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A word fitly spoken is like apples of gold is as pictures of silver.(Prov.25:11) It is so important to speak the right words to people at the right time to produce the right results. When you think of apples of gold in pictures of silver, then you are thinking of wealth and excellence. When we speak wisdom into the lives of others we are making them wealthy. Therefore we must seek God for He is the source of all wisdom and He will give us just the right words needed at the right time.
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#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. Acts 23:27
The Greek word for the army is Strateuma which is an expedition, a company of soldiers. which comes from strateuomai; an armament, i.e. (by implication) a body of troops. So it is God through His providence who rescued Paul from the Jews who were trying to kill him. God uses people to accomplish His absolute will, as Jesus testified to Paul that as he was delivered from Jerusalem to preach the gospel, he would go to Rome also to testify. The chief captain is trying to take credit for God and we too must be careful to give God all the glory for He will not share His glory with any man. Being a Roman citizen has its benefits, but the ultimate benefit is to be a child of God and a citizen of heaven. That is why we must trust in the Lord with all our hearts and not lean unto our own understanding but in all our ways acknowledge Him then He will direct our paths. God will move heaven and earth to save us when we call on Him for salvation.
#And he 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. Acts 23:23,24
The Greek word for three score and ten is Hebdomos and from a modified form Deka; which means seventy. This is significant to the seventy disciples whom Jesus sent out in addition to the twelve apostles. Luke 10:1,17 So we see how God through His providential will intends to bring Paul safely on the beast to Felix the governor. And he wrote a letter after this manner: Claudius Lysias unto the most excellent governor Felix sendeth greeting. I thank God that He moves in power because He is omnipotent and omniscient who sees all things to make them work to our good for His glory. So the next time you find yourself in a situation like what Paul was in call out to almighty God and He will show you great and mighty things that you know not of. Oh praise the name of Jehovah Rapha for He is a doctor when you need healing, and He is a lawyer when you need saving from the legal system. Give God all the glory for He alone is worthy of all of our praises.
#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? Acts 23:19
The Greek word for privately is Kata which means a primary particle (prepositional) down in varied relations to the case or accusation. And he said, the Jews have agreed to desire thee that thou wouldest bring down Paul tomorrow into the council, as though they would enquire 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. So 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. So we see how the Lord used Kata to conceal the matter before the Jews. The young man had much courage in protecting his uncle Paul. How many of us would have had that same courage? I pray that families can unite around this Kata principle of scripture and meet with our loved ones to tell them of some plots against them to save their lives. I thank God that the Lord Jesus has already confirmed to Paul that he will testify of Him in Rome and God works in mysterious ways how He brings about His providential will for us in our lives. It is my prayer if you are in danger that you will trust in the Lord with all of your heart and lean not unto your understanding, but in all thy ways acknowledge Him and He will direct thy pathway.
#Now, therefore, ye with the council signify to the chief captain that he bring him down unto you tomorrow, as though ye would enquire something more perfectly concerning him and we, or ever he come near, are ready to kill him. Acts 23:15
The Greek word for more perfectly is Akribesteron which means more exactly. And the Jews more exactly wanted to Kill Paul, and when Paul's sister's son heard of their lying in wait, he went and entered 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. What a blessing that the nephew of Paul was there to warn him of their plot to kill him. Some would say that this was luck that he was there, but for the Christian, there is no such thing as luck, it is called the providential will of God. Just as Easther was in the kingdom for such a time as this according to the providential will of God and called a fast and prayed to God to save the Jews from that wicked Haman. Standeth in the shadows is God always keeping watch over his own. The Jews celebrate Purim to remember how God providentially saved the Jews from annihilation. So God will save Paul from this council's attempt to kill him according to his providential will.
#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 until they had killed Paul. Acts 23:12
The Greek word for curse is Anathematizo which means to declare anathema or devote to destruction. From anathema to declare or vow under penalty of execration or to ( bind under a) curse, with an oath. This is the strongest vow that the Jews could make and it shows how much they wanted to Kill Paul. They would not eat nor drink until they had fulfilled their vow. Paul preached in Galatians if an angel or anyone would preach another gospel, then let them be anathema. This no doubt was what he was thinking of those Jews who had made this vow to kill him for preaching the grace of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. Thank God that Jesus has stood with Paul to let him be of good cheer, that as he witnessed in Jerusalem, he would indeed witness the gospel in Rome. Jesus told us in this world we will have persecution, but to be of good cheer for I have overcome this world. John 16:33 As we get closer to the coming of the Lord Christians will be under assault for their belief in the gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ and we are told not to fear them that can only kill the body. Instead fear Him who can destroy body and soul in the Lake of Fire. In Revelation 6:10 There will be tribulation martyrs who will be welcomed into heaven, and Jesus will tell them to be clothed with a white robe and wait until the full number of thy brethren is complete. The Lord will take vengeance on all those who kill Christians for their faith and if you become a martyr for the Lord then you will receive the crown of life at the Judgment Seat of Christ in heaven.
#And when there arose a great dissension, the chief captain, fearing lest Paul should have been pulled in pieces of them, commanded the soldiers to go down and to take him by force from among them and to bring him into the castle. Acts 23:10
The Greek word for dissension is Stasis, which means a rebel, or revolutionist. So it was that there was such a revolution taking place with Paul because the Pharisees and Sadducees were in disagreement about what to do with Paul. So the chief captain fearing that they would pull him to pieces commanded the soldiers to go down and take him by force from among them and bring him into the castle. 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. It is amazing how the providential will of the Lord Jesus places us just in the right place at the right time, and that is why the Lord Jesus stood by Paul to encourage him at such a difficult time as he was doing the will of God. Thank the Lord that when He uses us for His glory He rewards us for our faithfulness to do the Lord's will. I also thank the Lord for the much-needed rain as we were in the most severe drought that I have ever witnessed in my lifetime. As the scripture says God causes His rain to fall on the just and unjust alike. What a mighty God we serve who does not leave us without a testimony just as He gave Paul his awesome testimony about the Lord Jesus in Jerusalem, I can give my testimony to the goodness of the Lord in the land of the living here in Houston, Texas.
#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. Acts 23:6
The Greek word for Sadducees is Saddoukaios which was a follower of a certain heretical Israelite and a member of a Jewish religious sect. Sadducees, who distinguished from birth, wealth, and official position and were not averse to the favor of the Herod family and of the Romans the common people, were the opponents of the Pharisees and rejected tradition while acknowledging the authority of the Old Testament alone in matters pertaining to faith and morals. They denied not only the resurrection of the body but also the immortality of the soul and future retribution. So Paul is aware of this so he tells them he is a Pharisee and the son of one, and also he is being called into question because of the hope and resurrection of the dead. And when he had so said, there arose a dissension between the Pharisees and the Sadducees and the multitude was divided. For the Sadducees say there is no resurrection, neither angel nor spirit but the Pharisees confess both. What a brilliant move by Paul to tell them this, so there arose a great cry and the scribes that were of the Pharisees' part arose and strove to say, We find no evil in this man but if a spirit or an angel hath spoken to him, let us not fight against God. So we see how the Lord God causes all things to work together for the good of those who love the Lord and are called according to His purpose. Rom. 8:28
#Then said Paul unto him, God shall smite thee, thou whited wall: for sittest thou to judge me after the law and commandest me to be smitten contrary to the law? Acts 23:3
The Greek word for smite is Typto which means to strike or beat. A primary verb; is to thump, i.e. Cudgel or pummel with a stick or bastinado but in any case by repeated blows. This was against the teaching of the Law and Paul immediately said he was a whited wall. We get the Greek word Koniao which means to plaster over. That is exactly what the Lord God will do to Ananias for having him smitten. The Bible says the righteous are as bold as a lion, and that is why Paul was not afraid to respond with such a rebuke. Only God can sit in judgment of us righteously who has all the truth and can thus judge fairly. Paul has come a long way as he was once a persecutor of the Church, but now he is saved, sanctified, and will be glorified when the Lord calls him home. When we fear God, that leaves no man left for us to fear. Paul knows his help comes from the Lord and He will not abandon him to the lions. And they that stood by said, Revilest thou God's high priest? 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. So Paul was not aware he was the high priest so he did not intend to speak evil of him. This is a lesson in humility as Paul is willing to admit that he should not have called him a whited wall. We must be angry and sin not. Therefore, we must be at peace with all men and walk in holiness, for without holiness no man will see the Lord. So the next time you are tempted to speak evil of the leader of your people, guard thy tongue which is full of deadly poison.
#And Paul, earnestly beholding the council, said Men and brethren, I have lived in all good conscience before God until this day. Acts 23:1
The Greek word for council is Synedrion which is a sitting together of the Sanhedrin; a joint session, i.e., the Jewish Sanhedrin; by analogy, a subordinate tribunal. The more important causes were brought before this tribunal, inasmuch as the Roman rulers of Judaea had left to it the power of trying such cases and also pronouncing sentence of death, with the limitation that a capital sentence pronounced by the Sanhedrin was not valid unless it was confirmed by the Roman procurator. John 18:11 As that is exactly what happened to the Lord Jesus and He told the disciples that they would indeed be baptized with the same baptism that He had suffered. And so the high priest Ananias commanded them that stood by Paul, to smite him on the mouth. This shows how prejudiced this council is against Paul, and he was indeed offended by their actions. When we stand before a court of Law we expect justice, but there is often no justice for Christians standing before this Sanhedrin. Thank God that the Lord Jesus is our defense attorney and He stands beside us when we are accused by the devil. Jesus pleads the blood that was shed on the cross for the remission of our sins. So we are overcome by the Blood of the Lamb and the Word of our testimony.
#Then straightway they departed from him which should have examined him and the chief captain also was afraid after he knew that he was a Roman and because he had bound him. Acts 22:29
The Greek word for afraid is Phobeomai which means to put to flight, to terrify. From Phobos; to frighten, i.e. to be alarmed; by analogy, to be in awe of. So the captain was in awe of Paul knowing that he was a Roman citizen who was not condemned by the law, and they had bound him, which was against the Roman law. And thus he was in fear for his life from harm or injury. Matt 10:31 To reverence, or venerate, to treat with deference therefore he had reverential obedience to obey the law and set Paul free. On the morrow, because he would have known the certainty wherefore he was accused of the Jews, he loosed him from his bands and commanded the chief priests and all their council to appear and brought Paul down and set him before them. What a mighty God we serve for angels bow down before Him, and heaven and earth adore Him. Let us praise God for His mighty deliverance for He has not given us a spirit of fear, but of power, love, and a sound mind. So the next time you find yourself in trouble with the law, do not run, for you or innocent until proven guilty by a court of your peers. The American Jurisprudence System is based on this same standard therefore hold your peace and when the Holy Spirit gives you the wisdom to speak, then speak the truth in love.
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