I Will Send Thee Far Hence (Acts 22:21-22)

2022-12-06

Consider why this quotation from the Lord Jesus Christ was so offensive to Paul’s Jewish audience:

And he said unto me, Depart: for I will send thee far hence unto the Gentiles. And they gave him audience unto this word, and then lifted up their voices, and said, Away with such a fellow from the earth: for it is not fit that he should live. (Acts 22:21-22)

The Savior whom Paul declared sent the apostle far away to the Gentiles to preach God’s forgiveness. The Gentiles were considered enemies to the Jews, and they were considered unclean. Gentiles of all kinds did much evil to the Jews all over the world. Considering this, you can understand their reaction above. Unlike Jonah who fled to Tarshish, Paul went to the Gentiles willingly to preach the Word of God to save them.

It is controversial to show mercy to your enemies. Most people want a vengeful Savior. That is not Jesus of Nazareth, “Who will have all men to be saved” (1 Timothy 2:4).

Nobody naturally wants to be nice to people who were cruel to them. However, that is precisely what Jesus did. “But God commendeth his love toward us, in that, while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us” (Romans 5:8). He died for His enemies, and we were all His enemies. He did so willingly. May He teach us to be like Him.