvation, not the other way around (John 6:65; Ephesians 1:29; Colossians 3:12; 2 Thessalonians 2:13).

Lydia warmed to the story of Jesus. It rang true in her soul. It struck a responsive chord. It was the truth for which she had been searching, and her thirsty soul drank it in. In her hometown of Thyatira she had responded to such truth as could be found in the synagogue, but it was incomplete and often inconsistent. The story of Jesus was the answer. All the precepts and prophecies found their terminus in Him. Her heart,which the Lord opened (Luke 24:45), went out to Him. This must always be the case. Without in any way diminishing the importance of repentance and faith and of preaching the faith of Christ, there can be no life in Christ unless the gospel comes “not simply with words, but also with power, with the Holy Spirit” (1 Thessalonians 1:5). (Also see Ephesians 1:18). But Luke mentions it now perhaps to show that just as God had called them to this work, so he confirmed that calling by working with them—“On arriving there, they gathered the church together and reported all that God had done through them and how he had opened the door of faith to the Gentiles” (14:27). They had all “spoken to the woman” (v. 13), but Luke attributes Lydia’s conversion, insofar as it laid in human hands, to Paul, who was no doubt the chief speaker. The Spirit of God bore witness with her spirit. She listened earnestly to Paul’s words, and her whole soul responded with a glad “yes” to the gospel. She was both ready and responsive to the message.

Lydia was a “worshipper of God” (16:14), one of those devout Gentiles like Cornelius who believed in God but had not become a full convert to Judaism. There was an extensive Jewish community at Thyatira and she had perhaps first come to her faith in God there. As he had with Cornelius, God responded to her faith and “opened her heart” to receive the gospel of Jesus Christ which Paul proclaims. As always with divine grace, it was God’s Spirit moving in her heart that led to faith. The first convert which Paul made in Europe was a woman of Asia, a Jewish proselyte, perhaps, or a woman of true Jewish blood who had been born in Thyatira.

Paul spoke to that assembly of women, and that is a fascinating fact. Paul was a Pharisee who, through the long years of his early life, had daily repeated such words as these: “O God, I thank Thee that I am neither Gentile, nor slave, nor woman.” The man who wrote: “in Christ there is neither jew nor Gentile, bond nor free, male nor female,” (Galatians 3:28), thus contradicted the false view of the thanksgiving that had passed his lips for years. He now abandoned the Jewish and Pharisaic contempt for a woman. The apostle of Jesus Christ found no man in the place of prayer, but the old contempt had gone, and he spoke to the women assembled there. He dared to do so because the Gospel had changed his intellectual conception and entirely transformed him.

15 And when she was baptized, and her household, she besought us, saying, If ye have judged me to be faithful to the Lord, come into my house, and abide there. And she constrained us.

And when she was baptized. . .

She not only believed, she boldly identified herself with Christ by being baptized—maybe then and there. One can well imagine the curious crowd that gathered quickly enough when they saw this well-dressed and obviously well-to-do woman step down into the river along with Paul or whoever it was who performed the actual ceremony. We can believe, too, that Paul lost no time in explaining to the onlookers what was happening and why. Lydia doubtless gave her own word of testimony, too. What an occasion a baptism should be to tell the world of One who died that we might die in Him, and be raised in Him to newness of life.

. . . and her household

Lydia’s testimony and example emboldened others, notably her own servants and dependents, to make a similar confession of their faith and submit to being baptized, so it was a good opportunity for Paul and his associates to teach them the Word and establish a local church. We can be quite sure that Paul would not consent to the baptism of any who did not have a clear-cut testimony for Christ. But it was Lydia’s bold step that prompted the public response by her attendants. Often one person standing up fearlessly for Christ will encourage others to do the same by the sheer force of example.

. . . .she besought us, saying, If ye have judged me to be faithful to the Lord, come into my house, and abide there. And she constrained us.

A little time must have elapsed, enough anyway for Paul and Silas and the others to see that Lydia’s conversion was genuine, that her public testimony was continuing, and that her character and reputation were beyond reproach. There is no hint that Lydia was married. It would have been a reckless thing for four men to have taken up residence in a woman’s home were not her credentials above question. Such a move could have stained both her and them. The town gossips would soon have been busy, and we are to avoid even the appearance of evil. We can be sure that Paul carefully evaluated Lydia’s kind offer of hospitality before accepting it. She, too, was aware of the damage scandalmongers could do.

Hospitality was probably the most notable thing about her. Hospitality has always been one of the human graces. Together with clothing the naked, feeding the hungry, giving a drink to the thirsty, and visiting the lonely, Jesus makes it one of the basic requirements of life in His kingdom: “I was a stranger, and ye took me in” (Matthew 25:35). When Paul and his friends were friendless in a hostile city Lydia gave them the hospitality of her home.

Lydia’s invitation to the four missionaries to stay in her home in itself indicates that she had considerable substance, such as guest rooms and servants to accommodate them adequately. The words “and she constrained us” seems to imply that they were reluctant, but she pressured them to accept her offer. Lydia made the missionaries’ acceptance of her hospitality the test of whether they really believed she had become a believer, “come and see for yourself if the Lord has come to rule in my life.” It was an offer they could not refuse. But she did not merely open her home to the missionaries; she allowed it to become the gathering place for the entire Christian community—“After Paul and Silas came out of the prison, they went to Lydia's house, where they met with the brothers and encouraged them. Then they left” (Acts 16:40). Perhaps the wealthiest member of the Philippian church, Lydia embraced the ideal of the early church, not laying claim to what was hers but freely sharing it with her sisters and brothers in Christ—“All the believers were one in heart and mind. No one claimed that any of his possessions was his own, but they shared everything they had. (Acts 4:32). No doubt her home became the first “church” in Philippi (tradition places it in the village that has taken her name, not far from the ruins of Philippi). Of all the churches which Paul founded, this church was the closest to his heart. This was the church which loved him; and Paul love this church. There were wonderful saints in this church, as we shall see.

Not only did Lydia share her goods, but she shared her faith as well. As the leader of her household, she led them to join her in commitment and baptism. This is the first time the baptism of a “household” is narrated in Acts. Another will follow shortly (vs. 33-48). There is no evidence whatsoever that this included infants, and it cannot be used in support of infant baptism. Previous references to Cornelius’s household indicates that those who were baptized both heard and believed the message (10:44; 11:4, 17). Throughout Acts baptism is based on personal faith and commitment, and there is no reason to see otherwise in the household baptisms.

Of all Paul’s churches, the Philippians’ generosity stood out. They continued to send him support in his missionary endeavors elsewhere (Philippians 4:15-18; 2 Corinthians 11:8). One is tempted to see Lydia as a principle contributor. However, those who argue that Paul married Lydia and that she was the “loyal yokefellow” of Philippians 4:3, have certainly gone too far. Women like Lydia were particularly prominent in Paul’s missionary efforts in this portion of Acts—the women of Thessalonica (17:4) and of Berea (17:12), Damaris in Athens (17:34), and Priscilla in Corinth (18:2). Priscilla and Lydia took an active role in the ministry of their churches. This was in part due to the more elevated status of women in the contemporary Greek and Roman society. This was particularly true in the first century when women were given a number of legal privileges such as initiating divorce, signing legal documents, even holding honorary public titles. The prominent role of the women in Acts is perhaps due even more to the message Paul brought them: “in Christ Jesus, there is neither male nor female” (Galatians 3: 28). God brought her all the way to Greece so that she might hear the Gospel and be converted.

Today, we are sometimes told that the Church is full of women, that there are no men going to Church. I can’t help but comment whenever I hear that statement made. But the extent to which it is true is the condemnation of men; and let the men who are becoming Christless and churchless lament if the hour should ever come when their women ceased to worship. The women whose hearts are opened, whose homes are ever Christ’s training grounds. Lydia was Paul’s first victory in Philippi.

This episode is a beautiful illustration of 2 Thessalonians 2:13-14: “But we ought always to thank God for you, brothers loved by the Lord, because from the beginning God chose you to be saved through the sanctifying work of the Spirit and through belief in the truth. He called you to this through our gospel, that you might share in the glory of our Lord Jesus Christ.”NIV

[1] Neapolis, on the Strymonian Gulf, is the modern Cavalla; it was a port second only to Thessalonica.

[2] The territory is now known as the Balkan Peninsula and belongs partly to Greece and partly to Yugoslavia. Under the rule of Philip II of Macedon and his son Alexander the Great, this country rose to supremacy and became one of the mightiest empires in the world.

[3] The problem is somewhat more complicated than the text would indicate. Some of the best manuscripts read “the first city of the history of Macedonia.” The Western text reads “the capital” of Macedonia. Only a couple of Latin manuscripts have the reading “a leading city of the first district of Macedonia,” but this reading fits the facts best.

[4] At least Ten Males were required to form a synagogue, and no amount of women could make up for the lack if the required number of men was missing. Since only women are mentioned in the gathering outside Philippi, there were likely not sufficient Jewish Males to constitute a synagogue there.

[5] “Place of prayer” is sometimes used to designate a synagogue, and some interpreters argue that there was an actual synagogue building in this instance. Synagogues were often, but not necessarily, located close to a water supply because of their needs for the rights of purification.

[6] The ruins of an arched gateway stand outside the walls of Philippi. It has been suggested that this gateway is the one mentioned in verse 13 and served as a marker for the area within which no foreign cults could be observed.

[7] There were evidently two methods for producing the expensive purple dyes. One was to extract the color from the glands of the murex shell. This is the known method employed in the extensive diet industry in Sidon. Another method still employed in the region of ancient Thyatira extracted the dye from the juice of the madder route.

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January 5, 2015

Commentary on the Acts of the Apostles

By: Tom Lowe

Topic #IV. The Church Advancing to the End of the Earth (Acts 13-28)

Subtopic C: The Second Missionary Journey (15:36-18:22)

Lesson: IV.C.4: The Work in Philippi (16:11-40)

Part 2: Healing a Possessed Servant Girl (16:16-24; KJV)

16 And it came to pass, as we went to prayer, a certain damsel possessed with a spirit of divination met us, which brought her masters much gain by soothsaying:

17 The same followed Paul and us, and cried, saying, These men are the servants of the most high God, which shew unto us the way of salvation.

18 And this did she many days. But Paul, being grieved, turned and said to the spirit, I command thee in the name of Jesus Christ to come out of her. And he came out the same hour.

19 And when her masters saw that the hope of their gains was gone, they caught Paul and Silas, and drew them into the marketplace unto the rulers,

20 And brought them to the magistrates, saying, These men, being Jews, do exceedingly trouble our city,

21 And teach customs, which are not lawful for us to receive, neither to observe, being Romans.

22 And the multitude rose up together against them: and the magistrates rent off their clothes, and commanded to beat them.

23 And when they had laid many stripes upon them, they cast them into prison, charging the jailor to keep them safely:

24 Who, having received such a charge, thrust them into the inner prison, and made their feet fast in the stocks.

Introduction

This passage tells of the healing of a possessed servant girl. As Paul witnessed in Philippi he was pestered by a servant girl who was possessed by a spirit with predictive powers. The spirit incessantly proclaimed Paul’s relationship to God and the saving power of his message. Annoyed by the demon and feeling compassion for the girl, who was being exploited by her owners, Paul exorcised the spirit. Having lost a source of income, the owners hauled Paul before the town magistrates. Their charges against him we’re false but carried enough weight with the authorities to have Paul and Silas flogged and thrown into jail.

Commentary

A SLAVE GIRL HELD BY THE CRUEL CHAINS OF SLAVERY

16a And it came to pass, as we went to prayer, a certain damsel . . . met us . . . which brought her masters much gain.

The second incident of conversion in Philippi recorded by Luke was in great contrast to the first one. First it was a cultured lady, now it was a captive slave; first it was a successful businesswoman, now it was a demon-possessed girl. Luke records three specific conversions at Philippi, and each one is a contrast. When taken together they give an interesting study in the power of the gospel to save people from widely different backgrounds and ways of life.

After their first contact with the group which met at the place of “prayer,” Paul and his companions made repeated visits to preach and teach on days other than the Sabbath. A slave girl had perhaps watched them go to and from the river and had checked up on the nature of their mission. At some point, the slave girl began to follow them and shout at them, which made them the center of public attention.

This girl was a slave. Slavery was a major social scourge in the Roman Empire and the world of Paul’s day. Paul made no effort to deal with the social problem of slavery, he only dealt with the spiritual problem. We must get right with God before we can get right with our fellowmen. Get a person right with God, and he will soon get right with man. So Paul did not address the social problem of slavery. He addressed the spiritual problem of sin. This girl was a slave, but Paul made no attempt to do anything about that.

HER DEMON POSSESSION

16b A certain damsel possessed with a spirit of divination met us, which brought her masters[1] much gain by soothsaying:

On one of the occasions when the four missionaries were going outside the city to the place of prayer, they encountered a slave girl who had a spirit by which she predicted the future. The expression “a spirit of divination” is literally “a spirit, a Python spirit.” In other words, this demented girl was a pythoness, under the control of the demon Apollo, who was believed to render predictions of future events. The word “python” originally meant a snake, but by way of various associations, it had come to be used sometimes when speaking of ventriloquist’s, and ventriloquism was a tactic often employed by fortunetellers and other charlatans. But more than mere ventriloquism is implied here. Greeks and Romans put great stock on augury[2] and“divination”. No commander would set out on a major military campaign nor would an emperor make an important decree without first consulting and oracle[3] to see how things might turn out. The shrine, famous for the oracles associated with this god, was at Delphi (Pytho) in central Greece. This demon-possessed girl was able to make “inspired” utterances. Dear reader, I don’t think this was just foolish superstition—this girl was processed by a demon. Her masters found her “gift” highly profitable, since people would flock to her to have their fortunes told. In other words, she was a valuable piece of property, a veritable gold mine for her owners. And, under the slave laws of the Roman Empire, she was entirely at the mercy of her “masters.”

Both Paul and Luke saw the gods of Greece and Rome as “fronts” for the power of Satan (1 Corinthians 10:18-22) and the girl’s condition, therefore, as something distinctly unwholesome.

HER DEMONIC PERCEPTION

17 The same followed Paul and us, and cried, saying, These men are the servants of the most high God[4], which shew unto us the way of salvation.

We find in the gospels that the Lord Jesus never appreciated nor accepted the testimony of demons. He had come to destroy the work of the devil. One of Satan’s most terrible works manifested itself in demonic possession. Testimony from such a source was an affront to the Lord. Jesus consistently silenced evil spirits who bore him involuntary witness. He wanted no testimony from such a perverted and perjured source.

But Paul wanted no such testimony either. It was true indeed that he and Silas were “the servants of the Most High God,” and it was equally true that they proclaimed “the way of salvation.” However, it was the province and work of the Holy Spirit, not an evil spirit, to bear witness to that. Evil spirits lie, they deceive, and their testimony is tainted with falsehood. People who consult spiritual mediums and psychics are often brought into contact with intelligences that haunt the unseen world, but they are evil intelligences. Their only business with humankind is to blind andbind. At times they will tell the truth, at other times they will lie. Once a person is caught in their coils they lead him into dreadful snares.

So, while the testimony of the Python spirit to the mission and message of Paul and his friends was true, the source of the testimony was false. Paul was neither pleased nor flattered to have this girl following them around, giving demonic testimony to their work.

A SAVING GOSPEL

18 And this did she many days. But Paul, being grieved, turned and said to the spirit, I command thee in the name of Jesus Christ to come out of her. And he came out the same hour.

For a long time Paul hesitated to do anything about the situation. The girl was not for sale, she was too valuable a piece of property for that; otherwise he or Lydia might have bought her and then set her free from the possessing “spirit” without any unpleasant consequences. Paul was realistic enough to know he would be asking for trouble if he freed the girl from her demon possession, since she was still legally someone else’s property. Besides, who could tell what cruelties the wretched girls heartless owners might work on the unfortunate slave once she could no longer put money in their pockets?

Still, Paul was “grieved.” He was grieved for the damage being done to the cause of “Christ.” He grieved for the poor, lost, demon-possessed slave girl. His heart went out to her in all herlostness. An evil spirit is a terrible guest to have haunting one’s soul and possessing one’s body.

This woman seemed to always be there, always following them from place to place, always shouting that they were servants of the “Most High God” and proclaimers of “a way of salvation.” She was telling the truth now. Why not let her continue? When the devil tells the truth about the Church, a danger is created. Satan, though the father of lies, will declare the most important truths, when he can in so doing serve his purposes.

None of this would have been very clear to Gentiles. The term “God Most High” was a common Old Testament term for God, but the same term was equally common in the Gentile world and was particularly applied to Zeus. Neither would “way of salvation” be immediately clear to a Gentile. The Greco-Roman world was full of “saviors.” Savior/deliver, salvation/deliverance were favorite terms.

These acclamations may have been true enough, but they were open to too much misunderstanding for pagan hearers. The truth could not be so easily condensed for those from a polytheistic background. Jesus might be seen as just another savior in the bulging pantheon of Greek gods.

At last Paul could stand it no longer. Throwing caution to the winds, he invoked the mighty name of the Lord “Jesus Christ” [This was the common formula for exorcism, and it is used for the first time here in acts.] and, before that name, the evil spirit (demon) fled; in obedience to his command and apostolic authority. The ability to cast out demons was a special ability of Christ’s apostles (Mark 3:15). The girl was set free from a spiritual captivity worse than any slavery devised by Rome. Her chains fell off! Her soul was set free! But now she could no longer prophesy. Her ability to tell fortunes was gone.

PAUL AND SILAS SEIZED

19 And when her masters saw that the hope of their gains was gone, they caught Paul and Silas, and drew them into the marketplace unto the rulers,

There are some businesses that ought to be destroyed, businesses that trade on people’s vices, pander to lusts, undermine society, wrecked homes, ruin health, and spread disease. There are thousands of people today involved in peddling drugs, in selling liquor, in encouraging people to smoke, in selling pornography. They represent vast and powerful interests. There is money to be made in these things, big money. Such evils should be suppressed. They should be dealt with by society as a Doctor deals with cancer. But woe to those who try to put a stop to them—especially if action is taken by one individual acting under the spur and lash of conscience.

The callous exploitation of the slave girl was financially profitable. Her emancipation spoiled the business. The girl’s owners were enraged. The two men responsible were Paul and Silas, so they hauled them off to the authorities. Paul and Silas had the law on their side. So much for the law. It should have protected the girl, but it protected a very questionable business, not to mention that it legalized slavery. We have laws today that protect pornography and perversion, laws based on the right of free speech and civil rights. God calls such practices, “legal” or not, SIN.

The first-person narrative stops at verse 17 and does not return in Acts until Paul’s return to Philippi in 20:6. Luke and Timothy dropped out of the picture at this point. Only “Paul and Silas” got the brunt of the owners’ anger and were dragged before the magistrates.

THE RACIST CHARGE

20a And brought them to the magistrates, saying, These men, being Jews . . .

This probably explains why Luke and Timothy we’re not molested. Luke was obviously a Gentile and Timothy, who was half Gentile probably looked all Gentile. Anti-Semitism was a convenient way to prejudice the mob and influence “the magistrates.” Anti-Jewish sentiments was as prevalent in Roman times as it is in modern times. It becomes epidemic under certain conditions, but it is always prevalent in Gentile society.

Paul and Silas looked like “Jews”—they were Jews. “These men being Jews” were objects of hatred, contempt, and suspicion by the Romans, and at this time there was more than the usual prejudice. Jews were not like other people. They did not worship the gods, they were clannish, and they would not buy meat in Gentile markets. They were rich, and they pulled strings. In short, anti-Semitism had plenty of fuel for its flames.

There was nothing wrong with Paul and Silas being Jews. Roman law protected Jews. It was, however, a racial charge well calculated to prejudice a fair trial in Philippi. The emperor Claudius issued an order around that time expelling the Jews from Rome (18:2). This may explain why they apprehended only Paul and Silas, since Luke was a Gentile and Timothy a half Gentile.

The “magistrates,” who probably were the same as the “rulers” of verse 19, would be the two men who tried civil cases and were generally responsible for maintaining law and order.

THE RIOT CHARGE

20b These men, being Jews, do exceedingly trouble our city,

The magistrates were Romans. The Greek word for “magistrate” is strategos, an indication of Luke’s accuracy. Philippi was a colony, and its magistrates bore the same title as those at Rome,praetors, for which Luke’s Greek word is the exact equivalent. As a Roman colony, Philippi was administered by two such magistrates after the pattern of Rome itself. Hence the seriousness of the charge that the two wondering Jews were making trouble in the city. Roman Colonies were supposed to be models of peace and decorum, and to disturb the peace would be a reflection on Rome itself. The magistrates would see any riot as a reflection on themselves. The expression “do exceedingly trouble” occurs only here in the New Testament and suggests that a riot was feared. In any case, Paul and Silas were accused of instigating such a riot. Though not specifically stated, there was probably the additional charge of illegal proselytizing for Judaism, but the evidence is that Jews were not forbidden to proselytize until the time of Hadrian, well into the second century.

THE RELIGIOUS CHARGE

21 And teach customs, which are not lawful for us to receive, neither to observe, being Romans.

Note the contemptuous contrast in the charge between “being Jews” (v. 20) and “being Romans” (v. 21). The owners of the slave girl were careful in their charges to avoid the real issue of her healing and their resulting loss of profit. It did not take much to show Paul and Silas in a bad light.

The charge that their religious teaching was unlawful has a familiar ring—it is the charge many a missionary has had to face. It is heard still in many countries where powerful religious and political systems hold sway. Those seeking to spread the gospel in communist lands, in lands where Buddhism, Hinduism, and Islam hold sway are familiar with the charge. Up until recently Roman Catholic countries excluded the gospel by use of the courts. Today the great enemy of Judaism and Christianity is “radical” Islam which has violently murdered thousandsof helpless people by hanging, burning alive, beheading, etc.

PAUL AND SILAS SENTENCED

22 And the multitude rose up together against them: and the magistrates rent off their clothes, and commanded to beat them.

None of the charges were valid, but they had their effect. The mob was infuriated. To think that a couple of vagabond Jews could come into a Roman colony and interfere with the right of a Roman to do what he wished with a slave—his own purchased property. To think, too, that they dared propagate their foreign ideas in a Roman city in defiance of laws that forbade such non-Roman religious propaganda. When the owners of the slave girl had made their charges, the crowd attacked Paul and Silas (“the multitude rose up together against them”).

The appeal to anti-Jewish sentiments and to nationalistic Roman pride won over the crowd. The insinuation of a threat to civil order evidently won over the “magistrates.” Magistrates were charged with the responsibility of enforcing Roman laws, however, in this case, they did not uphold Roman justice. They did not investigate the charges, conduct a proper hearing, or give Paul and Silas the chance to defend themselves. The magistrates were easily swayed. Furiously they had the two prisoners stripped. [Some commentators hold the opinion that the prisoners “clothes” were not tore off, but rather the magistrates tore off their own clothes as a sign of their rage.] Their clotheswere tore off and the lictors[5] (rod-bearers) were summoned. In Roman city’s the lictors carried a bundle of rods tied together around an axe—a symbol made familiar to the modern world by Mussolini and the Italian Fascists. Rods and axe symbolized the right of the Roman magistrate to inflict corporal punishment and to invoke the death sentence. The rods were not mere decorations or symbols but were used in scourgings.

Paul and Silas were to be taught a lesson. They were to be given a severe beating.

PAUL AND SILAS SCOURGED

23 And when they had laid many stripes upon them, they cast them into prison, charging the jailor to keep them safely:

The lictors got to work. Paul and Silas were thoroughly trashed, beaten until their poor backs were a mass of cuts, welts, and bruises. Then with every nerve screaming with pain, they were locked up in jail. Now they could think over their misdeeds in case they might dare to repeat them. This probably was one of the three instances Paul mentions in 2 Corinthians 11:25 when he received the Roman punishment of a flogging with rods.

PAUL AND SILAS IMPRISONED

24 Who, having received such a charge, thrust them into the inner prison, and made their feet fast in the stocks.

The “jailer” would correspond to the warden of the prison and would perhaps be a centurion. It was impressed upon the jailer that these were particularly dangerous criminals. Woe to him if they escaped. Naturally enough, with such an abomination before him, the jailer took special care. He put them in the maximum security ward (dungeon), and to make doubly sure, he thrust their “feet”into the “stocks,” which were likely fastened to the wall, and made sure the stocks were locked. Often such stocks were used as instruments of torture; they had a number of holes for the legs, which allowed for severe stretching of the torso and thus created excruciating pain. Luke did not indicate that any torture was involved this time. The entire emphasis is on the tight security in which the two men were held. This makes the miracle of their subsequent deliverance all the more remarkable. With one last glare at them, he slammed and locked the door, leaving them broken and bleeding in the dark, in a cramped and uncomfortable position. His duty was done. He went off to his own comfortable home and congenial family. Little did that tough jailer realize that, after this night, he would never be the same man again. Probably he was a pensioner from the Roman army. No doubt he was a fine enough fellow, with a good heart and many striking qualities. Life in the barracks and on the battlefield would instill many admirable traits of character into such a man. He would be brave, dependable, and chummy to his peers, but he could be rough and callous. Not a thought would he have for his two prisoners except that they couldn’t possibly escape. That’ll teach them, would be his thought, as he slammed and locked the final gate. Now for supper.

And we can be sure he had no thought for his soul. Luke has shown us, at Philippi, how the Holy Spirit dealt with a tender soul and how He dealt with a tormented soul; now he is going to show us how He deals with a tough soul. Nothing short of an earthquake and the prospect of immediate death along with a quality of life infinitely superior to anything he had never known could reach this man.

Paul heard a great noise in Philippi when he healed the slave girl, but it was not the noise of praise. Men do not applaud this sort of work when their financial interests are at stake. They raise a protest and it will frequently lead the lawless element against those who might have done some good thing.

[1] The plural, “masters” has been needlessly thought to imply that the girl was employed by a business syndicate. It may mean simply “master and mistress.”

[2] Augury refers to divination from signs or omens.

[3] An oracle was a person believed to provide wise counsel or prophetic predictions or foreknowledge of the future, inspired by the gods.

[4] Among the Hellenistic Jews and Gentile worshippers of God, “Most High” was the name for Yahweh.

[5] Member of an ancient Roman class of magisterial attendants, probably Etruscan in origin and dating in Rome from the regal period. Lictors carried the fasces* for their magistrate and were constantly in his attendance in public; they cleared his way in crowds and summoned and punished offenders for him. They also served as their magistrate’s house guard. In Rome the lictors wore togas; during a consul’s triumph or while outside Rome they wore scarlet coats.

* Insignia of official authority. It was carried by the lictors, or attendants, and was characterized by an ax head projecting from a bundle of elm or birch rods about 5 feet (1.5 meters) long and tied together with a red strap; it symbolized penal power.