Acts 16

Verse 3. Circumcised him. Not to obstruct the conversion of the Jews; and because it was still lawful to observe the Jewish ceremonies, though the obligation of keeping the old law had ceased. Witham.—This Saint Paul did in order to gain the Jews, and make Timothy acceptable to them. Tirinus.—To the Jew, says he, (1 Corinthians 9:20) I became a Jew, that I might gain the Jews. If he refused to circumcise Titus, in order to vindicate the Christian’s independence of the Mosaic ceremonies; he now submits to the observance of them, to shew there is nothing of itself bad in them, and that they might without crime be practised, till time by degrees had abolished them. Saint Augustine ep. lxxxii. ad S. Hieronymum.

Verse 4. Here, as well as in the last verse of the former chapter, we see Saint Paul ordering the new converts, wherever he went, to receive, as their rule of conduct, the ordinances of the apostles and priests assembled in Jerusalem.

Verse 6. They were forbidden by the Holy Ghost, to go, and preach at that time in the Lesser Asia, perhaps because their preaching in Macedonia was more necessary; or because Saint John was to be sent into Asia. Witham.—Forbidden. Why? Because they were not yet prepared to receive the gospel; or, perhaps, these provinces were reserved for Saint John, as Bithynia was for Saint Luke. Menochius.—S. Leo compares this question to many others respecting the inscrutable judgments of God. Why did not the Son of God come into the world many ages before? Why did he suffer so many to die in ignorance? Why are there yet so many in infidelity? Why, in one family, does one believe and is converted, while another remains in darkness, and crime? Who shall account for the exercise he pleases to make of his rigour, or his mercy, when all were justly victims of the former? S. Leo de vocat. Gentium. lib. ii. chapter 2.

Verse 7. The spirit of Jesus permitted them not. It is the same spirit, which just before was called the Holy Ghost: for the Holy Ghost is the spirit of Jesus, as proceeding from the Son as well as from the Father. Witham.

Verse 9. A vision, and so forth The tutelar angel of the province, according to most interpreters, under the form of a Macedonian, who implored Saint Paul in behalf of the province he guarded.

Verse 10. We. This change in the narration from the third, to the first person, we sought, and so forth is remarkable. It is hence inferred, that Saint Luke, the author of this book, joined Saint Paul at Troas, and became his inseparable companion. Calmet.—It is, however, probable, that as the narrative in the first person changes again at the end of this chapter, and is not resumed, till the fifth verse of the 20th chap. that Saint Luke was absent on some mission during the time that elapsed between this and their sailing from Philippi, as mentioned hereafter. Chap. 20 verse 6. Tirinus.

Verse 13. There was prayer. [1] The Greek word signifies either prayer itself, or an oratory, or place to pray in. Witham.—Not every prayer is here understood, but that which was joined in the celebration of the sacred mysteries. Estius in diffic. loca. See 1 Corinthians 7 and Acts 6.

Verse 16. A pythonical spirit. A spirit pretending to divination, to tell secrets, and things to come. See 2 Kings 24. Isaias 8:19. Witham.—A divining spirit, which pretended to foretell things to come. It is strictly forbidden every where throughout the old law to have any dealings with persons of this description. Deuteronomy 18:10. Levit. 20 ult. and so forth Hence it would appear that these superstitions were of early practice among mankind. It is lamentable that the present age is still credulous enough to believe in such impostures. The ignorance of mankind, it appears, has always been made a source of emolument to the designing. A.

Verse 17. These men are the servants of the most high God. Evil spirits in possessed people, are sometimes forced to tell the truth. Witham.

Verse 18. Observe here that the servants of God have a power granted them of controlling wicked spirits, according to the promise of our Lord, Luke 9 and 10. Hence the seventy disciples, returning, said: Lord, even the devils are subject to us in thy name. Est. in diffic. loc.

Verse 20. Jews. This was the name the first Christians went by among the pagans. Indeed our Saviour’s being born of that nation, and his disciples adoring the same God, and following the same morality and Scriptures as the Jews, were sufficient reasons to make them confounded. When Suetonius relates that Claudius banished the Jews from Rome, he means the Christians. Calmet.

Verse 21. There was a standing decree of the senate, which forbade the introduction of any new divinity, without the formal consent of the senate. V.

Verse 24. Made their feet fast in the stocks. By the Latin and Greek text, they made them fast with wood. Witham.

Verse 26. All the doors were opened. This made the jailer conclude the prisoners had made their escape. And he being answerable for them, and expecting to be put to death, was for stabbing himself. Witham.

Verse 33. Was baptized, being first told what he was to believe, and do. Witham.—Hence Catholics draw a very plausible argument for the baptism of infants, as it is very probable there were some infants in the family. See Estius in diffic. loc.

Verse 35. Sent the serjeants, [2] vergers, or such like officers. Witham.

Verse 37. Romans. Saint Paul inherited his right of citizenship from his father; it does not appear how Silas obtained it, perhaps by purchase. There is no proof that Silas was a freeman of Rome. D. Dion. Carthus.—It was forbidden by the Porcian and Sempronian laws, for a Roman citizen to be scourged, unless he was likewise convicted of a capital crime. Cicero pro Rabirio. Facinus est vinciri civem Romanum: scelus verberari. Id. cont. Verrem. The Romans were always very jealous of the dignity of their city. We cannot but admire Saint Paul’s astonishing desire of suffering for the name of Jesus, in concealing a circumstance, the very naming of which would have saved him the cruel scourging he suffered. If he now refuses to go out of the prison privately, it is to vindicate his honour, and to avert the scandal, which the new converts would naturally feel, in seeing their master treated as a criminal. He exemplified in this instance S. Augustin’s principal; “Our lives are necessary for ourselves, but our reputation for others.” A.—Estius declares, that Silas was also a Roman citizen, and that from this circumstance he probably received a Roman name, as Paul did. For in other parts of Scripture we find him styled Silvanus, (2 Corinthians 1:19) and at the commencement of both the epistles to the Thessalonians.—Not so; but let them come, and so forth Saint Paul patiently submitted himself to be whipped in a most disgraceful and cruel manner, which he could easily have prevented or put a stop to, by saying, I am a Roman citizen. Afterwards, when they were for setting him at liberty, he claims his privilege, he puts all the magistrates in a fright; they run to ask him pardon, and entreat him with all civility to leave the town, which he does not think fit to do, till he visited his brethren and friends. Witham.