Hermeneutics

session 1: acts 16:31

a.

the case of Rosalinda

Did God promise in Acts 16:31 that all family members will be saved if one
member decides to follow Christ? Rosalinda does, her adulterous and drunkard father
mercilessly slaughtered by his mistress husband.
Two weeks after the incident, Rosalinda approached me and asked, "Based on the
promise of Acts 16:31, do you think my father was saved when he died?" What is the
real meaning of Acts 16:31?
What is the meaning of the phrase "you and your household" in Acts 16:31? Is it
a promise given to any believer that God will automatically save all his or her household
until they are all saved? Is it automatic?
We will try to understand the meaning of Acts 16:31 based on the overall context
of the whole book of Acts, based on a historical-background study of first century GrecoRoman homes, and based on the sentence structure of Acts 16:30-32.

b.

The context of the book of acts

When you look at the overall context of the book of Acts, it does not talk about
the subject of how our entire families can be saved. The book emphasizes a totally
different subject.
1.

The Promise in Acts 1:8

Jesus commanded and promised the disciples in Acts 1:8 that the Holy Spirit will
come upon them and make them witnesses not only in their home base (Jerusalem) but
even beyond (Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth).
The Holy Spirit will continue to empower the witnesses until they have been
witnesses of Christ in Jerusalem, then Judea, and finally, the ends of the earth.

2.

The different sections of the book of Acts

Acts is the story of how the Holy Spirit moved and empowered the disciples to
witness for Christ in different places that started in Jerusalem and expanded to different
ends of the earth. 1
1:1-7:60

Jerusalem
The work that Jesus started is limited only in Jerusalem.

8:1-11:18

Judea and Samaria

The persecution after Stephen's death (Acts 7) scattered several disciples to
witness outside Jerusalem into the regions of Judea and Samaria (8:1).

1
Paul is preaching unhindered in Rome (Acts 28:31). Rome, which is a melting pot of all the world's traders,
is a significant place for evangelism. Traders, who have heard and believed Paul's Gospel, will go back to their own
nations in different ends of the earth with the Gospel.

And Saul was consenting to his death. And on that

day a great persecution arose against the church in
Jerusalem; and they were all scattered throughout
the region of Judea and Samaria, except the
apostles.

Paul, a Greek Jew, was converted.

Cornelius and his household were the first batch of Gentiles converted in
Samaria (Strato's tower, Caesarea, Samaria).

11:19-28:30

The ends of the earth

After narrating the witnessing efforts of the disciples, first in Jerusalem, then
Judea and Samaria, Luke records the next major expansion in Acts
11:19-21.
Those who have been scattered during Stephens death also went to regions
outside Israel. They started preaching in Phoenicia, Cyprus and
Antioch. A great number of people turned to the Lord in Antioch,
Syria.
Now those who were scattered because of the
persecution that arose over Stephen traveled as far
as Phoenicia and Cyprus and Antioch, speaking the
word to none except Jews.
But there were some of them, men of Cyprus and
Cyrene, who on coming to Antioch spoke to the
Greeks also, preaching the Lord Jesus.
And the hand of the Lord was with them, and a
great number that believed turned to the Lord.
(11:19-21)

Eventually, the church in Antioch was instrumental for producing missionaries

that reached the different ends of the earth (13:1-4).
Now in the church at Antioch there were prophets
and teachers, Barnabas, Simeon who was called
Niger, Lucius of Cyrene, Manaen a member of the
court of Herod the tetrarch, and Saul.
While they were worshiping the Lord and fasting,
the Holy Spirit said, "Set apart for me Barnabas and
Saul for the work to which I have called them."
Then after fasting and praying they laid their hands
on them and sent them off.
So, being sent out by the Holy Spirit, they went
down to Seleucia; and from there they sailed to
Cyprus. (13:1-4)

The church in Antioch, Syria was continually empowered by the Holy Spirit to
witness to different places in the ends of the earth.
Cyprus (13:4-12)
Galatian territory (13:13-14:20)
Philippi, Macedonia (16:11-40)
Greek cities (Thessalonica, Berea, Athens, Corinth, Ephesus 17:1-20:37)
Rome (28:11-31)

3.

The overall context of Acts and Rosalinda's case

Acts 16:31 forms part of the fulfillment of Jesus' promise (Acts 1:8) that Paul and
company will not only be witnesses inside Jerusalem, Judea, and Samaria, but also into
Gentile territories in the ends of the earth. Acts 16:31 fulfills this promise. The Holy
Spirit has already empowered the disciples to witness to Europe (Philippi, Macedonia).
Full of the Holy Spirit, they performed signs and wonders that led to the conversion of
the jailer and his household.
As far as the book of Acts is concerned, Acts 16:31 is a fulfillment of the promise
of Jesus to make the disciples effective witnesses through the Holy Spirit. It does not talk
about the promise to save families or adulterous fathers, because one member believed in
the Lord. From the perspective of Acts overall context, Rosalinda misread the meaning
of Acts 16:31.

c.

a historical-background study on acts 16:31

corporate faith and patriarchal structure in Greco-roman homes

If the book of Acts and Acts 16:31is not primarily interested in the conversion of
households, then why was the phrase you and your household inserted in Acts 16:31?
It is possible that Pauls statement in Acts 16:31 merely reflects what is the typical set-up
in Greco-Roman homes during the first century.
The household head's religion is not just a personal and private affair that only he
or she experiences. Closer family ties in ancient Greco-Roman culture, makes it possible
for the household head and the rest of the family to share the same religion.
Aside from close family ties, the household head also enjoys a highly respected
position in the family. This factor further contributes to a common faith among head and
household in ancient Greco-Roman homes.
1.

The influence of Lydia in her household

2.

In Acts 16:14, the Lord opened Lydia's heart to respond

to the things Paul were saying.
Later in the story, it was not only Lydia who got
baptized, but also her entire household (16:15).

The influence of Cornelius in his household

Cornelius, a pagan centurion and head of his household,

feared God (Acts 10:2). His entire household feared
God too.
Later in the story, Cornelius invited Peter to preach in his
house (Acts 10:17-23). Cornelius's relatives and close
friends were all there as well to listen to Peter (10:24).
Finally, the offer of hearing Peter's words that leads to
salvation was not given to Cornelius alone, but also to
his entire household (11:14).

3.

The influence of the jailer in his own household

The jailer and his household are no different from

conventional Greco-Roman families during that time.
When Paul and company revealed the way of salvation
to the jailer, they all knew that this is not just a private
and exclusive affair. They all extended the offer to the
jailer's household ("you and your household").
Therefore, immediately after Paul's statement in 16:31,
Paul and company preached the word of the Lord not
only to the jailer but also to his entire household (16:32).

4.

The cultural background of Acts 16:31 and Rosalinda's case

It is possible that Paul, who was born in a Greco-Roman environment (Tarsus,
Cilicia), was aware of the unique cultural background of Greco-Roman homes. Religion
is not a private or individual decision during their times, unlike today. He knows that the
religious faith of the household head inevitably affects the faith of the rest of the family.
Thus, Acts 16:31 could be a simple statement of Paul reflecting the typical set-up in first
century Greco-Roman homes.
Is this the same cultural background that Rosalinda shares? First of all,
Rosalinda is not the head of the household. Secondly, even if she is the head, Filipino
families situated in urban centers do not necessarily decide as a whole regarding their
religious faith. Thus, Rosalinda cannot simply apply the culture of Acts 16:31 in her
situation.

d.

the sentence structure of acts 16:30-32

"Men, what must I do to be saved?" And they said, "Believe in the Lord Jesus, and you will be
saved, you and your household." And they spoke the word of the Lord to him and to all that were
in his house.

There are probably two ways on understanding Acts 16:31. For purposes of
discussion, let us divide the statement in four boxes.
Believe in the Lord

And you will be

you

Option 1

Option 2

Believe in the Lord

Believe in the Lord

And you will be

And you will be

you
(If you believe,
you will be saved.)

you
(If you believe,
household too

and your

and your household

(Your

and your household

and be saved.)

you will be saved.)

can believe,

Option 1 seems to promise that once the head is saved, the household will also be saved. On the
other hand, Option 2 does not promise that once the head is saved, the household will also be saved.
Rather, it suggests that the household will only be saved once they believe in the Lord Jesus like their head.
If Paul has option 1 in mind, there is no need to speak the word to the jailers household since they
will eventually be saved. Thus, it is possible that Paul has option 2 in mind. After saying the statement in
Acts 16:31 he also spoke the word to the jailers household, so they too can believe and be saved.
Rosalinda unfortunately took option 1. She believed that because she was saved, her entire
household will also be saved. The overall context of Acts and a closer look at Acts 16:30-32 does not
support this interpretation.

e.

exegetical conclusions concerning acts 16:31

AND ROSALINDA

Based on our study, Acts 16:31 does not assure the salvation of Rosalindas father just because she
believed in the Lord. First of all, what was extended to and your household is not just being saved,
but believing and being saved. In short, the promise to the household was the same promise given to the
head. If they believe in the Lord like their head, they will also be saved like their head. Acts 16:31 does
not promise family salvation once the head or one of the members of the household, like Rosalinda,
believes in the Lord.
Secondly, Paul made the statement in Acts 16:31 within the context of a unique first century
Greco-Roman family set-up. The religious belief of the head would almost always be the religious belief of
the entire household. Aware of this family culture, Paul probably extended the offer to believe and be
saved to the jailers household. Acts 16:31 will not fit Rosalindas age and situation where she is not the
head of her household and where the head of most households do not exert almost absolute influence on his
or her members.
Finally, the emphasis of the book of Acts, which Acts 16:31 is a part, does pertain primarily to
promises concerning the salvation of our families. Thus, Rosalinda made Acts 16:31 say what it does not
primarily mean to communicate. This is rather a risky way of reading and understanding bible verses.
It is not wrong for Rosalinda or anybody to pray and believe for the salvation of their own
households. However, other verses in the Bible can be used to support this belief and not Acts 16:31
(maybe Mk. 11:24). Acts 16:31 should be respected in the message it intends to teach. What does the book
of Acts intend to communicate then?

f.

THE principle of ACTS 16:31

To be in line with the real message of the book of Acts, Acts 16:31 should be seen
as a promise of a different sort. The promise in Acts 1:8 has been fulfilled when Paul and
company were empowered to witness to the jailer in Philippi, Macedonia. We can expect
that the Holy Spirit will also empower the jailer and his household to start in that region.
Acts 16:31 is part of a whole story that promises effective and empowered
witnessing for those who have received the Holy Spirit. It does not promise the
automatic salvation or conversion of our families once we believe in Christ. But it does
promise that through the empowering Holy Spirit our families can believe too and be
saved, we can also go to remote territories hostile to Christ or highly industrialized
nations that ignore Christ, and still be effective witnesses.

g.

An application of ACTS 16:31

In our missions undertaking, let us not settle for places where Christ had already
been named or places where there are already many Christians. Let us make the most of
the Holy Spirits empowering presence and go for the remotest, the loneliest, the most
hostile and the hardest territories to be reached.