Praising in Prison
January 27, 2021
Commentary
Still hurting from the beating, and locked in wooden stocks, you would not think the prisoners would be too joyful. However, at midnight the jailer and the other prisoners were startled to hear Paul and Silas singing and praising God. God responded by shaking the prison with an earthquake that opened the doors and freed the prisoners (vv. 25-26). As the jailer was about to commit suicide Paul led him to Christ, and he ended up taking the missionaries home with him (vv. 27-34).
Scripture does not explain why, but the next morning the city officials sent word to the jailer to let Paul and Silas go (v. 35). Paul, however, was unwilling to “sneak out of town” because that would have left the new church under a cloud of suspicion. Instead, he told them he was a Roman citizen and demanded a public apology for their unlawful acts the preceding day. We cannot be sure why Paul waited so long to mention his Roman citizenship. Perhaps he did not have opportunity when he was arrested because of the haste of the magistrates. According to Roman law, Roman citizens, as both Paul and Silas were, could not be beaten and put in prison without a fair trial. While the record does not say that the magistrates officially and publicly apologized, it does say that they respectfully came to Paul and Silas, escorted them out of prison, and politely asked them to leave town. Probably they were afraid that word of this illegal act might reach their superiors. Paul’s desire had not been to get revenge, but only to give protection and respect to the church.
It’s significant that Paul made no attempt to change society; his work was to change people. He did not use his Roman citizenship, his influence with people, the power of his pen, or his ability to get people to give nobly to a cause to accomplish social change. He did not run for political office or try to be buddies with those in social power. He did not organize demonstrations, publish a paper, or seek alliances with unbelievers of liberal persuasion. Paul simply preached Christ crucified and loved the individual God brought him into contact with. That’s our calling too.
Application
Under the guidance of the Holy Spirit, I need to use all the liberties I have to get the gospel out. It is not my job to bring social change but to be passing out tracts and witnessing wherever I can.
Acts 16:25– 40 (NET)
25 About midnight Paul and Silas were praying and singing hymns to God, and the rest of the prisoners were listening to them. 26 Suddenly a great earthquake occurred, so that the foundations of the prison were shaken. Immediately all the doors flew open, and the bonds of all the prisoners came loose. 27 When the jailer woke up and saw the doors of the prison standing open, he drew his sword and was about to kill himself, because he assumed the prisoners had escaped. 28 But Paul called out loudly, “Do not harm yourself, for we are all here!” 29 Calling for lights, the jailer rushed in and fell down trembling at the feet of Paul and Silas. 30 Then he brought them outside and asked, “Sirs, what must I do to be saved?” 31 They replied, “Believe in the Lord Jesus and you will be saved, you and your household.” 32 Then they spoke the word of the Lord to him, along with all those who were in his house. 33 At that hour of the night he took them and washed their wounds; then he and all his family were baptized right away. 34 The jailer brought them into his house and set food before them, and he rejoiced greatly that he had come to believe in God, together with his entire household. 35 At daybreak the magistrates sent their police officers, saying, “Release those men.” 36 The jailer reported these words to Paul, saying, “The magistrates have sent orders to release you. So come out now and go in peace.” 37 But Paul said to the police officers, “They had us beaten in public without a proper trial —even though we are Roman citizens —and they threw us in prison. And now they want to send us away secretly? Absolutely not! They themselves must come and escort us out!” 38 The police officers reported these words to the magistrates. They were frightened when they heard Paul and Silas were Roman citizens 39 and came and apologized to them. After they brought them out, they asked them repeatedly to leave the city. 40 When they came out of the prison, they entered Lydia’s house, and when they saw the brothers, they encouraged them and then departed.
Illustration: Prayer Produces Life Change
“To pray is to change. Prayer is the central avenue God uses to transform us. If we are unwilling to change, we will abandon prayer as a noticeable characteristic of our lives. The closer we come to the heartbeat of God the more we see our need and the more we desire to be conformed to Christ…” (Richard Foster, in his book “Celebration of Discipline)