22:22-30

Acts 22:22-30 “Suffering and the Christian Life” Dr. Joel H. Linton

: Outline
1.
?
? 1. If Jesus said that Christians will suffer in this life, why did Paul
try to avoid suffering in our text today? How does Paul’s life example show us when we
should embrace suffering and when we should try to avoid suffering?

2. , ?
2. As a Christian, how should you view the life situation that you were born into?

3. , ?
3. As a Christian, how should you use the life situation that you were born into?
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Tī chit ê sè-kài tāi-pō•-hūn ê lâng ta̍ k-kang ê seng-oa̍ h lóng bô kiám-thó ka-kī ê hêng-
ûi kah in só• chò ê tōng-ki. Lâng kan-na tòe tāi-ke piⁿ-á ê lâng chò. Tī Tâi-oân lâng
khòaⁿ-khí-lâi ēng in seng-oa̍ h só• ū ê ūi-tio̍ h síam-pī kan-khó• kah ūi-tio̍ h sêng-kong
kah tit-tio̍ h khài-lo̍ k. Most people live their daily lives without examining what they
are doing or why they do what they do. They just follow what everyone else around
them does. In Taiwan, people seem to use everything in their lives to avoid suffering
and to seek success and happiness.
Lí leh? Lí ū khó-lêng bô liáu-kái tī lí ê seng-oa̍ h lí só• siūⁿ-boeh tit-tio̍ h ê kah lí só•
koat-tēng ê chhin-chhiūⁿ hui-Ki-tok-tô• kāng-khoán. What about you? You might not
realize how much in your life you are just acting like non-Christians in what you seek
and the decisions you make.
M̄ -koh lán Ki-tok-tô• bô èng-kai kan-na chò piⁿ-á ê lâng tāi-ke chò ê, kāng-khoán. In-
ūi lán chò Ki-tok-tô•, Siōng-tè ài lán kiám-thó lán ka-kī múi chı̍ t pō•-hūn seng-oa̍ h ê
hêng-ûi kah só• chò ê. But we should not just do what every body around us does. As
Christians, we are called by God to examine every bit of our lives.
<PPT read together> Pó-lô tī Lô-má Su 12:2 ū kóng, “M̄ -thang koh hō• sè-sio̍ k
tông-hòa, tio̍ h hō• Siōng-tè kā lín kái-chō, sim-chì tit-tio̍ h ōaⁿ sin, hō• lín thang
bêng-pe̍ k siáⁿ-mı̍ h sī Siōng-tè ê chí-ì, siáⁿ-mı̍ h sī liông-siān, sûn-choân, Siōng-tè
só• hoaⁿ-hí ê.” Paul wrote in Romans 12:2 “Do not live any longer according to
the pattern of this world, but be transformed in the renewing of your minds so you
will be able to test and approve what God’s will is, His good, pleasing, and
perfect will.”
Tī lán kin-á-jı̍ t boeh khòaⁿ ê keng-bûn, Pó-lô ê seng-oa̍ h hêng-ûi sī chin hó ê piáu-iūⁿ
Ki-tok-tô• tio̍ h án-chóaⁿ seng-oa̍ h. Lán tio̍ h án-chóaⁿ khòaⁿ-chò lán seng-oa̍ h tiong ê
kan-khó•. Lán tio̍ h án-chóaⁿ khòaⁿ lán só• sêng-kong ê. In our text today, Paul’s life is
a really good example of the way Christians should act. How should you look at the
suffering in your life? How should you look at the success in your life?
Lán lâi khòaⁿ kin-á-jı̍ t ê Sèng-keng keng-bûn.
Let’s look at our Scripture text today.
Sù-tô• Hēng-toān 22:22-30
22 Chèng lâng chı̍ t-ē thiaⁿ-tio̍ h Pó-lô kóng chit kù ōe, chiū tōa-siaⁿ kóng, “Chit
khoán lâng tio̍ h tùi tē-chiūⁿ siau-bia̍ t, m̄ -thang hō• i oa̍ h lo̍ h-.khì.”
23 Kûn-chiòng tōa-siaⁿ jióng, thǹg gōa-saⁿ, ǹg khong-tiong iā thô•-soa hún ê sî,
24 Kun-koaⁿ chiū bēng-lēng kā Pó-lô chhōa jı̍ p-khì iâⁿ-pâng, ēng piⁿ kā i phah lâi
sím-mn̄ g, ài beh chai-iáⁿ ūi siáⁿ-mı̍ h Iû-thài lâng án-ne kā i jiáng.
25 In tú beh ēng phê-tòa kā i pa̍ k ê sî, Pó-lô tùi piⁿ-á teh khiā ê kun-koaⁿ kóng,
“Tùi chı̍ t-ê iáu-bōe siū phòaⁿ-chōe ê Lô-má lâng, lín ēng piⁿ kā i phah, kám
thang?”
26 Hit-ê kun-koaⁿ chı̍ t-ē thiaⁿ-.tio̍ h, chiū khì kìⁿ iâⁿ-tiúⁿ, kóng, “Taⁿ beh án-
chóaⁿ chiah hó? Chit-ê lâng sī Lô-má kong-bîn!”
27 Iâⁿ-tiúⁿ lâi kìⁿ Pó-lô, mn̄ g i kóng, “Kā góa kóng, lí kám sī Lô-má kong-bîn?”
Pó-lô kóng, “Sī.”
28 Iâⁿ-tiúⁿ ìn kóng, “Góa ēng chin chē gîn chiah bé-tio̍ h chit-ê kong-bîn-koân.”
Pó-lô kóng, “Góa chhut-sì to̍ h-sī Lô-má kong-bîn.”
29 Hiah-ê beh sím-mn̄ g Pó-lô ê lâng chiū sûi-sî lī-khui. Iâⁿ-tiúⁿ chı̍ t ē chai-iáⁿ
Pó-lô sī Lô-má kong-bîn, koh in-ūi bat kā i pa̍ k, chiū chin kiaⁿ.
30 Keh tńg kang, iâⁿ-tiúⁿ ài beh chai Pó-lô hō• Iû-thài lâng kò ê sı̍ t-chêng, chiū
kā i tháu-khui, bēng-lēng hiah-ê chè-si-tiúⁿ kah choân kong-hōe ē chū-chı̍ p, chhōa
Pó-lô lo̍ h-.lâi, hō• i khiā tī in ê bīn-chêng.
Acts 22:22-30
22 The crowd listened to Paul until he said this. Then they raised their voices and
shouted, “Rid the earth of him! He is not fit to live!”
23 As they were shouting and throwing off their cloaks and flinging dust into
the air, 24 the commander ordered Paul to be taken into the barracks. He directed
that he be flogged and questioned in order to find out why the people were
shouting at him like this.
25 As they stretched him out to flog him, Paul said to the centurion standing
there, “Is it legal for you to flog a Roman citizen who hasn’t been found guilty?”
26 When the centurion heard this, he went to the commander and reported it.
“What are you going to do?” he asked. “This man is a Roman citizen.” 27 The
commander went to Paul and asked, “Tell me, are you a Roman citizen?”
“Yes, I am,” he answered.
28 Then the commander said, “I had to pay a big price for my citizenship.”
“But I was born a citizen,” Paul replied.
29 Those who were about to question him withdrew immediately. The
commander himself was alarmed when he realized that he had put Paul, a Roman
citizen, in chains.
 30 The next day, since the commander wanted to find out exactly why Paul was
being accused by the Jews, he released him and ordered the chief priests and all
the Sanhedrin to assemble. Then he brought Paul and had him stand before them.
Lán chò Ki-tok-tô• ê lâng, tī lán seng-oa̍ h tiong tio̍ h chiap-siū kan-khó• á-sī síam-pī
kan-khó•? As Christians, should you embrace suffering or avoid suffering?
Lí nā ē-kì-tit, saⁿ lé-pài chêng, tī lán Sèng-keng keng-bûn, lán ū khòaⁿ só• ū ê Ki-tok-
tô• ū teh kā Pó-lô kóng mài khì Iâ-lō•-sat-léng in-ūi Pó-lô nā khì hia i ê hō• lâng lia̍ h-
tio̍ h. In bô ài hō• Pó-lô siū kan-khó•. M̄ -koh Pó-lô iáu ū khì Iâ-lō•-sat-léng. Pó-lô mā ū
siū kan-khó• ti hia. Te̍ k-pia̍ t sī Iû-thài lâng khai-sí kā Pó-lô phah, siūⁿ-boeh kā i phah-
sí. If you remember three weeks ago, in our Scripture text, all the Christians were
telling Paul not to go to Jerusalem because he would be arrested. They did not want
Paul to suffer. But Paul went to Jerusalem and Paul did suffer. The Jews in Jerusalem
tried to beat him to death.
Tī lán chit kúi lé-pài khòaⁿ ê keng-bûn, sui-jiân tāi-ke lóng kiò Pó-lô siám-pī kan-
khó•, khòaⁿ-khí-lâi Pó-lô siūⁿ-boeh siū kan-khó•. Reading these past weeks, it looks
like Paul was seeking to suffer even though everyone told Paul to avoid suffering.
<PPT> Lán lâi khòaⁿ kin-á-jı̍ t ê keng-bûn tē 24 chat kah tē 25 chat.
Let’s look at verse 24-25 in today’s text.
Pó-lô teh boeh hō• lâng ēng piⁿ kā i phah. Ēng piⁿ kā i phah sī siáⁿ-mı̍ h ì-sù? Lēng-gōa
chı̍ t ê hoan-e̍ k sī “pian-táⁿ.” Lô-má pian-hêng sī chin khó•. Ēng piⁿ kā phah ū phah-
khui lâng ê phôe kah bah, hō• lâng lâu chhut chin-chē huih. Sī chin chân-jím. Paul is
about to be flogged. What does it mean to be flogged? Another translation is
“scourged.” Roman flogging was torture. Flogging took chunks of flesh and caused
bleeding. It was brutal.
Tī Tiong-kok á-sī Hôe-kàu-tô• ê kok-ka, Ki-tok-tô• ū khó-lêng siū-tio̍ h chit khoán ê
kan-khó•. M̄ -koh tī tōa-pō•-hūn ê kok-ka, Ki-tok-tô• chit-má bē siū chhin-chhiūⁿ Pó-lô
siū-tio̍ h ê kan-khó• kāng-khoán. Christians in China or in Muslim countries may face
this kind of suffering. But in most countries Christians do not face the suffering Paul
faced.
M̄ -koh múi-chı̍ t ê lâng tī in ê seng-oa̍ h ē keng-giām tio̍ h kan-khó•. Koan-hē Pó-lô,
Siōng-tè í-keng ū kā Pó-lô kóng, Pó-lô ē siū kan-khó•. But everyone does experience
suffering in our lives. For Paul, God had told him that he would suffer.
<PPT> Sù-tô• Hêng-toān 20:22 Taⁿ góa sūn-ho̍ k Sèng Sîn ê chí-sī beh khì Iâ-lō•-
sat-léng, m̄ -chai tī hia ē tú-tio̍ h siáⁿ-mı̍ h tāi-chì. 23 To̍ k-to̍ k Sèng Sîn tī ta̍ k-ê siâⁿ
tùi góa kéng-kò, kóng ū kaⁿ-ga̍ k kah hoān-lān teh thèng-hāu góa. 24 Ūi-tio̍ h beh
kiâⁿ oân góa ê lō•-thêng, oân-sêng Chú Iâ-so• kau-tài góa ê jīm-bū, thang chèng-
bêng Siōng-tè un-tián ê hok-im, góa oân-choân bô sioh ka-kī ê sèⁿ-miā.
Acts 20:22 And now, compelled by the Spirit, I am going to Jerusalem, not
knowing what will happen to me there. 23 I only know that in every city the Holy
 Spirit warns me that prison and hardship are facing me. 24 However, I consider my
life worth nothing to me, if only I may finish the race and complete the task the
Lord Jesus has given me -- the task of testifying to the gospel of God’s grace.

9:16 Góa mā beh hō• i chai, ūi-tio̍ h góa ê miâ, i it-tēng tio̍ h siū chin chē kan-khó•.”
9:16 “I will show him how much he must suffer for my name.”
Só•-í nā-sī án-ne, lí kám siūⁿ-kóng Pó-lô tú-tio̍ h kin-á-jı̍ t ê chêng-hêng, Pó-lô ná bô
kan-nā kóng, “Hó-.ah, chit-má sī koh chı̍ t kái góa ē siū kan-khó. Ēng piⁿ kā góa
phah.” So why do you think Paul did not just say, “okay, here is another time I will
suffer. Just beat me!”
1. Nā-sī Iâ-so• ū kóng tī chit ê sè-kài Ki-tok-tô• ē siū kan-khó•, tī lán kin-á-jı̍ t
khòaⁿ ê keng-bûn, sī án-chóaⁿ Pó-lô siám-pī chia̍ h khó•?
1. If Jesus said that Christians will suffer in this life, why did Paul try to avoid
suffering in our text today?
Tī chı̍ t kóa Ki-tok-tô• ê hoān-ûi, ū chı̍ t ê m̄ -tio̍ h ê siūⁿ-hoat kóng, bô lūn siáⁿ-mı̍ h
chêng-hêng, siū-khó• sī ka-kī chı̍ t hāng hó tāi-chì. Chit khoán Ki-tok-tô• khòaⁿ Iâ-so•
ê seng-oa̍ h kah Pó-lô ê seng-oa̍ h ê sî, khòaⁿ tio̍ h chin chē kan-khó•. Án-ne in kiat-lūn
kóng, “O•h, nā siū kan-khó• sī khah sio̍ k-lêng ê seng-oa̍ h.
There is a mistaken idea among some Christian circles that suffering is good in and of
itself. These Christians look at Jesus’ life and at Paul’s life and they see a lot of
suffering. Oh, it is more spiritual to suffer, they conclude.
Só•-í sī án-chóaⁿ tī tē 25 chat Pó-lô ū siám-pī sīu kan-khó• ê keng-giām?
So why did Paul avoid suffering in verse 25?
Hôe-tap kán-tan kóng, Pó-lô ū chiap-siū kan-khó• nā-sī su-iàu ūi-tio̍ h thiàⁿ pa̍ t lâng
kah ho̍ k-sāi Siōng-tè. Pó-lô goān-ì ūi-tio̍ h Iâ-so• ê miâ siū chin chē kan-khó•. Ūi-tio̍ h
thang chèng-bêng Siōng-tè un-tián ê hok-im, Pó-lô goān-ì chia̍ h khó•. The answer is
simple: Paul embraced suffering if it was necessary to love others and serve God. Paul
is willing to suffer greatly for Jesus’ name. Paul is willing to suffer for the task of
testifying to the gospel of God’s grace.
M̄ -koh koan-hē Pó-lô hō• Lô-má lâng ēng piⁿ kā i phah, Pó-lô bô khòaⁿ tio̍ h siáⁿ-mı̍ h
hó-chhù. Lán mài khui só•-ū ka-kī ê la̍ t ūi-tio̍ h siám-pī kan-khó•. M̄ -koh lán Ki-tok-
tô• siū khó• ê bo̍ k-te̍ k iā m̄ -sī kan-na keng-giām siū khó•. But in the case of being
flogged by the Romans at this time, Paul sees no benefit. Don’t avoid suffering at all
costs. But also the Christian’s purpose of suffering is not just to experience suffering.
<PPT> Lán lâi khòaⁿ tē 28 chat. Pó-lô chheng-chhó kian-chhî i sī in-ūi chhut-sì tit-tio̍ h
Lô-má kong-bîn. Án-ne hō• peng thêng-chí boeh kā Pó-lô pian-hêng. Look at verse
28. Paul boldly asserts being born a Roman citizen to stop the soldiers from flogging
him.
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Pó-lô án-ne chò m̄ -nā hō• lán chai Pó-lô án-chóaⁿ khòaⁿ-tio̍ h kan-khó•, mā hō• lán
chai Pó-lô án-chóaⁿ khòaⁿ-chò Siōng-tè hō• Pó-lô chhut-sî ê sî ê seng-oa̍ h chêng-hêng.
This shows us not just how Paul views suffering, but also how Paul views the life
situation that God gave him when he was born.
Pó-lô chhut-sî tī siáⁿ-mı̍ h khoán ê seng-oa̍ h chêng-hêng? Pó-lô chhut-sì tī chı̍ t ê chin
te̍ k-koân kai-kip ê seng-oa̍ h chêng-hêng. Liân Lô-má iâⁿ-tiúⁿ tio̍ h ēng chin chē gîn
chiah bé-tio̍ h Lô-má kong-bîn-koân. M̄ -koh Pó-lô chhut-sì ê sî chiah ū.
What life situation was Paul born into? Paul was born into a very privileged position.
Even the Roman commander had to buy citizenship, but Paul was born a citizen.
Pó-lô mā-sī Iû-thài lâng, sī Siōng-tè te̍ k-pia̍ t soán-tek ê kok-bîn. Pó-lô ū piàn-chò ū
ha̍ k-le̍ k siōng koân ê lâng, mā te̍ k-pia̍ t ū Iâ-lō•-sat-lâng siōng ū-miâ ê kàu-siū kā Pó-lô
kà. In-ūi tit-tio̍ h ê tē-ūi, Pó-lô piàn Ki-tok-tô• í-chêng sī kiau-ngō•. M̄ -koh Pó-lô piàn
Ki-tok-tô• í-āu ū bô kāng-khoán ê khòaⁿ-hoat koan-hē ka-kī.
Paul was also a Jew, the specifically chosen people of God. And Paul became the most
educated and studied under the most famous professor in Jerusalem. Before Paul had
become a Christian, Paul viewed these things with pride. But it was different after
Paul became a Christian.
Lí nā khòaⁿ Pó-lô tī Sin-iok só• siá ê phoe khòaⁿ ē-chhut-lâi Pó-lô khiam-pī khòaⁿ ka-
kī kóng i seng-oa̍ h tiong chò ê pháiⁿ tāi-chì. M̄ -koh Pó-lô mā chin kám-siā Siōng-tè
só• hō• i ê hó tāi-chì. Pó-lô ê sìn-sim m̄ -sī khò tī i seng-oa̍ h tiong ê chêng-hêng, sī khò
Siōng-tè. If you read Paul’s letters, you see Paul’s humility in seeing what is bad about
his life, but Paul is also very thankfulness the good things God had given him. Paul’s
confidence is not in his life situation but in God.
Siōng-tè ū hō• lán ta̍ k-lâng chhut-sì tī te̍ k-pia̍ t seng-oa̍ h chêng-hêng. Ū ê lâng chhut-sì
tī hó-gia̍ h ka-têng. Ū ê lâng chhut-sì tī chin sàn-chhiah ka-têng. Ū chin-chē hó-gia̍ h
lâng khòaⁿ-chò ka-kī pí sàn-chhiah lâng khah hó. In kiau-ngō•. U chin-chē lâng in-ūi
sàn-chhiah kiàn-siàu. God gives each of us each specific life situation we are born
into. Some people are born into very rich families. Some people are born into very
poor families. Many rich people think that they are better than poor people. They are
proud. Many poor people are ashamed of being poor.
Lí leh, nā-sī lí chhut-sì tī chı̍ t ê hó-gia̍ h ka-têng, lí kám ū siūⁿ-kóng lí pí pa̍ t ê ka-têng
ū khah koân ê kai-kip? Nā-sī sio̍ k tī hó-gia̍ h ka-teng, ū ê tāi-chì chin hó. M̄ -koh nā-sī
tī hó-gia̍ h ka-têng tōa-hàn mā ū hō• lí chı̍ t-kóa loán-jio̍ k. Nā-sī tī sàn-chhiah ê ka-têng
chhut-sì, tong-jiân ū loán-jio̍ k ê tāi-chì. M̄ -koh mā-sī ē hō• lâng hiòng-siān le̍ k-liōng.
What about you. If you are in a rich family, do you think you are better than other
people? Higher class? There are good things about a family having money. But there
are weaknesses if you grow up with money. Of course there are weaknesses about
being born into a poor family. But they also give people strength to do good.
2. Chò Ki-tok-tô•-.ê tio̍ h án-chóaⁿ khòaⁿ-chò ka-kī chhut-sì ê seng-oa̍ h chêng-
hêng?
2. As a Christian, how should you view the life situation that you were born into?
Pó-lô m̄ -sī kiau-ngō• in-ūi i chhut-sì ê seng-oa̍ h chêng-hêng, iā m̄ -sī ūi-tio̍ h chhut-sì ê
seng-oa̍ h chêng-hêng chò kiàn-siàu. Pó-lô ū kiam-pī sìn-sim kah chhim-chhim kám-
siā lâi khòaⁿ-chò i ê seng-oa̍ h chêng-hêng. Pó-lô khòaⁿ-chò i chhut-sì thang chò Lô-má
kong-bîn sī Siōng-tè hō• Pó-lô ê lé-bu̍ t. Paul was neither proud because of the
circumstance he was born into, nor was he ashamed of the circumstance he was born
into. Paul viewed his life situation instead with humility, confidence, and profound
thankfulness. Paul viewed being born a Roman citizen as a gift from God.
Lán bē oàn-hūn Siōng-tè só• hō• lán ê. Lán bē oàn-hūn lán ê ka-têng kah siū-tio̍ h ê ûi-
sán. Lán bô èng-kai kiau-ngō• in-ūi lán chhut-sì ê chêng-hêng, iā bô èng-kāi kiàn-siàu
in-ūi chhut-sì ê chêng-hêng. Lán tio̍ h kám-siā Siōng-tè só• hō• lán ê. We don’t hate
what God gave us. We don’t hate our family or our inheritance. We should neither be
proud because of the circumstances we are born into, nor should we be ashamed of the
circumstances we are born into. We should be thankful everything God gives us.
Nā-sī án-ne 3. Chò Ki-tok-tô•-.ê, lán tio̍ h án-chóaⁿ sú-iōng ka-kī chhut-sì ê seng-
oa̍ h chêng-hêng? If this is the case, 3. As a Christian, how should you use the life
situation that you were born into?
<PPT> Pó-lô tī Ko-lîm-to Chiân-su 4:2 ū kóng, “Chò koán-ke tē-it iàu-kín ê, sī
tùi chú-lâng tio̍ h chīn-tiong.” Iâ-so• Ki-tok tī Lō•-ka Hok-im 12:48 ū kóng,
“...kau-thok i khah chē ê lâng, ē kā i iau-kiû khah chē.” In 1 Corinthian 4:2
Paul states, “Now it is required that those who have been given a trust must
prove faithful.” In Luke 12:48 Jesus says “... from the one who has been
entrusted with much, much more will be asked.”
Lán ū ēng lán ê te̍ k-koân kai-kip, lán ê un-sù, siáⁿ-mı̍ h hō• lán te̍ k-pia̍ t ê tāi-chì ūi-tio̍ h
ho̍ k-sāi Ki-tok kah ūi-tio̍ h pang-chō• pa̍ t-lâng. We use our privilege and gifts and
anything that makes us special for the sake of Christ and for the sake of others.
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Lán chòe-āu lâi khó-lū lán ê Kiù-chú Iâ-so Ki-tok. Iâ-so• ū tī chit ê sè-kài siōng tōa ê
êng-kng kah khùi-la̍ t. Iâ-so• sī Thiⁿ-pē Siōng-tè ê to̍ k-siⁿ ê kiáⁿ. Iâ-so• bô ēng i ê tē-ūi
kah khùi-la̍ t ūi-tio̍ h siám-pī kan-khó• sī in-ūi Iâ-so• siū-tio̍ h só•-ū ê kan-khó• sī pit-iàu
siū ê ūi-tio̍ h lán thang tit-tio̍ h kiù-un. Lí nā koh khah siūⁿ koan-hē Iâ-so• siū ê kan-
khó• lí tio̍ h ē khah liáu-kái lí ka-kī chōe ê būn-tê hiah-nı̍ h giâm-tiōng. Lí mā khah ê
liáu-kái Iâ-so• hiah-nı̍ h thiàⁿ lí.
Think about our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. Jesus had the most glory and power in
the world. He is the only begotten Son of God. The reason Jesus did not use his own
position and power to avoid suffering is that every part of what Jesus suffered was
necessary for our salvation. If you think more about Jesus suffering you will see how
serious your sin is. And also how much Jesus loves you.