ACTS LESSON 47

    We will begin this lesson in Acts 21:30 "And all the city was
moved, and the people ran together: and they took Paul, and drew him
out of the temple: and forthwith the doors were shut."

    These Jews from Asia had stirred up the city against Paul. It
appears that the people captured Paul and took him out of the temple.
It is strange how one minute he is a hero, and a few moments later,
they want to kill him. No violence could take place in the temple.

    Acts 21:31 "And as they went about to kill him, tidings came unto
the chief captain of the band, that all Jerusalem was in an uproar."

    You could say, mob rule had taken over and they were about to kill
Paul without a trial and without the public authorities.

     Acts 21:32 "Who immediately took soldiers and centurions, and ran
down unto them: and when they saw the chief captain and the soldiers,
they left beating of Paul."

     There are a number of similarities to the affliction of Paul by
the people and the affliction of the Lord by the people.  These were
Paul's own people.  They were beating him without a reason.  They
desired to kill him, as they did the Lord, but they drug him  out of
the holy place to kill him.  Both the crucifixion of Jesus and this
beating of Paul should be a warning to all religious people to make
sure of who they come against.  You can see the terrible error these
religious people made when they crucified Jesus (thinking they were
pleasing God), and now, making another terrible mistake trying to kill
Paul.  Religious conviction must be grounded in truth, or else we will
make mistakes, too, thinking we are doing right.  The only way to
know the truth is to study God's Word daily.  We see here, that they
stopped beating Paul when the civil authorities showed up.

     Acts 21:33 "Then the chief captain came near, and took him, and
commanded [him] to be bound with two chains; and demanded who he was,
and what he had done."

     At least, the chief captain saved Paul's life.  The chief captain
thought he might be a desperate criminal, so he had him bound hand and
foot.  He says to Paul, tell me who you are and what you have done?

     Acts 21:34 "And some cried one thing, some another, among the
multitude: and when he could not know the certainty for the tumult, he
commanded him to be carried into the castle."

     The accusers could not agree on what the charges were, so the
captain had the soldiers take Paul, bound, into the castle.  This
multitude was just a mob who wanted to kill someone.  Once you get a
crowd stirred up like this, they forget why they are doing this, they
just want to kill someone.

     Acts 21:35 "And when he came upon the stairs, so it was, that he
was borne of the soldiers for the violence of the people."

     This just means that the soldiers carried Paul to keep the people
from continuing to beat him.

     Acts 21:36 "For the multitude of the people followed after,
crying, Away with him."

     As I said, this mob (stirred up by the Jews from Asia) really had
no idea why they wanted him killed.  Now, Paul will speak in defense
of himself.

     Acts 21:37 "And as Paul was to be led into the castle, he said
unto the chief captain, May I speak unto thee? Who said, Canst thou
speak Greek?"

     Paul was a learned man and he could speak Greek, as well as
Hebrew.  When he spoke in Greek to the captain, it surprised the
captain.  He even asked, who spoke.

     Acts 21:38 "Art not thou that Egyptian, which before these days
madest an uproar, and leddest out into the wilderness four thousand
men that were murderers?"

     This captain feels that Paul must be some desperate person, such
as the Egyptian he mentions here.  He would never be able to
understand that these people were trying to kill him, because of
something he preached.  We see, here, a preacher of the Word of God.
Paul may be chained as far as the world sees, but his message is not
chained up.  Paul will preach from these steps which lead to prison
for him.  How many preachers of today would still be confident in our
Lord, if they were chained and possibly speaking for the last time?
Paul's speech lets us know that he has peace within.  The Holy Spirit
had warned him of this very encounter, and he had come to Jerusalem
anyway.

     Acts 21:39 "But Paul said, I am a man [which am] a Jew of Tarsus,
[a city] in Cilicia, a citizen of no mean city: and, I beseech thee,
suffer me to speak unto the people."

     Paul is in the hands of this captain.  Paul has not been evasive
and has answered the captain's questions.  He not only tells who he
is, but tells him in detail.  Paul has already surprised him in that
he can speak Greek, and now he tells this captain that he would like
permission to speak to these Jews who accuse him.  He probably will
give Paul permission out of pure curiosity himself.  Who is this man
that is so hated of all these people?

     Acts 21:40 "And when he had given him licence, Paul stood on the
stairs, and beckoned with the hand unto the people. And when there was
made a great silence, he spake unto [them] in the Hebrew tongue,
saying,"

     We see, that this captain has granted this wish of Paul's.  Most
of these people had not even been informed why they were persecuting
Paul.  They really had just joined a mob.  To give Paul license, just
means that he allowed Paul to speak.  It does seem strange, also, that
Paul would encourage this mob, who tried to kill him, to come closer.
Paul wants them to hear every word.  When he began to speak in Hebrew,
a great silence fell on this crowd.  They were probably surprised that
he was an educated man.  We, in the next lesson, will hear a sermon
that will save his life.  Possibly one of the most important sermons
he has ever given, and one that will change many lives.













































                          Acts 47 Questions


1.  In verse 30, the people ran together and did what?
2.  Who had stirred up the city against Paul?
3.  Why did they drag Paul out of the temple?
4.  Verse 31, tells us what they want to do to Paul, what is it?
5.  What message was brought to the captain?
6.  They were about to kill Paul without what?
7.  Who did the captain take and stop the mob?
8.  When did the people stop beating Paul?
9.  Name at least three similarities between what they were doing to
    Paul and what the people did to Jesus?
10. Religious conviction must be grounded in what?
11. How can you acquire that?
12. When the chief captain took Paul, what did he command to be done
    to Paul?
13. What question did the captain ask?
14. What were the people crying out?
15. Why did the captain decide to carry Paul into the castle?
16. What could you call this multitude in one word?
17. Why were the soldiers carrying Paul?
18. What was the multitude crying out?
19. What did Paul ask?
20. Why did it surprise the captain?
21. What question did he ask Paul?
22. Who did the captain think Paul was?
23. How many men had this murderer led out to the wilderness?
24. Paul's speech lets us know that he has _____________ within.
25. Who did Paul say he was?
26. Where was Paul from?
27. Why do you suppose he grants Paul's request?
28. What did Paul do before he began to speak?
29. What language did he speak in?
30. What effect did this have on the people?