How is a believer to respond to the governing authorities? That’s a question Paul had to deal with in a prison in Philippi after an earthquake miraculously unfastened their chains and opened the doors of the prison (Acts 16:25-34). God used Paul and Silas to bring salvation to their jailer and his entire household. Out of gratitude, the jailer ministered to their needs in his home. Remarkably, based on verses 35-36, Paul and Silas agreed to return to the prison under the jailer’s authority rather than escape. This was likely in part a deliberate act of kindness on the part of Paul, knowing that the jailer would be held liable by the city authorities for their escape, punishable by death.
Then when the city magistrates sent policemen to tell the jailer to release Paul and Silas to depart in peace, Paul had his new brother in the Lord inform them (v. 37):
They have beaten us in public without trial, men who are Romans, and have thrown us into prison; and now they are sending us away secretly? No indeed! But let them come themselves and bring us out.
Out of fear that they had broken Roman law, the magistrates heeded Paul’s words and begged Paul and Silas to leave their city. They did leave after visiting the brethren in the home of Lydia, the first convert. At least two things stand out to me from Paul’s interchange with the Roman authorities here. First, Paul’s sights were beyond his own welfare, in this case, his escape. He was more concerned about the spiritual life – and then the physical life – of his immediate authority, the jailer. Second, he was not intimidated by the threats of the magistrates, but instead made sure they knew that they were breaking their own laws in doing so. This was a wise move on Paul’s part to set a precedent with the political officials in the region in the event they were confronted again. Indeed, while Paul honored their request to leave, they encouraged the believers there on the way, and went to the next city in Macedonia to continue their ministry. These are pertinent lessons for us to consider in a day when government encroachment on Christian ministry appears to be on the increase.