Acts 16:19–25

But no sooner was Satan repulsed as the serpent, than he took the character of a lion. Craft having failed, he tried violence.

Literally, "gone out"; it would seem in allusion to the going out of the demon.

Covetousness is a mainspring of the world's activity, "covetousness, which is idolatry" (Col. 3:5). The men whose hope of gain vanished with the cast-out spirit seized Paul and Silas with no legal right. They dragged them into the market-place, where you would find the local rulers then, even more than now. Notice that only here does the inspired historian call the magistrates in Philippi by the Greek word that answers to praetors. This is striking evidence of exact accuracy. The city was a colony, and a colony was just Rome on a small scale, with its two chiefs.

The fact is, if you want to touch a man of the world most effectively, the spot to touch is his pocket. There is scarcely a man here tonight who cannot be touched through his pocket. These men were touched there, for when Paul commanded the spirit, he came out of the girl. She was, in fact, delivered from the power of the devil, and that is what you need, my friend... it is a solemn truth that the man who is not under the power of the gospel is under the power of Satan.

When her employers saw that the hope of making gain through this spiritist medium was gone, they decided to vent their rage on the servants of the Lord. They said nothing about the young woman, or about the real reason for their anger.

It is worth noticing that, whatever his efforts, Satan cannot hide his true character. What was the cause of the enmity of these accusers of the apostles? Simply and only the loss of their gains, because the girl had been healed. But notice: they do not say a single word about this. Instead they come forward pretending to care for the peace of their city, like public benefactors. And to gain their object they bring a series of false accusations. As our Lord said of Satan, "When he lies, he speaks out of his own character, for he is a liar and the father of lies." (John 8:44.)

This was calculated, and no doubt intended, to stir up the mob. They felt Roman pride and privilege all the more keenly because they were not purely Roman. Such people put up with each other's religions, but they were jealous of anything that looked like an attack on them. The appeal worked.

But God makes use of all this to direct the progress of His own work, and give it the form He pleases. There is the jailer to convert, and the magistrates themselves must confess their wrong towards the messengers of God. God gathers out the assembly, a flock (as the letter written to them shows) full of love and affection... The enemy was mistaken here. If he stopped their work at Philippi, he sent the apostles to preach elsewhere.

The enemy failed in his effort to mix himself up with God's work. So he falls back on his ordinary and natural way of fighting it: human interests and passions. Greed is one of the driving forces of the world's activity — "covetousness, which is idolatry" (Col. 3:5). These men lost their hope of gain when the spirit was cast out. So they broke the law themselves, seized Paul and Silas, and dragged them into the market-place, where the local rulers of that day could be found — even more so then than now. Only here does the inspired historian use for the magistrates of Philippi the Greek word that matches the Roman title praetors. This is a striking mark of accuracy: the city was a colony, and a colony was simply Rome on a small scale, with its two chief officers.

Virtuous, law-abiding people indeed! Worthy citizens of Philippi! This is the character they now put on. What had they cared about Roman law, or about the preaching of Paul and Silas, as long as their pockets were untouched? But now their source of income had dried up, and out they came in this new disguise. Satan can disguise himself as an angel of light when it suits his purposes.

No one doubted that Paul and his companions were Jews. But there was no evidence at all that they had disturbed the city — except through the casting out of the evil spirit. The second charge could not be proved either: that they taught customs which Romans were not allowed to accept or practise. None of that mattered to the accusers, as long as they could get these preachers of the gospel condemned.

This was calculated, and no doubt intended, to stir up the mob. The crowd was all the more touchy about Roman pride and privilege because they were not purely Roman themselves. Men who could count as Romans tolerated other religious groups among themselves, but they were jealous of anything that looked like an attack on them. The appeal worked.

This is an old accusation, and one which always comes from the wrong side. Pontius Pilate could find no fault in Jesus. Even so the priests and the rulers insisted all the more: "He stirs up the people, teaching throughout all Judea, from Galilee even to this place," Luke 23:5. What do they say against Paul and Silas at Philippi? "These men are Jews, and they are disturbing our city," Acts 16:20. And at Thessalonica? "These men who have turned the world upside down have come here also," Acts 17:6.

But "these men" had carried the gospel of the grace of God into Philippi. They were telling men and women who lived in the darkness of paganism, and who were rushing to destruction, about the Saviour who died for the ungodly. They were putting immense blessings within reach of the people, all "without money and without price." No truer friends ever visited the city. Yet these preachers stood before the magistrates charged with being troublemakers, and were flogged at once and thrown into prison!

But God makes use of all this to direct the progress of His own work, and give it the form He pleases. The jailer is to be converted, and the magistrates themselves are to admit they were wrong about the messengers of God. A church is gathered out — a flock full of love and affection, as the letter written to them shows... The magistrates are forced to come and plead with Paul. Such is the result of the tumult. The enemy was mistaken here.

Roman law forbade interfering with a country's own religion. Now Paul and Silas were preaching Christ. So an accusation, an indictment, was ready to hand... Virtuous, law-abiding people indeed! Worthy citizens of Philippi! That is the character they now took on. Had they ever cared about Roman law, or about the preaching of Paul and Silas, while their pockets were safe? But once their source of gain dried up, they came out in this new guise.

What was the cause of the enmity of these accusers of the apostles? Simply and solely the loss of their gains, because the girl had been healed. But notice: they do not say a single word about that. Instead they come forward looking like men concerned for the peace of their city, as public benefactors. And to get what they want they present a series of false accusations.

The accusers aimed this at the crowd, and no doubt meant to stir them up. The crowd was all the more touchy about Roman pride and privilege because they were not pure Romans. Men who could call themselves Romans might put up with other religions among themselves. But they resented anything that looked like an attack on them. The appeal worked.

Remember that Philippi was a Roman colony. Many of its citizens were Romans, descended from Roman soldiers. They were very proud of being Romans, and they despised and hated the Jews... Paul was a Pharisee, the son of a Pharisee, the strictest group among the Jews. His upbringing made him very proud of his race, and taught him to hate and despise those he called "sinners of the Gentiles."

Their accusers first denounce them because they were Jews, secondly because they said they were greatly troubling the city, and thirdly that they taught customs which these men alleged were unlawful for Romans to receive or observe. They have no specific charge of criminal activity.

The prejudice against Jews was great. The last part of the charge held a certain amount of truth, and it had power to rouse the fanaticism of Romans. "Even under the republic, the letter of the Roman law opposed bringing in foreign religions. The law did allow exceptions, as with the Jews themselves. But its spirit condemned any change in worship that might unsettle the minds of the citizens, or stir up a noisy uproar."

This is an old accusation, and one that always comes from the wrong side. Pontius Pilate could find no fault in Jesus. Still the priests and the rulers insisted all the more: "He stirs up the people, teaching throughout all Judea, from Galilee even to this place" (Luke 23:5). What do they say against Paul and Silas at Philippi? That these Jews are disturbing the city. And at Thessalonica? "These men who have turned the world upside down have come here also" (Acts 17:6).

But "these men" had carried into Philippi the gospel of the grace of God. They told men and women about the Saviour who died for the ungodly. These people were living in the darkness of paganism and hurrying to destruction... No truer friends of the people ever visited that city. Yet the preachers stood before the magistrates charged as troublemakers, and were flogged at once and thrown into prison!

But God makes use of all this to direct the progress of His own work, and to give it the shape He pleases. There is the jailer to be converted. The magistrates themselves must confess that they were wrong about the messengers of God. God gathers out the assembly, a flock full of love and affection, as the letter written to them shows... The magistrates have to come to Paul and beg. That is the result of the riot. The enemy miscalculated here.

Roman law did not allow anyone to interfere with a country's religion. Now Paul and Silas were preaching Christ. So a charge was ready and waiting... Virtuous, law-abiding people indeed! Worthy citizens of Philippi! That is the character they now took on. What had they ever cared about Roman law, or about the preaching of Paul and Silas, as long as nobody touched their pockets? But once their source of gain dried up, they appeared in this new guise.

The motives were purely human, the influence was Satan's. The motives put before the magistrates were nothing but false pretexts. They worked on the pride and the fear of the authorities, who wanted peace. It was the enemies who disturbed that peace, not the Christians... The magistrates ask nothing more. The accusers had stirred up a crowd fighting for its privileges.

We need not agree with Bengel that the two chief magistrates stripped Paul and Silas with their own hands. But the special word used, and the whole sense of the passage, rule out the idea that the magistrates tore their own clothes. They certainly gave the command to beat them with rods, though no court had condemned them. That was an open violation of Roman law, and it left the magistrates open to severe punishment if anyone had brought a case.

Nature might have judged otherwise. But faith judges that the servant of Christ was far more in his right place in prison for the truth's sake than outside at his Master's expense. True, Paul might have saved himself. He could have been an honoured man, publicly owned as "a servant of the Most High God." He only had to accept the girl's testimony and let the devil help him in his work. But he could not do this, and so he had to suffer.

Every form of law was twisted in this trial... So Satan seemed to have won a great victory. But why did the Lord allow His servants to be beaten like this? What follows gives the answer. In that prison there was a poor soul whom God, in His eternal counsels, had chosen in Christ... The unjust accusations, the violence of the crowd, the illegal action of the magistrates — these were simply His tools for carrying out His purpose. In this way the word of the gospel reached the jailer's home, and blessed him and his household. Satan, in all he did, was only the blind instrument of God's will.

Now that they had endured all this, one thing needed to be proved. Paul and Silas were not criminals, justly punished with flogging and prison and the stocks. The guardians of the law themselves were guilty of open, obvious and inexcusable wrong against the preachers of the gospel... There was not the least sign of resentment. There was no wish to hurt these officials, or to squeeze anything out of men who now lay wholly in the power of those they had injured without cause.

It is certain that they gave the command to beat them with rods, though the men had not been condemned. This was an open violation of Roman law. It left the magistrates themselves open to severe punishment, if anyone had brought proceedings against them.

True, Paul might have saved himself. He might have been an honoured man, owned and acknowledged as "a servant of the Most High God." He only had to accept the slave girl's testimony and let the devil help him in his work. But he could not do this, and so he had to suffer.

They were brought to the prison, with a charge that the jailer would "keep them safely." But we are told that "he put them into the inner prison and fastened their feet in the stocks." That shows us they had no favour with the jailer at that time. It is enough to show us the condition of his heart. He did not know God's love, and did not feel it. So his heart had none of that love for fellow believers which always marks those who are born of God.

In that particular prison there was a poor soul whom God, in His eternal purpose, had chosen in Christ. He was therefore the object of God's mercy and grace… But the time had now come, in God's purpose, to bring this hardened soul out of darkness into His marvellous light. The unjust accusations, the violence of the crowd, the illegal action of the magistrates — these were simply the instruments for carrying out God's purpose. By these means the word of the gospel reached the jailer's home, for the blessing of himself and his household. In everything he had done, Satan was only the blind instrument of God's will.

But God makes use of all this to direct the progress of His own work and give it the form He pleases. There is the jailer to be converted, and the magistrates themselves are to confess their wrong towards the messengers of God. The assembly is gathered out, a flock (as the letter written to them shows) full of love and affection… The enemy was mistaken here. If he stopped their work at Philippi, he sent the apostles to preach elsewhere.

Faith can sing as sweetly in a dungeon as at a prayer meeting. It does not matter where we are, as long as we have God with us. His presence lights up the darkest cell and turns a dungeon into the very gate of Heaven. He can make His servants happy anywhere. He can give them victory over the most hostile circumstances. He can make them shout for joy where human nature would be overwhelmed with sorrow.

Stocks in which the feet were shut up. Job 13:27; Job 33:11; Acts 16:24.

Not content with putting them into the inner prison, he placed their feet fast in the stocks. Their backs were cut and bleeding. They were weak from loss of blood. This was a horrible Eastern prison of the first century, very likely with no daylight, overrun with vermin, and with no sanitation at all. Their feet were fast in the stocks, which held them in one position. It allowed neither comfort, rest, nor sleep.

The jailer seems to take a brutal pleasure in his treatment of them. He does not say, "Come along; I am sorry I must lock you up." Instead he appears to serve the master he had then with delight. He "put them into the inner prison and fastened their feet in the stocks."

It is certain that they ordered the men to be beaten with rods, though no court had condemned them. That was an open violation of Roman law. If anyone had brought a case, the magistrates themselves would have faced severe punishment.

But now that they had endured this, it was right that one thing be proved. Paul and Silas were not evildoers, justly punished with scourging and prison and the stocks. The guardians of the law were the guilty ones. Their unrighteousness against the preachers of the gospel was flagrant, obvious, and inexcusable.

To all appearance, Satan had gained a notable victory. But why did the Lord allow His servants to be beaten like this? The answer comes in what follows. There was a poor soul in that prison. In the eternal counsels of God he had been chosen in Christ, and so he was the object of God's mercy and grace... The unjust accusations, the violent crowd, the illegal action of the magistrates — these were only the means of accomplishing God's purpose. By them the word of the gospel came into the home of the jailer.

How little the devil expected such a result from the imprisonment of the Lord's servants! He was outwitted. The tables turned on him. He meant to hinder the gospel, and look — he was made to help it on. He hoped to get rid of two of Christ's servants, and instead he lost one of his own.

What are stripes or stocks, or prison walls, or gloomy nights? They are only a dark background that makes the living grace in them shine out, bright and beautiful. Talk of circumstances! It is little any of us know of trying circumstances. The small annoyances of daily life are often more than enough to make us lose our balance. Paul and Silas were in trying circumstances indeed.

His chains had become a way of reaching men in the highest positions. The believers knew this already. When he was with them at Philippi, he could sing praise after being thrown into the inner prison, and there his chains became the way of reaching a sinner at the lowest social level. The stocks, the dungeon, and the midnight darkness all served to carry the gospel further.

Prisoners had no doubt shouted many curses in that place. They were powerless to do more than curse, or to threaten those who had imprisoned them. But with Paul and Silas how different! For "at midnight they prayed and sang praises to God." Prayer might not seem out of place. But praises — who would have expected them? These were clearly no weak efforts to cheer each other up, or to put a brave face on their troubles. For the prisoners heard them. Those whose feet were fast in the stocks, unable to move or even shift their position, were the freest in spirit that night.

Singing and praise belong together. At the first Lord's Supper they "sang a hymn" — the Greek word is hymneo — Matthew 26:30. Translators render the same word "sang praises" to God when Paul and Silas were in prison, Acts 16:25. And the Lord sings praise among His people, Psalm 22:22; Hebrews 2:12.

Suppose someone had passed by outside that night, not knowing the circumstances. He would have concluded that they were having a good time in there. But what were the facts? The stocks held their feet fast. Their backs were sore and bleeding from the beating they had received. They were hungry, cold, and without comfort — and yet they were not only praying, but praising. They were showing the character of holy priests, and were soon to act as royal priests. As holy priests they were turning to God in prayer and intercession, and offering up to Him praise and thanksgiving. They were able to thank and bless the Lord in the worst circumstances.

I do not think their prayer was, "Lord, let us out." I believe they prayed, "Lord, turn this to Your glory. Turn this to the salvation of souls. Turn this to the blessing of precious souls in this prison. And, O Lord, keep those who have believed, and especially Lydia — keep them firm."

What a new sound it must have been! Suppose it had happened in a Christian land — however poorly any land deserves that name. We would think of the memories such a sound would stir in even the hardest hearts. But here there were no memories to stir. It was a new gospel of gladness going out, which those old Romans knew nothing of in such circumstances. They could die well, as we know. They faced death stern and grim, with a song on their lips too, as heroes and patriots. But all that was inspiration from earthly sources, and nothing strange to men. Here was inspiration of another kind. It was a new sound, not of this world, and it held the listeners by its confidence and joy in a God they could not see.

Satan had stirred up the city against these servants of the Lord. He thought he had won a great victory by getting them imprisoned. But God would have the glory over the enemy, and so He filled the mouths of Paul and Silas with praise in the very seat of the enemy's power. God had given them songs in the night. Those songs went up like sweet incense before His throne, and a testimony went with them that bore fruit for eternity.