What does Acts 22:6 mean?
The crowd which, moments before, tried to rip Paul limb from limb, now listens respectfully. Jews from Asia, the province in southwestern modern-day Turkey, saw Paul in Jerusalem with Trophimus, whom they recognized as a Gentile. When they later saw Paul in the temple, they assumed he'd brought Trophimus with him, despite that being a capital offense according to both the Mosaic and Roman laws.The Jews from Asia shouted their suspicions in the temple and a mob dragged Paul out of the temple and started pounding him. The Roman tribune sent his soldiers to wade into the riot and pull Paul out. As the tribune arrested Paul, Paul asked if he could address the crowd. The tribune had no idea what was going on, so he allowed it. Paul proceeded to try to explain why he was with Trophimus—a Gentile—in Jerusalem (Acts 21:27–40).
He starts by recounting how he was raised to revere the Mosaic law as strongly as any Pharisee. So strong was his devotion that he initially violently persecuted Jesus followers (Acts 26:9–11). Now, he explains how that while tracking Jesus-followers down in Damascus, he met Jesus, a story first told in Acts 9:1–19.
The great light was the glory of God. From its midst, Jesus appeared and asked Paul why he was persecuting Him—not His followers; Jesus had told the apostles that any who persecuted them did so because they were really against Him (John 15:18–21). Paul, blinded by the light, entered Damascus at the hand of his assistants and fasted for three days before Jesus sent Ananias to return his physical sight and lead him to accept Christ's offer of forgiveness.
The crowd listens politely—until Paul describes how Jesus told him to spread His story to the Gentiles. They entertain the idea that this Jesus of Nazareth may be the Jewish Messiah, but they forget God promised Abraham that He would bless Gentiles through Him.
Acts 22:6–16 continues Paul's defense against accusations that he both breaks the Mosaic law and associates with Gentiles. He has described his early life training to be a Pharisee and persecuting the church (Acts 22:3–5). Now, he explains how he came to follow Jesus of Nazareth as the Messiah. His accusers show polite interest in his story until he arrives at the point in the narrative where Jesus tells him to give Gentiles the way of salvation. Paul's conversion experience is also recorded in Acts 9:1–19 and reiterated in Acts 26:12–18.
In Acts 22, a young Roman military officer realizes he cannot control Jews who do not wish to be controlled. He has just rescued Paul from a crowd that largely doesn't know why they want to kill Paul. In hopes of gathering information, the tribune allows Paul to speak to the crowd. The crowd listens only briefly, then explodes again. The tribune tries flogging but is foiled by Paul's Roman citizenship. Finally, the tribune schedules a meeting with the Sanhedrin. It does not go well (Acts 23:1–10).
