Acts 22:25-30

Matthew Henry's Complete Commentary - Acts 22:22-30

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... read more

William Barclay

William Barclay's Daily Study Bible - Acts 22:22-30

22:22-30 Up to this statement they listened to him, and then they cried, "Destroy such a fellow from the earth, for it is not proper for him to live." While they were shouting and waving their garments and throwing dust into the air, the commander ordered him to be brought into the barracks. He ordered him to be examined by scourging to find out why they shouted like this against him. And when they had tied him up with the thongs, Paul said to the centurion who was standing by, "Is it right... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Acts 22:25

And as they bound him with thongs ,.... To a pillar, in order to be scourged, according to the Roman manner F4 Lipsius de Cruce, l. 2. c. 4. . Nor was the Jewish form of scourging much unlike, and perhaps might be now used, which was this; when they scourge anyone they bind both his hands to a pillar, here and there --and they do not strike him standing nor sitting, but inclining F5 Misna Maccot, c. 3. sect. 12,13. ; for the pillar to which he was bound was fixed in the ground,... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Acts 22:26

When the centurion heard that ,.... The question put by Paul, which strongly suggested that he was a Roman: he went and told the chief captain; what Paul had said: saying, take heed what thou dost ; or "art about to do"; lest some bad consequences should follow; lest he should affront the Roman people and senate, and lose his place, if not incur some corporeal punishment: for this man is a Roman ; and it can never be answered to bind and beat a Roman. read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Acts 22:27

Then the chief captain came, and said unto him ,.... To Paul: tell me, art thou a Roman ? he had told him before that he was a Jew of Tarsus, and which was true, and had said nothing of his being a Roman; wherefore the chief captain desires that he would tell him the whole truth of the matter, whether he was a Roman or not: he said yea ; that he was one. read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Acts 22:28

And the chief captain answered, with a great sum obtained I this freedom ,.... For, it seems, he was not a Roman born, but very likely a Grecian, or Syrian, by his name Lysias; and as all things were now venal at Rome, the freedom of the city was to be bought with money, though a large sum was insisted on for it: this the chief captain said, as wondering that so mean a person, and who he understood was a Jew by birth, should be able to procure such a privilege, which cost him so much money: ... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Acts 22:29

Then straightway they departed from him, which should have examined him ,.... By scourging; namely, the soldiers, who under the inspection of the centurion, and by the order of the chief captain, were binding him with thongs to scourge him, and thereby extort from him his crime, which was the cause of all this disturbance; but hearing that he was a Roman, either of their own accord, or rather at the order of their officers, either the centurion or chief captain, or both, left binding him,... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Acts 22:30

On the morrow ,.... The next day; so that Paul was kept in the castle all night: because he would have known the certainty wherefore he was accused of the Jews; which, as yet, he could not come at, some saying one thing, and some another; and which he ought to have known before he had bound him, and ordered him to be scourged: he loosed him from his bands not from his being bound with thongs to the pillar, that he had been loosed from before, but from the two chains with which he was... read more

Adam Clarke

Adam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible - Acts 22:25

And as they bound him, etc. - They were going to tie him to a post, that they might scourge him. Is it lawful, etc. - The Roman law absolutely forbade the binding of a Roman citizen. See the note on Acts 16:37 . read more

Adam Clarke

Adam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible - Acts 22:28

With a great sum obtained I this freedom - So it appears that the freedom, even of Rome, might be purchased, and that it was sold at a very high price. But I was free born - It has been generally believed that the inhabitants of Tarsus, born in that city, had the same rights and privileges as Roman citizens, in consequence of a charter or grant from Julius Caesar. Calmet disputes this, because Tarsus was a free not a colonial city; and he supposes that Paul's father might have been... read more

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