Let it be carefully weighed: the question of the jailor, the answer of the Lord's servants, was not about the sign but about the reality of salvation, soul-salvation, as Peter calls it. And this is here, as elsewhere, bound up with faith; which of all things is personal, as is the repentance it implies. Believing for others, even so close as one's household, in order that they should be not baptized merely, but thus saved, shows not only the poverty in resource of this pretentious school, but their hardihood in advancing questions, so dangerous for souls, on such slender grounds. The assumption which underlies the theory, in the minds of the more moderate, probably is that the jailor's house consisted only of children, young enough to be irresponsible: otherwise (of which extravagance some are not ashamed) it would be convicted of slighting repentance toward God, and faith in our Lord Jesus more flagrantly than any orthodox Christian sect: for which of the sects does not demand some such profession in candidates of riper years? No wonder therefore that all godly, or, even sober, interpreters of the divine word repudiate those shifts of hard-driven controversialists. But scripture enables us to carry this disproof to the uttermost; for it is added (in ver. 32) that they spoke the word of the Lord to him “with all that were in his house"; as if the Holy Spirit by express anticipation had designed to leave no possible plea for teaching so strange. Those only who could hear the word were then concerned; none else was by the call itself included within the terms of the blessing, whatever grace might effect afterward, if indeed any remained to be called and blessed.
“And they spoke to him the word of the Lord” [or God] with all that were in his house. And at that hour of the night he took and washed [them from] their stripes, and was baptized, he and all his immediately. And having brought them up into his house, he set meat [a table] before them, and rejoiced with all his house, having believed in God (ver. 32-34).
The jailor took them “that hour” of the night, however unseasonable it might seem; for such is the force, rather than “the same” which is not said, though of course the latter also was true. But we must correctly reproduce what was originally written and meant. After washing their stripes he and all his were baptized without delay, it would seem in the precincts of the prison proper. Then he brought them “up” into his house, apparently over the prisoners' quarters, attended to their bodily refreshment, and rejoiced with all his house, having believed in God. Undoubtedly the Greek phrase for “with all his house” is adverbial; but this makes no difference for the sense substantially, either here or anywhere else. Thus all the family of every man pertaining to Jacob (Ex. 1:1) came from Palestine into Egypt: the heads of each house did not come with Jacob in lien of the members. It was equally true of all, though the heads only were specified. So here the jailor rejoiced, yet not representatively for his family; but they too as really in their measure as he, though his joy as believing in God is duly specified. It is intended that we should understand the joy of faith in the case of all. A beautiful picture of the reality and activity of God's grace in this world, and this with the whole house of a hardened pagan; and of such it is repeatedly predicated. For is He the God of Jews only? Is He not also of Gentiles? Yes, of Gentiles also; since. God is one who shall justify circumcision by faith, and uncircumcision through their faith, not annulling law thereby, but establishing it, for law never was so vindicated as in the death of the Lord Jesus; and hence the believers, once guilty, enter into peace and joy.
Such is the triumph of God's righteousness for all who submit to it; yet it is no promise in suspense, still less a sham, but a reality of blessed and effectual grace, for none but those that do submit, whatever may be one's desire and hope for others. It is sweet to see thoughtful love and hospitality at once in motion, when faith purifies the heart. The restraining and controlling hand of law is a great boon in a sinful world; yet what is it at best compared with the working of divine grace, even in one but just born of God?
“And when it was day, the praetors sent the lictors, saying, Let those men go. And the jailor reported the saying unto Paul, The praetors have sent that ye be let go: now then go out and proceed in peace. But Paul said unto them, They beat us openly, uncondemned, men being Romans, and cast us into prison; and now do they cast us out privily? No indeed; but let themselves come and bring us out. And the lictors announced these words, and they were afraid when they heard they were Romans. And on coming they besought them, and bringing out entreated [them] to go out of the city. And when they went out of the prison, they entered into [the house of] Lydia; and when they saw the brethren, they exhorted them and departed” (ver. 35-40).
Another evidence of a Roman colony appears here in the lictors employed as subordinates by the praetors, which is disguised in the vague name of “serjeants,” as the higher officials under that of “magistrates.”
The passionate or time-serving concession to unjust clamor had now passed away; and word was dispatched next morning to dismiss the abused prisoners of the day before. The jailor naturally repeated, his orders, glad doubtless to release them. But Paul was now as firm in a dignified way for the vindication of the gospel, and even of the law, of which they were the unworthy administrators, as he and his companion before in uncomplaining meekness had borne their lawless violence. If there is a time to keep silent, there is a time to speak; and the Spirit alone can guide as to either, for which the word alone suffices, for it warrants both, each in its due season. Here we see the two injunctions carried out in the same transaction, and both turning to the glory of the Lord.
It was not invariably so even with such honored, servants. Their own spirit might, and occasionally did, act without the sure guidance of God; as when the high priest was rebuked and Caesar was appealed to, each time with consequences less or more serious, as it may be shown when the history comes before us. Here beyond controversy the silent suffering of Paul and Silas was a mighty and striking testimony to the practical grace which our Lord would have to characterize His own. “For what glory is it,” says another apostle, “if, when ye be buffeted for your faults, ye shall take it patiently? But if, when ye do well, and suffer for it, ye take it patiently, this is acceptable [lit. grace] with God.” To this, saints, as such, are called. Peculiarly does it become those to practice it, who teach it, as did the blessed pair then at Philippi. They were reproached for the name of Christ, and were partakers of His sufferings without a murmur, nay, with prayers and hymns of joy that they were counted worthy to bear wrong and shame for His Name.
But now that they had thus endured, it was fitting that it should be proved that Paul and Silas were not evil-doers punished justly with scourging and prison and the stocks, but that the guardians of the law had been guilty of flagrant, manifest, and inexcusable unrighteousness against the preachers of the gospel. The time was come when the praetors sent to let them go, and Paul saw this, not at first the jailor. Therefore said the apostle to them, “They beat us openly uncondemned, men being Romans, and cast us into prison; and do they cast us out privily? No, indeed; but let themselves come and bring us out?” Their exposure was complete, though only the officials and their victims might know it. There was not the semblance of resentment, not the least desire to injure them, and exact from men who lay absolutely in the power of those they had wantonly injured. But it was unanswerably demonstrated, that, in the conflict between the officials of Roman war at Philippi and the ministers of the gospel, the latter were no less honored by the gracious power of God, than the former had utterly failed to repress the mob, and had even become the ringleaders in cruel infraction of that law they were bound to enforce.
The lictors bring back Paul's words to the praetors, who, when they heard the sufferers were Romans, could not hide their fear but came and besought their prisoners. It was a humiliation on their part, as undeniable a triumph for those charged with God's gospel, who had suffered only as Christians with the Spirit of glory and of God resting on them.
Certainly the preachers of grace were not disposed to swerve from grace, least of all now that the truth was clear; nor had they any wish to put dishonor on any human institution, but rather to be patterns in that subjection to it for the Lord's sake, to which they were conspicuous in exhorting others. They were easily entreated, having never thought of a prosecution.
“And when they brought them out, they asked [them] to go out of the city. And they went out of the prison, and entered into [the house of] Lydia; and when they saw the brethren, they exhorted them and departed.” They exercised their indisputable title to liberty by a visit on quitting the prison to Lydia, where they saw “the brethren.” These would seem to be her household of whom we heard in verse 15. Of none others in that holy band of relationship do we read at this time in Philippi. These they exhorted, or comforted, as well there might be need, and the Lord's servants could happily do in the defense and confirmation of the gospel. As they had rejoiced in their bonds, they took their leave: a lovely picture in their own persons, of that superiority to circumstances which the apostle at a later day impressed in his Epistle on all the saints there, for their blessing and ours.