About midnight Paul and Silas were praying and singing hymns to God, and the prisoners were listening to them, and 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 bonds were unfastened. When the jailer woke and saw that the prison doors were open, he drew his sword and was about to kill himself, supposing that the prisoners had escaped. But Paul cried with a loud voice, “Do not harm yourself, for we are all here.” And the jailer called for lights and rushed in, and trembling with fear he fell down before Paul and Silas. Then he brought them out and said, “Sirs, what must I do to be saved?” And they said, “Believe in the Lord Jesus, and you will be saved, you and your household.” And they spoke the word of the Lord to him and to all who were in his house. And he took them the same hour of the night and washed their wounds; and he was baptized at once, he and all his family. Then he brought them up into his house and set food before them. And he rejoiced along with his entire household that he had believed in God. But when it was day, the magistrates sent the police, saying, “Let those men go.” And the jailer reported these words to Paul, saying, “The magistrates have sent to let you go. Therefore come out now and go in peace.” But Paul said to them, “They have beaten us publicly, uncondemned, men who are Roman citizens, and have thrown us into prison; and do they now throw us out secretly? No! Let them come themselves and take us out.” The police reported these words to the magistrates, and they were afraid when they heard that they were Roman citizens. So they came and apologized to them. And they took them out and asked them to leave the city. So they went out of the prison and visited Lydia. And when they had seen the brothers, they encouraged them and departed.
everyone's bonds were unfastened - "But what power had kept all the prisoners in their cells? We are distinctly told that 'all the doors were opened' and 'ever one's bands were loosed' (Ver. 26). Why did not one flee? We believe it was what they heard as Paul and Silas prayed and sang hymns, for what must have been the reaction in the heathen heart and mind to such conduct! How could they help associating the earthquake with it? By now the jailer, so narrowly saved from committing suicide, was completely overwhelmed. Calling for lights (plural, probably torches) he 'sprang in' and 'came trembling' and 'fell down' before Paul and Silas. So great was his reverence for them now that he did not even speak until he had 'brought them out' of the dungeon. Then he asked the great question which may already have been troubling him, and now had suddenly taken possession of his heart and mind. Addressing them as 'Sirs' (Gr. Kurioi, Lords) he entreats: 'What must I do to be saved?' (Ver. 30)." (Stam)
"When 'the people' had asked John the Baptist: 'What shall we do then?' he had insisted upon the fruits of repentance and of the kingdom (Luke 3:9-11). When a lawyer had asked our Lord: 'What shall I do to inherit eternal life?' the Lord had asked him: 'What is written in the law?' and had instructed him: 'This do, and thous shalt live' (Luke 10:25-28). When Peter's convicted hearers at Pentecost had asked: 'What shall we do?' Peter had directed them to 'repent and be baptized ... for remission of sins' (Acts 2:37-38). But now, under Paul, the clear, pointed message is: 'Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, and thou shalt be saved.' No matter what your sin, no matter what your ignorance, no matter what your fears about 'holding on'—'Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, and thou shalt be saved.' Whether to the child, with a lifetime of opportunity before him, or to the dying man with only a few moments to live, the message is still: 'Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, and thou shalt be saved.'" (Stam)
and your household - "These words must be connected with 'believe' as well as 'be saved.' Each member of the household must believe in order to be saved." (Ryrie)
"The meaning is simply: 'This goes for your household too. They, as well as you, may believe and be saved.'" (Stam)
and he was baptized at once, he and all his family - "It should be observed again that Paul had not required this baptism for the remission of sins according to the 'great commission' given to the eleven (Mark 16:16; Acts 2:38). It was added after, as in the cases of Cornelius and Lydia, and only because Israel and the kingdom program had not yet been officially set aside." (Stam)
have thrown us into prison; and do they now throw us out secretly? - "...the apostle points out that they had been 'thrown' into prison 'publicly,' and now will the magistrates 'throw' (Gr. ballo in both cases) them out 'secretly,' as if they had no rights? No, indeed! He will hold them to account for their illegal action. They must come themselves and escort the apostles out as publicly as they have cast them in. A secret pardon will not suffice; the apostle demands formal vindication." (Stam)
Roman citizens - "Paul was born a Roman citizen (Acts 22:28), which gave him certain rights, including a public hearing. Scourging of any Roman citizen was prohibited by law; the rights of Paul and Silas, therefore, had already been violated." (Ryrie)
"When the magistrates heard the message they feared. According to Cicero, to bind a Roman was a crime, to scourge him a scandal, to kill him a homicide. It was one of the most valued privileges of Roman citizenship, this immunity from corporal punishment. The cry civis Romanus sum (I am a Roman citizen) brought even among the Barbarians help and safety." (Gaebelein)
asked them to leave the city - "... we find the magistrates apologizing to Paul and Silas, yet requesting them to leave the city, evidently fearing that their continued presence there might call attention to the magistrates' blunder and complicate matters further for them ... We may be sure that under God Paul's courage, patience, presence of mind and clarity of judgment through this ordeal, and the faithfulness of Silas as his companion, placed the small church Philippi in a much more advantageous position and doubtless helped greatly to establish it." (Stam)
when they had seen the brothers, they encouraged them and departed - "For the present it seems that both Timothy and Luke remained with the infant church, for Luke says of Paul and Silas that 'they ... departed' (Acts 16:40). Indeed, it is possible that Luke remained at Philippi until Paul's next apostolic journey, for the narrative now proceeds in the third person, not returning to the second again until Acts 20:6. Timothy, however, rejoined Paul soon after, being referred to in Acts 17:14." (Stam)
"When 'the people' had asked John the Baptist: 'What shall we do then?' he had insisted upon the fruits of repentance and of the kingdom (Luke 3:9-11). When a lawyer had asked our Lord: 'What shall I do to inherit eternal life?' the Lord had asked him: 'What is written in the law?' and had instructed him: 'This do, and thous shalt live' (Luke 10:25-28). When Peter's convicted hearers at Pentecost had asked: 'What shall we do?' Peter had directed them to 'repent and be baptized ... for remission of sins' (Acts 2:37-38). But now, under Paul, the clear, pointed message is: 'Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, and thou shalt be saved.' No matter what your sin, no matter what your ignorance, no matter what your fears about 'holding on'—'Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, and thou shalt be saved.' Whether to the child, with a lifetime of opportunity before him, or to the dying man with only a few moments to live, the message is still: 'Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, and thou shalt be saved.'" (Stam)
and your household - "These words must be connected with 'believe' as well as 'be saved.' Each member of the household must believe in order to be saved." (Ryrie)
"The meaning is simply: 'This goes for your household too. They, as well as you, may believe and be saved.'" (Stam)
and he was baptized at once, he and all his family - "It should be observed again that Paul had not required this baptism for the remission of sins according to the 'great commission' given to the eleven (Mark 16:16; Acts 2:38). It was added after, as in the cases of Cornelius and Lydia, and only because Israel and the kingdom program had not yet been officially set aside." (Stam)
have thrown us into prison; and do they now throw us out secretly? - "...the apostle points out that they had been 'thrown' into prison 'publicly,' and now will the magistrates 'throw' (Gr. ballo in both cases) them out 'secretly,' as if they had no rights? No, indeed! He will hold them to account for their illegal action. They must come themselves and escort the apostles out as publicly as they have cast them in. A secret pardon will not suffice; the apostle demands formal vindication." (Stam)
Roman citizens - "Paul was born a Roman citizen (Acts 22:28), which gave him certain rights, including a public hearing. Scourging of any Roman citizen was prohibited by law; the rights of Paul and Silas, therefore, had already been violated." (Ryrie)
"When the magistrates heard the message they feared. According to Cicero, to bind a Roman was a crime, to scourge him a scandal, to kill him a homicide. It was one of the most valued privileges of Roman citizenship, this immunity from corporal punishment. The cry civis Romanus sum (I am a Roman citizen) brought even among the Barbarians help and safety." (Gaebelein)
asked them to leave the city - "... we find the magistrates apologizing to Paul and Silas, yet requesting them to leave the city, evidently fearing that their continued presence there might call attention to the magistrates' blunder and complicate matters further for them ... We may be sure that under God Paul's courage, patience, presence of mind and clarity of judgment through this ordeal, and the faithfulness of Silas as his companion, placed the small church Philippi in a much more advantageous position and doubtless helped greatly to establish it." (Stam)
when they had seen the brothers, they encouraged them and departed - "For the present it seems that both Timothy and Luke remained with the infant church, for Luke says of Paul and Silas that 'they ... departed' (Acts 16:40). Indeed, it is possible that Luke remained at Philippi until Paul's next apostolic journey, for the narrative now proceeds in the third person, not returning to the second again until Acts 20:6. Timothy, however, rejoined Paul soon after, being referred to in Acts 17:14." (Stam)
No comments:
Post a Comment