22:1-2 Paul begins speaking his defense in Hebrew because it is the language his audience uses to read their scripture, Moses' law, the Torah, the beginning of the Old Testament. It grips their attention; Paul is speaking in their language, the language they use to teach and it catches them off guard. They wrongly accused Paul of being against them and yet here he is, able to speak to them in their own language, the language of their spiritual text.
22:3 Paul was raised in the land of Judea (as was this crowd); he identifies with them. Paul recounts the beginning of his life when he indeed did zealously fight against God and the apostles. Paul was like one of the members of this crowd but he went through a spiritual journey and realized God's true philosophy. We can imagine how this would be a passionate, truly instructive testimony.
22:4-5 Remember our studies in the early chapters of this book: Paul efficiently and passionately worked against the apostles and God, The Acts of the Apostles 9. He was so productively persecuting them that his name became known across regions.
22:6 Paul begins the testimony of the rebirth of his spirit, when God offered to him another way. Always apply these testimonies to your own life experiences: God will realign you, reestablish you, guide you, fill you with purpose and passion and support you with love and compassion when you accept His hand in your life.
22:7-8 Essentially, God confronted Paul and challenged him to analyze his life: What are you doing? Why are you doing it? Do you want to be more? Do you want to do more? When you analyze yourself and your own life, you give yourself the opportunity to accept God's help in altering it, tailoring it until we life with purpose and joy.
22:9 Paul retells every detail of his experience. God's children are taught and encouraged to be thorough and truthful in everything that they do, toward everyone and everything that they face. God can see the potential of all of us, he awaits our awakening, the moment when we are ready and willing and enthusiastic to start living to our potential. In drastic ways, He reaches out to us to try to wait us up. Are you listening? Paul listened and hard work with God changed his life. Paul's life changed and with God, he changed the world.
Do not think you are any different: A much compassion as we desire to give to the world, God allows us, enables us to give. He has given us life and, He has breathed into us spiritual-potential. There are no limits for us with Him, each of us are capable of being the blessed vessels through which He can continue to breathe and spark life.
22:10 Just as Paul was led, God will lead each of us. A path unfolded before Paul, a purpose, a chance, and step-by-step, Paul walked it. These lives of ours can be a mutual effort: yourself and God. He provides the path but because of the complete freedom He has given you, you must decide to walk it.
22:11-13 Paul followed the opportunity God created and literally and symbolically, Paul regained his sight. God is our complete vision: 2 Corinthians 5:7. He knows the intricacies of your life and always has. Always will. Allow Him to expertly tailor your life to your greatest potential and joy. He opens our eyes to life, truth, wisdom and compassion, the elements of our spiritual DNA.
22:14-15 When God chooses us, it is because He knows how capable we are of being purposeful. He knows of the abundant compassion we have deep inside of ourselves, even if we have not yet realized or utilized it. Working with God and for God is a blessing and privilege; He enables us to do so much good.
22:16 What are any of us waiting for? We are here, we are alive, opportunity and purpose eagerly await our fulfillment. We must observe ourselves and the world, analyze and perceive: what is truth and what is deception? Choose truth and labor joyfully for it.
22:17-18 Immediately upon Paul's transition from chaos and purposelessness into order and purposefulness, God became his shield, his protector, leading him away from trouble and guiding him along the journey of fulfilling his work and purpose.
22:19-20 Paul with honestly and humility admits to his transgressions. Paul had consented to the killing of innocent people. Acknowledge the mistakes and unkindness you have committed only so that God can correct those errors in you, that you can grow from them, and clean up the messes you've contributed to.
22:21 We often feel guilty or shameful about the wrong we have done but we show our most sincere apology when we work to be better, when we work to change and to begin to contribute to compassion and justice. God loves you so much, work to earn that love He gives freely to show Him you are appreciative. God does not loiter: Paul accepted his purpose and there was no time to sulk or sit, he needed to begin to be purposeful. Paul needed to remain purposeful all the days of his life. When we accept a path from God; we better walk it and walk it without hesitation! There is a lot of work to be done, develop your relationship with Him in order to trust Him to keep you moving, keep you focused, keep you purposeful. He will protect you, be perceptive so you notice the ways He redirects you from trouble and chaos.
Specifically for Paul: he was sent to bring God's philosophy to people who had not heard it or accepted it before. God first tried to reach the people who supposedly followed His word but His apostles were rejected and killed. They therefore rejected Him and God refocused His mission toward the rest of the world.
Specifically for Paul: he was sent to bring God's philosophy to people who had not heard it or accepted it before. God first tried to reach the people who supposedly followed His word but His apostles were rejected and killed. They therefore rejected Him and God refocused His mission toward the rest of the world.
22:22-23 At the mention of God's acceptance of all people, the crowd became infuriated. They were hateful hypocrites. You do not want to be this way! God loves all souls equally. This crowd had a superiority-complex and it turned them rotten and unjust.
22:24 They begin to recapture and torture Paul.
22:25-28 Paul informs them that he has Roman citizenship, which permits him trial before punishment and disables them from harming him at this point.
22:29 Immediately they are nervous because they have broken the law: the were not allowed to arrest Paul based on Roman law.
22:24 They begin to recapture and torture Paul.
22:25-28 Paul informs them that he has Roman citizenship, which permits him trial before punishment and disables them from harming him at this point.
22:29 Immediately they are nervous because they have broken the law: the were not allowed to arrest Paul based on Roman law.
22:30 Paul is brought to sit before his violent accusers, which continues in the next chapter!
