[As a result] … it has become clear throughout the whole palace guard and to everyone else that I am in chains for Christ.
Summary: It requires some imagination to open up the mind to what Paul means when he describes the “whole palace guard” being aware that he is in chains for Christ.
Meditations are the playground of theology. When we meditate on a passage like this, it is okay to have some fun. For example, let’s imagine that one of the palace guards is a man named Ralphus. Ralphus is married to Salina, and the two of them live near the palace in a small apartment.
Our scene opens late one evening as Ralphus gets home from work.
Ralphus: I’m home!
Salina: Hi Ralphie. How was your day?
Ralphus: I’ve had worse.
Salina: Are you still guarding Paul?
Ralphus: (Taking off his cloak and handing to his servant, Appius Claudius Silanus.) Yes, I pulled “Paul duty” again today.
Salina: Was it bad?
Ralphus: No worse than usual. He has all his Christian buddies hanging out with him, so they tend to keep him out of my hair. (Appius brings water to wash Ralphus’ feet. Ralphus sits and relaxes while Appius removes his caligae [military sandals] and his gladius, which is a short sword.)
Salina: Dinner is almost ready. Did Paul say anything interesting about his friend, Jesus?
Ralphus: (Ralphus looks at his wife curiously.) Are you thinking about becoming a Christian?
Salina: Well … it is curious, you know. The idea of living forever is rather nice.
Ralphus: I admit Paul’s attitude about being in prison makes me wonder about his teachings. That guy is not afraid of anything. I heard him talking to his friends the other day, he might have been dictating another letter. He was talking about all the times he has been flogged, beaten, chased, stoned, and shipwrecked (2 Corinthians 11:16-33). What he has gone through puts the Praetorian Guard to shame.
Salina: It does make one wonder. Nobody suffers like that for a cause they do not believe in.
Ralphus: True.
Ralphus and Salina walk to the table and sit down. On the table is a metal platter with bread (panis), a bowl of olive oil, a plate of boiled eggs, and a small serving of sardines. There is a bit of caseus (cheese) to put on the bread. Salina pours posca, a sour wine flavored with herbs, into a goblet for Ralphus.
Salina: Did you learn anything new today from Paul?
Ralphus: Yes, (Ralphus smiled at his wife) I learned that his God wants us to enjoy the meal he has provided. Let’s eat!
Application: Talk about Jesus no matter what you are doing.
Food for Thought: How does talking about Paul being in prison help us understand the Gospel?
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The gospel of Jesus Christ is that Jesus is God’s Son, that He came to earth, died for our sins, and rose again. He offers salvation and eternal life to all who believe in him. He offered deliverance from sin, and a living relationship with God. His message is a message of hope and forgiveness.
The gospel is:
Who Jesus is (God’s Son and Savior).
What Jesus has done (died for our sins and rose again).
Why Jesus has done this (to atone for our sins and offer salvation).
How we can know it’s true (through faith and the Bible).
How we should respond (by believing in Jesus and living a life of faith).
How does talking about Paul being in prison help us understand the Gospel?
I think that Paul’s imprisonment helps us to understand the transformative power of Jesus Christ. Here was a man of tremendous ability, that was on his way to being highly revered in the world, who gave up earthly gain for a living Savior, and began to use his abilities to advance the Gospel. If I were in the palace guard I would have most likely heard many rumors about Paul prior to his arrival, rumors about who he was (prior to his conversion), and rumors about the “how and why” he was now. I would imagine that Paul’s demeanor would not have supported the rumors. I think we would have met a gentle man that spoke and lived a resolute truth, offering hope, and not an angry, inciting or hopeless man, trying to justify himself.
The Gospel of Christ is the power of transformation; redemption from sin and restoration to our Creator through Jesus Christ.