II. SECOND TROUBLE. Injustice and insult. This interruption, with its insult and injustice, may be explained. THE COMFORT. The relief from uttering his indignant protest, and the reaction in his favor among the Pharisees, since the insult came from a Sadducee. Explain "whited wall" and the character of Ananias. III. THIRD TROUBLE. Hasty words. The question will arise whether Paul did wrong, and what was the error, if any. THE COMFORT. Manly acknowledgment and explanation. IV. FOURTH TROUBLE. The hatred of his Jewish countrymen, who wished to put him to death. THE COMFORT. A division in the council, and a large number arising to defend him. Show the difference between the Pharisees and Sadducees, and how far Paul was a Pharisee. Illustration. Vers. 6, 7. There is a Greek legend of Cadmus, the builder of Thebes, that he slew a dragon and sowed the teeth in the field. The dragon's teeth sprang up from the ground armed giants, a great army. Then he took up a rock and threw it among them. So that instead of slaying him they went to fighting one another. And they slew one another till only one tall giant remained, and he became the helper of Cadmus in carrying stones for the walls of the city of Thebes he began to build. So it is wise to let the enemies of Christianity fight one another; one tears down what another builds up. So it has been through the ages, whether they use historic criticism or geology, or antiquarian researches or development theories, or any form of science for their weapons. But always after the battle is over there is left some solid, settled truth which never fails to help build the city of our God.-P. V. FIFTH TROUBLE. Another mob. THE COMFORT. Rescue by the Romans. VI. SIXTH TROUBLE. A seeming failure of his hopes (see notes on ver. 11). If any man suffer as a Christian, let him not be ashamed. 1 PET. 4: 16. TIME. Thursday, May 25, A.D. 58, the day following the last lesson. PLACE. Jerusalem; the castle Antonia. RULERS. Nero, emperor of Rome. Felix, governor of Judea. Agrippa II., king of Trachonitis, etc., the tetrarchy east of the Sea of Galilee and the upper Jordan. ClaudiusLysias, Roman commander at Jerusalem. INTRODUCTION. Paul had been rescued from the contending parties in the hall of the Sanhedrim, and carried safely back to the castle of Antonia; and, during the night, in the prison, he had seen the Lord again in a vision, and received words of good cheer and promises of aid. While he was sleeping peacefully on the pillows of a clear conscience and the divine promises, the Jewish leaders were racking their brains for some plan to get Paul in their power, and by daylight a plan had been thought out, and being proposed to others, was readily adopted by them, as in the lesson. 12. And when it was day, certain of the Jews banded together, and bound themselves under a curse, saying that they would neither eat nor drink till they had killed Paul. And when it was day, the 12 Jews banded together, and bound themselves under a curse, saying that they would neither eat nor drink till they 12. And when it was day. The dawn Certain of the Jews. The Jews here 13. And they were more than forty which had made this conspiracy. 14. And they came to the chief priests and elders, and said, We have bound ourselves under a curse, that we will eat nothing until we have Paul. great 15. Now therefore ye with the council signify to the chief captain that he bring him down unto you to morrow, as though ye would inquire something more perfectly concerning him: and we, or ever he come near, are ready to kill him. alluded to were doubtless composed of Paul's bitter foes from Asia Minor, together with his Sadducæan opponents. It is more than probable that some of them belonged to that wild and fanatic association which played so prominent a part in the Holy Land in the last years of Jerusalem, the Sicarii or Assassins (see Lesson VI., ver. 38). - Rev. Com. Bound themselves under a curse. These violent men bound themselves with a dreadful oath; that is, they invoked the curse of God upon themselves if they did not kill Paul, or if they ate or drank anything before they killed him, "that they might fence round their crime with all the sanction of religion." That more than forty persons should unite in such a conspiracy, and should without scruple propose it to the supreme court of the land, seems to a modern almost incredible, but accords with the Jewish opinions and practices of that age. Thus Philo, who is one of the purest religious teachers outside the New Testament, directly justifies the assassination of apostates from Judaism. — Abbott. They would neither eat nor drink. So that there was no time to be lost; their work must be promptly executed. — Cambridge Bible. In the case of such fearful vows, by no means uncommon in that wild time of disorder and hatred, the Talmud, however, provided a loophole of escape for those who so rashly took this burden on themselves; they furnished the means of releasing the man from the vow and the curse, if the carrying it out in its entirety became impossible. — Schaff. 13. More than forty. Showing the excited state of popular feeling at this moment among the Jews. They may have been prompted to this method of getting rid of the apostle because they had not the power of life and death any longer, and were not likely to procure Paul's death at the hands of the Roman authorities on any accusation connected with a religious question. — Prof. Lumby. - 14. They came to the chief priests and elders. No doubt the party of religious assassins went to that group of the Sanhedrim known as bitterly hostile to Paul. These doubtless were of the Sadducee party, which at that time supplied the majority of Jewish magistrates. Cook. Ananias the high priest was of this party. But it is more probable that this favorable feeling on the part of the Pharisees was transient, being the impulse of the moment, and that they soon united with the Sadducees in hostility to the apostle. It is evident that they as well as the Sadducees accused him before Felix (Acts 24: 15). · Gloag. 15. Now therefore. The conspirators, it is plain, felt quite sure of the hearty concurrence of the highest authorities. The words of Christ (John 16: 2) found their fulfilment. Cook. Ye with the council. Namely, the Sanhedrim. That is, in the name of that body, as if it was their united request. Hackett. Signify. A legal term; give official notice; a formal request for a regular investigation. — Cook. That he bring him down unto you. From the castle Antonia, north of the temple area, to the hall of the Sanhedrim outside of the western cloister. As though ye would inquire, etc. Rev. Ver., as though ye would judge of his case more exactly, which is more in accordance with the classical meaning of the verb.- Prof Lumby. The reason assigned for again bringing Paul before the Sanhedrim was plausible, as the former hearing was interrupted, and the information obtained imperfect. If God had not in his providence interfered, Lysias would in all "'elihood have granted the request, and the conspiracy of the Jews might have been successful. Gloag We, or ever he come near, are ready to kill him. The first word stands in the Greek with a kind of ferocious emphasis. "You may safely leave us to do our part." Their plan was to assassinate him on his way down from the barracks to the council. The suspicion of complicity in the crime would not fall upon the chief priests and elders. Their intention would appear to have been to give St. Paul a fair hearing, and the murder would seem to be the work of some fanatics unconnected with the council.-Prof. Lumby, in Cambridge 16. And when Paul's sister's son heard of their lying in wait, he went and entered into the castle, and told Paul. chief chief 17. Then Paul called one of the centurions unto him, and said, Bring this young man unto the captain: for he hath a certain thing to tell him. 18. So he took him, and brought him to the captain, and said, Paul the prisoner called me him, and prayed me to bring this young man unto thee, who hath something to say unto thee. unto ready to slay him. But Paul's 16 sister's son heard of their ly ing in wait, and he came and entered into the castle, and told Paul. And Paul called un- 17 to him one of the centurions, and said, Bring this young man unto the chief captain: for he hath something to tell him. So he took him, and 18 brought him to the chief cap tain, and saith, Paul the pri soner called me unto him, and asked me to bring this young man unto thee, who hath some Bible. They might reckon on the guard being in no great force. The murder would admit of being represented as the result of an accidental tumult, and the Sanhedrim would exert themselves to appease the Roman authorities. Cook. THE REASONS FOR THIS PLOT. The plot was necessary either (1) because the Sanhedrim had lost, under Roman rule, its power to inflict capital punishment; or (2) because, even if they possessed that power, the chief captain was not likely to allow its exercise in the case of a Roman citizen; or (3) because the experience of the previous day had shown that the violent party were not likely to obtain a majority in the council. The plot was so far skilfully laid. Even those who had said "We find no evil in this man" could hardly oppose a proposal for a further investigation. — Plumptre. II. The Conspiracy Discovered. Vers. 16-22. 16. When Paul's sister's son. This is the only direct reference in Scripture to Paul's family. It is uncertain whether Paul's sister resided in Jerusalem, or whether the young man may have come up to Jerusalem with Paul, or had been sent thither for his education, as his uncle was before him. We know not even whether the act of kindness was prompted merely by natural affection, or by Christian sympathy as well. All that we know is that this obscure youth, probably only a lad, rendered to his celebrated uncle a very important service, the mention of which has immortalized his memory. - Meyer, Note of American Editor. He was not a bigoted Jew, at all events: for in that case he would have allowed no tie of blood, no natural affection, to interfere with the supposed claims of his religion. - Hackett. Heard of their lying in wait. We are not informed how Paul's nephew obtained his knowledge of the conspiracy; but as the conspirators were numerous, and as they had given information of their designs to the chief priests and elders, the plot could not have remained long concealed.- Gloag. It is difficult to keep a secret in which forty men are sharers. - Plumptre. Entered into the castle. There was no time to be lost, or the Jewish delegation were on their way to the castle (ver. 21). And told Paul. We see, from the fact thus stated, that St. Paul, though in custody, was allowed to hold free communication with his friends. This, perhaps, accounts for the fulness with which the whole history is given. The writer of the Acts had come up with the apostle, and was not likely to desert his friend if he could possibly gain access to him.- Plumptre. Here, as in several other places, the courtesy of the higher Roman officials toward the seemingly friendless and persecuted missionary is noticeable (see especially Acts 16: 33; 24: 23; 26: 32; 27: 3; 28: 30). — Schaff. 17. Called one of the centurions unto him. The apostle was under the charge of a military guard, and so would have no difficulty in getting his message conveyed. And the knowledge that he was a Roman citizen, and that by birth, would have spread among the soldiery and would not be without its influence. Cambridge Bible. Bring this young man unto the chief captain. Although Paul had an express promise from Christ of secu rity, that he would escape the snares of the Jews, and bear witness for him at Rome, yet he did not neglect any proper means of safety, thus proving how far removed he was from the character of an enthusiast. His prudence also is here observable: he does not tell the centurion, but thinks it safer to inform the tribune himself. Gloag. This simple history is most precious as an inspired commentary on some difficult doctrines. It does not indeed make the doctrines easy of comprehension; it does not relieve them of mystery to our minds; but it is fitted to show us that no view of the divine purposes can be right that in any measure tends to slacken human zeal and energy. To be assured that it is God that worketh in them, is the best of all motives to induce intelligent Christians to work out their own salvation with fear and trembling (Phil. 2: 12, 13). — Arnot. 18. So he took him, etc. The readiness of the centurion to comply with Paul's request, and of the chief captain to give audience to the young man, and the special heed 19. Then the chief captain took him by the hand, and went with him aside privately, and asked him, What is that thou hast to tell me? 20. And he said, 'The Jews have agreed to desire thee that thou wouldest bring down Paul to morrow into the council, as though they would inquire somewhat of him more perfectly. 21. But do not thou yield unto them: for there lie in wait for him of them more than forty men, which have bound themselves with an oath, that they will neither eat nor drink till they have killed him and now are they ready, looking for a promise from thee. 22. So the chief captain then let the young man depart, and charged him, See thou tell no man that thou hast shewed these things to me. 23. And he called unto him two centurions, saying, Make ready two hundred soldiers to go to Cæsarea, and horsemen threescore and ten, and spearmen two hundred, at the third hour of the night; 1 Ver. 12. given to his message, in taking him aside privately, indicate the influence which Paul, though a prisoner, had already secured by his personal character. Similar indications are afforded in the account of the shipwreck (chap. 27: 30-37). Observe the promptness, vigor, and wisdom of Paul's course. — Abbott. 19. The chief captain took him by the hand. Bengel remarks, the captain took Paul's nephew by the hand, "in order to confirm the young man's confidence." Seeing, perhaps, that he was nervous and flustered, both from the peril to which he was subjecting himself by revealing this secret, since suspicion would naturally fall on him, - and also by finding himself in the presence of the most powerful person in Jerusalem, the military delegate of the dreaded procurator, Lysias took him by the hand, and walking with him to a place where they were out of earshot, began to ask him what his message was. — Farrar. 20-22. Compare the account here given by the young man of the conspiracy with Luke's account above. The implication of the language, there lie in wait for him, is that the ambuscade, as well as the conspiracy, had already been formed. The chief captain enjoins secrecy, because he will avoid all hazard of an assault; for the same reason he starts Paul and his escort out by night. Abbott. 22. So the chief captain. The chiliarch is obviously glad of the intelligence. His sympathies are clearly with St. Paul personally as against the high priest and his followers. He welcomes an opportunity for showing his zeal for the safe-keeping of a Roman citizen, and for making a statement of the whole transaction from his own point of view. — Plumptre. See thou tell no man. (1) To avoid any interference with his own plans, or a new conspiracy; (2) to avoid danger to the young man for revealing the secret; (3) to avoid any explanations of his conduct to the Jewish leaders. III. The Conspiracy Defeated. Vers. 23, 24. 23. He called unto him two centurions. One was to go no further than Antipatris (ver. 32). Two hundred soldiers. The common foot-soldiers, or legionaries, of the Roman army. — Abbott. To Cesarea. The residence of the Roman governor and the seat of the chief jurisdiction. The distance between Jerusalem and Cesarea is about 70 miles (by the road). — Cambridge Bible. It is 47 miles in a direct line. — McClintock and Strong. Cesarea is on the coast of the Mediterranean (see Lesson IV.). Horsemen. The ordinary Roman cavalry. Spearmen. It probably describes some light-armed troops furnished with spears and javelins, used by the right hand alone. Abbott. At the third hour of the night. Nine o'clock in the evening. It was evidently the object of the chiliarch to place the prisoner beyond the reach of an attack before daybreak. With this view, all, as well as the horsemen, were to be mounted (ver. 24). — Plumptre. 470 soldiers seems to have been a large force to have set 24. And provide them beasts, that they may Paul on, and bring him safe unto Felix the gov ernor. hour of the night: and he 24 bade them provide beasts, that they might set Paul thereon, and bring him safe unto Felix the governor. guarded a single prisoner from the murderous design of 40 Sicarii, but the disturbed, uneasy state of the entire country must be borne in mind, and the Roman commander in Antonia was perplexed and alarmed about the whole matter. He suspected there was more in the charge against Paul than met the eye, and was anxious to deliver the accused safe into the hands of the superior authority at Cesarea. The fact, too, of the Roman citizenship of the prisoner, whose death was evidently earnestly desired by the Jewish Sanhedrim, made him more cautious. - Schaff. Then, as we learn from Josephus, the Sicarii abounded, and murders were of daily Occurrence. So numerous were these zealots that a few years after this an army of them took possession of Jerusalem and held it for several days, murdering the principal men, and committing great atrocities. Besides, the conspiracy against Paul was of a formidable nature, as it was countenanced and supported by the Sanhedrim; and, as he was a Roman citizen, it was the bounden duty of the tribune to protect him to the utmost of his power. The Roman soldiers were also kept in constant action, and employment was sought for them; and being numerous in Jerusalem, such a number might well be spared for two or three days. Gloag 24. And provide beasts. In the oriental a general word which might include camels and asses as well as horses. Relays would be necessary. If the apostle rode, the soldiers to whom his chains were attached must have been mounted also. And from Antipatris to Cesarea his escort consisted entirely of cavalry. — Cook. The whole party went during the night about 45 miles, to Antipatris. From this point the 400 soldiers returned, and the 70 horsemen went on alone with Paul to Cesarea. Felix the governor. Felix and his brother Pallas were originally slaves, and then freedmen in the house of a noble Roman lady, Antonia, mother of the emperor Claudius. Pallas became the favorite, and subsequently minister of the emperor. He procured Felix the important post of procurator of Judea about A.D. 52. Tacitus writes of him as one who, trusting to his brother's powerful influence at court, knew he could commit any wrong with impunity. He was notoriously avaricious, cruel, and licentious, but withal a man of great energy and talent, wielding, however, as Tacitus tells us, "the power of a tyrant in the temper of a slave." According to Josephus, he was one of the most corrupt and oppressive governors ever despatched from Rome to Judea. Rev. Com. According to Suetonius, he was the husband of three queens (Claud. xxviii.); one of them was Drusilla, the daughter of Herod Agrippa I. (see note to Acts, 24: 24); a second, as we learn from Tacitus, was the granddaughter of Antony and Cleopatra, the niece of the Empress Antonia, and the full cousin of Claudius (Hist. v. 9); the third is unknown. After ruling over Judea for the comparatively long period of seven or eight years, he was recalled by Nero, and succeeded by Festus, A.D. 60. Gloag. On arriving at Cesarea the next day, Paul was presented to Felix with a letter of explanations from the Roman commander, and then he was placed in the prison of Herod's judgment-hall to await the coming of his accusers, whom Lysias had commanded to lay their complaints before Felix. PRACTICAL. - I. The Lord protects his people. (1) The need of protection, - for their enemies are powerful. (a) In number 40 to 1; (b) bound by an oath to destroy them; (c) the means, cunning and deceit. (2) The Lord is more powerful. (a) He exposed the plot; (b) he raised up friends; (c) he led him forth unharmed. - Lange. 2. The Lord encampeth round about them that fear him, and delivereth them (Ps. 34:7). (1) As a comforting vision; (2) as a tender friend in the person of Paul's nephew; (3) as a powerful body-guard in the form of the Roman soldiers (comp. 2 Kings 6: 17, where the mountain was full of horses and chariots of fire round about Elisha).- Lange. 3. Ver. 12. What a shame upon us! The wicked are more earnest in their desires of what is evil than we are of what is good. They make more speed in the way of death than we do in the way of life. S. Bernard. 4. Truth and righteousness may be found and practised with half the pains that are often employed to "search out iniquity" and establish error. Bp. Horne. get nothing for their pains.— Boston. 5. Other sinners serve the devil for pay; but cursers and swearers are volunteers who (Fourfold State.) |