Luke the beloved physician wrote when the Jews in Jerusalem knew Paul was in the temple, “all the city was moved, and the people ran together: and they took Paul, and drew him out of the temple: and forthwith the doors were shut. And as they went about to kill him, tidings came unto the chief captain of the band, that all Jerusalem was in an uproar. Who immediately took soldiers and centurions, and ran down unto them: and when they saw the chief captain and the soldiers, they left beating of Paul. Then the chief captain came near, and took him, and commanded him to be bound with two chains; and demanded who he was, and what he had done. And some cried one thing, some another, among the multitude: and when he could not know the certainty for the tumult, he commanded him to be carried into the castle. And when he came upon the stairs, so it was, that he was borne of the soldiers for the violence of the people. For the multitude of the people followed after, crying, Away with him”, and in chapter twenty-one and verse thirty-seven of the book of Acts Luke shares how Paul, “said unto the chief captain, may I speak unto you?” where we read:
And as Paul was to be led into the castle, he said unto the chief captain, May I speak unto you?
Who said, Can you speak Greek?
The verse begins, “And as Paul was to be led into the castle, he said unto the chief captain, May I speak unto you?” Luke began with the words, “and as Paul was to be led” which means “and while or during the time Paul whose name means small or little was being carried and brought forth” “into the castle” or “into the barracks of the Roman soldiers which at Jerusalem were in the castle of Antonia”, “he said unto the chief captain” which means “Paul uttered, declared, proclaimed and asked the chiliarch or military commander of the Roman cohort” “may I speak unto you” or “is it possible or lawful that I, Paul, say or ask something of you, commander of the Roman cohort”? Luke shared how “Paul” asked the “Roman commander” for permission to ask him a question.
The verse goes on to say, “Who said, Can you speak Greek?” Luke continued with the words, “who said” which means “who, the Roman commander, uttered, declared, proclaimed and asked Paul”, “can you speak Greek” or “are you able and capable of uttering, declaring and proclaiming by using the Grecian or Hellenistic language”? Luke shared how the “Roman commander” questioned “Paul” as to whether he was able to “speak” the “Grecian language”.
When we meditate upon Luke's words in this verse, we learn not only how “Paul” employed “language” to engage the “Roman commander”. When he asked the “commander” whether he could ask something of him, the “commander” wondered if he was able to speak “Greek”. “Paul” indeed could speak this language even though he was a Hebrew who spoke Hebrew as well. “Paul” was well educated in various subjects as we can detect from his writings, and at this time he used the “Greek language” to draw the attention of the “Roman commander” who seized him. God gives gifts to people to be employed in His Kingdom, and when they are used to share the gospel of salvation through His Son Jesus, He will enable believers to do things they may never before have thought possible. Those who are wise yield to Jesus, have their sins forgiven and are granted everlasting life with God. Until the time they go to be with Him, He will grant them gifts through His Holy Spirit to function in the world as His “witnesses”, and sometimes those gifts include speaking multiple languages.
Next time Luke shares how the chief captain asks Paul, “are not you that Egyptian, which before these days made an uproar?”, 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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