2 1 8 The Churches of Macedonia. Chap. X.
expression is so concise, should have intended to leave in his text two clauses which say exactly the same thing.
The title Praetors was not technically accurate, but was frequently employed as a courtesy title for the supreme magistrates of a Roman colony ; and, as usual, Luke moves on the plane of educated conversation in such matters, and not on the plane of rigid technical accuracy. He writes as the scene was enacted.
It is impossible and unnecessary to determine whether the slave-girl's owners were actually Roman citizens. They speak here as representatives of the general popula- tion. The actual coloni planted here by Augustus when he founded the colony, were probably far outnumbered by the Greek population (incolce) ; and it is clear that in the colonies of the Eastern provinces, any Italian coloni soon melted into the mass of the population, and lost most of their distinctive character, and probably forgot even their language. The exact legal relation of the native Greek population to the Roman coloni is uncertain ; but it is certain that the former occupied some kind of intermediate position between ordinary provincials and Romans or Latins (when the colony was a Latin colony like Antioch). These colonies were one of the means whereby Rome sought to introduce the Roman spirit and feeling into the provinces, to romanise them ; and the accusation lodged against Paul, with the whole scene that followed, are a proof, in this vivid photographic picture, that the population prided themselves on their Roman character and actually called themselves Romans, as they called their magistrates Praetors.
Paul on other occasions claimed his right of citizen
Sec. 3. Accusation and Condemnation. 2 1 9
ship ; why not here ? It is evident that the Praetors made a great to-do over this case : they regarded it as a case of treason, or, as it was termed in Greek, "impiety" (a<ref3eia), rent their clothes in loyal horror, with the fussy, consequential airs that Horace satirises in the would-be Praetor of a country town {Sat. I 5, 34) : the fabric of the Empire was shaken to its foundations by this disgraceful conduct of the accused persons ; but the Praetors of Philippi stood firm, and the populace rose as one man, like true Romans, to defend their country against her insidious enemies. In such a scene what chance was there that Paul's protest should be listened to ? Perhaps it was made and not listened to, since the whole proceedings were so disorderly and irregular.
The first person ceases at this point ; the author was not arrested, and therefore could not speak in the first person of what happened in the prison. He did not accompany Paul further ; but remained at Philippi as his headquarters, till Paul returned there, XX 6, when the first person is resumed. It is only natural to under- stand that he was left in Philippi, because of his obvious suitability for the work of evangelising that city ; and his success was so striking that his " praise in the preaching of the good news was through all the Churches," II Cor. VIII 18 (a passage which is understood by early tradition as referring to Luke). At the same time it is clear that he had not been a householder in Philippi previously, for he went with Paul to enjoy Lydia's hospitality.
4. THE PRISON AND THE EARTHQUAKE. (XVI 25) BUT ABOUT MIDNIGHT PAUL AND SILAS WERE
220 The Churches of Macedonia. Chap. X.
PRAYING AND SINGING HYMNS UNTO GOD, AND THE PRISONERS WERE LISTENING TO THEM ; (26) AND SUDDENLY THERE WAS A GREAT EARTHQUAKE, SO THAT THE FOUNDATIONS OF THE PRISON-HOUSE WERE SHAKEN ; AND IMMEDIATELY ALL THE DOORS WERE OPENED ; AND EVERY ONE'S FETTERS WERE SHAKEN OUT. (27) AND THE JAILOR, BEING ROUSED FROM SLEEP, AND SEEING THE PRISON-DOORS OPEN, DREW HIS SWORD, AND WAS ABOUT TO KILL HIMSELF, CON- SIDERING THAT THE PRISONERS HAD ESCAPED. (28) BUT PAUL CRIED OUT WITH A LOUD VOICE, " DO THYSELF NO HARM, FOR WE ARE ALL HERE ". (29) AND CALLING FOR LIGHTS, HE RAN HASTILY IN, AND TREMBLING FOR FEAR THREW HIMSELF BEFORE PAUL AND SILAS, (30) AND BROUGHT THEM OUT [WHEN HE HAD MADE THE REST FAST], AND SAID, " SIRS ! WHAT MUST I DO TO BE SAVED?" (31) AND THEY SAID, "BELIEVE ON THE LORD JESUS, AND THOU SHALT BE SAVED, THOU AND THY HOUSE ". (32) AND THEY SPAKE THE WORD OF THE LORD TO HIM, WITH ALL THAT WERE IN HIS HOUSE. (33) AND HE TOOK THEM AT THAT HOUR OF THE NIGHT AND WASHED THEM OF THEIR STRIPES ; AND WAS BAPTISED, HE AND ALL HIS IMMEDIATELY. (34) AND HE BROUGHT THEM UP INTO HIS HOUSE, AND SET MEAT BEFORE THEM, AND REJOICED GREATLY, WITH ALL HIS HOUSE, HAVING CONCEIVED FAITH IN GOD.