Silas
Silas and Silvanus were the same people. He was a prophet who worked with Paul.
SILAS (Saint) (SILVANUS) Prophet, Disciple, Evangelist, Missionary, Bishop, and Martyr, Companion of Saint Paul
An essential figure in the apostolic Church and frequent companion of St. Paul. He had two names, Paul (also called Saul), or Silas, a Greek form of the Latin Silvanus. The two names, Silas (used throughout Acts) and Silvanus (found in the Epistles: 2 Cor 1.19; 1 Thes 1.1; 2 Thes 1.1; 1 Pt 5.12), assuredly belonged to the same man.
Silas enjoyed Roman citizenship (Acts 16.37). He is first mentioned as one of the "leading men" of the Church at Jerusalem (15.22). After the Council of Jerusalem, he was selected, together with Judas Barsabbas, as the bearer of the decree of the Council to Antioch (15.27). At Antioch, they encouraged the Christians in their faith and exercised the office of "prophets" (15.32). Silas remained there while Judas returned to Jerusalem (15.34–35). Sometime later, Silas was chosen to accompany Paul on his second missionary journey after the disagreement between Paul and Barnabas over John Mark (15.40). At Philippi, because they exorcised a girl possessed by a divining spirit, Paul and Silas were poorly treated by the citizens and beaten with rods. They were imprisoned, but a midnight earthquake opened the jail doors. Instead of escaping, they calmed the jailer and converted his whole family. When the city magistrates wanted to release them secretly, Paul and Silas demanded recompense for the unjust treatment accorded them even though they were Roman citizens (16.19–40). They went on to preach the gospel in Thessalonica, but soon the jealousy of the Jews forced them to go on to Beroea (Acts 17.4, 10). Silas stayed with Timothy while Paul went to Athens (17.14). Later they joined Paul in Corinth and were with him when he wrote the two letters to the Thessalonians (1 Thes 1.1; 2 Thes 1.1). There is no record of Silas's further activity with Paul. However, he must have joined St. Peter later, for he served as St. Peter's secretary or even as coauthor of 1 Peter (1 Pt 5.12).
Legend says Silas was the first bishop of Corinth and died in Macedonia.
Silas' Feast: July 13.
Died 65–100 AD
Macedonia
Venerated in Roman Catholic Church
Eastern Catholic Churches
Eastern Orthodoxy
Oriental Orthodox
Anglicanism
Lutheranism
Feast
January 26 (Evangelical Lutheran Church in America, Episcopal Church)
February 10 (Lutheran Church–Missouri Synod)
July 13 (Roman Martyrology)
July 30 (Eastern Orthodoxy)
July 13 (Syriac, Malankara Calendars)
Attributes
Christian Martyrdom
Silas, or Silvanus (a leading member of the Early Christian community), accompanied Paul the Apostle on his second missionary journey.
Silas is traditionally assumed to be the same as the Silvanus mentioned in the four epistles. Some translations, including the New International Version, call him "Silas" in the epistles. The Second Epistle to the Corinthians mentions Silas as having preached with Paul and Timothy to the Church in Corinth (1:19), and the First Epistle of Peter describes Silas as a "faithful brother" (5:12). Paul, Silas, and Timothy are listed as coauthors of the two letters to the Thessalonians.
There is some disagreement over the original or "proper" form of his name: "Silas," "Silvanus," "Seila," and "Saul" seem to be treated at the time as equivalent versions of the same name in different languages, and it is not clear which is the original name of "Silas," and which is a translation or equivalent nickname, or whether some references are to different persons with identical names. He is consistently called "Silas" in the Acts of the Apostles, but the Roman name Silvanus (which means "of the forest") is always used by Paul and in the First Epistle of Peter (5:12); it may be that "Silvanus" is the Romanized version of the original "Silas," or that "Silas" is the Greek nickname for "Silvanus." Silas is thus often identified with Silvanus of the Seventy. Catholic theologian Joseph Fitzmyer further points out that Silas is the Greek rendition of the Aramaic Seila (?????????), a version of the Hebrew Saul (????????), which is attested in Palmyrene inscriptions.
Silas and Judas are leaders among the brothers, prophets, and encouraging speakers. Silas is first mentioned in Acts 15:22, to return with Paul and Barnabas to Antioch following the Jerusalem Council. Paul selected Silas to accompany him on his second mission after Paul and Barnabas split over an argument involving Mark's participation. During the second mission, he and Paul were imprisoned briefly in Philippi, where an earthquake broke their chains and opened the prison door. Silas is thus sometimes depicted in art carrying broken chains. Acts 16:25-37.
According to Acts 17–18, Silas and Timothy traveled with Paul from Philippi to Thessalonica, where they were treated with hostility in the synagogues by some traditional Jews. The harassers followed the trio to Berea, threatening Paul's safety and causing Paul to separate from Silas and Timothy. Paul traveled to Athens, and Silas and Timothy later joined him in Corinth.
These events can be dated to AD 50: the reference in Acts 18:12 to Proconsul Gallio helps ascertain this date (cf. Gallio inscription). According to Acts 18:6–7, Paul ceased to attend the synagogue in Corinth due to Jewish hostility; Silas is not mentioned after that in the Acts narrative.
He appears in the salutation of 1 and 2 Thessalonians and is referred to in 2 Corinthians 1:19. As expected, we read of his involvement in Paul's mission when these cities were visited. He also appears in the conclusion of 1 Peter at 5:12 and is perhaps the amanuensis. Peter says he regards Silas as "a faithful brother."
Veneration
Saint Silas is celebrated in the Calendar of Saints of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America and that of the Episcopal Church (United States) with a lesser feast on January 26 with Timothy and Titus and separately on July 13 by the Roman Catholic Church and on February 10 by the Lutheran Church–Missouri Synod. The Eastern Orthodox Church also venerates Saint Silas on July 30 along with the Apostles Silvanus, Crescens, Epenetus, and Andronicus, and on January 4, he is venerated with all the apostles.
Died65–100 AD · Macedonia
Venerated inRoman Catholic Church · Eastern Catholic Churches · Eastern Orthodoxy · Oriental Orthodox · Anglicanism · Lutheranism
FeastJanuary 26 (Evangelical Lutheran Church in America, Episcopal Church) · February 10 (Lutheran Church–Missouri Synod) · July 13 (Roman Martyrology) · July 30 (Eastern Orthodoxy) · July 13 (Syriac, Malankara Calendars).
• Silas and Silvanus are the same people. Silas is a Jewish name; Silvanus is the Latin form.
• Silas is first mentioned in Acts as a companion to Judas Barsabbas. (See Acts 15:22) Judas and Silas are called prophets, but Judas plays no additional role outside this story.
• Silas and Judas were the two individuals chosen by the apostles from Jerusalem to accompany Barnabas and Paul back to Antioch.
• Both Silas and Judas are described as "leaders among the brothers."
• They carried with them the letter delineating the decision resulting from the Jerusalem Council.
• Their role was to confirm the contents of the letter orally.
• In addition, they comforted the brothers and "strengthened" them in Antioch.
• Eventually, they returned to Jerusalem. (Some manuscripts read that Silas remained behind.)
• However, Barnabas had a falling out with Paul shortly after, and Paul chose Silas to accompany him on another missionary journey.
• Silas was a leader from Jerusalem, so he was well qualified to speak with authority on Jerusalem policy matters.
• Like Paul, Silas was also a Roman citizen and could claim the privileges accorded to such citizens throughout the empire.
• He also seemed to be fluent in Greek.
• The Antioch church sent them out with their blessings.
• Silas and Paul began by revisiting churches in Syria and Cilicia.
• From there, they made their way to Derbe and Lystra, where Timothy was added to their group.
• They continued from there throughout the regions of Phrygia and Galatia, but then the spirit beckoned Paul into Macedonia, and they immediately went there.
• Silas and Paul were both dragged into the marketplace in Philippi to face the authorities.
• They were ordered to be stripped and beaten; those orders were carried out. (Apparently, Timothy and any other companions were not involved. Some see this as an example of anti-Semitism since Timothy, and possibly the others, was half Greek.)
• Even though they were imprisoned, Silas joined Paul singing hymns past midnight.
• When the earthquake loosed all their chains, the jailer fell before Paul and Silas, asking what he needed to do to be saved.
• Paul and Silas instructed him; eventually, the jailer took them home to wash their wounds.
• The jailer and all his family were baptized that night.
• When the magistrates officially released them the following morning, Paul announced that he and Silas were Roman citizens (and should not have been imprisoned or flogged).
• The magistrates were alarmed and tried to appease them, eventually escorting them out of prison.
• Before Paul and Silas left town, they spent some time with Lydia.
• Paul and Silas moved into Thessalonica, where they also preached.
• Some "jealous" Jews stormed their host's home, Jason, and dragged him off to the authorities.
• The authorities made Jason post bond, which meant there would be no repeat of the troubles in Philippi.
• Paul and Silas left quietly, not wanting to get Jason into trouble.
• Their next stop was Berea, where they again preached in the synagogue.
• The Bereans were very receptive until the Jews from Thessalonica heard about it and stirred the crowd.
• Paul left for the coast, but Timothy and Silas stayed behind. (Perhaps Silas was not as forceful as Paul.)
• Eventually, Silas rejoined Paul in Athens and went back to Philippi.
• Silas was given their gift of money for the collection for the poor in Jerusalem.
• Sometime later, Silas (and Timothy) rejoined Paul in Corinth. His arrival meant Paul could devote himself entirely to preaching (suggesting that Silas brought the money from the Philippians to support Paul).
• In response to Timothy's good report, Paul wrote I Thessalonians, giving gratitude for their growth and acknowledging the threefold witness of Paul, Silas, and Timothy.
• Because Paul frequently used "we" in that letter, some have speculated that Silas might have been a contributing author.
• Even though Paul's authorship of II Thessalonians is disputed, it is noteworthy that it includes a threefold greeting from Paul, Silas, and Timothy.
• Some scholars believe that Silas might have helped Peter write I Peter since the author claimed to have written the letter "through Silas". (Arguments that claim this is a gentle way of saying he was the real author have yet to be entirely accepted.)
• Most scholars, however, think the quality of Greek in I Peter exceeded that which would be expected of a fisherman, whereas Silas was undoubtedly well educated.
• In either event, most scholars suppose that Silas and Paul parted company after Corinth. It is possible that Silas continued his ministry, hooking up at some point with Peter since they were both leaders of the Jerusalem church at one point.
• It is also possible that Peter and Silas continued to minister in those areas that Paul had neglected.
• No additional information is available about his death.
• Silas and Silvanus are the same people. The author of Acts refers to him as Silas, whereas Paul and Peter use Silvanus.
