In today's reading from Acts, a certain strangeness is visible. Paul and Silas pray, the prison doors open (so far everything is logical), but the prisoners do not leave. The question is, why did the Lord open the door for them?..
In today's reading from Acts, a certain strangeness is visible. Paul and Silas pray, the prison doors open (so far everything is logical), but the prisoners do not leave. The question is, why did the Lord open the door for them?
The passage ends with the jailer and his whole family coming to believe in God, struck by the miracles shown to them. And the miracle here is not only the opened prison doors, but also the prisoners who did not run away, but sit and wait. One can suppose that this second circumstance became the greater miracle for the jailer: that the prisoners did not scatter, that Paul did not want his death, that those who should have hated him instead cared for him...
It is interesting that as a result the jailer himself voluntarily exposes himself to danger by inviting the prisoners into his house. But this is already his free choice - and for the sake of this choice, properly speaking, everything had been set in motion. The most important thing in today's reading is this jailer's encounter with Jesus.
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16:25 Paul and Silas sung a hymn to God - Notwithstanding weariness, hunger stripes, and blood. And the prisoners heard - A song to which they were not accustomed.
16:28 But Paul cried - As they were all then in the dark, it is not easy to say, how Paul knew of the jailer's purpose; unless it were by some immediate notice from God, which is by no means incredible. With a loud voice - Through earnestness, and because he was at some distance. Do thyself no harm - Although the Christian faith opens the prospect into another life, yet it absolutely forbids and effectually prevents a man's discharging himself from this.
16:30 Sirs - He did not style them so the day before. What must I do to be saved? - From the guilt I feel and the vengeance I fear?Undoubtedly God then set his sins in array before him, and convinced him in the clearest and strongest manner that the wrath of God abode upon him.
16:31 Thou shalt be saved and thy household - If ye believe.They did so, and were saved.
16:33 He washed their stripes - It should not be forgot, that the apostles had not the power of working miraculous cures when they pleased, either on themselves, or their dearest friends. Nor was it expedient they should, since it would have frustrated many wise designs of God, which were answered by their sufferings.
16:34 He set a table before them and rejoiced - Faith makes a man joyful, prudent, liberal.
16:35 The pretors sent - Being probably terrified by the earthquake; saying, Let those men go - How different from the charge given a few hours before! And how great an ease of mind to the jailer!
16:37 They have beaten us publicly, being Romans - St. Paul does not always plead this privilege. But in a country where they were entire strangers, such treatment might have brought upon them a suspicion of having been guilty of some uncommon crime, and so have hindered the course of the Gospel.
16:40 When they had seen the brethren, they comforted them and departed - Though many circumstances now invited their stay, yet they wisely complied with the request of the magistrates, that they might not seem to express any degree of obstinacy or revenge, or give any suspicion of a design to stir up the people.