ACC ~ Acts 16 v11 - 15

OVERVIEW:

Recent commentators note that this is the first place in Europe to be evangelized by Paul. The first convert is somewhat similar to Cornelius: she is probably a God-fearer, not a Jew, and they end up staying with her as Peter did with Cornelius. The fruit that comes of Paul’s voyage to Macedonia, being so rapid, shows that the separation from Barnabas was part of the divine plan (CHRYSOSTOM). God works through Paul and his companions to open Lydia’s heart, but he does not work against her will (CHRYSOSTOM, AMMONIUS). She immediately shows her fidelity by her hospitality to the apostles (CHRYSOSTOM).

16:11 | A Direct Voyage to Samothrace

THE RAPID PROGRESS OF THE WORD. CHRYSOSTOM: Therefore the “sharp contention” was brought to pass as part of the divine plan. For otherwise it would not have been the work of the Holy Spirit, and Macedonia would not have accepted the Word. Such a rapid progress of the Word is a sign that what happened was more than human. HOMILIES ON THE ACTS OF THE APOSTLES 34.

16:14 | The Lord Opened Lydia’s Heart

ATTENTIVENESS OF HEART. CHRYSOSTOM: Therefore we need God, who can open the heart. (God, however, opens hearts that are willing. For there are also hearts that are crippled, incapable of seeing.) … “To give heed to what was said by Paul.” The opening, then, was God’s work, the “give heed,” hers. Therefore it was both God’s doing and Paul’s. “And when she was baptized,” it says, “she sought us, saying, ‘If you have judged me . . .’” Look, as soon as she is baptized, she receives the apostles with an entreaty more earnest than Abraham’s. And she mentions no other proof but that by which she was saved. She did not say, “if you have judged me a great woman” or “if you have judged me a devout woman.” What does she say? “If you have judged me to be faithful to the Lord”—if faithful to the Lord, all the more so to you, unless you dispute it. And she did not say “stay with me” but “come to my house and stay,” thus showing the great eagerness with which she was doing this. Truly a faithful woman! HOMILIES ON THE ACTS OF THE APOSTLES 35.

16:15 | Stay in My House

GOD WANTS THE WILLING. CHRYSOSTOM: Notice again the absence of pride. She was a woman, and she was lowly and a manual laborer. Note, however, that the woman was a lover of wisdom. The first evidence of this is her testimony that God called her. See how the writer of the story was not ashamed to report the habits of life. … And as for us, let us not be ashamed of these students or of any student of these things. Peter stays with the tanner, and Paul with the dealer in purple and a foreign one for that matter. Where is their pride? Therefore let us pray to God that he may open our heart. In fact God opens those hearts that want to be opened, as he can see those that are hardened. The opening is God’s part, being attentive hers: this is something that is, in fact, both human and divine. CATENA ON THE ACTS OF THE APOSTLES 16.13.

GOD VIOLATES THE FREEDOM OF NONE. AMMONIUS: Observe that instruction came first, and then, after the disciples heard the word, baptism followed. But if someone dares to say, “Behold! God saves only those whom he wants to save, he has compassion on and opens only the hearts of those he wants,” as if he were seeking to assign to God the reason why we are either saved or not saved, so that he can say that God is responsible—if he says, “Look, see how he opened the heart of Lydia,” we must reply to him, “Search the Scripture,” for he who does not search does not find what he requires. How do we say that what is said about Cornelius is by the grace of God? We answer that God opens the door to those who live a righteous life but err about faith because of the error transmitted to them by their fathers. And so Lydia too worshiped God but did not know the way in which she had to be saved, which God revealed to her through the true teaching. Therefore the text says “she was a worshiper of God.” On the other hand, if God does not open the heart of someone, he does not open it because that person is impious and receives his words in vain. For even if someone should establish the word of God through manifest proofs, just as the apostles did through signs and wonders, while he, still desiring to be a slave to his passions and wickedness, rejects the word, he is responsible for himself. In fact, God never aids someone in evil, but because of his love of goodness he joins anyone in approving what is noble. But as for what is evil, he allows each to walk in his desires: each may live for whatever he wishes. CATENA ON THE ACTS OF THE APOSTLES 16.14.