NOTES for Act 16:22-34

There is something strange in today’s reading from Acts. Paul and Silas pray, the prison doors open—so far everything is logical—but the prisoners do not leave. One might ask why the Lord opened the door for them. Let us think: why did He really do it?

How does today’s passage end? The jailer and his entire family come to believe in God. Why did they believe? Because miracles were shown to them. And what were those miracles? The open prison doors—and the prisoners who did not run away, but remained seated and waiting. Which was the greater miracle for the jailer? I would venture to suggest it was the second: that the prisoners did not scatter, that Paul did not want him to die, that those who were supposed to hate him cared for him instead... It is interesting that, as a result, the jailer voluntarily puts himself in danger by inviting the prisoners into his home. But this is now his free choice—and, properly speaking, everything was set in motion for the sake of this choice. The most important thing in today’s reading is this jailer’s encounter with Jesus.