the acts of the apostles-第57章

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said；　But　I　was　freeborn。　Then　straightway　they　departed　from　him　which
should　have　examined　him：　and　the　chief　captain　also　was　afraid；　after　he
knew　that　he　was　a　Roman；　and　because　he　had　bound　him。

〃On　the　morrow；　because　he　would　have　known　the　certainty　wherefore　he　was
accused　of　the　Jews；　he　loosed　him　from　his　bands；　and　commanded　the　chief
priests　and　all　their　council　to　appear；　and　brought　Paul　down；　and　set　him
before　them。〃

The　apostle　was　now　to　be　tried　by　the　same　tribunal　of　which　he　himself　had
been　a　member　before　his　conversion。

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As　he　stood　before　the　Jewish　rulers；　his　bearing　was　calm；　and　his
countenance　revealed　the　peace　of　Christ。　〃Earnestly　beholding　the　council；〃
he　said；　〃Men　and　brethren；　I　have　lived　in　all　good　conscience　before　God
until　this　day。〃　Upon　hearing　these　words；　their　hatred　was　kindled　afresh；
〃and　the　high　priest　Ananias　commanded　them　that　stood　by　him　to　smite　him
on　the　mouth。〃　At　this　inhuman　command；　Paul　exclaimed；　〃God　shall　smite
thee；　thou　whited　wall：　for　sittest　thou　to　judge　me　after　the　law；　and
commandest　me　to　be　smitten　contrary　to　the　law？〃　〃They　that　stood　by　said；
Revilest　thou　God's　high　priest？〃　With　his　usual　courtesy　Paul　answered；　〃I
wish　not；　brethren；　that　he　was　the　high　priest：　for　it　is　written；　Thou
shalt　not　speak　evil　of　the　ruler　of　thy　people。

〃But　when　Paul　perceived　that　the　one　part　were　Sadducees；　and　the　other
Pharisees；　he　cried　out　in　the　council；　Men　and　brethren；　I　am　a　Pharisee；
the　son　of　a　Pharisee：　of　the　hope　and　resurrection　of　the　dead　I　am　called
in　question。

〃And　when　he　had　so　said；　there　arose　a　dissension　between　the　Pharisees　and
the　Sadducees：　and　the　multitude　was　divided。　For　the　Sadducees　say　that
there　is　no　resurrection；　neither　angel；　nor　spirit：　but　the　Pharisees
confess　both。〃　The　two　parties　began　to　dispute　between　themselves；　and　thus
the　strength　of　their　opposition　against　Paul　was　broken。　〃The　scribes　that
were　of　the　Pharisees'　part　arose；　and　strove；　saying；　We　find　no　evil　in
this　man：　but　if　a　spirit　or　an　angel　hath　spoken　to　him；　let　us　not　fight
against　God。〃

412


In　the　confusion　that　followed；　the　Sadducees　were　eagerly　striving　to　gain
possession　of　the　apostle；　that　they　might　put　him　to　death；　and　the
Pharisees　were　as　eager　in　striving　to　protect　him。　〃The　chief　captain；
fearing　lest　Paul　should　have　been　pulled　in　pieces　of　them；　commanded　the
soldiers　to　go　down；　and　to　take　him　by　force　from　among　them；　and　to　bring
him　into　the　castle。〃

Later；　while　reflecting　on　the　trying　experiences　of　the　day；　Paul　began　to
fear　that　his　course　might　not　have　been　pleasing　to　God。　Could　it　be　that
he　had　made　a　mistake　after　all　in　visiting　Jerusalem？　Had　his　great　desire
to　be　in　union　with　his　brethren　led　to　this　disastrous　result？

The　position　which　the　Jews　as　God's　professed　people　occupied　before　an
unbelieving　world；　caused　the　apostle　intense　anguish　of　spirit。　How　would
those　heathen　officers　look　upon　them？claiming　to　be　worshipers　of
Jehovah；　and　assuming　sacred　office；　yet　giving　themselves　up　to　the　control
of　blind；　unreasoning　anger；　seeking　to　destroy　even　their　brethren　who
dared　to　differ　with　them　in　religious　faith；　and　turning　their　most　solemn
deliberative　council　into　a　scene　of　strife　and　wild　confusion。　Paul　felt
that　the　name　of　his　God　had　suffered　reproach　in　the　eyes　of　the　heathen。

And　now　he　was　in　prison；　and　he　knew　that　his　enemies；　in　their　desperate
malice；　would　resort　to　any　means　to　put　him　to　death。　Could　it　be　that　his
work　for　the　churches　was　ended　and　that　ravening　wolves　were　to　enter　in
now？　The　cause　of　Christ　was　very　near　to　Paul's　heart；　and　with　deep
anxiety　he　thought　of　the　perils　of　the　scattered

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churches；　exposed　as　they　were　to　the　persecutions　of　just　such　men　as　he
had　encountered　in　the　Sanhedrin　council。　In　distress　and　discouragement　he
wept　and　prayed。

In　this　dark　hour　the　Lord　was　not　unmindful　of　His　servant。　He　had　guarded
him　from　the　murderous　throng　in　the　temple　courts；　He　had　been　with　him
before　the　Sanhedrin　council；　He　was　with　him　in　the　fortress；　and　He
revealed　Himself　to　His　faithful　witness　in　response　to　the　earnest　prayers
of　the　apostle　for　guidance。　〃The　night　following　the　Lord　stood　by　him；　and
said；　Be　of　good　cheer；　Paul：　for　as　thou　hast　testified　of　Me　in　Jerusalem；
so　must　thou　bear　witness　also　at　Rome。〃

Paul　had　long　looked　forward　to　visiting　Rome；　he　greatly　desired　to　witness
for　Christ　there；　but　had　felt　that　his　purposes　were　frustrated　by　the
enmity　of　the　Jews。　He　little　thought；　even　now；　that　it　would　be　as　a
prisoner　that　he　would　go。

While　the　Lord　encouraged　His　servant；　Paul's　enemies　were　eagerly　plotting
his　destruction。　〃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　they　were　more　than　forty　which　had
made　this　conspiracy。〃　Here　was　a　fast　such　as　the　Lord　through　Isaiah　had
condemneda　fast　〃for　strife　and　debate；　and　to　smite　with　the　fist　of
wickedness。〃　Isaiah　58：4。

The　conspirators　〃came　to　the　chief　priests　and　elders；　and　said；　We　have
bound　ourselves　under　a　great　curse；　that　we　will　eat　nothing　until　we　have
slain　Paul。　Now　therefore

414

ye　with　the　council　signify　to　the　chief　captain　that　he　bring　him　down　unto
you　tomorrow；　as　though　ye　would　inquire　something　more　perfectly　concerning
him：　and　we；　or　ever　he　come　near；　are　ready　to　kill　him。〃

Instead　of　rebuking　this　cruel　scheme；　the　priests　and　rulers　eagerly　agreed
to　it。　Paul　had　spoken　the　truth　when　he　compared　Ananias　to　a　whited
sepulcher。

But　God　interposed　to　save　the　life　of　His　servant。　Paul's　sister's　son；
hearing　of　the　〃lying　in　wait〃　of　the　assassins；　〃went　and　entered　into　the
castle；　and　told　Paul。　Then　Paul　called　one　of　the　centurions　unto　him；　and
said；　Bring　this　young　man　unto　the　chief　captain：　for　he　hath　a　certain
thing　to　tell　him。　So　he　took　him；　and　brought　him　to　the　chief　captain；　and
said；　Paul　the　prisoner　called　me　unto　him；　and　prayed　me　to　bring　this
young　man　unto　thee；　who　hath　something　to　say　unto　thee。〃

Claudius　Lysias　received　the　youth　kindly；　and　taking　him　aside；　asked；
〃What　is　that　thou　hast　to　tell　me？〃　The　youth　replied：　〃The　Jews　have
agreed　to　desire　thee　that　thou　wouldest　bring　down　Paul　tomorrow　into　the
council；　as　though　they　would　inquire　somewhat　of　him　more　perfectly。　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。〃

〃The　chief　captain　then　let　the　young　man　depart；　and　charged　him；　See　thou
tell　no　man　that　thou　hast　showed　these　things　to　me。〃

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Lysias　at　once　decided　to　transfer　Paul　from　his　jurisdiction　to　that　of
Felix　the　procurator。　As　a　people；　the　Jews　were　in　a　state　of　excitement
and　irritation；　and　tumults　were　of　frequent　occurrence。　The　continued
presence　of　the　apostle　in　Jerusalem　might　lead　to　consequences　dangerous　to
the　city　and　even　to　the　commandant　himself。　He　therefore　〃called　unto　him
two　centurions；　saying；　Make　ready　two　hundred　soldiers　to　go　to　Caesarea；
and　horsemen　threescore　and　ten；　and　spearmen　two　hundred；　at　the　third　hour
of　the　night；　and　provide　them　beasts；　that　they　may　set　Paul　on；　and　bring
him　safe　unto　Felix　the　governor。〃

No　time　was　to　be　lost　in　sending　Paul　away。　〃The　soldiers；　as　it　was
commanded　them；　took　Paul；　and　brought　him　by　night　to　Antipatris。〃　From
that　place　the　horsemen　went　on　with　the　prisoner　to　Caesarea；　while　the
four　hundred　soldiers　returned　to　Jerusalem。

The　officer　in　charge　of　the　detachment　delivered　his　prisoner　to　Felix；
also　presenting　a　letter　with　which　he　had　been　entrusted　by　the　chief
captain：

〃Claudius　Lysias　unto　the　most　excellent　governor　Felix　sendeth　greeting。
This　man　was　taken　of　the　Jews；　and　should　have　been　killed　of　them：　then
came　I　with　an　army；　and　rescued　him；　having　understood　that　he　was　a　Roman。
And　when　I　would　have　known　the　cause　wherefore　they　accused　him；　I　brought
him　forth　into　their　council：　whom　I　perceived　to　be　accused　of　questions　of
their　law；　but　to　have　nothing　laid　to　his　charge　worthy　of　death　or　of
bonds。　And　when　it　was　told　me　how　that　the　Jews　laid　wait　for　the　man；　I
sent　straightway　to　thee；　and　gave　commandment

416

to　his　accusers　also　to　say　before　thee　what　they　had　against　him。
Farewell。〃

After　reading　the　communication；　Felix　inquired　to　what　province　the
prisoner　belonged；　and　being　informed　that　he　was　of　Cilicia；　said：　〃I　will
hear　thee　。　。　。　when　thine　accusers　are　also　come。　And　he　commanded　him　to
be　kept　in　Herod's　judgment　hall。〃

The　case　of　Paul　was　not　the　first　in　which　a　servant　of　God　had　found　among
the　heathen　an　asylum　from　the　malice　of　the　professed　people　of　Jehovah。　In
their　rage　against　Paul　the　Jews　had　added　another　crime　to　the　dark
catalogue　which　marked　the　history　of　that　people。　They　had　still　further
hardened　their　hearts　against　the　truth　and　had　rendered　their　doom　more
certain。

Few　realize　the　full　meaning　of　the　words　that　Christ　spoke　when；　in　the
synagogue　at　Nazareth；　He　announced　Himself　as　the　Anointed　One。　He　declared
His　mission　to　comfort；　bless；　and　save　the　sorrowing　and　the　sinful；　and
then；　seeing　that　pride　and　unbelief　controlled　the　hearts　of　His　hearers；
He　reminded　them　that　in　time　past　God　had　turned　away　from　His　chosen
people　because　of　their　unbelief　and　rebellion；　and　had　manifested　Himself
to　those　in　heathen　lands　who　had　not　rejected　the　light　of　heaven。　The
widow　of　Sarepta　and　Naaman　the　Syrian　had　lived　up　to　all　the　light　they
had；　hence　they　were　accounted　more　righteous　than　God's　chosen　people　who
had　backslidden　from　Him　and　had　sacrificed　principle　to　convenience　and
worldly　honor。

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Christ　told　the　Jews　at　Nazareth　a　fearful　truth　when　He　declared　that　with
backsliding　Israel　there　was　no　safety　for　the　faithful　messenger　of　God。
They　would　not　know　his　worth　or　appreciate　his　labors。　While　the　Jewish
leaders　professed　to　have　great　zeal　for　the　honor　of　God　and　the　good　of
Israel；　they　were　enemies　of　both。　By　precept　and　example　they　were　leading
the　people　farther　and　farther　from　obedience　to　Godleading　them　where　He
could　not　be　their　defense　in　the　day　of　trouble。

The　Saviour's　words　of　reproof　to　the　men　of　Nazareth　applied；　in　the　case
of　Paul；　not　only　to　the　unbelieving　Jews；　but　to　his　own　brethren　in　the
faith。　Had　the　leaders　in　the　church　fully　surrendered　their　feeling　of
bitterness　toward　the　apostle；　and　accepted　him　as　one　specially　called　of
God　to　bear　the　gospel　to　the　Gentiles；　the　Lord　would　have　spared　him　to
them。　God　had　not　ord