Bible Study series: Acts 16:1-10. A quick study of Timothy’s life is included. Paul also receives guidance by the voice of the Spirit and a vision.
Friendly greetings and a warm welcome to this Bible study! I write to learn. Let’s learn together and apply these truths to our lives.
I also translate to learn, so the translations are mine, unless otherwise noted. If you would like to see many others, please click on this link:
At the link to the original post, next, I write more commentary and dig a little deeper into the Greek. I also offer a section titled Observations for Discipleship at the end. Check it out!
In this post, links are provided in the commentary section for further study.
Let’s begin.
Scripture: Acts 16:1-10
1 He then arrived at Derbe and Lystra. Look! A certain disciple named Timothy was there, son of a believing Jewish woman and a Greek father. 2 He was attested by the brothers and sisters in Lystra and Iconium. 3 Paul wanted him to continue on with him and took him and had him circumcised him because of the Jews who were in those regions, for everyone knew his father was Greek. 4 As they were going through the towns, they delivered to them the resolutions adjudicated by the apostles and elders in Jerusalem, to keep them.
5 And each day the churches were growing strong in faith and multiplied in numbers.
6 They went through the region of Phrygia and Galatia, forbidden by the Holy Spirit to speak the word in Asia. 7 After they went down to Mysia, they tried to go to Bithynia, but the Spirit of Jesus did not permit them. 8 Skirting by Mysia they went down to Troas. 9 And during the night Paul saw a vision: a certain Macedonian mas was standing and calling to him and saying, “Come over Macedonia and help us.” 10 After he saw the vision, immediately we were seeking to go into Macedonia, because we concluded that God had called us to evangelize them. (Acts 16:1-10)
Comments:
A heads up: I won’t cover these cities throughout Paul’s second missionary journey. You can look online for Bible maps. Many of them have the route of Paul’s second missionary journey.
1:
“Look!”: It comes from the standard Greek term “behold!” It means a new and important development, and readers should pay attention. Timothy is an important addition to Paul’s missionary team.
Silas was a prophet, so he had received the fullness and power of the Spirit, for in the first-century church life, the gift of prophecy indicates this (and it should do so today, as well). First-century prophecy went beyond effective proclamation, though surely this was included as a baseline. He spoke directly into a believer’s life. No doubt he was the one who prophesied that Paul and his crew should not (yet) go into Asia and Bithynia (vv. 6-7). Did he have his prayer language when Acts is silent on this gift for him? Most likely, because Acts says nothing about this gift when Paul received the fullness of the Spirit (Acts 9:17), but he proclaimed that he spoke in Spirit-inspired languages more often than the Corinthians did (1 Cor. 14:18), and he wished everyone would speak in prayer languages (1 Cor. 14:5). Prayer languages open one’s spirit to the Spirit and empower one for ministry. Surely Paul ensured that Silas had this gift.
Here is a short study of Timothy’s life:
Early Life
His name was Greek, meaning “he who honors God” (tim– = honor and the– = God; –y– is a noun ending).
He was from Lystra (Acts 16:1-2), where Paul and Barnabas visited on their first missionary journey and where a man lame from birth was healed (Acts 14:6-8). Did Timothy see it with his own eyes?
His father was Gentile, and his mother was Jewish, so he was uncircumcised (Acts 16:1, 3). Apparently, his father would not let him go through this ritual. His mother’s name was Runice. His grandmother’s name was Lois. (I wonder how Eunice’s mother felt about her daughter marrying a Gentile?)
So he was bi-cultural, and depending on how defines race or ethnicity, it may be considered bi-racial or bi-ethnic, unless Jewishness and Gentileness is not racial or ethnic. You decide.
He was brought up Jewish (2 Tim. 3:15).
He was taught the Scriptures (OT) by his mother Eunice and grandmother Lois (2 Tim. 1:5). Having even one section of Scripture was expensive since they were handcopied. This indicates that his family was wealthy (unless they borrowed it from a local synagogue or read it there, privately).
In this environment he no doubt completed a good Greek education; he could certainly read Greek, since he got letters from Paul in that language.
He was willing to submit and followed Jesus through Paul (1 Cor. 4:17; 1 Tim. 1:1).
When he teamed up with Paul, he was a young man (1 Tim. 4:12).
He was circumcised by Paul, not to keep the law or go back into the Old Covenant or improve his salvation, but for cultural sensitivities when they spoke in Jewish synagogues.
His Ministry with Paul
Since he was connected to Paul, we can have no doubt that he received the fullness and power of the Spirit. A body of elders laid hands on him (1 Tim. 4:14), and Paul himself did the same thing (2 Tim. 1:6). These passages do mention manifested gifts like a prayer language, but neither does Acts say anything about this gift when Paul received the laying on of hands (Acts 9:17), but he proclaimed that he spoke in Spirit-inspired languages more than the Corinthians did (1 Cor. 14:18), and he wished everyone would speak in their prayer languages (1 Cor. 14:5). Prayer languages open one’s spirit to the Spirit and empower one for ministry. Surely Paul ensured that Timothy had this gift.
He was sent on Paul’s second missionary journey (Acts 16:3-4).
He stayed with Silas in Berea, where Bible study reigned supreme (Acts 17:14).
He was sent to Thessalonica to strengthen and encourage the believers, so they would not get discouraged during trials (1 Thess. 3:2-3).
He went with Paul to Corinth, where ministry was fruitful (Acts 18:5; 1 Thess. 3:6).
He (and Erastus) was sent to Macedonia, after he Paul had just passed through there, probably to encourage the believers (Acts 19:22).
He was sent to Corinth to settle problems and remind the Corinthians of Paul’s teachings and way of life as an example (1 Cor. 4:17).
Paul told the Corinthians not to despise Timothy, because he was doing the work of the Lord, as Paul did. He should not fear the Corinthians (1 Cor. 16:10-11).
He fearlessly went with Paul on his way to Jerusalem, knowing that trouble and persecution would break out (Acts 20:1-4).
He was a co-writer with Paul (2 Cor. 1:1; Col. 1:1; 1 Thess. 1:1).
He ministered to Paul in Philippi, while Paul was in prison (Phil. 2:19).
He led the large and thriving church in Ephesus (1 Tim. 1:3).
He was a pastor who was responsible for worship (1 Tim. 2:1-10; 2 Tim. 4:2-5).
He spent some time in prison (Heb. 13:23).
His Character
He worked hard for the Lord:
20 For I have no one likeminded, who will sincerely care for your state. 21 For all seek their own, not the things of Christ Jesus. 22 But you know his proven character, that as a son with his father he served with me in the gospel. 23 Therefore, I hope to send him at once, as soon as I see how it goes with me. (Phil. 2:20-23, NKJV)
14 Remind them of these things, charging them before the Lord not to strive about words to no profit, to ruin the hearers. 15 Be diligent to present yourself approved to God, a worker who does not need to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth (2 Tim. 2:14-15, NKJV)
But you be watchful in all things, endure afflictions, do the work of an evangelist fulfill your ministry. (2 Tim. 4:5, NKJV)
An effective follower of Paul ((1 Cor. 4:7; Phil. 2:22; 2 Tim. 1:13-14)
Prone to timidity (2 Tim. 1:6-7)
He needed encouragement (1 Tim. 4:11-16; 1 Tim. 6:11-14, 20)
Tendency to have frequent stomach ailments (1 Tim. 5:23)
2-3:
It is good to be well attested by the church. It can also be translated “they bore witness of him” because it is the standard for “witness.”
“brothers and sisters”: it is the Greek noun for “brother,” but it can be inclusive of women, like our word mankind includes women.
As noted in the brief study of Timothy, he was not circumcised probably because his Gentile Greek father would not allow it. Paul circumcised him not to save him, but to open cultural doors for him and the team. The Council decided that circumcision was not necessary for salvation (Acts 15:1-29), but Paul did not want Timothy to appear like an apostate Jew, because he would not be allowed in the synagogues. In other words, Paul circumcised his mentee to be a witness in the synagogues. An uncircumcised Jew was an apostate. Paul was no longer under the command to circumcise a man as a sign of the New Covenant. He was free from such rituals in the old law of Moses.
I like what Bruce says:
Surely, however, it may be argued, Luke stretches credulity when he reports that Paul circumcised Timothy, whose home church of Lystra may indeed have been one of those churches in which the remonstrance of Galatians was addressed. Did Timothy, by receiving circumcision at Paul’s hands … become “bound to keep the law” [Gal. 5:3]? No, he did not, for his circumcision was neither performed nor accepted as a religious requirement. Paul circumcised him, says Luke, not to enhance Timothy’s status before God’s sight, but “because of the Jews that were in those places, for they all new that his father was a Greek” (Ac. 16:3). In Jewish law, Timothy was a Jew, because he was the son of a Jewish mother; but he had not been circumcised presumably because his Greek father would not allow the rite to be carried out. Paul was anxious to have Timothy as his junior colleague, but if Timothy had remained uncircumcised, he would have ranked in Jewish eyes as an apostate and Paul would have ranked as a supporter of apostasy. If Paul was to continue to gain entrance to the synagogue in this or that place, Timothy’s position had to be regularized. (1990, p. 58)
Bock says that the issue is not whether Timothy was a Gentile, for Gentiles could be allowed into a synagogue. Titus, a Gentile, was not compelled to be circumcised (Gal. 2:3), and he was welcomed by the Jerusalem Messianic Jewish leaders. Rather, for Timothy, he had a mixed heritage, and this needed to be sorted out. Bock quotes from the Babylonian Talmud (Yebam 45b) and the Mishnah, a collection or oral interpretations finally written down in about AD 200 (Qidd. 3:12) which says that the status of the child is determined by the lower status of the parent, in this case the Jewish wife and mother (pp. 522-23). These rulings may go back to the first century. Timothy’s Greek father and Jewish mother fit within this mixed marriage law.
Being a good Messianic Jew does not mean being a bad Jew. It just means that he is not bound by the Sinai covenant, with all the threats hanging over his head like a sword, for his failures. Keeping every festival or kosher food laws or circumcision or Sabbath keeping is done for a witness and in liberty, voluntarily. If he chooses not to keep them or only some of them, on the other hand, he is also at liberty. Everything he does must honor the Messiah. Now these regulations take on new meaning.
What Does the New Covenant Retain from the Old?
4:
“resolutions”: it is the Greek word dogma (pronounced as it looks or to be precise dohg-mah), and, yes, we get our word dogma from it. It means “decisions or decrees or resolutions.”
The letter written in Acts 15:23-29 was important for the Messianic Jews (and future ones), so they could learn that they just had to believe in Jesus without circumcision to be saved, and they could enjoy table fellowship with Gentiles because of the two prohibitions against eating things sacrificed to idols and undrained, strangled meat. Silas was there in the Council, and he could vouch for them.
5:
This verse ends the fourth of the so-called six “panels” of Acts, each one lasting about five years. Here they are:
1:1 to 6:7
6:8 to 9:31
9:32 to 12:24
12:25 to 16:5
16:6 to 19:20
19:21 to 28:31
But this verse is not to be thrown away as a mere summary or transition. The number of disciples and their faith really were growing.
“strong”: It comes from the Greek verb stereoō (pronounced steh-reh-oh-oh), and we get our word stereo from it. It means “make strong, firm” and appears only in Acts 3:7, 16; 16:5. It is in the imperfect tense, which indicates continuous or incomplete or unfinished action. It was ongoing.
“faith”: the noun is pistis (pronounced peace-teace), and it is used 243 times. Its basic meaning is the “belief, trust, confidence,” and it can also mean “faithfulness” and “trustworthy” (Mounce p. 232). Remember this true acronym:
F-A-I-T-H
=
Forsaking All, I Trust Him
Word Study on Faith and Faithfulness
“churches”: It is plural here. Jesus’s commission to go into Judea and Samaria and the ends of the earth is gradually being fulfilled (1:8). The church, wherever it is found, should be unified as one. In Greek it is ekklēsia (pronounced ek-klay-see-ah) and the meaning has roots in both Hebrew and Greek. It literally means “the ones called out” or “the called out” or “the summoned” who gather together. It describes an assembly or gathering.
Fellowship is so important for believers. Don’t believe the lie circulating in American society, particularly in social media, that not going to church is good enough. People who skip constant fellowship are prone to sin and self-deception and satanic attacks. We need each other.
This link has a list of the famous “one another” verses, like “love one another.”
Further, since American Christianity is undergoing discussion on the sizes of churches, let me add: the earliest Christian community met either in houses (Acts 2:46) or in Solomon’s Colonnade in Jerusalem (Acts 3:11; 5:12) or a large number in Antioch (11:26), which could hold a large gathering—call it a mega-church—and presumably in mid-sized gatherings. Size does not matter, since it varies so widely.
Moreover, one thing that impresses me about all those above references, is that the apostles, as they planted churches, were guided by the Spirit—always—and they were also deliberate about setting them up and establishing them. Planning is Scriptural. So wisdom says: listen to the Spirit and plan. Listen as you plan and be ready to drop your plans at a moment notice, when the Spirit says so. God will grow the church as we proclaim the good news.
“multiplied”: here it means “grow” in numbers, but in other contexts it can mean “more than enough, be left over”; “be present in abundance”; “be extremely rich or abundant, overflow”; “have an abundance, abound, be rich”; “be outstanding, be prominent, excel”; “progress.” It is a rich word. The church really was growing and prospering.
6-7:
It is wise to obey the Holy Spirit and the Spirit of Jesus. Here we have more evidence for the Trinity or Triunity. The Spirit proceeds from the Father and from Christ. Here he is stated as proceeding from the resurrected Jesus.
Longenecker:
The heightening terminology from “the Holy Spirit” (v. 6) to “the Spirit of Jesus” (v. 7) to “God” (v. 10) is more than stylistic—it is an unconscious expression of the early church’s embryonic Trinitarian faith. All three terms refer to God by his Spirit’s giving direction to the mission. But just how the Holy Spirit revealed his will we are not told. Perhaps in one or more instances Silas had a part, for he was a prophet (15:32). (comment on v. 6).
Now let’s get back to the Spirit’s leading.
Even though Paul and his crew could not see or figure out why the doors were closed, he and they were intelligent enough to trust and obey. When God closes the door, please don’t force it open. Just walk past it, thanking him because he knows best.
For systematic theology:
The Spirit’s Deity and Divine Attributes
The Spirit in the Life of Christ
The Spirit in the Church and Believers
This divine guidance is contrasted with the divine guidance of the slave girl who had a spirit of divination (vv. 16-18).
8-9:
“skirting”: it can also mean (1) “go through” (see v. 6 and a possible synonym) or (2) “arrive” or “come” or (3) “pass by,” which I translated as “skirting” (Parsons and Culy).
“vision”: the noun is mostly translated as “vision,” or it could be a supernatural sight (Matt. 17:19; Acts 10:3, 17, 19; 18:9). You’ll know it when you see it, with no room for misinterpretation. And Renewalists believe that visions still happen today. They get them all the time. It’s biblical. But our visions must be submitted to the written Word because our vision may not be right, but self-serving. In contrast, Scripture has stood the test of time. Your dream or vision has not.
Dreams and Visions: How to Interpret Them
10:
“we”: Luke now briefly joins the missionaries Paul, Silas and Timothy (vv. 9-40). The best explanation of “we” is that Luke is included. It is not an unedited source Luke got in his hands. I wonder what Luke was doing in the coastal town of Troas? Was he waiting to join a ship to its doctor? Was he a practicing doctor in the town, or was he dropped off there temporarily and join a ship later? How did he and Paul’s team meet? Why did Luke join them so quickly with Paul’s permission? Was he saved there, under Paul’s ministry? Or was he saved closer to Israel, like Antioch in Syria, but joined a ship heading for Troas? Later tradition connects him with Antioch; if true, then he was simply passing through the city of Troas. Whatever the case, it seems God was allowing them to meet. We will never know. So let’s move on.
Be prepared to meet allies and friends in unlikely places.
“as the vision saw”: that is a literal translation, but the sense is clear: “as the vision communicated.” See v. 9 for a deeper look, and the link there.
“seeking”: it comes from the verb that means to seek, search, look for; and investigate, examine, consider, deliberate; and in some contexts it can even mean “strive for, try to obtain, desire to possess”; and can even be a synonym for “prayer or asking for, requesting, and demanding.” Here it means in the imperfect or incomplete or continuous action of “seeking or trying.”
It is good to make a full effort to obey God, after he clearly speaks.
“concluded”: in some contexts it means “knit together, unite” and even “demonstrate, prove”; instruct, teach advise.” Here it can be expansively translated as “connect the dots.”
GrowApp for Acts 16:1-10
1. Paul recruited Timothy for the mission, who was very eager to join him. How about your willingness to serve the Lord? Could you give up your comforts—or anything that God told you to give up for the gospel?
2. Paul had his plan. But God interrupted his plan, so he went in a new direction. If God interrupted your plan, would you be willing to give it up? Has this ever happened to you? Tell your story.
RELATED
The Historical Reliability of the Book of Acts
Book of Acts and Paul’s Epistles: Match Made in Heaven?
SOURCES
For the bibliography, please click on this link and scroll down to the very bottom:
Dr. Jim's Essential Bible Teaching 