What does Acts 22:10 mean?
Upon the completion of his third missionary journey, Paul has returned to Jerusalem to give an update to the apostles and the elders of the church. With him are several Jewish and Gentile Jesus-followers who have brought support from their home congregations for the Jerusalem church (Acts 20:4; Romans 15:26). One of these is Trophimus, with whom Paul walked through Jerusalem. Jews from the same province as Trophimus saw him with Paul, and later saw Paul in the temple. They falsely assume Paul brought Trophimus—a Gentile—into the temple. They drag Paul away and incite the crowd to pound on him. Roman soldiers rescue Paul who is now explaining to the mob why he was with Trophimus in the city (Acts 21:27–40).Paul is telling about his conversion, how he started with strict Pharisee training that led him to persecute Christians, even chasing them to Damascus. While Paul was on the road to Damascus, Jesus arrived in a great light and accused Paul of persecuting Him. Blinded, Paul entered Damascus and spent three days fasting until a man named Ananias arrived and led him to believe in Jesus (Acts 9:1–19; 22:3–9, 11–13).
When Paul eventually returned to Jerusalem, his old associates did not welcome his conversion and tried to kill him. Paul went to the temple to pray (Acts 22:17–18). Jesus told him the Jews would no longer accept him, so he would be His witness to the Gentiles (Acts 9:28–30; 22:21). Trophimus is one of those Gentiles.
Acts 22:6–16 continues Paul's defense against accusations that he both breaks the Mosaic law and associates with Gentiles. He has described his early life training to be a Pharisee and persecuting the church (Acts 22:3–5). Now, he explains how he came to follow Jesus of Nazareth as the Messiah. His accusers show polite interest in his story until he arrives at the point in the narrative where Jesus tells him to give Gentiles the way of salvation. Paul's conversion experience is also recorded in Acts 9:1–19 and reiterated in Acts 26:12–18.
In Acts 22, a young Roman military officer realizes he cannot control Jews who do not wish to be controlled. He has just rescued Paul from a crowd that largely doesn't know why they want to kill Paul. In hopes of gathering information, the tribune allows Paul to speak to the crowd. The crowd listens only briefly, then explodes again. The tribune tries flogging but is foiled by Paul's Roman citizenship. Finally, the tribune schedules a meeting with the Sanhedrin. It does not go well (Acts 23:1–10).
