Acts 16:6-34

Grace

To see our neighbours and neighbourhood experience the abundance of community.

Readings

Reading deeper…

Jim Reiher, The Book of Acts: A Social Justice Commentary, pages 151-163.

Devotion 1

Wait: Take time to sit in silence together, allowing space for God’s voice to be heard.

Read: Acts 16:6-15

What stands out to you in this reading?

In this passage, Paul, and his companions, Timothy and Luke (the author Luke has subtly entered the story by using ‘we’ rather than ‘they’) arrive in the Macedonian city of Philippi, where they look for a synagogue as was their usual habit. Instead they find a group of women gathered, among them Lydia, who was a “dealer in purple cloth” (v14). In itself, it is notable that these men sit down and speak with the women, and that in Luke’s gospel, Lydia is named. Throughout his two-volume work, gender-equality (though Luke wouldn’t have termed it such) has been a theme. As well as this, this story presents us with a complex web of relationships.

Dealing in purple cloth was a lucrative trade in 1st century Roman Empire. There is even evidence that it was a trade monopolised by those connected with Caesar’s household. Thus Lydia seems to be a woman of high social standing of considerable economic means. When Paul, a travelling tent-maker and his companions meet Lydia, their relationship would probably have been seen in that culture in light of patron-client relationships, where powerful patrons do favours for clients who in return owe them loyalty (pistis— the same word used in the New Testament for “faith”) and honour.

In this story though, we see something else. Lydia listens eagerly to Paul, and is baptised along with her household (v14-15). Then, rather than granting a favour to the poor travellers, she urges them to stay if they have found her faithful (pisten, from the same word as loyalty). It is Paul who is seen doing the “favour” and Lydia who is seen to show loyalty. Thus, the social relations have been turned somewhat upside-down, in light of the good news which Luke has consistently emphasised as bringing the powerful down and lifting the lowly up (Luke 1: 52-53).

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Devotion 2

Wait: Take time to sit in silence, aware of the presence of God’s Spirit

Read: Acts 16:16-24

Having met a woman of high status in Lydia, we now meet a girl of virtually no status (16:16).

“This poor girl was truly oppressed. She was first and foremost, a slave. Not a good status to have. She was also a woman in slavery — not a good combination at any time in history. Woman + slave = recipe for exploitation and abuse. On top of this, the girl was also demonized! Talk about a triple whammy! The demon within her gave her a capacity to do ‘demon inspired prophecy’ and the slave owners made good money out of her fortune-telling.”

Eventually, Paul casts the demon out off her, and not surprisingly draws a hostile reaction from the slave owners, who charge them with “disturbing our city” — not dissimilar charges than those thrown at Jesus (Lk 23:5). Reiher says,

“Perhaps we get a clue to the answer (of why Paul delayed the exorcism) when we consider how the masters of the slave girl reacted so badly to this event. They caused great pain for Paul and his missionary work in Philippi. It all led to a riot, a beating, jail, and being asked to leave the city. Paul knew (I suspect) that freeing the slave girl from the spirit of divination would not be received well by the slave owners who made money out of her plight. Paul would have known it would cause a stir and it would get the owners very angry…. Disrupting economic profits is almost guaranteed to create hostility from those making the profits!”

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Share: Communion

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Devotion 3

Wait: Take time to sit in the silence of thanksgiving together, aware of God’s loving kindness toward us.

Read: Acts 16:25-34

Having seen the oppressed slave girl go free, in this story we see Paul and his companions released from captivity — providing us with more pictures of what the enactment of Jesus mission (Lk 4:18-19) looks like.

Following this miraculous release, the jailor is ready to take his own life rather than face Roman justice, which would have meant death (remember 12:19!), assuming that the prisoners have escaped. Paul and his companions haven’t though, and they are not about to. Instead, they stop the jailor from harming himself, inviting him to join the Way.

This story is a picture of loving our enemies. Paul sees through the myth of redemptive violence, which leads us to believe that our “enemies” — those on the other side of the fence — are somehow less than human, and worthy of whatever bad comes their way. Rather, Paul sees the humanity of the jailor, which Luke emphasises as he gives us a glimpse of the man away from the jail and with his family.

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Devotion 4

Wait: Take time to sit in the silence of repentance together, aware of our inadequacy and God’s grace.

Read: Deuteronomy 26:1-11 (Lent Reading)

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Spend time praying for each of those present in the room and for the wider UNOH team.

Share: Communion


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