Paul Escorted to Caesarea
23: 23-35
57 AD
Paul escorted to Caesarea DIG: How does the way the commander provided for Paul contrast with the way Pilate dealt with Jesus? Why do you think this is the case? What has the commander decided to do with the “Paul problem?” How does all this relate to 9:15? How would you feel if you were one of the men in 23:12-13 when you found out the next day that Paul was gone? Why did Governor Felix decide to hear the case involving Paul?
REFLECT: How do Paul’s experiences with Roman authority here shed light on his comments in Romans 13:1-7? How does this contrast with Peter’s experience with the Jewish authorities in Acts 13:19-20? Sometimes God delivers us from peril, and sometimes He delivers us through peril. How have you experienced both? What do these two incidents show you about the believer’s relationship with civil authority? Where do you need to show your support of government authority? Where should you be challenging it? As Paul awaited trial in Caesarea, how do you think his heart stood? Stressed? No doubt, but he trusted God, because he had received the Lord’s words of encouragement and His promise that lonely night in Jerusalem. Have you ever received the Lord’s words of encouragement and promise to you? Are they making a difference?
Faced with the difficult and potentially explosive situation, Claudius Lysias again proved himself to be an able commander. Realizing things were getting out of hand, he wisely decided to get Paul out of Jerusalem. That would of course, thwart the plot of the zealots and keep a prisoner for whom he was responsible from being assassinated. He solved both of his problems by sending Paul to Caesarea and putting him under the protective authority of Felix, the Roman governor.
Not willing to risk waiting until the next day, Lysias called two of his centurions and said: At the third hour of the night (9:00 pm), prepare 470 soldiers: two hundred foot-soldiers, along with seventy horsemen from the cohort’s cavalry detachment and two hundred lightly armed spearmen, to proceed as far as Caesarea. The over ten-to-one ratio of Roman soldiers to zealots would guarantee that Paul would reach Caesarea safely. In addition, the fact that such a large show of force was necessary was not only to protect a single prisoner, but also to prevent an ambush by zealots by night. Then proceed as far as Caesarea, which was the official residence of the Roman governor in Judea. The governor customarily went up to Jerusalem only during the feasts, and since Felix was in his residence in Caesarea, Shavu’ot must have just been celebrated. Also, provide mounts for Paul to ride (23:23-24). This probably meant a horse for Paul and a pack animal for his baggage, or both mounts may be simply for Paul, the one spelling the other in a rapid journey. And, in view of 24:23, that Paul’s traveling companions were also to be provided for, which would probably include Luke in view of the fact that the we passages (to see link click Bx – Paul’s Vision of the Man of Macedonia: A closer look at the “us” or “we” passages and sea passages) that start again in Caesarea (27:1).
So that he might be brought safely to Marcus Antonius Felix the governor of Judea who ruled from 52 to 59 AD (23:24b). He owned his appointment to his brother Pallas, who was a favorite at the court, first of the Emperor Claudius, and then of Nero. Both brothers were freed slaves of the imperial family. Felix was not only related to Claudius by marriage through the granddaughter of Mark Antony and Cleopatra (Tac. Hist. 5.9.3), but was also directly associated with the Herodian royal family through his controversial marriage (shortly before Claudius’ death at 54) to Agrippa I’s youngest daughter Drusilla when she was only sixteen.557 His administration was marked by the rising tide of Jewish nationalism with many insurrections, both political and religious. All were brutally suppressed by him. As a judge he was totally arbitrary and lacked any understanding or sympathy for the Jews. This only heightened the anti-Roman feelings of the Jews and accelerated the Rebellion of 66 AD. About him the Roman historian Tacitus wrote, “With all cruelty and lust he exercised power of a king with the instincts of a slave” (Ann. 12.54; cf. History 5.9). Felix’s administrative ineptitude was bound to catch up with him sooner or later, and he was finally removed from office for his total mismanagement of the way he dealt with the riots between Jews and Gentiles of Caesarea.558
Luke tells us that the commander at Fort Antonia wrote a letter explaining the charges against Paul to be delivered to Governor Felix. Such letters were required when transferring a prisoner from one jurisdiction to another. The phrase “that went like this” indicates that this was a verbatim account of Lysias’ letter. Other similar historical letters from Roman officials are recorded in contemporary literature, especially in Josephus and the books of Maccabees (Josephus Antiquities 14.241ff, 17.134ff; Life of Flavius Josephus 217-218; First Maccabees 11:29ff, 15:1ff, Second Maccabees 9:18ff, 11:16ff; Third Maccabees 3:11ff).559
Claudius Lysias diplomatically addressed the letter to the Most Excellent Governor Felix: Greetings! Luke must have had access to the letter itself in order to quote it exactly, which said: This man was seized by the Judean leaders and was about to be killed by them, when I came on the scene with the soldiers and rescued him, having learned that he is a Roman citizen. The reader already knows that Lysias seized Paul in the Temple and put him in chains. Desiring to know the charge of which they were accusing him, I brought him down to their Sanhedrin. I found that he was accused concerning issues of their law, but charged with nothing worthy of death or imprisonment regarding Roman law. Which was basically declaring him innocent. Then Lysias closed by giving his reason for burdening Felix with the case: When I was informed that there was a plot against the man, I sent him to you immediately, also ordering his accusers to state before you what they have against him (23:25-30). Lysias did embellish things to put himself in the best possible light; contrary to what he wrote, he did not discover Paul’s Roman citizenship until after he rescued him. And he conveniently failed to mention his order to have Paul scourged and his erroneous assumption that he was the famed Egyptian terrorist.560 He knew that these accusers have nothing against Paul worthy of judgment in a Roman court – he had already learned that and said so. But he wanted to distance himself from a bad situation that he had already bungled several times.561
After giving the text of the letter, Luke describes Paul’s military transfer. So the soldiers, in keeping with their orders left Jerusalem, took Paul and traveled 37 miles, arriving at Antipatris before dawn. This first leg of the journey was a forced march, but it was mostly downhill. We have clear evidence that Roman troops traveled this distance in the same amount of time. It does not pay to underestimate what Roman troops were capable of when a crisis situation was involved, especially when the only person not capable of such a strenuous effort due to recent abuse was riding a horse!
Antipatris was built by Herod the Great in honor of his father Antipher. It was located in Samaria, but had a mixed Samaritan and Jewish population. In addition to being the approximate mid-way point between Jerusalem and Caesarea, it was a Roman military station and would have provided a logical resting place for the tired soldiers. Once Antipatris was reached, the two major dangers of the trip – contact with the plotters or being ambushed in treacherous terrain – were behind them, and thus there was no need for the whole contingent of soldiers to go all the way to Caesarea. So, on the next day, the two hundred foot-soldiers and the two hundred spearmen returned to headquarters at Fort Antonia (23:31-32).562
When they came to Caesarea and delivered the letter to the governor, they also presented Paul before him. Upon reading the letter out loud, as was the universal practice at that time, Felix asked Paul what province he was from. When he learned that he was from Cilicia in Syria, the governor said: I will give you a hearing when your accusers have arrived also. Felix would not want to send Paul to the Syrian governor, since the case was too small, and Paul’s accusers would have to travel too far. Had he done so, he would likely have only created more troubles for himself with both Roman and Jewish officials with whom he was bound to have ongoing dealings. Then he gave orders for Paul to be guarded in Herod’s Praetorium. This had been the scene (see the commentary on The Life of Christ Ln – The Civil Trial). Paul was placed in military custody for his protection, but not in a prison cell, since not formal charges had been brought against him (23:33-35). The stage was set for the first in Paul’s series of Roman trials.
What we have seen since Paul’s arrest and protection by the Roman legal system (see Cp – Paul’s Testimony on the Steps of Fort Antonia), is a diverse response to the gospel. The Sadducees were extremely hostile, while some of the Pharisees were willing to entertain some of the ideas that Paul put forth. For the most part, the Romans were more interested in just doing their jobs than seriously considering the eternal destiny. Many people just go through the motions in their lives, pursuing their own goals or seeking to survive rather than having a relationship with their Creator. Whether this is a result of their own background or is motivated by the self-focus our culture generates, it is a major distraction from the reason we were created by God. The Creator deserves more than a lip-service in our lives. Hence, as throughout this section of Acts, Paul is our model to follow. He acknowledged ADONAI not only by his words, but also by the very manner he faced adversity. Paul used every opportunity to be a living testimony to his Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.563
God my Lord, the strength of my deliverance, You shield my head in the day of battle (Psalm 140:7) through your intercession and the help of the Ruach of Messiah Yeshua (Philippians 1:19b). How encouraging to know that my prayers don’t just vanish into thin air, but, like the smoke rising from incense, my prayers rise into Your presence (Revelation 8:4). Thank You for hearing me, and acting, as I pray right now.564
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