Chapters 15:36–18:22
Luke proceeds to give us the record of Paul’s second missionary journey which covered a period of about four years (A.D. 51-54). On this occasion the missionaries took the gospel further afield, carrying it into Europe for the first time. The targeted areas of the Spirit were Macedonia (northern Greece) and Achaia (southern Greece).
Paul’s Second Missionary Journey Begins
Chap. 15:36-41—In reading over the account of this new missionary journey, we see at once that it began on a lower level of spiritual exercise from that of the first mission. There is a marked absence of fasting and prayer, and of waiting on the Lord for guidance. We do not read of them bowing their knees and asking “the Lord of the harvest” (Matt. 9:38) whether it was His will that they should go again. Nor was there any decisive statement from the Holy Spirit regarding this new work, as there was on the first journey. Instead of being initiated by the Holy Spirit, this second missionary journey began with Paul saying to Barnabas: “Let us go again and visit our brethren in every city where we have preached the Word of the Lord, and see how they do” (vs. 36). This surely was a godly concern and a commendable desire, but there wasn’t the expressed dependence on the Lord that we saw at the outset of the first mission.
Paul and Barnabas Separate
We are, therefore, not surprised that this journey got off to an unfortunate start with the separation of the two servants who had been used mightily of God on the first journey. This is sad indeed. Barnabas wanted to take his nephew John Mark with them, but Paul thought otherwise. Paul’s reason was that he had “abandoned” them on their first journey, and he might do it again (Acts 13:13). Paul had clearly lost confidence in John Mark. (He regained his confidence in him later and spoke commendably of him to Timothy – 2 Timothy 4:11.) It seems that Barnabas was affected by natural (family) relations, and it influenced his desire to have Mark to go with them. This should serve as a warning to us. Let us be careful not to allow natural affection and family connections have precedence over our decisions in spiritual matters; those things tend to cloud our discernment.
Luke says that “the contention was sharp [warm]” between Paul and Barnabas (vs. 39). Contention, we know, is not something that the Holy Spirit produces, but is clearly something that emanates from the flesh (Gal. 5:20). Thus, the flesh (the fallen sin-nature) had lifted up its ugly head in these two otherwise godly servants. It shows us that even though men may be apostles, they still have the flesh and must judge themselves regularly. This is proof that the doctrine of Sinless Perfectionism is false. If anybody would have reached a state of sinlessness on earth through Christian growth, it would have been these men, but clearly they had not.
Who was in the right, Paul or Barnabas? Luke seems to indicate that both were at fault, stating that the contention was between “them.” Notwithstanding, the fact that Barnabas left with Mark rather hurriedly, before the brethren could give them the right hands of fellowship (which seemed to be a hasty reaction of the flesh) and that he disappeared from the narrative after this, suggests that the fault may have been more on his side. Having said that, we have no intention of criticizing this honoured servant of the Lord.
While it is sad that these two beloved servants separated in this way, God over-ruled and turned the failure into a blessing. The good that came out of the separation was that there were now two missionary parties that went forth into the regions beyond with the gospel! This meant that more people were reached with the Word!
Syria & Cilicia
Chap. 15:41—After Barnabas and Mark “sailed away to Cyprus,” Paul took the advice of the brethren and “chose Silas” for his second journey. In submitting to his brethren’s judgment, he manifested a nice spirit, and this is a sign that he was in a good spiritual state. Paul and Silas were then “commended [committed] by the brethren to the grace of God.” This is something that is not said of Barnabas and Mark. They “went through Syria and Cilicia confirming the assemblies” (vs. 41).
Derbe & Lystra
Chap. 16:1-5—Passing through the eastern part of Asia Minor, Paul and Silas came to “Derbe and Lystra,” cities of Galatia. This was the very place where Paul was stoned and taken up for dead (Acts 14:19). To go back to that spot where persecution had been so intense showed real spiritual courage (2 Tim. 3:11).
Timothy Joins the Missionary Band
Here, the missionaries came across “a certain disciple” named “Timotheus” (vs. 1). He had been saved prior to this (perhaps on Paul’s first missionary journey – Acts 14:21) and had shown significant spiritual progress in his Christian life—enough so that the brethren in the area spoke well of him to Paul. His mother, “Eunice” (2 Tim. 1:5), was a Jewess who had married a Greek man. Even though she had married a non-Israelite, she faithfully taught Timothy the Old Testament Scriptures from his childhood (2 Tim. 3:15). This gave him a considerable advantage over other converts who had not had that privilege. This, coupled with a devotion of heart to the Lord and a genuine care for the saints, made Timothy a promising servant in the work of the Lord (Phil. 2:19-22). Luke says that he was “well reported of by the brethren that were in Lystra and Iconium” (vs. 2). This means that he had a testimony in his home area, which is the hardest place to win approval (Luke 4:24).
Learning of Timothy’s progress, Paul invited him to go along with them on their missionary trip, to which Timothy consented (vs. 3). But before departing, Paul had him “circumcised.” We might wonder why he would do that, because in the previous chapter (15) the apostles and elders had just established that circumcision was not necessary in Christianity. In that chapter, Paul steadfastly refused to circumcise Titus as a case in point (Gal. 2:3), but here it seems as though he was contradicting his own teaching!
The answer is that it was a matter of principle. In Titus’ case, it was a question of fundamental Christian doctrine; false teachers were insisting on circumcision being necessary in order to be saved (Acts 15:1). Paul and the other apostles took a strong stance against it (Gal. 2:4-5) because it undermined the finished work of Christ in atonement. Here, it was a case of Christian liberty. Paul had Timothy circumcised on account of “the Jews which were in those quarters: for they knew that his father was a Greek.” If those Jews whom they were trying to reach with the gospel knew that Timothy was uncircumcised, they would see him as an unclean Gentile and dismiss the message they preached. Thus, in Timothy’s case, it was a matter of removing something that would be a hindrance to their audience receiving the message. Paul was acting on a principle he mentions in 1 Corinthians 9:20: “Unto the Jews I became as a Jew, that I might gain the Jews; to them that were under the Law, as under the Law, that I might gain them that are under the Law.”
Vss. 4-5—Their labours on this journey had a strong emphasis on pastoral work (Acts 15:36, 41), with the aim of establishing “the assemblies” in “the faith.” These would be the converts from Paul’s first evangelistic tour. As mentioned in chapter 14:22, establishing the saints involved teaching them the truth and exhorting them regarding practical Christian living. They also delivered to them “the decrees” which they were to keep that were “ordained of the apostles and elders which were at Jerusalem” (Acts 15:29).
Phrygia & Galatia
Chap. 16:6-7—They did not just visit the brethren at Derbe and Lystra, but they went “throughout Phrygia and Galatia” ministering to the saints there (vs. 6a). That they went “throughout” those areas shows that they were thorough in this pastoral work.
Having visited the existing assemblies in the regions of Phrygia and Galatia (central Turkey), the missionaries purposed to go farther afield into “Asia” with the gospel but were “forbidden by the Holy Spirit to speak the Word” there (vs. 6b). (This is not the continent of Asia, but a region in southwestern Turkey.) Outward circumstances were probably what hindered them, but Luke speaks of it from God’s perspective and tells us that it was the Holy Spirit who forbad them from going there. It was not that God didn’t care for those people and did not want them to be saved, but this wasn’t His time for it. Their opportunity would come when Paul was guided to that area on his third missionary journey, at which time he would spend at least three years there preaching and teaching (Acts 20:31). The missionaries then turned toward “Bithynia” (northern Turkey), but “the Spirit of Jesus did not allow them” to go there either (vs. 7).
Troas
Chap. 16:8-10—So “passing by Mysia” (northwestern Turkey), they went due west and came down to the seaport of “Troas” (vs. 8). God was guiding them circumstantially to this city for a couple of reasons. Firstly, this is where they would meet “Luke, the beloved physician” (Col. 4:14), who would be a help in the ministry. Secondly, this is where they would be led by God to take a ship into Europe, and thus, bring the gospel to that continent for the first time in history.
Luke Joins the Missionary Band
At this point, at Troas, Luke joined the missionary band, and their number grew to four persons—Paul, Silas, Timothy, and Luke. We know that Luke had come into the picture because he changes the pronouns in the narrative from “they” (referring to Paul, Silas, and Timothy) in verses 4-8, to “we” and “us” in verse 10 onward. This is Luke’s self-effacing way of referring to himself without drawing attention. As a historian, the things he has reported thus far in the book were what he had gathered from various reliable sources; now he reports things as an eye-witness.
The Gospel Enters Europe
Chap. 16:9-11—At Troas, and looking to the Lord for direction, Paul had “a vision” in the night. He saw “a certain Macedonian man” calling him to come across the Aegean Sea to Macedonia (northern Greece) and to “help” them there (vs. 9). They “assuredly” gathered from the circumstance that the Lord was directing them to Macedonia to “preach the gospel unto them” (vs. 10). Sailing west from Troas, the weather was favourable, and they “came with a straight course to Samothracia,” an island about halfway across the Aegean Sea.
Neapolis
Chap. 16:11—The next day, they reached the port of “Neapolis” in Macedonia. This brought them to the threshold of Europe. They came across the Aegean Sea in two days. When weather was not permitting, it could take much longer (Acts 20:6). The favourable winds, no doubt, were a confirmation to them that God’s hand was with them, opening the way (Psa. 148:8). There is no mention that they preached the Word here at Neapolis. From the wording of the text it seems that they pressed on immediately to Philippi, the chief city of Macedonia, which was a few miles inland.
Philippi
Chap. 16:12-40—This city was a Roman colony that had a very small Jewish population, and therefore, no synagogue. When such was the case, “it was the custom” of the Jews to resort to the riverside on Sabbath days to pray and to be with other Jews who would gather there (Psa. 137:1; Ezek. 1:1; 3:15). Knowing this was “where prayer was wont to be made,” Paul and his company “resorted thither” and found a few women (vs. 13). They didn’t preach the gospel to them, but “sat down” and shared the message of God’s redeeming grace with them on a conversational level.
Lydia Saved
The work in Europe did not begin with an ostentatious evangelistic campaign that attracted hundreds and thousands—the work began in a woman’s heart. It was a quiet work, but very real. Luke says: “A certain woman named Lydia, a seller of purple, of the city of Thyatira, which worshipped God, heard us: whose heart the Lord opened, that she attended unto the things which were spoken of Paul” (vs. 14). The fact that Lydia was a worshipper of God before she met the missionaries, shows that the Lord had already been working with her; she had real Godward faith, but what she needed was the light of the gospel. She was a seeker of truth and had become a Jewish proselyte in quest of it. But when she heard the gospel, she found the fullness of the thing which she sought after—the grace of God in Christ. It is clear that through Paul’s message, she received the Lord Jesus as her Saviour, and thus became the first Christian convert in Europe, though she herself was not European. She was from Thyatira, a city of Asia (southwestern Turkey)—the place where the missionaries were forbidden by the Spirit to go!
Household Baptism
Lydia believed and was “baptized and her household” (vs. 15). This is the first of two cases in this chapter where households were baptized without there being any mention of whether all in those houses were believers! (Acts 16:15, 33).
Evangelical Christians, who accept the baptism of believers only, infer into these passages that they were all believers. Using “reverse engineering” in their thinking, they deduct that everyone in those homes had to be believers, because in their minds, Paul would never baptize someone who hadn’t made a clear confession of his faith in Christ. However, a careful look at the subject of baptism in Scripture will show that this is not always so. Scripture indicates that when everyone in a house believed the gospel, as in the cases of Cornelius’ house (Acts 10:2; 11:14) and Crispus’ house (Acts 18:8), it will state clearly that they were all believers. But, as mentioned, in the three references regarding household baptism, there is no mention that all in those homes were believers. In fact, in the case of the jailor’s house being baptized, the word in the Greek text for “believed” is in the nominative, singular masculine (Acts 16:34). Thus, “believed” refers to the jailor’s faith only. Yet, he had his whole household baptized! Since a household consists of all who are under the head of the house, baptizing a household could include a wife, children, and the servants.
If we clear away our preconceived ideas on this subject, and look at baptism as Scripture presents it, we will see that it has to do with placing a person in a new position of privilege on earth, wherein he is outwardly identified with the name of Christ. S. M. Anglin said, “Baptism constitutes the person baptized a Christian, as to his position here on earth, and introduces him into the outward privileges of Christianity (What Baptism is, and Who Should be Baptized, p. 5). It is the formal reception of a person onto Christian ground. Simply put, faith puts the believer “in” Christ (Gal. 3:26), and baptism puts Christ “on” the believer (Gal. 3:27). One is before God and the other is before men. In the ordinance of baptism, a person puts on the Christian uniform and is thereby identified with the name of Christ. By submitting to that ordinance, he is formally made part of the Christian testimony, the professing house of God, wherein many outward privileges are enjoyed. This is the ground upon which every believing householder wants to place his household, if he understands baptism rightly. This is what took place when Lydia (Acts 16:15), the jailor (Acts 16:33), and Stephanas (1 Cor. 1:16) had their households baptized.
Common Misunderstandings About Baptism
There are several mistaken ideas connected with baptism in Christendom—some are more serious than others. In an effort to help people get free of these mistaken ideas, we point out a few of these misconceptions:
Baptism imparts divine life to the baptized whereby he is born again. This is an old error that has come from medieval theology taught by Roman Catholicism called “Baptismal Regeneration.” It is a gross mis-interpretation of John 3:5 and Titus 3:5, and thus, is a serious doctrinal error. If it were true, then a person could be blessed eternally by an act of his own doing. It is salvation through works, which Scripture decries (Rom. 4:4-5; Eph. 2:8-9).
A believer must be baptized in order to be saved eternally. This is also a serious doctrinal error. It is a mis-interpretation of Mark 16:16; Acts 2:38-40; 22:16, and 1 Peter 3:21. These verses are not referring to salvation from the eternal judgment of God (as those who propound this doctrine suppose), but rather, salvation from the governmental judgment of God in one’s life on earth. If this idea were true, it is teaching that faith in Christ is not enough for salvation; the believer must do something to ensure his eternal blessing. Again, it makes eternal salvation a thing that depends upon the believer’s works, which Scripture decries (Rom. 4:4-5; Eph. 2:8-9).
Baptism is obedience to a command of the Lord. This is not true; there is no such command in Scripture. There is a command to the baptizer to baptize all who have believed the gospel and who want to be in the place of privilege where Christ’s name is professed (Acts 10:48), but there is no command to anyone to get baptized. To refer to baptism as something believers are commanded to do brings into Christianity a legal obedience to ordinances as a means of blessing, which is entirely opposed to the spirit of Christianity. In Scripture, baptism is viewed as a privilege. With that privilege comes a corresponding responsibility of obedience in one’s personal life (John 14:15; Acts 5:29; 1 Peter 1:14), but submission to the ordinance itself is not an act of obedience.
Baptism is a public confession of a person’s faith in Christ; it is a statement to the world that the person baptized is dead and risen with Him. This is not true; Scripture nowhere states that baptism is a public act or a confession of a person’s faith in Christ. If it were a public witness to the world, Paul would never have had the jailor baptized in the middle of the night behind closed doors! (Acts 16:33) He would have waited till the morning and done it “outside the gate (of the city) by the river” (Acts 16:13), or in some other public place where it could be seen. The significance of baptism rests with the name of Christ being put upon us (Gal. 3:27), not whether others have witnessed it.
Believers are the only ones who are to be baptized. This is not necessarily true. Surely, we are not to baptize unbelievers, knowing that they are unbelievers, but Scripture does state that households were baptized without giving any indication of all in those households being believers (Acts 16:15, 33; 1 Cor. 1:16). As mentioned earlier, the baptism of the jailor’s house is an example. The Greek text states that he was the only one in the house who believed.
A person must have his sins forgiven and have the indwelling of the Holy Spirit before being baptized. This order is not always the case in Scripture. In Luke 3:3, people were baptized before they had their sins forgiven! Their baptism was in view of having their sins forgiven; it was “for the remission of sins.” So also, with those in Acts 2:38. Peter put their baptism before their sins being forgiven and their receiving the Holy Spirit! It was the same with the Samaritan believers; they were baptized before they received the Spirit (Acts 8:12-17).
There should be a “waiting period” before a new believer is baptized, in order to be sure that his faith is real. This, too, does not stand the test of Scripture. In Acts 2:41, three thousand people were saved and baptized on the same day! The Ethiopian eunuch was baptized moments after he believed (Acts 8:36-38). It was likewise with those in Cornelius’ house; they were baptized moments after they believed (Acts 10:44-48).
Baptism leads to holiness in life. This is not true; baptism identifies the baptized with Christ’s death, but it does not produce holiness in one’s life. Practical holiness is a result of the power of the Spirit working in the believer’s life through the believer’s yielding to Him (Rom. 8:2). This falsehood is exemplified in the man who was baptized and sometime later met the man who had baptized him. After exchanging greetings, the man who had been baptized said: “I am thoroughly disappointed with my baptism; I thought that I wouldn’t sin anymore.” The other man said: “Well, if I had known that that was what you were looking for, I should have held you down under the water longer—that would have stopped you from sinning!” Baptism is not an experience that brings the baptized closer to the Lord.
The Spirit of Python Attempts to Corrupt the Gospel Message
Chap. 16:16-18—Having seen blessing come to Lydia’s house, the enemy (Satan) was stirred up and came out with yet another attack on the gospel. As the missionaries went to pray (probably by the riverside where they had met Lydia) “a certain female slave, having a spirit of Python” followed them. She cried: “These men are the servants of the Most High God, which show unto us the way of salvation” (vs. 17). On the surface, what she said seemed true and was something that promoted the gospel. But it was a pretense. A closer look shows that it was a corruption of the message that Paul preached. It was really a clever attempt of Satan to hinder the blessing of the gospel from going any further into Europe.
Critical translations and inter-linears indicate that the article “the” is not in the Greek text. Thus, the girl wasn’t saying that the missionaries preached “the way of salvation,” but that they were preaching “a way of salvation” (J. Green; L. M. Grant). This implies that the gospel is one of many ways to be saved! This is false; receiving Christ is the only way of salvation. Scripture says: “There is none other name under heaven given among men, whereby we must be saved” (Acts 4:12). Another indication that something was wrong with what she was saying is that she directed the attention of her hearers to the servants of the Lord, rather than to the Lord. She said: “These men are the servants ... .” This is always Satan’s way; he will never direct anyone to Christ. Moreover, her use of the title “the Most High God” is the millennial name of God, and out of place in this Day of Grace. No demon or evil spirit should want to hasten the millennial kingdom day because they will be confined to the abyss then (Isa. 24:21-22; Rev. 20:1-3).
When the girl kept up her cry “many days,” Paul, knowing that the devil’s patronage would never work the blessing of God, but would only bring disaster, refused her testimony by commanding the evil spirit to come out of her (vs. 18). She was thereby mercifully delivered from the evil spirit that possessed her! If her masters truly cared for her personal welfare, they would have thanked Paul; but instead, they were incensed. Their business which they had by her “soothsaying [prophesying],” which brought them “much profit,” died with her deliverance. Seeing that their “gains were gone,” the girl’s masters retaliated by showing great animosity toward the missionaries and stirred up the multitude against them. They “caught Paul and Silas” and “dragged them into the market before the magistrates” and accused them of unlawful deeds (vss. 19-21). The magistrates took no time to find out whether those things were true and went ahead and punished them, beating them with “many stripes.” They then “cast them into prison” and charged the jailer to “keep them safely” (vss. 22-24). Thus, they condemned and punished the missionaries without a proper trial! (vs. 37) This was unlawful in the Roman Empire, yet they had accused the missionaries of unlawful activity!
The Jailer Saved
Chapter 16:25-40—The missionaries were undaunted by the persecution. “At midnight,” with their backs bruised and beaten, they “prayed and sang praises unto God” (vs. 25). This was a powerful testimony to the grace of God that worked in them; they were clearly not bitter (Job 35:10; Psa. 119:62). God then intervened miraculously with “a great earthquake,” whereby “the doors were opened, and everyone’s bands were loosed” (vs. 26). The jailer was awakened to find “the prison doors open” and assumed that “the prisoners had fled.” Since their custody was his responsibility at the pain of forfeiting his life (Acts 12:19), the jailer drew his sword and was about to commit suicide (vs. 27). Apparently, he would rather die that way than at the hands of the Roman magistrates. But Paul anticipated that he would try to take his life and cried out: “Do thyself no harm: for we are all here” (vs. 28). Thus, the jailer heard a voice out of the darkness that expressed genuine care and concern for his personal well-being. This struck his heart and conscience, and God used it to awaken his soul as to his need of being saved from the penalty of his sins. He rushed in trembling, and brought the missionaries out, and asked with great earnestness: “Sirs, what must I do to be saved?” They responded, “Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, and thou shalt be saved, and thy house” (vss. 29-31) This promise of salvation was not only to the jailer, but also to his house. If they believed, they could be saved too. God delights to save whole households; yet we are often slow to claim that fact in our faith! Paul and Silas proceeded to give the jailer and his house “the Word of the Lord,” which he readily received and by which he was saved (vs. 32).
He “took them the same hour of the night, and washed their stripes” (vs. 33). This act of kindness was the fruit of the genuineness of his faith in Christ (James 2:17-18). He then proceeded to have his whole household “baptized.” This sudden change in the course of the jailer’s life is a testament to “the power of God unto salvation” (Rom. 1:16). When he “brought them into his house and laid the table for them, he rejoiced with all his house, having believed in God” (vs. 34). The KJV says that the jailer “rejoiced, believing in God with all his house.” The translators have taken the liberty to infer into the passage that all in his house believed and were saved. But, as mentioned earlier, the Greek text indicates that the “believing” in this verse is in the masculine singular, referring to the jailor alone. They “rejoiced” with him in the circumstances surrounding the event—in that no one was hurt, the prisoners did not escape, the jailer hadn’t killed himself, etc.—but there is no mention of the rest of his family believing as he did.
Vss. 35-40—When “the magistrates sent the sergeants” to expel the missionaries from the city the next day, Paul took the opportunity to tell them that they had acted unlawfully in what they did to them, seeing that both he and Silas were Roman citizens. He said, “They have beaten us openly uncondemned, being Romans, and have cast us into prison; and now do they thrust us out privily? Nay verily, but let them come themselves and fetch us out” (vs. 37). When the magistrates heard that “they feared,” and came and besought them to leave. There is no mention of an apology being made by the magistrates, or that the missionaries demanded one (vss. 38-39). Instead, they displayed a gracious and forgiving spirit (Mark 11:25-26; Luke 6:28-29). Upon leaving town, they were in no hurry; they stopped to see the brethren at Lydia’s house. Luke says: “When they had seen the brethren, they comforted [exhorted] them, and departed” (vs. 40). It is significant that Luke would say “they” and not “we” in reference to the departure of the missionaries. He had been using the first person plural pronouns (“we” and “us”), but by changing to the third person plural pronoun (“they”) as he does here (and in chapter 17:1, etc.), it is clear that Luke did not go with them when they departed. He stayed behind in Philippi, presumably to continue to strengthen the new believers in the faith. He would rejoin Paul in Acts 20:5.
Amphipolis & Apollonia
Chap. 17:1—Moving southwest through Macedonia, the missionaries passed through “Amphipolis,” about 30 miles from Philippi, and through “Apollonia,” which is another 30 miles southwest. No details are given as to any evangelistic results in these cities.
Thessalonica
Chap. 17:2-9—Passing another 35 miles westward, they came to “Thessalonica,” a large commercial city. It had a significant Jewish population, enough to warrant the existence of a synagogue. As Paul’s custom was to give the gospel to the Jews first, before turning to the Gentiles (Rom. 1:16), he entered into the synagogue and on “three sabbath days” he “reasoned with them out of the Scriptures.” (This would be the Old Testament Scriptures; the New Testament had not been written yet.) Paul proved from their very own Scriptures that the Messiah had come in the Person of the Lord Jesus Christ, and that He had suffered and died to make atonement for sin, and that He was “risen again from the dead” (vss. 2-3). Note: Paul’s way of handling the Scriptures was not to reason into them (as false teachers do), but to reason out of them. That is, he built his reasoning out of what is stated in Scripture; he did not bring his ideas to the Scriptures and try and find justification for them. This is where cult teachers have gone wrong—all such manipulation is “handling the Word of God deceitfully” (2 Cor. 4:2).
As the case usually is when the gospel is preached, some “believed” (vs. 4) and some “believed not” (vs. 5). “Aristarchus and Secundus” may have been among the number of those who believed (Acts 20:4). The unbelieving Jews were “stirred up to jealousy” over the “great multitude” who believed, and raised a persecution against the missionaries by involving “certain lewd fellows of the baser sort,” who in turn “got a crowd together” and “set the city in confusion [uproar]” (vs. 6). The mob went looking for the missionaries, and “assaulted the house of Jason,” believing that they were there. But when they didn’t find them, they “dragged Jason and certain brethren” before the rulers and accused them of being accomplices to the Lord’s servants. In their accusation against the missionaries, they unknowingly gave testimony to the power of the gospel. They said: “These men have turned the world upside down.” They couldn’t deny the fact that people were being saved and lives were being transformed by the effectual working of the gospel. They may have been opposed to it, but they couldn’t stop it! They charged the missionaries with plotting to overthrow the government of “Caesar” through “another king, Jesus” (vs. 7).
Paul Avoids a Potential Riot
A riot had started, and a great persecution was raised against the missionaries (vss. 8-9). So much so that “the brethren immediately sent away Paul and Silas by night to Berea” (vs. 10). Thus, their time in Thessalonica was cut short, and this meant that the new converts there would not have received the teaching they needed to be established in the faith. Usually, Paul would have one of the workers stay behind—as was the case with Luke at Philippi—but here in Thessalonica, the persecution was so fierce that they all fled. When they reached Athens, Paul sent Timothy back to them to establish and encourage them in the faith (1 Thess. 3:1-2). To that end, Paul would later write two epistles to the saints at Thessalonica.
Berea
Chap. 17:10-15—This city was about 40 miles west of Thessalonica. It also had a Jewish population and a synagogue, from which Paul started his evangelization in the area. Luke says that the Bereans were “more noble than those in Thessalonica, in that they received the Word with all readiness of mind, and searched the Scriptures daily, whether those things were so” (vs. 11). The Bereans were marked by two things: faith in God and diligence in studying His Word. Their faith gave them to see that the missionaries were men sent from God, and thus they readily received their message as being from God. Then, having received the good news concerning Christ, they searched the Scriptures daily and found it to be so, and this confirmed their faith. This is so commendable. Most people will not receive the truth until it has been proven to them by a chapter and verse which states it explicitly. Surely, we want to be careful in what we receive, but faith is lacking in such an approach to divine subjects. Sadly, the children of Israel showed this lack; “the Word preached did not profit them, not being mixed with faith in them that heard it” (Heb. 4:2). Without faith being involved, the reception of the truth becomes a mere intellectual exercise.
Searching the Scriptures is one of three daily things that need to be a part of every believer’s life. They are:
“Daily” searching the Scriptures (Acts 17:11).
“Daily” crying to the Lord in prayer (Psa. 86:3).
“Daily” following the Lord in the path of faith (Luke 9:23).
The result was that “many of them believed,” both men and women (vs. 12). One of which was “Sopater” (Acts 17:4). “Grecian women of the upper classes” are given an honourable mention here as being among the number who received the Word and searched the Scriptures. This shows that God approves of women who engage in Bible study; studying the Scriptures is not something merely for the men who teach in the assembly.
Paul Avoids Another Potential Riot
The unbelieving Jews from Thessalonica were so full of hatred and jealousy that they made a special trip to Berea to convince the Jews there to reject the gospel (vs. 13). They not only rejected the message of grace for themselves, but they were determined that others should do so too! They succeeded in “stirring up and troubling the crowds” against the missionaries, and another riot was about to start. Seeing the predicament, “immediately the brethren sent away Paul to proceed toward the sea” (vs. 14 – W. Kelly Trans.). The KJV says, “To go as it were to the sea.” This suggests that they outwitted their pursuers by a ruse, but the J. N. Darby Translation footnote states that “the use of ‘as’ here is not a semblance of anything, but of purpose or intention.” Hence, they did not use subterfuge to get away from the angry crowds. With the animosity being specially directed at Paul, his two fellow-workers felt safe to remain in Berea to strengthen the brethren in the faith, while he pushed on.
In withdrawing from the commotion, Paul had a loving and caring escort of faithful brethren who knew the territory to take him “as far as Athens” (vs. 15). Since Berea was not on the coast, their trip covered some land, but was mostly over sea. When it came time for those brethren to return to Berea, Paul gave them instructions to have “Silas and Timotheus” join him at Athens as soon as possible.
Athens
Chap. 17:16-34—This city is over 200 miles south of Berea. It was the capital city of Greece. It also had a Jewish community and a synagogue in which Paul “reasoned” with the Jews and those of the Gentiles who attended the worship there. The KJV says that he “disputed” with them, but that may convey the thought of arguing, which is a work of the flesh and something he surely wouldn’t have stooped to in conveying the gospel (James 1:19-20). In the early 1600s when the KJV was published, that word did not have a negative connotation. Luke does not mention whether any were converted.
While Paul waited for Silas and Timothy, he didn’t occupy his time with sightseeing trips around the city; he was not there on a holiday. What particularly caught his attention was that the city was “wholly given to idolatry.” This “painfully excited” him (vss. 16-17). He, therefore, interacted with these poor benighted souls in the marketplace daily, speaking to them of “the glad tidings of Jesus, and the resurrection.” Two schools of philosophers encountered him—“the Epicureans” and “the Stoicks” (vs. 18). The Epicureans were followers of Epicurus, who taught that the object of all men should be happiness and the pursuit of pleasure, and they were not so concerned about absolute truth. The Stoicks took a different approach to life. Their philosophy was that since life is full of trials and problems and sorrows, that God would have men to meet these trials by bearing them quietly without emotion.
Having never heard the gospel before, the Athenians saw Paul as a mere “babbler” and a setter forth of “strange gods.” But being curious, they brought him unto “Areopagus [Mars Hill],” which was the highest court of idolatry in Athens, saying, “May we know what this new doctrine, whereof thou speakest, is? For thou bringest certain strange things to our ears: we would know therefore what these things mean” (vss. 19-20). In a parenthesis, Luke inserts into the narrative a description of the general state of things among “the Athenians and the strangers” who frequented Areopagus. They were people who were curious of human wisdom and steeped in the superstitions of idolatry (vs. 21).
Paul’s Address at Areopagus
Vss. 22-31—Paul took this opportunity to present the gospel to these poor idolaters. He began by stating the truth about their idols. He said: “Athenians, in every way I see you given up to demon worship.” The people had made an abundance of shrines to their many gods—but behind these false deities were demons! Thus, what they were engaged in was “demon worship” and not the worship of God at all (1 Cor. 10:20). What they needed was the knowledge of the one true God. Since they were not cognisant of the Holy Scriptures, Paul didn’t quote from them. Instead, he pointed to the creation which also bears a clear witness of God. He proceeded to establish facts from the creation that exposed idolatry and testified of the one true God, with whom all men have to do (Heb. 4:13).
Firstly, Paul said: “I found an altar (shrine) with this inscription: TO THE UNKNOWN GOD: whom therefore ye ignorantly worship, Him declare I unto you” (vs. 23). In declaring the one true God, he didn’t say, “It declare I unto you,” but “Him declare I unto you.” This indicates that the true God is a divine Person, not a nebulous higher power or an influence somewhere in the universe that has no real interest in man. Thus, the God Paul presented is a personal God.
Secondly, Paul said: “God that made the world and all things therein ... .” (vs. 24a). The fact that He created everything testifies of His omniscience and His omnipotence. Thus, He is an all-wise and all-powerful God.
Thirdly, Paul said: “He is Lord of heaven and earth,” and “dwelleth not in temples made with hands; neither is He worshipped with men’s hands, as though He needed anything” (vss. 24b-25a). This shows that the true God is a spiritual Being (John 4:24) who cannot be replicated with images made of material things, or, confined to temples made of material things (1 Kings 8:27).
Fourthly, Paul said: “He giveth to all life, and breath, and all things; and hath made of one blood all nations of men for to dwell on all the face of the earth” (vss. 25b-26a). This shows that the one true God is the source of all life, and since He holds the breath of every living creature in His hand, all are responsible to Him (Dan. 5:23; Rom. 14:11-12).
Fifthly, Paul said that God has also “determined the times before appointed, and the bounds of their habitation” (vs. 26b). This means that He is in control of everything, and as such, orders the course of world history (Acts 15:18). Thus, He is the God of providence.
Sixthly, Paul said: “That they (men) may seek God; if indeed they might feel after Him and find Him, although He is not far from each one of us” (vs. 27). This shows that the true God is an accessible God who wants the fellowship of men. He desires that they would seek after Him, and in doing so, they would find a rewarding relationship with Him. Thus, if a person honestly seeks God, God will reveal Himself to him.
Seventhly, Paul said, “In Him we live, and move, and have our being; as certain also of your own poets have said, For we are also His offspring. Forasmuch then as we are the offspring of God, we ought not to think that the Godhead [that which is divine] is like unto gold, or silver, or stone, graven by art, and man’s device [imagination]” (vss. 28-29). Paul’s point here dealt a death blow to their idolatry. The logic of his reasoning is irrefutable: if men are the offspring of God, they then must have His characteristics—apart from His essential deity. Since men are animate and rational beings, God must be too, for He created the human race in His image and likeness (Gen. 1:26-27). Hence, God cannot be like a lifeless idol because His offspring are not lifeless! The words of their own poets (Cleanthes and Aratus), whom they revered, confirmed this fact!
Vss. 30-31—Having exposed idolatry through the witness of creation, Paul went on to address the consciences of Athenians and to speak of the Man of God’s counsels—the Lord Jesus Christ. In doing this, he added three more things about God that the gospel announces:
Firstly, the true God is a God of forbearance. Paul said, “The times of this ignorance God winked at [overlooked]; but now commandeth all men everywhere to repent” (vs. 30). For centuries, the Athenians had been priding themselves on their philosophical wisdom and learning, but Paul told them that God saw it as “the times of this ignorance” which He had “overlooked,” but was now commanding all men to repent. Thus, the Athenians were being called upon by God to give up their idolatry at once.
Secondly, the true God is a God of righteous judgment. Paul said, “Because He hath appointed a day in the which He will judge the world in righteousness by that Man whom He hath ordained” (vs. 31a). Repentance is enjoined upon all men for a reason—“because” there is a day of reckoning coming. The true God is a God of forbearance, but not indifference. He is not indifferent about the sin of this world; He is exceedingly grieved about it. This period of God’s longsuffering patience is going to close with an act of God’s judgment, and all things will be set right then (Isa. 26:9).
The appointed “day” of judgment which Paul refers to here is not a particular day at the end of time when all men will stand before the throne of God to be judged. Such is an old Reformers doctrine, but it is not taught in Scripture. Nor is it the “great white throne” judgment which is a judgment of dead persons (Rev. 20:11-15); this which Paul speaks of is the judgment of living persons. This appointed “day” is not a literal 24-hour day, but a period of a thousand years when Christ will reign supreme over the heavens and the earth. It is called “the Day of the Lord” (2 Peter 3:8-10, etc.). It will begin on a certain 24-hour day (at the Appearing of Christ), but will extend over the whole Millennium.
Thirdly, the true God is a God of resurrection. Paul said: “Whereof He hath given assurance [proof] unto all men in that He hath raised Him from [among] the dead” (vs. 31b). To speak of the resurrection of Christ brings in Christ’s coming into the world to put away sin by the sacrifice of Himself through death. His resurrection stands as God’s “Amen” to His finished work on the cross. Paul’s point here is that the day of judgment is coming, and the “proof” of it is that God has raised “the Judge” from the dead and set Him at His own right hand. He stands ready to judge this world in righteousness (James 5:9).
We might wonder why Paul didn’t speak of Christ’s death and bloodshed, by which those who believe are saved and have the forgiveness of sins. The answer is in verse 32—he was interrupted by their mockery and didn’t get a chance to give a full gospel message.
Three Responses
Vss. 32-34—As there often is in preaching, there were three classes of people among the Athenians:
There were those who “mocked” the message of grace and rejected it (vs. 32a).
There were those who procrastinated, and said, “We will hear thee again of this matter” (vs. 32b).
There were those who “believed” and were saved (vs. 34).
Thus, there were rejectors, neglecters and accepters of the gospel.
Dionysius and Damaris Saved
Luke adds that among those who believed there was a man named “Dionysius the Areopagite” and a woman named “Damaris.” These and “others” joined themselves with Paul.
Missing from the narrative (thankfully) is the mention of persecution. This is due to the culture of Athens. It was a city that was tolerant of everything, even the gospel. To them, what Paul had set forth was just another religious idea in the mixture of their many religious thoughts. It meant little to them; certainly not enough for them to get upset.
We know from 1 Thessalonians 3:1-2, that Silas and Timothy reached Athens and joined Paul there. Shortly thereafter, Timothy was sent back up north to Thessalonica to “establish” and “encourage” them in the faith. This is something that the missionaries did not have time to do, being that they had to run for their lives and were there only three Sabbath days. Paul and Silas (“we” – 1 Thess. 1:1; 3:1) remained at Athens for a short while before Paul pushed on to Corinth. The fact that Paul went on alone to Corinth indicates that Silas stayed in Athens to establish the few who had believed. After spending some time there, Silas went north to Macedonia and linked up with Timothy. They would meet up with Paul in Corinth later (Acts 18:5).
Corinth
Chap. 18:1-17—Paul travelled westward some 40 miles to the large commercial seaport of Corinth, which like Athens, Berea, and Thessalonica, had a Jewish population and a synagogue.
Aquila and Priscilla
It was here that he met “Aquila” and “Priscilla,” devoted disciples of the Lord. There is no mention in the divine record of where or when they heard the gospel and were saved. Being Jews by birth, they were forced to leave Rome on account of the edict of Claudius Caesar who “commanded all Jews to depart from Rome” (vss. 1-2). They settled in Corinth where they met Paul. Some have wondered whether they were converted through meeting Paul in Corinth, but if that were so, Luke would have mentioned it here. In referencing them elsewhere in Scripture, the Apostle never speaks of them as being his children in the faith, as he does with others who were saved through him. This suggests that they were already believers when Paul met them.
Aquila and Priscilla were a model Christian couple in many ways. Their names are found six times in Scripture, and they are always mentioned together. Three times Aquila’s name is mentioned first (Acts 18:2, 26; 1 Cor. 16:19) and three times Priscilla’s name is first (Acts 18:18; Rom. 16:3; 2 Tim. 4:19). When the passage pertains to business affairs, teaching the truth, and assembly responsibilities, Aquila is first; when the passage pertains to the domestic side of things, where the woman is to “rule the house” (1 Tim. 5:14), Priscilla is first.
Since Paul and Aquila and Priscilla were of the same trade, being “tentmakers,” he “abode” with them and they worked together. Paul’s financial resources had run low (2 Cor. 11:9) and working with Aquila and Priscilla was a means of supporting himself in the ministry. This shows that secular employment was not beneath the Apostle. He used the Sabbath days, however, to testify of Christ. “He reasoned [was discoursing] (W. Kelly Trans.) in the synagogue every Sabbath, and persuaded the Jews and the Greeks” (vs. 4). The “Greeks” here were Gentiles who had grown weary of the folly and iniquity of idolatry, and worshipped God in the Jewish synagogue (Acts 13:43; 16:14; 17:4, 17; 18:7).
But when “Silas and Timothy were come [down] from Macedonia, Paul was pressed in the spirit [in respect of the Word], and testified to the Jews that Jesus was [the] Christ” (vs. 5). Silas and Timothy brought a gift from the Macedonian brethren (2 Cor. 11:9) that allowed Paul to lay down his tentmaking tools and give himself wholly to the gospel. He threw himself at once into testifying that Jesus is the Christ. “But as they (the Jews) opposed and spoke injuriously [blasphemed], he shook his clothes, and said to them, Your blood be upon your own head: I am pure; from henceforth I will go to the nations [Gentiles]” (vs. 6). Following his usual method, having testified to the Jews, he turned to the Gentiles (Rom. 1:16).
Paul’s Separation From the Synagogue in Corinth
Vs. 7—Luke says: “And he departed thence, and entered into a certain man’s house, named Justus, one that worshipped God, whose house joined hard to the synagogue.” In departing from the synagogue, Paul didn’t go far from it. He entered into a man’s house whose name was “Justus,” who lived next door to the synagogue! He was a man who worshipped God and was favourable to the gospel. This move did not mean that Paul ceased to lodge with Aquila and Priscilla, but that he found new quarters from which he would continue his testimony in separation from the synagogue. This was the first time that he did this. It marks a significant step forward in the transition from Judaism to Christianity in the book of the Acts. Paul would do the same at Ephesus (Acts 19:8-9).
The house of Justus was an ideal place from which to work for two reasons: Firstly, Justus was a Gentile, and thus, his home would be advantageous in gaining the attendance of Gentiles to hear the Word. Secondly, it was close enough to the synagogue to reach any exercised Jews and proselytes who frequented that place of worship.
Stephanas, Gaius, and Crispus Saved
Vs. 8—The Spirit of God had begun to work among the Corinthians, and many were saved. The first one to believe was “Stephanas,” whom Paul said was “the firstfruits of Achaia” (1 Cor. 1:16; 16:15). This is evidence that Aquila and Priscilla were not converted through coming into contact with Paul at Corinth; if they had been, they would have been the firstfruits of Achaia, not Stephanas. “Gaius” was also saved around this time (1 Cor. 1:14).
Another notable person who was saved was “Crispus.” This man was “the chief ruler of the synagogue!” He “believed on the Lord with all his house” (vs. 8a). This again shows that God loves to save whole households (Acts 16:31). The difference between the jailer’s house and Crispus’ house was that in Crispus’ case, all in the house believed. This means that his family was old enough to understand the gospel and receive Christ. Whereas, with the jailer’s family no mention is made of their faith.
These were not the only ones to be saved; Luke tells us that “many of the Corinthians hearing believed, and were baptized” (vs. 8b). These were mostly of the poorer class, as Paul indicates in his epistle to the Corinthians: “Ye see your calling brethren, how that not many wise men after the flesh (highly educated), not many mighty (wealthy), not many noble (high society) are called” (1 Cor. 1:26). Some of those who were saved were of ill-repute. Paul said in his epistle: “Be not deceived: neither fornicators, nor idolaters, nor adulterers, nor effeminate, nor abusers of themselves with mankind, nor thieves, nor covetous, nor drunkards, nor revilers, nor extortioners, shall inherit the kingdom of God. And such were some of you” (1 Cor. 6:9-11). These believers were living examples of the power of the gospel of God’s grace to save sinners and deliver them from their sins (Rom. 1:16). Such conversions, Paul tells us in his epistle to the Corinthians, did not result from philosophical ploys and “excellency of speech” in his preaching, but from “the power of God” (1 Cor. 2:1-5).
Vss. 9-11—The Lord spoke to Paul “in the night by a vision” and told him not to move on to a new city, as he usually did after being in one place for awhile, because there were many of God’s elect in the city who needed to hear the gospel and be saved. The Lord said to him: “Be not afraid, but speak, and hold not thy peace: for I am with thee, and no man shall set on thee to hurt thee: for I have much people in this city.” As things turned out, Paul was there for 18 months, preaching and teaching. During this time, he wrote his two epistles to the Thessalonians—probably after Silas and Timothy came from Macedonia (vs. 5) with a report of the state of things in Thessalonica (1 Thess. 3:6).
God Uses Gallio’s Indifference to Deliver Paul
Chap. 18:12-17—The incident concerning “Gallio” is given as an example as to how God works behind the scenes to preserve His servants, as He promised to do for Paul in verse 10. When Gallio came into office as “the deputy [proconsul] of Achaia,” the Jews made an accusation against Paul, thinking to have the Roman authorities condemn him. But through God’s providence this ploy was frustrated by the indifference of Gallio. He saw the whole thing to be a mere religious dispute concerning “words and names,” and summarily dismissed the case as being a matter of Jews squabbling.
The crowd of Greeks took advantage of the situation and used it to vent their anti-Jewish feelings. They took “Sosthenes”—who had replaced Crispus as “the chief ruler of the synagogue,” and as such was the Jews’ spokesman—and punished him before the judgment seat for bringing Paul before the proconsul on such an empty charge. Luke adds: “And Gallio cared for none of those things”—that is, he could not care less about these religious struggles (vs. 17). God was over the whole situation and used Gallio’s indifference to deliver Paul from this malicious attack of the Jews. And, such are God’s ways in providence, He allowed Sosthenes to get what he deserved for leading this baseless charge against Paul. The tables were turned on him and he ended up taking the beating that he was hoping Paul would get! This divine intervention of providence should encourage every servant of the Lord to hold forth the Word boldly; the Lord can preserve His own (1 Tim. 4:10). The Lord may have used the circumstance to awaken Sosthenes as to his need of Christ, for he was saved sometime after this, and found working with Paul! (1 Cor. 1:1). Sosthenes’ conversion is another example of how God can use “the wrath of man” to “praise” Him (Psa. 76:10).
Being uncondemned before the proconsul, Paul was free to continue his testimony in Corinth, and did so “a good while” (vs. 18). With his long stay in that city drawing to a close, Paul “took his leave of the brethren” and moved on, taking with him “Priscilla and Aquila.” His purpose was to sail into “Syria” from whence he had come (from Antioch) some four years earlier. Sad to say, the assembly at Corinth fell into all sorts of error and disorder in his absence—both moral and doctrinal. It drew forth his two epistles to the Corinthians.
Cenchrea
Chap. 18:18—Paul’s plans evidently included “Cenchrea,” a small town 8-9 miles from Corinth. We are not told whether there were any converts here at this time, but we do know from Paul’s epistle to the Romans that an assembly was founded there later, in which “Phebe” was a “deaconess” (Rom. 16:1).
Paul Takes a Vow
Luke tells us that when Paul was at Cenchrea, he shaved his head, having made a “vow.” This committed him to go to Jerusalem in time for the Jewish feast there (vs. 21), for the discharge of every vow required a trip to the temple, the place where the Lord had put His name (Deut. 12:11). We see in this that even though Paul had been given special revelations as to the nature and unity and calling of the Church (as being a heavenly company of believers who are distinct from Israel), he still, as to experience, was not completely clear of his ties to Judaism, and thus observed some Jewish customs. It was not until he was captive in Rome that he clearly saw the distinction between Israel and the Church, as attested to in his later epistles—especially Hebrews 13:10-13. Therefore, what Paul did here is not to be taken as a pattern for Christians. J. N. Darby said, “We see to what extent he was still bound to Jewish customs. He takes a vow and shaves his head in Cenchrea. He feels obliged in his heart to observe the feast at Jerusalem; and gives this to the Jews at Ephesus as to his motive for not then remaining in their city. He is a true Jew and acted as one. The Spirit records these facts that we may understand the bonds which still held the spirit of the Apostle” (Collected Writings, vol. 25, p. 404).
Ephesus
Chap. 18:19-21—The sailing vessel stopped at “Ephesus” on route to Caesarea; from there Paul would go up to Jerusalem and discharge his vow.
Ephesus was the capital of Asia (southwestern Turkey), a region in which the Holy Spirit heretofore had forbidden the missionaries to work (Acts 16:6). But now, the Spirit was about to open that field. Asia would prove to be very fruitful ground, and at length, many assemblies would be established there. The lesson here is that the servant mustn’t get ahead of the Lord’s leading in service. Moses would be an example of this. He understood that God wanted him to deliver His people from Egypt, but he got ahead of the Lord in the timing of it, and in doing so, failed (Ex. 2).
Epaenetus” was the first to get saved in Asia (Rom. 16:5 – J. N. Darby Trans.), but there were many others—“Tychicus and Trophimus” (Acts 20:4; 21:29), “Epaphras” (Col. 4:12), “Nymphas” (Col. 4:15), “Archippus” (Col. 4:17), “Philemon” and “Apphia” (Phile. 1-2), etc. The door was opened for the gospel on Paul’s brief visit to Ephesus. He “entered into the synagogue, and reasoned with the Jews. When they desired him to tarry longer time with them, he consented not; but bade them farewell” (vss. 19-21). These people were interested in the gospel he preached! It was an open door surely, but due to his pre-occupation with Jewish things in Jerusalem, the work of evangelizing Asia would have to wait for his third missionary journey. This is not to say that God left these people without a Christian witness, for Aquila and Priscilla remained at Ephesus and were a quiet blessing there. With a promise that he would return, “he sailed from Ephesus.”
Caesarea
Chap. 18:22a—This was a seaport on the east coast of the Mediterranean Sea, where Cornelius lived (Acts 10). Being pressed for time, Paul didn’t stay in Caesarea, but made his way overland to Jerusalem, about 65 miles southeast.
Jerusalem
Chap. 18:22b—The Spirit of God gives no details as to what happened in Jerusalem. The Jewish feast is not even mentioned. It simply says that Paul went up and “saluted the church [assembly].” The Spirit of God purposely leaves those Jewish things in the shade to illustrate the transition in the book from Judaism to Christianity. Instead of looking up old acquaintances in Jerusalem from his days in Judaism, Paul went to his “own company” (Acts 4:23)—fellow believers on the Lord Jesus Christ—and after greeting them, he left town.
Antioch
Chap. 18:22c—Departing from Jerusalem, Paul travelled 300 miles north to Antioch in Syria, from where the missionary journey had begun some four years earlier.