Acts 23:35

_ _ I will hear thee, said he, when thine accusers are also come. And he commanded him to be kept in Herod's judgment hall. I will hear thee - the compound word [ DIAKOUSOMAI (G1251 )] IMPLIES 'A THOROUGH HEARING,' _ Said he, when thine accusers are also come. And he commanded him, [_ keleusas (G2753 ) IS PREFERABLE TO ekeleusen ( G2753) of the Received Text] To be kept in Herod's judgment-hall - `THE PRAETORIUM;' THAT IS THE PALACE BUILT AT CAESAREA BY HEROD, AND NOW OCCUPIED BY THE ROMAN PROCURATORS, IN ONE OF THE BUILDINGS ATTACHED TO WHICH PAUL WAS ORDERED TO BE KEPT. Remark: Though Paul, when insulted before the Sanhedrim by the high priest, appear

25-35 God has instruments for every work. The natural abilities and moral virtues of the heathens often have been employed to protect his persecuted servants. Even the men of the world can discern between the conscientious conduct of upright believers, and the zeal of false professors, though they disregard or understand not their doctrinal principles. All hearts are in God's hand, and those are blessed who put their trust in him, and commit their ways unto him....

Verse Acts 23:35. _I WILL HEAR THEE_] διακουσομαι σου; I will give thee a fair, full, and attentive hearing _when thy accusers are come_; in whose presence thou shalt be permitted to defend thyself. _IN HEROD'S JUDGMENT-HALL._] εν τω πραιτωριω, _In Herod's_ _praetorium_, so called because it was built by Herod the Great. The praetorium was the place where the Roman _praetor_ had his residence; and it is probable that, in or near this place, there was a sort of _guard room_, where state prisoners were kept. Paul was lodged here till his accusers should arrive. ON the preceeding chapter many useful observations may be made. 1. Paul, while acting contrary to the Gospel of Christ, pleaded _conscience_ as his guide. _Conscience_ is generally allowed to be the _rule of human actions_; but it ca

IN HEROD’S JUDGMENT HALL - Greek: in the praetorium of Herod. The word used here denoted formerly “the tent of the Roman praetor”; and since that was the place where justice was administered, it came to be applied to “halls (courts) of justice.” This had been raised probably by Herod the Great as his palace, or as a place for administering justice. It is probable, also, that prisons, or places of security, would be attached to such places....

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;...

I WILL HEAR THEE, SAID HE,.... The Arabic and Ethiopic versions read, "we will hear", which is a grand courtly way of speaking: WHEN THINE ACCUSERS ARE COME; which Lysias, in his letter, informed him that he had ordered them to come; which shows the governor to have some sense of justice and integrity, being desirous to hear both sides before he judged of the affair, though there was so much said in the chief captain's letter in favour of Paul's innocence, and against his enemies. AND HE COMMANDED HIM TO BE KEPT IN HEROD'S JUDGMENT HALL; or palace: this was a place built by Herod the great at Caesarea, of whose magnificent buildings here Josephus gives a large account. For besides the famous haven or port which he made here, he adorned the place with splendid palaces, he built a theatre, and an amphitheatre, and a "forum" h, which was either a market place, or a court of judicature; an...

ARRIVAL AT CÆ SAREA. Antipatris (p. 28), a Greek town even the name of which has disappeared, was where Ras-el-Ain is now, on the road from Lydda to Cæ sarea, 40 miles from Jerusalem, 25 from Cæ sarea. 40 miles are more than a night's march for infantry. The procurator asks the necessary question as to the province of the prisoner (_cf._ Luke 23:6 f.), and undertakes to hear the case when the prosecutors arrive. Of the præ torium (_mg.)_ of Herod at Cæ sarea nothing is known....

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

HEAR. hear fully. Greek. _diakouo._ Only here. ARE ALSO COME. also shall have come. KEPT. guarded. JUDGMENT HALL. Greek. _praitorion._ See note on Matthew 27:27; John 18:28. It here means the guard-room attached to Herod's palace....

_I will hear thee_ The verb implies a complete and thorough hearing of a case. "I will give thee a full hearing." The _Rev. Ver._renders "I will hear thy cause." _when thine accusers are also come_ Assuming that they would appear, since they had been bidden to do so by the chief captain, as he had explained in his letter. Of course Lysias had not said a word of this to the Jews when his letter was written, but intended to do so when Paul was safely on the road to Cæsarea. _to be kept in Herod's judgment hall_ The word rendered "judgment hall" is "prætorium," and may signify either the palace of a prince, the tent of a general, or the barracks of the soldiery. Here it is probably the name of the palace which Herod had erected for himself, and which now was used as the governor's residence. It seems (from Acts 24:24-26) that it was close to the quarters of Felix h