THURSDAY November 16, 2023
Ascertaining the Truth
He immediately took soldiers and centurions, and ran down to them. And when they saw the commander and the soldiers, they stopped beating Paul. Then the commander came near and took him, and commanded him to be bound with two chains; and he asked who he was and what he had done. And some among the multitude cried one thing and some another. So when he could not ascertain the truth because of the tumult, he commanded him to be taken into the barracks.
Acts 21:32-34
In the midst of the tumult, the Roman commander arrived with his army. When the Jews saw the advancing troops, they stopped beating Paul. The commander ordered Paul to be bound with two chains, and he tried to determine the truth about him, saying, “Who is he and what has he done?” But the crowd remained confused and divided on how to answer.
Due to the volatile conditions, the commander ordered Paul to be taken to the safety of the barracks. Interestingly, the fact that Paul was a Roman citizen was hidden from the commander. According to their law, a Roman could not be imprisoned or beaten! However, this situation would actually give Paul an opportunity to minister to both the Romans and the Jews.
Paul had yet again endured hostility. In 2 Corinthians 6, we are given an understanding of his godly attitude and response to Christian persecution:
...we commend ourselves as ministers of God: in much patience, in tribulations, in needs, in distresses, in stripes, in imprisonments, in tumults, in labors, in sleeplessness, in fastings; by purity, by knowledge, by longsuffering, by kindness, by the Holy Spirit, by sincere love, by the word of truth, by the power of God, by the armor of righteousness on the right hand and on the left, by honor and dishonor, by evil report and good report; as deceivers, and yet true; as unknown, and yet well known; as dying, and behold we live; as chastened, and yet not killed; as sorrowful, yet always rejoicing; as poor, yet making many rich; as having nothing, and yet possessing all things (2 Corinthians 6:4-10).
How can you relate personally to Paul’s testimony?
God himself will have his servants, and his graces, tried and exercised by difficulties.
~Richard Baxter~
For more from Raul Ries, please visit SomebodyLovesYou.com!
