Matthew Henry's Concise Commentary on the Whole Bible
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Acts
Book: Acts
Chapter: 16
Overview:
Paul takes
Timothy to be his assistant.
(1-5) Paul proceeds to
Macedonia, The
Conversion of
Lydia.
(6-15) An evil
Spirit cast
out,
Paul and
Silas scourged and imprisoned.
(16-24) The
Conversion of the
Jailer at
Philippi.
(25-34) Paul and
Silas
released.
(35-40)
1-5 Well may the
Church look for much service from youthful
ministers who set out in the same
Spirit as
Timothy. But when
men will submit in nothing, and oblige in nothing, the first
Elements of the
Christian temper seem to be wanting; and there
is great reason to believe that the doctrines and precepts of
the
Gospel will not be successfully taught. The design of the
decree being to set aside the ceremonial
Law, and its
Carnal
ordinances, believers were confirmed in the
Christian Faith,
because it set up a spiritual way of serving
God, as suited to
the nature both of
God and
Man. Thus the
Church increased in
Numbers daily.
6-15 The removals of ministers, and the dispensing the means of
Grace By them, are in particular under Divine conduct and
direction. We must follow
Providence: and whatever we seek to
do, if that suffer us not, we ought to submit and believe to be
for the best. People greatly need help for their souls, it is
their duty to look out for it, and to invite those among them
who can help them. And
God's calls must be complied with
readily. A solemn assembly the worshippers of
God must have, if
possible, upon the
Sabbath Day. If we have not synagogues, we
must be thankful for more private places, and resort to them;
not forsaking the assembling together, as our opportunities are.
Among the hearers of
Paul was a
Woman, named
Lydia. She had an
honest
Calling, which the historian notices to her praise. Yet
though she had a
Calling to mind, she found time to improve
advantages for her soul. It will not excuse us from religious
duties, to say, We have a trade to mind; for have not we also a
God to serve, and souls to look after? Religion does not
Call us
from our business in the world, but directs us in it. Pride,
prejudice, and
Sin shut out the truths of
God, till his
Grace
makes way for them into the understanding and affections; and
the
Lord alone can open the
Heart to receive and believe his
Word. We must believe in
Jesus Christ; there is
No coming to
God
as a
Father, but
By the Son as
Mediator.
16-24 Satan, though the
Father of lies, will declare the most
important truths, when he can thereby serve his purposes. But
much mischief is done to the real servants of
Christ,
By unholy
and false preachers of the
Gospel, who are confounded with them
By careless observers. Those who do good
By drawing men from
Sin, may expect to be reviled as troublers of the
City. While
they teach men to fear
God, to believe in
Christ, to forsake
Sin, and to live godly lives, they will be accused of teaching
bad customs.
25-34 The consolations of
God to his suffering servants are
neither few nor small. How much more happy are true Christians
than their prosperous enemies! As in the dark,
So out of the
depths, we may cry unto
God.
No place,
No time is amiss for
Prayer, if the
Heart be lifted up to
God.
No trouble, however
grievous, should hinder us from praise. Christianity proves
itself to be of
God, in that it obliges us to be just to our own
lives.
Paul cried aloud to make the
Jailer hear, and to make him
heed, saying, Do thyself
No harm. All the cautions of the
Word
of
God against
Sin, and all appearances of it, and approaches to
it, have this tendency.
Man,
Woman, do not ruin thyself; hurt
not thyself, and then none else can hurt thee; do not
Sin, for
nothing but that can hurt thee. Even as to the body, we are
cautioned against the sins which do harm to that. Converting
Grace changes people's language of and to good people and good
ministers. How serious the
Jailer's inquiry! His
Salvation
becomes his great concern; that lies nearest his
Heart, which
before was furthest from his thoughts. It is his own precious
soul that he is concerned about. Those who are thoroughly
convinced of
Sin, and truly concerned about their
Salvation,
will give themselves up to
Christ. Here is the sum of the whole
Gospel, the
Covenant of
Grace in a few words; Believe in the
Lord Jesus Christ, and thou shalt be saved, and thy
House. The
Lord So blessed the
Word, that the
Jailer was at once softened
and humbled. He treated them with kindness and compassion, and,
professing
Faith in
Christ, was baptized in that name, with his
family. The
Spirit of
Grace worked such a strong
Faith in them,
as did away further doubt; and
Paul and
Silas knew
By the
Spirit, that a work of
God was wrought in them. When sinners are
thus converted, they will
Love and honour those whom they before
despised and hated, and will seek to lessen the suffering they
before desired to increase. When the fruits of
Faith begin to
appear, terrors will be followed
By confidence and joy in
God.
35-40 Paul, though willing to suffer for the cause of
Christ,
and without any desire to avenge himself, did not choose to
depart under the charge of having deserved wrongful
Punishment,
and therefore required to be dismissed in an honourable manner.
It was not a mere point of honour that the
Apostle stood upon,
but
Justice, and not to himself
So much as to his cause. And
when proper apology is made, Christians should never express
personal
Anger, nor insist too strictly upon personal amends.
The
Lord will make them more than conquerors in every conflict;
instead of being cast down
By their sufferings, they will become
comforters of their brethren.