Who is this guy?
The Roman commander really only wanted to keep the peace and do the right thing. Yet his day turned upside down shortly after a man named Paul entered Jerusalem. Paul drew a crowd, but not the kind a speaker wanted. They were about to tear him apart when the commander stopped them. (see Acts 21)
The commander first thought he was an Egyptian rebel, but learned he was a Jew that spoke Greek. The commander allowed him to address the crowd (in Hebrew) but had to rescue him again because Paul said something they did not like (he gave the testimony of his conversion – see Acts 9).
The commander was going to apply the typical Roman protocol of scourging and questioning when he discovered Paul was a Roman citizen. The confused commander resorted to setting up a meeting with the Jewish council the next day.
Who is this guy? Why all the drama? What had he done? (See Acts 21:28 for their original claim) He did not seem a threat. He was an educated, articulate, Roman Jew; yet the Jews hated him. To the commander (and to those who were in charge of him over the next 2 years) Paul was a paradox.
Who is Paul? He is a citizen of heaven who served as an ambassador for Christ to the Gentiles. Is your citizenship in heaven? Are you serving as an ambassador for Christ? Has your dedication to Christ made you somewhat of a paradox to people around you?
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