[The posts which follow make extensive use of The Acts of the Apostles, by Madame Cecilia, (Religious of St Andrew's Convent, Streatham), with an Imprimi potest dated 16 October 1907 (Westminster); Burns, Oates & Washbourne Ltd. (London). With grateful prayers for the author and her team:
REQUIEM æternam dona eis, Domine, et lux perpetua luceat eis. Requiescant in pace. Amen.ETERNAL rest grant unto them, O Lord, and let perpetual light shine upon them. May they rest in peace. Amen.]
Acts XVI : 25-34
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[26] And suddenly there was a great earthquake, so that the foundations of the prison were shaken. And immediately all the doors were opened, and the bands of all were loosed.
[27] And the keeper of the prison, awaking out of his sleep, and seeing the doors of the prison open, drawing his sword, would have killed himself, supposing that the prisoners had been fled.
[28] But Paul cried with a loud voice, saying: Do thyself no harm, for we all are here.
[29] Then calling for a light, he went in, and trembling, fell down at the feet of Paul and Silas.
[30] And bringing them out, he said: Masters, what must I do, that I may be saved?
[31] But they said: Believe in the Lord Jesus, and thou shalt be saved, and thy house.
[32] And they preached the word of the Lord to him and to all that were in his house.
[33] And he, taking them the same hour of the night, washed their stripes, and himself was baptized, and all his house immediately.
[34] And when he had brought them into his own house, he laid the table for them, and rejoiced with all his house, believing God.
[25] Media autem nocte Paulus et Silas orantes, laudabant Deum : et audiebant eos qui in custodia erant. [26] Subito vero terraemotus factus est magnus, ita ut moverentur fundamenta carceris. Et statim aperta sunt omnia ostia : et universorum vincula soluta sunt. [27] Expergefactus autem custos carceris, et videns januas apertas carceris, evaginato gladio volebat se interficere, aestimans fugisse vinctos. [28] Clamavit autem Paulus voce magna, dicens : Nihil tibi mali feceris : universi enim hic sumus. [29] Petitoque lumine, introgressus est : et tremefactus procidit Paulo et Silae ad pedes : [30] et producens eos foras, ait : Domini, quid me oportet facere, ut salvus fiam? [31] At illi dixerunt : Crede in Dominum Jesum : et salvus eris tu, et domus tua. [32] Et locuti sunt ei verbum Domini cum omnibus qui erant in domo ejus. [33] Et tollens eos in illa hora noctis, lavit plagas eorum : et baptizatus est ipse, et omnis domus ejus continuo. [34] Cumque perduxisset eos in domum suam, apposuit eis mensam, et laetatus est cum omni domo sua credens Deo.
Notes
25. praying, praised God. The prison was their proseuche. [< classical Latin proseucha Jewish meeting-place for prayer (Juvenal) and its etymon Hellenistic Greek προσευχή prayer, place of prayer, synagogue < ancient Greek προσεύχεσθαι to offer prayers < πρός toward (see prosody n.) + εὔχεσθαι to pray (see euctical adj.). Compare French proseuque (1752).In Hellenistic Greek apparently a Christian term for a Jewish place of prayer: compare Acts 16:13. Ed. OED]
In the darkness of night, fastened in the stocks in a loathsome and foul dungeon, St Paul and Silas, heedless of their bleeding wounds and racked limbs, raise their hearts and voices to God in the sweet Hebrew psalms with which they were so familiar.
“ The prison does for the Christian what the desert did for the prophet. Our Lord Himself spent much of His time in seclusion, that He might have greater liberty to pray, that He might be quit of the world. It was in a mountain solitude, too, He shewed His glory to the disciples. Let us drop the name of prison ; let us call it a place of retirement. Though the body is shut in, though the flesh is confined, all things are open to the spirit. In spirit, then, roam abroad ; in spirit walk about, not setting before you shady paths or long colonnades, but the way which leads to God. As often as in spirit your footsteps are there, so often you will not be in bonds. The leg does not feel the chain when the mind is in the heavens ” (Tertullian, Ad Martyras).
heard them. (ἐπικροωντο.) This verb is rarely found ; it denotes listening attentively. Either there were other prisoners in the inner ward, or the inner and outer prison were separated by means of bars. The prisoners were not used to hear such sounds ; groans and imprecations were what was usually heard from the tortured victims.
26. a great earthquake. This was evidently a miraculous intervention by which God delivered His servants. “The historian introduces a supernatural incident most discreetly ; he does not attribute to St Pauls’ power the prodigy which brought about such happy results for St Paul and for the cause of the Gospel ” (Rose, Les Actes, in h. ].).
About this period (circa A.D. 63) there were many seismic disturbances in this region, notably in Sardis, Apamea, Laodicea. The shocks were so violent in Aparnea, and the distress which resulted so great, that the citizens were dispensed from paying taxes for five years.
all the doors were opened, etc. The opening of the doors and the loosing of the staples fixed in the wall, to which the prisoners’ chains were attached, were the natural consequences of the foundations being shaken, but the earthquake could not have loosed the chains from the prisoners’ hands and feet. This was evidently due to a miraculous intervention, though the earthquake itself may have arisen from natural causes, so timed by God as to be beneficial to His ministers.
27. the keeper .... awaking. The keeper probably was sleeping outside the door of the inner prison. The earthquake awoke him, and seeing the door open and hearing the chains falling, he at once drew his sword ill order to kill himself, for he knew that a cruel death awaited the guard who allowed a prisoner to escape. From the inner dungeon St Paul and Silas could see through the open door, and they called out in time to prevent the keeper from killing himself. Veteran soldiers were generally chosen for jailers, and such men feared disgrace more than death. Moreover, suicide was very common among the Romans during the first and second centuries, a practice for which the Stoics were responsible in a large measure.
28. we all are here. None of the prisoners attempted to escape. Perhaps fear paralysed them; it seems as though God willed to deliver His servants without compromising the lives of the keepers.
When St Peter was delivered from prison by an angel, the guards were executed by Herod’s orders.
29. a light. Better, “ lights ” (φωτα). The keeper wished to examine all the dungeons, and he certainly had other jailers under him. The word “light” is often used in Greek for the lamp which gives the light, and we use the same idiom in English.
fell down at the feet, etc. He was terrified by the earthquake, and filled with reverence for those whom God had so wonderfully delivered.
30. bringing them out, — i.e. of the inner prison. Codex D adds, “ and when he had secured the rest he said, Masters,” etc.
Masters. He addresses them with the greatest respect.
what must I do, that I may he saved ? This is a vital question, which should appeal to every human being. The keeper was evidently anxious about his eternal salvation ; as the earthquake was over and the prisoners safe, he no longer feared for his life. Possibly he had heard of the words uttered by the girl with a pythonical spirit, and therefore he asked this question of these servants of the Most High God, who preached the way of salvation.
31. they said. Both St Paul and Silas addressed the man.
Believe in the Lord Jesus, — i.e. believe that He is the Son of God, and live up to His teaching. The keeper addressed them as lords (κυριοι), and he is taught that there is one Lord, the Lord Jesus, who can save him. The keeper understood their words in this sense, for he at once received baptism. As the earthquake happened at midnight, the apostles had a few hours before dawn, which they utilised to preach the word of the Lord to the keeper and his household ; doubtless the latter consisted of his wife and children ; as the governor of the prison, he would have slaves under him.
thou shalt be saved, and thy house. Thus it often happens that the conversion of one person to Catholicism is followed by that of his relatives and friends.
No man goes either to heaven or hell alone. Each human being influences his neighbour for good or evil, and each man, to a certain extent, is his brother’s keeper, and a zealous Catholic, by his life, points out the way of salvation to others.
33. washed their stripes. “ The keeper washed them, and was washed himself ; those he washed from their stripes, while he was washed from his sins ; he fed them, and was fed himself by them” (St. John Chrys., Hom. xxxvi.).
There was certainly a well or fountain in the prison courtyard, and here the jailer washed their stripes, and was afterwards baptized.
34. when he had brought them, etc. He brought, them “ up ” (ᾀναγαγωον), whence we may infer that his house was over the dungeons. The prison was perhaps excavated out of the rock, and this would explain why such a violent earthquake did not cause the dungeons to collapse.
laid the table. The apostles had been some hours without food, and the shameful treatment they had received, the pain and loss of blood, must well nigh have exhausted their physical strength.
The Orientals used small tables, which were brought in laden with food and placed before the guests.
rejoiced with all his house. His rejoicing had a supernatural cause : he was glad because he had learned the way of salvation and believed in God.
Acts XVI : 35-40
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[36] And the keeper of the prison told these words to Paul: The magistrates have sent to let you go; now therefore depart, and go in peace.
[37] But Paul said to them: They have beaten us publicly, uncondemned, men that are Romans, and have cast us into prison: and now do they thrust us out privately? Not so; but let them come,
[38] And let us out themselves. And the serjeants told these words to the magistrates. And they were afraid, hearing that they were Romans.
[39] And coming, they besought them; and bringing them out, they desired them to depart out of the city. [40] And they went out of the prison, and entered into the house of Lydia; and having seen the brethren, they comforted them, and departed.
[35] Et cum dies factus esset, miserunt magistratus lictores, dicentes : Dimitte homines illos. [36] Nuntiavit autem custos carceris verba haec Paulo : Quia miserunt magistratus ut dimittamini, nunc igitur exeuntes, ite in pace. [37] Paulus autem dixit eis : Caesos nos publice, indemnatos, homines Romanos miserunt in carcerem, et nunc occulte nos ejiciunt? Non ita : sed veniant, [38] et ipsi nos ejiciant. Nuntiaverunt autem magistratibus lictores verba haec. Timueruntque audito quod Romani essent : [39] et venientes deprecati sunt eos, et educentes rogabant ut egrederentur de urbe. [40] Exeuntes autem de carcere, introierunt ad Lydiam : et visis fratribus consolati sunt eos, et profecti sunt.
Notes
35. serjeants, — i.e. the bearers of the rods
In Rome, the lictors, as a sign of their office, bore the “ fasces” before the praetors.
Let those men go. The shock of the earthquake was certainly felt in the city, and the duumviri may have connected it with the injustice done to St Paul and Silas, and with the testimony of the pythonical spirit.
The Bezan text gives several interesting details on this incident; it runs thus: “But when it was day, the magistrates assembled together at the market-place and, remembering the earthquake which had happened, were afraid and sent the serjeants,” etc.
The message was somewhat contemptuous, and the magistrates speak with authority. So far, they do not appear to have known that St Paul and Silas were Roman citizens ; but, at least, they knew that these men had been scourged without having had a fair trial, simply to appease the people, and they evidently wished to get, rid of prisoners who might call attention to the illegality of their proceedings.
37. They have beaten us publicly. The Roman citizens, by the Lex Porcia, (B.C. 247), were exempted from degrading punishments such as scourging. Thus Cicero, in his philippic against Verres, the provincial governor of Sicily, accuses him of having ill-treated Roman citizens, whom it was considered an outrage to fetter and a crime to scourge (Facinus est vinciri civem Romanum, scelus verberari, in Verr. v. 66). St Paul was a Roman citizen by birth (see xxii. 28).
Probably his father had purchased the “ ius civitatis.” Only wealthy people could afford to do this, but, on the other hand, it brought with it certain commercial privileges as well as a social status. Cicero speaks of the “ ius civitatis ” bringing help and deliverance even among the barbarians (illa vox, imploratio, “ Civis Romanus sum,” quæ sæpe ultimis in terris opem inter barbaros et salutem tulit, in Verr. v. .57). The magistrates admitted St Paul’s claim ; had it been spurious, he could have been put to death (Sueton., Claud., 25.) We do not know how Silas obtained the Roman citizenship.
uncondemned. The Greek can only be rendered “uncondemned,” but the sense is evidently “unheard.” Even if the magistrates had tried and condemned them, it would still have been illegal to scourge them.
now do they thrust us out privately ? Had the apostles consented to leave the city clandestinely, it might have been taken as a tacit acknowledgment of their guilt, and this would have been injurious for the Philippian converts. St Paul and his fellow-labourer knew how to endure persecution, but they could claim their rights when such vindication favoured the cause of the Gospel.
Not so (οὐ γαρ). A strong negative, which may be compared with our negative “no, indeed,” and which expresses strong indignation.
39. And coming they besought, etc. The Bezan text reads, “ and they came with many friends into the prison and besought them to come forth, saying, ‘we did not know concerning your affairs that ye are just men,’ and they brought them out and besought them saying ‘go forth from this city, lest again they make a tumult against us, crying out against you.’ ”
40. into the house of Lydia. They remained a short time to recruit their strength and to comfort the brethren, but they do not appear to have preached again publicly.
having seen the brethren. This shews that a certain number of converts had been made. Codex D adds, “they related what things the Lord had done for them.”
St Paul was greatly attached to his Philippian converts, to whom he thus speaks in his epistle :—Therefore, my dearly beloved brethren, and most desired, my joy and my crown; so stand fast in the Lord my dearly beloved (Phil. iv. 1). In my bonds, and in the defence and confirmation of the gospel, you all are partakers of my joy (Phil. i. 7).
departed. St Luke remained in charge of the little church of Philippi, if we may judge from the “we” clauses not recurring again until St Paul’s third missionary journey, when St Paul appears to have rejoined St Luke at Philipji, and to have gone to Rome with him and other fellow-labourers (see infra, xx. 6).
Totus tuus ego sum
Et omnia mea tua sunt;
Tecum semper tutus sum:
Ad Jesum per Mariam.
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