Our sermon text for this coming Lord’s Day is a long one! We’ll begin at Acts 21:27 and carry it all the way through to Acts 22:29. This section of Acts covers Paul’s arrest in Jerusalem and his address to the Jews. The bulk of these verses constitutes Paul’s address to the Jews.
You’ll find a lot of familiar information is Paul’s address. He begins by telling of his heritage and education (22:1-5); something we’ve heard from Paul multiple times. Then he proceeds to articulate how he was converted by the Lord Jesus on the road to Damascus (22:6-16). We studied this incident back when we covered Chapter 9. After describing his conversion, Paul then concludes his address to the Jews by describing how God has called him to witness to the Gentiles (22:17-21).
The Jews’ response to Paul’s address was anger and hostility. They proclaimed, “Away with such a fellow from the earth! For he should not be allowed to live” (22:22).
Why were the Jews so upset with Paul? What specifically did they dislike about Paul? At what point of Paul’s address did the Jews object? Is this consistent with the charges they brought against him in 21:28?
According to Jewish law, was it appropriate for the Jews to attempt to kill Paul without a fair trial? What parallels do you see between the way the Jews treated Paul and the way they treated Stephen (Acts 8). Or the way they treated Jesus?
In what ways did the prophecy from Agabus come true in this passage (21:11)?
Why did Paul ask to address the Jews (21:39)? What did he think he would accomplish? These are the people who would have killed him if the Roman soldiers had not intervened, and now Paul wants to try to reason with them? What’s his intent?