Acts 22:22–29

²² And they listened to him until this word, and then they raised their voices and said, “Away with such a fellow from the earth, for he is not fit to live!” ²³ Then, as they cried out and tore off their clothes and threw dust into the air, 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. 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?” ²⁶ When the centurion heard that, he went and told the commander, saying, “Take care what you do, for this man is a Roman.” ²⁷ Then the commander came and said to him, “Tell me, are you a Roman?” He said, “Yes.” ²⁸ The commander answered, “With a large sum I obtained this citizenship.” And Paul said, “But I was born a citizen.” ²⁹ Then immediately those who were about to examine him withdrew from him; and the commander was also afraid after he found out that he was a Roman, and because he had bound him. 

Commentary 

Now as Paul gave an honest testimony to the mob, they remined silent during it, however when he recalled the Lord’s telling him to leave Jerusalem because the Jews there would not receive his testimony concerning Him. They immediately became enraged again and began shouting, “Away with such a fellow from the earth, for he is not fit to live!” (vs. 22). Now as they did this and stirred themselves up into a heated uproar, tearing off their clothes and throwing dust in their air indicating their fury and desire to immediately kill Paul (vs. 23), the commander seeing that the whole mob was the verge of getting completely out of control ordered Paul to be brought into their barracks where Paul could be examined under scourging, because the commander did not speak Hebrew and he was fearing what Paul had said to make them react so violently (vs. 24). Having then secured Paul in the barracks with thongs, (leather straps or whips), and Paul now knowing what they were about to do to him, now asks the centurion standing by him if it is lawful for them to scourge a man who is a Roman and uncondemed (Vs. 25). Therefore, when the centurion standing by heard Paul declare that he was a Roman citizen, he feared and immediately went to the commander and said to him, “Take care what you do, for this man is a Roman.” (vs. 26) 

Now when the commander heard that Paul was a Roman citizen, he immediately came to him and asked Paul if this was so, and when Paul affirmed that he was, and that he did not purchase his citizenship as the commander had done, but had been born a citizen, (and thus was superior in eyes of Roman law then him) those who were about to examine Paul when they heard that immediately withdrew from him, even the commander himself became terribly afraid when he heard Paul say that, because he had bound Paul (vs. 27-29). Now this is important to understand because all Roman society was based upon hierarchy, thus the higher up you were the higher privileges you enjoyed and received, not the least of which was exemption from all forms of degrading treatment or punishment which was the right of all Romans citizens, which clearly would’ve exempted a citizen from being scourged or whipped. Therefore, to bound or harm a Roman citizen without due legal Roman process would result in the one doing so being brutally punished themselves so as to make them an example to others. Therefore, when the commander and those who were going to examine Paul by scourging knew that Paul was Roman citizen (by birth) they were no more wanting to do anything to him that could bring Rome’s wrath down upon themselves! 

            Scripture Quotations 

            New King James (1982):Thomas Nelson.