Acts 16:1-5

Acts 16:1-5
Acts 16:1 (KJB)
Then came he to Derbe and Lystra: and, behold, a certain disciple was there, named Timotheus, the son of a certain woman, which was a Jewess, and believed; but his father was a Greek:
Paul and Silas probably came through the Taurus Mountains by way of a famous pass called the Cilician Gates and if they came in this way, it would bring them into Derbe first, and then they would travel to Lystra. That would have been a rough passage because some of the peaks in the Taurus Mountains are over 10,000 feet (3048 KM) high. While they were in Lystra, Paul met Timothy who was already a believer. His father was a Greek and probably was a member of wealthy, influential family but his mother was a Jewish believer and her training in the Scriptures had more influence on Timothy than his father’s Greek paganism. (2 Tim 1:5 KJV) When I call to remembrance the unfeigned faith that is in thee, which dwelt first in thy grandmother Lois, and thy mother Eunice; and I am persuaded that in thee also. There is no such thing as a chance meeting in the Kingdom of God, all is planned by God Himself.
Acts 16:2 (KJB)
Which was well reported of by the brethren that were at Lystra and Iconium.
Timothy already had a good testimony, not only in his home town of Lystra but also in Iconium about 15 miles north. Timothy had progressed well in his Christian life and it seems that he had a ministry in both cities. It may have been that he became saved under Paul’s first visit. Later Paul had such a love for Timothy that he referred to him as “his son in the faith.” The name “Timothy” means “Honored or valued of God.”
Acts 16:3 (KJB)
Him would Paul have to go forth with him; and took and circumcised him because of the Jews which were in those quarters: for they knew all that his father was a Greek.
Paul had desired to take Timothy with him to train him further for his ministry. Now even though the Jerusalem church had come to the conclusion that one need not be circumcised for salvation, that is not the case here, as Timothy’s mother was a Jew and if one’s mother is a Jew, then the child is accepted as one being Jewish. Timothy was circumcised not because of some requirement for salvation because he was already saved but it was for the sake of the Gospel as he would now be allowed to enter into a Jewish synagogue as a Jewish man and not as a Gentile, since his father was a Greek. Paul still went to the Jews first and then the Gentiles and now Timothy could enter with him and not be ostracized for being half Gentile. Timothy’s circumcision was for the ministry of the Word to the unsaved Jews who still looked to circumcision as a requirement.
Acts 16:4 (KJB)
And as they went through the cities, they delivered them the decrees for to keep, that were ordained of the apostles and elders which were at Jerusalem.
As Paul Silas, and Timothy had gone through the cities of South Galatia, they had given each church the decrees which came from the Jerusalem Council that we saw in Chapter 15. The teachings of the Judaizers were now contradicted by that church decree and as a result, it bought a sense of stability to the beliefs of these churches. To further this teaching, Paul had penned the letter to Galatia concerning this very subject of law keeping versus grace alone for salvation.
Acts 16:5 (KJB)
And so were the churches established in the faith, and increased in number daily.
Once stability of belief was brought back into the church, it established or strengthened each individual congregation and as a result, there was an increase in the number of Christians being added to the church. This verse is not just speaking about them being added on Sunday but their number increased on a daily basis. Once the poison of false teachings is removed, then the Christian could get back to doing evangelism with a true, unadulterated Gospel. Even today, if there was an incursion of some type of false teachings in a local church and it is removed, then that church will be strengthened and ready for ministry once again.

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