Acts 22 Commentary
A moment of truth has come. Paul talks to the enraged crowd in Aramaic. He is a Jew through and through. More than that, he is especially trained in the scriptures, under Professor Gamaliel.
He hasn’t followed a hoax. He narrates his testimony. We have details here that we didn’t have in chapter 9. But Paul’s testimony achieves only more fury and anger. What more could the apostle do? It is always a painful experience to hear men and women reject God in this fashion.
Rewind the years and we are at this very point. It is Stephen in trouble. Paul is venting and probably leading the mob.
Humanity is united in its rejection of the Messiah. We are saddened. You wonder how God feels about it all.
Among the angry crowd are many Pauls yet to convert. Saints must understand the bigger picture. The LORD is at work even in this moment. This testimony is a witness. The LORD has ordained it. Our own view of personal suffering must be scrutinized. If the LORD has ordained it, and it becomes a witness to the glory of the LORD, then our sadness must become our joy.
Then the senseless crowd isn’t so senseless, after all – simply because senseless is what we all are. The LORD calls us out of this kind of foolishness. Paul was drawn out of this kind of foolishness. It is the kind you find in an office, at home, or even among highly educated men and women. We cannot know God until we are drawn to Him by the Holy Spirit.
The crowd is “harassed and helpless, like sheep without a shepherd.”
Saints need more time to reflect and pray that the same mercy that found them can find many from the crowd.
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