In today’s study our titles are; Verses 1-5 Paul continues his defense with the people in Hebrew. Verses 6-16 Paul tells of his conversion. Verses 17-29 Paul’s call to the Gentiles. Verse 30 Paul before the council. We pick it up where we left off in Acts 21:40. Paul is at the top of the stairs, being taken into the palace of the centurion that saved him from the crowd that had beaten him. Acts 22 and verse 1 reads.
Acts 22:1] Men, brethren, and fathers, hear ye my defence which I make now unto you.
[2] (And when they heard that he spake in the Hebrew tongue to them, they kept the more silence: and he saith,)
Keep in mind Paul was of the Pharisees, and a Roman citizen. Paul will now give his testimony.
Acts 22:3] I am verily a man which am a Jew, born in Tarsus, a city in Cilicia, yet 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.
Gamaliel was a scholar and taught the law of Moses, being a Pharisee. Paul studied under him and he also taught others being a Pharisee. Let’s go to Romans 10 and verse 1 reads.
Rom.10:1] Brethren, my heart’s desire and prayer to God for Israel is, that they might be saved.
[2] For I bear them record that they have a zeal of God, but not according to knowledge.
[3] For they being ignorant of God’s righteousness, and going about to establish their own righteousness, have not submitted themselves unto the righteousness of God.
Back to Acts 22 and verse 4 reads.
Acts 22:4] And I persecuted this way unto the death, binding and delivering into prisons both men and women.
[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 Damascus, to bring them which were there bound unto Jerusalem, for to be punished.
Remember he received the letter from the high priest to go to Damascus. Showing he was of the Pharisees. Let’s go to Philippians 3 and verse 1 reads.
Phi.3:1] Finally, my brethren, rejoice in the Lord. To write the same things to you, to me indeed is not grievous, but for you it is safe.
[2] Beware of dogs, beware of evil workers, beware of the concision.
Check out this word Concision, G2699 katatomē pronounced kat-at-om-ay’. Close to our word Katabole which means the overthrow of Satan. But this word means; a cutting down (off) that is mutilation (ironically).
Phi.3:3] For we are the circumcision, which worship God in the spirit, and rejoice in Christ Jesus, and have no confidence in the flesh.
[4] Though I might also have confidence in the flesh. If any other man thinketh that he hath whereof he might trust in the flesh, I more:
[5] Circumcised the eighth day, of the stock of Israel, of the tribe of Benjamin, an Hebrew of the Hebrews; as touching the law, a Pharisee;
[6] Concerning zeal, persecuting the church; touching the righteousness which is in the law, blameless.
Confessing he was zealous enough to persecute the church because it was as it seemed against the law, but became the law as Moses had spoken of would come. Paul will now give his testimony of what had happened on his journey to Damascus. Back to Acts 22 and verse 6 reads.
Acts 22:6] 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.
Giving them the account of Acts 9:2-7.
Acts 22:7] 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 Nazareth, whom thou persecutest.
[9] And they that were with me saw indeed the light, and were afraid; but they heard not the voice of him that spake to me.
Daniel had the same thing happen with him in Daniel 10 and verse 7 reads.
Dan.10:7] And I Daniel alone saw the vision: for the men that were with me saw not the vision; but a great quaking fell upon them, so that they fled to hide themselves.
When the LORD wants to speak to you, it won’t matter if you’re alone or not, he has his way for only you to hear. Back to Acts 22 and verse 10 reads.
Acts 22:10] And I said, What shall I do, Lord? And the Lord said unto me, Arise, and go into Damascus; and there it shall be told thee of all things which 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 Damascus.
[12] And one Ananias, a devout man according to the law, having a good report of all the Jews which dwelt there,
[13] Came unto me, and stood, and said unto me, Brother Saul, receive thy sight. And the same hour I looked up upon him.
The same hour means immediately, but this I looked up upon him, tells me he did see him. But is this proof he did see with his physical eyes or with his spiritual eyes.
Acts 22:14] 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.
[15] For thou shalt be his witness unto all men of what thou hast seen and heard.
Paul is now told that he is a chosen one of the Lord. This is being said to those that are there at the foot of the stairs. Keeping the perspective of what is written here.
Acts 22:16] And now why tarriest thou? arise, and be baptized, and wash away thy sins, calling on the name of the Lord.
This is very important because all of us rely on the mercy and grace of our Lord for repentance. Keep in mind Paul is telling of what Ananias had said to him. Let’s go to Romans 10 and verse 13 reads.
Rom.10:13] For whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved.
Back to Acts 22 and verse 17 reads.
Acts 22:17] And it came to pass, that, when I was come again to Jerusalem, even while I prayed in the temple, I was in a trance;
[18] And saw him saying unto me, Make haste, and get thee quickly out of Jerusalem: for they will not receive thy testimony concerning me.
This is talking about when he had come to Jerusalem earlier after receiving the Holy Spirit, and not for this time while on the steps. Let’s go to Matthew 10 and verse 12 reads.
Mat.10:12] And when ye come into an house, salute it.
[13] And if the house be worthy, let your peace come upon it: but if it be not worthy, let your peace return to you.
[14] And whosoever shall not receive you, nor hear your words, when ye depart out of that house or city, shake off the dust of your feet.
[15] Verily I say unto you, It shall be more tolerable for the land of Sodom and Gomorrha in the day of judgment, than for that city.
Jerusalem is the city the LORD loves most, but it will receive Judgement in the day of the Lord. Why? Because Satan will stand in Jerusalem polluting it more so than Sodom and Gomorrah. Back to Acts 22 and verse 19 reads.
Acts 22:19] And I said, Lord, they know that I imprisoned and beat in every synagogue them that believed on thee:
[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.
Paul is confessing he held the coats of those who stoned Stephen. Stephen was killed because he gave the greatest summary of God’s Word to that date, and it convicted the Kenites that were responsible for the crucifixion of Jesus Christ. Let’s not overlook Paul gave the same summary in Acts 13:16-38 and finished with the resurrection of Jesus. Paul also was stoned for the testimony, but the Father stood him up before the disciples after he was dragged out of the city.
Acts 22:21] And he said unto me, Depart: for I will send thee far hence unto the Gentiles.
Given a threefold ministry from God. Acts 9 and verse 15 reads.
Acts 9:15] But the Lord said unto him, Go thy way: for he is a chosen vessel unto me, to bear my name before the Gentiles, and kings, and the children of Israel:
[16] For I will shew him how great things he must suffer for my name’s sake.
For my name’s sake, Christian. Let’s go to Romans 1 and verse 5 reads.
Rom.1:5] By whom we have received grace and apostleship, for obedience to the faith among all nations, for his name:
Now let’s go to Romans 11 and verse 12 reads.
Rom.11:12] Now if the fall of them be the riches of the world, and the diminishing of them the riches of the Gentiles; how much more their fulness?
[13] For I speak to you Gentiles, inasmuch as I am the apostle of the Gentiles, I magnify mine office:
[14] If by any means I may provoke to emulation them which are my flesh, and might save some of them.
Back to Acts 22 and verse 22 reads.
Acts 22:22] 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.
Is it because they didn’t believe him or that Paul proved them to be Kenites?
Acts 22:23] And as they cried out, and cast off their clothes, and threw dust into the air,
And the Kenites go into gnashing their teeth, no different than what we see in our streets today.
Acts 22:24] 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.
Wanted Paul to be beaten so that they might extract the truth out of him, thinking that he was lying to them. This will not go well for anyone. Remember Paul is a Roman citizen, it is unlawful to beat a Roman citizen without the direct order from Caesar.
Acts 22:25] 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?
Unlawful to beat a Roman without trial. Anyone else was apparently Ok.
Acts 22:26] When the centurion heard that, he went and told the chief captain, saying, Take heed what thou doest: for this man is a Roman.
[27] Then the chief captain came, and said unto him, Tell me, art thou a Roman? He said, Yea.
[28] And the chief captain answered, With a great sum obtained I this freedom. And Paul said, But I was free born.
The chief captain had to buy his own freedom, meaning he was not free to begin with. But Paul was freeborn because his father was a Roman citizen.
Acts 22:29] 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.
Those that were about to beat him scattered like sheep.
Acts 22:30] 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.
They are now in big trouble, not only the Jews for beating him, but these centurions and chief captains. When we serve the LORD, the LORD protects his own. Let’s go to his throne.
Father, we thank you for your word and ask that you bless all that love you in Jesus’s precious name, Amen.
KJV along with The New Strong’s Exhaustive Concordance Of The Bible