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In the close of the foregoing chapter we had Paul bound, according to Agabus's prophecy of the hard usage he should receive from the Jews at Jerusalem, yet he had his tongue set at liberty, by the permission the chief captain gave him to speak for himself; and so intent he is upon using that liberty of speech which is allowed him, to the honour of Christ and the service of his interest, that he forgets the bonds he is in, makes no mention of them, but speaks of the great things Christ had done for him with as much ease and cheerfulness as if nothing had been done to ruffle him or put him into disorder. We have here, I. His address to the people, and their attention to it, Ac 22:1,2. II. The account he gives of himself. 1. What a bigoted Jew he had been in the beginning of his time, Ac 22:3-5. 2. How he was miraculously converted and brought over to the faith of Christ, Ac 22:6-11. 3. How he was confirmed and baptized by the ministry of Ananias, Ac 22:12-16. 4. How he was afterwards called, by an immediate warrant from heaven, to be the apostle of the Gentiles, Ac 22:17-21. III. The interruption given him upon this by the rabble, who could not bear to hear any thing said in favour of the Gentiles, and the violent passion they flew into upon it, Ac 22:22,23. IV. Paul's second rescue out of the hands of the rabble, and the further course which the chief captain took to find out the true reason of this mighty clamour against Paul, Ac 22:24,25. V. Paul's pleading his privilege as a Roman citizen, by which he was exempted from this barbarous method of inquisition, Ac 22:26-29. VI. The chief captain's removing the cause into the high priest's court, and Paul's appearing there, Ac 22:30.
1-2
Paul's First Defence
简体中文
保罗的第一次申辩
¹ 诸位父兄请听，我现在对你们分诉。 ² （众人听见他用希伯来话对他们说，就更加安静。他就说：）
保罗在徒 21:40 已经得了一个大胜利——在那样大声的喧嚷之后，竟叫人如此肃静。这里请看，
一、他以何等可钦佩的镇静和定力开口说话。再没有穷人比他被更多暴徒围攻，更充满狂怒暴怒；然而在他的话中，1. 看不出惊惶——他的心是安宁镇定的。这样他应验了自己的话，「这些事没有一件能摇动我」；也应验了大卫的话（诗 3:6）：「虽有成万的百姓周围攻击我，我也不怕。」2. 看不出激动。虽然对他的指控全是无聊不公的，虽然他当时正设计想要表示对圣殿的敬意，却被人控告污秽了圣殿，这本来足以激怒任何活人，他却并不爆发任何愤怒的话，反而「像羊羔被牵到宰杀之地」。
二、他甚至给那些如此虐待他的人何等尊敬的称呼，又何等谦卑地请求他们注意听：「诸位父兄」（徒 22:1）。「世人啊，我向你们呼吁」——是「人」，当听理智、受其引导；是「人」，可期望人性。「弟兄」——指平民百姓；「父老」——指祭司们。这样他让他们知道他是他们中之一，并未与犹太民族断绝关系，仍对他们怀有善意和关切。请注意，我们不可给人谄媚的称呼，却当给一切人当得的尊敬称呼；我们愿向之行善的人，当尽量不惹动他们。他虽被救出他们手中、受千夫长保护，却不痛骂他们：「你们这些悖逆的人，听啊」；反倒以礼相待：「诸位父兄。」请注意，他不向他们提出控告，不反唇相讥——「你们听我要对你们怎样说」，而是「你们听我要为自己怎样说」：「请听我的分诉」——这是公正合理的要求，因为每个被告的人都有为自己答覆的权利，若他的答覆不蒙耐心公正地聆听，他就没有得着公正。
三、他所用的语言——这使他的话更被听众接受；他「用希伯来话」——即犹太人的通俗语言——说话，此时这语言并非纯正的旧约希伯来文，而是叙利亚文（Syriac）——希伯来文的一种方言，更恰当地说是它的一种讹变，正如义大利文之于拉丁文。然而，1. 这表明他对自己同胞犹太人一贯的尊重。他虽与外邦人交往甚多，仍保留犹太人的语言，能流利地讲说；由此可见他是犹太人，「因为他的口音把他露出来了」。2. 他所说的更普遍地为人所懂，因为那是人人所讲的语言；所以讲那语言实在是向民众呼吁，借此他可以多少赢取他们的好感；所以「众人听见他用希伯来话对他们说，就更加安静」。人若用他们听不懂的语言向他们说话，怎能期望他们留意呢？千夫长听见他说希腊话很惊奇（徒 21:37），犹太人听见他说希伯来话也很惊奇——双方都因此更看重他。但他们若查问——本当查问——并发见他「圣灵赐他口才」所用的方言何其繁多，又该何等惊奇呢！（林前 14:18）「我说方言比你们众人还多。」但实情是，许多智慧善良的人之所以被轻看，只因为不被人认识。
英文原文
Paul's First Defence
¹ Men, brethren, and fathers, hear ye my defence which I make now unto you.
² (And when they heard that he spake in the Hebrew tongue to them, they kept the more silence: and he saith,)
Paul had, in the Ac 21:40, gained a great point, by commanding so profound a silence after so loud a clamour. Now here observe,
I. With what an admirable composure and presence of mind he addresses himself to speak. Never was poor man set upon in a more tumultuous manner, nor with more rage and fury; and yet, in what he said, 1. There appears o fright, but his mind is sedate and composed. Thus he makes his own words good, None of these things move me; and David's (Ps 3:6), I will not be afraid of ten thousands of people that have set themselves against me round about. 2. There appears no passion. Though the suggestions against him were all frivolous and unjust, though it would have vexed any man alive to be charged with profaning the temple just then when he was contriving and designing to show his respect to it, yet he breaks out into no angry expressions, but is led as a lamb to the slaughter.
II. What respectful titles he gives even to those who thus abused him, and how humbly he craves their attention: "Men, brethren, and fathers, Ac 22:1. To you, O men, I call; men, that should hear reason, and be ruled by it; men, from whom one may expect humanity. You, brethren of the common people; you, fathers of the priests." Thus he lets them know that he was one of them, and had not renounced his relation to the Jewish nation, but still had a kindness and concern for it. Note, Though we must not give flattering titles to any, yet we ought to give titles of due respect to all; and those we would do good to we should endeavour not to provoke. Though he was rescued out of their hands, and was taken under the protection of the chief captain, yet he does not fall foul upon them, with, Hear now, you rebels; but compliments them with, Men, brethren, and fathers. And observe, he does not exhibit a charge against them, does not recriminate, Hear now what I have to say against you, but, Hear now what I have to say for myself: Hear you my defence; a just and reasonable request, for every man that is accused has a right to answer for himself, and has not justice done him if his answer be not patiently and impartially heard.
III. The language he spoke in, which recommended what he said to the auditory; He spoke in the Hebrew tongue, that is, the vulgar language of the Jews, which, at this time, was not the pure Old-Testament Hebrew, but the Syriac, a dialect of the Hebrew, or rather a corruption of it, as the Italian of the Latin. However, 1. It showed his continued respect to his countrymen, the Jews. Though he had conversed so much with the Gentiles, yet he still retained the Jews' language, and could talk it with ease; by this it appears he is a Jew, for his speech betrayeth him. 2. What he said was the more generally understood, for that was the language every body spoke, and therefore to speak in that language was indeed to appeal to the people, by which he might have somewhat to insinuate into their affections; and therefore, when they heard that he spoke in the Hebrew tongue, they kept the more silence. How can it be thought people should give any attention to that which is spoken to them in a language they do not understand? The chief captain was surprised to hear him speak Greek (Ac 21:37), the Jews were surprised to hear him speak Hebrew, and both therefore think the better of him. But how would they have been surprised if they had enquired, as they ought to have done, and found in what variety of tongues the Spirit gave him utterance! 1Co 14:18, I speak with tongues more than you all. But the truth is, many wise and good men are therefore slighted only because they are not known.
3-21
Paul's First Defence
简体中文
保罗的自辩
³ 保罗说：「我原是犹太人，生在基利家的大数，长在这城里，在迦玛列门下，按着我们祖宗严紧的律法受教，热心事奉 神，像你们众人今日一样。 ⁴ 我也曾逼迫奉这道的人，直到死地，无论男女都捆绑，下在监里。 ⁵ 这是大祭司和众长老都可以给我作见证的。我又领了他们达与弟兄的书信，往大马色去，要把在那里奉这道的人锁拿，带到耶路撒冷受刑。」 ⁶ 「我将到大马色，正走的时候，约在晌午，忽然从天上发大光，四面照着我。 ⁷ 我就仆倒在地，听见有声音对我说：扫罗！扫罗！你为甚么逼迫我？ ⁸ 我回答说：主啊，你是谁？他说：我就是你所逼迫的拿撒勒人耶稣。 ⁹ 与我同行的人看见了那光，却没有听明那位对我说话的声音。 ¹⁰ 我说：主啊，我当作甚么？主说：你起来，往大马色去，在那里要将所派你作的一切事告诉你。 ¹¹ 我因那光的荣耀不能看见，同行的人就拉着我手进了大马色。 ¹² 那里有一个人，名叫亚拿尼亚，按着律法是虔诚人，为一切住在那里的犹太人所称赞。 ¹³ 他来见我，旁边站着，对我说：兄弟扫罗，你可以看见。我当时往上一看，就看见了他。 ¹⁴ 他又说：我们祖宗的 神拣选了你，叫你明白祂的旨意，又得见那义者，听祂口中所出的声音。 ¹⁵ 因为你要将所看见的、所听见的，对着万人为祂作见证。 ¹⁶ 现在你为甚么耽延呢？起来，求告祂的名受洗，洗去你的罪。」 ¹⁷ 「后来我回到耶路撒冷，在殿里祷告的时候，魂游象外， ¹⁸ 看见主向我说：你赶紧的离开耶路撒冷，不可迟延；因你为我作的见证，他们必不领受。 ¹⁹ 我就说：主啊，他们知道我从前把信你的人收在监里，又在各会堂里鞭打他们； ²⁰ 并且你的见证人司提反被害流血的时候，我也站在旁边欢喜，又看守害死他之人的衣裳。 ²¹ 主向我说：你去罢！我要差你远远的往外邦人那里去。」
保罗在此为自己作了一番陈述，足以使千夫长相信他并非自己所误认的那个埃及人，也能使犹太人相信他并非他们所误认的——他们教会的仇敌、他们国族的敌人、他们律法和圣殿的敌对者；他在传讲基督之事上，尤其在外邦人中传讲祂这事上，乃是奉神所赐的使命而行。他在此使他们明白：
一、他的出身与所受的教育如何。1. 他是他们本国之人，「是以色列族，是亚伯拉罕的后裔，是希伯来人所生的希伯来人」，并非出于无名之家族，也不是从别国转投过来的叛徒：「不，我实在是犹太人」——原文 aner Ioudaios——「一个犹太男人」；我是人，所以不当被当作兽类对待；我是犹太人，不是化外人；我是你们国族真诚的朋友，因我也是其中一员；我若不义地贬损你们律法和圣殿的尊荣，便是污秽自己的巢穴了。2. 他生在一个体面可敬的地方，「生在基利家的大数」，且生而为该城的自由民。他不是生而为奴——散居之犹太人中恐怕有些如此；他生而是绅士，或者能拿出那古老而光荣之城的自由民证书。这原是不足夸口的小事，但面对那些傲慢践踏他、仿佛把他与「愚顽人的儿子、卑贱人的儿子」（伯三十8）同列之人，此时提及却属必要。3. 他所受的是博学而开明的教育。他不仅是犹太人、是绅士，更是学者。他「长在这城里」——耶路撒冷，犹太学问的首要所在，「在迦玛列门下」——他们都知道他是犹太律法著名的博士，而保罗本也准备作律法的教师；所以他不可能不熟悉他们的律法，也不能因他不识律法而被认为轻看它。他的父母在他年幼时便带他到这城，立志使他作法利赛人；有人认为他在迦玛列门下受教，不仅表明他是迦玛列的门徒之一，更表明他比别人更殷勤恒切地赴课听讲，凡事留意听从、凡事恭行——正如「马利亚……在耶稣脚前坐着听祂的道」。4. 他在早年是犹太教极其热切、显赫的持守者；他的学业与才学全都朝那个方向。他在青年时绝非对犹太人的宗教礼仪存有丝毫反感；在他们中间，没有一个少年人比他更全心地尊崇那些礼仪，更严格地亲自遵行，更激烈地强加于人。（1）他是他们宗教中明白的持守者，头脑清晰。他在迦玛列脚下用心求学，在那里「按着我们祖宗严紧的律法受教」。他后来对律法的偏离，并非因对律法的观念混乱或误解，因为他理解得精细入微——原文 kata akribeian——「按着最精确严密的方法」。他并非受教于那些宽缓之人的原则，身上毫无撒都该人的气息，而是属于那在律法上最勤勉、最贴近律法、且为使律法更严紧而在其上加上古人遗传的那一派——即「祖宗的律法」，就是赐给他们、他们又传给儿女、如此传到我们手中的律法。保罗对古旧、遗传和教会权威的尊重，与其中任何一人同样深切；全犹太人中没有谁比保罗更通晓自己的宗教，也没有谁能比他更好地陈述其内容、说明其缘由。（2）他是他们宗教中积极的持守者，内心火热：「我……热心事奉 神，像你们众人今日一样。」许多精通宗教理论之人乐于将其实行交给别人，但保罗既是拉比，也是奋锐党人。他反对律法所禁的一切，维护律法所命的一切；这是「向 神的热心」，因为他以为这是为 神的尊荣、为事奉祂的旨意而发；他在此恭维听者，对他们存坦诚、爱心的看法，以为「他们众人今日也都热心事奉 神」；他为他们作证（罗十2）：「他们向 神有热心，但不是按着真知识」。在恨他、赶逐他之时，他们说「愿耶和华得荣耀」（赛六十六5）；这虽不能丝毫称义他们的狂怒，却使那些祷告「父啊，赦免他们」之人能如基督那样代求：「因为他们所作的，他们不晓得。」而当保罗承认自己曾在摩西律法之下「像他们今日这样」为 神发热心时，他暗示自己的盼望：他们或许也能「像他今日这样」在基督里为 神发热心。
二、他早年曾是何等狂暴凶猛的基督教逼迫者（徒二十二4、5）。他提及此事，为要更清楚显明：他归信基督教时身上所成就的改变，完全是神能力的作为；因为他非但毫无先前倾向或好感于此，反而在这突来的改变之前一刻，对基督教怀着难以想象的深恶痛绝，怒火填膺到极点。也许他提及此事也是为在眼前的患难中称义 神：那些逼迫他的人虽不义，但容许他们如此行的 神却是义的——因为他自己也曾是逼迫者；他可能还有更远的用意，就是邀请鼓励这些百姓悔改，因为他自己「从前是亵渎 神的、逼迫人的」，却蒙了怜悯。让我们看看保罗为自己作逼迫者时所画的画像。1. 他以不死之仇仇恨基督教：「我曾逼迫奉这道的人，直到死地」——意即「凡行这道的人，我若可能，就要他们的命。」「他口吐威吓凶杀的话」（徒九1）；「他们被杀，他也出名定案」（徒二十六10）。不但如此，他所逼迫的不但是行这道的人，更是这道本身——即被诬为旁门左道、为党派的基督教；他立志要把这道逼迫到死，要作这宗教的祸患。他「逼迫这道直到死地」——意即他宁可自己在反对基督教中丧命，有人如此理解。他甘心乐意地舍命，以为在维护祖宗的律法和遗传上舍命，是死得其所。2. 他尽力恐吓人离开这道，把「无论男女都捆绑下在监里」，使基督徒充满监狱。如今他自己既被捆绑，便特别着重自责这一项：「他曾捆绑基督徒，把他们下在监里」；他也特别懊悔自己不但囚禁男人，也囚禁女人——那当格外以温柔怜悯相待的弱者。3. 他受大公会、大祭司和众长老全体之委派，作他们镇压这新党派的差役——可见他在反对这道上早已显赫一时（徒二十二5）。大祭司能为他作证，他随时乐于担任任何对付基督徒的差事。他们听说大马色许多犹太人已皈依基督教，为要儆戒他人效尤，便决意以最严厉的手段对付他们，并想不出比保罗更合适、更可靠的人选去办这事。于是他们差他，并托他带信，给大马色的犹太人——此处称为「弟兄」，因他们同出一源，宗教上也是一家——吩咐他们协助保罗捉拿其中皈依基督教的人，押解到耶路撒冷受刑，作为离弃以色列 神之信仰与敬拜的叛徒，或被迫收回，或处死以儆效尤。扫罗就这样「残害教会」，若再这样下去，他必毁掉它、连根拔起。保罗说：「我起初就是这样的人，正如你们今日一样。我深知逼迫者的心，因此怜悯你们，并求你们也能明白归信者的心——正如 神不久就使我明白的那样。我是谁，竟能抗拒 神呢？」
三、他是如何归信、成为如今这人的。这不是出于任何天然或外在的原因；他不是为标新立异而改信，因他当时对古旧之爱一如既往；也不是因失意于升迁，因他此时在犹太教会中比从前更接近升迁之路；更不是出于贪婪、野心，或指望借归信基督教而改善世事——这反倒使自己招致各种羞辱与患难；他也没有与使徒或任何基督徒交往，以致被人以为是受其诡辩巧言所诱而改变。不，这是主所作的；作成此事的种种情形，足以向一切信有超然能力之人证明他改变之正当；凡为此定罪他的，便是反射那借以掌管他的神圣能力。他在此特别详细地复述自己归信的经过，如前所述（徒九1-19），旨在表明这完全是 神的作为。1. 在基督抓住他之前一刻，他仍像往常一样全心要逼迫基督徒。他「行路，将到大马色」（徒二十二6），心中别无他念，只想着执行所奉的残酷差使；他对可怜的基督徒没有丝毫怜悯的软化，仍把他们视为异端、分裂者、教会与国家的危险仇敌。2. 首先惊动他的，是「从天上」的「大光」，忽然四面照着他。犹太人知道 神就是光，祂的使者也是光明的使者；这光既在正午照耀，胜过太阳，必是出于 神。它若在私室中照耀，其中或有欺诈；但它照耀在旷野的路上、在正午时分，且强到「将他击倒在地」（徒二十二7），「与他同行的人也都仆倒」（徒二十六14）。他们不能不承认主确实在这光中。3. 首先使他生发对耶稣基督敬畏之念的，是「从天上」的声音——此前他对基督只有可憎可恨的念头。这声音呼叫他的名字，把他与同行之人分别出来：「扫罗！扫罗！你为甚么逼迫我？」他问：「主啊，你是谁？」答曰：「我就是你所逼迫的拿撒勒人耶稣」（徒二十二8）。由此可见，这位他们如今也在逼迫的拿撒勒人耶稣，乃是从天上说话的一位；他们知道抗拒这样一位是危险的（来十二25）。4. 恐怕有人反驳：「这光和这声音既能在他身上产生如此改变，为何不能在同行之人身上同样产生？」（虽很可能对他们也产生了良好效果，他们也许因此成了基督徒）——他指出，「同行的人看见了那光，并且害怕」，怕被天火所灭——也许他们的良心此时告诉他们所行的道不好，正如巴兰去咒诅以色列时一样，因此可预期遇见一位持火焰闪耀之剑的天使；但光虽使他们害怕，他们却没有听见那位对保罗说话之人的声音——意即他们没有清楚听见那些话语。如今信道既是由听而来的，所以那改变就立时发生在听见话语、且听见话语直接对自己说的人身上，而不是发生在仅看见光的人身上；不过那改变日后也可能发生在他们身上。5. 他向他们保证，自己既被如此惊动，便完全交托于属天的指引；他没有立时呼喊：「好，我要作基督徒了」，而是说：「主啊，我当作甚么？」「让那从天上拦阻我行错路的声音，引导我行正路」（徒二十二10）。「主啊，告诉我当作甚么，我就去作。」随即他得着指示，要往大马色去，在那里要进一步听见那位现在对他说话之人的信息：「不必再从天上多说什么，在那里『要将所派你作的一切事告诉你』，由一个与你一样的人，奉现在对你说话之那位的名告诉你。」在旧约和新约中，异象、声音、天使显现这些超凡的启示方式，都是为要引进并确立那借圣经和常设的传道事工而施行的常法，所以一旦常法确立，那些超凡方式通常便告止息。天使没有亲自向哥尼流讲道，而是吩咐他请彼得来；照样，这里的声音也没有告诉保罗当行甚么，而是吩咐他往大马色去，在那里才告诉他。6. 为证明那照在他身上的光何等强烈，他告诉他们那光对他视力所生的立即影响（徒二十二11）：「我因那光的荣耀不能看见。」他当下被打成瞎眼。Nimium sensibile lædit sensum——「过于强烈的感觉反而伤害感官，其光辉使他目眩。」被定罪的罪人被黑暗之能力击瞎，如所多玛人和埃及人那样，且是持久的瞎眼，如不信的犹太人那样；但被劝化的罪人被击瞎，如保罗此处，不是被黑暗，而是被光：他们当下心中惶惑失措，但这是为要使他们得光照，正如把泥放在瞎子眼睛上是定意医治他的方法。与保罗同行之人没有那样直接被光射入眼中，所以没有像他那样瞎眼；但考量结局，谁不愿选取他的分而不选取他们的呢？他们既有视力，便「拉着保罗的手进了城」。保罗是法利赛人，素以自己属灵的眼光为傲。法利赛人说：「难道我们也瞎了眼么？」（约九40）。不，他们还自信「是给瞎子领路的，是黑暗中人的光」（罗二19）。如今保罗被肉身之瞎击中，正是要使他觉悟自己属灵的瞎眼，并觉悟「没有律法」时自以为活的错谬（罗七9）。
四、他如何因住在大马色的亚拿尼亚而在所作的改变上得着印证，并进一步受指引当行何事。请观察：
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此处对亚拿尼亚的描述。他不是对犹太民族或宗教存偏见之人，他本人在律法上是「虔诚人」；若非生而为犹太人，也是皈依了犹太教，因此被称为虔诚人，并由此更进一步到了基督的信仰；他行事为人如此美好，以致「为一切住在大马色的犹太人所称赞」。这是保罗与之有任何友善来往的第一位基督徒，他不大可能向他灌输那些他们疑心保罗所接受、有损律法或这圣地的观念。
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他立即在保罗眼睛上所行的医治——这神迹为要印证亚拿尼亚之奉派，并确立他日后要对保罗所说的一切。他「来见保罗」（徒二十二13）；为要使保罗确信他是从基督而来（正是同一位基督：祂撕裂也必医治，祂击打也必缠裹，祂夺去视力也必再赐还，且更加丰盛），他「旁边站着，说：兄弟扫罗，你可以看见」。能力随这话而出，「当时」——立即——他便恢复视力，「往上一看」，预备好从他领受他所奉差传达的教训。
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亚拿尼亚向他宣告主耶稣要赐给他的、超过任何别人的特别恩惠。
（1）在现今向他显现这事上（徒二十二14）：「我们祖宗的 神拣选了你。」这有力的呼召是出自特别的拣选；他称 神为「我们祖宗的 神」，暗示亚拿尼亚本人生而为犹太人，遵行祖宗的律法，并仰赖赐给祖宗的应许；他说到「我们祖宗的 神」时，也说明了为甚么他说「兄弟扫罗」：「我们祖宗的 神拣选了你，叫你：」[1.] 「明白祂的旨意」——祂诫命的旨意（你所当行的），和祂护理的旨意（所要成就在你身上的）。祂拣选了你，使你能以特别的方式明白，不是由于人，也不是借着人，乃是直接借着「基督的启示」（加一1、2）。神所拣选的人，祂拣选他们去明白祂的旨意，并去遵行。[2.] 「得见那义者，听见祂口中所出的声音」，如此便直接从祂自己明白祂的旨意。这就是保罗比别人特别蒙拣选去领受的；这是使他与众不同的恩惠——他能在基督升天后仍在地上看见祂。司提反看见祂「站在 神的右边」，但保罗看见祂站在自己右边。这尊荣除了保罗无人得着。司提反看见了祂，但我们没有看见他听见祂口中的声音，像保罗那样；保罗说：「末了也显给我看，如同未到产期而生的人一般」（林前十五8）。基督在此被称为「那义者」；因为祂是「耶稣基督那义者」，是无辜受苦的。请观察，神所拣选去明白祂旨意的人，必当定睛于基督，看见祂，并听祂口中所出的声音；因为神是借着基督显明祂的旨意、祂向我们所怀的善意；并且祂说：「你们要听祂。」
（2）在日后借他向别人显现这事上（徒二十二15）：「你要将所看见的、所听见的，对着万人为祂作见证。」不仅是作祂恩典的纪念碑，如同一根柱子那样；更是作活的见证——「口传」的见证；你要传扬祂的福音，正如你所经历过其能力、并被模成其形状的道；「你要对着万人」——外邦人也包括犹太人——「为祂作见证，将你所看见的、所听见的，从最初就传出来。」我们见保罗在此处和徒二十六1-32的自辩中如此详细地陈述自己生平的经过，可见他有理由相信他在领人归主的讲道中经常重述同一叙述；他告诉他们 神为他灵魂所行的事，以鼓励他们也盼望 神为他们灵魂作些甚么。
- 他给保罗的劝勉和鼓励，要他借洗礼归入主耶稣（徒二十二16）：「起来，求告祂的名受洗。」他已在割礼中归给 神，但如今他必须借洗礼归给在基督里的 神——他必须接受基督教及其特权，并顺服其诫命。这事必须在归信后立即实行，如此便是加在割礼之上；但对信主之人的后裔，洗礼乃是代替割礼的地位；因为对亚伯拉罕和他信主的后裔而言，洗礼如同割礼一样，是「因信称义的印证」。（1）借洗礼印证给我们的伟大福音特权，就是罪得赦免：「求告祂的名受洗，洗去你的罪」——意即「借着耶稣基督领受你罪得赦免的安慰，并为这目的抓住祂的义，又领受抵挡罪的能力，以致治死你的败坏」；因为我们被洗净包括称义和成圣两方面（林前六11）。受洗罢，但不要止于记号，要确得记号所表征的——除去罪的污秽。（2）借洗礼我们当尽的伟大福音本分，就是「求告主——主耶稣——的名」；承认祂是我们的主、我们的 神，并相应地仰望祂；将尊荣归给祂，把我们一切的祈求交托在祂手中。「求告我们主耶稣基督之名」（「大卫的子孙，可怜我罢」）乃是基督徒的别称（林前一2）。我们必须「求告主的名，洗去我们的罪」；意即我们必须奉基督的名、倚靠祂和祂的义寻求罪的赦免。祷告时，我们不可再称 神为亚伯拉罕的 神，而要称祂为我们主耶稣基督的父，并借着祂称祂为我们的父；每次祷告中，我们的眼目必须仰望基督。（3）我们必须速速而行。「你为甚么耽延呢？」我们与 神在基督里立约，是不可迟延的当务之急。这事如此明显，不必再费思量；危险如此之大，迟延便是愚昧。凡迟早必须行的——否则我们便灭亡——的事，为甚么不当下就行呢？
五、他如何奉差遣往外邦人中去传福音。这正是他们如此愤怒的因由，所以他必须为此特别提出属天的凭证；他在此便如此行。这使命他不是在归信之后立即领受的，因为这是「在耶路撒冷」——他过了「三年」或更久才去那里（加一18）；至于他此时所说的异象究竟是那时所见，还是后来所见，我们不能确定。但为要尽可能使他们与他向外邦人传福音一事和好，他告诉他们：1. 他是祷告时领受这命令的——求 神指派他当尽之工，向他指明当走的路；并且（这对现今听他之人会有相当分量的一点）他是在「殿里祷告」——这殿要被称为「万民祷告的殿」；不仅万民都要在其中祷告，万民也要在其中被记念代求。保罗在殿中祷告，与他恶意被指控的事相反，正表明他尊重圣殿——虽不像他们那样以圣殿为偶像；而 神在殿中把这使命赐给他，也证明差他到外邦人那里不会损害圣殿，除非犹太人因不信自取其损。日后保罗在执行这使命时，回想自己是在祷告时领受的，必大得安慰。2. 他是异象中领受的。他「魂游象外」（徒二十二17），外感官暂时被禁锢；他处于狂喜之中，正如他被「提到第三层天上」时那样，那时他不知自己是「在身内，还是在身外」。在这恍惚中他看见了耶稣基督——不像归信时用肉身之眼看见，而是显在他心眼之前（徒二十二18）：「我看见祂向我说。」我们从主口中领受律法时，眼目当仰望基督；我们不仅当听祂说话，更要看见祂向我们说话。3. 在基督把到外邦人中去的使命赐给他之前，祂告诉他：想在耶路撒冷作工是徒然的；所以若他被差往外邦人，他们当怪自己，不该怪他。保罗来到耶路撒冷，满心盼望靠着 神的恩典，能Instrumental使那些一直抗拒别的使徒之事奉的人归信基督；也许这正是他此时所求的——他既在耶路撒冷受教、在那里为人所熟知，便可被用来招聚耶路撒冷尚未招聚的儿女归向基督；他自以为对此有特别的优势。但基督推翻他所定的计划：「你赶紧的离开耶路撒冷」；因为「虽然你以为自己比别人更能在他们身上作工，但你必发现他们对你比别人更有成见」，所以「他们必不领受你为我所作的见证」。神预先知道谁会接受福音，也预先知道谁会拒绝福音。4. 保罗虽如此被告诫，仍重新求能在耶路撒冷被使用，因为他们比别人更清楚知道他归信前的光景，因此必然将这一巨大改变归因于全能恩典的能力，从而更加重视他的见证；他如此与自己、与主辩论，自以为辩得有理（徒二十二19、20）：「主啊，他们知道：我曾与他们同心，也曾像他们中任何一人那样苦害信你的人；我曾激动俗世权柄反对他们，把他们『下在监里』，又把属灵权柄的锋刃转向他们，『在各会堂里鞭打他们』。」所以他们不会把我的传讲基督归因于教育或任何对基督的成见（他们对别的传道人如此），反会更乐意听从我所说的，因为他们知道我自己也曾是他们中间的一员；尤其是司提反的事：他们知道他被打死时，我站在旁边，我协助、附和「出名定案」处死他，并因此「看守那打死他之人的衣裳」。「主啊，」他说，「我若在他们中间出现，传讲司提反曾传讲并为之受苦的道，他们必无疑接受我的见证。」「不，」基督对他说，「他们不会；反而要因你被视为他们体制中的叛离者，而更加激怒，超过那些他们仅视为陌生人的别人。」5. 保罗求在耶路撒冷传福音之凭证的祷告被驳回，他奉到外邦人中去的严令（徒二十二21）：「你去罢！我要差你远远的往外邦人那里去。」须知，神常常这样恩惠地应允祂百姓的祷告：不是照他们所求的那件事本身，而是以更好的事代之。亚伯拉罕求：「但愿以实玛利活在你面前」；神却以以撒应允他。照样，保罗在此求能在耶路撒冷作领人归主的器皿：「不，」基督说，「但你要被用在擄邦人中，『不怀孕不生养的，要比有丈夫的儿女更多。』」工人当作工的时日和地点都是 神所定的；他们当顺服祂的安排，即使这与自己的意愿相违。保罗眷恋耶路撒冷：在那里作传道人是他雄心的顶峰；但基督为他预备了更高的尊荣。他不像别的使徒那样「别人劳苦」他享受（约四38），而要开垦新地，「在基督之名未被称过的地方传福音」（罗十五20）。护理如此常常为我们安排得比我们自己所谋更好；所以我们当将自己交托其引导。「祂必为我们选择产业。」请观察：保罗不是没有奉差便到外邦人中传道：「我要差你。」基督既差他，祂的灵必与他同去，必与他同在，扶持他、坚立他，并使他看见自己劳苦的果子。保罗不要把心放在耶路撒冷，因为他要被差远远的去；他的呼召完全是另一方向，他的工作是另一性质。犹太人或许也可因此稍减冒犯：他并没有在邻近各国设立外邦人的教会；别人在临近之处如此行；他被差到远方，相距甚遥之地，他所作的事不能被看作对他们的搅扰。
他们若肯把这些事一并考量，就必看见：他们没有理由因保罗在外邦人中传福音而向他发怒，也没有理由把这当作他对本国族心怀恶意的举动；因为他原是被迫如此行——与他自己的心意相违——是受天上权能之命所使。
英文原文
Paul's First Defence
³ I am verily a man which am a Jew, born in Tarsus, a city in Cilicia, yet brought up in this city at the feet of Gamaliel, and taught according to the perfect manner of the law of the fathers, and was zealous toward God, as ye all are this day.
⁴ And I persecuted this way unto the death, binding and delivering into prisons both men and women.
⁵ As also the high priest doth bear me witness, and all the estate of the elders: from whom also I received letters unto the brethren, and went to Damascus, to bring them which were there bound unto Jerusalem, for to be punished.
⁶ And it came to pass, that, as I made my journey, and was come nigh unto Damascus about noon, suddenly there shone from heaven a great light round about me.
⁷ And I fell unto the ground, and heard a voice saying unto me, Saul, Saul, why persecutest thou me?
⁸ And I answered, Who art thou, Lord? And he said unto me, I am Jesus of Nazareth, whom thou persecutest.
⁹ And they that were with me saw indeed the light, and were afraid; but they heard not the voice of him that spake to me.
¹⁰ And I said, What shall I do, Lord? And the Lord said unto me, Arise, and go into Damascus; and there it shall be told thee of all things which are appointed for thee to do.
¹¹ And when I could not see for the glory of that light, being led by the hand of them that were with me, I came into Damascus.
¹² And one Ananias, a devout man according to the law, having a good report of all the Jews which dwelt there,
¹³ Came unto me, and stood, and said unto me, Brother Saul, receive thy sight. And the same hour I looked up upon him.
¹⁴ And he said, The God of our fathers hath chosen thee, that thou shouldest know his will, and see that Just One, and shouldest hear the voice of his mouth.
¹⁵ For thou shalt be his witness unto all men of what thou hast seen and heard.
¹⁶ And now why tarriest thou? arise, and be baptized, and wash away thy sins, calling on the name of the Lord.
¹⁷ And it came to pass, that, when I was come again to Jerusalem, even while I prayed in the temple, I was in a trance;
¹⁸ And saw him saying unto me, Make haste, and get thee quickly out of Jerusalem: for they will not receive thy testimony concerning me.
¹⁹ And I said, Lord, they know that I imprisoned and beat in every synagogue them that believed on thee:
²⁰ And when the blood of thy martyr Stephen was shed, I also was standing by, and consenting unto his death, and kept the raiment of them that slew him.
²¹ And he said unto me, Depart: for I will send thee far hence unto the Gentiles.
Paul here gives such an account of himself as might serve not only to satisfy the chief captain that he was not that Egyptian he took him to be, but the Jews also that he was not that enemy to their church and nation, to their law and temple, they took him to be, and that what he did in preaching Christ, and particularly in preaching him to the Gentiles, he did by a divine commission. He here gives them to understand,
I. What his extraction and education were. 1. That he was one of their own nation, of the stock of Israel, of the seed of Abraham, a Hebrew of the Hebrews, not of any obscure family, or a renegado of some other nation: "No, I am verily a man who is a Jew, aner Ioudaios—a Jewish man; I am a man, and therefore ought not to be treated as a beast; a man who is a Jew, not a barbarian; I am a sincere friend to your nation, for I am one of it, and should defile my own nest if I should unjustly derogate from the honour of your law and your temple." 2. That he was born in a creditable reputable place, in Tarsus, a city of Cilicia, and was by his birth a freeman of that city. He was not born in servitude, as some of the Jews of the dispersion, it is likely, were; but he was a gentleman born, and perhaps could produce his certificate of his freedom in that ancient and honourable city. This was, indeed, but a small matter to make any boast of, and yet it was needful to be mentioned at this time to those who insolently trampled upon him, as if he were to be ranked with the children of fools, yea, the children of base men, Job 30:8. 3. That he had a learned and liberal education. He was not only a Jew, and a gentleman, but a scholar. He was brought up in Jerusalem, the principal seat of the Jewish learning, and at the feet of Gamaliel, whom they all knew to be an eminent doctor of the Jewish law, of which Paul was designed to be himself a teacher; and therefore he could not be ignorant of their law, nor be thought to slight it because he did not know it. His parents had brought him very young to this city, designing him for a Pharisee; and some think his being brought up at the feet of Gamaliel intimates, not only that he was one of his pupils, but that he was, above any other, diligent and constant in attending his lectures, observant of him, and obsequious to him, in all he said, as Mary, that sat at Jesus' feet, and heard his word. 4. That he was in his early days a very forward and eminent professor of the Jews' religion; his studies and learning were all directed that way. So far was he from being principled in his youth with any disaffection to the religious usages of the Jews that there was not a young man among them who had a greater and more entire veneration for them than he had, was more strict in observing them himself, or more hot in enforcing them upon others. (1.) He was an intelligent professor of their religion, and had a clear head. He minded his business at Gamaliel's feet, and was there taught according to the perfect manner of the law of the fathers. What departures he had made from the law were not owing to any confused or mistaken notions of it, for he understood it to a nicety, kata akribeian—according to the most accurate and exact method. He was not trained up in the principles of the latitudinarians, had nothing in him of a Sadducee, but was of that sect that was most studious in the law, kept most close to it, and, to make it more strict than it was, added to it the traditions of the elders, the law of the fathers, the law which was given to them, and which they gave to their children, and so it was handed down to us. Paul had as great a value for antiquity, and tradition, and the authority of the church, as any of them had; and there was never a Jew of them all that understood his religion better than Paul did, or could better give an account of it or a reason for it. (2.) He was an active professor of their religion, and had a warm heart: I was zealous towards God, as you all are this day. Many that are very well skilled in the theory of religion are willing to leave the practice of it to others, but Paul was as much a zealot as a rabbi. He was zealous against every thing that the law prohibited, and for every thing that the law enjoined; and this was zeal towards God, because he thought it was for the honour of God and the service of his interests; and here he compliments his hearers with a candid and charitable opinion of them, that they all were this day zealous towards God; he bears them record (Ro 10:2), that they have a zeal for God, but not according to knowledge. In hating him, and casting him out, they said, Let the Lord be glorified (Isa 66:5), and, though this did by no means justify their rage, yet it enabled those that prayed, Father, forgive them, to plead, as Christ did, For they know not what they do. And when Paul owns that he had been zealous for God in the law of Moses, as they were this day, he intimates his hope that they might be zealous for God, in Christ, as he was this day.
II. What a fiery furious persecutor he had been of the Christian religion in the beginning of his time, Ac 22:4,5. He mentions this to make it the more plainly and evidently to appear that the change which was wrought upon him, when he was converted to the Christian faith, was purely the effect of a divine power; for he was so far from having any previous inclinations to it, or favourable opinions of it, that immediately before that sudden change was wrought in him he had the utmost antipathy imaginable to Christianity, and was filled with rage against it to the last degree. And perhaps he mentions it to justify God in his present trouble; how unrighteous soever those were that persecuted him, God was righteous, who permitted them to do it, for time was when he was a persecutor; and he may have a further view in it to invite and encourage those people to repent, for he himself had been a blasphemer, and a persecutor, and yet obtained mercy. Let us view Paul's picture of himself when he was a persecutor. 1. He hated Christianity with a mortal enmity: I persecuted this way unto the death, that is, "Those that walked in this way I aimed, if possible, to be the death of." He breathed out slaughter against them, Ac 9:1. When they were put to death, he gave his voice against them, Ac 26:10. Nay, he persecuted not only those that walked in this way, but the way itself, Christianity, which was branded as a byway, a sect; he aimed to persecute this to the death, to be the ruin of this religion. He persecuted it to the death, that is, he could have been willing himself to die in his opposition to Christianity, so some understand it. He would contentedly have lost his life, and would have thought it well laid out, in defence of the laws and traditions of the fathers. 2. He did all he could to frighten people from this way, and out of it, by binding and delivering into prison both men and women; he filled the jails with Christians. Now that he himself was bound, he lays a particular stress upon this part of his charge against himself, that he had bound the Christians, and carried them to prison; he likewise reflects upon it with a special regret that he had imprisoned not only the men, but the women, the weaker sex, who ought to be treated with particular tenderness and compassion. 3. He was employed by the great sanhedrim, the high priest, and all the estate of the elders, as an agent for them, in suppressing this new sect; so much had he already signalized himself for his zeal against it, Ac 22:5. The high priest can witness for him that he was ready to be employed in any service against the Christians. When they heard that many of the Jews at Damascus had embraced the Christian faith, to deter others from doing the like they resolved to proceed against them with the utmost severity, and could not think of a fitter person to be employed in that business, nor one more likely to go through with it, than Paul. They therefore sent him, and letters by him, to the Jews at Damascus, here called the brethren, because they all descended from one common stock, and were of one family in religion too, ordering them to be assisting to Paul in seizing those among them that had turned Christians, and bringing them up prisoners to Jerusalem, in order to their being punished as deserters from the faith and worship of the God of Israel; and so might either be compelled to retract, or be put to death for a terror to others. Thus did Saul make havoc of the church, and was in a fair way, if he had gone on awhile, to ruin it, and root it out. "Such a one," says Paul, "I was at first, just such as you now are. I know the heart of a persecutor, and therefore pity you, and pray that you may know the heart of a convert, as God soon made me to do. And who was I that I could withstand God?"
III. In what manner he was converted and made what he now was. It was not from any natural or external causes; he did not change his religion from an affectation of novelty, for he was then as well affected to antiquity as he used to be; nor did it arise from discontent because he was disappointed in his preferment, for he was now, more than ever, in the way of preferment in the Jewish church; much less could it arise from covetousness, or ambition, or any hope of mending his fortune in the world by turning Christian, for it was to expose himself to all manner of disgrace and trouble; nor had he any conversation with the apostles or any other Christians, by whose subtlety and sophistry he might be thought to have been wheedled into this change. No, it was the Lord's doing, and the circumstances of the doing of it were enough to justify him in the change, to all those who believe there is a supernatural power; and none can condemn him for it, without reflecting upon that divine energy by which he was he rein overruled. He relates the story of his conversion here very particularly, as we had it before (Ac 9:1-19), aiming to show that it was purely the act of God. 1. He was a fully bent upon persecuting the Christians just before Christ arrested him as ever. He made his journey, and was come nigh to Damascus (Ac 22:6), and had no other thought than to execute the cruel design he was sent upon; he was not conscious of the least compassionate relentings towards the poor Christians, but still represented them to himself as heretics, schismatics, and dangerous enemies both to church and state. 2. It was a light from heaven that first startled him, a great light, which shone suddenly round about him, and the Jews knew that God is light, and his angels angels of light, and that such a light as this shining at noon, and therefore exceeding that of the sun, must be from God. Had it shone in upon him into some private room, there might have been a cheat in it, but it shone upon him in the open road, at high noon, and so strongly that it struck him to the ground (Ac 22:7), and all that were with him, Ac 26:14. They could not deny but that surely the Lord was in this light. 3. It was a voice from heaven that first begat in him awful thoughts of Jesus Christ, of whom before he had had nothing but hateful spiteful thoughts. The voice called to him by name, to distinguish him from those that journeyed with him, Saul, Saul, why persecutest thou me? And when he asked, Who art thou, Lord? it was answered, I am Jesus of Nazareth, whom thou persecutest, Ac 22:8. By which it appeared that this Jesus of Nazareth, whom they also were now persecuting, was one that spoke from heaven, and they knew it was dangerous resisting one that did so, Heb 12:25. 4. Lest it should be objected, "How came this light and voice to work such a change upon him, and not upon those that journeyed with him?" (though, it is very probable, it had a good effect upon them, and that they thereupon became Christians), he observes that his fellow travellers saw indeed the light, and were afraid they should be consumed with fire from heaven, their own consciences, perhaps, now telling them that the way they were in was not good, but like Balaam's when he was going to curse Israel, and therefore they might expect to meet an angel with a flaming glittering sword; but, though the light made them afraid, they heard not the voice of him that spoke to Paul, that is, they did not distinctly hear the words. Now faith comes by hearing, and therefore that change was now presently wrought upon him that heard the words, and heard them directed to himself, which was not wrought upon those who only saw the light; and yet it might afterwards be wrought upon them too. 5. He assures them that when he was thus startled he referred himself entirely to a divine guidance; he did not hereupon presently cry out, "Well, I will be a Christian," but, "What shall I do, Lord? Let the same voice from heaven that has stopped me in the wrong way guide me into the right way, Ac 22:10. Lord, tell me what I shall do, and I will do it." And immediately he had directions to go to Damascus, and there he should hear further from him that now spoke to him: "No more needs to be said from heaven, there it shall be told thee, by a man like thyself, in the name of him that now speaks to thee, all things which are appointed for thee to do." The extraordinary ways of divine revelation, by visions, and voices, and the appearance of angels, were designed, both in the Old Testament and in the New, only to introduce and establish the ordinary method by the scriptures and a standing ministry, and therefore were generally superseded when these were settled. The angel did not preach to Cornelius himself, but bade him send for Peter; so the voice here tells not Paul what he shall do, but bids him go to Damascus, and there it shall be told him. 6. As a demonstration of the greatness of that light which fastened upon him, he tells them of the immediate effect it had upon his eye-sight (Ac 22:11): I could not see for the glory of that light. It struck him blind for the present. Nimium sensibile lædit sensum—Its radiance dazzled him. Condemned sinners are struck blind, as the Sodomites and Egyptians were, by the power of darkness, and it is a lasting blindness, like that of the unbelieving Jews; but convinced sinners are struck blind, as Paul here was, not by darkness, but by light: they are for the present brought to be at a loss within themselves, but it is in order to their being enlightened, as the putting of clay upon the eyes of the blind man was the designed method of his cure. Those that were with Paul had not the light so directly darted into their faces as Paul had unto his, and therefore they were not blinded, as he was; yet, considering the issue, who would not rather have chosen his lot than theirs? They, having their sight, led Paul by the hand into the city. Paul, being a Pharisee, was proud of his spiritual eyesight. The Pharisees said, Are we blind also? Joh 9:40. Nay, they were confident that they themselves were guides to the blind, and lights to those that were in darkness, Ro 2:19. Now Paul was thus struck with bodily blindness to make him sensible of his spiritual blindness, and his mistake concerning himself, when he was alive without the law, Ro 7:9.
IV. How he was confirmed in the change he had made, and further directed what he should do, by Ananias who lived at Damascus.
Observe, 1. The character here given of Ananias. He was not a man that was any way prejudiced against the Jewish nation or religion, but was himself a devout man according to the law; if not a Jew by birth, yet one that had been proselyted to the Jewish religion, and therefore called a devout man, and thence advanced further to the faith of Christ; and he conducted himself so well that he had a good report of all the Jews that dwelt at Damascus. This was the first Christian that Paul had any friendly communication with, and it was not likely that he should instil into him any such notions as they suspected him to espouse, injurious to the law or to this holy place.
2. The cure immediately wrought by him upon Paul's eyes, which miracle was to confirm Ananias's mission to Paul, and to ratify all that he should afterwards say to him. He came to him (Ac 22:13); and, to assure him that he came to him from Christ (the very same who had torn and would heal him, had smitten, but would bind him up, had taken away his sight, but would restore it again, with advantage), he stood by him, and said, Brother Saul, receive thy sight. Power went along with this word, and the same hour, immediately, he recovered his sight, and looked up upon him, ready to receive from him the instructions sent by him.
3. The declaration which Ananias makes to him of the favour, the peculiar favour, which the Lord Jesus designed him above any other.
(1.) In the present manifestation of himself to him (Ac 22:14): The God of our fathers has chosen thee. This powerful call is the result of a particular choice; his calling God the God of our fathers intimates that Ananias was himself a Jew by birth, that observed the law of the fathers, and lived upon the promise made unto the fathers; and he gives a reason why he said Brother Saul, when he speaks of God as the God of our fathers: This God of our fathers has chosen thee that thou shouldst, [1.] Know his will, the will of his precept that is to be done by thee, the will of his providence that is to be done concerning thee. He hath chosen thee that thou shouldst know it in a more peculiar manner; not of man nor by man, but immediately by the revelation of Christ, Ga 1:1,2. Those whom God hath chosen he hath chosen to know his will, and to do it. [2.] That thou shouldst see that Just One, and shouldst hear the voice of his mouth, and so shouldst know his will immediately from himself. This was what Paul was, in a particular manner, chosen to above others; it was a distinguishing favour, that he should see Christ here upon earth after his ascension into heaven. Stephen saw him standing at the right hand of God, but Paul saw him standing at his right hand. This honour none had but Paul. Stephen saw him, but we do not find that he heard the voice of his mouth, as Paul did, who says, he was last of all seen of me, as of one born out of due time, 1Co 15:8. Christ is here called that Just One; for he is Jesus Christ the righteous, and suffered wrongfully. Observe, Those whom God has chosen to know his will must have an eye to Christ, and must see him, and hear the voice of his mouth; for it is by him that God has made known his will, his good-will to us, and he has said, Hear you him.
(2.) In the after-manifestation of himself by him to others (Ac 22:15): "Thou shalt be his witness, not only a monument of his grace, as a pillar may be, but a witness viva voce—by word of mouth; thou shalt publish his gospel, as that which thou hast experienced the power of, and been delivered into, the mould of; thou shalt be his witness unto all men, Gentiles as well as Jews, of what thou hast seen and heard, now at the very first." And finding Paul so particularly relating the manner of his conversation in his apologies for himself, here and Ac 26:1-32, we have reason to think that he frequently related the same narrative in his preaching for the conversion of others; he told them what God had done for his soul, to encourage them to hope that he would do something for their souls.
4. The counsel and encouragement he gave him to join himself to the Lord Jesus by baptism (Ac 22:16): Arise, and be baptized, He had in his circumcision been given up to God, but he must now by baptism be given up to God in Christ—must embrace the Christian religion and the privileges of it, in submission to the precepts of it. This must now be done immediately upon his conversion, and so was added to his circumcision: but to the seed of the faithful it comes in the room of it; for it is, as that was to Abraham and his believing seed, a seal of the righteousness which is by faith. (1.) The great gospel privilege which by baptism we have sealed to us is the remission of sins: Be baptized and wash away thy sins; that is, "Receive the comfort of the pardon of thy sins in the through Jesus Christ and lay hold of his righteousness for that purpose, and receive power against sin for the mortifying of thy corruption;" for our being washed includes our being both justified and sanctified, 1Co 6:11. Be baptized, and rest not in the sign, but make sure of the thing signified, the putting away of the filth of sin. (2.) The great gospel duty which by our baptism we are bound to is to call on the name of the Lord, the Lord Jesus; to acknowledge him to be our Lord and our God, and to apply to him accordingly; to give honour to him, to put all our petitions in his hand. To call on the name of Jesus Christ our Lord (Son of David, have mercy on us) is the periphrasis of a Christian, 1Co 1:2. We must wash away our sins, calling on the name of the Lord; that is, we must seek for the pardon of our sins in Christ's name, and in dependence on him and his righteousness. In prayer, we must not any longer call God the God of Abraham, but the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, and in him our Father; in every prayer, our eye must be to Christ. (3.) We must do this quickly. Why tarriest thou? Our covenanting with God in Christ is needful work, that must not be deferred. The case is so plain that it is needless to deliberate; and the hazard so great that it is folly to delay. Why should not that be done at the present time that must be done some time, or we are undone?
V. How he was commissioned to go and preach the gospel to the Gentiles. This was the great thing for which they were so angry at him, and therefore it was requisite he should for this, in a special manner, produce a divine warrant; and here he does it. This commission he did not receive presently upon his conversion, for this was at Jerusalem, whither he did not go till three years after, or more (Ga 1:18); and whether it was then, or afterwards, that he had this vision here spoken of, we are not certain. But, to reconcile them, if possible, to his preaching the gospel among the Gentiles, he tells them, 1. That he received his orders to do it when he was at prayer, begging of God to appoint him his work and to show him the course he should steer; and (which was a circumstance that would have some weight with those he was now speaking to) he was at prayer in the temple, which was to be called a house of prayer for all people; not only in which all people should pray, but in which all people should be prayed for. Now as Paul's praying in the temple was an evidence, contrary to their malicious suggestion, that he had a veneration for the temple, though he did not make an idol of it as they did; so God's giving him this commission there in the temple was an evidence that the sending him to the Gentiles would be no prejudice to the temple, unless the Jews by their infidelity made it so. Now it would be a great satisfaction to Paul afterwards, in the execution of this commission, to reflect upon it that he received it when he was at prayer. 2. He received it in a vision. He fell into a trance (Ac 22:17), his external senses, for the present, locked up; he was in an ecstasy, as when he was caught up into the third heaven, and was not at that time sensible whether he was in the body or out of the body. In this trance he saw Jesus Christ, not with the eyes of his body, as at his conversion, but represented to the eye of his mind (Ac 22:18): I saw him saying unto me. Our eye must be upon Christ when we are receiving the law from his mouth; and we must not only hear him speak, but see him speaking to us. 3. Before Christ gave him a commission to go to the Gentiles, he told him it was to no purpose for him to think of doing any good at Jerusalem; so that they must not blame him, but themselves, if he be sent to the Gentiles. Paul came to Jerusalem full of hopes that, by the grace of God, he might be instrumental to bring those to the faith of Christ who had stood it out against the ministry of the other apostles; and perhaps this was what he was now praying for, that he, having had his education at Jerusalem and being well known there, might be employed in gathering the children of Jerusalem to Christ that were not yet gathered, which he thought he had particular advantages for doing of. But Christ crosses the measures he had laid: "Make haste," says he, "and get thee quickly out of Jerusalem;" for, though thou thinkest thyself more likely to work upon them than others, thou wilt find they are more prejudiced against thee than against any other, and therefore "will not receive thy testimony concerning me." As God knows before who will receive the gospel, so he knows who will reject it. 4. Paul, notwithstanding this, renewed his petition that he might be employed at Jerusalem, because they knew, better than any did, what he had been before his conversion, and therefore must ascribe so great a change in him to the power of almighty grace, and consequently give the greater regard to his testimony; thus he reasoned, both with himself and with the Lord, and thought he reasoned justly (Ac 22:19,20): "Lord," says he, "they know that I was once of their mind, that I was as bitter an enemy as any of them to such as believed on thee, that I irritated the civil power against them, and imprisoned them, and turned the edge of the spiritual power against them too, and beat them in every synagogue." And therefore they will not impute my preaching Christ to education nor to any prepossession in his favour (as they do that of other ministers), but will the more readily regard what I say because they know I have myself been one of them: particularly in Stephen's case; they know that when he was stoned I was standing by, I was aiding and abetting and consenting to his death, and in token of this kept the clothes of those that stoned him. Now "Lord," says he, "if I appear among them, preaching the doctrine that Stephen preached and suffered for, they will no doubt receive my testimony." "No," says Christ to him, "they will not; but will be more exasperated against thee as a deserter from, than against others whom they look upon only as strangers to, their constitution." 5. Paul's petition for a warrant to preach the gospel at Jerusalem is overruled, and he has peremptory orders to go among the Gentiles (Ac 22:21): Depart, for I will send thee far hence, unto the Gentiles. Note, God often gives gracious answers to the prayers of his people, not in the thing itself that they pray for, but in something better. Abraham prays, O that Ishmael may live before thee; and God hears him for Isaac. So Paul here prays that he may be an instrument of converting souls at Jerusalem: "No," says Christ, "but thou shalt be employed among the Gentiles, and more shall be the children of the desolate than those of the married wife." It is God that appoints his labourers both their day and their place, and it is fit they should acquiesce in his appointment, though it may cross their own inclinations. Paul hankers after Jerusalem: to be a preacher there was the summit of his ambition; but Christ designs him greater preferment. He shall not enter into other men's labours (as the other apostles did, Joh 4:38), but shall break up new ground, and preach the gospel where Christ was not named, Ro 15:20. So often does Providence contrive better for us than we for ourselves; to the guidance of that we must therefore refer ourselves. He shall choose our inheritance for us. Observe, Paul shall not go to preach among the Gentiles without a commission: I will send thee. And, if Christ send him, his Spirit will go along with him, he will stand by him, will carry him on, and bear him out, and give him to see the fruit of his labours. Let not Paul set his heart upon Jerusalem, for he must be sent far hence; his call must be quite another way, and his work of another kind. And it might be a mitigation of the offence of this to the Jews that he did not set up a Gentile church in the neighbouring nations; others did this in their immediate vicinity; he was sent to places at a distance, a vast way off, where what he did could not be thought an annoyance to them.
Now, if they would lay all this together, surely they would see that they had no reason to be angry with Paul for preaching among the Gentiles, or construe it as an act of ill-will to his own nation, for he was compelled to it, contrary to his own mind, by an overruling command from heaven.
22-30
Paul's First Defence
简体中文
保罗的自辩
²² 众人听他说到这句话，就高声说：「这样的人，从世上除掉他罢！他是不当活着的。」 ²³ 众人喧嚷，摔掉衣裳，把尘土向空中扬起来。 ²⁴ 千夫长就吩咐将保罗带进营楼去，叫人用鞭子拷问他，要知道他们向他这样喧嚷，是为甚么缘故。 ²⁵ 刚用皮条捆他的时候，保罗对旁边站着的百夫长说：「人是罗马人，又没有定罪，你们就鞭打他，有这个例么？」 ²⁶ 百夫长听见这话，就去见千夫长，告诉他说：「你要作甚么？这人是罗马人。」 ²⁷ 千夫长就来问保罗说：「你告诉我，你是罗马人么？」保罗说：「是。」 ²⁸ 千夫长说：「我用许多银子，才入了这民籍。」保罗说：「我却生来就是。」 ²⁹ 于是那些要拷问保罗的人，就离开他去了。千夫长既知道他是罗马人，又因为捆绑了他，也害怕了。 ³⁰ 第二天，千夫长为要知道犹太人控告保罗的实情，便解开他，吩咐祭司长和全公会的人都聚集，将保罗带下来，叫他站在他们面前。
保罗正继续述说自己往事，已向他们陈明自己奉差传道给外邦人的使命，并未对犹太人有任何乖张的指责；我们可以设想他本打算接下来说明：他后来如何因圣灵在安提阿的特别指示，被分别出来承担这项事工；他如何顾惜犹太人、尊重他们，处处到访都让他们居先，并把犹太人与外邦人合而为一；然后说明神如何奇妙地使用他，在世人中间为神的国成就了多少美善之工，丝毫无损于犹太教会中任何真正的利益。但无论他打算说什么，他们都决意不再让他多说：「众人听他说到这句话。」到此为止，他们尚能耐心、稍带专注地听他。但一提到被差往外邦人那里——尽管这是基督亲口对他说的——他们便忍受不了，连「外邦人」三字都不忍一听，他们对他们如此仇恨、如此嫉妒。一提及此事，他们便全无耐心，把一切体统公理抛诸脑后；他们正是被「那不算为民的」惹动嫉妒（罗十19）。
此处我们看到众人因保罗提及外邦人也被纳入恩典的范畴、借此为自己在外邦人中传道辩护，而向保罗所发的狂暴与蛮横。
一、他们打断他，高声喧嚷，要搅扰他，不让人听清他一字一句。被刺痛的良心最轻轻一触便即反弹；那些决意不受理性治理的人，只要能办到，也决意不听理性。对基督福音的敌意，往往表现在使基督和祂福音的使者缄默、堵住他们的口上，正如犹太人此处对待保罗。他们的祖辈曾对最好的先见说：「不要看见」（赛三十10）；他们也对最好的演说家说：「不要讲论。」「不可再说了，何必任凭你受击打呢？」（代下二十五16，参钦定本旁注。）
二、他们喧嚣斥责他，说他不配活着，更不配有自由。他们既不权衡他在自辩中所提的论据，也不试图作任何回应，只以一片混乱的喧声呼叫：「『从世上除掉』这样的人罢！他竟自称奉差传道给外邦人；嘿，『他是不当活着的』。」如此，那些本是当代最大福祉的人，竟被描述为不但为世人累赘，更是那世代的祸患。那本配得生命中最尊荣之赏的人，竟被定为不配活着。请看神与人对好人的评价何等不同，然而二者都同意这一点：他们在世上恐怕活不长久。保罗论到敬虔的犹太人，说他们是「世界不配有的人」（来十一38）；所以他们必须被迁去，好叫世界因失去他们而受公正的刑罚。不敬虔的犹太人此处论到保罗，说他不配活着；所以他必须被除掉，好叫世界从他这重担下得解脱，正如那两个见证人一般（启十一10）。
三、他们对保罗简直疯狂，对千夫长不立即依其所请处死他、不把他当作一块肉扔到他们牙间任其吞食，也同样疯狂（徒二十二23）；他们如完全失去理性的人，怒吼如狮，咆哮如熊，嚎叫如晚上的豺狼；他们「摔掉衣裳」，既狂且暴，仿佛在说：他们若能得着他，便要如此撕碎他。或更确切地说，他们借此表明自己随时准备用石头打他；用石头打司提反的人也脱掉衣裳（徒二十二20）。或说他们「撕裂衣裳」，仿佛他说了僭妄的话；又「把尘土向空中扬起来」，以示憎恶；或表明他们若千夫长允许，便随时要向他扔石头。但我们何苦为这些狂乱之举强求解释？他们自己也说不出所以然来。他们所求的，无非是叫千夫长感到他们对保罗何等愤恨激怒，以致他若让他们如愿以偿，便是给他们最大的满足。
四、千夫长为他的安全作了安排，吩咐把他带进营楼里去（徒二十二24）。监狱有时成了良善之人躲避民乱的庇护。保罗的时候还没有到，他还没有作完见证，所以神兴起了一个人来照应他——那时他的朋友没有一人敢出面为他说话。「耶和华啊，求你不要容恶人的心愿得逞。」
五、千夫长下令对他施刑，要逼他招认某些引起民众如此异常暴行的重大罪行。「他吩咐人用鞭子拷问他」（如同今日某些国家用刑架一样），「要知道他们向他这样喧嚷，是为甚么缘故」。在此他行事并不公道：他本应从那些喧嚣滋事的告发者中挑出几人，带进营楼，视他们为扰乱和平者，加以审问——甚至也要鞭打——问他们有甚么可告一个能如此善自陈情、又看不出犯了甚么该死该绑之罪的人。当问的是他们，而不是保罗：「他们为何向他这样喧嚷。」他能告诉千夫长：自己并未给他们正当理由如此行；若有什么理由，请他们提出来。无人有义务控告自己，即便有罪；无辜之人更不该被强迫控告自己。千夫长断定凡他们所斥之人必有恶行，他显然并不认识犹太民族。他们岂不也曾如此向我们的主耶稣呼喊「钉他十字架、钉他十字架」，而对审判官的问题「他为甚么作了甚么恶事呢」却无一言可答？一群粗野滋事的暴民向他喧嚷却说不清所以然，于是就要逼他自己说明——难道这是鞭打保罗的公正理由吗？
六、保罗援引自己罗马公民的特权，借此免受此类审讯和刑罚（徒二十二25）：「刚用皮条捆他的时候」——就是把他们要拷问的最卑劣罪犯捆上鞭笞之柱时所用的皮带——他没有因他们如此对待无辜之人而大声抗议其不公，却十分温和地让他们明白：对一个罗马公民如此行事，是违法的。他在腓立比受过鞭打之后，曾一次援用过这特权（徒十六37），此处则是用以防患于未然。他「对旁边站着的百夫长说」：「你们也知律法，请问『人是罗马人，又没有定罪，你们就鞭打他，有这个例么？』」他说话的口吻清楚地表明，这位属神之人心中何等圣洁的安稳与宁静——在所有这些凌辱与危险之中，他既不被怒气搅扰，也不被恐惧惊动。罗马人有一项法律（称为 lex Sempronia「森普罗尼法」）：若有官长未先 indicta causa——即未先听他为自己分诉、并通盘审议其案——就刑讯或定罪一位罗马自由人，他便要受人民审判；人民对其自由极为珍视。诚然，人人都有此特权：除非被证明行恶，否则不应受冤屈；正如每个英国人依据《大宪章》（Magna Charta），不经同等之人十二名的裁决，不得被剥夺生命或自由产业。
七、千夫长大吃一惊，惊恐万分。他原以为保罗是那个流窜的埃及人，听见他能说希腊语已觉诧异（徒二十一37），如今发现他竟与自己一样是位体面的罗马公民，更是大为吃惊。多少有大德大才之人因不为人知而被藐视，被人当作万物中的渣滓看待；而那些如此看他们的人，若识其真面目，便要承认他们是世上的尊贵人！千夫长有百夫长等下级军官随侍（徒二十一32）。其中一位将此事禀报千夫长（徒二十二26）：「你要作甚么？这人是罗马人。」凡加诸他的任何侮辱，都要被视为对罗马人民尊严的冒犯——罗马人最爱如此说。他们都知道罗马公民这一特权何等被看重。西塞罗（Tully）在其反对维勒斯（Verres）的一篇演说中赞扬此特权说：O nomen dulce libertatis, O jus eximium nostræ civitatis! O lex Porcia! O leges Semproniæ; facinus est vincere Romanum civem, scelus verberare——「自由啊，我爱你的甘甜之名！我们波奇法、森普罗尼法何等可钦！捆绑一位罗马公民已是罪行，鞭打他更是无可饶恕。」所以百夫长说：「我们要为自己当心；这人若是罗马公民，我们若侮辱他，至少有失官职之虞。」于是：1. 千夫长要从他亲口确证此事（徒二十二27）：「你告诉我，你是罗马人么？你享有罗马公民的特权么？」「是，」保罗说，「我是」；也许他出示了某种证书或文书以资证明，否则他们恐怕不会仅凭他一言为定。2. 千夫长在此事上很坦然地与他交换意见，可见保罗作为罗马公民的特权，比千夫长的更为光荣；因为千夫长承认自己的特权是用钱买来的：「我是罗马的自由民；但『我用许多银子才入了这民籍』，代价不菲。你是怎么得着的？」保罗说：「我『却生来就是』。」有人认为他因生于他撒儿——一座蒙皇帝赐予与罗马同城同样特权的城市——而享有此特权；另有人更倾向于认为，是因他的父或祖曾在该撒与安东尼之间的战争，或其他罗马内战中服役，因某次出色的事功获赐罗马公民资格，保罗便因此生来就是自由民。他在此为自己保全性命而援用之——为此目的，我们不仅可，更当用尽一切合法手段。3. 这使保罗的患难立时止息。奉命鞭打拷问他的人立时退去；他们「离开他去了」（徒二十二29），惟恐陷入罗网。不但如此，千夫长本人（虽有相当势力可料），听见他是罗马人，也害怕了，因为虽未鞭打他，却已为要鞭打他而捆绑了他。如此，许多人因惧怕人而克制恶行，却不因惧怕神而克制。请看人类的法律与官长制度所带来的益处，我们当为此何等感谢神；因为即便它们对神的百姓和使者未给予特别庇护，但借着人与人之间公平与正直的一般维系，它们已足以遏制那些凶恶不义、不守法纪之人的狂暴——这些人若不受约束，便不知止境——并对他们说：「到此为止，不可再越；狂傲的波浪要在此止住。」所以我们当为一切在位的祷告，这也是我们当尽的本分；因为我们有理由指望从他们得此益处，无论是否实际得着——只要我们安静和平——就能「敬虔端正、平安无事地度日」（提前二1、2）。4. 次日，巡抚把保罗带到公会面前（徒二十二30）。他先「解开他」，免得那些锁链给他的案件造成偏见，也免得人指控他给一个罗马公民上了刑具；然后召集祭司长和全公会来审理保罗的案子，因他发现此案属宗教之事，所以视他们为最适当的审判者。迦流在类似情形下释放了保罗，因见这是关乎他们律法的事，便把控告者从审判座前赶走（徒十八16），不愿过问；但这位罗马军人却把保罗留在押，并越过暴民而上诉于大会。如今：（1）我们可以盼望他此举是出于为保罗安全的考虑，心想：他若是个无辜无害之人，虽众人对他愤恨，祭司长和长老们却会秉公断案、为他昭雪；因为他们是，也应当是，有学问有分量的人，他们的法庭也循公平之规。先知在百姓中较贫穷的人中找不到良善，便断定他们「不晓得耶和华的作为和他们神的法则」，遂寄望于在尊贵人中能有所得，正如这位千夫长在此所盼望的；但他很快便发现自己在那里也失望了：「这些人大肆毁坏轭、挣断绳索」（耶五4、5）。（2）但此处所载他的目的，是为满足自己的好奇心：「为要知道犹太人控告保罗的实情。」他若把保罗请到自己房中，与他坦诚交谈，本可很快从他那里得知远超他所求的事，也许能说服他成为基督徒。但大人物往往偏爱将那些可能唤醒良心之事远远推开，只想对神的道有「适可而止」的认识，足供谈话之资便罢。
英文原文
Paul's First Defence
²² And they gave him audience unto this word, and then lifted up their voices, and said, Away with such a fellow from the earth: for it is not fit that he should live.
²³ And as they cried out, and cast off their clothes, and threw dust into the air,
²⁴ The chief captain commanded him to be brought into the castle, and bade that he should be examined by scourging; that he might know wherefore they cried so against him.
²⁵ And as they bound him with thongs, Paul said unto the centurion that stood by, Is it lawful for you to scourge a man that is a Roman, and uncondemned?
²⁶ When the centurion heard that, he went and told the chief captain, saying, Take heed what thou doest: for this man is a Roman.
²⁷ Then the chief captain came, and said unto him, Tell me, art thou a Roman? He said, Yea.
²⁸ And the chief captain answered, With a great sum obtained I this freedom. And Paul said, But I was free born.
²⁹ Then straightway they departed from him which should have examined him: and the chief captain also was afraid, after he knew that he was a Roman, and because he had bound him.
³⁰ On the morrow, because he would have known the certainty wherefore he was accused of the Jews, he loosed him from his bands, and commanded the chief priests and all their council to appear, and brought Paul down, and set him before them.
Paul was going on with this account of himself, had shown them his commission to preach among the Gentiles without any peevish reflections upon the Jews, and we may suppose designed next to show how he was afterwards, by a special direction of the Holy Ghost at Antioch, separated to this service, how tender he was of the Jews, how respectful to them, and how careful to give them the precedency in all places whither he came, and to unite Jews and Gentiles in one body; and then to show how wonderfully God had owned him, and what good service had been done to the interest of God's kingdom among men in general, without damage to any of the true interests of the Jewish church in particular. But, whatever he designs to say, they resolve he shall say no more to them: They gave him audience to this word. Hitherto they had heard him with patience and some attention. But when he speaks of being sent to the Gentiles, though it was what Christ himself said to him, they cannot bear it, not so much as to hear the Gentiles named, such an enmity had they to them, and such a jealousy of them. Upon the mention of this, they have no manner of patience, but forget all rules of decency and equity; thus were they provoked to jealousy by those that were no people, Ro 10:19.
Now here we are told how furious and outrageous the people were against Paul, for mentioning the Gentiles as taken into the cognizance of divine grace, and so justifying his preaching among them.
I. They interrupted him, by lifting up their voice, to put him into confusion, and that nobody might hear a word he said. Galled consciences kick at the least touch; and those who are resolved not to be rules by reason commonly resolve not to hear it if they can help it. And the spirit of enmity against the gospel of Christ commonly shows itself in silencing the ministers of Christ and his gospel, and stopping their mouths, as the Jews did Paul's here. Their fathers had said to the best of seers, See not, Isa 30:10. And so they to the best of speakers, Speak not. Forbear, wherefore shouldst thou be smitten? 2Ch 25:16.
II. They clamoured against him as one that was unworthy of life, much more of liberty. Without weighing the arguments he had urged in his own defence, or offering to make any answer to them, they cried out with a confused noise, "Away with such a fellow as this from the earth, who pretends to have a commission to preach to the Gentiles; why, it is not fit that he should live." Thus the men that have been the greatest blessings of their age have been represented not only as the burdens of the earth, but the plague of their generation. He that was worthy of the greatest honours of life is condemned as not worthy of life itself. See what different sentiments God and men have of good men, and yet they both agree in this that they are not likely to live long in this world. Paul says of the godly Jews that they were men of whom the world was not worthy, Heb 11:38. And therefore they must be removed, that the world may be justly punished with the loss of them. The ungodly Jews here say of Paul that it was not fit he should live; and therefore he must be removed, that the world may be eased of the burden of him, as of the two witnesses, Re 11:10.
III. They went stark mad against Paul, and against the chief captain for not killing him immediately at their request, or throwing him as a pry into their teeth, that they might devour him (Ac 22:23); as men whose reason was quite lost in passion, they cried out like roaring lions or raging bears, and howled like the evening wolves; they cast off their clothes with fury and violence, as much as to say that thus they would tear him if they could but come at him. Or, rather, they thus showed how ready they were to stone him; those that stoned Stephen threw off their clothes, Ac 22:20. Or, they rent their clothes, as if he had spoken blasphemy; and threw dust into the air, in detestation of it; or signifying how ready they were to throw stones at Paul, if the chief captain would have permitted them. But why should we go about to give a reason for these experiences of fury, which they themselves could not account for? All they intended was to make the chief captain sensible how much they were enraged and exasperated at Paul, so that he could not do any thing to gratify them more than to let them have their will against him.
IV. The chief captain took care for his safety, by ordering him to be brought into the castle, Ac 22:24. A prison sometimes has been a protection to good men from popular rage. Paul's hour was not yet come, he had not finished his testimony, and therefore God raised up one that took care of him, when none of his friends durst appear on his behalf. Grant not, O Lord, the desire of the wicked.
V. He ordered him the torture, to force from him a confession of some flagrant crimes which had provoked the people to such an uncommon violence against him. He ordered that he should be examined by scourging (as now in some countries by the rack), that he might know wherefore they cried so against him. Herein he did not proceed fairly; he should have singled out some of the clamorous tumultuous complainants, and taken them into the castle as breakers of the peace, and should have examined them, and by scourging too, what they had to lay to the charge of a man that could give so good an account of himself, and did not appear to have done any thing worthy of death or of bonds. It was proper to ask them, but not at all proper to ask Paul, wherefore they cried so against him. He could tell that he had given them no just cause to do it; if there were any cause, let them produce it. No man is bound to accuse himself, though he be guilty, much less ought he to be compelled to accuse himself when he is innocent. Surely the chief captain did not know the Jewish nation when he concluded that he must needs have done something very bad whom they cried out against. Had they not just thus cried out against our Lord Jesus, Crucify him, crucify him, when they had not one word to say in answer to the judge's question, Why, what evil has he done? Is this a fair or just occasion to scourge Paul, that a rude tumultuous mob cry out against him, but cannot tell why or wherefore, and therefore he must be forced to tell?
VI. Paul pleaded his privilege as a Roman citizen, by which he was exempted from all trials and punishments of this nature (Ac 22:25): As they bound him with thongs, or leathern bands, to the whipping post, as they used to bind the vilest of malefactors in bridewell from whom they would extort a confession, he made no outcry against the injustice of their proceedings against an innocent man, but very mildly let them understand the illegality of their proceedings against him as a citizen of Rome, which he had done once before at Philippi after he had been scourged (Ac 16:37), but here he makes use of it for prevention. He said to the centurion that stood by, "You know the law; pray is it lawful for you who are yourselves Romans to scourge a man that is a Roman, and uncondemned?" The manner of his speaking plainly intimates what a holy security and serenity of mind this good man enjoyed, not disturbed either with anger or fear in the midst of all those indignities that were done him, and the danger he was in. The Romans had a law (it was called lex Sempronia), that if any magistrate did chastise or condemn a freeman of Rome, indicta causa—without hearing him speak for himself, and deliberating upon the whole of his case, he should be liable to the sentence of the people, who were very jealous of their liberties. It is indeed the privilege of every man not to have wrong done him, except it be proved he has done wrong; as it is of every Englishman by Magna Charta not to be dis-seized of his life or freehold, but by a verdict of twelve men of his peers.
VII. The chief captain was surprised at this, and put into a fright. He had taken Paul to be a vagabond Egyptian, and wondered he could speak Greek (Ac 21:37), but is much more surprised now he finds that he is as good a gentleman as himself. How many men of great worth and merit are despised because they are not known, are looked upon and treated as the offscouring of all things, when those that count them so, if they knew their true character, would own them to be of the excellent ones of the earth! The chief captain had centurions, under-officers, attending him, Ac 21:32. One of these reports this matter to the chief captain (Ac 22:26): Take heed what thou doest, for this man is a Roman, and what indignity is done to him will be construed an offence against the majesty of the Roman people, as they loved to speak. They all knew what a value was put upon this privilege of the Roman citizens. Tully extols it in one of his orations against Verres, O nomen dulce libertatis, O jus eximium nostræ civitatis! O lex Porcia! O leges Semproniæ; facinus est vincere Romanum civem, scelus verberare—O Liberty! I love thy charming name; and these our Porcian and Sempronian laws, how admirable! It is a crime to bind a Roman citizen, but an unpardonable one to beat him. "Therefore" (says the centurion) "let us look to ourselves; if this man be a Roman, and we do him any indignity, we shall be in danger to lose our commissions at least." Now, 1. The chief captain would be satisfied of the truth of this from his own mouth (Ac 22:27): "Tell me, art thou a Roman? Art thou entitled to the privileges of a Roman citizen?" "Yes," says Paul, "I am;" and perhaps produced some ticket or instrument which proved it; for otherwise they would scarcely have taken his word. 2. The chief captain very freely compares notes with him upon this matter, and it appears that the privilege Paul had as a Roman citizen was of the two more honourable than the colonel's; for the colonel owns that his was purchased: "I am a freeman of Rome; but with a great sum obtained I this freedom, it cost me dear, how came you by it?" "Why truly," says Paul, "I was free-born." Some think he became entitled to this freedom by the place of his birth, as a native of Tarsus, a city privileged by the emperor with the same privileges that Rome itself enjoyed; others rather think it was by his father or grandfather having served in the war between Cæsar and Antony, or some other of the civil wars of Rome, and being for some signal piece of service rewarded with a freedom of the city, and so Paul came to be free-born; and here he pleads it for his own preservation, for which end not only we may but we ought to use all lawful means. 3. This put an immediate stop to Paul's trouble. Those that were appointed to examine him by scourging quitted the spot; they departed from him (Ac 22:29), lest they should run themselves into a snare. Nay, and the colonel himself, though we may suppose him to have a considerable interest, was afraid when he heard he was a Roman, because, though he had not beaten him, yet he had bound him in order to his being beaten. Thus many are restrained from evil practices by the fear of man who would not be restrained from them by the fear of God. See here the benefit of human laws and magistracy, and what reason we have to be thankful to God for them; for even when they have given no countenance nor special protection to God's people and ministers, yet, by the general support of equity and fair dealing between man and man, they have served to check the rage of wicked and unreasonable illegal men, who otherwise would know no bounds, and to say, Hitherto it shall come, but no further; here shall its proud waves by stayed. And therefore this service we owe to all in authority, to pray for them, because this benefit we have reason to expect from them, whether we have it or no, as long as we are quiet and peaceable—to live quiet and peaceable lives in all godliness and honesty, 1Ti 2:1,2. 4. The governor, the next day, brought Paul before the sanhedrim, Ac 22:30. He first loosed him from his bands, that those might not prejudge his cause, and that he might not be charged with having pinioned a Roman citizen, and then summoned the chief priests and all their council to come together to take cognizance of Paul's case, for he found it to be a matter of religion, and therefore looked upon them to be the most proper judges of it. Gallio in this case discharged Paul; finding it to be a matter of their law, he drove the prosecutors from the judgement-seat (Ac 18:16), and would not concern himself at all in it; but this Roman, who was a military man, kept Paul in custody, and appealed from the rabble to the general assembly. Now, (1.) We may hope that hereby he intended Paul's safety, as thinking, if he were an innocent and inoffensive man, though the multitude might be incensed against him, yet the chief priests and elders would do him justice, and clear him; for they were, or should be, men of learning and consideration, and their court governed by rules of equity. When the prophet could find no good among the poorer sort of people, he concluded that it was because they knew not the way of the Lord, nor the judgments of their God, and promised himself that he should speed better among the great men, as the chief captain here did, but soon found himself disappointed there: these have altogether broken the yoke, and burst the bonds, Jer 5:4,5. But, (2.) That which he is here said to aim at is the gratifying of his own curiosity: He would have known the certainty wherefore he was accused of the Jews. Had he sent for Paul to his own chamber, and talked freely with him, he might soon have learned from him that which would have done more than satisfy his enquiry, and which might have persuaded him to be a Christian. But it is too common for great men to affect to set that at a distance from them which might awaken their consciences, and to desire to have no more of the knowledge of God's ways than may serve them to talk of.
在前章末了，保罗被捆绑，正如亚迦布所预言他将从耶路撒冷的犹太人手中所受的苦待；然而他的舌头却得释放，因为千夫长准他为自己分诉。他既得着这发言的自由，便一心要用来荣耀基督、服事他的利益，竟忘了自己身处的捆锁，也不提及，反倒像毫无搅扰他、使他慌乱的事一般，安然喜乐地讲述基督为他所成就的大事。本章内容如下：一、他对百姓的致辞，以及他们的留心听讲（徒 22:1,2）。二、他对自己身世的陈述：1. 他早年是何等热心的犹太教徒（徒 22:3-5）。2. 他如何奇妙地归信基督（徒 22:6-11）。3. 他如何借亚拿尼亚的服事得着印证并受洗（徒 22:12-16）。4. 他后来如何因天上的直接差遣，被召作外邦人的使徒（徒 22:17-21）。三、暴民因此对他打断的话——他们不能容忍任何为外邦人说话的言论，并为此勃然大怒（徒 22:22,23）。四、保罗第二次从暴民手中获救，以及千夫长为查明众人为何如此大声喧嚷攻击保罗而进一步采取的措施（徒 22:24,25）。五、保罗援引自己作为罗马公民的特权，借此免受这种野蛮的审讯方式（徒 22:26-29）。六、千夫长将案件移交至亚那大祭司的公堂，保罗也在那里出庭（徒 22:30）。