 |  |
Acts 22: 1 - 28: 22.
From Jerusalem to Rome.
A1 | 22: - 23: To Jews at Jerusalem. |
\
a | Manner of life. Law of fathers, Pharisee.
\ HOPE
b | Damascus - Conversion and Commission.
\
of
Light. Saul! Saul!! Gentiles.
/ Resurrection.
c | The Lord stood by me. Good cheer.
/
B1 | FINDING OF LYSIAS.--Nothing worthy of death or bonds. /
A2 | 24: - 25: 22. To Felix and Festus. |
\
HOPE
Manner of life. Sect. Heresy.
}
of
B2 | FINDING OF FESTUS.--Nothing worthy of death. /
Resurrection.
A3 | 25: 23 - 28: 15. To Agrippa. |
\
a | Manner of life. Straitest sect, Pharisee.
\ HOPE
b | Damascus - Conversion and twofold commission.
\
of
Light. Saul! Saul!! Gentiles.
/ Twelve
c | Angel stood by me. Fear not.
/
Tribes.
B3 | FINDING OF AGRIPPA.--Nothing worthy of death or bonds. /
A4 | 28: 16-22. To Jews at Rome. |
\ HOPE
Manner of life. Customs. Sect.
}
of
B4 | FINDING OF PAUL'S CONSCIENCE.--No cause of death. / Israel.
We now return to the Apostle's testimony before the Jews,
as recorded in
Acts 22: and 23:
We read in Acts 21: 40 and in 22: 2 that Paul spoke "in the Hebrew tongue". This
word Hebrais occurs but three times in the New Testament (Acts 21: 40; 22: 2; and
26: 14). Twice it is used of Paul, and once it describes the language used by the Lord
at the conversion of Paul.
The history of the Hebrew language may roughly be divided into two parts, the first
covering the whole period of its use up to the Babylonian exile, and the second, the
period commencing from the exile and continuing through to the present time. Since the
Babylonian captivity, the "Hebrew" of the Old Testament had given place to a modified
form. This "Hebrew" was
"The language spoken by the Jews in Palestine in the time of Christ. It might more
accurately have been called Syro Chaldee, being a mixture of the Aramaean of Daniel
and Ezra with the Ancient Hebrew" (Dr. A. Young).
When the Jews heard Paul address them in the Hebrew tongue, they kept the more
silence. It was not only a concession to their extreme national and religious pride, but an
intimation that the speaker was not a stranger to the sacred tongue. The Lord, when He
spoke from heaven to the stricken persecutor, made the same concession.