Paul is Arrested

Paul goes to Jerusalem after his last missionary journey. While in the Temple, Paul is arrested on account of the Jews from Asia.

Paul set his face to Jerusalem, knowing what is waiting for him. He is prepared for whatever comes. Now that he is in Jerusalem, the elders are trying to protect him. They give him a plan but things still go the way God said they would. Let’s rejoin Paul in Jerusalem.

Holy Spirit, please let me see Paul’s story. I know I won’t fully understand God’s plan, but let me have glimpses into it that guide me along my journey. Show me what You want me to see in these events.

♥ ♦ ♥

Paul has been engaging in the purification ritual for almost a week.  It is nearly finished. The four men who are taking part in it with him are by his side always. But this doesn’t require them to constantly stay in the Temple. They are allowed to walk in the city.

While in the city, Paul meets up with some of the men he brought with him and some he knows who had come for the festival. The festival only lasted one day, but these friends remain in Jerusalem to support Paul.

Trophimus meets Paul in the city. They don’t try and hide themselves but neither do they imagine that their meeting is being observed and recorded.

“Brother Paul. How are you doing since arriving in Jerusalem?”

“The elders have me completing a ritual so that I will be safe from the Jews. I agreed to their plan, but I KNOW it will not stop what God has set in motion.”

“I will continue to pray for you brother.”

“I welcome all the prayers I can get.”

After a meal together the two part company, not paying any attention to those around them. Paul meets up with those who are accompanying him in the purification process and returns to the temple later that day. They complete the requirements for this day before retiring to the home of the elders.

“Two more days” Paul tells himself as he lays down to sleep. “Then what Lord?”

Paul doesn’t receive an itinerary from the Lord then, or in his sleep. Instead, he receives peace to settle down and rest through the night.

Morning brings a sense of expectancy in Paul’s heart. “Something is going to happen today” he tells Peter.

“What is it?”

“I don’t know. I just know that things will change before this day is over.”

“You should stay here then.”

“No. I have to be where the Lord leads me. Besides, the brothers and I still have two more days that we have to be at the Temple. If I stop now, the whole process will have been in vain.”

“I understand. Do what you believe the Lord would have you do. And be alert to those around you.”

Paul and his four partners enter the Temple. They make their way to the Jewish section and go about completing the morning requirements of their vow. They are observed by several of the Jews from Asia. The same Jews who tried to kill him while he was in Ephesus.

“We have him now brothers! He brought Gentiles into the Temple of the Lord. Let’s see him talk his way out of this one.”

Rather than confront Paul directly or even call for the Temple guards, this group begins stirring up those around them. They point out Paul and whisper the crimes they believe he committed. After a short time, those whispers turn into shouts as they openly point and accuse Paul.

“Men of Israel, help! This is the man who is teaching everyone everywhere against the people and the law and this place. Moreover, he even brought Greeks into the temple and has defiled this holy place” (Acts 21:28).

These words spread like wildfire among the people. The people are incensed and rush as one to grab Paul. They drag him out of the Temple and the gates are shut behind them. This group intends to see Paul dead, this very day!

While the people are dragging Paul away, word reaches the tribune of the cohort; the Roman ruler of Jerusalem.

“My lord, the people are in an uproar! There is liable to be a riot if someone doesn’t step in immediately.”

“Assemble my guards” the tribune calls.

Within minutes they are in the city, moving to the source of the riot. Soldiers roughly push their way through the crowd until they reach the very middle of it. In the middle are a group of the Asian Jews beating Paul. The Jews stop beating Paul as soon as they see the tribune.

Without asking any questions, Paul is arrested on the spot.

“Bind this man in two chains” orders the tribune.

As Paul is being bound, the tribune calls out to the people. “Who is this man and what has he done?”

Dozens of people shout out their accusations against Paul. Others join in. The outcry of voices is so great that no one can be understood. Chaos reigns supreme.

“Take him to the barracks” the tribune calls.

The crowd surges toward the soldiers, attempting to reach Paul. To protect him from the people, the soldiers carry him up the steps. As Paul is about to be carried inside, he calls out to the tribune.

“May I say something to you?” (Acts 21:37a).

The tribune stops the guards and speaks to Paul.

“Do you know Greek? ³⁸ Are you not the Egyptian, then, who recently stirred up a revolt and led the four thousand men of the Assassins out into the wilderness?” (Acts 21:37b-38).

Paul shakes his head vehemently. “I am a Jew, from Tarsus in Cilicia, a citizen of no obscure city. I beg you, permit me to speak to the people” (Acts 21:39).

The tribute is confused. Why are the people attacking one of their own. After a moment, the tribune agrees to Paul’s request.

The soldiers put Paul down and stand guard, least the people try attacking him again. Paul puts his hands up to quiet the people. When a hush falls over the crowd, Paul begins speaking to the people.

“Brothers and fathers, hear the defense that I now make before you” (Acts 22:1).

The fact that Paul is speaking in Hebrew brings the crowd to complete silence. Paul shares his story into this quietness.

“I am a Jew, born in Tarsus in Cilicia, but brought up in this city, educated at the feet of Gamaliel according to the strict manner of the law of our fathers, being zealous for God as all of you are this day. I persecuted this Way to the death, binding and delivering to prison both men and women, as the high priest and the whole council of elders can bear me witness. From them I received letters to the brothers, and I journeyed toward Damascus to take those also who were there and bring them in bonds to Jerusalem to be punished.

“As I was on my way and drew near to Damascus, about noon a great light from heaven suddenly shone around me. And I fell to the ground and heard a voice saying to me, ‘Saul, Saul, why are you persecuting me?’ And I answered, ‘Who are you, Lord?’ And he said to me, ‘I am Jesus of Nazareth, whom you are persecuting.’ Now those who were with me saw the light but did not understand the voice of the one who was speaking to me. And I said, ‘What shall I do, Lord?’ And the Lord said to me, ‘Rise, and go into Damascus, and there you will be told all that is appointed for you to do.’ And since I could not see because of the brightness of that light, I was led by the hand by those who were with me, and came into Damascus.

“And one Ananias, a devout man according to the law, well spoken of by all the Jews who lived there, came to me, and standing by me said to me, ‘Brother Saul, receive your sight.’ And at that very hour I received my sight and saw him. And he said, ‘The God of our fathers appointed you to know his will, to see the Righteous One and to hear a voice from his mouth; for you will be a witness for him to everyone of what you have seen and heard. And now why do you wait? Rise and be baptized and wash away your sins, calling on his name.’

“When I had returned to Jerusalem and was praying in the temple, I fell into a trance and saw him saying to me, ‘Make haste and get out of Jerusalem quickly, because they will not accept your testimony about me.’ And I said, ‘Lord, they themselves know that in one synagogue after another I imprisoned and beat those who believed in you. And when the blood of Stephen your witness was being shed, I myself was standing by and approving and watching over the garments of those who killed him.’ And he said to me, ‘Go, for I will send you far away to the Gentiles’” (Acts 22:3-21).

At this moment the crowd turns on Paul. How dare he believe that their God would speak to Gentiles!

“Away with such a fellow from the earth! For he should not be allowed to live” (Acts 22:22) they cry. They begin tearing off their cloaks and flinging dust in the air as a testament against Paul.

The tribune sees the mood of the crowd and orders that Paul be taken in the barracks. “Question him by flogging. Then we will see what they have against him.”

Paul is dragged inside the barracks and his hands affixed to the posts for flogging. The centurion tasked with this punishment stands ready. Before he can lift his whip for the first stroke, Paul calls out to him.

“Is it lawful for you to flog a man who is a Roman citizen and uncondemned?” (Acts 22:23).

The centurion freezes in fright, his eyes wide. He quickly goes to the tribune, fear in his voice.

“What are you about to do? For this man is a Roman citizen” (Acts 22:26).

The tribune is equally shocked. He rushes out into the yard and stands before Paul. In a voice that brooks no argument, he says; “Tell me, are you a Roman citizen?” (Acts 22:27a).

Paul looks the man straight in the eyes as he answers. “Yes” (Acts 22:27b).

The tribune looks at Paul with suspicion. Paul does not look distinguished or wealthy. How could he be a Roman citizen? “I bought this citizenship for a large sum” (Acts 22:28a) the tribune says narrowing his eyes at Paul.

“But I am a citizen by birth” (Acts 22:28b) Paul announces without a trace of hesitation.

The tribune steps back as though a great blow has just landed on his chest.

“Unbind him from the posts, but put him in prison” the tribune calls to the soldiers who have also stepped back in fear.

Paul is quickly released from the posts but bound again with the chains. Then he is led away into the inner prison of the barracks. The door slams shut seconds after Paul is pushed through it.

The tribune spends the rest of the day and half the night wondering what to do. “First, I suppose I should find out what the actual charges are against this man. Roman citizen or not, every man must be accountable if he has committed a crime.”

When morning comes, the tribune sends for Paul from the prison. “I am taking you to stand before the Jewish council so that I can establish the charges against you.”

“As you wish” Paul replies with a bow of his head. “I request that I be allowed to speak before them as well.”

The tribune nods his permission before turning Paul over to his soldiers.

Paul, surrounded by guards and led by the tribune enter the council chambers.

“I would know the charges against this man.” The tribune holds his hand up before the council erupts in chaos. “I have granted him the right to speak first.”

Paul steps forward and begins. “Brothers, I have lived my life before God in all good conscience up to this day” (Acts 23:1).

Ananias was present yesterday and believed those calling out against Paul. He is indignant at Paul’s protestation of innocence. “Strike him on the mouth to silence his lying tongue!” he calls out to anyone standing near Paul.

Paul looked at him, not recognizing who he was and cried back against Ananias; “God is going to strike you, you whitewashed wall! Are you sitting to judge me according to the law, and yet contrary to the law you order me to be struck?” (Acts 23:3).

A gasp rips through the council chamber. Those standing near Paul say to him; “Would you revile God’s high priest?” (Acts 23:4).

Paul’s face drains of color. He truly did not recognize Ananias. He spreads his hands in supplication. “I did not know, brothers, that he was the high priest, for it is written, ‘You shall not speak evil of a ruler of your people’” (Acts 23:5).

Paul tries a different approach. He calls out to his Pharisee brothers. “Brothers, I am a Pharisee, a son of Pharisees. It is with respect to the hope and the resurrection of the dead that I am on trial” (Acts 23:6).

Paul knows that this is a hotly contested point between the Sadducees and Pharisees. And he knows that the council is made up of both.

As expected, arguments quickly break out within the council chambers. The argument quickly escalates as the Pharisees call out; “We find nothing wrong in this man. What if a spirit or an angel spoke to him?” (Acts 23:9).

Paul watches chaos take hold. Never before has it been said that physical violence erupted in the chambers at Jerusalem. Yet, this day, the ‘argument’ becomes so physical that the tribune calls for Paul for be removed for fear of him being killed.

Soldiers push their way through the quarreling leaders and surround Paul. They bodily carry him from the chambers and carry him all the way back to the barracks. The discord in the chambers, hot on their heels as they move Paul.

Once the barracks gate is shut, Paul is set back on the ground. The tribune shakes his head in wonder.

“He sure knows which buttons to push” the tribune thinks. “Take him back to his cell.”

Paul is locked into the prison again. The guards don’t see the smile on his face after they leave. Paul is proud to have brought the message to the people of Jerusalem and the council as well.

Night brings sweet sleep for Paul. He feels safe behind these bars, for now. He wonders what is next though.

Paul is awakened by a light in his cell. He opens his eyes to see and angel of the Lord standing beside his bed. Paul waits in reverence for the angel to speak.

“Take courage, for as you have testified to the facts about me in Jerusalem, so you must testify also in Rome” (Acts 23:11).

Paul feels not even a sliver of doubt regarding this word spoken over him. But he does wonder about how it is going to come about. “It’s in Your hands Lord. Do with me as You will.”

As the Lord is sharing this news with Paul, a group of Jews is meeting in secret. Many of them are the Jews from Asia.

“Paul HAS to die! He is polluting the people. If we don’t stop him now, who knows the damage he will do.”

“What do you propose?”

“That we lay an ambush for him.”

A plan quickly develops and all the men present swear their lives to take Paul’s.

“We will neither eat nor drink until we have killed Paul” the swear together.

In the morning, this group of forty men come to the door of the council chamber.

“We need to speak to the members of the council.”

A guard shows them in. Ananias turns to look at them as they enter. The group fans out across the front of the chamber. By the time they are all inside, every eye is on them. Their leader steps forward to address the members.

“We have strictly bound ourselves by an oath to taste no food till we have killed Paul. Now therefore you, along with the council, give notice to the tribune to bring him down to you, as though you were going to determine his case more exactly. And we are ready to kill him before he comes near” (Acts 24:14-15).

Heads nod around the room. “This is an excellent idea and a great service you do to Israel and our God. May He grant you swift success” Ananias says to them.

A young man, very close to Paul, hears of this plot. He is Paul’s nephew. He hurries to the barracks and requests to see Paul. As Paul is not deemed a dangerous prisoner, he is admitted.

The young man is taken directly to Paul’s call. He waits until the guard retreats before speaking a word.

“Uncle, I have heard of a plot to kill you.”

“Tell me what you have heard?”

Paul’s nephew goes into great detail as to what he has heard and how he came to hear it. Paul is fully convinced of his report. He knows the danger he is in if the Jews are not thwarted.

“You have to tell all this to the tribune. He will know what to do” Paul tells his nephew.

“But how? He won’t listen to me.”

“He will if I send you.” Paul calls out for the guard. “Centurion I need your help please.”

The centurion enters the area and Paul makes his request. “Take this young man to the tribune, for he has something to tell him” (Acts 23:17).

Seeing the urgency in Paul and the young man’s eyes, the centurion quickly escorts Paul’s nephew to the tribune.

“Paul the prisoner called me and asked me to bring this young man to you, as he has something to say to you” (Acts 23:18).

The tribune took him by the hand, and brings him to a place they can speak privately. “What is it that you have to tell me?” (Acts 23:19).

Paul’s nephew lays out the whole plan for the tribune. “The Jews have agreed to ask you to bring Paul down to the council tomorrow, as though they were going to inquire somewhat more closely about him. ²¹ But do not be persuaded by them, for more than forty of their men are lying in ambush for him, who have bound themselves by an oath neither to eat nor drink till they have killed him. And now they are ready, waiting for your consent” (Acts 23:20-21).

The tribune’s eyes narrow in anger. He paces his chambers for a few minutes, thinking about what to do. Paul’s nephew waits quietly. Finally, the tribune turns back to him.

“Thank you for bringing this to me. Return to your home, and know that Paul will be safe. ‘Tell no one that you have informed me of these things’” (Acts 23:22).

Paul’s nephew bows then makes his way out of the barracks, making sure that no one sees him leaving.

After the young man leaves, the tribune calls his most trusted centurion. “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. Also provide mounts for Paul to ride and bring him safely to Felix the governor” (Acts 23:23-24).

While the centurion is getting the arrangements made, the tribune writes to Felix.

“Claudius Lysias, to his Excellency the governor Felix, greetings. This man was seized by the Jews and was about to be killed by them when I came upon them with the soldiers and rescued him, having learned that he was a Roman citizen. And desiring to know the charge for which they were accusing him, I brought him down to their council. I found that he was being accused about questions of their law, but charged with nothing deserving death or imprisonment. And when it was disclosed to me that there would be a plot against the man, I sent him to you at once, ordering his accusers also to state before you what they have against him” (Acts 23:26-30).

As soon as the letter is dry, the tribune seals it with his signet ring. He decides to take it to the centurion himself. Before he reaches the door, one of his soldiers announces that a member of the Jewish council wishes to meet with him. The tribune knows that things must appear completely normal for his plan to work.

“Have him come in.”

When the man appears before the tribune he bows respectfully then launches into the reason he has come.

“The council has asked that the prisoner Paul of Tarsus be brought again to the chambers tomorrow morning. They wish to question him more closely regarding the charges brought against him.”

The tribune nods in all the right places. “This is a prudent course of action. We would not want an innocent man convicted of a crime he did not commit.”

The man’s face goes red and nearly blunders by calling out his own convictions concerning Paul. After a moment, he calms himself. “You are most wise tribune. So, may I inform the council that you will present the prisoner tomorrow morning?”

“You may tell the council that they will have another opportunity to question the prisoner.”

The man bows and leaves quickly. The tribune watches him leave before taking his dispatch to the centurion.

Paul is made ready for travel quietly in the early part of the night. When the guard comes for him at the third hour of the night, Paul is eager to leave.

“We will be going fast. I assume that you know how to ride” the guard asks.

“I do. I have ridden throughout my whole life.”

The group carefully leaves Jerusalem so as not to alert anyone to their movements. Once outside the walls, they make haste for Antipatris, a Roman city halfway between Jerusalem and Caesarea. Once safely inside the city walls, the troops split. Those on horseback will accompany Paul the rest of the way to Caesarea and Felix. The rest are to return to the barracks.

Morning breaks and Paul arrives in Caesarea. The remaining guards also arrive at their destination. The Jews who made the plot have taken their places along the route between the barracks and the council chambers. And the council sends a man to request the tribune bring Paul to them.

“What do you mean, he isn’t here? You had him in your prison just yesterday.”

“He was transferred to Caesarea for his own protection” the tribune quietly answers.

“The council will hear about this!”

“I expect they will. If you have any further business with the prisoner, I suggest you take it up with the governor.”

Word quickly reaches those in hiding and the council. The ambush team goes to stand before them.

“What are we supposed to do now?”

“I suggest coming up with another plan. We will be going to Caesarea. Perhaps you can find an opportunity to kill him there.”

Paul stands before Felix as the centurion hands him the letter. Felix carefully opens it and reads it while everyone waits. After completing the letter, Felix questions Paul.

“What province are you from?”

“I am from Cilicia my lord.”

Felix nods. “I will give you a hearing when your accusers arrive” (Acts 23:35). Felix smiles. “I predict they are not far behind.”

Turning to his own guards, Felix gives them orders for Paul’s safety.

“Take him to Herod’s praetorium and guard him there. His life will be required at your hands if you fail.”

Paul is in the lap of luxury as he waits for his accusers.

(to be continued)

This is the beginning of Paul’s time in prison. And it is going to be a SLOW process getting to Rome.

I wonder how Paul’s nephew found out about the plot. I’m going to say it was a move of God that put him in the right place at the right time, as well as made the tribute believe him. I wonder what happened to the 40 Jews who said they wouldn’t eat of drink anything until they had killed Paul. Did they break their vows or starve to death? Were they allowed to go to the Temple and repent and end the vow?

I would say this a good example of why we need to be careful what we put our hand to in a promise. There is another famous promise that springs to mind right now; Herod’s promise to Salome. Herod kept that promise.

Father God, thank You that You ALWAYS keep Your promises. I know Paul’s story isn’t really about the promises of the Jews, but Your promises to him. You took him exactly where You promised he would go. Nothing on earth could stop Your hand.

Thank You that You are just as faithful with the promises You have made to me. I know there are a couple things that I would like You to promise, but that is my desires, not Your promises. But You promise to be with me NO MATTER WHAT. That is enough for me.

Help me Lord to know when to run for help and when to chalk up the ‘symptoms’ to ‘that’s just how it is now’ with my husband. Help me know, or at least figure out, how to care for his changing needs. We are both in Your hands Father God.