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Bro. Otis Fisher
In your Bibles to Acts 22, we have today, in chapter 22, the beginning of Paul's defense.
He later will go to Rome and to other
Jews here where he is. Men, brethren, and fathers, hear ye my defense which
I make now unto you. He touches on his extraction.
He was a Jew born at Tarsus. His education was brought up at the feet of Gamaliel, his profession.
He was zealous toward God, that is, he was one of the sect among the
Jews which were called Zealots, and was very strict and exact in the observation of the law.
And when they heard that he spake in the Hebrew tongue to them, they kept more silence, and he continues.
When they heard that he spake in the Hebrew tongue, he had probably been badmouthed by the
Asian Jews. He was presented as a mere
Gentile that distinguished only by his definite attitude against the
Jewish religion. They were saying all kinds of things. They would say whatever people would hear.
22 .3 I am verily a man which am a
Jew, born in Tarsus, his city in Cilicia, yet brought up in this city at the feet of Gamaliel, and taught according to the perfect manner of the law of the fathers, and was zealous toward God, as ye all are this day.
Paul, making a short declaration of his former life, proves both his calling and doctrine to be from God, that is, his daily hearer.
The reason of this speech is this, those who teach commonly sit at the higher place speaking to their students who sit upon benches beneath, and therefore, he says, at the feet of Gamaliel.
24 .4 And I persecuted this way unto the death, binding and delivering into prisons both men and women.
I persecuted this way. What way is he talking about?
David, did he do this from his zeal toward God?
All right. And he was convinced that he was serving
God. Unto the death, what does that mean,
Dennis? All right.
So this implies that Stephen was not the only martyr.
5. As also the high priest doth bear me witness, and all the estate of the elders from whom also
I received letters unto the brethren, and went to Damascus to bring them which were there bound unto
Jerusalem for this punishment. The high priest.
He says the high priest bears witness that that's a fact. Now, the high priest in A .D.
37, the time Saul of Tarsus was sent to Damascus, was not now a high priest having been disposed by the
Romans. Remember, for a long time it's been at the option of the
Romans, not by blood. But was probably a member of the
Sanhedrin. It's also probable that the present high priest personally knew about all these facts.
There were many present who knew that he had been commissioned a persecutor.
6. And it came to pass, that as I made my journey, and was come nigh unto
Damascus about noon, suddenly there shone from heaven a great light round about me.
Clarence, why did this occur about noon?
Well, we're not told. Greg, what do you think?
That's the conclusion at which I arrived, that it was at noon.
If it had been early in the morning, there could have been those that said it was something else.
But it left no doubt that this bright light, and it was bright, and it shone upon the group at noon.
7. And I fell unto the ground, and heard a voice saying unto me,
Saul, Saul, why persecutest thou me?
Dennis, how was Saul persecuting the Christians? Alright, now, how was he persecuting
Jesus Christ? Alright, is that true today,
Joy? Alright, verse 8.
8. And I answered, Who art thou, Lord? And he said unto me, I am
Jesus of Nazareth, whom thou persecutest. Paul had no trouble,
Clarence, in understanding the Lord. He didn't say, what did you say?
9. And they that were with me saw indeed the light, and were afraid, but they heard not the voice of him that spake to me.
Now, we have a record of some thought it was the angel speaking, or thunder, or something.
David, what took place when Paul says, they did not, well, bear with me a minute.
They heard not the voice of him that spake to me. What does the word heard mean?
That's exactly right. They did not hear with understanding. They heard something, but it was not intelligible to them.
Clarence, did you have your hand up? Yes. No.
That's right. Now, Greg, as Paul made his way to Damascus to persecute these people, was he expecting to become a
Christian? No. So Paul was not looking for salvation.
All right. Clarence, were you looking for salvation when it occurred?
How many were looking for salvation when you got saved? How many were not?
That's the way it works. When is the saving?
Before or after you know it. Before you know it, you're saved.
And I said, what? What? Yes. And I said, what shall
I do, Lord? And the Lord said unto me, Arise, and go into Damascus, and there it shall be told thee of all things which are appointed for thee to do.
Clarence, why wasn't Paul instructed right then as to what he was going to have to do?
That's a good point. Although Christ converted and saved
Saul, yet Ananias had his ministry.
He must instruct Paul just as we were instructed by somebody.
It gives purpose to somebody. It's a singular favor to have the mind of God made known to us by men like ourselves.
The title given by Ananias to Saul was brother.
Now, can you imagine, Greg, when this was revealed to Ananias before he came to Paul, what he felt going to this notorious murderer and call him brother?
What did he feel? Yes. They were brethren by faith.
They owned the same God, united in the same
Savior, by the same Spirit, engaged by the same promises.
They were partakers of the same hope and heirs of the same glory. But Ananias didn't know it, and Paul certainly didn't know it.
Now, as the scripture speaks of a brotherhood between Christ and believers, and he's not ashamed to call us brethren, so it speaks of a brotherhood between believers themselves.
Well, Ananias acquaints Saul with the special favor which God intended for him.
The God of our fathers hath chosen thee, or taken thee by the hand, as the word signifies, that thou shouldest know his will, and that you would see that just one.
So he calls the blessed Jesus to convince them of their sin and putting him to death.
Now, that's all coming. He put Christ to death, not only for our sins, but to be able to restore all of his creation.
The advice which Ananias gives to this new convert, to take upon him the badge of Christianity, where true faith is, together with the profession of their salvation, is all promised in one package.
11. And when I could not see for the glory of that light being led by the hand of them that were with me,
I came into Damascus. Now, Joy, you were in the place of one of those soldiers.
You had to take Paul by the hand. Now, this was absolutely unheard of.
And one Ananias, a devout man according to the law, having a good report of all of the
Jews which dwelt there, One would not know from this description of Ananias that he was a
Christian at all, the apostle object being to hold him up as an exceptional man.
13. Came unto me, and stood, and said unto me, Brother Saul, receive thy sight.
And the same hour I looked upon him. Ananias does exactly as the
Lord had instructed him, even though maybe he didn't have any fear in his heart.
I don't know, but he did it. 14. And he said,
The God of our fathers hath chosen thee that thou shouldest know his will, and see that just one, and shouldest hear the voice of his mouth.
David, and see that just one. Who is that?
Jesus the Christ. You notice just and one have capital letters.
Well, persecutors of Christ and his cause are sometimes made a friend of Christ.
We know that. 15.
For thou shalt be his witness unto all men of what thou hast seen and heard.
16. And now, why tarryst thou? Arise, and be baptized, and wash away thy sins, calling on the name of the
Lord. And it came to pass, that when I was come again to Jerusalem, even while I prayed in the temple,
I was in a trance. Now, in 16, he says, why do you tarry here?
Arise, and be baptized, and wash away thy sins.
David, explain that to me. Why did
Paul need to do this? Why did he receive the instructions?
And I said, why do you tarry here? Then he tells him, arise, be baptized, wash away your sins, calling on the name of the
Lord. Why was that injected into Paul's experience at this time?
That's so true. Yes. You mean his life had changed at this point?
I think so too. Alright.
Yes. That's right.
He showed the change immediately. And that pleased the Lord. And it came to pass, that when
I was come again to Jerusalem, even while I prayed in the temple,
I was in a trance. Now, this teaches us several things.
It teaches to lay aside all of our carnal reasonings, vain pretenses, when once the call and command of God is clear, no longer objects but instantly obeys.
We may safely follow God blindfolded when we have the assurance that we are following.
18. And saw him, Jesus, saying unto me, make haste, get thee quickly out of Jerusalem, for they will not receive thy testimony concerning me.
Now, Greg, he is told by the Lord to leave Jerusalem very quickly.
His own countrymen, those that he left, he was in high esteem.
And when he returns, they won't receive him. They regarded him as an apostate.
And I said, Lord, they know that I am prisoned and beat in every synagogue them that believed on thee.
Why are you talking to me as such as this? This shows what an active instrument
Saul of Tarsus was in the hands of the persecuting priesthood, and how very generally the followers of Christ were persecuted, and how difficult it was at this time to profess
Christianity. We cannot imagine living in this country what it's like to be a
Christian in the East. It's getting worse every day.
And when the blood of thy martyr Stephen was shed, I also was standing by and consenting unto his death, and kept the raiment of them that slew him.
You know, in Moses' life, what one physical thing did he remember forever?
The burning bush. I think the stoning of Stephen was to Paul the same thing.
He never forgot that. Well, Stephen was murdered by a bunch of cutthroats.
And he said unto me, Depart, for I will send thee far hence unto the
Gentiles. This was the particular appointment of Paul.
He is to be an ambassador to the Gentiles, an apostle, if you please, to the
Gentiles. For though he preached frequently in the synagogues and to the
Jews, yet to preach the gospel to the
Gentiles and to write for the conversion and establishment of the
Gentile world was his particular destiny.
Knowing Paul's life, it's hard for me at this point to forget that and just walk with Paul.
And they gave him audience unto this word. Now, when he mentioned
Gentiles and then lifted up their voices and said, Away with such a fellow from the earth, for it is not fit that he should live.
When he mentioned the Gentiles. Why was that, Greg? When Paul, in verse 21, when he's quoting
Jesus, For I will send thee far hence unto the Gentiles.
This bunch of Jews that he's speaking to were listening until that point.
That's right. David, is there anybody that you should not preach to?
No. And they gave him audience until this word.
And they said he shouldn't live. They were ready to kill him. They thought the
Gentiles were less than a dog. And they didn't like dogs.
And as they cried out and cast off their clothes and threw dust in the air.
Greg, why did they throw dust in the air? Dwayne or Dennis?
What do you do when you get mad?
You shouldn't get mad. The chief captain commanded him to be brought into the castle and bade that he should be examined by scourging.
That he might know wherefore they cried so against him.
Well, the chief captain did not understand the Hebrew language.
He didn't understand what Paul was saying. He was just going by the actions.
He was ignorant of the charge brought against Paul. Ignorant also of the defense which the apostle had made.
And as he saw that they grew more and more outrageous. He supposed that Paul must have given them the highest provocation.
And therefore he determined to put him to the torture. Now they had racks, they had everything up in the castle.
In order to find out the nature of his crime. The practice of putting people to the rack in order to make them confess has to the disgrace of human nature existed in all countries.
Greg, explain a rack to me. What is a rack? That makes my joints hurt.
25. And as they bound him with thongs, Paul said unto the centurion that stood by.
And this is the statement that sent Paul to Rome. Is it lawful for you to scourge a man that is a
Roman and uncondemned? They were going to tie him to a post that they may scourge him.
The Roman law absolutely forbid the binding of a Roman citizen. Now what do you think?
David, should Paul have said what he did? Should we do the same?
When the centurion heard that, he went and told the chief captain.
Saying, take heed what thou doest, for this man is a
Roman. Then the chief captain came and said unto him, tell me, art thou a
Roman, he said. He said, yea.
And the chief captain answered, with a great sum I obtained my freedom.
And Paul said, but I was born free. The officer states that he had bought his citizenship himself.
He was not of Roman birth. He was an alien.
But by a heavy bribe had obtained Roman rights. This was not uncommon in the corrupt period of the
Roman government. Paul says, I was born free.
His father before had been a Roman citizen. Whether he inherited it also or had in some way secured the right is unknown.
If any wonder how a Jew could be a Roman, let them look around today and see
Jews, German, Irish, and so forth, who are American citizens.
Twenty -nine, then straightway they departed from him which should have examined him.
And the chief captain also was afraid after he knew that he was a
Roman and because he had bound him. He thought he had gone one step too far.
On the morrow, because he would have known the certainty whereof he was accused of the
Jews, he loosed him from his bands and commanded the chief priests and all their council to appear and brought
Paul down and set him before them. Well, he desired the
Jewish council. What other word do we have for this, Greg? Sanhedrin, to assemble and examine the business thoroughly that he might know of what the
Apostle was accused as the law would not permit him to proceed against a
Roman in any judicial way but on the clearest evidence and as he understood that the cause of their enmity was something that concerned in their religion.
He didn't know anything about that. He considered the Sanhedrin to be the most proper judge and therefore commanded them to be assembled.
No doubt that he himself and a sufficient number of soldiers took care to attend as the person of Paul could not be safe in the hands of the persons that were so against him, so enraged.
All right, you have questions now over anything up through 22?
All right, Greg, it's good to have you back.