family desired time to consider whether they should come into baptismal bonds or no; nor did Paul and Silas desire time to try their sincerity, and to consider whether they should baptize them or no. But the spirit of grace worked such a strong faith in them, all on a sudden, as superseded further debate; and Paul and Silas knew by the Spirit, that it was a work of God that was wrought in them: so that there was no occasion for demur. This therefore will not justify such precipitation in ordinary cases.
(6.) The jailer was hereupon very respectful to Paul and Silas, as one that knew not how to make amends for the injury he had done to them, much less for the kindness he had received from them; he took them the same hour of the night, would not let them lie a minute longer in the inner prison; but, [1.] He washed their stripes, to cool them, and abate the smart of them; to clean them, from the blood which the stripes had fetched; it is probable that he bathed them with some healing liquor; as the good Samaritan helped the wounded man by pouring in oil and wine. [2.] He brought them into his house, bid them welcome to the best room he had, and prepared his best bed for them. Now nothing was thought good enough for them, as before nothing bad enough. [3.] He set meat before them, such as his house would afford, and they were welcome to it; by which he expressed the welcome which his soul gave to the gospel. They had spoken to him the word of the Lord, had broken the bread of life to him and his family; and he, having reaped so plentifully of their spiritual things, thought it was but reasonable that they should reap of his carnal things, 1 Cor. 9. 11. What have we houses and tables for, but, as we have opportunity, to serve God and his people with them?
(7.) The voice of rejoicing with that of salvation was heard in the jailer's house; never was such a truly merry night kept there before; he rejoiced, believing in God with all his house. There was none in his house that refused to be baptized, and so made a jar in the harmony; but they were unanimous in embracing the gospel, which added much to the joy. Or, it may be read, He, believing in God, rejoiced all the house over; πανοικὶ ; he went to every apartment, expressing his joy. Observe, [1.] His believing in Christ is called believing in God; which intimates that Christ is God, and that the design of the gospel is so far from being to draw us from God, (saying, go serve other gods, Deut. 13. 2.) that it has a direct tendency to bring us to God. [2.] His faith produced joy; they that by faith have given up themselves to God in Christ as their's, have a great deal of reason to rejoice. The eunuch, when he was converted, went on his way rejoicing; and here the jailer rejoiced. The conversion of the nations is spoken of in the Old Testament as their rejoicing, Ps. 67. 4.—96. 11. For believing, we rejoice with joy unspeakable, and full of glory. Believing in Christ, is rejoicing in Christ. [3.] He signified his joy to all about him; out of the abundance of the joy in his heart, his mouth spake to the glory of God, and their encouragement who believed in God too. Those who have themselves tasted the comforts of religion, should do what they can to bring others to the taste of them. One cheerful Christian should make many.
35. And when it was day, the magistrates sent the serjeants, saying, Let those men go. 36. And the keeper of the prison told this saying to Paul, The magistrates have sent to let you go: now therefore depart, and go in peace. 37. But Paul said unto them, They have beaten us openly uncondemned, being Romans, and have cast us into prison; and now do they thrust us out privily? Nay verily; but let them come themselves and fetch us out. 38. And the serjeants told these words unto the magistrates: and they feared, when they heard that they were Romans. 39. And they came and besought them, and brought them out, and desired them to depart out of the city. 40. And they went out of the prison, and entered into the house of Lydia: and when they had seen the brethren, they comforted them, and departed.
In these verses, we have,
I. Orders sent for the discharge of Paul and Silas out of prison; v. 35, 36.
1. The magistrates that had so basely abused them the day before, gave the orders; and their doing it so early, as soon as it was day, intimates that either they were sensible the terrible earthquake they felt at midnight was intended to plead the cause of their prisoners, or their consciences had smitten them for what they had done, and made them very uneasy. While the persecuted were singing in the stocks, the persecutors were full of tossings to and fro upon their beds, through anguish of mind, complaining more of the lashes of their consciences than the prisoners did of the lashes on their backs; and, more in haste to give them a discharge than they were to petition for one. Now God made his servants to be pitied of them that had carried them captives, Ps. 106. 46. The magistrates sent serjeants, ῥαβδούχους—those that had the rods, the vergers, the tipstaves, the beadles, those that had been employed in beating them, that they might go and ask them forgiveness. The order was, Let those men go. It is probable that they designed further mischief to them, but God turned their hearts, and as he had made their wrath hitherto to praise him, so the remainder thereof he did restrain, Ps. 76. 10.
2. The jailer brought them the news; (v. 36.) The magistrates have sent to let you go. Some think the jailer had betimes transmitted an account to the magistrates of what had passed in his house that night, and so had obtained this order for the discharge of his prisoners; Now therefore depart. Not that he was desirous to part with them as his guests, but as his prisoners; they shall still be welcome to his house, but he is glad they are at liberty from his stocks. God could by his grace as easily have converted the magistrates as the jailer, and have brought them to faith and baptism; but God hath chosen the poor of this world, James 2. 5.
II. Paul's insisting upon the breach of privilege which the magistrates had been guilty of, v. 37. Paul said to the serjeants, "They have beaten us openly, uncondemned, being Romans, and have cast us into prison against all law and justice, and now do they thrust us out privily, and think to make us amends with that for the injury done us? Nay verily; but let them come themselves, and fetch us out, and own that they have done us wrong." It is probable that the magistrates had some intimation they were Romans, and were made sensible that their fury had carried them further than the law could bear them out; and that was the reason they gave orders for their discharge. Now observe,
1. Paul did not plead this before he was beaten, though it is probable that it might have prevented it, lest he should seem to be afraid of suffering for the truth which he had preached. Tully, in one of his orations, against Verres, tells of one Ganius, who was ordered by Verres to be beaten in Sicily, that
