Acts
22
1 “Men,
brethren, and fathers, hear ye my defense which I make now unto you.”
Brethren for men, brethren, Authorized Version (ch. 7:2, note); the for my, Authorized
Version; now make for make now, Authorized Version. The defense; ἀπολογία -
apologia – defense. This is the technical word in classical Greek for a defense in
answer to an accusation. Thus e.g. the oration of Gorgias
entitled, Υπὲρ
Παλαμήδους
ἀπολογία, begins, Ἡ μὲν κατηγορία καὶ ἡ ἀπολογία κρίσις οὐ περὶ θανάτου γίγνεται.
And Demosthenes opposes κατηγρσεῖν to accuse, to ἀπολογεῖσθαι, to make one's
defense. And an ἀπολογία δικαία καὶ ἁπλῆ is to prove that τὰ κατηγορημένα,
"the things of which the person is accused," were never done. But it is probably
from Paul's use of the word here that it became common to call the defenses
of the Christian religion by the term ἀπολογία. Thus we have the 'Apologies'
of Justin Martyr, of Tertullian, of Minutius Felix, among the ancients;
me 'Apologia Ecclesiae Anglicanae,' by Bishop Jewel, and many others.
A Model Self-Defense (v. 1)
We enter in this chapter on matter which
is to some degree repetition of chapter
9. The repetition is valuable for
several reasons. It both adds and omits
some particulars. It gives us Paul’s own
version in his own words, instead
of what must still have been essentially
his own version, but which was
probably rehearsed in the historian’s
words. It gives us the advantage also
of comparison in those parts which
exhibit slight differences, and we gain a
fuller impression of Paul’s experience.
We may imagine that Paul had been
almost tremblingly anxious the past hour
or two for this opportunity; and
the moment that the lashed and angry
waves were hushed was a proud
moment for him had he been merely the
human orator, but much rather a
prized moment as he was the Christian
orator. He has heard wild and
baseless accusations passionately hurled
at him, and just so long as might
were right, he might be supposed to hold
himself answerable to unjust
earthly judges, as well as to the one
true Judge and one merciful Master.
But beyond a doubt something else than
personal defense was in his heart,
and his eye spied a grand opportunity.
For this “defense” it may be claimed
that it is:
Ø
It must be held to be the outcome
of, not craven fear, but the rising spirit
of a true man. Very certain it is that not one out of a hundred
would have
risen to the occasion. Disheartenment, despair, perhaps disdain,
would
have locked close the lips of most men. But Paul does not consent
to “give
up,” or to show anything in the shape of temper answering to the
intolerant
spirit of the multitude.
Ø
It was the acknowledgment (however
undeserved in the individual case)
of the respect naturally due in the society of human life from one
man to
his fellows. Such respect is all the more to be honored in the
observance by
the man who, whether Paul or Galileo, may be confessedly making a
“new
departure” of wide significance. History shows that it has been
the lot of
such men, not in religion only, to be made sufferers. The noblest
examples
of martyrs have been of those who have done nothing to bring it
upon
themselves by any manifestation of the defiant spirit.
Ø
Every word of it was the utterance of
conscious rectitude.
Ø
It was a noble, typical example of the
strength “in its glory” of the
individual conscience against the senseless strength and
intolerance of a
mob.
Ø
This defense was through the whole length
of it a connected confession
to a change wrought by Christ. The change was a great one. The
pride of
man offered every conceivable hindrance to it. The surrender was
one that
meant the profoundest acknowledgment of the opponent’s victory.
And
Christ was the victor’s Name. When Paul, therefore, defends his
altered
self and his altered course of life, his altered faith and hopes
and methods,
there is not an aspect of the defense which can be described as
other than
Christian.
Ø
The defense of himself was
forthwith transmuted by Paul into a
testimony for Christ. This was the mark and very stamp of both
Christian
design and Christian method. With manifest fire of zeal, he seizes
the
favorable and welcomed opportunity. He gives us the impression
that this
is the thing that has been in his eye of late. Paul may
have been answerable
in some degree for the commotion of the day. If so, now his task,
embraced with all the energy that the very spirit of fidelity can
throw into
it, is to proclaim Christ. And when a man will so even vindicate
himself as
yet more to testify Christ, his self-vindication merits at least
the title of the
defense of a true Christian man.
Ø
This defense was perfect in its temper,
and free from all betrayal of
irritation; it makes its statement of facts with the utmost
simplicity, but
with unwavering confidence.
Ø
Lastly, at the point of supreme danger, it
does not turn aside. The fact
which Paul well knew was intolerable to the ears of his hearers,
but vital to
the truth, is steadily pursued, is arrived at, and then is
distinctly announced,
without an attempt at qualifying it or softening its effect. This
was “not
shunning
to declare the whole counsel of God.” And it marked the quality
of the Christian hero; it spoke the firmness of the Christian
martyr; perhaps
best of all it established conclusively the title of Paul to the
name of the
true Christian man.
2 (And when
they heard that he spake in the Hebrew tongue to them, they
kept the more
silence: and he saith,) Unto them in the Hebrew language
for in the Hebrew tongue to them, Authorized
Version; were the more
quiet
for kept the more silence, Authorized Version. When they heard, etc. This
trait is wonderfully true to nature, and exhibits also Paul's admirable tact and
self-possession. It was strikingly in harmony with his addressing them as
"brethren" that he should speak to them in their own mother tongue. There
is a living reality in such touches which seems at once accounted for by the
fact that through this time Luke was with Paul, and heard the speeches.
The magic of the Hebrew tongue, that is,
the Syriac or Aramaic Hebrew,
touched their national sympathies, and
at once laid to rest any suspicions
that Paul was a foreigner desecrating
the temple.
3 “I am verily a man which am a Jew, born in
brought up in this
city at the feet of Gamaliel, and taught according to the
perfect manner of the
law of the fathers, and was zealous toward God, as
ye all are this day.” A Jew for verily a man which am a Jew, Authorized Version
and Textus Receptus; of Cilicia for a city in
Authorized Version; instructed for and taught, Authorized Version; strict for perfect,
Authorized Version; our for the,. Authorized Version; being for and was, Authorized
Version; for for towards, Authorized Version; even as for as, Authorized Version.
Born in Tarsus, etc. (see ch. 21:39). Paul was evidently proud of his native city,
"the famous capital of a Roman province," watered by the "swift stream of the
Cydnus," and looked down upon by the snowy summits of
"a center of busy commercial enterprise and political power;" "a free city,
libera ct immunis" (Farrar, 'Life of St. Paul,' vol. 1. Acts 2.). Paul's express
assertion that he was "born at
by
parents when Giscala was taken by the Romans (Farrar,
ibid.). Brought up;
ἀνατεθραμμένος – anatethrammenos – having been reared, a classical word,
only found in the New Testament in the Acts (ch. 7:20-21, and here). It is found
also in Wisdom of Solomon 7:4. It implies early education. At the feet of. The
scholar sits or stands humbly beneath the raised seat of the teacher (compare
Luke 10:39). The stop is rightly placed after Γαμαλιὴλ – Gamaliael - Gamaliel.
Some, however, put the stop after ταύτῃ - tautae - this, and connect παρὰ τοὺς
πόδας
Γαμαλιὴλ – para tous podas Gamaliael – beside
the feet of Gamaliel
with πεπαιδευμένος – pepaideumenos – having been trained. Gamaliel
Instructed according to the strict manner of the Law of our fathers;
compare Galatians 1:14, "I
profited in the Jews' religion above many my
equals in mine own
nation, being more exceedingly zealous of the traditions
of my fathers,"
where for τοῦ
πατρῳου νόμου – tou patroou
nomou – of the
hereditary law we
read τῶν
πατρικῶν μου
παραδόσεων – ton
patrikon mou
paradoseon – of the traditions of my fathers. Under the πατρῴος νόμος –
patroos nomos – hereditary law - Paul probably included the traditions, as well
as the written Law, which the Pharisees so rigidly observed (compare ch. 26:5,
where the ἀκριβεστάτην αἵρεσιντῆς
ἡμετέρας
θρησκείας - akribestataen
hairesintaes haemeteras thraeskeias – strictest sect of our ritual corresponds
with the ἀκρίβειαν
τοῦ πατρώου νόμου
– akribeian
tou patroou nomou –
exactitude
of the hereditary law) The strict manner;
κατὰ ἀκριβείαν
–
kata akribeian – according to exactitude, found only here in the New Testament;
but a word of repeated use in this sense in Ecclesiasticus and Wisdom of Solomon
and also, with the adjective ἀκρίβης – akribaes – exactness and the adverb ἀκριβῶς
–
akribos - exactly, much used by medical writers. Ἀκριβέστερον – Akribesteron –
more accurately and ἀκριβεστάτην– akribestataen – strictest; most exact, are used
by Luke only (ch. 18:26; 23:15, 20; 24:22; 26:5),
and ἀκριβῶς
–
akribos –
perfectly; accurately; carefully - six times to three in the rest of the New Testament.
Zealous for God (ζηλωτὴς τοῦ Θεοῦ - zaelotaes tou Theou – zealous for God);
see ch. 21:20, note.
The Sincerity of Paul’s
Judaism (v. 3)
“I
am verily a man which am a Jew.” This
remarkable speech was
addressed to a particular audience,
under particular circumstances, and it
was precisely adapted to that audience.
It took careful account of their
knowledge and of their prejudices. It
was conciliatory in tone, but firm to
the truth and manly in spirit. It is
impossible for us to admire too highly the
calmness and the self-command of the
apostle under such perilous
circumstances. Instances may be given from political life of the power of
a
skillful orator to sway an excited mob,
such as that of Lamartine in times of
the French Revolution. The introduction
of this homily should deal with:
(1) the scene;
(2) the audience;
(3) the orator.
1. The scene. Dean Plumptre has the
following suggestive note: — “The
position was one which raised him (Paul)
above the people, and the
characteristic gesture commanded instant
attention. And he spoke, not as
they expected, in the Greek, which
belonged to one who fraternized with
the Gentiles, but in the Hebrew, or
Aramaic, which he had studied at the
feet of Gamaliel. It was a strange scene
for that Feast of Pentecost. The
face and form of the speaker may have
been seen from time to time by
some during his passing visits to
who had not heard him take part in
public action since the day when,
twenty-five years before, he had kept the
garments of those who were
stoning Stephen. And now he was there, accused of the selfsame crimes,
making his defense before a crowd as
wild and frenzied as that of which he
had then been the leader.”
2. The audience. Notice that it was largely composed of foreign Jews, who
were present at the feast; and that
those foreign Jews were often more
intensely bigoted than the Jerusalem
Jews, — they would certainly have
more knowledge of Paul, and more
personally antagonistic feelings
against him. Some of them had recognized
him, and raised the excitement
which nearly led to his death. Show how
utterly unreasonable such a mob
becomes; no appeal can be made to their
intelligence; usually they can only
be dispersed by force, or their
excitement must be allowed to spend itself
and wear itself out.
3. The orator; a weak, frail man, with a personal presence which men
called contemptible, but with the
natural gift for swaying an audience. As
soon as he spoke men were hushed to
listen, as they always are when the
born orator stands before them. Perhaps
Paul’s gifts as a writer have
filled our thought, so that we have not
duly recognized what a splendid
“command
of men” he had in his great gift of
speech. The point which he
sought to impress on his audience on
this occasion was the “sincerity of his
Judaism.” That was the thing impugned.
He was declared to be such an
unworthy Jew that he had defiled the
temple by bringing an Ephesian
Gentile into it. The proper answer was a
full declaration of his honest and
complete loyalty to Judaism. This he
made:
Gentile
Greek. “It might be that he did this simply because they understood
it better,
but it may have been also because, as the language showed him to
be a countryman
of their own, they were disposed to think him less guilty
than the
Asian Jews had represented him to be” (F. Bungener). “One who
spoke in
Hebrew was not likely to blaspheme the sacred Hebrew books.”
HEBREW PRINCIPLES. His
birth was unquestionably Jewish. His
education was
most distinctly Jewish; for he was even educated at
and so
intense that he had been the most active and energetic persecutor of
the
Nazarenes. And Ananias, the well-known devout Jew, had brought
God’s
commands to him (v. 12).
NEW LINE, HE HAD ONLY OBEYED JEHOVAH, THE GOD OF
THEIR HEBREW FATHERS.
This is the point of Paul’s advance.
Jehovah had
appeared to him, had given him special directions, and, as a
loyal Jew, he
could only obey those directions. Jehovah had shown
him
that Jesus was
Messiah. Jehovah had sent him forth on his mission among
the Gentiles. He had never dishonored Judaism, never broken with it. He
was still the
same “born Jew” as ever (v. 14).
4 “And I persecuted this way unto the death, binding
and delivering into
prisons both men and women.” I persecuted (see I Corinthians 15:9;
I Timothy 1:13; and here, ch. 26:11). This Way (see ch. 9:2
Unto the death (compare ch. 9:1).
Binding,
etc. (compare ch. 8:3;
9:2).
5 “As also the high priest doth bear me witness, and
all the estate of the elders:
from whom also I
received letters unto the brethren, and went to
to bring them which
were there bound unto
Journeyed for went, Authorized Version; them also for them, Authorized Version;
unto
priest. Ananias, the present high priest, who may have been one of Paul's hearers
included among the "fathers," and who had probably been already a member of
the Sanhedrim at the time of Paul's conversion (see ch. 23:2; 24:1). Others, however,
understand "the high priest" to mean him who was high priest at the time of Paul's
journey to
at
(ἵνα τιμωρηθῶσιν – hina timoraethosin – that they may be being punished );
whether by rods or by death. The word occurs in the New Testament only here
and ch. 26:11, but is not infrequent in the Septuagint. and in classical writers;
τιμωρεῖν
– timorein - is
common in medical language in the sense of "to
treat
medically," to "correct" by medical treatment.
6 “And it came to pass, that, as I made my journey,
and was come nigh unto
Damascus about noon,
suddenly there shone from heaven a great light round
about me.” Drew nigh for was come nigh, Authorized Version. The phraseology
of the following narrative is nearly identical with that of Acts 9:3-6
(where see notes).
7 “And I fell unto the ground, and heard a voice
saying unto me, Saul, Saul,
why persecutest thou
me? 8 And
I answered, Who art thou, Lord? And He
said unto me, I am
Jesus of
were with me saw
indeed the light, and were afraid; but they heard not the
voice of Him that
spake to me.” Beheld for
saw, Authorized Version. Beheld
indeed the light [and were afraid, Authorized Version]. This corresponds with
the statement in ch. 9:7, that the men who journeyed with Saul "stood speechless."
They were dazzled and amazed at the sudden brightness. But they heard not the
voice. This at first sight seems inconsistent with the statement in ibid., "hearing
the voice." But the apparent inconsistency disappears when we observe that here
Paul wished to impress upon his hearers that, though his companions had seen
the light, they had not heard the words which were addressed to him by the
Lord Jesus (see v. 14); whereas Luke, in the narrative in Acts 9, wished rather
to insist upon the fact that though the men had seen the light and heard the sound
of the voice, they had not seen Jesus. To
see and hear the risen Christ was a
privilege given to Paul alone.
10 “And I said, What shall I do, Lord? And the Lord
said unto me, Arise,
and go into
are appointed for
thee to do. 11
And when I could not see for the glory
of that light, being
led by the hand of them that were with me, I came
into
Them that were with me (τῶν συνόντων
μοι – ton sunonton moi – the ones
being with me). Συνεῖναι occurs only here and Luke 9:18, but is used several
times by the Septuagint. It is very common in medical writers for the
accompanying symptoms of a disease.
The Claims of a Personal
Divine Revelation (vs. 6-10)
The incidents here narrated have been
previously considered in their
bearing on
definite purpose. He is on his defense,
and he is striving to show that
throughout his life he had been loyal to
Judaism, and in the matters which
men misrepresented he had but followed
and obeyed special Divine
directions given to him. He had visions
and commands direct from God,
and, as a Jew, he “dared not be
disobedient unto the heavenly vision.” Such
a defense was most effective for his
audience, as no true Jew would deny
that Jehovah might choose any of his people
for special service, and give
them immediate visions and directions.
So we find the people heard the
apostle patiently until he referred to
the “Gentiles,” and then national
jealousy and religious bigotry were
aroused, and uncontrolled passion put
AGE. Distinguish
between the ordinary inspirations which may direct a
man’s
preaching and writing, and the special occasions on which God may
tell His mind
and purpose, or give some trust and some work to an
individual.
Such personal revelations do not necessarily affirm the
superiority
in character, or in Divine favor, of the person communicated
with; but
they always declare the Divine recognition of a special fitness and
adaptation
for the work assigned; and our attention
should be fixed on the
fitness
and the work rather than on the privilege that may be involved in
having such
a trust. Illustrations of personal revelations
may be taken from
Ø the patriarchal age;
Ø the times of the judges;
Ø the prophets.
It should be
shown how well the selection of individuals,
and direct
communication with them, fits in with the idea of a theocracy.
God, as
actual and ever-present Sovereign of the nation, has the right to
ask for any
man’s service, and to address Himself directly to whomsoever
He pleases.
And nothing is more reasonable than to expect
He
will do so.
Coming to
later times, we get illustration:
Ø from John the Baptist;
Ø from the Lord Jesus Christ regarded as a
man called to a special
mission;
and
Ø from the apostles, e.g. St. Peter
in the matter of Cornelius.
What is
called the conversion of Paul, but is more properly his call, is
a case
in perfect
harmony with all that had gone before in the history of the nation.
The God of the
fathers, Jehovah, the theocratic King, had, by a gracious
manifestation of
Himself and of His will, called the
apostle to His service.
This was the
sole and all-sufficient explanation of his life and conduct; and
this became
his entire defense — “A revelation
from God, the God of my
fathers, has come
to me, and I must obey it.” Compare the main argument
of Stephen’s
speech, which is this — God has not only
spoken to our own
nation in the
Mosaic system, he has spoken directly to individuals age after
age, but it has always been characteristic of the Jewish nation that
they
have resisted these
prophet-revealers of GOD'S WILL. Theoretically,
they would
admit that God might send messages directly to individuals;
practically,
they refused to recognize such messengers. This was proved
once again in
the case of Paul.
truth it may
be difficult for us to receive; and, indeed, it needs to be stated
with careful
limitations and qualifications. Under the
ministration of the
Spirit, and with
the Spirit actually witnessing in our hearts, it would seem
that we can
expect no direct Divine communications. Yet they do surely
come to open hearts. It
may be shown that they are granted:
Ø
In the spheres of truth. We cannot conceive of finality in the
written
revelation we have, but we may be sure that all further revelations
will be
in perfect harmony with that we have. We may, however,
rather look for
new apprehensions of truth than new truth.
Ø
In the spheres of duty. In the perplexing circumstances of life, hearts that
are really open to God, and dependent on Him, do receive direct Divine
guidance.
Ø
In the spheres of work. God still speaks
directly to the souls of His
servants, calling some to the missionary field, some to the
ministry, some
to service for the children, and some to philanthropic labors.
And, still,
none
of us may be “disobedient unto
the heavenly vision.”
12 “And one Ananias, a devout man according to the
law, having a good
report of all the
Jews which dwelt there,” Well reported
of by for having a
good report of, Authorized Version; that for which, Authorized Version.
Well reported of (μαρτυρούμενος
–
marturoumenos – being witnessed;
being
attested); see ch. 6:3, note.
13 “Came unto me, and stood, and said unto me,
Brother Saul, receive thy
sight. And the same
hour I looked up upon him.” Standing by
me for stood,
and, Authorized Version; in that very for the same, Authorized Version;
on for
upon, Authorized Version.
14 “And he said, The God of our fathers hath chosen
thee, that thou shouldest
know His will, and
see that Just One, and shouldest hear the voice of His mouth.
Appointed for chosen, Authorized Version; to know for that thou shouldest know,
Authorized Version; to see the Righteous One for see that Just One, Authorized
Version; to hear a voice from for shouldest hear the voice of, Authorized Version.
Hath appointed thee; προεχειρίσατό
σε – proecheirisato se – fixes upon before
hand you, a word found in the New Testament only here and in ch. 26:16, and
in ch. 3:20 (Received Text). In classical Greek it means mostly "to get anything
ready beforehand;" to cause anything to be πρόχειρος – procheiros - ready to hand.
And in the Septuagint it means "to choose," or "appoint," as Joshua 3:12;
Exodus 4:13, where it is not a translation of שְׁלַח, but a paraphrase of the sentence,
"Appoint one by whom thou wilt send." Here it may be rendered indifferently either
"choose" or "appoint." The Righteous One. The designation of Messiah in such
passages as Isaiah 53:11; Psalm 72:2, etc. (see in the New Testament Luke 23:47;
I John 2:1; Revelation 19:11, etc.). A voice from His mouth is a very awkward
though literal rendering. The Authorized Version expresses the sense much better.
That
Just One (v. 14)
Paul here quotes from Ananias a term
used to designate Jesus Christ. Its
Scripture history as applied to Christ,
and its significance as touching some
of the deepest aspects of Christ’s
relations to humanity, are very worthy of
some fixed attention. Notice:
ONE,” AS APPLIED TO CHRIST.
Six occasions in the historical portions
of the New Testament
illustrate its use, namely, when it comes from the
lips of
Pilate’s wife and afterwards of Pilate (Matthew 27:19, 24); from
the lips of
the Roman centurion (Luke 23:47); of Peter (ch. 3:14);
of Stephen
(ch. 7:52); and of Ananias in the special quotation of Paul
now (v. 14,
here). These testimonies are noticeable for the directness of their
language, for
the special identification of Christ as “this
just Man,” or “that
just Man,” or “the
Just One,” and for the character in each case of those
who uttered
them.
APPLIED TO CHRIST.
Ø
Christ is the perfectly “righteous”
One, and the only perfectly
righteous
One. All others
have sinned and fallen short of God’s
glory. No other has
kept the Law entirely — kept it in deed, in word, in thought, in
affection,
in zeal.
Ø
Christ’s perfect righteousness is the
qualification of the Mediator, that
real, solemn, thrilling relationship which He sustained as between
God and
man.
Ø
Christ’s perfect righteousness constituted
the essential qualification of
the propitiatory sacrifice. He “suffered
for sins, the just for the unjust”
(I Peter 3:18). The “Advocate with the Father, and the
Propitiation for
out’
sins, and not for ours only, but also for the whole world, is Jesus
Christ
the Righteous” (I John 2:2)
Ø
Christ’s perfect righteousness constitutes the perfection of His
fitness to
be
Teacher and Exemplar to men on earth.
Ø
Christ’s perfect righteousness is the stability of His throne of
judgment,
to be ere very long beheld and approached by every man who is or
ever has
been. He is “the Lord, the righteous Judge” (II Timothy 4:8).
15 “For thou shalt be His witness unto all men of
what thou hast seen and heard.”
A witness for Him for His witness, Authorized Version. A witness. An essential attribute
of an apostle (see ch. 1:8, 22, notes). Seen and heard (compare I John 1:1-3).
The Will of God in Christ Jesus Concerning
Us. (vs. 14-15)
(v. 14).
It will always be a difficulty to know what to think of the electing
grace of God.
But we are on safe ground when we say:
Ø
That God desires the well-being of every member of His human
family.
We may surely argue that it must be so; we may boldly
affirm that it is so.
Is it not written that God is one “who will have all men to be
saved, and to
come
unto the knowledge of the truth” (I Timothy 2:4; see Ezekiel 18:23;
33:11; II Peter 3:9).
Ø
That He bestows special favors and
privileges on some men; to some as
not to others He gives intellectual faculty, material resources,
educational
advantages, domestic influences, providential guidance, knowledge
of
Christian truth in its purity and integrity, etc. These He “elects,”
or
“chooses;” on them He confers
distinguishing goodness.
see that Just One,
and shouldest hear the voice of his mouth” (v. 14). To
Saul there
was vouchsafed a very special and peculiar manifestation of the
risen Lord.
In such wise as we do not, he saw the Just One himself and
heard His
voice. But Christ does present Himself now to the sons of men,
and He
manifests Himself as the Just One, as the Lord of righteousness. By
a spiritual
act we recognize Jesus Christ as:
Ø
That Being who is in Himself the Holy and Righteous One, in whom is
no
trace of sin.
Ø
That Divine One who summons us to a new life of holiness and
sacred
service.
Ø
That Just One who, by His atoning death, has made the way open
to our
immediate justification, who has made it possible for us to
attain to “the
righteousness
which is of God by faith” (Philippians 3:9). In the
presence of Him, the Just One, we are filled with shame; but by
faith in His
finished work we have acceptance with God and are accounted
righteous
(or, just) in His sight; and we yield ourselves to
Him and His service that His
righteousness may be reproduced in us and in our human lives. Thus
we
come to do:
to “know
His will” (v. 14), and was to do that will by the accomplishment
of his
life-work, viz. by “being His witness unto all men.” This, too, in our
way and
measure is to be our lifework, even as it was our Lord’s (John
18:37). We
are to bear witness of Christian truth by:
Ø exemplary behavior;
Ø a devout and generous spirit;
Ø the word of testimony and exhortation,
this latter
is to be experimental, such as is suggested by our own actual
experience. Every Christian life is a failure if it be not an epistle read
and
known of all who
are there to read it.
The Calling and the Gifts of
God (vs. 14-15)
The apostle himself elsewhere speaks
(Romans 11:29) of "the gifts and
the calling of God;” and of them he says that they “are without
repentance.” The glorious occasion to which he gives prominence in the
words of these verses exhibits the “calling”
first, and the “gifts” next. At
the same time, this same passage
describes the calling of God (separate and
sovereign act though it be in itself) as
introductory to responsibilities,
privileges, and gifts that followed upon
it. There is not such a thing as a
calling of God, to lie dormant. There is
not such a thing as a calling of
God, to terminate in the mere use or
enjoyment of the person called. A
calling of God infers a commission
consequent upon it — nay, nothing less
than involved in it under any
circumstances. Here, however, it is not
implied only, it is expressed as well,
and that in a very significant mode.
For immediate upon the mention of the
calling or choosing comes that of:
Ø
The Christian apostle, minister, teacher,
must be one who “knows the
will” of God.
Ø He must be one who knows it very directly from the
fountain-head.
Hearsay will not suffice, imagination will not suffice, reason
will not
suffice.
QUALIFICATION.
Though Paul “was as one born out of due season”
(I
Corinthians 15:8), these things are vouchsafed to him, namely, to “see”
and
to “hear”
the “Just
One.” Some think Saul had seen Christ in the flesh. This
passage may
contribute something confessedly inconclusive to the
disadvantage
of the supposition. It is overwhelmingly improbable, in that
Paul never
speaks of it, as surely he would have done if it had been the case,
even as he
speaks of having seen Stephen and assisted at his martyrdom.
This great
grace, however, is now vouchsafed to Saul, that with vision
of
thousand-fold force he is given to see the very Jesus ascended, and that
with a
keenness to hear beyond anything that he had experienced before
he is granted
to hear the own voice of the glorified Man Jesus. It is not that
Saul had earned
the gift — nay, it is not that to the end of a devoted life
of fullest
self-surrender he will ever be able to earn the gift. Paul is the
disclaimer of
merit. Nor is all the grace for Paul. How many lesser
successors to
him have taken their share of benefit, and the whole
Church its
share, when these have recalled that Jesus teaches:
Ø
How near a connection is necessary between
Himself and his servant-pioneers
of the truth and heralds of salvation.
Ø
To this end how near He is willing to
condescend to come to those
servants.
Ø
And how He would embolden them to draw
near to Him in most
believing faith and most loving trust of the heart, when the times
should be such that He would no longer come in vision to
them.
archangel
heart to set an estimate at all equal to the truth upon the work
committed
into human hands when the ministry of Christ is accepted by
them. They
are then “witnesses for Christ to men.” And three features of
their great
responsibility are here shadowed forth.
Ø
They are witnesses to a living One, a Personage, and not to a mere
truth.
Ø
They are witnesses to Him of the things
that they know of “the Word of
life” (I John 1:1), through
having seen Him, heard Him, looked upon
Him, and handled Him, all in the deepest sense.
Ø
They are witnesses "to all men,” as far
as they can possibly in any way
reach all men, and under any circumstances to all impartially. Deep
was
the impression that these communications (unmentioned elsewhere)
had
made on the mind of Paul. The words of Ananias, inspired most
freshly as
he was from the source, had dwelt deep-stored in his memory. And
now,
some twenty-five years afterwards, at a crisis most opportune,
they come
to the surface, they are full-charged with their own vitality; and
are
practically commended by Paul as embodying the charter of all who
should
be “witnesses for Christ.”
16 “And now why tarriest thou? arise, and be
baptized, and wash away thy sins,
calling on the name of the Lord.” His Name for the Name of the Lord, Authorized
Version and Textus Receptus. Wash
away thy sins; ἀπόλουσαι
– apolousai – be
you
bathed off only here and in I Corinthians 6:11, where it is found in exactly the same
sense of "washing
away sins" in holy baptism. Hence the λουτρὸν παλιγγενεσίας
–
loutron paliggenesias, "the washing of regeneration," Titus 3:5; compare
Ephesians 5:26; and see here ch. 2:38, note). Calling on His Name
(ἐπικαλεσάμενος – epikalesamenos – calling; invoking); see ch. 2:21; 7:59,
note; 9:14, 21; Romans 10:12-14; I Corinthians 1:2; II Timothy 2:22: I Peter 1:17,
all texts distinctly justifying prayer to the Lord Jesus.
17 “And it came to pass, that, when I was come again
to
while I prayed in the
temple, I was in a trance;” Had returned for was come
again, Authorized Version; and for even, Authorized Version; fell into for was in,
Authorized Version. Into a trance (ἐν ἐκστάσει – en ekstasei – in ecstasy); see
ch. 10:10, note.
18 “And saw Him saying unto me, Make haste, and get
thee quickly out of
Because for for, Authorized Version; of thee testimony for thy testimony,
Authorized Version and Textus Receptus. Get thee quickly, etc. The narrative
in ch. 9:28-30 does not mention the vision, but gives the murderous opposition
of the Hellenist Jews as the reason of Saul's departure from
Possibly, if it had not been for the Divine warning, the apostle
would have braved
the danger and lost his life.
This action continued to seal the doom of
receive of thy testimony concerning me.” Stephen’s blood was crying out,
and now they would have Paul’s.
Resistance to the Holy Ghost, the
messenger sent from heaven unto the Gentiles betokened the Divine
judgments about to be poured out on
from them and given to those who would
return faithfully the fruits of the
vineyard. (ch. 28:28; Matthew 21:43)
19 “And I said, Lord, they know that I imprisoned
and beat in every synagogue
them that believed on
thee:” They themselves for they, Authorized Version. In
every synagogue. It appears from Matthew 10:18 that offenders were beaten in
the synagogue, and doubtless by command of the synagogue authorities. A
delation to any synagogue that any member of it was a blasphemer (i.e. a Christian)
would lead to such a punishment. But probably the meaning here rather is that he
went or sent to every synagogue to find out who there was among them that
believed in Jesus, and then had them punished at
20 “And when the blood of thy martyr Stephen was
shed, I also was standing
by, and consenting
unto his death, and kept the raiment of them that slew him.”
Stephen thy
witness for thy martyr
Stephen, Authorized Version; consenting for
consenting
unto his death, Authorized Version and Textus Receptus; keeping the
garments for kept the
raiment, Authorized Version. Consenting;
συνευδοκῶν –
suneudokon – endorsing (above, ch. 8:1; Luke 11:48; Romans 1:32;
I Corinthians 7:12-13). It is also found in I Maccabees 1:60; II Maccabees 11:34-35.
Of them that slew him (τῶν ἀναιρούν
των αὐτόν – ton anairoun ton auton – the
assassination of him). Ἀναιρέω - Anaireo - in the sense of "to kill," is a favorite
word of Luke's (Luke 22:2; 23:32; Acts 2:23; 5:33, 36; 7:28; 9:23-24, 29;
10:39; 12:2; 13:28; 16:27; here v. 20; 23:15, 21, 27; 25:3; 26:10); but elsewhere
in the New Testament only Matthew 2:16 and II Thessalonians 2:8, Received
Text. It is frequent in the Septuagint and also in medical writers in the sense
of "taking away" or "removing."
21 “And He said unto me, Depart: for I will send
thee far hence unto the Gentiles.”
Send thee forth for send thee, Authorized Version. The natural understanding of the
preceding dialogue is that Saul, when bid depart quickly out
of
the Jews would not receive his testimony, was unwilling to obey, and pleaded
that surely the Jews must listen to him and be convinced, since they were well
aware how hot and zealous a partisan of the Jews he had been, and must see that
nothing but a great miracle could have converted him. It was the argument of a
young and impetuous man, with little experience of the headstrong obstinacy
of bigoted men. The Lord cut
him short with a peremptory "Depart!" but with
the gracious addition, "I will send thee unto the Gentiles" - a commission which
is more fully given in ch. 26:17-18,
and which was
carried out in his whole life.
Paul’s Self-Defense Before the
Jews (vs. 1-21)
“Brothers and fathers.” These words fell from his lips in the Hebrew
tongue, and a hush fell upon them. If we
desire to be listened to with
attention, we must speak to the people “in
their own tongue.”
throughout of
himself; but in the background of his thought is the
providence and
the grace of Him who had called him out
from darkness
into His
marvelous light. He was a Jew,
strictly educated in the Law, and a
zealot for
God. And yet a persecutor. A lesson for us all against the over
evaluation of
learning and of orthodoxy. He had tried the way of zealotry
and
persecution, as Luther had tried that of monkery, sincerely seeking
salvation,
but without success. The memory of his earlier time is one
mingled with
thankfulness and penitence, as indeed all our memories must
be. In his
good education and in his unhappy errors he could trace the hand
of God. Boasting is in every case excluded.
Ø
The great light from
heaven on the way to
dark ways of sin and error in which the heart had been wandering;
and at
the same time lighted up the ways of Divine grace by which the
convinced
soul was to be led, and the path of duty the new-born soul was to
follow.
He is led by the hand, as into a mystery, which only the Divine
wisdom
shall gradually unfold. Jesus, still lead on! Like led children ever
we enter
the kingdom of heaven.
Ø
The ordination by the hands of Ananias. A pious man according
to the
Law. God knows all His servants, and the work for which each is
best
fitted. Here is a mirror for all preachers. They should bring to
the office
knowledge and experience of the working of God’s grace upon the
heart.
They must in their office be like Paul — witnesses before all men,
by
word
and conversation, of that which they have seen and heard. And their
comfort may in like manner be that He who has called will
strengthen,
edify, and support them in their calling.
soul
overwhelmed by the weight of those Divine communications. The
voice says, “Hasten,
and go quickly out of
with
reluctance. This struggle is among the incidents of the strife of the
Spirit of God
with our spirit. We would stay when He bids to go. “Lord,
I
will follow
thee, but ...” Sometimes it is fear, as in Jonah’s case;
sometimes it
is modesty, as with Moses and Jeremiah; or
conscientiousness,
as with Peter (ch. 10:14); or compassion, as with
Abraham at
Sodom, and Paul with Israel. Over against all our buts stands
the firm
command of God, “Go hence!” Only he who overcomes his
hesitation in
full trust in the perfect right and wisdom of that command will
be enabled
by-and-by to say, “He has done all things
well.” (Mark 7:37)
Men’s Past Sins Often the
Unknown Determiners of Their Future Life,
its Opportunities, and its
Disqualifications (vs. 18-21)
It is possible to take different views
of the drift and the intended tenor of
this passage. The language of Saul
(which Paul now quotes), as found in
vs. 19-20, will be very far from
powerless, whether read as a view
humbly offered in harmony with the
command just laid upon him, or as
perhaps is the more probable, in
deprecation of it. The passage, however,
reminds us, amid high associations of
great truths, of solemn
far-reaching
principles in human life. The retribution which it enwraps is not that of the
severity of judgment to the sinner, but
of the inevitableness of that cause
and effect which speak a Creator-God of infinite wisdom, and a
creature-man
of reason, of moral capabilities, and of
a certain freedom of action,
that lies at the root of moral
responsibility and final accountability. Notice,
then:
HONOR IN THE MOTHER CITY JERUSALEM CUT SHORT FOR
PAUL.
Ø
We could imagine reasons why Paul would
have felt his highest ambition
fired by testifying, working, suffering, and dying for Jesus in
Jerusalem, as;
o
The mother city of the land and of God’s
favored people, renowned
with ancient and special renown,
o
The place at the very heart of Jewish
life, where he would have longed
to recant most publicly his one-time errors of creed, and retrieve
whatever it were possible to retrieve of the effects of those
errors. This
would have been of what was most noble among the characteristics
of
Paul.
o
The place which held the same relation to
the religious world that
Rome did to the heathen world.
o
The place where the Master bore the
grandest testimony of all His
course, and suffered and died.
Ø
It needs little imagination to see that,
let alone any sense of a noble
ambition, Paul would feel that it would be one of the grandest
opportunities of usefulness, at the very center of typical and
peculiar risk
and danger. From all this Paul is interdicted by a voice of
sovereign
authority, and on the plain ground of his own past of error.
AGAINST SETTLED DESPAIR, AGAINST REMORSEFUL
THROWING UP OF ENDEAVOR, IN THE PRESENCE OF THE
RETRIBUTIVE ASPECTS OF HUMAN LIFE. The veto of Jesus Christ,
spoken with
authority to Paul, is nothing else than linked with a summons
to other work
and another sphere, that may turn into all equal usefulness
and probably
usefulness far greater. Notice the method of that summons.
Ø
Though to state the ground of it might be
pain and might give pain, it is
not wrapped in vague mystery and unsatisfying innuendo. It is, on
the
other hand, a grand instance of “Faithful are the wounds of a
friend.”
(Proverbs 27:6)
Ø
The summons exhibits a very distinct and
emphatic value set upon the
life and the useful employment of the servant somewhere or
other.
Twice, nay, thrice repeated is the direction to depart with
“haste,”
“quickly,” and unquestioningly.
Men may depart like Jonah.
But also they may depart for
o
Christ’s own command, announced in the
individual conscience or by
the living Spirit; and
o
for greater toil and exposure, instead of for ease and hiding from
work.
Ø
The summons announces, by a most gracious
anticipation, an highly
important substitute career. The man who has incapacitated himself
by
follies,
by errors, even by sins, for some of the noblest of Christian
service
shall still not be cast away as useless. He is still good to do
something; yes,
to do much. The Master does not refuse the love or the service of the
fallen,
when they return, nor does he consent to treat with them only
through
others. First He saves them and protects them, and suggests His
care and love of them. Then He gives them their work, though “far hence.”
And lastly, He does not withhold from their ear to hear His own
voice,
"
I will send thee.” What trust, what love, what forgivingness,
and what
streams
of hope Jesus has to give — and gives to His own!
Paul’s Commission to the
Gentiles (v. 21)
“I will send thee far hence unto the Gentiles.” In the narrative given in
ch. 9:15 this command is said to have
come direct to Ananias, and to
have been by him communicated to Paul.
Of the direct message to
Paul himself subsequently, at
account (compare the narrative in
ch.26:17). It is to be noticed that,
though Paul thus distinctly knew what his
mission was, he waited
patiently until Divine directions or
Divine providence clearly opened the
way for him. And, while he waited, he
cheerfully did the work which came
to his hand. We proceed to dwell on
three points:
(1) the sphere to which Paul was sent;
(2) the fitness of Paul for work in this particular sphere; and
(3) the influence which work in this sphere had upon Paul’s own
apprehensions of the truth.
Noticing first what a strain upon his
own Jewish feelings it must have involved
for him to undertake this work, and how
his doing so proves the sincerity and
completeness of his conversion.
Gentiles.” Jews divided the whole world into Jews and Gentiles; so
Paul’s
mission was to all outside the Jewish nation. Illustrate how the
prevalence of
the Greek tongue, and the wide supremacy of the Roman
rule, at this
time opened the whole world to the gospel. Illustrate what
variety of
classes and of people the apostle met with in traveling, as he did,
from
under which
the apostle came to leave the synagogues and devote himself
exclusively
to the Gentile populations. And show what preparation there
was for the
gospel in Gentile spheres:
Ø in the common religious wants of men;
and
Ø in the sense of dissatisfaction with
idolatry which then so widely
prevailed.
Lystra,
Ephesus, Corinth, and Rome were representative cities of this sphere.
PARTICULAR SPHERE.
Find the fitnesses in:
Ø His birth as a Grecian Jew.
Ø His knowledge of the Greek language, and
partial Greek education.
All the
other apostles were Aramaic Jews. Paul’s early associations
prepared him to
take larger and more comprehensive views of
Christian
truth, when once his strong Jewish prejudices were overcome.
Ø His unquestioning sense of a Divine
call.
Ø The permanent influence exerted on him
by Stephen’s death, and
probably by
Stephen’s teachings.
Ø The clear apprehension he had of
Christian truth, in its distinction
from,
but full harmony with, the principles of Judaism.
Ø Further fitness may be found on a
careful estimate of Paul’s
peculiarities
of mind, disposition, and character.
THE APOSTLE’S OWN APPREHENSIONS OF THE TRUTH. This is
a difficult
subject to treat, and involves a very close study of Paul’s
doctrinal
position at different points of his ministry. To open it out wisely,
the Epistles must
be chronologically arranged and fitted into the record in
the Acts, and
compared with the apostle’s speeches. An illustration may be
taken from
the Epistle to the Ephesians, which clearly shows that the
mystical and
superstitious people of
on Paul as
led him to consider some great speculative questions, and,
we may say,
tended to exercise and develop his mystical faculty. The
influence of
work among the Gentiles may be illustrated in relation:
Ø To
doctrine. It led to the first attempts at a philosophy of the
Christian
religion.
Ø To
practical Christian life. Paul had to
find out how to adjust
Christian
principles to Gentile life and manners, and so he was led to
develop a
system of Christian ethics. Impress that the work to which
God calls us
will also be:
o our service to others; and
o our own personal culture.
22 “And they gave him audience unto this word, and then
lifted up their voices,
and said, Away with
such a fellow from the earth: for it is not fit that he should
live.” They for then, Authorized Version; voice for voices, Authorized Version.
Unto this word. They could not bear the idea of the Gentiles being admitted into
the
of the Gentiles seemed to be as intolerable as the leveling-down of themselves,
as spoken of e.g. Isaiah 1:10; Ezekiel 16:45, etc.
Argument and Prejudice (vs.
1-22)
We have here:
moment, made
a powerful defense of his position. He showed:
Ø
That no one could enter into their
feelings more perfectly than himself.
o
Was he not a Jew by birth (v. 3)?
o
Had he not received a thoroughly Jewish
education, at the feet of
a Jewish master (v. 3)?
o
Had he not been absolutely possessed by a
devotedness to the Law,
and a corresponding hatred of the new “Way” (v. 4)?
o
Had they not the evidence in their own
hands of the bitter and
unrelenting persecution of which he had been the eager and active
agent (v. 5)?
If, then, he was found advocating this hated “Way,” it was not
because
he did not understand Jewish sympathies, nor because he had always
been one of its votaries; quite the contrary.
Ø
That no one could possibly have weightier
reasons for changing his mind
than he had. First came a heavenly vision, arresting him in his path
of
persecution, and forbidding him to continue (vs. 6-11). Then came
a
powerful confirmation, in a miracle of healing of which he himself
was the
subject and of which a most honorable and estimable Jew was the
instrument (vs. 12-13); and a further confirmation in the message
with
which he was charged (vs. 14-16). Then came a third influence of a
powerful character in the shape of another manifestation, and a
command,
against which he vainly strove, to go out and work among the
Gentiles
(vs. 18-21).
Such was the
violent antipathy in the minds of his audience to any
fellowship
with the Gentile world that all Paul’s arguments went for
nothing. This
was such an opportunity as was little likely to recur, of
having the
facts of the case placed plainly and forcibly before their minds;
it was a day of
grace to them. But so utterly prejudiced were they that one
word filled
them with a senseless exasperation which stole from them the
golden chance
they had of learning the truth, and which riveted the chains
of error and
exclusiveness they wore upon their souls.
This defense of the
apostle and
this exasperation of his audience may suggest to us:
Ø The
fullness of the Divine argument. God “reasons with”
us.
He does
so:
o
in proof of His own presence and
providence in the world;
o
in proof of the heavenly origin of the
gospel of His grace; and
o
in furtherance of our personal acceptance
of Jesus Christ as Lord and
Savior of our soul.
The Divine arguments and inducements are very strong, and they are
very
varied. They include the
miraculous and the ordinary; they appeal to the
human consciousness, to history, and to daily observation; they
are based on
well-attested facts; they appeal to our hopes and to our fears, to
our sense of
what is due to our Creator and of what we owe to ourselves, of
obligation
and of wisdom. They are mighty, urgent, convincing, one would say
—
but for sad facts which argue to the contrary — overwhelming.
Ø The foolish and fatal anger which it sometimes excites. There are those
who, when God speaks to them in nature, providence, or privilege, instead
of
lending their ear to His word and bowing their spirit to His will, are only
angered
and exasperated; they go still further away from Him in increased
alienation,
in still more determined rebelliousness of soul. But so doing
o
they aggravate their guilt; and
o
they cut down the bridge by which they
might cross to the heavenly
kingdom.
The Testimony of Religious
Experience (vs. 1-22)
Not now dwelling upon the details of
Saul’s conversion, treated of for the
most part under the consideration of the
ninth chapter, we may observe
that we have here Paul’s own account of
it, that is to say, we have his own
rehearsal of his conversion, and so far forth
religious experience. We may
use the opportunity for the purpose of
illustrating the right occasion and
use of the individual declaring to the
world “what the Lord has done for his
soul". This is in some cases an
undoubted duty, and the neglect of it an
undoubted dereliction of duty. Many, no doubt, are the occasions that lie
on the border-line of expediency, and
even of duty. And, as in many, many
other things, it is then that the solemn
claims of individual responsibility are
either seen and honored or dishonored.
We may, therefore, observe some
of the facts involved in a man’s
confession of his own religious experience
before the Church and the world.
THE WORKING AND FORCE OF GOD’S PRESENCE IN HUMAN
LIFE.
OTHER MEN WHO OWN TO NO LIVING CONSCIOUSNESS OF
THAT PRESENCE OR COOPERATION WITH IT.
THOSE “WHO BELIEVE” IN THEIR OWN RELIGIOUS COURSE.
GOODNESS, LOVE, AND POWER OF GOD AND OF CHRIST AND
OF THE SPIRIT.
UNDER CERTAIN MOST SPECIAL CIRCUMSTANCES AND
TREATMENT, AND OF ITS BEHAVIOUR UNDER SUCH
TREATMENT.
OF HIM, BUT IT IS USEFUL TO MEN, TO BIND THEMSELVES BY
SOLEMN OBLIGATION OF PUBLIC PROFESSION BEFORE MEN.
23 “And as they cried out, and cast off their
clothes, and threw dust into the air,”
Threw off their garments for east off their clothes, Authorized Version; cast for threw,
Authorized Version. Threw off their garments. Either "wild signs of fury, gestures
by which they gave to understand that they would gladly accomplish the cry, 'Away
with him from the earth!'" (Lunge), tokens of applause and consent at the sentiment
of the cry (see the passages quoted by Kuinoel, Τὴν ἐσθῆτα ἀνασείων
ἐκρότει τὸν
Προαιρέσιον "The proconsul applauded Proairesius the rhetorician by shaking
his purple robe," Eunapius, 'Life of the Emperor Julian;' "The whole theatre
raved together, and leaped, and shouted, and threw off their
garments (τὰς
ἐσθῆτας ἀπεῥῤίπτουν)," Lucian, ' De Salt,'); or (so Meyer) signifying that
they were ready to stone the culprit (see v. 20). There is a close relationship
between IGNORANCE and VIOLENCE!
The Unreasoning Excitement of Crowds (vs.
22-23)
The action of this crowd is in most
respects similar to that of crowds in all
ages and in all districts; but in some of
its features it was characteristically
Eastern. “A great similarity appears
between the conduct of the Jews when
the chief captain of the Roman garrison
at
the temple, and the behavior of the
Persian peasants when they go to court
to complain of the governors under whom
they live, upon their oppressions
becoming intolerable. Sir John Chardin
tells us respecting them, that they
carry their complaints against their
governors by companies, consisting of
several hundreds, and sometimes of a
thousand; they repair to that gate of
the palace near to which their prince is
most likely to be, where they begin
to make the most horrid cries, tearing
their garments, and throwing dust
into the air, at the same time demanding justice. The king, upon hearing
these cries, sends to know the occasion
of them. The people deliver their
complaint in writing, upon which he lets
them know that he will commit
the cognizance of the affair to some one
by whom justice is usually done
them” (Paxton). Compare the excitement
of the multitudes assembled in
the Ephesian theatre (ch. 19:29-34).
readily take up
prejudices and give way to mere feeling, and so are led to
do terrible
things. Illustrate from the riots of country
towns in the older
election-times,
when the people were excited by political sentiment; or by
the violent
scenes of the French Revolution. It is usually true of all mobs
that “the
more part knew not wherefore they were come together.”
Sentiment is
valuable as giving tone and feeling to action, but sentiment
alone can
never be allowed to decide and control action, because it tends
to make a man
at once passionate and weak. There is no wise
decision, no
calm judgment,
no definite purpose, no solid strength of will, and so
sentiment leads
men to do things of which they are afterwards ashamed, to
forget the
reasonable claims of others, and to commit great social wrongs.
The Christian
man’s duty, wherever his lot may be cast, is:
Ø
To strive against yielding to popular
sentiments on
o
social,
o
political,
o
religious subjects, as injurious to his
own spiritual life, and
likely to make him unjust toward others.
Ø
To use his influence to check public
excitement, and to disseminate right
principles. In religious spheres, yielding to “sentiment” has
often been the
cause of public and private persecution. In common life, reason is
the
proper check of sentiment. In religious spheres, the revelation
given us in
God’s
Word, and the direct illuminations of God’s Spirit, are the proper
checks. Illustrate how, in religious spheres, untempered sentiment
has often
developed into “mania.”
their power by
appeal to sentiment. Illustrate from the incidents of the text.
The leaders
of the Judaic party knew perfectly well that they had no case
against the
apostle, but they appealed to the prejudice of the people, and
excited their
feeling into passion, which might have led to Paul’s death
within the
temple courts.
work done by
the revivalist and the missioner, and at the same time of the
responsibility
of such workers, in the influence they gain over masses of
people. So
far as their work is merely an appeal to sentiment, it can exert
but a
passing, and only too possibly a mischievous, influence. So far as
they become teachers of the truth and persuaders of men to duty,
their
work will be
PERMANENT and BLESSED!
Ø The Crusades illustrate the sway of the
masses by sentiment;
Ø the Reformation the sway of the masses
by truth.
CROWDS. Paul tried,
but he found it vain: they were carried away by
the mere
sound of the word “Gentiles.” Compare the scheme of the townclerk
at
dies down, or
dispersed by physical force. Reasoning is of no use until men
have become
reasonable. Show that Christ never works upon the mere
crowd. He and
His servants make their appeal to men who have their power
of reason.
They use emotion and affection, but in subordination to reason.
They work by
the enthusiasm of numbers, but subordinate this influence to
the
enforcement of the saving truth.
24 “The chief captain commanded him to be brought
into the castle, and bade
that he should be
examined by scourging; that he might know wherefore
they cried so against
him.” Bidding for and bade, Authorized Version; for what
cause for wherefore, Authorized Version; so shouted for cried so, Authorized Version.
The chief captain (see ch. 21:31, note). The castle (see ibid. v. 34, note). Examined;
ἀνετάζεσθαι - - anetazesthai – to be being interogated, only here and in v. 29. In
Judges 6:29 (Codex Alexandrinus) and in the Hist. of Susanna 14 the verb has the
simple sense of "inquiring." The classical word for "examining" and especially by
torture, is ἐξετάζειν – exetazein.
By
scourging (μάστιξιν
-
mastixin). The μάστιξ –
mastix was in Latin the flagellum, the most severe implement of flogging, though
even with the lighter virga, the rod of the lictor, slaves and others were beaten to
death (usque ad necem). It was not lawful to beat a Roman citizen even with the
virga (ῤάβδος – rabdos – rod; staff); ch. 16:22, 35, 37, notes. The μάστιξ, or
scourge, was that with which our Lord was scourged at the bidding of Pilate
(Matthew 27:26, where φραγελλώσας – phragellosas – whipping is from the
Latin flagellum; Mark 10:34; Luke 18:33; John 19:1). Doubtless Lysias had
not understood Paul's Hebrew speech, and so had not known what it was which
provoked so fierce an uproar among the people.
There is cruelty in power when it is exercised
without righteousness. Torture was
at once a confession of weakness and a
violation of the rights of man. Law needs
no cruelty to support it. It must be based upon truth and benevolence, or it is not
RIGHTEOUS LAW! While the noisy tumult of the mob showed the corrupt state
of the Jewish nation, the scene in the castle revealed the imperfection and
worthlessness of mere human rule. Both these facts are cries
of the world for
THE KINGDOM OF GOD!
25 “And as they bound him with thongs, Paul said
unto the centurion that
stood by, Is it
lawful for you to scourge a man that is a Roman, and
uncondemned?” When
they had tied him up with the thongs for as they bound
him with thongs, Authorized Version. When they had tied him up, etc. This does
not seem to be a right rendering. Προέτειναν – Proeteinan - they stretch out
can only mean "to stretch out before," or "expose to the action," of anything,
when taken in a literal sense; ἱμᾶσιν - himasin – thongs again, more naturally
means the "thong" or lash of a whip or scourge than a thong to bind a man
with; indeed, it is thought to be etymologically connected with μάστιξ (scourging),
Meyer, therefore, rightly understands the passage to mean when they had stretched
him on the stake ready to receive the scourging. Is it lawful, etc.? Paul now pleads
his privileges as a Roman citizen, just in time to stop the outrage, remembering,
no doubt, the terror inspired in the Philippian magistrates when they found they
had beaten with rods an uncondemned Roman citizen (see ch. 16:38). Uncondemned
(ἀκατάκριτον – akatakriton); ibid. v.37. Only found in these
two passages in the
New Testament, and nowhere else.
Times to Suffer, and Times to Get Relief
from Suffering (v. 25)
This subject is suggested by the fact
that, although the apostle’s plea of his
Roman birthright would have always stood
him in good stead, he only used
it occasionally; from which fact we may
assume that he sometimes felt it
was his duty to submit to suffering, and
that, at other times, he equally felt
it his duty to resist suffering.
Probably a careful estimate of the
circumstances connected with each case led
to his decisions. Here we may
see that no special testimony could be
made by his patient enduring of
suffering, seeing that he was among
strangers, who knew nothing of him or
his mission, so he felt at liberty to
secure relief from indignity and pain, and
appealed for his rights as a Roman
citizen. The apostle spoke as they were
preparing to scourge him. According to
the Roman custom, he was
stripped to the waist, and tied with
leather thongs to the column, or
whipping-post, which was used within the
fortress for this kind of torture.
“It was unlawful to scourge a Roman
citizen in any case; it was an
aggravation so to torture him as slaves
were tortured only as a means of
inquiry” (see ch. 16:37). Remember the
familiar passage, Ecclesiastes 3:1-8.
show him how great
things he must suffer for my Name’s sake”
(ch.
9:1) So to His early disciples Christ
spoke of persecution and
suffering as
part of His disciples’ necessary lot. Compare His teachings
in the sermon
on the mount (Matthew 5:10-12) with John 15:18-21.
Ø
As an historical fact, the earlier
apostles found, suffering attend on
fulfilling Christ’s mission; and the Apostle Paul had a life full
of peril
and of pain.
Ø
As a fact of present observation,
suffering is very largely the Christian’s
lot. It comes partly by reason of his conflict with evil in
himself and in the
world, and partly as a Divine arrangement for his moral testing and
training.
Ø
As a doctrine of the Divine Word,
suffering is:
o
a means of sanctifying to the believer,” Tribulation
worketh
patience,” etc.;
(Romans 5:3-5)
o
a means of witnessing to the world the power of God’s
sustaining grace and the beauty of the Christian virtues.
God has such witnesses in His great sufferers, in every age
and in every sphere of life.
to the
apostles and the “seventy” (Luke 10:1-12), when He sent them on their
trial
mission. If persecuted in one city, they were to flee to another. Nay, in this
avoidance of
suffering, our Lord set us His own example; for, on more than
one occasion
He went away from a neighborhood which had become
perilous, and
escaped from those who would cast Him from the hill-top. So
Paul, in
connection with our text, felt justified in avoiding and resisting
suffering.
The practical difficulty we find is to know when we should bear
and when we
should resist; and the following suggestions may be fully
illustrated:
Ø When we can recognize an immediate good
in our sufferings, either a
blessing of
men or the glory of God, we should be prepared cheerfully
to bear.
Ø When the suffering plainly comes in the
orderings of God’s providence,
we ought to
bear it.
Ø When we find that we can, by patient
suffering, make a needed witness
for the
Christian truth or the Christian spirit, we should be willing to
suffer.
Ø When we find ourselves among strangers
and enemies we may use our
influence to
avoid suffering.
Ø And when our suffering plainly comes
from the mere willfulness or the
pure
ignorance of men, we do right to resist. It may also be urged that we
must always
follow along the line of “conscience” and “duty,” whatever
consequences
may follow. Therefore the “three Hebrew youths” dare not
shrink from
the fiery furnace, nor Daniel from the den of lions. Impress
that we have
an inward leading of God’s Spirit, even as Paul had; and that,
if we will
follow the lead in all simplicity, we shall be able to decide, in the
circumstances
of life that arise, whether it is our duty to suffer or to avoid
suffering. Whether we bear or whether we refuse to bear, we
must seek to
glorify Christ,
and do all things as part of our loving life-service rendered
to Him.
26 “When the centurion heard that, he went
and told the chief captain, saying,
Take
heed what thou doest: for this man is a Roman.”
And when for when,
Authorized Version; it for that, Authorized Version; to for
and told, Authorized
Version; and told him, saying for saying, Authorized Version; What art thou
about to do? for Take
heed what thou doest, Authorized Version.
27 “Then the chief captain came, and said unto him,
Tell me, art thou a Roman?
He
said, Yea.” And for then, Authorized Version; and he said for
he said,
Authorized Version.
28 “And the chief captain answered, With a great sum
obtained I this freedom.
And
Paul said, But I was free born.” Citizenship for
freedom, Authorized Version;
am a Roman for was free, Authorized Version. A
great sum (πολλοῦ
κεφαλαίου –
pollou kephalaiou – of vast sum). The word is
only found here in the New Testament
in the sense of a "sum of money," but is so used in classical writers. Citizenship;
πολιτεία
–
politeia), for "freedom of the city," in Xenophon, AElian,
Polybius,
Dion Cassius, etc., and III Maccabees
3:21. Dion Cassius (9 17) relates that
Messaliua, the wife of the Emperor
Claudius, used to sell the freedom of the
city, and that at first she sold it (μεγάλων
ξρημάτων – megalon xraematon)
for a very high price, but that
afterwards it became very cheap. In all probability
Lysias had so purchased it, and in
consequence took the name of Claudius
(Renan, ' St. Paul,' p. 524). I am a Roman born. It is not known how
Paul's
family acquired the Roman citizenship.
Notice the Providence of God in the
government of the world. The Roman state
was needed to prepare the way for the
gospel. The two citizenships — of the
earthly kingdom, of the heavenly,
compared in the two men, Lysias and
Paul.
Little the parents of the apostle could have anticipated how that
Roman privilege would work into his
history. We
should give our children
all we can to prepare them for future life. GRACE and
together. The world’s alarm opens the way for the gospel.
Naturally and Spiritually Free
Born (v. 28)
Rights of citizenship were obtained in
various ways and on various
grounds. Some men had it by birth,
others by gift, others by purchase,
others as the public recognition of
heroic deeds. These may be illustrated in
connection with the citizenship of
large cities. Roman citizenship was once
sold at a very high rate, but in
later times its value was lowered, and
it was bartered for a trifle. It is not
known how Paul’s parents obtained their
citizen rights, but the apostle
held his as an inheritance. Paul was not
a citizen by virtue of his having
been born in Tarsus. “That city, in
consideration of its sufferings under
Cassius, and because of its adherence to
Julius Caesar, was admitted by
that did not confer citizenship. Some of
the apostle’s ancestors, it may be
assumed, had been admitted to
citizenship in acknowledgment of good
service, civil or military.” A
distinction is made, which men still recognize,
between acquired rights and natural
rights; but a far higher value is set on
the rights of birth than on those which
can be obtained in any other way.
We fix attention on the fact that Paul was twice
free born. He held right
of birth into Roman citizenship, and right of the new
Divine birth into the
kingdom of Christ and of heaven.
Ø
Illustrate what positions their birth puts
some men in, and what
consequent trusts and responsibilities come upon them.
Ø
Show that such privileges are not to be
despised by Christian people,
because they may give them noble opportunities of serving Christ.
Ø
Point out that any envy of those born to
high station is unworthy of all
who feel aright the honor of having any kind or degree of trust
from God.
Ø
And impress that the greater the trust
of position and privilege which a
man may have, the heavier will be his judgment if he
misuses his powers
and
privileges. “Of
him that hath, much will be required.”
(Luke 12:48)
of "new birth,” “being
born again,” and “regeneration.” Illustrate that no
man can acquire
a place in Christ’s kingdom by any
Ø wealth,
Ø merit,
Ø or effort.
The only
entrance is by a Divine birth: “Ye must be born again;” the
only
possible
right of the Christian is his birthright. This kind of right excludes
all pride and
self-satisfaction. “We are saved by grace.”
(Ephesians 2:8)
It gives to God
all the glory; for we are “born of God.” (I John 5:4)
It changes
all the aspects and relations of our lives, so that we seem to have
wakened up
into a new world with new powers. It lays us under serious
obligations,
appoints for us high and holy duties, and holds out before us
A GLORIOUS
FUTURE! If the Roman citizen
was bound to walk worthily
of his
citizenship, and honor the Roman name wherever he might go, much
more should
those who are born of God “walk as
children of light,”
(Ephesians
5:8); “walk worthy of the
vocation by which they are
called.” (ibid. ch. 4:1) See Paul’s statement, “Our citizenship is in
heaven.”
(Philippians 3:20)
29 “Then straightway they departed from him which
should have examined him:
and
the chief captain also was afraid, after he knew that he was a Roman, and
because
he had bound him.” They then which were
about to examine him
straightway
departed from him for then
straightway they departed from him which
should have
examined him, Authorized Version; when for
after, Authorized Version.
Had bound him (ῆν αὐτὸν
δεδεκώς – aen auton dedekos – he had bound
him),
as related in ch. 21:33.
Danger and Deliverance (v.
22-29)
At length the latent envy of the Jewish
audience breaks forth. “Away with
such a man from the earth!”
The wild
force of fanaticism has to be encountered again and again.
These scenes
are a warning against fostering it. It dishonors God, under the
pretext of
jealousy for His honor; ill treats the innocent; disgraces itself,
turning men
into wild beasts.
Ø
It is brought about by the right feeling
of the Roman captain, together
with the civil privileges of the apostle. And he obtains a new
opportunity
for self-justification.
Ø
It tends to illustrate his character. The
violence offered to him elicits a
gentle and lowly reply (v. 25; John 18:23). Outwardly ill treated,
he
remains inwardly unhurt. Momentarily trodden in the dust, he rises
to
eternal honors.
THE NEW
BIRTH! It is sealed
by the Spirit of God. It is
proved by trial,
conflict, and affliction.
It appears in full glory in the heavenly state. Their
privileges
are — exemption from fear in the presence of the powers of this
world;
inviolate safety from the violence of evil men; independence of the
judgment of
the world. “Now are we the sons of God, and it doth not yet
appear what we
shall be, but we know that, when He shall appear, we
shall be like Him;
for we shall see Him as He is.” (I John 3:2)
30 “On the morrow, because he would have known the
certainty wherefore he
was
accused of the Jews, he loosed him from his bands, and commanded the
chief
priests and all their council to appear, and brought Paul down, and set
him
before them.” But on for on, Authorized Version; desiring to know for
because he
would have known, Authorized Version; loosed him for loosed
him
from his
bands, Authorized Version and Textus
Receptus; the council for
their council, Authorized Version and Textus Receptus; to come
together for
to appear, Authorized Version and Textus Receptus. Brought Paul down;
from the castle to the council-room
below, either to the hall Gazith or to some
other place of meeting. Lysias probably
still kept Paul a prisoner through the
night, on account of the excited state of
the people.
The Apology (vs. 1-30)
It was a very remarkable promise which
our Lord made to His apostles,
when, forewarning them that they should
be delivered up to councils, and
brought before kings and rulers for His
sake, He added, “But when they so
deliver you up, take no thought beforehand
what ye shall speak, neither do
ye premeditate: but whatsoever shall be given
you in that hour, that speak
ye; for it is not ye that speak, but the Holy
Ghost” (Mark 13:9-11). It is
impossible not to see a fulfillment of this
promise in Paul’s apology
delivered from the castle stairs at
bloodthirsty mob. A Jewish riot had
something terrific in it, something
dreaded even by the iron-minded Romans. The features all contorted with
passion, the large eyes starting out
of their sockets, the savage grinding of
the teeth, the fierce cries, the wild
throwing of handfuls of dust into the air,
the tossing and waving of their
garments with an unbridled violence, gave a
demoniac aspect to such rioters (Renan, p. 524). Paul had just come out of
the thick of such a mob. He had barely
escaped with his life, but not
without many blows. He had heard his
name given to execration, held up
to detestation as the author of
blasphemies and sacrilege, and as the enemy
of his race. And now he was a prisoner
in the hands of the heathen masters
of his unhappy country. His hands were
loaded with chains, and he knew
not what dangers were before him. And
yet, when he had scarce recovered
breath after the struggle for life, we find him with the chains on his wrists,
but with unruffled spirit, and
admirable composure and self-possession,
delivering to his enemies and would-be
murderers a speech as gentle, as
firm, as calm, as collected, and
as logical, as if he had composed and
prepared it at leisure in the
stillness of his own study, and was addressing it
to a congregation of friends and
admirers. Must it not have been given to
him in that hour what to speak, and how to
say it? The great force of this
defense lay in its simple statement of
facts. The apostle’s conduct at each
successive stage had flowed naturally and almost inevitably from the
circumstances which surrounded him. He
had nothing to conceal. Indeed,
the circumstances of his early
life were well known to his hearers. If his
statement was true, how could he have
acted differently? He appealed to
his fellow-countrymen, his fathers and
brothers of the Jewish people, to
hear with impartiality the apology which
he made. Had he stopped here,
maybe his defense would have been
accepted. His Hebrew speech, his
thoroughly Jewish attitude, his
high-minded earnestness, his splendid
courage, seem to have wrought to some
extent upon his volatile and
mobile hearers. But he could not stop
there. He had a further message to
deliver, and it must be delivered at
of the circumcision, but of the
whole Gentile world. That message was
that
Christ was to be preached to the Gentiles,
and that Jews and Gentiles were
to be henceforth one in Christ. And that message he delivered with chains
on his arms, from the midst of a Roman
cohort, to the angry crowd
beneath him, having obviously one single
purpose — to speak the truth,
and to do his duty both to God and man.
One other remark is called for by
this apology. The nature of the case,
a defense under false accusation,
made it absolutely necessary that the
defendant should speak of himself.
But in the course of the twenty verses
in which he details the several
passages in the history of his life
which bore upon the accusation, it is
impossible to detect one particle of
vainglory or of egotism. There are no
boastings, nor are there any expressions
of an affected humility. There is
absolute simplicity. He speaks of himself because he must. And in the same
spirit of genuine humility, when it was
not necessary, he did not speak of
himself. In the remarkable absence of
details in all those parts of the Acts
of the Apostles where Luke does not
write as an eyewitness, we have
strong evidence that Paul did not make
his own doings the subject of
his conversation with his familiar
friends. Had he done so, Luke’s
narrative might have been richer and
fuller, but Paul greatness would
have been diminished, as that of all vain men is, by the desire to appear
great.
As it is, the apology enables us to enumerate the great apostle’s
virtues as combining in an extraordinary
degree, courage, gentleness,
calmness, vigor, humility,
high-mindedness, determination, honesty, truth,
patriotism, self-forgetfulness, wisdom,
eloquence, and a passionate zeal
for
the glory of Christ and for the salvation of men. (For an illustration of
some of these features in the apostle’s
character, see also II Corinthians
11.; 12.; Galatians 2:5, 11; Ephesians
3:7-8; I Timothy 1:1-13, 16; and
throughout the Acts of the Apostles.)
The Earthly and the Heavenly
Citizenship (vs. 23-30)
The most interesting and the most
distinctively Christian truth contained in
this passage is that which we gain by
contrasting the citizenship of ancient
remind us of:
that he should be
examined by scourging; that he might know,” etc.
(v. 24). What
an inhuman and brutal procedure to extract evidence or
confession by
scourging — by cruel, relentless laceration of the body! It is
painful to
think how, in this as in many another respect, departure
from
God meant
distance from all justice and benignity. It is, indeed, all too true
that pagan
law passed on many of its usages to Christian legislature, and
that down to
even recent times harsh and stern things have dishonored the
statute-books
of Christian lands; but these have been
Ø diametrically opposed to the spirit of
Jesus Christ,
Ø implicitly condemned by His words, and
Ø have been (or are being) disowned and
disestablished by His followers.
defective as
Roman law was, it shone in brilliant contrast with Jewish
frenzy.
Ø How pitiable, not to say contemptible,
the crowd crying out,
rending
their clothes, flinging dust in the air, in their
uncontrollable
passion (v. 23)!
Ø Excellent, indeed, as compared with
this, the safe custody of the
Roman
soldiery (v. 24),
o the immediate regard paid to his claim
of citizenship (vs. 26-29),
o the determination of the chief captain
to bring Paul before the
council
in a legitimate and orderly way (v. 30).
With all
defects and severities, law and discipline are immeasurably superior
to the
violent excitements of an insensitive and ungovernable mob.
man who is
perpetually asserting his rights is a man as far, in spirit, from
the likeness of
Jesus Christ as he is far, in fact, from the enjoyment of the
esteem of
man. God blesses him as little as man loves him. But obviously
there are
times when it is not only our right but our duty to assert our
claims. Paul
did so here (v. 25), and most justifiably; there was no reason
why he should
suffer and be weakened by suffering when he could escape
by making a
lawful claim. We do well to be
self-assertive so long as we do
not acquire the
spirit of selfishness and do not give the impression of being
self-centered. We do well,
when we act thus with a distinct view to:
Ø the benefit of others,
Ø our own spiritual well-being, or
Ø to the extension of the
Paul acceded
to the citizenship in virtue of his birth; he was free born. The
chief captain
obtained it by purchase. Others gained it by valuable military
or civil
service, or by favor of some illustrious man. Entrance
into the
Ø Not by birth (John 1:13),
Ø nor by purchase (Acts 8:20),
Ø nor by the favor of man (John 1:13),
Ø nor by meritorious behavior (Ephesians 2:9),
do we become
citizens of the spiritual kingdom and heirs of eternal life. It
is rather by the influence
of the Spirit of God upon and within us
(John
3:5), and by our appropriate and corresponding action in
response — by
penitence of
spirit and humble faith in A DIVINE SAVIOUR!
(ch. 20:21),
that we
become true subjects of the great King,
and have our names
entered on that
blessed roll which is the Book of Life.
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