Acts 22:22-30 – The crowd listened to Paul until he said this. Then they raised their voices and shouted, “Rid the earth of him! He’s not fit to live!” 23 As they were shouting and throwing off their cloaks and flinging dust into the air, 24 the commander ordered that Paul be taken into the barracks. He directed that he be flogged and interrogated in order to find out why the people were shouting at him like this. 25 As they stretched him out to flog him, Paul said to the centurion standing there, “Is it legal for you to flog a Roman citizen who hasn’t even been found guilty?” 26 When the centurion heard this, he went to the commander and reported it. “What are you going to do?” he asked. “This man is a Roman citizen.” 27 The commander went to Paul and asked, “Tell me, are you a Roman citizen?” “Yes, I am,” he answered. 28 Then the commander said, “I had to pay a lot of money for my citizenship.” “But I was born a citizen,” Paul replied. 29 Those who were about to interrogate him withdrew immediately. The commander himself was alarmed when he realized that he had put Paul, a Roman citizen, in chains. 30 The commander wanted to find out exactly why Paul was being accused by the Jews. So the next day he released him and ordered the chief priests and all the members of the Sanhedrin to assemble. Then he brought Paul and had him stand before them.
“When the centurion heard this, he went to the commander and reported it. “What are you going to do?” he asked. “This man is a Roman citizen.” 27 The commander went to Paul and asked, “Tell me, are you a Roman citizen?” “Yes, I am,” he answered.” The Lord blessed Paul’s strategy. The Roman soldiers were alarmed and immediately went to their commander and reported the news. The commander immediately became concerned and went to ascertain for himself if Paul was a Roman citizen, to which Paul confirmed that he was. Something awe inspiring about this is the love God has for us and the ability of our omniscient God to beforehand work out all things for the good of those who love Him (Romans 8:28). We see the providence of God (Psalm 103:19) as Paul did not purchase his citizenship as the commander had but was born a citizen. How Paul was born a citizen is not directly known (from scripture) but what we may surely know is that it was the Lord Himself who arranged it so. It is possible that Paul was born a citizen by being born in a Roman province (Tarsus), or that his father or grandfather were citizens as the result of military service for Rome. Yet either way, long before Paul was born, God knew then of the use of Roman citizenship to save Paul from beatings and death. How great is our God! Praise God who even before we are born is arranging blessings for our lives. This is just another part of the proof of how greatly God has always loved us! Indeed God is all-knowing, He is good, and He loves us! We are safe in His love! Praise God!
“Then the commander said, “I had to pay a lot of money for my citizenship.” “But I was born a citizen,” Paul replied.” Buying Roman citizenship was, though legal, somewhat of a backdoor in. It of course was, to some, a dubious honor and considered a lower citizenship than being born a Roman citizen. So Paul’s level of citizenship exceeded that of the commander’s.
“Those who were about to interrogate him withdrew immediately. The commander himself was alarmed when he realized that he had put Paul, a Roman citizen, in chains.” The commander, and even all the soldiers beneath him, were now in a very precarious situation. We can easily picture the soldiers shrinking away from Paul not wanting to be implicated in the mistreatment of this Roman citizenship. Roman citizens greatly valued their liberties and the violation of them was a serious act punishable by sentencing from a people who zealously guarded their liberties. Any who had a part in even the binding of Paul were in danger of possibly having to answer for their indiscretion.
“The commander wanted to find out exactly why Paul was being accused by the Jews. So the next day he released him and ordered the chief priests and all the members of the Sanhedrin to assemble. Then he brought Paul and had him stand before them.” Now the commander was going to go about the interrogation of Paul in a proper way. Paul was to face his accusers. So the commander unbound Paul from his illegal binding and called the chief priests and all the members of the Sanhedrin to come to testify against Paul. The commander wanted to hear the accusations, the evidence and to give Paul a chance to defend himself. The commander could have saved himself worry if he had been a good man who gave equal treatment to all, Roman citizen or not. Yet it should not be absolutely concluded that this rascal had changed his ways, but was, more likely, trying to make it right should he have to defend his actions. Perhaps he was hoping that Paul had broken a Roman law and then his binding might be justified. Nevertheless, Paul was brought out to confront his accusers who were, sadly, the very people he loved and would die for, if it would have meant their salvation.
A common question is, if a Christian is wronged, should that Christian pursue their rights through legal recourse? In 1 Corinthians 6:1-8 Paul admonishes the Corinthian church against taking other Christians to court to settle a manner. He states that we who will reign with Jesus (2 Timothy 2:12) should not be seeking the ungodly to settle our disputes. We should, as servants of the Lord Jesus, be able to settle our own disputes. He even states that it would better representing our fellowship with each other to suffer wrong than to go to a worldly court against each other. We know that the world administers the truth and justice as they know it and much too often that can be contrary to the truth of justice of God.
However should a non-believer violate rights given to us by the government of our land, then it is our right to pursue those rights through the courts of the land, just as Paul here did. We can look to the reply of Jesus concerning paying taxes as He said “So give back to Caesar what is Caesar’s, and to God what is God’s.” (Matthew 22:15-22) If we love Him, God rules over all parts of our lives. Yet Jesus here clearly notes that we shall be aware that the government of our land has power and authority. Give to the government what belongs to them as long as it does not conflict with what the Word of God reveals to us. So the government has laws we must all abide in (that do not conflict with the Word) and also rights that we are all endowed with. If someone, be it a public entity or person, or a private entity or person, who is not Christian, violates our legal rights, then they are subject to correction by the very government that has given our rights to us. So, since these are rights are given to us by the government, then it is reasonable to pursue and guard those rights within the government that gives and protects them. So, against non-believers, it is okay, even proper, to seek government redress in a proper way. However, against each other, let us settle disputes among ourselves, or with elders, or by the whole church, but we ought not to take each other to a government, and public court. Let us rather, in love, prefer to suffer wrong so that the name of our beloved Jesus is not dragged through the mud. Don’t we know that non-believers love to point and scoff at such behavior. No, God forbid, let’s not drag each other into government court and so shame the name of Jesus. But if a matter cannot be settled with a non-believer, than, when necessary, pursue legal rights as the laws have prescribed. In all these things we submit our behavior before God. In all things, let us do things that honor and praise God (1 Corinthians 10:31). Yes, may we always honor and praise our good God! 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.”