Paul was to go to the Gentiles, the Messiah revealed to him, because the Jews would not accept his witness. Specifically the Lord directed Paul to go to the Gentiles who were far away, namely, Gentiles who had no relationship to Judaism (cf. Acts 2:39). [source][source][source]
F. F. Bruce concluded that in narrating Paul"s speeches Luke followed the precedent of the Greek historian Thucydides. Thucydides wrote that he composed the speeches in his history but tried to reproduce the general meaning of what the speakers said. [1] Under the Holy Spirit"s inspiration Luke received guidance to write exactly what God wanted written. Almost all scholars agree that Luke summarized most if not all of the speeches that he recorded in Acts. [source][source][source]
Context Summary
Acts 22:17-30 - Saved For Further Service
To the story of his conversion, as given in Acts 9:1-43, the Apostle here adds a detailed account of that memorable interview in the Temple, when he questioned the advisability of the Lord's command that he should leave Jerusalem, and received his final and irrevocable commission to go to the Gentiles. It is a great privilege to be permitted to overhear this dialogue! How close and intimate is the disciple's relationship with his Lord! God allowed Abraham, Moses, and Jeremiah to reason with Him. He does not crush down our intelligence. It is His own word, "Come, let us reason together." But there is a point beyond which we may not go, when we must accept without question the final instructions of our Captain.
A free-born Roman was Paul. More than once he had asserted his rights as a Roman citizen, as at Philippi. There are various social and political advantages which we can turn to account in our service of the gospel, but they cannot carry us very far, and ultimately we are better off if we step out upon the unwonted waters, simply because Jesus says, Come! [source]
Chapter Summary: Acts 22
1Paul declares how he was converted to the faith, 17and called to his apostleship 22At the very mentioning of the Gentiles the people exclaim on him 24He would have been scourged; 25but claiming the privilege of a Roman, he escapes
Greek Commentary for Acts 22:21
I will send thee forth far hence unto the Gentiles [Εγω εις ετνη μακραν εχαποστελω σε] Future active of the double This is a repetition by Jesus of the call given in Damascus through Ananias (Acts 9:15). Paul had up till now avoided the word Gentiles, but at last it had to come, “the fatal word” (Farrar). [source]
Gentiles [] “The fatal word, which hitherto he had carefully avoided, but which it was impossible for him to avoid any longer, was enough … .The word 'Gentiles,' confirming all their worst suspicions, fell like a spark on the inflammable mass of their fanaticism” (Farrar, “Life and Work of Paul”)i1. [source]
Reverse Greek Commentary Search for Acts 22:21
Acts 16:9A vision [οραμα] Old word, eleven times in Acts, once in Matthew 17:9. Twice Paul had been hindered by the Holy Spirit from going where he wanted to go. Most men would have gone back home with such rebuffs, but not so Paul. Now the call is positive and not negative, to go “far hence to the Gentiles” (Acts 22:21). He had little dreamed of such a call when he left Antioch. Paul‘s frequent visions always came at real crises in his life. [source]
Acts 26:23How that he first by the resurrection of the dead [ει] Same construction with πρωτος ei (whether). This point Paul had often discussed with the Jews: “whether he (the Messiah) by a resurrection of dead people.” Others had been raised from the dead, but Christ is the first Paul is still speaking from the Jewish standpoint: “is about to (going to) proclaim light.” See Acts 26:18 for “light” and Luke 2:32. Both to the people and to the Gentiles (ετνη tōi te laōi kai tois ethnesin). See Acts 26:17. It was at the word Gentiles (αναστασις ethnē) that the mob lost control of themselves in the speech from the stairs (Acts 22:21.). So it is here, only not because of that word, but because of the word “resurrection” (anastasis). [source]
Greek Commentary for Acts 22:21
Future active of the double This is a repetition by Jesus of the call given in Damascus through Ananias (Acts 9:15). Paul had up till now avoided the word Gentiles, but at last it had to come, “the fatal word” (Farrar). [source]
“The fatal word, which hitherto he had carefully avoided, but which it was impossible for him to avoid any longer, was enough … .The word 'Gentiles,' confirming all their worst suspicions, fell like a spark on the inflammable mass of their fanaticism” (Farrar, “Life and Work of Paul”)i1. [source]
Reverse Greek Commentary Search for Acts 22:21
Old word, eleven times in Acts, once in Matthew 17:9. Twice Paul had been hindered by the Holy Spirit from going where he wanted to go. Most men would have gone back home with such rebuffs, but not so Paul. Now the call is positive and not negative, to go “far hence to the Gentiles” (Acts 22:21). He had little dreamed of such a call when he left Antioch. Paul‘s frequent visions always came at real crises in his life. [source]
Same construction with πρωτος ei (whether). This point Paul had often discussed with the Jews: “whether he (the Messiah) by a resurrection of dead people.” Others had been raised from the dead, but Christ is the first Paul is still speaking from the Jewish standpoint: “is about to (going to) proclaim light.” See Acts 26:18 for “light” and Luke 2:32. Both to the people and to the Gentiles (ετνη tōi te laōi kai tois ethnesin). See Acts 26:17. It was at the word Gentiles (αναστασις ethnē) that the mob lost control of themselves in the speech from the stairs (Acts 22:21.). So it is here, only not because of that word, but because of the word “resurrection” (anastasis). [source]