Wednesday, July 12, 2023

Acts 22:1-21 Paul's Defense = July 12

Paul's Defense
Acts 22:1-21

Intro Questions

#God                                    #People    #Time         #Place        #Obedient faith            #Sin             #Key Idea

Acts 22:1-21

 

1Brothers and fathers, hear the defense that I now make before you.”

2And when they heard that he was addressing them in the Hebrew language, they became even more quiet. And he said:

3“I am a Jew, born in Tarsus in Cilicia, but brought up in this city, educated at the feet of Gamaliel according to the strict manner of the law of our fathers, being zealous for God as all of you are this day. 4I persecuted this Way to the death, binding and delivering to prison both men and women, 5as the high priest and the whole council of elders can bear me witness. From them I received letters to the brothers, and I journeyed toward Damascus to take those also who were there and bring them in bonds to Jerusalem to be punished.

6As I was on my way and drew near to Damascus, about noon a great light from heaven suddenly shone around me. 7And I fell to the ground and heard a voice saying to me, ‘Saul, Saul, why are you persecuting me?’ 8And I answered, ‘Who are you, Lord?’ And he said to me, ‘I am Jesus of Nazareth, whom you are persecuting.’ 9Now those who were with me saw the light but did not understandc the voice of the one who was speaking to me. 10And I said, ‘What shall I do, Lord?’ And the Lord said to me, ‘Rise, and go into Damascus, and there you will be told all that is appointed for you to do.’ 11And since I could not see because of the brightness of that light, I was led by the hand by those who were with me, and came into Damascus.

12“And one Ananias, a devout man according to the law, well spoken of by all the Jews who lived there, 13came to me, and standing by me said to me, ‘Brother Saul, receive your sight.’ And at that very hour I received my sight and saw him. 14And he said, ‘The God of our fathers appointed you to know his will, to see the Righteous One and to hear a voice from his mouth; 15for you will be a witness for him to everyone of what you have seen and heard. 16And now why do you wait? Rise and be baptized and wash away your sins, calling on his name.’

17When I had returned to Jerusalem and was praying in the temple, I fell into a trance 18and saw him saying to me, ‘Make haste and get out of Jerusalem quickly, because they will not accept your testimony about me.’ 19And I said, ‘Lord, they themselves know that in one synagogue after another I imprisoned and beat those who believed in you. 20And when the blood of Stephen your witness was being shed, I myself was standing by and approving and watching over the garments of those who killed him.’ 21And he said to me, ‘Go, for I will send you far away to the Gentiles.’


Hashtags
#Saul AKA Paul
#the Jews
#Gamaliel
#both men and women
#those who were with me
#Stephen

Places
#Tarsus of Cilicia
#this city
#Damascus
# Jerusalem

Topics
#conversion
#obedience


  • God is ... What do we learn about God in this passage?
  • We are ... What do we learn about people in this passage?

  • I will ... What has the Holy Spirit revealed to us in this passage? How can I apply it to my life this week?

  • You can ... Who do you know who needs to hear this? Feel free to share with others by social media links at the bottom of this.









The Forensic Defense Speeches of Paul

(Acts 22:1-21; 26:1-23; cf. Malina & Neyrey, Paul, p. 91)

 

I.             Exordium (or Prooemium) (cf. Rh. Her. 1.4.6; Cicero, Inv. 1.15.20; Quintilian, Inst. Orat. 4.1.14). This prepares the hearers to be positively disposed and attentive to the defendant. The ―lawyer‖ should show that he is taking the case out of duty to family or honor or better out of a sense of patriotism (captatio benevolentiae). Good will can be derived from (Cicero, Orat. 2.43.182, 184, Loeb): 

A.          The person of the speaker – by speaking of our own deeds without arrogance, by prayers and petitions, by demonstrating hardships well endured. Name, Acts 21:38-39

1.            Nature -- Gender (Quintilian notes that males are more likely to commit robbery and females poisoning) & Ethnicity, Acts 22:3

2.            Manner of life, Acts 22:3-5; 26:4-5, 9-11

3.            Fortune, Acts 22:5; 26:9-12

4.            Habit, Acts 22:3

5.            Feeling, Acts 22:7-8, 11; 26:14-15

6.            Interest, Acts 22:3-4; 26:10-11, 19-20

7.            Purpose, Acts 22:15; 26:16-18

8.            Achievements, accidents, speech, Acts 22:6-11; 26:12-18

B.          The person of the opponent – by showing them to be mean, vicious, or cruel.

C.          The person of the judge – by flattering the hearers without being too obviously effusive.

D.          The case itself – if it is noble (for the group) rather than self-seeking.

II.           Statement of Facts (Narratio) (cf. Quintilian, Inst. Orat. 4.2.31). It is to prepare the mind of the judge (nst Orat. 4.2.4-5). It is comprised of:

A.          The main question at issue – What was done? Was it done rightly? (Acts 21:28; 24:5-8; contra 23:6, 29; 24:21; 25:18-19; 26:6-8)

B.          The line of defense

C.          The point for the judge‘s decision

D.          The foundation or basic argument for the defense (Inst. Orat. 3.11.6-7)

III. Proof (Probatio) 

A.          Eyewitness (e.g. Demosthenes, Against Eubulides 4; Philo, Spec. leg. 4.59;  Conf. 141). Paul served as an eyewitness to the resurrection, Acts 22:15; 26:16. This is considered ―irrefutable‖ evidence (tekmerion), (cf. Acts 1:3; 10:41 cf. Lk 24:37-43)

B.          Evidence from probability, examples, tokens, signs and maxims (Rh. Al.  36, 1442b; 391443a, 6). These can be used in conjunction with other facts to build a strong case. 

1.            Sign: The great light (Acts 22:6, 9; 26:13); abd Paul‘s blindness and healing (Acts 9:7-9, 17; 22:11,13) 

2.            Corroborating witnesses (Acts 22:9, 12; 26:13-14).

3.            General experience (Aristotle, Rh. Al. 7, 1428a; see Quintilian, Inst. Orat. 5.10.16-19).

C.          Witnesses and confessions that are obtained by torture (Aristotle, Rh. Al. 36, 1442b; 37). (cf. Acts 22:24). This was considered the strongest evidence.

D.          Evidence from the person‘s nature and character.

IV. Refutation and Peroration

A.          The refutation is the countering of the arguments of the opposition, generally involving some sort of attach on the opponent’s character, person, or social standing (Acts 4:13).

B.          The peroration is an attempt to elicit certain emotions from the audience/judge in order to secure a verdict in one‘s favor. 










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