Title: Chapter 10
Course: Course PE500, Acts of the Apostles > Section: Unit 9

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X.       MIRACLES OF ACTS

Acts 1:9–11 tells of the ascension, of Jesus’ return to heaven. It is mentioned three times by Luke in his Gospel and Acts (Lk.24:50–51; Ac.1:2, 9–11. As the disciples watched in wonder, two angels joined them, promising that Jesus would come back “in like manner as you saw him go into heaven.”

Jesus was taken up and received into a cloud (Ac.1:9). The miraculous departure of Christ contrasts with the Old Testament’s report of Elijah’s departure. That Old Testament prophet was swept up into heaven by angels, carried away in a fiery chariot (2Kg.2:11).

The description of Jesus’ departure seems almost casual. One moment the resurrected Christ was blessing His disciples outside Bethany (Lk.24:51), and the next, he was taken up into the air and received into a cloud. However, this departure was less casual than the description suggests. When associated with the miraculous, clouds have a special significance.

We are reminded of Luke 9, which describes Jesus’ transfiguration in front of the inner circle of His disciples. Luke indicated that a cloud “overshadowed them” and that a voice speaking from the cloud announced, “This is My Beloved Son, hear him!” (Lk.9:34-35). The cloud also reminds us of Jesus’ words about Himself and His return, “in the clouds with great power and glory” (Mk.13:26).

In each case, the image of the cloud is rooted in the Old Testament era, where a bright cloud symbolized the glory of God, the Shekinah, which once filled the Tabernacle and later filled the Temple built by Solomon.

Other Scriptures indicate that a cloud along with the fiery pillar is a symbol of Divine covering, guidance, oversight, and provision (Ex.13:21-22; Ps. 18:11; 104:3; Is. 19:1; Ezk. 1:4; Mt. 24:30; Re. 1:7; 1Th. 4:17).

A cloud is often associated with a manifestation of God’s presence (Lk.9:28–36). This was not an ordinary rain cloud but the cloud of glory that surrounds the very presence of God. As they were looking on, He was lifted up. This visible ascension of Jesus into heaven indicates that Jesus retains a physical human body, as a man, though He is exalted to the right hand of God, i.e., given direct executive rule in God’s spiritual Kingdom (Mt.28:18). When coupled with Acts 1:11, it also indicates that He will someday return in the same physical body. The amazing miracle of the incarnation is not only that the eternal Son of God took human nature on Himself and became a person who is simultaneously God and man, but also that He will remain both fully God and fully man forever.

We should not imagine that the cloud that hid him from their sight was an ordinary cloud in the sky either. This is the same sort of cloud that we find at the transfiguration (Lk. 9:34–35; cf. Ex. 16:10; Ps. 104:3), the cloud that is the revelation of the divine glory.

Thus, the apostles’ last glimpse of Jesus was of Him being enveloped in a cloud which spoke of the divine presence. Even the manner in which Jesus was taken up was a powerful affirmation of His divinity.

Jesus was carried up “into heaven.” The Greek phrase eis ton ouranon, “into heaven,” is used in Luke 24:51 and repeated in Acts 1:10 and three times in Acts 1:11. It is clear that locating the risen Jesus in heaven was of central importance to Luke in reporting this wonder.

The message of the two angels further emphasizes this point. The angels told the watchers that “this same Jesus, who was taken up from you into heaven, will so come in like manner as you saw him go into heaven” (Ac.1:11). The angels’ words established two things: Jesus was now in heaven and Jesus would return to earth.

The appearance of two angels startled the disciples while they were gazing intently into the sky (Ac.1:10). The term “men in white clothing” (v. 10) is used to describe angels in the Gospels (Lk.24:4; Jn.20:11–12). Angels also appeared at the beginning of the Gospel of Luke (Lk.1:11, 26). The angels reassured them about Jesus’ return (1Th.4:17), encouraging them to return to Jerusalem with confidence (Ac.1:11).  The continuing emphasis on Jesus’ location “in heaven” is the most significant feature of this opening wonder described in the Book of Acts.

Why was Jesus’ presence in heaven so significant? The importance of establishing this point is reflected in a prayer offered by the apostles after a confrontation with the leaders who had conspired to have Jesus executed. The disciples prayed that the Lord would stretch out His hand to heal, and that signs and wonders might be done through the name of Jesus (Ac.4:30). Because He was in heaven, Jesus could now answer His disciples’ prayers and act through them to perform fresh wonders on the earth!

In fact, the New Testament mentions a number of the present ministries of Jesus Christ: 1) Jesus in heaven preparing a place for us (Jn.14:2-3); 2) Jesus, as the Vine, is the source of that spiritual vitality which enables us to bear fruit as we stay close to Him (Jn.15:4-5); 3) Jesus, as Head of the Church, guides and directs us (Ep.2:20-21);

4) Jesus, as our High Priest, sympathizes with our weaknesses and provides mercy and enabling grace when we come to His throne of grace (He.4:15-16); 5) Jesus, as our High Priest, intercedes for us, guaranteeing our salvation (He.7:25); 6) Jesus, as our advocate, represents us when we sin, pledging His own blood as the basis for our salvation (1Jn.2:1-2).

These and other ministries which Jesus performs for believers today, make His living presence in heaven vital for us. And the wonder of the Ascension focuses our attention on the fact that Jesus lives, and that in heaven today He ministers to us and our needs.

A.       The Wonders of Pentecost    Acts 2

The disciples had assembled in Jerusalem to wait, as Jesus instructed them, for “the Holy Spirit to come upon you” and provide the spiritual power required for their mission (Ac.1:8). On the Day of Pentecost, 50 days after Jesus’ resurrection, the Spirit swept into the room where the apostles and other believers in Jesus had gathered.

This day fell on the 50^th day from the first Sunday after Passover, and thus 50 days after the resurrection of Jesus. It was the day on which the first produce of the wheat harvest was presented to God. The Jewish rabbis had concluded from Exodus 19:1 that Pentecost was also the day on which God had given Moses his Law. How significant that the Holy Spirit who would write God’s law on the hearts of those who trust in Jesus (2Co.3:6–8) should come on the anniversary of the day when the Law was given in written form. A new era began that day.

1.       Visible signs of the Spirit’s coming (Acts 2:2–4)

The coming of the Spirit was marked with visible wonders: “And suddenly there came a sound from heaven, as of a rushing mighty wind, and it filled the whole house where they were sitting. Then there appeared to them divided tongues, as of fire, and one sat upon each of them. And they were all filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak with other tongues, as the Spirit gave them utterance” (Ac.2:2–4).

It was the combination of these three miraculous signs that marked the coming of the Spirit as a unique event in sacred history.

a.       The “rushing mighty wind” (Acts 2:2)

Wind is a symbol of God’s Spirit in both the Old Testament and the New Testament. The Hebrew word (?????) ruah and the Greek word (??????) pneuma mean either wind or spirit, depending on the context.

The prophet Ezekiel had spoken of the wind as God’s breath, blowing over the dry bones that represented Israel and filling them with new life (Ezk.37:9–14). Jesus, in speaking with Nicodemus, had referred to the wind/spirit or meaning of pneuma to draw an analogy: “The wind blows where it wishes, and you hear the sound of it, but cannot tell where it comes from and where it goes. So is everyone who is born of the Spirit” (Jn.3:8).

John the Baptist had spoken of Jesus as One who “will baptize you with the Holy Spirit [wind] and fire” (Lk.3:16). There is little doubt that in describing the events of Pentecost, Luke saw in the rushing wind and tongues of fire the fulfillment of John the Baptist’s prophecy.

b.       Divided tongues, as of fire (2:3)

Fire also has a long history as a symbol of the divine presence. The roots of this image are found in the appearance of the Lord to Moses in the burning bush (Ex. 2:2–5), in the cloudy-fiery pillar that led Israel through the wilderness, and in the fact that the Lord “descended upon [Mount Sinai] in fire.” The tongue-like flames which burned over the head of each believer in the Book of Acts was a clear, visible sign of the presence of God—this time the presence of the third person of the Trinity, the Holy Spirit.

c.       Speaking in unlearned tongues (2:4)

They… began to speak with other tongues, as the Spirit gave them utterance (2:4).

There is a clear difference between the “other tongues” of Acts and the ecstatic utterances also called “tongues” (1Co.12–14). In the First Corinthians passage, the tongues were unintelligible and the church needed an interpreter to understand what the speaker was saying (1Co.12:10; 14:2, 5). In Acts, the wonder was that Jews from many foreign lands who had come to Jerusalem for the festival heard in their “own language in which we were born” (Ac.2:8, 11).

2.       The lasting significance of the Spirit’s coming.

The Acts passage does not give a name to the Spirit’s Pentecost activity. Acts does report that the disciples were “filled with” the Holy Spirit, an experience which was repeated on several occasions (Ac.4:8, 31). Later in Acts, however, the apostle Peter identified the initial experience and gave it a name.

Reporting the conversion of the first Gentile who became a Christian- a Roman centurion named Cornelius- Peter reported that “the Holy Spirit fell upon them, as upon us at the beginning. Then I remembered the Word of the Lord, how he said, ‘John indeed baptized with water, but you shall be baptized with the Holy Spirit’” (Ac.11:15-16). Peter’s reference to “the beginning” in this context was clearly to the Day of Pentecost. And the ministry the Spirit exercised on that day was His baptizing work.

While believers in most Christian traditions speak of Pentecost in terms of the baptism of the Holy Spirit, Christians differ as to the meaning of that term. Yet this work of the Spirit was clearly defined: “For by one Spirit we were all baptized into one body—whether Jews or Greeks, whether slaves or free—and have all been made to drink into one Spirit.” (1Co.12:13)  The baptism of the Holy Spirit is thus that work of the Holy Spirit by which every believer is made a part of the Body of Christ, linked forever to Jesus and through Jesus to every other believer in the Lord.

When the Spirit came on Pentecost, the Church as the living Body of Christ, a spiritual organism, was born (1Co.10:16; 12:27; Ep. 4:12). After Pentecost, every believer has been joined to that spiritual Body upon trust in the Lord.

While the three visible signs together served as the unique mark of the Spirit’s coming, the focus of the text is clearly on the third sign—tongues. As those from the Western Roman world and from the East heard the Christians speaking in their own tongues, “they were all amazed and perplexed, saying to one another, ‘Whatever could this mean?’” (Ac.2:12). The question was answered by the apostle Peter, who stood up and preached history’s first Gospel message. Peter quoted the prophet Joel, announcing that what the visible signs meant was that the promised Age of the Spirit had actually arrived!

“And it shall come to pass in the last days, says God, That I will pour out of My Spirit on all flesh” (Acts 2:17).

Peter continued to quote the passage, which promised a display of wonders, and concluded his quote with these words:

“And it shall come to pass that whoever calls on the name of the Lord shall be saved” (Acts 2:21).

While a number of the signs mentioned in Joel are associated with the judgments linked to Jesus’ Second Coming, Peter’s emphasis was clear. The wonders of Pentecost marked the beginning of the last stage of God’s plan for mankind. That stage, which continues to our own day, is marked by the vitalizing work of God’s Holy Spirit and the promise of salvation to whoever calls on the name of the Lord.

The wonders of the day of Pentecost established a link between the Old and New Testaments. They marked the initiation of an era predicted by the Old Testament prophets- a period in which each individual, Jew and Gentile alike, is faced with the necessity of making a personal decision about Jesus Christ.

B.       The Healing of a Lame Man    Acts 3:1–10

Peter and John healed a man who had been a cripple from birth on their way to worship at the Temple. The miracle amazed the other worshipers, who crowded around to listen as Peter seized the occasion to preach another evangelistic sermon.

The first Christians were observant Jews, who worshiped in the traditional ways and continued to practice their ancient religion. For many years Christians were simply known as practitioners of “the Way” (Ac.9:2). During this period Christianity was considered a sect of Judaism. It was only as the Gospel message spread in the Gentile world those leaders like the apostle Paul had to struggle to define the lifestyle to which faith in Christ called believers.

So it was not surprising that the two apostles of Jesus were on their way to the temple “at the hour of prayer, the ninth hour” (Ac.3:1). Two principal daily services were held at the Temple, one accompanying the morning and the other the evening sacrifice. It was the evening service the two intended to attend.

The union of the believers is here exemplified in the intimate and continued association of these two apostles. Their course confirms the statement which is made in Acts 2:44, respecting the whole Body of believers. We are likewise here reminded of the circumstance that Jesus sent forth His disciples two by two (Mk.6:7; Lk.22:8; Jn.21:7, 20 ff.]. As on the Day of Pentecost, all the apostles stood up, but Peter alone began to speak, so here, the two apostles are found together, but it is Peter who speaks and acts; John accompanies him, and stands at his side, engaged in silent meditation. His hour for action is yet to come.

1.       The lame man (3:2)

The “lame man” was a cripple who had to be carried to the gate where he begged daily. The text emphasizes that he had been lame “from his mother’s womb.” This was no psychosomatic illness that could be cured by suggestion. The lame man was probably familiar to those who had passed for years on their way to the Temple. Many would have given him alms, which was considered a mitzvah, a meritorious act. The fact that the lame man was well known as well as the serious nature of his disability contributed to the amazement of the people at his healing.

“In the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth” was Peter’s requirement of the man’s physical condition (3:6). While passing by, Peter drew the attention of the cripple and announced that while he had no silver or gold, he would give what he had. In the name of Jesus, Peter told the man, “Rise up and walk.”

The supportive miracles performed by the apostles were done in “the name of Jesus.” That is, the apostles called on Christ to act and to demonstrate the power which He alone possessed.

There is a significant difference between the apostle’s pronouncements of Jesus’ name and the magical use of “names” in biblical times. For centuries magical formulas had included the supposed names of demons and deities, manipulating them to do the will of the sorcerer. This is the way some people interpret the healings in Acts. But an incident reported in Acts 19:13f makes it clear that this was not the case. In Ephesus, Paul performed such stunning miracles in Jesus’ name that a group of Jewish exorcists tried to cast out a demon using Christ’s name. The demon then beat them and chased them from the house, saying “Jesus I know and Paul I know; but who are you?” (Ac.19:15).

There was no magic involved in Peter’s miracle of healing. The power of Jesus flowed through His servant and performed the miracle. These were supporting miracles indeed, revealing Jesus’ presence with the leaders of the movement founded in His name.

The former cripple now “. . . entered the temple with them, walking, leaping, and praising God” (3:8). The complete healing of the crippled man was advertised by his actions. He was quickly recognized. Luke emphasizes the reaction of those who knew him. They were “filled with wonder and amazement” and were “greatly amazed” (Ac.3:10-11).

There is a story that Thomas Aquinas once visited Pope Innocent II in Rome. Pointing out his riches, the pope said, “See, Thomas, the church can no longer say ‘silver and gold have I none.’” Aquinas agreed. “True, holy father. Neither can she say, ‘Rise and walk.’” This miracle reminds us that no Christian congregation should be more concerned with its facilities than with seeing the transforming power of Jesus at work in people’s lives.

2.       “Men of Israel…” (3:12)

Peter used the occasion to address the crowd. It was not by Peter’s or John’s own godliness that the man was made to walk. The power was that of Jesus: “And his name, through faith in his name, has made this man strong, whom you see and know. Yes, the faith which comes through him has given him this perfect soundness in the presence of you all” (Ac.3:16).

Peter was not saying that the lame man had faith. He was not even claiming credit for his own and John’s faith. Rather, Peter was saying that the Jesus who was the object of their faith had performed the miracle.

Peter then explained who this Jesus was. He was the one whom they had crucified but who had been raised again by God. He was the one predicted by prophets, whom God in faithfulness sent first to bless Israel. To have faith “in his name” was to have faith in Him as the Scriptures defined Him.

We must also accept Jesus on His own terms, as He is defined in the Word of God—not as He has been redefined by those who would keep the name but rob the Person of His glory by viewing Him as a good man or a simple Jewish rabbi. Jesus was and is the Christ, the Son of God; and for this reason alone power resides in His Name.

This was not the first of the confirming miracles worked by Jesus’ followers (compare Acts 2:43). It was, however, the defining supportive miracle. All the miracles and wonders of Acts were performed through faith in the name of Jesus Christ. Each miracle demonstrated to all who saw the continuing presence of one whose own miracles had established Him as the Son of God.

C.       The Deaths Of Ananias And Sapphira    Acts 5:1–11

A couple eager to gain a reputation in the new Christian community sold some property. They kept part of the money for themselves but claimed the amount they brought to the apostles was the entire proceeds of the sale. Peter had a question for Ananias, “Why has Satan filled your heart” (Ac.5:3). This was a Word of Knowledge about the motive of their giving. When Ananias brought the money to Peter, God revealed their dishonesty. Peter rebuked Ananias for an act which was a “lie to the Holy Spirit.” Ananias immediately collapsed and died. It is clear that Peter had no direct role in the death of Ananias. Ananias had yielded himself to the enemy and removed himself from the covering protection of God and was struck dead. While God does not kill aimlessly, when there is a direct affront to the Spirit of God (blasphemy), a person is certainly outside of God’s protection.

In harmony with Jewish custom, Ananias was taken out and buried. Three hours later his wife came in. When she was questioned, she repeated the lie told by her husband (Ac.5:8). At that moment the men who had buried her husband returned, and Peter announced that they would bury her too. “Immediately” she also fell and died, and was buried beside her husband. What was the sin of Ananias and Sapphira? Their plan to deceive the apostles and the Church was a “lie to the Holy Spirit” (Ac.5:3). As such, the lie served “to test the Spirit of the Lord.”

We need to remember that the purpose of confirming miracles and wonders was to demonstrate the continuing presence of God with His people. The events of the Day of Pentecost (Acts 2) and the healing of the lame man (Acts 3), along with many other miracles (Acts 2:43), had demonstrated the living presence of God with this company which was committed to Jesus. The “lie to the Holy Spirit” by Ananias and Sapphira was a denial of God’s presence—an act which put God to the test.

In the critical early days of the Church, the challenge issued by Satan through Ananias and Sapphira could not go unanswered. God simply pulled back His protection over the “believers” and they were struck dead, confirming the reality of the divine presence within the Christian community, as well as the fact of the efforts of the enemy.

This miracle had its intended effect within and outside the Church. Acts indicates that “fear came upon all the church and upon all who heard these things” (v. 11). We should not understand this fear as terror but as a deep, abiding awe. The reality of God’s presence was impressed on Jesus’ followers, and thus their faith was strengthened. The miracle also had an unusual effect on the rest of the people of Jerusalem as well. Acts 5:13 reveals that “none of the rest dared join them, but the people esteemed them highly.”

Sometimes people have “joined the church” for reasons other than trust in Jesus as God’s Son and Savior. When Jesus was on earth, many followed Him not because they understood or accepted His claims but because He healed their diseases and fed them when they were hungry. The shocking deaths of Ananias and Sapphira sent a powerful message to anyone who might link themselves with the Christian movement without a real faith in Christ: it was dangerous to be a “pretend” or “hypocrite” Christian!  So while the people of Jerusalem had a high regard for the apostles and the followers of Christ, the movement never became popular. The next verse reveals that while more and more people were added to the church, it was only those who “believed in the Lord” (Ac.5:14, NIV).

D.       The Apostles Are Miraculously Freed From Prison    Acts 5:17–42

The flurry of miracles performed by the apostles after the death of Ananias and Sapphira (5:15) and their vigorous preaching of Christ aroused the anger of the Sadducees, who imprisoned the apostles. The Sadducees, the priestly party in Jerusalem, “laid their hands on the apostles” (5:18). The Sadducees controlled the Levites, who served as the temple police. It was the temple police who arrested the apostles and put them in jail, where they would be tried by the Sanhedrin the next day. But God had another idea. He sent an angel who “opened the prison doors” (5:19). The opening of the prison doors was not a miracle done by the apostles—but a miracle performed for them by an angel.

Luke provided specific details of this happening, so the miraculous nature of the release is clear. Acts 5:23 recounts the report of the detail of guards sent the next morning to bring the apostles before the Sanhedrin. “Indeed we found the prison shut securely, and the guards standing outside before the doors; but when we opened them, we found no one inside.” Even as this release was a miracle, there are other historical reports in first-century literature. Jeremias has commented on the widespread popularity of legends in the ancient world which recount the opening of prison doors. Jeremias wrote,

“The threefold repetition of the motif of the miraculous opening of prison doors in Acts, its distribution between the apostles in 5:19, Peter in 12:6–11, and Paul in 16:26ff, and the agreement with ancient parallels in many details, e.g., liberation by night, the role of the guards, the falling off of chains, the bursting open of the doors, the shining of bright light, earthquake, all suggest that in form at least Luke is following an established topos (a literary passage or expression)” (Joachim Jeremias, Jerusalem in the Time of Jesus, p. 176, Fortress Press, 1975).

Whatever may be our judgment of the facts from the standpoint of the history of religion, the three door-miracles in Acts certainly express the certainty that the course of the Gospel cannot be hindered by prisons or bonds, since God’s arm is strong enough to burst the locks of prison doors. While Luke wrote the most fluid Greek in the New Testament and was undoubtedly familiar with this literary convention, the content is always more important than the form. The important thing to remember is that the events Luke relates in Acts actually happened.

The apostles witnessed boldly of Christ’ resurrection (5:25). While the confused members of the Sanhedrin pondered the reported “jail-break”, they were told that the apostles were now standing in the Temple and teaching the people. The temple police then approached the apostles and politely asked them to appear before the Sanhedrin. The members of this supreme court of Judaism attempted to silence the apostles, who answered with boldness that they would obey God rather than men (Ac.5:29).

The court was restrained from killing the apostles by a Pharisee named Gamaliel, whose fame is known from rabbinic writings. Gamaliel pointed out that all other messianic movements had died out. He suggested that they beat the apostles, command them not to speak in Jesus’ name, and let them go. Hopefully this movement would also just go away. The result was that “daily in the temple, and in every house, they did not cease teaching and preaching Jesus as the Christ” (Ac.5:42).

E.       Saul’s Miraculous Conversion    Acts 9:1–20

A zealous young Pharisee named Saul saw a vision of Jesus while on the way to Damascus to seize Christians and return them to Jerusalem for trial. Damascus was a city in southern Syria, the capital of modern Syria. Saul met Jesus on the road to Damascus.

There is no doubt that Saul felt justified in persecuting Christians. In Old Testament times, God had commended Phinehas for slaying a sinning Israelite (Nu. 25:6–15). In more recent history, the Maccabees had shown their zeal for God by rooting out apostasy (compare 1 Macc. 2:23–28; 42–48). The writer of one of the Dead Sea Scrolls saw zeal against apostates as a natural expression of one’s commitment to God. He wrote, “The nearer I draw to you, the more I am filled with zeal against all who do wickedness and against all men of deceit” (IQH 14:13–15).

There is no doubt that Saul the Pharisee felt justified in persecuting Christians and saw it as his religious duty until that day on the Damascus road when Jesus spoke to him, and the foundation was laid for the transformation of Saul into the apostle Paul. Saul, who later became the apostle Paul, is pictured as “still breathing threats and murder against the disciples of the Lord.”  Earlier Saul had taken part in the stoning of Stephen (7:58; 8:1). Following Stephen’s death, nearly all the Christians were driven from Jerusalem (8:1). The “still” in 9:1 tell us that this crusade against Jesus’ followers had not satisfied Saul. So he obtained letters from the high priest authorizing him to bind believers and return them to Jerusalem.

In the Roman Empire, ethnic groups were allowed to keep their own religions and their own systems of law. Letters from the High Priest as the head of the Sanhedrin, the supreme court of Judaism, would be recognized as authorizing the arrest of any Jew. Saul was on official business, and his business was the persecution of the Church. But while on the road, “suddenly a light shone around him from heaven” (Ac.9:3). Blinded by that bright light, he fell to the ground and heard a voice from heaven calling to him. The voice asked why Saul was persecuting the Lord. Saul, “trembling and astonished,” could only ask, “Lord, what do you want me to do?” When Saul arose, he was blind. His companions led him by the hand to Damascus, where he neither ate nor drank for three days.

The vision on the road to Damascus was not the only miraculous element in Saul’s conversion. God spoke in a vision to a believer named Ananias (9:10) and sent him to Saul. Reassured by God that the hostile Saul was “a chosen vessel of Mine to bear My name before Gentiles” (Ac.9:15), Ananias went. When he reached Saul, Ananias laid hands on him and “immediately there fell from his eyes something like scales” (Ac.9:18). Saul got up and was baptized. After recovering his strength, Saul began to preach in the synagogues in Damascus that Jesus was the Christ, “the Son of God” (Ac.9:20).

While Saul saw the light and heard and understood the voice, those with him saw the light, but they did not understand what was said to him. What everyone did understand, however, was that something miraculous had happened. There had been a bat qol, (???? ???) the “daughter of a voice,” or a “voice from heaven,”—a phrase used in the first century to indicate that God Himself had spoken. (See The Jewish Encyclopedia for more discussion on this phrase.)

How stunned Saul was when the voice from heaven, obviously God speaking, asked why Saul was persecuting him! Saul certainly did not think he had been persecuting God! When the speaker identified self as Jesus, everything Saul had believed was swept away. The miracle convinced Saul that those believers he had been persecuting were right. By the time Ananias appeared, Saul was ready to commit himself to Jesus. The miraculous conversion and the restoration of Saul’s sight foreshadowed the significance of Paul in the spread of the Gospel. It also demonstrated the continuing active presence of Jesus, whose own miracles had established Him as the Son of God.

F.       Peter Performs Miracles at Lydda And Joppa    Acts 9:32–42

The conversion of Saul was followed by a relaxation of the persecution of Christians. During this time, Peter traveled through Judea, Galilee, and Samaria. The Book of Acts recounts two miracles which he performed, first at Lydda and then in Joppa. These cities, lying west of Palestine, were populated by both Jews and Gentiles. The location suggests a further extension of the Gospel message, laying a foundation for the conversion of the Roman centurion Cornelius. He would likely have heard of these nearby miraculous events.

The first miracle, which took place in Lydda, was the healing of a paralyzed man named Aeneas, who had been bedridden for eight years. Peter healed Aneas by using the power of “Jesus the Christ” (Acts 9:34). He spoke in the name of Jesus, and Aeneas was made whole.

At Joppa, Peter spoke the words, “Tabitha, arise” (9:40), to a much-beloved woman who had died. The woman’s Hebrew name was Tabitha, while her Greek name was Dorcas. Both names mean “gazelle.” She is described as a “disciple” (the only occurrence in the New Testament of the feminine form of the word) who “was full of good works and charitable deeds” (Ac.9:36). When an urgent request came to Peter at Lydda, he quickly traveled the ten miles to Joppa.

Peter prayed beside Tabitha’s body, and then called on the dead woman to “arise.” She opened her eyes and sat up. Peter led her out alive and presented her to the assembled widows and believers. These two miracles mimicked miracles performed by Jesus during His time on earth. They confirmed the continuing presence of Jesus with His followers, demonstrating that presence outside traditional Jewish territory. These supportive miracles provided continuing proof of Jesus’ power. As the restoration of Tabitha became known throughout Joppa, “many believed on the Lord” (Ac.9:42).

G.      Peter’s Deliverance from Prison    Acts 12:1–25

Herod had executed the apostle James (Ac.12:2). The act pleased his Jewish subjects so much that he imprisoned Peter, intending to execute him after the Passover celebration. But the miraculous intervention of an angel in answer to the church’s prayer freed Peter. This miracle was followed shortly afterward by a clear divine judgment against the king.

The Herod of Acts 12 was Herod Agrippa I, the grandson of Herod the Great of the Christmas story. Herod grew up in Rome as an intimate of the imperial family. Even so, he had to flee Rome at age 33 to escape his creditors. A few years later the emperor Caligula made him tetrarch of two northern Palestinian territories, with the right to be addressed as king. In A.D. 41, when Herod was 51, the emperor Claudius, a childhood friend, added Judea and Samaria to his territories, extending his rule over all the lands that had been ruled by his grandfather.

Herod Agrippa I, named tetrarch (ruler of a fourth part), under the Roman Empire ruled the fourth part of a country, which was divided into these parts for efficient government. According to the Jewish historian Josephus, before Herod the Great was named king he was first named tetrarch. The title was also given to Herod Antipas, ruler of Galilee and Perea (Mt. 14:1; Ac.13:1). Philip, the brother of Herod Antipas, was tetrarch of Iturea and the region of Trachonitis; and Lysanias was tetrarch of Abilene (Lu. 3:1).

Herod Agrippa sought the support of his Jewish subjects. He played the part of an observant Jew, following every ritual rule. He moved the administrative seat of the province to Jerusalem from Caesarea and began to rebuild Jerusalem’s northern wall. He was also able to prevent the emperor Caligula from erecting a statue of himself as a god in the Jerusalem Temple.

It is not surprising that Herod saw suppression of Christians, a divisive element in Jerusalem, as a wise policy. When Herod executed the apostle James, who with his brother John was one of Jesus’ earliest followers, the Jewish leaders were delighted. To please them further, Herod seized Peter also. Herod was unable to have Peter brought to trial until after the Passover religious holidays. So Herod put Peter in a cell under heavy guard. Peter’s execution would serve Herod’s political purposes very well. Whether Peter had done anything to deserve death was immaterial.

Peter was imprisoned in the Fortress Antonia, located just beyond the magnificent temple Herod the Great had spent 38 years and enormous sums to enhance. Important prisoners kept under guard were usually chained to one soldier (12:4-5). The Antonia Fortress was attached to the northwest corner of the Temple Mount. Paul was imprisoned in the Antonia fortress before he was sent to Caesarea to stand trial before the procurator Felix (23:10). The political significance that Herod attached to Peter is seen in the fact that the apostle was “bound with two chains between two soldiers” (v. 5). In addition, guards were posted outside the locked cell door.

Herod’s arrangements were futile. The Bible reports that “an angel of the Lord stood by him, and a light shone in the prison; and he struck Peter on the side.” Peter at first assumed he was dreaming. Peter saw the chains drop from his wrists. He could see the soldiers seated there, unmoving. He stooped to pick up the outer cloak he had used as a blanket as he slept on the stone floor. Peter even tied on his sandals, wrapping the leather thongs carefully around his leg.

As Peter followed the angel, he passed the guards, still alert at their posts but totally unaware of Peter and his companion. He watched as the great iron gate that led out into the city swung open of its own accord. But it was not until they had walked some distance from the fortress and the angel had left that Peter realized this was no vision. When he was imprisoned, many Christians gathered to pray (12:5). Even as Peter was being led from the prison, one group was praying in the home of Mary, the mother of John Mark. It was to this house that Peter walked that night and knocked at the gate that was in the larger door in the wall surrounding the house.

That night a girl named Rhoda was serving as doorkeeper. It was her duty to respond to anyone who knocked. When she called out “Who?” the visitor responded, “It is I.” The doorkeeper was expected to recognize the voice of a friend and would open the gate without actually seeing the person. Rhoda recognized Peter’s voice. But she was so happy that she neglected to open the door, running instead to tell the congregation inside the good news. The believers tried to calm her down, certain she must be wrong, but she kept on insisting. The incident is encouraging for those who have the notion that our prayers are answered only if we have a certain form of unshakable faith. The church was praying earnestly, but it was certain that Peter could not possibly be outside the door. Peter’s release from prison in answer to prayer was another miraculous confirmation of the presence of Christ with His people and also of Christ’s power.

H.       The Miraculous Death of Herod    Acts 12:21-23

The details and the timing of the subsequent death of Herod Agrippa I was portrayed as a miracle by Luke, and it was undoubtedly viewed this way in the Early Church. Josephus, the first-century Jewish historian, gave an account of Herod Agrippa’s death in his Antiquities (XIX, 343–50 [viii.2]). His account and Luke’s narrative were clearly independent, but they are similar in structure and many details. Both make it clear that Herod was struck down as the crowds praised him as a god.

This way of honoring rulers was common in the Hellenistic world. For instance, an entry in a child’s exercise book read: “What is a god? That which is strong. What is a king? He who is equal to the divine” (quoted in A. D. Nock’s Conversion, Oxford, 1933, 91). Sacrifices in honor of kings often slipped over the already blurred line to become sacrifices made to the king. One first-century inscription honored King Antiochus I of Commagene (a province west of the Euphrates beside Syria) as “The Great King Antiochus, the God, the Righteous One, the Manifest Deity.”

In Judaism, however, this practice was viewed as a form of blasphemy. When Herod accepted the divine honors offered him, according to Acts, “immediately an angel of the Lord struck him, because he did not give glory to God” (12:23). Luke provided a medical explanation in his comment that Herod was “eaten by worms.” The king was probably killed by intestinal roundworms, which grow to a length of ten to fourteen inches. Clusters of roundworms can obstruct the intestine, causing severe pain. The sufferer will vomit up worms, but in a case so advanced will die an excruciatingly painful death.

Josephus gave a graphic description of Herod’s demise. He wrote that Herod was “overcome by more intense pain.… Exhausted after five straight days by the pain in abdomen, he departed this life in the fifty-fourth year of his life and the seventh of his reign.”

These two events, the release of Peter and the death of Herod, were connected by the angelic agency and linked in Luke’s history. They were undoubtedly linked in the minds of first-century Christians. A pagan king who pretended to live as a pious Jew had threatened the existence of the Early Church. The angel that protected Peter from execution was also God’s agent in carrying out the divine sentence of death passed on the persecutor. The conclusion was inescapable: Jesus lived, and His presence hovered over the Church even as His miracle-working power protected believers and threatened the lives of the enemies of His people.

I.        The Blinding of Elymas    Acts 13:4–12

On their first missionary journey, Paul and Barnabas preached on the island of Cyprus. When a renegade Jewish sorcerer opposed them, Paul struck him with blindness. Cyprus is a large island-country in the Eastern Mediterranean.

After the miraculous conversion of Saul of Tarsus (Ac.9), he became such a fiery evangelist in Damascus that the Jews plotted to kill him, and he barely escaped with his life (Ac.9:22-25). He returned to Jerusalem, where he again spoke out so boldly that his life was endangered (Ac.9:26-29). The believers brought him to Caesarea and saw him off on a ship to his home city of Tarsus (Ac.9:30). This Caesarea was a major city on the Mediterranean coast and home of Philip the evangelist. Tarsus, Paul’s hometown, was a city in SE Asia Minor. During the next several years, Saul studied the Scriptures and was given a deeper understanding of the implications of Christ’s coming, death, and resurrection. Barnabas, who had befriended Saul in Jerusalem, eventually brought Saul to Antioch to help lead the Gentile church in that city (Ac.11:19–28).

Sometime later the Holy Spirit led the church at Antioch to send Saul and Barnabas on a mission to spread the Gospel to other parts of the Roman Empire. Their first stop was in Cyprus, where they traveled and preached throughout the island. This island was named for its primary export, cyprium, or copper. It had been annexed by Rome in 57 B.C. When the missionaries preached there, it was classified as a senatorial province, administered by a proconsul (Ac.13:7). The missionaries landed on the east coast and traveled across the island, preaching first in the Jewish synagogues. Traveling west, the missionaries reached Paphos, the seat of the provincial government.

The proconsul, Sergius Paulus, summoned Paul and Barnabas to question them about their message. While this family was prominent in the first and second centuries, it is likely that the governor’s summons of the missionaries was motivated by his sense of responsibility to investigate any unusual happenings in his realm. However, Luke’s account suggests that the governor was open to the Word of God that Paul preached (Ac.13:7-8). It is while Paul was sharing the Gospel message with Sergius Paulus that Elymas the sorcerer showed up (13:6-8). In Hebrew, this sorcerer’s name was Barjesus (Son of Jesus, i.e., “the Deliverer”). We know he was a Jew, but certainly a renegade Jew. No traditional Jew would violate the proscription against occult practices in Deuteronomy 18 and seek a reputation as a magos, a magician or sorcerer. He is also called a false prophet, not in the sense of foretelling future events but claiming to channel divine revelation. The statement that he was with the proconsul indicates he had gained some influence with him.

Elymas apparently saw Sergius Paulus’ interest in the Gospel as a threat to his position, even as the religious leaders of Jerusalem, so he “withstood” the missionaries, “seeking to turn the proconsul away from the faith” (Ac.13:8).

The apostle Paul openly condemned Elymas as a “son of the devil” (13:9-11). Elymas was no deliverer, but a deceiver, or son of the devil. As such, he was an “enemy of all righteousness” who was intent on perverting the “straight ways of the Lord.” That is, Elymas was intent on twisting the truth. Having exposed Elymas for what he was, Paul pronounced judgment. “You shall be blind, not seeing the sun for a time” (Ac.13:11). Luke makes it clear that this pronouncement was not an impulsive one. Paul was “filled with the Holy Spirit” (Ac.13:9) when he acted, and “the hand of the Lord” caused the blindness (Ac.13:11).

Some commentators have seen echoes of Paul’s own temporary blindness in this judgment. Although both Saul and Elymas opposed Christianity, there was a significant difference between them. Elymas was a renegade Jew who had knowingly violated Old Testament Law; Saul was a Pharisee zealous for God’s glory. The fact that the blindness of Elymas was temporary is a striking indication of God’s grace.

The miracles performed by Jesus were positive miracles, since they involved restoration to health and well-being. Demons were cast out, the disabled were healed, dead were restored to life. Even nature miracles such as those on the Sea of Galilee stilled storms rather than created them. In contrast, several of the supportive miracles and wonders that demonstrated Jesus’ continuing presence with His people were miracles of divine judgment. Ananias and Sapphira were struck dead when they conspired to lie and thus test the Holy Spirit. Herod Antipas was struck dead by an angel. Now Elymas, who resisted the preaching of the Gospel to Sergius Paulus, was struck with blindness.

It is appropriate that all of Jesus’ miracles were worked on behalf of people. But it is also appropriate that in the apostolic age the Lord supported the preaching of the Gospel with both miracles of healing and miracles of judgment.

When Paul pronounced judgment, Elymas immediately was blinded, and “he went around seeking someone to lead him by the hand.” This phrase is significant. Elymas had to search for someone to lead him, because all would draw back. Elymas had been cursed by God, and all who knew would fear association with him. What a reversal of fortunes, for Elymas instantly lost all influence with others. Those who had honored him now feared him, and no one would have anything to do with him. Luke revealed that the miracle had an impact on the proconsul of the island as well. Sergius Paulus “believed, when he saw what had been done” (v. 12).

J.       Paul Heals a Cripple at Lystra    Acts 14:8–20

In the Lycaonian city of Lystra, which had become a Roman colony in 6 B.C., Paul healed a cripple. There the missionaries were hailed as gods, come down in the likeness of men. Lycaonia was a region in central Asia Minor. Paul visited the cities of Lystra and Derbe there during his first missionary journey (14:21-22). Lystra was a town in south central Asia Minor referenced throughout the book of Acts (14:6, 8, 21, 16:1–5, 2 Ti. 3:11).

There was, at times, a violent response to miracles and wonders (Ac.14:1–7). When Jesus performed His miracles, the people responded by giving glory to God. Many may not have accepted His Messianic claims, but Christ’s healings were met with approval and praise. In Acts, as the Gospel message spread into the Roman world, we see a different kind of response. Before going to Lystra, Paul and his missionary team had preached in Iconium. Many people, both Jews and Greeks (non-Jews), believed. Luke tells us that the Lord bore witness to the message in Iconium by “granting signs and wonders” to be done by the apostles” (14:3).

Iconium was a city in SW Asia Minor, where Paul's delivery of the Gospel won many Jews and Greeks (14:1-7). But most of the Jewish population resisted Paul and his message. The dispute spread so that the entire population of the city was divided. Finally, “a violent attempt” that involved the city officials, Jews, and Gentiles to “abuse and stone” the missionaries forced the missionaries out of Iconium. Signs and wonders failed to create openness to the Gospel there. Just as the miracles of the Exodus had the effect of hardening the heart of Pharaoh, these miracles of Paul seemed to polarize public opinion and intensify hostility to the Gospel message.

After leaving Iconium, the missionary team moved on to Lystra. While preaching there, Paul noted that a disabled man was listening intently. Luke emphasizes the seriousness of the man’s disability: he was “a cripple from his mother’s womb, who had never walked” (Ac.14:10). Luke also emphasizes another element in this healing. Paul perceived that “he had faith to be healed” (Ac.14:9), which we could say was a Word of Knowledge. The observation is significant, for it shows divine revelation. Faith is not something that is observable. While the Bible does teach that faith will produce works, in this case the necessary time for faith’s flowering was lacking. Paul was given insight by God to see into this hearer’s heart.

This also implies a spontaneous miracle. Paul had not planned to launch his ministry in Lystra with a miracle. But he perceived an awakened faith in his crippled hearer, so he responded spontaneously by commanding him to “stand up straight on your feet” (v. 10). It also implies a “family” miracle, for when Paul perceived that the man had faith in Jesus and commanded him to stand, it met the need of a new brother in Christ. It was not a miracle intended to authenticate Paul as God’s spokesman, as in other cases. The majority of New Testament miracles were family miracles. They were performed for those who had confidence in Jesus and who showed that confidence. We need to remember that the faith spoken of in such incidents is not faith in healing, but faith in Jesus.

The people of Lystra mistook Paul and Barnabas for gods (14:11, 12). What is most impressive about Luke’s account of this miracle is the excitement of the onlookers. They shouted that “the gods have come to us in the likeness of men” (v. 11). Immediately the priest of Zeus prepared a sacrifice to offer to the two startled missionaries.

The details in passages of the Bible often refute the claims of critics. Luke’s report of the reaction of the people of Lystra and their identification of Barnabas as Zeus and Paul as Hermes (Apollo) is one of those details that ring especially true. The people of the area worshiped these two pagan gods. An ancient legend recorded by the poet Ovid (43 B.C.-A.D. 17) about fifty years before the missionaries’ visit told of how these two deities visited the hill country of Phrygia where Lystra was located. The two gods came disguised as mortals looking for a place to stay and were turned away from a thousand homes.

According to Ovid, finally they were welcomed to the simple straw cottage of an aged couple. The homes of the inhospitable thousand were destroyed by the gods, while the cottage of the two old people was transformed into a golden temple. They were ordained priest and priestess of the temple and transformed into ever-living trees. With this background, we can understand why the citizens of Lystra were so eager to honor “gods” noted for rewarding, and for punishing.

Paul and Barnabas “tore their clothes and ran in among the multitude” (Ac.14:14). The people of Lystra had apparently been speaking in their own language. When the sacrificial animals [??????? taurous, bulls] were brought out, the apostles realized what had happened and ran in among the crowd to stop them. It is clear from later events that Paul’s words to this crowd about the emptiness of idolatry and the goodness of the true God fell on deaf ears. When Jews from Iconium and Antioch arrived, the crowds not only turned against the missionaries but even stoned Paul, dragging him outside the city and leaving him for dead. The miracle of healing had failed to open a door for the Gospel. As in Iconium earlier, the miracle had only caused confusion and heightened antagonism against Paul and Barnabas.

Paul revived from the stoning (19:20). Some have interpreted this revival after the stoning as a miracle, but the text only says that the people of the city dragged him outside and left him for dead. When the rest of his party gathered around him, Paul revived and got up. The next day they left Lystra for the nearby town of Derbe.

On one level, the report of this and other miracles by Paul parallel the miracles of Peter, who had also healed a man who had been lame from birth (Acts 3). While Paul had not been one of Jesus’ original disciples, he was personally called and commissioned by Jesus. The parallel between the miracles of Peter and Paul confirm his role as an apostle of equal authority to Peter and the others. This miracle, however, like those performed by Paul in Iconium, highlights an important reality. Like the miracles of Moses in Egypt, these miracles hardened resistance to God’s Word rather than producing faith.

It seems unwise to argue, as some do, that we should expect miracles to be performed by missionaries in territories where the Gospel is being introduced. The apostle Paul reminds us that faith comes by hearing, and hearing by the Word of God (Ro. 10:13–15). While a miracle was performed for a cripple who had faith, that miracle did not lead to the mass conversion of the crowd who listened to Paul without faith.

K.       Casting Out a Demon in Philippi    Acts 16:16–24

In Philippi Paul cast a demon out of a slave girl who told fortunes. Her angry masters incited a riot, and Paul and Silas were beaten and imprisoned. An earthquake opened the prison doors, leading to the jailer and his family’s conversion. Philippi was a city in E Macedonia, NE Greece, to which the Letter to the Philippians was addressed; actually to the church there.

There were fortunetellers in the New Testament world just as in our world today (16:16). Awe of the occult and a superstitious reliance on oracles was common in the first-century Hellenistic world. People with epilepsy were considered touched by the gods, and words they muttered in an epileptic episode were viewed as divine utterances. Cult oracles, like the Oracle of Delphi, (a town northwest of Athens, Greece) inhaled fumes to put them in a trance. Their troubled mutterings were interpreted by priests, who recast them as cryptic or ambiguous proverbs which permitted several interpretations.

In Philippi, however, the apostles met a slave girl whose utterances were stimulated by a demon who possessed her. This girl’s utterances were not muttered phrases but plain speech: “These men are the servants of the Most High God, who proclaim to us the way of salvation” (v. 17). It is not surprising that a fortuneteller with a supernatural source of information, and especially one who spoke plainly, should earn her masters a significant income.

Paul was annoyed by the fortune-teller’s attention. For a few days he said nothing as she followed the missionaries around, screaming her utterances. The demon-inspired words were not only tainted testimony; they received more attention than the Gospel itself, as observers discussed her rather than Christ (16:17-18).

Finally, Paul commanded the spirit who possessed the girl to leave her. The girl’s owners incited the crowd against Paul and Silas (16:19–21). This first miracle freed the girl from the evil being who inhabited her. But it also stripped her of her powers, and this made her owners furious. Their hope of profit was gone; the girl was now useless to them. Their reaction was to strike out at Paul and Silas.

The angry owners of the slave girl aroused a mob by accusing Paul and Silas of being Jews who taught an illicit [unauthorized] religion. At this time, Jews made up about one-tenth of the population of the Roman Empire, and it was not illegal for Jews to seek converts. But a great deal of anti-Semitism existed in the first-century Roman Empire, in part because of the Jews’ separatist ways and their religious beliefs. The girl’s masters fanned the flames of this anti-Semitic sentiment by labeling Paul and Silas “these Jews,” while appealing to their listeners’ pride of “being Romans.” The hostile mob dragged Paul and Silas before the city magistrates (16:22-23). Without questioning Paul and Silas, the magistrates tore off their clothes and ordered them flogged and imprisoned.

L.       Paul and Silas Released from Prison    Acts 16:25–40

The jailer rigidly followed the magistrates’ order to keep the two men “securely.” He not only put them in the innermost cell in the prison, but he also placed their feet in stocks. These wooden instruments, anchored to the floor, were designed with several holes or notches, so the prisoner’s legs could be forced apart and held in an unnatural position. Stocks were as much an instrument of torture as imprisonment, since it was impossible to avoid cramping. The fact that the apostles were immediately placed in stocks indicates that torture was intended.

Prisons that have been excavated in various first-century Roman cities provide insight into the sad conditions. Frequently overcrowded, the prisoners slept on the floor wrapped in their cloaks (compare Acts 12:8; 2 Ti. 4:13). Hot in the summer, freezing in winter, with little or no ventilation, prisons were breeding grounds for disease. The stone cells admitted little light from outside especially true of those in the most secure cells, like the one where Paul and Silas were left that night. The Greek word commonly rendered “dungeon” is from the Latin word tenebrae, which means “darkness.” The apostle’s stay in prison in Philippi was probably in complete darkness.

The darkness associated with prisons was viewed in ancient literature as one of their primary torments. An item in the Theodosian Code of A.D. 320 contained this word on prison reform:

“When incarcerated he [the prisoner] must not suffer the darkness of an inner prison, but he must be kept in good health by the enjoyment of light, and when night doubles the necessity for his guard, he shall be taken back into the vestibules of the prisons and into healthful places. When day returns, at early sunrise, he shall forthwith be led into the common light of day that he may not perish from the torments of prison [Cod. Theod. 9.3.1 (=Cod. Just. 9.4.1 [353 AD].”

This item in the code explains how the other prisoners could listen to the two Christians singing hymns and praising God. Rather than double the guard at night, the Philippian jailer jammed all the prisoners into the most secure “inner prison” (v. 24) along with the two missionaries. This also explains why, after the earthquake, the jailer rushed first to the innermost cell of the prison, and how Paul could assure the jailer that none of the prisoners had escaped.

Paul and Silas praised God in the prison (16:25). The reaction of Paul and Silas to imprisonment must have stunned their fellow prisoners. In spite of the pain of the untreated wounds and bruises received during the beatings, the two Christians spent the hours between sunset and midnight “praying and singing hymns to God.” By their actions, the two missionaries set a precedent that other believers in the Roman Empire were to follow. As the Christian message exploded across the Empire, it began to threaten the social fabric. As the decades passed, both informal and official persecution of Christians developed. Many thousands were imprisoned, while others were martyred for their faith. The bright faith of these dedicated men and women is a reflection of that which led Paul and Silas to sing in the darkness.

As a later writer asked, “Well now, pagans, do you still believe that Christians, for whom awaits the joy of eternal light, feel the torments of prison or shrink from the dungeons of this world?… Dedicated as they are to God the Father, their brothers care for them by day, Christ by night as well.” [Mart. Mar & James: 6.1, 3, 259 AD](Quoted in Brian Rapske’s The Book of Acts and Paul in Roman Custody, Eerdman’s 2004). The gloom of Roman dungeons was never able to extinguish the flame of faith—a faith that seemed to burn brighter in the darkness.

Paul and Silas prayed and sang hymns in the Philippian jail, with a miracle earthquake opening the prison doors (16:26–29). At midnight that earthquake hit, shaking the foundations of the prison, causing the doors to swing open, and everyone’s chains to be loosed. The prison keeper rushed from his residence and saw the prison doors open. His suicide attempt reflects the fact that in the Roman Empire a jailer who let a prisoner escape was to receive the penalty due the prisoner [see Code of Justinian 9.4.4] and that in Roman culture suicide was considered an honorable alternative. Suicide would prevent the forfeiting of all family assets in some cases, and a man who cared for his wife and children might kill self to preserve their inheritance.

Before he could act, however, Paul shouted out, assuring the jailer that “we are all here” (v. 28). The jailer’s reaction suggests that he had heard the missionary’s message. He called for a light, carried it into the dark innermost cell, and fell trembling at Paul’s feet. The earthquake, miraculous because of its timing rather than its occurrence in this geologically unstable area, did not win the release of the prisoners by itself. Rather, the earthquake was interpreted by the jailer as proof that these men were indeed “servants of the Most High God.” The words of the fortuneteller had not moved this practical retired soldier. But the earthquake compelled conviction. Shaken in heart as well as body, the jailer asked, “Sirs, what must I do to be saved” (v. 30).

Paul’s answer has often been misunderstood. “Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, and you will be saved” is direct and clear. But then Paul added “you and your household.” What did he mean? In the Roman world, the household, or family, was not defined primarily by kinship but by dependence and subordination. Aristotle’s Politica, I,2, l showed the same notion in Greek culture. He pointed out, “The household in its perfect form consists of slaves and freedmen.” The head of the Roman household was responsible for, and expected some degree of submission from, his wife and children, his slaves, former slaves, hired laborers and tenants, clients, and sometimes even business associates. It is not at all unusual in ancient literature to find references to an individual’s “house” or “household,” with the added phrase “and his wife and children.” In the five times in Acts that Luke mentions “houses” (10:2; 11:14; 16:15; 16:31; 18:8), it is clear that the references are to individuals of relatively high social status and that the term encompasses more than the individual’s immediate kin.

What did Paul imply, then? First of all, Paul was saying that the salvation by faith in Jesus Christ which he offered the Philippian jailer was not just available to him. It was available to everyone in the jailer’s household, whatever his or her social status. The Gospel is for adult and child, for master and slave, for high and low. But Paul implied more. In the Roman world, the father as head of the household was responsible for carrying out religious rituals and maintaining a pious household. It was assumed that the family would practice the religion of the pater familias, the father [head] of the family.

With a few brief words, Paul had reassured the Philippian jailer that responding to the message of Christ did not threaten the established social order. The Philippian jailer could accept Christ and the salvation he offered, confident that the Gospel was for his whole household, and that his role in the family was not threatened by the new faith. Ultimately, of course, each member of the household would accept or reject the Gospel for themselves. But the influence of the head of the household was such that most would follow his lead and make a true heart-commitment to the Lord. This is exactly what happened in Philippi, for the jailer “rejoiced, having believed in God with all his household” (v. 34).

This incident had begun with the miracle of casting out a demon and continued with the miracle of a quake that opened doors. It concluded with the miracle of salvation experienced by the Philippian jailer and his household—perhaps the greatest miracle of all.

M.      Paul Restores the Life of Eutychus    Acts 20:7–12

One night as Paul was speaking a sleepy young man fell from a window and was killed. Paul restored him to life. While the apostle Paul had determined to go to Jerusalem in time for the Feast of Pentecost, and was in a hurry, he used every spare moment to teach in churches along the way, as in Troas (20:7–9).  Troas was a large seaport in NE Asia Minor, visited several times by Paul (Ac. 16:8, 11, 20:1–6, 2 Co. 2:12, 2 Ti. 4:13).

Paul and his friends spent seven days in Troas. On the Sunday before taking ship, Paul spoke to the believers “until midnight.” Paul taught in an upstairs room, lit by torches. The heat they generated and the lateness of the hour caused a young man named Eutychus to doze, finally “sinking into a deep sleep.” The window where Eutychus was sleeping was probably a slit opening in the wall. He tumbled from this perch and, according to Luke the physician, who was present, “was taken up dead.” Paul went downstairs, “embraced” Eutychus, and announced that “his life is in him.” Some have taken this as a diagnosis rather than a miraculous restoration. However, Luke does not say that Eutychus just appeared dead, but that he was dead. Luke wanted us to understand that Paul, like Peter, restored life to a person who had died.

This miracle performed by the apostle Paul completes the series of “resuscitation miracles” recorded in Scripture. Seen together, there is compelling balance. The “resuscitation miracles” in the Bible include: 1) Elijah restored a widow’s child (1Kg.17:21); 2) Elisha restored a Shunammite’s child (2Kg.4:34-35); 3) Jesus restored Jairus’ daughter (Mk.5:35-43); 4) Jesus restored a widow’s son (Lk.7:11-14); 5) Jesus restored Lazarus (Jn.11); 6) Peter restored Dorcas (Ac.9:36-42); 7) Paul restored Eutychus (Ac.20:7-12).

Thus, two Old Testament prophets raised the dead while two New Testament apostles raised the dead. In each of these four instances, the individual who was restored had died recently, probably within a few hours. Jesus, appropriately, restored the dead three times. And the third restoration, that of Lazarus, took place after Lazarus had been dead four days.

There were also two similar miracles mentioned in passing. A dead man dumped into Elisha’s grave was restored to life when his body touched that prophet’s bones (2 Kg. 13:20–22). And when Jesus died on the cross, an earthquake opened a number of graves and “many bodies of the saints who had fallen asleep were raised” (Mt. 27:52).

The pattern of these miracles demonstrates a striking symmetry. Elijah and Elisha stand parallel with Peter and Paul. But Jesus remains supreme, both in the number of such miracles and in the level of difficulty displayed in the raising of Lazarus. Scripture wants us to remember that Christ truly is the Source of Life. He who was the Life-giver as Yahweh of the Old Testament era is also Life-giver as Lord of the New Testament. Jesus is both Yahweh and Lord.

N.       Paul’s Healing of Publius’ Father    Acts 28:7–10

The last miracles recorded in Acts are healing miracles. They were performed by Paul while he was shipwrecked on the island of Malta. Malta is an island in the Mediterranean south of Sicily where Paul was shipwrecked on his final journey to Rome (28:1). Paul had been arrested in Jerusalem. Because he was a Roman citizen he was transported to Caesarea, the seaport city which served as the Roman administrative center for Jewish lands. He remained under house arrest at Caesarea for two years. Finally, Paul exercised his right to be tried in Rome and officially “appealed to Caesar.” Paul was then sent under guard on the long sea journey to Rome.

Caught in a terrible storm, the ship was driven aimlessly for two weeks (27:33) before running aground on the island of Malta. Paul, encouraged by an angel, had promised that if everyone stayed with the ship, no lives would be lost. It happened as he said, and all 276 persons on board got safely to land.

On shore, Paul was bitten by a deadly snake as he carried wood to the fire they had built to warm and dry the ship’s company. The natives, who observed the poisonous creature hanging from Paul’s hand, assumed he was a murderer whom “justice does not allow to live” (28:3-4). When Paul showed no effects from the bite, the people of the island decided he must be a god.

The survivors were sheltered by the leading citizen of the island, Publius. Inscriptions from Malta suggest that “leading citizen” was an official title. The father of the leading citizen was ill (28:9-10). Again Luke, the physician, provides a medical diagnosis. He suffered from “a fever and dysentery.” Paul prayed, laid hands on him, and healed him. The response of the islanders was two-fold. First, all the diseased of the island came to Paul and were healed. Second, the islanders honored the missionaries, and “when we departed… provided such things as were necessary.” What is notable, however, is what was not recorded. Luke does not state or even suggest that any conversions resulted from the miracles! In fact, there is no mention of any conversions on Malta at all.

This account of Paul’s miracle-ministry again parallels that of Peter. Like Peter, Paul restored the life of a person who was dead. Like Peter, who gained such a reputation as a healer that he attracted crowds, Paul also won a reputation as a healer and crowds of sick and diseased persons came to him.  Paul, like Peter, was an apostle, authenticated by God through miracles. Peter’s miracles were performed in Jewish territory, demonstrating the continuing presence of Jesus with the early Jewish Christians. But Paul’s miracles were performed in Gentile lands. And these supportive miracles showed Jesus’ world-wide power and presence.

O.      Summary of The Miracles of Acts

The Book of Acts traced the history of the Church from the ascension of Jesus through the next thirty years, up to the first imprisonment of Paul in Rome in approximately A.D. 62. Luke built his history around the experiences of two leaders of the Early Church, Peter and Paul. Peter, one of Jesus’ original 12 disciples, preached the first Gospel message to both Jews (Acts 2) and Gentiles (Acts 10). But most of Peter’s ministry was to Jews in Jewish territory and in Jewish sections of cities of the Roman Empire.

Paul, on the other hand, was a reluctant convert, whose miraculous conversion transformed him into a committed missionary, dedicated to planting churches in Gentile lands. Paul’s experience with Jesus commissioned him as an apostle. He established churches in key cities in Roman Asia Minor and in Europe. Paul’s letters to these churches stand, with the Gospels, as foundational Christian documents.

It is not surprising that Luke recorded miracles performed by both Peter and Paul. As we have noted, there is a pattern in the occurrence of the miracles recorded in Scripture. First, they come in paired clusters. Second, they are associated with critical moments in the history of God’s revelation of His purposes to mankind. Third, the first cluster in each pair: 1) establishes a new body of truth; 2) authenticates the person who introduces that body of truth as God’s spokesman. Fourth, the second cluster in each pair demonstrates God’s presence with those who accept and live by the new revelation.

Miracles marked the introduction of a fresh revelation of God’s purpose. Miracles authenticated as God’s spokesmen the individuals whom God called to speak for Him. Many passages in Acts reveal that miracles, wonders, and signs accompanied the ministry of the apostles and others as the Early Church was established in Jerusalem, spread through Judea and Samaria, and ultimately radiated out into the wider Roman world.

We can sense how common miracles and wonders were in these early days by looking again at some of the verses that give general descriptions of miracles during this period.

Then fear came upon every soul [in Jerusalem], and many wonders and signs were done through the apostles (Ac.2:43).

After being ordered to stop preaching, the apostles prayed,  “Look on their threats, and grant to Your servants that with all boldness they may speak Your word, by stretching out Your hand to heal, and that signs and wonders may be done through the name of Your holy Servant Jesus” (Ac.4:29, 30).

And through the hands of the apostles many signs and wonders were done among the people (Ac.5:12).

They brought the sick out into the streets and laid them on beds and couches, that at least the shadow of Peter passing by might fall on some of them. Also a multitude gathered from the surrounding cities to Jerusalem, bringing sick people and those who were tormented by unclean spirits, and they were all healed (Ac.5:15, 16).

And Stephen, full of faith and power, did great wonders and signs among the people (Ac.6:8).

And the multitudes with one accord heeded the things spoken by Philip, hearing and seeing the miracles which he did. For unclean spirits, crying with a loud voice, came out of many who were possessed; and many who were paralyzed and lame were healed (Ac.8:6, 7).

Then Simon himself also believed; and when he was baptized he continued with Philip, and was amazed, seeing the miracles and signs which were done (Ac.8:13).

Therefore they stayed there a long time [in Iconium], speaking boldly in the Lord, who was bearing witness to the word of his grace, granting signs and wonders to be done by their hands (Ac.14:3).

Then all the multitude kept silent and listened to Barnabas and Paul declaring how many miracles and wonders God had worked through them among the Gentiles (Ac.15:12).

God worked unusual miracles by the hands of Paul, so that even handkerchiefs or aprons were brought from his body to the sick, and the diseases left them and the evil spirits went out of them (Ac.19:11).

These were indeed supportive miracles, performed in Jesus’ name. They made it plain to all that God was with these followers who proclaimed that Jesus was the Son of God. The new revelation introduced and established by the miracle-working Christ was further confirmed by a great number of supportive miracles performed by His followers.

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