The beloved physician Luke wrote how Paul continued to give defense for himself before a hostile Jewish crowd in Hebrew, and after doing so, the multitude, “lifted up their voices, and said, Away with such a fellow from the earth: for it is not fit that he should live. And as they cried out, and cast off their clothes, and threw dust into the air, the chief captain commanded him to be brought into the castle, and bade that he should be examined by scourging; that he might know wherefore they cried so against him. And as they bound him with thongs, Paul said unto the centurion that stood by, Is it lawful for you to scourge a man that is a Roman, and uncondemned? When the centurion heard that, he went and told the chief captain, saying, Take heed what you do: for this man is a Roman”, and in chapter twenty-two and verse twenty-seven of the book of Acts Luke shared how the chief captain asked Paul, “tell me, are you a Roman?” where we read:
Then the chief captain came, and said unto him, Tell me, are you a Roman? He said, Yes.
The verse begins, “Then the chief captain came, and said unto him, ...” Luke began with the words, “then the chief captain came” which means “at that time the chiliarch or commander of a Roman cohort arose and approached Paul”, “and said unto him” or “and uttered, declared, proclaimed and asked Paul” the following question. Luke shared how the “chief captain” approached “Paul” and asked him the following question.
The verse goes on to say, “... Tell me, are you a Roman? He said, Yes.” Luke continued with the words, “tell me” which means “speak, affirm and say to me, the chief captain”, “are you a Roman” or “do you exist as an inhabitant or citizen of Rome”? “He said” which means “Paul uttered, declared, proclaimed and responded”, “Yes” or “truly, assuredly and surely it is the truth”. Luke shared how the “chief captain” told “Paul” to answer whether he was a “Roman citizen” or not, to which “Paul” answered “it is the truth”.
When we think through Luke's words in this verse, we learn how the “chief captain” came to “Paul” right away and asked him whether or not he was indeed a “Roman citizen”. We can imagine the concern in the “chief captain's” voice as he asked “Paul” this question. If “Paul” were a “Roman citizen”, the “chief captain” could be in trouble for arresting him and having him beaten without a trial. “Paul” told the “captain” he was indeed a citizen of “Rome” which would more than likely bring about a delay at the least to his beating. “Paul” endured these things and God allowed them because the “gospel” of Jesus Christ was to be shared with every person, and when a person yields themselves to Jesus, they will be forgiven of their sins and allowed to live in Heaven with God forever and ever. Those who consider the measures to which God went to share His “good news” through “Paul” should submit themselves to Jesus and put themselves in His hands.
Next time Luke shares how the chief captain tells Paul, “with a great sum obtained I this freedom”, so read ahead, and we shall join together then.
Until tomorrow…there is more…
See more devotionals on the website "thewordfortodaywithray.com" or look for the daily devotional book “Equipped for Battle – From Generation to Generation”, the marriage book “So, You Want to Be Married”, “One Year in the Sermon on the Mount” and the new poetry book "Random Mushrooms Volumes I and II" and the new novel "Elizabeth County" in all major bookstore sites, http://www.amazon.com ; http://www.barnesandnobles.com ; download to e-books, and find it locally at www.mrzlc.com/bookstore. All references are from "Strongs Concordance".
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