Acts 22

2 kept the more silence. Being pleased as well as surprised to hear him speak their own tongue.

3 according to the perfect manner, etc. With Pharisaic “strictness”: see xxvi. 5. The “law of the fathers” included the current traditional glosses on the Old Testament.

5 the high priest, etc. The high priest of that day, who was still living: see ix. 1, 2. This was probably Theophilus, son of Annas. At the time of this address, Theophilus having been deposed, Ananias held office, on the nomination of King Agrippa II. “And all the presbytery,” i.e., the whole Sanhedrin, who commissioned Paul to their Hebrew brethren at Damascus.

6-13. Compare these verses with Luke’s account of St. Paul’s conversion in ix. 3-9 and St. Paul’s own account in ch. xxvi.; and see notes

14. The God of our fathers. Compare Stephen’s language in vii. 32.

Just One. This designation of our Lord, derived from Isa. liii. 11, was used by Stephen in vii. 52: see also iii. 14.

the voice of His mouth. That is, His immediate revelations; in order that thou mayest testify what thou hast seen and heard (15).

16 wash away thy sins. Cp. ii. 38. Baptism is the outward sign of the repentance and faith which are essential to salvation.

the name of the Lord. “His name,” R.V.; i.e., the name of “the Just One” (14).

17 to Jerusalem. See notes on ix. 26.

in a trance. See note on x. 10.

19. And I said, etc. Paul thought that his former zeal against Christ, contrasted with his present zeal for Him, must make a deep impression on his countrymen; but his subsequent history showed that he was mistaken.

20. Thy martyr Stephen. Rather, as R.V., “Stephen Thy witness.” As the early witnesses for Christ almost all suffered for their religion, the word soon came to be applied to those who suffered death for their Christian profession: see Rev. xvii. 6.

22 lifted up their voices, etc. Verifying the words of ver. 18.

it is not fit. Lit., “it was not fit”; he has deserved to die long ago.

23 cast off their clothes. Rather, they “threw their clothes into the air.” A mob of exasperated Orientals still express their anger in the same way.

24 scourging. The Roman officer supposed that this new outburst of rage against Paul must be caused by some flagrant crime on his part, and determined to extort a confession by scourging. On this terrible torture, see Geikie: Life of Christ, ii. 547, 548.

25 as they bound, etc. Or, “as they stretched him forward with the thongs,” i.e., binding him to the post, that he might be scourged. He was actually bound (29), though not scourged.

stood by. To superintend the flogging.

28 this freedom. Rather, “this citizenship” (R.V.). Surely you could not have afforded to pay for so costly a privilege!

29. But I was [free] born. Lit., “But I was even born,” i.e. a citizen. Paul could not have had this right simply as a native of Tarsus, a city which did not confer the right of Roman citizenship upon its inhabitants: had it been so, the Tribune, who already knew his birthplace (xxi. 39), would not have ordered the scourging. His family had acquired the privilege, probably, either by payment or by service; and he had inherited it. See note, xiii. 9. This timely assertion of his rights as a Roman citizen saved him not only from present infliction, but from many subsequent dangers at the hands of the Jews.

30 commanded the chief priests, etc. He saw that this was an affair which concerned the national religion, but wished to know whether it was necessary for him to interfere. As yet the clamour of the mob had been the only ground of procedure against Paul; the chief captain desired something official.

down. Down from the Castle of Antonia to the council room, which had formerly been in the Temple, but had been removed to a hall on Mount Zion. See note on ver. 25.

third hour of the night. That is, at nine o’clock in the evening.