Acts 22

Paul already knows that the Jews in Jerusalem are not going to understand or listen to the truth of the Gospel. In his speech to them he tells them specifically that God had already revealed that truth to him years before. Paul just can't help trying to explain things, though.

He's been gone for years, and many of these people were once his friends. Now they all want to kill him. I'll bet that he not only felt sorry for them as they pushed their ethnic pride in spite of the Gospel, but I'll bet that he also felt lonely. The only people that he could look to at that moment for help were Roman soldiers. His country, his race, and his heritage had all but disowned him. That must have been a hard time.

In addressing the crowd, though, Paul tried to reestablish bonds with those people that he had known earlier in his life. He reached for points of common interest in detailing how he used to also be bloodthirsty in hunting down the Christians. The Jews, though, reveal their true fears when he finally tells them that God sent him to the Gentiles to save his life and because the Jews wouldn't listen. To the Jews that made Paul a blasphemer and unclean.

The Jews were more concerned with keeping their little religious clique going than in hearing God. They were more concerned with not being able to continue saying they were better than the Gentiles than in sharing the salvation of the Lord. They were more concerned with complaining about the Roman soldiers than in trying to work together with them to further the Gospel. They were short-sighted, selfish, and scared.

Paul was scared, too, and in that fear, he reminds us of one other important point: it's okay to be a part of a human government and to work within the rules of that government to further the Gospel. When the Romans were preparing to flog Paul, he knew that that flogging would be worse than any other punishment that he had ever received. He knew that it would probably result in his death. Paul used the fact that he was a Roman citizen to take control of the situation. As a matter of fact, I think he may have even inserted a little pride into the mix when he told the commander that he was "born a citizen." Seems to me that he's implying that he's a little higher socially than a man that had to buy citizenship most likely through bribes.

In what ways are you short-sighted, selfish, and scared? And is it possible that you are ignoring God as a result of your own fears and prejudices?