Acts 16:14Meaning & Commentary from the Church Fathers

And a certain woman named Lydia, a seller of purple from the city of Thyatira, listened to what they said; the Lord opened her heart” to understand accurately (Acts 16:13-14). Call to mind the obscure Samaritan woman mentioned in the Gospel, the Canaanite woman, the woman with an issue of blood, and Simon the leper. Later, Simon the tanner, who received the great Peter into his house, served as a small occasion for the divine preaching in Joppa before great Caesarea in Palestine. He was honored with divine praises, since he too opened the door of salvation to many. Before the time of divine testing, we must not hastily compel God to show His wondrous works to all. Rather, we must endure and await the good pleasure and will from above. Hear attentively what the Master Christ says about this to His disciples: “Remain in Jerusalem, and do not depart from there, but wait for the promise” (Acts 1:4). When you are counted worthy of it, then begin the teaching and the signs. Those who were with the holy Apostle Paul were “forbidden by” the worshipful “Spirit” for a time “to speak the word in Asia” and in Bithynia (Acts 16:6).

His words made an impression on the heart of Lydia, a merchant woman from Thyatira, a Lydian city. After the divine service had been completed, she was baptized by them with her whole household and gave them lodging in her house. From Lydia’s household Christianity spread in Philippi. Since there were no Jews in this city, or very few, Christianity met no obstacle from that side. Perhaps, without arousing any persecution, it would have won still more adherents, had not the avarice of certain pagans risen against the apostle when his preaching touched it. Was this not a foreshadowing that the Church in Europe would suffer most of all from the pagans? Tertullian writes in de jejun., ch. 16: iudaicum certe jeiunium ubique celebratur, qunm amissis templis per omnc litus quocunque in aperto aliquando jam preces ad coelum mittant.

The Lord opened, and so forth: that is, while carefully listening to Paul’s teaching, Lydia believed and was baptized. This was not only she herself, but also her household. She believed during Paul’s conversation with her and was probably baptized soon afterward, since the preachers’ whole stay in the city was brief.

"She was a woman, and moreover of no noble rank, as is clear from her trade. But see what love of wisdom was in her.

"First, it is said that she worshiped God. Then it says that she invited the apostles to her home. And when she was baptized, she and her household.

"Notice how she persuaded all her household. Then consider her prudence, how she entreats the apostles, and how full her words are of humility and wisdom."

Lydia belonged to the best people of paganism. Seeking for her soul more substantial nourishment than the religious tales of the pagans, she became a proselyte of Judaism.

She could have become acquainted with Judaism even in her homeland, for there was also a church there, as is clear from the Apocalypse (see Rev 11:18).

In the apostle's words she found answers to the questions whose resolution was dearest to her. The history of the Messiah that was communicated to her explained the history of her own heart.

It also laid the beginning of a new life. It is no wonder if all her household were also proselytes.

Afterward they proved so prepared for Christianity that they immediately wished to receive Christian baptism as soon as it was offered.

Note. In verses 10, 11, 12, 13, and others in this chapter and those that follow, the writer often speaks of the apostles with the word "we."

This is usually explained to mean that the writer of Acts here acknowledges himself to be acting together with the others. It follows that he was a direct eyewitness of what is described here.

But some Western scholars draw other conclusions from this. For example, they suppose that the writer had other sources for all the following chapters.

The falsity of this conclusion is refuted from every side in a special study. Here are some of its data: "Writers do not always use the connective and other particles desired by criticism.

"To infer from this a duality of writers is at least risky. We see that a connection exists between the sections with 'we' and the neighboring sections, an internal logical connection.

"The writer of Acts passes very skillfully from narration in the third person to narration in the person of 'we,' and back again."

In both parts the writer of Acts often uses the same expressions, such as "a considerable time," "many days," and others.

If one looks more closely at the sections with "we," one can discern in them the same sacred tone that prevails in the first part.

Analysis of the contents of the sections with "we," in relation to the preceding part of Acts, speaks convincingly for the unity and complete reliability of the writer of Acts.

In the narratives of the second part concerning events in Miletus (20:16-38), Jerusalem (21:15-40), and Rome (28:14 and following), "we" appears only at the beginning.

Then the account concerns one apostle. The expression "we" would have been wholly out of place there.

It is different when the writer of Acts himself participates in a certain event and actively experiences it. There "we" is entirely understandable and fitting.