THE SPREAD IN ASIA MINOR AND EUROPE THROUGH THE MINISTRY OF PAUL AND HIS COMPANIONS (28)
Read and pray: "But the Lord said to him, Go, for he is a chosen vessel of mine to bear my name before the Gentiles, kings, and the children of Israel." (Acts 18:15)
In Acts 23:16–24:27, we see that Paul was transferred to Felix, the Roman governor in Caesarea. According to Acts 23:16–25, this transfer was carried out secretly. Acts 23:16–18 says: “But when the son of Paul’s sister heard of the plot, he went, entered the barracks, and told Paul. Then Paul called one of the centurions and said, Take this young man to the commander, for he has something to tell him. So he took him and brought him to the commander, saying, The prisoner Paul called me and asked me to bring this young man to you, as he has something to say to you.” This also shows the Lord’s sovereignty in rescuing Paul’s life.
When the Roman commander heard about the conspiracy against Paul, he exercised his authority and wisdom to send him to Caesarea, where the governor of the province of Judea resided. Concerning this, we read in verses 23 and 24: “Then he called two of the centurions and said, Prepare two hundred soldiers, seventy horsemen, and two hundred spearmen to go to Caesarea at the third hour of the night. Also provide mounts for Paul to ride and bring him safely to Governor Felix.”
These spearmen may have been slingers, or sling throwers, that is, lightly armed soldiers. The third hour of the night was nine o’clock. Felix, to whom Paul was to be taken safely, was the Roman governor of the province of Judea.
The Roman commander exercised his authority to the extent of using two hundred soldiers, seventy horsemen, and two hundred spearmen to transfer Paul from Jerusalem to Caesarea. Those conspiring against him never imagined that the Roman commander would take such action. They hoped to kill him the next day. But during the night, the Roman commander removed him from Jerusalem in a procession of four hundred and seventy soldiers. Here again, we see the Lord’s sovereignty.
In Acts 23:31, we read: “So the soldiers, as they were commanded, took Paul and brought him by night to Antipatris.” Antipatris was a place about forty Roman miles from Jerusalem and about twenty-six from Caesarea.
Acts 23:33–35 recounts what happened once Paul was taken to Caesarea: “When they came to Caesarea and delivered the letter to the governor, they also presented Paul to him. After reading the letter, the governor asked what province he was from. When he learned that he was from Cilicia, he said, I will hear you when your accusers arrive also. And he ordered that he be kept in Herod’s Praetorium.”
The Praetorium, built by Herod the Great, was the palace of former kings. It became the official residence of the Roman governor of the province of Judea. Paul was kept there with leniency, not in a common prison. In the next message, we will see what happened to Paul under Felix, the Roman governor, in Caesarea.
Enjoy more: Hymn S-91
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