Acts 23 - Paul Evades Forty Assassins and Gets A Security Escort to Caesarea!

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Paul concluded by saying that he had done his part by sharing God's plan of salvation with the Jewish leaders. At this Ananias, the high priest, ordered to have Paul struck on the mouth. How dare Paul insult them with such rhetoric. Paul responded by calling the him a "whitewashed tomb". Though he looked clean on the outside, he was a "rotting corspe" on the inside.  Paul didn't realize it was a high priest he had spoken to, so he backed off on his comment. He paid respect to the authority and structure of the Jewish Law he had grown up with.

Paul’s claim of a good conscience offended the high priest. He thought that someone accused of such serious crimes should never claim a clear conscience. - Guzik

No matter what his motive was, “This order was illegal, for the Jewish law said, ‘He who strikes the cheek of one Israelite, strikes as it were the glory of God,’ and ‘He that strikes a man strikes the Holy One.’” (Hughes)

Paul then used a tricky ploy to take the attention off of himself. He stated that since he was a Pharisee, he believed in the resurrection of the dead. There were Sadducees who were a part of the Sanhedrin, the ruling body of elders in the Jewish community. The Sadducees did not believe in the resurrection, or anything supernatural for that matter. This becamae a source of instant division in the Sanhedrin between the two groups. 

This caused the Pharisees to go from accusing Paul to sticking up for him. They reasoned that maybe the Spirit had spoken through Paul. Once again the debate surrounding Paul became so intense the Commander ordered Paul to go back to the barracks. The following night the Lord visited Paul in prison. He said to him, "You will go to testify to Rome, just as you have in Jerusalem." 

Rome would have been the end of the known world in Paul's day so that must have been quite a shocking revelation to him. But as we have seen, God showed up in various ways in Paul's life to let him know that he was not alone and God was with him. 

It is interesting that Paul mentions the resurrection of the dead, which is essentially the gospel he preached about Jesus.  

Sadducees were the theological liberals of their day, and denied the reality of life after death and the concept of resurrection. Luke rightly wrote of them, Sadducees say that there is no resurrection; and no angel or spirit. The Pharisees were more likely to find some ground of agreement with Paul, being the more the Bible believers in the Jewish world of that time. They took the Bible seriously, even if they did err greatly by adding the traditions of men to what they received in the Bible. - Guzik

Paul had been miraculously delivered from jail cells before; but this time, the Lord met him right in the jail cell. We often demand that Jesus deliver us out of our circumstances, when He wants to meet us right in them. We sometimes think we are surrendering to Jesus when we are really only demanding an escape. God wants to meet us in whatever we face at the moment. - Guzik

The Plot to Kill Paul

For a moment it did not look like Paul would make it to Rome, as 40 men made an oath that they would not eat a thing until they killed Paul. Fortunately Paul's nephew learned of the plot and got word to Paul. When Paul learned of this, he told the Centurion to take his nephew (a young man) to the Commander to tell him about the plot! 

When the boy did so, the Commander believed him, and dismissed him telling him not to tell anyone about it. Obviously the Commander took the report seriously and was planning to do something about it. Once again God works in mysterious ways. Not only did the boy happen to hear about the plot, but he was able to tell Paul about it. Also, he gained an unlikely audience with the Roman Commander

Once again the Lord was protecting Paul. God has his plans for Paul, and no earthly authority was going to get in the way of them. 

Paul Transferred to Caesarea

Then something fascinating happens. Not only does the Commander let him go, but gives him a a massive security escort out of town. Paul was escorted by 200 soldiers, 70 horsemen, and 200 hundred spearmen. That's right 470 people to protect the man they had just thrown in the barracks and previously flogged. Paul was sent to Governor Felix, which is probably also the reason for sending all of these men with Paul. It would be favorable for Paul, as he was introduced to Felix to have this kind of backing from Claudias Lysius, the Roman Commander from Jerusalem.

Claudias summarizes what had happened so far. The Jewish leaders had seized Paul and were about to kill him. When the Commander realized he was a Roman citizen, the Commander rescued him by putting him in the barracks. When he tried to find out the real reason for their hatred of Paul, it only confirmed that Paul needed protection after learning of their plan to assasinate him. 

After the soldiers delivered Paul they left, while the cavalry stayed with him. The cavalry delivered the letter to Felix. When Felix read it, he asked Paul what province he was from. When Paul answered "Cilicia", Felix said he would only hear Paul's case when he accusers arrived. It seems as though where Paul was from ensured he would have a fair trial. 

Perhaps Felix hoped that Paul came from someplace that required that someone else hear his case. Apparently, learning that he was from Cilicia meant that Felix would indeed be responsible to hear and rule on his case. - Guzik  

This would be Paul’s first opportunity to speak to someone at this level of authority (the governor). This was the beginning of the fulfillment of the promise made to Paul some 20 years earlier: that he would bear the name of Jesus to kings (Acts 9:15). - Guzik

This began a two-year period of confinement for Paul in Caesarea. After that he spent at least two years in Rome. - Guzik

How does Paul's story encourage you? What are some circumstances in your life where you need to know the Lord is with you and will deliver you from this trial in due time? God may also use unlikely characters to do so for you like He did for Paul!