Sermon Tone Analysis

*Jews from Asia* – Maybe even Christian Jews who were scrupulous.

*Greeks into the temple* – Greek & Latin death even for a Roman Citizen.

Trophimus the Ephesian

 

Two chains – he could not find out the facts – the barracks 

 

Tribune Klaudiov Lusiav – Tower of Antonia, named for Mark

 

Acts 21:35-40 ~~ When he got to the stairs, he was carried by the soldiers because of the violence of the mob; for the multitude of the people kept following them, shouting, *“Away with him!”*

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?

“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?”

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.”

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,

 

*“Away with him!” *They shouted the same words nearly 30 years earlier.

*the Egyptian & Assassins*, mid to  late 50’s – Felix met them on the Mount of Olives with the Army and perhaps Lysias was the commander.

30,000 followers with 4,000 armed men routed that day.

The Egyptian escaped.

The Sicarii became more uncontrollable and were the zealots responsible for Roman intervention in 66

*Hebrew dialect*

 

Acts 22:1-23 ~~ 1“Brethren and fathers, hear my defense which I now offer to you.” 2And when they heard that he was addressing them in the Hebrew dialect, *they* became even more quiet; and he said~*, 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.

4“I persecuted this Way to the death, binding and putting both men and women into prisons, 5as 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.

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, 7and 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 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.

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.

12“And 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, 13came to me, and standing near said to me, ‘Brother Saul, receive your sight!’

And at that very time I looked up at him.

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.

16‘Now why do you delay?

Get up and be baptized, and wash away your sins, calling on His name.’

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

21“And He said to me, *‘Go!

For I will send you far away to the Gentiles.’”*

22They listened to him up to this statement, and then they raised their voices and said, “Away with such a fellow from the earth, for he should not be allowed to live!” 23And as they were crying out and *throwing off their cloaks* and tossing dust into the air,

* *

*they *– All, but mostly the Hellenistic rabble-rousing Jews who were so self-righteous and yet couldn’t speak Hebrew

*Gentiles *– Whole enchilada, God has abandoned the Jews in favor of the Gentiles, Trance is the Greek word ekstasis (lit.

‘standing outside’, i.e. of one’s normal state of mind - ecstasy)*/ /*

*throwing off their cloaks *shaking out the dust – he’s unclean

 

 

 

Acts 22:24-30 ~~ 24the commander ordered him to be brought into the barracks, stating that he should be examined by *scourging* so that he might find out the reason why they were shouting against him that way.

25But when they stretched him out with thongs, Paul said to the centurion who was standing by, “Is it lawful for you to scourge a man who is a Roman and uncondemned?”

26When the centurion heard this, he went to the commander and told him, saying, “What are you about to do?

For this man is a Roman.”

27The commander came and said to him, “Tell me, are you a Roman?”

And he said, “Yes.”

28The commander answered, “I acquired this citizenship with a large sum of money.”

And Paul said, “But I was actually born a citizen.”

29Therefore those who were about to examine him immediately let go of him; and the commander also was afraid when he found out that he was a Roman, and because he had put him in chains.

30But on the next day, wishing to know for certain why he had been accused by the Jews, he released him and ordered the chief priests and all the Council to assemble, and brought Paul down and set him before them.

*scourging – *Cicero wrote to bind = crime, to flog = abomination, to slay = murder

* *

Acts 23:1-10 ~~ Paul, looking intently at the Council, said, “Brethren, I have lived my life with a perfectly *good conscience* before God up to this day.”

2The high priest *Ananias* commanded those standing beside him to strike him on the mouth.

3Then Paul said to him, “God is going to strike you, you whitewashed wall!

Do you sit to try me according to the Law, and in violation of the Law order me to be struck?”

4But the bystanders said, “Do you revile God’s high priest?”

5And Paul said, “I was not aware, brethren, that he was high priest; for it is written, ‘*You shall not speak evil* of a ruler of your people.’”

6But perceiving that one group were Sadducees and the other Pharisees, Paul began crying out in the Council, “Brethren, I am a Pharisee, a son of Pharisees; I am on trial for the hope and *resurrection of the dead*!” 7As he said this, there occurred a dissension between the Pharisees and Sadducees, and the assembly was divided.

8For the Sadducees say that there is no resurrection, nor an angel, nor a spirit, but the Pharisees acknowledge them all.

9And there occurred a great uproar; and some of the scribes of the Pharisaic party stood up and began to argue heatedly, saying, “We find nothing wrong with this man; suppose a spirit or an angel has spoken to him?” 10And as a great dissension was developing, the *commander* was afraid Paul would be torn to pieces by them and ordered the troops to go down and take him away from them by force, and bring him into the barracks.

*good conscience – *He had been wrong, but it was unintentional and it had been covered by blood.

*Ananias* the son of Nedebaeus, in 66 A.D. the Sicarii dragged him from a sewer pipe where he was hiding and killed Ananias.

*You shall not speak evil – *Corrupt, yet they held the position.

Jesus, Peter, John nor Paul dishonor or disobey unless in direct contravention of God’s command and even in that case they don’t try to overthrow the rulers.

See David and Saul.

*resurrection of the dead – *ultimately the whole conflict hinges on Jesus appearing to and commissioning Paul.

*commander* – The commander is now convinced the Jewish leadership is crazy and Paul is innocent.

Now Claudius must protect Paul.

Acts 23:11-24 ~~ 11But on the night immediately following, the Lord stood at his side and said, *“Take courage; for as you have solemnly witnessed to My cause at Jerusalem, so you must witness at Rome also.”*

12When it was day, the Jews formed a conspiracy and bound themselves under an oath, saying that they would neither eat nor drink until they had killed Paul.

13There were more than forty who formed this plot.

14They came to the chief priests and the elders and said, “We have bound ourselves under a solemn oath to taste nothing until we have *killed Paul*.

15“Now therefore, you and the Council notify the commander to bring him down to you, as though you were going to determine his case by a more thorough investigation; and we for our part are ready to slay him before he comes near the place.”

16But the son of Paul’s sister heard of their ambush, and he came and entered the barracks and told Paul.

17Paul called one of the centurions to him and said, “Lead this young man to the commander, for he has something to report to him.”

18So he took him and led him to the commander and said~*, “Paul the prisoner called me to him and asked me to lead this young man to you since he has something to tell you.”

19The commander took him by the hand and stepping aside, began to inquire of him privately, “What is it that you have to report to me?” 20And he said, “The Jews have agreed to ask you to bring Paul down tomorrow to the Council, as though they were going to inquire somewhat more thoroughly about him.

21“So do not listen to them, for more than forty of them are lying in wait for him who have bound themselves under a curse not to eat or drink until they slay him; and now they are ready and waiting for the promise from you.” 22So the commander let the young man go, instructing him, “Tell no one that you have notified me of these things.”

23And he called to him two of the centurions and said, “Get two hundred soldiers ready by the third hour of the night to proceed to Caesarea, with seventy horsemen and two hundred spearmen.”

24They were also to provide mounts to put Paul on and bring him safely to Felix the governor.

*Take courage – *Who strengthens the saint?

*killed Paul – *What does fanaticism have to do with Jesus?

Fanatical love for the benefit and welfare of others even unto death – That’s Biblical Christianity.

Human religion creates Jihad.

•       Religiously zealous people are never interested in love; they desire satisfaction

•        We shut off communication based on catch words, appearances & assumptions

•       We have the right to use the societal legal system when not in conflict with the Gospel and we don’t have the right to disrespect~/disobey officials (even if they abuse their power) or laws (even if we disagree) so long as they don’t violate God’s commands

•       Even when we’re wrong we can stand before God with a clear conscience

•       What was most painful to Paul?

What about our Lord?

Christians are called to suffer the same insult Jesus suffered