Project 119: Acts 21:37-22:29
| Project 119 | Amy Hirsch
Recently, I was introduced to Arc Stories, a local organization committed to helping people learn to tell their stories through storytelling events. It’s neat to see someone on stage tell a story, someone who looks very different than me and has a very different background, and to realize I have some kind of shared experience with them, regardless of how different we might seem. There’s something about the human experience that helps us connect with one another through stories.
In Acts 22:1-21, after Paul was arrested, he got the chance to share his story with his Jewish audience, who had falsely accused him of bringing a Gentile into the temple. Notice how he connected with his Roman tribune by speaking to him in Greek (Acts 21:37), but when he turned to talk to the crowd, he spoke in Aramaic, the everyday language of Jews at that time (Acts 21:40).
Perhaps at first Paul seemed radical to these Jews, a dissenter who ought to be punished. But his testimony was meant to connect with them, to show them that he wasn’t all that different from them. Paul shared his story with the Jewish crowd, the story of how Christ appeared to him and changed his life forever, calling him to be a witness to all he would encounter (Acts 22:15). Paul testified that Jesus was the long-awaited Messiah sent from God to save His people. He confessed that he was a follower of “The Way,” but Paul wanted them to understand that this way shouldn’t be foreign to Jews; rather, he wanted them to understand that “Judaism, rightly understood, should culminate in faith in Jesus” (I. Howard Marshall, Acts: Tyndale New Testament Commentaries). All went well, until Paul hit a nerve in verse 21, when Paul explained how God sent him to the Gentiles after the Jews of Jerusalem rejected him. Luke tells us that the people were hanging onto his every word until this point—and then they began to call for his execution!
I think Paul’s example reminds us that we all have stories, and that we are called to share those stories, the stories of God’s redemptive work in our lives, with others. How God might use your personal story of salvation and spiritual growth to encourage others and perhaps even bring someone to faith? And, the end of our passage reminds us that sometimes, sharing our stories may not initially go over so well! Perhaps you won’t have people calling for your execution, but the message of Christianity can be hostile to the twenty-first century world which is steeped in both legalism and individualism. People don’t like to hear that they are inherently sinful, unable to save themselves, and in need of a Savior, but we are also promised that God is the One who nurture, waters, and watches over the seeds of gospel testimony planted by believers.
Acts 21:37-22:29 (ESV):
37 As Paul was about to be brought into the barracks, he said to the tribune, “May I say something to you?” And he said, “Do you know Greek? 38 Are you not the Egyptian, then, who recently stirred up a revolt and led the four thousand men of the Assassins out into the wilderness?” 39 Paul replied, “I am a Jew, from Tarsus in Cilicia, a citizen of no obscure city. I beg you, permit me to speak to the people.” 40 And when he had given him permission, Paul, standing on the steps, motioned with his hand to the people. And when there was a great hush, he addressed them in the Hebrew language, saying:
22 “Brothers and fathers, hear the defense that I now make before you.”
2 And when they heard that he was addressing them in the Hebrew language, they became even more quiet. And he said:
3 “I am a Jew, born in Tarsus in Cilicia, but brought up in this city, educated at the feet of Gamaliel according to the strict manner of the law of our fathers, being zealous for God as all of you are this day. 4 I persecuted this Way to the death, binding and delivering to prison both men and women, 5 as the high priest and the whole council of elders can bear me witness. From them I received letters to the brothers, and I journeyed toward Damascus to take those also who were there and bring them in bonds to Jerusalem to be punished.
6 “As I was on my way and drew near to Damascus, about noon a great light from heaven suddenly shone around me. 7 And 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 of Nazareth, whom you are persecuting.’ 9 Now those who were with me saw the light 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, ‘Rise, and go into Damascus, and there you will be told all that is appointed for you to do.’ 11 And 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 one Ananias, a devout man according to the law, well spoken of by all the Jews who lived there, 13 came to me, and standing by me said to me, ‘Brother Saul, receive your sight.’ And at that very hour I received my sight and saw him. 14 And he said, ‘The God of our fathers appointed you to know his will, to see the Righteous One and to hear a voice from his mouth; 15 for you will be a witness for him to everyone of what you have seen and heard. 16 And now why do you wait? Rise and be baptized and wash away your sins, calling on his name.’
17 “When I had returned to Jerusalem and was praying in the temple, I fell into a trance 18 and 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 know that in one synagogue after another I imprisoned and beat those who believed in you. 20 And when the blood of Stephen your witness was being shed, I myself was standing by and approving and watching over the garments of those who killed him.’ 21 And he said to me, ‘Go, for I will send you far away to the Gentiles.’”
22 Up to this word they listened to him. Then they raised their voices and said, “Away with such a fellow from the earth! For he should not be allowed to live.” 23 And as they were shouting and throwing off their cloaks and flinging dust into the air, 24 the tribune ordered him to be brought into the barracks, saying that he should be examined by flogging, to find out why they were shouting against him like this. 25 But when they had stretched him out for the whips, Paul said to the centurion who was standing by, “Is it lawful for you to flog a man who is a Roman citizen and uncondemned?” 26 When the centurion heard this, he went to the tribune and said to him, “What are you about to do? For this man is a Roman citizen.” 27 So the tribune came and said to him, “Tell me, are you a Roman citizen?” And he said, “Yes.” 28 The tribune answered, “I bought this citizenship for a large sum.” Paul said, “But I am a citizen by birth.” 29 So those who were about to examine him withdrew from him immediately, and the tribune also was afraid, for he realized that Paul was a Roman citizen and that he had bound him.