Acts 23:10Meaning & Commentary from the Church Fathers

The tribune fears that Paul will be torn apart, once he has said that he is a Roman. Therefore this was not without danger. Do you see that he rightly called himself a Roman? Otherwise the tribune would not have become afraid even now. But the soldiers take him away. Seeing that everything had failed, these wicked men begin to act on their own, as they had wished before, but had been hindered. Thus malice never rests, despite any obstacles. Yet how many circumstances here disposed them to calm their anger and come to their senses! Nevertheless they persist. Even this was enough to instruct them: the man they wished to tear apart is taken from them and escapes such dangers. See: the tribune hears that the Pharisees acknowledge him innocent. He then takes his side and removes him with great boldness.

"The commander, fearing..." He feared that they would tear Paul apart, since Paul had said that he was a Roman. The matter was not far from danger. At last the soldiers snatched him away, I think, as their own possession.

From the way the trial began, the Apostle clearly saw that direct defense at this trial was unthinkable. It was impossible to expect justice here. Therefore he began to strive only that the trial should end in nothing.

For this, he used the fact that the Sanhedrin consisted of men from two opposing and irreconcilably hostile parties, the Pharisaic and the Sadducean.

He had in mind that the Sadducees denied the resurrection of the dead, as well as the existence of angels and of the souls of departed men. The Pharisees confessed both.

This was the chief point of disagreement between the named parties. Therefore the Apostle cried out with a loud voice in the Sanhedrin: “Men and brethren, I am a Pharisee, the son of a Pharisee.”

The Jews, even these distinguished hierarchs and rabbis, again showed a complete inability to govern themselves. Even within the sacred bounds of the Sanhedrin there arose such a powerful disturbance that the Apostle Paul was once more in danger of being torn to pieces. This time the danger came from the hands of learned and distinguished men. Lysias grew more and more amazed at the wildness of the Jews. First they had attacked Paul in the temple with such unanimity. Now in the Sanhedrin, half of them seemed to be fighting in his defense. He resolved not to surrender his fellow citizen to the disgraceful fate awaiting him. He ordered the soldiers to take him from the Sanhedrin. And there, in the barracks of foreign conquerors, the Lord again appeared to His courageous Apostle and said to him: 'Take courage, Paul. For as you have testified concerning Me in Jerusalem, so you must also testify in Rome.'

'Lest they tear Paul apart.' Both sides were so excited and argued so hotly that the tribune began to fear Paul might become a victim of the parties' mutual irritation. One party, the Sadducean party hostile to him, might in anger rush violently upon the Apostle to insult him. The other party, the Pharisaic party temporarily disposed toward him, might rush to defend him from the hostile attack. Thus they might literally tear Paul apart. 'He commanded the soldiers to go down' from the Antonia fortress to the place where the Sanhedrin was sitting. This may have been the Court of the Gentiles by the temple, where Roman soldiers could enter. Paul was brought out to them there, so that he might be taken back into the fortress. The tribune now had a double obligation to care for Paul's safety.

The Apostle Paul's deliverance from the Sanhedrin was carried out by soldiers sent by their commander. He feared that Paul's enemies would tear him apart, taking advantage of the general confusion with which the disorderly session of the Sanhedrin had ended. If the Apostle could have been torn apart, one understands how many outward horrors and deathly agonies he had to endure. From this one understands how consoling was the Lord's appearance to him on the following night. Then the Lord approved his patient and wise witness to Him in Jerusalem. He also revealed that Paul must bear witness in Rome as well. From this, of course, Paul understood that his departure from Jerusalem would sooner or later take place without obstruction. St.

By stirring up a dispute among the judges themselves, he gave the commander occasion to take him and lead him to a safe place. The Apostle also used a similar means when he recalled that he was a Roman. In this same circumstance, he made use of it when they wished to scourge him (Acts 22:25-29). In Philippi too he brought it forward to bring the disturbance against him there to a final quieting (Acts 16:37-39).