And when it came to pass that we were parted from them and had set sail, we came with a straight course unto Cos, and the next day unto Rhodes, and from thence unto Patara.
\nActs 21:1\u20133<\/p>\n
Chapters 21\u201328 of the Book of Acts cover the five years that Paul spent in prison, from A.D. 58 to A.D. 63. This can be divided into three periods: his imprisonment in Jerusalem, his imprisonment in Caesarea, and his imprisonment in Rome. The details of these events make up twenty-five percent of the entire book. This Messianic Bible Study is concerned only with Paul\u2019s imprisonment in Jerusalem and is subdivided into two major segments.<\/p>\n
I. THE JOURNEY TO JERUSALEM\u2014ACTS 21:1\u201316<\/p>\n
The first leg of the journey to Jerusalem, from Miletus to Tyre, marks the transition from Paul\u2019s third missionary journey to his return to Jerusalem. This part of the journey required traveling in two ships.<\/p>\n
Paul\u2019s companions were representatives from the Gentile churches who were bringing donations to the believers in Jerusalem. Also included in the party is Luke as can be seen from the use of the personal pronoun we.<\/p>\n
A. Tyre\u2014Acts 21:1\u20136<\/p>\n
1. The Journey to Tyre\u2014Acts 21:1\u20133<\/p>\n
In order to be in Jerusalem to observe the Feast of Pentecost, Paul sent for the elders of Ephesus to met with him in Miletus. The account of the journey begins in verse 1: And when it came to pass that we were parted from them and had set sail, we came with a straight course unto Cos, and the next day unto Rhodes, and from thence unto Patara.<\/p>\n
The timing was: when it came to pass that we were parted from them. After meeting with the elders of Ephesus, they board the first ship and set sail, making a straight course unto Cos, an island forty miles south of Miletus. Cos was the home of Hypocrates of the famed Hypocratic Oath which doctors take; even in Paul\u2019s day, this island had a great medical school. It also had a large Jewish population.<\/p>\n
The next day they arrived at Rhodes, an island southeast of Cos known as \u201cthe Island of the Roses.\u201d The famous Colossus of Rhodes was located here. It had a great lighthouse called the Colossus of Hileos, which was named for the sun god. It stood one hundred-five feet above the harbor and was considered one of the Seven Wonders of the Ancient World. Founded in 400 B.C., the City of Rhodes was a university town, located on the northeast extremity of the island.<\/p>\n
Paul\u2019s party did not stay here, but went to Patara the next day. This means he sailed east from Rhodes. Patara was a seaport of the Province of Lycia on the south coast of Asia Minor. It was the center of the worship of the god Apollo.<\/p>\n
It was in Patara that they boarded the second ship in verse 2: and having found a ship crossing over unto Phoenicia, we went aboard, and set sail.<\/p>\n
This part of the trip required a larger vessel that could handle the open sea. They sailed southeast across the Mediterranean to the Province of Syria.<\/p>\n
Verse 3 describes the journey from Patara to Tyre: And when we had come in sight of Cyprus, leaving it on the left hand, we sailed unto Syria, and landed at Tyre; for there the ship was to unlade her burden.<\/p>\n
They bypassed Cyprus by sailing between the island and the coast without stopping, and continued on to the Province of Syria, which included the Land of Israel. Their destination was the City of Tyre, which was the point of entry into the Province of Syria. The ship had to stop there to unload her cargo. Tyre was a free city until 65 B.C. when it was annexed and became part of the Roman Empire.<\/p>\n
2. The Sojourn in Tyre\u2014Acts 21:4<\/p>\n
And having found the disciples, we tarried there seven days: and these said to Paul through the Spirit, that he should not set foot in Jerusalem.<\/p>\n
In verse 4, they spent a total of seven days in Tyre and they found believers in the city. The Greek word for found means \u201cto seek for\u201d or \u201cto find by searching,\u201d meaning they had to search to find these believers. There had been believers in this town since Acts 11:19. The existence of believers in Tyre was the result of the dispersion after the stoning of Stephen. But because they were not a group known to other believers, Paul and his company had to search in order to find them. When they found them, they tarried with them seven days, while the ship was being unloaded.<\/p>\n
While he was fellowshipping with the believers of Tyre: these said to Paul through the Spirit, that he should not proceed on to Jerusalem. The word through signifies that the Spirit\u2019s message was to inform him what would happen in Jerusalem. The Spirit\u2019s message was the occasion for urging Paul not to go. The Holy Spirit simply revealed what would happen to Paul once he arrived in Jerusalem. But when the other believers heard what was destined to happen, they tried to talk Paul out of going. It is clear that Paul had to go according to Acts 19:21; 20:22; 21:14.<\/p>\n
The distinction between Paul and the believers of Tyre was that Paul understood that the Holy Spirit was simply telling him what would happen to him upon his arrival at Jerusalem. It was the believers of Tyre who took it as a prohibition against going. This was not the case, so it was not true that Paul was disobedient when he chose to go. Paul was not wrong, it was God\u2019s will for him to go. Furthermore, even when the bad things began to happen, Paul received the comfort of God in Acts 23:11. Furthermore, even in the midst of all this, Paul had a good conscience. He would not have had a good conscience if these things happened because of disobedience on his part.<\/p>\n
3. The Departure from Tyre\u2014Acts 21:5\u20136<\/p>\n
And when it came to pass that we had accomplished the days, we departed and went on our journey; and they all, with wives and children, brought us on our way till we were out of the city: and kneeling down on the beach, we prayed, and bade each other farewell; and we went on board the ship, but they returned home again.<\/p>\n
In verse 5, he bids them farewell when the ship was ready to sail again. All of the believers of Tyre provided an escort to the ship, with their wives and children. This was the same kind of thing that the believers in Miletus did in Acts 20:38. This, by the way, is the first mention of children in connection with the apostolic church. They escorted him all the way out of the city. When it was time to say good bye, they were: kneeling down on the beach in the posture of prayer, they knelt down as those in Acts 20:38 did; they prayed, and bade each other farewell.<\/p>\n
Finally, the separation came in verse 6; Paul and his party went aboard the second ship that had brought them to Tyre. The other believers returned home again, meaning back home to Tyre.<\/p>\n
B. Ptolemais\u2014Acts 21:7<\/p>\n
The second leg of the journey to Jerusalem is from Tyre to Plolemais:<\/p>\n
And when we had finished the voyage from Tyre, we arrived at Ptolemais; and we saluted the brethren, and abode with them one day.<\/p>\n
Ptolemais was a Greek city, named for Ptolemy II, a Greek who ruled Egypt from 285 B.C. until 246 B.C. However, this city was better known by its Old Testament name of Acco. When the Crusaders captured the city in the Middle Ages, they named it Acre in honor of Joan of Arc. The city is located twenty five miles south of Tyre. Ptolemais also had a local church. There Paul and his company saluted the brethren, meaning they greeted them. Apparently, there was no problem finding them in this city. They stayed with these believers only one day.<\/p>\n
C. Caesarea\u2014Acts 21:8\u201316<\/p>\n
1. The Arrival in Caesarea\u2014Acts 21:8\u20139<\/p>\n
The third leg of the their journey, from Ptolemais to Caesarea, is recorded in verse 8a: And on the morrow we departed, and came unto Caesarea.<\/p>\n
The timing was: on the morrow they left Ptolemais and came down to Caesarea. Since it does not say they sailed, they may have come down by land. The City of Caesarea was thirty miles south of Ptolemais. It was a fairly new city because the older city, known as Strato\u2019s Tower, was originally built in the third century B.C. It was taken by Rome in 63 B.C. Herod the Great began to totally rebuild the city in 22 B.C., finally finishing it in 10 B.C. He renamed the city Caesarea in honor of Caesar Augustus. It was a major harbor city and the Roman capital for Judea. In A.D. 4, Caesarea became the official residence of the procurator. Procurators such as Pontius Pilate, Festus, and Felix had their headquarters in this city.<\/p>\n
Verses 8b\u20139 describe their stay in Caesarea: and entering into the house of Philip the evangelist, who was one of the seven, we abode with him. Now this man had four virgin daughters, who prophesied.<\/p>\n
In verse 8b, Paul and his companions entered into the house of Philip the evangelist, who was one of the seven, meaning he was one of the first seven deacons of the Church of Jerusalem in Acts 6:5. Because he was faithful in his ministry as deacon, God showed him another gift, the gift of evangelism, so he is now called Philip the evangelist. This is the first biblical usage of the word evangelist. It is not a very common term, but it is found elsewhere, such as, Ephesians 4:11 and 2 Timothy 4:5. Philip the evangelist must be kept distinct from Philip the Apostle. The last mention of Philip the evangelist was in Acts 8:40. It is obvious that, upon arriving in Caesarea, Philip chose to settle there. Between Acts 8:40 and 21:8, approximately twenty years have gone by.<\/p>\n
Verse 9 states that Philip had four virgin daughters. This may mean that they were virgins at this time, or it could mean that they had chosen to remain virgins for the sake of the ministry, something that Paul encouraged people to do in 1 Corinthians 7:1\u20137. These four daughters were not only virgins, they also had the gift of prophecy. This shows that the gift of prophecy was available to women, as also brought out in 1 Corinthians 11:5.<\/p>\n
Except for the gift of apostleship, spiritual gifts are also available to women; the difference is where they are allowed to exercise these gifts. While women can have the gifts of teaching and prophecy, they cannot use them in the meeting of the church or to teach men according to 1 Corinthians 14:33\u201335, but they could use these gifts in other situations such as their home, as is the case here.<\/p>\n
2. The Prophecy of Agabus\u2014Acts 21:10\u201311<\/p>\n
In addition to the four women who had the gift of prophecy, verses 10\u201311 record the prophecy of Agabus, who arrived in verse 10: And as we tarried there some days, there came down from Judaea a certain prophet, named Agabus.<\/p>\n
This is an implication that Paul\u2019s group stayed longer than they had originally planned, and it was at that time when Agabus came down from Judaea. The expression came down again shows that Luke wrote from the Jewish viewpoint, for when one leaves Jerusalem, he \u201cgoes down,\u201d and when one goes toward Jerusalem, he \u201cgoes up.\u201d This implies that Luke was Jewish, because he used these kinds of terminologies. Not only did Agabus come down from Jerusalem, he came down from Judaea, implying that he was now out of Judea.<\/p>\n
Caesarea, at this point, was in the Province of Judea, so how is it possible for Agabus to come down from Judaea to Caesarea when he was only going from one part of the province to another? While during Roman times, Caesarea was part of Judea, it was not part of Old Testament Judah. This was something only a Jew would generally know. This again implies that Luke was a Jew, because this was not the way a Greek would write it.<\/p>\n
The one who came down from Judea to Caesarea was a certain prophet, named Agabus, a man with the gift of prophecy. He had prophesied previously, and his prophetic office had been authenticated when that prophecy was fulfilled according to Acts 11:27\u201328.<\/p>\n
But now Agabus had a new prophecy in verse 11: And coming to us, and taking Paul\u2019s girdle, he bound his own feet and hands, and said, Thus says the Holy Spirit, So shall the Jews at Jerusalem bind the man that owns this girdle, and shall deliver him into the hands of the Gentiles.<\/p>\n
The pronoun us shows that Luke was an eyewitness to this event. Agabus came to the house of Philip and performed a symbolic act. His actions were: first, after taking Paul\u2019s girdle: he bound his own feet and hands; secondly, he gave the application: Thus saith the Holy Spirit; this was not the opinion of Agabus, but a revelation of the Holy Spirit, who is the only source of prophetic revelation. The prophecy was: So shall the Jews at Jerusalem bind the man that owns this girdle; this is a reference to the unsaved Jews who are still the enemies of Paul after all these years. Agabus continues with the application: and shall deliver him into the hands of the Gentiles. Just as it was done with Yeshua (Jesus) in Matthew 20:19, so it will now be done to Paul; it will take five years before Paul will be unbound.<\/p>\n
A few observations concerning Agabus\u2019 prophecy are in order here. First, this was a prophecy of what would happen to Paul, not a command for Paul not to go to Jerusalem. Secondly, the prophecy of Agabus contained no prohibition, it merely prophesied what was going to happen. Thirdly, Paul knew what would happen, but he did not consider this as God\u2019s ordering him to change his plans. Fourthly, there was no direct disobedience to any specific command of God, as was shown in Acts 20:22\u201323. Fifth, there was no divine rebuke from God after this, only a word of comfort in Acts 23:11. And sixth, this incident provided a number of opportunities for Paul to witness: to mobs, to kings, to Jews, to the Sanhedrin, and to Gentiles.<\/p>\n
3. The Reactions to the Prophecy\u2014Acts 21:12\u201314<\/p>\n
Verse 12 records the reaction of the other believers: And when we heard these things, both we and they of that place besought him not to go up to Jerusalem.<\/p>\n
Paul\u2019s companions and those of Philip\u2019s house and the believers of Caesarea did what they could to persuade Paul not to go to Jerusalem. Luke was even among them. This was their own emotional reaction to the prophecy, it was not of the Lord. But as before, so again, he must go, since it was the will of God.<\/p>\n
When the others tried their best to persuade not to go, Paul answered them in verse 13: Then Paul answered, What do ye, weeping and breaking my heart? for I am ready not to be bound only, but also to die at Jerusalem for the name of the Lord Jesus.<\/p>\n
This is a strong protest from Paul; in other words, \u201cWhat are you doing?\u201d The expression breaking my heart means \u201cto soften the will.\u201d He told them that they are really only trying to soften his will or weaken his determination to get on with his duty. Then he made a declaration: I am ready not to be bound only [as was just prophesied], but also to die at Jerusalem. This, of course, was not part of the prophecy, but he was willing to suffer whatever he had to suffer for the name of the Lord Jesus.<\/p>\n
The others finally reached their own conclusion in verse 14: And when he would not be persuaded, we ceased, saying, The will of the Lord be done.<\/p>\n
They realized he would not be persuaded; they failed to break Paul\u2019s will, and they became quiet or silent. They simply declared: The will of the Lord be done. They now realized that this was the will of God for Paul to go to Jerusalem. This also shows that Paul was not disobedient, because what was about to happen was the will of the Lord.<\/p>\n
4. The Departure from Caesarea\u2014Acts 21:15\u201316<\/p>\n
The fourth leg of the journey, from Caesarea to Jerusalem, is recorded in verse 15: And after these days we took up our baggage and went up to Jerusalem.<\/p>\n
After an unknown number of days in Caesarea, they took up their luggage and went up to Jerusalem. Depending on the route they took, the journey between Caesarea and Jerusalem was anywhere between fifty and sixty-four miles. Luke again was writing as a Jew would write, for one always \u201cgoes up\u201d to Jerusalem.<\/p>\n
Among those who traveled with Paul and his companions were certain disciples who joined them at Caesarea in verse 16: And there went with us also certain of the disciples from Caesarea, bringing with them one Mnason of Cyprus, an early disciple, with whom we should lodge.<\/p>\n
They were joined by other members of the Church of Caesarea who were going up to Jerusalem for the purpose of observing the Feast of Pentecost. Also traveling with them was an early disciple named Mnason, who was originally from Cyprus, but was now living in Caesarea. The Greek word for early is the same one that Peter used in Acts 15:7 of the first Gentile believers. It may mean that Mnason was among the original disciples of Acts 2, and if so, he may very well have been a source for Luke in his research of the early history of the Church. The statement: with whom we should lodge may mean that his home was half-way to Jerusalem, since it was a two day trip, or it may mean that Mnason had a house in Jerusalem where they would stay.<\/p>\n
II. THE TIME IN JERUSALEM\u2014ACTS 21:17\u201323:30<\/p>\n
Paul\u2019s arrival in Jerusalem and the subsequent events are found in this segment of Scripture. All the things that have been prophesied at different points along the way finally take place. This segment is subdivided into nine smaller units.<\/p>\n
A. The Reception of Paul\u2014Acts 21:17\u201319<\/p>\n
Verse 17 records their arrival in Jerusalem: And when we were come to Jerusalem, the brethren received us gladly.<\/p>\n
This marks the end of the transition from the third missionary journey and the beginning of the final stage of the Book of Acts. The word brethren refers to the leaders of the Church of Jerusalem, who warmly welcomed Paul and his party.<\/p>\n
Paul then met with the leaders of the Church of Jerusalem in verse 18: And the day following Paul went in with us unto James; and all the elders were present.<\/p>\n
The timing was: the day following his arrival in Jerusalem. This James, who was the half-brother of Jesus, was the leading elder and the head of the Jerusalem Church. Also, all the elders were present. These elders were the leaders of the Church of Jerusalem and they were willing to meet with the representatives of Gentile churches. There is no mention of the apostles because, by this time, they were probably out of the city.<\/p>\n
The use of the personal pronoun us shows that Luke was present at this meeting, but this was the last shared experience he records until Acts 27:1.<\/p>\n
In verse 19, Paul gave them his report: And when he had saluted them, he rehearsed one by one the things which God had wrought among the Gentiles through his ministry.<\/p>\n
Paul greeted the elders with the respect that was due to them as leaders of the mother church. The Greek word rehearsed means \u201cto recount,\u201d \u201cto lead out,\u201d \u201cto draw out in a narrative.\u201d The point is that Paul took his time, because he wanted his story told in great detail after three missionary journeys. The phrase one by one means \u201cto go into great detail,\u201d each item that God had wrought was related so that it was God, not Paul, who got the glory.<\/p>\n
In his various missionary journeys, Paul had always gone to the Jews first. Although he had always done this and brought many Jewish individuals to the Lord, he was most famous for his Gentile evangelism. Through his ministry, many Gentiles came to a saving knowledge of Yeshua, because Paul was the apostle of the Gentiles. Paul related what God had done through him among the Gentiles.<\/p>\n
B. The Advice of the Leaders\u2014Acts 21:20\u201326<\/p>\n
Verses 20\u201325 record the advice of the leaders of the Church of Jerusalem to Paul, beginning with their reaction to Paul\u2019s report in verse 20a: And they, when they heard it, glorified God.<\/p>\n
This showed that the leaders of the Church of Jerusalem were happy over so many Gentiles coming to a saving faith.<\/p>\n
They then related to Paul the state of the Church of Jerusalem in verse 20b: and they said unto him, You see, brother, how many thousands there are among the Jews of them that have believed; and they are all zealous for the law.<\/p>\n
The elders refer to Paul as brother, showing they viewed him as a fellow believer in the ministry, and they point out: how many thousands there are among the Jews. The Greek word for thousands is the word from which the English word \u201cmyriads\u201d comes. What James and the elders said was, \u201cNotice how many myriads of the Jews have become believers.\u201d A single myriad is ten thousand, but James used a plural, meaning \u201ctens of thousands.\u201d There was a minimum of twenty-thousand Jewish believers in the Jerusalem Church alone; it had become a sizable movement.<\/p>\n
These myriads of Jewish believers were all zealous for the law. The Greek word does not mean zealous as an adjective, but Zealots. The Jerusalem Church was largely committed to keeping the Law of Moses. This was no longer mandatory, so why did they keep it? They kept it for one of two possible reasons. First, they may have done it as a free option, for freedom from the Law also means one is free to keep it if he so desires. But secondly, and more likely as known from the overall context, they were still spiritually immature, and, in their immaturity, they still felt they were obligated to keep the Law. But they were not sinning by keeping the Law, they were only wrong in making it mandatory. The Jerusalem Church was composed of Jews who had chosen to keep the Law whether it was for the first or the second reason.<\/p>\n
1. The False Rumor Concerning Paul\u2014Acts 21:21<\/p>\n
and they have been informed concerning you, that you teaches all the Jews who are among the Gentiles to forsake Moses, telling them not to circumcise their children neither to walk after the customs.<\/p>\n
Not the leaders, but the myriads have been informed. The Greek word means \u201cto teach orally.\u201d They had heard some oral teachings about Paul, probably a reference to the false rumors spread by the Judaizers. The way this is phrased shows that the leadership of the church did not believe these rumors, but the problem was that many of the congregants did believe them.<\/p>\n
The rumor was: that you teaches all the Jews who are among the Gentiles, meaning the Jews of the Diaspora, the Jews living outside the Land. There were three false rumors that the congregants of the Church of Jerusalem had been hearing about Paul. First, he was teaching them to forsake Moses. The Greek word means, \u201cto apostatize\u201d from Moses and the Law. Secondly, he was telling them not to circumcise their children; that is, not to go on circumcising the children in contradiction to the Abrahamic Covenant. In reality, Paul taught exactly the opposite. He did teach that Jews should be circumcised. He was only against the teaching of Gentile circumcision. He had Timothy circumcised in Acts 16:3, because he was Jewish. In 1 Corinthians 7:18 Paul wrote, \u201clet not the circumcised seek to be uncircumcised,\u201d and in 1 Corinthians 9:20, he wrote that \u201cto the Jew he became as a Jew.\u201d And thirdly, that Paul was teaching them not to walk after the customs, probably meaning the customs of Moses rather than the Rabbis.<\/p>\n
2. The Plan to Restore Paul\u2019s Credibility\u2014Acts 21:22\u201325<\/p>\n
The elders had some advice for Paul, beginning with the reasons in verse 22: What is it therefore? they will certainly hear that you are come.<\/p>\n
What is it therefore? that is, \u201cWhat is to be done about it?\u201d In light of these false rumors, what shall we do about it? Again, James and the elders did not believe these misrepresentations, but others did, and that was the problem. Those who had believed these false rumors will certainly hear that Paul had come to Jerusalem. It would be impossible to conceal the fact of Paul\u2019s arrival, he had become too famous by now.<\/p>\n
In order to convince the other believers that these rumors were not true, the elders present their plan to Paul in verses 23\u201324. The plan itself begins in verse 23: Do therefore this that we say to you: We have four men that have a vow on them.<\/p>\n
This was a temporary Nazirite vow like the one in Numbers 6:1\u201321. Paul himself had taken the same vow earlier in Acts 18:18.<\/p>\n
Verse 24 states: these take, and purify yourself with them, and be at charges for them, that they may shave their heads: and all shall know that there is no truth in the things whereof they have been informed concerning you; but that you yourself also walks orderly, keeping the law.<\/p>\n
In verse 24a, Paul was asked to take the four men and purify [himself] with them, and be at charges for them. The Greek word means, \u201cto incur expenses.\u201d In other words, they are suggesting that Paul cover their purification expenses as well as his own. This was a sizable financial commitment, but it would at least show that Paul was honest in what he was claiming. Furthermore, that they may shave their heads. The shaving of the head marks the act of completing the vow.<\/p>\n
In verse 24b, the purpose was to show that all those rumors were false. Again, the elders themselves were satisfied that Paul was not guilty of these things; the purpose of this vow was only to clear up the misrepresentations being told to the members of the Church of Jerusalem. The leaders believed that by doing some things voluntarily under the Law, Paul will show that he was not against the keeping of the Law. In this way, Paul would alleviate the fears of Jewish believers, for he will publicly show respect for Jewish customs. As for Paul\u2019s own lifestyle, the elders pointed out that these actions would show that he observed the Law. This would also clearly show that he did not object to Jewish believers keeping the customs of the Law of Moses on a voluntary basis, since Paul himself did this in Acts 23:5 and 26:5.<\/p>\n
Finally, the elders summarized the decree of the Jerusalem Council in verse 25: But as touching the Gentiles that have believed, we wrote, giving judgment that they should keep themselves from things sacrificed to idols, and from blood, and from what is strangled, and from fornication.<\/p>\n
There was no suggestion that Gentile believers should keep the Mosaic Law or Jewish customs. They were not concerned with that. Instead, as they reminded Paul, they had written an epistle in Acts 15:22\u201329, which told the Gentiles four things. First: they should keep themselves from things sacrificed to idols. Secondly: from blood. Thirdly: from what is strangled. And fourthly: from fornication.<\/p>\n
Two observations can be made here. First, James, as head of the Jerusalem Church, reaffirmed Gentile freedom from keeping the Law. But secondly, he wanted Paul to confirm the freedom of Jewish believers to keep the Law.<\/p>\n
3. Paul\u2019s Agreement to the Plan\u2014Acts 21:26<\/p>\n
Then Paul took the men, and the next day purifying himself with them went into the temple, declaring the fulfilment of the days of purification, until the offering was offered for every one of them.<\/p>\n
Paul agreed to take the four men who had taken the vow. The timing was: the next day. The action was that Paul himself took the purification vow of Numbers 6:13\u201320 with them. This entailed having his head shaved and offering offerings which he himself paid for. The offerings for each one of them included: a he-lamb, a ewe-lamb, a ram, a meal-offering, and a drink-offering. Next, he went into the Temple Compound and declared to the priest on what day he will be reporting the fulfillment of the vow so the priest would have the sacrifices ready. He went in once for each of the four brethren and once for himself.<\/p>\n
A lot of people continue to raise the question of whether Paul was right in taking such a vow. They are assuming that it was wrong for him to keep the Law in any case. However, Paul was not wrong as can be seen for six reasons. First, this was a voluntary act on his part, just as it was in Acts 18:18; since it was voluntary, it was not wrong. Secondly, Paul was never ashamed of this later, as shown in Acts 24:17\u201318. Thirdly, it was in keeping with Paul\u2019s policy of 1 Corinthians 9:20\u201321: that \u201cto the Jews, he became as a Jew\u201d and \u201cfor those under the Law, as he himself under the Law.\u201d Fourthly, not all blood sacrifices were for atonement purposes, and this was one of them. Fifth, the purpose of his involvement succeeded, for Paul\u2019s later troubles came from unbelieving Jews, not from Jewish believers. And sixth, Paul was not accommodating himself to others, but was proving that the rumors and charges against him were false.<\/p>\n
C. The Temple Riot\u2014Acts 21:27\u201336<\/p>\n
1. The Instigation of the Riot\u2014Acts 21:27\u201329<\/p>\n
The account of the instigation of the riot begins with the identity of the actual instigators in verse 27: And when the seven days were almost completed, the Jews from Asia, when they saw him in the temple, stirred up all the multitude and laid hands on him.<\/p>\n
The timing was: when the seven days were almost completed; this was the length of Paul\u2019s personal vow, which was coming close to an end. The source of the trouble was not the Jews from Jerusalem, but the Jews [who had come up] from Asia, meaning Asia Minor; they were the ones who had driven Paul from city to city during his second missionary journey. Now they had also come up to Jerusalem for Passover and decided to stay until Pentecost. These are the ones who saw Paul in the Temple Compound, because he had been going there regularly in connection with his vow. That was when they stirred up the riot.<\/p>\n
They stirred up the multitude by causing confusion, this was the same method used by Demetrius in Ephesus according to Acts 19:31\u201332. The Greek tense points out that they kept on stirring up the multitudes. Furthermore, they laid hands on him; in other words, they came at him, laying their hands on him with hostility.<\/p>\n
They then leveled their accusation against him in verse 28: crying out, Men of Israel, help: This is the man that teach all men everywhere against the people, and the law, and this place; and moreover he brought Greeks also into the temple, and has defiled this holy place.<\/p>\n
They kept crying out; they were yelling, they were croaking, and they said: Men of Israel, help. They made it appear as if an outrage had been committed.<\/p>\n
Their accusation was twofold. The first accusation was that of false teaching on three counts, mixing truth with error. First, that this man teaches against the people, meaning that Paul taught against Jews and Jewishness, but what Paul taught was that Jewishness was not able to save a man by itself. Secondly, they accused him of teaching against the law, meaning the Law of Moses. The truth was that Paul taught that the Law was no longer binding to Jews or Gentiles, but Jews were free to keep it by choice. Thirdly, they accused him of false teaching against this place, meaning the Temple. What Paul taught was that the Temple was not the only place to worship God. Furthermore, Paul himself had honored the Temple by what he was doing right then.<\/p>\n
The second accusation was that of desecrating the Temple by bringing Greeks also into the temple. Gentiles were allowed into the Court of the Gentiles or the Outer Court, but they were not allowed into the Inner Court, the Court of the Woman, also called the Court of Israel. Gentiles who entered the Inner Court could be killed, even if they were Roman citizens. That was the one time when Rome allowed Jewish authorities to kill a Roman citizen if they entered within the Inner Court of the Temple Compound. In fact, just before they entered the Inner Court, there was an inscription that read:<\/p>\n
\u201cNo alien may enter within the barrier and wall around the Temple. Whoever is caught is alone responsible for the death which follows.\u201d<\/p>\n
The reason they raised this charge is revealed in verse 29: For they had before seen with him in the city Trophimus the Ephesian, whom they supposed that Paul had brought into the temple.<\/p>\n
They had seen him in the city with a Gentile believer, Trophimus the Ephesian. These Jews from Asia were probably from Ephesus and knew Trophimus, and they made the assumption that Paul had brought him into the Temple, but they did not see Trophimus there in the Temple. They merely supposed that, since Paul was with Trophimus the Gentile publicly in the streets of Jerusalem, he would also not hesitate to bring him into the Inner Court of the Temple.<\/p>\n
2. The Riot Proper\u2014Acts 21:30<\/p>\n
And all the city was moved, and the people ran together; and they laid hold on Paul, and dragged him out of the temple: and straightway the doors were shut.<\/p>\n
The result of the false accusations and the assumption that Paul had defiled the Temple was: all the city was moved. The Greek word for moved means \u201cviolent motion and emotion.\u201d This false news spread quickly, causing the whole city to be shaken up: and the people ran together; they began to run toward the place of disturbance in the Temple Compound. They then laid hold on Paul [with hostility], and dragged him out of the temple; he was dragged out of the Inner Court to the Outer Court. The intent was to get Paul to a place where he could be executed quickly: and straightway the doors were shut, meaning the doors separating the two courts of the Temple. This would keep the riot confined to the Outer Court. The reason was that, by Jewish law, no man\u2019s blood was to be shed in the Inner Court.<\/p>\n
3. The Rescue of Paul\u2014Acts 21:31\u201336<\/p>\n
The rescue of Paul begins when word of the riot came to the chief captain in verse 31: And as they were seeking to kill him, tidings came up to the chief captain of the band, that all Jerusalem was in confusion.<\/p>\n
The timing was: as they were seeking. The intention of the mob was: to kill him. The action was that tidings came up to the chief captain of the band. The Greek word for tidings refers to the work of informers. As chief captain or chiliarch, he was in command of up to one thousand men. According to Acts 23:26, his name was Claudius Lysias. Claudius was a Roman name, but he himself was Greek by nationality and probably adopted this name when he purchased his Roman citizenship from Emperor Claudius. Lysias was his Greek name. The band was the Roman cohort. If a cohort was at full strength, it would have six hundred men. Each Roman legion had six tribunes or chiliarchs.<\/p>\n
A Roman cohort was stationed in the Antonia Fortress, which overlooked the Temple Compound. Roman soldiers, posted on the towers of the fortress as lookouts, could see what was happening in both courts. They had easy access from those towers to a stairwell leading directly into the Outer Court, where Paul was now being beaten. The cohort was stationed there, especially during Jewish festivals, just to make sure that no riot like this one would break out. But the report of a Roman guard was that the whole city was in confusion.<\/p>\n
So in verses 3\u201336, it was necessary for the captain to rescue Paul. The details of the rescue begin in verses 32\u201334: And forthwith he took soldiers and centurions, and ran down upon them: and they, when they saw the chief captain and the soldiers, left off beating Paul. Then the chief captain came near, and laid hold on him, and commanded him to be bound with two chains; and inquired who he was, and what he had done. And some shouted one thing, some another, among the crowd: and when he could not know the certainty for the uproar, he commanded him to be brought into the castle.<\/p>\n
In verse 32, he took two centurions with him. Since every centurion was in charge of one hundred soldiers, this means that there were two hundred soldiers out of the six hundred of the cohort. They ran down from the Antonia Fortress, down the steps leading from the Antonia Fortress to the Outer Court of the Temple Compound. When the mob saw the chief captain and the soldiers, the beating stopped and they were able to get Paul away from the mob. In verse 33, he was able to rescue Paul by binding him with two chains. He tried to find out: who he was, and what he had done.<\/p>\n
But in verse 34, the response of the mob was that some shouted one thing, some another. As a result, when the chiliarch was not able to get a clear answer, he commanded the soldiers to bring Paul into the castle or the Antonia Fortress, to try to discern what the problem was.<\/p>\n
In verses 35\u201336, they began to convey Paul into the Antonia Fortress: And when he came upon the stairs, so it was that he was borne of the soldiers for the violence of the crowd; for the multitude of the people followed after, crying out, Away with him.<\/p>\n
In verse 35, Paul literally had to be lifted up and carried by the soldiers up the stairway to the Antonia Fortress because of the violence of the crowd. In verse 36, the mob followed the soldiers and continued to cry out: Away with him; these are the same words another mob used of Yeshua in Luke 23:18. So Paul was rescued, but with this rescuing he was now under Roman imprisonment. With this incident, began the five years of Paul\u2019s imprisonment.<\/p>\n
D. Paul\u2019s Defense Before the Temple Mob\u2014Acts 21:37\u201322:21<\/p>\n
Paul\u2019s defense before the mob is a lengthy unit and is divided into two main sections.<\/p>\n
1. Permission to Speak\u2014Acts 21:37\u201340<\/p>\n
Paul, in contrast to the mob, very calmly made his request to the chief captain in verse 37a: And as Paul was about to be brought into the castle, he said unto the chief captain, May I say something unto you?<\/p>\n
The timing of his request was: as Paul was about to be brought into the castle or the Antonia Fortress. When he spoke to the chiliarch, he spoke in the Greek language.<\/p>\n
Verses 37b\u201338 give the commander\u2019s response to Paul: And he said, Do you know Greek? Are you not then the Egyptian, who before these days stirred up to sedition and led out into the wilderness the four thousand men of the Assassins?<\/p>\n
Literally, he said in verse 37b, \u201cDo you know it in Greek?\u201d It was obvious to the chiliarch that Paul knew the Greek language rather well.<\/p>\n
But that led to a case of mistaken identity in verse 38, when the chiliarch said to Paul: Are you not then the Egyptian. This was in reference to a man who had recently tried to lead a revolt with a group of four thousand men, known as the Assassins. Historically, the Assassins were known as \u201cthe Sicarri,\u201d meaning \u201cthe dagger men,\u201d because they carried a short sword called a sicae in Latin. They first appeared during the procuratorship of Felix, who ruled from A.D. 52 to A.D. 59. They were enemies of Rome as well as pro-Roman Jews. They would mingle with the crowds during the festivals with the dagger hidden underneath their cloaks. When they saw their opponent, they would stab him or cut his throat. One victim they killed was the High Priest Jonathan, the son of Annas of the New Testament.<\/p>\n
Josephus, the New Testament historian, also made a reference to this Egyptian in his writings:<\/p>\n
\u201cAn Egyptian imposter, he claimed to be a prophet gathered together thirty thousand followers and came to the Mount of Olives, promising that the walls of Jerusalem would collapse at his command. Felix sent his troops on them, killing some, and the remainder scattered, but the Egyptian escaped.\u201d<\/p>\n
Because he escaped, the chiliarch feels that maybe Paul just happened to be that Egyptian.<\/p>\n
Paul\u2019s response to the chief captain was to identify himself in verse 39: But Paul said, I am a Jew, of Tarsus in Cilicia, a citizen of no mean city: and I beseech you, give me leave to speak unto the people.<\/p>\n
Paul stated his nationality: I am a Jew. As to his city, he was from Tarsus. As to his province, he was from Cilicia. As to his status, he was a citizen of no mean city. At this point, all Paul claimed was that he was a citizen of Tarsus; he did not yet point out that he was also a citizen of Rome.<\/p>\n
But based on what he had revealed so far, Paul made his request: I beseech you, this was a polite request. The request was: to speak unto the people. This was a very brave request on Paul\u2019s part, because the mob was trying to kill him. The Roman agreed to Paul\u2019s request.<\/p>\n
Verse 40 provides the introduction to the address to the mob: And when he had given him leave, Paul, standing on the stairs, beckoned with the hand unto the people; and when there was made a great silence, he spoke unto them in the Hebrew language, saying.<\/p>\n
The timing was: when he had given him leave. The Greek word for leave means, \u201cto grant permission.\u201d Paul now stood on the stairway between the Outer Court and the Antonia Fortress. He then beckoned with the hand unto the people; that is, he shook his hand downward to the multitude, in an ancient method of gaining a hearing. The result was: there was made a great silence. He quieted the mob into absolute silence and then spoke to them in the Hebrew language, not the Aramaic language, as some assume.<\/p>\n
2. The Address\u2014Acts 22:1\u201321<\/p>\n
Paul\u2019s address to the Temple mob can be sub divided into four parts.<\/p>\n
a. The Introduction\u2014Acts 22:1\u20132<\/p>\n
Verse 1 gives the call to attention: Brethren and fathers, hear ye the defence which I now make unto you.<\/p>\n
Literally he said to them, \u201cMen, brethren, and fathers,\u201d the same language used by Stephen to the Sanhedrin in Acts 7:2. He addressed them in terms of being fellow Jews and said: hear ye the defence which I now make unto you, or more literally, \u201cmy defense to you at this time.\u201d He was about to defend his conduct of life.<\/p>\n
Verse 2 records the mob\u2019s response: And when they heard that he spoke unto them in the Hebrew language, they were the more quiet: and he said.<\/p>\n
The very fact that he spoke Hebrew gained their attention, as a result, they became even more quiet than they were before. A sudden hush fell upon the mob as they heard the Hebrew Language.<\/p>\n
b. Paul\u2019s Personal Background\u2014Acts 22:3\u20135<\/p>\n
In verse 3, Paul gives his own Jewish history: I am a Jew, born in Tarsus of Cilicia, but brought up in this city, at the feet of Gamaliel, instructed according to the strict manner of the law of our fathers, being zealous for God, even as ye all are this day.<\/p>\n
As to his nationality, he is: a Jew; Paul used the present tense, pointing out that he was still Jewish, and that becoming a believer in Yeshua did not erase his Jewishness. As to his origin, he was: born in Tarsus of Cilicia; he was a Jew of the Diaspora or the Dispersion. He came to Jerusalem in connection with his Jewish training; he was brought up in this city [of Jerusalem]. He was sent to Jerusalem when he was still very young, probably at the age of twelve or thirteen In spite of that, he himself never had seen Yeshua. He was trained at the feet of Gamaliel, the one known as Rabban Gamaliel among the Jews. The phrase at the feet of refers to the manner in which rabbis taught by sitting on a raised seat while the pupils sat on lower seats around on the ground. Paul was: instructed according to the strict manner of the law of our fathers; in other words, he was raised in Pharisaic Judaism as taught by Rabban Gamaliel<\/p>\n
Furthermore, he was zealous for God; he was \u201ca zealot for God,\u201d even as they were. In other words, Paul said he understood their zeal, but recognized that it was not according to knowledge. He was once guilty of the same kind of misplaced zeal, as he was now able to confess. The point was that nothing in his past life in Judaism predisposed him to accept the gospel.<\/p>\n
Then he reminded them of his past persecution of believers in verse 4: and I persecuted this Way unto the death, binding and delivering into prisons both men and women.<\/p>\n
The phrase this Way was the more common name for the new faith in the Book of Acts. Paul was guilty of persecuting many unto the death, as he admits again in Acts 26:10. He did this by means of binding and delivering into prisons both men and women according to 1 Timothy 1:13\u201315. His point was that his attitude toward the believers and the Way did not predispose him favorably to the gospel either.<\/p>\n
Finally, he revealed the extent of his zeal in verse 5: As also the high priest does bear me witness, and all the estate of the elders: from whom also I received letters unto the brethren, and journeyed to Damascus to bring them also that were there unto Jerusalem in bonds to be punished.<\/p>\n
Ananias was now the high priest and the elders could also testify that he had received letters of authority from Caiphas to go to Damascus and find Jewish believers there and to bring them bound to Jerusalem.<\/p>\n
His zeal even led him to pursue Jewish believers outside the Land with the intent of bringing them to Jerusalem for punishment. His point here was that he did not go to Damascus to find the Messiah; he went to find Jewish believers and bring them back to Jerusalem for punishment.<\/p>\n
c. The Damascus Road Experience\u2014Acts 22:6\u201316<\/p>\n
Now, Paul described his experience on the Damascus Road itself in verses 6\u201311. This is the second of three times in the Book of Acts that there is a detailed account of Paul\u2019s experience on the road to Damascus. The first account was the experience itself in Acts 9, and the third account will be in Acts 26.<\/p>\n
The second account begins when he was suddenly struck by the Shechinah Glory light as he was drawing to an end of his trip in verse 6: And it came to pass, that, as I made my journey, and drew nigh unto Damascus, about noon, suddenly there shone from heaven a great light round about me.<\/p>\n
The timing was: when the city was in sight, and it was about noon, or more literally, midday, when the sun was at its hottest and at its brightest. So the light that he saw had to be something brighter than the noonday sun. The event was: suddenly there shone from heaven a great light round about me. The Greek word means \u201cto flash around,\u201d he saw a light that flashed around him. Paul calls it: a great light, because it was the Shechinah Glory light.<\/p>\n
He then heard a voice from Heaven in verse 7: And I fell unto the ground, and heard a voice saying unto me, Saul, Saul, why persecute you me?<\/p>\n
Paul\u2019s response to the light was: I fell unto the ground, and that was when he heard the voice. Falling to the ground was a natural Jewish response when one was confronted by the presence of God. He then heard a voice saying to him: Saul, Saul, why persecute you me?<\/p>\n
Paul\u2019s response to the voice is given in verse 8: And I answered, Who are you, Lord? And he said unto me, I am Jesus of Nazareth, whom you persecute.<\/p>\n
In verse 8a, Paul\u2019s response was: Who are you, Lord? In verse 8b, the answer to Paul was: I am Jesus of Nazareth, or more literally, \u201cI am Yeshua the Nazarene.\u201d The charge was: whom you persecute; in other words, Paul was not persecuting the followers of Yeshua, but Yeshua Himself.<\/p>\n
Paul then revealed the response of those traveling with him to Damascus in verse 9: And they that were with me beheld indeed the light, but they heard not the voice of him that spoke to me.<\/p>\n
Concerning the light: they \u2026 beheld indeed the light. But concerning the voice: they heard not the voice of him that spoke to me. Acts 9:7 states that they were conscious of a noise, but they could not make out the articulated words. Just as they saw the light, but they did not see Jesus; by the same token, they heard a sound, but could not make out the words.<\/p>\n
The response of Jesus in verse 8 raised a second question on Paul\u2019s part in verse 10: And I said, What shall I do, Lord? And the Lord said unto me, Arise, and go into Damascus; and there it shall be told you of all things which are appointed for you to do.<\/p>\n
In verse 10a, the question was: What shall I do Lord? This shows that Paul had immediately responded by submission. The answer was in verse 10b: Arise; that is, he is to get up from his prostrate position and go into Damascus; he was to complete the journey, although the outcome will be very different than he had originally planned. The reason was that in Damascus: it shall be told you of all things which are appointed for you to do. The Greek word for appointed means \u201cto be appointed\u201d or \u201cto order.\u201d So Paul\u2019s calling had already been divinely decreed.<\/p>\n
Finally he discussed his journey into Damascus in verse 11: And when I could not see for the glory of that light, being led by the hand of them that were with me I came into Damascus.<\/p>\n
Paul was now faced with a new problem; he was now blind according to Acts 9:8. The reason for his blindness was: the glory of that light; the Shechinah Glory was so bright that it blinded him. The solution was that he had to be led by the hand of them that were with me, and in that way he came to Damascus.<\/p>\n
Verses 12\u201316 deal with his experience in Damascus, beginning with the role of Ananias in verse 12: And one Ananias, a devout man according to the law, well reported of by all the Jews that dwelt there.<\/p>\n
As to his spiritual state, Ananias was: a devout man according to the law; Ananias, too, was zealous for the Law. Yet this was the man who introduced Paul to the faith of the Messiah. As to Ananias\u2019 reputation, he was: well reported of by all the Jews that dwelt there; he was highly respected by the Jews, both believers and unbelievers in Damascus, and this was something that could still be verified.<\/p>\n
Next, Paul deals with the restoration of his sight in verse 13: came unto me, and standing by me said unto me, Brother Saul, receive your sight. And in that very hour I looked up on him.<\/p>\n
Ananias had come to Paul and, standing by Paul, he said: Brother Saul, receive your sight. He addressed Paul as Brother, showing that, by that point, Paul had already become a believer. The timing was: in that very hour or in that moment. The result was that Paul looked up on him; literally, \u201cI received my sight and looked upon him.\u201d His sight was now restored. The evidence was that Paul could see Ananias.<\/p>\n
Verses 14\u201316 present the message of Ananias to Paul which was not revealed in the first account of the Damascus experience in chapter 9, beginning with Paul\u2019s unique appointment in verse 14: And he said, The God of our fathers has appointed you to know his will, and to see the Righteous One, and to hear a voice from his mouth.<\/p>\n
The Greek word for appointed means \u201cto be put forth into one\u2019s hands,\u201d \u201cto take into one\u2019s hands beforehand,\u201d \u201cto plan,\u201d \u201cto determine,\u201d \u201cto purpose.\u201d This was the essence of Paul\u2019s apostolic calling; he was called into God\u2019s purpose beforehand for three reasons. First: to know his will; Paul was to become a recipient of divine revelation, and so be a prophet. This was the reason that God revealed the details of the dispensation of the grace of God to Paul in Ephesians 3:1\u201313. Secondly: to see the Righteous One; Paul was to see the resurrected Messiah, and this was what qualified him for the gift of apostleship according to 1 Corinthians 9:1. Thirdly: to hear a voice from his mouth; he heard an audible voice on the Damascus Road.<\/p>\n
Verse 15 states that Paul was to become a witness: For you shall be a witness for him unto all men of what you have seen and heard.<\/p>\n
The content of his witness was: what you have seen and heard; he had seen the Righteous One; he will hear the revelation of the will of God.<\/p>\n
Finally, the baptism of Paul came in verse 16: And now why terry you? arise, and be baptized, and wash away your sins, calling on his name.<\/p>\n
The question to Paul now was: why tarry you? Baptism is something that should follow salvation as soon as possible. Today, because of the various contradictory doctrines of baptism, people do not always understand its true meaning. Therefore, it might be wise to wait a while before it is applied, but once baptism is understood, there should be no delay in its execution.<\/p>\n
In those days however, they understood the meaning of baptism because they were Jews. The command was: arise, and be baptized, and wash away your sins, calling on his name. This verse was addressed to a Jew who belonged to \u201cthat generation\u201d which rejected Yeshua like the one in Acts 2:38, and its meaning is the same: baptism will not save them spiritually, but it will save them physically from the A.D. 70 judgment. This is the second verse in the Book of Acts that some people have used to teach that baptism is necessary for salvation. Just as in Acts 2:38, this verse is addressed to a Jew, not a Gentile.<\/p>\n
Furthermore, the Greek text of this verse clearly shows that there are two parts to this sentence that must be kept distinct. The arising precedes the baptism, just as the calling on the name of the Lord precedes the washing away of sins. Literally the Greek text reads, \u201cHaving arisen, be baptized, and wash away your sins, having called on the name of the Lord.\u201d Another way of putting it is that the baptism follows the arising or the washing away of sins follows the calling on the name of the Lord. So the baptism goes with the arising, not with the washing away of sins. According to F.F. Bruce, one way to bring this out is to translate it, \u201cRise up, get yourself baptized, and have your sins washed away, calling on His name.\u201d It is the calling on His name that washes away sins and the baptism follows the arising and the arising follows salvation. Although baptism is not essential to salvation, it is essential to obedience and discipleship.<\/p>\n
d. The Temple Vision\u2014Acts 22:17\u201321<\/p>\n
This part of Paul\u2019s address contains new information not previously revealed by Luke in chapter 9 of the Book of Acts, concerning a vision that Paul had in the temple before leaving Jerusalem. The occasion is given in verse 17: And it came to pass, that, when I had returned to Jerusalem, and while I prayed in the temple, I fell into a trance.<\/p>\n
The timing was: when Paul finally returned to Jerusalem three years after his salvation experience on the Damascus road. While he was in the Temple Compound praying, he suddenly fell into a trance and saw a vision.<\/p>\n
In this vision, he was given a command in verse 18: and saw him saying unto me, Make haste, and get you quickly out of Jerusalem; because they will not receive of you testimony concerning me.<\/p>\n
This was the visit when they tried to kill Paul in the incident recorded in Acts 9:29\u201330. It was in this context that Paul was in the Temple Compound praying when he saw a vision of Jesus. At this point, Yeshua gave him a command: Make haste, which shows a sense of urgency in that Paul had to leave Jerusalem as quickly as possible. The reason was: because they will not receive of you testimony concerning me; in other words, they did not believe Stephen and they will not believe Paul.<\/p>\n
In verses 19\u201320, Paul responded with a protest, pointing out his own persecution of the believers in verse 19: And I said, Lord, they themselves know that I imprisoned and beat in every synagogue them that believed on you.<\/p>\n
The phrase in every synagogue literally means \u201cup and down in the synagogues.\u201d In other words, Paul went from synagogue to synagogue looking for believers, pulling them out and imprisoning them. Paul believed that the people\u2019s knowledge of this would keep them from killing him.<\/p>\n
Furthermore, Paul relates his own role in the death of Stephen in verse 20: and when the blood of Stephen your witness was shed, I also was standing by, and consenting, and keeping the garments of them that slew him.<\/p>\n
The timing was: when the blood of Stephen \u2026 was shed. Paul\u2019s role was: I also was standing by; he was observing and consenting. In other words, he was pleased at the time when Stephen died. Paul approved the action taken by the Sanhedrin. He even held the garments of them that slew him; he was guarding the clothing of the \u201cstoners,\u201d and in this way identified himself with them.<\/p>\n
But now Paul received a clear commission from the Lord in verse 21:<\/p>\n
And he said unto me, Depart: for I will send you forth far hence unto the Gentiles.<\/p>\n
The commission was: Depart, \u201cGet out of Jerusalem.\u201d That was when Paul went to Tarsus where he stayed the next ten years, until he was fetched by Barnabas to Antioch in Acts 11:25\u201326. In the meantime, he was to go to Tarsus. Eventually, Paul would be sent forth far hence unto the Gentiles. The expression far hence is a Greek idiom for \u201cthe uttermost parts of the earth.\u201d This is similar to the command given to him in Damascus through Ananias in Acts 9:15. The point Paul was making was: How could he do otherwise without proving to be disobedient to God himself?<\/p>\n
E. Paul\u2019s Arrest\u2014Acts 22:22\u201329<\/p>\n
Verses 22\u201323 describe the mob\u2019s response, beginning with the sudden interruption of his address in verse 22: And they gave him audience unto this word; and they lifted up their voice, and said, Away with such a fellow from the earth: for it is not fit that he should live.<\/p>\n
The Greek tense means they kept on listening with respective silence unto this word, and the specific word was \u201cGentiles\u201d in verse 21. The mention of Gentiles stopped the speech, not because they were anti-Gentile, the Jews themselves tried to convert Gentiles, but because Paul\u2019s way of converting the Gentiles was without circumcision. Since he was being accused of bringing an uncircumcised Gentile into the Inner Court, the mention of Gentiles at this point caused the uproar to began again. They cried: Away with such a fellow from the earth. It was a cry to kill him. The reason they gave was: it is not fit that he should live, meaning that he should have been put to death long ago.<\/p>\n
Verse 23 describes the action of the mob: And as they cried out, and threw off their garments, and cast dust into the air.<\/p>\n
The timing was: as they cried out. The action was that they threw off their garments, and cast dust into the air. The Greek text gives the picture of the uncontrolled frenzy of the mob with spasms of wild rage, while demanding the blood of Paul.<\/p>\n
Verse 24 records the actual arrest: the chief captain commanded him be brought into the castle, bidding that he should be examined by scourging, that he might know for what cause they so shouted against him.<\/p>\n
At that point, Paul was brought in as a prisoner into the Antonia Fortress. The command was: that he should be examined by scourging; he intended to interrogate Paul by use of the Roman scourge. The purpose was: that he might know for what cause they so shouted against him. The chiliarch still did not know what was actually going on. Paul\u2019s speech was in Hebrew, and while the chiliarch understood both Latin and Greek, he did not understand Hebrew.<\/p>\n
As he was about to be scourged, Paul raised an objection in verse 25: And when they had tied him up with the thongs, Paul said unto the centurion that stood by, Is it lawful for you to scourge a man that is a Roman, and uncondemned?<\/p>\n
The timing of Paul\u2019s objection was: when they had tied him up with the thongs; literally, they had stretched him forward, as was the case in scourging, and the scourging was about to begin. At that point, Paul issued his protest, saying to the centurion standing by, who was in charge of the scourge: Is it lawful for you to scourge a man that is a Roman, and uncondemned? There were two Roman laws that were now being violated. First, it was illegal to punish a Roman citizen without a trial. Secondly, it was illegal to scourge a Roman citizen in any case. These actions taken against Paul violated Roman law.<\/p>\n
The centurion\u2019s response to Paul was in verse 26: And when the centurion heard it, he went to the chief captain and told him, saying, What are you about to do? for this man is a Roman.<\/p>\n
The timing was: when the centurion heard it. The action was: he went to the chief captain to give him a warning. This is a very sharp warning in Greek, \u201cWhat are you about to do?\u201d Literally, \u201cWhat are you at the point of doing?\u201d He then gave him the reason: for this man is a Roman.<\/p>\n
The chief captain\u2019s response was in verse 27: And the chief captain came and said unto him, Tell me, are you a Roman? And he said, Yea.<\/p>\n
In order to verify the report, the captain came and asked Paul: Tell me, are you a Roman? It is more emphatic in the Greek, \u201cYou, a Roman?\u201d It seemed unbelievable to him. Paul\u2019s answer was: Yea.<\/p>\n
The captain then asked for the details of Paul\u2019s citizenship in verse 28: And the chief captain answered, With a great sum obtained I this citizenship. And Paul said, But I am a Roman born.<\/p>\n
In that day, Roman citizenship could be obtained in three different ways: First, by being granted an Imperial decree for services rendered; secondly, by being born a Roman citizen; and thirdly, by purchasing it at a high price. Under Emperor Claudius, Roman citizenship could be bought. Since the captain was a Greek, he had to buy his Roman citizenship from Claudius. In the case of Paul, he was: a Roman born, or more literally, \u201cI have been ever born one.\u201d Being a citizen of Tarsus by itself did not make Paul a Roman citizen. Tarsus was a free city, but not a Roman colony such as the City of Philippi. Somehow the family of Paul had obtained Roman citizenship by Imperial decree. As a result, Paul was Roman born.<\/p>\n
Verse 29 gives the results of Paul\u2019s declaration: They then that were about to examine him straightway departed from him: and the chief captain also was afraid when he knew that he was a Roman, and because he had bound him.<\/p>\n
As for the scourgers, they departed from him. Literally the Greek states \u201cthey stood far off from him at once.\u201d The word examine means \u201cto scourge.\u201d They were afraid of the implications in light of Paul\u2019s being a Roman citizen. As for the chief captain, he also was afraid. The reason was: because he had bound him to be scourged, which was an illegal act against a Roman citizen.<\/p>\n
F. Paul\u2019s Defense Before the Sanhedrin\u2014Acts 22:30\u201323:10<\/p>\n
Paul\u2019s defense before the Sanhedrin is divided into three parts.<\/p>\n
1. The Convening of the Council\u2014Acts 22:30<\/p>\n
But on the morrow, desiring to know the certainty wherefore he was accused of the Jews, he loosed him, and commanded the chief priests and all the council to come together, and brought Paul down and set him before them.<\/p>\n
The timing was: on the morrow or the next day. The purpose of these actions was the chief captain\u2019s desire to know the exact accusation against Paul. This was not a trial, rather, the purpose was to seek evidence to see if there was a case for a trial. The first action of the captain was that he loosed Paul now that his Roman citizenship was determined. The second action was that he commanded the chief priests and all the council to come together in the Antonia Fortress, not in the Temple Compound. The chief priests were the leaders of the twenty-four priestly courses, and they were Sadducees. It included all the council, so the Pharisees were also there. And the third action was that they brought Paul down and set him before them.<\/p>\n
2. The Defense Proper\u2014Acts 23:1\u20136<\/p>\n
The introduction to Paul\u2019s defense is given in verse 1: And Paul, looking stedfastly on the council, said, Brethren, I have lived before God in all good conscience until this day.<\/p>\n
The situation begins with: Paul, looking stedfastly on the council. He then addressed them as Brethren, meaning \u201cfellow-Jews\u201d in this case. He then made the claim that he had lived before God in all good conscience until this day. In other words, he was a good citizen; he behaved as a citizen; he lived as God\u2019s citizen. All his actions were in all good conscience, whether it was persecuting the Church or whether it was serving the Messiah.<\/p>\n
Ananias responded to Paul\u2019s introduction in verse 2: And the high priest Ananias commanded them that stood by him to smite him on the mouth.<\/p>\n
This verse introduced the high priest Ananias. His name meant \u201cJehovah is gracious.\u201d Ananias served as high priest from A.D. 47 until A.D. 59 under Emperors Claudius and Nero. He was the son of Nedebaeus. He was appointed high priest in A.D. 47 by Herod of Chalcis, the brother of Herod Agrippa I. He was notoriously unscrupulous. In fact, Josephus wrote that he was insolent, hot-tempered, profane, and very greedy. Also that he seized the tithes that were to go to the common priests for himself. He was known for his rapacity and greed. Five years earlier, he was accused of complicity in the outbreak of violence between Jews and Samaritans in A.D. 52. He was deposed from his office and sent to Rome. However, he was later cleared of those charges and restored to the high priesthood by Claudius, due to the intercession of Agrippa. He followed a strong pro-Roman policy. The Babylonian Talmud accused him of being very \u201cstomach oriented.\u201d He was deposed again in A.D. 59 and was assassinated by Zealots in A.D. 66 because of his pro-Roman policy. In recording his death, Josephus states that he tried to hide himself in an aqueduct, but he was dragged out and put to death along with his half-brother Hezekiah.<\/p>\n
Everything that is known about Ananias fits his actions here, when he commanded his servants that stood by Paul to smite him on the mouth. For Jews, this was particularly offensive. This is the same action that was taken against Yeshua in John 18:22\u201323.<\/p>\n
Verse 3 gives Paul\u2019s response to the action of Ananias\u2019 servants: Then said Paul unto him, God shall smite you, you whited wall: and sits you to judge me according to the law, and commands me to be smitten contrary to the law?<\/p>\n
Paul predicted that God would smite Ananias, which was fulfilled in the way he died. He called him a whited wall, meaning \u201ca tottering wall,\u201d a weak wall which was in a very precarious condition and could easily fall, but its precarious condition has been disguised by a very generous coat of whitewash. Yeshua used a similar picture in Matthew 23:27, when he referred to the Pharisees as whited sepulchres.<\/p>\n
Basically, Paul called Ananias a hypocrite, and his sin of hypocrisy was revealed when he had commanded Paul to be smitten contrary to the law. Ananias was there to judge Paul\u2019s case on the basis of Jewish law, and yet, just as the proceedings were starting, he was ordering actions which went contrary to that law. In this way, Ananias violated both Jewish law and Roman law.<\/p>\n
Verse 4 gives the response of the bystanders: And they that stood by said, Reviles you God\u2019s high priest?<\/p>\n
The office of high priest always required respect, even if the individual who held that office did not. Certainly, Ananias did not.<\/p>\n
Paul makes a claim of self defense in verse 5: And Paul said, I knew not, brethren, that he was high priest: for it is written, You shall not speak evil of a ruler of your people.<\/p>\n
When Paul referred to them as brethren, it was in the sense of \u201cfellow-Jews.\u201d<\/p>\n
Paul\u2019s statement raises a question, \u201cWhy did Paul fail to recognize the high priest?\u201d There are four possible answers. First, perhaps by now his eyes were so weak that he could not see clearly and did not know who had said it. A second possibility is that Paul had not been in Jerusalem for many years, and he had had no contact with the high priest in all that time; furthermore, the office had changed hands several times since Paul left Jerusalem. A third possibility to keep in mind is that this was not a regular meeting of the Sanhedrin in their chambers, but one that was commanded by the Roman captain. Because they were meeting in the Antonia Fortress, Ananias may not have been wearing his high priestly garments, therefore, Paul did not recognize him. A fourth possibility is that Paul knew who he was, but was merely using sarcasm or irony. In other words, Paul was saying, \u201cI did not think the high priest would act or speak like that.\u201d Any of these four possibilities are just that, possibilities.<\/p>\n
Paul then admits that he was wrong by not respecting the office of high priest by declaring that \u201cone should not speak evil of the ruler of his people,\u201d because it is written.<\/p>\n
Then in verse 6, Paul makes a proclamation: 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.<\/p>\n
The situation was: when Paul perceived that one part were Sadducees and the other Pharisees. He knew that he was not about to get a fair hearing, as the action of the high priest clearly showed. He decided to use the principle of \u201cdivide and conquer\u201d by crying out in the council or the Sanhedrin: Brethren; he called them Brethren in the sense of \u201cfellow-Jews.\u201d Then he states: I am a Pharisee; he used the present tense because, in his basic theology, this was still true; he still followed basic tenets of Pharisaism, such as, the resurrection of the dead. Furthermore, he states: the son of Pharisees, meaning that he was either a descendent of a long line of Pharisees or that he was trained by Pharisees.<\/p>\n
However, the real issue was: the hope and resurrection of the dead. This was basically true. The real issue was the question of resurrection, but in Paul\u2019s case, it was specifically the Resurrection of Yeshua. When Paul saw the resurrected Yeshua on the Damascus road, he was convinced of His Messiahship. Paul knew that the resurrection of the dead was affirmed by the Pharisees, but was denied by the Sadducees, so the raising of this issue would surely divide the Sanhedrin.<\/p>\n
3. The Dissension\u2014Acts 23:7\u201310<\/p>\n
Verse 7 records the division of the assembly: And when he had so said, there arose a dissension between the Pharisees and Sadducees; and the assembly was divided.<\/p>\n
The timing was: when he had so said; that is, while he was saying this, Paul\u2019s ploy accomplished its goal: there arose a dissension between the Pharisees and Sadducees over the issue of resurrection. The result was: the assembly was divided.<\/p>\n
Luke explains the theological differences in verse 8: For the Sadducees say that there is no resurrection, neither angel, nor spirit; but the Pharisees confess both.<\/p>\n
The Sadducees denied the possibility of the resurrection, they did not believe in the existence of angels or spirits; but the Pharisees believed in all these things.<\/p>\n
The result was that another uproar broke out in verse 9: And there arose a great clamor: and some of the scribes of the Pharisees\u2019 part stood up, and strove, saying, We find no evil in this man: and what if a spirit had spoken to him, or an angel?<\/p>\n
The Greek word for strove means \u201cto fight it out,\u201d \u201cto go back and forth fiercely.\u201d It was a lively fight with some of the Pharisees taking Paul\u2019s side, and said: We find no evil in this man. Others asked: what if a spirit had spoken to him, or an angel? In other words, perhaps Paul did receive a special revelation. This, too, was denied by the Sadducees. The Pharisees only said this to irritate the Sadducees, not because they really believed Paul experienced it.<\/p>\n
The uproar leads to the rescue of Paul again in verse 10: 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 into the castle.<\/p>\n
The timing was: when there arose a great dissension. The chief captain was afraid that Paul would be torn in pieces by them; he had to react because he was responsible for the safety of all Roman citizens. The action was that he took matters into his own hands and commanded the soldiers to go down. He sent a band of soldiers to: take him by force from among them; they were to rescue Paul from the midst of the strife and to: bring him into the castle, the Antonia Fortress.<\/p>\n
G. Divine Assurance\u2014Acts 23:11<\/p>\n
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.<\/p>\n
In this verse, God steps in to reassure Paul. The timing was: on the next night. The vision was: the Lord appeared to him. The purpose of this vision was to comfort him in this hour of trial. Jesus told Paul three things. First: Be of good cheer or \u201cbe courageous.\u201d Yeshua once said this to others in Matthew 9:2, 22 and Mark 10:49. Secondly: you have testified concerning me at Jerusalem. There was no rebuke of Paul by the Messiah for coming to Jerusalem, showing again that Paul was in God\u2019s will. And thirdly: so must you bear witness also at Rome. So Paul received assurance that he will stay alive and make it to Rome in fulfillment of Acts 9:15.<\/p>\n
This was the fourth time the Messiah appeared to Paul in a vision. The first time was on the Damascus Road in Acts 9:5. The second time was the Temple vision in the context of Acts 9:29\u201330, described by Luke in Acts 22:17\u201321. The third time was on the foreign field in Acts 18:9\u201310. And now came the fourth vision of the Messiah to Paul.<\/p>\n
H. The Deliverance of Paul\u2014Acts 23:12\u201330<\/p>\n
This unit of Paul\u2019s time in Jerusalem deals with his deliverance, beginning with the conspiracy against him. This section is divided into four parts.<\/p>\n
1. The Conspiracy Against Paul\u2014Acts 23:12\u201315<\/p>\n
Verses 12\u201313 describe an oath taken by the conspirators beginning with the content of the oath in verse 12: And when it was day, the Jews banded together, and bound themselves under a curse, saying that they would neither eat nor drink till they had killed Paul.<\/p>\n
The timing was: when it was day, the day after the appearance of Yeshua to Paul in verse 11. The act was that a number of men had banded together. The Greek word means \u201ca secret combination,\u201d \u201ca conspiracy.\u201d They bound themselves under a curse. The Greek word for curse is the origin of our English word \u201canathema.\u201d The word by itself means \u201cto be devoted to God,\u201d but in the sense of being devoted to destruction if they failed. This is the same as the cherem curse of the Old Testament. The specific content of the curse was: that they would neither eat nor drink till they had killed Paul.<\/p>\n
Verse 13 reveals the number of men involved in this conspiracy: And they were more than forty that made this conspiracy.<\/p>\n
The Greek word for conspiracy means \u201cto swear together.\u201d<\/p>\n
Verses 14\u201315 describe how these conspirators reported to the Sanhedrin, beginning with the report itself in verse 14: 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.<\/p>\n
The recipients of their report were: the chief priests and the elders, meaning the members of the Sanhedrin. The chief priests were the Sadducees, and the elders were the Pharisees. These two groups, who were so recently at one another\u2019s throats over the doctrinal issues that Paul stirred up, were now involved in a plot against his life.<\/p>\n
The conspirators informed the Sanhedrin of their act: We have bound ourselves under a great curse. The curse was that they would not to eat anything until they had killed Paul. Of course, they failed, and the question is, \u201cWhat happened to them when they failed?\u201d In fact, it would be nine more years before Paul would actually be put to death, even then he did not die by Jewish hands, but by Roman hands. It is doubtful that they actually starved themselves to death. The answer to this question can be found within Rabbinic Judaism of that day, for the rabbis had made ample provision to get out of an oath like this. The Mishnah provides release from vows by \u201creason of constraint.\u201d The Jerusalem Talmud states:<\/p>\n
\u201cHe that has made a vow not to eat anything, woe to him if he eats; woe to him if he does not eat. If he eats, he sins against his vow; if he does not eat, he sins against his life. What should such a man do in such a case? Let him go to the sages [the rabbis] and they will loose his vow.\u201d<\/p>\n
But to carry out their conspiracy, they came up with a plan to involve the Sanhedrin in verse 15: Now therefore do ye with the council signify to the chief captain that he bring him down unto you, as though ye would judge of his case more exactly: and we, before he comes near, are ready to slay him.<\/p>\n
Now therefore [because of the vow] do ye with the council. They used the word ye in the emphatic position, meaning \u201cyou do this,\u201d thereby making the entire Sanhedrin part of the conspiracy. They were to: signify to the chief captain that he bring him down unto you; in other words, they were to ask the chief captain, the chiliarch, for another meeting. The first hearing was in the Antonia Fortress, but now they were to request that Paul be brought to the Hall of Judgment, which was under the authority of the Sanhedrin. In this way, he would be exposed to ambush. In the Antonia Fortress, the soldiers were able to move in quickly and rescue Paul. But in the council chambers of the Sanhedrin, there would be a limited number of Roman soldiers, and in this way Paul would become an easy target for assassination.<\/p>\n
The pretense was that they would judge of his case more exactly in order to interrogate Paul further to see if there could be a specific offense to raise by which they could have a trial. However, this would be only the stated purpose, not the true purpose. As they brought Paul down: before he comes near, before Paul makes his way to the Hall of Judgment where the Sanhedrin investigations were conducted, they will slay him. In other words, they would wait for him in ambush on the assumption that there would be a limited number of Roman soldiers present, then they would assassinate Paul.<\/p>\n
There were three groups in this conspiracy against Paul: the Pharisees, the Sadducees, and the Zealots.<\/p>\n
2. The Report of the Conspiracy\u2014Acts 23:16\u201322<\/p>\n
The conspiracy was reported first to Paul in verse 16: But Paul\u2019s sister\u2019s son heard of their lying in wait, and he came and entered into the castle and told Paul.<\/p>\n
The source of this report was: Paul\u2019s sister\u2019s son, Paul\u2019s nephew. Paul had a sister living in Jerusalem and he may have lived with her while he was studying at the feet of Rabban Gamaliel. He reported the fact that, in some way, he overheard of the conspiracy of their lying in wait, a Greek word that means \u201cambush.\u201d When the text states: he came, it uses a Greek word that means \u201chaving been present.\u201d If this is true, it may very well mean that this nephew was with them when the conspiracy was hatched and that, in turn, implies that Paul\u2019s nephew was a member of the Zealot Party. Zealots normally attacked Romans or Jews who were cooperating with the Romans, not people like Paul.<\/p>\n
Apparently, they thought that Paul was cooperating with the Romans, but the nephew probably knew better, so he was willing to reveal to the authorities what this conspiracy was about. The word can also mean that someone else told him of this plot, but more likely, he was somehow present. He came into the castle and told Paul.<\/p>\n
Next, the report is made to the chiliarch in verses 17\u201322, beginning with a request to the centurion in verses 17\u201319: And Paul called unto him one of the centurions, and said, Bring this young man unto the chief captain; for he has something to tell him. So he took him, and brought him to the chief captain, and said, Paul the prisoner called me unto him, and asked me to bring this young man unto you, who has something to say to you. And the chief captain took him by the hand, and going aside asked him privately, What is it that you have to tell me?<\/p>\n
The conspiracy was revealed in three steps. First, in verse 17, Paul called one of the centurions and told him to take his nephew to the chief captain, because he had something [important] to tell him. Secondly, in verse 18, the centurion brought Paul\u2019s nephew to the chief captain and said: Paul the prisoner called me unto him. This was a new title for Paul. First, there was Paul the persecutor; then, Paul the apostle; and now, Paul the prisoner. The centurion told the chiliarch that Paul had asked him \u201cto bring this young man to you, because he has something important to tell you.\u201d Thirdly, in verse 19, the chiliarch took the nephew away from everybody and privately asked him, \u201cWhat do you have to tell me?\u201d The chief captain could tell by the circumstances that what the nephew had to say was important enough to keep it in strictest confidence at this point. In fact, he went so far as to take the nephew by the hand and take him aside.<\/p>\n
Paul\u2019s nephew reveals the plan of the conspiracy to the chiliarch in verses 20\u201321: And he said, The Jews have agreed to ask you to bring down Paul tomorrow unto the council, as though you would inquire somewhat more exactly concerning him. Do not you therefore yield unto them: for there lie in wait for him of them more than forty men, who have bound themselves under a curse, neither to eat nor to drink till they have slain him: and now are they ready, looking for the promise from you.<\/p>\n
In verse 20, he informs the chief captain of the Sanhedrin\u2019s plan: The Jews have agreed to ask you. The term Jews is not used here to mean Jews in general, but the Jewish leaders. They agreed, they joined together to develop this conspiracy, and they are going to ask the chiliarch to bring Paul down the next day to the Judgment Hall, where the Sanhedrin normally meets. The reason they will give is: to give the chiliarch more information. So the pretense for bringing Paul down to the Hall of Judgment was that they had added information that the chiliarch needed to know.<\/p>\n
Paul\u2019s nephew then revealed to the chiliarch what the actual plot was by giving him some advice in verse 21: Do not you therefore yield unto them, do not give in and follow their instructions. The reason was that more than forty men are waiting to ambush him. Now, the chief captain or the chiliarch had been given the details of the conspiracy. Furthermore, he told the chiliarch that the conspirators are even now looking for the promise from him; they were looking for the chiliarch\u2019s consent, which is all they needed to get the whole plot moving into motion. Once the chiliarch had agreed to bring Paul down, then they could work out the details of exactly when the attack should come.<\/p>\n
In verse 22, the chiliarch dismisses Paul\u2019s nephew with a charge: So the chief captain let the young man go, charging him, Tell no man that you have signified these things to me.<\/p>\n
He then dismissed the nephew with the instructions not to tell anyone what he had just revealed to him. The chiliarch now took matters into his own hands to avoid the ambush. So now, by the hand of a Greek soldier in the Roman army, Paul will be rescued. In the future, Paul will die by the hands of Rome, but now he is being protected by them.<\/p>\n
3. The Preparations for the Escape\u2014Acts 23:23\u201324<\/p>\n
Verses 23\u201324a describe the preparations themselves: And he called unto him two of the centurions, and said, Make ready two hundred soldiers to go as far as Caesarea, and horsemen threescore and ten, and spearmen two hundred, at the third hour of the night: and he bade them provide beasts, that they might set Paul thereon.<\/p>\n
First, the captain ordered two centurions to prepare their men for a trip to Caesarea. Secondly, they were to provide an escort for Paul. All together, there were four hundred seventy soldiers. Two hundred were foot soldiers, which was the reason for the two centurions; each centurion had under him one hundred the heavily armed legionnaires, which were battle tested men. In addition, there were seventy members of the cavalry, for there were horsemen belonging to every legion. Added to this group were two hundred spearmen. These were the supplementary troops, who carried a lance in their right hand. In addition, they were ordered to provide beasts, either asses or horses, these would be to carry provisions and for Paul to ride. The chiliarch took no chances; he made sure that the prisoner was very well protected. The timing of the escape was: the third hour of the night, which was between 9:00 and 10:00 p.m.<\/p>\n
Verse 24b states the ultimate purpose: and bring him safe unto Felix the governor.<\/p>\n
This verse introduces Felix, the procurator, who will play a major role through chapter 24. In the Gospels, the procurator was Pontius Pilate. In the Book of Acts, there are two other procurators: Felix and Festus. Felix was the procurator at this point in time, but he was eventually replaced by Festus while Paul was still imprisoned.<\/p>\n
Quite a bit is known about Felix from secular sources. His mother\u2019s name was Antonia. He was the corrupt brother of another famous person in Roman history, Pallas. They were formally slaves, but became freedmen under Claudius. Felix was a childhood friend of Claudius the Emperor. Earlier, Felix had served in a subordinate role over Samaria under Ventidius Cumanus, the procurator from A.D. 48 until A.D. 52. After Cumanus left, Felix was appointed procurator in A.D. 52 through the influence of his brother, Pallas. He moved from slavery to procuratorship and served as the eleventh procurator of Judea from A.D. 52 to A.D. 59. The Roman historian, Tacitus, said of Felix, \u201cHe exercised the power of a king with the mind of a slave.\u201d<\/p>\n
Felix was a very immoral man, married to three different princesses. At the time of his appointment, he had three royal wives. While in office, he fell in love with Drusilla, the daughter of Agrippa I, who was already married to Azizus, the King of Emesa. Her father was the one who killed the Apostle James and imprisoned Peter in Acts 12, and she was also the sister of Agrippa II, who will play a role later in the Book of Acts. According to Josephus, Felix was able to persuade her to leave her husband to marry him, through the influence of Simon the Sorcerer of Cyprus, apparently by some form of magical incantations. She was duped to leave her husband to marry Felix at the age of only sixteen. According to historical writings from the same period, Felix was a cruel despot. He was guilty of assassinating Jonathan the High Priest for criticizing his misrule. He was extremely corrupt and famous for his lust. The fact that he had three wives and then married another one was indicative of where he was in the realm of morals.<\/p>\n
It was before this kind of individual that Paul was brought. On one hand, because Felix was a Roman governor, he had the responsibility under Roman law to protect Paul, a Roman citizen. Because of greed and other elements, he would not release Paul when he should have; he was hoping to be paid off.<\/p>\n
4. The Letter of Explanation\u2014Acts 23:25\u201330<\/p>\n
The introduction of the letter is in verse 25: And he wrote a letter after this form.<\/p>\n
The expression after this form does not mean that this was the verbatim text of the letter, but that this was approximately what he wrote. Apparently, Luke did not have access to the original letter, but he was able to surmise the contents from eyewitness accounts, for he was with Paul when the letter was written. Obviously, it was necessary for the chiliarch to write such a letter since he could not just send Paul without an explanation. But as he wrote the letter to Felix, he mixed both truth and error.<\/p>\n
Verses 26\u201330 are the actual contents of the letter itself, with verse 26 containing the salutation: Claudius Lysias unto the most excellent governor Felix, greeting.<\/p>\n
It is in this verse that the chiliarch\u2019s name is revealed because he introduced himself as Claudius Lysias. The recipient of this letter was: most excellent governor Felix. The expression most excellent was the typical way of addressing someone who held a Roman office. Both in Luke 1 and Acts 1, Luke, writing to Theophilus, called him most excellent, which indicates that Theophilus was a Roman official. The salutation was: greeting, a common way of starting Greek letters.<\/p>\n
In verse 27, the captain describes the rescue of Paul, and this is where the mixture of truth and error begins: This man was seized by the Jews, and was about to be slain of them, when I came upon them with the soldiers and rescued him, having learned that he was a Roman.<\/p>\n
In the letter, he mentions five things. First: This man was seized by the Jews, which is true. Secondly: he was about to be slain by them, which is true. Thirdly: when I came upon them with the soldiers, which is true. Fourthly: and then rescued him, which is also true. But fifth, he states: having learned that he was a Roman, which was false. The truth was that he had learned that Paul was a Roman only after the rescue. It was only after he brought Paul into the interior of the Antonia Fortress, only after he ordered Paul to be scourged, only after Paul had been stretched out for the scourging, and only shortly before the whip was to be applied that Paul revealed that he was a Roman citizen. But in this letter, Lysias told Felix that he rescued Paul from the mob because he learned that Paul was a Roman citizen, reversing the order of events. The reason he wanted to hide the truth here was that he had already gone beyond what Roman law allowed to be done to a Roman citizen by having Paul bound. He did not want to reveal the fact that he had violated Roman law by having Paul bound for scourging.<\/p>\n
The chief captain summarized his relationship to the Sanhedrin in verses 28\u201329. Verse 28 states the reason for his actions: And desiring to know the cause wherefore they accused him, I brought him down unto their council.<\/p>\n
He explains that he desired to know the cause wherefore they accused him more fully. The Greek shows that they kept on repeating charges, but nothing was clear. In the end, he brought Paul down to their council, which the captain had arranged to meet in the Antonia fortress, not in their council chambers in the Temple.<\/p>\n
He then writes concerning what he discovered about the case in verse 29: 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.<\/p>\n
All he was able to learn was that Paul was being accused about questions of their law; in other words, all of the issues involved grand violation of Jewish law, not Roman law. He found nothing laid to his charge that was worthy of either death or of bonds; in other words, there was no violation of Roman law. Therefore, Paul was innocent of any crime. He was not even worthy of being jailed, let alone execution!<\/p>\n
He then points out his reason for sending Paul to Felix in verse 30: 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.<\/p>\n
While this was going on, the captain explained that he discovered a plot against the man. So, because of this conspiracy, he sent him to Felix, charging his accusers also to go down to Felix and spell out their charges against Paul. His plan was to wait until Paul was safely out of the city, then tell the Sanhedrin that they would have to travel to Caesarea to explain their accusations against Paul before Felix.<\/p>\n
I. The Departure from Jerusalem\u2014Acts 23:31\u201335<\/p>\n
The first leg of the journey, Jerusalem to Antipatris, was recorded in verse 31: So the soldiers, as it was commanded them, took Paul and brought him by night to Antipatris.<\/p>\n
As they were commanded to do, the soldiers: took Paul and brought him by night to Antipatris. This was a forced march of thirty-five miles. Antipatris was the Greek name for this city, but it was known in the Old Testament as the City of Aphek. It was a very important city in Old Testament history.<\/p>\n
The second leg of the journey, Antipatris to Caesarea, is given in verse 32: But on the morrow they left the horsemen to go with him, and returned to the castle.<\/p>\n
The timing was: on the morrow or the next day only the seventy horsemen continued on with Paul the rest of the way to Caesarea, another twenty-seven miles. The other four hundred soldiers were needed to make sure that he was not attacked between Jerusalem and Antipatris. Once they had arrived at Antipatris, they were out of the mountains and in the Coastal Plain, and there was less danger of hidden ambush. The four hundred soldiers could go back to Jerusalem and Paul was escorted the rest of the way by the seventy horsemen. The others returned to the castle, meaning the Antonia Fortress.<\/p>\n
Verse 33 records the arrival of Paul and the horsemen in Caesarea: and they, when they came to Caesarea and delivered the letter to the governor, presented Paul also before him.<\/p>\n
When the horsemen arrived, they did two things. First: delivered the letter to the governor, the letter that Claudius Lysias had written to Felix was now turned over to the procurator. And secondly: presented Paul also before him; in this way Paul was officially turned over from the authority of Claudius Lysias to the authority of Felix.<\/p>\n
Verses 34\u201335 describe the actions of Felix, beginning with the questioning of Paul in verse 34a: And when he had read it, he asked of what province he was.<\/p>\n
The timing was: when he had read it; that is, when he had read the letter of Claudius Lysias. Next, he inquired of Paul of what province he was; literally, \u201cWhat kind of province?\u201d This was necessary question, because there were two types of provinces. First, those under the direct authority of the Emperor, which were called Imperial Provinces. And secondly, there were Senatorial Provinces, which were under the direct authority of the Roman Senate. Felix could function under one, but not the other. So it was necessary to find out from Paul what kind of province he was from so he could decide whether to take the case or to pass it on to another authority.<\/p>\n
Paul\u2019s answer settled the question in verse 34b: and when he understood that he was of Cilicia.<\/p>\n
At this point in history, Cilicia was not a full province, but was under the legate of Syria, just like the Land of Israel. Procurators were under legate; there was the Procurator of Judea and the Procurator of Cilicia, but both Judea and Cilicia were under the same legate of Syria, which was headquartered in Damascus. Felix was a procurator, so he was a deputy of the legate of Syria. Because Cilicia was under the same legate, he could therefore legitimately hear the case.<\/p>\n
The decision to hear the case was made in verse 35a: I will hear you fully, said he, when your accusers also are come.<\/p>\n
Felix decided to take the case, but he was not ready to hear the case until Paul\u2019s accusers came down from Jerusalem to Caesarea. He was not going to do anything about it immediately, even though Lysias had emphasized Paul\u2019s innocence.<\/p>\n
At this point, Paul was temporarily jailed in Caesarea in verse 35b: and he commanded him to be kept in Herod\u2019s palace.<\/p>\n
Herod the Great built many palaces, and one of these was in the City of Caesarea, a city that he himself had built. In Greek, the palace is called \u201cthe Praetorium,\u201d which is a Latin term used five times in the Gospels. The original meaning of the term was \u201cthe camp of the general.\u201d By New Testament times, it was also a title or name given to the palace of the governor. The Antonia Fortress, which was the palace of the governor, was called the Praetorium in Matthew 27:27; and the palace in Caesarea that was used as a palace for the Roman governor was also called the Praetorium. In those days, it was under the praetorium guard in Philippians 1:13.<\/p>\n
With this event, the second period of Paul\u2019s imprisonment begins in Caesarea.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
And when it came to pass that we were parted from them and had set sail, we came with a straight course unto Cos, and the next day unto Rhodes, and from thence unto Patara. Acts 21:1\u20133 Chapters 21\u201328 of the Book of Acts cover the five years that Paul spent in prison, from A.D. … <\/p>\n