Southern Christian University

Acts Class Session 10

James A. Turner

Hello students. I think we begin tonight with Acts chapter 21:7. We are still following Paul's journey to Jerusalem with the messengers of the churches to carry the bounty of those Gentile churches to Jerusalem. Acts 21:7, "When we had finished our voyage from Tyre, we arrived at Ptolemais, we saluted the brethren, and abode with them one day. And on the morrow we departed and came unto Caesarea: And entered into the house of Philip the evangelist, who was one of the seven; we abode with him." It looks like that Caesarea must have been the permanent home at this time for Philip and his family. You remember that he is the one that carried the gospel to the Samaritans. He is one of those seven that were chosen by the brethren as given in Acts 6:1-6 to take care of needs of the Grecian widows. The apostles laid their hands on those seven and gave them miraculous gifts of the Holy Spirit. We read in verse nine, “this man had four virgin daughters who prophesied.” Would this not mean that they had miraculous gifts that would aid them in teaching (I Corinthians 12:4-11)?. Of course, they would have not have been teaching in the public assemblies of the church, for that is forbidden by other references.

From I Corinthians chapter fourteen, it looks like the tongue speakers in the church at Corinth thought that their gift was the greatest gift, and they wanted to show off on every occasion even when it was not appropriate to do so, but Paul told them that the gift of prophecy was more important. The gift of prophecy was primarily the ability to teach where they would not otherwise have enough understanding to teach. Joel 2:28 as quoted in Acts 2:17 it reads, "Upon my servants and upon my handmaidens will I pour out of my spirit and they shall prophecy." So that Old Testament passage gives room for women to have had miraculous gifts in the miraculous age, which was the childhood age of the church (I Corinthians 13:8-12; James 1:25; Ephesians 4:7-16). The childhood age of the church is over, and none have miraculous gifts or powers. During the miraculous period today. the apostles could impart miraculous gifts to others by the laying on of their hands.

Acts 21:10 "And as we tarried there some days, there came down from Judaea a certain prophet, naked Agabus." He is the same prophet that went to that first Gentile church at Antioch of Syria, chapter eleven, and told the brethren through the spirit that there was going to come a famine in Judaea. And those fine brethren at Antioch of Syria determined to send relief, every man according to his ability before the famine came on. And they sent it to Jerusalem by the hands of Paul and Barnabas. "And coming to us and taking Paul's girdle, he bound his own feet and hands and said, Thus saith the Holy Spirit, So shall the Jews at Jerusalem bind the man that owneth this girdle, and shall deliver him into the hands of Gentiles." Jesus was condemned by the chief priests and elders, and they delivered him to the Gentiles, and in a similar way, this is going to happen to Paul, that the Jews will hand him over to the Gentiles. "So shall the Jews at Jerusalem bind the man that owneth this girdle, and shall deliver him into the hands of the Gentiles." They really did not intend to do that, they had planned to kill him. "And when we heard these things, both we and they of that place So Luke and the other messengers of the churches and the brethren at Caesarea tried to get Paul not to go to Jerusalem. besought him not to go up to Jerusalem. 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. And when he would not be persuaded, we ceased, saying, The will of the Lord be done." Notice how they stated that, the will of the Lord be done. Jesus prayed three times in the garden, “not my will, but thine be done,” and when they saw that Paul was determined to go to Jerusalem, they said, “The will of the Lord be done.”

Think how Paul did not count his life dear unto himself to the point that he wanted to do everything that he could to make Christ known. And he was ready to go to Jerusalem in spite of all the testimony coming through the medium of the Holy Spirit. Going back to chapter twenty, he talks about how that the Holy Spirit was speaking in every city that bonds and afflictions would abide him. Acts 20:22-24, "Save that the Holy Spirit testifieth unto me in every city, saying that bonds and afflictions abide me. But I hold not my life of any account as dear unto myself, so that I may accomplish my course and the ministry, which I received from the Lord Jesus, to testify the gospel of the grace of God." And so Paul was determined, even though his life would be in danger, to go to Jerusalem.

Acts 22:15, "And after these days we took up our baggage, and went up to Jerusalem. And there went with us also certain of the disciples of Caesarea, bringing with them one Mnason of Cyprus, an early disciple, with whom we should lodge." Does that mean that Mnason of Cyprus had more than one dwelling place? It looks like he did. So certain of the brethren from Caesarea went with Paul and the messengers to Jerusalem, bringing with them one Mnason of Cyprus, an early disciple, “with whom we should lodge.” There were a number of messengers with Paul, and that would indicate that Mnason must have had a house of considerable size to accommodate Paul and all those messengers of the church. "And when we were come to Jerusalem, the brethren received us gladly." That shows that the bounty of those Gentile churches was accepted. Paul wrote the book of Romans just before they left Corinth with the bounty of the churches, and when he wrote that book, he did not know whether the Jewish people would even receive the bounty from the Gentile churches or not. Evidently the breach between Jewish Christians and Gentile Christians had become so abrupt over the matter of circumcision and the keeping of the law that Paul did not know whether they would accept the contribution, and he asked those Roman brethren to pray that they would accept it. I am reading from Romans chapter 15:30, "And I beseech you, brethren, by the Lord Jesus Christ, and by the love of the Spirit, that ye strive together with me in your prayers to God for me." It is characteristic of Paul when he asked brethren to pray for him to give some specific things that he wanted them to pray for him about. Notice what he wants them to pray for him about here, one, “that I may be delivered from them that are disobedient in Judaea.” Well, he was, but he was delivered by the Roman soldiers. "And that my ministration which I have for Jerusalem may be acceptable to the saints." The fact that they received them gladly implies in a very strong way that the contribution was accepted by the Jewish brethren. "That I may come unto you in joy through the will of God, and may together with you find rest. Now the God of peace be with you all. Amen." Paul was able to go to Rome, but not in the way that he thought he would go. He went as a prisoner when he went, but he must have gone in the fullness of the blessings of Christ. Looking at verse twenty-nine there of the reading, "And I know that when I come unto you, I shall come in the fullness of the blessings of Christ." We will notice when we get to the reading about that voyage to Rome, that it looks like for a long time that Paul was discouraged about going to Rome as a prisoner

Back to Acts 21:17, "And when we were come to Jerusalem, the brethren received us gladly. And the day following Paul went in with us unto James; and all the elders were present. And when he had saluted them, he rehearsed one by one the things which God had wrought among the Gentiles through his ministry. And when they heard it, they glorified God, and said unto him, Thou seest, brother, how many thousands, there are among the Jews of them that have believed; and they are all zealous for the law and they have been informed concerning thee, that thou teachest all the Jews who are among the Gentiles to forsake Moses, telling them not to circumcise their children, neither to walk after the customs." Some were probably giving a wrong report on Paul in regard to verse twenty-one there. Paul did stand up for the Gentiles that circumcision and the keeping the requirements of the law were not to be binding on the Gentile people, but the people of Israel had had that law of circumcision for a long time. I do not know of any statement that Paul made that the Jews were to turn away from circumcising their children, but that was the report that the apostles and elders had received about Paul. "Teachest all the Jews who are among the Gentiles to forsake Moses, telling them not to circumcise their children, neither to walk after the customs." I do not know any statement where he was teaching the Jews in Gentile territory that they were to cease from circumcising their male children at eight days old.

Acts 21:22, "What is it therefore? This they will certainly hear that thou art come: Do therefore this that we say to thee." So they have advice to give Paul. They thought that their advise might prevent the Jews from being stirred up against him. "Do therefore this that we say to thee: We have four men that have a vow on them. These take, and purify thyself with them, and be at charges with them, that they may shave their heads: And all shall know that there is no truth, in things whereof they have been informed concerning thee, but thou thyself also walkest orderly, keeping the law." We have already read where Paul had his hair shorn at Cenchrea because he had a vow, and does this not seem to say that there were Jewish Christians at this time that were still following certain things in respect to the Old Testament religion? "They have been informed concerning thee, but that thou thyself also walkest orderly, keeping the law. But as touching the Gentiles that have believed, we wrote you in judgment that they should keep themselves from things sacrificed to idols, and from blood, and from what is strangled, and from fornication." They are referring to that letter that they wrote at the conclusion of that conference at Jerusalem, as we studied about in Acts chapter fifteen, that we wrote to them that these are the necessary things for Gentile Christians to abstain from. And remember in that letter that they also said that we did not send out those men teaching that doctrine, that you have got to be circumcised and keep the law of Moses in order to be saved. They also sent two of their members to tell them by word of mouth.

Acts 21:26, "Then Paul took the men, and the next day purifying himself with them, went into the temple, declaring the fulfillment of the days of purification, until the offering was offered for every one of them. And when the seven days were almost completed It must have been on the sixth day that these Jews caused a riot, and were about to kill Paul. the Jews from Asia, when they saw him in the temple, stirred up all the multitude, and laid hands on him, crying out, Men of Israel help: This is the man, that teacheth all men every where against the people, and the law, and this place: And moreover he brought Greeks also into the temple, and hath defiled this holy place." That was a lie, he had not brought Greeks into the temple, but some of them supposed that he had. Is it not strange when people want to find something against a person, it is strange sometimes what they can suppose they have done. "For they had before seen with him in the city Trophimus the Ephesian." Trophimus, going back to Acts twenty, was one of the messengers of the churches, as stated there, from Asia. And, of course, Paul was at Ephesus for three years, so he is from the city of Ephesus. "whom they supposed that Paul had brought into the temple." But Paul had not carried Trophimus, the Ephesian, into the temple. "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. And as they were seeking to kill him, tidings came up to the chief captain of the band, that all Jerusalem was in confusion."

The soldiers were quartered in the palace adjoining the Jewish temple, and so news goes up to the chief captain that all Jerusalem was in confusion. It looks like that the chief captain must have known what the Jewish people would do when they got that mob spirit, that they would kill him if he did not do something immediately.

Acts 21:32, "And forthwith he took soldiers and centurions and ran down upon them, A centurion is over a hundred soldiers, and so does that mean that about two hundred soldiers? Luke used centurions in the plural there and when they saw the chief captain and the soldiers, they left off beating Paul." Do you think they would have left off beating him if the chief captain and the centurions and the soldiers had not come down? I think not. "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. 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." Meaning we want that man put to death, away with him. And notice there in verse thirty-five, as he went up to the stairs of the castle where the soldiers stayed, that he was borne of the soldiers. I get the idea that they were probably pushing him up above them on their shoulders so that the people could not harm him. "For the multitude of the people followed after, crying, Away with him. And as Paul was about to be brought into the castle, he saith unto the chief captain, May I say something unto thee? And he said, Does thou know Greek?"

Paul was reared at Tarsus, a city of Cilicia, and Cilicia was Gentile territory. He grew up in that Gentile territory, and thus knew how to speak the Greek language, and then he was later educated at the feet of Gamaliel in Jerusalem, and by his natural ability he could speak Greek and Hebrew, and plus as an apostle, he had miraculous abilities in regard to other languages. "Art thou not then the Egyptian, who before these days stirred up the sedition, and led out into the wilderness the four thousand men of the assassins? But Paul said, I am a Jew of Tarsus, a city of Cilicia, a citizen of no mean city: And, I beseech thee, give me leave to speak unto the people, and when he had given him leave, Paul standing up on the stairs, beckoned with the hand unto the people. And when there was made a great silence, he spake unto them in the Hebrew language." This makes at least the second time that we have read about Paul that he beckoned with the hand. I believe I mentioned when we read that the first time, that I get the idea that Paul was somewhat a master of assemblies, that he could beckon with his hands in such a way that the people would take notice, and he would be saying in substance, I have something important to say to you, and get the attention of the people. And he got the attention of those who had been trying to kill him. "and when there was made a great silence, he spake unto them in the Hebrew language, saying,

Chapter Twenty-two

Brethren, and fathers, hear ye my defense which I now make unto you." So Paul makes a defense before that mob of people who had been trying to kill him. There is not room for much doubt that they would have killed him had he not been rescued by the Roman soldiers. "And when they heard that he spake unto them in the Hebrew language, they were more quiet: And he saith, I am a Jew, born in Tarsus of Cilicia, but brought 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." Do you remember from Acts chapter five that the Sanhedrin court was ready to kill those apostles, but how Gamaliel, who was also a member of the Sanhedrin, told them about how that there had been attempts in the past to lead away people, and those attempts came to nothing? He also said, if it is of God, you need to be careful. You cannot fight against God, and they heeded his advice, and beat them, and commanded them not to teach anymore in the name of Christ. "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 are all this day." He is saying, I was once zealous, trying to destroy the Christian religion just like you are today. I was reared and instructed according to the strict manner of the law of our fathers. He was a Pharisee, as he states in chapter twenty-three, the son of a Pharisee, and he was very zealous, he thought, for God.

Well, he was zealous, but not according to knowledge. "Even as ye all are this day. And I persecuted this Way unto the death." Going back to Acts8:2-4, “And devout men took Stephen out and buried him.” And Luke says, “as for Saul he made havoc of the church committing both men and women to prison. And they were all scattered abroad from Judaea, and they went everywhere preaching the word.” And so he is talking about that day when he had persecuted the church and carried that persecution, as we read in Acts nine, even to foreign cities. "I persecuted this way unto the death." There is no telling how many people Paul had a part in seeing that they were put to death because they were Christians. "Binding and delivering into prison both men and women. As also the high priest doth 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 bounds to be punished. And it came to pass, that, as I made my journey, and drew nigh unto Damascus about noon, suddenly there shown from heaven a great light round about me." You remember we read about this in the ninth chapter of Acts, and we read about it here. And we will read about it again, I believe, in chapter twenty-six. "And I fell unto the ground and heard a voice saying unto me, Saul, Saul, why persecutest thou me? And I answered, Who art thou, Lord? And he said unto me, I am Jesus of Nazareth, whom thou persecutest. And they that were with me beheld indeed the light, but they heard not the voice of him that spake to me. And I said, What shall I do, Lord?" And so here Paul is repeating what happened on that occasion. He asked Jesus of Nazareth as to what he should do. Meaning, “What shall I do to be saved?” He had thought that Christ was an imposter. But Christ appears to him, and when he asked, "Who art thou, Lord? He said, I am Jesus of Nazareth, whom thou persecutest." And so as stated here, Saul, as he was called then, asked Jesus the question, “What shall I do, Lord?” But notice that Jesus did not tell him what to do in order to be saved. The gospel had been given into the hands of earthen vessels (I Corinthians 4:7) even during the miraculous days of the church. "And the Lord said unto me, Arise, and go into Damascus and there it will be told thee of all things which are appointed of thee to do."

Some preachers today would say, “Saul, you do not have to do anything, you have believed, and as soon as a person believes on Jesus, he is saved.” But Jesus told him to go on into the city, and there he shall be told thee “of all things which are appointed for thee to do.” Christ has appointed that every man is to do some things in order to be saved. when Peter preached that first sermon on Pentecost, it says, “with many other words did he testify and exhort saying, save yourselves from this crooked generation (Acts 2:40).” There is something that each individual must do in order to save himself or herself!

"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. And one Ananias, a devout man according to the law, well-reported of by all the Jews that dwelt there, came unto me, and standing by me, said unto me, Brother Saul, receive thy sight. And in that very hour, I looked up on him. And he said, The God of our fathers hath appointed thee, to know his will, and see the Righteous One, and hear the voice of his mouth. For thou shalt be a witness for him unto all men of what thou hast seen and heard." I think when we read from chapter nine, that we turned and read this reference and also the reference in Acts twenty-six where Paul repeats about the time of his conversion. And all three accounts emphasize that the Lord appeared to him to make him an eyewitness. "And now why tarriest thou? Arise, and be baptized, and wash away thy sins, calling on his name." Now Ananias did not need to say to Saul, believe on the Lord Jesus Christ and thou shalt be saved, like they said to the Philippian jailer as recorded in Acts sixteen, because Saul had seen the Lord in the way, and he did not tell him to repent, for he had gone without food and had been praying for three days showing his repentance. He had not been baptized for the remission of his sins, and so he told him what to do to complete his obedience to the first principles of the gospel and receive salvation. "And now why tarriest thou? Arise, and be baptized, and wash away thy sins, calling on his name."

Do you remember Romans the tenth chapter where Paul quotes from Joel 2:32, when that time came when God would pour out his spirit upon all flesh, and verse thirty-two there reads, "And whosoever shall call on the name of the Lord shall be saved." And then he raises the question, “How shall they call on him whom they have not believed? And how shall they believe on him whom they have not heard? And how shall they hear without a preacher?” Which shows that in order for sinners to call upon the name of the Lord in such a way as to be saved, they first must be taught the gospel. They must at least know and believe those three primary facts of the gospel that Paul speaks of in I Corinthians 15:1-4, "For I delivered unto you first of all how that Christ died for our sins according to the scriptures; that he was buried, and that he rose again the third day according to the scriptures." Every person must have those basic facts of the gospel preached to them. They must believe those facts (John 3:16, 8:24; Hebrews 11:6), and they must repent of their sins (Acts 2:38, 17:30), and then they must be baptized for the remission of their sins (Acts 2:38, 8:35-39), and then baptism puts alien sinners into Christ (Galatians 3:26-27; Romans 6:3-7), and into his church which is his spiritual body (I Corinthians 12:13; Ephesians 1:22-23, 4:4-6). And so Ananias says to Saul, "And now why tarriest thou? Arise, and be baptized, and wash away thy sins, calling on his name." And think of the many thousands today in our American society that want to still contend that baptism is a none essential, that it has nothing to do with the forgiveness of sin. Well, this passage reads “and wash away thy sins, calling on his name.” Well, somebody says, “You know there is nothing in the water to wash away a man's sins!” Absolutely not, other than Christ has commanded it (Mark 16:16) in order to apply his blood.

In II Kings chapter five we read about Naaman who was captain of the Syrian army that had leprosy. And a little Jewish maiden told his wife that if he was with the prophet in Israel, he could be cured of his leprosy, and so the king sent him to the prophet Elisha, and Elisha just told his servants to tell him to go down to the Jordan river and dip seven times. At first that captain was ready to go away in a rage. He said, I thought the prophet would do some great thing, that he would come out and lay his hands on me and I would be cured of my leprosy. Some today are like Naaman, they want to tell the Lord how they want to be saved! And he wanted to know if the rivers of Damascus were not cleaner and better than the old muddy river Jordan. The servants told him, if he had told you some great thing to do, would you not have done it? And they convinced him he ought to go and when he dipped that seven times, his leprosy was gone. Was there anything in that old muddy river Jordan to cleanse him from leprosy? Absolutely not. And there is nothing in water that cleanseth. It is the blood of Christ that cleanseth, but it is at the point of baptism that an alien sinner applies the blood of Christ. His blood was shed in his death, and baptism is a likeness of the death, burial, and resurrection of Christ (Romans 6:3-7, 6:17-18). And it is at the point of baptism that the alien sinner applies the blood of Christ which cleanses him from all sin.

Acts 22:17, "And it came to pass that when I had returned to Jerusalem, while I prayed in the temple, I fell into a trance, and saw him saying unto me, Make haste, and get thee quickly out of Jerusalem: Because they will not receive of thee testimony concerning me." You see that Paul was reasoning, they know how I persecuted the church, and surely I can do a great work here in Jerusalem. But the Lord tells him otherwise. "While I prayed in the temple, I fell into a trance and saw him saying unto me, Make haste, and get thee quickly out of Jerusalem: Because they will not receive of the testimony concerning me. And I said, Lord, they themselves know that I am imprisoned and beat in every synagogue them that believed on thee: And when the blood of Stephen thy witness was shed, I was also standing by, and consenting, and keeping the garments of them that slew him." Do you remember that the latter part of Acts seven shows that to be the case? "And he said unto me, Depart: For I will send thee far hence unto the Gentiles." So the Lord said, leave Jerusalem, and I have work among the Gentiles for you. "Depart, for I will send thee far hence unto the Gentiles."

Acts 22:22, Well, notice verse twenty-two, "And they gave him audience unto this word, and they lifted up their voices, and said, Away with such a fellow from the earth: For it is not fit that he should live." And again that “away” means that this fellow ought to be killed. Remember how sharp that division was between Jews and Gentiles. The Jews looked upon the Gentiles as being heathens, and that it was wrong to go into a Gentile person's house. And so they said, “Away with such a fellow from the earth.” Kill Him! But they had given him audience until he mentioned about God telling him that he would send him to the Gentiles, and then they are really stirred up. They lifted up their voice, and said, "Away with such a fellow from the earth: For it is not fit that he should live. And as they cried out, and threw off their garments, and cast dust into the air. And the chief captain commanded him to 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."

And that process was continued by some police officers, for centuries, to try to beat the truth out of a man by scourging him, by giving him a severe whipping. " that he might know for what cause they so shouted against him. And when they had tied him up with thongs. Ready to beat him, and that would have been a severe beating. Paul said unto the centurion that stood by, Is it lawful for you to scourge a man that is a Roman, and uncondemned?" Again Paul appealed to his right of citizenship, and it prevented him from receiving a scourging. And remember back there in chapter sixteen when the magistrate sent to tell Paul and Silas that they were free to go, that Paul said, “They beat us, being Romans uncondemned, and they put us out privily, nay verily let them come and take us out.” And so Paul did occasionally appeal to the rights of his citizenship, but he never did carry it to the extreme. "And when the centurion heard it, he went to the chief captain, and told him saying, What art thou about to do for this man is a Roman? He said, Yea. And the chief captain answered, With a great sum I obtained this citizenship. And Paul said, But I am a Roman born."

Nowhere does the Bible tell us just exactly what that meant. Does it mean that his father or his grandfather or some of his ancestors back there had done something that the government really approved of, and as a result they were made free? But all men can do is just speculate because the Bible doesn't tell us. "They then that were about to examine him straightway departed." Those that were about to give him that severe beating. "They departed from him. And the chief captain also was afraid, when he knew that he was a Roman, and because he had bound him." He had gone contrary to the law, even by having him bound and ready to scourge him. "And 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." All of the council would refer to the highest court, the Sanhedrin court, and so Paul is to make his defense before the highest court of the Jews. Chapter twenty-three tells us about making his defense before the council, how he divided that council, and again they were about to kill him when he was rescued by soldiers again. But we will count chapter twenty-three as the beginning place for our second period of this Class Session. Thank you. A brief recess was taken.

Chapter Twenty-three

We are ready to begin with chapter twenty-three. Paul is making his defense before the Jewish council, the Jewish Sanhedrin, the highest court of the Jews. "And Paul looking steadfastly on the council, said, Brethren, I have lived before God in all good conscience until this day." That is a statement that Paul affirms several times, that he had gone according to a good conscience, but he had surely done wrong back there when he was persecuting the church, and having Christians put to death. You cannot find a better example of a man having a good clear conscience and doing wrong than you have in Paul. Now our conscience is given to assist us in making right decisions, and we are not to go contrary to our conscience. If we do, we sin, as taught in Romans 2:13-15 and 14:20-23, but the conscience by itself is not sufficient. It must be educated. It must be taught what is proper for a person to do. Turn to I Timothy 1:12 where Paul talks about that God had mercy on him because what he did, “he did it ignorantly in unbelief.” There is a big difference between a man doing wrong ignorantly and doing wrong and knowing that he is doing wrong. "And I thank him that enabled me, even Christ Jesus our Lord, for that he counted me faithful, appointing me to his service though I was before a blasphemer, and a persecutor, and injurious: Howbeit I obtained mercy, because I did it ignorantly in unbelief. And the grace of our Lord abounded exceedingly with grace and love which is in Christ Jesus. Faithful is the saying, and worthy of all acceptation, that Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners; of whom I am chief. Howbeit for this cause I obtained mercy, that in me as chief might Jesus Christ show forth all of his longsuffering, for an example of them that should thereafter believe on him unto eternal life." So Paul says that the Lord had mercy on him because he did it ignorantly in unbelief, and another reason that the Lord could show that by saving him, that he could save the chief of sinners. And so the Lord can save the chief of sinners. So Paul here affirms before the court that I have lived before God in all good conscience until this day. "And the high priest Ananias commanded them that stood by to smite him on the mouth. Then said Paul unto him, God shall smite thee, thou whited wall: For sittest thou to judge me according to the law, and commandest me to be smitten contrary to the law?" Now this comes as near of Paul going to the extreme in defending his citizenship as any passage you will find. But it looks like he gets control of himself immediately. I get the idea that he really got stirred up there for a few seconds, and rightly so, but at the same time, he admits that he had done the wrong thing and apologizes. Of course, the high priest had done wrong, and what Paul has said is true, but he ought not to have done what he did, and immediately he apologized for it. "And they that stood by him said, Revilest thou God's high priest? And Paul said, I knew not brethren, that he was high priest: For it is written, Thou shalt not speak evil of the ruler of thy people." That is from from Exodus 22:28.

Acts 23:6, "But when Paul perceived that the one part were Sadducees, and the other Pharisees, he cried out in the council, Brethren." It looks like he does this deliberately to divide the council. Paul, knew how that those two sects fought against each other, and how that on many occasions they differed in a big way "But when Paul perceived that one part were Sadducees, and the other Pharisees." Remember that Paul is a Pharisee. "He cried out in the council, Brethren, I am a Pharisee, the son of a Pharisee: Touching the hope and resurrection of the dead I am called in question. And then when he had so said, there arose a dissension between the Pharisees and the Sadducees: And the assembly was divided." So he divides the court by saying, "Touching the hope of the resurrection of the dead I am called in question. For the Sadducees say that there is no resurrection, neither angel, nor spirit: But the Pharisees confess both. And there arose a great clamor: And some of the scribes of the Pharisees part stood up, and strove, saying, We find no evil in this man: and what if a spirit has spoken to him or an angel." The Pharisees were very naturally divided against the Sadducees because they did not believe in the resurrection of the dead, or life after death, nor in spirit or angel.

Acts 23:9, "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." So a second time he is rescued by Roman soldiers. You see the chief captain surely thought that he was in great danger. I guess he had enough experience of that court of the Jews to know how that they could divide and how angry they could get, and what they would do if they got angry. “And the night following the Lord stood by him and said, Be of good cheer: For as thou hast testified concerning me at Jerusalem, so must thou bear witness of me at Rome." Do you think that Paul must have been very much discouraged for the Lord to give him that message? And the night following, the Lord stood by him and said, Be of good cheer. And remember how Jesus, on several occasions, spoke those words to his disciples. "For as thou hast testified concerning me at Jerusalem, so must thou bear witness also at Rome." So that shows that the Lord had been pleased with the way he had testified for him at Jerusalem and promises that he's going to go to Rome. "So must thou bear witness also at Rome." And Paul may have been reasoning that I will never get to go to Rome. Remember that he had planned to go to Rome after he had carried that bounty to Jerusalem. "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." Consider how many times the unbelieving Jews persecute and plan to kill Paul? "And they were more than forty that made this conspiracy: And they came to the chief priests and elders, and said, We have bound ourselves under a great curse, to taste nothing until we have killed Paul." I believe those fellows had a long fast or else they went against their vows. About forty of them vowed that they would not eat or drink until they had killed Paul.

Acts 23:15, "Now therefore 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. But Paul's sister's son heard of their lying in wait, and he came and entered into the castle, and told Paul. And Paul called unto 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 brought him to the chief captain, and said, Paul the prisoner called me unto him, and asked me to bring this young man unto thee, who hath something to say to thee. And the chief captain took him by the hand, and going aside asked him privately, What is it that thou hast to tell me? And he said, The Jews have agreed to ask thee to bring down Paul tomorrow unto the council, as though they wouldest enquire somewhat more exactly concerning him. Do not thou therefore yield unto them: for there lie in wait for 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 thee. And the chief captain let the young man go, charging him, Tell no man that thou hast signified these things to me." This chief captain recognized how determined they were to kill Paul, and look how many men that start out carrying Paul to Caesarea. "And he called unto him two of the centurions, and 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." So four hundred and seventy men leave at the third hour of the night to carry Paul on the way, or at least part of the way to Caesarea.

Don’t you know that this means that the chief captain recognized that his life was in great danger for him to take four hundred and seventy men when they first started out at the third hour of the night, and he bade them provide that, " they might set Paul on, and bring him safe unto Felix the governor. And he wrote a letter after this form: Claudius Lysias (he was the chief captain) unto the most excellent governor Felix greeting. 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." He lied there, he was even ready to examine him by scourging when he learned that he was a Roman. "And desiring to know the cause wherefore they accused him, I brought him forth before their council: Whom I found to be accused of questions of their law, but to have nothing laid to his charge worthy of death or of bonds." So when Lysias examined Paul, he didn't find that he had done anything worthy of death or, for that matter, any reason why he should be bound. That would mean that he had done nothing wrong. "And when it was shown to me that there would be a plot against the man, I sent him to thee forthwith, charging his accusers also to speakagainst him before thee. So the soldiers, as it was commanded them, took Paul and brought him by night to Antipatris. But on the morrow they left the horsemen to go with him, and returned to the castle." So would not that mean that four hundred of them returned back to the castle, and the seventy men carried him on to Caesarea. Of course, they had traveled far enough then that Paul wouldn't be in danger or not likely to be. "And when they came to Caesarea, and delivered the letter to the governor, presented Paul also before him. And when he had read it, he asked of what province he was. And when he understood that he was of Cilicia; I will hear thee fully, said he, when thine accusers are also come. And he commanded him to be kept in Herod's house." And so after Paul was delivered to Felix, he inquired where he was from, and he was from Cilicia. And he said, I will hear you when your accusers come, referring again to the Jewish court.

Chapter Twenty-four

"And after five days the high priest Ananias. He is the one that commanded them to smite Paul contrary to the rules of the court. came down with certain elders, and with an orator named Tertullus, and they informed the governor against Paul." Instead of putting their case personally against Paul, they have an orator to present their case for them and then they enter in accusing him. "And when he was called Tertullus began to accuse him, saying, Seeing that by thee we enjoy much peace, and that by thy providence evils are corrected for this nation. We accept it always, and in all places, most excellent Felix, with all thankfulness. But that I be not further tedious unto thee, I entreat thee to hear us of thy clemency a few words. For we have found of this man a pestilent fellow, and a mover of insurrection among all the Jews from throughout the world, and the ringleader of the sect of the Nazarenes: Who moreover hath said to profane the temple of whom also we laid whole. From whom thou wilt be able by examining him thyself to ta