(མཛད་པ། 21:27-36)

 

When the seven days were almost completed, the Jews from Asia, seeing him in the temple, stirred up the whole crowd and laid hands on him, crying out, “Men of Israel, help! This is the man who is teaching everyone everywhere against the people and the law and this place. Moreover, he even brought Greeks into the temple and has defiled this holy place.” For they had previously seen Trophimus the Ephesian with him in the city, and they supposed that Paul had brought him into the temple. Then all the city was stirred up, and the people ran together. They seized Paul and dragged him out of the temple, and at once the gates were shut. And as they were seeking to kill him, word came to the tribune of the cohort that all Jerusalem was in confusion. He at once took soldiers and centurions and ran down to them. And when they saw the tribune and the soldiers, they stopped beating Paul. Then the tribune came up and arrested him and ordered him to be bound with two chains. He inquired who he was and what he had done. Some in the crowd were shouting one thing, some another. And as he could not learn the facts because of the uproar, he ordered him to be brought into the barracks. And when he came to the steps, he was actually carried by the soldiers because of the violence of the crowd, for the mob of the people followed, crying out, “Away with him!” (Acts 21:27-36)

 

It was not believing Jews wanting to accuse Paul who caused trouble (see previous post), but those who now attacked him were some of those unbelieving Jews who had repeatedly opposed him on his missionary journeys.

It was a false charge, but serious, because non-Jews were not allowed in the temple. They dragged him to be killed outside, in the same way as an impure non-Jew might be treated.

Fortunately the Roman barracks were right beside the temple. But how was the tribune going to treat him? Find out in succeeding posts.

(མཛད་པ། 21:37 – 22:2)

 

As Paul was about to be brought into the barracks, he said to the tribune, “May I say something to you?” And he said, “Do you know Greek? Are you not the Egyptian, then, who recently stirred up a revolt and led the four thousand men of the Assassins out into the wilderness?” Paul replied, “I am a Jew, from Tarsus in Cilicia, a citizen of no obscure city. I beg you, permit me to speak to the people.” And when he had given him permission, Paul, standing on the steps, motioned with his hand to the people. And when there was a great hush, he addressed them in the Hebrew language, saying: “Brothers and fathers, hear the defense that I now make before you.”And when they heard that he was addressing them in the Hebrew language, they became even more quiet. And he said: (Acts 21:37 – 22:2)

 

Explanation:

The tribune at first thought that Paul was some brigand (jag pa).

Then, when Paul spoke to him in Greek (which was the language of educated people, just as Chinese is spoken in Lhasa, or English in Hong Kong), he thought that Paul must be that rebel from Egypt (ngo log pa) who had raised a guerrilla force to hide in the country and then fight against Rome.*

In answer to the tribune Paul said, ‘No; I am a Jew and a citizen of Tarsus, a free city of the Roman Empire.’

Then in addressing the crowd he was courteous in awaiting permission to speak, and respectful in addressing them both as ‘brother-Jews’, and any of the council members present as ‘fathers’.

The steps were for Paul a platform of opportunity to give witness to Jesus Christ, trusting that the Holy Spirit would give him the words to use, as Jesus has promised (see Luke’s Gospel Chapter 12 verses 11 & 12). Because he spoke using the standard Hebrew dialect (like spyi skad), and not Greek, the crowd listened.

Next time we’ll read his testimony of how Jesus had spoken to him and had appeared in vision to him.

[* They were defeated, but he himself had escaped]

 

(མཛད་པ། 22:3-21)

 

“I am a Jew, born in Tarsus in Cilicia, but brought up in this city, educated at the feet of Gamaliel according to the strict manner of the law of our fathers, being zealous for God as all of you are this day. I persecuted this Way to the death, binding and delivering to prison both men and women, as the high priest and the whole council of elders can bear me witness. From them I received letters to the brothers, and I journeyed toward Damascus to take those also who were there and bring them in bonds to Jerusalem to be punished.

“As I was on my way and drew near to Damascus, about noon a great light from heaven suddenly shone around me. And I fell to the ground and heard a voice saying to me, ‘Saul, Saul, why are you persecuting me?’ And I answered, ‘Who are you, Lord?’ And he said to me, ‘I am Jesus of Nazareth, whom you are persecuting.’ Now those who were with me saw the light but did not understand the voice of the one who was speaking to me. And I said, ‘What shall I do, Lord?’ And the Lord said to me, ‘Rise, and go into Damascus, and there you will be told all that is appointed for you to do.’ And since I could not see because of the brightness of that light, I was led by the hand by those who were with me, and came into Damascus.

“And one Ananias, a devout man according to the law, well spoken of by all the Jews who lived there, came to me, and standing by me said to me, ‘Brother Saul, receive your sight.’ And at that very hour I received my sight and saw him. And he said, ‘The God of our fathers appointed you to know his will, to see the Righteous One and to hear a voice from his mouth; for you will be a witness for him to everyone of what you have seen and heard. And now why do you wait? Rise and be baptized and wash away your sins, calling on his name.’

“When I had returned to Jerusalem and was praying in the temple, I fell into a trance and saw him saying to me, ‘Make haste and get out of Jerusalem quickly, because they will not accept your testimony about me.’ And I said, ‘Lord, they themselves know that in one synagogue after another I imprisoned and beat those who believed in you. And when the blood of Stephen your witness was being shed, I myself was standing by and approving and watching over the garments of those who killed him.’ And he said to me, ‘Go, for I will send you far away to the Gentiles.’” (Acts 22:3-21)

 

We read today how Paul told the crowd the manner of his own conversion (Luke has once already described this for us in Chapter 9 verses 1-19).

And the crowd listened until he mentioned the word for non-Jews ‘Gentiles’. At this uproar broke out again. So the tribune, in order to find out the reason, had Paul taken away to use torture on him.

The story continues in the next post.