Acts 22:24

Tuesday, 12 December 2023

the commander ordered him to be brought into the barracks, and said that he should be examined under scourging, so that he might know why they shouted so against him. Acts 22:24

The Greek reads, “The commander ordered him to be brought into the barracks, having directed him examining by scourges so that he might know for what reason they cried out thus against him” (CG).

In the previous verse, Paul’s words had caused the crowd to go into an uproar, casting off their clothes and throwing dust up into the air. With that, Paul’s words were forcibly finished, and, as it next says, “The commander ordered him to be brought into the barracks.”

No further purpose could be served by allowing Paul to again attempt speaking to the crowd again. As Paul spoke in the local dialect to the people, the commander probably would not have known the substance of what he had said. He might have known a little of the language, but he obviously didn’t understand the entire discourse. And so, he gave order to his men to bring him into the barracks, “having directed him examining by scourges.”

This implies that this was the standard way of eliciting information from someone. Were it not, the account would have gone through stages of interrogation leading up to torture. As for the word translated as examining, anetazó, it is used o  nly twice in the Bible, first here and then again in verse 29.

It signifies thorough examining, as if a person were on trial, such as a witness. Strong’s notes that this was frequently accomplished through the aid of torture. Such is the case now with Paul. The word is not found anywhere in classical Greek, but it is used once in the apocryphal book of Susanna.

As nothing is noted concerning interrogation leading up to torture, it shows that the Romans wasted no time in getting to the point. Hence, it next says, “so that he might know for what reason they cried out thus against him.”

It would be well known that this type of punishment was how the Romans operated. Therefore, it would be a way of keeping the peace through threats. Paul was to be subjected to a brutal interrogation that would leave him in agonizing pain and with permanent scars to remind him of the ordeal.

Life application: Ecclesiastes 8:11 says, “Because the sentence against an evil work is not executed speedily, therefore the heart of the sons of men is fully set in them to do evil.” We can philosophize all day long about whether the judgment to beat Paul in order to elicit information from him was wrong or not. But it is certain that it was an effective deterrent within the Roman society.

When people saw the consequences of being a miscreant, it would keep them in check concerning their own conduct. Today, it is exactly the opposite. Those who do right are punished as offenders of the law. Those who break the law are given no bail, light or no sentences, and are pandered to by the news media, portraying them as victims.

Because of this, society in many large cities has devolved into abject fear among the general populace. They know that if they defend themselves and their property from evildoers, they will be charged. Police are likewise hand-tied. If they capture a thug who should otherwise be removed from society and something happens to him, even accidentally, they can be charged and spend many years in prison.

This has led to a total breakdown in society. Ecclesiastes, Proverbs, and even Job provide wisdom concerning these things. This wisdom has been rejected by left-leaning politicians, media, judges, and academia. Thus, societal harm, possibly permanent, has arisen.

A society cannot function like this. A rejection of the biblical standard of morality by a nation that was established on the biblical model can only result in its own implosion. Be sure to vote when the time arises. The only thing that will stem this unholy tide is to vote against these ungodly lefties.

Heavenly Father, nations that previously honored You, Your word, and the moral principles set forth by You are quickly turning away to ideas that can only result in societal degradation and ever-increasing moral turpitude. Give us wisdom and the ability to stand against these things. It is our desire that our societies be honoring of You. Help us to restore godly values in the nations we live in. Amen.