Acts 22: Paul’s Imprisonment at Jerusalem

  • Paul’s 2nd account of his conversion found in Acts
  • He stood on the stairs (after his beating) overshadowing the Court of the Gentiles. “Hear my defense…” (V. 6 – 16).
  • It was no secret to anyone that he persecuted Christians before his conversion.
    • An apostle of Christ had to see the resurrected Lord (v.15). Also, see 1 Cor. 9.1; 15.8.
    • “Now why do you delay? Get ups and be baptized and wash away your sins, calling on His name.” (22.16).
      • See Romans chapter 6.1-8; Galatians 3.27;
      • See Acts 2.38; Acts 8. 30 – 39; Acts 10; Acts 16.14-15; 30-34;
      • See Acts 18.8; 1 Peter 3.21; Mark 16.16; Col.2.12;
  • 22.17-21: Paul is sent to the Gentiles
    • V.18: “Make haste and get out of Jerusalem, because they will not accept your testimony about Me.”
      • V.21: “Go! For I will send you far away to the Gentiles.”
      • Paul had argued with the Lord that surely the Jews would accept his explanation. They would not.
      • Paul was to be the apostle to the Gentiles (See Gal.2.7, 8).
  • 22.22-30: A Perplexed Commander
    • V.22: “Away with such a fellow from the earth, for he should not be allowed to live!”
    • The commander ordered him to be brought into the barracks.
    • The Romans were going to scourge him “and get the truth out of him.”
    • Paul asked if it was lawful to scourge (beat) a Roman citizen?
    • Scourging: four or five leather thongs were attached to a stout wooden handle. Imbedded in the thongs were bits of bone and metal. When beaten, it easily exposed muscle and bones. If you survived then you were usually crippled for life; some died.
    • Paul had been beaten many times (See 2 Cor. 11. 24, 25).
  • This torture chamber may have been the same place that Jesus was scourged at the orders of Pilate. See Matt.27.26; Mark 15.15; John 19.1.
  • Paul had insisted on his rights as a citizen of Rome also in Acts 16.37.
  • A third time he does this in Acts 25.11.
  • Many of the rights of being a Roman citizen related to the legal system, including the right to trial, the right to know the charges against oneself, and the right to face one’s accusers (See Acts 25.16). Plus the right to appeal to Rome if one believed that he was not being treated fairly.
  • Applications for you and me:
    • Be Ready: Sooner or later, you will be called upon to defend your faith. Prepare yourself sooner, rather than later.
    • Be courteous: Shortly before this, Paul wrote in Romans 12.17-21—“Never pay back evil for evil to anyone.” “Do not be overcome by evil, but overcome evil with good.” (Not easy to do).
    • Be personal: You may not know all there is to know about the Bible or be able to answer every question that can be asked, but you can tell others how you became a Christian.
    • Remember, your purpose is not to win arguments but to win souls.
    • Be consistent: Your defense can only be convincing if your life is consistent with your words.
    • Be persistent: After you have done your best, do not be disappointed if you fail to convince those who challenged your faith. Paul did not convince the mob. He did not convince in the next four chapters any people but he was doing what God wanted him to do.