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Acts 23:12–15
“When it was day, the Jews made a plot and bound themselves by an oath neither to eat nor drink till they had killed Paul. There were more than forty who made this conspiracy” (vv. 12–13).
Today we return to our study of the book of Acts. We took a pause just after Paul appeared before the Sanhedrin and was pulled away by the Roman tribune because the Jewish uproar threatened to hurt or even kill the Apostle (Acts 22:30–23:11). The Roman official still wanted to investigate the complaint against Paul (see 21:27–22:29), and he thought Paul would be safer in the barracks.
In Acts 23:12–15, we learn that Paul remained in danger, that many Jews were still plotting against the Apostle and seeking to manipulate the tribune into moving Paul so that they could kill him. Luke tells us that more than forty Jews entered into a conspiracy against Paul, swearing an “oath neither to eat nor drink till they had killed Paul” (vv. 12–13). This invocation of an oath shows just how deep into depravity the men had fallen. Oaths and vows in ancient Judaism were supposed to be used only for sacred things and on sacred occasions, but here the Jews were taking an oath to do a great evil to the Apostle. Certainly, the Jews who were a party to the conspiracy thought that they were doing the right thing, but that just shows us how blinding hatred and anger can be. Thus, the Bible warns us that to give ourselves over to anger will cause much transgression (Prov. 29:22). There exists a proper, righteous anger at sin and injustice, but since we are fallen creatures, we must take care to temper it. In any case, the Jews who conspired against Paul were placing themselves in grave spiritual peril. Matthew Henry comments: “To incline to do evil, and intend to do it, is bad; but to engage to do it is much worse. This is entering into covenant with the devil; it is swearing allegiance to the prince of darkness; it is leaving no room for repentance; nay, it is bidding defiance to it.”
We see the conspirators’ fanatical commitment to their plot to kill Paul in their willingness to go on a “hunger strike,” as Dr. R.C. Sproul puts it, until they succeeded. It is also evident in their petitioning the Sanhedrin to ask for Paul to come before the Jewish court again so that they could ambush him before he arrived and kill him (Acts 23:14–15). Roman soldiers would be escorting him to the Sanhedrin, and they would return any attack on Paul with lethal force, which meant that the Jewish conspirators themselves would be killed even if they successfully assassinated Paul. They hated Paul and his gospel so much that they were willing to die to stop his ministry.
Coram Deo Living before the face of God
We should never underestimate the lengths to which the enemies of the gospel may be willing to go to silence those who proclaim it. Some people have such a fanatical hatred of the gospel that they may even try to kill Christians. In the West, we do not often face threats on our lives, but our brothers and sisters in Christ in other places do. Let us pray for their protection as often as we remember the threats that they face.
For further study
- Psalm 37:12
- Proverbs 12:20; 16:27
- Proverbs 24:8
- Mark 14:1–2, 10–11
The bible in a year
- Jeremiah 27–28
- 2 Timothy 4