22:19-21
Paul wasn’t too keen to leave Jerusalem, thinking that his record of persecuting Christians would somehow stand him in good stead. He also states that when Stephen was martyred he stood there giving approval. But God had other plans, namely to send Paul to the Gentiles with the good news. There may be times when changes are coming about in our lives that we do not like, even seem to be upsetting good work that we are doing. But it may be that God has even greater plans. Note, however, that God often communicated with Paul, informing him of what he was doing, and why.
22:22
I don’t know if Paul expected his speech to have an emollient effect on the crowd or not, but if he did he was to be greatly disappointed. Instead the crowd just wanted to get rid of Paul, possibly killing him. They knew that Paul truly understood Judaism, and deeply steeped in it. Yet despite all this he had deliberately chosen (as they saw it) to reject their religion and was a keen advocate of an alternative religion. He was a threat to them, as they saw it. Of course, the gospel is the fulfilment of the Law and the Prophets, and it was their religious leaders who were unfaithful to the Law and the Prophets. But that was not how it seemed to them.
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