ActsSample

Acts 22-23

What’s Happening?

As Paul arrives in Jerusalem, suffering awaits him. These chapters bear a remarkable similarity to Jesus’ story of going to Jerusalem to suffer seen in the Gospel of Mark. While Jesus went to be crucified by Jewish and Roman leaders, Paul’s purpose is to witness to the truth of the Gospel before the Jewish and Roman leaders.

Under the guidance of James, Paul attends the temple, but is identified by hostile Jews and is assaulted. Their intention is to kill Paul for his role in proclaiming the gospel. However, the Roman authorities show up, break up the crowds, and take Paul into custody.

Judea was ruled by the Romans. While the Jewish leaders were granted authority to lead their people on spiritual matters, they were not allowed to carry out capital punishment. For this reason, the Jewish leaders sought to condemn Paul before the Romans so that they would execute him.

Though the situation seems dire, Paul does exactly that which he was sent to Jerusalem to do: preach the gospel. He does so by giving his own personal testimony to the truth and power of the Gospel before a Jewish crowd. His story proclaims the power of the gospel message with evidence of a transformed life.

The crowds are greatly upset at his role in spreading the gospel of Jesus to the Gentiles and so they push to have him killed. The Romans are hesitant to execute someone on such little evidence and attempt to obtain the truth from Paul by beating him. Upon learning that he is a Roman citizen, they become afraid, for it was illegal to beat a Roman citizen without first proving him guilty.

The Jews sense that their plan to have the Romans execute Paul is slipping through their fingers, and so 40 men make a vow to assassinate Paul. However, their plans are also frustrated when the son of Paul’s sister finds out about the plot and relays it to Paul, who then alerts the Roman guard. We see that God’s plan for Paul isn’t yet fulfilled, and sense His divine protection and intention in these events.

Paul is then sent to Felix, the governor of the region, in order to defend himself.

What do we learn?

Just as Jesus commissions the apostles in Acts 1:8 to be his witnesses in Jerusalem, Samaria, and to the end of the earth, Paul is fulfilling this calling. He testified before the Jewish authorities and will do so before the Roman governors.

Though the Jewish authorities and crowds reject Paul’s testimony, the gospel continues to spread throughout the world. As we have seen throughout Acts, the gospel is met with hostility by the Jews and indifference by the Romans. Though Paul suffers imprisonment and death threats, it is clear that God is leading him to proclaim the gospel in significant places to significant people.

`What should we do?

We also will witness hardship in our proclamation of the gospel. Yet, God has put us exactly where we need to be to have an impact. We shouldn’t shy away from opportunities, but rather, in boldness, bear witness to who Jesus is and what he has done for us.