Claudius Lysias, the commander of the Roman army barracks in Jerusalem, is sending Paul to Marcus Antonius Felix, the governor in Caesarea Maritima, along with a letter. The letter explains how a mob of Jews grabbed Paul and nearly killed him before Lysias realized Paul was a Roman citizen and ordered his soldiers to rescue him. He will give a summary of his investigation: Paul supposedly committed a crime against the Jewish law that was deserving neither of the attack nor continued imprisonment and that Paul's accusers have made a plot against his life (Acts 23:27–30).

Lysias doesn't elaborate that he didn't know Paul was a Roman citizen until he had bound and almost scourged him, both of which were highly illegal acts (Acts 21:33; 22:24–27).

"His Excellency" was a title given to someone in the equestrian order. Felix did not originate in that order, as did Pontius Pilate, but the governor of subordinate provinces usually did. Felix had started off as a slave and was known as tyrannical, cruel, and licentious. He even stole Drusilla (Acts 24:24), Herod Agrippa I's daughter, from her husband. He was so bad, the people of Caesarea complained until Nero recalled him to Rome. Ironically, he is not unkind to Paul. He gives him a measure a freedom and allows his friends to see to his needs. He even brings Paul in to talk, although he doesn't like to hear admonitions about self-control. But, even though he knows Paul has done nothing wrong, he keeps Paul in custody for the remainder of his term in order to please the Jewish leaders (Act 24:23–27).

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.

Accessed 5/3/2024 10:40:16 PM

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