Paul’s Defenses
Acts 22:1 – 23:30
Acts 22:1 – 23:30
O U T L I N E
Paul’s Defense before the Jewish Mob
Acts 22
Acts 22
Acts 22. In this chapter, Paul takes his opportunity to defend himself before his countrymen, seemingly for the first time since the incident on the Damascus road and his conversion. He thought that if he could just explain himself, perhaps they could understand. If we compare the account of Paul’s conversion earlier in Acts we have the historical order. Now, as Paul gives his defense before the Jews, we get added details. Speaking in Hebrew, Paul defended himself before the Jews by stressing his strict Jewish upbringing and persecution of Christians. He then recounted his Damascus conversion and vision in Jerusalem, where the Lord told him to leave quickly and sent him “far hence” to the Gentiles. This statement triggered the crowd’s violent rejection (vv.1-22). The Roman commander, unable to understand the charge, ordered him examined by scourging, but Paul’s advising them of his Roman citizenship stopped it and led to a formal hearing being arranged before the Jewish council (vv.23-30).
Paul’s Appeal to the Jews (22:1-21)
CHAPTER 22
1 Brethren and fathers, hear my defence which I now make to you. 2 And hearing that he addressed them in the Hebrew tongue, they kept the more quiet; and he says, 3 “I” am a Jew, born in Tarsus of Cilicia, but brought up in this city, at the feet of Gamaliel, educated according to the exactness of the law of our fathers, being zealous for God, as “ye” are all this day; 4 who have persecuted this way unto death, binding and delivering up to prisons both men and women; 5 as also the high priest bears me witness, and all the elderhood: from whom also, having received letters to the brethren, I went to Damascus to bring those also who were there, bound, to Jerusalem, to be punished.
vv.1-5 Opening Appeal and Common Ground. Paul began to speak to the Jews, giving his defense in Hebrew. His desire was to explain himself to them, and he began by showing his common ground with them, before his conversion. Using the Hebrew language was part of this approach. They kept quiet, willing to listen at this point. He introduced himself thus: “I am a Jew”. This was true as to his ethnicity, though such distinctions do not matter in Christianity (Gal. 3:28). He was raised in Jerusalem, given a formal Jewish education “at the feet of Gamaliel”, who was a leading scholar of the Pharisees. These accolades he counted but “loss” and even “dung”, that he might win Christ (Phil. 3:8). Further, Paul had been zealous for God according to his false understanding of God. He adds, “as ye are all this day”, but does not add, as he faithfully does in Rom. 10:2; “but not according to knowledge”. His zeal was so fierce that he led the persecution of Christians, including imprisonment and death. This was his purpose in going to Damascus on the transformational day. Paul was never a mere casual adherent of the Jewish religion.
6 And it came to pass, as I was journeying and drawing near to Damascus, that, about mid-day, there suddenly shone out of heaven a great light round about me. 7 And I fell to the ground, and heard a voice saying to me, Saul, Saul, why persecutest thou me? 8 And “I” answered, Who art thou, Lord? And he said to me, “I” am Jesus the Nazaraean, whom “thou” persecutest. 9 But they that were with me beheld the light, and were filled with fear, but heard not the voice of him that was speaking to me. 10 And I said, What shall I do, Lord? And the Lord said to me, Rise up, and go to Damascus, and there it shall be told thee of all things which it is appointed thee to do. 11 And as I could not see, through the glory of that light, being led by the hand of those who were with me, I came to Damascus.
vv.6-11 Paul’s Encounter on the Damascus Road. Paul recounts his being stopped on the Damascus road by a great light, and the conversation that followed with the risen Lord Jesus. We are told here more precisely than Acts 9 that it was at mid-day, which would have been when the sun was at its zenith. The light from heaven transcended it! It was “Jesus the Nazaraean“, which alludes to Christ’s humble circumstances, which was a stumbling block to the Jews, particularly those of Judea and Jerusalem. Paul adds that his companions saw the light, but did not hear the voice as Paul did (v.9). There is no discrepancy with Acts 9:7, this rather indicating that while they heard the noise, it was inarticulate to them.1 Perhaps this is why the companions were not converted, only Saul; “the dead shall hear the voice of the Son of God: and they that hear shall live” (John 5:25). Paul’s immediate response is submission: “What shall I do, Lord?”
12 And a certain Ananias, a pious man according to the law, borne witness to by all the Jews who dwelt there, 13 coming to me and standing by me, said to me, Brother Saul, receive thy sight. And “I”, in the same hour, received my sight and saw him. 14 And he said, The God of our fathers has chosen thee beforehand to know his will, and to see the just one, and to hear a voice out of his mouth; 15 for thou shalt be a witness for him to all men of what thou hast seen and heard. 16 And now why lingerest thou? Arise and get baptised, and have thy sins washed away, calling on his name.
vv.12-16 Ananias’ Testimony and Paul’s Commission. While much of the conversion account is nearly identical to that of Acts 9, we get added details here of the encounter with Ananias. Ananias is presented as a devout man according to the law, well reported of by the Jews at Damascus, which Paul emphasizes to establish credibility with a Jewish audience. Paul was warmly received with a refreshing greeting, “Brother Saul”. He was now part of the family of God. Through Ananias, Paul received his sight and was told that “the God of our fathers” had appointed him to know His will, see the Righteous One (vision), and hear a voice from His mouth (revelation). This framed Paul’s calling as consistent with the God of Israel rather than a break from Him. Ananias declared that Paul would be a witness to all men of what he had seen and heard, which was a statement that implied a commission beyond the scope of Israel. He called on Paul to be baptized and have his sins washed away, calling on the Lord’s name. This shows that baptism saves in an outward sense, through disassociation with our old standing and sins, and identification with Christ. Read more…
17 And it came to pass when I had returned to Jerusalem, and as I was praying in the temple, that I became in ecstasy, 18 and saw him saying to me, Make haste and go quickly out of Jerusalem, for they will not receive thy testimony concerning me. 19 And “I” said, Lord, they themselves know that “I” was imprisoning and beating in every synagogue those that believe on thee; 20 and when the blood of thy witness Stephen was shed, I also myself was standing by and consenting, and kept the clothes of them who killed him. 21 And he said to me, Go, for “I” will send thee to the nations afar off.
vv.17-21 His Vision in the Temple and Sending to the Gentiles. Paul recounted that while praying in the temple at Jerusalem, he fell into a trance and saw the Lord, who told him to leave Jerusalem quickly because the Jews would not receive his testimony concerning Christ (vv.17-18). The personal relationship that Paul had with Christ is evident in the easy conversation. However, this message must have been painful for Paul to hear. Paul explained to the Jews that he actually reasoned with the Lord, appealing to his former persecution of believers, especially his involvement in Stephen’s death, as grounds for being uniquely suited to reach the Jews (vv.19-20), a detail that reveals how deeply his heart still clung to his nation. The way he could speak of his involvement without a trace of guilt shows how the work of grace had been completed in his heart. The Lord’s answer was decisive: Paul was to depart and be sent “far hence unto the Gentiles” (v.21), confirming that his appointed sphere of service was not Jerusalem but the nations. In recounting this, Paul intended to show that he had gone to the Gentiles in obedience to the God of Israel, but unintentionally exposes that his present presence in Jerusalem stood in contrast with the Lord’s clearly stated direction for his ministry.2
Paul Attacked by Jews, Protected by Romans (22:22-30)
22 And they heard him until this word, and lifted up their voice, saying, Away with such a one as that from the earth, for it was not fit he should live. 23 And as they were crying, and throwing away their clothes, and casting dust into the air,
vv.22-23 Rejection at the Mention of the Gentiles. The crowd of Jews listened quietly until “this word”, i.e. Paul mentioning God’s sending him to the Gentiles. At that point their national and religious hostility erupted (v.22). They cried out for Paul’s death, casting off their garments and throwing dust into the air, which was a sign of violent indignation and complete rejection of Paul and his ministry (vv.22-23). W. Kelly mention that had they received his testimony, they would have put their faces in the dust rather than throw it in the air! It was grace toward the Gentiles, not merely Paul’s conversion, that drew out the hatred of the Jewish heart. This brought Paul’s testimony to an abrupt end. We do not read of a single hearer that received his word.
24 the chiliarch commanded him to be brought into the fortress, saying that he should be examined by scourging, that he might ascertain for what cause they cried thus against him. 25 But as they stretched him forward with the thongs, Paul said to the centurion who stood by, Is it lawful for you to scourge a man who is a Roman and uncondemned? 26 And the centurion, having heard it, went and reported it to the chiliarch, saying, What art thou going to do? for this man is a Roman. 27 And the chiliarch coming up said to him, Tell me, Art “thou” a Roman? And he said, Yes. 28 And the chiliarch answered, “I”, for a great sum, bought this citizenship. And Paul said, But “I” was also free born. 29 Immediately therefore those who were going to examine him left him, and the chiliarch also was afraid when he ascertained that he was a Roman, and because he had bound him.
vv.24-29 Roman Intervention and Legal Protection. With the Jews in a violent uproar, the Roman commander ordered Paul to be brought into the fortress and examined by scourging, a brutal method of torture, seeking to learn the real cause of the disturbance (vv.24-25). As the preparations were made, Paul appealed to Roman law, asking whether it was lawful to scourge an uncondemned Roman citizen (v.25). This immediately halted the proceedings, as that would have been a serious violation. The centurion informed the commander, who confirmed Paul’s citizenship and learned that Paul was Roman by birth, not by purchase (vv.26-29). The commander was alarmed because Paul had already been bound, an unlawful act toward a Roman citizen. This providential intervention spared Paul severe injustice and preserved him for further testimony, though it further placed him under Roman confinement. While Paul was not wrong to appeal to his Roman citizenship, did this action arise from the leading of the Spirit? Did it match up to the height of Christian truth, that there is no longer Jew or Gentile, bond or free?3
30 And on the morrow, desirous to know the certainty of the matter why he was accused of the Jews, he loosed him, and commanded the chief priests and all the council to meet, and having brought Paul down set him before them.
v.30 Preparation for Formal Jewish Hearing. On the following day, the Roman commander, wanting to know with certainty why Paul was accused by the Jews, released him from his bonds and convened the chief priests and the Sanhedrin, setting Paul before them (v.30). Roman justice required the accusers to face the accused and state the charge plainly. This was a transition from mob violence to a formal inquiry, placing Paul in a position to bear witness before Israel’s highest religious authority under Roman oversight.
- This to a casual reader looks like a discrepancy, but a reader must be careless indeed, or bent on evil, who does not perceive that the two statements are altogether in harmony beneath the surface. In Acts 9 we learn that his companions heard a sound, and no more; and in the present chapter we learn that he alone heard the voice of Him that spoke to him. To the others it was inarticulate; to him it was not only intelligible, but the turning point of a life beyond all others rich in testimony to His grace Who spoke to him. In Acts 9 φωνή ‘sound’ or ‘voice’ is in the genitive, and merely partitive in Acts 22 it is the accusative which has the largest bearing on the object and is not partitive. – W. Kelly. Exposition of Acts.
- He was the apostle of the uncircumcision. It was therefore a mistake to put himself forward specially before the Jews in Jerusalem, as before with the Lord in the vision. – W. Kelly. Exposition of Acts.
- This, of course, put an end to all thought of torture, and the commander was afraid because he had bound him. But was it the accustomed height of Christian truth on which the apostle stood? Where do we find an approach to it in his Epistles? And where does heavenly and suffering grace shine as in these? Present oneness with Christ effaces all our natural conditions: Jew or Greek, Scythian or barbarian, bond or free, what matters it? Christ is all, as He is in all that are His. – W. Kelly. Exposition of Acts.