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Observe, 1. The justice which the chief captain, though an heathen soldier, doth St. Paul: he demands what he had done, before he punishes him. An heathen would hear the cause before he condemns the person; a piece of justice which the law of nature requires and obliges to.
Observe, 2. The unjust suspicion which the chief captain had of St. Paul's being a very bad man: Art not thou that Egyptian which madest an uproar, and leddest four thousand men that were murderers? Here St. Paul without cause is suspected for a rebel, a seducer, and a murderer, by the chief captain. It is not in the power of the most unspotted innocency to protect from jealousies and suspicion, from censure and calumny, from slander and false accusation. The peaceable apostle is suspected for a turbulent incendiary, Art not thou the Egyptian that madest an uproar?
Observe, 3. The just and necessary apology which St. Paul makes for himself: I am a Jew of Tarsus, a citizen of no mean city.
Where note, 1. He describes his original; I am a Jew, not that wicked Egyptian which you expected me to be, but a Jew of a religious and noble ancestors, is a desirable privilege and singular prerogative. St. Paul was a Jew, descended from Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, and the holy patriarchs.
Note, 2. He describes the country where he was born: he was born in Cilicia, a rich and fruitful country in Asia.
Learn thence, That to be born in a rich and fruitful country (if godly and religious) is a very desirable favour and privilege: it is not blind chance and fortune, but a wise and merciful porvidence of God, which appointed both the place of our birth, and determined the bounds of our habitation. What mercy is it that we were born, not in Spain, not in Turkey, not in a land of darkness, but in a valley of vision! If the Spaniards have the golden mines, we have the golden treasure of the scripture, more to be desired than gold, yea, than much fine gold, Psa_19:1.
Note, 3. He describes, not only his country, but his native city, and the dignity of it: he was born in Tarsus, a citizen of no mean city, it being the metropolis or chief city of all Cilicia: in this famous city was the apostle born.
Learn thence, That to be born in a noble, free, and famous city, especially if privilege. St. Paul was born in the noble city of Tarsus; but how could he then say as he did, Act_22:1 that he was a Roman?
Answer, So he was; but not by birth, but by immunity and privilege. Tarsus was invested with the Roman privileges, and made free of Rome by M. Antonius: thus Paul was free born, and declared that they ought not to scourge a Roman citizen.
Note, lastly, That though the forementioned privileges are considerable privileges, namely, to be descended from noble ancestors, to be born in a famous country, and in a free city, (passages of divine Providence not to be overlooked or disregarded, but very highly valued and thankfully acknowledged;) yet must it be remembered, that all these are but outward and temporal privileges, common to the worst, as well as the best of men; such privileges as a man may enjoy, and yet be under the wrath of God, and the guilt of eternal damnation. Let us labour to be nobly minded, as well as nobly descended-- by regeneration born from above; otherwise we are low born, mean born, be our parents never so high.
Thus the chapter concludes with an account of the apostle's imminent preservation in a time of imminent danger: when likely to have been torn in pieces by the riotous rabble, God stirs up the chief captain, an heathen, belonging to the bloody trade of war, to rescue oppressed innocency; and the guard of soldiers, who had no manner of affection for Paul, God sets as a life-guard upon his person, they bear him up in their arms, give him liberty to speak for himself; and his apology, or defensive plea, we have recorded in the following chapter.