Protecting Paul

“While they were intent on killing him, a report came up to the commander of the Roman cohort that all Jerusalem was in confusion. He immediately took along some soldiers and centurions and ran down to the crowd…” (1) To the northwest of the temple stood the Antonia Fortress, overlooking the entire temple area. During the time of feast, strict surveillance was enforced. This was a measure born out of Roman military wisdom, gained from over 50 years of experience ruling the Jews. During this feast also, soldiers were stationed to monitor activities within the temple. (2) Let’s reflect on the tragedy of God’s people being placed under the surveillance of the Roman military. The root cause of this situation lay in the unbelief of the Jewish people. Similarly, we too, can be enslaved to things other than God, as a result of unbelief. (3) The commotion was immediately reported to the commander of the Roman cohort. The one who quelled the riot was Claudius Lysias (Acts 23:26), the cohort commander. He led his soldiers and centurions to intervene and confront the mob. (4) When the mob saw the Roman soldiers, they stopped beating Paul. Both those inciting the riot and those tasked with suppressing it were risking their lives. The rioters faced the possibility of execution for their actions, and soldiers who failed to quell the riot could also be subjected to the death penalty. “Then the commander came up and took hold of him, and ordered that he be bound with two chains; and he began asking who he was and what he had done. But among the crowd, some were shouting one thing and some another, and when he could not find out the facts…” (1) Paul was bound with two chains, likely connected to two soldiers. This was the method used for handling serious offenders. (2) The commander asked the crowd why Paul was the cause of the commotion. However, due to the chaotic nature of the crowd, he could not ascertain the facts. As a result, the commander decided to take Paul into the fortress for questioning. “When Paul got to the stairs, it came about that he was carried by the soldiers because of the violence of the mob; for the multitude of people kept following them, shouting, ‘Away with him!’” As Paul was being escorted, the crowd attempted to seize him from the soldiers. This forced the soldiers to lift Paul and carry him. There is a parallel here with Luke 23:18: “But they cried out all together, saying, ‘Away with this Man, and release to us Barabbas!’” Paul was walking the path of the cross that the Lord Jesus had walked. We, too, are called to walk that same path.