Paul Addresses the Jews
TRANSLATION
(1) (Paul said,) “Brothers and fathers, listen now to my defense.” (2) When they heard him speaking to them in Aramaic, they became quiet. (3) “I am a Jew, born in Tarsus in Cilicia, but brought up in this city. I studied at the feet of Gamaliel and was thoroughly trained in the Law of our ancestors. I was just as zealous for God as all of you are today. (4) I persecuted followers of the Way to their death, arresting and sending both men and women to prison, (5) as the high priest and all the elders can testify. From them I received letters to the brothers in Damascus where I journeyed in order to bring back to Jerusalem those who were there as prisoners to be punished.
(6) “It so happened on my journey that, as I approached Damascus at about noon, a great light from heaven suddenly surrounded me. (7) 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) Those who were with me saw the light but did not understand the words he spoke to me. (10) I asked, ‘What should I do, Lord?’ And the Lord said to me, ‘Get up and go into Damascus. There you will be told all that I want you to do.’ (11) My companions had to lead me by the hand into Damascus because the brilliance of the light had blinded me. (12) Ananias, a devout man who kept the Law and was respected by all the Jews who lived there, (13) came to me. Standing next to me he said, ‘Brother Saul, receive your sight.’ And in that very moment I was able to see him. (14) He said, ‘The God of our ancestors has chosen you to know his will, to see the Righteous One, and to hear the voice from his mouth. (15) You will be a witness for him of all that you have seen and heard. (16) Now, what are you waiting for? Get up, be baptized to wash away your sins, and call on his name.’
(17) “When I returned to Jerusalem and was praying in the temple, I fell into a trance (18) and heard the Lord speaking to me. He said, ‘Quick! You must leave Jerusalem right now because they will not accept your testimony about me.’ (19) I said, ‘Lord, they know that I went from synagogue to synagogue to imprison and beat all who believed in you. (20) When the blood of your martyr, Stephen, was shed, I stood there in agreement, guarding the clothing of those who killed him.’ (21) But he said to me, ‘Go, for I will send you far away to the Gentiles.’”
(22) The crowd listened to Paul until he said this word. At that they raised their voices and shouted, “Rid the earth of this man! He must not be allowed to live!” (23) And as they shouted, they threw off their garments and flung dust into the air. (24) The commander ordered that Paul be brought into the barracks to be flogged and interrogated in order to find out why the crowd was shouting at him like this.
OBSERVATIONS
Luke recorded for us the defense that Paul offered when the Roman commander allowed him to address the Jews who had been about to kill him in the temple precincts. Many repetitions help us grasp the thrust of his message: “brothers/brother” (vss. 1 & 13), “Jew/Jews” and “Law” (both twice in vss. 3 & 12), “Damascus” (four times in vss. 5, 6, 10, & 11), “Jerusalem” (three times in vss. 5, 17, & 18), “Saul” (three times in vss. 7 & 13), “persecuting” (vss. 7 & 8), “Lord” (three times in vss. 8 & 10), “see/seen & hear/heard” (vss. 13 & 15), and “shouted” (vss. 23 & 24). Paul also referenced several key names: “Tarsus in Cilicia” (vs. 3), “Gamaliel” (vs. 3), “Jesus of Nazareth” (vs. 8), “Ananias, a devout man” (vs. 12), “the God of our Fathers” and “the Righteous One” (vs. 14), “your martyr, Stephen” (vs. 20), and “the Gentiles” (vs. 21).
OUTLINE
I. Paul was given permission to address the Jews who had wanted to kill him at the temple. (1-21)
II. When Paul mentioned the word, “Gentiles,” the crowd reacted so violently that the soldiers were forced to withdraw with him into the protection of the barracks. (22-24)
IDEA STATEMENT
After his arrest, the Roman commander allowed Paul to offer a defense to the hostile crowd in Jerusalem, an address that was interrupted when he mentioned the word, “Gentiles.”
APPLICATION
Paul’s personal testimony recounting how he had met the risen Christ on the road to Damascus appears three times in the Acts of the Apostles. The first, Luke’s account of the actual events, described how Paul’s life had been completely transformed as a result of this encounter (Acts 9). The present chapter, containing Paul’s address to the Jews after he had been arrested by the Romans in the Temple, included a second and interrupted version of his conversion. Later, when he was granted a hearing before King Agrippa, Paul would again describe how his life had been completely redirected by his encounter with the risen Lord. From these accounts we can assume that Paul frequently shared his personal testimony wherever he went spreading the Good News of the Gospel.
Peter encouraged his readers with this command: “…always (be) prepared to make a defense to anyone who asks you for a reason for the hope that is in you…” (1 Pet. 3:15). Recalling how Jesus has transformed our lives is something we should be ready to share whenever the opportunity arises. It is not something for which we need extensive preparation, nor is it something that can be refuted by another’s objections. Bearing witness to our experience with the risen Lord can be a powerful and effective way of carrying out our Savior’s command to make disciples of all nations.