Chapter 22
Verse 1. Men, brethren, and fathers. This defence was addressed to
the Jews; and Paul commenced it with an expression of sincere respect
for them. Stephen began his defence with the same form of address.
See Barnes "Acts 7:2".
My defence. Against the charges brought against me. Those charges
were, that he had endeavoured to prejudice men everywhere against the
Jews, and the law, and the temple, Acts 21:28. In order to meet this
charge, Paul stated,
(1.) that he had been born a Jew, and had enjoyed all the advantages of a
Jewish education, Acts 22:3;
(2.) he recounted the circumstances of his conversion, and the reason why
he believed that he was called to preach the gospel, Acts 22:4-16;
(3.) he proceeded to state the reasons why he went among the Gentiles,
and
evidently designed to vindicate his conduct there, Acts 22:17-21; but
at this point, at the name Gentiles, his defence was interrupted by
the enraged multitude, and he was not permitted to proceed. What
would have been his defence, therefore, had he been suffered to
finish it, it is impossible to know with certainty. On another occasion,
however, he was permitted to make a similar defence, and perhaps to
complete the train of thought which he had purposed to pursue here. See
Acts 26.
{b} "Men" Acts 7:2
{c} "defence" 1 Peter 3:15
Verse 2. The Hebrew tongue. See Barnes "Acts 21:40".
Verse 3. Born in Tarsus. See Barnes "Acts 21:39".
Brought up in this city. In Jerusalem, sent there for the advantage
of more perfect instruction in the law.
At the feet of Gamaliel. As a scholar, or disciple of Gamaliel. The
phrase, to sit at the feet of one, is expressive of the condition of
a
disciple or learner. Comp. Deuteronomy 33:3; Luke 10:39. It is probable that the
expression arose from the fact that the learners occupied a lower place
or
seat than the teacher. The phrase is expressive of humility and a lower
condition. On the character and rank of Gamaliel,
See Barnes "Acts 5:34". Paul mentions his having been instructed in
this manner, in order to show that he was entitled to the full privilege
of the Jew, and that he had had every opportunity to become fully
acquainted with the nature of the law.
According to the perfect manner. \~kata akribeian\~. By strict diligence, or
exact care; or in the utmost rigour and severity of that instruction. No
pains were spared to make him understand and practise the law of Moses.
The law of the fathers. The law of our fathers; i.e., the law which
they received and handed down to us. Paul was a Pharisee; and the law in
which he had been taught was not only the written law of Moses, but the
traditional law which had been handed down from former times.
See Barnes "Matthew 3:6".
And was zealous towards God. Galatians 1:14. He had a constant burning
zeal for God and his law, which was expressed not only by scrupulous
adherence to its forms, but by persecuting all who opposed it,
Acts 22:4,5.
{d} "I am" Acts 21:39; 2 Corinthians 11:22; Philippians 3:5
{+} "verily" "Indeed"
{e} "Gamaliel" Acts 5:34
{f} "according" Acts 26:5
{++} "perfect manner" "exactness"
{g} "zealous" Galatians 1:14
{h} "ye all" Acts 21:20
Verse 4. And I persecuted, Acts 8:3.
This way. Those who were of this mode of worshipping God; that is,
Christians. See Barnes "Acts 9:2".
Unto the death. Intending to put them to death, He did not probably
put any to death himself, but he committed them to prison, he sought their
lives, he was the agent employed in arresting them; and when they were put
to death, he tells us that he gave his voice against them, Acts 26:10;
that is, he joined in and approved of their condemnation.
Delivering into prisons, etc. Acts 8:3
{i} "persecuted" Acts 8:3
{&} "way" "Doctrine"
Verse 5. As also the High Priest, etc. See Barnes "Acts 9:2".
All the estate of the elders. Greek, All the presbytery; that is, the
whole body of the sanhedrim, or great council of the nation.
Unto the brethren. The Jewish brethren, who were at Damascus. Paul
here speaks as a Jew, and regards his countrymen as his brethren.
{|} "doth" "Can"
{&} "estate of the elders" "Body"
{k} "Damascus" Acts 9:2
Verse 6. As I made my journey. As I was on my journey.
About noon. Acts 26:13. "At mid-day." This circumstance is omitted
by Luke in account in Acts 9. Paul mentions it, as being the more
remarkable since it occurred at mid-day, to show that he was not deluded
by any meteoric or natural appearances, which usually occur at night.
See Barnes "Acts 9:3" and Acts 9:4-7
{**} "journey" "journeyed"
Verse 7. No Barnes text on this verse.
See Barnes "Acts 9:3" and Acts 9:4-7
Verse 8. No Barnes text on this verse.
See Barnes "Acts 9:3" and Acts 9:4-7.
Verse 9. No Barnes text on this verse.
See Barnes "Acts 9:3", and Acts 9:4-7.
Verse 10. No Barnes text on this verse.
See Barnes "Acts 9:3", Acts 9:4-7.
{++} "of all things" "concerning"
Verse 11. The gory of that light. The splendour, the intense brillancy
of the light. See this and its effect explained See Barnes "Acts 9:8".
{+++} "the glory" "because of"
Verse 12. See Barnes "Acts 9:17"; See Barnes "Acts 9:18"
{m} "Aninias" Acts 10:22
{n} "good report" Acts 10:22; 1 Timothy 3:7; Hebrews 11:2
Verse 13. See Barnes "Acts 9:17"; See Barnes "Acts 9:18".
Verse 14. Shouldest know his will. His will in the plan of salvation,
and in regard to your future life.
And see that Just One. The Messiah. See Barnes "Acts 3:14". As Paul
was to be an apostle. and as it was the peculiar office of an apostle to
bear witness to the person and deeds of the Lord Jesus,
See Barnes "Acts 1:21"; See Barnes "Acts 1:22", it was necessary that
he should see him, that thus he might be a competent witness of the
resurrection.
Shouldest hear the voice of his mouth. Shouldest hear and obey his
commands.
{a} "see" Acts 21:18; 1 Corinthians 9:1; 15:8
{b} "Just One" Acts 3:14; 7:52
{c} "voice" 1 Corinthians 11:23; Galatians 1:12
Verse 15. For thou shalt be his witness, etc. As an apostle to
testify to all men that the Messiah has come, that he has died, that he
has risen, and that he is the Saviour of the world.
Of what thou hast seen and heard. Of the remarkable proof which has
been furnished you of the Divine mission and character of the Lord Jesus.
{d} "thou shalt" Acts 23:11; 16:16
Verse 16. And now, why tarriest thou? Why dost thou delay, or wait
any longer? These words are not recorded by Luke in Acts 9, where he
has given an account of the conversion of Paul; but there is nothing here
contradictory to his statement.
And wash away thy sins. Receive baptism, as an act expressive of the
washing away of sins. It cannot be intended that the external rite of
baptism was sufficient to make the soul pure, but that it was an ordinance
divinely appointed as expressive of the washing away of sins, or of
purifying the heart. Comp. Hebrews 10:22. Sinners are represented
in the Scriptures as defiled or polluted by sin. To wash away the
sins denotes the purifying of the soul from this polluted influence,
1 Corinthians 6:11; Revelation 1:5; 7:14; Isaiah 1:16; Psalms 51:2,7.
Calling on the name of the Lord. For pardon and sanctification.
Romans 10:13, "Whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord shall be
saved." It was proper that this calling on the name of the Lord should be
connected with the ordinance of baptism. That ordinance was expressive of
a purifying which the Lord only could produce. It is proper that the rite
of baptism should be attended with extraordinary prayer; and that he who
is to be baptized should make it the occasion of peculiar and very solemn
religious exercises. The external rite will avail nothing without the
pardoning mercy of God.
{*} "tarriest" "delayest"
{e} "wash away" Hebrews 10:22; 1 Peter 3:21
{f} "calling" Romans 10:13; 1 Corinthians 1:2
Verse 17. When I was come again to Jerusalem. That is, three years
after his conversion. See Galatians 1:17,18.
While I prayed in the temple. Paul, like the other converts to
Christianity from among the Jews, would naturally continue to offer his
devotions in the temple. We meet with repeated instances of their
continuing to comply with the customs of the Jewish people.
I was in a trance. Greek, Ecstasy. See Barnes "Acts 10:10".
Perhaps he here refers to what he elsewhere mentions, 2 Corinthians 12:1-5,
which he calls "visions and revelations of the Lord." In that place he
mentions his being "caught up to the third heaven," 2 Corinthians 12:2, and
"into paradise," where he heard words which it was "not possible for a man
to utter," 2 Corinthians 12:4. It is not certain, however, that he refers in
this place to that remarkable occurrence. The narrative would rather imply
that the Lord Jesus appeared to him in the temple in a remarkable manner,
in a vision, and gave him a direct command to go to the Gentiles. Paul had
now stated the evidence of his conversion, which appears to have been
satisfactory to them: at least they made no objection to his statement; he
had shown by his being in the temple his respect for their institutions;
and he now proceeds to show that in his other conduct he had been directed
by the same high authority by which he had been called into the ministry,
and that the command had been given to him in their own temple and in
their own city.
{g} "in a trance" 2 Corinthians 12:2
Verse 18. And saw him. Evidently the Lord Jesus, Acts 22:14.
He had received his commission from him, and he now received a distinct
command to go to the Gentiles.
For they will not receive. The inhabitants of Jerusalem, probably
including both Jews and Christians. The Jews would not listen to him,
because he had become, in their view, an apostate, and they would hate and
persecute him. The Christians would not be likely to receive him, for
they would remember his former persecutions, and would be suspicious of
him, because he had been so long in Arabia, and had not sooner connected
himself with them. See Barnes "Acts 9:26", "And when Saul
was come to Jerusalem, he assayed to join himself to the disciples;
but they were all afraid of him, and believed not that he was a
disciple."
{h} "saw him" Acts 7:58
Verse 19. And I said, Lord. This shows that it was the Lord Jesus,
whom Paul saw in a trance in the temple. The term Lord is usually
applied to him in the Acts. See Barnes "Acts 1:24".
They know. Christians know; and they will therefore be not likely to
receive to their fellowship their former enemy and persecutor.
Beat in every synagogue. Beating, or scourging, was often done in the
synagogue. See Barnes "Matthew 10:17". Comp. Acts 26:11. It was
customary for those who were converted to Christianity still to
meet with the Jews in their synagogues, and to join with them in
their worship.
{i} "they know" Acts 22:4
Verse 20. The blood of thy martyr Stephen was shed. Acts 7:58;
Acts 8:1.
I also was standing by. Acts 7:58.
And consenting unto his death. Acts 8:1.
And kept the raiment. The outer robes or garments which were usually
laid aside, when they engaged in running or labour. Acts 7:58. All this
showed, that though Paul was not engaged in stoning Stephen, yet he was
with them in spirit, and fully accorded with what they did. These
circumstances are mentioned here by him, as reasons why he knew that
he would not be received by Christians as one of their number, and why it
was necessary, therefore, for him to turn to the Gentile world.
{+} "martyr" "witness"
{k} "I also" Acts 7:58
{l} "consenting" Acts 8:1
{++} "raiment" "mantles"
{&} "slew" "killed"
Verse 21. And he said unto me, Depart. Because the Christians at
Jerusalem would not receive him.
Far hence. Paul travelled far in the heathen nations. A large part of
his time in the ministry was spent in remote countries, and in the most
distant regions then known. Romans 15:19.
{m} "I will" Acts 13:2,47; Romans 1:5; 11:13; 15:16; Galatians 2:7,8; Ephesians 3:7,8
1 Timothy 2:7
Verse 22. And they gave him audience. They heard him patiently.
Unto this word. The word Gentiles.
Away with such a fellow. Greek, Take such a man from the earth; i.e.,
put him to death. It is language of strong indignation and abhorrence. The
reasons of their indignation were not that they supposed that the Gentiles
could not be brought into covenant with God, for they would themselves
compass sea and land to make one proselyte; but they were,
(1.) that they believed that Paul taught that they might be saved
without conforming to the law of Moses; and,
(2.) his speech implied that the Jews were more hardened than the
Gentiles, and that he had a greater prospect of success in bringing them
to God than he had in regard to the Jews.
{%} "lifted up" "raised"
{n} "it is not fit" Acts 25:24
Verse 23. Cast off their clothes. Their outer garments. Probably they
did it now intending to stone him, Acts 7:58.
And threw dust into the air. As expressive of their abhorrence and
indignation. This was a striking exhibition of rage and vindictive malice.
Paul was guarded by Roman soldiers, so that they could not injure him;
and their only way of expressing their wrath was by menaces and threats,
and by these tokens of furious indignation. Thus Shimei expressed his
indignation against David by cursing him, and throwing stones at him, and
casting dust, 2 Samuel 16:13.
{++} "clothes" "mantles"
Verse 24. The castle. The tower of Antonia. He would be there
removed entirely from the wrath of the Jews.
Should be examined. \~anetazesyai\~. The word examine with us commonly
means to inquire, to question, to search for, or to look carefully into a
subject. The word here used is commonly applied to metals, whose
nature is tested or examined by fire; and then it means to subject to
torture or torments, in order to extort a confession, where persons were
accused of crime. It was often resorted to among the ancients. The usual
mode has been by the rack; but various kinds of torments have been
invented in order to extort confessions of guilt from those who were
accused. The whole practice has been one of the most flagrant
violations of justice, and one of the foulest blots on human nature.
In this case, the tribune saw that Paul was accused violently by the
Jews; he was ignorant of the Hebrew language, and had not probably
understood the address of Paul; he supposed from the extraordinary
excitement that Paul must have been guilty of some flagrant
offence, and he therefore resolved to subject him to torture, to extort
from him a confession.
By scourging. By the scourge or whip. Comp. Hebrews 11:36. This was
one mode of torture, in order to extort a secret from those who were
accused.
{**} "chief captain" "Commander"
Verse 25. Bound him with thongs. With cords, preparatory to
scourging.
Is it lawful, etc. It was directly contrary to the Roman law, to bind
and scourge a Roman citizen. See Barnes "Acts 16:36".
{a} "Roman" Acts 16:37; 25:16
Verse 26. No Barnes text on this verse.
Verse 27. No Barnes text on this verse.
Verse 28. With a great sum obtained I this freedom. This freedom, or
privilege of Roman citizenship. From this, it would seem that the
privilege of being a Roman citizen might be purchased. Perhaps he
refers, however, to the expenses which were necessarily attendant
in passing through the proper forms of becoming a Roman citizen.
The argument of the tribune in this case is this:--"I obtained this
privilege at a great price. Whence did you, Paul, thus poor and
persecuted, obtain the means of becoming a Roman citizen?". Paul
had informed him that he was a native of Tarsus, Acts 21:39;
and the chief captain supposed that that was not a free city, and
that Paul could not have derived the privilege of citizenship from
his birth.
But I was free born. I was born a Roman citizen, or I am such in
virtue of my birth. Various opinions have been formed on the question, in
what way or for what reasons Paul was entitled to the privilege of a Roman
citizen. Some have supposed that Tarsus was a Roman colony, and that he
thus became a Roman citizen. But of this there does not appear to be
sufficient proof. Pliny says, (5, 27,) that it was a free city. The
city of Tarsus was endowed with the privileges of a free city by Augustus
Caesar, after it had been greatly afflicted and oppressed by
wars.--Appian. Dio Chrysost says to the people of Tarsus, "He (Augustus)
has conferred on you everything which any one could bestow on his friends
and companions--a country, (i.e. a free country,) laws, honour, authority
over the river (Cydranus,) and the neighbouring sea." Free cities were
permitted in the Roman empire to use their own laws and customs, to have
their own magistrates, and they were free from being subject to Roman
guards. They were required only to acknowledge the supremacy and authority
of the Roman people, and to aid them in their wars. Such a city was
Tarsus; and having been born there, Paul was entitled to these privileges
of a free man. Many critics have supposed that this privilege of Roman
citizenship had been conferred on some of the ancestors of Paul, in
consequence of some distinguished military service. Such a conferring of
the rights of citizenship was not unusual, and possibly might have
occurred in this case. But there is no direct historical proof of it;
and the former fact, that he was born in a free city, will amply
account for his affirmation that he was free-born.
Verse 29. Then straightway. Immediately. They saw that by scourging
him they would have violated the Roman law, and exposed themselves to its
penalty.
Which should have examined him. Who were about to torture him by
scourging him, Acts 22:24.
Because he had bound him. Preparatory to scourging him. The act of
binding a Roman citizen, with such an intent, untried and uncondemned,
was unlawful. Prisoners who were to be scourged were usually bound by the
Romans to a pillar or post; and a similar custom prevailed among the Jews.
That it was unlawful to bind a man, with this intent, who was uncondemned,
appears from an express declaration in Cicero, (against Vetres.) "It is a
heinous sin to bind a Roman citizen; it is wickedness to beat him; it
is next to parricide to kill him; and what shall I say to crucify him?"
{+} "straightway" "immediately"
{1} "examined"
Verse 30. On the morrow. After he had arrested Paul. Paul was still
a prisoner; and if suffered to go at liberty among the Jews, his life
would have been in danger.
And commanded the chief priests, etc. Summoned a meeting of the
sanhedrim, or great council of the nation. He did this, as he was
prevented from scourging Paul, in order to know what he had done, and that
he might learn from the Jews themselves the nature of the charge against
him. This was necessary for the safety of Paul, and for the ends of
justice. This should have been done without any attempt to torture him in
order to extort a confession.
And brought Paul down. From the elevated castle or tower of Antonia.
The council assembled commonly in the house of the high priest.
And set him before them. He brought the prisoner to their bar, that
they might have an opportunity to accuse him, and that thus the chief
captain might learn the real nature of the charge against him.
{b} "because he would" Acts 23:28
{++} "bands" "chain"
{&} "appear" "Assemble"
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