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THE BOOK OF ACTS

CHAPTER 22

PAUL’S DEFENSE BEFORE THE SANHEDRIN

THE CHALLLENGE OF CHAPTER TWENTY-TWO

Sometimes there is a tendency to equate spirituality and effectiveness in ministry with the
degree of visibility we have before men. However, God equates our success with the degree of
our willing obedience to His Word and the Holy Spirit. Ananias who had heard of Saul’s
reputation for persecuting and killing Christians, still chose to obey God’s direction rather than
disobey because of fear of who Saul had been.

We must endeavor to have hearts willing to obey God by the direction of the Holy Spirit even if
His guidance is contrary to our own human reasoning.

BEGINNING OF PAUL’S DEFENSE (1-3)

Paul begins his defense speaking in Hebrew, explaining he is a Jew born in Tarsus, educated as a
Jew, and taught and zealous for the law.

Act 22:1 "Brethren and fathers, hear my defense before you now."

This is the same opening Stephen used in 7:2 to address the Jews. “Brethren” refers to physical
Jews, not just believers. “Fathers” refers to Jewish religious leaders, those encouraging and
leading the mob.

Act 22:2 And when they heard that he spoke to them in the Hebrew language, they kept all the
more silent. Then he said:

“The more silence” means for the moment they had a desire to hear him. In 21:40 they were
silent because they felt a necessity. Now they actually want to hear Paul. These few words in
their dialect turn a mob into an audience. This will all end in verse 22 as Paul tells them of his
call to the Gentiles.

PAUL’S CREDENTIALS

Act 22:3 "I am indeed a Jew, born in Tarsus of Cilicia, but brought up in this city at the feet of
Gamaliel, taught according to the strictness of our fathers' law, and was zealous toward God as
you all are today.

I am verily a man which am a Jew, born in Tarsus, a city in Cilicia, yet brought up (raised) in this
city at the feet of Gamaliel, and taught (trained) according to the perfect (accurate) manner of
the law of the fathers, and was zealous toward (for) God, as ye all are this day.