From Trials to Triumph

The Hatred Shown to Christ Repeated Against Paul

But though the charge was wholly false, it served to arouse popular prejudice. Wild excitement spread through Jerusalem. “All the city was moved, and the people ran together. They took Paul, and drew him out of the temple: and forthwith the doors were shut.” TT 213.2

“And as they went about to kill him, tidings came unto the chief captain of the band, that all Jerusalem was in an uproar” Claudius Lysias “immediately took soldiers and centurions, and ran down unto them: and when they saw the chief captain and the soldiers, they left beating of Paul.” Seeing that the rage of the multitude was directed against Paul, the Roman captain “took him, and commanded him to be bound with two chains; and demanded who he was, and what he had done.” At once many voices were raised in loud and angry accusation; “and as he could not learn the facts because of the uproar, he ordered him to be brought into the barracks... . The mob of the people followed, crying, ‘Away with him!’” RSV. TT 213.3

The apostle was calm and self-possessed. He knew that angels of heaven were about him. As he was about to be led into the barracks he said to the chief captain, “May I speak unto thee?” Lysias responded, “Art not thou that Egyptian, which ... madest an uproar, and leddest out into the wilderness four thousand men that were murderers?” TT 213.4

In reply Paul said, “I am ... a Jew of Tarsus, a city in Cilicia, a citizen of no mean city: and, I beseech thee, suffer me to speak unto the people.” TT 214.1