Acts 22:24 "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. And as they bound him with thongs, Paul said unto the centurion that stood by, Is it lawful for you to scourge a man that is a Roman, and uncondemned? When the centurion heard [that], he went and told the chief captain, saying, Take heed what thou doest: for this man is a Roman. Then the chief captain came, and said unto him, Tell me, art thou a Roman? He said, Yea. And the chief captain answered, With a great sum obtained I this freedom. And Paul said, But I was free born. Then straightway they departed from him which should have examined him: and the chief captain also was afraid, after he knew that he was a Roman, and because he had bound him."
Understanding the privileges you have as a citizen of the United States is crucial, just as important as grasping the entitlements you possess as a follower of Jesus Christ, as exemplified by Paul. In the specified verses, Lysias, the Chief Captain, commanded that Paul be brought to the barracks for a private investigation. Lysias ordered his soldiers to escort the prisoner to Fort Antonia to protect him from the enraged crowd. Recognizing that a fair trial was impossible amid the chaos, the commander chose to take Paul to the barracks for further questioning. “That he should be examined by scourging” scourging was a brutal Roman interrogation method, which prisoners frequently died after being flogged with the Roman flagellum (Metal tipped leather trong attached to a wooden handle). The mention of "scourging" alludes to the severe Roman interrogation method, reminiscent of the suffering endured by our Savior before His crucifixion.
Out of perhaps the fear of facing a fatal beating, Paul found the courage to speak out, questioning the centurion who was present as he was being bound with thongs, "Is it legal for you to flog a Roman citizen who has not been condemned?" It is estimated that there were around ten centurions among the 1000 soldiers stationed in the Roman garrison in Jerusalem. Roman citizens were protected from such harsh interrogation methods by the Valerian and Porcian laws. By asserting his rights as a Roman citizen, Paul avoided any doubt, as falsely claiming Roman citizenship carried the penalty of death. It is likely that they were about to start beating him when Paul revealed his citizenship. This kind of flogging often resulted in death, and Paul was determined to prevent such a fate. He spoke the truth - he was indeed a Roman citizen. It was illegal to flog a Roman citizen without a fair trial and conviction. Paul's decision to disclose his citizenship was a wise move.
The centurion informed his commander about Paul's citizenship, warning against any action that could have jeopardized Lysias' military career or put his life at risk. It was the right thing for the centurion to do, as the captain would not want to face consequences for punishing a Roman citizen without due process. According to scripture, when the chief captain asked Paul if he was a Roman, Paul confirmed his Roman, Jewish, Pharisee, and Christian identities. Paul explained that he adapted to different circumstances to reach out to people. The captain, who also valued Roman citizenship, mentioned acquiring it through a large sum of money, while Paul stated he was born a Roman citizen. This revelation showed that no one could harm Paul until his mission on earth was complete, as God had ordained him to be a Roman from birth through his father. In those times, Roman citizenship commanded both fear and respect in Jerusalem due to Rome's immense power.
Angering Rome could lead to the captain losing his position as chief captain, and possibly even facing execution. The so-called prisoner, Paul, had managed to make the chief captain nervous, suggesting that he had crossed some boundaries. Paul's eloquence during his defense convinced the captain that he was not an ordinary man. Being bilingual and educated by Gamaliel, Paul was clearly no ordinary individual of his time. Moreover, Paul had previously served as an officer in charge of apprehending Christians. It became evident that it was not the prisoner who was fearful, but rather his captor. The chief captain appeared unsure of how to handle the situation, so the examiners eventually departed, leaving no choice but to remove the chains from Paul's hands and feet. Believers in Jesus Christ should know their rights as American citizens and have a good understanding of both their divine and human rights! Amen..
Beautiful expression