Atos 16
Theophylact of Ohrid
Atos 16:1
Remarkably, the Jews so neglected the law that they gave their daughters in marriage to Greeks and married Greek women. — Commentary on Acts
Atos 16:3
"Taking him, he circumcised him for the sake of the Jews." The wisdom of Paul is worthy of great admiration. He who so championed against the circumcision of the Gentiles and who drove everything forward until the question was resolved, circumcised his own disciple. He not only did not forbid this to others, but even did it himself. In every matter he had benefit in mind and did nothing without purpose. And one must also marvel at how Paul disposed him toward circumcision. "On account of the Jews who were in those places." Because they would never have dared to listen to the word of God from an uncircumcised person. And what then? Pay attention to the justification of this act. Paul circumcised Timothy in order to abolish circumcision; he was not supporting circumcision, but wanted to fulfill a most important task pleasing to all the apostles, because if Timothy had not been circumcised and at the same time were a teacher of the Jews, then everyone would have turned away from him. If the Jews already so strongly accused Paul on account of Trophimus the Ephesian, since they thought that Paul had brought him into the temple (and he was one of the Greeks), then what would Paul himself have had to endure if an uncircumcised man were with him as a teacher? But look: he is justified both in the opinion of the apostles, and he speaks in the temple about the fulfillment of this justification. He did everything for the salvation of the Jews. One could perhaps point out that Peter too concealed himself under the guise of Judaism... And this in no way harmed the apostles; on the contrary, the fact that the Jews had such teachers who, in their opinion, observed the law, served as an occasion for their conversion and the beginning of their faith in Christ. — Commentary on Acts
Atos 16:4
They say that "they delivered the decrees to the faithful to observe," they delivered not the mysteries of the incarnation, but the instructions "to abstain from things offered to idols, and from blood, and from things strangled, and from fornication" (Acts 15:29) — everything that pertains to the ordering of a proper life. — Commentary on Acts
Atos 16:6
"They were not permitted by the Holy Spirit to preach the word in Asia." Why they were forbidden to preach in Asia, he does not say, but that it was forbidden to them, he did say, teaching us thereby to obey and not to demand an account, and showing that often they also acted in a human manner. The Spirit forbids the apostles to preach in Asia and Bithynia, since He foresaw that the inhabitants there would be seized by the heresy of the spirit-fighters. — Commentary on Acts
Atos 16:9
"There was a vision to Paul in the night: a certain man, a Macedonian, stood before him, asking him and saying." No longer through an Angel, as with Philip and Cornelius, but in a vision Paul receives the revelation — in a more human manner. Where it is easy to persuade, there it is in a more human manner, but where great effort is required, there the revelation comes in a more Divine form. — Commentary on Acts
Atos 16:10
It should be noted that in these cities Luke was also with Paul. This is evident from the fact that the latter unites his own person with the former, when he says: "we resolved to set out... we sailed a straight course... we stayed." — Commentary on Acts
Atos 16:13
There, because of the small number of Jews, there was no synagogue, and the especially devout among them gathered secretly outside the city "by the river." As a more carnal people, the Jews, where there was no synagogue, prayed even outside of one, designating some particular place for this — they also prayed on Sabbaths, when the people usually gathered as well. — Commentary on Acts
Atos 16:15
"If you have judged me to be faithful to the Lord." See how wise this woman is: first she herself testified that God had called her. Notice also her modesty. She is a simple woman; she sold fabrics dyed in purple. And Luke is not ashamed to mention her trade. She did not say, "If you have seen that I am a great woman," or "I am a pious woman," but says, "If you have judged me to be faithful to the Lord." If to the Lord, then all the more so to you. She did not simply invite them to her house, but left the matter to their will, although she strongly insisted on her desire. — Commentary on Acts
Atos 16:16
What spirit possessed the servant girl? They call it, after the place, the god Python. He wanted to lead the apostles into temptation. Otherwise, this is that woman, Pythia, of whom they say that she sat on the tripod of Apollo with her legs spread apart, and that an evil spirit, rising from the cavity beneath the tripod, entered into her and drove her into a frenzy; then she would go into a rage, foam at the mouth, and in such a state of frenzy utter incoherent words. — Commentary on Acts
Atos 16:17
"Following Paul and us, she cried out, saying: these men are servants of the Most High God." O unclean spirit! If you know that they "proclaim the way of salvation," then why do you not depart from them? — Commentary on Acts
Atos 16:18
"Paul, having become indignant," that is, being aroused and agitated. By shutting her mouth, even though she was speaking the truth, he teaches us not to admit demons to ourselves, even if they take on the appearance of defending the truth, but to block every occasion of temptation for them and not to listen to anything they say. If Paul had paid attention to the testimony of this spirit, the latter would have deceived many of the believers. Therefore Paul at first not only did not accept, but rejected its testimony, not wishing to increase the number of his signs. But when the spirit persisted, then Paul commanded it to come out of the woman. Thus, the spirit acted craftily, but Paul acted wisely. — Commentary on Acts
Atos 16:19
"Her masters, seeing that the hope of their profit was gone." Everywhere the cause of evil is money. For the sake of enrichment, the woman's masters wanted her to be possessed by a demon. Look: they do not even want to acknowledge the demon, but are consumed by their one passion — love of money. The demon said: "These men are servants of the Most High God," but they say that "these men... are troubling our city." The demon said that they "proclaim to us the way of salvation," but the servant girl's masters say that they "advocate customs which... are not lawful... to accept." — Commentary on Acts
Atos 16:22
To perform miracles and to teach was the work of Paul, while Silas also took part with him in dangers. Take note that even the demons know that the crucified Jesus is the Most High God, and that Paul is His servant, which he himself affirmed, saying: "Paul, a servant of Jesus Christ" (Rom. 1:1). — Commentary on Acts
Atos 16:26
"Suddenly there was a great earthquake." The doors opened, and the prison guard woke up. What had happened astonished him. But the prisoners did not see this, otherwise they would all have fled. And so that the guard would not think that this had happened by itself, the doors opened following the earthquake. — Commentary on Acts
Atos 16:31
"Believe in the Lord Jesus Christ, and you will be saved, you and your whole household." Even in prison Paul did not give himself rest, and there he drew the jailer to himself and accomplished this beautiful captivity. — Commentary on Acts
Atos 16:33
"Having taken them at that hour of the night, he washed their wounds." The jailer washed their wounds, but he himself was washed from his sins. — Commentary on Acts
Atos 16:34
"And he rejoiced with all his house, that he believed in God," though he had received nothing except good words and good hopes. — Commentary on Acts
Atos 16:37
And after the magistrates gave the order, Paul does not leave the prison, but, for the edification of Lydia, the seller of purple, and others, he frightens the magistrates, so that they would not think that they had been released at someone's request. He even accuses the magistrates of having publicly beaten them — them, who had been convicted of nothing and were moreover Roman citizens. You see: they often acted in a manner characteristic of ordinary people. Paul stated this (that they were Roman citizens and had been convicted of nothing) so that it would not appear that he was being released as a harmful person accused of something. As for the jailer, this is Stephanas, whom Paul mentions in the Epistle to the Corinthians: "I baptized also the household of Stephanas" (1 Cor. 1:16). — Commentary on Acts
Atos 16:40
"Having departed from the prison, they came to Lydia and, having seen the brethren, instructed them, and departed." It was not fitting to leave in a state of anxiety and concern the woman who had shown them hospitality; and they, despite the urgings of the magistrates, did not wish to depart without visiting a simple woman and the other persons whom they called brethren. O, how great are their humility and love! — Commentary on Acts