ACTS

ACTS 22

• Acts 22:1 Men, brethren, and fathers, hear ye my defense which I make now unto you. 

It seems ironic that someone who is trying to tell the good news of how to have eternal life, everlasting joy, peace, riches in heaven and all good things to come when Jesus returns, should have to make a defense for himself. 

They took religion more serious than we do today. In most cases where someone is persecuted for his faith, it is the religious crowd that does the persecuting. In fact that is one way to pick out whether or not their religion is false. If a person or group puts to death, persecutes or confiscates the property of a dissenter, then we can mark that person or group down as those that do not know the real God. They don't even have a clue of who God is much less Jesus Christ. 

Words of Jesus to verify the above comments:

• John 16:2 They shall put you out of the synagogues: yea, the time cometh, that whosoever killeth you will think that he doeth God service. 
• 3 And these things will they do unto you, because they have not known the Father, nor me. 

Jesus said also that ye shall know them by their fruits. The use of torture, death and persecution is not bearing the fruits of the spirit which are love, joy, peace, longsuffering, gentleness, goodness, faith, meekness, temperance (self-control). 

• Acts 22:2 (And when they heard that he spake in the Hebrew tongue to them, they kept the more silence: and he saith,) 
• 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. 

Paul knew the law probably better then his persecutors. As a persecutor, he was chief of them all. The difference between Paul and the ones who was doing the persecuting now is that Paul repented and believed in Jesus Christ. This made all his past sins erased and all things became new. Repent means to turn around and change. Go the other way. Turn from sin and turn to Christ. All one has to do to turn his life around is to repent and believe the gospel. 

• 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. 
• 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. 
• 7 And I fell unto the ground, and heard a voice saying unto me, Saul, Saul, why persecutest thou me? 

To persecute one believer in Jesus, is to persecute Jesus Himself. Paul at that point in time before his conversion to Christ thought he was doing God a service. He thought he was in the right but he was wrong. He didn't know the real God at that point in time.

• Acts 22:8 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. 

In Acts 9:7 it says they heard a voice but didn't see any man. 

Perhaps Paul at first thought that the men with him didn't hear anything but later after speaking with them found that they heard a voice but didn't hear what the person said and didn't actually see the person speaking. I'm sure they heard Paul's side of the conversation. Another thought is the translators made a slight error but it doesn't change the meaning of what Paul is trying to say only that those that were with him were not being judged and the vision was not for them but was for calling Paul into the ministry. 

• 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. 

It seems that the men with Paul were not blinded by the light and were protected from its rays. 

• Acts 22:12 And one Ananias, a devout man according to the law, having a good report of all the Jews which dwelt there, 

People of good reputation are more believable. That is why preachers of the gospel need to live what they preach and be reliable. 

• 1 Timothy 3:7 Moreover he must have a good report of them which are without; lest he fall into reproach and the snare of the devil. 

The above verse is a qualification of a bishop so that his work is not hindered. Of course it is for being an elder in the church to lead and teach. It helps to have a good repurtation but as far as spreading the gospel, God can use anyone even a fisherman. Ananias happened to be of good reputation. Perhaps God used him so that the other Jewish believers would be more apt to receive Paul as a fellow believer with his influence. 

• Acts 22:13 Came unto me, and stood, and said unto me, Brother Saul, receive thy sight. And the same hour I looked up upon him. 
• 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. 

It was God's will for Paul to know His will. He learned this directly from Jesus since the New Testament as yet was not written. He already had the knowledge of the law but something more was needed both for his own salvation and for the salvation of those that would hear him. 

God also wants us to know His will and unless we receive a revelation the same as Paul, the way we learn His will is to read the written word He has provided us with. Any new revelation will not contradict the word that is written. 

God gave us a cloud of witnesses to the resurrection of Jesus and the acts of the apostles afterward. If we study the writings of the New Testament authors, we can see that they said things a little different, including some things while others remembered other things and yet they all preached the same gospel. Paul preached faith and James preached faith with works but they are the same if one really studies Paul. Paul never said that we are saved by grace and we can go back into sin and still be saved. In fact he refutes that many times in his writing.

I believe the works Paul refers to is not good works of living in holiness and obeying the Holy Spirit but the works of the law and trying to be saved by the ordinances and works of the law without receiving Jesus into our lives. That was fulfilled by Christ and we are not saved by keeping the rituals of the law but we are saved by God's mercy and grace in which we did nothing to deserve. After receiving Christ we have a new master and we are not to sin a little bit every day and do as we please expecting to make heaven our home. We are to obey the word of God and seek the will of God at all times. Not to be more saved but because we love God and are already saved.

• Acts 22:16 And now why tarriest thou? arise, and be baptized, and wash away thy sins, calling on the name of the Lord. 

The water itself does not wash away sins but the calling on the name of the Lord will wash away sins. The baptism in water represents what has taken place in the heart of Paul. We can rejoice in this conversion, now the gospel was to be sent to the Gentiles by this man's faithful ministry. 

• 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; 

While I don't go along with all that goes on in these modern times that are claimed to be by the Holy Spirit, not all strange behavior is to be discounted and laid aside as apostate or of the flesh. Here we see Paul was in a trance. He prayed and went into a trance. He heard from God. While I know a lot of things may be for show but there are genuine occurrences of people who "fall out under the power" of the Holy Spirit. If it is not in the bible, we don't have to believe it but some things people are criticizing is in the New Testament whether we like it or not. Paul was in a spiritual trance and heard from God. We must be careful in trying to use discernment that we not become accusers of the brethren and accuse falsely. Barking and making animal sounds is not in the bible as a sign of the Holy Spirit's presence but having visions, dreams, trembling and speaking in tongues is in the New Testament. 

I remember back in the Kentucky Avenue Church of God (Akron Ohio) as a child, I use to see young people go to the front to kneel and pray. Soon some, not all would begin to tremble and shake under the presence of God. Who am I to criticize those that are seeking God in this manner?

I have seen some on the Internet attribute this to something else other than God and it scares me. I grew up in these things and have seen both good and bad things. Some people just get a little excited in the flesh and don't know how to react to the presence of God. That doesn't mean it is not "of God".  Let's use a little compassion and wisdom. 

I do know this: If God's presence came into our midst in a strong powerful way, none of us could stand upright before Him. I threw this in just so we can be careful not to false accuse. We have to discern, we have to check everything out by the word of God but we still have to be careful not to pluck up wheat in the process of trying to remove the tares. 

Walk in love and understanding. Discern but with the heart of God. 

• Acts 22:18 And saw him saying unto me, Make haste, and get thee quickly out of Jerusalem: for they will not receive thy testimony concerning me. 
• 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. 
• 21 And he said unto me, Depart: for I will send thee far hence unto the Gentiles. 

God is so good. Notice in speaking with Paul that Jesus didn't dwell on Paul's past sins of persecuting believers. Once God forgives our sins, they are put away. He doesn't even mention it to Paul. Paul brought up his past sins. Perhaps Paul was hoping that he would be of influence to the Jews in Jerusalem since he was once one of them that persecuted the Christians. He was hoping to change their minds as his mind was changed but Jesus told him that his words would not be received and they would even hate him more than ordinary Christians that did not have a past of persecution others. 

Verse 21 is the words of Jesus that should bring joy to our hearts. Here is where Jesus tells Paul to preach to the Gentiles. We see the heart of Paul was to reach his brethren first but God says to go to the Gentiles and because of that, we today can hear the gospel in our language and in our own land.

• 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. 

This is proof that the Jewish traditional religion had long since left the original law given by Moses and they were now just a religion. They didn't know God and didn't know Jesus. They were stirred up with such hate that they didn't want Paul to live. This is never the fruit of the spirit of God. 

Under the law, Israel was allowed to punish offenders of the law and sometimes with the death penalty. However, this should have been done with mourning and sorrow, not in hate. This judgment under the law was changed with the coming of Jesus. Now we have mercy. The day of mercy is here. None of us could keep the law in all points. Sooner or later we would break one of the commandments and be doomed to hell forever. Christ kept the law in all points and his keeping of the law and fulfilling the sacrificial requirement of the law made the way for all who would believe in Him to escape the judgment of breaking the law and receive the gift of eternal life. 

• Acts 22:23 And as they cried out, and cast off their clothes, and threw dust into the air, 

We can see clearly a wrong spirit here. This is typical of a religious spirit rather than the spirit of God. A person who loves God never desires the death of any person but grieves over the loss of a soul. 

• 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. 
• 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? 
• 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. 
• 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. 
• 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. 

Rome ruled much of the known world at that time. For Jews to arrest a Roman would have been a serious crime and would threaten their safety as a nation. Little did they realize that in less than seventy years, Israel would cease to be a nation until 1948. 

We see later that Paul's arrest leads to his being able to share the gospel of the death and resurrection of Jesus to leaders and rulers in high places. Paul still wanted to reach those that was in the position he once held himself. -DC

Acts 23