Why did Paul circumcise Timothy if circumcision was not required for salvation? Study Acts 16 with context, apologetic analysis, and cross-references.
Dr. Lucas D. Shallua Commentary · Acts 16
Paul circumcised Timothy for the sake of the mission, not for salvation. Timothy's mother was Jewish, and the Jewish community would have considered him Jewish. Since he had not been circumcised, he would not have been accepted in the synagogues. Paul removed a potential barrier to the gospel. He became all things to all people so that he might win some. The King uses wisdom and flexibility in the mission.
The Holy Spirit forbade Paul to go to Asia because He had a different plan. The Spirit was directing them to Macedonia. The gospel was to enter Europe for the first time. The King guides His missionaries by His Spirit, sometimes closing doors and sometimes opening them.
Lydia was a worshiper of God, a God-fearer. She was seeking the true God. But she was not yet saved. The Lord opened her heart to pay attention to Paul's message, and she believed. She was baptized with her household. The King opens the heart and brings forth faith.
Paul cast out the spirit because it was a demonic spirit that enslaved the girl and exploited her for profit. The spirit was telling the truth about Paul and Silas, but it was still a demonic spirit. Jesus did not accept the testimony of demons. Paul commanded the spirit to come out in the name of Jesus Christ. The King delivers the oppressed.
Paul and Silas were beaten and imprisoned because they delivered the slave girl from the spirit of divination, and her owners lost their source of income. They accused Paul and Silas of disturbing the city and advocating unlawful customs. The real reason was economic. The King allows His servants to suffer for the gospel.
Paul and Silas sang hymns in prison because they trusted God. They were praying and singing in the midst of suffering. Their faith was not dependent on their circumstances. The King gives joy in the midst of trials.
The jailer asked because he was terrified. He had witnessed the earthquake, the open doors, and the unfastened bonds. He knew that Paul and Silas were servants of the Most High God. He realized his own need. The King uses circumstances to awaken the soul.
Paul insisted on a public apology because he and Silas were Roman citizens who had been beaten and imprisoned without a trial. This was a violation of Roman law. Paul wanted to protect the church in Philippi from future harassment. He also wanted to establish a legal precedent. The King vindicates His servants.
Chapter 15 ended with the Jerusalem Council settling the question of Gentile conversion and with Paul and Barnabas separating over John Mark. Paul chose Silas and departed, commended by the brothers to the grace of the Lord. Now Paul begins his second missionary journey. The setting moves from Antioch through Syria and Cilicia, to Derbe and Lystra, through Phrygia and Galatia, to Troas, and across the sea to Philippi. The chapter marks a major advance in the mission. The gospel enters Europe for the first time. The King directs His servants by His Spirit and opens doors for the gospel.
Some critics argue that the conversion of Lydia is a legendary embellishment. But the narrative is deeply rooted in historical detail. Philippi was a Roman colony. The river outside the gate, the place of prayer, the women who gathered, the seller of purple goods, and the Roman citizenship of Paul and Silas are all historically plausible. The most plausible explanation is that it preserves genuine historical memory. The deliverance of the slave girl is also historically significant. The practice of fortune-telling and the exploitation of slaves were common in the ancient world. The detail of the spirit of divination, the owners' economic motive, and the deliverance in the name of Jesus are vivid and specific. The most plausible explanation is that it preserves genuine historical memory. The conversion of the Philippian jailer is also historically significant. The detail of the earthquake, the open doors, the jailer's fear, his question, and the baptism of his household are vivid and specific. The most plausible explanation is that it preserves genuine historical memory.
This study preserves the hard questions, explanations, context, apologetic note, and references from Dr. Shallua's Commentary.