Word Pictures in the New Testament - David Cox

Word Pictures in the NT [Acts: Chapter 16]
outer garments (\himatia\), 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"
(\hubristhentas\). 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} (\ekeleuon\).
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} (\rhabdizein\). Present
active infinitive of \rhabdiz•\, 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 (\tris
erhabdisth•n\). 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.
16:23 {When they had laid} (\epithentes\). Second aorist
(constative) active participle of \epitith•mi\, to place upon.
{Many stripes} (\pollas pl•gas\). The Jewish law was forty
stripes save one (2Co 11:24). The Roman custom depended on the
caprice of the judge and was a terrible ordeal. It was the custom
to inflict the stripes on the naked body (back) as Livy 2.5 says:
"_Missique lictores ad sumendum supplicium, nudatos virgis
caedunt_." On \pl•gas\ (from \pl•ss•\, to strike a blow) see on
¯Lu 10:30; 12:47f. {The jailor} (\t•i desmophulaki\). Late word
(\desmos, phulax\, keeper of bonds), in the N.T. only here
(verses 23,27,36). The LXX has the word \archidesmophulax\ (Ge
39:21-23). Chrysostom calls this jailor Stephanus, he was of
Achaia (1Co 16:15). {To keep safely} (\asphal•s t•rein\).
Present active infinitive, to keep on keeping safely, perhaps "as
dangerous political prisoners" (Rackham). He had some rank and
was not a mere turnkey.
16:24 {Into the inner prison} (\eis t•n es•teran phulak•n\). The
comparative form from the adverb \es•\ (within), Ionic and old
Attic for \eis•\. In the LXX, but in the N.T. only here and Heb
6:19. The Roman public prisons had a vestibule and outer prison
http://www.ccel.org/r/robertson_at/wordpictures/htm/AC16.RWP.html (13 of 19) [28/08/2004 09:07:01 a.m.]