Djela apostolska 22:25

Croatian Bible

Kad ga remenjem rastegoše, reče on nazočnom satniku: "Rimskoga građanina, i još neosuđena, smijete bičevati?"

Bible Verse Review
  from Treasury of Scripure Knowledge

the centurion: Acts 10:1, Acts 23:17, Acts 27:1, Acts 27:3, Acts 27:43, Matthew 8:8, Matthew 27:54

Is it: By the Roman law, no magistrate was allowed to punish a Roman citizen capitally, or by inflicting stripes, or even binding him; and the single expression, I am a Roman citizen, arrested their severest decrees, and obtained, if not an escape, at least a delay of his punishment. Acts 22:27, Acts 22:28, Acts 16:37, Acts 25:16

Reciprocal: Matthew 8:5 - a centurion Matthew 27:2 - bound Luke 7:8 - under John 19:1 - scourged Acts 21:11 - So shall Acts 21:33 - be Acts 21:39 - a citizen Acts 22:24 - that he should Acts 22:29 - the chief Acts 23:27 - having Acts 25:10 - I stand Acts 25:11 - no man Acts 28:18 - General Hebrews 11:35 - tortured

Gill's Notes on the Bible

And as they bound him with thongs,.... To a pillar, in order to be scourged, according to the Roman manner d. Nor was the Jewish form of scourging much unlike, and perhaps might be now used, which was this; when they scourge anyone they bind both his hands to a pillar, here and there --and they do not strike him standing nor sitting, but inclining e; for the pillar to which he was bound was fixed in the ground, and so high as for a man to lean upon f; and some say it was two cubits, and others a cubit and a half high g: and the word here used signifies an extension, or distension; perhaps the stretching out of the arms to the pillar, and a bending forward of the whole body, which fitly expresses the stooping inclining posture of the person scourged, and was a very proper one for such a punishment: now as they were thus fastening him with thongs to the pillar, and putting him in this position,

Paul said unto the centurion that stood by; to see the soldiers execute the orders received from the chief captain:

is it lawful for you to scourge a man that is a Roman, and uncondemned? Though the apostle puts this by way of question, yet he knew full well what the Roman laws were in such cases; he did not put this through ignorance, or for information, but to let them know who he was, and to put them in mind of these laws, and of their duty; for, according to the Porcian law, Roman citizens were not to be beaten h. Hence, says i Cicero,

"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?''

And, according to the Valerian law, it was not lawful for magistrates to condemn a Roman without hearing the cause, and pleading in it; and such condemned persons might appeal to the populace k.

d Lipsius de Cruce, l. 2. c. 4. e Misna Maccot, c. 3. sect. 12, 13. f Bartenora in ib. g Yom Tob in ib. h Cicero pro Rabirio Orat. 18. i In Verrem Orat. 10. k Pompon. Laetus de Legibus, p. 157.

Barnes' Notes on the Bible

Bound him with thongs - With cords, preparatory to scourging.

Is it lawful ... - It was directly contrary to the Roman law to bind and scourge a Roman citizen. See the notes on Acts 16:36-37.

Clarke's Notes on the Bible

Verse Acts 22:25. And as they bound him, &c.] They were going to tie him to a post, that they might scourge him.

Is it lawful, &c.] The Roman law absolutely forbade the binding of a Roman citizen. Acts 16:37; Acts 16:37.