Aug 29 2008
From: Chained to His Chariot
“…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;” Acts 23:23
“Come on, Paul, are you able to walk?” All the guards had developed a liking for this old man that seemed tougher than all the Jews put together. Paul shook his sleepy head to wake himself.
“I think so. Where are we going this time of night?” Paul asked, taking note of the early night sky outside.
“You‟re going to the governor at Caesarea,” said an officer as they pulled him to his feet.
“I may be a little slow. I‟m sure I have a broken bone in my foot,” said Paul.
“Don’t worry. We got the biggest camel in Jerusalem to carry you. You’re going in style,” the officer grinned.
When he walked out onto the castle steps, he saw a virtual army below in the gloom of the evening. He didn’t see Luke, but the doctor was on another camel, along with Aristarchus on another, ready to go. The apostle did not have time to count the troops in the escort, but he was confident there were enough to get him out of the city safely.
Without a word, two soldiers boosted Paul to the saddle of his camel, and the commander gave a silent signal to move. The army kept its equipment silent as it twisted around through the dark maze of streets. Down the slope they went in the moonlight, until they were well out of the city, then the soldiers gave a rousing shout of triumph over an enemy they didn’t have to fight.
Just before dawn, they arrived at Antipatris where the weary soldiers set up their bivouac, and rested. The next day, the soldiers left Paul in the care of the horsemen, and returned to their castle barracks in Jerusalem. Paul crossed the coastal plain to Caesarea where the commander delivered Claudius Lysias’ letter to Antonius Felix. The centurion waited patiently while the Procurator read it.
With a flick of his finger, the governor sent him out to bring in Paul who was telling the troops about the Lord Jesus Christ. When he saw the centurion standing on the steps of the judgment hall, he bade them farewell and followed.
Felix looked at the sick, bedraggled figure before him, still in misery and wounds; and wondered about the ugly man who had been over much of the world.
Felix dismissed his thoughts as he remembered that Paul and his companions had gone through Caesarea nine days before, carrying baggage that his spies reported were full of money. Religious leaders had a way of gathering much money, he mused, so Paul should be able to pay a hefty ransom.
After the governor had sized up Paul, he demanded, “What province do you come from?”
“Your honor, I am a citizen of Cilicia,” Paul replied.
Felix snorted. Poor citizen, I bet. You‟ll pay dearly for your freedom, old man.
“Put him in Herod‟s judgment hall until his accusers come down from Judea. Give him whatever he wants.”
The governor harbored fantasies that his kindness would provoke Paul to offer a gift or a bribe. Paul, Luke, and Aristarchus languished in the luxury of the palace for five days, giving them more time to recuperate, and care for their other personal needs.
Aristarchus had been hit by somebody‟s walking stick, opening a large gash in his head, and causing him to have spots before his eyes. Dr. Luke opened his black bag and closed the wound and put Aristarchus to sleep with a dose of opium mixed with wine, oil, and herbs. Paul watched his disciple gulp the bitter concoction, and thought how good it would be to take a dose. What a relief it would be – for a few minutes. He retained his senses, and put the thought out of his mind.
Dr. Luke needed medical attention himself. He had a gash in his scalp; a broken rib; hair missing from his beard; a gash in an eye, and other injuries.
On the fourth day of their imprisonment, they were joyously reunited with their six friends from Jerusalem when the guard opened the door. Tears and embraces followed, as did examining each other to learn the extent of the wounds of each.
Trophimus approached Luke holding his ear for examination. “Luke, I got slapped on the ear, and I’ve had some pain in my head since, and I can’t hear a thing with it. You got any ideas?”
“Here, let me look at it,” said Luke, as he peered at the ear.
He couldn‟t see the burst ear drum, and knew nothing to do but offer some opium if Trophimus were suffering badly, but Trophimus refused. All the men had injuries that had begun to heal, and Luke treated each one.
“When you men are able to travel, I want you to go back to your homes,” Paulsaid. “When I go to Rome I’ll be able to take only two servants with me.”
“My grandmother has died, and my mother is lonely,” Timothy said, “so I’ll just go visit her a few days, and then I want to go to Ephesus. I want to join you later in Rome.”
“I‟m glad, Timothy,” Paul told him.
“I think I’ll go back home to Ephesus for awhile, and then I may come to Rome to find you,” said Trophimus.
“That‟s good, Trophimus, I‟ll be looking for you.”
“I‟m going to do the same thing,” Tychicus asserted.
“Fine. Ephesus needs all of you. What are you going to do, Sopater?”
“I’m going back to Berea to see about the church.”
“I think I’ll go back to Thessalonia, if you think that is all right, Paul, my family needs me, and I can help the church, too.” Secundus was apologetic.
“Families come first, dear brother. If they are in need, that’s where you must go. Our Lord would not have it any other way.”
“I hoped you would agree with me, brother Paul.”
Paul proceeded to tell the men that he had received a vision from the Lord, the conversation then drifted into a discussion of memories of their work together.
“And after five days Ananias the high priest descended with the elders, and with a certain orator named Tertullus, who informed the governor against Paul.” Acts 24:1
They descended, all right. Like birds of paradise from the clouds they came with servants, silverware, wine, and delicacies, animals to bear the load, perfumes; courtesans by the score. All other travelers had to get off the road for the procession. But all common travelers were duly blessed by the gesticulating of lily-white hands with manicured nails and jeweled fingers. Gems flashed in the bright sun which sparkled on the scene in spite of its revulsion. The high priest and his retinue were going down to Caesarea to accuse the apostle Paul.
What a pestilent fellow Paul had become!
The elders, too, were dressed in finery that would have raised the demon of envy in the heart of Caesar. Gorgeous garments embroidered with gold glistened in the sun. Necks adorned with gold and jewels; great emblems swaying side to side with the gait of the mounts. They looked down on the spectators with disdain, glorying in their high perches on silver saddles.
Silver trumpets announced the approaching parade as the chief priest and elders descended the rocky trail. They were being ground fine between the stones of vexation and consternation because the unwelcome summons of Felix took away their options. Oh! The inconvenience! The aggravation. They burned with resentment . He could have taken their word for it – this man ought to be exterminated. But they consoled themselves by waving their jeweled hands to the crowds below as they passed, and concealed their inner indignation.
In the caravan, too, was the notable orator, Tertullus, whose head was spinning with indictments he would bring against Paul. Never mind whether the accusations were true or not, just make them stick. He had the additional burden of thinking how he could flatter the governor. What good could be said about the man? Never mind – just make up something that would sound good.
By the time they arrived in Caesarea, the whole retinue was so sore from ridingthe camels’ backs they hoped no one would notice their odd movements when they walked. And horrors! They needed to sit – but, oh, the agony! The pomp and splendor with which they entered the court room caused Felix’ jawbone to drop. When the governor recovered his startled senses, he looked at his counselors, and raised his eyebrows in amusement. Settling into his judgment seat, he yawned and beckoned to the Jews to get on with it. Then he tried to entertain himself with thoughts of being somewhere else, doing something else – anywhere else doing anything else.
It was time for Tertullus to earn his pay. He stood before the governor, and with a theatrical sweep of his hand, launched into a laudatory list of the governor‟s imagined qualities. The governor yawned, and rolled his eyes back.
He had heard it before. The lawyer‟s perfumed words soon deteriorated into a tirade against the apostle. Tertullus failed to point out that Paul‟s existence had changed the lives of thousands of people into better citizens of the empire. He lied; told half truths; stretched the truth, and twisted the facts with such alacrity it would have made a modern lawyer blush. But it mattered little since the governor‟s mind was on wine and song. His main concern was what the royal chef was preparing in the kitchen. Out of words at last Tertullus gingerly took a seat amid the congratulations of his employers.
Paul‟s blood pressure now was so high he felt like he was being placed in his coffin. His mouth was dry, his eyes dribbled, and every muscle on his frame screamed for opium. He didn‟t realize he was on his feet, and he didn‟t realize his mouth was pouring forth words, until he was startled by his own voice. His defense had been a masterpiece, but he could only vaguely remember giving it.
Paul could see through the trash piles floating around in his eyes the figure of Felix sitting on the edge of his gilded chair. The governor understood the Gospel, but he was also a master of procrastination. Besides it was lunch time.
“When Lysias comes down, I will know for certain what went on.”
The Jews were furious. They‟d made that miserable journey all the way down here to see Paul condemned. Now Felix ordered Paul to be kept like a special guest. They were frustrated, too, because they could not come up with a fragment of evidence to prove anything against Paul. Felix was only interested in what Paul may have done to injure the kingdom. Burning with wrath, they mounted their camels and went home.
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