Acts 23:29Meaning & Commentary from the Church Fathers

"There is in him," he says, "no fault deserving death or bonds." This serves more to condemn them than him. Such was their eagerness to kill him.

Here is a letter written in his defense and in accusation of the Jews. Look: Paul is acknowledged innocent not by the Jews, but by foreigners, just as Christ was by Pilate.

The Jews were greatly angered that the Roman official was not wholly on their side. They were also angered that the trial of Paul had not fulfilled their desire to deliver the apostle to death.

Then certain fanatics from among them, forty men in number, took a vow neither to eat nor drink until they had killed Paul.

To carry out their murderous design, they told the high priest and the other members of the Sanhedrin to ask the commander to bring Paul before them again for trial. During his journey to the Sanhedrin, they intended to kill him.

But their design was discovered, and Paul’s nephew brought it to the commander’s attention.

Concerning disputed opinions: verses 6-9.

Lysias defines the apostle’s guilt in the same way as all people of this sort. He does not enter into particulars, but generally refers everything to differences of opinion on religious matters.

These matters did not touch anything deserving any punishment, still less death or bonds. From this one may conclude that Paul was sent to Caesarea not in chains.

His Grace Michael says that the letter’s concealment of the commander’s rash act proves its authenticity beyond doubt. That rash act was his intention to begin the judicial inquiry about Paul by scourging him.

This is so, although it is unknown from where the author of Acts obtained the letter.

Yet the authenticity of the letter is also revealed by its whole content and tone. Likewise, this authenticity is proved by its presence in all the ancient codices and by other very early testimonies concerning it.