Acts 21:37-40 and Acts 22:1-16

v38 the captain thought Paul was a terrorist – the leader of an insurrection.  

v39 Tarsus was a city (near Turkey today – just above Cyprus) under Roman jurisdiction – therefore Paul could claim Roman citizenship.  

v40 the fact that Paul could speak Hebrew showed that he was a learned Jewish man, and he demonstrated the knowledge of the Word of G-d.  

22v1 Paul is wanting to defend himself against false accusations.  

v2 The word used here for the language Paul spoke is “Hebrew dialect”. It is different to Aramaic although some Bibles translate it as Aramaic. The Hebrew dialect was the language of Scripture and not spoken by the masses – hence it is emphasized that they became very quiet. This language revealed to the people that Paul was well trained.

v3 It seems as if Paul attended a rabbinical school in Jerusalem as he was growing up and his teacher was very famous (a lot of what Paul would have been taught here would have been tradition and not Biblical truth) 

• Even as a non-believer Paul was passionate about G-d and the things of G-d. 

v4 Paul understands why they are persecuting him because he did the same thing when he was in their shoes.  

v5 Paul knew all the important people within the Sanhedrin. 

• Paul wanted the believers to be severely punished – even to death,  like Stephen. 

v6 This was a unique,  supernatural light.  

v7 Yeshua takes it personally when His people are persecuted 

v8 Nazareth is an interesting word.  It can be used in regard to a twig coming out of a stump that had been lifeless for a long time. It had been assumed dead but then it shoots out and springs to life (Isaiah 11:1)

v9 This was a personal revelation to Paul. 

v10 In Acts 9:15-16 the L-rd revealed to Ananias what Paul was appointed to do.  

v12 Ananias discipled Paul (Acts 9-10-19). He was a man who took the commandments of G-d seriously and had a good testimony before the Jews.  

v13 In the original language there is a play on words in this verse. Paul needed to see from a different perspective.  

v14 It is only when we have a desire for the promises of G-d and begin to pursue them that G-d’s will for our lives will be revealed to us.  

• When we know G-d’s will we will have a right perspective about Yeshua the Messiah.  

v15 Not just to one cultural group 

v16 Ananias was used by G-d to encourage Paul to act quickly.