Acts 22, Part 1

Paul’s Discourse

Acts 21:40 ESV

40 And when he had given him permission, Paul, standing on the steps, motioned with his hand to the people. And when there was a great hush, he addressed them in the Hebrew language, saying:

The scene is an exciting drama; the Scripture and outline clearly describe what happened, making comments unnecessary. The point to see is God’s hand moving throughout the whole event. As the Scripture and outline points are read, note the power of God flowing through Paul and the miraculous silence that overtakes the mob.

Those who were crying out for his death, suddenly grow silent when Paul speaks to them in their own language - Aramaic - the Hebrew language. What brought the change? What brought the silence? Often times, it is easy to criticize someone who is not there, or will not take up for themselves. It’s when we stop and listen to them…that things change. We listen when we recognize someone is one of our own. Or, at least we give them the chance to speak until we disagree with them, as is the case we will see here.

Acts 22:1–2 ESV

1 “Brothers and fathers, hear the defense that I now make before you.” 2 And when they heard that he was addressing them in the Hebrew language, they became even more quiet. And he said:

Why would Paul want to speak to the mob screaming for his death? Why would he not want the soldiers to simply rescue him and to save his life? The answer is his love and passion for his own people, the Jews.

Paul was willing to face death to save as many of his people as he could. He had been saved, and he knew the truth of the glorious salvation found in the Lord Jesus, and he desperately wanted every Jew to know the same salvation. Note how the love and passion just flowed out of his innermost being as he began to address the crowd. And remember, they had just attacked him and were crying for his blood.

His very first words were, “Men, brothers, and fathers.” He did not shout against them, did not rebuke them nor charge them with a crime. He called them brothers and fathers. The word father was the official title for the leaders of the nation, many of whom were present in the crowd. By using the words brothers and fathers, Paul was appealing to the closest relationship possible—that of a family, which in this case refers to the national family of the Jewish people. He was identifying with them, appealing to them in an attempt to reach them. At the same time, he was revealing his own feelings—the sense, the love he felt for them as the brothers and fathers of his people. Note that he spoke in the Hebrew tongue, that is, in the national language of the Jews.

Acts 22:3–5 ESV

3 “I am a Jew, born in Tarsus in Cilicia, but brought up in this city, educated at the feet of Gamaliel according to the strict manner of the law of our fathers, being zealous for God as all of you are this day. 4 I persecuted this Way to the death, binding and delivering to prison both men and women, 5 as the high priest and the whole council of elders can bear me witness. From them I received letters to the brothers, and I journeyed toward Damascus to take those also who were there and bring them in bonds to Jerusalem to be punished.

It had been about twenty-five years since Paul’s conversion. Although a few would have known about Paul’s past, many in the crowd had no idea who he was.

1. He shared his roots, his personal heritage, that is, the privileges and advantages of his genealogy.

⇒ He was a Jew: not a foreigner, but as much a Jew as any of his listeners. He had been born a Jew.

⇒ He was born in Tarsus but reared in Jerusalem so that he could be educated at the feet of Israel’s greatest teachers. He was brought to Jerusalem while still very young for the purpose of securing the very best education.

⇒ He was educated in the strictest law of the fathers (teachers). Paul had actually been a Pharisee, one of a small sect of men who had totally dedicated their lives to nothing but living out the law.

⇒ He was zealous toward God in keeping the law, as zealous as any Jew. Note: this is a crucial point in understanding Paul. He claimed to have never forsaken the practice and customs of the Mosaic law, not personally. He was as much a practicing Jew in keeping the law and customs as any of his audience

2. Paul shared the early part of his life which was hostile against Christianity

Acts 22:6–11 ESV

6 “As I was on my way and drew near to Damascus, about noon a great light from heaven suddenly shone around me. 7 And I fell to the ground and heard a voice saying to me, ‘Saul, Saul, why are you persecuting me?’ 8 And I answered, ‘Who are you, Lord?’ And he said to me, ‘I am Jesus of Nazareth, whom you are persecuting.’ 9 Now those who were with me saw the light but did not understand the voice of the one who was speaking to me. 10 And I said, ‘What shall I do, Lord?’ And the Lord said to me, ‘Rise, and go into Damascus, and there you will be told all that is appointed for you to do.’ 11 And since I could not see because of the brightness of that light, I was led by the hand by those who were with me, and came into Damascus.

The point to note is Paul’s claim: he claimed to have been saved by the Lord alone, by a personal confrontation with Him. Paul described the event exactly. The new facts presented by Paul in this account are as follows.

⇒ His conversion took place “about noon” (v. 6).

⇒ The words “of Nazareth” are mentioned in the event. By saying that Jesus, the despised Nazarene, was the Lord of heaven is striking.

⇒ The men with him heard a voice speaking, but could not understand the words (v. 9).

⇒ The light was the cause of Paul’s blindness (v. 11).

Thought 1. Paul had just covered his former life which included …

• a great personal heritage in which he boasted

• a great zeal in persecuting the church, priding himself in his zeal, thinking he was pleasing God

He had shared his conversion to Christ which focuses upon a brilliant light that struck him blind. He was stricken physically blind as a symbol to show that he was spiritually blind.

Acts 22:12–16 ESV

12 “And one Ananias, a devout man according to the law, well spoken of by all the Jews who lived there, 13 came to me, and standing by me said to me, ‘Brother Saul, receive your sight.’ And at that very hour I received my sight and saw him. 14 And he said, ‘The God of our fathers appointed you to know his will, to see the Righteous One and to hear a voice from his mouth; 15 for you will be a witness for him to everyone of what you have seen and heard. 16 And now why do you wait? Rise and be baptized and wash away your sins, calling on his name.’

Paul covered both Ananias’ character and his own commission in these verses.

1. Ananias’ character was above reproach. He never would have done anything of a questionable nature, never would have helped Paul if Paul had been an evil man.

⇒ Ananias was devout, that is, a God-fearing man, living by the law of Moses and God.

⇒ Ananias was a reputable man, highly esteemed by all the Jews of Damascus.

⇒ Ananias was a true minister, a true servant sent to help Paul when Paul so desperately needed help. Note he called Paul brother and healed his eyes!

⇒ Ananias was the messenger of God sent to set Paul apart for God’s work.

2. Paul’s call and commission to serve God. Paul spelled out exactly what God had called him to do. Note how the emphasis was upon Paul knowing, seeing, and hearing God personally before he was to reach out to others. This is true with every believer. God expects the believer to know Him first, no matter who the believer is or how important the mission of the believer is. Paul spelled out exactly what God called him to do.

a. To know God’s will: His person, His salvation, His sanctification, His mysteries, His revelation, His commandments—all that is involved in the will of God.

b. To see the Just One: the Messiah, the Son of God Himself, the Sinless One, the Righteous One.

c. To hear the voice of the Just One: knowing Him personally, fellowshipping with, praying and sharing with, being guided and directed by, being instructed by.

d. To be a witness for the Just One to all men.

e. To be baptized.

Thought 1. The same five points are applicable to the call of every believer. Every believer must know, see, and hear the Just One in his heart and life by faith; and he must bear witness to the Lord and be baptized.

Acts 22:17–21 ESV

17 “When I had returned to Jerusalem and was praying in the temple, I fell into a trance 18 and saw him saying to me, ‘Make haste and get out of Jerusalem quickly, because they will not accept your testimony about me.’ 19 And I said, ‘Lord, they themselves know that in one synagogue after another I imprisoned and beat those who believed in you. 20 And when the blood of Stephen your witness was being shed, I myself was standing by and approving and watching over the garments of those who killed him.’ 21 And he said to me, ‘Go, for I will send you far away to the Gentiles.’ ”

Paul’s clear instructions from God through a vision. This event happened about three years after Paul’s conversion (Acts 9:26–29; cp. Gal. 1:18–19). Note four points.

1. Paul was in prayer when the trance came—so lost, so gripped with concern for his people and their hostility toward him that he lost all sense of the world around him. He was swallowed up in the thoughts of God, transported mentally out of this world (see note, pt. 3—Acts 10:9–22 for more discussion). Note: Paul saw Christ in the trance.

2. The Lord’s will was for Paul to get out of Jerusalem. The Jews were seeking to kill him because he was preaching Christ (see notes—Acts 9:26–28; 9:29–30).

3. The argument of Paul against the Lord. Paul felt he was especially qualified to reach the Jews. He had been the arch-persecutor of Christianity, so he felt the Jews would believe him, knowing about his past. They would know that he never would have been converted from such bitter hatred unless he had really seen Christ. But Paul was wrong. The Jews felt he was a traitor.

4. The Lord’s command to Paul was emphatic: “depart,” go! Paul’s mission was not at home; it was elsewhere—to the Gentiles.

Thought 1. Note four points.

1) A man is to fulfill his call, no matter what it is.

2) A man cannot always serve where he wishes.

3) A man is not always accepted by those for whom he cares.

4) When the Lord tells a man to go, he needs to “depart,” to go!

Thought 2. Note how Paul was making the same mistake made twenty-five years earlier, still trying to win the Jews over.

Thought 3. Too many try to stay at home when the Lord has called them to depart and go.

Fasten your seat belt! Here it comes, the hated word which will again unleash the frenzy of this crowd—Gentiles. They seem to listen respectfully throughout the whole conversion narrative, not blinking an eye at two personal conversations with Deity. When Paul claimed that God sent him out of Jerusalem to proclaim a divine message to Gentiles, he stepped beyond the boundaries of their tolerance. So the departure from Jerusalem did not just save Paul’s life, nor did he leave only because people rejected his testimony there. God had a greater duty—far away. The word for “send far away” is exapostelo. One could say Paul became the “out apostle” in contrast to the “in apostles” who stayed at Jerusalem.

This had been Paul’s procedure for years—first to the Jews, then upon their rejection, to the Gentiles. Now he made it clear that God established this pattern long before Paul ever embarked on that first missionary journey from Antioch. The racism of first-century Jews was so rigidly established they could not imagine God’s concern for any other people; therefore, in their view, this former rabbi now spoke blasphemy. Their first impressions must have been right—kill.

The crowd listens intently until they hear the word Gentile. Then they go wild again...

LEADERSHIP MINISTRIES WORLDWIDE: The Acts of the Apostles, The Preacher’s Outline & Sermon Bible. Chattanooga, TN : Leadership Ministries Worldwide, 2003

GANGEL, KENNETH O.: Acts, Holman New Testament Commentary. vol. 5. Nashville, TN : Broadman & Holman Publishers, 1998