Bible Commentaries

¹ I am verily a man [which am] a Jew, born in Tarsus, [a city] in Cilicia, yet brought up in this city at the ^a feet of Gamaliel, [and] taught according to the perfect manner of the law of the fathers, and was zealous toward God, as ye all are this day.

(1) Paul, making a short declaration of his former life, proves both his calling and doctrine to be from God.

(a) That is, his daily hearer: the reason of this speech is this: those who teach commonly sit in the higher place, speaking to their students who sit upon benches beneath, and therefore he says "at the feet of Gamaliel".

And when the blood of thy martyr Stephen was shed, I also was standing by, and consenting unto his death, and kept the raiment of them that ^b slew him.

(b) This is properly spoken, for Steven was murdered by a bunch of cutthroats, not by order of justice, but by open force: for at that time the Jews could not put any man to death by law.

² And they gave him audience unto this word, and [then] lifted up their voices, and said, Away with such a [fellow] from the earth: for it is not fit that he should live.

(2) Resolute and stubborn pride will neither embrace the truth itself, neither allow others to receive it.

And as they ^c cried out, and cast off [their] clothes, and threw dust into the air,

(c) The description of a seditious tumult, and of a foolish and mad multitude.

³ 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.

(3) The wisdom of the flesh does not consider what is just, but what is profitable, and in addition takes into account the profit that can be gained, according as it presently appears.

⁴ 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?

(4) There is no reason why we may not use those lawful means which God gives us in order to repel or prevent an injury.

Then straightway they departed from him which should have examined him: and the chief captain also was afraid, after he knew that he was ^d a Roman, and because he had bound him.

(d) Not by nation, but by the law of his city of birth.