Act 22:17-22 | KingComments | STEP | After his contact with Ananias, Saul returned to Jerusalem. There he went, he continues, as still faithful, though now converted, Jew in the temple. While he was in the temple in prayer, he fell into a trance (cf. ). A trance is a state in which the ordinary consciousness and understanding of natural circumstances have disappeared and the heart is only receptive to what God shows. Saul was so absorbed in his prayer that he forgot all natural things. Then the Lord appeared to him for the second time. We have heard nothing about this appearance in Acts 9. For the second time he saw the Lord Jesus in His glory. The Lord appeared to him now only to tell him that he had to leave Jerusalem because they would not accept his testimony about the Lord. Paul says this here to make it clear to his Jewish listeners that his departure from Jerusalem is on the explicit command of the glorified Lord. He does not mention here that the Lord also used the brethren for this, as we read in Acts 9 ( ). These two aspects are not opposite each other either, but represent two sides of his departure from Jerusalem. His Jewish audience is still very quiet, but with all of them the anger will be growing. Paul dares to say that the Lord said that his testimony would not be accepted in Jerusalem, Jerusalem so famous for its connection with Yahweh. How dare he assume that the people of Jerusalem are people who do not listen to God, while the Gentiles will hear! That finally leads to their emotional outburst. Yet they could know through the prophet Isaiah that God’s salvation would also go to the nations ( ). This has also been confirmed by the two thousand years of world evangelism behind us. Paul tells how he was not immediately willing to go and how he entered into conversation with the Lord about the commission he received, just as Ananias and Peter had done ( ). He would much rather have stayed in Jerusalem. There as a witness he would have come out much better. There they knew him as a zealous persecutor of the Christians. Wouldn’t he even be able to bear witness to his conversion there in order to win them to the Lord? As an extra powerful argument to convince the Lord he pointed to his agreement with Stephen’s death. He had helped with this by watching out for the coats of those who stoned Stephen. Paul speaks of Stephen as “Your witness”. He does not accuse the people of shedding Stephen’s blood. In this way he does full justice to Stephen without making a direct accusation against the Jews. Then he speaks the words the Lord said to him, putting an end to Paul’s objections. He is told: “Go!” He had to leave Jerusalem. He is also told where the Lord would send him, namely “far away to the Gentiles”.

‏ Acts 22:17-22

Paul’s Missionary Commission

After his contact with Ananias, Saul returned to Jerusalem. There he went, he continues, as still faithful, though now converted, Jew in the temple. While he was in the temple in prayer, he fell into a trance (cf. Acts 10:10). A trance is a state in which the ordinary consciousness and understanding of natural circumstances have disappeared and the heart is only receptive to what God shows. Saul was so absorbed in his prayer that he forgot all natural things. Then the Lord appeared to him for the second time. We have heard nothing about this appearance in Acts 9. For the second time he saw the Lord Jesus in His glory. The Lord appeared to him now only to tell him that he had to leave Jerusalem because they would not accept his testimony about the Lord.

Paul says this here to make it clear to his Jewish listeners that his departure from Jerusalem is on the explicit command of the glorified Lord. He does not mention here that the Lord also used the brethren for this, as we read in Acts 9 (Acts 9:30). These two aspects are not opposite each other either, but represent two sides of his departure from Jerusalem.

His Jewish audience is still very quiet, but with all of them the anger will be growing. Paul dares to say that the Lord said that his testimony would not be accepted in Jerusalem, Jerusalem so famous for its connection with Yahweh. How dare he assume that the people of Jerusalem are people who do not listen to God, while the Gentiles will hear! That finally leads to their emotional outburst. Yet they could know through the prophet Isaiah that God’s salvation would also go to the nations (Isa 49:6). This has also been confirmed by the two thousand years of world evangelism behind us.

Paul tells how he was not immediately willing to go and how he entered into conversation with the Lord about the commission he received, just as Ananias and Peter had done (Acts 9:13 ; Acts 10:14). He would much rather have stayed in Jerusalem. There as a witness he would have come out much better. There they knew him as a zealous persecutor of the Christians. Wouldn’t he even be able to bear witness to his conversion there in order to win them to the Lord?

As an extra powerful argument to convince the Lord he pointed to his agreement with Stephen’s death. He had helped with this by watching out for the coats of those who stoned Stephen. Paul speaks of Stephen as “Your witness”. He does not accuse the people of shedding Stephen’s blood. In this way he does full justice to Stephen without making a direct accusation against the Jews.

Then he speaks the words the Lord said to him, putting an end to Paul’s objections. He is told: “Go!” He had to leave Jerusalem. He is also told where the Lord would send him, namely “far away to the Gentiles”.

The Reaction of the Jews

When Paul speaks about his mission to the Gentiles, the measure is filled up. A Jew wanted absolutely nothing to do with a mission to the Gentiles (cf. Deu 32:21). That it is precisely at this point that they explode into anger is because it is precisely this point that affects them in their exclusivity. Since childhood they have heard that they are the only people who have any connection with God. They alone are the chosen people. If there is blessing for other peoples, then only through them.

The idea that the Messiah – and Paul says he believes in Him – instead of restoring Israel to its former glory, will make the Gentiles His people, is totally unacceptable to them. As if the Gentiles are on the same level, yes, even higher than Israel. It is impossible for them to make proselytes that do not belong to Judaism. It is all completely impossible to accept.

We see that Paul’s testimony has no other result than a manifestation of hatred. The outburst of anger manifests itself in shouting, throwing off their cloaks and tossing dust into the air. This manifestation of hatred confirms what the Lord said to him twenty years earlier and what was also expressed recently by the Holy Spirit. But the grace of the Lord is also present here in support of Paul when he gives his testimony.