The Acts of the Apostles Acts 22 – Paul’s Defense in Jerusalem #1 (Conclusion of Third Journey) Sunday– April 28, 2019

Paul’s Defense Jesus replies to Paul saying, “Depart: for I will send thee forth far hence unto the Gentiles” (22:21). It was ever the design of God’s scheme of redemption to include the Gentiles (cf. Gen. 12:1-4; Galatians 3:27-28). Paul now loses his audience (22:22). The Jews cry, “away with such a fellow from the earth: for it is not fit that he should live” (22:22b). NOTE WHY! cf. Ephesians 3:8-9

Paul’s Defense Paul is interrogated by the chief captain in the military barracks (22:24-30): When the captain saw the mob re-excited, he bound Paul and brought him into the castle intending to scourge him to confession of wrongs. (cf. Acts 21:11; Matthew 27:26; John 19:1) “Under the Roman method the culprit was stripped, stretched with cords or thongs on a frame, and beaten with rods. There were two ways of scourging; one with thongs or whips made of rope ends or straps of leather, the other with rods or twigs.” (Unger M. F. The New Unger’s Bible Dictionary) Note: 2 Corinthians 11:23

Paul’s Defense Paul is interrogated by the chief captain in the military barracks (22:24-30): As the centurion tied Paul to the post, Paul asks, “is it lawful for you to scourge a man that is a Roman, and uncondemned?” The punishment for such conduct against a Roman citizen was death. The centurion is now terrified and immediately sends word to the chief captain that Paul is a Roman citizen. (cf. Acts 16) Secular sources reveal the fact that for one to lie about such citizenship to avoid scourging was equally punishable by death. Therefore, one did not toy with their pronunciation of Roman citizenship.

Paul’s Defense Paul is interrogated by the chief captain in the military barracks (22:24-30): The chief captain comes to Paul and questions him about his professed citizenship (22:27ff). Paul replies in the affirmative that he is a Roman citizen (22:27b).

Paul’s Defense Paul is interrogated by the chief captain in the military barracks (22:24-30): Obtaining Roman citizenship: Purchased. The captain replies, “with a great sum obtained I this citizenship. And Paul said, But I am a Roman born” (22:28). Under the emperors the Roman citizenship was sold in order to fill their national treasury. Conferred: Perhaps by some honorable deed. Roman born: Paul could not have obtained his Roman born citizenship through Tarsus because Tarsus was a free city (It was not a Roman colony). Only way was his father was a Roman citizen.

Paul’s Defense Incredible facts about Roman citizenship. The Roman state would investigate the murder of a Roman citizen but not that of a non-citizen. A citizen could not be beaten without the benefit of a trial and he could not be tortured. Roman women had a limited form of Roman citizenship: they were not allowed to vote or to hold public office.

Paul’s Defense The rights of Roman citizens when they migrated to other cities depended on the status of the city. For example if they migrated to a Latin state or colony, they lost certain of their rights (like the right of marriage). During the Republic, citizens could not hold any other citizenship. A provincial who became a Roman had to relinquish his city citizenship. A person who absented himself from the census was considered incensus and subject to the severest punishment including being sold as a slave, imprisonment, or death. https://www.romae-vitam.com/roman-citizenship.html

Paul’s Defense Most speculate that Paul’s father must have done some honorary service to the Romans and thus earned citizenship that was passed to his son Saul (Paul). To be born Roman was superior to having purchased the citizenship. After this discussion, the captain releases Paul and keeps him in the castle overnight (22:30). The next day, the captain released Paul and called together the chief priest and the Jewish Sanhedrin council to try him.