22:23-24 Claudius Lysias could not understand why the Jews reacted as they did. If he did not understand Aramaic, his confusion would have been even greater. He could not tolerate a riot, so he decided to get the truth from Paul by threatening him and, if necessary, torturing him. This type of beating, with strips of leather embedded with scraps of bone or metal fastened to a stout wooden handle, usually resulted in death or permanent crippling. This is the weapon the Roman soldiers used to beat Jesus after Pilate had declared Him innocent (Matt. 27:26: John 18:38-19:1). This would have been the worst beating Paul ever experienced (cf. 16:22-23; 2 Cor. 11:24-25).
"In being called as witness to this Jesus, Paul was also called to suffering (9:16), suffering that increasingly looks like Jesus' suffering (cf. 21:11-14; 22:22) and includes an extensive series of trials and threats to Paul's life. The trials, even though extended over much more time and depicted in fuller scenes, resemble Jesus' trials. Both Jesus and Paul must appear before the Jewish council, the Roman governor, and a Jewish king. Both are repeatedly declared innocent yet not released."864
22:25 Roman law protected Roman citizens from the scourge (Lat. flagellum) before they went on trial and even if they were guilty.865The fact that Paul raised a question in his defense rather than demanding his release reflects his self-control in this dangerous situation. He was under the Spirit's control.
22:26-28 During the reign of Emperor Claudius (41-54 A.D.) it was possible to obtain Roman citizenship for a high price.866This had not always been possible in the empire. Earlier the government conferred citizenship for rendering valuable service to a Roman general or high official.867This is probably how Paul's father or grandfather received his citizenship. As the son of a Roman citizen, Paul inherited this status. Born citizens enjoyed greater respect than Romans who had bought their citizenship.
Roman citizens kept the documents proving their status in secure places, and nothing external identified them as citizens. People normally accepted a verbal claim to being a Roman citizen at face value since to claim citizenship falsely was a capital offense.868Claudius Lysias took the course of action that was safest for him and accepted Paul's claim.
22:29 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 (22:3) and a Roman citizen."869
