Acts 22:22-29

Our citizenship matters. Above all is our citizenship in the Kingdom of God. Our salvation and adoption into the lineage of Christ brings divine benefits. it is our strength on earth and in heaven.

Joy in our salvation is our strength.

Paul’s audience reacts violently to his speech, and the Roman commander seeks to learn why the Jewish people are so upset with Paul by using torture. Paul escapes flogging by calling attention to his Roman citizenship. Paul appeals to his Roman citizenship and his judicial standing. Roman law forbade the punishment of a citizen without a trial. Paul’s citizenship is by birth, due to him being from Tarsus—a municipality of the Roman Empire that automatically granted citizenship. Faithlife Bible.

The Jews did not hate all Gentiles. In fact, they permitted God-fearing Gentiles to worship in the Court of the Gentiles. A Gentile could even become a proselyte, recognized as a Jew, by being circumcised and obeying the laws of Moses. Thus the Jews in this passage were not upset about allowing Gentiles to worship God, but at the idea that Gentiles could be on an equal footing with them before God without being proselytes. The fact that the Gentiles could come to God directly by faith in Jesus Christ was offensive to them. 

The Roman law was that no Roman citizen could be chained, scourged, or killed without a proper trial. Failure to obey this law resulted in severe punishment for the one who commanded the illegal punishment. Paul had been chained and was about to be scourged without any formal charges having been made. Paul was born a Roman. Ultimately God used Paul’s Roman citizenship to spread the gospel to Rome. NKJ Bible.

Acts 22:22-29

22 And they listened to him until this word, and then they raised their voices and said, “Away with such a fellow from the earth, for he is not fit to live!” 23 Then, as they cried out and tore off their clothes and threw dust into the air, 24 the commander ordered him to be brought into the barracks, and said that he should be examined under scourging, so that he might know why they shouted so against him. 25 And as they bound him with thongs, Paul said to the centurion who stood by, “Is it lawful for you to scourge a man who is a Roman, and uncondemned?”

26 When the centurion heard that, he went and told the commander, saying, “Take care what you do, for this man is a Roman.”

27 Then the commander came and said to him, “Tell me, are you a Roman?”

He said, “Yes.”

28 The commander answered, “With a large sum I obtained this citizenship.”

And Paul said, “But I was born a citizen.”

29 Then immediately those who were about to examine him withdrew from him; and the commander was also afraid after he found out that he was a Roman, and because he had bound him.

Acts 16:37 | But Paul said to them, “They have beaten us openly, uncondemned Romans, and have thrown us into prison. And now do they put us out secretly? No indeed! Let them come themselves and get us out.”

1 Thessalonians 2:16 | forbidding us to speak to the Gentiles that they may be saved, so as always to fill up the measure of their sins; but wrath has come upon them to the uttermost.