PAUL AND SILAS IMPRISONED

Acts 16:19-24 And when her masters saw that the hope of their gains was gone, they caught Paul and Silas, and drew them into the marketplace unto the rulers, and brought them to the magistrates, saying, These men, being Jews, do exceedingly trouble our city, and teach customs, which are not lawful for us to receive, neither to observe, being Romans. And the multitude rose up together against them: and the magistrates rent off their clothes, and commanded to beat them. And when they had laid many stripes upon them, they cast them into prison, charging the jailor to keep them safely: who, having received such a charge, thrust them into the inner prison, and made their feet fast in the stocks.

From previous verses 16 through 18 we learn that, as Paul and his fellow servants of Christ went to prayer, a certain damsel possessed with a spirit of divination met and followed them. This evil spirit, which possessed this young woman, recognized them and confessed them to be the servants of the most high God, and the author and giver of the way of salvation. Realizing her Satan-possessed condition, Paul, in the name of Jesus Christ, commanded this spirit to come out of her. And he came out the same hour. This miraculous deed - the casting out of the evil spirit that possessed the damsel in the name of Jesus Christ, had no effect on these masters that owned this young slave girl. The fact that only the power of God could have possibly accomplished this feat and establish Jesus, His Son, as the promised Messiah, the Savior of the world, had no spiritual significance to her masters. Instead these self-centered, profiteering men totally disregarded the power and presence of almighty God through Christ Jesus and were only concerned that the hope of their gains was gone. This worldly truth is evident within all economic levels of society, not only during these biblical days, but also within the present ages. In his commentary, B. W. Johnson says, "Nothing inflames the rage of men more than to see their hope of ill-gotten gains taken away." Throughout the world, and in all ages, it has been, and will continue to be, extremely difficult for mankind to abandon the riches found by engaging in dishonorable professions that result from their covetous, selfish desires for worldly fame and fortune.

Here, after the demon was cast out of the damsel, these men became enraged because the source of their wealth had been jeopardized. Because of this they caught Paul and Silas, and drew them into the marketplace unto the rulers, and brought them to the magistrates, saying, These men, being Jews, do exceedingly trouble our city, and teach customs, which are not lawful for us to receive, neither to observe, being Romans. It is evident, during that age of Roman civil government, that the magistrates, also known as praetors, held public court within the marketplace of the city of Philippi. It was before these judicial officials that the masters of the possessed damsel brought Paul and Silas with a number of accusations. First they rightly accused them of being Jews. However, it is evident that, generally speaking, both Greeks and Roman people disliked Jews and considered them to be a contemptible nation of people. This accusation brought attention to their undesirable and suspicious character and discredited their actions and teaching, which, they contended, brought exceedingly trouble to our city. The customs, or the religious teachings of Jesus Christ as the Savior of the world, which Paul and Silas preached, were unknown to most Roman governmental officials in those Macedonian cities. Therefore, their teachings were considered to be in violation of the laws of the land. Roman law, at this time, not only required homage to be paid to Caesar, the head of the Roman government, but worship by the people of these nations was restricted to only those "gods" that were established and allowed under their authority.

This public judicial scene appeared to incite the citizens of this city, because they rose up together against them in a unified protest against Paul and Silas. No doubt the riotous action of the people affected the decision of the magistrates who rent off their clothes, and commanded to beat them. This was a common mode of punishment inflicted by rulers upon those that had brought public scorn and disgrace to the government of Rome and the laws which they were required uphold and enforce. Having been beaten, Paul and Silas were imprisoned, having their feet fast in the stocks, and placed under the charge of the jailor. How cruel were the attempts to keep Jesus' message of salvation away from those that earnestly sought it!