Acts 21:36Meaning & Commentary from the Church Fathers

What does "Away with him" mean? The Jews had the custom of saying this against those whom they accused. Thus they also said of Christ, "Away with Him," that is, destroy Him from among the living. Others think that the expression "Take him away" means what we say according to the Roman custom: place him under arrest. Why did they cry, "Take him away"? They feared that he might escape.

What does "Take him away" mean? Some explain it according to Roman custom, namely, "Attack him." Or it means, remove him from the number of the living. For the Jews had the custom of shouting this phrase against the righteous, as they also shouted against the Lord, "Away with Him" (Jn 19:15), that is, remove Him from the number of the living.

Since they saw that the followers of the new grace observed the precepts of the law less and performed the temple rites less often, they feared, as it says in the Gospel, that the Romans would come and destroy their place and nation (see Jn 11:48).

The Apostle was seized, and the enraged crowd would have torn him apart if the tribune, Lysias (Acts 23:26), commander of the Jerusalem garrison, had not heard of the popular disturbance and come to the scene with part of the troops entrusted to him. Thinking Paul truly guilty of something, the tribune approached, took him, and ordered him to be bound with two chains. Then, unable to learn what the prisoner was accused of because of the disorderly shouting of the people, he ordered him to be brought into the fortress.

But as soon as he had managed to go up the stairs leading to the top of the building and then into the fortress, the mob feared that it would be deprived of the pleasure of taking vengeance. It made a new attack on him with savage cries, "Away with him!" The Apostle Paul, unable to walk by himself because of the blows he had received, was lifted by the soldiers and carried out of the crowd. He was saved from being torn to pieces chiefly because Lysias kept him near himself.

The fury of the people was shown in this: they pressed upon the soldiers who were leading Paul away from them, crying, "Away with him!" These were the same cries that once rang out near this very place against the Lord (Lk 23:18).

The way from the temple courts to the fortress of Antonia was not long, but it proved difficult for Paul. It went uphill and was narrow, especially where there were steps like a stairway.

Therefore, seeing this great inconvenience, the soldiers thought it better to carry Paul in their arms, as if in triumph. His enemies followed in great numbers and cried, “Away with him!”

In like manner the evildoers also cried out against Christ, “Away with Him!” (Lk 23:18), or according to the Greek reading, “Take Him away.” That means, “Remove Him from among the living.”