asserting his rights

Good morning sisters and brothers,
Paul's defense is interrupted by the crowd shouting for his death. It's not completely clear what exactly in Paul's speech triggers this response, probably Paul recalling Jesus sending him explicitly to the gentiles and Paul's heavenly vision of Jesus. At any rate, the crowd has heard enough and they have made their decision about Paul. Fortunately for Paul he's still in Roman custody so the crowd can't kill him.

At this point the tribune takes Paul away to examine him further. Here Paul plays the trump card he will use for the rest of the story: he is a Roman citizen. That means he has rights to certain judicial protections. As we see from the tribune's response, Paul's citizenship is also a mark of status that leads the tribune to take him more seriously. From here the tribune decides to let Paul free and to bring his accusers to state their charge.

Blessings on your weekend,
Sam


Acts 22:22-30
22Up to this point they listened to him, but then they shouted, “Away with such a fellow from the earth! For he should not be allowed to live.” 23And while they were shouting, throwing off their cloaks, and tossing dust into the air, 24the tribune directed that he was to be brought into the barracks, and ordered him to be examined by flogging, to find out the reason for this outcry against him.

25But when they had tied him up with thongs, Paul said to the centurion who was standing by, “Is it legal for you to flog a Roman citizen who is uncondemned?” 26When the centurion heard that, he went to the tribune and said to him, “What are you about to do? This man is a Roman citizen.” 27The tribune came and asked Paul, “Tell me, are you a Roman citizen?” And he said, “Yes.” 28The tribune answered, “It cost me a large sum of money to get my citizenship.” Paul said, “But I was born a citizen.”

29Immediately those who were about to examine him drew back from him; and the tribune also was afraid, for he realized that Paul was a Roman citizen and that he had bound him. 30Since he wanted to find out what Paul was being accused of by the Jews, the next day he released him and ordered the chief priests and the entire council to meet. He brought Paul down and had him stand before them.