Page 9 - acts_study_book4

PAUL IS SCOURGED (24-25)

The Roman chief captain commands Paul to be taken into the fortress and scourged.

Act 22:24 the commander ordered him to be brought into the barracks, and said that he should
be examined under scourging, so that he might know why they shouted so against him.

Paul looks and talks like a Jew, and the officer has no reason to assume he is a Roman. Non-
Roman citizens are beaten, but it is illegal to beat a Roman citizen. (This is the Roman system of
law called Lex. Lex is the plural of Leges, where we get “legislature,” a body of people making
laws.)

The officer thinks Paul must be hiding something to cause such a riot and gives an ordinary
command to pull this information from him. The military beats a man then questions him. If he
still does not speak, he has beaten again until he gives an answer or dies.

Act 22:25 And as they bound him with thongs, Paul said to the centurion who stood by, "Is it
lawful for you to scourge a man who is a Roman, and uncondemned?"

And as they bound him with thongs (for the Leather straps), Paul said and to the centurion that
stood by, is it lawful for you to scourge a man that is a Roman (citizen), and uncondemned?

The chief captain has left and turns Paul over to a centurion. This scourging is an illegal act and
could get the whole platoon court-martialed.

PAUL’S ROMAN CITIZENSHIP REALIZED (26-30)

The centurion hears Paul say he is a Roman citizen, and the chief captain fears upon hearing
this because they have bound and thrown Paul in prison without following lawful procedures.
The chief captain brings Paul before his accusers to learn what he is being accused of by the
mob.

Act 22:26 When the centurion heard that, he went and told the commander, saying, "Take care
what you do, for this man is a Roman."

This man cares for his commander and wants law to be administered correctly.

Act 22:27 Then the commander came and said to him, "Tell me, are you a Roman?" He said,
"Yes."

Act 22:28 The commander answered, "With a large sum I obtained this citizenship." And Paul
said, "But I was born a citizen."

Then the chief captain came, and said unto him, Tell me, art thou a Roman? He said, Yea. And
the chief captain answered, With a great sum obtained I this freedom (politeia: politics,
citizenship, commonwealth). And Paul said, But I was free born.