Paul’s First Defense to the Jews

Introduction: Paul at the temple (21:27–40)
• Jews from Asia stirred the crowd & laid hands on him (21:27)
• False accusations (21:28)
• Dragged him out of the temple & closed the gates (21:30)
• They were seeking to kill him (21:31)
• Ironically "Saved" by the tribune of the cohort by arresting him & binding him with two chains (21:31–36)
• Paul requests to address the crowd (21:37–40)...Paul's "defense" (Greek: ἀπολογία / apologia) (22:1–2) ...
HIS PRE-CONVERSION: THE IMPOTENCE OF THE LAW (22:3–5)
• Born in Tarsus in CiliciaØ brought up in JerusalemØeducated by Gamaliel in the strict manner of the law (v. 3)
o Galatians 1:14
o Philippians 3:4–6 o Romans 3:19–20 o Galatians 3:10–14

HIS CONVERSION: THE INVINCIBILITY OF CHRIST (22:6–11)
• A great light from heaven (v. 6) ... I fell to the ground and heard a voice: "Saul, Saul, why are you persecuting me?" (v.7)
• I answered, "Who are you Lord?" (v. 8)
• He said, "I am Jesus of Nazareth, whom you are persecuting" (v. 8)
• I said, "What shall I do, Lord?" (v. 10)

HIS COMMISSION: THE MISSION TO THE GENTILES (22:12–21)
• "The God of our fathers appointed you to know his will, to see the Righteous One and to his a voice from his mouth" (v. 14)
• "For you will be a witness to him to everyone of what you have seen and heard" (v. 15)
• "Rise and be baptized and wash away your sins, calling on his name" (v. 16)
• I fell into a trance (v. 17) and saw him saying to me, "Make haste and get out of Jerusalem (v. 18).. Go, for I will send you far away to the Gentiles" (v. 21)