17 And G1161 it came to pass, G1096 that, when I G3427 was come again G5290 to G1519 Jerusalem, G2419 even G2532 while I G3450 prayed G4336 in G1722 the temple, G2411 I G3165 was G1096 in G1722 a trance; G1611
It is G4851 not G3756 expedient G4851 for me G3427 doubtless G1211 to glory. G2744 G1063 I will come G2064 to G1519 visions G3701 and G2532 revelations G602 of the Lord. G2962 I knew G1492 a man G444 in G1722 Christ G5547 above G4253 fourteen G1180 years G2094 ago, G4253 (whether G1535 in G1722 the body, G4983 I cannot G3756 tell; G1492 or whether G1535 out G1622 of the body, G4983 I cannot G3756 tell: G1492 God G2316 knoweth;) G1492 such an one G5108 caught up G726 to G2193 the third G5154 heaven. G3772 And G2532 I knew G1492 such G5108 a man, G444 (whether G1535 in G1722 the body, G4983 or G1535 out G1622 of the body, G4983 I cannot G3756 tell: G1492 God G2316 knoweth;) G1492 How that G3754 he was caught up G726 into G1519 paradise, G3857 and G2532 heard G191 unspeakable G731 words, G4487 which G3739 it is G1832 not G3756 lawful G1832 for a man G444 to utter. G2980
And G1161 when Saul G4569 was come G3854 to G1519 Jerusalem, G2419 he assayed G3987 to join himself G2853 to the disciples: G3101 but G2532 they were G5399 all G3956 afraid G5399 of him, G846 and believed G4100 not G3361 that G3754 he was G2076 a disciple. G3101 But G1161 Barnabas G921 took G1949 him, G846 and brought G71 him to G4314 the apostles, G652 and G2532 declared G1334 unto them G846 how G4459 he had seen G1492 the Lord G2962 in G1722 the way, G3598 and G2532 that G3754 he had spoken G2980 to him, G846 and G2532 how G4459 he had preached boldly G3955 at G1722 Damascus G1154 in G1722 the name G3686 of Jesus. G2424 And G2532 he was G2258 with G3326 them G846 coming in G1531 and G2532 going out G1607 at G1722 Jerusalem. G2419
G1161 On the morrow, G1887 as they G1565 went on their journey, G3596 and G2532 drew nigh G1448 unto the city, G4172 Peter G4074 went up G305 upon G1909 the housetop G1430 to pray G4336 about G4012 the sixth G1623 hour: G5610 And G1161 he became G1096 very hungry, G4361 and G2532 would G2309 have eaten: G1089 but G1161 while they G1565 made ready, G3903 he G846 fell G1968 into G1909 a trance, G1611
But G235 shewed G518 G518 first G4412 unto them of G1722 Damascus, G1154 and G2532 at Jerusalem, G2414 and G5037 throughout G1519 all G3956 the coasts G5561 of Judaea, G2449 and G2532 then to the Gentiles, G1484 that they should repent G3340 and G2532 turn G1994 to G1909 God, G2316 and do G4238 works G2041 meet G514 for repentance. G3341
Worthy.Bible » Commentaries » Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible » Commentary on Acts 22
Commentary on Acts 22 Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible
CHAPTER 22
Ac 22:1-30. Paul's Defense from the Stairs of the Fortress—The Rage of the Audience Bursting Forth, the Commandant Has Him Brought into the Fort to Be Examined by Scourging, but Learning that He Is a Roman, He Orders His Release and Commands the Sanhedrin to Try Him.
2. when they heard … the Hebrew tongue—(See on Ac 21:40).
they kept the more silence—They could have understood him in Greek, and doubtless fully expected the renegade to address them in that language, but the sound of their holy mother tongue awed them into deeper silence.
3. a Jew of Tarsus, brought up in this city, at the feet—(See on Lu 10:39).
of Gamaliel—(See on Ac 5:34); a fact of great importance in the apostle's history, standing in the same relation to his future career as Moses' education in the Egyptian court to the work for which he was destined.
the perfect manner of the law of the fathers—the strictest form of traditional Judaism.
zealous—"a zealot."
toward God as ye all are this day—his own former murderous zeal against the disciples of the Lord Jesus being merely reflected in their present treatment of himself.
4. I persecuted, &c.—(See on Ac 9:1,2; Ac 9:5-7).
5. the high priest—still alive.
doth bear me witness, and all the estate of the elders—the whole Sanhedrim.
8. Jesus of Nazareth—the Nazarene. See on Ac 9:5.
9-11. they that were with me—(See on Ac 9:7, &c.)
12. Ananias, a devout man, according to the law, having a good report of all the Jews which dwelt there—One would not know from this description of Ananias that he was a Christian at all, the apostles object being to hold him up as unexceptionable, even to the most rigid Jews.
13-15. The God of our fathers hath chosen thee—studiously linking the new economy upon the old, as but the sequel of it; both having one glorious Author.
14. that thou shouldest … see that—"the"
Just One—compare Ac 3:14; 7:52.
hear the voice of his mouth—in order to place him on a level with the other apostles, who had "seen the [risen] Lord."
16. be baptized and wash away thy sins—This way of speaking arises from baptism being the visible seal of remission.
calling on the name of the Lord—rather, "having called," that is, after having done so; referring to the confession of Christ which preceded baptism, as Ac 8:37.
17-21. it came to pass, &c.—This thrilling dialogue between the glorified Redeemer and his chosen vessel is nowhere else related.
when I was come again to Jerusalem—on the occasion mentioned in Ac 9:26-29.
while I prayed in the temple—He thus calls their attention to the fact that after his conversion he kept up his connection with the temple as before.
18. get … quickly out of Jerusalem—compare Ac 9:29.
for they will not receive thy testimony … And I said, Lord, they know, &c.—"Can it be, Lord, that they will resist the testimony of one whom they knew so well as among the bitterest of all against Thy disciples, and whom nothing short of resistless evidence could have turned to Thee?"
21. depart for I will send thee far hence unto the Gentiles—that is, "Enough; thy testimony is not to be thrown away upon Jerusalem; the Gentiles, afar off, are thy peculiar sphere."
22, 23. gave him audience to this word … then … Away with such a fellow from the earth, &c.—Their national prejudices lashed into fury at the mention of a mission to the Gentiles, they would speedily have done to him as they did to Stephen, but for the presence and protection of the Roman officer.
24-26. examined by scourging—according to the Roman practice.
that he might know wherefore they cried so—Paul's speech being to him in an unknown tongue, he concluded from the horror which it kindled in the vast audience that he must have been guilty of some crime.
25. Paul said to the centurion that stood by—to superintend the torture and receive the confession expected to be wrung from him.
Is it lawful for you to scourge a man that is a Roman, &c.—See on Ac 16:37.
27-29. art thou a Roman?—showing that this being of Tarsus, which he had told him before (Ac 21:39) did not necessarily imply that he was a Roman citizen.
28. With a great sum obtained I this freedom—Roman citizenship was bought and sold in the reign of Claudius, we know, at a high price: at a subsequent date, for next to nothing. But to put in a false claim to this privilege was a capital crime.
I was free born—born to it, by purchase, or in reward of services, on the part of his father or some ancestor.
29. chief captain also was afraid, &c.—See on Ac 16:38.
30. commanded the chief priests and all their council to appear—that is, the Sanhedrim to be formally convened. Note here the power to order a Sanhedrim to try this case, assumed by the Roman officers and acquiesced in on their part.