Acts (Written)

Jesus truck stopping for the night.

Monday, 8 May 2023

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. Acts 16:27

Note: You can listen to today’s commentary courtesy of our friends at “Bible in Ten” podcast. (Click Here to listen)

You can also read this commentary, with music, courtesy of our friends at “Discern the Bible” on YouTube. (Click Here to listen), or at Rumble (Click Here to listen).

Note: The NKJV botches many of the verbs in this verse. The BLB translation will be used to evaluate it. It reads, “And the jailer having been awoken and having seen the doors of the prison open, having drawn his sword was about to kill himself, supposing the prisoners to have escaped.”

In the previous verse, there was an earthquake that shook the foundations of the prison, opening the doors and loosing the chains. With that, it now says, “And the jailer.”

This individual will be a key figure for the next few verses. He is the one who was given charge over Paul and Silas as well as the other prisoners who were incarcerated. With the coming of the earthquake, it next says, “having been awoken and having seen the doors of the prison open.”

Luke’s use of participles leads the reader quickly from one event to the next, each dependent on the preceding event. He was awoken and he then saw the doors of the prison open. The adjective translated as awoken, exupnos, is found only here in the Bible. It is literally translated “out of sleep.”

He was roused out of sleep and saw that the prison was no longer secure. With this, his heart surely sank. Being responsible for those under his charge, he would be held accountable for their escape, even if an earthquake was involved. Rather than face such disgrace, it next says, “having drawn his sword.”

Luke, still using participles, leads the reader from thought to thought. He is prepared to take action after having drawn his sword. Luke says that he “was about to kill himself.” The verb is imperfect. He has drawn his sword and is probably thinking of his life, his wife, his children, or whatever memories he wanted to consider one last time. Standing there holding the sword and maybe pondering what purpose his life held if it had all come to this. He was given charge over prisoners, and he stood there “supposing the prisoners to have escaped.”

The verb translated as “to have escaped” is in the perfect tense. He supposes they are long gone, and he was not quick enough to have gotten up and stopped them. How could things have gone south so quickly?

Life application: Luke masterfully carries the reader from one point to another and then leaves the mind hanging for a moment before bringing us, along with the jailor, to the sudden realization that life has come to its end. He is writing this way for a reason. He wants whoever reads his narrative to think through what value life really holds.

If we simply evolved from the slime and are going back to dust, then life really has no meaning. The jailor may not have believed in evolution, but he had no knowledge of the true God. Whatever god or gods he believed in gave him no hope. Now that fate had turned against him, his life would end without any true purpose.

This is the state that the verse leaves us to consider. But in the desperate shadows of life, there is a beacon of light for those who will receive it. That light is about to shine on the heart of this supposedly doomed jailor.

Are you ready to tell someone about Jesus today? Without Him, the person you pass by on the street will have as much hope in his last moment as this jailor possesses as he stands at the jail door with a sword pointed at his stomach.

Open your mouth and speak. People need Jesus.

Thank You, O God, for Jesus Christ our Lord who gives us hope in this dark, fallen world. Amen.

Them are some whopping oysters.

Sunday, 7 May 2023

 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. Acts 16:26

Note: You can listen to today’s commentary courtesy of our friends at “Bible in Ten” podcast. (Click Here to listen)

You can also read this commentary, with music, courtesy of our friends at “Discern the Bible” on YouTube. (Click Here to listen), or at Rumble (Click Here to listen).

It was about midnight in the prison while Paul and Silas were praying, singing hymns of praise to God, as the other prisoners were listening to them. With that, it next says, “Suddenly there was a great earthquake.”

Comments from scholars are divided on whether the earthquake was a divine occurrence or not. For example, the Jamieson-Fausset-Brown Commentary says of this event, “in answer, doubtless, to the prayers and expectations of the sufferers that, for the truth’s sake and the honor of their Lord, some interposition would take place.”

That actually makes no sense at all. Nothing was said of expectations from prayer. They were sitting in prison and singing to God. There isn’t even a hint of anything like, “O God, get us out of here,” or “Vindicate your servants, O God.”

Earthquakes happen. They are a part of the natural cycle of things, and one simply occurred at a time when the Lord knew Paul and Silas would be in prison. Further, if release from prison is what they were praying for, then the events of the coming verses would not have taken place.

As for the coming of the earthquake, Luke continues with, “so that the foundations of the prison were shaken.”

The point of these words is to show that this was not like the event that occurred in Acts 4:31 –

“And when they had prayed, the place where they were assembled together was shaken; and they were all filled with the Holy Spirit, and they spoke the word of God with boldness.”

The event in Acts 4 was a localized occurrence and a sign to those in the house that God had heard and responded. The event in Acts 16 is a major earthquake that affected everything in the area. It shook up the very foundations of the prison. To assume that God had decided to send a cataclysmic earthquake to simply respond to the prayers of Paul and Silas would be no different than someone making the same claim today.

In other words, if an earthquake or other natural disaster affects an entire city, there will naturally be some seemingly miraculous events that take place. Within the past few months before typing this commentary, there was a massive earthquake in Turkey and the news was filled with such reports. As for the shaking of the prison, that leads to Luke’s next words, “and immediately all the doors were opened.”

In such a large quake, this would not be unheard of. As the foundations of the earth are moved, those things dependent on the foundations, such as doors, walls, etc., will be affected as well. Things became unhinged, loosened, and shaken free. This is what happened with the prison where Paul and Silas were held. Along with that, Luke next says, “and everyone’s chains were loosed.”

Depending on how the prison was set up, this is also not at all improbable. When one thing got out of place, anything connected to it may have also been affected. If the chains were attached to bolts set into the floor in a row, the floor would be weakened in a line where they were set. This is how stones are often cut into slabs. By drilling holes in a straight line and then exerting pressure in those holes, slabs are broken off. Likewise, in an earthquake, such a straight line of bolts could easily cause the floor to crack, releasing the bolts and thus the chains.

This is all speculation, but it is given to show that what occurred is not at all impossible. Of these events, Albert Barnes says, “The design of this was, doubtless, to furnish them proof of the presence and protection of God, and to provide a way for them to escape.”

Again, this is really a stretch, especially considering what transpires in the coming verses. The miracle was not that there was an earthquake. However, it was certainly propitious and known to God that Paul and Silas would be in this prison when there was an earthquake. By using the two events that have aligned in this manner, God will be glorified through what transpires.

Life application: Natural disasters happen all the time. They come in the form of tornadoes, earthquakes, hurricanes, volcanoes, plagues, and more. In the recent earthquake in Turkey, dozens of seemingly miraculous events took place. People were saved under falling buildings, having just enough room to survive until rescuers could come. One guy, Hakan Yasinoglu, survived 278 hours before being rescued. Many such reports came out in the news.

This is true with natural disasters in countries all over the world. People are spared, and the reasons may be as simple as time and chance (Ecclesiastes 9:11). What we as Christians do with what happens is what is important. Paul and Silas will be faced with choices in their sudden release, and they will respond in the manner that is most appropriate to the situation.

Will we glorify God for our being spared? Like all events that happen in our lives, we are asked to be people of faith. When propitious events take place, we should glorify God for them. When disaster occurs, we should glorify God through it. We have lives to live. Let us live them in the constant awareness that we belong to the Lord and that whether through life or death, He is directing our steps.

Lord God, we cannot know why things happen as they do, but we can be faithful through whatever occurs, thanking You, praising You, or calling out in our mourning to You. Help us to always remember You as the events of our lives unfold. May it be so. Amen.

A whopping pile of oyster shells in Washington State.

Saturday, 6 May 2023

But at midnight Paul and Silas were praying and singing hymns to God, and the prisoners were listening to them. Acts 16:25

Note: You can listen to today’s commentary courtesy of our friends at “Bible in Ten” podcast. (Click Here to listen)

You can also read this commentary, with music, courtesy of our friends at “Discern the Bible” on YouTube. (Click Here to listen), or at Rumble (Click Here to listen).

Note: The NKJV clears up the major errors in the translation of the KJV, but it still lacks the precision of the Greek. The BLB gives a clearer sense of the Greek – “Now toward midnight, Paul and Silas praying, were singing praises to God. And the prisoners were listening to them.” This will be used for the analysis.

In the previous verse, Paul and Silas were taken to the inner prison and had their feet fastened in the stocks. Despite this, it now says, “Now toward midnight.”

It is unknown what time Paul and Silas were arrested, but it was most likely during the day. The magistrates were available and there was a sizeable crowd around at the time. Whenever Paul and Silas were taken to the prison, it is now surely several to many hours later. Luke’s noting that it is closing in on midnight suggests this. And yet, instead of sleeping, it next says, “Paul and Silas praying, were singing praises to God.”

The verbs detail the situation. The word “praying” is from a present participle while “were singing” is from an imperfect verb. In other words, the singing of praises to God is part of what is considered praying. One act, not two, is described here. Also, the word translated as “singing praises” is humneó. It signifies a hymn. Thus, some translations further expand on the thought saying, “singing hymns of praise” to God, or something similar to that.

Nothing is said about what they were singing, but being Jews, it may be something from the Psalms. Or it may also have been songs that were composed in the early church. What seems likely is that they were singing in Greek because the next words say, “And the prisoners were listening to them.”

If they were singing in a foreign language, these words would be unnecessary. Luke’s specific recording of this seems to indicate that not only did they hear their singing, but the words were understandable. The word Luke uses is found only here in Scripture, epakroaomai. It gives the sense of attentive listening.

If Paul and Silas were singing in Hebrew, the prisoners would hear, but they wouldn’t be listening attentively. But a message to God in the form of a hymn of praise which is also an act of prayer, would be something the others would listen to and assimilate if it was in Greek or even Latin (as this was a Roman colony).

The inclusion of this note by Luke seems to explain what will be said in verse 28. When there was a chance to escape, not only did Paul and Silas remain, but apparently all of the prisoners did so as well. The personal conviction of the prisoners based on the conduct of Paul and Silas seems to be what Luke is hinting at with his words in this verse.

Life application: Though nothing is said of any conversions in the prison, there seems little doubt that Paul and Silas spoke to the others who were incarcerated. As the evening moved along, the words of evangelism turned into a prayer that was accomplished through hymns of praise to God.

Someday, when the saints are gathered together, it seems likely that among them will be various unnamed people who sat together with Paul and Silas in a filthy Roman prison in Philippi. For all we know, Paul and Silas could have been singing the words of Psalm 146 to them –

“Happy is he who has the God of Jacob for his help,
Whose hope is in the Lord his God,
⁶ Who made heaven and earth,
The sea, and all that is in them;
Who keeps truth forever,
⁷ Who executes justice for the oppressed,
Who gives food to the hungry.
The Lord gives freedom to the prisoners.” Psalm 146:5-7

He who is freed in Christ is the freest man of all regardless of whatever physical restraints lay upon him. Be sure to tell those around you about the magnificent workings of God in Christ. No person is too lowly or too lost to hear this good news.

Lord God, turn our hearts, softening them to the plight of those in this world. People are bound in chains of addiction, greed, lust, hatred, and perversion. People are also bound in chains and prisons. All of them need the freedom that only Jesus can provide. Help us to be bold and speak out the words of release and freedom. To Your glory, we pray. Amen.

Seasonal Seafoods, Washington State.

Friday, 5 May 2023

Having received such a charge, he put them into the inner prison and fastened their feet in the stocks. Acts 16:24

Note: You can listen to today’s commentary courtesy of our friends at “Bible in Ten” podcast. (Click Here to listen)

You can also read this commentary, with music, courtesy of our friends at “Discern the Bible” on YouTube. (Click Here to listen), or at Rumble (Click Here to listen).

In the previous verse, after Paul and Silas were beaten with many stripes, they were thrown into prison and the jailor was told to keep them secure. Now, Luke says, “Having received such a charge.”

It is referring to the jailor. His job was to obey the magistrates without questioning the propriety or impropriety of the situation. If he was told to keep them securely, this is what he was to do. Therefore, “he put them into the inner prison.”

Luke’s noting of this is to highlight the degradation suffered by Paul and Silas at the hands of the people of Philippi. To understand this, one needs to understand the layout of the Roman prison. Of the arrangement of the prisons in the Roman empire, Vincent’s Word Studies quotes Rev. John Henry Newman’s “Callista,” saying: “The state prison was arranged on pretty much one and the same plan through the Roman empire, nay, we may say throughout the ancient world. It was commonly attached to the government buildings, and consisted of two parts. The first was the vestibule, or outward prison, approached from the praetorium, and surrounded by cells opening into it. The prisoners who were confined in these cells had the benefit of the air and light which the hall admitted. From the vestibule there was a passage into the interior prison, called Robur or Lignum, from the beams of wood which were the instruments of confinement, or from the character of its floor. It had no window or outlet except this door, which, when closed, absolutely shut out light and air. This apartment was the place into which Paul and Silas were cast at Philippi. The utter darkness, the heat, and the stench of this miserable place, in which the inmates were confined day and night, is often dwelt upon by the martyrs and their biographers.”

Remembering that Paul and Silas were uncondemned Romans, the treatment would be absolutely insufferable. However, after the terrible beating they received, they were probably in no shape to even talk, much less argue over their treatment. Only after a period of sitting and resting could they muster the strength to hold a conversation. In this tragic state and place, it next records, “and fastened their feet in the stocks.”

The Greek literally reads “upon the wood.” Vincent’s Word Studies notes that it was an instrument of torture having five holes, four for the wrists and ankles and one for the neck. In this case, only the feet are noted as being fastened.

Life application: To get an understanding of what Christians around the world endure regarding punishment and even martyrdom, take time to read the testimonies in the Voice of the Martyrs. They can be read online, and their magazine can be ordered for those in the church to read. The amount of agony and humiliation suffered by believers in the world today is beyond the comprehension of most of those in the church.

And yet, these people are willing to suffer in these ways rather than deny their affiliation with the exalted name of Jesus. Unlike them, churches and denominations in the Western world are filled with people who presume to openly and flippantly violate Scripture. They ignore the doctrines and teachings set forth in the word of God, they claim prosperity and ease, they welcome perversion of every sort, and they gladly follow society as it morally spirals out of control.

Should bearing the title of “Christian” start to cost those who attend such churches, it is unlikely that even a small percent of them would continue to do so. Are you ready to lose everything to be faithful to the title that you claim, that of being a Christian?  Western society is heading in that direction. You should be prepared now to take your stand and hold fast to your faith. It may be that you will have to decide where your allegiances truly reside.

Heavenly Father, help us to stand strong and remain faithful to Jesus through whatever trial or test that may arise. This life is really not that important when we have eternity ahead of us because of what He has done. So, Lord, strengthen us when it is needed. May our lives be faithfully lived out, regardless of the cost we must bear. Amen.

Capitol Rotunda

Thursday, 4 May 2023

And when they had laid many stripes on them, they threw them into prison, commanding the jailer to keep them securely. Acts 16:23

Note: You can listen to today’s commentary courtesy of our friends at “Bible in Ten” podcast. (Click Here to listen)

You can also read this commentary, with music, courtesy of our friends at “Discern the Bible” on YouTube. (Click Here to listen), or at Rumble (Click Here to listen).

In the previous verse, Paul and Silas had their clothes torn off them and they were beaten with rods. With that, it next says, “And when they had laid many stripes on them.”

The fact that they were Romans was not yet known. It is probable that even if they called out that they were, they had no chance to be heard. The onrush was too sudden and the turmoil because of the rushing crowd was too great. They were manhandled, stripped, and then the lictors came and immediately started beating them with the rods. The description “many stripes” means that there was an enormous number of them.

This can be determined by Paul’s Jewish heritage in relation to what he says in his epistles. First, Paul acknowledges that he was beaten by the Jews with rods in 2 Corinthians 11:41, saying, “From the Jews five times I received forty stripes minus one.”

This was the standard punishment under the law where it says –

“If there is a dispute between men, and they come to ^[a]court, that the judges may judge them, and they justify the righteous and condemn the wicked, ² then it shall be, if the wicked man deserves to be beaten, that the judge will cause him to lie down and be beaten in his presence, according to his guilt, with a certain number of blows. ³ Forty blows he may give him and no more, lest he should exceed this and beat him with many blows above these, and your brother be humiliated in your sight.” Deuteronomy 25:1-3

Normally, to ensure the law was not violated, one less than forty was given. This is why Paul says, “forty stripes minus one.” Though not a part of the law, it was a safeguard to ensure the law was not inadvertently desecrated. In 2 Corinthians 11:23, he noted that he was “in stripes above measure.” His words may be referring to this beating at Philippi which would then mean “above the measure of the law.” That is only an inference, and he may be talking about a cumulative measure over his lifetime. However, he does note this in 1 Thessalonians –

“For you yourselves know, brethren, that our coming to you was not in vain. ² But even after we had suffered before and were spitefully treated at Philippi, as you know, we were bold in our God to speak to you the gospel of God in much conflict.” 1 Thessalonians 2:1, 2

In his words to those in Thessalonica, he is referring to this account in Acts 16. Saying that they “were spitefully treated” is probably his way of conveying two thoughts. The first is that they were Romans and yet were subject to punishments that were not allowed without being first condemned. The second thought is that of what the Law of Moses says concerning being beaten with rods, “lest he should exceed this and beat him with many blows above these, and your brother be humiliated in your sight.”

The Jewish law concerning rods had a reason behind it, which was to avoid shame and humiliation. The Romans had no such law. Therefore, there was no regard to humiliating a fellow human in this manner. Paul’s words to the Thessalonians seem to convey that what Moses forbade, the Romans meted out to him and Silas with glee but also illegally.

With that, Luke next records that “they threw them into prison.” It will be noted in verse 16:33 that the jailer will wash their stripes. This means that not only were they beaten relentlessly, but their wounds were not treated in any manner before being cast into prison.

Though it is unstated, it is unlikely that they received their clothes, meaning their outer garments, back. Such a mob would probably have taken them and torn them to pieces or ran off with them. Hence, the need to wash their stripes would have been even more necessary. Though speculation, it is quite possible. With that, Luke continues, saying, “commanding the jailer to keep them securely.”

The idea here seems twofold. First, though punished, it would ensure that they would not continue to teach their customs any further. Second, it is likely that they were looking for a reason to have an actual trial where they could be subject to further Roman punishment under the law. The jailer was given full charge over them, he was liable to Rome for the security of those under him, and there would be little hope for Paul and Silas to escape either the prison or future punishment.

Life application: What happened to Paul and Silas was unfair according to the laws of Rome. And yet, the Lord allowed it to happen. It is not uncommon for bad things to happen to believers, just as they would happen to anyone in the world. Quite often, this is the case even when they have done nothing wrong.

One of the first things to come out of believes’ mouths at such times is, “Why did God allow this to happen to me?” This assumes that believers should somehow be immune from the evils of the world. But the Bible never speaks in this manner. As long as we are in this world, we are subject to the same evil events that happen to anyone. We may get in an accident, get robbed, lose a child, fall on an escalator and break our back, or one of an infinite number of other tragedies that befall people around the world.

We cannot blame God for such things. It is a fallen world. Our interactions in this world mean that we are subject to the same troubles as anyone else in the world. Our response to such things should be to get closer to the Lord, not distance ourselves from Him. We should long for the home He has promised to us, not dwell in our misery in this place that is not truly our home.

Keep this in mind. Whenever trouble comes, as is sure to occur, we should lean on the Lord even more. Hold fast to the promises that are yet ahead and don’t hold fast to that which is fleeting, fallen, and fading away.

Lord God, please be with us as we walk in this darkened world. Though troubles are sure to come, guide us and remind us of Your presence with us. In this, we will be comforted in our afflictions and able to bear them as we look forward to our true home. Amen.