Acts 23:12

AND WHEN IT WAS DAY, CERTAIN OF THE JEWS BANDED TOGETHER, AND BOUND THEMSELVES UNDER A CURSE, SAYING THAT THEY WOULD NEITHER EAT NOR DRINK TILL THEY HAD KILLED PAUL. AND WHEN IT WAS DAY, [CERTAIN OF] THE JEWS - "THE JEWS" IS MANIFESTLY THE TRUE READING. IT WAS THE GREAT BODY OF HIS ENEMIES WHO COMBINED, THOUGH ONLY A FORMIDABLE BAND OF THEM VOLUNTEERED TO ACT. _ Banded together, and bound themselves under a curse_ - literally, 'anathematized themselves,' or solemnly wished themselves accursed (or damned), if they did not do what they proposed. (See ; .) This was what poor Peter did when he denied his Lord (see the note at , p. 207). Saying that they would neither eat nor d...

− 12._And when it was day. _By this circumstance, Luke showeth how necessary it was for Paul to gather new and fresh strength of faith, that he might not quake in most great and sudden danger. For being told of this so desperate madness of his enemies, he could not otherwise think but that he should lose his life. This vow whereof Luke speaketh was a kind of curse. The cause of the vow was, that it might not be lawful for them to change their purpose, nor to call back that which they had promised. There is always, indeed, in an oath a secret curse, − (546) if any man deceive or forswear, but sometimes to the end men may the more bind themselves, they use certain forms of cursing; − (547) and they make themselves subject to cruel torments, to the end they may be the more afraid. This history doth teach that zeal is so bloody in hypocrites, that they weigh not what is la

12-24 False religious principles, adopted by carnal men, urge on to such wickedness, as human nature would hardly be supposed capable of. Yet the Lord readily disappoints the best concerted schemes of iniquity. Paul knew that the Divine providence acts by reasonable and prudent means; and that, if he neglected to use the means in his power, he could not expect God's providence to work on his behalf. He who will not help himself according to his means and power, has neither reason nor revelation to assure him that he shall receive help from God. Believing in the Lord, we and ours shall be kept from every evil work, and kept to his kingdom. Heavenly Father, give us by thy Holy Spirit, for Christ's sake, this precious faith....

Verse Acts 23:12. _THAT THEY WOULD NEITHER EAT NOR DRINK_, c.] These forty Jews were no doubt of the class of the _sicarii_ mentioned before, (similar to those afterwards called _assassins_,) a class of fierce zealots, who took justice into their own hand and who thought they had a right to despatch all those who, according to their views, were not orthodox in their religious principles. If these were, in their bad way, _conscientious_ men, must they not all perish through hunger, as God put it out of their power to accomplish their vow? No: for the doctrine of sacerdotal absolution was held among the Jews as among the Papists: hence it is said, in _Hieros. Avodah Zarah_, fol. 40: "He that hath made a vow not to eat any thing, wo to him, if he eat; and wo to him, if he do not eat. If he eat, he sinneth against his _vow_; and if he do not eat, he sinneth against his...

CERTAIN OF THE JEWS - Some of the Jews. They were more than forty in number, Acts 23:13. BANDED TOGETHER - Made an agreement or compact. They conspired to kill him. AND BOUND THEMSELVES UNDER A CURSE - See the margin. The Greek is, “they anathematized themselves”; that is, they bound themselves by a solemn oath. They invoked a curse on themselves, or devoted themselves to destruction, if they did not do it. Lightfoot remarks, however, that they could be absolved from this vow by the rabbis if they were unable to execute it. Under various pretences they could easily be freed from such oaths, and it was common to take them; and if there was any difficulty in fulfilling them, they could easily apply to their religious teachers and be absolved....

EXPOSITION ACTS 23:1 _Looking steadfastly on _for _earnestly beholding, _A.V.; _brethren _for _men and brethren, _A.V._; I have lived before God, _etc., for _I have lived, _etc., _before God, _A.V. LOOKING STEADFASTLY; ἀτενίσας, as in Acts 1:10; Acts 3:4, Acts 3:12; Acts 6:15; Acts 7:55; Acts 10:4;...

AND WHEN IT WAS DAY,.... As soon as it was light, very early in the morning: CERTAIN OF THE JEWS BANDED TOGETHER; these very likely were of the sect of the Sadducees, who had been exceedingly irritated and provoked by what Paul had said the day before in the council; these therefore gathered together, entered into a conspiracy to take away Paul's life, and trailed in it, as one man: AND BOUND THEMSELVES UNDER A CURSE; or "anathematized themselves"; the Hebrew word חרם, which answers to "anathema", is sometimes used for an oath, חרם היא שבועה, "Cherem" or "anathema" is "an oath" a, a vow made to be punished with an anathema if not kept; so these men swore to it, bound themselves with an oath, or wished they might be an anathema, accursed of God, and cut off from his people; they imprecated the most dreadful evils upon themselves: SAYING, THAT THEY WOULD NEITHER EAT NOR DRINK TILL THEY...

ACTS 23:12 sustrofh.n oi` VIoudai/oi {B} The addition of tinej was made in order to provide better accord with ver. Acts 23:13....

JEWISH PLOT: REMOVAL OF PAUL. The Jews propose what the tribune, in Acts 22:30 to Acts 23:10, has already done on his own initiative; here we are on historical ground. The hated person being removed from their power, they plan an assassination. Forty of them make themselves a curse (so literally), _i.e._ they are to be accursed if they do not carry out their purpose; and they are to fast till it is done. For this end they apply to the high priests and elders to get the tribune to bring Paul down to a meeting for a further inquiry. No doubt is entertained apparently that the leaders will countenance such a plot. The tribune, who is well disposed to Paul since he discovered his citizenship, at once removes him from danger; but 470 men seem a large force for the purpose. Lysias-' motive in all this apparatus was

THE STRATEGY OF PAUL (Acts 23:1-10)...