As we move towards Philippi in Acts 16 we find things are changing for Silas. Rather than being ‘chief’, he now assumes a less prominent role; it doesn’t seem to concern him, and it never will if a believer is spiritual. Only pride seeks the preeminence; grace is lowly. Thus, although in Acts 15. 40 both Paul and Silas are recommended, up to verse 10 of chapter 16 it tends to be ‘Paul’ or ‘he’ who is mentioned. Then come the ‘we’ passages of Acts, so indicating that Luke has joined, and including Silas only in general. Silas is mentioned by name only three times in this monumental chapter, yet on each occasion, how significant!
Following the lovely incident with Lydia, and the exorcism of the demonic spirit from the damsel, it was Paul and Silas whom ‘they caught … and drew into the market place unto the rulers’. As the narrative unfolds, everything that was inflicted upon Paul was shared by Silas; cf. 15. 26. Yet there was no complaint from Silas – he was prepared to share the suffering, as he had the preaching.
Once in the prison, watch and listen to these men. No sense of recrimination or being hard-done-by; they counted it a privilege to suffer for the name of Christ. So, at midnight, the darkest hour, what do we find? ‘Paul and Silas prayed, and sang praises unto God: and the prisoners heard them’. Silas was sharing in witness and testifying to the reality of his faith in a living Saviour. When the night was blackest their testimony shone the brightest, and possibly (if the text is read carefully) to the salvation of at least some of the prisoners. Awakened by the God-ordained earthquake, and thinking he would pay the ultimate price for the loss of his prisoners, the jailer was about to end his life. Having been reassured by Paul he fell down before Paul and Silas; their response to his question was, ‘Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, and thou shalt be saved, and thy house’.
What a man to have at your side in the service of God – there to suffer, testify, lead others to salvation. Let us seek to emulate this noble servant of the Lord who was graciously prepared to play the minor public role, realizing that every member in the body is important.
