Acts: To The Ends Of The EarthSample

The commander of the Roman barracks at Jerusalem makes two mistakes.

Firstly, in Acts 21:38, he mistakes Paul for an Egyptian terrorist and assumes he is probably uneducated and unsophisticated, as Egyptians were reputed to be in the first century. Paul is a well-educated, Greek-speaking, Hellenistic Jew.

Secondly, having rescued Paul, he orders him to be flogged in order to extract information from him (v. 24). As in Philippi, so in Jerusalem, the flogging of a Roman citizen was illegal and so Paul calls upon his rights. All Romans had to be treated according to proper legal processes. In Paul’s case, this meant that he had to be placed under the jurisdiction of the Sanhedrin. Once again, the commander acts with integrity when his mistake is pointed out to him.

On the steps of the barracks, Paul gives his testimony in Aramaic, the heart language of the people (vv. 1–21). He addresses them respectfully, "Brothers and fathers" and tells them of his own Jewish heritage and training. In turn, they listen with respect until he says that his ministry is to the Gentiles (v. 21). He asserts that "The God of our Fathers" (v. 14) has a purpose that includes the Gentiles—the unclean nations, outsiders in His kingdom.

Where now are the thousands who believe and are zealous for the law that we read of in chapter 21? Where now are James and the elders? Paul is left to face the hostility alone. He later testifies that he had been abandoned, but "the Lord stood at my side and gave me strength" (2 Tim. 4:17). What a sight this must have been—Paul being beaten up by his own countrymen on the steps of the barracks.

Having been beaten, Paul is rescued from the angry crowd and taken to be flogged. We might wonder; will he survive? Will God’s plans be thwarted by such aggression? Tension mounts at the end of the chapter, as Paul is brought to appear before the Sanhedrin.

Reflection

John Wesley said that parochialism is always the enemy of the gospel.

Why do you think the crowd was so upset in verse 22? Paul is well qualified to reach the Jews (vv. 3–4). What does it tell us about Christian service that God sends him to the Gentiles?