37 As Paul was about to be brought into the barracks, he said to the commander, “May I say something to you?” And he *said, “Do you know Greek? 38 Then you are not the Egyptian who some time ago raised a revolt and led the four thousand men of the Assassins out into the wilderness?” 39 But Paul said, “I am a Jew of Tarsus in Cilicia, a citizen of no insignificant city; and I beg you, allow me to speak to the people.” 40 And when he had given him permission, Paul, standing on the stairs, motioned to the people with his hand; and when there was a great hush, he spoke to them in the Hebrew language, saying, Acts 21: 37-40
Acts 21: 37-40
4Jesus answered, “See to it that no one deceives you. 5For many will come in My name, claiming, ‘I am the Christ,’ and will deceive many. 6You will hear of wars and rumors of wars, but see to it that you are not alarmed. These things must happen, but the end is still to come.… Matthew 24: 4-6
V. 37 Brought to the barracks - The unruly and mindless mob had become violent, and so in order to sort this out they had to bring Paul back to the military barracks. I imagine from what transpires next that this commander must of thought he had a very important criminal, what else could stir these people into such a frenzy? The reality of it is, though we respond and our geared to respond to an infants cry, the sounds of distress, calls for help, it isn't always sincere, the majority is often wrong, and people go along with the dumbest things. There is little more dangerous in this world than the stampede of the misguided. When Paul seeks permission to speak, the commander is shocked that he speaks Greek because he has already pegged him for someone else. Pause is the sign of the wise; don't be moved by the crowd or crocodile tears.
As Paul was about to be brought into the barracks, he said to the commander - The verb for was about is mello which means to be about to or to be at the point of happening, in this case Paul's entrance into the fortress. But Paul, surely filled with the Spirit (boldness - cf Acts 4:31+) and a "carpe diem" mentality grabbed this golden opportunity to speak. Given the fact that this was in the middle of the Pentecost festival with Jews from all over the land and now the fact that Paul even had an elevated "podium" from which he might deliver his message, we can better understand his charge to the Ephesians to redeem the time or make the most of the time (kairos) (Eph 5:16+). Paul was going to make the most of this opportunity! Beloved, are you imitating Paul (a command - 1 Cor 11:1+), redeeming the precious moments? As Jesus said we must work while it is day, for night cometh when no man can work. (John 9:4) - PA
Bible Background Commentary - In the eastern part of the empire, Latin was confined to use in the military and in documents concerning Roman citizens. The public administration of Syria-Palestine used Greek, which was also the first language of the Jerusalem aristocracy, and most Jewish people in Palestine knew at least some Greek. The “tribune” (NRSV) or “commander” assumes that Paul is a particular troublemaker (Acts 21:38); most rabble-rousers he would know would have spoken Aramaic by choice. But most Egyptian business documents of this period were in Greek, which seems to have been the main language there; he thus should not be surprised that one he supposes to be an Egyptian speaks Greek. The point is not that Paul speaks Greek; it is that he speaks it without an accent, like someone educated and fluent in the language, which the tribune assumes the Egyptian Jew who had caused problems would not be. (The IVP Bible Background Commentary – New Testament)
Utley - The Colonel was surprised that Paul spoke Koine Greek because he apparently thought that Paul was an Egyptian insurrectionist that he had heard about (cf. v. 38 and Josephus’ Antiquities 20:8:6, 10). This Egyptian rebellion occurred between A.D. 52–57. - PA
…18On My account, you will be brought before governors and kings as witnesses to them and to the Gentiles. 19But when they hand you over, do not worry about how to respond or what to say. In that hour you will be given what to say. 20For it will not be you speaking, but the Spirit of your Father speaking through you.… Matthew 10: 18-20
V. 38 Led the 4000 men of the Assassins out into the wilderness - The Assassins came from a group of zealots who were not at all above acts of terror. Apparently the leaders were Jews who came up from Egypt. Jesus warned there would be many that came saying they were the Christ, or Messiah, and that has definitely been the case. I could just see this one claiming to fulfill Hosea 11, "Out of Egypt I have called My son", referring to Israel, in fulfillment of the Law through Christ. Christ goes there as a child to escape Herod. Many Jews went there against God's warning through the prophets, in order to continue their goddess worship. In Christianity we have the Apostasy of Rome to thank for that.
1When Israel was a child, I loved him, and out of Egypt I called My son. 2But the more I called Israel, the farther they departed from Me. They sacrificed to the Baals and burned incense to carved images.… Hosea 11: 1-2
Josephus Antiquities of the Jews, 20.167-172 records - These works, that were done by the robbers, filled the city with all sorts of impiety. And now these impostors and deceivers persuaded the multitude to follow them into the wilderness, 169 Moreover, there came out of Egypt about this time to Jerusalem one that said he was a prophet, and advised the multitude of the common people to go along with him to the Mount of Olives, as it was called, which lay over against the city, and at the distance of five furlongs. 170 He said further, that he would show them from hence how, at his command, the walls of Jerusalem would fall down; and he promised them that he would procure them an entrance into the city through those walls, when they were fallen down. 171 Now when Felix was informed of these things, he ordered his soldiers to take their weapons, and came against them with a great number of horsemen and footmen from Jerusalem, and attacked the Egyptian and the people that were with him. He also slew four hundred of them, and took two hundred alive. 172 But the Egyptian himself escaped out of the fight, but did not appear any more. And again the robbers stirred up the people to make war with the Romans, and said they ought not to obey them at all; and when any persons would not comply with them, they set fire to their villages, and plundered them. - Josephus
Josephus Wars of the Jews 2.13.3 on Sicarii - When the country was purged of these, there sprang up another sort of robbers in Jerusalem, which were called Sicarii, who slew men in the day time, and in the midst of the city: this they did chiefly at the festivals, when they mingled themselves among the multitude, and concealed daggers under their garments, with which they stabbed those that were their enemies; and when any fell down dead, the murderers became a part of those that had indignation against them, by which means they appeared persons of such reputation, that they could by no means be discovered. The first man who was slain by them was Jonathan the high priest, after whose death many were slain every day, while the fear men were in of being so served was more afflicting than the calamity itself, and while every body expected death every hour, as men do in war, so men were obliged to look before them, and to take notice of their enemies at a great distance; nor, if their friends were coming to them, durst they trust them any longer; but, in the midst of their suspicions and guarding of themselves, they were slain. Such was the celerity of the plotters against them, and so cunning was their contrivance. - Josephus
V. 39 I am a Jew of Tarsus in Cilicia - This was a major city, a place associated with schools of higher learning. Paul was a Roman citizen so they would have to take care that he received a fair trial, not the brutality of mob rule.
But Paul said, "I am (ego men eimi) a Jew (Ioudaios) of Tarsus in Cilicia a citizen of no insignificant city - Paul for the moment did not reveal that he was Roman citizen but a citizen of a well-known city. In the phrase no insignificant city we see Luke's use of understatement (and also a double negative) or litotes, a figure of speech in which understatement is used to emphasize a point by stating a negative (no insignificant) to further affirm a positive -- Tarsus is a significant city, in fact one of the great cities of the Roman empire. - PA
V. 40 Paul, standing on the stairs - God provides the preacher a pulpit, and not always the most congenial congregants, but he is now up where all can see, and when he spoke in Hebrew they paid the greater attention, for it was Jerusalem, and this was the language of the Jews.
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