Act 16:1-3, 17:14 | Clarke | e4.org | CHAPTER XVI. Paul, coming to Derbe and Lystra, meets with Timothy, the son of a Jewess by a Greek father, whom he circumcises and takes with him into his work , 1-3. As they pass through the different cities, they deliver the apostles' decrees to the Churches; and they are established in the faith, and daily increase in numbers , 4, 5. They travel through Phrygia, Galatia, Mysia, and to Troas , 6-8. Where Paul has a vision, relative to his preaching in Macedonia , 9, 10. Leaving Troas, he sails to Samothracia and Neapolis, and comes to Philippi in Macedonia , 11, 12. Lydia, a seller of purple, receives the apostles teaching; and she and her family are baptized , 13-16. A young woman, with a spirit of divination, dispossessed by St. Paul , 16-18. Her masters, finding their gain by her soothsaying gone, make an attack upon Paul and Silas, drag them before the magistrates, who command them to be beaten, thrust into the closest prison, and their feet made fast in the stocks , 19-24. Paul and Silas singing praises at midnight, the prison doors are miraculously opened, and all the bonds of the prisoners loosed , 25, 26. The keeper being alarmed, supposing that the prisoners were fled, is about to kill himself, but is prevented by Paul , 27-28. He inquires the way of salvation, believes, and he and his whole family are baptized , 29-34. The next morning the magistrates order the apostles to be dismissed , 35, 36. Paul pleads his privilege as a Roman, and accuses the magistrates of injustice, who, being alarmed, come themselves to the prison, deliver them, and beg them to depart from the city , 37-39. They leave the prison, enter into the house of Lydia, comfort the brethren, and depart , 40. NOTES ON CHAP. XVI. Verse 1. A certain disciple ] Bishop Pearce would read the latter part of this verse and the beginning of the next thus- A certain disciple named Timotheus, (the son of a certain Jewish woman that believed, but of a father who was a Greek,) who was well reported of by the brethren , &c. This Timothy was the same person to whom St. Paul wrote those two noble epistles which are still extant. His mother's name was Eunice , as we learn from . What his father's name was we know not; he was either a mere heathen , or, at most, only a proselyte of the gate , who never submitted to circumcision: had he submitted to this rite, he would, no doubt, have circumcised his son; but the son being without it is a proof that the father was so too. Some MSS. state that Timothy's mother was now a widow ; but this does not appear to be well founded.

‏ Acts 16:1-3

CHAPTER XVI.

Paul, coming to Derbe and Lystra, meets with Timothy, the son of a Jewess by a Greek father, whom he circumcises and takes with him into his work, 1-3.

As they pass through the different cities, they deliver the apostles' decrees to the Churches; and they are established in the faith, and daily increase in numbers, 4, 5.

They travel through Phrygia, Galatia, Mysia, and to Troas, 6-8.

Where Paul has a vision, relative to his preaching in Macedonia, 9, 10.

Leaving Troas, he sails to Samothracia and Neapolis, and comes to Philippi in Macedonia, 11, 12.

Lydia, a seller of purple, receives the apostles teaching; and she and her family are baptized, 13-16.

A young woman, with a spirit of divination, dispossessed by St. Paul, 16-18.

Her masters, finding their gain by her soothsaying gone, make an attack upon Paul and Silas, drag them before the magistrates, who command them to be beaten, thrust into the closest prison, and their feet made fast in the stocks, 19-24.

Paul and Silas singing praises at midnight, the prison doors are miraculously opened, and all the bonds of the prisoners loosed, 25, 26.

The keeper being alarmed, supposing that the prisoners were fled, is about to kill himself, but is prevented by Paul,

27-28.

He inquires the way of salvation, believes, and he and his whole family are baptized, 29-34.

The next morning the magistrates order the apostles to be dismissed, 35, 36.

Paul pleads his privilege as a Roman, and accuses the magistrates of injustice, who, being alarmed, come themselves to the prison, deliver them, and beg them to depart from the city, 37-39.

They leave the prison, enter into the house of Lydia, comfort the brethren, and depart, 40.

NOTES ON CHAP. XVI.

Verse 1. A certain disciple] Bishop Pearce would read the latter part of this verse and the beginning of the next thus-A certain disciple named Timotheus, (the son of a certain Jewish woman that believed, but of a father who was a Greek,) who was well reported of by the brethren, &c.

This Timothy was the same person to whom St. Paul wrote those two noble epistles which are still extant. His mother's name was Eunice, as we learn from 2Ti 1:5. What his father's name was we know not; he was either a mere heathen, or, at most, only a proselyte of the gate, who never submitted to circumcision: had he submitted to this rite, he would, no doubt, have circumcised his son; but the son being without it is a proof that the father was so too. Some MSS. state that Timothy's mother was now a widow; but this does not appear to be well founded.

Verse 2. Which was well reported of] These words are spoken of Timothy, and not of his father. At this time Timothy must have been very young; for, several years after, when appointed to superintend the Church at Crete, he appears to have been then so young that there was a danger of its operating to the prejudice of his ministry: 1Ti 4:12, Let no man despise thy youth. He had a very early religious education from his godly mother Eunice, and his not less pious grandmother Lois; and, from his religious instructions, was well prepared for the work to which God now called him.

Verse 3. Took and circumcised him] For this simple reason, that the Jews would neither have heard him preach, nor would have any connection with him, had he been otherwise. Besides, St. Paul himself could have had no access to the Jews in any place, had they known that he associated with a person who was uncircumcised: they would have considered both to be unclean. The circumcision of Timothy was a merely prudential regulation; one rendered imperiously necessary by the circumstances in which they were then placed; and, as it was done merely in reference to this, Timothy was lain under no necessity to observe the Mosaic ritual, nor could it prejudice his spiritual state, because he did not do it in order to seek justification by the law, for this he had before, through the faith of Christ. In Ga 2:3-5, we read that Paul refuses to circumcise Titus, who was a Greek, and his parents Gentiles, notwithstanding the entreaties of some zealous Judaizing Christians, as their object was to bring him under the yoke of the law: here, the case was widely different, and the necessity of the measure indisputable.

‏ Acts 17:14

Verse 14. To go as it were to the sea] This passage is generally understood to mean that the disciples took Paul towards the sea, as if he had intended to embark, and return to Troas, but with the real design to go to Athens. But it is more likely that his conductors, in order to his greater safety, left the public or more frequented road, and took him coastwise to Athens. Or, by taking a vessel at that part of the sea nearest to Berea, they might have coasted it to Athens, which was quite a possible case; and, as we do not hear of his stopping at any place on his journey to preach, it is very probable that he went by sea to this city. Though sleights and feints may be allowable in cases of life and death, yet there does not appear an absolute necessity for any in this case. And, as the text does not necessarily point any out, so we need not have recourse to any. I take it for granted, therefore, that Paul went by sea to Athens.

Silas and Timotheus abode there still.] The persecution, it seems, was directed principally against Paul. Lo! he stayeth his rough wind on the day of his east wind. Silas and Timotheus, holy men, were left behind to water the seed which Paul had planted.