Acts 22:21-23
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To Boldly Go
To Boldly Go
Star Trek
Where we ended with Paul stating
21 And he said to me, ‘Go, for I will send you far away to the Gentiles.’ ”
As we continue
22 Up to this word they listened to him. Then they raised their voices and said, “Away with such a fellow from the earth! For he should not be allowed to live.”
23 And as they were shouting and throwing off their cloaks and flinging dust into the air,
24 the tribune ordered him to be brought into the barracks, saying that he should be examined by flogging, to find out why they were shouting against him like this.
25 But when they had stretched him out for the whips, Paul said to the centurion who was standing by, “Is it lawful for you to flog a man who is a Roman citizen and uncondemned?”
26 When the centurion heard this, he went to the tribune and said to him, “What are you about to do? For this man is a Roman citizen.”
27 So the tribune came and said to him, “Tell me, are you a Roman citizen?” And he said, “Yes.”
28 The tribune answered, “I bought this citizenship for a large sum.” Paul said, “But I am a citizen by birth.”
29 So those who were about to examine him withdrew from him immediately, and the tribune also was afraid, for he realized that Paul was a Roman citizen and that he had bound him.
The Jews reject Paul
away from the earth
should not be allowed to live
nearing violent behavior as they tear their clothes and kick up dust
Paul turns to his Roman roots
Tribune ordered flogging
Centurian heard Paul’s appeal to Roman citizenship
two ways for citizenship (Tribune - Purchase or Paul - Birth)
Paul Testifies to the counsel
30 But on the next day, desiring to know the real reason why he was being accused by the Jews, he unbound him and commanded the chief priests and all the council to meet, and he brought Paul down and set him before them.
1 And looking intently at the council, Paul said, “Brothers, I have lived my life before God in all good conscience up to this day.”
2 And the high priest Ananias commanded those who stood by him to strike him on the mouth.
3 Then Paul said to him, “God is going to strike you, you whitewashed wall! Are you sitting to judge me according to the law, and yet contrary to the law you order me to be struck?”
4 Those who stood by said, “Would you revile God’s high priest?”
5 And Paul said, “I did not know, brothers, that he was the high priest, for it is written, ‘You shall not speak evil of a ruler of your people.’ ”
Paul testifies of how he lived his life in accordance to God’s will
Paul Rebukes the High Priest
Whitewashed Wall - Eze 13:10-12
10 Precisely because they have misled my people, saying, ‘Peace,’ when there is no peace, and because, when the people build a wall, these prophets smear it with whitewash,
11 say to those who smear it with whitewash that it shall fall! There will be a deluge of rain, and you, O great hailstones, will fall, and a stormy wind break out.
12 And when the wall falls, will it not be said to you, ‘Where is the coating with which you smeared it?’
13 Therefore thus says the Lord God: I will make a stormy wind break out in my wrath, and there shall be a deluge of rain in my anger, and great hailstones in wrath to make a full end.
When Paul calls Ananias a Whitewashed wall He is calling him False Teacher, someone who has misled the people
The People are shocked at how Paul spoke that Paul spoke of the High Priest in this manner.
Paul claims he didn’t know that he was talking to the High Priest.
6 Now when Paul perceived that one part were Sadducees and the other Pharisees, he cried out in the council, “Brothers, I am a Pharisee, a son of Pharisees. It is with respect to the hope and the resurrection of the dead that I am on trial.”
7 And when he had said this, a dissension arose between the Pharisees and the Sadducees, and the assembly was divided.
8 For the Sadducees say that there is no resurrection, nor angel, nor spirit, but the Pharisees acknowledge them all.
9 Then a great clamor arose, and some of the scribes of the Pharisees’ party stood up and contended sharply, “We find nothing wrong in this man. What if a spirit or an angel spoke to him?”
10 And when the dissension became violent, the tribune, afraid that Paul would be torn to pieces by them, commanded the soldiers to go down and take him away from among them by force and bring him into the barracks.
11 The following night the Lord stood by him and said, “Take courage, for as you have testified to the facts about me in Jerusalem, so you must testify also in Rome.”
Divisions among the council
Sadduccees and Pharisees equal Liberal versus conservative
Pharisee’s hung tightly to the tradition of the Law
In this the Pharisee’s acknowledged Resurrections, angels and spirit
Sadduccees were more willing to modify the laws and known for more severe and harsh punishments.
In this the Sadduccees denied resurrections, angels and spirits
The two extremes became violent and Paul was removed.
God’s message to Paul
Testified to the facts about God
Spoke the truth
Sent to Rome
What are the lessons for us in this Story
It’s Okay to be rejected by the world
There are False Prophets in the church
Reject False prophets
Reject divisions
Speak Truth wherever God sends us
