Acts 23:23-35

Then he called two of the centurions and said, “Get ready two hundred soldiers, with seventy horsemen and two hundred spearmen to go as far as Caesarea at the third hour of the night… So the soldiers, according to their instructions, took Paul and brought him by night to Antipatris. (vv. 23, 31) The third hour of the night is 9 pm and Antipatris is about 30 miles northwest of Jerusalem, on the border between Judea and Samaria, approximately halfway to Caesarea. So the soldiers went off on a 30-mile nighttime hike, some ten hours marching at three miles per hour – then back to Jerusalem the next day. I can imagine the muttering within the ranks, remembering how much we enjoyed long marches with full pack in Basic Training!!

My Study Bible has a note that “spearmen” could also be translated “additional mounts and pack animals”. How close are those two translations??!! I like the second translation better. The traveling guard already contained 200 soldiers and 70 horsemen, with Paul also on a horse. Surely the 200 Roman soldiers could withstand incursions by small or even medium-size bands of attackers. And even against a large force the 70 horsemen could get Paul out of danger very quickly. By way of comparison, our Pony Express riders had stations every 10 to 15 to 20 miles, the distance a horse could reasonably run before tiring. So Paul and the 70 horsemen could be free and clear in short order.

Slava Bohu!

Acts 23:11-22

Paul called one of the centurions and said, “Take this young man to the tribune, for he has something to tell him.” So he took him and brought him to the tribune and said, “Paul the prisoner called me and asked me to bring this young man to you, as he has something to say to you.” (vv. 17-18) I’m impressed with the influence that Paul has with the Roman authorities. A centurion is in charge of 100 soldiers; it’s a fairly impressive position. But Paul is able to call in this centurion and tell him to take the young boy to the commander (the tribune), a man who is in charge of 1000 soldiers. And the centurion does what Paul asks, not even knowing what the message might be. Then the tribune immediately takes Paul’s nephew aside and listens to what he has to say. He has the Roman authorities doing what he asks, simply by asking. Impressive!!

When it was day, the Jews made a plot and bound themselves by an oath neither to eat nor drink till they had killed Paul… They went to the chief priests and elders and said, “We have strictly bound ourselves by an oath to taste no food till we have killed Paul. (vv. 12, 14) At first glance these two verses seem to have the Jews plotting against Paul just as they had plotted against Jesus. However there are two important differences here. First, with Jesus it was the Jewish leaders who hatched the plot to have Him killed. Here it appears to be regular Jews (maybe Zealots?) who are planning Paul’s murder. These “commoners” go to the Jewish leaders with their plan, not for approval but to further what they have already plotted. We know their plan failed, but it is unspoken as to how the Jewish leaders responded to the conspirators’ request. Second, with Jesus it was the Jewish leaders’ plan to have Jesus killed legally by the Roman authorities, leaving themselves clear of any charge of murder. Here, the Jews are taking it upon themselves to murder Paul – presumably with little regard as to the consequences for any one man or for all forty conspirators. So they succeeded with Jesus and look what happened! So what’ll happen to Paul…?? Stay tuned!

Slava Bohu!

Acts 23:1-10

I’ve always thought it was clever of Paul to get the Pharisees and Sadducees fighting one another. I’m not sure it was much of an evangelistic tool, but I’m not sure Paul had a great deal of evangelism on his mind at that point – though, certainly, evangelism is never far from Paul’s thoughts!!

And Paul said, “…it is written, ‘You shall not speak evil of a ruler of your people.’” (v. 5) Since I am clearly guilty of Paul’s admonishment in this verse, I looked up that Old Testament quote (Exodus 22:28). Specifically, it says, You shall not revile God, nor curse a ruler of your people. So thankfully, even though I have spoken evil of (some of) our leaders, I have not specifically cursed them. In fact, I have made it a point to pray for them whenever I think about it, as we do every Sunday at church. In this day and age, our political leaders in both parties are clearly in need of prayer!!

Slava Bohu!

Acts 22:22-30

So those who were about to examine him withdrew from him immediately, and the tribune also was afraid, for he realized that Paul was a Roman citizen and that he had bound him. (v. 29) There is so much in Paul’s background that made him such an excellent missionary. In addition to his meeting Jesus personally, he was well schooled in Jewish law and traditions; he was conversant in a number of languages; and he was a Roman citizen. This third item has bearing today, as it did back in Acts 16 when Paul and Silas had been jailed in Philippi. Carol and I have felt similar protections as U.S. citizens when traveling abroad. We move around confidently, knowing that we have the U.S. government behind us. Our blue passports are “gold”. Without providing all the details, there was an occasion early in our first year in Slovakia (2004-2005) when someone reported to us that a high official had said, “Give these people what they want; the Embassy is involved.” Such was the power of the U.S. presence in Slovakia – and elsewhere around the world. Paul had that same coverage from Rome and it served him well on a number of occasions – including some reading in the next few chapters.

Then they raised their voices and said, “Away with such a fellow from the earth! For he should not be allowed to live.” And as they were shouting and throwing off their cloaks and flinging dust into the air… (vv. 22b-23a) I suggested yesterday that these verses suggest that a charge of blasphemy was being put forth by the Jewish leaders, but I hadn’t even looked forward to verse 23. In addition to the leaders wanting him dead (John 10:30-33), they threw off their cloaks (Acts 7:58) and they threw dust into the air (Genesis 18:27, Job 2:12, 34:14). Clearly these Jewish leaders were upset; it was only Rome’s intervention that saved Paul.

Slava Bohu!

Acts 22:1-21

Today’s reading is now the third account that we have of Paul’s conversion. The first account takes up most of Acts 9. Paul also recounts his conversion in Galatians 1:13-17. The same exact details are not mentioned in all three accounts, so it is difficult to work completely through his conversion, but it seems that he spent some time in Damascus after his conversion preaching in the synagogues until he escaped from the city after the Jews sought to kill him. Then he spent three years in Arabia before returning to Damascus and finally then coming to Jerusalem – noted today in verse 17. So in Paul’s telling the story in today’s reading there is a major gap between verses 16 and 17: (Paul’s quoting Ananias in v. 16) And now why do you wait? Rise and be baptized and wash away your sins, calling on his name. (Paul’s continuing with his story in v. 17) When I had returned to Jerusalem and was praying in the temple, I fell into a trance… We can only wonder as to why Paul left out that 3+ year gap. My sense is that Paul felt that his Damascus/Arabia activities were not relevant to this Jerusalem audience.

If I may add one more verse to today’s reading, the one immediately following: Up to this word they listened to him. Then they raised their voices and said, “Away with such a fellow from the earth! For he should not be allowed to live.” (v. 22) It’s confusing to me also why the Jews listened to Paul “Up to this word…”. Maybe “this word” goes back to verse 17, Paul’s claim of a trance and a conversation with the Lord. Maybe the Jews were effectively charging him with blasphemy for this claim? That’s my best guess…!

Slava Bohu!

Acts 21:26-40

…the Jews from Asia, seeing him in the temple, stirred up the whole crowd and laid hands on him… (v. 27b) My first thought – the “Jews from Asia” again…!! I was remembering Antioch, Iconium, Lystra, and Derbe from Paul’s first missionary journey (Acts 13:45, ff.). Then I thought further, that Paul was also hassled by the Jews in Philippi (Acts 16:22, ff.) and in Thessalonica (Acts 17:5, ff.) and in Corinth (Acts 18:12, ff.) and in Ephesus (Acts 19:23, ff.). Seemingly, wherever he went he was hassled by the Jews! Yet he kept on. That’s perseverance!!

Paul replied, “I am a Jew, from Tarsus in Cilicia, a citizen of no obscure city. I beg you, permit me to speak to the people.” (v. 39) In the midst of this uproar and with his safety now secured Paul could have simply gone in with the tribune and the soldiers and explained the situation. As a Roman citizen, he may have even been set free. Instead Paul saw this near-riot as an evangelistic opportunity! The Romans became his bodyguards and secured crowd control for him. Again, Paul’s perseverance for the Gospel. Awesome!!

Acts 21:17-25

You may recall from Acts 20:4 that Paul had eight traveling companions (including Luke) who accompanied him to Jerusalem. Presumably they traveled with him as a “safeguard” over the funds that Paul had collected for the relief of the suffering Christians in Jerusalem. (It’s surprising that Luke did not mention this monetary gift when Paul and his companions appeared before James and the Jewish Christian leaders in today’s reading.) However, Paul’s traveling companions also offered a second benefit – they were from Achaia, Macedonia, Asia, and Galatia and could corroborate Paul’s stories about his missionary work with the Gentiles. Paul could tell the stories and they could confirm him and bring other anecdotal evidence to bear, especially those instances where Paul was deserving of more credit than he was willing to claim.

…how many thousands there are among the Jews of those who have believed. (v. 20b) We typically think of the last half of the book of Acts with a focus on Paul and his missionary activities among the Gentiles. But those apostles who stayed behind in Jerusalem were having their own ministry. Thousands of those who believed and were baptized on Pentecost Day were probably visitors from Judea, Galilee, and parts beyond. But many were probably from Jerusalem, especially those who were not among the ruling elite, and now some 20-30 years after Jesus’ Ascension we have thousands (literally, tens of thousands) among the Jews in and around Jerusalem who are now counted as believers. So the Lord was working throughout the entire known world!! GLORY!!

Slava Bohu!

Acts 21:1-16

The most intriguing item to me today is the detail that Luke reports, especially in the first few verses where he lists sailing activities – day by day, port by port, finally landing at Tyre and staying a week, then another boat trip to Ptolemais, then on to Caesarea and Jerusalem.

On the next day we departed and came to Caesarea, and we entered the house of Philip the evangelist, who was one of the seven, and stayed with him. (v. 8) You may remember Philip from Acts 8, the story of the Ethiopian eunuch. That incident ends with verses Acts 8:39,40: And when they came up out of the water, the Spirit of the Lord carried Philip away, and the eunuch saw him no more, and went on his way rejoicing. But Philip found himself at Azotus, and as he passed through he preached the gospel to all the towns until he came to Caesarea. So Philip ends up in Caesarea and we don’t hear of him again until today’s reading. Presumably he has made a home in Caesarea these 20 to 30 years and has become known as “Philip the evangelist”. Nice title…!

Mnason – a footnote in history…: And some of the disciples from Caesarea went with us, bringing us to the house of Mnason of Cyprus, an early disciple, with whom we should lodge. (v. 16) This verse contains the only mention of Mnason that we have in the New Testament. Who was he? He was an early disciple – how early we don’t know, maybe even Pentecost or maybe even before Jesus’ crucifixion and resurrection. He was from Cyprus. Who else was from Cyprus? Barnabas! Paul’s first missionary companion! I looked online and saw that Mnason has been a topic of research discussion through the ages, both the questions I have asked and even more concerns about where his house was. As you read various translations, you can infer that he was from Caesarea or Jerusalem or somewhere in between. It was a two-day journey from Caesarea to Jerusalem, so some writers have suggested that he lived in a village along the way. Whatever! We learn (1) that he was faithful – an early disciple and (2) that he was generous – housing the entire group of Paul’s traveling companions. One name, one mention, but a forever wonder…! Fun!!

Slava Bohu!

Acts 20:17-38

But I do not account my life of any value nor as precious to myself, if only I may finish my course and the ministry that I received from the Lord Jesus, to testify to the gospel of the grace of God. (v. 24) Paul’s life goals were fairly simple and straightforward, to testify to the Gospel! And if he continues to do that, he appears to be willing to end this life on earth whenever the Lord calls him home. Simple. Straightforward.

In all things I have shown you that by working hard in this way we must help the weak and remember the words of the Lord Jesus, how He Himself said, “It is more blessed to give than to receive.” (v. 35) These words from Jesus are spoken regularly at our church services prior to the Offering. I wondered and my Study Bible confirmed, these words ascribed to Jesus by Paul do not appear anywhere in the four Gospels. However, I have no doubt that Jesus spoke these words. They’re just not recorded – as are hundreds of thousands of words that He spoke.

The other item in verse 35 that struck me was …by working hard…we must help the weak… There seems to be a lot of resistance in our society to helping the weak, both here and abroad. I remember asking my classroom students, “Why are some people poor?” I got the natural variety of answers that you might expect, but I also got one unexpected: “Some people are just sorry.” By “sorry” this student meant lazy, welfare dependent. And I will grant you that some people are “sorry”, but I daresay that 90% of the men on welfare would prefer a good job to receiving welfare checks (sorry, I cannot speak for the women). And by “good jobs”, I mean good wages, no matter how hard the work. But I typically get nowhere if I try to make that argument with folks who are “anti-welfare”. I wonder what would happen if I appealed to Scripture instead of economic theory. I wonder…

Slava Bohu!

Acts 20:1-16

We’re a bit chronologically challenged with today’s reading. In The Chronological Study Bible the first three verses in chapter 20 fall between I and II Corinthians. That is, Paul was on the move from Ephesus (after the “Demetrius silversmith” riot in Acts 19) to Macedonia (Thessalonica, Philippi) where he presumably wrote II Corinthians, then on to Corinth, from where he wrote Romans. We now have him leaving Corinth and going back through Macedonia, then by way of Ephesus traveling to Jerusalem.

Sopater the Berean, son of Pyrrhus, accompanied him; and of the Thessalonians, Aristarchus and Secundus; and Gaius of Derbe, and Timothy; and the Asians, Tychicus and Trophimus. (v. 4) For our purposes the individual names are not so important; however, what we need to know is that Paul now has traveling companions from Achaia, Macedonia, Galatia, and Asia as he is carrying funds for the relief of the believers in Jerusalem.

These went on ahead and were waiting for us at Troas, but we sailed away from Philippi after the days of Unleavened Bread, and in five days we came to them at Troas, where we stayed for seven days. (vv. 5-6) We have another set of “we” pronouns here, presumably Luke reflecting himself. In these two verses it is Luke traveling with Paul. Later in verses 13 and 14 the “we” is Luke without Paul. Then we pick up Luke and Paul together again in verse 15. So in summary, the “we/us” pronouns are Luke and Paul, except in verses 13 and 14.

A bit of geography… In verse 6, Philippi is at the northeastern tip of Macedonia (modern-day Greece) while Troas is at the northwestern tip of Asia Minor (modern-day Turkey). Assos is about 20 miles south of Troas by land, but 40 miles by sea. From Assos the disciples hugged the coast of Asia Minor, moving between and around the islands (Chios and Samos, v. 15). Finally, Miletus (v. 15) is about 30 miles south of Ephesus. Presumably Paul did not want to go directly to Ephesus – too many friends there who would have taken up too much time with him visiting them all (v. 16).

Slava Bohu!