A Paraphrase on the New Testament, Acts · Chapter 23
CHAP. XXIII.
ANd Paul earneſtly he holding the council, ſaid, Men and brethren, I have lived in all good conſcience before God until this day.
1. Queſt. Did Paul perſecute with a good Conſcience? Anſ. He went according to his Conſcience, though in ſinful ignorance.
2. And the high prieſt Ananias commanded them that ſtood by him, to ſmite him on the mouth.
2. Note, The uſual Juſtice of proud Archprieſts, whoſe will is inſtead of reaſon and equity.
3. Then ſaid Paul unto him, God ſhall ſmite thee, thou whited wall: for ſitteſt thou to juge me after the law, and commandeſt me to be ſmitten contrary to the law? 4. And they that ſtood by, ſaid, Revileſt thou Gods high Prieſt?
3. Note, The groſs injuſtice of the Archprieſt, is not blamed by them, but Paul taken as criminal for reproving it.
5. Then ſaid Paul, I wiſt not, brethren, that he was the high Prieſt: For it is written, Thou ſhalt not ſpeak evil of the ruler of thy people.
5. Note, Some think that Paul confeſſeth himſelf guilty of raſhneſs or paſſion: But others rather think that he ſpake but Ironically, Ananias being indeed no High Prieſt but an Uſurper; but yet it was not prudence for Paul openly to ſay ſo: q. d. [I knew not that he was the true High Prieſt [for he was not:] and I confeſs it a Sin to revile Rulers, for it is forbidden:] But its no ſin to vindicate innocency, and declare the unrighteouſneſs of Oppreſſours, and Prophetically to foretel Gods Judgments againſt them. Chriſt ſaid more who never ſinned, and was made under the Law, Rulers are not unreprovable.
6. But when Paul perceived that the one part were Sadducees, and the other Phariſees, he cried out in the council, Men and brethren, I am a Phariſee, the Son of a Phariſee; of the hope and reſurrection of the dead, I am called in queſtion.
6. He took the advantage of their own differences, to draw the Phariſees to favour him, and to turn their oppoſition againſt each other. He ſpake nothing but the Truth, but he left out one half of the truth and ſo it was a ſort of Equivocation: which is a ſepaking part of the truth concealing another part, knowing that the hearer will thence miſunderſtand it: This is a fault when we are obliged to declare the whole, or when its injurious to the Hearers or to the Truth, but by concealment to occaſion other Mens error or deceit▪ is not always a ſin.
7. And when he had ſo ſaid, there aroſe a diſſenſion between the Phariſees and the Sadducees: and the multitude was divided. 8. For the Sadducees ſay that there is no reſurrection, neither angel nor ſpirit; but the Phariſees confeſs both.
8. How bad a State was the Jewiſh Church in, when Men that believed no life but this had equal power with the reſt in Prieſthood and Government. 2. What Hypocrites were theſe Phariſees that could thus embody with damnable Hereticks, and yet could not endure Chriſtians, but ſilenced and murdered them like the Papiſts Prelates who can endure Jews and Atheiſts, while they burn or ſilence Proteſtants.
9. And there aroſe a great cry and the ſcribes that were of the Phariſees part aroſe, and ſtrove, ſaying We find no evil in this man: but if a ſpirit or an angel hath ſpoken to him, let us not fight againſt God.
9. Note, See how partiality will change Mens Judgment according to the intereſt of a party or faction.
10. And when there aroſe a great diſſenſion the chief captain fearing leſt Paul ſhould have been pulled in pieces of them, commanded the ſouldiers to go down, and to take him by force from among them, and to bring him, into the caſtle. 11. And the night following, the Lord ſtood by him, and ſaid, Be of good cheer, Paul: for as thou haſt teſtified of me in Jeruſalem, ſo muſt thou bear witneſs alſo at Rome.
11. Note, Gods encouragements accompany his commands and faithful ſervice.
12. And when it was day, certain of the Jews banded together, and bound themſelves under a curſe ſaying, that they would neither eat nor drink till they had killed Paul.
12. Note, Seeing the Phariſes now ſpake for him, it ſeems all or moſt of theſe furious men were Sadducees; who were then the ſtrongeſt Party. And even to this day, thoſe that believe no life to come, are the moſt cruel Enemies of Believers: And what ſhould deter ſuch from bloody Vows, Conſpiracies and Perjuries? When yet only Devilliſh malice doth provoke them.
13. And they were more then fourty which had made this conſpiracy. 14. And they came to the chief prieſts and elders, and ſaid, We have bound our ſelves under a great curſe, that we will eat nothing until we have ſlain Paul. 15. Now therefore ye with the council, ſignifie to the chief captain, that he bring him down unto you to morrow, as though ye would enquire ſomething more perfectly concerning him: and we, or ever he come near, are ready to kill him.
13. O what a Clergy was this, that muſt head a confederacy of murdering Sadducees.
16. And when Pauls ſiſters Son heard of their lying in wait, he went and entred into the caſtle, and told Paul. 17. 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. 18. 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. 19. Then the chief captain took him by the hand, and went with him aſide privately, and aſked him, What is that thou haſt to tell me? 20. And he ſaid, The Jews have agreed to deſire thee, that thou wouldeſt bring down Paul to morrow into the council, as though they would enquire ſomewhat him more perfectly. 21. But do not thou yield unto them: for there lie in wait for him of them more then fourty 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.
16, Note, 1. No Conſpiracies are kept ſecret from God, who can detect and fruſtrate them 2. No doubt but theſe Men that could Vow to ſatisfie rage, did brake it rather than famiſh.
22. So the chief captain then let the young man depart, and charged him, See thou tell no man that thou haſt ſhewed theſe things to me, 23. And he called unto him two centurions, ſaying, Make ready two hundred ſouldiers to go to Ceſarea, and horſemen threeſcore and ten, and ſpearmen two hundred, at the third hour of the night. 24. And provide them beaſts, that they may ſet Paul on, and bring him ſafe unto Felix the governour.
Note, Thus God raiſed forces of Heathens to defend his Servant.
25. And he wrote a letter after this manner 26. Claudius Lyſias, unto the moſt excellent governor Felix, ſendeth greeting 27. 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. 28. And when I would have known the cauſe wherefore they accuſed him, I brought him forth into their council: 29. 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. 30. And when it was told me, how that the Jews laid wait for the man, I ſent ſtraightway to thee, and gave commandment to his accuſers alſo, to ſay before thee what they had againſt him. Farewel.
Note, This Collonel, that by a band of Soldiers reſcued him; judgeth him guiltleſs as to the Roman Law.
31. Then the ſouldiers as it was commanded them, took Paul and brought him by night to Antipatris. 32. On the morrow they left the horſemen to go with him, and returned to the caſtle. 33. Who when they came to Ceſarea and delivered the epiſtle to the governour, preſented Paul alſo before him. 34. And when the governour had read the letter, he aſked of what province he was. And when he underſtood that he was of Cilicia: 35. I will hear thee, ſaid he, when thine accuſers are alſo come. And he commanded him to be kept in Herods judgment-hall.
35. Note, A place called Herods Hall: Not that he was there. Thus God carryed on Paul toward Rome to fulfil his Will and Work.