ACTS  22

1 Brothers and fathers, listen now to my defense.

2 When they heard him speak to them in Aramaic, they became very quiet. Then Paul said,

3 I am a jew born in Tarsus, of Cicilia, but brought up in this city. Under Gamaliel I was throughly trained in the law of our fathers and was just as zealous for God as any of you are today.

4 I persecuted the followers of this  Way to their death, arresting both men and women and throwing them into prison,

5 as also the high priest and all the Council can testify. I even obtained letters from them to their brothers in Damascus, and went there to bring these people as prisoners to Jerusalem to be punished.

 6 About noon as I came near Damascus suddenly a bright light from heaven flashed around me,

7  I fell to the ground and heard a voice say to me, Saul! Saul! Why do you persecute Me?

8 Who are you, Lord, I asked? I am Jesus of Nazareth, whom you are persecuting, He replied.

9 My companions saw the light, but they did not understand the voice of Him who was speaking to me.

10 What shall I do, Lord? I asked. Get up, the Lord said, and go into Damascus. There you will be told all that you have been assigned to do.

11 My companions led me by the hand into Damascus, because the brilliance of the light blinded me.

12 A man named Ananias came to see me. He was a devout observer of the law and highly respected by all the Jews living there.

13 He stood beside me and said, Brother Saul, recieve your sight! And at that very moment I was able to see him. 

14 Then he said: The God of our fathers has choosen you to know His will and to see the Righteous One and to hear words from His mouth.

15 You will be His witness to all men of what you have seen and heard.

16 And now what are you waiting for? Get up, be baptized and wash your sins away, calling on His name! 

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 He said to me. Leave Jerusalem immediately, because they will not accept your testimony about me.

19 Lord I replied, these men know that I went from one synagogue to another to imprison  and beat those who believe in You.

20 And when the blood of your martyr was shed, I stood there giving my approval and guarding the clothes of those who were killing him.

 21 Then the Lord said to me, Go I will send you far away to the Gentiles.

22 The crowd listened to Paul until he said this. Then they raised their voices and shouted, Rid the earth of him! Hes not fit to live!

23 As they were shouting and throwing off their cloaks and flinging dust into the air,

24 the commander ordered Paul to be taken to the barracks. He directed that he be flogged  and questioned to find out why the people were shouting at him like this.

25 As they stretched him out to flog him Paul said to the centurion standing there, Is it legal for you to flog a Roman citizen who has not even been found guilty?

26 when the centurion heard this  he went to the commander and reported it. What are you going to do? he asked. This man is a Roman citizen.

27 The commander went to Paul and asked, Are you a Roman citizen? yes i am, he answered.

28 Then the commander said, I had to pay a high price for my citizenship. But I was born a citizen Paul replied.

29 Those who were about to question him withdrew immediately. the commander himself was alarmed when he realized he had put Paul a Roman citizen in chains. 

30 The next daybecause the commander wanted to find out adzactly why Paul was being accused by the Jews, he released him and ordered the chief priests and all the Sanhedrin to assemble. Then he brought Paul and had him stand before them

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. Acts 22:17

I was in the Spirit on the Lords day, and heard behind me a great voice, as of a trumpet. Revelation 1:10

THE HOMECOMING

Thomas J. Grace

1 Brothers and fathers listen to my defense. Paul addresses the crowd that only moments ago were beating punching and kicking him they dragged him through the streets and were ready to kill him. They accused him with false charges to both their fellow Jews and also to the Romans.  It is a surprise that Paul was able to stand and speak if he had went to the barracks without speaking it is possible that the crowd still screaming Away with him may have been attacked by the soldiers in order to stop the riot.

     Paul had motioned with his hand and the crowd was silent, was this a miraculous motion or a sign from God we are not told of. Some power of God must have quieted this angry violent crowd that would not hear anything Paul would say earlier. Paul calls them brothers and fathers a name for those he dearly loved and respected he does not see them as his enemies. These are the people Paul grew up with, sat beside at the temple, celebrated and worshipped with, and many could have been his own students and teachers. Peter had spoke to such a crowd thirty five years ago on the same day of Pentecost shortly after the death of Christ. Peter may have spoken to some that were in the crowd that shouted Crucify Him Crucify Him to Pilate. On that day of Pentecost three thousand people believed in Christ.

     2 Paul began to speak in Hebrew or Aramaic which are both languages spoken by the Jews. 3 Paul states I am a Jew born in Tarsus and raised here in Jerusalem where I studied all the law under Gamaliel one of our greatest scholars and I was as zealous for God as you are today. Paul recognizes them as zealous for God as their cause for their dispute with him. It was Gamaliel who advised against further punishing Peter and John during there trial at the Sanhedrin Acts 5: 38,39 Therefore in the present case I advise you: Leave these men alone! Let them Go! For if their purpose or activity is of human origin, it will fail. But if it is from God, you will not be able to stop these men; You will only find yourselves fighting against God. If Gamaliel was still alive at this time he might have to agree that this is the work of God just as he must have suspected. Did Paul ever come and visit  with his old teacher Gamaliel and share the gospel and lead him to believe in Jesus Christ.  Peter or John who spent more time in Jerusalem than Paul could have spoken to Gamaliel about Christ. Gamaliel who was a scholar in the law and a teacher might have gone to hear what the man Jesus was teaching at some time. Maybe someone he knew was healed by Jesus and heard the whole story from this person. Gamaliel like Nicodemus may have visited Jesus one night for a private meeting, it would have seemed their was some reason that he came to the Sanhedrin  and spoke to defend Peter and John. Their lives were spared so they would establish the early church in Jerusalem that would train the men and women that will bring the gospel to the rest of the world.

     Paul has identified himself as a Jew who may be better educated in the subject of the law than many of them. 4 When the church began to be formed in Jerusalem I led the persecution against Christians arresting both men and women. I put these people in prison and some of them were put to death when they refused to renounce faith in Jesus Christ. I was zealous for God as you are today and refused to hear the message of Christ that I put all my faith in today. 5 Those of you who were not here in Jerusalem during those days can ask the high priest or anyone on that council how I behaved. I recieved a letter from them to enter Damascus and while there to arrest and bring with me back to Jerusalem where they would be punished  for their belief in the name of Jesus.  6 While on the road traveling to Damascus it was at  noon during the bright sunny part of the day when a bright light from heaven flashed around Saul. It was lke a spotlight on Saul not to touch the other men. This light was seperate from the daylight of the sun. 7 Saul falls to the ground and hears a voice say Saul! Saul! Why do you persecute Me? Saul on the ground and now blind and very confused, he still believes he is doing God a service. He must have thought he never heard of God making someone blind. This is not what he may have thought would occur if God had ever spoke to him. 7 Saul does not declare his mission as the work of God but he calls out.  8 Who are you Lord?  I am Jesus of Nazareth, whom you are persecuting. This could only startle Saul as he hears this name Jesus of Nazareth his mind would be in fear while his heart was filled with the love of Christ.   Saul experiences the fear of God and the love of Christ at the same moment. Saul needs to make a instant choice to believe Christ while still unaware of what the responce of Jesus will be.  Saul feared because of his sins for the very first time he was forced to acknowledge to himself that he was wrong about Jesus.  While he feared the love of Christ was also clear and powerful more than his sins fears or doubts or unworthiness.

     While he feared he also felt safe and knew that Jesus loved him and forgave him. Jesus also tells Saul to travel to Damascus and you will be told what you must do. Why did Jesus choose Saul there were many other people who had not persecuted Christians to be the next apostle to the Gentiles.  Paul later states in the first letter to his son in the Lord Timothy. 1 Timothy 1:12-14 I thank Christ Jesus our Lord, who has given me strenth, that He considered me faithful, appointing me to this service. Even though I was once a blasphemer and a persecutor and a violent man, I was shown mercy because I acted in ignorance and unbelief.The grace of our Lord was poured out on me abundantly, along with the faith and love that are Christ Jesus. Just as Jesus forgave the men who crucified Him the church needed to believe that Christ still forgives those who harm Him and his church.  Jesus spoke to Saul he did not say you have killed Stephen even though Jesus witnessed this, Jesus said you persecute Me. Sauls acts against the church hurt Jesus as He saw His believers suffer. Acts 7:56 Look he said, I see heaven opened and the Son of Man standing at the right hand of God. Acts 7:60 Then he fell on his knees and cried out, Lord do not hold this sin against them. When he said this he fell asleep.  Stephens prayer made the choice that Saul would be forgiven just as Jesus prayer on the cross did make it possible for some of the Sanhedren and many of the temple priest to become believers.

      9  The men with Saul did see the light but did not understand the voice they heard or know who was speaking.  10 What shall I do Lord? Jesus tells him to continue his journey and wait for directions that will tell you all you have been assigned to do. He was not told to correct all past mistakes or to speak against the high priest or the Sanhedrin. 11 The men with Saul needed to lead him by the hand for the rest of the trip to Damascus because Saul was blind. While traveling he must of thought about the words you will be assigned to do and how would it be possible for him a blind man to accomplish anything. In Jerusalem the men that were blind would beg for money at the temple. Did Saul think this would become Gods punishment for him because he had done so much harm to the Christians. Would he be forced to beg at the temple he was a leader in where it was his desire to serve God all his life. He knew what Peter and the other apostles were doing could it be possible for him a blind man to travel and bring the gospel to people. Would people listen to a blind man many Jews thought a blind man was cursed by God and they would not listen to a blind man. Jesus could have healed Saul before he got off the ground but choose to allow Saul to wait three days.

     12 Ananias a man  well respected and a follower of the law came to see me at the home of Judas on Straight Street in Damascus the Lord Jesus had spoken to him to come and bring a message. 13 Ananias stood beside me and said Brother recieve your sight this may have been the first time he had prayed for someone to be healed. He did just as Jesus had told him and witnessed a miracle as scales fell off Sauls eyes and he could see again. When Jesus spoke to Ananias He said Saul is praying for three days he did not eat or drink as he worshipped his Savior for the first time. 14 Ananias spoke to Saul he said God has choosen you,  to know His will, to see the Righteous One,  and to hear words from His mouth.  The Lord had recently spoke to both of these men and they must have shared every word  carefully and how they felt what it sounded like and what they saw. Both men had different experiences but the same Lord who would change both their lives.  Saul could now see his life was being spared and now he is told he will see and hear from Jesus again. He might have been happy to believe in Christ and return to Jerusalem or remain in Damascus as a Christian.

     15 You will be a witness to all men Acts 9:15,16 But the Lord said to Ananias, Go! This man is My choosen instrument to carry My Name before the Gentiles and their kings and before the people of Israel. I will show him how much he must suffer for My Name. Saul must wonder how all these things could be while he is only a believer for three days with a long history of persecuteing Christians. 16 Ananias urges Saul to go and be baptized in the name of Jesus to wash away his sins. 1 Peter 3:21 and this water synbolizes baptism that now saves you also not the removal of dirt from the body but the pledge of a good conscience toward God. It saves you by the resurrection of Jesus Christ. Romans 6:3,4 Or dont you know that all of us were baptized into Christ Jesus were baptized into His death? We were therefore buried with Him through baptism into death in order that, just as Christ was raised from the dead through the glory of the Father , we to may live a new life. Before he had eaten he went with Ananias and was baptized and filled with the Holy Spirit. Ananias would speak to Saul and tell him all the information about Peter and the other apostles the church in Jerusalem and all the healings and miracles he had seen or heard of in the name of Jesus. We do not hear about Ananias again the Lord spoke to him, he was the first Christian to speak to Saul and he baptized Saul. He certainly had a very important one time ministry already complete, he may have continued as a prophet and healed others also as he shared what Jesus had done.

     17 When I was at the temple in Jerusalem three years later after being in Arabia and Damascus Galatians 1: 17,18 ,19 Nor did I go up to Jerusalem to see those who were apostles before I was, but I went immediately to Arabia and later returned to Damascus. Then after three years I went  up to Jerusalem to get acquainted with Peter and stayed with him fifteen days. I saw none other of the apostles only James the Lords brother.  Three years Paul stayed in Arabia the same time that Jesus had spent with the apostles. This is where Paul claims he learned the gospel the life of Christ His death and resurrection. Galatians 1:11,12 I want you to know brothers, that the gospel I preached is not something man made up. I did not recieve it from any man, nor was I taught it; rather I recieved it by revelation from Jesus Christ.  This is the visit  Saul told  us Acts 9:26-30. Paul tells how he fell into a trance just as had happened to Peter in Acts 10:10 and had the vision of Jesus saying Kill and eat while he looked at the sheet with all the animals on it.  18 While in a trance at the temple Paul saw the Lord speaking. Leave Jerusalem immediately because they will not accept your testimony about Me.

     19 It was true then and true now as they will not hear Paul speak in a way that will cause any there to believe. Here is Paul thirty two years later and the words that Jesus spoke to him about the people in Jerusalem are still true. While thousands have believed because of the testimony of Peter, John and James this is not the mission field for Paul who brings the gospel to the Gentiles.  Pauls past life in Jerusalem when he persecuted Christians seems to harm his testimony to the Jews more that it upsets the Christians. Paul responds to the Lord These men know how I persecuted and put in prison Christian believers in this city.  20 They were with me when Stephen was killed and I watched the clothes of the men who stoned him and I gave them my approval. There is a great difference now than when Christ first spoke to Paul who only said Who are you Lord now he is speaking to the Lord and presenting his idea to speak in Jerusalem. It may not have been a good idea to remind Christ of his past sins that have been blotted out and forgiven.  1 Corinthians 1:8 Who shall also confirm you unto the end, that you may be blameless in the day of our Lord Jesus Christ.  As our sin are wiped out and we are made clean by the blood of Jesus we should act speak and believe we are forgiven and the memory of our sins are wiped out before God.  Romans 5:9 Since we have now been justified by His blood, how much more shall we be saved from Gods wrath through Him.

     21 The Lord told Paul I will send you to the Gentiles. This may have been the first time Paul speaks and no one becomes a Christian this began as a angry violent crowd that wanted to kill him and were willing to oppose the Roman soldiers to be able to kill him. Now when he speaks about the Gentiles the crowd becomes angry again and shout Rid the earth of him! He is not fit to live! Whatever power or Spirit held these people in quiet peace while Paul spoke has ceased. 

     23 They began to shout throw off their cloaks and throw dust in the air. 24 The Roman commander had Paul taken into the barracks to avoid another citywide riot that was about to begin. He wanted to know why these people were shouting so many things about Paul, as he listened Paul sounded like he was a Jew just as they were. He ordered that Paul should be questioned and flogged this was a whip with metal strands in the cords that will sink into the skin and tear off strips and large chunks of skin as the whip moves across the back. John 19:1 Then Pilate took Jesus and had him flogged. the soldiers twisted together a crown of thorns and put it on His head. Jesus was flogged and later put His back that had been torn by this whip and bleeding against the hard surface of the cross. 25 As they began to stretch Paul in the position that would be best for a man to be whipped Paul speaks to the centurion. Is it legal for you to flog a Roman citizen? In Philippi Acts 16 Paul and Silas who had cast a demon out of the fortune teller girl and a riot soon began which had both men thrown in prison.  Acts 16:37 Paul and Silas both state they are Roman citizens and this is the reason they are released.

     26 The centurion reports to the commander that Paul is stateing that he is a Roman citizen and he only a soldier would not be allowed to harm him and could be put in prison himself for puting chains on Paul.   27 Paul answers the commander that he is a Roman citizen. 28 The commander tells Paul he had to pay to become a Roman citizen and Paul states he was born a rRman citizen. 29 The men who were ready to flog Paul left the room, they did not want to take any more action and feared now for their own freedom and safety. The commander was afraid because he had already mistreated Paul.  Paul was able to claim Roman citizenship to protect himself we will soon be living in the last days. During these days there will be no exceptions made for Christians who will be persecuted. No one will fear the law if they harm or persecute a Christian and they could be in greater danger if they protect a Christian. Rewards will be given to those who have a Christian arrested and punished it will be their duty to expose Christians even in their own family. Matthew 24:10 At that time many will turn away from the faith and will betray and hate one another. Mark 13:13 All men will hate you because of Me, but he who stands firm to the end will be saved.

     30 On the following day the commander ordered the chief priests and all the Sanhedrin to come together. He released Paul and brought him to the Sanhedrin to be questioned by them. The commander knew there was information he wanted to know he asked the angry crowd about Paul and later would whip him to learn something and now he brings Paul to the Sanhedrin hopeing their questions will explain what he does not understand. The commander knows he is seeking something he does not know what it is. Could he be seeking God and not sure who to listen to the Sanhedrin he was familiar with or Paul who would tell him of Christ.  Romans 10:20 I was found by those who did not seek me I revealed Myself to those who did not ask for Me. Was the commander seeking God that he did not know and will he find him as God promises.

CHRIST LOVES YOU. AMEN. COME LORD JESUS