When first Claudius Lysias, the chief captain (chiliarch – commander of a thousand men) comes on the scene Paul was about to be beaten by a mob. His safety having been secured, Paul asked if he could address the crowd and was permitted. Then, when his testimony provoked them afresh, Claudius rushed him off to prison, intending to scourge him and so obtain the truth. However, he learned that Paul was a Roman citizen and so he had to desist, amazed to learn that whereas he had bought that privilege, Paul had been freeborn.
The following day he presented Paul to the Sanhedrin in an attempt to have the means whereby to accuse him. Paul again took the opportunity to witness, setting the Pharisees against the Sadducees, and again necessitating the captain’s coming to his rescue, and imprisoning him for another night.
During that night ‘the Lord stood by Paul’, and spoke words only He could speak in such a dire situation. He fully met the present need, ‘Be of good cheer, Paul’; He acknowledged his past witness, ‘thou hast testified of me in Jerusalem’; he confirmed his future destination, ‘so must thou bear witness also at Rome’.
How would this be secured? Once again it is through the chief captain. Once acquainted with the plot on Paul’s life, a personal escort of 470 military men is organized, with a horse for Paul’s personal comfort. He even writes a covering letter, though a little ‘tongue-in-cheek’, as he alters some details to present himself in a good light. Nevertheless, in contrast to Pilate, he seeks to see justice done, and moves for the benefit of the servant of God!
Just as Cyrus is acknowledged in Isaiah 45. 1 as God’s ‘anointed’, so the captain occupies a similar role here. Some have suggested that in going to Jerusalem Paul had strayed from the path of God’s will and that here this man is used in God’s hand to put the matter right. Three times in Acts 21-23 we read of him saving the apostle’s life, even though ultimately the letter he wrote slightly rearranges details to his advantage. It is sobering to think that sometimes our sovereign Lord uses unbelievers to look after His own and even as a means of redirection in the path of service!
