Chapter Sixteen –
Second Journey of Paul
ACTS 16:25-40:
We began
this journey with Paul and Silas in
Antioch of Syria;
they then traveled through the rest of
Syria
and through the region of
Cilicia
strengthening the Bodies of Christ
along the way. When they came to the area of the two cities of
Lystra and Derbe,
they will pick up young Timothy to travel with them. They delivered the
decrees to these cities which strengthened them to a productive unity. From
here they will travel to two new areas of Asia Minor;
Phrygia and Galatia.
Luke does not record anything about these visits and Paul will not return to
these regions until
Chapter 19.
Passing
through the region of Mysia (having been forbidden by the Spirit of God to
go into Asia and Bithynia at this time), Paul and his group have come to
Troas.
Here at Troas, Paul will have a vision encouraging him to go to Macedonia
and bring the Gospel. As they determine to go to Macedonia, we learn that
Luke joins them.
They set
out across the Aegean Sea and cross with relative ease, stopping at the
island of
Samothrace,
and the next day arriving at
Neapolis,
the sea port town for Philippi. From Neapolis they head straight to
Philippi,
the chief city of this region.
Please use
the map provided:
http://www.plvcc.org/index.html?/articles_live_by_faith/image2/CNM19-Pauls2ndJourney.gif
Note:
Before we begin to look into the work of Paul here in Philippi, I would like
to share with you, from his own words, some things to consider as we look at
the events in Philippi, note:
Philippians 4:8-9
“Finally, brethren, whatever things are true, whatever
things are noble, whatever things are just, whatever things
are pure, whatever things are lovely, whatever things are
of good report, if there is any virtue and if there is
anything praiseworthy—meditate on these things.
9
The things
which you learned and received and heard and saw
in me, these do, and the God of peace will be with you.”
As Paul
writes back to the Christians established by the preaching of the Gospel of
Jesus Christ here in Philippi, he reminds them of all the properties
necessary to learn, and states that they have witnessed all of them in his
actions among them. We will in the next lessons begin to look at three
examples of these events to be noticed and recalled by these brethren and
you and me.
Text #1:
Acts 16:25-26
“But at midnight Paul and Silas were praying and singing
hymns to God, and the prisoners were listening to them.
26
Suddenly
there was a great earthquake, so that the foundations of the prison were
shaken; and immediately all the doors were opened and everyone’s chains were
loosed.”
In the
previous lesson, we witnessed that Paul always produced good works, even in
the face of adversity. In this lesson, he will now demonstrate that he
never allows an opportunity to promote Jesus as the Christ to pass.
Remember
the beating that we described in the previous lesson, and now consider that
you and I would probably be sitting in a puddle of our own pity concerning
our condition. Here however, Paul practices what he will later preach, note:
Philippians 4:6-7
“Be
anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication, with
thanksgiving, let your requests be made known to God;
7
and the
peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and
minds through Christ Jesus.”
Apart from
the wisdom and peace that is provided through Jesus Christ, these events
would absolutely be beyond our understanding; this is witnessed by the
prisoners who are listening with obvious amazement to Paul and Silas.
Earthquake:
Somewhere during the midnight hour an earthquake shook the foundations of
the prison. Earthquakes are not uncommon for this part of the world;
however, they like any of us who have ever lived in California can tell you,
an earthquake that can open locked doors and loose chains is not normal. It
is obviously a miraculous event.
Text #2:
Acts 16:27-34
“And
the keeper of the prison, awaking from sleep and seeing the prison doors
open, supposing the prisoners had fled, drew his sword and was about to kill
himself.
28
But Paul called with a loud voice, saying, “Do yourself no harm, for we are
all here.”
29
Then he
called for a light, ran in, and fell down trembling before Paul and Silas.
30
And he
brought them out and said, “Sirs, what must I do to be saved?”
31
So they
said, “Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, and you will be saved, you and your
household.”
32
Then they
spoke the word of the Lord to him and to all who were in his house.
33
And he took
them the same hour of the night and washed their stripes. And
immediately he and all his family were baptized.
34
Now when he
had brought them into his house, he set food before them; and he rejoiced,
having believed in God with all his household.”
Keeper of
the Prison:
He is often
referred to as the ‘jailor’; however, we notice that Luke wants us to
understand that he is a man of rank. Some historians believe him to have
been a retired centurion, this is predicated on Philippi and its history of
retired military men. Others think he was an active centurion. In either
case, he is obviously the one to whom the responsibility had been given to
secure the prison.
Awakened by
the earthquake and coming to the prison and seeing the doors opened, he
feared the worst. Being overcome by the supposed loss of his charge, as a
Roman of honor, he was in the process readying to kill himself rather than
face the disgrace of failure when Paul stopped him.
We Are All
Here:
It is the
casual reader that overlooks the fact that not only did Paul and Silas
remain within the prison, but all the other prisoners who had heard them
pray and sing. The effect of Paul and Silas and their trust in God is
obviously a powerful tool in the rest of these criminals remaining
incarcerated.
Many
speculate that the keeper of the prison may have heard some of the preaching
of Paul as the motive for the question asked; however, we must take into
consideration the facts as Luke has presented them. The keeper of the prison
has recognized that only a power greater than mere men could be at work in
these events and it is this that prompts him to as,
“Sirs, what must I do to be saved?”
Believe on
the Lord Jesus Christ:
There are
many, who for whatever reason ignore the facts of these events in order to
instruct a doctrine that seems rather strange to any individual reading this
with any intellectual integrity.
First,
the pronouncement of the power behind the events that have just transpired
and the power to the question the keeper of the prison has asked, would mean
nothing to him if this is all that is given to this point.
Second,
it is obvious that it was necessary for them to explain whom the Lord Jesus
Christ was (Vs.
32).
Third,
if the salvation that the keeper of the prison and now all his household who
are able to comprehend the preaching of Paul and Silas, had taken place by
just a thought or mental ascent, why didn’t they wait till the next day to
be baptized? You see, this is the same fact that we have seen play out from
the beginning of this study to the present; baptism is a command for
believers for the forgiveness of sins, and to be added to the Lord (Acts
2:38,
47;
Galatians 3:26-29). It was in fact, that same hour that they
demonstrated penitence (a godly sorrow leading to repentance) and also
demonstrated that the preaching of Jesus as the Christ is not complete
unless the teaching of baptism if associated with it (the same way we
witnessed it in
Acts
8:36-39).
Fourth,
when did they rejoice? Before baptism or after?
Vs.
34 demonstrates beyond a
shadow of a doubt that soul saving belief is demonstrated in obedience to
the commands of Jesus the Christ (being the Grace of God, everything He
demands of us is the grace of God!). This is using this understanding in
what translators refer to as the Greek perfect tense. That is everything
included in the instructions of Paul and Silas represent the complete saved
believer (He heard, he
believed, he was repentant, and was submissively obediently
baptized, and then rejoiced in completion of the newly established
relationship).
Text #3:
Acts 16:35-40
“And
when it was day, the magistrates sent the officers, saying, “Let those men
go.”
36
So the
keeper of the prison reported these words to Paul, saying, “The magistrates
have sent to let you go. Now therefore depart, and go in peace.”
37
But Paul
said to them, “They have beaten us openly, un-condemned Romans, and
have thrown us into prison. And now do they put us out secretly? No
indeed! Let them come themselves and get us out.”
38
And the
officers told these words to the magistrates, and they were afraid when they
heard that they were Romans.
39
Then they
came and pleaded with them and brought them out, and asked them
to depart from the city.
40
So they
went out of the prison and entered the house of Lydia; and when they
had seen the brethren, they encouraged them and departed.”
First,
if Paul had left that night after the conversion of the keeper of the prison
and his household (only those who could comprehend the full extent of the
words conveyed – not babies), the keeper of the prison could have lost his
life for letting them escape.
Second,
the order to release is most naturally accounted for by the fact that, as
the scourging and imprisonment had been inflicted only to silence the clamor
of the mob, there was now no need of protracting the imprisonment.
Third,
Paul’s demand for the magistrates to come and get them out themselves is
obvious; if news of the fact of his having been scourged and imprisoned
should follow him to other cities, there would also follow the fact that the
rulers by whose order it was done must have made amends for it. It was in
fact a crime to scourge a Roman citizen without trial. This is emphasized by
Luke when he records their fear at finding out that Paul is Roman. This
would now be the word that would travel with Paul, and other magistrates
would be far more hesitant to charge and punish without due process.
Saying
their farewells to Lydia and the brethren, they will now take their leave of
Philippi.
Next: “On to Thessalonica!”