Paul's words to the mob

Commander of the garrison (Claudius) there heard about the commotion and dispatched troops to keep the peace and he saved Paul and took him bound in chains to the garrison.

Claudius had interrogated the people and could come to no understanding since everything did not match up (surprise, surprise, we have seen that before we Jesus)

The crowd cried out to “be away with him!”

Paul seeks permission to address the angry mob (Act21:37-40)

Now so that we may see the flow of things I believe it best we now start from here as a reminder then look at what Paul had to say.

Acts 21:37–38 NASB95

37 As Paul was about to be brought into the barracks, he said to the commander, “May I say something to you?” And he said, “Do you know Greek? 38 “Then you are not the Egyptian who some time ago stirred up a revolt and led the four thousand men of the Assassins out into the wilderness?”

Acts 21:39–40 NASB95

39 But Paul said, “I am a Jew of Tarsus in Cilicia, a citizen of no insignificant city; and I beg you, allow me to speak to the people.” 40 When he had given him permission, Paul, standing on the stairs, motioned to the people with his hand; and when there was a great hush, he spoke to them in the Hebrew dialect, saying,

(Transition) So, Paul an educated man, a polite man, a direct man is going to address the angry mob. He goes from speaking Greek to Claudius to now speaking in Hebrew dialect to the mob (this could be in Hebrew itself or in Aramaic the language of the land there).

Paul’s defense

Paul’s defense to the mob who wants to “do away with him” is not to argue with them, debate with them but to relate with them. He relates his story, his testimony to them.

Paul’s defense in using his testimony stresses his identity as a Jew.

Paul’s defense also is a paradox for it shows his separation from them as a Christian too.

So the paradox here is he identifies with them and he is also separated from them. Just like Christians today we can identify with the world but we are separated from the world because of Christ too, no longer walking as the world walks.

(Transition) so now let’s look at the scripture together, glean from it and then will look at a few things about his early life, and his conversion, his then his vision. It is a long passage so we will break it up some along the way.

Paul’s testimony

His early life (Act22:1-5)

His conversion (Act22:6-16)

His vision (Act22:17-21)

Words to the mob - early life

Your testimony can help to lead people to know the hope that is in you, but it cannot save. Paul is sharing his testimony to open the door for the gospel not in lieu of the gospel.

Acts 22:1–2 NASB95

1 “Brethren and fathers, hear my defense which I now offer to you.” 2 And when they heard that he was addressing them in the Hebrew dialect, they became even more quiet; and he said,

Acts 22:3 NASB95

3 “I am a Jew, born in Tarsus of Cilicia, but brought up in this city, educated under Gamaliel, strictly according to the law of our fathers, being zealous for God just as you all are today.

Acts 22:4–5 NASB95

4 “I persecuted this Way to the death, binding and putting both men and women into prisons, 5 as also the high priest and all the Council of the elders can testify. From them I also received letters to the brethren, and started off for Damascus in order to bring even those who were there to Jerusalem as prisoners to be punished.

What do you see, what do you notice, what sticks out to you?

(Insert gleaning from the scripture picture here)

Question: We have this mob that wants to kill him but look how Paul addresses them (v.1); what does he call them?

He calls them brethren and fathers.

Question: Paul identifies with them more in (v.3) by saying what?

He was zealous for God, just as they are today.

Question: He illustrates his zealous nature in (v.5); what is the illustration used?

He was authorized by High Priest, and Council of elders to bring those of the way as prisoners to be punished.

Paul relates by identifying himself as a Jew, he gives his pedigree, including his discipleship under a respected teacher of the law, Gamaliel.

It is interesting that Paul is not accusing them of participating in the riot but commends them for being zealous toward God, just as he was.

Paul’s early life

You find more information on his zealous nature (Php3:1-6)

Paul in writing to the church at Philippi warns them and reminds them and you can see his love and his nature prior to his conversion even by again using his pedigree.

Philippians 3:5–6 NASB95

5 circumcised the eighth day, of the nation of Israel, of the tribe of Benjamin, a Hebrew of Hebrews; as to the Law, a Pharisee; 6 as to zeal, a persecutor of the church; as to the righteousness which is in the Law, found blameless.

His persecution of the Way (Act8:3, 26:9-11)

Paul ravaging the church, dragging people off to put them in prison (Act8:3)

He did many things hostile to the name of Jesus

Acts 26:9–10 NASB95

9 “So then, I thought to myself that I had to do many things hostile to the name of Jesus of Nazareth. 10 “And this is just what I did in Jerusalem; not only did I lock up many of the saints in prisons, having received authority from the chief priests, but also when they were being put to death I cast my vote against them.

Acts 26:11 NASB95

11 “And as I punished them often in all the synagogues, I tried to force them to blaspheme; and being furiously enraged at them, I kept pursuing them even to foreign cities.

His authority against people of the way (Act9:1-2)

(Transition) so you can see how he can relate to them. They were zealous, he was zealous. now we get to the conversion.

Words to the mob- His conversion

Paul’s conversion actually plays out in two parts, his heart then his soul. His heart on the road, and his very soul when in Damascus. While there is a point to salvation there are parts of our conversion, leading to our conversion.

Paul’s heart on the road to Damascus (Act22:6-11)

Paul’s salvation in city of Damascus (Act22:12-16)

Acts 22:6–7 NASB95

6 “But it happened that as I was on my way, approaching Damascus about noontime, a very bright light suddenly flashed from heaven all around me, 7 and I fell to the ground and heard a voice saying to me, ‘Saul, Saul, why are you persecuting Me?’

Acts 22:8–9 NASB95

8 “And I answered, ‘Who are You, Lord?’ And He said to me, ‘I am Jesus the Nazarene, whom you are persecuting.’ 9 “And those who were with me saw the light, to be sure, but did not understand the voice of the One who was speaking to me.

Acts 22:10–11 NASB95

10 “And I said, ‘What shall I do, Lord?’ And the Lord said to me, ‘Get up and go on into Damascus, and there you will be told of all that has been appointed for you to do.’ 11 “But 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.

What do you see, what do you notice, what sticks out to you?

Gleaning from the scripture

Just a few quick things to pull, not the obvious ones you may already know and be able to recite.

Question: those who were with Paul (v.9) what did they see, what did the hear?

They saw the light , they heard the voice, but could not understand it.

Question: What was Paul’s response in (v.10), what did it prove?

He asked what shall I do Lord. He acknowledges Jesus as the Lord.

I know there is more that can be pulled from that, but you see part of Paul’s conversion, from persecutor of Jesus to one who now calls Jesus Lord.

Now onto the next part of his conversion

Paul’s salvation in city of Damascus (Act22:12-16)

Acts 22:12–13 NASB95

12 “A certain Ananias, a man who was devout by the standard of the Law, and well spoken of by all the Jews who lived there, 13 came to me, and standing near said to me, ‘Brother Saul, receive your sight!’ And at that very time I looked up at him.

Acts 22:14–15 NASB95

14 “And he said, ‘The God of our fathers has appointed you to know His will and to see the Righteous One and to hear an utterance from His mouth. 15 ‘For you will be a witness for Him to all men of what you have seen and heard.

Acts 22:16 NASB95

16 ‘Now why do you delay? Get up and be baptized, and wash away your sins, calling on His name.’

What do you see, what do you notice, what sticks out to you?

Gleaning from the scripture

Question: How was Ananias a devout man (v.12)?

He was devout by the standard of the Law.

Interesting he is a Christian that was devout to the Law.

Question: Ananias told Paul to receive his sight (v.13) and in (v.14) what does he tell him is going to happen to him?

To come to know the will of the Righteous one and to hear the utterance (words) from His mouth.

Question: What was Paul going to be a witness of (v.15)?

All that you have seen and heard,

Question: Look at the wording in (v.16) when are the sins washed away?

At being baptized and calling on His name.

It was not on the road that Saul was saved, his view, his heart changed, but the salvation did not happen until he was in Damascus and was baptized calling on His name.

So we need to park here for a few minutes now and unpack this powerful section of scripture; we need to bring in the original conversion story of Paul some.

Acts 9:5–6 NASB95

5 And he said, “Who are You, Lord?” And He said, “I am Jesus whom you are persecuting, 6 but get up and enter the city, and it will be told you what you must do.”

Saul was going to have to do something and he was not going to know what needed to be done until he got to the city, the city of Damascus.

There were instructions given; things that must be done (Act9:5-6; Act22:16; Ref: Act9:9, 11, 2:38; 10:48)

Saul from the road experience spent three days in prayer and fasting

Acts 9:9 NASB95

9 And he was three days without sight, and neither ate nor drank.

and then the praying

Acts 9:11 NASB95

11 And the Lord said to him, “Get up and go to the street called Straight, and inquire at the house of Judas for a man from Tarsus named Saul, for he is praying,

So we have a surrender to God’s will

So even faith, prayer and fasting did not save Saul.

The Lord told Paul he would be told what to do (go back to (9:6) and Ananaias is the one the Lord uses to tell him (Act22:16)

There was a telling what to do to the Jews on Pentecost by Peter (Act2:38) also can see the Gentiles ( Act10:46)

It is at baptism that man comes in contact with the blood of Jesus and that washes away the sins (Rom6:3-7; Col2:12-13) .

Romans 6:3–4 NASB95

3 Or do you not know that all of us who have been baptized into Christ Jesus have been baptized into His death? 4 Therefore we have been buried with Him through baptism into death, so that as Christ was raised from the dead through the glory of the Father, so we too might walk in newness of life.

Romans 6:5–7 NASB95

5 For if we have become united with Him in the likeness of His death, certainly we shall also be in the likeness of His resurrection, 6 knowing this, that our old self was crucified with Him, in order that our body of sin might be done away with, so that we would no longer be slaves to sin; 7 for he who has died is freed from sin.

and into that

Colossians 2:12–13 NASB95

12 having been buried with Him in baptism, in which you were also raised up with Him through faith in the working of God, who raised Him from the dead. 13 When you were dead in your transgressions and the uncircumcision of your flesh, He made you alive together with Him, having forgiven us all our transgressions,

(Transition) We still have not gotten to the calling part, calling on His name.

Consider this. Peter said to repent and be baptized (Act2:38); Ananias said be baptized calling on his name (Act22:16)

Calling on the name of the Lord, His name (Act22:16; Act2:21; Rom10:13)

with Peter the calling was being baptized

with Ananias it is being baptized now look at Rom10:13

Romans 10:13 NASB95

13 for “Whoever will call on the name of the Lord will be saved.”

So calling is a part of salvation, but what is the calling? How is there a calling? Consider that Peter say’s here

1 Peter 3:21 NASB95

21 Corresponding to that, baptism now saves you—not the removal of dirt from the flesh, but an appeal to God for a good conscience—through the resurrection of Jesus Christ,

Baptism, is calling baptism by faith, an appeal, a calling to God for a good conscience? - just something to think about.

(Transition) we still have not gotten to the vision, that part of Paul’s testimony that set the stage for why he is making this defense now and will again in the future before Sanhedrin (Act23); Felix (Act24); Festus (Act25) and then King Agrippa (Act26)

Words to mob: His Vision

This part of the testimony is from a time after his conversion when he was in Jerusalem, we know he did not go to Jerusalem for several years after his conversion (Gal1:18) but it was an important thing that transpired.

Galatians 1:18 NASB95

18 Then three years later I went up to Jerusalem to become acquainted with Cephas, and stayed with him fifteen days.

So now the scripture and a few things to grab from it before we close tonight

Acts 22:17–18 NASB95

17 “It happened when I returned to Jerusalem and was praying in the temple, that I fell into a trance, 18 and I saw Him saying to me, ‘Make haste, and get out of Jerusalem quickly, because they will not accept your testimony about Me.’

Acts 22:19–20 NASB95

19 “And I said, ‘Lord, they themselves understand that in one synagogue after another I used to imprison and beat those who believed in You. 20 ‘And when the blood of Your witness Stephen was being shed, I also was standing by approving, and watching out for the coats of those who were slaying him.’

Acts 22:21 NASB95

21 “And He said to me, ‘Go! For I will send you far away to the Gentiles.’ ”

(Insert Pauls trance picture here)

Things to get this this passage,’

Paul has a vision while praying in the temple and see’s and hears the Lord (vv.17-18)

Paul is given direction and a reason for the direction (v.18)

Without haste Paul is told to go for the Jews were not going to accept his word, his testimony.

Paul tries to reason with the Lord (vv.19-20)

Paul tries to reason with the Lord, hey they know me, they know what I used to do in persecuting the church and even participated in Stephen’s death. There is no one better than me to do it.

Sometimes the best man for the job is someone else than what you expect.

Think of Moses (speech impediment); Joseph (dreamer; youngest at the time); Gideon (least of the tribes) and now Paul to the Gentiles whom he previously persecuted.

The Lord directs him again tells him who he is going to now (v.21)

You will have to come back next week to see where Paul’s words to the mob take things, that or read ahead in your bible (vv.22-30) for next week