When the leaders at Jerusalem made Paul aware of the dangers facing him, he decided to honor Jewish tradition by engaging in a seven day purification ritual (21:22-26). This ritual reflected a cleansing after a Jew had traveled to a Gentile city. Paul entered the temple on the seventh day, but was immediately taken captive by a mob of people and the angry multitude sought to kill him (21:27-31). A Roman commander and his soldiers stepped in and took Paul captive, but while he was being taken he asked the commander to speak to the people (21:32-39). The Roman commander agreed so Paul motioned to the people and when they became silent, he began to speak saying, “Brethren and fathers, hear my defense before you now” (21:40-22:1). The people listened intently because he spoke in Aramaic, the common language of the Palestinian Jews (22:2).
Paul begins by telling them about his life before being converted saying, “I am indeed a Jew…but brought up in this city at the feet of Gamaliel, taught according to the strictness of our fathers’ law, and was zealous toward God as you all are today. I persecuted this Way [Christianity] to the death, binding and delivering into prisons both men and women…” (22:3-4). In essence, Paul was declaring that he used to be just as antagonistic toward Christianity as they were. But then Paul retells the story of his journey to Damascus, where he was going to imprison more Christians, and how the Lord confronted him about his persecution of God’s followers (22:6-9). Continuing to tell the story, Paul says that the Lord told him that he would now be a witness to all people about Jesus Christ and especially to the Gentiles (22:10-21).
Upon hearing Paul’s defense, the crowd responded with raised voices saying, “Away with such a fellow from the earth, for he is not fit to live!” (22:22) In preparation to stone Paul, the people began tearing their clothes and throwing dust in the air because of their intense anger at Paul (22:23-24). As they were securing Paul to be beaten and stoned, he said to the centurion, “Is it lawful for you to scourge a man who is a Roman, and uncondemned?” (22:25) Since Paul was a Roman citizen, it was illegal for the Romans to beat him. When the commander became aware of this, they withdrew from Paul for fear that they themselves would be put to death for breaking Roman law (22:26-29).
Again, Paul evidences tremendous courage in the face of imminent danger and God spares him from certain death.
Dear God, give strength to those who continually must stand strong in the face of persecution. I know there are people all over the world who fear for their lives each day because of their faith in Jesus Christ. Help the church to pray for their strength.
