the acts of the apostles-第70节

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drink　till　they　had　killed　Paul。　And　they　were　more　than　forty　which　had
made　this　conspiracy。〃　Here　was　a　fast　such　as　the　Lord　through　Isaiah　had
condemneda　fast　〃for　strife　and　debate；　and　to　smite　with　the　fist　of
wickedness。〃　Isaiah　58：4。

The　conspirators　〃came　to　the　chief　priests　and　elders；　and　said；　We　have
bound　ourselves　under　a　great　curse；　that　we　will　eat　nothing　until　we　have
slain　Paul。　Now　therefore

414

ye　with　the　council　signify　to　the　chief　captain　that　he　bring　him　down　unto
you　tomorrow；　as　though　ye　would　inquire　something　more　perfectly　concerning
him：　and　we；　or　ever　he　come　near；　are　ready　to　kill　him。〃

Instead　of　rebuking　this　cruel　scheme；　the　priests　and　rulers　eagerly　agreed
to　it。　Paul　had　spoken　the　truth　when　he　compared　Ananias　to　a　whited
sepulcher。

But　God　interposed　to　save　the　life　of　His　servant。　Paul's　sister's　son；
hearing　of　the　〃lying　in　wait〃　of　the　assassins；　〃went　and　entered　into　the
castle；　and　told　Paul。　Then　Paul　called　one　of　the　centurions　unto　him；　and
said；　Bring　this　young　man　unto　the　chief　captain：　for　he　hath　a　certain
thing　to　tell　him。　So　he　took　him；　and　brought　him　to　the　chief　captain；　and
said；　Paul　the　prisoner　called　me　unto　him；　and　prayed　me　to　bring　this
young　man　unto　thee；　who　hath　something　to　say　unto　thee。〃

Claudius　Lysias　received　the　youth　kindly；　and　taking　him　aside；　asked；
〃What　is　that　thou　hast　to　tell　me？〃　The　youth　replied：　〃The　Jews　have
agreed　to　desire　thee　that　thou　wouldest　bring　down　Paul　tomorrow　into　the
council；　as　though　they　would　inquire　somewhat　of　him　more　perfectly。　But　do
not　thou　yield　unto　them：　for　there　lie　in　wait　for　him　of　them　more　than
forty　men；　which　have　bound　themselves　with　an　oath；　that　they　will　neither
eat　nor　drink　till　they　have　killed　him：　and　now　are　they　ready；　looking　for
a　promise　from　thee。〃

〃The　chief　captain　then　let　the　young　man　depart；　and　charged　him；　See　thou
tell　no　man　that　thou　hast　showed　these　things　to　me。〃

　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　415


Lysias　at　once　decided　to　transfer　Paul　from　his　jurisdiction　to　that　of
Felix　the　procurator。　As　a　people；　the　Jews　were　in　a　state　of　excitement
and　irritation；　and　tumults　were　of　frequent　occurrence。　The　continued
presence　of　the　apostle　in　Jerusalem　might　lead　to　consequences　dangerous　to
the　city　and　even　to　the　commandant　himself。　He　therefore　〃called　unto　him
two　centurions；　saying；　Make　ready　two　hundred　soldiers　to　go　to　Caesarea；
and　horsemen　threescore　and　ten；　and　spearmen　two　hundred；　at　the　third　hour
of　the　night；　and　provide　them　beasts；　that　they　may　set　Paul　on；　and　bring
him　safe　unto　Felix　the　governor。〃

No　time　was　to　be　lost　in　sending　Paul　away。　〃The　soldiers；　as　it　was
commanded　them；　took　Paul；　and　brought　him　by　night　to　Antipatris。〃　From
that　place　the　horsemen　went　on　with　the　prisoner　to　Caesarea；　while　the
four　hundred　soldiers　returned　to　Jerusalem。

The　officer　in　charge　of　the　detachment　delivered　his　prisoner　to　Felix；
also　presenting　a　letter　with　which　he　had　been　entrusted　by　the　chief
captain：

〃Claudius　Lysias　unto　the　most　excellent　governor　Felix　sendeth　greeting。
This　man　was　taken　of　the　Jews；　and　should　have　been　killed　of　them：　then
came　I　with　an　army；　and　rescued　him；　having　understood　that　he　was　a　Roman。
And　when　I　would　have　known　the　cause　wherefore　they　accused　him；　I　brought
him　forth　into　their　council：　whom　I　perceived　to　be　accused　of　questions　of
their　law；　but　to　have　nothing　laid　to　his　charge　worthy　of　death　or　of
bonds。　And　when　it　was　told　me　how　that　the　Jews　laid　wait　for　the　man；　I
sent　straightway　to　thee；　and　gave　commandment

416

to　his　accusers　also　to　say　before　thee　what　they　had　against　him。
Farewell。〃

After　reading　the　communication；　Felix　inquired　to　what　province　the
prisoner　belonged；　and　being　informed　that　he　was　of　Cilicia；　said：　〃I　will
hear　thee　。　。　。　when　thine　accusers　are　also　come。　And　he　commanded　him　to
be　kept　in　Herod's　judgment　hall。〃

The　case　of　Paul　was　not　the　first　in　which　a　servant　of　God　had　found　among
the　heathen　an　asylum　from　the　malice　of　the　professed　people　of　Jehovah。　In
their　rage　against　Paul　the　Jews　had　added　another　crime　to　the　dark
catalogue　which　marked　the　history　of　that　people。　They　had　still　further
hardened　their　hearts　against　the　truth　and　had　rendered　their　doom　more
certain。

Few　realize　the　full　meaning　of　the　words　that　Christ　spoke　when；　in　the
synagogue　at　Nazareth；　He　announced　Himself　as　the　Anointed　One。　He　declared
His　mission　to　comfort；　bless；　and　save　the　sorrowing　and　the　sinful；　and
then；　seeing　that　pride　and　unbelief　controlled　the　hearts　of　His　hearers；
He　reminded　them　that　in　time　past　God　had　turned　away　from　His　chosen
people　because　of　their　unbelief　and　rebellion；　and　had　manifested　Himself
to　those　in　heathen　lands　who　had　not　rejected　the　light　of　heaven。　The
widow　of　Sarepta　and　Naaman　the　Syrian　had　lived　up　to　all　the　light　they
had；　hence　they　were　accounted　more　righteous　than　God's　chosen　people　who
had　backslidden　from　Him　and　had　sacrificed　principle　to　convenience　and
worldly　honor。

　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　417


Christ　told　the　Jews　at　Nazareth　a　fearful　truth　when　He　declared　that　with
backsliding　Israel　there　was　no　safety　for　the　faithful　messenger　of　God。
They　would　not　know　his　worth　or　appreciate　his　labors。　While　the　Jewish
leaders　professed　to　have　great　zeal　for　the　honor　of　God　and　the　good　of
Israel；　they　were　enemies　of　both。　By　precept　and　example　they　were　leading
the　people　farther　and　farther　from　obedience　to　Godleading　them　where　He
could　not　be　their　defense　in　the　day　of　trouble。

The　Saviour's　words　of　reproof　to　the　men　of　Nazareth　applied；　in　the　case
of　Paul；　not　only　to　the　unbelieving　Jews；　but　to　his　own　brethren　in　the
faith。　Had　the　leaders　in　the　church　fully　surrendered　their　feeling　of
bitterness　toward　the　apostle；　and　accepted　him　as　one　specially　called　of
God　to　bear　the　gospel　to　the　Gentiles；　the　Lord　would　have　spared　him　to
them。　God　had　not　ordained　that　Paul's　labors　should　so　soon　end；　but　He　did
not　work　a　miracle　to　counteract　the　train　of　circumstances　to　which　the
course　of　the　leaders　in　the　church　at　Jerusalem　had　given　rise。

The　same　spirit　is　still　leading　to　the　same　results。　A　neglect　to
appreciate　and　improve　the　provisions　of　divine　grace　has　deprived　the
church　of　many　a　blessing。　How　often　would　the　Lord　have　prolonged　the　work
of　some　faithful　minister；　had　his　labors　been　appreciated！　But　if　the
church　permits　the　enemy　of　souls　to　pervert　the　understanding；　so　that　they
misrepresent　and　misinterpret　the　words　and　acts　of　the　servant　of　Christ；
if　they　allow　themselves　to　stand　in　his　way　and　hinder　his　usefulness；　the
Lord

418

sometimes　removes　from　them　the　blessing　which　He　gave。

Satan　is　constantly　working　through　his　agents　to　dishearten　and　destroy
those　whom　God　has　chosen　to　accomplish　a　great　and　good　work。　They　may　be
ready　to　sacrifice　even　life　itself　for　the　advancement　of　the　cause　of
Christ；　yet　the　great　deceiver　will　suggest　to　their　brethren　doubts
concerning　them　which；　if　entertained；　would　undermine　confidence　in　their
integrity　of　character；　and　thus　cripple　their　usefulness。　Too　often　he
succeeds　in　bringing　upon　them；　through　their　own　brethren；　such　sorrow　of
heart　that　God　graciously　interposes　to　give　His　persecuted　servants　rest。
After　the　hands　are　folded　upon　the　pulseless　breast；　when　the　voice　of
warning　and　encouragement　is　silent；　then　the　obdurate　may　be　aroused　to　see
and　prize　the　blessings　they　have　cast　from　them。　Their　death　may　accomplish
that　which　their　life　has　failed　to　do。




　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　（419）

　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　Chapter　39

　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　The　Trial　at　Caesarea


Five　days　after　Paul's　arrival　at　Caesarea　his　accusers　came　from　Jerusalem；
accompanied　by　Tertullus；　an　orator　whom　they　had　engaged　as　their　counsel。
The　case　was　granted　a　speedy　hearing。　Paul　was　brought　before　the　assembly；
and　Tertullus　〃began　to　accuse　him。〃　Judging　that　flattery　would　have　more
influence　upon　the　Roman　governor　than　the　simple　statements　of　truth　and
justice；　the　wily　orator　began　his　speech　by　praising　Felix：　〃Seeing　that　by
thee　we　enjoy　great　quietness；　and　that　very　worthy　deeds　are　done　unto　his
nation　by　thy　providence；　we　accept　it　always；　and　in　all　places；　most　noble
Felix；　with　all　thankfulness。〃

Tertullus　here　descended　to　barefaced　falsehood；　for　the　character　of　Felix
was　base　and　contemptible。　It　was　said　of　him；that　〃in　the　practice　of　all
kinds　of　lust　and　cruelty；　he　exercised　the　power　of　a　king　with　the　temper
of　a　slave。〃

420

Tacitus；　History；　ch。　5；　par。　9。　Those　who　heard　Tertullus　knew　that　his
flattering　words　were　untrue；　but　their　desire　to　secure　the　condemnation　of
Paul　was　stronger　than　their　love　of　truth。

In　his　speech；　Tertullus　charged　Paul　with　crimes　which；　if　proved；　would
have　resulted　in　his　conviction　for　high　treason　against