Acts 23:14

AND THEY CAME TO THE CHIEF PRIESTS AND ELDERS, AND SAID, WE HAVE BOUND OURSELVES UNDER A GREAT CURSE, THAT WE WILL EAT NOTHING UNTIL WE HAVE SLAIN PAUL. And they came to the chief priests and elders, and said, We have bound ourselves under a great curse - the words are very emphatic, That we will eat ('taste') nothing until we have slain Paul....

− 14._They came to the chief priests. _Seeing that the priests agree to such a wicked and ungodly conspiracy, by this they prove that there was in them neither any fear of God, neither yet any humanity. They do not only allow [approve] that which is brought before them concerning the murdering of the man by laying wait, but also they are ready to be partners in the murder, that they may deliver him into the hands of the murderers, whom they would have made away some way, they pass not how. For what other thing was it to take a man out of the hands of the judge and to slay him, than like murderers to rage even in the very place of judgment? The priests surely would never have allowed [approved] such a wicked purpose if there had been in them any drop of godly and right affection, or of humane feeling. Moreover, they did what they could to bring destruction upon all the people and themselv...

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....

AND THEY CAME ... - Probably by a deputation. TO THE CHIEF PRIESTS AND ELDERS - The members of the Great Council, or Sanhedrin. It is probable that the application was made to the party of the Sadducees, as the Pharisees had shown their determination to defend Paul. They would have had no prospect of success had they attacked the castle, and they therefore devised this mode of obtaining access to Paul, where they might easily despatch him. UNDER A GREAT CURSE - Greek: “We have anathematized ourselves with an anathema.” We have made the vow as solemn as possible....

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 THEY CAME TO THE CHIEF PRIESTS, AND ELDERS,.... Who were members of the sanhedrim, to acquaint them with their designs: AND SAID, WE HAVE BOUND OURSELVES UNDER A GREAT CURSE, THAT WE WILL EAT NOTHING UNTIL WE HAVE SLAIN PAUL: these chief priests and elders, had they acted according to the character they bore, on such an information, would have taken up those men, and punished them, at least would have dissuaded them from so vile an action; but they knew the men to whom they applied, and very likely they were all of them of the sect of the Sadducees, whom Paul had so much offended the day before; and therefore were pleased with what they had done, approved of their scheme, and readily fell in with the following proposal....

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)...

ELDERS. App-189. WE HAVE BOUND... CURSE. Literally we have anathematized ourselves (see Mark 14:71) with an anathema.. Hebraism. Figure of speech _Polyptoton._ App-6. CURSE. Greek. _anathema._ Here; Romans 9:3; 1 Corinthians 12:3; 1 Corinthians 16:22.Galatians 1:1; Galatians 1:8; Galatians 1:9. THAT WE WILL. to. e

_they came to the chief priests and elders_ Who were most likely of the Sadducees" part, and who therefore would have no wish to save St Paul's life. _We have bound ourselves under a great curse_ Lit. "with a curse have we cursed ourselves." A Hebrew mode of expressing the intensity and earnestness of any action. Cp. "to die the death, &c." _that we will eat nothing_ More literally (with _Rev. Ver._) "to taste nothing....