Acts 22:2-5 – When they heard him speak to them in Aramaic, they became very quiet. Then Paul said: 3 “I am a Jew, born in Tarsus of Cilicia, but brought up in this city. I studied under Gamaliel and was thoroughly trained in the law of our ancestors. I was just as zealous for God as any of you are today. 4 I persecuted the followers of this Way to their death, arresting both men and women and throwing them into prison, 5 as the high priest and all the Council can themselves testify. I even obtained letters from them to their associates in Damascus, and went there to bring these people as prisoners to Jerusalem to be punished.
“When they heard him speak to them in Aramaic, they became very quiet.” They became quiet because of a couple reasons. One is that there was an instant affiliation. He was one of them. Not only likewise a Jew, but an educated Jew. Many Jews from the Dispersion could not speak either Hebrew or Aramaic. In fact their reputed greatest scholar of the first century (Philo of Alexandria) could not read the books of Moses in Hebrew. So they were instantly interested in what Paul had to say. They recognized that not only was Paul a Jew, but an educated one. Since he was born in Tarsus and then raised in Jerusalem, he may also have been considered a Hellenistic Jew.
“Then Paul said: 3 “I am a Jew, born in Tarsus of Cilicia, but brought up in this city. I studied under Gamaliel and was thoroughly trained in the law of our ancestors. I was just as zealous for God as any of you are today.” Paul’s defense, or explanation of his ministry will come in three parts: 1) His life before Christ. (Vs 1-5) 2) His encounter with Christ (submitting to Christ). (Vs 6-16) 3) His ministry in Christ. (Vs 17-21)
As previously mentioned Paul was born a Jew in the city of Tarsus. He later was raised and educated in Jerusalem. He states that he studied under one of the legends of his time and so was thoroughly trained in the law. Notice that He is saying that he was trained in the law of “our” ancestors. He is speaking in a language they understood and so that piqued their interest. Now he is relating to them about his impressive scholarship of The Law that they share as common ancestors. He is now shared his knowledge of the language and his education in the Law and certainly has done so to create a bond.
He notes that he was not a sit-on-the-couch-all-week person, but a zealous Jew who was a guardian of their beliefs. He said he was zealous as they are. Again, surely meant to unite and not to divide.
“I persecuted the followers of this Way to their death, arresting both men and women and throwing them into prison, 5 as the high priest and all the Council can themselves testify. I even obtained letters from them to their associates in Damascus, and went there to bring these people as prisoners to Jerusalem to be punished.” Driving forward Paul said that in his great zeal to protect their common loyalty to the law, he persecuted the very people whom he now is associated with. As the mob was persecuting him, he had likewise done in an official capacity as the high priest and the Council had given to him letters (Acts 9:1-2) to arrest and bring those of the Way to Jerusalem for trial. In fact, Paul said, these people who are among you can testify of what I have said. Surely they were present with the mob. Now he has given them three reasons as unifying bonds, language, The Law and zeal for The Law.
Paul had formerly been convinced that to show his loyalty to God he must do his part to stomp out followers of the Way. Likewise, he was convinced that many there were also those who were zealous to please the Lord. They, like he, were fighting against God instead of for Him. Paul could understand how they could be zealous for God and yet so wrong in their conviction. He longed to change their minds so that they could be right with God.
Family, we can share our faith in the same way manner that Paul here shares. We read a short statement of his life before Christ. He will, in the succeeding verses, share how he came to Christ and how his life has changed since coming to Christ. We can do that! Here is a short version of how I have done that: Before I was a Christian many people thought I was a very happy person. I always had a smile on my face. I was not faking happiness, in a way, I was happy about much of my life. My childhood was very good! But into my teens an awareness crept into my life and I began to become depressed, though I did not share that with people. I still smiled and laughed but I knew I was missing something. I even contemplated suicide. I even began conditioning myself to be able to do it. I knew that I needed to know that someone loved me not because I was born to them, but because they chose to love me. So I concluded that I needed a girlfriend. However, even after finding the girl who loved me greatly and who would become my wife, her love could not take away that awful feeling. I still was hurting for something and I did not know what it was.
Then, at my place of work, I met some Christians who were on fire for the Lord. They shared Jesus with me and my aunt and uncle presented the Gospel to Teresa and me. We also began attending a Bible teaching church. We gave our lives to Jesus.
After coming to the Lord I realized that the love I had searched for was only available from God. I learned that God who created me had created me had created me with a desire for a love so great only He could fulfill it. No parent, no sibling, no girlfriend, nor any other relative or friend could soothe my hurt. As it has been often said, there was a God sized hole in my heart and only He could fill it. So, though I was once so hurt that I was suicidal, now that hurt is gone away. I live to serve the Lord. Though I can be separated from anyone on earth, He is with me always. He is the companion, the love, the One for whom I was meant to spend eternity with. Now, my spirit, my soul, is at peace…forever!
Family, we all have a story, to the praise of our God, let us tell the story of our relationship with Jesus! Let us always praise God! Thank you Jesus! Praise God!
Psalm 150:6 – Let everything that has breath praise the Lord. Praise the Lord!
Micah 7:7 – But as for me, I watch in hope for the Lord, I wait for God my Savior; my God will hear me.
Micah 6:8 – He has shown You, O man, what is good; And what does the Lord require of You but to do justly, to love mercy, And to walk humbly with Your God.
Numbers 6:24-26 “The Lord bless you and keep you; 25 the Lord make His face shine on you and be gracious to you; 26 the Lord turn His face toward you and give you peace.”