SUNDAY, JUNE 1, 2025 | EASTER SEVENTH SUNDAY OF EASTER (C)

Texts

Acts: Paul and Silas and their imprisonment and rescue

Revelation: Triumphant ending to Revelation - surely I am coming soon!

John: Jesus’ prayer for everyone to be one in God.

The Lexham Bible Dictionary:

Philippian Slave Girl Philippian slave girl (Acts 16:16–19). A young woman possessed by a spirit of divination who brings in much of her owners’ wealth. After Paul exorcises the spirit, the owners bring him and Silas before Philippi’s magistrates, who order the missionaries to be beaten and jailed.

Overview

In Acts 16:16 the Philippian slave girl is referred to as παιδίσκην (paidiskēn), a diminutive of παῖς (pais), meaning “female slave” (BDAG, 749). The word often referred to the female slave in a Roman household (Mark 14:66; Acts 12:13). This slave girl is described as having a “python spirit” (πνεῦμα πύθωνα, pneuma pythōna) or “the spirit of a python.”

According to Greek mythology, “python” refers to the snake or dragon that guarded a shaft at Delphi and was destroyed by Apollo (Strabo, Geography, 9.3.12; Fitzmyer, Acts, 586; Klauck, Magic, 65). This creature later became associated with soothsaying, divination, or even ventriloquism (Acts 13:6; Fitzmyer, Acts, 586; Bock, Acts, 535). People often brought inquiries to female seers at Delphi who entered the temple of Apollo and divined answers by the power of this spirit (Klauck, Magic, 65).

Good morning,

This morning I would like to take note of another female character in the Acts story - the unnamed Philippian slave girl with a “python spirit”.

Lexham Bible Dictionary explains the python part well:

According to Greek mythology, “python” refers to the snake or dragon that guarded a shaft at Delphi and was destroyed by Apollo. This creature later became associated with soothsaying, divination, or even ventriloquism . People often brought inquiries to female seers at Delphi who entered the temple of Apollo and divined answers by the power of this spirit.

(Michael S. Guyer, “Philippian Slave Girl,” in The Lexham Bible Dictionary, ed. John D. Barry et al. (Bellingham, WA: Lexham Press, 2016).)

An interesting character of the story, I think. What is more, it resembles the story of Simon the Magician earlier in Acts - both that the occult presents an obstacle to the gospel and that the motive for profit threatens to impede the gospel. Simon himself became a believer, but when he saw the laying of hands transference of the Holy Spirit, he offered money to Peter and John to also gain this ability, which the disciples strongly rejected. He thought he can learn a magic trick for the right price.

Just like Jesus, Paul and Silas weren’t always met with praise for exorcising demons out of people. This one was mighty useful to the slaveowners and treated it like they damaged their income generating property and the magistrate agreed with them. In their mind, the slave girl didn’t have personhood and while it would be nice to imagine that she became well and gained her freedom...I have my doubts it happened that way, at least not initially. They granted her freedom from the python spirit, but probably not actual freedom from slavery. Not every story in the Bible is a happy story for everyone, I am afraid.

Still, it seems wild that is what Paul and Silas went to prison for, effectively upsetting the status of quo of human misery being profited on. We can be reminded of parading bodily deformities and abnormalities in a variety show - I am sure the showrunners would also be upset if their “show ponies” were suddenly normal and ordinary. It highlights that the priviledged and powerful few would find ways to exploit others in any times.

Even though we sadly do not learn what become of the slave girl (I still want to believe God watched over her), we know that God did not abandon Paul and Silas in their time of need. Even in the prison they sang praises to God and even though there was an earthquake that enabled their escape, they stayed put, which saved the life of the jailer, both immediately and in regards to salvation. What a witness! I would love to think I would remain missional while unjustly imprisoned, but I cannot be sure of that. I would likely focused on survival first and foremost in a crisis like that.

Because the truth is that Paul wasn’t helpless - he (and Silas as well) could most likely get out of prison due to their Roman citizenship, but that wasn’t the missional thing to do. Sure, not all that they have done was missional (they drove out the python spirit out of annoyance), but a lot of it for sure.

In our age of utilitarian ethics, being missional can be a bit alien to our day to day lives - it is not always useful and what’s more, it can create trouble!

Being a Christian can elevate you in some circles, but being missional is not as trendy. I can see it when I encounter people out in the world, especially the younger generation - when I share that I am a pastor, I may be met with confusion, cautiousness, or even apprehensiveness. Sometimes it may be curiosity or even excitement, but it typically isn’t. And remembering myself a few decades ago - I would be suspicious as well. Missional is so much more than just forceful proselytizing or impersonal evangelizing. but sadly, many people have either heard or even experienced the more misguided attempts of missionally minded folks.

But what are the powers to be of this world really afraid of are the ones that are trying to do it the right way, for in that is the real danger - John the Baptizer, Jesus, Paul, Peter, and many more (such as Lydia I am sure) were met with opposition for being truly missional as to be truly missional requires calling things as they are, talking truth to power, and elevating the poor and underpriviledged for the sake of the gospel. To no one’s surprise, the mighty and proud DON’T like being cast down from their pedestal. Oh no, we cannot have that! There is still so much power to siphon and money to get their hands on.

Beloveds, once more we are humbled by the genuine and selfless witness of God’s people in the Bible - this time Paul and Silas. They stood firm in their resolve to be missional and to be faithful to the gospel, even as it brought misfortune upon them. While in prison, they still sang praises to the Lord and waited patiently on God’s will. Their faithful witness convinced others to follow Jesus - not just the jailor and his family, but perhaps also the whole prison as they convinced them not to run away when they had the chance after the earthquake. True missional activity unites and contributes towards God’s wish for everyone to be one with each other and God. In times, when so much division is in our world, we should not forget this fact - it’s about God’s love and care that unites and overcomes, rather than power and influence that divides and conquers. Let us walk missionally together. Amen.