And when it was day, certain of the Jews banded together, and bound themselves under a curse, saying that they would neither eat nor drink till they had killed Paul. (13) And they were more than forty which had made this conspiracy. (14) And they came to the chief priests and elders, and said, We have bound ourselves under a great curse, that we will eat nothing until we have slain Paul. (15) Now therefore ye with the council signify to the chief captain that he bring him down unto you tomorrow, as though ye would inquire something more perfectly concerning him: and we, or ever he come near, are ready to kill him. (16) And when Paul's sister's son heard of their lying in wait, he went and entered into the castle, and told Paul. (17) Then Paul called one of the centurions unto him, and said, Bring this young man unto the chief captain: for he hath a certain thing to tell him. (18) So he took him, and brought him to the chief captain, and said, Paul the prisoner called me unto him, and prayed me to bring this young man unto thee, who hath something to say unto thee. (19) Then the chief captain took him by the hand, and went with him aside privately, and asked him, What is that thou hast to tell me? (20) And he said, The Jews have agreed to desire thee that thou wouldest bring down Paul tomorrow into the council, as though they would inquire somewhat of him more perfectly. (21) But do not thou yield unto them: for there lie in wait for him of them more than forty men, which have bound themselves with an oath, that they will neither eat nor drink till they have killed him: and now are they ready, looking for a promise from thee. (22) So the chief captain then let the young man depart, and charged him, See thou tell no man that thou hast showed these things to me.
Reader! pause over the sad relation here recorded of those awful men! What a proof is here of the desperately wicked heart of man. See with what earnestness they entered into an oath, or as the Jews called it, cherem, or anathema, for shedding blood, which, if broken, called for God's curse upon them that made it! Beheld no less the awful state of the chief priests and elders, who, as men, and especially as members of the Sanhedrim, the moment the proposal was made to them of bringing down Paul to the council for this purpose, should have brought them forth before the council to be punished for the intentional murder. But, Reader! mark with yet more earnest attention the overlooking and disposing grace of the Lord, to save his servant, and frustrate the devices of the wicked. See what a poor instrument in Paul's sister's son the Lord makes use of for this purpose. No doubt the Lord who sent his angel, and opened the prison doors upon several occasions before, (Act_5:18-20; Act_12:7 and Acts 16:26) might have done it now. But the work and mercy were not less the Lord's, because brought about by human means. And, oh! how frequently is the same grace manifesting itself now in life, in the daily ten thousand instances of it, were our inattentive minds awakened to watch and see how the Lord is watching over us, 2 Chronicles 16:9. Who would have thought that this youth (for so he is called, 2 Chronicles 16:14.) should have been chosen by the Lord for to be the highly honored instrument to save the life of this great Apostle! And how is his memory honored in the Church through all generations from that hour for the service, without which we should never have known that Paul had a sister, or that sister a son. Let all our youths, (if any such read this Poor Man's Commentary), learn from hence, how sure it is that the eye of the Lord is always upon them. And let the thought keep their minds under a constant regard to his Almighty inspection. And let them be looking to the Lord, while conscious that the Lord is always looking upon them, that they may seek for grace to be sanctified before Him. Who shall say whether the Lord may not, as in the instance here recorded concerning Paul, employ them to his service, and make them the honored instruments of his mercy to others, and bless them in their own souls also? I beg all such, if the Lord should bring those lines before them, not to pass away from this train of thoughts before that they have turned to those scriptures, and carefully read them. 1Ch 28:9; 2 Chronicles 34:1-3; Proverbs 1:8-16; 2 Timothy 3:14-15.