Acts 16

Acts 16:3

3. — and circumcised him] This St. Paul did, that he might not offend the Jews, and thus obstruct his own usefulness, and that of Timothy, in preaching the Gospel. “For they all knew that his father was a Greek;” and, therefore, concluding that he was uncircumcised, would have no intercourse with him or with his companion St. Paul. Abp. Newcome.

The admirable wisdom and Christian benevolence, with which St. Paul conducted himself, appear strongly from contrasting his conduct towards two of his favourite converts, and most able assistants, Timotheus and Titus. The former he prevailed on to submit to circumcision, and obey the Mosaick law; because, as it was known his mother was a Jewess, his not acting thus would have given occasion of offence. The latter had been a Gentile, and therefore, when it was suggested that he also should be circumcised, the Apostle steadily refused, lest he should seem to establish a precedent for subjecting the liberty of all the Gentile Christians to the bondage of the law. Dr. Graves. See Gal. ii. 3.

Acts 16:4

4. — the decrees] Respecting the observation of the Jewish law by the Gentile converts, chap. xv. 28, 29. Pyle.

Anno DOMINI 43. a Rom. 16. 21. Paul passeth through divers countries. THE ACTS. He concerteth Lydia. AND DOMINI 55. of the apostles and elders which were at Jerusalem.

Acts 16:6

6. — throughout Phrygia] The country called in the New Testament Phrygia is the same as that which in common authors is generally styled Phrygia the greater. Dr. Wells. See the position of this and other countries here mentioned in the map.

— the region of Galatia,] This division of Asia adjoined to Phrygia on the northeast. It derived its name from the Galatæ, or Gauls, some of whom, leaving their own country in Europe, passed over into the Asiatick continent, and brought a great part of it under their command. Dr. Wells.

— and were forbidden &c.] They were forbidden to preach it there at that time, because it was the will of the Lord to employ them in a new work, which they had not yet begun, namely, to preach to a Roman colony, ver. 12. Dr. Whitby.

— in Asia,] See note at chap. ii. 9.

Acts 16:7

7. — the Spirit suffered them not.] The Spirit did not suffer them to waste their time in Asia Minor, intending that they should pass over to Europe, in order that they might sow the seed of a more abundant spiritual harvest. Dr. Hales.

Acts 16:8

8. — came down to Tross.] Tross was a small country lying west of Mysia, with a seaport town of the same name. Dr. Wells.

Acts 16:9

9. — Macedonia,] The Romans divided all the countries, which by heathen writers are included under the general name of Greece in an extended sense, into two provinces; namely, Macedonia and Achaia; under the former, they included Macedonia proper, Thessaly and Epirus; and under the latter, Greece properly so called, and the Peloponnesus. Dr. Wells. See the map.

Acts 16:10

10. — immediately we endeavoured] St. Luke here, for the first time, uses the term “we,” hence it is commonly thought that he set out from Tross in company with St. Paul. Bp. Pearce.

Acts 16:11

11. — to Samothracia,] An island in the Egean sea, near the coast of Thrace.

— Neapolis;] A seaport of Macedonia.

Acts 16:12

12. — Philippi,] This city lay to the west of Neapolis; it took its name from Philip, the famous king of Macedon, who repaired and beautified it. It is celebrated among Christians on account of the epistle

addressed by St. Paul to its inhabitants. Dr. Wells.

— the chief city of that part of Macedonia, and a colony:] We are assured by Pliny that Philippi was a Roman colony; and it is attested by coins now extant, that a Roman colony was planted here first by Julius Cesar, and afterwards renewed by Augustus. The Roman historian Livy mentions, it is true, that Amphipolis was appointed the capital city of this part of Macedonia; but it is well known that nothing is more liable to change than the state of cities; and Spanheim observes, that it was a part of the Roman policy that their colonies should be the chief cities of the countries where they were placed. On these accounts, we have no reason to doubt the correctness of the author of the Acts in calling Philippi “the chief city.” Biscce.

Acts 16:13

13. — by a river side, where prayer was wont to be made:] The situation of the place where prayer was wont to be made, “by the river side,” is remarkable; it appears, however, incidentally from the Jewish writers Philo and Josephus, and from Tertullian, that it was the custom of the Jews to have their oratories, or places of prayer, in such situations. Archdeacon Paley.

— where prayer was wont to be made:] Or, where was a house of prayer for the Jews and proselytes. These synagogues, or oratories, were often built in the fields, and sometimes near rivers, for the convenience of purification, or because the laws would not permit the Jews to exercise a strange religion within the city. Dr. Whitby.

Acts 16:14

14. — of the city of Thyatira,] She was born in that city, situated in Proconsular Asia, (see Rev. ii. 18,) though she was resident at Philippi.

— which worshipped God,] Who had renounced idolatry, and worshipped only the one true God. Bp. Mann.

— whose heart the Lord opened,] From this passage we learn, that two things are necessary to make men true believers; the grace of God, and their own honest endeavours. Lydia seems to have been a person of great piety and virtue; yet these good dispositions could not of themselves enable her to receive the light

Paul and Silas are whipped and imprisoned. Anno DOMINI 55.

Acts 16:15

15. — when she was baptized, and her household,] See note at ver. 33. — she constrained us.] Prevailled on us by kind entreaty. Bp. Mann.

Acts 16:16

16. — a spirit of divination] The original Greek expresses, ‘A spirit of Python,’ which the Greeks supposed to be an inspiration from Apollo, whom they surnamed Pythius. Dr. Doddridge.

Acts 16:17

17. — These men are the servants &c.] God thus constraining even the wicked spirits to bear testimony to the truth of Christ’s religion. Pyle.

Acts 16:21

21. — being Romans.] Being a colony of Romans; and, as such, subject to the Roman law. Bp. Mann.

together against them; and the magistrates rent off their clothes, *and commanded to beat them.

Acts 16:22

22. — rent off their clothes.] Thus violently stripping them, in order to their being scourged. Bp. Mann.

23. — Sirs, what must I do to be saved? It is probable that he concluded at once their doctrine to be Divine, both from the extraordinary earthquake, and from their not taking advantage of the doors being open to make their escape. Bp. Pearce, Abp. Newcome. Happy are those sinners, whom God in merciful severity awakens by some present terror, judgment, or calamity, to consider the bad state of their souls, and to think seriously of another world, when nothing else would have had any good effect upon them. Such a call to repentance shakes off their thoughtless security, and compels their stupid and dissipated minds to reflect upon their dangerous condition. But far more happy are they who, without such alarms, and in a state of prosperity, are awakened by the stiller voice of reason, by the suggestions of their own conscience, and by the secret influence of the Holy Spirit, to examine their conduct, to amend whatsoever is defective in it, and to have a religious fear of the displeasure of God. Dr. Jortin.

Anno DOMINI 55. c 2 Col. 11. 25. 1 Thess. 3. 3. The jailor is converted. Paul and Silas are delivered. Anno DOMINI 53.

Acts 16:31

31. Believe — and thou shalt be saved.] To believe in the Gospel, and to live according to the Gospel, is so plain a path to heaven, that no man can miss seeing it, unless he turns his eyes away from it. But this belief, which is made the condition and the means of salvation, must include all that is consequent on such belief, that esteem for the precepts of Christ, that repentance for past transgressions, that newness and holiness of life, which is made as positive and indispensable a condition of acceptance as faith itself. Dr. Jortin.

Acts 16:32

32. — And they spake unto him the word of the Lord, &c.] That is, they explained to him the several articles of the Christian faith which he was to believe. This clearly shews that a distinct knowledge of the word of God was necessary to his believing aright in Christ. Thus St. Paul did not require him to believe with an implicit faith, without knowing why or what he believed; but he required him to have an explicit solid faith, grounded on the word of God. Bp. Beveridge.

Acts 16:33

33. — washed their stripes:] Washed the blood from their stripes. Bp. Pearce.

— was baptized, he and all his,] From this and other passages, (see ver. 16; chap. x. 48; 1 Cor. i. 16,) it appears that the Apostles baptized whole families at

once; and as no mention is made in the Acts or the Epistles of adults only being baptized on any occasion, we conclude that they baptized children among others. Many of the earliest Christian writers expressly mention the baptism of infants as the constant practice of their times. On these and other grounds we conclude, in the words of one of the Articles of our Church, that “the baptism of young children is in any wise to be retained in the Church, as most agreeable with the institution of Christ.” Bp. Tomlins.

Acts 16:36

36. — and go in peace.] Go, and peace be with you, or, Fare you well. Bp. Pearce.

Acts 16:37

37. — being Romans,] Being citizens of Rome. The Roman government was peculiarly tender of the lives and liberties of its subjects; and every injury that was done to a Roman citizen was considered as an affront to the majesty of the whole people of Rome. Dr. Cave. It was especially against the privilege of a Roman to suffer scourging or any other punishment, without being condemned in a regular trial. Bp. Pearce.

Acts 16:40

40. — when they had seen the brethren,] St. Paul and Silas laid at Philippi the foundation of a very eminent church; which appears, by the Epistle of St. Paul addressed to it, to have shewn to him, and to have received from him, as many tokens of regard as any which he planted. Dr. Lightfoot.

We should observe that St. Paul, on this occasion, is not satisfied with securing his safety, without also guarding his character, which was exposed to suspicion and disgrace from the ignominious treatment he had received; and he uses that motive to procure an honorable dismissal, which alone could excite the attention of the magistrates. The event justified the expectation of the Apostles; for the magistrates, when they heard that they were Romans, “came and besought them, and brought them out.” Also, having vindicated their character, they did not attempt to retaliate the ill usage they had received by public or legal complaint, or to irritate the resentment, and provoke the further vengeance of the magistrates, by obstinate opposition. When desired by them to depart out of the city, they only waited to see the brethren, “and when they had seen them, they comforted them, and departed.” Dr. Graves.