Reference: Lysias Claudius
Fausets
A Roman chiliarch or captain in charge of the troops of the citadel Antonia at Paul's last visit to Jerusalem. He rescued Paul from the fanatical crowd, and subsequently from the plot of more than 40 zealots against his life (Ac 21:27-36; 23:12-33). With worldly tact he in writing to Felix makes no mention of having bound Paul for scourging (Ac 21:33; 22:24-29), for he" feared" the consequences to himself of having so treated a Roman citizen. Still his treatment of the apostle otherwise, after he knew his Roman citizenship, was fair and firm.
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But, when the seven days were nearly over, the Jews from the province of Asia, having seen Paul in the Temple, set about rousing the fury of all the people against him. They laid hands on him, crying out, "Men of Israel, help! help! This is the man who goes everywhere preaching to everybody against the Jewish people and the Law and this place. And besides, he has even brought Gentiles into the Temple and has desecrated this holy place." read more. (For they had previously seen Trophimus the Ephesian with him in the city, and imagined that Paul had brought him into the Temple.) The excitement spread through the whole city, and the people rushed in crowds to the Temple, and there laid hold of Paul and began to drag him out; and the Temple gates were immediately closed. But while they were trying to kill Paul, word was taken up to the Tribune in command of the battalion, that all Jerusalem was in a ferment. He instantly sent for a few soldiers and their officers, and came down among the people with all speed. At the sight of the Tribune and the troops they ceased beating Paul. Then the Tribune, making his way to him, arrested him, and, having ordered him to be secured with two chains, proceeded to ask who he was and what he had been doing.
Then the Tribune, making his way to him, arrested him, and, having ordered him to be secured with two chains, proceeded to ask who he was and what he had been doing. Some of the crowd shouted one accusation against Paul and some another, until, as the uproar made it impossible for the truth to be ascertained with certainty, the Tribune ordered him to be brought into the barracks. read more. When Paul was going up the steps, he had to be carried by the soldiers because of the violence of the mob; for the whole mass of the people pressed on in the rear, shouting, "Away with him!"
the Tribune ordered him to be brought into the barracks, and be examined by flogging, in order to ascertain the reason why they thus cried out against him. But, when they had tied him up with the straps, Paul said to the Captain who stood by, "Does the Law permit you to flog a Roman citizen--and one too who is uncondemned?" read more. On hearing this question, the Captain went to report the matter to the Tribune. "What are you intending to do?" he said. "This man is a Roman citizen." So the Tribune came to Paul and asked him, "Tell me, are you a Roman citizen?" "Yes," he said. "I paid a large sum for my citizenship," said the Tribune. "But I was born free," said Paul. So the men who had been on the point of putting him under torture immediately left him. And the Tribune, too, was frightened when he learnt that Paul was a Roman citizen, for he had had him bound.
Now, when daylight came, the Jews formed a conspiracy and solemnly swore not to eat or drink till they had killed Paul. There were more than forty of them who bound themselves by this oath. read more. They went to the High Priests and Elders and said to them, "We have bound ourselves under a heavy curse to take no food till we have killed Paul. Now therefore you and the Sanhedrin should make representations to the Tribune for him to bring him down to you, under the impression that you intend to inquire more minutely about him; and we are prepared to assassinate him before he comes near the place." But Paul's sister's son heard of the intended attack upon him. So he came and went into the barracks and told Paul about it; and Paul called one of the Captains and said, "Take this young man to the Tribune, for he has information to give him." So he took him and brought him to the Tribune, and said, "Paul, the prisoner, called me to him and begged me to bring this youth to you, because he has something to say to you." Then the Tribune, taking him by the arm, withdrew out of the hearing of others and asked him, "What have you to tell me?" "The Jews," he replied, "have agreed to request you to bring Paul down to the Sanhedrin to-morrow for the purpose of making yourself more accurately acquainted with the case. I beg you not to comply; for more than forty men among them are lying in wait for him, who have solemnly vowed that they will neither eat nor drink till they have assassinated him; and even now they are ready, in anticipation of receiving that promise of you." So the Tribune sent the youth home, cautioning him. "Do not let any one know that you have given me this information," he said. Then, calling to him two of the Captains, he gave his orders. "Get ready two hundred men," he said, "to march to Caesarea, with seventy cavalry and two hundred light infantry, starting at nine o'clock to-night." He further told them to provide horses to mount Paul on, so as to bring him safely to Felix the Governor. He also wrote a letter of which these were the contents: "Claudius Lysias to his Excellency, Felix the Governor: all good wishes. This man Paul had been seized by the Jews, and they were on the point of killing him, when I came upon them with the troops and rescued him, for I had been informed that he was a Roman citizen. And, wishing to know with certainty the offense of which they were accusing him, I brought him down into their Sanhedrin, and I discovered that the charge had to do with questions of their Law, but that he was accused of nothing for which he deserves death or imprisonment. But now that I have received information of an intended attack upon him, I immediately send him to you, directing his accusers also to state before you the case they have against him." So, in obedience to their orders, the soldiers took Paul and brought him by night as far as Antipatris. The next day the infantry returned to the barracks, leaving the cavalry to proceed with him; and, the cavalry having reached Caesarea and delivered the letter to the Governor, they brought Paul also to him.
Smith
Lys'ias Clau'dius,
a chief captain of the band, that is, tribune of the Roman cohort who rescued St. Paul from the hands of the infuriated mob at Jerusalem, and sent him under a guard to Felix, the governor or proconsul of Caesarea.
seq.; Acts 23:26; 24:7 (A.D. 55.)
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But while they were trying to kill Paul, word was taken up to the Tribune in command of the battalion, that all Jerusalem was in a ferment.