Commentary by Ron Beckham

Verse 1.  “Paul, looking intently at the Council, said, ‘Brethren, I have lived my life with a perfectly good conscience before God up to this day.’”

 Those in Christ should consider their gifts, whether “spiritual” or “natural” (all we have and are is given by God) and understand God’s call.  Note that Paul knew God’s will perfectly.  He was to “speak (Jesus’) name before the Gentiles and kings and the sons of Israel” (Acts 9:15).  And since he knew what he was CALLED to do, he made sure he was always READY in that calling.  All are made priests in the body of Christ (1 Peter 2:9) and every “priest” is given a function.  All are to be used.  It’s time for us to LISTEN and respond to the call of God.

 If you discover that He has called you to pray for sick people, then you need to consider going to places where sick people may be found – and pray for them as God leads!  Paul had been led to speak to sinners about the redemption offered through Jesus Christ and His cross, and he was ALWAYS ready in that regard.  Josephus said that Antiochus Epiphanes had made a law that “all Jews were to be killed who lived according to the Law”.  Since that time, the Jews had fiercely defended the keeping of the Law.  Paul began his talk by asserting his unswerving agreement with the Law and grace of God (“My conscience is clear before God…”).

Verse 2.  “The high priest Ananias commanded those standing beside him to strike him on the mouth.”

 This Ananias was high priest of the Jewish religion for the unusually long time of nearly ten years, though his office may have been interrupted during that time.  He was a Sadducee, the member of a powerful group within the Jewish religion, which amazingly did not believe in the afterlife, or in miracles, or in just about anything else that could be considered “supernatural” in origin.  Many theologians, whether Jew, Catholic, Protestant, or whatever, are of that persuasion, and you can often find such men as instructors in seminaries, damaging the minds and hearts of young people in yet another generation.

 Ananias, who had just returned from Rome and a favorable audience with Emperor Claudius, was also known for his greed, wealth, violence, brutality, and gluttony.  And most incredible of all, Ananias, who would be murdered by the Zealots (a violent Jewish political party) in A.D. 66 because of his friendliness with the Romans, was a “popular high priest among (most of) the Jews” (Joseph Excell).  It was this man who suddenly ordered those standing next to the Apostle Paul to hit him on the mouth.

Verse 3.  “Then Paul said to him, ‘God is going to strike you, you whitewashed wall!  Do you sit to try me according to the Law, and in violation of the Law order me to be struck?’”

 Paul had just been hit in the mouth at the order of Ananias, the high priest of the Jews at that time.  This would not have been easy for him.  His defense was ready and he saw this as another opportunity to speak to the people he especially loved, the Jews.  He said of them, “My heart’s desire and my prayer to God for them is for their salvation” (Romans 10:1).  And this man, whoever he was (from Paul’s perspective), had blocked him from carrying out God’s will in the lives of his people.  Paul yelled at him with very strong words.

 This trial (Paul was on trial for his life at that moment) was all about Law.  The Jews had accused Paul of not only being a Lawbreaker, but also encouraging others to do the same.  They were also accusing him of breaking Roman Law, by inciting civil unrest.  Paul’s statement to the high priest is similar to Jesus’ statement about the religious leaders, “you are like whitewashed tombs, which on the outside appear beautiful, but inside they are full of dead men’s bones and all uncleanness” (Matthew 23:27).  The high priest, who looked good on the outside, had broken the Law at that critical moment, revealing there was something very wrong inside the man.

Verse 4.  “But the bystanders said, ‘Do you revile God's high priest?’”

 Those who surrounded the Apostle Paul and heard his words, knew the man who had ordered Paul to be hit was the high priest of the Jewish religion.  They were shocked, not by what the high priest Ananias had done (they were used to his episodes of violence), but rather by Paul’s response.  Paul’s focus was on his audience, the Jewish people, and he did not see who had spoken, for the man was slightly behind him and outside of his vision.  Paul had snapped back with very harsh words (verse 3) and his listeners were incensed by what he had said.

 I am impressed, by the way, that God allowed Paul’s narrative to be stopped.  He appeared to have a DIRECTION in his words (verse 1) which were stopped by a slap (verse 2), and Paul didn’t like it (verse 3).  Sometimes you and I are (or will be) stopped suddenly, when we think we are doing a “good” thing.  Paul would not return to his narrative, and sometimes we are stopped permanently (or for a long time) in the “good” being done.  But always remember that “God causes all things to work together for good to those who love God, to those who are called according to His purpose” (Romans 8:28).  God knows what He is doing (and what He stops), in your life and in mine.

Verse 5.  “And Paul said, ‘I was not aware, brethren, that he was high priest; for it is written, You shall not speak evil of a ruler of your people.’”

When he was hit in the mouth at the order of some person behind him, Paul did what I consider to be a reasonable thing – He objected!  We already know from Acts 22:29 and context, that a Roman (Paul was a Roman citizen) could not be punished until he was convicted.  It was similar in Jewish Law (and Paul was a Jew), for punishment was to occur AFTER the accused was condemned (Deuteronomy 17:6-7).  And Paul’s response was even more reasonable, when you recall that Paul’s mouth (and the rest of his body) was very sore at that time.  He had recently been beaten (again) by a Jewish mob (Acts 22:30-32).  A person who has been hurt will typically shout “Ouch” (or worse) when he is hurt again.

 And yet, we should also remember that when Paul learned that the man who had given the order was the high priest, he immediately agreed with their concerns about his words, citing Exodus 22:28, “You shall not curse God, nor curse a ruler of your people.”  Paul cautioned all of us in Romans 13:1, “Let every person be in subjection to the governing authorities, for there is no authority except from God.”  His statement in Romans is even more powerful when we consider these verses in Acts 23.  We should be very slow to come against authority, even when the authority has gone bad.  An exception is found in Acts 5:29, where it is seen we must first “obey God rather than men”.  Another “first” is that we should learn to pray before we act.

Verse 6.  “But perceiving that one group were Sadducees and the other Pharisees, Paul began crying out in the Council, ‘Brethren, I am a Pharisee, a son of Pharisees; I am on trial for the hope and resurrection of the dead!’”

This verse is a great example of the “spiritual gift” called “Word of Wisdom” as seen in places like 1 Corinthians 12:8, and you are encouraged to view the commentary of Friday Study Ministries in relation to that verse.  Through this gift, God provides understanding to the simple and gives words that solve difficult situations.  The Lord suddenly called to Paul’s attention to the fact that about half of his Jewish audience consisted of members of the political-religious party called the “Sadducees”  This was a relatively small group of intellectuals but one that often held the high priesthood - the other half were Pharisees, the group that had counted Paul himself as a member.

 The Sadducees believed in essentially – nothing!, whereas the Pharisees believed in an afterlife and in supernatural beings, but without the power of God.  Paul, as led by the Holy Spirit of God, went to the precise difference between the two groups, and like a surgical knife, divided them neatly into two warring parts.  Those who had been united against Paul, were now to be divided among themselves.  And what Paul said was true, for he WAS on trial for his belief in the “hope and resurrection of the dead”, which is precisely what we are offered in Jesus Christ.

Verse 7.  “As he said this, there occurred a dissension between the Pharisees and Sadducees, and the assembly was divided.”

 The Pharisees and Sadducees were warring political/religious parties and had been for a long time.  They would only unite in relation to those threats which were perceived to be external to the nation (though it must be observed there WAS no nation of Israel at that time), and they had united for a brief moment in opposition to a false understanding about the teachings of the Apostle Paul.  Now they were divided again, at only a word (verse 6) from the man they wanted to kill.  We should take warning from these verses, for “dissension”, which is part of the human makeup, should not be in our midst.

 In the church, though, we have tended to love our doctrines more than we love people.  This is seen clearly in Jesus’ observations about the Church at Ephesus (Revelation 2:1-7).  They were very good at doctrines but missed it all in relation to love, and Jesus pointed out He would “remove (their) lamp stand” (the authority and power given them through the Holy Spirit) unless they changed their ways.  They apparently did not change and it should be noted there is no significant Church at Ephesus and there has not been one for centuries.  Our adherence to the Word of God is VERY important, but ALL should be centered in the love of God which is in Christ Jesus.

Verse 8.  “For the Sadducees say that there is no resurrection, nor an angel, nor a spirit, but the Pharisees acknowledge them all.”

Can you imagine?  What’s the point of religion if you believe in – nothing?  Religion in a context like that is simply busy work, like a hobby, and this world needs HELP, not more hobbies.  Buddhism is an excellent example of a more “modern” religion that is essentially organized atheism.  They do believe in an afterlife, but only in the sense of each person merging into something much larger, and losing all identity whatsoever.  There is no God, but simply a larger corporate whole that does not have any particular sentience or awareness – of anything.  And love is not their goal - they simply want to ESCAPE from the unpleasantness of this life.

 The Sadducees had to deal with the problem of their own Scriptures, which presented verses like Daniel 12:13, where he was told “you will enter into rest (die) and rise again.”  They also had to deal with places such as Isaiah 26:19, “Your dead shall live, their corpses will rise…”  And of course, Isaiah 66:24 was a problem for them, because it teaches a literal hell for those who do not trust in the Lord.  They handled it by simply not believing in any of it.  Most of the Pharisees, interestingly enough, believed in many of the facts of Scripture, but did not trust in the God who wrote those words.

Verse 9.  “And there occurred a great uproar; and some of the scribes of the Pharisaic party stood up and began to argue heatedly, saying, ‘We find nothing wrong with this man; suppose a spirit or an angel has spoken to him?’”

What an interesting contrast in these verses.  The Sadducees, as we have seen, believed in nothing at all.  The Pharisees, on the other hand, believed in a lot of “supernatural” things, but were not changed or regenerated by their beliefs.  Jesus had told Nicodemus, a Pharisee who had come to Him by night, “You must be born again” (John 3:7), which He further defined as being “born of the Spirit” (John 3:7 and 3:8).  Nicodemus took Him at His Word and was born again of the Spirit.  We see a glimpse of this in John 19:38-42, where we find him as one of the two who were brave enough to ask for the body of Jesus, then prepare Him for burial before tenderly laying Him into a tomb.

 Note in this verse that the words of Paul had done their work.  The Pharisees had turned against the Sadducees, traditional rivalries took over, and the Pharisees ended up defending Paul, a man they considered an enemy.  The Pharisees actually had a great deal to quarrel about with the Apostle Paul, but for the moment they found “nothing wrong” with him.  A great many are like the Pharisees (as Paul had been): sincere but wrong-headed.  When you speak with persons you do not agree with, remember that others besides ourselves can be true seekers after God.  If the context is wrong but the heart is right, God will change the person.  They are very likely to find the Lord.

Verse 10.  “And as a great dissension was developing, the commander was afraid Paul would be torn to pieces by them and ordered the troops to go down and take him away from them by force, and bring him into the barracks.”

Two writers, the Roman Tacitus and the Jewish Josephus, wrote of the Jewish “mind” during the years preceding the War that was to end in the destruction of Jerusalem in 70 AD.  The “dissension” of this verse, witnessed and written by Dr. Luke about these events, was typical of that mindset.  The Roman power over the Jews was the only presence that kept them from civil war, for as Rev. Joseph Excell said, “The Castle of Antonia” (a Roman fortification at the Jewish Temple) “was the one place of safety in Jerusalem.”

 Notice it was a non-Christian man who was the protector of Paul, and as such, he was the agent of God in these matters.  As stated earlier, the “Commander” was a “Chiliarch” or “Tribune”, the leader of 1,000 very effective Roman soldiers and he was well able to protect the Apostle Paul.  God does watch over us, using angels and every other means necessary, lest we fall into any harm.  Paul would eventually die in God’s service, and yet that was the time selected by God for him, for even death is only a passage into LIFE through Jesus Christ.  Right now, the troops rescued Paul by force and took him back to the Roman barracks at the Castle of Antonia.

Verse 11. “But on the night immediately following, the Lord stood at his side and said, ‘Take courage; for as you have solemnly witnessed to My cause at Jerusalem, so you must witness at Rome also.’”

Paul was a prisoner. He was in the place he had thought he should be, but life is seldom comfortable for one who is confined. Paul was in chains and we see a hint that he felt like hope was fading. He would have been remembering those who had warned him "not to go up to Jerusalem" (Acts 21:12 & context). He had gone, but his decision now seemed less sure, because going had led to confinement and isolation, which left little opportunity for him to speak of His Lord.

But God reaches into the darkest of prisons and touches those in need. Paul was depressed, which we can perceive from the Lord's response to him, "Take courage" or as in another translation, "Be of good cheer." It was at this low point in his life that the Lord appeared and told him he would not "rot" in that place but instead, God had a wonderful plan: He would be sent to the capitol of the Roman Empire. The Lord has a plan for ALL who are in the dark places of this life. No matter WHAT happens, be of good cheer; for the Lord LOVES you and me!

Verse 12. “When it was day, the Jews formed a conspiracy and bound themselves under an oath, saying that they would neither eat nor drink until they had killed Paul.”

These were Jewish men with what might be called "admirable" qualities. They were very religious (much like Paul had been), and were "passionate" about what they believed. They were "consistent" - not deviating from their beliefs. They were willing to stake their lives on their convictions, to the point they would give up everything for them. We have seen such passion in the Middle East, where young boys and girls strap explosives around themselves and blow themselves up, in a statement of protest against the nation Israel. That which seems "admirable" is not always good.

We should examine ourselves and what we believe. Yes, it is good to be "passionate" in our convictions, but first also determine if you are convinced of the right things. Jesus Christ is the way to God (John 14:6), but also look at your attitudes in the light of who He is. Paul explored this in 2 Corinthians 13:5, where he cautioned, "Examine yourselves as to whether you are in the faith; prove yourselves; do you not know yourselves, that Jesus Christ is in you? - unless you are disqualified." If the love of God is in us, we ought to love one another (1 John 4:11) and if your overriding life emotion is simply anger, it should be a concern as to who and what you are.

Verse 13. “There were more than forty who formed this plot.”

Numbers don't mean anything. For one thing, if you find that a lot of people agree with your belief system, it does not mean you are correct in what is believed. What matters in relation to God is the truth about Him, and not merely opinions about what He might be. Here were forty men who completely agreed on a number of things, and right now, it was settled among them that the Apostle Paul should die, violently and soon. And we shall see in the next verses, they had plenty of support - the leadership of the Jewish religion would be in agreement with them (verse 20 & context).

Numbers also don't matter when you feel alone. Jesus Christ is WITH those who love Him and He has given us the Holy Spirit of God. We are protected by His holy angels, each of whom is more powerful than any army or weapon this human race could ever devise. Paul was completely safe at that moment, even though forty assassins had given up everything and were committed to his death. The plot against Paul would not succeed. He was safe in our Lord and so are you.

Verse 14. “They came to the chief priests and the elders and said, ‘We have bound ourselves under a solemn oath to taste nothing until we have killed Paul.’”

It's very typical that people try to obtain official sanction for bad behavior. Some say that "the first commandment was when Eve told Adam to eat the apple", and that's interesting, for a reading of the Genesis narrative indicates that both Adam and Eve tried (unsuccessfully) to justify what they had done. The commandments of God are wonderful in every way but one - we are sinners who try to be justified by the Law without actually keeping it. These men were sinners, killers who were trying to justify bad thoughts and behavior behind a mask of religion.

"Thou shall not commit murder" is a commandment of God (Exodus 20:14), and no matter how much a murderous heart is dressed up in beautiful religious clothing, the person is still ugly inside. There are many who smile with the lips but hate with the heart, and Jesus had much to say about them: "Whoever murders will be in danger of the judgment, but I say to you that whoever is angry with his brother without a cause shall be in danger of the judgment" (Matthew 5:21-22). The command we must learn is to "love one another" (John 13:34). These men needed the Lord and His love - and so do we all.

Verse 15. “Now therefore, you and the Council notify the commander to bring him down to you, as though you were going to determine his case by a more thorough investigation; and we for our part are ready to slay him before he comes near the place.”

Here was a group of about forty men who had murder in their hearts, appearing before the supreme Jewish Council in Jerusalem (the Sanhedrin), asking official sanction for the killing of the Apostle Paul. We can tell from verse 20 and its context that they received official permission and then set about to kill that wonderful man of God. You might wonder about life and death in the light of Scripture: In the Old Testament, the nation Israel was commanded by God to kill whole groups of people. What about that?

The answer is all about perspective and purpose. From God's perspective, continuing to live physically is like a Band Aid on a huge wound. The wound needs to be healed, not merely covered up. You can live in this life and yet lose your soul, for to live is temporary but to find Christ is life - forever. The ones Israel displaced (and these forty men) had no regard for the Lord. God views our real problem as unbelief vs. faith. Unbelief will kill you, but through faith, He gives eternal LIFE through Jesus Christ. You want an easy, pleasant life, but He wants you to have His Son. These Jews needed a new perspective, and that is true for everyone who has ever lived - we need the Lord!

Verse 16. “But the son of Paul's sister heard of their ambush, and he came and entered the barracks and told Paul.”

You may have plans that are "in the dark". That is, you may have a smile on the outside, but be so angry inside at someone that you would do them in, if you thought you could get away with it. But your thoughts are being heard, just as surely as Paul's nephew heard of the ambush intended to kill his uncle. God knows your every thought, just as surely as he knew the thoughts of David (Psalm 139:1-4 - "You understand my thought afar off"). God has in mind turning our anger and fear into love and joy.

If your mind needs correction, He will whisper your thoughts into the ears of His holy angels and into the hearts of His servants on this earth. Your plot will be known and He will start circumstances in motion that will protect others and lead you toward a life of faith in His Son. In this case, Paul was directly given information that would save him from harm. And just as God loved (loves) Paul, He also loves you and me. We are safe in Him.

Verse 17. “Paul called one of the centurions to him and said, ‘Lead this young man to the commander, for he has something to report to him.’”

A "Centurion", the commander of 100 Roman soldiers, reported to a "Chiliarch" ("Commander" in this verse), who was the leader of 1,000 Roman soldiers. Paul had just received a sentence of death, for his nephew, who lived in Jerusalem and was a Jew, had learned of a plot to kill the Apostle Paul on his way to the city of Caesarea. Paul was a prisoner at that time, helpless in every human way, and this "Commander" was the one responsible for delivering him safely to the Roman authorities in Caesarea.

From one human perspective, Paul had a wonderful life, for it was certainly not boring, but from another it was terrible, for he suffered greatly in all that he did. There are positive aspects to suffering, and the best of all is that to suffer in the will of God is to learn faith in Him like you never expected. One aspect of Paul's faith is recognized in this verse. He was so sensitized to an awareness of the Lord's will for him, that he instantly knew what to do and how to do it. There was no hesitation in the decision making abilities of this man of God.

Verse 18. “So he took him and led him to the commander and said, ‘Paul the prisoner called me to him and asked me to lead this young man to you since he has something to tell you.’”

The Roman Centurion (a leader of 100 Roman soldiers) went quickly to his superior (a "Chiliarch" or "Commander", the leader of 1,000 Roman soldiers), just as the Apostle Paul had instructed him. Note that Paul was the prisoner and the Centurion was supposedly his guard, but all authority is given by God, and He was the One in charge of these events. "Paul the prisoner" was also "Paul the man of God", and the Lord was directing all that occurred. This is also true in your life and mine.

If we think the events in the corporate board room, the job site, or in family matters, are "our" decisions to make, we must think again, for God is in control of - everything. You and I may disagree with these words, asking questions like: "What about Nazi Germany?" and so on. But Paul the prisoner, Paul the one who had been beaten horribly many times, said we are "heirs of God and joint heirs with Christ, if indeed we suffer with Him, that we may also be glorified together" (Romans 8:17). He knew that God has a good purpose behind everything that occurs, no matter how difficult it may seem to you at the time.

Verse 19. “The commander took him by the hand and stepping aside, began to inquire of him privately, ‘What is it that you have to report to me?’”

Claudius Lysias was the name of this Commander or "Chiliarch" (the leader of 1000 Roman soldiers) who was responsible for the safety of the Roman citizen and prisoner, also known as the Apostle to the Gentiles. Paul, who was told by his nephew about a plot to kill him, immediately sent the younger man to Lysias. Paul, who seldom had trouble making decisions, could be termed a "decisive" man. So was Claudius Lysias.

This Roman soldier was about to return to the barracks at Antonia and pass out of history (after the next few verses), but I would have to give him an "excellent" rating in a key area of performance: He LISTENED to others. When he heard that a riot was starting in Jerusalem, he immediately responded with troops. He listened to Paul, when told he was a Roman citizen. And now he was learning of a plot by the Jews, and he carefully listened to Paul's nephew.

Verse 20. “And he said, ‘The Jews have agreed to ask you to bring Paul down tomorrow to the Council, as though they were going to inquire somewhat more thoroughly about him.’”

The “Council” mentioned in these verses, was the Sanhedrin, the supreme council of the Jewish religion. It’s truly amazing that so much harm has been and is being done in the name of religion. The Apostle Paul differed with those of the traditional Jewish religion, on what could be called, from one perspective, simply doctrinal differences. He believed Jesus was the Christ (the Messiah) and they did not, so they wanted to kill him. Both sides believed in Scripture, which taught, “Love your neighbor as yourself” (Leviticus 19:18), and to “walk with integrity” and speak the truth (Psalm 15:2).

Here was a Roman man (a Chiliarch, the leader of 1,000 Roman soldiers), who needed God just as much as the rest of us, being told by a Jewish man (the nephew of Paul), that the supreme council of the Jewish religion consisted of a bunch of liars. What would he think of that religion? What would he think of the God they purportedly served? They were going to pretend to seek more truth about Paul, when in fact they were lying about their motives and intended to kill the Apostle. All in the Church need to take note of this, for we must stop manipulating circumstances and look to the Lord. Only then will we make a difference in this world for Him.

Verse 21.  “So do not listen to them, for more than forty of them are lying in wait for him who have bound themselves under a curse not to eat or drink until they slay him; and now they are ready and waiting for the promise from you.”

Paul's nephew continued speaking to the Roman Commander:  “Do not listen to them!”  What good advice from Paul’s nephew, who was protecting his uncle Paul with everything he knew.  In the commentary on verse 20, the question was asked in relation to the actions of the Jewish leaders, “What would he (the Roman Commander) think of religious people in the light of these events?”  The answer would be: Not very much.  Paul taught us that we are to be “speaking the truth in Love” (Ephesians 4:15).  We are to be HONEST men and women, with a reputation that we have an unusual concern for the truth.  And just as important, we are to love those to whom we speak.

 Note carefully the message being sent by the supreme Jewish council: 1) We do not care about the truth; we can say anything we want to say, just as long as we get our own way, and 2) We do not love you, Roman Commander.  We do not care if you lose your citizenship, family, position, family and life – We just love ourselves and want what we want!  And we don’t care about Paul, either!  What happened to their honor?  Their moral center?  It was lost by the whole human race in the Garden of Eden, and the only way we can get it back is through the Lord Jesus Christ.  The very man they (the Jewish Council) wanted to kill (Paul) was the one with the words they needed to hear.

 Verse 22.  “So the commander let the young man go, instructing him, ‘Tell no one that you have notified me of these things.’”

 Young men tend to tell too much to the wrong people.  So do older men and the same problem is true for women.  We ALL need the advice of this Commander.  LIVES were at stake at the moment and Commander Lysias, who was very effective in what he did, told Paul's nephew to "tell NO ONE" about this.  He knew that the human tendency is to tell maybe ONE "trusted" person, who might tell another, who might tell someone else, and so on.  We all need to learn this:  There are times to speak and times to be quiet, and all need the LORD to tell us the difference.

 Solomon had much to say about our foolishness with words and the dangers of them, including, "In the mouth of the foolish is a rod for his back" (Proverbs 14:3).  Apparently the young man listened to the Chiliarch (Roman Commander), for Paul was soon to be moved from Jerusalem to Caesarea without incident.  We must all speak less and listen more, and if we do, there will be less trouble in the world.

 Verse 23.  “And he called to him two of the centurions and said, ‘Get two hundred soldiers ready by the third hour of the night to proceed to Caesarea, with seventy horsemen and two hundred spearmen.’”

 The "he" of this verse is the Chiliarch named Claudius Lysias, leader of 1,000 Roman soldiers.  "Centurions" were leaders of 100 Roman soldiers.  Lysias told two of his Centurions to get their men ready, for they would be leaving suddenly in the middle of the night, taking along the extra precaution of seventy men on horses and 200 men who were accomplished in the throwing of spears.  The forty assassins waiting to ambush Paul and the Romans who would transport him, were in for a big surprise.

 Sometimes the Lord will warn you of impending danger in your life.  He may speak to you through Scripture, directly to you.  He may send a person.  Or He may "speak" through circumstances through which you will "know" His message to you.  If you don't have hundreds of soldiers at your disposal, what should you do?  The answer is - pray!  You have the Lord Himself, God's Holy Spirit, and at least hundreds of angelic beings that are sworn to defend you.  All you have to do is trust in Him and ask.

 Verse 24.  “They were also to provide mounts to put Paul on and bring him safely to Felix the governor.”

 You may be looking for deliverance from certain problems in your life.  If Paul was to be delivered by fast moving mounts (horses), under the protection of fully-armed and capable soldiers, why doesn't God send help for you and me?  The answer is that He ALWAYS has your deliverance in mind.  Instructing Moses about what to tell the people in relation to their rescue from Egypt, God said, "I bore you on eagles' wings, and brought you to Myself" (Exodus 19:4).  To be rescued from outward circumstances is good, but to be brought to the Lord is infinitely better.

 Not only does He deliver you in time of need, but much more, He is EQUIPPING you for entry and service in His kingdom.  If you "wait for the Lord," you will "gain new strength."  Such people will "mount up with wings like eagles; they will run and not get tired, they will walk and not become weary" (Isaiah 40:31).  Paul was to be delivered safely to Felix the Roman Governor, and you, if you are willing to trust in Him, will be delivered safely through the work of Christ, into the Kingdom of God.

 Verse 25.  “And he wrote a letter having this form:”

 You might think, "If only someone would write a good letter about me, I might get a better job."  Almost everybody in the world wants to be rescued from something or other and many are looking for that "Rescuer" who will save us from our circumstances.  Too often that which is said or written about us is inaccurate and doesn't do the job.  We'll see that Commander Claudius Lysias wrote the perfect letter for the circumstances of the Apostle Paul's situation.  Why isn't one written for you?

 Actually, instead of your job, marriage, health, or whatever may be troubling you, it is recommended that your real need in life is to be right before God.  If you have placed your trust in Jesus Christ, your name is "written in the Lamb's book of life" (Revelation 13:8); etched there by His holy work on the cross.  In relation to any need less than the salvation offered in Him, you may get what you want, but it won't last anyway.  Trust in Him and you'll know His love - forever!

 Verse 26.  “Claudius Lysias, to the most excellent governor Felix, greetings.”

 The Bible, especially in the portion called the New Testament, is filled with letters.  Here’s one from Claudius Lysias, a “Chiliarch” (Commander) of approximately 1,000 Roman Soldiers stationed at the Tower of Antonia near the Temple Mount in Jerusalem.  The recipient is Felix, who became the Roman Procurator of the area of Judea, in 52 A.D., and lasted until A.D. 60.  In the year 109, the Roman historian Tacitus wrote about Governor (Procurator) Felix, that “he reveled in cruelty and lust, and wielded the power of a king with the mind of a slave.”

 Felix managed to marry Drusilla, the sister of Agrippa II, and learned much of Jewish customs from her, but his weaknesses in life far outweighed any strengths he might have had.  He tended merely toward cleverness and was not in any way a good man.  It was to this character that Claudius Lysias would bring the Apostle Paul.

 Verse 27.  “When this man was arrested by the Jews and was about to be slain by them, I came up to them with the troops and rescued him, having learned that he was a Roman.”

 Commander Claudius Lysias was continuing his letter to Governor Felix of Judea, about the prisoner named Paul the Apostle.  Lysias was a good listener, a careful observer, and as mentioned before, a thoughtful but decisive man.  From this letter we can see that he had the military quality of presenting information in a concise but thorough manner.  He simply told the facts as he knew them in this letter to the governor.  For instance, he was stating, Paul had been about to be killed by an angry Jewish mob and Lysias intervened with his troops, saving this man who then turned out to be a Roman citizen.

 It was his quick thinking, decisiveness and fast response time that delivered the Apostle Paul.  Or was it?  The next time you are delivered from death by a surgical team, you might not only thank the doctor who successfully operated on you, but also the Lord, who gave His skill to that doctor.  Behind every deliverance you will ever experience is the hand of the Lord who loves you.  It helped Paul that he was a Roman, but the question is:  Who made Paul a Roman?  His father?  “Luck of the draw”?  It was the Lord who had prepared him from before his birth.

 Verse 28.  “And wanting to ascertain the charge for which they were accusing him, I brought him down to their Council;”

 "Their Council" refers to the Sanhedrin, the supreme ruling body of the Jews.  The “Council” governed in religious matters only, since any true secular authority was in the hands of the Romans who ruled the Mediterranean world, including the former nation of the Jewish people.  But the Romans didn't want too much trouble from the peoples they controlled, and so they listened to the requests of local governing bodies, such as this "Sanhedrin" in Jerusalem.

 It was pretty hard for a Roman to figure out the concerns of the Jewish leaders, and it was not unusual for the Sanhedrin leaders to be upset about something.  In any event, it really wasn't the job of Commander Lysias to determine anything, except that, if the charges were truly spurious, the prisoner Paul should be released.  But he was not a judge in these matters; he was like a bailiff that had charge of the prisoner until he could be brought to trial.

 Verse 29.  “and I found him to be accused over questions about their Law, but under no accusation deserving death or imprisonment.”

 The Romans had their law and the Jews had theirs, and the two systems did not mesh in any significant way.  There was no direct right of appeal from a decision under Jewish law into Roman law, but that was not a concern to Rome, since the Jews of the time had little civil authority.  It was the Romans who ruled Judea and the other provincial areas previously controlled by the Jews.  God had taken authority away from His chosen people.

 The Romans were concerned about peaceful control of the areas they governed.  The phrase "Pax Romana" (Roman peace) was important, for everyone agreed that the Roman Empire had brought relative peace to a troubled world (the world they knew about, anyway).  Rome would capture and kill someone who threatened the peace of a countryside or town.  Lysias, the writer of this letter to Governor Felix, had determined that the current problem was all about Jewish Law, an irksome subject to Roman authorities.

 Verse 30.  “When I was informed that there would be a plot against the man, I sent him to you at once, also instructing his accusers to bring charges against him before you.”

 Paul's nephew had come to Commander Lysias, informing his uncle about a plot to take Paul's life during the prisoner's transfer to the Roman city of Caesarea, on the Mediterranean coast.  Forty assassins were lying in wait to kill both the Roman guards and the Apostle Paul.  Lysias took his job very seriously and determined from the demeanor of Paul's nephew that the threat really might occur.  He knew the people he was dealing with and decided to take every possible step to protect his prisoner.

 Paul was a Roman citizen and Commander Lysias was sworn to protect Romans at all cost.  If you are in Christ, you are a citizen of heaven.  You may live here on earth, but this is a "far country" from your true residence, and God has sent His angels to protect you at all cost.  It is true that a plot exists against your life, but there are beings sent from God that will bring you through to that place and time of His choosing for the return to your true home.  Our Lord will indeed bring you through.

Verse 31.  “So the soldiers, in accordance with their orders, took Paul and brought him by night to Antipatris.”

The last few verses related a letter from Chiliarch (Commander) Lysias to the Roman Governor in Caesarea.  His soldiers received that letter from him, and now took the Apostle Paul away by night.  They went to the town of Antipatris, a city built by Herod the Great in honor of his father Antipater, and this verse is the only mention of it in Scripture.  Traces of the Roman road through that area can still be seen.  They would have traveled through Gophna, which was about three hours from Jerusalem.  They left at 9 PM (verse 23) and would have arrived at Gophna by midnight.  In a few more hours they would have reached Antipatris, well before dawn.

Verse 32.  “But the next day, leaving the horsemen to go on with him, they returned to the barracks.”

It seemed safe enough to the leaders at that point, and so they let the non-mounted men go back to Jerusalem (the barracks at the Castle of Antonia), while those on horses continued with the Apostle Paul to Caesarea.  The journey from Antipatris (verse 31) to Caesarea would have been five or six hours, and the whole trip from Jerusalem to Caesarea, therefore took only a day.  There were forty assassins out there in the wilderness somewhere (verse 21 & context) who either saw them pass and did not attack because of the many Roman guards, or did not see them at all because the Romans already passed before they were in place.

That’s true of the enemy in your life and mine.  You are surrounded by God’s holy angels and they are sworn to defend you from all harm (Psalm 91:11 – “He shall give His angels charge over you, to keep you in all your ways”).  His angels are strong, fast and capable.  Any difficulty that seems to trouble you is allowed by the Lord, and He has a good purpose in all that happens.  Our Lord is watching out for you and me.

Verse 33.  “When these had come to Caesarea and delivered the letter to the governor, they also presented Paul to him.”

Roman soldiers had safely brought the Apostle Paul from Jerusalem to Caesarea and now presented him to Governor Felix, also handing over the letter sent from Commander Claudius Lysias of the Roman garrison at Jerusalem.  Paul likely meant nothing to these men, and yet they had risked their lives to protect him.  It’s interesting that as God does His work for us, He often uses “vessels” that care nothing about the function for which they are utilized.

Likely their motivation was pleasure in doing an effective job, and they also would have wanted to show their commander how good they were.  They would also have been proud to serve in a Roman Legion.  But through it all, whatever the motivations of those God uses on our behalf, He is watching over you and me through the most unlikely people.  Just as it was for Paul, so it is for you and me – God is caring for us in many surprising ways; most of which we never even see.

Verse 34.  “When he had read it, he asked from what province he was, and when he learned that he was from Cilicia,”

Governor Felix had just completed reading a letter from the Roman Commander Lysias, about events in relation to the Apostle Paul.  He was now making “small talk” with Paul, sizing him up, and not really knowing what to say, asked him, “Where are you from?”  Paul answered that he was from Cilicia, a place in Southeast Asia Minor (present day Turkey), which had become a Roman Province in 100 B.C.  Its chief city was Tarsus, which was the birthplace of Paul (Acts 22:3).

As he finished reading the letter, Felix may have reflected on the precision of Roman Commanders.  The letter is brief but very complete.  You might wonder how WE are able to know what it said.  It could have been received by direct revelation to Dr. Luke, the writer of the Book of Acts, or it could have been related to Luke by Commander Lysias.  But most likely, he was simply told of its contents by the Apostle Paul himself.  Also, the Romans were excellent record keepers and Luke could have simply received permission to read the actual letter, on file in the court records of Caesarea. 

Verse 35.  “he said, ‘I will give you a hearing after your accusers arrive also,’ giving orders for him to be kept in Herod's Praetorium.”

As a Roman citizen, Paul had a right to a trial before his accusers, which in this case consisted of members of the Jewish council (Sanhedrin) in Jerusalem.  There is irony in the fact that Paul, who had been the chief “hatchet man” of the Sanhedrin, now was a target for destruction by them.  He had been changed by God from vicious hatred and despicable actions, into a life of the love of God which is in Christ Jesus.  For that, they would kill him if they could.

The term “Praetorium” originally meant the general’s tent in the camp of an army, and later it referred to the military headquarters in Rome itself or in the provincial capitals.  It was also used of the men who occupied such places.  Here the word was attached to the occasional headquarters of the Roman Governor, which had previously been Herod the Great’s palace.  Paul, the Roman citizen, the servant of God, was to be kept under guard in the palace of the man (Herod) who had attempted to kill the infant Jesus in Bethlehem.

Ron Beckham, Pastor
Friday Study Ministries
PO Box  92131
Long Beach, CA
90809-2131 USA
www.fridaystudy.org
Ron@fridaystudy.org