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英文原文
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
保羅的第一次申辯
¹ 「諸位父兄請聽，我現在對你們分訴。」
² （眾人聽見他用希伯來話對他們說話，就更加安靜了。他說：）
保羅在 Ac 21:40 已經得了一個大利——在如此喧嚷之後，命令眾人如此肅靜。如今這裏請留意，
I. 他以何等令人欽佩的鎮定和從容面對講話。從來沒有人像他這樣被暴亂的方式攻擊，被如此狂怒和暴烈對待；然而在他所說的話中，1. 看不出任何驚恐，他的心思是安靜而鎮定的。如此他印證了自己的話：這些事沒有一件能搖動我；以及大衛的話（Ps 3:6）：雖有成萬的百姓來周圍攻擊我，我也不怕。2. 看不出任何激憤。雖然對他的指控全都是無理和不公正的，雖然任何活著的人都會因在正想方設法表示對聖殿尊重的時候被控褻瀆聖殿而惱怒，他卻沒有爆發任何憤怒的言辭，而是像羊羔被牽到宰殺之地。
II. 他給了那些如此虐待他的人何等恭敬的稱呼，又何等謙卑地懇求他們注意聽：「諸位父兄」（Ac 22:1）。眾人啊，我向你們呼求；稱「諸位」，因為他們當聽道理並受其治理；稱「諸位」，因為可以期望他們有人道之心。「你們，平民的弟兄；你們，祭司的父老。」這樣他讓他們知道他是他們中的一員，並沒有放棄與猶太民族的關係，仍然對它懷有善意和關切。請注意，我們不可給任何人奉承的稱呼，卻當給所有人應得的恭敬稱呼；我們想要造福的人，我們當努力不去激怒。他雖然從他們手中被救出來，受到千夫長的保護，卻沒有對他們破口大罵——「聽著，你們這些悖逆的人」；而是以諸位父兄來稱呼他們。還要注意，他沒有對他們提出控告，沒有反唇相譏——「聽聽我要控告你們甚麼」，而是「聽聽我要為自己說甚麼」：請聽我的分訴；這是公正而合理的要求，因為每一個被控告的人都有權為自己辯護，如果他的回答不被耐心而公正地聽取，就沒有對他行公義。
III. 他所使用的語言，使他所說的話更能被聽眾接受；他用希伯來話對他們說——即猶太人的日常語言，這時不是純粹的舊約希伯來文，而是亞蘭文，是希伯來文的一種方言，或更確切地說是其變體，正如意大利文之於拉丁文。然而，1. 這表明他繼續尊重他的同胞猶太人。他雖然常與外邦人交往，卻仍保留著猶太人的語言，能流利地說；由此可以看出他是猶太人，因為他的口音露出了他。2. 他所說的更為普遍地被人聽懂，因為那是人人說的語言，所以用那語言說話就是向百姓發出呼籲，藉此他或許能贏得他們的好感；所以，眾人聽見他用希伯來話對他們說話，就更加安靜了。怎能期望人們對用他們聽不懂的語言對他們說的話加以注意呢？千夫長聽見他說希臘話（Ac 21:37）甚為驚奇，猶太人聽見他說希伯來話也甚為驚奇，兩者因此都對他刮目相看。但他們若去查問——本當如此——而發現聖靈賜他口才的方言何其多樣，他們又會何等驚奇！1Co 14:18，*我說方言比你們眾人還多。*但事實是，許多有智慧的好人之所以被輕視，只是因為他們不為人所知。
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
保羅的第一次申辯
³ 保羅說：「我原是猶太人，生在基利家的大數，長在這城裏，在迦瑪列門下，按着我們祖宗嚴緊的律法受教，熱心事奉神，像你們眾人今日一樣。 ⁴ 我也曾逼迫奉這道的人，直到死地，無論男女都鎖拿下監。 ⁵ 這是大祭司和眾長老都可以給我作見證的。我又領了他們達與弟兄的書信，往大馬士革去，要把在那裏信這道的人鎖拿，帶到耶路撒冷受刑。」 ⁶ 「我將到大馬士革，正走的時候，約在正午，忽然從天上發大光，四面照着我。 ⁷ 我就仆倒在地，聽見有聲音對我說：『掃羅！掃羅！你為甚麼逼迫我？』 ⁸ 我回答說：『主啊，你是誰？』他說：『我就是你所逼迫的拿撒勒人耶穌。』 ⁹ 與我同行的人看見了那光，卻沒有聽明那位對我說話的聲音。 ¹⁰ 我說：『主啊，我當做甚麼？』主說：『起來，進大馬士革去，在那裏，要將所派你做的一切事告訴你。』 ¹¹ 我因那光的榮耀不能看見，同行的人就拉着我手進了大馬士革。 ¹² 那裏有一個人，名叫亞拿尼亞，按着律法是虔誠人，為一切住在那裏的猶太人所稱讚。 ¹³ 他來見我，旁邊站着，對我說：『兄弟掃羅，你可以看見。』我當時往上一看，就看見了他。 ¹⁴ 他又說：『我們祖宗的神揀選了你，叫你明白祂的旨意，又得見那義者，聽祂口中所出的聲音。 ¹⁵ 因為你要將所看見的、所聽見的，對着萬人為祂作見證。 ¹⁶ 現在你為甚麼耽延呢？起來，求告祂的名受洗，洗去你的罪。』」 ¹⁷ 「後來我回到耶路撒冷，在殿裏禱告的時候，魂遊象外， ¹⁸ 看見主向我說：『你趕緊地離開耶路撒冷，不可遲延；因你為我作的見證，這裏的人必不領受。』 ¹⁹ 我就說：『主啊，他們知道我從前把信你的人收在監裏，又在各會堂裏鞭打他們。 ²⁰ 並且你的見證人司提反被害流血的時候，我也站在旁邊歡喜；又看守害死他之人的衣裳。』 ²¹ 主向我說：『你去吧！我要差你遠遠地往外邦人那裏去。』」
保羅在這裏對自己作了一番陳述，不僅可以叫千夫長滿意——他不是千夫長所以為的那個埃及人，也可以叫猶太人滿意——他不是他們所以為的、他們教會和國家、他們律法和聖殿的仇敵，而且他在傳講基督，尤其是向外邦人傳講基督這事上，是憑着神的委任而行的。他在此讓他們明白：
I. 他的出身和所受的教育是甚麼。1. 他是他們本國的人，是以色列族，是亞伯拉罕的後裔，是希伯來人所生的希伯來人——不是出自甚麼卑微的家庭，也不是別國的叛教者：「不，我原是猶太人——aner Ioudaios——一個猶太男子；我是人，因此不當被當作畜生對待；我是猶太人，不是野蠻人；我是你們本國真誠的朋友，因為我是其中一員，我若不正當地貶低你們律法和聖殿的尊榮，就是污穢自己的巢穴了。」2. 他出生在一個體面的地方——生在基利家的大數，並且按出生是那城的自由民。他不是生在奴役之中——散居的猶太人中有一些可能是；他是生而為紳士的，也許能拿出他那在那古老而可敬的城中公民權的證書。這誠然不是甚麼值得誇耀的大事，但在那些傲慢地踐踏他、彷彿要把他與愚頑人、卑賤人之子同列（伯 30:8）的人面前，此時提及卻是必要的。3. 他受過良好而開明的教育。他不僅是猶太人、紳士，更是學者。他長在耶路撒冷——猶太學問的首要重鎮——在迦瑪列門下；迦瑪列是他們都知道的猶太律法的著名博士，保羅本人就是被培育來作律法教師的；因此他不可能不知道他們的律法，也不能被以為因不懂而輕看它。他的父母在他年幼時就把他帶到這城，要栽培他作法利賽人；有人認為他在迦瑪列門下受教，不僅意味着他是迦瑪烈的門生之一，更意味着他比任何人都更加殷勤恆切地聽課、尊崇他、凡事順從他，正如馬利亞那樣坐在耶穌腳前聽祂的道。4. 他在早年就是猶太教非常熱心而傑出的擁護者；他的學業和學問全都朝這個方向。他遠非在年輕時就被灌輸了對猶太人宗教禮儀的任何反感——他們當中沒有一個青年人比他對這些禮儀有着更大、更完全的敬意，沒有人比他更嚴格地自己遵守，也沒有人比他更熱心地強加於人。（1）他是他們宗教中一位有知識的擁護者，頭腦清晰。他在迦瑪列腳下盡心於學業，在那裏按着我們祖宗嚴緊的律法受教。他對律法的偏離，不是出於對律法任何混亂或錯誤的觀念，因為他對律法瞭如指掌——kata akribeian——按照最精確嚴謹的方法。他所受的訓練不是寬容派的原則，他身上沒有任何撒都該人的成分，而是屬於最勤於研讀律法、最緊貼律法的那一派，並且為了使律法比原來更嚴格，又加上了長老的遺傳——祖宗的律法——賜給他們、他們又傳給兒女的律法，如此一代代傳下來。保羅對古制、傳統和教會權威的尊重，不亞於他們當中任何一個人；他們全體當中沒有一個猶太人比保羅更明白自己的宗教，或更能為之作出解釋或說出理由。（2）他是他們宗教中一位活躍的擁護者，有一顆火熱的心：我熱心事奉神，像你們眾人今日一樣。 許多人精通宗教的理論，卻樂意把實行交給別人，但保羅不僅是拉比，更是狂熱者。他熱心反對律法所禁止的一切，熱心擁護律法所吩咐的一切；這是向神的熱心，因為他以為這是為着神的榮耀和事奉祂的利益；他在這裏以善意和愛心的判斷稱讚他的聽眾——他們眾人今日都熱心事奉神——他為他們作見證（羅 10:2），他們向神有熱心，但不是按着真知識。他們在恨他、把他趕出去的時候說：願耶和華得榮耀（賽 66:5）；這絕不能為他們的狂暴開脫，卻使那些禱告說父啊，赦免他們的人能像基督那樣求情說：因為他們所做的，他們不曉得。 當保羅承認自己從前曾在摩西律法上像他們今日一樣熱心事奉神，他暗示了他的盼望：他們也可能像他今日一樣，在基督裏熱心事奉神。
II. 他在起初的時候曾是基督教何等狂暴兇殘的逼迫者，Ac 22:4,5。他提到這事，是要使他在歸信基督教時身上所做成的改變，更加明顯地顯出純粹是神能力的作為；因為他非但對基督教沒有絲毫先前的傾向或好感，反而在那突然的改變做成之前，對基督教有着想象中最大的厭惡，對它充滿了最深的怒氣。他也許也是為了在眼前的患難中稱神為義而提到這事：那些逼迫他的人無論多麼不義，容許他們這樣做的神卻是公義的，因為從前也有一個時候他是逼迫人的；他也許還有更遠的用意——要邀請和鼓勵那些人悔改，因為他自己從前是褻瀆神的、逼迫人的，卻蒙了憐憫。讓我們看看保羅為自己作逼迫者時所畫的像。1. 他以死敵的仇恨恨惡基督教：我也曾逼迫奉這道的人，直到死地——就是說：「那些走在這道上的人，我若可能，就要置他們於死地。」他向他們口吐威嚇兇殺的話，Ac 9:1。當他們被殺的時候，他也出名定案，Ac 26:10。不但如此，他所逼迫的不僅是走在這道上的人，更是這道本身——基督教——當時被誣為旁門左道、異端；他企圖逼迫它直到死地，要毀滅這個宗教。他逼迫它直到死地，有人如此理解：他寧願自己在反對基督教中死去。他情願捨命，並認為為着捍衛祖宗的律法和遺傳而捨命是值得的。2. 他竭盡所能地藉着無論男女都鎖拿下監來恐嚇人離開這道；他用基督徒填滿了監獄。如今他自己被捆綁，他便特別強調他控告自己的這一點——他曾捆綁基督徒，把他們下在監裏；他也特別後悔自己不僅監禁了男人，更監禁了女人——較軟弱的性別，本當以特別的溫柔和憐憫來對待。3. 他受大公會——大祭司和眾長老全體——的差派，作他們的代理人來鎮壓這個新教派；可見他反對這教派的熱心已經有多麼出名，Ac 22:5。大祭司可以為他作見證：他隨時準備受差從事任何反對基督徒的事奉。當他們聽說大馬士革有許多猶太人接受了基督信仰，為了阻止別人照樣做，他們決定以最嚴厲的手段對付他們，並且想不出比保羅更合適的人選來辦這事，也沒有人比保羅更有可能辦成這事。因此他們差遣他，並託他帶信給大馬士革的猶太人——這裏稱為弟兄，因為他們都出自同一個祖宗，在宗教上也是一家——吩咐他們協助保羅捉拿他們當中那些歸信基督的人，把他們作為囚犯帶到耶路撒冷，好懲辦他們這些背棄以色列神信仰和敬拜的人；如此他們要麼被迫反悔，要麼被處死以警戒別人。掃羅就這樣殘害教會，若再走一陣子，他很可能就要毀滅它、將它連根拔起。「這樣的人，」保羅說，「我起初就是——正如你們如今所是的那樣。我知道逼迫者的心，因此憐憫你們，並禱告願你們也能知道歸信者的心——正如神不久就使我所知道的那樣。我是誰，竟能抗拒神呢？」
III. 他是怎樣歸信並成為如今這個人的。這不是出於任何天然或外在的原因；他改變宗教不是出於追求新奇的愛好，因為他那時對古制的感情與素常一樣；也不是因在升遷上失望而心生不滿，因為他那時在猶太教會中比以往更有升遷的機會；更不是出於貪婪或野心，或任何指望因轉信基督教而在世上改善自己命運的盼望，因為這是使自己暴露在各樣羞辱和麻煩之中；他也沒有與使徒或任何別的基督徒有過來往，以致可以被認為是被他們的詭辯和花言巧語騙入了這改變。不，這是主所做的，而做成的情形足以在一切相信有超自然能力的人面前，為他的改變辯護；除非人非難那使他被如此掌管的神聖能力，否則無人能因這改變而定他的罪。他在這裏非常詳盡地敘述了自己歸信的經過，正如我們從前所看到的（Ac 9:1-19），目的是要表明這純粹是神的作為。1. 正當基督抓住他之前，他像以往一樣全心全意地要逼迫基督徒。他前行，將到大馬士革（Ac 22:6），心中除了執行他所奉派的殘酷計劃之外沒有別的念頭；他對可憐的基督徒沒有絲毫慈悲的不忍，仍把他們看作異端、分裂者和對教會與國家都危險的仇敵。2. 是天上的光首先驚嚇了他——大光，忽然四面照着他；猶太人知道神就是光，祂的使者是光明的天使，而這樣的光在正午照耀，因此超過了太陽的光，必是出於神。這光若照進某個私人的房間裏，其中可能有詭詐；但它照在空曠的大路上，正值正午，而且如此強烈，以至把他擊倒在地（Ac 22:7），同行的人也都如此，Ac 26:14。他們不能否認，主確實在這光中。3. 是天上的聲音首先在他心中生出對耶穌基督的敬畏之念——此前他對基督只有恨惡惡毒的念頭。那聲音稱呼他的名字，把他與同行的人分別出來：掃羅！掃羅！你為甚麼逼迫我？ 當他問：主啊，你是誰？ 回答是：我就是你所逼迫的拿撒勒人耶穌，Ac 22:8。由此顯明，這位他們如今也在逼迫的拿撒勒人耶穌，是一位從天上說話的，他們知道抵擋這樣的一位是危險的，來 12:25。4. 為免有人反駁說：「這光和聲音怎能在他身上做成這樣的改變，卻沒有在同行的人身上做成呢？」（雖然很有可能這在他們身上也有好的效果，他們很可能因此成了基督徒），他指出同行的人確實看見了那光，並且害怕——怕自己被天上的火所滅，他們的良心也許此刻正告訴他們，他們所走的路不好——正如巴蘭去咒詛以色列時那樣，因此他們也許以為會遇見一位拿着發火焰劍的天使；但那光雖使他們懼怕，他們卻沒有聽明那位對保羅說話的聲音——就是說，他們沒有清楚地聽見那些話。如今信道是從聽道來的，因此那改變立刻做在了聽見這話、而且聽見這話是對自己說的人身上，卻沒有做在只看見光的人身上；但日後也可能做在他們身上。5. 他向他們保證，當他如此被驚嚇時，他完全順服於神的引導；他並沒有隨即喊着說：「好吧，我要作基督徒了」；而是說：「主啊，我當做甚麼？ 願那在錯路上攔阻我的天上之聲，引導我進入正路，Ac 22:10。主啊，告訴我當做甚麼，我就去做。」他隨即得了指示，要往大馬士革去，在那裏他將從如今對他說話的那位再聽見更多的話：「不必再從天上多說甚麼了，在那裏，要將所派你做的一切事告訴你——由一個與你一樣的人，奉如今對你說話之那位的名告訴你。」神啟示的超常途徑——異象、聲音、天使的顯現——在舊約和新約中，都是為了引入和建立藉着聖經和常設的傳道職分而施行的通常方法，因此當這些確立之後，前者通常就被取代了。天使沒有親自向哥尼流講道，而是叫他打發人去請彼得；照樣這裏的聲音沒有告訴保羅他當做甚麼，而是叫他去大馬士革，在那裏必有人告訴他。6. 作為那照在他身上的光之偉大的證明，他告訴他們那光對他的視力所產生的直接效果（Ac 22:11）：我因那光的榮耀不能看見。 那光暫時把他擊瞎了。Nimium sensible lædit sensum——它的光輝使他目眩。被定罪的罪人被黑暗的能力擊瞎，如所多瑪人和埃及人那樣，那是持久的瞎眼，如不信的猶太人那樣；但被知罪的罪人被擊瞎，如保羅在這裏，不是被黑暗，而是被光：他們暫時在內心中不知所措，但這是為了使他們得蒙光照，正如把泥抹在瞎子的眼睛上是他得醫治的既定方法。與保羅同行的人沒有像保羅那樣被光直接射入臉上，所以他們沒有像他那樣被擊瞎；然而考慮到結局，誰不寧願選擇他的份而不是他們的呢？他們既有視力，就拉着保羅的手進了城。保羅身為法利賽人，素來以自己屬靈的眼光為傲。法利賽人說：難道我們也瞎了眼嗎？ 約 9:40。不，他們深信自己是瞎子的領路人和黑暗中之人的光，羅 2:19。如今保羅如此被肉體的瞎眼所擊，是為要使他察覺自己屬靈的瞎眼，以及他沒有律法以前是活着時（羅 7:9）對自己的誤解。
IV. 他是怎樣在大馬士革的亞拿尼亞手中，在他所作的改變上得到印證，並進一步得着指示當做甚麼的。
請注意：1. 這裏對亞拿尼亞的品格描述。他不是一個對猶太民族或宗教存有任何偏見的人，他自己是一個按着律法是虔誠的人；若不是生來就是猶太人，至少是已經皈依了猶太教，因此被稱為虔誠人，並由此進一步進到了基督的信仰；他為人如此端正，以至為一切住在大馬士革的猶太人所稱讚。這是保羅與之有任何友善交往的第一個基督徒，他不像會向他灌輸他們所懷疑他信奉的那些觀念——有損律法或這聖地的。
2. 他立刻在保羅的眼睛上做成的醫治，這神蹟是要印證亞拿尼亞奉差到保羅這裏來，並證實他此後對他所說的一切話。他來見他（Ac 22:13）；為了使他確信自己是從基督那裏來見他（就是那位撕裂也必醫治、擊打也必纏裹、奪去視力也必恢復——甚至加添——的同一位基督），他站在旁邊，對他說：兄弟掃羅，你可以看見。能力隨着這話而出，當時——立刻——他恢復了視力，往上一看，準備好從他領受他所帶來的指示。
3. 亞拿尼亞向他宣告主耶穌所定意賜給他、超乎別人的恩惠，就是特別的恩惠。
（1）在現今向他的顯現中（Ac 22:14）：我們祖宗的神揀選了你。 這大有能力的呼召是出於特別的揀選；他稱神為我們祖宗的神，暗示亞拿尼亞自己也是生來的猶太人，遵守祖宗的律法，並靠着賜給祖宗的應許而活；他給出了一個理由，說明他為何稱呼兄弟掃羅——當他說到神是我們祖宗的神時：我們祖宗的神揀選了你，叫你[1]明白祂的旨意——你當遵行的祂誡命的旨意，以及關乎你的祂護理的旨意。祂揀選了你，叫你以更特別的方式明白它——不是出於人，也不是藉着人，而是藉着耶穌基督的啟示直接領受，加 1:1,2。神所揀選的人，祂揀選他們是要叫他們明白祂的旨意，並行在其中。[2] 又得見那義者，聽祂口中所出的聲音——如此就從祂自己直接明白祂的旨意。這是保羅以特別的方式蒙揀選、超乎別人的；這是與眾不同的恩惠：他要在基督升天之後在地上看見基督。司提反看見祂站在神的右邊，但保羅看見祂站在自己旁邊。這個尊榮除了保羅沒有人有。司提反看見了祂，但我們沒有看到他聽見祂口中所出的聲音，如保羅那樣；保羅說：末了也顯給我看，如同未到產期而生的人一般，林前 15:8。基督在這裏被稱為那義者；因為祂是義者耶穌基督，且是冤屈受苦。請注意，神所揀選叫他們明白祂旨意的人，必須定睛於基督，必須看見祂，聽祂口中所出的聲音；因為神是藉着祂將自己的旨意——祂對我們的善意——顯明出來，並且祂說：你們要聽祂。
（2）在日後藉着他向別人的顯現中（Ac 22:15）：你要將所看見的、所聽見的，對着萬人為祂作見證——不僅是祂恩典的紀念碑，如柱子那樣，而是viva voce——以口中的話作見證；你要傳揚祂的福音，作為你已經歷過其能力、已被納入其模範之中的；你要對着萬人——外邦人和猶太人——為祂作見證，見證你所看見、所聽見的，從最起初就是這樣。從保羅在自己的申辯中如此詳細地敘述他的經歷——在這裏和 Ac 26:1-32——我們有理由認為他在為歸化別人而講道時也經常敘述同樣的經歷；他告訴他們神為他的靈魂做了甚麼，好鼓勵他們盼望神也必為他們的靈魂做些甚麼。
4. 他所給的勸勉和鼓勵，叫他藉着洗禮歸入主耶穌（Ac 22:16）：起來，求告祂的名受洗。 他在割禮中已被獻給神，但如今他必須藉着洗禮在基督裏獻給神——接受基督教及其特權，同時順服其中的誡命。這事如今在他歸信之後立刻就行了，如此便加在他的割禮之上；但對於信主之人的後裔，洗禮是代替割禮的；因為正如割禮之於亞伯拉罕和他信心的後裔，洗禮也是因信稱義的印記。（1）我們藉着洗禮得以印證的偉大福音特權，是罪的赦免：求告祂的名受洗，洗去你的罪——就是說：「在耶穌基督裏領受你罪得赦免的安慰，為此抓住祂的義，並領受抵擋罪的能力以治死你的敗壞」；因為我們的洗淨包括我們的稱義和成聖，林前 6:11。受洗吧，不要停留在表號上，而要確保表號所表明的實質——除去罪的污穢。（2）我們藉着洗禮所承擔的偉大福音本分，是求告主的名——主耶穌的名——承認祂是我們的主、我們的神，並照此向祂祈求；尊榮祂，把我們一切的祈求交在祂手中。求告我們主耶穌基督的名（大衛的子孫，可憐我們）是基督徒的旁註定義，林前 1:2。我們必須求告主的名，洗去我們的罪；就是說，我們必須奉基督的名，倚靠祂和祂的義，尋求我們罪的赦免。在禱告中，我們不可再稱神為亞伯拉罕的神，而是要稱我們主耶穌基督的父，並在祂裏面我們的父；在每一次禱告中，我們的眼目都要仰望基督。（3）我們必須快快地做這事。你為甚麼耽延呢？ 我們在基督裏與神立約是必要的工作，不可拖延。事情如此清楚，不必再遲疑；危險如此之大，拖延就是愚昧。將來必須做的事，如今不做就會滅亡，為甚麼不現在就做呢？
V. 他是怎樣蒙差遣去向外邦人傳福音的。這正是他們如此惱怒他的大原因，因此他特別需要在這事上提出神的授權；他在這裏就如此行了。這個委任他不是在歸信後立刻領受的，因為這是在耶路撒冷——他是三年以後或更久才去那裏的（加 1:18）；這裏所說的異象是在那時還是在之後領受的，我們不能確定。但為了盡可能使他們與他向外邦人傳福音一事和好，他告訴他們：1. 他是在禱告時領受去做這事的命令的——他求神為他指定工作，指示他當走的方向；而且（這是一個對他如今所面對的聽眾有一定分量的情形）他是在殿裏禱告——那殿要稱為萬民禱告的殿；不僅萬民要在其中禱告，萬民也要在其中被代求。如今保羅在殿中禱告，與他們惡意的指控相反，證明他對聖殿是有敬意的——雖然他不像他們那樣把它當作偶像；照樣，神在殿中把這個委任賜給他，證明差他到外邦人那裏去不會損害聖殿，除非猶太人因自己的不信而使之如此。日後保羅在執行這委任時，回想自己是在禱告時領受的，必大得安慰。2. 他是在異象中領受的。他魂遊象外（Ac 22:17）——外在的感官暫時被封閉；他處於狂喜之中，如同被提到第三層天上時那樣，當時他不能確定自己是在身內還是在身外。在這恍惚中他看見了耶穌基督——不是像歸信時那樣用身體的眼睛，而是呈現在他心靈的眼中（Ac 22:18）：我看見祂向我說話。 我們從祂口中領受律法時，眼目必須仰望基督；我們不僅要聽祂說話，更要看見祂對我們說話。3. 基督在給他往外邦人那裏去的委任之前，先告訴他：在耶路撒冷做善工是徒然的；所以他們若因他被差到外邦人而怪他，當怪自己，不當怪他。保羅來到耶路撒冷，滿心盼望靠着神的恩典，也許他能作器皿，使那些在其他使徒的事奉下頑抗的人歸信基督；也許這正是他如今所禱告的——他既在耶路撒冷受教育、在那裏為人所熟知，也許可以被用來將耶路撒冷還沒有被招聚的兒女招聚到基督那裏，他以為自己在這方面有特別的優勢。但基督打消了他所定的計劃：你趕緊地離開耶路撒冷——雖然你以為自己比別人更可能感動他們，你卻要發現他們對你的偏見比對任何人都深，因此必不領受你為我作的見證。正如神預先知道誰會接受福音，照樣祂也知道誰會拒絕它。4. 保羅不顧這話，仍重新請求能在耶路撒冷蒙使用，因為他們比任何人都更清楚他歸信之前的所作所為，因此必將他身上如此大的改變歸之於全能恩典的能力，從而更加重視他的見證；如此他對自己、也對主進行推論，並認為自己推論得合理（Ac 22:19,20）：主啊——他說——他們知道我從前也與他們一樣的心意，我從前像他們當中任何一個人一樣，是信你之人的死敵，我煽動民間的權勢反對他們，把他們下在監裏，又把屬靈權勢的鋒芒轉向他們，在各會堂裏鞭打他們。因此他們不會把我的傳基督歸因於教育或對基督的任何偏愛（如他們看待別的傳道人那樣），而會更樂意留意我所說的，因為他們知道我自己曾經是他們當中的一員：尤其是在司提反的事上；他們知道當他被石頭打的時候，我也站在旁邊，我贊同並且出名定案把他治死，又看守害死他之人的衣裳，作為記號。「主啊，」他說，「我若出現在他們中間，傳講司提反所傳講、所殉道的道理，他們無疑會領受我的見證。」「不，」基督對他說，「他們不會的；反而會更加惱怒你，視你為叛徒，比那些他們只當作對他們體制陌生的人更加惱怒。」5. 保羅請求在耶路撒冷傳福音的授權被駁回，他得了不容置疑的命令到外邦人中間去（Ac 22:21）：你去吧！我要差你遠遠地往外邦人那裏去。 請注意，神常常以恩惠回應祂百姓的禱告——不是在他們所求的那件事本身上，而是在更好的事上。亞伯拉罕禱告說：但願以實瑪利活在你面前；神卻為以撒而垂聽他。照樣保羅在這裏禱告能在耶路撒冷作歸化靈魂的器皿：「不，」基督說，「你要被用在的外邦人中間，不懷孕不生養的，比有丈夫的兒女更多。」是神為祂的工人指定日子和地點，他們理當順服祂的指定，即使這可能與自己的意願相悖。保羅戀慕耶路撒冷：在那裏作傳道人是他最大的心願；但基督為他預備了更高的尊榮。他不是進入別人的勞苦（如其他使徒所做的，約 4:38），而是要開墾新的土地，在基督的名未被稱過的地方傳福音，羅 15:20。護理之恩如此常為我們安排得比我們自己所安排的更好；因此我們當把自己交託於它的引導。祂要為我們選擇產業。 請注意，保羅不是沒有委任就到外邦人中間傳道：我要差你。 基督既差遣他，祂的靈就必與他同去，必與他同在，必扶持他，必帶領他向前，必為他撐腰，並使他能看見自己勞苦的果子。保羅不可把心放在耶路撒冷，因為他必須被差到遠遠的地方去；他的呼召完全是另一個方向，他的工作也是另一種。也許這可以稍減猶太人的反感——他並沒有在鄰近的國家建立外邦人的教會；別人在他們附近這樣做了；他被差到遙遠的地方去，在那裏他所做的不能被認為是對他們的干擾。
如果他們把這一切放在一起，他們必定會看見：他們沒有理由因保羅在外邦人中間傳道而惱怒他，或把它解讀為對他自己國家的惡意，因為他與自己的心願相悖，是被天上不可抗拒的命令所迫才如此做的。
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
保羅的第一次申辯
²² 眾人聽他說到這話，就高聲喊着說：「這樣的人，從世上除掉他吧！他是不當活着的。」 ²³ 眾人喧嚷，摔掉衣裳，把塵土向空中揚起來。 ²⁴ 千夫長就吩咐人將他帶進營樓去，吩咐人用鞭子拷問他，要知道他們向他這樣喧嚷是為甚麼緣故。 ²⁵ 剛用皮條捆的時候，保羅對旁邊站着的百夫長說：「人是羅馬人，又沒有定罪，你們就鞭打他，有這個理嗎？」 ²⁶ 百夫長聽見這話，就去見千夫長，告訴他說：「你要作甚麼？這人是羅馬人。」 ²⁷ 千夫長就來問保羅說：「你告訴我，你是羅馬人嗎？」保羅說：「是。」 ²⁸ 千夫長說：「我用許多銀子才入了羅馬的民籍。」保羅說：「我生來就是。」 ²⁹ 於是那些要拷問保羅的人就離開他去了。千夫長既知道他是羅馬人，又因為捆綁了他，也就害怕了。 ³⁰ 第二天，千夫長為要知道猶太人控告保羅的實情，便解開他，吩咐祭司長和全公會的人都聚集，將保羅帶下來，叫他站在他們面前。
保羅正在繼續講述自己的經歷，已經向他們說明了自己奉差遣在外邦人中傳道的使命，並沒有對猶太人作任何苛刻的影射，我們可以設想他接下來打算說明他後來如何因聖靈在安提阿的特殊指示被分別出來擔任這項事奉，他對猶太人何等體恤、何等尊重、何等小心在他所到的每一處都讓猶太人居先，並要使猶太人和外邦人在一個身體裏合一；然後說明神如何奇妙地印證了他，在世人中間、在神國的利益上作了何等美好的服事，而絲毫不損猶太教會的任何真正利益。但無論他打算說甚麼，他們決定他不再向他們說了：眾人聽他說到這話。 到此為止他們還耐着性子、留心地聽他。但當他提到被差往外邦人那裏去——雖這是基督親口對他說的——他們卻不能忍受，連外邦人這名字都不能聽，因為他們對外邦人有如此的仇恨和嫉妒。一提到這事，他們就完全沒有耐心了，忘記了一切禮節和公正的規矩；如此他們被那不是國民的惹動嫉妒（羅 10:19）。
如今這裏告訴我們，百姓因保羅提到外邦人被納入神恩典的眷顧、藉此為自己在他們中間傳道辯護，而對他何等狂暴猖狂。
I. 他們打斷他，提高嗓門，要使他混亂、使他所說的話無人聽見。受責備的良心對最小的觸碰也要踢；那些決心不被理智管治的人，若能避免，通常也決心不聽理智。對基督福音的敵意之靈通常表現在使基督和他的福音的僕人閉口、堵住他們的口，正如猶太人在此對保羅所作的。他們的祖宗曾對最好的先見說：不要見異象（賽 30:10）。他們也對最好的演說家說：不要說。 你要止住，為何要受擊打呢？（代下 25:16）。
II. 他們喧嚷攻擊他，視他為不配活着、更不配自由的人。他們不權衡他在為自己辯護中所提出的論據，也不試圖對那些論據作任何答覆，只以混亂的喧聲喊着說：這樣的人從世上除掉他吧——這個假裝有使命向外邦人傳道的人——他是不當活着的。 如此，那些作了他們那個時代最大福分的人，不僅被描繪為世界的重擔，更被描繪為他們那一代的瘟疫。那位配得生命最大尊榮的人，卻被定為不配活着。看神和人對善人有何等不同的看法，但兩者都同意這一點：他們不太可能在這世上長久活着。保羅論敬虔的猶太人說，他們是世界不配有的人（來 11:38）。所以他們必須被挪去，好叫世界因失去他們而受公正的刑罰。這裏不敬虔的猶太人論保羅說，他不當活着；所以他必須被挪去，好叫世界因卸下他的重擔而得舒緩——如同兩個見證人一樣（啟 11:10）。
III. 他們對保羅、也對千夫長不立即照他們所求的殺他——或不把他扔給他們讓他們吞噬（Ac 22:23）——簡直瘋了；如同理智完全被激情所吞沒的人，他們像吼叫的獅子或發狂的熊一樣喊着，像晚上的狼一樣嚎叫；他們狂暴而猛烈地摔掉衣裳，等於是說：只要能抓住他，他們就要這樣撕碎他。或者更確切地說，他們如此表示自己多麼預備好要用石頭打他；那些用石頭打司提反的人也摔掉了衣裳（Ac 22:20）。或者，他們撕裂衣裳，好像他說了褻瀆的話；又把塵土向空中揚起來——表示對此的痛恨；或表示只要千夫長允許，他們多麼預備好要向保羅扔石頭。但我們何必設法為這些他們自己也說不清的狂暴舉動找理由呢？他們全部的意圖不過是讓千夫長感覺到他們對保羅何等憤怒激憤，以至於他不能作任何比讓他們如願以償對付保羅更令他們滿意的事。
IV. 千夫長為他的安全作了安排，吩咐把他帶進營樓（Ac 22:24）。監獄有時成了保護善人免受暴民之害的避難所。保羅的時候還沒有到，他還沒有作完見證，所以神興起了一個看顧他的人——當他的朋友都不敢為他出頭之時。耶和華啊，不要答應惡人的心願。
V. 他下令對他用刑，要逼他招認某些激怒百姓對他如此非常暴行的明顯罪行。他吩咐用鞭子拷問他（如同如今某些國家使用拉肢架），要知道他們向他這樣喧嚷是為甚麼緣故。 在此他行事並不公正；他本該挑出幾個喧嚷滋事的控告者，把他們作為破壞治安者帶進營樓，審問他們——也用鞭子——他們有甚麼可以加在一個能如此好地為自己辯護、而且看來沒有作過任何該死或該綁之事的人身上。問他們為甚麼這樣喧嚷是合宜的，但問保羅就完全不對了。他能告訴他們他沒有給他們任何正當理由如此行；若有任何理由，讓他們提出來。沒有人有義務控告自己——即使他有罪；更何況他無辜時更不該被強迫控告自己。千夫長斷定他們所喧嚷攻擊的人必是作了很壞的事，這顯然是不知道猶太民族。他們豈不是恰恰如此對我們的主耶穌喊着釘他十字架、釘他十字架嗎？而他們對審判官的問題為甚麼，他作了甚麼惡事呢？ 一句話也答不上來。一個粗魯暴亂的暴民攻擊保羅卻說不出原因和理由，所以他就得被迫說出來——這難道是公正合理的用刑理由嗎？
VI. 保羅為自己作為羅馬公民的特權申辯，藉此他免受這一類性質的審判和刑罰（Ac 22:25）：他們剛用皮條捆他——或皮帶——在鞭笞柱上，如同他們慣常捆綁感化院中最卑劣的罪犯以逼取口供那樣，他並沒有對他們苦待無辜之人的不義大聲抗議，而是非常溫和地讓他們明白他們對一個羅馬公民所行的是違法的——他從前在腓立比被鞭打之後曾如此行過一次（Ac 16:37），但此處他是用以預防。他對旁邊站着的百夫長說：「你們知道律法，請問人是羅馬人，又沒有定罪，你們就鞭打他，有這個理嗎？」他說話的態度清楚地顯示這位善人心中有何等聖潔的安全和寧靜——在所有這些凌辱和危險之中，既不被憤怒也不被恐懼所擾。羅馬人有一條法律（稱為 lex Sempronia），若任何官長懲罰或定罪一個羅馬自由人——indicta causa——即不聽他為自己申辯、不審議他的全案——他就當受百姓的判決，而百姓對自己的自由極其珍惜。誠然，每個人都有權不受冤枉，除非證明他作了惡事；正如每個英國人都有權憑大憲章不被剝奪生命或自由產業，除非經過與他同等地位的十二人的裁決。
VII. 千夫長對此大為驚訝、大為驚恐。他原以為保羅是那個流蕩的埃及人，他會說希臘語已叫他驚奇（Ac 21:37），如今發現他與自己一樣是個有身分的紳士，就更為驚訝。多少有極大價值和功勳的人因不為人知而被輕視，被視為、被當作萬物的渣滓，而那些如此看待他們的人若知道他們的真實身分，必承認他們是世上的精英！千夫長有百夫長——下級軍官——隨侍（Ac 21:32）。其中一位把這事報告千夫長（Ac 22:26）：你要作甚麼？這人是羅馬人——對他所行的任何無禮都將被解釋為對羅馬人民威嚴的冒犯——他們愛如此說。他們都知道羅馬公民這一特權被看得何等寶貴。西塞羅在他反對維雷斯的一篇演說中讚美它：O nomen dulce libertatis, O jus eximium nostræ civitatis! O lex Porcia! O leges Semproniæ; facinus est vincire Romanum civem, scelus verberare——自由啊！我愛你甘甜的名；我們的波爾基法與森普羅尼法何等可佩！捆綁一個羅馬公民是罪，鞭打他更是不可饒恕的罪。「所以」（百夫長說）「我們當自己小心；這人若是羅馬人，我們若對他無禮，至少有失去軍職的危險。」如今，1. 千夫長要從他自己的口中確知此事的真實（Ac 22:27）：「你告訴我，你是羅馬人嗎？」你有權享受羅馬公民的特權嗎？「是，」保羅說，「我是」；也許還出示了某種憑證或證明文件；否則他們不太可能僅憑他的話。2. 千夫長很坦率地與他在這事上比較——看來保羅作羅馬公民的特權比千夫長的更光榮；因為千夫長承認他的是買來的：「我是羅馬的自由民；但我用許多銀子才入了羅馬的民籍——花了很大的代價；你是怎麼得着的？」保羅說：「說來也是，我生來就是。」有人認為他因出生地——作為大數的本地人——而有此特權，大數是蒙皇帝賜予與羅馬本身同等特權的城市；另有人寧可認為是因他的父親或祖父曾在該撒與安東尼的戰爭中、或羅馬其他內戰中服役，因某項突出的功績獲賞公民權，保羅因此生來就是自由民；他在此為自己的保全而援引它——為此目的我們不僅可以、更應當使用一切合法的手段。3. 這立刻止住了保羅的苦難。那些奉命要用鞭子拷問他的人離開了；他們離開他去了（Ac 22:29），免得自己陷入網羅。不但如此，連千夫長本人——雖然我們可以設想他有相當的勢力——聽見他是羅馬人也害怕了，因為雖然他還沒有打他，卻為要打他而捆綁了他。如此，許多人因怕人而抑制不作惡行，卻不會因怕神而如此。看人間法律和官長治權的好處，我們有何等理由為此感謝神；因為即使當它們沒有給予神的僕人和百姓任何認可或特別保護，僅憑人與人之間公平公正的一般維護，也足以遏制那些邪惡、不講理、不守法之人的狂暴——他們若不受約束就不知界限——並說：到此為止，不可再遠；狂傲的波浪在這裏被止住。 因此我們欠一切在位掌權者的本分就是為他們禱告，因為只要我們安靜守分，我們就有理由期望從他們得着這個好處，無論是否真的得到——在一切敬虔和端正之中過安靜和平的生活（提前 2:1,2）。4. 第二天，那總督把保羅帶到公會面前（Ac 22:30）。他先解開他的捆綁，免得那些先入為主地不利於他的案件，也免得他被指控捆綁了一個羅馬公民；然後召集祭司長和全公會的人都聚集，來審理保羅的案子——他發現這是一件宗教事務，所以視他們為最適合的審判官。迦流在類似案件中開釋了保羅；他發現這是關乎他們律法的事，就把控告者從審判台前攆走（Ac 18:16），完全不予理會；但這個羅馬人——他是個軍人——卻把保羅留在拘押中，從暴民上訴到全體大會。如今，（1）我們可以希望他藉此有意保護保羅，心想他若是無辜無害的人，雖然群眾對他惱怒，祭司長和長老們卻會公正待他、為他開釋；因為他們是、也應當是學識和地位兼備的人，他們的法庭受公平法則的治理。當先知在平民中找不到善人時，他斷定那是因為他們不曉得耶和華的作為、他們神的法則，並期望自己在顯貴之中會更順利——正如千夫長在此所期望的，但不久就發現自己也失望了：那些人已經完全折斷了軛、掙斷了繩索（耶 5:4,5）。但（2）此處所說他的目的是滿足自己的好奇心：他為要知道猶太人控告保羅的實情。 他若請保羅到他自己的房間、與他自由交談，很快就會從他那裏學到比滿足他的好奇更多的東西，而且可能說服他作一個基督徒。但顯貴們往往喜歡把可能喚醒他們良心的事推得遠遠的，只願對神道路的認識不超過可以作為談話之資的程度。
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.
上一章的末了，正如亞迦布所預言保羅要在耶路撒冷受猶太人苦待的那樣，保羅被捆鎖了；然而千夫長准他為自己分訴，他的舌頭便得了自由。他如此專心運用所蒙允准的言論自由來榮耀基督、服事他的旨意，以致忘記了自己身處的捆鎖，對此絕口不提，反倒以那樣輕鬆喜樂的口氣講述基督為他成就的大事，好像沒有任何事曾攪擾他、使他窘迫似的。本章我們看到：一、他向百姓的致辭，以及百姓的留心傾聽，徒 22:1,2。二、他為自己所作的申辯。1. 他早年是何等狂熱的猶太教徒，徒 22:3-5。2. 他如何奇蹟般地歸信並轉向基督的信仰，徒 22:6-11。3. 他如何藉亞拿尼亞的事奉得著堅固並受洗，徒 22:12-16。4. 他後來如何藉著直接從天上而來的憑據，蒙召作外邦人的使徒，徒 22:17-21。三、群眾因此打斷他的話——他們不能忍受任何為外邦人說的好話，便大發烈怒，徒 22:22,23。四、保羅第二次從暴民手中被救出，以及千夫長為查明這場針對保羅的大聲喧嚷的真正緣由而採取的進一步行動，徒 22:24,25。五、保羅以羅馬公民的特權申訴，藉此得免這般野蠻的審訊方式，徒 22:26-29。六、千夫長把案子移到大祭司的法庭，保羅在那裡出庭，徒 22:30。