Transcript Paul - Claiming his Roman Citizenship

Paul - Claiming his Roman
Citizenship
Living Water Route Assembly
Sept. 2008
Scripture – Acts Chapter 22:22-29
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22 “Up to this point they listened to him, but then they shouted, “ away with such a fellow
from the earth! For he should not be allowed to live.” 23 While the were shouting,
throwing off their cloaks, and tossing dust into the air, the tribune directed that he was to
be examined by flogging, to find out the reason for this outcry against him.
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22 But when they had tied him up with thongs, Paul said to the centurion who was
standing by,: Is it legal for you to flog a Roman citizen who is uncondemned?”
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26 When the centurion heard that, he went to the tribune and said to him,” What are you
about to do? This man is a Roman citizen?”
27” The tribune came and asked Paul,” tell me, are you a Roman citizen?” and he said,”
Yes.”
28 “the tribunes answered,” It cost me a large sume of money to get my citizenship?”Paul
said,: But I was born a citizen.” 29 Immediately those who were about to examine him
drew back from him and the tribune also was afraid, for he realized that Paul was a
Roman citizen and that he had bound him.
30 “Since he wanted to find out what Paul was being accused of by the Jews, the next day
he releases him and ordered the chief priests and the entire council to meet. He brought
Paul down and had him stand before them..
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Paul’s Background - Acts 21:39; 22:3
• Paul’s Name
• Paul’s family
• Saul, his Hebrew name,
means "asked for". (Acts
13:9)
• Paul, his apostolic name,
means "small" or "little
one”
• Jewish parents
• One sister and a nephew
(Acts 23:16) .
• a tent maker, therefore
his father could have
worked at the same
occupation. (Acts 18:1-3)
• Never married
•
Paul’s background
• Brought up in Tarsus, a
city of Cilicia. Acts 21:39
• A thriving city with many
things to experience
• familiar with the slave
markets
• saw slaves receiving their
"mark" on their foreheads
and hands
• often used term, bond
slave, to illustrate his
relationship to Christ
• Saw the Roman
soldiers in the city
• frequently used
military illustrations in
his writings
Paul’s background
- was never married
- became a
Christian
- an educated and
articulated man
- started
witnessing for
Christ
- speaking to a
big crowds of
Jews
- shared his own
experience
with Jesus
- persecuted Jesus’
followers
- was transformed on
the road to
Damascus.
22 “ And they listened to him until this word, and then they
raised their voices and said, “Away with such a fellow from
the earth, for he is not fit to live!” Then, as they cried out and
tore off their clothes and threw dust into the air.”
• erupted into rage over
the one word “Gentiles.”
• The Jewish mob was
incensed
• that God’s salvation
could be given freely
to believing Gentiles.
• no problem with
Gentiles becoming
Jews.
• offended that Gentiles
becoming Christians
just as Jews became
Christians
• implied that Jews and
Gentiles were equal,
having to come to God
on the same terms
The Jews’ reaction
• Some members of
mob :
• took off their coats
• threw dust in the air
• Ready for action
• Stoning of Stephen
(24) The commander demands an explanation of the riot.
The commander ordered him to be brought into the barracks,
and said that he should be examined under scourging, so that
he might know why they shouted so against him.
Examined under flogging
• Paul was be beaten with a
scourge
• Men often died or were
crippled for life after a
scourging.
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• To be examined under
flogging was brutal
• but was customary in that
time
• happened to non- Roman
Citizens
(25-29) Paul reveals his Roman citizenship.
• The commander
answered, “With a
large sum I obtained
this citizenship.”
• And Paul said, “But I
was born a citizen.”
Roman Empire
4 classes of people
• A Roman citizen
• full range of benefits
and rights
• The Native Peoples
•
who lived in territories
conquered by Rome
• given a limited form of
Roman citizenship such as the
•
Latin Right - a secondclass citizenship within
the Roman state
Woman
• could not stand for civil or
public office
• were a class apart
• had right to own property
•
never accorded all the
rights of citizens
• having rights barely more
than those of slaves in
many legal areas
•
not allowed to vote
Slaves
 were considered
property
 had very
limited rights
 slaves could be :
 sold
 tortured
 maimed
 raped and killed
at the whim of
their owners
• killing of a slave was a
matter of property, not a
crime against a human
being.
• a freed slave, a freedman,
was granted a form of full
Roman citizenship
• all slaves freed by Roman
owners automatically
received a limited Roman
citizenship
Methods to obtain Roman citizenship
• Every male child born in a legal
marriage of a Roman citizen
•
The sons of freed slaves
became full citizens under
condition
•
as a reward for outstanding
service to Rome.
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• One could also buy citizenship,
but at a very high price.
• Rome gradually granted
citizenship to whole
provinces
• the third-century
Constitutio Antoniniana
granted it to all free male
inhabitants of the Empire.
Rights of a Roman Citizen
• The right to vote
• The right to sue in the courts
and the right to be sued
• The right to stand for
civil or public office
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The right to have a legal trial
(to appear before a proper court
and to defend oneself).
• The right to make
legal contracts, and to
hold property
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The right to appeal
• A Roman citizen could not be
tortured or whipped
• nor could he receive the death
penalty, unless he was found
guilty of treason.
Paul asserted his rights
• the right to appeal to the
emperor
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• Paul used his citizenship as a
means to further his message.
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• a citizen by birth and used the
rights of a citizen to further his
apostolic mission.
• educated, intelligent, devout
Jew - a Roman citizen
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Paul - an extremely rare
individual
God would use this unique
background to use Paul in a
special way
• God wants to use your unique
background to use you in a
special way.
Application
- Canadian citizen
rights and
responsibilities
- Do not take it for
granted
Voting is a citizen’s
responsibility
- Vote in this coming
election
- Chinese has low turnout
rate to vote
- 60% vs 30-40%
• Know your rights as a
citizen
• Use your Canadian
citizenship to serve
Chinese people in or
outside of China