‘And Paul, looking steadfastly on the council, said, “Men, brethren, I have lived before God in all good conscience until this day.” Paul began his defence fearlessly and immediately by declaring that he lived before God, and that he sought to do it with a good conscience. Compare here Acts 24:16; 1... [ Continue Reading ]
‘And the high priest Ananias commanded those who stood by him to smite him on the mouth.' The chairman of the council, the High Priest Ananias, then commanded that he be smitten on the mouth. This was possibly a preemptory reminder of who was in charge. A modern judge would have sternly told him tha... [ Continue Reading ]
‘Then said Paul to him, “God will smite you, you whited wall. And do you sit to judge me according to the law, and command me to be smitten contrary to the law?” ' But Paul knew his Law. And he knew that the Law did not allow such treatment to one who was on trial (e.g. Leviticus 19:15). So he retal... [ Continue Reading ]
‘And those who stood by said, “Do you revile God's high priest?” ' Immediately people present were shocked and asked him if he thought it right to revile God's High Priest. They could not believe their ears. It was not a question of whether they approved of what the High Priest had said. It was bec... [ Continue Reading ]
‘And Paul said, “I did not know, brethren, that he was high priest, for it is written, ‘You shall not speak evil of a ruler of your people'.” ' Paul immediately admitted his fault. He informed them that he had not known that this man was the High Priest, otherwise he would not have done it. Perhaps... [ Continue Reading ]
‘But when Paul perceived that the one part were Sadducees and the other Pharisees, he cried out in the council, “Brethren, I am a Pharisee, a son of Pharisees, touching the hope and resurrection of the dead I am called in question.” ' We are not told the details of the proceedings that followed thi... [ Continue Reading ]
‘And when he had so said, there arose a dissension between the Pharisees and Sadducees, and the assembly was divided, for the Sadducees say that there is no resurrection, neither angel, nor spirit, but the Pharisees confess both.' This immediately made the Pharisees wake up and concentrate on the c... [ Continue Reading ]
‘And there arose a great clamour, and some of the scribes of the Pharisees' part stood up, and strove, saying, “We find no evil in this man. And what if a spirit has spoken to him, or an angel?” ' The result was that instead of universal condemnation Paul now suddenly found that he had some powerfu... [ Continue Reading ]
‘And when there arose a great dissension, the chief captain, fearing lest Paul should be torn in pieces by them, commanded the soldiers to go down and take him by force from among them, and bring him to the fortress.' Indeed feelings now began to rise so high (and we really cannot blame Paul becaus... [ Continue Reading ]
‘And the night following the Lord stood by him, and said, “Be of good cheer, for as you have testified concerning me at Jerusalem, so must you bear witness also at Rome.” ' In fact there was apparently only One person who was satisfied with the way that things were going, and that night the risen L... [ Continue Reading ]
‘And when it was day, the Jews banded together, and bound themselves under a curse, saying that they would neither eat nor drink until they had killed Paul.' Indeed these Jews were so determined to kill Paul that they bound themselves under a curse to do so. They swore that they would neither eat n... [ Continue Reading ]
THE JEWS PLAN AN AMBUSH WITH THE PURPOSE OF SLAYING PAUL, WHICH IS THWARTED BY PAUL'S NEPHEW AND THE DIVINE HAND (23:12-24). We discover here how the hatred that has followed Paul around at the hands of the Jews is continuing to grow. It had begun with the Jews of Asia, and continued with the stirre... [ Continue Reading ]
‘And they were more than forty that made this conspiracy.' The size of the conspiracy comes out in that ‘forty' men were involved. Such a number would be needed in order to keep the attention of the Roman guards who might be expected to escort the prisoner, while the assassination was taking place.... [ Continue Reading ]
‘And they came to the chief priests and the elders, and said, “We have bound ourselves under a great curse, to taste nothing until we have killed Paul. Now therefore do you, with the council, signify to the chief captain that he bring him down to you, as though you would judge of his case more exact... [ Continue Reading ]
‘But Paul's sister's son heard of their lying in wait, and he came and entered into the fortress and told Paul.' However, God was aware of the plan and ensured that news of the plot reached the ears of Paul's nephew. Possibly Paul's sister, as a well-dowried woman, was married to a member of the Sa... [ Continue Reading ]
‘And Paul called to him one of the centurions, and said, “Bring this young man to the chief captain, for he has something to tell him.' Paul then immediately called one of the centurions to him and asked him to take the boy to the chief captain, as he had some important information to impart. As a... [ Continue Reading ]
‘So he took him, and brought him to the chief captain, and says, “Paul the prisoner called me to him, and asked me to bring this young man to you, who has something to say to you.” ' So the centurion took Paul's nephew to the chief captain, and told him how Paul had called him and had requested tha... [ Continue Reading ]
‘And the chief captain took him by the hand, and going aside asked him privately, “What is it that you have to tell me?” ' The chief captain then took the lad's hand (he was clearly a sympathetic man) and led him aside and asked privately what it was he wanted to tell him.... [ Continue Reading ]
‘And he said, “The Jews have agreed to ask you to bring Paul down tomorrow to the council, as though you would enquire somewhat more exactly concerning him. Do not therefore yield to them, for there lie in wait for him of them more than forty men, who have bound themselves under a curse, neither to... [ Continue Reading ]
‘So the chief captain let the young man go, charging him, “Tell no man that you have signified these things to me.” ' So the chief captain let the lad go and told him to tell no one what he knew, or that he had told it to the chief captain. His main concern here was probably with the lad's safety.... [ Continue Reading ]
‘And he called to him two of the centurions, and said, “Make ready two hundred soldiers to go as far as Caesarea, and horsemen threescore and ten, and two hundred spearmen (or packhorses), at the third hour of the night, and he bade them provide beasts, that they might set Paul on them, and bring hi... [ Continue Reading ]
‘And he wrote a letter after this form:' The chief captain sent with the force that was taking Paul a letter to Felix. ‘After this form' may suggest that Luke was not sure of the contents, but hazarded a reconstruction based on information received. On the other hand it may have been read out in th... [ Continue Reading ]
PAUL IN THE HANDS OF THE ‘MOST EXCELLENT' FELIX (23:25-35). The ‘most excellent' Felix, to whom Paul was being taken, was a freedman who had been appointed as procurator, a most unusual situation. Procurators were usually of equestrian rank. His appointment was an act of favouritism to his brother a... [ Continue Reading ]
‘ Claudius Lysias to the most excellent governor Felix, greeting.' This is a standard opening form giving name of sender, name of recipient and a greeting. Lysias would be his given name. Claudius would be added when he became a Roman citizen during the reign of Claudius. ‘Most excellent' is a norm... [ Continue Reading ]
“This man was seized by the Jews, and was about to be slain by them, when I came on them with the soldiers and rescued him, having learned that he was a Roman.” He explains the circumstances of Paul's rescue, and suggests that he did it because he knew that Paul was a Roman citizen. This was presum... [ Continue Reading ]
“And desiring to know the cause for which they accused him, I brought him down to their council, whom I found to be accused about questions of their law, but to have nothing laid to his charge worthy of death or of bonds.” He explains how he was at pains to examine him, even bringing him before the... [ Continue Reading ]
“And when it was shown to me that there would be a plot against the man, I sent him to you forthwith, charging his accusers also to speak against him before you.” Then someone had shown him that there was to be a plot against Paul, which is why he has sent him to Felix, also informing his accusers... [ Continue Reading ]
‘So the soldiers, as it was commanded them, took Paul and brought him by night to Antipatris.' So that night the contingent of soldiers left as commanded and arrived at Antipatris, roughly just past half way to Caesarea. The journey from there would be through less dangerous territory.... [ Continue Reading ]
‘But on the morrow they left the horsemen to go with him, and returned to the fortress, and they, when they came to Caesarea and delivered the letter to the governor, presented Paul also before him.' From that point on the full escort was seen as no longer needed and the cavalrymen carried on with... [ Continue Reading ]
‘And when he had read it, he asked of what province he was. And when he understood that he was of Cilicia, he said, “I will hear you fully when your accusers also are come.” And he commanded him to be kept in Herod's palace.' Felix then had Paul brought in and asked him what province he came from.... [ Continue Reading ]