But the Chief Captain Lysias Came Upon Us (Acts 24:7)

2023-09-21

But the chief captain Lysias came upon us, and with great violence took him away out of our hands (Acts 24:7)

This was part of Tertullus the orator’s opening argument against Paul to governor Felix. Is this how the men of Jerusalem remembered it? It was more like this:

And as they went about to kill him, tidings came unto the chief captain of the band, that all Jerusalem was in an uproar. Who immediately took soldiers and centurions, and ran down unto them: and when they saw the chief captain and the soldiers, they left beating of Paul. Then the chief captain came near, and took him, and commanded him to be bound with two chains; and demanded who he was, and what he had done. (Acts 21:31-33)

Lysias came and saved the apostle’s life from a mob killing. While Lysias would have had Paul beaten contrary to Roman law, these men would have killed him contrary to the Roman law.

Tertullus wanted to excuse this mob’s actions and shift blame to everyone else. This verse is an important part in exposing their motive.