Imprisonment of Paul and Silas

One day as we were going to prayer, we met a slave girl who was a soothsayer [ Lit. 'who had a Python-spirit', so called from the serpent Python of the ancient Delphic oracle.] and made a lot of money for her masters by telling fortunes. This girl started following Paul and the rest of us and shouting, 'Here are the servants of the Most High God; they have come to tell you how to be saved!' She did this everyday afterwards until Paul lost his temper one day and turned round and said to the spirit, 'I order you in the name of Jesus Christ to leave that woman'. The spirit went out of her then and there.

When her masters saw that there was no hope of making any more money out of her, they seized Paul and Silas and dragged them to the law courts in the market place where they charged them before the magistrates and said, 'These people are causing a disturbance in our city. They are Jews and are advocating practices which it is unlawful for us as Romans to accept or follow.' [ The practices referred to are Jewish, cf. 6:14; 15:1; 21:21; 26:3; 28:17; John 19:40: the accusers make no distinction between Christian and Jew. The precise charge is proselytism: though the Jews were allowed to practise their religion, they had no right to proselytise Romans. Christian propaganda was therefore against the law.] 

The crowd joined in and showed its hostility to them, so the magistrates had them stripped and ordered them to be flogged. They were given many lashes and then thrown into prison, and the gaoler was told to keep a close watch on them. So, following his instructions, he threw them into the inner prison and fastened their feet in the stocks. - Acts 16:16-24 -

The miraculous deliverance of Paul and Silas

Late that night Paul and Silas were praying and singing God's praises, while the other prisoners listened. Suddenly there was an earthquake that shook the prison to its foundations. All the doors flew open and the chains fell from all the prisoners. When the gaoler woke and saw the doors wide open he drew his sword and was about to commit suicide, presuming that the prisoners had escaped. But Paul shouted at the top of his voice, 'Don't do yourself any harm; we are all here'. 

The gaoler called for lights, then rushed in, threw himself trembling [ This new fear comes from his realising that he has treated as criminals men who are envoys of God.] at the feet of Paul and Silas, and escorted them out, saying, 'Sirs, what must I do to be saved?' They told him, 'Become a believer in the Lord Jesus, and you will be saved, and your household too'. Then they preached the word of the Lord [ Var. 'the word of God'] to him and to all his family. Late as it was, he took them to wash their wounds, and was baptised then and there with all his household. Afterwards he took them home and gave them a meal, and the whole family celebrated their conversion to belief in God.

When it was daylight the magistrates sent the officers with the order: 'Release those men'. [ Var. When it was daylight the magistrates met in the market place: remembering the earthquake that had taken place they were afraid and sent the officers to say: 'Release the men you arrested yesterday.'] The gaoler reported the message to Paul, 'The magistrates have sent an order for your release; you can go now and be on your way'. [ Add. 'in peace'.] 'What!' Paul replied 'They flog Roman citizens [ The lex Porcia forbade (under heavy penalties) the scourging of a Roman citizen.] in public and without trial and throw us into prison, and then think they can push us out on the quiet! Oh no! They must come and escort us out themselves.'

The officers reported this to the magistrates, who were horrified to hear the men were Roman citizens. They came and begged them to leave the town. [ Alex. (and Antiochene) Text 'They came to apologise, and when they had taken them out they asked them to leave the town'. Western Text 'And going with a number of friends to the prison, they urged them to go out, saying: We had not realised what you wanted and that you were holy men. When they had taken them out, they begged them: Get out of this town in case those who shouted against you get another mob together.'] From the prison they went to Lydia's house where they saw all the brothers and gave them some encouragement; then they left. - Acts 16:25-40 - 

Thessalonika: difficulties with the Jews

Passing through Amphipolis and Apollonia, they eventually reached Thessalonika, where there was a Jewish synagogue. Paul as usual introduced himself and for three consecutive Sabbaths developed the arguments from scripture for them, explaining and proving how it was ordained that the Christ should suffer and rise from the dead. 'And the Christ' he said 'is this Jesus whom I am proclaiming to you.' Some of them [ Aristarchus, one of Paul's most faithful companions, cf. 20:4; Col. 4:10, was probably one of them.] were convinced and joined Paul and Silas, and so did a great many God-fearing people and Greeks, [ Var. 'Greek worshippers of God'. The reading here preferred distinguishes 'those who worship God', 10:2+, from 'Greeks' not previously influenced by Jewish proselytism. Most of the conversions in Thessalonika were made from paganism, cf. 1 Thess. 1:9-10, etc.] as well as a number of rich women.

The Jews, full of resentment, enlisted the help of a gang from the market place, stirrred up a crowd, and soon had the whole city in an uproar. They made for Jason's house, [ Possibly the Jason of Rom. 16:21.] hoping to find them there and drag them off to the People's Assembly; however, they only found Jason and some of the brothers, and these they dragged before  the city council, shouting, 'The people who have been turning the whole world upside down have come here now; they have been staying at Jason's house. They have broken every one of Caesar's edicts by claiming that there is another emperor, [ Actually, the Christians deliberately avoided calling Jesus by the emperor's title basilues ('king'); they preferred 'Christ' (Messiah) and 'Lord'.] Jesus.' This accusation alarmed the citizens and the city councillors and they made Jason and the rest give security before setting them free. - Acts 17:1-9 -

Fresh difficulties at Beroea

When it was dark the brothers immediately sent Paul and Silas away to Beroea, [ Despite their departure the persecution at Thessalonika went on, cf. 1 Thess. 2:14.] where they visited the Jewish synagogue as soon as they arrived. Here the Jews were more open minded than those in Thessalonika, and they welcomed the word very readily; everyday they studied the sacred scriptures to check whether it was true. Many Jews became believers and so did many Greek women from the upper classes and a number of the men.

When the Jews of Thessalonika heard that the word of God was being preached by Paul in Beroea as well, they went there to make trouble and stir up the people. So the brothers arranged for Paul to go immediately as far as the coast, leaving Silas and Timothy behind. Paul's escort took him as far as Athens, and went back with instructions for Silas and Timothy to rejoin Paul as soon as they could. [ Luke summarising and simplifying. Timothy must have gone with Paul because Paul later sends him from Athens to Thessalonika, 1 Thess. 3:1f.] - Acts 17:10-15 -

Paul in Athens

WELCOME TO SACRED SCRIPTURE/WORD OF GOD/HOLY BIBLE READER'S COMMUNITY. - Wishing you, 'Happy Reading', and may God, the Father, the Son of the living God, Jesus Christ, fills your heart, mind, thoughts, and grants you: The Holy Spirit, that is, Wisdom, Knowledge, Understanding, Counsel, Piety, Fortitude, and the fear of the Lord, and also His fruits of the Holy Spirit, that is, Love, Joy, Peace, Patience, Kindness, Goodness, Trustfulness, Gentleness and Self-Control. Amen! God blessing be upon you!

HOW? AND IN WHAT WAY, WHEN IT COME TO UNDERSTANDING MATTERS: WHAT I WAS ALWAYS BEING TOLD IS: THERE ARE WAYS AND PREFERENCES TO COMPREHEND ALL MATTERS, WHETHER IT IS OF SPIRITUALITY AND OF UNSPIRITUALITY.

FIRSTLY, IN A LITERALLY MANNER: THAT IS, USED FOR EMPHASIS OR TO EXPRESS STRONG FEELING WHILE NOT BEING LITERALLY TRUE.

SECONDLY, IN A HUMANLY MANNER: THAT IS, FROM A HUMAN POINT OF VIEW, IN A HUMANLY MANNER, BY HUMAN MEANS; WITHIN ABILITY; WITH HUMAN FEELING OR KINDNESS.

THIRDLY, IN A SPIRITUALLY MANNER: THAT IS, IN A WAY THAT RELATES TO OR AFFECTS THE HUMAN SPIRIT OR, SOUL AS OPPOSED TO MATERIAL OR PHYSICAL THINGS.

FINALLY, IN AN UNSPIRITUAL MANNER: THAT IS, NOT SPIRITUAL. BUT SECULAR AND WORLDLY.

"EACH ONE OF US, HOWEVER, HAS BEEN GIVEN HIS OWN SHARE OF GRACE, GIVEN AS THE LORD JESUS CHRIST ALLOTTED IT. IT WAS SAID THAT HE WOULD:

             WHEN HE ASCENDED TO THE HEIGHT, HE CAPTURED PRISONERS,

             HE GAVE GIFTS TO MEN.

WHEN IT SAYS, 'HE ASCENDED,' WHAT CAN IT MEAN IF NOT THAT HE DESCENDED RIGHT DOWN TO THE LOWER REGIONS OF THE EARTH? THE ONE WHO ROSE HIGHER THAN ALL THE HEAVENS TO FILL ALL THINGS IS NONE OTHER THAN THE ONE WHO DESCENDED.

AND TO SOME, HIS GIFT WAS THAT THEY SHOULD BE APOSTLES; TO SOME, PROPHETS; TO SOME, EVANGELISTS; TO SOME, PASTORS AND TEACHERS; SO THAT THE SAINTS TOGETHER MAKE A UNITY IN THE WORK OF SERVICE, BUILDING UP THE BODY OF THE LORD JESUS CHRIST.

IN THIS WAY WE ARE ALL TO COME TO UNITY IN OUR FAITH AND IN OUR KNOWLEDGE OF THE SON OF GOD, UNTIL WE BECOME THE PERFECT MAN, FULLY MATURE WITH THE FULLNESS OF CHRIST HIMSELF.

THEN WE SHALL NOT BE CHILDREN ANY LONGER, OR TOSSED ONE WAY AND ANOTHER AND CARRIED ALONG BY EVERY WIND OF DOCTRINE, AT THE MERCY OF ALL THE TRICKS MEN PLAY AND THEY CLEVERNESS IN PRACTISING DECEIT.

IF WE LIVE BY THE TRUTH AND IN LOVE, WE SHALL GROW IN ALL WAYS INTO CHRIST JESUS, WHO IS THE HEAD BY WHOM THE WHOLE BODY IS FITTED AND JOINED TOGETHER, EVERY JOINT ADDING ITS OWN STRENGTH, FOR EACH SEPARATE PART TO WORK ACCORDING TO IT FUNCTION. SO THE BODY GROWS UNTIL IT HAS BUILT ITSELF UP, IN LOVE." - EPHESIANS 4:7-16 -

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Faith . Hope . Love - Welcome donation. Thank You. God bless. 

By bank transfer/cheque deposit:

Name: Alex Chan Kok Wah
Bank: Public Bank Berhad account no: 4076577113
Country: Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia.

Sunday, May 24, 2009

I have through years of reading, pondering, reflecting and contemplating, the 3 things that last; FAITH . HOPE . LOVE and I would like to made available my sharing from the many thinkers, authors, scholars and theologians whose ideas and thoughts I have borrowed. God be with them always. Amen!

I STILL HAVE MANY THINGS TO SAY TO YOU BUT THEY WOULD BE TOO MUCH FOR YOU NOW. BUT WHEN THE SPIRIT OF TRUTH COMES, HE WILL LEAD YOU TO THE COMPLETE TRUTH, SINCE HE WILL NOT BE SPEAKING AS FROM HIMSELF, BUT WILL SAY ONLY WHAT HE HAS LEARNT; AND HE WILL TELL YOU OF THE THINGS TO COME.

HE WILL GLORIFY ME, SINCE ALL HE TELLS YOU WILL BE TAKEN FROM WHAT IS MINE. EVERYTHING THE FATHER HAS IS MINE; THAT IS WHY I SAID: ALL HE TELLS YOU WILL BE TAKEN FROM WHAT IS MINE. - JOHN 16:12-15 -