Acts 22 · The Lantern

Brethren and fathers! Hear ye, the defence, which I now make unto 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, when they heard that, in the Hebrew language, he had begun to address them, they kept the more quiet. And he saith—

I, am a Jew, born in Tarsus of Cilicia, but nurtured in this city, at the feet of Gamaliel,—trained after the strictness of our ancestral law; being jealous for God just as, all ye, are this day;

"I am a man," he says, "which am a Jew:" which thing they liked most of all to hear; "born in Tarsus, a city of Cilicia." That they may not again think him to be of another nation, he adds his religion: "but brought up in this city." He shows how great was his zeal for the worship, inasmuch as having left his native city, which was so great and so remote too, he chose to be bro…

Educated according to the truth, being a zealot of the paternal law. In Greek it is added more: Being a zealot of God, according to that in Romans: For I bear them witness that they have a zeal for God, but not according to knowledge.

With such a beginning he paves the way for his speech: "I," he says, "am a Jew." To hear this was most pleasant of all for them.

and, this way, I persecuted unto the death, binding and delivering up into prisons both men and women:—

as, even the High-priest, beareth me witness, and all the Eldership,—from whom, letters also, accepting to the brethren, unto Damascus, was I journeying, to bring them who were there bound unto Jerusalem, that they might be punished.

But it befell me, as I was journeying and drawing nigh unto Damascus, that, about mid-day—suddenly—out of heaven, there flashed a great light all around me;

I fell also to the ground, and heard a voice saying unto me—Saul! Saul! Why, me, art thou persecuting?

And, I, answered—Who art thou, Lord? And he said unto me—I, am Jesus the Nazarene, whom, thou, art persecuting!

Now, they who were with me, beheld, indeed, the light, but heard not, the voice, of him that was speaking with 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 said—What shall I do, Lord? And, the Lord, said unto me—Arise, and be going thy way into Damascus, and, there, shall it be told thee of all things which are appointed for thee to do.

But, as I could not see clearly owing to the glory of that light, being led by the hand of them who were with me, I came into 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, one Ananias, a man devout according to the law, well-attested by all the Jews that dwelt there,

coming unto me, and standing over me, said—Saul, brother! look up. And, I, in that very hour, looked up on him.

And he said—The God of our fathers, hath chosen thee to get to know his will, and to see the Righteous One,—and to hear a voice out of his mouth.

Because thou shalt be a witness to him unto all men, of the things which thou hast seen and heard.

And, now, what art thou going to do? Arise, and get thyself immersed, and have thy sins bathed away, calling upon his name.

And it came to pass, when had returned unto Jerusalem, and was praying in the temple, that I came to be in a trance,

and saw him, saying unto me—Haste thee, and go forth speedily out of Jerusalem, inasmuch as they will not accept thy witness concerning me.

And, I, said—Lord! they themselves, well know that I was imprisoning and beating in every synagogue them who were believing on thee.

And, when the blood of Stephen thy witness was being shed, even I myself, was standing by, and approving, and guarding the mantles of them who were slaying him.

And he said unto me—Be taking thy journey; because, I, unto nations afar off, will send thee.

And they hearkened unto him as far as this word, and lifted up their voice, saying—Away from the earth, with such a man as this, for it is not fit that he should live.

Now, as they were both making an outcry and tearing their mantles,—dust, also were throwing into the air,

the captain ordered him to be brought into the castle, saying, that, with scourging, he should be put to the test,—that he might find out, for what cause they were, thus, clamouring against him.

But, when they had stretched him out with straps, Paul said unto the by-standing centurion—A Roman, and uncondemned, is it allowed you to be scourging?

"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, when the centurion heard [that], he went unto the captain, and reported, saying—What art thou going to do? For, this man, is, a Roman?

And the captain, coming up, said to him—Tell me! Art, thou, a, Roman? And, he, said—Yea!

And the captain answered—I, for a large sum, this citizenship acquired! And, Paul, said—But, I, am even, [free-] born!

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?

Straightway, therefore, they who were about to put him to the test, withdrew from him; and, even the captain, was struck with fear, when he found out he was, a Roman, and because, him, he had bound.

But, on the morrow, being minded to get to know the certainty as to why he was being accused by the Jews, he released him, and ordered the High-priests and all the High-council to come together; and, bringing down Paul, set him before them.

Acts22