Interrogation

(1) The commander, who did not understand Aramaic, was perplexed. (a) Allowing the riot to escalate further was unacceptable. (b) He had no choice but to protect Paul and then conduct an interrogation. (2) The commander was determined to find out why the crowd was so angry. He decided to have Paul flogged to force a confession. (a) Roman flogging was extremely brutal and could even result in death. (b) Paul had previously endured flogging five times by the Jews and three times by the Romans (2 Cor. 11:24-25). (3) Paul was bound upright, with his hands and feet tied to two pillars. (a) Just before the flogging began, Paul addressed the centurion: “Is it lawful for you to flog a man who is a Roman citizen and uncondemned?” (b) It was illegal to treat a Roman citizen as a criminal without a trial. Furthermore, even if found guilty, a Roman citizen was exempt from flogging. (c) Violating these regulations was a capital offense. The centurion, on the verge of committing a crime punishable by death, learned just in time that Paul was a Roman citizen.

Flogging halted

(1) The centurion halted the flogging and reported this matter to the commander. (a) The centurion believed Paul’s claim of Roman citizenship based solely on his words. (b) At that time, proof of citizenship was typically kept in a secure location. (c) False claims of citizenship were punishable by death. (2) The commander immediately came to Paul. (a) He heard Paul’s testimony about his Roman citizenship directly. (b) The commander also accepted Paul’s statement as truthful. (3) He said, “I acquired this citizenship for a large sum of money.” This implies, “In your case, it must have cost even more (likely as a bribe).” During the reign of Claudius (41-54 AD), it was possible to purchase Roman citizenship, though it required a substantial amount of money. (4) Paul replied, “But I was actually born a citizen.” (a) Paul’s grandfather or father likely obtained Roman citizenship. (b) Citizenship was often granted as a reward to those who served Roman officials well. (c) Those who were born citizens were held in higher regard than those who purchased their citizenship. (5) It was illegal to bind a Roman citizen without first putting them on trial. Both the centurion and the commander feared that they might have committed an unlawful act. Paul was able to use his Roman citizenship to demand a proper investigation. Similarly, we can utilize the positions, experiences, and circumstances God has given us in this world for the purpose of service. Let us seek wisdom from the Lord in this regard.