John Calvin Commentary Acts 16:35

"But when it was day, the magistrates sent the sergeants, saying, Let those men go." — Acts 16:35 (ASV)

When it was day. The question is, how did it happen that the judges so suddenly changed their purpose? The day before, they had commanded that Paul and Silas should be bound with fetters, as if they meant to punish them cruelly; now they let them go free. At least, if they had heard them, perhaps knowledge of the case might have made them more gentle and better-minded. But it appears that, since the matter still remained in the same state, they repented of their own accord. I answer that nothing else is recorded here but what most commonly happens when a sedition is once raised. For not only do the minds of the common people begin to rage, but the tempest also carries away the governors, no doubt perversely. For we know that saying of Virgil:

“And as amidst a mighty crowd, when discord often is bred,
And baser, stubborn-minded men with furious rage are led;
Immediately fire flies, and stones are flung; madness supplies tools.
Then if suddenly they see anyone
Whom love for the commonwealth and just deserts have made revered,
They hush, and also stand attentively, to hear what will be said;
He governs both their will and rage;
With words he assuages their wrath.”

Therefore, there can be nothing more unseemly than for judges in a heated tumult to be inflamed along with the people; but it happens so for the most part. Therefore, when those officers saw the people stirred up, they thought there was enough reason to beat the apostles with rods.

But now shame and infamy cause them to suffer punishment for their recklessness (levity). Perhaps also, when they inquire about the beginning of the tumult, they find that those who had deceived the people were at fault. Therefore, when they had found out that Paul and Silas were innocent, they let them go, though too late.

By this example, those who rule are taught to beware of too much haste. Again, we see how carelessly magistrates excuse themselves for their own offenses, which they know full well they have committed, especially when they are dealing with unknown and humble persons.

When these men grant Paul and Silas freedom to depart, they are not ignorant that they had previously injured them; yet they think it will be sufficient if they do not continue to injure them further, and to be more cruel to them. The apparitors (officers) are called ραβδοῦχοι, from the staves which they carried; whereas the insignia of the sergeants (lictors) were axes bound with rods.

After that they have beaten us openly. Their defense consists of two points: first, that they raged against and cruelly treated the body of a man who was a Roman; secondly, that they did this contrary to the due process of law. We will see later that Paul was a citizen of Rome.

But it was strictly provided by the Porcian law, by the Sempronian laws, and also by many more, that no one should have power of life or death over any Roman citizen except the people. Nevertheless, it may seem strange that Paul did not assert his right before he was beaten with rods; for the judges might honestly have excused themselves by his silence. But it is to be thought that he was not heard in the midst of the tumult.

If anyone objects that he now seeks a remedy too late and out of season—indeed, that he grasps at a vain and foolish comfort when he requires that the magistrates come themselves—we may readily answer that Paul was likely to fare no better for it.

But we must note that he intended nothing less than to provide for his own private benefit; rather, his aim was that he might somewhat ease the brethren afterward, so that the magistrates might not be so bold as to rage so freely against the good and innocent brethren.

Because he had them at a disadvantage, he used his right to help the brethren, so that they might be treated with more leniency. This was the reason he rebuked them.

And so Paul wisely used the opportunity offered him. Similarly, we must neglect nothing that may serve to restrain our enemies, so that they do not take so much liberty to oppress or trouble the innocent, since the Lord does not bring such help to our hands in vain.

Nevertheless, let us remember that if we have been injured in any way, we must not repay injuries. We must only endeavor to restrain their harmful desires, lest they hurt others in a similar way.