Exegetical and Hermeneutical Commentary of Acts 22:27
Then the chief captain came, and said unto him, Tell me, art thou a Roman? He said, Yea.
It is very reasonable that a good man should make use of such lawful privileges as the place in which he lives doth afford, and in his condition may be allowed. And it is part of that wisdom our Saviour does recommend, if it does not destroy the innocence of the dove, Mat 10:16.
Fuente: English Annotations on the Holy Bible by Matthew Poole
27-29. art thou a Roman?showingthat this being of Tarsus, which he had told him before (Ac21:39) did not necessarily imply that he was a Roman citizen.
Fuente: Jamieson, Fausset and Brown’s Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible
Then the chief captain came, and said unto him,…. To Paul:
tell me, art thou a Roman? he had told him before that he was a Jew of Tarsus, and which was true, and had said nothing of his being a Roman; wherefore the chief captain desires that he would tell him the whole truth of the matter, whether he was a Roman or not:
he said yea; that he was one.
Fuente: John Gill’s Exposition of the Entire Bible
Art thou a Roman? ( ?).
Thou (emphatic position) a Roman? It was unbelievable.
Fuente: Robertson’s Word Pictures in the New Testament
1) “Then the chief captain came, and said unto him,” (proselthon de he chiliarchos eipen auto) “Then the chief captain approaching (Paul) inquired of him;” Lysias was this chief captain of the entire Roman command, Act 23:26; Act 24:22.
2) “Tell me, art thou a Roman?” (lege moi su hromaios ei) “Tell me, are you a Roman?” Give it to me straight, confirm it, if you can. He had not apparently accepted that Paul was a Roman citizen, as Paul had formerly disclosed to him, that he was one, from Tarsus, Act 21:39.
3) “He said, yea.” (ho de ephe via) “Then he said, (replied), yea, I certainly am,” for he was, Act 21:39.
Fuente: Garner-Howes Baptist Commentary
(27) Art thou a Roman?The pronoun is emphatic: Thou, the Jew speaking both Greek and Hebrew, art thou a citizen of Rome? The combination of so many more or less discordant elements was so exceptional as to be almost incredible.
Fuente: Ellicott’s Commentary for English Readers (Old and New Testaments)
‘And the chief captain came and said to him, “Tell me, are you a Roman?” And he said, “Yes.” And the chief captain answered, “With a great sum obtained I this citizenship.” And Paul said, “But I am a Roman born.” ’
So the chief captain came and officially put to Paul the question as to whether he was a Roman. To answer untruthfully to that question would be a serious offence. But when Paul replied ‘yes’ he had cause to be afraid. Roman citizens had to be treated with care. Questioningly he said, ‘Such a citizenship cost me a great deal of money’. Paul replied, ‘But I was born a Roman citizen.’ That made clear that he came from a distinguished family, for he was born and bred with citizenship rights.
We know from Act 23:26 that the name of the chief officer was Claudius Lycias. He had probably therefore bought his freedom when citizenships were being sold off by the favourites of Claudius. Prior to that time citizenships had been more exclusive and given for especially meritorious service. Thus he knew that Paul’s ancestor must have been at the very least a very important official who was seen as loyal to the emperor.
It should be noted that for someone to claim to be a Roman citizen when they were not was a capital crime, and made them subject to summary execution, and as his citizenship could be proved or otherwise from citizenship records it would be foolish for a non-Roman citizen to make such a claim (each citizen was certificated on birth, a certificate which would be kept in the family records, but it may even be that they carried with them a certificate of citizenship. We actually know little about the details).
Fuente: Commentary Series on the Bible by Peter Pett
27 Then the chief captain came, and said unto him, Tell me, art thou a Roman? He said, Yea.
Ver. 27. He said, Yea ] And withal he made it out (likely) by sufficient proof to be so; he produced some convincing evidence, though it be not here recorded. All God’s people are fellow citizens with the saints, burgesses of the new Jerusalem, free denizens of heaven, Eph 2:19 ; Heb 12:23 ; where their names are enrolled long since, as the manner was at Rome, and likewise at Jerusalem, Psa 48:3 . But they must look up their evidences, and be able to prove their interest by irrefragable arguments, when Satan shall roar upon them and shake his chain at them. It should be our care and study to find out that which Luke calls the certainty, Act 1:4 , and not be led by conjectural suppositions, but be fully persuaded, Act 22:1 , and get such a victorious faith as the gates of hell may not prevail against. God is no way wanting to us herein, as having made heaven ours both by covenant and his testament, his covenant he hath written not only in his word, but also in our hearts; and we have witnesses thereof, three in heaven and three on earth; his seals also and oath to confirm it. And lest we should think that covenant may break, he hath likewise given us heaven by testament, confirmed by the death of the Testator. A certainty therefore may be had of our interest in heaven, of our names written there; and that is an ignorant distinction among Papists, that men may have a certainty of hope, but not of faith in matters of salvation.
Fuente: John Trapp’s Complete Commentary (Old and New Testaments)
Reciprocal: Act 22:25 – Is it
Fuente: The Treasury of Scripture Knowledge
7
Act 22:27. Again Paul’s word was all that was required, yet the captain wished to have the word personally from the lips of the apostle.
Fuente: Combined Bible Commentary
Act 22:27. Art thou a Roman? The haughty officer, proud of his nationality, could scarcely believe that the poor accused and probably insignificant-looking Jew before him was a citizen of Rome. The pronoun is strangely emphatic: Thouart thou a Roman?
Fuente: A Popular Commentary on the New Testament
See notes on verse 25
Fuente: McGarvey and Pendleton Commentaries (New Testament)
27. And the kiliarch, coming said to him, Tell me, art thou a Roman?
And he said, Yea.