The parallelisms and contrasts of the speech are evident. The silence that was secured

by Paul's use of the Hebrew language is in direct contrast with the uproar that followed

the pronouncement of the hated word "Gentile". The double reference to Paul's early

zeal and persecuting spirit is of importance in his endeavour to prove that he had not

easily departed from the religion of his fathers, while the central position of the two

visions, with their emphasis upon "Witness" and "Testimony", reveal the nature of

Israel's blindness, and the nature of the Apostle's early ministry.

Like the Twelve, Paul was a witness of what he had "seen and heard". He was about

to make known that he was also set apart as a witness of something more (Acts 26: 16),

but this we will consider in its own place.

"Far hence unto the Gentiles" (Acts 22: 21) is the first occurrence of ethnos in this

section, and in the statement that "the salvation of God is sent unto the Gentiles"

(Acts 28: 28) occurs the last reference of ethnos in the Acts.

Paul is still, in Acts 22: in Jerusalem, but already, in spirit, he sees the fulfillment of

the Temple vision in Rome.

The Apostle's testimony from the castle stairs ended in tumult. At the hated word

"Gentiles", "They lifted up their voices and said: Away with such a fellow from the

earth: for it is not fit that he should live" (Acts 22: 22, cf. 21: 36). This same word

aire ("away") had been uttered once before by the mob when they clamoured for another

Prisoner--the Lord Himself (Luke 23: 18; John 19: 15).  The Apostle is here

following closely in the footsteps of his Master.

Paul's speech having been made in Hebrew, the chief captain is at a loss to know the

meaning of this fresh outbreak, and so we read: "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" (Acts 22: 24). The Apostle had

already been submitted on previous occasions to the cruel and degrading punishment

of being beaten with Roman rods, and of being scourged in Jewish synagogues:

"Of the Jews five times received I forty stripes save one. Thrice was I beaten with rods"

(II Cor. 11: 24, 25).  And now it seemed that he would have to endure the horrible

flagellum, or "whip", a form of torture which in Roman hands sometimes ended fatally.

In Acts 22: 25 we read: "And while they were binding him down with the thongs."

Some expositors, including Conybeare and Howson, and Lewin, consider that the