When the Jews hear that Jesus Christ sent him from Jerusalem to go to the Gentiles, they explode in anger, demanding his execution. Paul was speaking to them in Hebrew, so it would appear that the Roman commander could not understand what he was saying. He just saw the crowd's response and decided that he will get the truth through scourging Paul. As they strung Paul up to be whipped, he asked if it was legal for them to be treating a Roman citizen this way. Those who were about to beat him withdrew in fear when they find out that he was born a Roman citizen. The commander then caused the Sanhedrin to appear so that they can explain why the Jews were accusing him.
A couple thoughts on applications of the passage. It is easy to think that we are prepared for one thing, when God is really preparing us for something else. Paul could look and see how he was the persecutor of the church who repented, who would be better to bring Christianity to the Jews, but God said Paul is a Jewish Roman citizen, who would be better to bring the gospel to the Roman empire. Also, God has put all of the authorities in place. Paul uses a law that says that Roman citizens are to be treated differently than everyone else which is clearly against the law of God who says that there should be one law for all. But it is the law, so Paul is not sinning by using the law that says Roman citizens need to be treated justly. He had no responsibility to make himself a martyr because others were mistreated.
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Dan Horn
Is It Lawful? Exposition of Acts Reformation Baptist Church
