Exegetical and Hermeneutical Commentary of Acts 16:22
And the multitude rose up together against them: and the magistrates rent off their clothes, and commanded to beat [them.]
22. the multitude rose up together ] i.e. together with the aggrieved proprietors of the damsel.
the magistrates rent off their clothes ] i.e. the clothes of Paul and Silas, as is clear from the Greek verb, but not so evident from the A.V. Better, “ rent their clothes off them.” (So R. V. only changing clothes into garments.)
and commanded to beat them ] The Greek signifies “to beat them with rods,” which was the office of the Roman lictor, who carried rods for the purpose when attending on the magistrates. The use of this special word is an indication that St Luke was aware of the particular kind of beating, and perhaps beheld the infliction. This is one of the occasions, no doubt, to which St Paul alludes (2Co 11:25), “Thrice was I beaten with rods.”
Fuente: The Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges
And the multitude … – It is evident that this was done in a popular tumult, and without even the form of law. Of this Paul afterward justly complained, as it was a violation of the privileges of a Roman citizen, and contrary to the laws. See the notes on Act 16:37. It was one instance in which people affect great zeal for the honor of the Law, and yet are among the first to disregard it.
And the magistrates – Act 16:20. They who should have been their protectors until they had had a fair trial according to law.
Rent off their clothes – This was always done when one was to be scourged or whipped. The criminal was usually stripped entirely naked. Livy says (ii. 5), The lictors, being sent to inflict punishment, beat them with rods, being naked. Cicero, against Verres, says, He commanded the man to be seized, and to be stripped naked in the midst of the forum, and to be bound, and rods to be brought.
And commanded to beat them – rabdizein. To beat them with rods. This was done by lictors, whose office it was, and was a common mode of punishment among the Romans. Probably Paul alludes to this as one of the instances which occurred in his life of his being publicly scourged, when he says 2Co 11:25, Thrice was I beaten with rods.
Fuente: Albert Barnes’ Notes on the Bible
Verse 22. The multitude rose up together] There was a general outcry against them; and the magistrates tore off their clothes, and delivered them to the mob, commanding the lictors, or beadles, to beat them with rods, . This was the Roman custom of treating criminals, as Grotius has well remarked.
Fuente: Adam Clarke’s Commentary and Critical Notes on the Bible
The multitude; generality and unanimity alone cannot authorize opinions or practices.
Rent off their clothes; Pauls and Silass clothes, to disgrace them the more, or in order unto their being scourged; though some think that the magistrates rent their own clolhes, in detestation of the pretended blasphemy which was laid to Pauls charge, as the high priest did, Mar 14:63.
Fuente: English Annotations on the Holy Bible by Matthew Poole
22. the multitude rose up togetheragainst themso Act 19:28;Act 19:34; Act 21:30;Luk 23:18.
the magistrates rent offtheirPaul’s and Silas’
clothesthat is,ordered the lictors, or rod-bearers, to tear them off, so as toexpose their naked bodies (see on Ac16:37). The word expresses the roughness with which this was doneto prisoners preparatory to whipping.
and commanded to beatthemwithout any trial (Ac16:37), to appease the popular rage. Thrice, it seems, Paulendured this indignity (2Co11:25).
Fuente: Jamieson, Fausset and Brown’s Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible
And the multitude rose up together against them,…. The crowd of people that were gathered together in the court on this occasion; being no doubt spirited up by the proprietors of the maid, out of whom the spirit of divination was cast, and encouraged by the rulers, and being provoked at the hearing of unlawful customs being introduced among them;
and the magistrates rent off their clothes; not their own clothes, as did the high priest, Mr 14:63 but the clothes of Paul and Silas; and so reads the Arabic version, “and the rulers rent the garments of both of them”; which removes the ambiguity in the words; for at the whipping or beating of malefactors, they did not pluck off their garments, but rent and tore them off, and so whipped or beat them naked: this was the custom with the Jews m; it is asked,
“how did they whip anyone? his hands are bound to a pillar here and there, and the minister of the synagogue (or the executioner) takes hold of his clothes; and if they are rent, they are rent, and if they are ripped, they are ripped, (be it as it will,) until he has made his breast bare, c.”
And in like manner the Lectors, or executioners among the Romans, used to tear the garments of malefactors, when they beat them this the magistrates themselves did here, unless they may be said to do it, because they ordered it to be done, as follows:
and commanded to beat them; that is, with rods: this was one of the three times the apostle was beat in this manner, 2Co 11:25 and of this shameful treatment at Philippi, he makes mention in 1Th 2:2.
m Misn. Maccot, c. 3. sect. 12. & Maimon. Hilchot Sanhedrin c. 16. sect. 8.
Fuente: John Gill’s Exposition of the Entire Bible
Rose up together (). Second aorist (ingressive) active of the double compound , intransitive, old verb, but only here in the N.T. (cf. in 18:12). There was no actual attack of the mob as Paul and Silas were in the hands of the officers, but a sudden and violent uprising of the people, the appeal to race and national prejudice having raised a ferment.
Rent their garments off them ( ). First aorist active participle of , old verb, to break off all around, to strip or rend all round. Here only in the N.T. The duumvirs probably gave orders for Paul and Silas to be stripped of their outer garments (), though not actually doing it with their own hands, least of all not stripping off their own garments in horror as Ramsay thinks. That would call for the middle voice. In II Macc. 4:38 the active voice is used as here of stripping off the garments of others. Paul in 1Th 2:2 refers to the shameful treatment received in Philippi, “insulted” (). As a Roman citizen this was unlawful, but the duumvirs looked on Paul and Silas as vagabond and seditious Jews and “acted with the highhandedness characteristic of the fussy provincial authorities” (Knowling).
Commanded (). Imperfect active, repeatedly ordered. The usual formula of command was: “Go, lictors; strip off their garments; let them be scourged.”
To beat them with rods (). Present active infinitive of , old verb, but in the N.T.=virgis caedere only here and 2Co 11:25 where Paul alludes to this incident and two others not given by Luke ( ). He came near getting another in Jerusalem (Ac 22:25). Why did not Paul say here that he was a Roman citizen as he does later (verse 37) and in Jerusalem (22:26f.)? It might have done no good in this hubbub and no opportunity was allowed for defence of any kind.
Fuente: Robertson’s Word Pictures in the New Testament
Rent off their clothes [] . Only here in New Testament. By the usual formula of command to the lictors : Go, lictors; strip off their garments; let them be scourged !
To beat [] . From rJabdov, a rod. Rev. properly adds, with rods.
Fuente: Vincent’s Word Studies in the New Testament
1) “And the multitude rose up together against them:(kai sunepeste ho ochlos kat’ auton) “And the motley crowd rose up in arms in colleague against them,” against Paul, Silas, in particular, and those praying, believing church brethren, followers of Jesus Christ in Philippi, as in other places, Act 19:28-34; Act 21:30; Luk 23:18.
2) “And the magistrates rent off their clothes,” (kai hoi strategoi perireksantes auton a himatia) “And the magistrates unceremoniously tearing and roughly ripping off their clothes,” (from Paul and Silas) to humiliate them publicly, to incite the sensual pleasure of the motley sensual crowd, and to expose their naked bodies to the beating rods, or whips, Act 16:37.
3) “And commanded to beat them.” (ekeleuon hrabdizein) “Ordered, gave instructions to flog them,” to whip or beat them up, publicly, there in the open marketplace in Philippi; without any trial, to satisfy the popular anger and rage of the “losing, covetous, former stockholders” of their once gain-bearing demon possessed damsel-slave girl. It appears that this public beating was repeated; Three times he was beaten with the lictor rods, 2Co 6:5; 2Co 11:23; 2Co 11:25; 1Th 2:2. Our Lord forewarned of such cruel mockery and humiliation, Mat 5:11-12; Joh 15:20; 2Ti 2:12; 2Ti 3:12.
Fuente: Garner-Howes Baptist Commentary
−
22. The multitude came together. When Luke declareth that there was great encourses of the people made, after that a few men of no reputation, to wit, such as did juggle and cozen to get gain, and whose filthiness was well known, had made some stir; he reacheth with what fury the world rageth against Christ. Foolishness and inconstancy are indeed common vices among all people, and almost continual, but the wonderful force of Satan doth therein betray itself, in that those who are in other matters modest and quiet, are for a matter of no importance in a heat, − (205) and became companions of most vile persons, when the truth must be resisted. There was never a whit more modesty to be found in the judges themselves, if we consider what was their duty. For they ought, by their gravity, to have appeased the fury of the people, and to have set themselves stoutly against their violence, they ought to have aided and defended the guiltless; but they lay hands on them outrageously, and renting their garments, they command them to be stripped naked and whipt before they know the matter. Surely the malice of men is to be lamented; − (206) whereby it came to pass, that almost all the judgment-seats of the world, which ought to have been sanctuaries of justice, have been polluted with the wicked and sacrilegious oppugning of the gospel. −
Notwithstanding, the question is, why they were cast in prison, seeing that they were already punished, for the prison was ordained for the keeping of men? They used this kind of correction, until they might know more; and so we see the servants of Christ more sharply handled than adulterers, robbers, and other most vile persons. − (207) Whereby appeareth more plainly that force of Satan in stirring up the minds of men, that they observe no show of judgment in persecuting the gospel. But though the godly be more hardly handled for defending the truth of Christ, than are the wicked for their wickedness; yet it goeth well with the godly, because they triumph gloriously before God and his angels in all injuries which they suffer. They suffer reproach and slander; but because they know that the marks of Christ are in greater price and more esteemed in heaven than the vain pomps of the earth, the more wickedly and reproachfully the world doth vex them, the greater cause have they to rejoice. For if profane writers did so honor Themistocles, that they preferred his prison before the seat and court of judges; how much more honorably must we think of the Son of God, whose cause is in hand so often as the faithful suffer persecution for the gospel? Therefore, though the Lord suffered Paul and Silas to be scourged and imprisoned by the wicked judges, yet he did not suffer them to be put to any shame, but that which turned to their greater renown. For seeing that those persecutions, which we must suffer for the testimony of the gospel, are remnants of the sufferings of Christ; like as our Prince turned the cross, which was accursed, into a triumphant [triumphal] chariot, so he shall, in like sort, adorn the prisons and gibbets of his, that they may there triumph over Satan and all the wicked. −
Renting their garments. Because the old interpreter had truly translated this, it was evil done of Erasmus to change it, that the magistrates did rent their own garments. For this was Luke’s meaning only, that the holy men were outrageously − (208) beaten, the lawful order of judgment being neglected, and that they laid hands on them with such violence that their garments were rent. And this had been too far disagreeing with the custom of Romans, for the judges to cut [rend] their own garments publicly in the market-place; especially seeing the question was concerning an unknown religion, for which they did not greatly care; but I will not long stand about a plain matter.
(205) −
“
Repente effervent,” suddenly effervesce, break out.
(206) −
“
Deploranda,” desperate, deplorable.
(207) −
“
Et alios quosvis sceleratos,” and villains of any description.
(208) −
“
Tumultuose,” tumultuously.
Fuente: Calvin’s Complete Commentary
(22) Commanded to beat them.The Greek verb gives the special Roman form of punishment, that of being beaten with the rods of the lictors. This, therefore, takes its place as one of the three instances to which St. Paul refers in 2Co. 11:25. The question naturally occurs, why he did not, on these occasions, claim, as he did afterwards at Jerusalem (Act. 22:25), the privileges of a Roman citizen. Some have supposed that the violence of the mob rendered it impossible for his claim to be heard. Others have even questioned the truthfulness of his claim. A more natural supposition is that he would not assert in this instance a right which would only have secured exemption for himself, and left his companion to suffer the ignominious penalty of the law, and that by putting the strategi in the wrong, he sought to secure for his disciples afterwards a more tolerant treatment. As far as the first part of this hypothesis is concerned, it may, perhaps, be accepted (see, however, Note on Act. 16:37); but such of the Philippian disciples as belonged to the colonia, were already protected from outrages of this kind as Roman citizens. Others, however, of the freed-men class, were still liable to them.
Fuente: Ellicott’s Commentary for English Readers (Old and New Testaments)
22. Multitude magistrates These Philippians would be no true Romans, their illustrious colonia would be no true miniature of the eternal city, if all the blood in their veins was not now in a magnificent tumult.
Rent clothes beat No time is taken to examine witnesses, or to try the case of the arraigned; no words are they allowed to utter. What need when all parties, except the prisoners, are agreed? Yet this broke the very letter of the Roman law, which declared, as Cicero says, Cognita causa, possunt multi absolvi; incognita, nemo condemnari potest ”The case being heard, many can be acquitted; unheard, none can be condemned.”
The usual sentence after this was concisely and majestically Roman: Summove lictor, despolia, verbera ”Take lictor, strip, scourge.” The wording of this verse, which places the stripping before the commanding, would certainly suggest that the two magistrates on the present occasion did, in the excitement of the moment, perform the lictor’s office so far as
stripping was concerned. Nothing but our respect for the Roman magistracy prevents this construction.
To beat them ”Happy for us,” says Howson, “that few modern countries know, by the example of a similar punishment, what a Roman scourging was!” The Roman sense of justice was systematic, firm, and high, but in its inflictions needing the gentleness which a true Christianity alone can inspire.
We must not figure this prison after the shape of a modern house or jail, but, according to our cuts, imagine a quadrangular structure enclosing a roofless square yard or court, or courts within. The prison cells are in the ground story, and the jailer resides in an upper story. There is probably a well or fountain in the court. The inner prison may be a subterranean cell in the court. More probably it is the inner row of cells of the ground story which lines the court.
Fuente: Whedon’s Commentary on the Old and New Testaments
‘And the multitude rose up together against them, and the magistrates tore their clothes off them, and commanded to beat them with rods.’
These men clearly took pains to incite the crowds in the market place, who responded to the charge and expressed their disapproval of ‘these Jews’. The danger of an uproar probably persuaded the magistrates to act. They therefore had them stripped and beaten with rods. This would be done by the ‘lictors’ (a kind of police who were the magistrates’ assistants). It was a high-handed treatment quite regularly meted out to ordinary people ‘in trouble with the law’ whether they were innocent or not. It was looked on with careless unconcern as a salutary reminder to them that they must treat the law, together with the courts and their deliberations, seriously. It would also help to settle the crowds. Justice could be sorted out later. Roman citizens were in fact exempt from it, but no one would listen to any protests while tempers were so enflamed (Cicero gives an account of a similar case of a Roman citizen who was beaten while all ignored his claims).
Roman justice was undoubtedly better than most other systems, (that was why they were eventually released), but it still left a lot to be desired.
Fuente: Commentary Series on the Bible by Peter Pett
Act 16:22. The magistrates rent off their clothes, This was the Roman method of proceeding in such cases, and it was also practised among the Jews. The latter part of this verse might be rendered more clearly thus: And the officers tearing off their garments, that is, of Paul and Silas, commanded them to be beaten with rods, by the hands of the lictors, or public beadles, to whom that office belonged.
Fuente: Commentary on the Holy Bible by Thomas Coke
Act 16:22-23 . And at the same time (“cum ancillae dominis,” Bengel) the multitude rose up (in a tumultuary manner) against them; therefore the praetors, intimidated thereby, in order temporarily to still the urgency of the mob, commanded the accused to be scourged without examination, and then, until further orders, to be thrown into strict confinement.
. ] after having torn off their clothes . The form of expression of Act 16:23 shows that the praetors did not themselves (in opposition to Bengel) do this piece of work, which was necessary and customary for laying bare the upper part of the body (Grotius and Wolf in loc. ), but caused it to be done by their subordinate lictors. Erasmus erroneously desired to read , so that the praetors would have rent their own clothes from indignation. Apart from the non-Roman character of such a custom, there may be urged against this view the compound ., which denotes that the rending took place all round about the whole body (Plat. Crit. p. 113 D: , Polyb. xv. 33, 4, al.; comp. Tittmann, Synon. p. 221).
] The reference of the relative tense is to the personal presence of the narrator; see Winer, p. 253 [E. T. 337].
Paul and Silas submitted to this maltreatment (one of the three mentioned in 2Co 11:25 ) with silent self-denial, and without appealing to their Roman citizenship, committing everything to God; see on Act 16:37 . Men of strong character may, amidst unjust suffering, exhibit in presence of their oppressors their moral defiance , even in resignation . We make this remark in opposition to Zeller (comp. Baur), who finds the brutal conduct of the praetors, and the non-employment by the apostles of their legal privilege in self-defence (which Paul, moreover, renounced not merely on this occasion, 2Co 11:25 ), inexplicable. Bengel well remarks: “Non semper omnibus praesidiis omni modo utendum; divino regimini auscultandum.” In a similar plight, Act 22:25 , Paul found it befitting to interpose an assertion of his privilege, which he here only used for the completion of his victory over the persecution, Act 16:37 , a result which, in Act 22:25 , according to the divine destination which he was aware of, he recognised as unattainable.
Fuente: Heinrich August Wilhelm Meyer’s New Testament Commentary
22 And the multitude rose up together against them: and the magistrates rent off their clothes, and commanded to beat them .
Ver. 22. Rent off their clothes ] i.e. the apostles’ clothes.
And commanded to beat them ] What? before they had examined the matter? This was preposterous justice; like that of those that in the morning hang the offender, and sit upon him in the afternoon; or those spoken of by Aeneas Sylvius (cap. 20, Europ.), that hang up such as are suspected of theft, and three days after judge of the suspicion. Whereas, on the contrary, a judge is to retain the decency and gravity of the law, which is never angry with any man. Lex non irascitur, sed constituit. Alexander in his anger slew those friends of his, whom afterwards he would have revived again with his own life blood.
Fuente: John Trapp’s Complete Commentary (Old and New Testaments)
22 . The multitude probably cried out tumultuously, as on other occasions (see Luk 23:18 ; ch. Act 19:28 ; Act 19:34 ; Act 21:30 ; Act 22:22-23 ), and the duumviri, without giving them a trial ( , Act 16:37 ), rent off their clothes, scil. by the lictors ( , Dion [80] . Hal. ix. 39). The form was, ‘Summove, lictor, despolia, verbera,’ Seneca (C. and H. i. 357). See also Livy, ii. 8; Valer. Max [81] ii. 28, in Wetst. Erasmus fancied that the duumviri rent their own clothes from indignation: but, to say nothing of the improbability of such a proceeding on the part of a Roman magistrate, a man could not very well his own garments
[80] Dionysius, Bp. of Alexandria, 247 265
[81] Max imus Taur inensis , 430 466
Fuente: Henry Alford’s Greek Testament
Act 16:22 . : only here in N.T., cf. Act 18:12 , not in LXX, but cf. Num 16:3 , used in classical Greek, but not in same sense. No reason is given, but the would have been easily swayed by hatred of the Jews, and further incensed perhaps at finding an end put to their love of the revelations of fortune-telling. . , i.e. , they rent off the garments of Paul and Silas; just as there is no change of subject before ., so here probably what was done by the lictors is said to have been done by the magistrates. There is no need to suppose with Bengel that the prtors tore off the prisoners’ clothes with their own hands. Grotius (but see on the other hand Calvin’s note in loco ) takes the words as meaning that the prtors rent off their own clothes (reading ); so Ramsay speaks of the prtors rending their garments in horror at the , the impiety. But not only would such an act be strange on the part of Roman magistrates, but also the verb seems to make against the interpretation; it means in classical and in later Greek to rend all round, tear off, cf. the numerous instances in Wetstein, and so it expresses the rough way in which the lictors tore off the garments of the prisoners. In 2Ma 4:38 the word is used of tearing off the garments of another, see Wendt’s (1888) note in loco. : to beat with rods: thrice St. Paul suffered this punishment, 2Co 11:25 , grievous and degrading, of a Roman scourging, cf. his own words in 1Th 2:2 , . Nothing can be alleged against the truthfulness of the narrative on the ground that Paul as a Roman citizen could not have been thus maltreated. The whole proceeding was evidently tumultuary and hasty, and the magistrates acted with the high-handedness characteristic of the fussy provincial authorities; in such a scene St. Paul’s protest may well have been made, but would very easily be disregarded. The incident in Act 22:25 , which shows us how the Apostle barely escaped a similar punishment amidst the tumult and shouts of the mob in Jerusalem, and the instances quoted by Cicero, In Verr. , v., 62, of a prisoner remorselessly scourged, while he cried “inter dolorem crepitumque plagarum” Civis Romanus sum , enables us to see how easily Paul and Silas (who probably enjoyed the Roman citizenship, cf. Act 16:37 ) might have protested and yet have suffered.
Fuente: The Expositors Greek Testament by Robertson
multitude = crowd. Greek. ochlos.
rose up together. Greek. sunephistemi. Only here.
against. Greek. kata. App-104.
rent off. Greek. perirregnumi. Only here.
beat them = beat them with rods. Greek. rabdizo. Only here and 2Co 11:25. The lictors who attended on the praetors carried rods or staves (rabdos) for the purpose, and were called rod-bearers. Greek. rabdouchos. See Act 16:35.
Fuente: Companion Bible Notes, Appendices and Graphics
22. The multitude probably cried out tumultuously, as on other occasions (see Luk 23:18; ch. Act 19:28; Act 19:34; Act 21:30; Act 22:22-23),-and the duumviri, without giving them a trial (, Act 16:37), rent off their clothes, scil. by the lictors ( , Dion[80]. Hal. ix. 39). The form was, Summove, lictor, despolia, verbera, Seneca (C. and H. i. 357). See also Livy, ii. 8; Valer. Max[81] ii. 28, in Wetst. Erasmus fancied that the duumviri rent their own clothes from indignation: but, to say nothing of the improbability of such a proceeding on the part of a Roman magistrate, a man could not very well his own garments
[80] Dionysius, Bp. of Alexandria, 247-265
[81] Maximus Taurinensis, 430-466
Fuente: The Greek Testament
Act 16:22. ) , the multitude rose up with () the masters of the damsel.-, having torn off) The magistrates themselves tore off the garments of Paul and Silas: for there follows after this word, and not till then, , commanded.-, their) viz. of Paul and Silas.
Fuente: Gnomon of the New Testament
the multitude: Act 17:5, Act 18:12, Act 19:28-41, Act 21:30, Act 21:31, Act 22:22, Act 22:23
the magistrates: Act 16:37, Act 5:40, Act 22:24-26, Mat 10:17, Mat 27:26, 2Co 6:5, 2Co 11:23-25, 1Th 2:2, Heb 11:36, 1Pe 2:24
Reciprocal: Deu 25:2 – General Psa 2:1 – rage Psa 83:2 – lo Jer 12:6 – yea Jer 20:2 – smote Jer 37:15 – the princes Luk 21:12 – before Joh 19:1 – scourged 2Co 11:25 – I beaten
Fuente: The Treasury of Scripture Knowledge
2
Act 16:22. Rent off their clothes in order to administer a scourging. That was done by requiring the victim to lie down with his naked back exposed to the scourger, and a heavy thong of leather or ropes was lashed across the body.
Fuente: Combined Bible Commentary
Act 16:22. And the multitude rose up against them. The citizens and dwellers in that proud and exclusive Roman garrison town of Philippi as usual were at once roused by such an accusation.
The original cause of offence, the damage done to the productive property of the slave-owners, was quite lost sight of in the supposed public offence committed by the eastern strangers.
And the magistrates rent off their clothes. The praetors, without examining into the case, when they heard the nature of the charge, complying with the popular clamour, at once condemned the accused to a painful and shameful punishment before they were imprisoned and formally tried; acting as another and far higher Roman official had once acted when another and greater Captive stood before him accused of a state crime: From thenceforth Pilate sought to release Him When he heard that saying, he brought Jesus forth, and sat down in the judgment-seat Then delivered he Him unto them to be crucified (Joh 19:12-16).
The magistrates in the case of Paul and Silas, as was the custom when criminals were ordered to be scourged, commanded the lictorsthe executionersviolently to pull off the clothes of the condemned. The judicial form was, Summove lictor despolia verbera.
Fuente: A Popular Commentary on the New Testament
Act 16:22-24. And the multitude rose up against them Excited and inflamed by these accusations; and the magistrates Or the pretors; rent off their clothes That is, the clothes of Paul and Silas; for such was the Roman method of proceeding in such cases. Their magistrates were wont to command the lictors to rend open the clothes of the criminals, and to beat their bodies with rods; as Grotius here observes. And when they had laid many stripes upon them Had severely scourged them; (either they did not immediately say they were Romans, or in the tumult it was not regarded;) they cast them into prison, charging the jailer to keep them safely Lest, among their numerous friends, a rescue should be attempted; who, having received such a charge A charge so strict, and from persons of such great rank; thrust them into the inner prison Where he thought them perfectly secure; especially as he also made their feet fast in the stocks These were probably those large pieces of wood, in use among the Romans, which not only loaded the legs of the prisoner, but kept them extended in a very painful manner. So that it is highly probable the situation of Paul and Silas here was much more painful than that of an offender sitting in the stocks among us, especially if they lay, as it is very possible they did, with their backs, so lately scourged, on the damp and dirty ground. These multiplied injuries, however, these servants of God, conscious of their integrity, and enjoying a sense of the divine favour, bore not only with entire resignation, but with great joy.
Fuente: Joseph Bensons Commentary on the Old and New Testaments
22-24. (22) “And the multitude rose up against them, and the magistrates, having torn off their garments, commanded to beat them with rods. (23) And having laid many stripes upon them, they cast them into prison, charging the jailer to keep them safely; (24) who, having received such a commandment, thrust them into the inner prison, and made their feet fast in the stocks.” It appears that the magistrates gave them no opportunity to defend themselves, but simply yielded to the clamor of the multitude, in utter disregard of all the forms of justice. It was that same miserable truckling to the passions of a mob, whom they ought to have ruled into sobriety and reason, which has stamped with infamy the name of Pontius Pilate.
Fuente: McGarvey and Pendleton Commentaries (New Testament)
Verse 22
Rent of their clothes; that is, the clothes of Paul and Silas, preliminary to the punishment. The case is different from that recorded Matthew 26:65, where the judge rent his own clothes as an expression of affected abhorrence for the prisoner’s guilt.
Fuente: Abbott’s Illustrated New Testament
16:22 {14} And the multitude rose up together against them: and the magistrates rent off their clothes, and commanded to beat [them].
(14) An example of evil magistrates, to obey the fury and rage of the people.
Fuente: Geneva Bible Notes
The crowd got behind the missionaries’ accusers. The charges against them seemed so clear the magistrates evidently did not even investigate them but proceeded to beat and imprison Paul and Silas (cf. 2Co 11:23; 2Co 11:25). Lictors (police officers) would have done the beating (caning; cf. Act 16:35). Acts records only two instances in which Gentiles threatened or harmed Paul (cf. Act 19:23-41). In both cases people were losing money in vested interests, and in both cases a Roman official vindicated Paul.