Acts 22

Study Guide 122: Acts 19-28 PAUL’ S IMPRISONMENT Overview These last chapters of Acts tell a tale of high adventure. Paul concluded a third missionary journey, undertaken to encourage churches already founded (Acts 20:2). The journey ended in Jerusalem. There Paul was attacked by an angry Jewish mob. He was rescued and then held in prison by a Roman governor, till Paul exercised his right as a Roman citizen to be judged in the Emperor’ s court! After a stormy journey Paul arrived in Rome, where he awaited trial for two years in his own rented residence. The Book of Acts ends here. But tradition suggests that Paul was acquitted. He traveled to Spain on another missionary venture, but was arrested again. During his second imprisonment Paul wrote his second Letter to Timothy. This time his imprisonment was ended by execution, and the great apostle joined the Lord whom he had loved and served so well. While these Acts chapters are filled with adventure, they also suggest many lessons that we Christians need to learn. This study guide focuses on lessons that will be especially relevant to you and your group.

Commentary There is only a brief report of Paul’ s third missionary journey in Acts (19:1-21:16). It’ s clear that this trip of encouragement was also a farewell journey: Paul felt the Spirit’ s compulsion leading him to Jerusalem, to terrible danger, and to a new phase of his ministry. Yet there is much we can learn from the brief report of that journey, and from the adventures of the apostle in the Holy Land and on his way to Rome.

The Power of the Gospel: Acts 19:1-21:15 These chapters highlight elements in Paul’ s ministry which we have seen earlier in Acts, but which raise questions that deserve our attention. Is there a modern role for miracles in evangelism? (Acts 19:1-22) Luke’ s report of Paul’ s arrival in Ephesus makes several references to the supernatural. First (Acts 19:1-7) he tells of Paul’ s meeting with “ some disciples” whom Paul asked about receiving the Holy Spirit. These men had not even heard of the Holy Spirit. As Paul probed further, he discovered that they knew only of John’ s ministry announcing the Messiah was at hand. It was “ John’ s baptism” (as a sign of repentance) rather than Christian baptism (as a sign of faith in and union with Christ) that they had received. Paul shared the Gospel message, and the men immediately responded. The Holy Spirit “ came on them, and they spoke in tongues and prophesied.” If we analyze this and other incidents reported in Acts we note that not every reference to filling by the Spirit and not every reference to conversion tells of speaking in tongues. In the three cases which do speak of it, this experience seems to have served as a special sign to Jews (see chart). This does not prove or disprove any modern view about speaking in tongues. But it does suggest that while that experience was real, it had a special purpose in New Testament times and was not always associated with evangelistic ministry. But Luke went on immediately to tell of “ extraordinary miracles” that God did through Paul in Ephesus (Acts 19:8-22). Clearly in Ephesus miracles were associated with missions. But just as clearly this was “ extraordinary” (Acts 19:11) rather than the normal course of events. Acts mentions miracles in other missions settings (Acts 13:9-11; Acts 14:3, Acts 14:8-10; Acts 16:18). Yet in other cities where the apostle spent varying amounts of time, such as Pisidian Antioch, Thessalonica, Berea, Athens, and Corinth, there is no mention of miracles. What conclusions are we to draw? There are helpful hints here in Acts 19:1-41. The passage tells of seven sons of a Jewish priest who were apparently exorcists who tried to cast out an evil spirit using Jesus’ name in a magical way. The demon-possessed man beat and stripped all seven! The demonic activity this suggests was very likely stimulated by the devotion of many in Ephesus to occult practices. Many who were now Christians had been involved in such evil, and those who had practiced sorcery publicly burned books of magic worth in our day some $2.5 million! In a city where Satan had gained a foothold and the supernatural was a dominating theme, God’ s Spirit performed miracles that demonstrated Jesus’ power over supernatural powers! In cities like Athens, where the orientation was to the philosophical, there are no miracles reported, but Paul’ s presentation of the Gospel was tailored to the speculative bent of his listeners. This may provide us with our principle. The Gospel confronts human beings where they are. Where there is demonism and sorcery, the Holy Spirit may act to demonstrate the lordship of Jesus. Where there is moral and mental darkness, the Spirit may act through the holy lives of God’ s people and the simple message of the Gospel to demonstrate that in Jesus there is a better way.

Speaking in Tongues in Acts PASSAGETONGUES- SPEAKERSAUDIENCERELATED TO SALVATIONPURPOSE Acts 2:1-4The 12 Apostles and othersUnsaved JewsAfter salvationTo validate (for Jews) the fulfillment of Joe 2:1-32 Acts 10:44-47Gentiles (Cornelius and his household)Saved Jews (Peter and others) who doubted God’ s planThe same time as salvationTo validate (for Jews) God’ s acceptance of Gentiles Acts 19:1-7About 12 Old Testament believersJews who needed confirmation of the messageThe same time as salvationTo validate (for Jews) Paul’ s message LINK TO LIFE: YOUTH / ADULT Recently while teaching in a seminary in Indonesia, the author was told by missionaries and nationals that God did perform notable miracles in rural areas where the people practiced spiritism. Ask your group to discuss: “ Should this report be believed? Why, or why not?” After discussion have half the group look at miracle reports in Acts. Have the other half of your group read the stories of Paul’ s ministry in the following passages (Acts 13:13-52; Acts 17:1-9, Acts 17:10-15, Acts 17:16-34; Acts 18:1-16). Return to continue the discussion. What does the evidence each half found in Acts suggest? Then study together Acts 19:1-20. What do we learn about the kind of place where miracles did occur? How does this differ from places like Athens and Thessalonica? Either let your group members discover, or suggest to them, the principle that the author suggests (italicized in preceding commentary). How good that God need not prove Himself to us by miracles. But how good to know that He is a miracle-working God! How are Christians to confront evils in society? (Acts 19:23-41) The temple of Artemis in Ephesus was one of the ancient world’ s wonders. It was the very center of the city’ s life, for the temple served not only as a worship center but as a bank, to which not only individuals but nations came for loans. The idol representing the goddess had been shaped from a meteorite (Acts 19:35), and silver medals and miniatures sold there were critical to the area’ s economy. When Paul brought the Gospel to this city and its surrounding area he did not attack Artemis directly. The city clerk testified that the Christians “ neither robbed temples nor blasphemed our goddess” (Acts 19:37). What the missionaries did do was to confront the assumptions that lay at the root of idolatry. Paul presented no man-made god, but the God who made men. He told not of a lifeless lump of metal, but a living Person who came from heaven and who, resurrected after His death for our sins, returned there. The message and the power of the living Saviour themselves revealed the emptiness of idolatry. The result of the positive presentation of Christian truth was to discredit the false! What an exciting concept. We do need to confront evils. But not by railing against them so much as by positive affirmation of Christian truth. LINK TO LIFE: YOUTH / ADULT Idolatry was an evil. And the spread of the Gospel certainly threatened those who practiced it — to the extent that they tried to arouse the mob against Christians. Our world too is not without its evils. For instance, abortion and pornography are both evils which are nevertheless practiced by many in our society. Have your group members brainstorm: “ How can we, without robbing or blaspheming these evils, confront them with Christian truth in such a way that they are discredited?” For instance, what is the difference between bombing an abortion clinic, and setting up a home for unwed mothers and a system that will enable unwanted babies to be adopted by childless parents? Together list positive and negative ways that Christians can lovingly confront abortion and pornography in our society. Was Paul right to go to Jerusalem? (Acts 20:13-21:15) Some have argued that Paul ignored divine warnings and went to Jerusalem against the Lord’ s will. It’ s clear that Paul was deeply aware of the danger he faced. Paul told the Ephesians he did not know what would happen, but that “ in every city the Holy Spirit warns me that prison and hardships are facing me” (Acts 20:23). These two chapters tell of several warnings Paul received. But the theory that Paul’ s insistence on going to Jerusalem in spite of them was disobedience cannot be sustained. Paul said his journey was “ compelled by the Spirit” (Acts 20:22). The warnings simply prepared Paul for what would happen, and strengthened his resolve. As Paul affirmed, “ I am ready not only to be bound, but also to die in Jerusalem for the name of the Lord Jesus” (Acts 21:13). The evidence of God’ s leading in our lives is not that everything we do turns out well. At times God leads us into hardship, just as He led Paul. What we need is Paul’ s resolve to do God’ s will, whatever that will involves, and the faith to believe with Paul that God’ s will is ultimately good.

Paul, the Jew: Acts 21:17-23:22 It would be wrong for us to idealize the Apostle Paul. He was a great man. And in most things he is a fine model for Christians. But Paul was human and had his faults. His unyielding nature was a strength when he confronted Peter in Antioch over Peter’ s refusal to eat with Christian Gentiles (see Galatians 2:11-16). Yet that unyielding nature was a weakness when he broke with Barnabas over his old friend and partner’ s desire to take John Mark on a second missionary journey (see Acts 15:36-41). We can’ t sustain the charge of some that Paul went to Jerusalem against the expressed will of God (20:13-21:16). But a more significant question has been raised about Paul’ s conduct when he reached Jerusalem. The charge. The charge some raise against Paul goes something like this. “ Paul, you’ ve always insisted that Christian faith has replaced Judaism. Yet when you came back to Jerusalem, you pretended to be a traditionalist. You took an Old Testament vow, and offered sacrifices at the temple, as though the old purification rites were still valid.” When Paul was later taken before the Sanhedrin (the Jewish religious and civil court), he claimed to be a Pharisee on trial because of his hope in the resurrection. While this might be partly true, it wasn’ t really truth, and Paul just said it to get the Pharisee and Sadducee parties in the Sanhedrin arguing. It’ s true that Paul did speak out boldly about Jesus. But that was only when he had been accused of desecrating the temple. The problem is that Paul clearly compromised his convictions. He knew the Jewish ceremonies had no more meaning, but he went through them. He knew that his Christian faith was the real issue, but he tried to mislead the Sanhedrin. In Jerusalem at least, Paul was a poor example for Christians today, a man who compromised his convictions for convenience and safety. The defense. Those who speak in Paul’ s defense note that the apostle had learned how to fit into different cultures to best present the Gospel in ways that were most likely to win a hearing. Earlier, in a letter to the Corinthians, Paul wrote, “ To the Jews I became like a Jew, to win the Jews. To those under the Law I became like one under the Law (though I myself am not under the Law), so as to win those under the Law. To those not having the Law I became like one not having the Law (though I am not free from God’ s Law but am under Christ’ s law), so as to win those not having the Law” (1 Corinthians 9:20-21). Because Judaism’ s practices were irrelevant to relationship with Jesus, Paul felt free to adopt them if this would help him relate to the Jews he yearned to win to Jesus! In the same way, because Gentile lifestyle was irrelevant to relationship with Jesus, Paul was free to adopt it if that would help him relate to the Gentiles he yearned to win to Jesus! A major theme in apostolic preaching was always the resurrection of Jesus. Paul wisely raised this issue, not to mislead, but to gain an opportunity to appeal to those Pharisees in the group who might be moved to defend — and thus be open to hearing — his resurrection message. In fact Paul is an excellent example for modern Christians. He shows us how to adapt to the people we seek to minister to. He teaches us not to confuse irrelevant cultural issues with the core of the Gospel. And, as these chapters also demonstrate, Paul did not hesitate to proclaim the Gospel boldly when the opportunity came (cf. Acts 21:37-22:22). LINK TO LIFE: YOUTH / ADULT The issue raised here is an important one. You might lead your group to explore it in one of two ways. Raise the question: “ Did Paul compromise?” Have your group members read the Acts passage quickly, and vote yes or no. Divide into two teams. The yes to marshal their arguments, and the no to marshal theirs. Come together again to argue each side. Or: read the “ accusation” paragraphs from the commentary. Have your group take the role of defense attorneys. Members are to study the passage in teams of four or five to try and refute the charge. Follow up either of these activities by reading the defense provided in the commentary. Then brainstorm at least 10 different modern situations in which Paul’ s principles can be applied. The principles again are: (1) Don’ t confuse irrelevant cultural issues with the Gospel core. (2) Be willing to adapt to relate to the people you want to reach. (3) Be bold in presenting the Gospel when the opportunity comes.

Paul, the Roman Citizen: Acts 23:23-26:32 The Roman Empire was a conglomerate of many peoples, bound together by the military power of Rome and a common second language, Greek. The Romans did not try to impose their own patterns of laws and customs on subject peoples. Instead each national group continued to govern itself to a large extent, using its historic institutions and laws. Thus a Jew in Rome was governed by Jewish law. In fact, Roman law was superior to and superseded the laws of subject peoples. But a noncitizen could not bring a suit in a Roman court: he had to go to his national court for justice. Yet a Roman citizen could bring suit in a Roman court against a native of another nation. In such a case, it’ s obvious who would be favored! Roman citizens also had special privileges. A noncitizen could be tortured in a judicial examination: a Roman citizen could not even be beaten before being condemned. And a citizen could never be put to death in some of the more brutal modes adopted in the empire. Paul had used his citizenship in earlier situations. He had been beaten (illegally) and imprisoned (illegally) in Philippi (Acts 16:1-40). When the local officials learned that Paul was a Roman citizen, they were forced to come in person to apologize and to respectfully usher the missionary party out of their city. In Jerusalem Paul was about to be “ flogged and questioned” after the riot his preaching stimulated (Acts 22:1-25). When Paul revealed his citizenship, the “ commander himself was alarmed when he realized that he had put Paul, a Roman citizen, in chains” (Acts 22:29). This position not only led the Roman military commander in Jerusalem to protect Paul, but also gave him an excuse to send him (protected by a detachment of nearly 500 soldiers!) to the provincial seat of government, Caesarea (a port city built by Herod the Great and a center of Greek and Roman culture). Paul was kept there for two years, and had many opportunities to witness to the Roman governor and other royal personages (Acts 24:24-27). When a new governor, Festus, was appointed, the Jewish leaders pressured him, as a favor, to return Paul to Jerusalem. Paul knew that in Jerusalem the Jewish leaders would find a way to take his life. And so he said, “ I appeal to Caesar.” This was a legal expression, and the right of a Roman citizen. A citizen who appealed to Caesar was released from the jurisdiction of lower courts, and could take his case to Rome itself, and to the Emperor’ s court. Within days King Agrippa, a grandson of Herod the Great and ruler of northeast Palestine, came to pay his respects to the Roman governor. Festus, confused over the issues raised by the Jews and by Paul’ s talk of resurrection, told the king about Paul and arranged for Agrippa’ s contingent to hear the apostle. Paul spoke respectfully to him, for the king was a practicing Jew who believed the prophets and was well-acquainted with Jewish faith. Agrippa advised Festus that Paul could simply have been released: there was no substance to the charges against him. But since Paul had appealed to Caesar, he must be sent to Rome! Through the whole ordeal Paul never hesitated to use his citizenship to advantage. It is not wrong for a believer, who is a citizen of both this world and heaven, to use the tools this world provides. LINK TO LIFE: YOUTH / ADULT Some Christians believe that reliance on God is expressed by refusing to use legal and other resources available to them. Give your group members the following poll, calling for True or False answers.

1. I would never sue someone who defrauded me.
2. I believe buying insurance shows a failure to trust the Lord.
3. I give more money to missions than I save each year.
4. I would never run for political office because Christians should not be part of the world system.
5. I do not vote in local or national elections.
6. I would not call the police if I thought someone were about to break into my home.
7. I would not apply for food stamps even if I needed them.
8. I would not sign a petition to rid my corner store of pornographic magazines.
9. I would not write my congressman in an effort to affirm the right to life of the unborn.10. I would not take part in a “ neighborhood watch” against a rash of local burglaries. When the quiz is complete, have your group members indicate how many each person identified as True. Discuss any true answers. Why does the person feel that way? How is that item(s) different from ones he or she marked false? Review Paul’ s willingness to use his Roman citizenship to advantage. Are we Christians all to use opportunities and advantages provided us by our place in society? If so, how are we to use them? Are there any principles that might guide our use? When are we not to use them?

To Rome and Beyond: Acts 27-28 Paul traveled to Rome by ship. In New Testament times many took passage on ships to travel the Mediterranean. These ships were not passenger vessels, but were coastal freighters who took on passengers in addition to their normal load. Wrecks of ships like the one Paul probably sailed on have been located and studied by underwater archeologists. The sailing vessels of that era were not particularly maneuverable, and generally ran before the winds. Against Paul’ s advice the Roman army officer escorting him to Rome set out to sea too late in the season. The boat was caught in a “ wind of hurricane force” and tossed so violently for two weeks that, even with the cargo and ship’ s tackle heaved overboard, no one could eat and all were sure they would be lost. The story of an angel’ s appearance to Paul promising him the lives of all aboard, and the subsequent shipwreck, has proven a favorite story for boys and girls as well as adults. How good to know that no matter how dark the future seems, God is able to deliver us. LINK TO LIFE: CHILDREN Let younger boys and girls tell about the most terrible storm they have ever been in. Where were they? What kind of storm was it? Were they afraid? Were their parents afraid? How bad must a storm be for all the grownups in it to be afraid? Younger children will enjoy “ making” a storm. They can shape small “ boats” by folding and gluing paper into a “ canoe” shape. Use a pin or needle for ballast. Put the little boats in a pan of water and let different children stir up the waters. See how easily the “ boats” turn over and sink when the water is rough. No wonder the people on the boat with Paul in the great ocean storm were terrified. Only Paul was not frightened, because God had promised him all would be well. The small “ boats” can be rescued from the pan, dried, and two small figures modeled from clay. Place them inside the boat, and mount it on a construction paper base. Print on the base, “ God is with me.” Like Paul, we can trust when others are afraid, for God is with us as He was with the great apostle. In Rome Paul waited for his case to appear on the docket. He spent two years waiting, living in a rented house. But those days were not wasted. Paul met with Christian brothers, and spoke to the Jewish community’ s elders, some of whom believed, but many of whom rejected the Gospel message. Acts concludes with these words: “ Boldly and without hindrance he preached the kingdom of God and taught about the Lord Jesus Christ.” What an epitaph for the great apostle. Or for any one of Jesus’ followers of any age. Epilogue. Paul won release from this first imprisonment. During those two years he wrote four New Testament letters known as the “ Prison Epistles,” Ephesians, Philippians, Colossians, Philemon. After his release Paul probably traveled to Spain to continue his ministry of church-planting. Later he was arrested again, and this time the verdict of the court was death. But during that second imprisonment Paul wrote what are known as the pastoral epistles, which include 1 and 2 Timothy and Titus. The churches Paul founded did flourish, and the Gospel message continued to ring out. And, through the ages his letters have guided Christians and churches of every time and place.

Teaching Guide Prepare Select the one or two issues raised in these chapters which you think may be most important to members of your own group.

Explore

1. Give a minilecture covering in no more than five minutes the events reported in Acts 19-28.
2. List on the chalkboard the four issues for which teaching suggestions are provided. Poll your group on which one or two they wish to explore. Or simply select the one(s) you believe relevant. Are we to expect the miraculous today? How can we best confront evils in our society? What is the difference between “ compromise” and “ adapting to conditions” in presenting the Gospel? Are we to use “ worldly” resources to reach spiritual ends?

Expand A teaching approach is developed in the commentary for each of the four issues defined in explore. Select, or let your group members select one or more of them for study. Then follow the “ link-to-life” suggestions in teaching on each. These suggestions are found:

1. On the miraculous.
2. On confronting social evils.
3. On “ compromising” .
4. On use of “ worldly” resources.

Apply Read Acts 28:31 as Paul’ s epitaph. Then ask each group member to write a single sentence epitaph which he or she would be happy to have recorded at the end of his or her own life.