Acts 23:25 - Printer Friendly

Lysias, the Roman army tribune, has mastered the useful art of dodging responsibility. While seeing to his duties at the Antonia Fortress on the northern side of the temple mount, he learned of a riot outside the temple. He and his soldiers rescued a man named Paul from a mob bent on killing him. When he enquired as to why Paul deserved such treatment, most of the crowd didn't know (Acts 21:31–36). Lysias then spent the next three days trying to discover what Paul had done besides some vague offense against the Jewish law (Acts 23:29). He did find out two important facts, however: Paul is a Roman citizen and the Jewish leadership is conspiring to murder him (Acts 22:27; 23:19–21). Lysias has no reason to keep Paul in custody, but if he lets him go, a Roman citizen will be killed. He sends Paul to Felix, the governor, in Caesarea Maritima along with an explanatory letter (Acts 23:23–24, 26–30).

"To this effect" means what follows is a paraphrase of the letter, not necessarily the exact wording. The letter includes a summary of the previous three days as well as the notice that Lysias ordered the Jewish leaders to stand before Felix with their accusations. Lysias conveniently leaves out the part where he illegally chained Paul and almost had him whipped (Acts 21:33; 22:24–25).

The high priest Ananias arrives in Caesarea with a few elders and a spokesman who understands the proper format of a Roman court of law. The spokesman offers a vague accusation of rioting and profaning the temple and Paul points out his accuser has offered no actual evidence (Ats 24:1–9, 13).

Felix knows about Christianity and isn't impressed with the accusations. He decides to wait until Lysias arrives with his own evidence, but apparently the tribune has washed his hands of the whole affair and never arrives (Acts 24:22). Felix keeps Paul in custody until he is replaced by Porcius Festus two years later (Acts 24:27).

Acts 23:23–35 records Paul escaping a death plot in Jerusalem. He then travels to the governor in Caesarea Maritima. Jews and their leaders attacked Paul and conspired for his death, and the Roman tribune can't determine why (Acts 21:27–34). The governor agrees to hold a trial not yet knowing Paul's accusers don't have a case and the tribune will never arrive to give his side of the story. He holds Paul without charges for two years until the new governor sends Paul to Caesar in Rome.

Acts 23 continues the tribune's attempt to discover why a mob of Jews suddenly turned violent and attacked Paul (Acts 21:27–33). He takes Paul to the Sanhedrin to see if they understand what his crime is. Paul barely begins his story when he is slapped for impudence. He disrespects the high priest and starts a fight between the Pharisees and Sadducees. The next day, a group of forty Jews invite the Sanhedrin to help them murder Paul. Paul's nephew reports the plot to the tribune who gives up and sends Paul to the governor. The governor awaits Paul's accusers for trial.

Jews from near Ephesus accused Paul of bringing a Gentile into the temple and incited a crowd to attack him. The tribune saved Paul but couldn't uncover the reason for the violence; most of the mob didn't know, and Paul was a Roman citizen, so the tribune couldn't beat the truth out of him (Acts 21—22). When the Sanhedrin would rather murder Paul than talk to him, the tribune sends Paul to the governor. The governor holds Paul without charges for so long he invokes his right to a trial before Caesar. The governor agrees, and Paul finally gets to Rome (Acts 24—28).

The summary of the book of Acts is provided in Jesus' words in Acts 1:8: ''But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you, and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth.'' In Acts 2:1–13, the Christ-followers receive the Holy Spirit. Acts 2:14—7:60 describes the rapid growth of the church in Jerusalem. Chapters 8—12 find Jewish persecution inadvertently spreading the gospel throughout Judea and Samaria. And in chapters 13—28, Paul and his companions spread the good news throughout the Roman Empire.