Acts 22:27-28

Acts 22:27-28 "I acquired this citizenship with. large sum of money" "Citizenship tended to be either by right (for those of high status or office) or by reward (for those who had served the Empire well). It was passed on from father to son (which was the case with Paul); it could also be bought, not with. fee but with. bribe to some corrupt official in the imperial secretariat or the provincial administration; which was the case with Claudius Lysias. Indeed, such corruption was rife during the reign of the Emperor Claudius, which may explain why the commander had added the nomen Claudius, in honor of the Emperor, to his cognomen Lysias" (Stott p. 350). "The commander was finding it difficult to believe that Paul could be. Roman citizen. He appears to be thinking, 'It cost men. huge sum of money to purchase citizenship; how would such. sorry-looking figure as you ever be able to become. citizen?'" (Reese p. 812). Each Roman city had an official list of citizens so it would not be difficult to verify Paul's claim of citizenship. "I was actually born. citizen" Being born in Tarsus did not make Paul an automatic citizen, for the Roman commander already knew the place of Paul's birth (Acts 21:39). Rather, one of Paul's ancestors had received Roman citizenship as. result of performing some great service for the Empire, and this citizenship was then passed down from father to son. Hence, at present Paul stood in. more honor position in the eyes of the Empire than did the Roman commander, for citizenship by birth was far more honorable than citizenship that had been bought.