Paul receives permission to speak concerning Jesus Christ.

Acts 21:37-22:1-2

Click for a description of the mark of the beast.
Click for a description of the image of the beast.

“Then as Paul was about to be led into the barracks, he said to the commander, “May I speak to you?” He replied, “Can you speak Greek? Are you not the Egyptian who some time ago stirred up a rebellion and led the four thousand assassins out into the wilderness?” Acts 21:37-38

In the previous post on the verses of Acts 21:33-36, the riot/protest of the mob was so forceful against Paul that he had to be carried inside the barracks by Roman soldiers. In today’s culture, there is a quiet riot [often vocal] against the belief in God, the need for the forgiveness of sin through Jesus Christ, and embracing the presence of the Holy Spirit. We are basically being moved into our private quarters away from the mainstream culture.

Paul spoke in Greek when he asked the Roman commander permission to speak to him. Greek was basically a Gentile or “secular” language of that day, and not Hebrew. Hebrew was the language of the Old Testament Jewish culture, but Greek was the language of the New Testament. Greek was used to write the New Testament to reach the general non-Jewish population, a broad audience of Gentiles. The Roman commander was surprised to hear Paul, a Jewish man, speaking the secular language of Greek and not the Jewish language of Hebrew.

Today’s guardians of the atheistic culture would be very surprised to hear Christians speaking their secular language. That language is that of humanism, which is the fig leaf worn by the entity that gives people what to think, feel, say, and do. The words of that secular language are rooted in the definition of humanism, which is “…an outlook or system of thought attaching prime importance to human rather than divine or supernatural matters. Humanist beliefs stress the potential value and goodness of human beings, emphasize common human needs, and seek solely rational ways of solving human problems:”

As we see in the next verses, the Roman commander permitted Paul to speak to the crowds. Likewise, if we spoke the secular language of today’s culture, we too would be able to speak to the crowds. This is why so many TV ministries and the preachers of the churches of today leave out the Gospel of Jesus Christ: to be received as partners with the community agenda. The secular language of today’s culture comes through the beast with two horns like a lamb of Revelations 13:11-12, which is Satan’s version of the Holy Spirit.

After Paul spoke Greek, the Roman commander accused Paul of stirring up a rebellion and leading four thousand assassins out into the wilderness. Because the Jewish culture already painted Paul as being someone who stirs up chaos, the Roman commander stuck with that narrative. And went even further to accuse Paul of plotting to murder as many Romans as he could. The Romans were very much against any type of turbulence within the Roman Empire and would not cut any slack to those who showed themselves to be stirring up trouble.

In today’s culture, we could speak in the secular language of humanism, the fig leaf of the entity that gives people what to think, feel, say, and do, but if we are known as Christians, then we will be accused of trying to cause more turbulence in the atheistic culture. We would be accused of trying to assassinate the entity that intertwines itself within the thoughts, feelings, words, and behaviors of people. We would be called murderers of the entity that gives life to the image of the beast to speak and live through today’s culture, which is global. We would be accused of trying to assassinate the grooming of people to the mark of the beast.

“But Paul said, “I am a Jew from Tarsus, in Cilicia, a citizen of no mean city; and I implore you, permit me to speak to the people.” So when he had given him permission, Paul stood on the stairs and motioned with his hand to the people. And when there was a great silence, he spoke to them in the Hebrew language, saying, “Brethren and fathers, hear my defense before you now.” And when they heard that he spoke to them in the Hebrew language, they kept all the more silent.” Acts 21:39-22:1-2

In today’s world, we literally have to seek permission to speak the Gospel of Christ in public. Cites all across the nation have ordinances that require permits for public speaking in public places. Especially in apartment complexes, public speaking to spread the Gospel of Christ, and any such Christian evangelism is banned. I remember participating in “open airs” in the city park, on street corners, and at a public lake, which is to play band instruments, have born-again testimonies, and preach the Gospel of Christ. All of that has been banned nowadays.

After the Roman commander accused Paul of being an Egyptian leader of 4000 assassins, Paul identified himself as being a Jew, not an Egyptian. Paul wanted to speak to the Hebrew Jewish people, his people. Paul spoke to them in the cultural language of the Jewish tradition, and when the Jewish people heard Paul speak in Hebrew, they were very quiet and attentive to what he had to say. Paul used the Greek language to win the non-Jewish people to Jesus Christ and that is why the Jewish people wanted to kill him, because he brought God to the Gentiles through Jesus Christ instead of requiring the laws of Judaism to come to God.

As followers of Jesus Christ, His Gospel is written on our heart, which is our born-again experience. We could leave out the Gospel of Christ, and use scripture verses to speak of humanism, and today’s culture would be attentive. But Jesus says, “And in vain they worship Me, teaching as doctrines the commandments of men.’” Matthew 15:9 Our Lord Jesus also says, “How can you believe, who receive honor from one another, and do not seek the honor that comes from the only God? John 5:44

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“….to you who do not hold to her teaching and have not learned Satan’s so-called deep secrets,“
‘I will not impose any other burden on you, except to hold on to what you have until I come.’”
“I am coming soon. Hold on to what you have, so that no one will take your crown.”
Revelation 2:24-25, 3:1