Key Test: When Lydia was baptized, and her household, she besought us, saying, If ye have judged me to be faithful to the Lord, come into my house, and abide there. And she constrained us (Acts 16:15).
The Macedonian Vision is Paul’s second vision sent by God and not merely a product of his own imagination v 10. In the vision “a man of Macedonia” (northern Greece) called to a four-man team of evangelists to enter the continent of Europe and “preach the gospel.” The evangelistic team consisted of Paul the leader, Silas his assistant, Timothy the young man, and Luke the intellectual. It is interesting that the variety of their backgrounds added balance and flexibility to the team. The group took ship from Troas and sailed to the island of Samothracia (an island in the Aegean Sea about halfway between Asia Minor and the Greek mainland) and on to Neapolis (the port city for Philippi). Philippi, a Roman colony made up of transplanted Roman citizens, was self-governing and independent of Roman taxation or tribute, and Philippians had the right to hold land in full ownership. The people were considered as Freemen of Rome, but continued to call themselves Romans v 21. Evidently, the Jewish community did not have the minimum of ten Jewish men who were heads of households required to form a synagogue. So, a place of prayer under the open sky and near the sea was adopted as a meeting place. In further evidence of the small number of Jewish men, it was the women who met to pray, worship, and recite the OT Scriptures.
When the evangelistic team arrived at Philippi, they met Lydia (perhaps a proper name, “the Lydian,” designating the region in which Thyatira was located). She seems to have been a Gentile and a seller of purple, indicating that she had learned the dye and textile business of her hometown, and had brought it to Philippi. Purple fabrics were usually worn by royalty and the wealthy. As a result, Lydia’s business turned a nice profit, which enabled her to have a house large enough to accommodate the missionary team v 15, and the new church at Philippi. She believed in the God of Israel but had not become a full proselyte until, “The Lord opened her heart” v 14. Paul spoke unto the women concerning Christ and salvation and it was there Lydia was saved and baptized and her household followed her example. As Lydia was faithful to the grace she had received, so God gave her more grace, and gave her now a divine conviction that what was spoken by Paul and his companions was true. She “attended unto the things, she believed them, and received them as the doctrine of God.”
Paul exorcised a demon from a slave girl who followed the evangelistic team chanting, “these men are the servants of the most high God” v 17 and that their message was the way of salvation. This miracle led to Paul and Silas being cast into jail, because of the complaint of “her masters” v 19 who realized their potential money was lost. At midnight Paul and Silas prayed and sang, and a great earthquake shook the prison foundation to the point that the doors were opened and “everyone’s bands were loosed.” The jailor, hearing that all the prisoners had escaped and that he had failed his responsibility, prepared to kill himself. Then Paul cried out, “Do thyself no harm.” Shaken by the evident power of God, the jailor asked, “Sirs, what must I do to be saved?” Again, Paul presented the jailer the truth, “Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ.” The jailer and his entire household believed their message and were baptized that very night. The jailor’s first Christian act of mercy was to wash the strips of Paul and Silas. After receiving apologies from city officials, the missionaries returned to Lydia’s house and “comforted…the brethren” v 40. The magistrates were humbled, “and the public at large, hearing of this circumstance, must be satisfied with the innocence of the apostles.” AMEN!
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