Acts 16:20–21

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.