Partying in Prison
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Partying in Prison – A Shining Light from an Unexpected Place
Acts 16:16-34
Now as Paul and his companions walking
towards the place of prayer in Philippi (earlier identified in
verse 13 outside of the city gates by the river), a crossroads
of culture in the ancient world during Biblical times, they
encountered a young slave girl possessed by a “spirit.” The
Greek word used here for spirit is a spirit of divination, in
this case of a certain demon named Python. The slave girl’s
handlers used Python to satisfy their own vain desires of
wealth and power. What is so ironic about this point? The
fact that greedy people are willing to use evil to satisfy
their own needs. And the sad thing? Evil is all to happy to
fuel greed and personal desires.
It is interesting to note that the slave
girl met up with Paul as he walked towards the place of prayer
and that Paul didn’t seek her out. Acting like a herald to
Paul’s group, she loudly proclaims to everyone the purpose of
Paul being in the area. Now while it may seem harmless
enough, what is Python doing to Paul’s ministry/mission?
There is the implication that the gods the Gentiles worship is
inferior, which again while true causes friction immediately.
What is so ironic about what Python says? Even demons
acknowledge humankind’s need for salvation from the Savior,
yet while Python proclaims that Paul is here to show people
the way to salvation, the path had already been shown through
Christ. So what else here strikes you funny when you read
it? Why would a demon acknowledge all this? Flashback to
Mark 1:21-28, Matthew 8:28-34, Mark 5:1-17, Matthew 4:1-11,
etc.…now flash-forward to James 2:19. The point here being
that if even the demons know that there is a Most High God who
provides salvation to people, why don’t more people believe as
well? Think about that.
So Paul, now highly annoyed after a few
days (wouldn’t you is something or somebody announced
everything you’re doing constantly to the people around you?),
commands the demon out. Note how he does so. He does not say
“Come out right now” nor “OK, you’re really annoying me, now
get out of her and beat it.” Paul uses the powerful and
precious name of Jesus Christ. It was in Jesus’ name, His
power and blood, which caused the demon to flee. Matthew
Henry wrote in his commentary of these verses: “Thus
Paul shows the way of salvation indeed, that it is by
breaking the power of Satan, and chaining him up, that he
may not deceive the world (Rev. 20:3), and that this
salvation is to be obtained in the name of Jesus Christ
only, as in his name the devil was now cast out and by no
other. It was a great blessing to the country when Christ by a
word cast the devil out of those in whom he frightened people
and molested them so that no man might pass by that way
(Mt. 8:28); but it was a much greater kindness to the country
when Paul now, in Christ’s name, cast the devil out of one who
deceived people and imposed upon their credulity. Power went
along with the word of Christ, before which Satan could not
stand, but was forced to quit his hold, and in this case it
was a strong hold: He came out the same hour.”
How much faith do you have today in the power of Christ,
including His name?
So when the owners realized their main
source of income had disappeared as the spirit left the girl,
they seize Paul and his companions – yes, even scapegoats were
needed back then. Brought before the Roman magistrates, the
praetors of the empire, they claim that what Paul practices is
“unlawful” to Roman culture. John Wesley wrote in his
commentary: “The
world has received all the rules and doctrines of all the
philosophers that ever were. But this is a property of Gospel
truth: it has something in it peculiarly intolerable to the
world.” Peculiar isn’t it?
And noting Paul’s
ability to attract a mob, he succeeds again in causing the
masses to rise up. So the magistrates had them flogged and
put in jail. Do you suppose it was more to appease the crowd
or because they agreed with the slave girl’s owners?
Philippi Prison the Apostle Paul
was in
(courtesy Hellenic Ministry of Culture)
So being the faithful
men they were to God, Paul and Silas decide to sing praises
and hymns for getting beat up, mistreated, and thrown in jail
for the thanks they got from exorcising a demon. Where would
your faith be in the same situation? In essence, Paul and
Silas were enjoying a little private party in prison (and some
scholars even use the word “dungeon”), praising the Lord with
their voices and clapping (couldn’t dance because their feet
were chained, though I’m sure Paul tried). And notice the
timing – most people are scrambling to finish work, watching
TV, sleeping, or getting ready to sleep around midnight…Paul
and Silas were praising God. So here comes another
self-examining question. How do you use your time that God’s
given you?
Now here’s something else that’s
interesting to note. Philippi lies approximately 200 miles
north of the closest fault line in the region. Yet there was
a “violent earthquake” that occurred. Was this the
supernatural power of God or a freak accident?
Through it all, even though beaten, tossed
into the worst part of the jail, and chained down like the
worst criminals, Paul and Silas praised God and worshipped Him
for blessing them with trials. And while the process took a
while, God’s glory and purpose finally shone through – with an
earthquake and a jailer, along with his family, coming to
Christ.
Brothers and sisters of the body of Christ,
where will our faith be in times of trial – will it waver and
fall or will it be brave and steadfast? Where will we look
upon for strength and power when we are bothered, even
distressed, by evil? Where will our forgiveness and faith in
God’s will to come through when we are oppressed, hindered, or
even tortured by others? Where will our praises and worship
be when we are in the deepest pits of sorrow and anguish, of
unfair restraint and injustice – lost in our souls or upon our
hearts and lips? Where will our perseverance and patience be
when God is silent?
Until we can discover the everlasting joy
in Christ, we will never be able to understand the level of
faith the apostle Paul had in his lifetime. In the very words
of Paul, “Therefore, I urge you, brothers, in view of God's
mercy, to offer your bodies as living sacrifices, holy and
pleasing to God–this is your spiritual act of worship.”
(Romans 12:1). Amen.
Sources Used:
John Darby’s Synopsis of the New Testament
Matthew Henry Commentary on the Whole Bible
John Wesley’s Explanatory Notes on the Whole Bible
Scofield’s Reference Notes
The KJV Bible Greek Lexicon
The
Student Bible: NIV Version
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