Day 180, Acts 22
As you read today, imagine the quandary of the Roman commander. Standing at the imposing entrance to the headquarters, he is arresting an animated, articulate little man who has stirred up a great mob shrieking for his death. The commander doesn’t understand all the arguing over beliefs and religious practices. He has been trained that all this Jewish faith is weak and inferior to the Roman pantheon of gods. So the commander finds himself caught between his duty to preserve the peace and his responsibility to justice, and this energetic rabbi is now speaking to the mob in Aramaic (the local dialect).
Initially, the crowd pays close attention to Paul as he speaks in the local tongue and recounts his opposition to The Way (which was the early term for followers of Jesus). But when he recalls being commissioned by God to go to the nations, this crosses a red line for the Jews - their very identity rests on their separation from the nations of the world. The screams for the death penalty resume, and Paul is taken inside the headquarters.
Now the confused commander resorts to his training. Those who cause trouble in the far-flung, barbaric corners of the realm must be taught a lesson. A good flogging usually brings truthful answers to the question “what are you doing?” But Rome is no different from any superpower: it has different rules for its own citizens. It is illegal to arrest and beat a Roman, and Paul is a citizen. The commander must have been from one of Rome’s colonies, because he paid dearly for his citizenship, while Paul was born a citizen.
Now the commander has a bigger problem than the mob outside the gates! His own career is on the line if Paul presses charges against the soldiers for being his captors rather than his protectors.
So the commander orders the Jewish Council convened, and now Paul is able to address them also.
It is hard to imagine, from an American perspective, the conflict the Roman commander faced. We tend to assume that governmental power, religious authority, and obedience to God are all in the same hands. But that is as untrue today as it was then. Often those three are opponents in a triangular power struggle, with the forces of government and religion both opposed to the true gospel of relationship with God in Jesus.
Whenever you and I meet the darkness of power or tradition, we have an opportunity to shine with Jesus’ light, remembering that God has all authority and every authority which exists is permitted by Him, until He brings all things together under Jesus and ends evil eternally.
Have a great day!
Mark.