Acts 21:26 — 22:29 preached by Pastor Brandon Johnston

Big Ideas

1. Blinding bias and assumptions
Once again, Paul was in trouble with his Jewish brothers. Not for what he had done, but, rather, for what they claimed he had done (Acts 21:28). Gentiles were not allowed into the temple beyond the court of the Gentiles, and Paul was thought to have violated this law. Paul, however, was innocent. Bias and assumptions can lead us to “see” what we want to see. They can blind us to the truth because it is at odds with what we want to be true. This mistake nearly cost Paul his life.

2. Speaking their language
When Paul was allowed to address the mob, he spoke to them in their language, which, of course, was Hebrew. This was more than mere pragmatism. Paul knew that he was falsely seen as being opposed to the Law of Moses. As Paul shares his elite Jewish pedigree as a student of the prestigious and well-respected Gamaliel, he speaks in their language. This was clearly an attempt on Paul’s part to build a bridge with his Jewish brothers so they might understand that the Gospel of Jesus Christ was not against their Jewish heritage, but the very fulfillment of it.

3. Fight for your right
Once again, we see Paul appealing to his legal rights as a citizen. While this makes some Christians uncomfortable, Paul had no problem doing it. As a Roman citizen, he was protected from being beaten without a trial (Acts 22:25-29). Submission to the authorities did not mean having to accept or obey whatever the Roman tribune had ordered. No, the centurion himself was under the law. In appealing to his rights as a Roman citizen, Paul asked the centurion to act in conformity with the law. Christians should not hesitate to follow Paul’s example.

Study Questions

1. Have you ever been dealt with unfairly because of false assumptions someone had about you? How have you acted unfairly against others because of your own biases or assumptions? How can you avoid this in the future?

2. Communicating with others often requires both content and connection. What are some ways that you can “speak their language” as you try to share the Gospel with others?

3. Sometimes Christians misunderstand the biblical command to submit to authorities as submitting no matter what (Romans 13:1). How do Paul’s actions help us understand what submission to the authorities looks like? In what sense can resistance to the authorities be an act of loving obedience?