The Deliverance of a Damsel in Demonic Distress,
or Follow the Money Trail
Acts 16:16-24
16 And
it came to pass, as we went to prayer, a certain damsel possessed with a spirit
of divination met us, which brought her masters much gain by soothsaying: 17
The same followed Paul and us, and cried, saying, These men are the servants of
the most high God, which shew unto us the way of salvation. 18 And
this did she many days. But Paul, being grieved, turned and said to the spirit,
I command thee in the name of Jesus Christ to come out of her. And he came out
the same hour. 19 And when her masters saw that the hope of their
gains was gone, they caught Paul and Silas, and drew them into the marketplace
unto the rulers, 20 And brought them to the magistrates, saying,
These men, being Jews, do exceedingly trouble our city, 21 And teach
customs, which are not lawful for us to receive, neither to observe, being
Romans. 22 And the multitude rose up together against them: and the
magistrates rent off their clothes, and commanded to beat them. 23
And when they had laid many stripes upon them, they cast them into prison,
charging the jailor to keep them safely: 24 Who, having received
such a charge, thrust them into the inner prison, and made their feet fast in
the stocks.
Transition:
The subject of a “damsel in distress” has been seen in
modern times as the title of a novel by P. G. Wodehouse, and films produced in
1937 and 2011. It is an interesting theme with an ancient lineage.
Paolo Uccello's depiction of Saint George and
the dragon,
c. 1470, a classic image of a damsel in distress.
“The subject of
the damsel in distress, or
persecuted maiden, is a classic theme in world literature, art, film and video
games. She is usually a beautiful young woman placed in a dire predicament by a villain or monster and who requires a hero to achieve her rescue. After rescuing her the
hero can usually convince the woman to be his wife. She has become a stock character of fiction, particularly of melodrama. Though she is usually human, she can also
be of any other species, including fictional or folkloric species; and even divine figures such as an angel or deity.
The word
"damsel" derives from the French demoiselle, meaning "young lady", and the
term "damsel in distress" in turn is a translation of the French demoiselle en détresse. It is an
archaic term not used in modern English except for effect or in expressions
such as this, which can be traced back to the knight-errant of Medieval songs and tales, who regarded the
saving of such women as an essential part of his purpose.”
Source: Wikipedia
at http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Damsel_in_distress
[accessed 1 AUG 2014].
The passage we have as our focus today stands as a unique
historical narrative unmatched by anything found elsewhere on this theme.
Outline:
I. The Days of the Demonic Damsel (16:16-18a)
II. The Exit of the Exorcised Evil (16:18b-f)
III. The Mad Masters and Magistrates in the Marketplace
(16:19-21)
IV. The Stripes Suffered then Secured in Stocks
(16:22-24)
I. The Days of the Demonic Damsel (16:16-18a)
16 And
it came to pass, as we went to prayer, a certain damsel possessed with a spirit
of divination met us, which brought her masters much gain by soothsaying: 17
The same followed Paul and us, and cried, saying, These men are the servants of
the most high God, which shew unto us the way of salvation. 18 And
this did she many days.
1. The Description of the Damsel’s Significance (16:16)
2. The Declaration of the Damsel’s Cry (16:17)
3. The Duration of the Damsel’s Activity (16:18a)
1. The Description of the Damsel’s Significance
(16:16)
And it came to pass, as we went to
prayer, a certain damsel possessed with a spirit of divination met us, which
brought her masters much gain by soothsaying:
Notice when this took place! She met them as they went to
prayer!
1) damsel - This
appears to be an inappropriate English word to describe the true status of this
young lady. [1]
Modern translations generally render the Greek word here as “slave girl”, and
this may be seen as an accurate understanding due to the mention of her masters in this verse, and the usage
elsewhere in the New Testament, especially in Galatians 4:21-31 concerning Hagar
the bondwoman or slave woman (22, 23, 30, 30, 31). [2]
2) possessed - indwelt
and controlled by.
3) with a spirit of
divination - Lit. Python, a word
associated with 1) the snake said to guard the Delphic oracle which Apollo is
supposed to have slain, and 2) ventriloquism.
“Lit., a spirit, a
Python. Python, in the Greek mythology, was the serpent which guarded
Delphi. According to the legend, as related in the Homeric hymn, Apollo
descended from Olympus in order to select a site for his shrine and oracle.
Having fixed upon a spot on the southern side of Mount Parnassus, he found it
guarded by a vast and terrific serpent, which he slew with an arrow, and
suffered its body to rot (πυθεῖν) in the sun. Hence the name of
the serpent Python (rotting); Pytho, the name of the place, and the
epithet Pythian, applied to Apollo.
The name Python was subsequently used
to denote a prophetic demon, and was
also used of soothsayers who
practised ventriloquism, or speaking
from the belly.” [3]
4) which brought
here masters much gain by soothsaying
- fortune-telling.
The most significant factor here is that more than one
master is involved who were capitalizing on her demonic activity. I have yet to
find this aspect examined in the literature on the passage. [4]
Yet I must ask: Why is masters plural rather than singular? How is it that she
has more than one master? Is this the ancient demonic equivalent of “Murder
Incorporated”, i.e., “Fortune-telling
Incorporated”? Had they bought shares in her from her original master,
investing in her “belly-talk” (demonic ventriloquism), as in a public corporate
venture? This may be a very significant indication of precisely how profitable
her activities were for those so invested.
2. The Declaration of the Damsel’s Cry (16:17)
The same followed Paul and us, and
cried, saying, These men are the servants of the most high God, which shew unto
us the way of salvation.
Consider the implications of what she was broadcasting
repeatedly!
1) Who they were - These
men are the servants of the most high God, and
2) What they were doing - which
shew unto us the way of salvation
“None of this would have been very clear to Gentiles. The
term “God most high” was a common Old Testament term for God, but the same term
was equally common in the Gentile world and was particularly applied to Zeus. Neither
would “way of salvation” be immediately clear to a Gentile. The Greco-Roman
world was full of “saviors.” Savior/deliverer, salvation/deliverance were
favorite terms. The emperor dubbed himself “savior” of the people. All of which
is to show why Paul finally became irritated with the girl’s constant
acclamations.
These acclamations may have been true enough, but they were
open to too much misunderstanding for pagan hearers. The truth could not be so
easily condensed for those from a polytheistic background. Jesus might be seen
as just another savior in the bulging pantheon of Greek gods." [5]
"For this view that the girl’s acclamation was open to
serious misunderstanding by pagans, see P. R. Trebilco, “Paul and
Silas—‘Servants of the Most High God’ (Acts 16, 16–18),” JSNT 36 (1989): 51–73." [6]
Notice that this is the last occurrence of the 1st person
plural pronoun in this initial “we” section of Acts. It will not be seen again
until 20:6. Paul and Silas seem to have been singled out or otherwise separated
from both Luke and Timothy since they are the only ones specified as being
corporally punished and imprisoned. Timothy is not mentioned again by name
until 17:14 in Berea.
3. The Duration of the Damsel’s Activity (16:18a)
And this did she many days.
This did not just happen “once and done”, nor just a few
times, before Paul brought it to an end.
II. The Exit of the Exorcised Evil (16:18b-f)
But Paul, being grieved, turned
and said to the spirit, I command thee in the name of Jesus Christ to come out
of her. And he came out the same hour.
1. The Reason for Paul’s Action
2. The Nature of Paul’s Action
3. The Success of Paul’s Action
1. The Reason for Paul’s Action
But Paul, being grieved,
grieved - greatly
annoyed (NASB, ESV), greatly aggravated (HCSB), exasperated (NLT)
Only other occurrence = Acts 4:2 [also appears in a very
few mss. in Mk. 14:4]
Acts 4:1-2 - 1 And as they spake
unto the people, the priests, and the captain of the temple, and the Sadducees,
came upon them, 2 Being grieved that they taught the people,
and preached through Jesus the resurrection from the dead.
2. The Nature of Paul’s Action
turned and said to the spirit, I
command thee in the name of Jesus Christ to come out of her.
1) The specific focus of Paul’s address - the spirit
He was not speaking to the damsel. He knew who he was
speaking to, and the demon knew also. There is very clear communication taking
place here, and it is clearly understood.
2) The general form of Paul’s address - I command thee
Think about what Paul is doing here. Think about what
those who witnessed this must have felt. They had never expected such a thing,
and for many of them, they had no frame of reference for it.
3) The specific authority of Paul’s address - in the name of Jesus Christ
This “seals the deal”. There is no turning back, and no
“wiggle room” for the demon when Paul qualifies the command to follow this way.
The demons understand this, though unregenerate humans are in the dark.
The exorcisms performed by Christ are instructive for
what took place here - e.g., Lk. 8-11
(cp. Mt. 8-12).
Demons do not doubt the existence, nature or authority of
Jesus Christ. Only unregenerate men, women and children do that. Demons know better. They bow to His authority
and obey His commands. They know who He is.
Lk. 4:31-41 - 31 And came down to
Capernaum, a city of Galilee, and taught them on the sabbath days.
32 And
they were astonished at his doctrine: for his word was with power.
33 And
in the synagogue there was a man, which had a spirit of an unclean devil, and
cried out with a loud voice, 34 Saying, Let us alone; what have we to do with thee, thou Jesus of Nazareth? art thou come to
destroy us? I know thee who thou art; the Holy One of God. 35 And Jesus rebuked
him, saying, Hold thy peace, and come out of him. And when the devil had thrown
him in the midst, he came out of him, and hurt him not. 36 And they were all
amazed, and spake among themselves, saying, What a word is this! for with authority and power he commandeth the unclean
spirits, and they come out.
37 And
the fame of him went out into every place of the country round about. 38 And he arose out
of the synagogue, and entered into Simon's house. And Simon's wife's mother was
taken with a great fever; and they besought him for her. 39 And he stood over
her, and rebuked the fever; and it left her: and immediately she arose and
ministered unto them.
40 Now
when the sun was setting, all they that had any sick with divers diseases
brought them unto him; and he laid his hands on every one of them, and healed
them. 41 And devils also
came out of many, crying out, and saying, Thou art Christ the Son of God. And
he rebuking them suffered them not to
speak: for they knew that he was Christ.
Jas. 2:19 - Thou believest that there
is one God; thou doest well: the devils also believe, and tremble.
They know when their time has come!
Mt. 8:28-29 - 28 And when he was
come to the other side into the country of the Gergesenes, there met him two
possessed with devils, coming out of the tombs, exceeding fierce, so that no
man might pass by that way. 29 And, behold, they
cried out, saying, What have we to do with thee, Jesus, thou Son of God? art
thou come hither to torment us before the time?
We live as if there is no such thing!
1 Tim. 4:1; Rev. 9:20; 16:14; 18:2
The world ignores this at their peril!
4) The specific order in Paul’s address - come out of her
Do you hear the command of Christ to “Come out…!”? 2 Cor.
6:14-7:1
3. The Success of Paul’s Action
And he came out the same hour.
There is no discussion. There are no options. There is no
debate. Spiritual power is displayed. Spiritual deliverance is evidenced.
What then? Does this mean that she is saved, as in
regenerated? Not necessarily.
In the case of Mary
Magdalene, yes. Lk. 8:1-3- 1 And it came to
pass afterward, that he went throughout every city and village, preaching and
shewing the glad tidings of the kingdom of God: and the twelve were with him,
2 And
certain women, which had been healed of evil spirits and infirmities, Mary
called Magdalene, out of whom went seven devils, 3 And Joanna the
wife of Chuza Herod's steward, and Susanna, and many others, which ministered
unto him of their substance.
But consider what Christ says in Mt. 12:43-45 - 43
When the unclean spirit is gone out of a man,
he walketh through dry places, seeking rest, and findeth none. 44 Then he saith, I
will return into my house from whence I came out; and when he is come, he
findeth it empty, swept, and garnished. 45 Then goeth he,
and taketh with himself seven other spirits more wicked than himself, and they
enter in and dwell there: and the last state
of that man is worse than the first. Even so shall it be also unto this wicked
generation.
III. The Mad Masters and Magistrates in the
Marketplace (16:19-21)
19 And when her masters saw that
the hope of their gains was gone, they caught Paul and Silas, and drew them
into the marketplace unto the rulers, 20 And brought them to the
magistrates, saying, These men, being Jews, do exceedingly trouble our city, 21
And teach customs, which are not lawful for us to receive, neither to observe,
being Romans.
1. The Real Basis for the Arrest of Paul and Silas
(16:19)
2. The False Basis for the Arrest of Paul and
Silas (16:20-21)
1. The Real Basis for the Arrest of Paul and
Silas (16:19)
And when her masters saw that the hope
of their gains was gone, they caught Paul and Silas, and drew them into the
marketplace unto the rulers,
What is this about? Money? Profit? Mammon? The marketplace is a fit venue for them to
air their complaints!
The same verb is used here as twice in verse 18, in other
words, their profit was exorcised with the demon. Future income? Exit stage
left! Their “futures” were all tied up in the demonic possession that Paul had
just effectively terminated.
This is the hidden agenda implicit in the first charge to
follow.
Demonism, false religion, and idolatry are all big
business. There is a market for what they’re selling! It would be no different in Ephesus in the
very near future. It is no different today. When it comes to serving the false
god Mammon, and the making merchandise of the souls of men, nothing has
changed. Demonic, false, idolatrous, manmade religion is still big business,
and if anything, is bigger than ever.
2. The False Basis for the Arrest of Paul and
Silas (16:20-21)
20 And
brought them to the magistrates, saying, These men, being Jews, do exceedingly
trouble our city, 21 And teach customs, which are not lawful for us
to receive, neither to observe, being Romans.
The legal issues contained in the false charges in verses
20-21 may be the central issue in the book of Acts that climaxes in the final
arrest, trial and martyrdom of the Apostle Paul.
IV. The Stripes Suffered then Secured in Stocks
(16:22-24)
22 And the multitude rose up
together against them: and the magistrates rent off their clothes, and
commanded to beat them. 23 And when they had laid many stripes upon
them, they cast them into prison, charging the jailor to keep them safely: 24
Who, having received such a charge, thrust them into the inner prison, and made
their feet fast in the stocks.
1. The Reaction
of the Multitude (16:22a)
2. The Responses
of the Magistrates (16:22b-23)
3. The
Responsibility of the Jailer (16:24)
1. The Reaction of the Multitude (16:22a)
And the multitude rose up together
against them:
This is not the
first mob scene that Paul has faced, and Timothy may have witnessed at least
one at Lystra during Paul’s first journey there, but for both Timothy and Silas
this may have been the first time that they had endured being the target of the
wrath of man against men of God. Paul and Silas would now be fulfilling the
words of the Savior. Timothy seems to have been spared, but could hardly have
departed with Luke as some suggest since he is mentioned again as still part of
the team in Berea in 17:14 following the departure from both Philippi and
Thessalonica.
Mt. 24:9 (cp. Mk.
13:13; Lk. 21:17; Jn. 15:18; Mt. 10:22) - Then shall they
deliver you up to be afflicted, and shall kill you: and ye shall be hated of
all nations for my name's sake.
Jn. 17:14 - I have given them thy word; and the world hath hated them,
because they are not of the world, even as I am not of the world.
2. The Responses of the Magistrates (16:22b-23)
and the magistrates rent off their
clothes, and commanded to beat them. 23 And when they had laid many
stripes upon them, they cast them into prison, charging the jailor to keep them
safely:
"Verse 22 reads literally, “And the magistrates, tearing off
their garments, commanded rodding.” The “their” is ambiguous and could be seen
as the magistrates tearing their own garments in horror at Paul and Silas’s
“crime.” Since prisoners were always stripped for lashing, the present context
seems more naturally to call for the stripping of Paul and Silas. See K. Lake
and H. J. Cadbury, eds., The Beginnings
of Christianity, vol. 5: Additional
Notes (London: Macmillan, 1933), 272–73." [7]
3. The Responsibility of the Jailer (16:24)
Who, having received such a charge,
thrust them into the inner prison, and made their feet fast in the stocks.
This sets the stage for what is to follow in the next
episode at Philippi!
Conclusion:
I. The Days of the Demonic Damsel (16:16-18a)
1. The Description of the
Damsel’s Significance (16:16)
2. The Declaration of the
Damsel’s Cry (16:17)
3. The Duration of the Damsel’s
Activity (16:18a)
II. The Exit of the Exorcised Evil (16:18b-f)
1. The Reason for Paul’s
Action
2. The Nature of Paul’s
Action
3. The Success of Paul’s
Action
III. The Mad Masters and Magistrates in the Marketplace
(16:19-21)
1. The Real Basis for the
Arrest of Paul and Silas (16:19)
2. The False Basis for
the Arrest of Paul and Silas (16:20-21)
IV. The Stripes Suffered then Secured in Stocks
(16:22-24)
1. The Reaction of the Multitude (16:22a)
2. The Responses of the Magistrates (16:22b-23)
3. The Responsibility of the Jailer (16:24)
[Sermon preached 3
AUG 2014 by Pastor John T. “Jack” Jeffery at Wayside Gospel Chapel, Greentown,
PA.]
Resources on Acts:
G. K. Beale and D. A. Carson, eds., Commentary on the New Testament Use of the Old
Testament (Grand Rapids: Baker Academic, 2007), pp. 513-606.
Paul Barnett, The Birth of Christianity: The First
Twenty Years, After Jesus, Vol. 1
(Grand Rapids: William B. Eerdmans Publishing Co., 2005).
Darrell L. Bock, Acts, Baker Exegetical Commentary on the New Testament, eds. Robert W.
Yarbrough and Robert H. Stein (Grand Rapids: Baker Academic, 2007).
F. F. Bruce, The
Acts of the Apostles: The Greek Text with Introduction and Commentary, 2nd
ed. (Grand Rapids: Wm. B. Eerdmans Publishing Co., 1951, 1952).
I. Howard Marshall, Acts: An Introduction And
Commentary, Vol. 5 in Tyndale New
Testament Commentaries, gen. ed. Leon Morris (Downers Grove, IL:
InterVarsity Press, 1980; 2008 reprint).
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gen. ed. D. A. Carson (Grand Rapids: William B. Eerdmans Publishing Co., 2009).
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David S. Dockery (Nashville, TN: Broadman & Holman, Publishers, 1992).
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Testament, gen. ed. Clinton E. Arnold (Grand Rapids: Zondervan, 2012).
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KY: Westminster John Knox Press, 2010).
Resources on Paul:
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[accessed 13 FEB 2013].
A. T. Robertson, Epochs in the Life of Paul: A Study of
Development in Paul's Character (Grand Rapids: Baker Book House, 1974).
Eckhard J. Schnabel, Paul The
Missionary: Realities, Strategies And Methods (Downers
Grove, IL: IVP Academic, 2008).
Udo Schnelle, Apostle Paul: His Life and Theology,
trans. M. Eugene Boring (Grand Rapids: Baker Academic, 2003; trans. from Paulus: Leben und Denken, Berlin: Walter
de Gruyter GmbH & Co., n.d.).
Thomas R. Schreiner, Paul, Apostle of God's Glory in
Christ: A Pauline Theology (Downers Grove, IL: IVP Academic, 2001).
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& T. Clark, 1885; rev. ed. 2010 by Kessinger Publishing from 1912 ed.); on Google Books at http://books.google.com/books?id=vT0HAAAAQAAJ&printsec=frontcover#v=onepage&q&f=false
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[1] See Noah Webster, A Dictionary of the American Language
(1828), and the Oxford English Dictionary.
[2] James Hope Moulton, and
George Milligan, The Vocabulary of the
Greek Testament (London: Hodder and Stoughton, 1930; 1976 reprint by Wm. B.
Eerdmans Publishing Co., Grand Rapids), pg. 474, s.v. παιδίσκη (citing Rutherford, NP, pp. 312f.; Kennedy, Sources, pp. 40f.; Milligan, Here and There, pg. 981); see also J. P.
Louw, and E. A. Nida, Greek-English Lexicon
of the New Testament: Based on Semantic Domains, electronic ed. of the 2nd
ed. (New York: United Bible Societies, 1996), 1:742; s.v. 87.83.
[3] M. R. Vincent, Word studies in the New Testament (New York: Charles
Scribner’s Sons, M. R. (1887), s.v. Acts 16:16.
[4] This research has included to date the following
sources: Darrell L. Bock, Acts, Baker
Exegetical Commentary on the New Testament, eds. Robert W. Yarbrough and
Robert H. Stein (Grand Rapids: Baker Academic, 2007); F. F. Bruce, The Acts
of the Apostles: The Greek Text with Introduction and Commentary, 2nd ed.
(Grand Rapids: Wm. B. Eerdmans Publishing Co., 1951, 1952); I. Howard Marshall,
Acts: An Introduction And Commentary, Vol. 5 in Tyndale New Testament Commentaries, gen. ed. Leon Morris (Downers
Grove, IL: InterVarsity Press, 1980; 2008 reprint); David G. Peterson, The
Acts of the Apostles, The Pillar New
Testament Commentaries, gen. ed. D. A. Carson (Grand Rapids: William B.
Eerdmans Publishing Co., 2009); John B. Polhill, Acts, Vol. 26 in The New American Commentary, gen. ed.
David S. Dockery (Nashville, TN: Broadman & Holman, Publishers, 1992); Eckhard
J. Schnabel, Acts, Vol. 5 in the Zondervan
Exegetical Commentary on the New Testament, gen. ed. Clinton E. Arnold (Grand
Rapids: Zondervan, 2012); the NET Bible at https://bible.org/netbible/,
et al. But see John Gill, Expositon of
the Bible, on BibleStudyTools at http://www.biblestudytools.com/commentaries/gills-exposition-of-the-bible/acts-16-16.html:
“it seems she had many masters, who had a propriety in
her, and shared the gain she brought; unless by them are meant her master and
mistress…” Also, A. T. Robertson, Word Pictures in the New Testament (Nashville: Broadman Press, 1933), s.v. Acts 16:16:
“Joint owners of this poor slave girl who were exploiting her calamity,
whatever it was, for selfish gain, just as men and women today exploit girls
and women in the "white slave" trade.”
[5] J. B. Polhill, Acts, Vol. 26 in The New
American Commentary (Nashville: Broadman & Holman Publishers, 1995), pg. 351.
[6] Ibid., note 29.
[7] Polhill, op. cit., pg. 353, note 36.
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