Acts 16:38Meaning & Commentary from the Church Fathers

Let the authorities themselves come to the prison to release us from our bonds and thereby make amends for their fault.” Without doubt, this was bound to produce a strong effect on the city authorities and make them pay greater attention to their preaching. Fear of retribution for the insult could dispose them favorably toward the newly formed society of Christians. But if the apostles had left the prison merely by order of the authorities, the city might have retained the unjust opinion of them and their followers that greed and malice had suggested. Thus Paul did not wish to neglect any means for the benefit of the Gospel. The authorities fulfilled his wish and thereby showed what impression the deeds of Paul and Silas had made on them. Yet, probably in order not to stir up unrest among the people, they required them to leave the city. Paul and Silas did not resist. They only went into Lydia’s house and gave the believers a farewell consolation and instruction. But they left Timothy and Luke in their place to continue the work that had begun. Timothy is mentioned already in Berea (Acts 17:14). Since Timothy was not personally known to the Thessalonians, Paul commends him to them in 1 Thess 3:2. As for Luke, from the time of the Apostle Paul’s departure from Troas (Acts 16:10) he had spoken of Paul in the first-person plural. Now he narrates about the apostle in the third person. Five or six years later Luke is again found in Philippi (Acts 20:6). It is unknown whether he spent all that time there. The Philippian Christians were so devoted to Paul that they repeatedly sent him monetary aid, even to Thessalonica (Phil 4:15–16). During his stay in Rome they also sent brethren to him to share in his afflictions (v. 14).

After apologizing to the apostles, the authorities asked them to leave the city, and the preachers of Christ departed from Philippi. Further on, in Acts 16:40–17:1, the writer says, “they departed.” This gives grounds for thinking that the Evangelist Luke did not leave Philippi with Paul and Silas. Rather, he was left there for a time to order the newly founded Church.

They asked this as a favor, like the Gadarenes. But they came to Lydia, comforted her, and then departed. For it was not right to leave the hospitable woman in perplexity and sorrow. They departed not because they obeyed the authorities, but because they hastened to the preaching. This city had already received sufficient benefit from the miracle. It was not fitting to remain there longer, for a miracle appears greater when those who performed it depart. Then the miracle itself cries out more loudly. The faith of the jailer served here in place of preaching. If someone were persuaded about ordinary things, that would not be astonishing. But when simple people hear philosophical teaching about the resurrection, the Kingdom of Heaven, and life, and are persuaded, this is far more astonishing than persuading the wise. Therefore let us think of that night, of the chains, and of the hymn-singing, and let us strive to act likewise. Then we too shall open for ourselves not a prison, but heaven, if we pray.” It must be thought that during Saint Paul’s present stay in Philippi, he received many lofty spiritual consolations from his new children. This is clearly reflected in the epistle he later wrote to them, which breathes a spirit of joy, love, and gratitude; see Phil 1:5, Phil 2:12, Phil 4:6. “I thank my God,” the apostle writes, “at every remembrance of you, always making prayer for you all with joy, and I am confident of you, my beloved. You have always been obedient, not only in my presence, but much more now in my absence.... In the midst of a crooked generation you shine as lights, holding the word of life to my praise in the day of Christ.”