Atos 22
Matthew Henry · Citado em PreceptAustin
Atos 22
Henry - Perhaps the Christians sometimes called themselves (THE WAY), from Christ the Way or, because they looked on themselves as but on the way, and not yet at home. THOUGHT - Notice that the Greek is very specific here - Luke says not "a Way" but "the Way." Christianity is not one of many ways to God but is "the way," the only way! Proverbs describes the approach of most people in the world declaring "There is a way which seems right to a man, But its end is the way of death." (Pr 14:12). Jesus made it clear that He alone was the way (cf Acts 4:12+) when He declared “I am the way, and the truth, and the life; (absolutely) no one comes to the Father but through Me." (Jn 14:6). Even the demon possessed girl knew that Paul and Silas were proclaiming "the way of salvation." (Acts 16:17+). In Acts 18:25+ Apollos "had been instructed in the way of the Lord." In Paul's third mention of his conversion on the Damascus road, he declares "I saw on the way a light from heaven." (Acts 26:13+) In other words on the way to persecute Christians he encountered the Way of salvation, the Savior Himself! Stated another way, as Saul journeyed on his way to arrest members of the Way, he himself was arrested by the One Who alone is the Way! What divine irony! Compare parallel uses of the way - "the way into the holy place" (Heb 9:8), "the way of truth" (2 Pe 2:2), "the way of righteousness" (2 Pe 2:21) John
Atos 22
Henry - First, Before Saul was made a saint, he was made to see himself a sinner, a great sinner, a sinner against Christ. Now he was made to see that evil in himself which he never saw before sin revived and he died. Note, A humbling conviction of sin is the first step towards a saving conversion from sin. (ED: SO MUCH FOR "EASY BELIEVISM!") Secondly, He is convinced of one particular sin, which he was most notoriously guilty of, and had justified himself in, and thereby way is made for his conviction of all the rest. Thirdly, The sin he is convinced of is persecution: Why persecutest thou me? It is a very affectionate expostulation, enough to melt a heart of stone. THOUGHT - J
Atos 22
Henry comments "Thus those who came to this place to be the instruments of Paul's rage against the Church (will in effect now) serve as witnesses of the power of God over him." One can just imagine the story these men would give the high priest and Sanhedrin when they returned to Jerusalem! You would think these religious leaders had seen sufficient supernatural signs clearly pointing to the hand of God and that this would shake them to their senses. But when men are hardened to the Gospel, only the Spirit can break through their calloused hearts, not supernatural signs and wonders. Everett Harrison relates to story of Polycarp's martyrdom - Now when Polycarp entered into the arena there came a voice from heaven: “Be strong, Polycarp, and play the man.” And no one saw the speaker, but our friends who were there heard the voice. In this story of Saul, it is clear that Christ laid hold of him, before he laid hold of Christ. Saul was not seeking Jesus (cf Paul's own teaching in Ro 3:11), but Jesus was seeking him. Paul was seeking to arrest followers of Jesus, but was himself arrested to become a follower of Jesus! As Paul would later so eloquently phrase it "Oh, the depth of the riches both of the wisdom and knowledge of God! How unsearchable are His judgments and unfathomable His ways!" (Ro 11:33+) C S Lewis had a number of metaphors that describe God seeking after those who are not seeking after Him "‘the great Angler’ playing a fish, a cat chasing a mouse, a pack of hounds closing in on a fox, a chess player moving in to the ultimate ‘checkmate.’ ” (Surprised by Joy) As the poet so aptly put it... 'Tis not that I dids't choose Thee, O Lord, that could not be! This heart had still refused Thee Had Thou not chosen me. 'Twas the same Love that spread the feast That sweetly forced me in; Else I had still refused to taste And perished in my sin. Acts 22:10 "And I said, 'What shall I do, Lord?' And the Lord said to me, 'Get up and go on into Damascus, and there you will be told of all that has been appointed for you to do.' KJV Acts 22:10 And I said, What shall I do, Lord? And the Lord said unto me, Arise, and go into Damascus; and there it shall be told thee of all things which are appointed for thee to do. What Acts 2:37; 9:6; 10:33; 16:30; Ps 25:8,9; 143:8-10 there Acts 22:12-16; Acts 26:16-18 See Map of Events Associated with Saul's conversion and ministry (Do not copy - copyrighted by Holman) Watch video of Paul's arrest and speech before the crowd Acts 22 Resources - Multiple Sermons and Commentaries THE BEST QUESTION TO ALWAYS ASK! Parallel Passages: “But get up and enter the city, and it will be told you what you must do.” (Acts 9:6+) ‘But get up and stand on your feet; for this purpose I have appeared to you, to appoint you a minister and a witness not only to the things which you have seen, but also to the things in which I will appear to you; rescuing you from the Jewish people and from the Gentiles, to whom I am sending you, to open their eyes so that they may turn from darkness to light and from the dominion of Satan to God, that they may receive forgiveness of sins and an inheritance among those who have been sanctified by faith in Me.’” (Acts 26:16-18+)
Atos 22
Henry wrote, “The spirit of enmity against the gospel of Christ commonly shows itself in silencing the ministers of Christ and His gospel, and stopping their mouths, as the Jews did Paul’s here... They clamored against him as one that was unworthy of life, much more of liberty .” And throwing off their cloaks - The present tense pictures the crowd as continually tossing off their cloaks (himation). Throwing off (4496)(rhipto) means to throw, hurl or cast (Mt 27:5; Lk 17:2; Acts 27:19+, Acts 27:29+). Vine adds the idea is "to throw with a sudden motion, to jerk, cast forth." And tossing (present tense ) dust into the air - You can see the dust flying. What a cacophonous, chaotic scene this must have created. The Romans must have been aghast, thinking we will have an riot on our hands if we are not careful. John