Grace and peace from the Mystery in whom we live and move and have our being. Paul and Silas in Prison.
…An earthquake so violent that the foundations of the prison were shaken…”
Acts 16:16-34
A short glossary for this Touchpoint
Fundamentalism – “a strict, literal adherence to sacred texts and core beliefs, often rejecting modern interpretations and cultural influences”
Prostitution – “a person (such as a writer or painter) who deliberately debases their talents (as for money)”
Why is the prostitute shouting?
It’s hard to understand why this woman was shouting relentlessly about Paul. If she was heckling, it was positive heckling, which I think is an oxymoron.
Maybe she was blinking twice and asking for help. Because under the full definition of prostitution she was being forced to debase her spiritual gift. This would make her a biblical prostitute and her owners, pimps. The implication of this unpleasant examination is important for how we operate today.
In sports, children/athletes are being prostituted every day when institutions and leaders fail to create a safe environment for their students’ personal development. It is accepted in our culture for a coach to make promises to a kid and then violate those promises by leaving. In the press conference we’ll hear, “I made a decision that was good for my family.” Then a child-athlete is turned over to a new owner. Coaches have owners as well.
There are fine human beings who dedicate themselves to these child-athletes and there are people who rise in the business world and value their employees simply for what they do. They represent their job titles accurately, rather than as euphemisms for dictators, owners, pimps and tyrants etc. For these virtuous individuals, this passage is an affirmation. They, like Paul, are making a selfless difference in the world where we all benefit.
Paul and Silas in Prison
The better choice in our capitalistic system that rewards selfish individualism should be obvious. It appears the choice between compassion over exploitation was obvious to Paul and his followers in their Roman-ruled culture. On one hand if Paul and Silas agreed with the cry of stalking woman, that Paul and his crew were indeed sent by God, they could throw her some business. In turn, they could increase their own following and satisfy her owners by allowing their gift pimping. Then everyone could make decisions that are good for their own families!
But…this woman was made a prostitute! And her owners were pimps.
As a side note, the major focus of Bible commentary for this story is the emphasis on the article used in the phrase “a way” versus “The Way of salvation” in competing translations.
In some translations the woman cries, “These men are slaves of the Most High God, who proclaim to you the way of salvation.” In others it’s “A way” of salvation. If you are a fundamentalist, “The Way” will reinforce good feelings of an exclusive God, and it would explain Paul being annoyed.
The proper article
This woman in Acts was not saying anything different from Paul. Forget this hyper-focus on the article used! This woman was being prostituted and owned as a slave. Or should I say, The slave. Do you see the problem of focusing on the article rather than on the subject?
Paul didn’t say, “Woman, how dare you use the article ‘A’ instead of ‘The’! Come out of her, you article demon! Thus sayeth a god.”
Don’t get me wrong. I realize how important it is to recognize articles when understanding an author’s intent. But what is obviously most important here is the well-being of a woman who is being forced to use her gift for someone else’s profit.
Now maybe she attended Macedonia Christian University as an English major and Paul thought she should have known better. But for some reason, I doubt it. If you’re wondering if I’m taking a shot at some private Christian schools, well…if the article fits, delete it. I can tell you from my own experience the extent to which institutions will go to compete against other Christian and non-Christian institutions, cater to donors, and exploit talents, all in the name of increasing attendance and garnering their share of sports revenues and academic grants.
Paul’s gift
Don’t forget: Paul also had a gift. This slave was not the only one who had gifts. Paul would not be so easily taken by the legalistic mindset of his culture. He was counterculture. So was she. But she was true to her gift when she endorsed Paul. Perhaps she longed for a way of salvation from her slave owners. Maybe the demon that was exorcised was the demon of enslavement.
I think Paul saw that she was being spiritually abused by her owners. It appears Mary Magdalene was not the only prostitute in the Bible. In the full definition of prostitute, there have been and are, many of them, both men and women.
I remember hearing the late sociologist and preacher, Tony Campolo, telling those of us gathered, “You may want to be a doctor or lawyer. Truth is, there are more than enough doctors and lawyers in the world. If you’re going to be a doctor or a lawyer, do it to make a difference in the world!” I never forgot that. The same could be said for most every occupation.
The woman in Acts probably was new to this message Paul was preaching and perhaps it was “The” God who gave her the wisdom to say to others, “These men are slaves of the Most High God, who proclaim to you a way of salvation.” Perhaps she was annoying them on purpose. It may have been a cry for her own freedom.
How have I debased my talents?
It makes me wonder, as I look at my life, how often I may have prostituted my gifts. How have I debased my talents, with egoistic intent, unworthy of the good news that saved me from the exploitation of others?
Jesus prayed for us saying, “Righteous Father, the world does not know you, but I know you, and these know that you have sent me. I made your name known to them, and I will make it known, so that the love with which you have loved me may be in them and I in them.” (John 17:25,26)
Perhaps it was the woman’s gift that made Paul known to her. Then Paul’s gift made her known to him. Then the gift of God was made known to them and us.
May this be the earthquake that violently shakes our prison doors.
Amen
Wednesday Respite is a 30-min contemplative service of scripture, prayer, music and a Spirited Touchpoint by Henry Rojas, spiritual director at Spirit in the Desert.
Touchpoint is a reflection on where God’s story touches our life story. It is a short homily based on a biblical story of people in the Old and New Testaments and their relationship with God. Our spiritual ancestors’ experience of God’s grace connects with our lives in the present and our relationship with the Divine. Previous Touchpoints are available as PDFs or on SoundCloud.
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