Exegetical and Hermeneutical Commentary of Acts 22:29
Then straightway they departed from him which should have examined him: and the chief captain also was afraid, after he knew that he was a Roman, and because he had bound him.
29. which should have examined him ] This is old English for “which were about to examine him” which the Rev. Ver. gives. The verb is euphemistically employed for the scourging which it was proposed to administer to obtain information from St Paul.
because he had bound him ] i.e. bound him for the purpose of scourging. To be bound with a chain as a prisoner was not prohibited in the case of Romans. Hence we find St Paul speaking often in the Epistles, written during his imprisonment at Rome, of the bonds and the “chain” with which he was afflicted. Cp. Php 1:7; Php 1:13-14; Php 1:16; Col 4:18; Phm 1:10; Phm 1:13. Also Act 28:20, while the next verse in this chapter shews that though the Apostle was unloosed from the whipping-post, he was still kept in bands.
Fuente: The Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges
Then straightway – Immediately. They saw that by scourging him they would have Violated the Roman law, and exposed themselves to its penalty.
Which should have examined him – Who were about to torture him by scourging him, Act 22:24.
Because he had bound him – Preparatory to scourging him. The act of binding a Roman citizen with such an intent, untried and uncondemned, was unlawful. Prisoners Who were to be scourged were usually bound by the Romans to a pillar or post; and a Similar custom prevailed among the Jews. That it was unlawful to bind a man with this intent, who was uncondemned, appears from an express declaration in Cicero (against Verres): It is a heinous sin to bind a Roman citizen; it is wickedness to beat him; it is next to parricide to kill him, and what Shall I say to crucify him?
Fuente: Albert Barnes’ Notes on the Bible
Verse 29. After he knew that he was a Roman] He who was going to scourge him durst not proceed to the torture when Paul declared himself to be a Roman. A passage from Cicero, Orat. pro Verr. Act. ii. lib. v. 64, throws the fullest light on this place: Ille, quisquis erat, quem tu in crucem rapiebas, qui tibi esset ignotus, cum civem se Romanum esse diceret, apud te Praetorem, si non effugium, ne moram quidem mortis mentione atque usurpatione civitatis assequi potuit? “Whosoever he might be whom thou wert hurrying to the rack, were he even unknown to thee, if he said that he was a Roman citizen, he would necessarily obtain from thee, the Praetor, by the simple mention of Rome, if not an escape, yet at least a delay of his punishment.” The whole of the sixty-fourth and sixty-fifth sections of this oration, which speak so pointedly on this subject, are worthy of consideration. Of this privilege he farther says, Ib. in cap. lvii., Illa vox et exclamatio, Civis Romanus sum, quae saepe multis in ultimis terris opem inter barbaros et salutem tulit, c. That exclamation, I am a Roman citizen, which often times has brought assistance and safety, even among barbarians, in the remotest parts of the earth, c.
PLUTARCH likewise, in his Life of Pompey, (vol. iii. p. 445, edit. Bryan,) says, concerning the behaviour of the pirates, when they had taken any Roman prisoner, . . what was the most contumelious was this when any of those whom they had made captives cried out, , THAT HE WAS A ROMAN, and told them his name, they pretended to be surprised, and be in a fright, and smote upon their thighs, and fell down (on their knees) to him, beseeching him to pardon them! It is no wonder then that the torturer desisted, when Paul cried out that he was a Roman and that the chief captain was alarmed, because he had bound him.
Fuente: Adam Clarke’s Commentary and Critical Notes on the Bible
They departed from him, who had bound him, and would have scourged him.
The chief captain also was afraid; the crime of breaking the privileges of the Roman citizens being accounted no less than treason, and a sin, as they called it, against the majesty of that people; as afterwards it was as great an offence against their emperors.
Fuente: English Annotations on the Holy Bible by Matthew Poole
29. chief captain also was afraid,&c.See on Ac 16:38.
Fuente: Jamieson, Fausset and Brown’s Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible
Then straightway they departed from him, which should have examined him,…. By scourging; namely, the soldiers, who under the inspection of the centurion, and by the order of the chief captain, were binding him with thongs to scourge him, and thereby extort from him his crime, which was the cause of all this disturbance; but hearing that he was a Roman, either of their own accord, or rather at the order of their officers, either the centurion or chief captain, or both, left binding him, and went their way:
and the chief captain also was afraid after he knew that he was a Roman; lest he should be called to an account for his conduct, and his commission should be taken from him: chiefly,
and because he had bound him; not only had commanded him to be bound with thongs to a pillar, in order to be scourged, but he had bound him with two chains, when first seized him; and, as before observed,
[See comments on Ac 22:25]; it was a heinous crime to bind a Roman.
Fuente: John Gill’s Exposition of the Entire Bible
Departed from him ( ‘ ). Second aorist active indicative (intransitive) of , stood off from him at once.
Was afraid (). Ingressive aorist passive indicative of , became afraid. He had reason to be.
That he was a Roman ( ). Indirect assertion with tense of retained.
Because he had bound him ( ). Causal here after declarative just before. Periphrastic past perfect active of , to bind.
Fuente: Robertson’s Word Pictures in the New Testament
1) “Then straightway they departed from him,” (eutheos oun apestesan ap’ autou) “Immediately therefore they stood off, backed off from him,” from binding and scourging him.
2) “Which should have examined him: (hoi mellontes auton anetazein) “Those who were about to examine him by means of scourging,”
3) “And the chief captain also was afraid,” (kai ho kiliarchos de ephobethe) “Then (at that point) the chief captain, Claudius Lysias, was also afraid,” for he was legally responsible to Caesar for the affair, and manner in which it was handled, Act 23:26; Act 24:22.
4) “After he knew that he was a Roman,” (epignous hoti hromaios estin) “Fully realizing (fully convinced) that he was a Roman,” very much as the magistrates at Philippi, after they had ordered him beaten without a trial, Act 16:38.
5) “And because he had bound him.” (kai hoti auton en dekekos) “And because he had had him fully bound,” and humiliated without legal evidence of guilt as a Roman citizen, Act 21:33. He was now convinced that he had acted illegally, without investigation, by having bound Paul for the scourging. His bonds (chains)were, no doubt, less severe after the captain was convinced that he was a free born Roman citizen, Act 22:24-28.
Fuente: Garner-Howes Baptist Commentary
(29) Which should have examined him.The verb had acquired the secondary sense (just as putting to the question did in medival administration of justice) of examining by torture.
Because he had bound him.The words seem to refer to the second act of binding (Act. 22:25) rather than the first (Act. 21:33). The chains fastened to the arms were thought of, as we see afterwards, when St. Pauls citizenship was an acknowledged fact (Act. 26:29; Eph. 3:1; Eph. 4:1), as not incompatible with the respect due to a Roman citizen. The binding, as slaves were bound, with leathern thongs, was quite another matter.
Fuente: Ellicott’s Commentary for English Readers (Old and New Testaments)
29. Departed The underlings require no order to desist, and depart. The chiliarch is fearful, not because he has bound Paul with chains for security, for that was lawful; but because he has bound him for the scourging. Accordingly, he is not released until the morrow; but from this time the chiliarch treats Paul with consideration, and exerts himself for his safety and deliverance from any injustice from the Jews.
Fuente: Whedon’s Commentary on the Old and New Testaments
‘Those then who were about to examine him straightway left him alone, and the chief captain also was afraid when he knew that he was a Roman, and because he had bound him.’
Once the chief captain had learned this, Paul was unbound and ‘left alone’. And the chief captain was afraid because he knew that he could be punished for even having bound him ready for scourging. As a Roman citizen Paul was then probably given a limited freedom within the fortress.
Fuente: Commentary Series on the Bible by Peter Pett
Arrangements for a decent hearing:
v. 29. Then straightway they departed from him which should have examined him; and the chief captain also was afraid after he knew that he was a Roman, and because he had bound him.
v. 30. On the morrow, because he would have known the certainty wherefore he was accused of the Jews, he loosed him from his bands, and commanded the chief priests and all their Council to appear, and brought Paul down, and set him before them. The declaration of Paul that he was a free-born Roman citizen had its immediate effect. Those that were to put the question to him with torture stepped back immediately, with alacrity, for the torture was illegal in the case of a Roman citizen, although it might be employed in the case of slaves and foreigners. Even the chiliarch felt rather uncomfortable with fear, since he had now found out that Paul was a Roman citizen, and because he had bound him. If Paul had been of a vindictive nature, he might have caused the tribune some difficulty, but revenge did not enter his thoughts, since his object had been gained. But the commander now acted more carefully. It was still his firm resolve to find out the real reason why Paul was being accused by the Jews, what the trouble really was about. So he had Paul freed from his bonds, and commanded that the high priests and the entire Synedrion come together, the hearing probably taking place in their own council-chamber or at some place in the city outside of the Tower of Antonia, most likely in the Court of the Gentiles, where the Romans were permitted to appear, since he led Paul down from the hill and placed him in front of them. Thus the prophecy of Agabus had been fulfilled, and Paul was in the hands of the Gentiles, delivered there by the hands of his own countrymen.
Summary. Paul’s speech to the Jews, first listened to in interested silence, is interrupted by shouts of anger, after which Paul saves himself from a scourging at the hands of the soldiers by declaring his Roman citizenship.
Fuente: The Popular Commentary on the Bible by Kretzmann
Act 22:29. Which should have examined him: Put him to the question or torture. See on Act 22:24. The latter part of the verse might be better rendered, the chief captain was afraid,because he had bound him, knowing that he was a Rom
Inferences.The learned education which St. Paul had received at the feet of Gamaliel, was once, no doubt, matter of his boasting and confidence. Unsanctified learning,that potent snare to many an unstable mind,made his bonds strong, and furnished him with frequent and specious arguments to oppose the gospel; yet, when once divine grace had changed his heart, and turned these accomplishments into their proper channel, they made the conquest so much the more glorious, and rendered him the fitter instrument to subserve the merciful purposes of the almighty and all-wise God, for the defence and propagation of Christianity. Wherever learning is possessed, may it always be so directed and improved! and wherever it is perverted and abused, may Christ thus manifest his victorious arm, to cast down imaginations, and every high thing which exalts itself in daring rebellion against him!
By whatever methods God has been pleased to bring us home to himself, and to introduce into our minds the saving light of his gospel, we shall have, if faithful unto death, long,nay, everlasting reason, with St. Paul, to recollect it with pleasure. They who have obtained mercy of the Lord, should make it their care often to bring back to remembrance the particular circumstances of it, and be ready, on every proper occasion, to recount those wonders of power and love for the encouragement and instruction of others. Compare 1Ti 1:16.
How adorable the condescension of that blessed Redeemer, who spared this prostrate enemy, and reduced him by the tender expostulations of mercy, rather than the terrors of wrath! It is of the same divine mercy that we are not all consumed, and because his compassions fail not. Speak, ever speak thus from heaven, O Lord, to those who ignorantly persecute thee; and make them humbly willing to receive the law from thy mouth, and to embrace thee as their only Saviour!
We learn from Act 22:17-18 as well as from many other passages of sacred writ, that our Lord Jesus Christ, though invisible, is present while the proclamation of his gospel is made, and ever attentive to the temper with which it is received. Justly therefore does he resent the injury which is done him, when these messages of life and peace are neglected: justly does he often, in the course of his providence, remove those ordinances which men have ungratefully slighted, as did these Jews of Jerusalem; and call away the faithful ministers, who have all the day long stretched out their hands in vain to a disobedient and gainsaying people. Rom 10:21.
But what cruel malignity did these Jews express, whom all the wonders of that astonishing relation given by the holy apostle could not convince, nor all the eloquence of it persuade!On the contrary, for no crimebut that of being made the ambassador of divine mercy, the instrument of deliverance to thousands of perishing sinners,they raise a clamour against the delegate of Heaven, as if he were the most impious of blasphemers; and would have hurried him from the face of the earth as unfit to live upon it. How much less were they fit to continue there? But thus forbidding the apostle to speak unto the Gentiles, (as he himself observes,) they filled up the measure of their iniquities; so that, after the abused mercy of God had waited a little longer, his deserved wrath came upon them to the uttermost. 1Th 2:16.
As unrighteous as it was in the Roman officer, on this popular clamour, to attempt putting this holy apostle to the torture, so reasonable was St. Paul’s plea, as a Roman citizen, to decline that suffering. It is a prudence worthy the imitation of the bravest of men, not to throw themselves into unnecessary difficulties. True courage widely differs from rash and heedless temerity; nor are we under any obligation, as Christians, to give up our civil privileges, which ought to be esteemed as the gifts of God, to every insolent and turbulent invader. In a thousand circumstances, gratitude to God, and duty to men, will oblige us to insist upon them; and a generous concern for those who are to come after us, should engage us to labour and strive that we may transmit them down to posterity improved, rather than impaired.
REFLECTIONS.1st, No sooner had the apostle obtained permission to speak, and all in silence listened, than with noble composure of mind, and in the most respectful manner, he addressed himself to the people, saying, Men, brethren, and fathers, hear ye my defence, which I make now unto you. He touches not on their violence, but merely aims to apologize for himself, and undeceive them respecting the false charges laid against him; and it is the greatest injustice to condemn any man, till he has been heard impartially in his own defence.
As he spoke aloud to them in the Hebrew dialect, which they understood, they kept the more silence, and he proceeded as follows.
1. He gives them an account of his parentage and education. He was one of their own body, a native Jew, a Hebrew of Hebrews; not a poor obscure man, nor illiterate, as some might have said; but a freeman of Tarsus in Cilicia, and educated under the most famous of their rabbis, at the feet of the learned Gamaliel: and as he was thus early initiated in the most critical and accurate knowledge of the Mosaical law, with all the traditional comments of the elders thereupon; so was he most zealous for these institutions, and for the observance of these traditions, from a conscientious regard to God’s glory, as they themselves now appeared to be.
2. He informs them of the bitter enmity which he had himself formerly expressed against that religion of Jesus which he now preached. He had been a bloody persecutor of the disciples of Jesus; furious to extirpate the Christian name from the earth; seizing without respect of rank, age, or sex, the professors of Christianity; and dragging them to prisons, endeavouring by every ignominy and cruelty to compel them to blaspheme and recant. And for this he appeals to the high-priest and sanhedrim, by whom he had been employed, and under the sanction of whose commission he had been sent to Damascus, to seize and carry prisoners to Jerusalem all who should be there found professing the Christian religion; that they might be proceeded against, and punished as apostates. None could have been farther from Christianity than himself: the bitterest of those who now persecuted him, came short of the enmity which he had shewn against it.
3. He relates the history of his conversion. It proceeded from no affectation of novelty, no discontent at being disappointed of preferment, from no worldly motives, nor the sophistry of others; but was the immediate miraculous work of God. For as he was ready to enter Damascus, with all his prejudices, and breathing out threatenings and slaughter, suddenly at noon a light from heaven, brighter than the meridian sun, shone around him; and, falling in terror to the earth, he heard the voice of Jesus, saying, Saul, Saul, why persecutest thou me? And when trembling, and astonished, he answered, Who art thou, Lord? it was replied, I am Jesus of Nazareth, whom thou persecutest. Convinced now of his own dreadful guilt, and earnest to escape the fearful consequences thereof, he begs to be informed what he must do; when the Lord bid him go to Damascus, and there he should receive information of every thing that was appointed for him to do. And being now raised from the earth, and blinded with the heavenly light, his companions led him by the hand to Damascus; for the truth or which facts they could witness, this being no fancy or delusion; for though they heard not distinctly the words which were spoken, they saw the light, were terrified, and fell to the earth together with him, and heard the sound of a voice, though not the articulate discourse.
4. He declares the farther instructions and cure which he received from Ananias, whose character he describes, to recommend him to their regard. He was a devout man according to the law, and though a Christian, still zealously observed the ritual service, having a good report of all the Jews which dwelt there, for his exemplary life and conversation, and attachment to the temple worship. He came, and said, Brother Saul, receive thy sight, which was no sooner spoken than accomplished: the same hour I looked up upon him. Then Ananias delivered his message, and said, The God of our fathers hath chosen thee, that thou shouldest know his will, as revealed in the gospel, and see that Just One, who so wrongfully suffered; and shouldest hear the voice of his mouth, and in some future time receive a fuller commission and farther instructions from him. For thou shalt be his witness unto all men, to the Jews and Gentiles, of what thou hast seen and heard. And now why tarriest thou? without delay arise, and be baptized, receiving this instituted sign of admission into his church, and to all the privileges of it; and wash away thy sins, now pardoned through his atoning blood, calling on the name of the Lord, the only Saviour, that all the blessings of his gospel may be conferred upon thee, according to his promises.
5. He informs them of the divine warrant by which he was commissioned to go and preach to the Gentiles. It was given him at Jerusalem, while he was in the temple praying; where he fell into a trance, and saw this divine Redeemer, who said unto him, Get thee quickly out of Jerusalem; for they will not receive thy testimony concerning me, being obstinately prejudiced against it. And I said, unwilling to leave my dear countrymen, for whose souls I so earnestly longed, and to whom I fancied my ministry might be particularly convincing, Lord, they know that I imprisoned and beat in every synagogue them that believed on thee. And when the blood of thy martyr Stephen was shed, I also was standing by, and consenting unto his death, and kept the raiment of them that slew him. And this he urges as a reason why the people would now more readily regard his testimony, when he preached that faith which he once destroyed; since it must needs be a supernatural power which could produce so wonderful a conversion. But the Lord, who knew the hearts of all men, and that his ministry would be rejected by the Jews, repeated his command Depart, and appointed him other work; for I will send thee far hence unto the Gentiles.
From all which they might see clearly how far he was from being that enemy to the Jewish nation and worship, which he was represented to be; how earnestly he would have continued labouring among them; how reluctant he was to leave Jerusalem; and by what most express divine authority he acted in his labours among the Gentiles.
2nd, Hitherto with patience the Jews gave audience to the apostle’s discourse; but the very mention of the Gentiles fired their indignation, and they would hear no more.
1. They cried out in the most raging fury, Away with such a fellow from the earth; for it is not fit that he should live; the very thought that the idolatrous Gentiles should be preferred to them, exasperated them beyond bounds, and they imagined no punishment was equal to the desert of such a miscreant, who could dare plead a divine commission to preach to the abhorred heathen. Therefore they cried out against him with the utmost detestation, and cast off their clothes, resolved to stone him on the spot as an apostate and blasphemer; and threw dust into the air to express the violence of their rage, or as if they wanted to bury him alive. Thus have the greatest and best that the world was ever blessed with, been treated as the offscouring of all things, and unworthy of the air they breathed.
2. The chief captain Lysias, seeing such madness and fury expressed by the people, commanded Paul to be brought into the castle, partly to shelter him from the popular rage, partly from the apprehension that he must needs have been guilty of some enormous wickedness, which could occasion such general abhorrence; and therefore he most unjustly bade, without further inquiry, that he should be examined by scourging, to extort a confession from himself of the supposed crime which made the people so violent against him.
3. When the soldiers who were about to execute the chief captain’s command, were binding the apostle with thongs to the pillar in order to scourge him, St. Paul mildly addressed himself to the centurion who stood by, and said, Is it lawful for you to scourge a man that is a Roman, and uncondemned? The centurion, startled at this intimation, and knowing the dangerous consequence of such a procedure, stayed the soldiers, and went immediately to acquaint the chief captain, suggesting to him the necessity of proceeding with caution, since the person whom they had in custody was one of much greater distinction than they apprehended, being a Roman citizen.
4. The chief captain Lysias, knowing the jealousy of the Roman citizens, and the severity of the law against those who should dare to bind or scourge any of them, especially without a fair and public trial, came directly, and desired to be informed in this point, saying, Art thou a Roman citizen? St. Paul said, Yea. The chief captain, surprised at this, answered, With a great sum obtained I this freedom; and you seem a poor Jew, unable to purchase so high a dignity: and Paul, who held his privilege from a more honourable source, said, But I was free-born.
5. Instantly orders were given for his being loosed. They who were about to scourge him, departed; and the chief captain himself was under terrible apprehensions, lest, if St. Paul should complain of this outrage, it might be attended with very ill consequences to himselfthat he had rashly proceeded so far as to bind his prisoner, he being a Roman. Our civil privileges are invaluable blessings.
6. The next day, the chief captain, desirous of coming at the certainty of the thing laid to St. Paul’s charge, commanded the chief priests and all their council to appear; and having loosed him from his bands, that he might not seem to prejudice his cause, and treat him as a criminal without proof, he brought Paul down, and set him before them, that they might bring their accusations, and he be at liberty to answer in his own defence.
Fuente: Commentary on the Holy Bible by Thomas Coke
29 Then straightway they departed from him which should have examined him: and the chief captain also was afraid, after he knew that he was a Roman, and because he had bound him.
Ver. 29. Then straightway they departed from him ] Thus wonderfully and opportunely doth the Lord free his people, sometimes, from evils and enemies, when in human apprehension there is no way of escape.
Fuente: John Trapp’s Complete Commentary (Old and New Testaments)
29. ] moreover , ‘more than that.’
.] There is no inconsistency (as De W.) in the tribune’s being afraid because he had bound him, and then letting him remain thus bound. Meyer rightly explains it, that the tribune, having committed this error, is afraid of the possible consequences of it (‘facinus est vinciri civem R., scelus verberari,’ Cic. Verr. v. 66), and shews this by taking the first opportunity of either undoing it , or justifying his further detention , by loosing him , and bringing him before the Sanhedrim . His fear was on account of his first false step ; but it was now too late to reverse it: and the same reason which leads him to continue it now, operates afterwards ( ., ch. Act 23:18 ) when the hearing was delayed. That cannot, as Bloomfield and Wordsworth suppose, refer only to the binding before scourging , its immediate juxtaposition with in the next verse sufficiently shews. Besides, the mere circumstance of a preparation for scourging having been begun in ignorance, and left off as soon as the knowledge was received , would rather have relieved, than occasioned, the fear of the tribune. A more cogent reason still is, that can properly only apply to an action still continuing when the fear was felt: that he had put him into custody . ‘The centurion believed Paul’s word, because a false claim of this nature, being easily exposed, and punishable with death (Suet. Claud. 25), was almost an unprecedented thing.’ Hackett.
Fuente: Henry Alford’s Greek Testament
Act 22:29 . , cf. Act 3:24 , Luk 2:35 , Mat 10:18 ; Mat 16:18 , Joh 6:51 ; Joh 15:27 , Rom 11:23 , 2Ti 3:12 , and other instances, Grimm-Thayer, sub v. , , 9. , cf. Act 16:38 , and the magistrates of Philippi. He seems to have broken two laws, the Lex Porcia and the law mentioned above, Act 22:26 . . : the punishment for pretending to be a Roman citizen was death, and therefore St. Paul’s own avowal would have been sufficient, Suet., Claudius , 25. : on the construction usual in Luke see Act 1:10 . The words may be best referred to the binding in Act 22:25 like a slave; this is more natural than to refer them to Act 21:33 . If this latter view is correct, it seems strange that Paul should have remained bound until the next day, Act 22:30 . No doubt it is quite possible that the Apostle’s bonds were less severe after the chiliarch was aware of his Roman citizenship, and that the later notices, Act 23:18 , Act 24:27 , Act 26:29 , Act 27:42 , may contrast favourably with Act 21:33 .
Fuente: The Expositors Greek Testament by Robertson
straightway. Greek. eutheos, as in Act 21:30 (forthwith).
departed. See note on Act 19:9.
should have, &c. = were about to examine.
Fuente: Companion Bible Notes, Appendices and Graphics
29. ] moreover, more than that.
.] There is no inconsistency (as De W.) in the tribunes being afraid because he had bound him, and then letting him remain thus bound. Meyer rightly explains it, that the tribune, having committed this error, is afraid of the possible consequences of it (facinus est vinciri civem R., scelus verberari, Cic. Verr. v. 66), and shews this by taking the first opportunity of either undoing it, or justifying his further detention, by loosing him, and bringing him before the Sanhedrim. His fear was on account of his first false step; but it was now too late to reverse it: and the same reason which leads him to continue it now, operates afterwards ( ., ch. Act 23:18) when the hearing was delayed. That cannot, as Bloomfield and Wordsworth suppose, refer only to the binding before scourging, its immediate juxtaposition with in the next verse sufficiently shews. Besides, the mere circumstance of a preparation for scourging having been begun in ignorance, and left off as soon as the knowledge was received, would rather have relieved, than occasioned, the fear of the tribune. A more cogent reason still is, that can properly only apply to an action still continuing when the fear was felt: that he had put him into custody. The centurion believed Pauls word, because a false claim of this nature, being easily exposed, and punishable with death (Suet. Claud. 25), was almost an unprecedented thing. Hackett.
Fuente: The Greek Testament
Act 22:29. [, straightway) If thou dost purpose aught against any of the sons of GOD, immediately, when thou hast discovered that it is such a one, give over.-V. g.]-, was afraid) on account of the great penalty thereby incurred.- ) This depends not on , but On .
Fuente: Gnomon of the New Testament
examined him
Or, tortured him.
Fuente: Scofield Reference Bible Notes
examined him: or, tortured him, Act 22:24, Heb 11:35
the chief: Act 22:25, Act 22:26, Act 16:38, Act 16:39
Reciprocal: Mat 27:2 – bound Act 21:33 – be
Fuente: The Treasury of Scripture Knowledge
9
Act 22:29. Examine him means to make a judicial investigation, and it was to have been done in connection with a scourging. (See verse 24). The persons who had been called to carry out the scourging were dismissed. The captain was afraid because he had acted rashly in his rough handling of a Roman citizen. He felt that he might be called to account for improper conduct of his office.
Fuente: Combined Bible Commentary
Act 22:29. Then straightway they departed from him which should have examined him. That is to say, those soldiers who with the centurion were about to carry the sentence of scourging into execution. It is noticeable how the word rendered should have examined had acquired the sense of examining by torture.
The chief captain also was afraid, after he knew that he was a Roman, and because he had bound him. The old magical power of the words, Civis Romanus sum, I am a Roman citizen, was by no means gone when Paul spoke to the soldiers of the tower of Antonia. Although the stern rules which once forbade torture to be applied to any citizen of Rome had been violated even so early as the time of Tiberius, when torture was endured by citizens of the highest rank, still we imagine for a long while provincial officials would stand in awe of the old name which once was so venerated and still bore with it many precious privileges. On this occasion his claim to the citizenship saved him from the lictors rods, though he still remained bound; for Act 22:30 tells us he was not loosed from his bands until the morrow, when he was brought before the Sanhedrim. There is no doubt but that the statement of Act 22:29, which states how the chief captain was afraid because he had bound a Roman, refers not to the fact simply of his being fettered, but to his having been fastened to the pillar to receive the blows of the rods.
Fuente: A Popular Commentary on the New Testament
See notes on verse 25
Fuente: McGarvey and Pendleton Commentaries (New Testament)
22:29 Then straightway they departed from him which should have examined him: and the chief captain also was afraid, after he knew that he was {d} a Roman, and because he had bound him.
(d) Not by nation, but by the law of his city of birth.
Fuente: Geneva Bible Notes
The soldiers should not have bound Paul until someone had formally charged him with a crime.
"The narrative of an action-packed day ends after this indication that Paul is fully a member of the two worlds to which he has been sent. He is both a devout Jew (Act 22:3) and a Roman citizen." [Note: Tannehill, 2:284.]