Acts 21:37-22:16
Dear RTB’ers,
Paul in Jerusalem, speaking to the riotous crowd: “I am a Jew, born in Tarsus in Cilicia, but brought up in this city, educated at the feet of Gamaliel according to the strict manner of the law of our fathers, being zealous for God as all of you are this day. I persecuted this Way to the death…” Paul is relating to his audience. They had dragged him out of the temple, and … were intent on killing him… (Acts 20:30b-31a). He knows how they felt. He had been there when they stoned Stephen (Acts 7). He had been one of them! But now he is a changed man.
Today’s reading is one of at least four accounts that we have of Paul’s conversion. The first account takes up most of Acts chapter 9. Later we will see him relating his conversion in Acts 26:9-18. Finally Paul also recounts his conversion in Galatians 1:13-17. The same exact details are not mentioned in all four accounts, so it is difficult to work completely through his conversion, but it seems that he spent some time in Damascus after his conversion preaching in the synagogues until he escaped from the city after the Jews sought to kill him. Then he spent three years in Arabia before returning to Damascus and finally then coming to Jerusalem, as noted in verse 17. Reading that one verse ahead, in Paul telling the story there is a major gap between verses 16 and 17 (Paul quoting Ananias in v. 16): And now why do you wait? Rise and be baptized and wash away your sins, calling on his name. (Then Paul continuing with his story in v. 17) When I had returned to Jerusalem and was praying in the temple, I fell into a trance… I wonder why Paul left out that 3+ year gap. My sense is that Paul felt that his Damascus/Arabia activities were not relevant to this Jerusalem audience. Again, Paul relating to his audience!
Blessings!
Fred
As I read today’s passage, I started putting myself in the story but in today’s time. What if someone today came to St. Andrew’s and shared a testimony like Paul’s? Someone promoting a religion other than Christianity? How would I react? Would I be offended or would I be drawn in to what was being said? Would I stand up and vocally deny the speaker’s testimony, or storm out in a huff? Or passively sit, allowing the person to continue? I would deny the speaker’s story but probably not stand up and cause a ruckus. The Jewish people were wrong to beat up Paul but you got to admire their passion to defend their religion. I need to quit worrying about offending others and start defending my Christian beliefs. Not to the extreme the crowd listening to Paul did but to say what I believe without acting in an unChristian way. I need to respond out of love, not fear. God is in control, He can and will defend Himself. My part is not to berate those who believe differently, who listen to the world and not Jesus, but to minster to them in what ever way Christ equips me to do it.
Well said, Courtney. I need to be more mindful myself and patient and shine God’s light.