Acts 22:17

Acts 22:17-21 . When I was come again to Jerusalem — From Damascus; and prayed in the temple — By this he shows that he still paid the temple its due honour, as the house of prayer; I was in a trance — Or ecstasy. Perhaps he might continue standing all the while, with an intenseness of countenance which, if it were observed by any near him, might be imputed to the fixedness of his mind in his devotions; or, if he fell down, it might be looked upon as an epileptic fit. And saw him — Jesus; saying to me, Get thee quickly out of Jerusalem — Because of the snares that will be laid for thee, and in order to preach where people will hear: for they will not — In Jerusalem; receive thy testimony — But, on the contrary, will rather attempt thy destruction.

And — Presuming to expostulate with Christ himself on this occasion; I said, Lord, they know that I imprisoned, &c. — They know that I was once of their mind; that I was as bitter an enemy to thy disciples as any of them; that I excited the civil power against them; and imprisoned them — And also raised the spiritual power against them; and beat them in every synagogue — Particularly in Stephen’s case, they know that, when he was stoned, I was standing by — Was aiding and abetting; and consenting to his death and — In token thereof, kept the raiment of them that slew him — That is, Lord, my former zeal against those that believed in thee is so well known to them all, by so many remarkable instances shown among them, that sure they must be convinced it is upon some certain and irresistible grounds of persuasion that I am now become a preacher of that faith I formerly destroyed and persecuted with so great zeal. And he said — Overruling my plea by a renewal of his charge; Depart — Reason no further on this subject, but go thy way immediately, according to my direction; for I will send thee far hence — Into distant countries; unto the Gentiles — And thou shalt preach my gospel, and publish the glad tidings of salvation, with much greater encouragement and success among them. It is not easy for a servant of Christ, who is himself deeply impressed with divine truths, to imagine to what a degree men are capable of hardening their hearts against them.

Acts 22:17 . Ὑποστρέψαντι , when I was returned or come again ) The first return of Paul is mentioned in ch. Acts 9:26 . The Genitive succeeds to this Dative, προσευχομένον μου , to which the Latin Ablative corresponds, orante me ; for these words have more connection with the trance , than the μοι ὑποστρέψαντι have.— ἐν τῷ ἱερῷ , in the temple ) He shows that he pays all lawful honour to the temple .

17-21. it came to pass, &c.—This thrilling dialogue between the glorified Redeemer and his chosen vessel is nowhere else related. when I was come again to Jerusalem—on the occasion mentioned in Ac 9:26-29. while I prayed in the temple—He thus calls their attention to the fact that after his conversion he kept up his connection with the temple as before.

17 . when I was come again to Jerusalem ] Rev. Ver. “had returned.” This refers to that visit of the Apostle recorded in Acts 9:26 seqq. We learn from Galatians 1:18 that three years had elapsed between the conversion of Saul and this visit to Jerusalem, which period is supposed to have been consumed in Arabia (cp. Galatians 1:17 ). The preaching of Saul at Jerusalem we are told in the Acts roused the anger of the Greek-speaking Jews, and that in consequence of their attempts against Saul the Christian congregation sent him away first to Cæsarea and then to Tarsus. even while I prayed in the temple ] It is worthy of note how often in this address St Paul incidentally expresses himself in such wise as to conciliate the crowd. His visit to the temple for the purpose of prayer was at once a proof that he was not likely to despise Jewish ordinances and religious observances. I was in a trance ] Better (with Rev. Ver. ), “I fell into a trance.” This was the occasion of one of those “visions and revelations of the Lord” of which St Paul speaks to the Corinthians ( 2 Corinthians 12:1 ) and with which, from his conversion onwards, he was many times instructed and comforted.

Acts 22:17-18 . With this the history in Acts 9:26 is to be completed. καὶ προσευχομένου μου ] a transition to the genitive absolute, independent of the case of the substantive. See Bernhardy, p. 474; Kühner, § 681; Stallb. ad Plat. Rep . p. 518 A. ἐκστάσει ] see on Acts 10:10 . The opposite: γίνεσθαι ἐν ἑαυτῷ , Acts 12:11 . Regarding the non-identity of this ecstasy with 2 Corinthians 13:2 ff., see in loc . οὐ παραδεξ . σ . τ . μαρτ . περὶ ἐμοῦ ] περὶ ἐμοῦ is most naturally to be attached to τ . μαρτυρ ., as μαρτυρεῖν περί is quite usual (very often in John). Winer, p. 130 [E. T. 172], connects it with παραδ . Observe the order: thy witness of me .

(17) When I was come again to Jerusalem. —This probably refers to the visit of Acts 9:26 , and Galatians 1:17-18 . The objection that the mission “far hence to the Gentiles” must refer to the subsequent visit of Acts 11:30 , has little or no force. When the Apostle went to Tarsus and preached the gospel to the Greeks at Antioch ( Acts 11:26 ), there was a sufficient fulfilment of the promise, “I will send thee . . .” What was indicated in the vision was that he was to have another field of work than Jerusalem and the Church of the Circumcision. It may be noted as one of the “visions or revelations of the Lord” referred to in 2Corinthians 12:1 . Even while I prayed in the temple.—Better, and as I was praying. The fact is brought forward as showing that then, as now, he had been not a blasphemer of the Temple, but a devout worshipper in it, and so formed an important part of the Apostle’s apologia to the charge that had been brought against him. I was in a trance.—On the word and the state of consciousness it implies, see Note on Acts 10:10.