On to Acts 22:17-30

v17 This word for trance is the Greek word that sounds like ecstasy. Paul experienced great joy in the presence of the L-rd.  

v18 This was Yeshua speaking to Paul

v20 Stephen offered up his life as a sacrifice – not for sin but in a similar way to a Thanksgiving offering being offered up.  

v21 The leaders of the Jewish community did not like Paul’s message to be spoken to the Jewish people – let alone spoken to the Gentiles! Paul was teaching that the promises of G-d were for all flesh.  

v22 The crowd listened to Paul up to this point. Mention of Paul going to the Gentiles put them into a flat spin again

v23 This verse shows how out of control this mob was

v24 There was such chaos outside that the captain took Paul inside for a more orderly Roman hearing. The captain ordered that Paul be flogged as a means to interrogate him. 

v25 -26 They made Paul ready for the flogging and a centurion (a ranked official with some authority)  was there to oversee the proceedings.  

• As already mentioned, Paul was born a Roman citizen and he had certain rights and privileges which all Romans were allowed. One of these privileges is that a Roman was not condemned until he had had a fair trial. 

v28 The captain brought his citizenship so he knows the value and benefits of being a citizen. It is not something he would have taken for granted. 

v29 It was against Roman law to flog someone who had not been condemned in the proper way. Also having bound Paul he had humiliated Paul. This greatly alarmed the captain as he realized he had behaved on assumption and not fact.  

v30 Paul was given another opportunity to testify before the Jewish leadership about Yeshua the Messiah. G-d allowed His truth to again be told to these people – this testifies of His faithfulness