Acts Chapter 16 Verses 1-3

Acts 16:1 “Then came he to Derbe and Lystra: and, behold, a certain disciple was there, named Timotheus, the son of a certain woman, which was a Jewess, and believed; but his father was a Greek: 2 Which was well reported of by the brethren that were at Lystra and Iconium. 3 Him would Paul have to go forth with him; and took and circumcised him because of the Jews which were in those quarters: for they knew all that his father was a Greek.” 

 At first glance it might appear that Paul is being contradictory to the decision of the previous chapter.  Paul took Timothy and circumcised him.  This after arguing that to circumcise the Gentiles was not consistent with salvation by the grace of God.  However, Timotheus’ mother was a Jew even though his father was a Greek.  Paul knew that Timothy would not be accepted by those Jews who had not yet heard and believed the gospel if they knew he was not circumcised.  Thus for both Paul and Timothy’s sake, circumcision was necessary for a door to be opened for the gospel to those Jews who had not yet heard and believed the gospel of the grace of Christ. 

Here we are introduced to Timothy, whom Paul would later call a son in the faith: 1 Tim. 1:2 “Unto Timothy, my own son in the faith: Grace, mercy, and peace, from God our Father and Jesus Christ our Lord.”  Thus Timothy traveling with Paul and Silas would be learning from Paul and Silas and growing in the faith that was once delivered to the saints. 

Verses 4-10

Acts 16:4 “And as they went through the cities, they delivered them the decrees for to keep, that were ordained of the apostles and elders which were at Jerusalem. 5 And so were the churches established in the faith, and increased in number daily. 6 Now when they had gone throughout Phrygia and the region of Galatia, and were forbidden of the Holy Ghost to preach the word in Asia, 7 After they were come to Mysia, they assayed to go into Bithynia: but the Spirit suffered them not. 8 And they passing by Mysia came down to Troas. 9 And a vision appeared to Paul in the night; There stood a man of Macedonia, and prayed him, saying, Come over into Macedonia, and help us. 10 And after he had seen the vision, immediately we endeavoured to go into Macedonia, assuredly gathering that the Lord had called us for to preach the gospel unto them.”

“And as they went through the cities, they delivered them the decrees for to keep, that were ordained of the apostles and elders which were at Jerusalem.”  Paul along with Silas and Timothy were traveling back to the churches that Paul and Barnabas had constituted on their previous evangelistic trip.  They went according to Paul’s desire to “visit our brethren in every city where we have preached the word of the Lord, and see how they do.”  Not only did they preach to these churches and confirmed them in the faith, but they also delivered to them the decrees to keep that were ordained of the apostles and elders which were at Jerusalem.  This would appear to be where the concept of “Articles of Faith,” “Church Covenant,” and “Rules of Decorum” originated.  This is very beneficial to newly constituted churches so as to provide guidelines to help keep them in the faith that was once delivered to the saints.  “And so were the churches established in the faith, and increased in number daily.”  Churches should be growing both in their service to God, but also in number.  Looking back through the history of God’s dealings in the Old Testament days with the nation of Israel, it appears that they drew closer to God in times of hardship and trouble, but they turned from their service and closeness to God in times of material prosperity.  That is one of the main problems we are faced with in the United States in this period of history. 

“Now when they had gone throughout Phrygia and the region of Galatia, and were forbidden of the Holy Ghost to preach the word in Asia.”  Now after they had completed their journey to visit the brethren that they had previously preached to in the first journey, now it was time to go on another evangelistic trip.  One of the differences between evangelism and missionism is the evangelist goes by the direction of the Holy Spirit, whereas the missionary goes by direction of the church body or by the direction of a missionary board.  In the above verse Paul, and Silas, and Timothy were forbidden of the Holy Ghost to preach the word in Asia.  Now if the purpose of preaching the gospel was to save people into heaven, then this statement would seem to be a very strange statement indeed.  However, the purpose of preaching the gospel is to bring the good news that Christ has saved his people from their sins by the grace of God and through his sacrificial atonement. 

“After they were come to Mysia, they assayed to go into Bithynia: but the Spirit suffered them not.”  Where we go in evangelistic work is not based on where we think we should go or what may seem best to us.  The brethren assayed to go into Bithynia, but this is not where the Spirit was leading them to go, so the Spirit suffered them not.  When it comes to the opening of doors for the furtherance of the gospel, man cannot open a door.  Only the Holy Spirit can open doors for the furtherance of the gospel. 

“And a vision appeared to Paul in the night; There stood a man of Macedonia, and prayed him, saying, Come over into Macedonia, and help us.  And after he had seen the vision, immediately we endeavoured to go into Macedonia, assuredly gathering that the Lord had called us for to preach the gospel unto them.”  The Lord has a way to communicate to His people.  In this case he communicated to Paul in a vision by night.  Paul recognized that this was the Lord’s communication to him and then immediately they endeavored to go into Macedonia, gathering that the Lord had called them to preach the gospel unto them.

Verses 11-15

Acts 16:11 “Therefore loosing from Troas, we came with a straight course to Samothracia, and the next day to Neapolis; 12 And from thence to Philippi, which is the chief city of that part of Macedonia, and a colony: and we were in that city abiding certain days. 13 And on the sabbath we went out of the city by a river side, where prayer was wont to be made; and we sat down, and spake unto the women which resorted thither. 14 And a certain woman named Lydia, a seller of purple, of the city of Thyatira, which worshipped God, heard us: whose heart the Lord opened, that she attended unto the things which were spoken of Paul.”

“Therefore loosing from Troas, we came with a straight course to Samothracia,  and the next day to Neapolis; And from thence to Philippi, which is the chief city of that part of Macedonia, and a colony: and we were in that city abiding certain days.”  Now the city Philippi in Macedonia was the site of the church that Paul would later send a letter to that we refer to as the book of Philippians.  The details about the beginnings of that church are related to us in this passage of scripture. 

“And on the sabbath we went out of the city by a river side, where prayer was wont to be made; and we sat down, and spake unto the women which resorted thither.”  In this site by the river side where prayer was wont to be made there were women which resorted there.  We are not given why the women resorted there, but often times women would go down to the river side to draw water.  Regardless of the purpose that brought the women to resort there Paul and Silas and Timothy spoke to the women and no doubt taught them about Jesus Christ and the gospel of grace. 

“And a certain woman named Lydia, a seller of purple, of the city of Thyatira, which worshipped God, heard us: whose heart the Lord opened, that she attended unto the things which were spoken of Paul.”  The Lord opened Lydia’s heart that she heard and attended to the things which were spoken of Paul.  A person will not attend to the gospel of Jesus Christ unless the Lord has opened their heart.  There were other women there that the brethren spoke to but Lydia was the only one that attended to the things which were spoken of Paul.

“And when she 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.”  Not only was Lydia baptized, but her household as well.  We are not told how her household came to hear the word but they did and they were baptized as well.  Then Lydia invited the men to come into her house and abide there.