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Silvanus, Our Faithful Brother

Wayne Galloway
05/17/20 - Sunday Evening Worship

Silvanus, Our Faithful Brother

1 Pet. 5:12

 

Introduction:

 

1.  1 Pet. 5:12 says that the Epistle of First Peter is written “Through Silvanus, our faithful brother (for so I regard him),” says Peter.

2.  What does it mean that the epistle was written “through Silvanus?”

      a.  Was he the bearer of the letter as in Acts 15?

      b.  Was he the secretary or amanuensis who wrote the letter, as was Tertius in Rom. 16:22?

      c.  Is he responsible for writing the letter on behalf of Peter?

3.  Scholars suggest that the role of amanuensis might be quite extensive, the author giving the outline and the amanuensis filling in the details thus being responsible for the style and arrangement of the material, the author checking it over and authenticating the final product.

4.  Lest you question the authority of 1 Pet. on such a reconstruction recognize that he is identified as a prophet in Acts 15:32 under the name, “Silas.”

      a.  “Silvanus” may be a Latinized form of Silas.

      b.  Usually Silvanus and Silas are identified as the same man.  We will see further evidence of

           this later in this study.

      c.  But who is he and what can we learn from him, this man Peter identifies as “our faithful

           brother?”

 

Discussion:

 

I.  He is first mentioned in Acts 15 as one of two leading men among the church at Jerusalem sent to Antioch to carry the letter from the apostles and elders (Acts 15:22).

 

     A.  He was not one of the twelve and probably not one of the elders, but nevertheless a man

          quite responsible or he would not have been given this task.  It was a delicate task that he

          and his companion, Judas, were given.  I would like my brethren to have this kind of

          confidence in me.  All will do well to aspire to such.

          1.  It is accomplished by loyalty to the will of God.

          2.  Loyalty to brethren that may be different than one’s self.

          3.  Stability and commitment over long periods of time develop people’s confidence. 

               Evidently Silas was just such a man.

          4.  A large art of leadership is about developing other people’s faith in you.  This means you

               must give consideration to what they are thinking and not act in ways that undermine

               their confidence in you.  Silas and Judas have created faith in the hearts of those in the

               church at Jerusalem.

     B.  Silas and Judas were prophets (15:32).

           1.  Not only did they deliver the letter and authenticate its message verbally (15:27), they

                encouraged and strengthened the brethren in Antioch with a lengthy message (15:32).

           2.  These men were teachers and effective communicators.

           3.  The text says, “They spent some time in Antioch” (15:33).  Sometimes “time spent” is

                 necessary to the mission.  People need time to be acquainted, to create a bond of trust. 

           Had they simply read their letter and left, the result might not have been the same.  They

              spent some time.  They took the edge off of strangers coming and dropping off a letter and

              then leaving.

         4.  The result was “they were sent away from the brethren in peace” (15:33).

         5.  Silas actually remained in Antioch with Paul and Barnabas teaching and preaching.

 

II.  Silas traveled with Paul from Antioch on his second preaching tour (Acts 15:36ff).

 

      A.  For Paul to choose Silas indicates the confidence he had in him, more than in John Mark. 

            Paul believed that Silas was determined to do the work and would not turn back.

      B.  The brethren in Antioch supported him too (40).

      C.  They traveled through Syria and Cilicia strengthening the churches, to Lystra, Derbe and

            going through the Phrygian and Galatian region they put out to sea at Troas and sailed for

           Macedonia.  Things were not like they were in Jerusalem.  There was no synagogue in

            Philippi.  Perhaps this was unfamiliar to Silas.  He was out on the frontier now and he was

            about to get an idea of what this meant (16:16-21).

      D.  At Philippi he was imprisoned (16:22ff).

             1.  He was not just carrying a letter to friendly folks.

             2.  He was beaten with a rod and thrown in prison.

             3.  He was praying and singing hymns of praise to God.

             4.  Experienced the earthquake and release.

             5.  Conversion of the jailor.

             6.  Silas was evidently a Roman citizen along with Paul (Acts 16:37).

        E.  Endured persecution at Thessalonica and left by night to Berea.  Jews from Thessalonica

              came there and stirred up the crowds so that Paul left.  Silas and Timothy stayed behind

              (Acts 18:10-15).

        F.  At Corinth Silas and Timothy rejoined Paul (18:5ff).

 

III.  Silas is the name used in Acts; Silvanus the name used in the Epistles.  Silvanus may be the Latinized form of Silas.

 

        A.  Mentioned in 2 Cor. 1:19.  Probably a reference to Acts 18:5ff.

        B.  The epistles of 1 and 2 Thess. were written from Corinth during the second preaching tour. 

              References to Paul, Silvanus and Timothy are in the greeting in 1:1 of both epistles.

        C.  The mentioned in 1 Thess. 2:1ff references their imprisonment in Philippi.  These evidences

              support that Silvanus is the Silas of Acts.

              1.  Silvanus was both a fellow-sufferer and a fellow-preacher with Paul.

              2.  Spoke with boldness amidst opposition.

              3.  Proved to be gentle among the Thessalonians (1 Thess. 2:7-8) imparting the gospel and

                   their own lives to them.

              4.  The constant use of “we” throughout these epistles implies a co-authorship with Paul

                   and Timothy.

              5.  This may be a similar co-authorship referenced in 1 Pet. 5:12.  You must recall that Peter

                   was one of the apostles at the Jerusalem meeting in Acts 15.  In 1 Pet. His description of

                   Silvanus as a faithful brother is consistent with that we have seen in him in Acts and in

                   the epistles of Paul.

              

Conclusion:

 

1.  Although we do not have extensive biographical information about Silas what information we do have about his life is all positive.

2.  There is nothing in Scripture regarding his conversion.  There is nothing about his work after these experiences herein described.

3.  What we do know presents him as a man of faithfulness, a bold proclaimer of the gospel of Christ, a lover of men’s souls, a man of courage willing to lay his life on the line to teach and to exhort and to care for the people of God.

4.  O that we all would aspire to such leadership!