BRUCE C WEARNE, in his ongoing series on Acts, looks at a passage in which Paul is freed from his chains after it was discovered he was a Roman citizen…
Up to this point they had listened to him; but then they lifted up their voices and said, “Take this a fellow away, rid the earth of him! His life is surely forfeited.”
And they cried out, shaking out their garments [against him] and throwing dust into the air. The commander issued the order that he be brought into the barracks, to be examined under pain of the lash to ascertain why such accusations had been made against him. Having secured him up with ties, Paul turned to the centurion standing by and said, “When was it lawful for you to whip a man who is a Roman citizen, and uncondemned?” Hearing this the centurion went to the commander and asked, “What are you doing here? This fellow is a Roman citizen!” The commander had to come and ask, “Tell me [Paul] are you a Roman citizen?” And he said, “Yes.” The commander answered, “I actually purchased my citizenship with payment of a large sum.” Paul said, “I was born a citizen.” So that was why those who were about to examine him withdrew instantly, and the commander was also troubled, realizing that since Paul was a Roman citizen he was the one who had bound him. On the next morning, wanting to get to the real reason the Jews had accused him, he had Paul freed from his chains, ordering the chief priests and all the council to meet, while also requiring Paul to stand before them. – Acts 22:22-30
Roman soldiers had arrested and chained up Paul. But after finding he was a Roman citizen, the chains were removed. PICTURE: David Adams
IN A NUTSHELL
Paul knew his rights and understood the complex situation. The tribune had to act to find out what had sparked this civil uproar.
Paul’s address to the crowd did not improve the situation. The tribune may have only had a rough understanding of Paul’s address, but it was the intense dust- throwing frenzy of the crowd that helped him make up his mind. They were getting nowhere. So, he took him into custody and locked him up. As Luke tells it, Paul was biding his time, carefully choosing his moment.
We can imagine the scene. The centurion is about to give instructions to the one who will administer the scourging, the judicial technique for extracting information.
He opens his mouth and is about to say: “Alright, get on with it!” when Paul turns to him and says: “So the regulations have been changed have they? You are able to scourge a Roman citizen without a hearing in these parts, can you?” Oh dear! They had slipped up. Paul knew they were potentially in big trouble. Luke’s account helps us understand how Roman law operated in this Jewish provincial context. We note how Roman citizens exercised a measure of power among themselves. Paul knew the law; Paul knew his rights.
Was Luke also a Roman citizen? We don’t know. We know he was a Gentile, probably a Greek. If he were a Roman citizen we are not told. Nevertheless, for us, this account helps us see how the Gospel of Jesus Christ was proclaimed in all weakness, as yeast leavens the whole lump (Luke 13:21).
When we read Luke 22-23, we discern how this experience recounted in Acts helped Luke ask the right questions as he investigated Jesus’ trial. What was the background to Jesus’ arrest? What was He doing on the Mount of Olives? What treachery was involved? Was there any mob violence? What about Jesus’ relationship with the temple? Were the temple doors shut?
Luke’s learning curve meant he would learn how Jesus was crucified outside the city. Now, he says, the temple doors were shut when the mosh-pit threatened Paul’s life. And as the Saviour hung on the cross, the temple curtain had been ripped down the middle (Luke 23:45).
OPEN BOOK – HINTS FROM THE SPIRIT OF HOLINESS: PAUL IN CUSTODY
BRUCE C WEARNE, in his ongoing series on Acts, looks at a passage in which Paul is freed from his chains after it was discovered he was a Roman citizen…
Up to this point they had listened to him; but then they lifted up their voices and said, “Take this a fellow away, rid the earth of him! His life is surely forfeited.”
And they cried out, shaking out their garments [against him] and throwing dust into the air. The commander issued the order that he be brought into the barracks, to be examined under pain of the lash to ascertain why such accusations had been made against him. Having secured him up with ties, Paul turned to the centurion standing by and said, “When was it lawful for you to whip a man who is a Roman citizen, and uncondemned?” Hearing this the centurion went to the commander and asked, “What are you doing here? This fellow is a Roman citizen!” The commander had to come and ask, “Tell me [Paul] are you a Roman citizen?” And he said, “Yes.” The commander answered, “I actually purchased my citizenship with payment of a large sum.” Paul said, “I was born a citizen.” So that was why those who were about to examine him withdrew instantly, and the commander was also troubled, realizing that since Paul was a Roman citizen he was the one who had bound him. On the next morning, wanting to get to the real reason the Jews had accused him, he had Paul freed from his chains, ordering the chief priests and all the council to meet, while also requiring Paul to stand before them. – Acts 22:22-30
Roman soldiers had arrested and chained up Paul. But after finding he was a Roman citizen, the chains were removed. PICTURE: David Adams
IN A NUTSHELL
Paul knew his rights and understood the complex situation. The tribune had to act to find out what had sparked this civil uproar.
Paul’s address to the crowd did not improve the situation. The tribune may have only had a rough understanding of Paul’s address, but it was the intense dust- throwing frenzy of the crowd that helped him make up his mind. They were getting nowhere. So, he took him into custody and locked him up. As Luke tells it, Paul was biding his time, carefully choosing his moment.
We can imagine the scene. The centurion is about to give instructions to the one who will administer the scourging, the judicial technique for extracting information.
He opens his mouth and is about to say: “Alright, get on with it!” when Paul turns to him and says: “So the regulations have been changed have they? You are able to scourge a Roman citizen without a hearing in these parts, can you?” Oh dear! They had slipped up. Paul knew they were potentially in big trouble. Luke’s account helps us understand how Roman law operated in this Jewish provincial context. We note how Roman citizens exercised a measure of power among themselves. Paul knew the law; Paul knew his rights.
Was Luke also a Roman citizen? We don’t know. We know he was a Gentile, probably a Greek. If he were a Roman citizen we are not told. Nevertheless, for us, this account helps us see how the Gospel of Jesus Christ was proclaimed in all weakness, as yeast leavens the whole lump (Luke 13:21).
When we read Luke 22-23, we discern how this experience recounted in Acts helped Luke ask the right questions as he investigated Jesus’ trial. What was the background to Jesus’ arrest? What was He doing on the Mount of Olives? What treachery was involved? Was there any mob violence? What about Jesus’ relationship with the temple? Were the temple doors shut?
Luke’s learning curve meant he would learn how Jesus was crucified outside the city. Now, he says, the temple doors were shut when the mosh-pit threatened Paul’s life. And as the Saviour hung on the cross, the temple curtain had been ripped down the middle (Luke 23:45).
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