THE CONSPIRACY TO KILL PAUL

Acts 23:12-14 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. And they were more than forty, which had made this conspiracy. And they came to the chief priests and elders, and said, We have bound ourselves under a great curse, that we will eat nothing until we have slain Paul.

Although their plot to have Paul put to death was opposed by the Pharisees who could find no evil in this man (Paul), and although Paul had been saved from their riotous acts of civil rebellion by the chief captain and his Roman militia, the Jewish zealots, that vehemently opposed Christianity, continued their unrelenting mission of putting Paul to death. Jews did not unanimously support this plot, but it more than likely was encouraged, sought, and participated in by a large majority of the Jews - all that still vehemently rejected Jesus Christ as the Messiah and avidly remained anti-Christian.

The previous night Paul spent in the castle under Roman guard (Vs. 11). But when day arose, the fanatical Jews that opposed Paul and the gospel message of salvation in Christ Jesus that he preached, banded together and swore an oath among themselves that they would neither eat not drink till they had killed Paul. More than forty Jews, having great indignation against Paul, joined together and made this conspiracy to slay him. Having banded together with a oath, these Jews took their plan and explained it to the chief priests and elders, who were more than likely the leaders of the sect of the Sadducees that openly opposed Paul and his preaching of eternal salvation through Christ Jesus, the promised Messiah.

The verses following the lesson text reveal just how this conspiracy was to take place. The council members were to go to the chief captain, the Roman military leader in charge of the soldiers that were guarding Paul, and ask that he be brought before the Sanhedrin. They were to tell the chief captain that they desired to ask Paul additional questions. And while Paul was being brought to meet with the council once again, the Jews, that conspired together under oath, would ambush them and kill Paul (Vs. 15).

However, the following verses 16 through 22, tell how the conspiracy was foiled. It began with Paul's nephew. This is the only occasion that is recorded in the New Testament regarding the extended family of the apostle Paul. From this limited information, we know that he had a sister, and her son was Paul's nephew. Whether they resided in Jerusalem, Tarsus, or elsewhere, we are not told. We only know that Paul's nephew, in some manner, overheard, or was secretively given information about the plans of his would-be killers, and he went into the castle where Paul was being held and revealed the conspiracy. Paul then called one of the centurions unto him and requested that his nephew be taken to the chief captain in order to tell him of the plot. This took place as Paul requested and the entire conspiracy was made known to the chief captain. After revealing the plans of the Jewish mob to kill Paul, his nephew had this request of the Roman official: 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 (Vs. 21). The only thing that stood in the way of these Jewish conspirators carrying out their plan to ambush and kill Paul was the consent of the chief captain, and the deliverance of Paul to the Sanhedrin.

Realizing the conspiracy of these radical Jews, the chief captain then let the young man depart, and charged him, See thou tell no man that thou hast shown these things to me (Vs. 22). At any point in this conspiracy God could have intervened in any number of ways and rescued Paul from these violent, unbelieving Jews. However, God saw a reason to save Paul from sure death at the "eleventh hour." Throughout the Bible, the last minute salvation of God' people from disaster seems to have been prevalent. Such was the case here. And why was Paul to be saved? We previously were told that God, and His Son, Jesus Christ had much more for Paul to do. He was told by the Lord, Be of good cheer, Paul: for as thou hast testified of me in Jerusalem, so must thou bear witness also at Rome (Acts 23:11). Thus God interceded, the conspiracy to kill Paul was foiled, and he was to continue the commission bestowed on him by Jesus to teach the gospel of salvation to both Jews and Gentiles in Rome and throughout the world.