Acts 22 · The Lantern

Paul’s Defense to the Crowd

“Men, brothers and fathers, hear my defence now to you.”

"He spake unto them," it says, "in the Hebrew tongue, saying, Men, brethren, and fathers, hear ye my defence which I make now unto you." Mark his address, at once so free from all flattery, and so expressive of meekness.

"Men, brethren, hear ye the account which I now give unto you," etc. Paul, being inclined to simplicity of heart, told the people, in order, how he had been chosen by the Lord when he was a persecutor of the church; he did not even fail to mention, with a broken heart, his crime relating to Stephen's blood; but he said that he had heard from the Lord, whom he could not oppose,…

The expression "fathers" is a sign of respect, and the expression "brethren" is an indication of kinship. Notice, his speech is both free from flattery and full of gentleness. He did not say "lords," but "brothers," which was especially pleasing to the people. I am not a stranger to you, he says, nor am I against you.

And having heard that he was addressing them in the Hebrew language, they became even more quiet. And he says:

“I myself am a Jewish man, born in Tarsus of Cilicia, but brought up in this city at the feet of Gamaliel, instructed according to the exactness of the law of our fathers, being zealous for God, even as you yourselves all are this day;

who persecuted this Way as far as death, binding and betraying to prisons both men and women,

as also the high priest bears witness to me, and all the elderhood; from whom also, having received letters to the brothers, I was on my way to Damascus, going to bring those being there also bound to Jerusalem, in order that they might be punished.

But it happened to me, journeying and drawing near to Damascus about noon, that suddenly out of heaven a great light shone around me;

and I fell to the ground and heard a voice saying to me, ‘Saul, Saul, why do you persecute Me?’

And I myself answered, ‘Who are You, Lord?’ And He said to me, ‘I myself am Jesus of Nazareth, whom you yourself are persecuting.’

And those being with me indeed beheld the light, but they did not hear the voice of the One speaking to me.

"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." But in another place he says, "Hearing the voice, but seeing no man." It is not at variance: no, there were two voices, that of Paul and the Lord's voice: in that place, the writer means Paul's voice; as in fact Paul here adds, "The voice of Him that spake u…

Paul, speaking of his deeds, says that his companions saw the light there some time ago, yet that they did not drink in the voice with their ears; but then, at the time when he fell blind, his companions are said also to have heard the voice. Thus the work of the narrator varies.

This was done with purpose, since he alone was to hear that voice. And since rather ordinary people trust sight more, those who were with Saul only "saw the light and were filled with fear; but did not hear the voice of Him who spoke to me." And the light produced such an effect not for them, but for Saul; therefore it deprived him of sight, and not them; but at the time when t…

And I said, ‘What shall I do, Lord?’ And the Lord said to me, ‘Having risen up, go to Damascus, and there it will be told you concerning all things that it has been appointed you to do.’

And while I was not seeing because of the brightness of that light, being led by the hand by those being with me, I came to Damascus.

It was of Him, too, that he had said in a previous passage: "Now unto the King eternal, immortal, invisible, to the only God; " so that we might apply even the contrary qualities to the Son Himself-mortality, accessibility-of whom the apostle testifies that "He died according to the Scriptures," and that "He was seen by himself last of all," -by means, of course, of the light w…

"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." See how great was the excess of the light.

"Those who were with me led me by the hand into Damascus." The mention of the city is fittingly added so that the Jews would know that Saul was a persecutor. Paul-Saul interweaves the testimonies of persons with the testimonies of circumstances, both those concerning himself and those concerning others; the witnesses are the priests, the elders, the companions.

And a certain Ananias, a devout man according to the law, borne witness to by all the Jews dwelling there,

having come to me and having stood by me, said to me, ‘Saul, brother, receive sight.’ And I myself in that same hour looked up at him.

And he said, ‘The God of our fathers has appointed you to know His will and to see the Righteous One and to hear the voice out of His mouth;

for you will be a witness for Him to all men of what you have seen and heard.

And now, why do you delay? Having arisen, be baptized and wash away your sins, calling on His name.’

And it happened to me, having returned to Jerusalem and while I was praying in the temple, that I fell into a trance

and saw Him saying to me, ‘Make haste and go away with speed out of Jerusalem, because they will not receive your testimony about Me.’

And I myself said, ‘Lord, they themselves know that I was imprisoning and beating in each of the synagogues those believing on You;

and when the blood of Stephen Your witness was poured out, I myself also was standing by and consenting, and watching over the garments of those executing him.’

And He said to me, ‘Go, for I myself will send you far away to the Gentiles.’”

Paul the Roman Citizen

Now they were listening to him until this word, and they lifted up their voice, saying, “Away with such a one from the earth! For it was not proper for him to live!”

And while they were shouting out and casting off the garments and throwing dust into the air,

the commander ordered him to be brought into the barracks, having directed him to be examined by flogging, so that he might know for what cause they were crying out against him like this.

But as they stretched him forward with the straps, Paul said to the centurion standing by, “Is it lawful for you to flog a man who is a Roman and uncondemned?”

"And as they bound him with thongs, Paul said unto the centurion that stood by, Is it lawful for you to scourge a man that is a Roman and uncondemned?" Paul lied not, God forbid: for he was a Roman. If there was nothing else, he would have been afraid to pretend this, lest he should be found out, and suffer a worse punishment.

For the divine command made what seems shameful honorable. Thus the apostle called himself at one time a Pharisee and at another a Roman, not because he was afraid of death but because it was fair to do so in a fight. Likewise he appealed to Caesar upon learning of the Jews' plot against him.

"Is it lawful for you to scourge a Roman citizen, and uncondemned?" Paul did not lie in saying that he was a Roman, because his father, for the sake of status, had purchased this title with money, since those deemed worthy of being called by this name enjoyed great honor. Paul says this so that, in the event of his punishment, they would not begin to treat him with contempt.

And having heard this, the centurion, having gone to the commander, reported it, saying, “What are you going to do? For this man is a Roman.”

And the commander, having come near, said to him, “Tell me, are you yourself a Roman?” And he was saying, “Yes.”

And the commander answered, “I myself bought this citizenship with a great sum.” But Paul was saying, “But I myself have even been born so.”

Let it suffice to the martyr to have purged his own sins: it is the part of ingratitude or of pride to lavish upon others also what one has obtained at a high price. Who has redeemed another's death by his own, but the Son of God alone? For even in His very passion He set the robber free.

But how is it possible to be both from Tarsus and a Roman? Hear then the Philippians, when they dragged Paul and Silas before the rulers into the marketplace, since the Pythoness' slave-girl was released, what do they say?

"But Paul said: and I was born in it." Look: his father too was a Roman. Before Paul was born, Cilicia had already come under Roman rule, and therefore his father, as one who had come under their authority, necessarily had to be a Roman. Paul, according to the prophecy, was bound in Jerusalem, and the prophetic word was fulfilled. What happens next?

Immediately therefore those being about to examine him departed from him; and the commander also was afraid, having ascertained that he is a Roman, and because he had bound him.

And on the next day, desiring to know for certain why he is accused by the Jews, he unbound him and commanded the chief priests and all the council to assemble; and having brought Paul down, he set him among them.

Acts22

Paul’s Defense to the Crowd

Paul the Roman Citizen