Paul & Silas Endure
Paul and Silas are on Paul’s second missionary journey. In Philippi, these two are beaten and thrown in prison. Paul and Silas endure through praising God.
Paul, Silas, Timothy, and Luke are ministering in Macedonia. We left them last time when Paul and Silas are dragged away to prison, after being beaten. Their crime? Casting out a demon from a girl that was being exploited. Granted, Paul did it because he was fed up with her following them around and announcing that they were messengers of salvation.
I have four children and I understand getting to the end of your patience with the constant ‘noise’, especially when it is repetitive. But she was calling attention to exactly what they wee doing. They might have enjoyed it, in the beginning, but…
Let’s rejoin this group and see where things go from here. God’s not through with them yet, and NO prison doors ever stopped Him from His plans.
Holy Spirit, thank You for amazing stories like this. Help me see even more as You take me along on their journey. Show me what You want me to take from this story too, for my life and for others.
♥ ♦ ♥
Paul’s back aches. Silas’ too. Bruises on top of bruises. Adding insult to injury, their feet are locked in stocks. They can’t move to relieve the pressure. One would expect to hear cries of misery and agony emanating from within their cell.
At first, only whispers are exchanged.
“I…” starts Silas.
“Me too…” replies Paul.
“What do you think is going to happen to us?”
“Only what the Lord allows” answers Paul.
“And He didn’t let them kill us.” Silas says with a little lift in his voice.
“No, He didn’t. We are still here.”
“You want to know something?” asks Silas.
“Sure.”
“I feel like praising Him now” Silas says with a smile. “For my life and for not being alone in all this.”
“I agree. Let’s sing.”
Paul and Silas start to quietly sing praises to the Lord. The songs lift their spirits, and as their spirits lift, so do their voices. Before long, their songs of praise are ringing through every corner of the prison. The prisoners in the other cells are being comforted by the sounds of praise.
For hours, Paul and Silas lift their voices, and the other prisoners’ hearts, to the Lord. You can feel the prison filling with the Spirit of the Lord, chasing away the darkness and despair.
The jailer has long since retired to his own home. He heard the beginnings of the two prisoners’ ‘concert’, but he has duties to attend to at home.
Still lifting their voices in praise, Paul and Silas feel the earth tremble beneath them. You would expect terror and screaming to start, but it doesn’t. Peace fills the hearts of all the prisoners as they observe what is happening, without a trace of fear.
As the ground rolls and rumbles, Paul and Silas watch the stocks break open and the chains on their bodies fall to the ground. Next, they see the prison door swing open. This doesn’t just happen in Paul and Silas’ cell, but throughout the whole prison.
Instead of jumping up and running for freedom, every prisoner remains where he is, waiting to see what happens next. While the prisoners wait, the guards are running around in a panic. All the torches are extinguished and they can’t find their own hands in front of their faces. THEY are crying out in panic.
The jailer is awakened by the earthquake. He jumps from his bed and rushes to the prison to check on the prisoners. As soon as he enters the prison, he is beyond shocked to see ALL the doors standing open. His heart tells him immediately that all the prisoners have escaped. Who wouldn’t, with the doors standing wide open.
Knowing his superiors are going to blame him for losing the prisoners, the jailer decides to kill himself. He draws his sword and positions it to where he can drive it through his own body.
Just before he makes that initial thrust, Paul calls out to him from within the prison walls.
“Do not harm yourself, for we are all here” (Acts 16:28).
The jailer grabs the closest guard. “Get hold of yourselves and get those torches lit.”
When light once again fills the prison, the jailer rushes to Paul and Silas’ cell. He slings himself through the door and falls flat on his face at their feet. His heart pours out in a rush of words.
“Sirs, what must I do to be saved?” (Acts 16:30).
Paul immediately answers him. “Believe in the Lord Jesus, and you will be saved, you and your household” (Acts 16:31).
Right then and there, Paul shares the gospel message with the jailer. He holds nothing back and his words strike deep in the jailer’s heart.
The jailer picks himself up off the ground and extends his hands to both Paul and Silas. Once they take them, he pulls them to their feet. “Follow me” he says as he leads them out of their cell.
As the three men are making their way out of the prison, the jailer calls for the guards. “Make fast the doors and bonds again. These two men are coming with me.”
Paul and Silas are led to the jailer’s home, where his family waits outside the door. He walks over and embraces his wife and son. When he left them, less than an hour ago, he believed he would never see them again. Here he stands, in their presence with words too amazing not to share.
“There is something you have to hear” he says as he takes his wife’s hand and leads her over to Paul and Silas.
The two men smile at her politely.
“Before we do anything else, I want to wash these men’s wounds” the wife exclaims after seeing Paul and Silas.
“That is an excellent idea. Follow me.”
Before leaving, the wife grabs some rags from the house. Then jailer leads the group down to the river. His wife begins to carefully wash Paul and Silas’ wounds as they share the gospel with the jailer’s household. Paul’s words strike deep in their hearts and they all become believers.
“What is to prevent us from being baptized?” asks the jailer.
“Here is water, so let’s baptize these new brothers and sisters” Silas says.
“Agreed, Brother Silas” Paul says with a smile.
The whole family is baptized in only a few minutes. They have to tamp down their joy as they make their way back to the jailer’s home. It wouldn’t do for two prisoners and the jailer to be caught walking together along the riverside.
Once they are in the home with the doors shut, joy bubbles over. Everyone wants to hear more, but first, Paul and Silas have to be fed.
The jailer’s wife insists on serving them a full meal; bread, wine, dates, nuts, and roast lamb. The lamb was leftover from their meal, but it is still delicious.
Paul and Silas share more of the gospel and the teachings of Jesus through the night. The family rejoices with each new piece of information and discusses how to apply it to their own lives. One thing the jailer vows to do is care for his prisoners the best way he can. He cannot refuse to do his job, but that doesn’t mean that he has to be cruel or hateful to those placed in his care. He will show Jesus’ love to those entrusted to him.
As hard as it is for the jailer, he has to return Paul and Silas to their cell. However, he does not put them back in the stocks.
“Remain here for now. I will do what I can to see you released. You were treated unjustly” the jailer tells them as he locks the door.
The magistrates know that the only reason the two Jews were thrown in prison was to prevent a riot. When morning comes, he calls for their release, since the danger has passed. They plan to do it quietly so that the people don’t rise up again.
“Go into the prison and ‘Let those men go’ (Acts 16:35)” the head magistrate tells the captain of his police. “And do it quietly” he adds.
“It will be done as you command” the captain says with a smart salute.
The police go directly to the prison and speak with the jailer. “Let the men go who were entrusted to you last evening.”
The jailer is thrilled to hear this. He hurries into the prison and goes directly to Paul and Silas’ cell. Throwing open the door, he shares the good news.
“The magistrates have sent to let you go. Therefore come out now and go in peace” (Acts 16:36) the jailer tells them.
Indignation rises up in Paul. “They have beaten us publicly, uncondemned, men who are Roman citizens, and have thrown us into prison; and do they now throw us out secretly? No! Let them come themselves and take us out” (Acts 16:37).
The jailer’s eyes are wide as he looks at Paul. “Are you sure you want me to convey this message?”
“We are” says Paul emphatically.
The jailer bows and returns to the police who are waiting outside the prison.
“The two men entrusted to me refuse to come out. They want you to take this message to the magistrates. ‘They have beaten us publicly, uncondemned, men who are Roman citizens, and have thrown us into prison; and do they now throw us out secretly? No! Let them come themselves and take us out.’”
The police are troubled by Paul’s words as well, but they carry them to the magistrates, just the same.
“My lords, the prisoners you had jailed yesterday claim Roman citizenship. When told they could go free, they sent a message back to you.”
The captain relates Paul’s message, word for word, and it has the desired effect on the magistrates. They are afraid. By beating Paul and Silas, without due process of law, they have broken the very law they swore to uphold.
“We have to fix this, NOW!” the head magistrate says to his fellows.
It is quickly decided that a delegation of three of the magistrates will personally apologize and release the two Jews/Roman citizens. This group sets off immediately for the prison and arrives shortly thereafter. Nothing is more important than setting this right.
“Take us to the prisoners” they instruct the jailer.
“Their names are Paul and Silas” the jailer informs them as he leads them deeper into the prison.
These three important men have never been inside the prison before. The smell assaults them, the vermin make their skin crawl, and the dampness and dirt have them holding the edges of their robes higher so as not to soil them. They breathe a sigh of relief once they reach the cell door, but begin coughing as the smell of human waste assaults them even more. They push on.
As soon as they enter the cell, they see Paul and Silas sitting on a stone. The leader of the group rushes towards them.
“I want to apologize for the way you have been treated. We had no idea that you are Roman citizens. This never should have happened. Please accept our humblest apologies.”
Paul and Silas nod their acceptance.
“Please, follow us” the magistrate directs.
The three magistrates, the jailer, Paul and Silas all make their way out of the prison. Once everyone is outside, the leader of the group makes a request of Paul and Silas.
“In order to prevent another ‘event’ like yesterday, we ask that you leave the city right away.”
“We will leave as soon as we have gathered our belongings and checked on our friends.”
“That will be sufficient, but do not go into the marketplace for any reason.”
“We have no intention of doing so.”
The groups part company and go their own ways. The magistrates will bathe as soon as they reach their homes. Paul and Silas make their way to the home of Lydia. And the jailer resumes his duties, with a promise to treat people as the Lord would have him do.
Paul and Silas arrive at the home of Lydia unannounced. Everyone is surprised and excited to see them.
“How did you get out?” asks Timothy.
“They turned us loose. They also told us to leave the city.”
“But there is still so much we need to learn” bemoans Lydia.
“The Holy Spirit is a better teacher than I ever could be. Lean into Him and let Him lead you. Write to me often, especially if you have questions you can’t answer. I will keep my ears open for word of your success too. And I might just happen to send you a letter from time to time” Paul says with a smile.
Paul puts a hand on Luke’s shoulder. “Brother Luke, I’m asking a lot of you, but would you stay and watch over this body of believers? They could use your encouragement and logical mind.”
“I would be honored to serve wherever I am needed” Luke answers. He goes to stand beside Lydia.
After a prayer for safety and a round of hugs, Paul, Silas, and Timothy leave Philippi behind them. They know that the Lord will continue to work in this new body of believers, especially with Lydia and Luke to care for them.
Being called to spread the word in Macedonia, Paul and his companions continue down the coastline. They come to the city of Amphipolis but feel no pull from the Spirit to spread the word of the Lord. However, they do spend the night within its protective walls instead of sleeping on the side of the road.
In the morning the group presses on towards Apollonia. This city they also feel no release from the Spirit to spread the gospel. Yet they are feeling pulled to the next city on the Roman Road; Thessalonica. Amphipolis and Apollonia are each perfect stopping places and break the journey nicely into a single day’s travel between each of them from Philippi all the way to Thessalonica.
When the three travelers reach Thessalonica, they know this is the place the Lord has been drawing them towards. And, unlike Philippi, there is a large Jewish synagogue. Paul has made it his practice to preach first to the Jews and then to the Gentiles on all of his missions, whenever possible. This synagogue makes that possible once again.
Paul, Silas, and Timothy settle into the city and begin sharing the gospel. For three Sabbaths in a row, Paul is given the opportunity to speak and teach the people. He shares with them the same scriptures he has shared hundreds of times. He links the prophecies about the Messiah to Jesus’ life, explaining why Jesus had to die and rise from the dead after three days. After sharing all these proofs, Paul concludes with; “This Jesus, whom I proclaim to you, is the Christ” (Acts 17:3).
Some of the Jews believed while others rejected Paul’s argument. Many devout Greeks and even leading women of the city also believed. They became the foundation for the new church in Thessalonica.
The Jews who rejected Paul’s words become jealous watching the church grow.
“We cannot let this ridiculous doctrine take people away from the true worship of the Lord. We have to rid ourselves of these men, now!”
Spies are sent to follow Paul and his companions. They locate the home where they are staying; a believer named Jason. With this information in hand, they begin agitating the citizens. Soon, they have formed a mob, out to seize Paul.
The mob is seen in the distance and the three missionaries are hidden in another location. Jason stands his ground when the mob appears at his door. He is backed up by six of the brothers.
“What do you want?” he calls out.
“We want Paul, Silas and Timothy.”
“They are not here. And even if they were here, what do you intend to do with them?” Jason demands.
“We are going to see that they stand trial for their crimes.”
“What crimes? These men have committed no crimes.”
“Stirring up the city is a crime and they will answer for it.”
“As I said before, they are not here.”
“Then you will stand in their place!” roars the leader.
The crowd surges forward and the seven men are taken captive. They don’t struggle or fight back, but allow themselves to be dragged before the city authorities. They stand silent as the Jews present their case.
“These men who have turned the world upside down have come here also, and Jason has received them, and they are all acting against the decrees of Caesar, saying that there is another king, Jesus” (Acts 17:6-7).
“Is this true?” asks the leader of the counsel.
“We have received Paul, Silas, and Timothy into our homes and the Lord Jesus Christ into our hearts. But in no way are we rebelling against Caesar or proclaiming the Jesus will take Caesar’s throne…” Jason begins.
“Enough. I will hear no more. I fine each of you ten denarii with the promise that you will send these men on their way.”
Each of the men pay the fine and are released. They carefully make their way to the place where Paul and his companions are being hidden, ensuring that no one follows them.
“You need to leave as soon as possible. The Jews are stirring up the authorities. If you stay, I fear that they will eventually kill you.”
“We will leave, if for no other reason than to remove you from danger. But know this, it is not us alone that they rail against. It is Jesus whom they oppose. Be strong. For persecution is sure to come upon you” Paul warns the brothers.
The group waits until it is dark and then smuggle Paul and his companions out of the city.
“Go to Berea. They will welcome you there” Jason tells them.
Paul, Silas, and Timothy hurry to Berea. They make it in barely two days instead of the usual three. Upon entering the city, Paul locates the synagogue and begins teaching.
The Jews here are very receptive to the gospel and actually search the scriptures with an open mind and heart. After a few weeks, many of them become believers and are baptized. Many of the high standing Greek men and women also come to faith in Jesus.
It doesn’t take too long for word of the new church to find its way back to Thessalonica and the agitated Jews.
“They just don’t quit! We are going to have to go there and MAKE them stop. We cannot afford for this false teaching to continue.”
Three days later, the group of Jews from Thessalonica arrive in Berea, intent on stopping Paul. They begin to speak out against them and agitate the citizens. Before another mob forms, the brothers secret Paul away.
“Leave Silas and Timothy here. They can finish the work, but we have to get you to safety. Yours is the ministry they are seeking to stop, by any means necessary.”
“I agree” Paul says.
Silas and Timothy bid Paul goodbye. “We will see you again. As soon as it is safe.”
Paul is taken down to the docks by four of the brothers. Together, they book passage to the port of Athens.
This journey is relatively short, lasting only three days, but it gets Paul beyond the reach of the Jews from Thessalonica. When the ship lands in Athens, Paul and the brothers part company.
“Tell Silas and Timothy to come to me as soon as possible” Paul tells the brothers before they set sail on their return journey.
Paul looks around at this new city. As he makes his way into town, he sees a city FULL of idols and idol worshipers.
“We have our work cut out for us here Lord” Paul says.
(to be continued)
The Jews of Thessalonica had it right. Paul was turning the world upside down. He was doing exactly what God called him to do; letting a hurting world know that there is hope. And His name is Jesus.
That same hope exists today! Some still resist the truth while others embrace it. I’m glad I’m in the latter category. For Jesus is the ONLY hope for this world.
Father God, thank You for sending men like Paul and Silas out into the world to share Your word. Thank You that NOTHING stopped You from reaching out to the people. Not even the eventual death of these men. You keep raising up people to speak the truth of Jesus’ work on the cross. Thank You that You are allowing me to be even a small part of sharing that message.
