Acts Bible Study: Day 32
Today’s passage: Acts 21:37 to Acts 22:22
Focus verse: “Then the Lord said to me, ‘Go; I will send you far away to the Gentiles.’” (Acts 22:21)
After arresting Paul, the soldiers carry him away. He asks to speak to their leader. The guy thinks Paul’s an Egyptian rebel who leads a terrorist group.
Paul sets him straight. “No, I’m a Jew, from Tarsus. Please let me speak to my fellow Jews.” The man agrees.
Standing on the steps of the barracks, Paul turns to face the crowd. He motions that he wants to speak. Once they become quiet, he addresses them in Aramaic and not Greek. This gets their attention. They listen with respect.
He tells them his story.
“Though I was born in Tarsus, I was raised here in Jerusalem. I studied under Gamaliel, who I’m sure you know. He thoroughly trained me in the law and our traditions. I was zealous for God, just as you are today.
“I went on a vendetta against the followers of Jesus. I hunted them down, arrested them, and threw them into prison. Whenever possible I brought about their death.
“After I had done all I could here in Jerusalem, I received permission from the Council to go to Damascus and do the same thing there.
“On my way, a bright light flashed from heaven. I fell and heard a voice, ‘Saul, why are you persecuting me?’ (Recall that Paul originally went by Saul.)
“I said, ‘Who are you?’
“The voice replied, ‘I’m Jesus, the one you’re persecuting. Now get up. Go into Damascus. Await further instructions.’
“Because of the bright light, I couldn’t see. So my friends led me to Damascus.
“Ananias, a devout man and highly respected by the Jews there, came to see me. He restored my sight and told me what God wanted me to do. Then I was baptized.
“I returned to Jerusalem and went to the temple to pray. I fell into a trance. God spoke to me. ‘Leave Jerusalem now. The people here won’t believe your testimony. Instead, I will send you to tell the Gentiles.’”
Everything is going well, and the people listen attentively until Paul says that God sent him to the Gentiles. Pandemonium resumes. “Kill him!” the crowd shouts. “He isn’t fit to live.”
Should Paul have kept this last detail to himself?
Questions:
- When we talk about Jesus, do we sometimes withhold information so that we don’t offend people?
- Would we rather be politically correct or biblically correct?
[Discover more by reading about when Jesus caused offense in Matthew 15:11–14 and John 6:60–68.]
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