22  Providential  Protection  (Acts 23:12–35)

And when it was day, the Jews formed a conspiracy and bound themselves under an oath, saying that they would neither eat nor drink until they had killed Paul. And there were more than forty who formed this plot. And they came to the chief priests and the elders, and said, “We have bound ourselves under a solemn oath to taste nothing until we have killed Paul. Now, therefore, you and the Council notify the commander to bring him down to you, as though you were going to determine his case by a more thorough investigation; and we for our part are ready to slay him before he comes near the place.” But the son of Paul’s sister heard of their ambush, and he came and entered the barracks and told Paul. And Paul called one of the centurions to him and said, “Lead this young man to the commander, for he has something to report to him.” So he took him and led him to the commander and said, “Paul the prisoner called me to him and asked me to lead this young man to you since he has something to tell you.” And the commander took him by the hand and stepping aside, began to inquire of him privately, “What is it that you have to report to me?” And he said, “The Jews have agreed to ask you to bring Paul down tomorrow to the Council, as though they were going to inquire somewhat more thoroughly about him. So do not listen to them, for more than forty of them are lying in wait for him who have bound themselves under a curse not to eat or drink until they slay him; and now they are ready and waiting for the promise from you.” Therefore the commander let the young man go, instructing him, “Tell no one that you have notified me of these things.” And he called to him two of the centurions, and said, “Get two hundred soldiers ready by the third hour of the night to proceed to Caesarea, with seventy horsemen and two hundred spearmen.” They were also to provide mounts to put Paul on and bring him safely to Felix the governor. And he wrote a letter having this form:

So the soldiers, in accordance with their orders, took Paul and brought him by night to Antipatris. But the next day, leaving the horsemen to go on with him, they returned to the barracks. And when these had come to Caesarea and delivered the letter to the governor, they also presented Paul to him. And when he had read it, he asked from what province he was; and when he learned that he was from Cilicia, he said, “I will give you a hearing after your accusers arrive also,” giving orders for him to be kept in Herod’s Praetorium. (23:12–35)

This passage finds Paul in difficult circumstances. He has been falsely accused, beaten, arrested, imprisoned, and plotted against. Yet God will deliver him—not by a supernatural miracle, but by His providential ordering of circumstances.

Paul’s situation closely parallels that of another man of God, David. He, too, was treated unfairly and plotted against—only to repeatedly experience God’s providential deliverance.

David first appears in the biblical record in 1 Samuel 16, when he was anointed king in place of the disobedient Saul. Many years would elapse, however, before he began his rule. During much of that time David was a hunted outlaw, pursued by the insanely jealous king whom he had loyally served.

David’s association with Saul began when he was providentially chosen as court musician (1 Sam. 16:14–18). His skillful harp playing brought comfort to the tormented king. As a result, Saul loved David greatly and made him his armor bearer (1 Sam. 16:21). Soon afterward, David rescued Saul and Israel from their perennial enemies the Philistines. Fearlessly accepting the challenge of their champion, the giant Goliath, David killed him in single combat (1 Sam. 17:17–51). The dismayed Philistines were then routed by the Israelites (1 Sam. 17:52). Saul rewarded David by making him commander of the army (18:5).

But Saul’s admiration for David soon turned to suspicion and jealousy when David received higher acclaim than he did (1 Sam. 18:6–9). For the rest of his life, Saul sought unsuccessfully to kill him. After failing to personally kill him (1 Sam. 18:10–11), Saul demoted him and banished him from the palace. He hoped that David would die in battle against the Philistines (1 Sam. 18:17, 21), but David’s skill and triumph in battle won him even higher esteem (1 Sam. 18:30).

Saul then ordered his servants to put David to death (1 Sam. 19:1ff.). Only the intervention of Saul’s son Jonathan (1 Sam. 19:1–7), his daughter Michal (1 Sam. 19:11–17), and his mentor Samuel (1 Sam. 19:18–24) saved David’s life. But from then until Saul’s death in battle against the Philistines, David was a hunted fugitive. Throughout that difficult and dangerous period, David remained loyal to Saul (1 Sam. 24:2ff.; 26:2ff.; cf. 2 Sam. 1:1ff.) and experienced God’s providential protection (1 Sam. 23:14, 24–28; 28:1–2; 29:1–11).

Saul’s death did not end David’s troubles. The northern tribes rejected him as king in favor of Saul’s son Ish-bosheth (2 Sam. 2:8–9). It took several years of civil war for David to unite the entire nation under his rule. And even after his ascension to the throne, he faced other severe difficulties. In the most heartbreaking betrayal, his son Absalom led a revolt against him in which his trusted counselor, Ahithophel, and his nephew Amasa were involved. No sooner had that revolt been put down than another broke out (2 Sam. 20:1ff.). Yet, throughout David’s difficulties as king, God providentially protected him.

As the apostle Paul sat in his cell, he may have reflected on David’s experiences. Perhaps the words of Psalm 56, penned when David fled from Saul to the Philistine city of Gath, came to mind.

That psalm expressed David’s confidence in God’s care for him, despite the aggressive oppression of men. Paul, too, had recently experienced difficult circumstances. His attempt to conciliate the Christian Jews at Jerusalem (21:20ff.) had ended in a riot—one in which he was nearly killed. His attempt to defend himself before the angry mob who had seized him in the temple also ended in a riot (21:27ff.). His appearance before the highest Jewish court had ended in chaos. And although accused of no crime, Paul remained in the custody of the Romans.

As He had in past times of discouragement (18:9; 22:17–21), the Lord Himself appeared to Paul (23:11) to console him, commend him, and give him hope. He promised Paul that he would not be killed in Jerusalem but would live to testify someday in Rome. The Lord further strengthened Paul’s hope in that promise by providentially delivering him from a plot to murder him.

This narrative passage contains no doctrinal truths or practical exhortations; it merely recounts an event in Paul’s life. Yet no passage of Scripture could more clearly illustrate the providence of God.

God’s providence is His sovereign control over and ordering of natural circumstances to accomplish His will. It is also illustrated clearly in the Old Testament in the book of Esther, where God providentially protected His people, Israel, from their destructive enemies. God’s providence underlies such familiar and comforting passages as Philippians 4:5–7; Hebrews 13:6; and Luke 12:22–34.

God’s dramatic, providential deliverance of Paul plays out in three scenes: the plot formulated, found out, and frustrated.

THE PLOT FORMULATED

And when it was day, the Jews formed a conspiracy and bound themselves under an oath, saying that they would neither eat nor drink until they had killed Paul. And there were more than forty who formed this plot. And they came to the chief priests and the elders, and said, “We have bound ourselves under a solemn oath to taste nothing until we have killed Paul. Now, therefore, you and the Council notify the commander to bring him down to you, as though you were going to determine his case by a more thorough investigation; and we for our part are ready to slay him before he comes near the place.” (23:12–15)

The day after Paul’s appearance before the Sanhedrin, some Jews, frustrated at seeing Paul escape with his life, formulated a plot to murder him. They bound themselves under an oath, saying that they would neither eat nor drink until they had killed Paul. That oath showed the seriousness of their intentions. The Greek text reads, “They anathematized themselves” (cf. Gal. 1:8, 9), thus invoking divine judgment if they failed to carry out their oath. They probably spoke words to the effect of “May God do so to us and more if we eat or drink anything until Paul is dead” (cf. 1 Sam. 14:44; 2 Sam. 3:35; 19:13; 1 Kings 2:23; 2 Kings 6:31).

The scene is tragically reminiscent of Jesus’ death. Both Jesus and Paul were Jews, preachers of the gospel to their people, and guilty of no crime. Yet both were plotted against, both stood before a confused Sanhedrin, and both were prisoners in Fort Antonia. Paul truly shared in “the fellowship of His sufferings” (Phil. 3:10; cf. Gal. 6:17).

Why did the Jews react with such violent hostility to someone who had committed no offense against Jewish law, who loved them, and who proclaimed to them salvation through the Messiah, Jesus Christ? Paul gave the answer in 2 Corinthians 4:4: “The god of this world has blinded the minds of the unbelieving, that they might not see the light of the gospel of the glory of Christ, who is the image of God.” So deceived were they that they were unable to discern the truth and were swept up into Satan’s rebellion. That rebellion began in heaven. Lucifer, not content with being the most exalted of all God’s created beings, rebelled against God (Isa. 14:12ff.; Ezek. 28:12ff.; Rev. 12:3–4, 7–9). It continued in the garden, when he tempted Adam and Eve. Their disobedience then led the human race into sin. Determined to thwart God’s redemptive plan (cf. Gen. 3:15), Satan tried unsuccessfully to destroy Messiah’s nation, His line, and, finally, Messiah Himself. But he was utterly defeated by Christ’s saving work on the cross and triumphant resurrection. Since then, he has worked to silence the preachers of the gospel. The plotters were dupes of Satan, willing to be used to stifle the saving gospel by killing the most effective Christian preacher.

Luke relates that there were more than forty who formed this plot. They knew they could not depend on the Romans to execute Paul, since there was no capital crime with which to accuse him. Nor did they dare risk another speech by Paul, fearing he might sway public opinion to his side. Therefore, they decided to take matters into their own hands. More than forty men were needed, because Paul would be heavily guarded by Roman soldiers. That many of the conspirators would no doubt be killed in the fracas speaks of their fanaticism (cf. John 16:2). Having many take part in the plot would also serve to deflect any blame away from one individual.

To ensure the plot’s success, the conspirators needed the aid of the Sanhedrin. They approached the chief priests and the elders who, being Sadducees, would be more eager to help. Significantly, the scribes, who were largely Pharisees like Paul and had recently defended him, were excluded. The conspirators first informed the Sanhedrin of their intentions, saying “We have bound ourselves under a solemn oath to taste nothing until we have killed Paul.” Then they mentioned the Sanhedrin’s part in the plot: “Now, therefore, you and the Council notify the commander (the tribune, Claudius Lysias) to bring him down to you, as though you were going to determine his case by a more thorough investigation; and we for our part are ready to slay him before he comes near the place.” That the conspirators assumed the Sanhedrin’s leadership would take part in a murder plot says much about the very apparent corruption of Israel’s highest court. Nor did the Sanhedrin disappoint them (v. 20).

THE PLOT FOUND OUT

But the son of Paul’s sister heard of their ambush, and he came and entered the barracks and told Paul. And Paul called one of the centurions to him and said, “Lead this young man to the commander, for he has something to report to him.” So he took him and led him to the commander and said, “Paul the prisoner called me to him and asked me to lead this young man to you since he has something to tell you.” And the commander took him by the hand and stepping aside, began to inquire of him privately, “What is it that you have to report to me?” And he said, “The Jews have agreed to ask you to bring Paul down tomorrow to the Council, as though they were going to inquire somewhat more thoroughly about him. So do not listen to them, for more than forty of them are lying in wait for him who have bound themselves under a curse not to eat or drink until they slay him; and now they are ready and waiting for the promise from you.” Therefore the commander let the young man go, instructing him, “Tell no one that you have notified me of these things.” (23:16–22)

With so many conspirators involved, the plot could not be kept secret for long. In God’s providence, the son of Paul’s sister heard of their ambush. This is the only specific reference in Scripture to Paul’s family (except for possible references in Rom. 16:7, 11, 21). It raises many questions that cannot be answered with certainty. What was Paul’s nephew doing in Jerusalem, since the family home was in Tarsus? Was he following in his uncle’s footsteps and studying to be a rabbi? Since Paul’s family had apparently disinherited him when he became a believer (Phil. 3:8), why did he care what happened to his uncle? Had Paul’s sister or nephew become Christians?

How Paul’s nephew heard of the plot is also not known, but when he did, he came and entered the barracks and told Paul. Paul had not been charged with a crime, so was merely in protective custody. He was therefore permitted to receive visitors. Knowing the danger of such plots from experience (cf. Acts 9:23, 29; 20:3, 19), Paul immediately called one of the centurions to him and said, “Lead this young man to the commander, for he has something to report to him.”

The centurion took Paul’s nephew and led him to the commander and said, “Paul the prisoner (cf. Eph. 3:1; 2 Tim. 1:8; Philem. 1, 9, 23) called me to him and asked me to lead this young man to you since he has something to tell you.” Out of respect for Lysias’s rank, Paul communicated to him through one of his centurions. That the centurion immediately did what Paul asked shows the respect the apostle’s Roman citizenship commanded. In proper military fashion he succinctly informed his commanding officer of the situation.

The commander was desperate for any information that would help him decide what to do with Paul. Therefore he gently took Paul’s nephew by the hand and stepping aside, began to inquire of him privately, “What is it that you have to report to me?” The boy was undoubtedly very excited and intimidated by his surroundings, so Lysias took him aside to speak with him privately. He also realized that the information was confidential, since it had not been revealed to the centurion.

The boy then accurately informed Lysias of the details of the plot: “The Jews have agreed to ask you to bring Paul down tomorrow to the Council, as though they were going to inquire somewhat more thoroughly about him.” Thus, in God’s providence, Lysias learned of the plot before the Jews even approached him. Paul’s nephew then urged the Roman commander not to give in: “So do not listen to them, for more than forty of them are lying in wait for him who have bound themselves under a curse not to eat or drink until they slay him; and now they are ready and waiting for the promise from you.”

Recognizing the seriousness of the situation, Lysias took immediate action. First, he let the young man go, instructing him, “Tell no one that you have notified me of these things.” If the conspirators realized their plot had been uncovered, they would undoubtedly have abandoned it and formulated another. And if that one were not discovered, Lysias reasoned, Paul might be killed. Further, if the Jews did not know that he knew of the plot, they could not question his motives for sending Paul to Caesarea. Then he took the necessary measures, without imagining he was carrying out God’s providential protection of Paul.

THE PLOT FRUSTRATED

And he called to him two of the centurions, and said, “Get two hundred soldiers ready by the third hour of the night to proceed to Caesarea, with seventy horsemen and two hundred spearmen.” They were also to provide mounts to put Paul on and bring him safely to Felix the governor. And he wrote a letter having this form:

So the soldiers, in accordance with their orders, took Paul and brought him by night to Antipatris. But the next day, leaving the horsemen to go on with him, they returned to the barracks. And when these had come to Caesarea and delivered the letter to the governor, they also presented Paul to him. And when he had read it, he asked from what province he was; and when he learned that he was from Cilicia, he said, “I will give you a hearing after your accusers arrive also,” giving orders for him to be kept in Herod’s Praetorium. (23:23–35)

Faced with a difficult and potentially explosive situation, Lysias again proved himself to be an able commander. Realizing things were getting out of hand, he wisely decided to get Paul out of Jerusalem. That would, of course, thwart the plot and keep a prisoner for whom he was responsible from being assassinated. And it would avoid a confrontation with the Jews that could degenerate into a full-scale revolt. Therefore, he decided to pass the problem on to his superior, the Roman governor Felix.

Having made his decision, Lysias wasted no time. He immediately called to him two of the centurions, and gave them their orders: “Get two hundred soldiers ready by the third hour of the night to proceed to Caesarea, with seventy horsemen and two hundred spearmen.” Caesarea, some sixty-five miles from Jerusalem, was the seat of the Roman government in Judea. It was there that Felix had his headquarters.

Taking no chances on any further ambush plots, Lysias detailed a strong, heavily armed force of half his thousand-man garrison to escort Paul on the long march to the coast. The two hundred soldiers were Roman legionnaires, the most formidable troops of antiquity. Seventy horsemen from the cohort’s cavalry detachment were also sent, along with two hundred lightly armed spearmen, or javelin throwers.

Not willing to risk waiting until the next day, Lysias ordered the detachment to leave by the third hour of the night (9:00 P.M.). Since speed was important, they were also to provide mounts to put Paul on. Their mission was to bring him safely to Felix the governor, Lysias’s immediate superior.

As was required when a Roman officer sent a prisoner to his superior (Everett F. Harrison, Interpreting Acts: The Expanding Church [Grand Rapids: Zondervan, 1986], 373), Lysias wrote a letter of explanation to Felix, which Luke summarizes:

Claudius was the Roman name he took (perhaps in honor of Emperor Claudius) when he obtained his citizenship (22:28). Since Lysias is a Greek name, it signifies he was probably a free-born Greek by nationality.

He diplomatically addressed the letter to the most excellent governor Felix. It gives a reasonably accurate summary of the events leading to his decision to send Paul to Caesarea. Lysias did embellish things to put himself in the best possible light; contrary to what he wrote, he did not discover Paul’s Roman citizenship until after he rescued him. And he conveniently failed to mention his order to have Paul scourged and his erroneous assumption that he was the famed Egyptian troublemaker. Lysias noted his efforts to resolve the case, informing Felix that he tried to ascertain the charge for which they were accusing him, and even brought him down to their Council. His statement that Paul was under no accusation deserving death or imprisonment is tantamount to declaring him innocent. Then Lysias closed by giving his reason for burdening Felix with Paul’s case: “When I was informed that there would be a plot against the man, I sent him to you at once, also instructing his accusers to bring charges against him before you.” Paul’s safety required his removal to Caesarea.

Having made all the necessary preparations, the soldiers, in accordance with their orders, took Paul and brought him by night to Antipatris. Antipatris, about thirty-five to forty miles away, was a Roman military post often used as a rest stop for travelers between Jerusalem and Caesarea. It had been built by Herod the Great and named in honor of his father, Antipater. To make it there in one night would have required a grueling forced march, especially for the foot soldiers.

After successfully getting past the main danger area around Jerusalem, the troops escorting Paul spent the night in Antipatris. The next day, leaving the horsemen to go on with Paul to Caesarea, the foot soldiers returned to the barracks in Jerusalem. Antipatris marked the border between Judea and the largely Gentile region of Samaria. The danger of ambush was now greatly reduced, and the cavalry escort would suffice to see Paul safely to Caesarea.

After arriving in Caesarea, Paul’s escort delivered the letter to the governor, and also presented Paul to him. When Felix read the letter, he asked from what province Paul was. The answer would determine whether Felix had jurisdiction to hear his case. When he learned that Paul was from Cilicia, he agreed to hear the case. Since Cilicia, like Judea, was at that time under the Legate of Syria, Felix had the authority to try Paul’s case. He so informed the apostle, “I will give you a hearing after your accusers arrive also” (cf. v. 30). Meanwhile, he ordered that Paul be kept in Herod’s Praetorium—the governor’s official residence. The stage was thus set for the first in Paul’s series of Roman trials.

God’s providential protection of His servant demonstrates His faithfulness. Based in part on his own experiences, Paul could declare to the Corinthians that “God is faithful” (1 Cor. 1:9; cf. 10:13; 2 Cor. 1:18; 2 Thess. 3:3). The first step in that direction occurred the day after God’s promise to bring Paul to Rome. He also showed His care for Paul by sovereignly providing a safe and comfortable trip to Caesarea and providing the best of accommodations when he arrived there. Paul experienced the truth expressed by Peter: “Casting all your anxiety upon Him, because He cares for you” (1 Pet. 5:7).