Acts 22:23

AND AS THEY CRIED OUT, AND CAST OFF THEIR CLOTHES, AND THREW DUST INTO THE AIR, _ And as they cried out, and cast off their clothes_ - `tossed their garments' (their cloaks), And threw dust into the air - IN TOKEN OF RAGE....

22-30 The Jews listened to Paul's account of his conversion, but the mention of his being sent to the Gentiles, was so contrary to all their national prejudices, that they would hear no more. Their frantic conduct astonished the Roman officer, who supposed that Paul must have committed some great crime. Paul pleaded his privilege as a Roman citizen, by which he was exempted from all trials and punishments which might force him to confess himself guilty. The manner of his speaking plainly shows what holy security and serenity of mind he enjoyed. As Paul was a Jew, in low circumstances, the Roman officer questioned how he obtained so valuable a distinction; but the apostle told him he was free born. Let us value that freedom to which all the children of God are born; which no sum of money, however large, can purchase for those who remain unregenerate. This at once put a stop to his troubl...

Verse Acts 22:23. _CAST OFF_ THEIR _CLOTHES_] Bishop Pearce supposes that _shaking their upper garments_ is all that is meant here; and that it was an ancient custom for men to do so when highly pleased or greatly irritated; but it is likely that some of them were now actually throwing off their clothes, in order to prepare to stone Paul. _THREW DUST INTO THE AIR_] In sign of _contempt_, and by way of _execration_. Shimei acted so, in order to express his contempt of David, 2 Samuel 16:13, where it is said, _he cursed him as he went, and threw stones at him_; or, as the margin, _he dusted him with dust_. Their _throwing dust in the air_ was also expressive of extraordinary rage and vindictive malice. The apostle, being guard

CAST OFF THEIR CLOTHES - Their outer garments. Probably they did it now intending to stone him, Acts 7:58. AND THREW DUST INTO THE AIR - As expressive of them abhorrence and indignation. This was a striking exhibition of rage and malice. Paul was guarded by Roman soldiers so that they could not injure him; and their only way of expressing their wrath was by menaces and threats, and by these tokens of furious indignation. Thus, Shimei expressed his indignation against David by cursing him, throwing stones at him, and casting dust, 2 Samuel 16:13....

EXPOSITION ACTS 22:1 _Brethren _for _men, brethren, _A.V. (Acts 7:2, note); the for my, A.V.; _now make _for _make now, _A.V. THE DEFENSE; ἀπολογία This is the technical word in classical Greek for a defense in answer to an accusation. Thus e.g. the oration of Gorgias entitled, Υπὲρ Παλαμήδους ἀπολογία,_ _begins, Ἡ μὲν κατηγορία καὶ ἡ ἀπολογία κρίσις οὐ περὶ θανάτου γίγνεται. And Demosthenes opposes κατηγρσεῖν to accuse, to ἀπολογεῖσθαι, to make one's defense. And an ἀπολογία δικαία καὶ ἁπλῆ is to prove that τὰ κατηγορημένα, "the things of which the person is accused," were never done. But it is probably from St. Paul's use of the word here that it became common to call the defenses of the Christian religi

AND AS THEY CRIED OUT,.... In this furious manner: AND CAST OFF THEIR CLOTHES; either like madmen, that knew not what they did, or in order to stone him; see Acts 7:57. AND THREW DUST INTO THE AIR either with their hands, or by striking the earth, and scraping it with their feet, through indignation and wrath, like persons possessed, or mad....

CHAPTER 22 _ 1. The Address of the Apostle (Acts 22:1)._ 2. The Answer from the Mob, and Paul's Appeal to His Roman citizenship (Acts 22:22). What a scene it was! On the stairs, midway between the temple-court and the fortress, stood the Apostle in chains, his person showing the effects of the beating he had received. Around him were the well-armed Roman soldiers, and below the multitude, with up-turned faces, still wildly gesticulating and only becoming more silent when they heard the first words from Paul's lips in the Hebrew tongue. He relates his great experience. They were impatient listeners; the storm broke with the word “Gentiles.” Another great tumult resulted and the many voices demanded that such a fellow should not live. It was a scene of utmost confusion. The chief

AFTER THE SPEECH, IN THE BARRACKS. Like Stephen, Paul is interrupted, and threatened with stoning. The throwing dust into the air is probably to be understood as an expression of blind fury (_cf._ 2Ma_4:41). But the tribune takes him into the barracks and proceeds himself to deal with him. The story is taken up from Acts 21:38. If Paul is a leader of sedition, the case must be dealt with instantly. The examination was to be with scourging, as was customary with slaves and persons not citizens (see Luke 23:16). The apostle is being stretched out for (_mg.)_ the scourging with leather thongs, when he remonstrates with the centurion in charge (as at Philippi, Acts 16:37) that he is a Roman who must not be subjected to such usag

THE DEFENCE OF EXPERIENCE (Acts 22:1-10)...

CRIED OUT. were crying out. Greek. _kraugazo._ See John 18:40. CAST OFF. Greek. _ripto_. CLOTHES. outer garments. Greek. _himation._ Holding them in their hands and tossing them upward. THREW. were throwing. Greek. _ballo._ App-174....