Acts 21:37-22:30: "Paul's Defense"
Paul has now been brought before the commander of the Roman army to explain what is going on. In reading through this section, it struck me how calmly and non-defensively Paul yet again pleads with his enemies. Those who desire to kill him, he responds with love (in the sense that he is sharing the gospel with them that they too may be saved). This response reminds me of Christ's and Stephen's as they were faced with death. Pitty and love filled their hearts as they were about to die and cried out to God to forgive them because they did not know what they were doing. This response to me is amazing. Just in reading through this section I can feel bouts of anger come up in regards to their ultimate blindness and raw hatred for Paul. Parts of you just wish you were there to get your hands on a few and shake them as if to say, 'open your eyes'. What a convicting example as Paul calmly defends his actions by speaking the truth once again in the most unpopular venue.
In v.37-39 Paul explains to the commander who he is. Mistaken for an Egyptian who had, "some time ago stirred up a revolt and led the four thousand men of the Assassins out into the wilderness", Paul's greek surprises the commander, and helps Paul plead his case. In v. 39, Paul begs that he be allowed to speak to the people. Again, rather than try to escape and get out of the situation and away from the people who desire to kill him, he uses his platform as an opportunity to share the gospel. How often do we try to get out of uncomfortable conversations or situations in which there is a great opportunity to stand up and share your faith? Too often we shy away from these rather than Paul, who relishes the opportunities.
In Chapter 22 of Acts, Paul defends himself and the truth to the Jews. To get their attentention, he addresses them in the Hebrew dialect. He also addresses them humbly and respectfully as "brethren and fathers". Paul then speaks to the Jews, establishing his love for the Jewish people, and his love for Christ. In speaking to them, he tries to get them to understand that he was once one of them. He explains, "I am a Jew, born in Tarsus of Cilicia, but brought up in this city, educated under Gamaliel, strictly according to the law of our fathers, being zealous for God, just as you all are today. And I persecuted this Way to the death, binding and putting both men and women into prisons..." Paul wants the Jews to know that he believed and passionately followed all the laws of the Jewish people before his conversion. He may have wanted them to understand that, until Christ changed his life, he too believed what he was doing was right. He wants them to know, he knows where they are coming from.
Paul then gives the Jewish people the story of his amazing conversion. One who once watched Stephen being stoned and, "was standing by approving, and watching out for the cloaks of those who were slaying him", to a man on his knees blind before and awesome God. Paul tells them all the magnificent conversion and the witnesses who were with him to confirm all that had happened. To me, this is the greatest evidence that Christianity is true: changed lives. Left up to ourselves, we always seek after ourselves and our sinful desires. The radical transformation of Paul, one day seeking to kill Christians and the next day sacrificing his life for the spread of Christianity. The disciples being so down and despaired after Christ's death, and then spending the rest of their lives, sacrificing everything, boldly proclaiming, enduring torture for the name of Christ speaks of the veracity of Jesus Christ. Truly Lord and Savior.
Paul had the Jews attention until he utters the word that gets them riled up again: Gentiles. In V.21, his preaching comes to an abrupt halt when he exclaims what God had told him, "Go! For I will send you far away to the Gentiles". Paul had explained his love for Jewish tradition and the Law, however, to the Jews before him, this proclamation was too much to take and wiped out anything he had said before. The Jews utter hatred for the Gentiles and their disbelief in the idea that anyone other than the chosen Jews would be saved, drove them crazy. The irony of this, is that it was because of the Jews hatred for Christ as he came proclaiming the truth and their rejection of Him, that led to the gospel being offered to the Gentiles (see Rom. 11). The hardness of their hearts is revealed once again as they shut their ears and hearts to the truth as it is preached to them by Paul. What accountability they had before God. Their hatred for Paul and the reconciliation of the Gentiles is clear in v.22, "And they listened to him up to this statement, and then they raised their voices and said, 'away with such a fellow from the earth, for he should not be allowed to live!"
By God's sovereignty, He spared Paul's life by allowing the commander of the Roman army to handle the situation rather than the unruly mob. "The commander ordered him to be brought into the barracks, stating that he should be examined by scourging so that he might find out the reason why they were shouting against him that way". It's interesting to me how indifferent the Romans have been to the Christians. Both when Christ and Paul were before them the truth had been revealed to them, and their main concern is always how to solve the social problem, and legally how to handle these men.
In order to coerce Paul to tell them exactly why this riot was started they, "stretched him out with thongs" getting ready to scourge him. Before they are able to do so, Paul speaks up and finally lets them know that he is a Roman citizen, "Is it lawful for you to scourge a man who is a Roman and uncondemned". It's almost as if Paul waits until he has exhausted every possible way to speak the gospel to these men, before he lets them know he is a Roman citizen. Paul sees that his preaching has unaffected the hearts of the Jews, and now he desires to be set free. Almost in a joking way the commander challenges the truth of his statement that he is a Roman citizen. "I acquired this citizenship with a large sum of money". It could be possible that back then anybody could become a Roman citizen through the right means. However, Paul reinforces that he is truly a Roman citizen, "But I was actually born a citizen". With this, the guards and commander know that what has been done (and what was about to be done) was illegal, and they could find themselves in trouble. "Therefore those who were about to examine him immediately let go of him". However, the commander was too intrigued as to why Paul had been accused of the Jews and he continues to pursue this case before the Jewish council. "But on the next day, wishing to know for certain why he had been accused by the Jews, he released him and ordered the chief priests and all the Council to assemble, and brought Paul down and set him before them.
In v.37-39 Paul explains to the commander who he is. Mistaken for an Egyptian who had, "some time ago stirred up a revolt and led the four thousand men of the Assassins out into the wilderness", Paul's greek surprises the commander, and helps Paul plead his case. In v. 39, Paul begs that he be allowed to speak to the people. Again, rather than try to escape and get out of the situation and away from the people who desire to kill him, he uses his platform as an opportunity to share the gospel. How often do we try to get out of uncomfortable conversations or situations in which there is a great opportunity to stand up and share your faith? Too often we shy away from these rather than Paul, who relishes the opportunities.
In Chapter 22 of Acts, Paul defends himself and the truth to the Jews. To get their attentention, he addresses them in the Hebrew dialect. He also addresses them humbly and respectfully as "brethren and fathers". Paul then speaks to the Jews, establishing his love for the Jewish people, and his love for Christ. In speaking to them, he tries to get them to understand that he was once one of them. He explains, "I am a Jew, born in Tarsus of Cilicia, but brought up in this city, educated under Gamaliel, strictly according to the law of our fathers, being zealous for God, just as you all are today. And I persecuted this Way to the death, binding and putting both men and women into prisons..." Paul wants the Jews to know that he believed and passionately followed all the laws of the Jewish people before his conversion. He may have wanted them to understand that, until Christ changed his life, he too believed what he was doing was right. He wants them to know, he knows where they are coming from.
Paul then gives the Jewish people the story of his amazing conversion. One who once watched Stephen being stoned and, "was standing by approving, and watching out for the cloaks of those who were slaying him", to a man on his knees blind before and awesome God. Paul tells them all the magnificent conversion and the witnesses who were with him to confirm all that had happened. To me, this is the greatest evidence that Christianity is true: changed lives. Left up to ourselves, we always seek after ourselves and our sinful desires. The radical transformation of Paul, one day seeking to kill Christians and the next day sacrificing his life for the spread of Christianity. The disciples being so down and despaired after Christ's death, and then spending the rest of their lives, sacrificing everything, boldly proclaiming, enduring torture for the name of Christ speaks of the veracity of Jesus Christ. Truly Lord and Savior.
Paul had the Jews attention until he utters the word that gets them riled up again: Gentiles. In V.21, his preaching comes to an abrupt halt when he exclaims what God had told him, "Go! For I will send you far away to the Gentiles". Paul had explained his love for Jewish tradition and the Law, however, to the Jews before him, this proclamation was too much to take and wiped out anything he had said before. The Jews utter hatred for the Gentiles and their disbelief in the idea that anyone other than the chosen Jews would be saved, drove them crazy. The irony of this, is that it was because of the Jews hatred for Christ as he came proclaiming the truth and their rejection of Him, that led to the gospel being offered to the Gentiles (see Rom. 11). The hardness of their hearts is revealed once again as they shut their ears and hearts to the truth as it is preached to them by Paul. What accountability they had before God. Their hatred for Paul and the reconciliation of the Gentiles is clear in v.22, "And they listened to him up to this statement, and then they raised their voices and said, 'away with such a fellow from the earth, for he should not be allowed to live!"
By God's sovereignty, He spared Paul's life by allowing the commander of the Roman army to handle the situation rather than the unruly mob. "The commander ordered him to be brought into the barracks, stating that he should be examined by scourging so that he might find out the reason why they were shouting against him that way". It's interesting to me how indifferent the Romans have been to the Christians. Both when Christ and Paul were before them the truth had been revealed to them, and their main concern is always how to solve the social problem, and legally how to handle these men.
In order to coerce Paul to tell them exactly why this riot was started they, "stretched him out with thongs" getting ready to scourge him. Before they are able to do so, Paul speaks up and finally lets them know that he is a Roman citizen, "Is it lawful for you to scourge a man who is a Roman and uncondemned". It's almost as if Paul waits until he has exhausted every possible way to speak the gospel to these men, before he lets them know he is a Roman citizen. Paul sees that his preaching has unaffected the hearts of the Jews, and now he desires to be set free. Almost in a joking way the commander challenges the truth of his statement that he is a Roman citizen. "I acquired this citizenship with a large sum of money". It could be possible that back then anybody could become a Roman citizen through the right means. However, Paul reinforces that he is truly a Roman citizen, "But I was actually born a citizen". With this, the guards and commander know that what has been done (and what was about to be done) was illegal, and they could find themselves in trouble. "Therefore those who were about to examine him immediately let go of him". However, the commander was too intrigued as to why Paul had been accused of the Jews and he continues to pursue this case before the Jewish council. "But on the next day, wishing to know for certain why he had been accused by the Jews, he released him and ordered the chief priests and all the Council to assemble, and brought Paul down and set him before them.
posted by amesfam | 12:48 PM
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