Topical Lexicon
Context in ActsActs 21:35–40 records Paul’s arrest in Jerusalem. As the riotous crowd surges, Roman soldiers carry the apostle “to the steps.” Luke twice employs the term, depicting the stone staircase that ascended from the Temple’s outer court to the adjoining Barracks (the Antonia Fortress). From this elevated place Paul requests permission to speak, and—standing on the steps—delivers his defense inActs 22:1–21. The stairway thus becomes the stage on which God provides Paul both protection and a pulpit.
Historical Background
Herod the Great rebuilt the Antonia Fortress at the northwest corner of the Temple platform. A flight of wide steps linked the fortress courtyard to the Court of the Gentiles, allowing rapid troop deployment. Josephus describes the tower’s vantage point over Temple activity (Jewish War 5.238). The same engineering, intended by Rome to suppress disorder, is used by the Lord to advance the gospel: the military architecture situates Paul above the tumult, guaranteeing that the crowd can hear him in their own language.
Old Testament Resonance
The Septuagint titles Psalms 120–134 as “Odes of Ascents,” employing the same Greek root found inActs 21. While the New Testament occurrences are concrete and spatial, the Psalms celebrate spiritual ascent—pilgrims moving toward Zion and fellowship with God. Luke’s narrative echoes that pilgrimage motif: Paul, the faithful pilgrim-apostle, ascends physical steps to bear witness, even as he proceeds on his divinely appointed journey to Rome (Acts 23:11).
Theological Significance
1. Providential Sovereignty
The identical stairway that could have led to brutal confinement places Paul in position to proclaim the resurrection. God turns instruments of control into avenues for testimony, illustratingGenesis 50:20 in action.
2. Protection Coupled with Proclamation
“When Paul reached the steps, the soldiers had to carry him because of the violence of the mob” (Acts 21:35). The same steps that shield Paul from harm amplify his voice to the hostile assembly. Safety and witness are not mutually exclusive; the Lord often supplies the first to secure the second.
3. Symbolic Ascent
Throughout Scripture elevation frequently accompanies revelation (Exodus 19,Matthew 5). Paul’s ascent anticipates the climactic declaration of Acts: the gospel will rise above Jewish opposition and Gentile misunderstanding alike, progressing to “the ends of the earth” (Acts 1:8).
Ministry Implications
• Strategic Use of Circumstance
Believers should view physical settings and unexpected interruptions as potential platforms for the gospel. Paul petitions the commander, then leverages his location to declare Christ.
• Courage under Hostility
The staircase scene encourages steadfastness. Even when surrounded by accusation, the believer can, by grace, stand firm and speak truth.
• Respectful Engagement
Addressing the crowd in “the Hebrew language” (Acts 21:40), Paul models sensitivity to audience and culture while remaining uncompromising in message.
Practical Reflection
Modern followers may not stand on Herodian steps, but every workplace hallway, courtroom dock, or hospital corridor can function similarly. Physical elevations—literal or metaphorical—provide divine appointments for testimony. Like Paul, Christians are called to seize such moments, trusting that Christ’s authority over history ensures that even hostile structures can serve redemptive purposes.
Summary
Strong’s Greek 304, though appearing only twice, frames a decisive moment in Acts. A mundane staircase becomes the means by which God protects His servant, fulfills prophetic direction, and offers Jerusalem one more invitation to believe. The narrative joins the wider biblical theme of ascent: God lifts His people to proclaim His salvation and draws listeners upward toward the hope found in His Son.
Forms and Transliterations
αναβαθμοί αναβαθμοίς αναβαθμους αναβαθμούς αναβάθμους ἀναβαθμούς αναβαθμων αναβαθμών αναβάθμων ἀναβαθμῶν anabathmon anabathmôn anabathmōn anabathmō̂n anabathmous anabathmoúsLinks
Interlinear Greek •Interlinear Hebrew •Strong's Numbers •Englishman's Greek Concordance •Englishman's Hebrew Concordance •Parallel Texts
