Acts and the Roman Trial of Paul

Abstract

The apologetic purpose of the Book of Acts has been frequently remarked, but I am not aware that this has been brought into connection with the historical situation in Acts 28, 30. Yet the object of presenting a defense of Paul before the Roman courts bears a curious relation to the analysis of the sources of the book. We are chiefly concerned here with the second half of the work, Acts 16–28, setting aside the “we-sections.” Notice the character of the narratives. First, there are the narratives which represent Paul as moving under the protection of Roman citizenship and of Roman officials, and his enemies as resorting to lawlessness: — Acts 16, 25–34; 19, 23–41; 21, 30–40; 23,10–35; 25, 1–5; 6–12; 28, 30–31. Secondly, there are presented the legal precedents for Paul's case, in narratives of his acquittal in lesser Roman courts: — Acts 16, 35–40; 17, 5–9; 18, 12–17; 22, 22–29; 24, 1–9; 22–23; 25, 13–27; 26, 30–32. Thirdly, the speeches recorded constitute a plea in Paul's defense: — Acts 17, 16–33, a defense of his message for the pagan mind; Acts 22, 1–21, a defense of his faithfulness to the Jewish God; Acts 24, 10–21, his fidelity to Jewish institutions; Acts 26, 1–23, his loyalty to the Jewish faith. Three of these speeches deal with the apostle's relations with Judaism, which also constitute the next topic. Fourthly, Paul is defended against the charge of participation in a religio illicita by the consistent representation of Christianity as a Jewish sect or party. Paul begins his work in the synagogues, meets frequent approbation among the Jews, and his enemies are represented as engaged in the partisan conflict in which the Roman government can take no interest: Acts 16, 1–3; 17, 11–13; 18, 2–8; 18–22; 18, 24–19, 8; 22, 80–23, 9; 28, 17–28.