20. “And when the blood of Thy martyr Stephen was shed, I also was standing by, and consenting unto his death, and kept the raiment of them that slew him.”
The Spirit of God sends yet another solemn message to the Jews. Though he was just “standing by” when the first martyr of the church was slain, Paul owns his personal guilt in the death of Stephen. What a word that should have been to the Jews! Though they stood by when the Romans put their Messiah to death, they were truly guilty, for they not only consented to but demanded His death.
21. “And He said unto me, Depart: for I will send thee far hence unto the Gentiles.”
The gospel that Paul preached overreached the exclusive boundaries of Judaism. What marvelous, divine grace! The Gentiles prohibited from drawing near to gain God’s blessing have a “Hebrew of the Hebrews” (Phil. 3:5) sent to the far off, with God’s divine message of love, grace, forgiveness and life.
22. “And they gave him audience unto this word, and then lifted up their voice, and said, Away with such a fellow from the earth: for it is not fit that he should live.”
What blindness religious pride brings! Disobedient to God’s laws, guilty of rejecting His anointed One, the thought that others (Gentiles) were now to be brought into the divine blessing they had rejected caused an outburst of Jewish hatred towards the messenger, as previously it had towards the Messiah.
23. “And as they cried out, and cast off their clothes, and threw dust into the air. ”
Religious pride not only brings hatred; it causes unhappiness (they cried out), shame (cast off their clothes), and humiliation (threw dust). Let us be tender in our hearts, seeking grace that our spirits not be guided by religious pride of place or grace.
24. “The chief captain commanded him to be brought into the castle, and bade that he should be examined by scourging; that he might know wherefore they cried so against him.”
The world, which ought to have been receiving the light of the testimony to God’s grace and love (Matt. 5:16), instead, by the anger of the Jews, is bewildered by their uproar. We easily see what sad results this terrible unbelief and contention brought to God’s servant Paul. But what sorrow, confusion and pain results from the contention and strife existing among members of the body of Christ today?
25. “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?”
Though treated so unjustly, Paul reacts with grace that the Spirit of God alone can give a believer. He does not demand of or issue threats to those about to torture him. His question to the centurion is a beautiful example of submission to the “powers that be [that] are ordained of God” (Rom. 13:1).
26. “When the centurion heard that, he went and told the chief captain, saying, Take heed what thou doest: for this man is a Roman.”
May we never forget that a world which willingly shows care and deference to its own has no interest in Christ’s own. May we ever remember we are pilgrims and strangers here, not living as expecting the treatment and courtesy afforded those who belong to this “present evil world.”
27-28. “Then the chief captain came, and said unto him, Tell me, art thou a Roman? He said, Yea. And the chief captain answered, With a great sum obtained I this freedom. And Paul said, But I was free born.”
Here we see a beautiful example in the Apostle’s life of a believer who uses this world but does not dispose of it as his own (1 Cor. 7:31 JnD). Paul did not “buy” a place in the world, but, being allowed of God to be born into a favored place, used it, leaving the results with God. Are we using the privileges of the place in which God has put us to further the cause of Christ in this dark world or to settle down in it?
29. “Then straightway they departed from him which should have examined him: and the chief captain also was afraid, after he knew that he was a Roman, and because he had bound him.”
Because the Roman Empire was in power, there was present profit to be gained by being part of it. Romans had privileges and protections granted them that none other enjoyed. What a question this poses to the heart of each believer! Do we, as citizens of heaven, avail ourselves of the blessings and protection of that glorious kingdom to which we belong?
May we remember the price our blessed Saviour paid for us that we might obtain this freedom.
30. “On the morrow, because he would have known the certainty wherefore he was accused of the Jews, he loosed him from his bands, and commanded the chief priests and all their council to appear, and brought Paul down, and set him before them.”
Thinking to finally get the truth, the Roman captain calls the chief priests and the Jewish council to come before Paul. But such hatred of the truth as had overtaken these Jews made that impossible. How solemn! Those to whom the oracles of God had been given, through whom the only true God had been known, were now incapable (as well as unwilling) of presenting the truth to those seeking it. Let us carefully watch every tendency of our hearts that we do not become morally incapable of sharing the truth of God with a questioning world.
Chapter 23
1. “And Paul, earnestly beholding the council, said, Men and brethren, I have lived in all good conscience before God until this day.”
Until he met Jesus on the Damascus road, Paul had a good though ignorant conscience. “Let your conscience be your guide” is very poor advice to give others. Unless our consciences have been enlightened by the risen, glorified Christ, they will remain dark, ignorant of the truth.
2. “And the high priest Ananias commanded them that stood by him to smite him on the mouth.”
We see more results of rejecting the truth. Paul spoke truth he had served God in a good (though ignorant) conscience. The Jewish high priest had a hardened conscience and could tolerate no testimony that troubled him. We rightly think of this act as wicked and unbelieving. But remember, it is possible for us, in a bad spirit, to smite one who brings a reproof from God to the conscience.
3. “Then said Paul unto him, God shall smite thee, thou whited wall: for sittest thou to judge me after the law, and commandest me to be smitten contrary to the law?”
Though Paul told the truth, he missed the Lord’s mind, for “the servant of the Lord must not strive, but be gentle unto all men” (2 Tim. 2:24).
4. “And they that stood by said, Revilest thou God’s high priest?”
Those who opposed the grace of God were quick to use Scripture to point out failure in a believer.
5. “Then said Paul, I wist not, brethren, that he was the high priest: for it is written, Thou shalt not speak evil of the ruler of thy people.”
Had Paul not missed the Lord’s mind in going to Jerusalem in the first place, he would perhaps have realized who commanded him to be struck. Yet, in real humility, he does not defend himself but owns his failure. What a rare yet needed spirit for today!
Ed.