Paul As A Roman Citizen
PAUL AS A ROMAN CITIZEN
ACTS 22:22-29
Here’s another situation where Paul was prepared to use his worldly status.
The trance-vision in the temple is of some importance both in its immediate impact on Paul (perhaps 2 Corinthians 12:2-4 refers to the experience; more likely 1 Corinthians 9:1 seems to indicate this occasion, when he saw the Lord) and its bearing on his future service. The commissioning word was “I will send you far away to the Gentiles” (22:21). The Roman tribune, evidently mystified over a speech (in a language foreign to him) which produced such a violent result (22:23), determined to get at the root of the matter, even if it meant torture (22:24-25). Paul appealed to his civil rights, and used his Roman citizenship to extricate himself from further indignity and suffering. He had no love of pain for its own sake—contrast with some of the later martyrs (eg Ignatius) who took positive delight in their prospective sufferings.
The issue of 22:26-29 turns on Paul’s possession of Roman citizenship, gained by inheritance from his parents (21:28). This automatically exempted him from such torture as the tribune intended to apply—a cruel method of “third degree” to extract a confession of guilt (22:24). The Roman soldier was amazed that a man like Paul could have afforded to buy his citizenship (22:27-28) but accepted the explanation that he gave.
Notes 22:23: the offending thought was that Paul was claiming a divine commission to offer God’s salvation directly to the Gentiles, ie without requiring them to become Jews first or to become subservient to Jews (as in Isaiah 61:5). Throwing dust into the air, along with tearing clothes, is a sign of horror at blasphemy (Job 2:12). 22:25: as at 16:38, Paul reminds the Romans of his right to a fair trial. The flagrant mistake was that they had dared to bind him “uncondemned”—re incognita: without investigating his case—and were ready to flog him (from which he was, even if guilty, exempt). 22:28: the Venerable Bede preserves an interesting reading: “It is easy to say you are a Roman citizen: I know how much it cost me!” In other words, the tribune speaks ironically, and marvels that such an undistinguished fellow as Paul could be a Roman. But appearances are often deceptive.