Acts 23:14-16
‘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! Now, therefore, you with the council signify to the chief captain that he bring him down to you tomorrow, as though you would inquire something more perfectly concerning him — and we, as he comes near, are ready to kill him!” But when Paul’s sister’s son heard of their lying in wait, he went and entered into the castle and told Paul!’ Acts 23:14-16.
Calvin comments: “‘They (the unbelieving Jews) came to the chief priests (…, and said: “We have bound ourselves under a great curse, that we will eat nothing until we have slain Paul)!”‘ By their approval of such an infamous and impious conspiracy, the priests prove that they are neither touched by any fear of God nor endowed with any humane feeling.
“Not only do they approve of the suggestion made about killing the man by an ambush. But they are prepared to take part in fraudulent practice, in order to deliver into the hands of murderers the man whom they wish destroyed by any means whatever!
“For what else were they doing?… Dragging a man out of the hands of a judge to a violent death,” they were “raving like brigands in the very court of justice!
“The priests would certainly never have approved such a preposterous plan as this, if there had been a trace of a proper and godly attitude in them. Yes, and humane feeling as well.
“Moreover, it was not owing to them that they did not bring a great disaster both on the whole people and themselves. But the Lord publicly exposed their hopeless impiety, which they were hiding under the disguise of their official standing….
God did it as follows. “‘(But when) Paul’s sister’s son (heard of their lying in wait, he went and entered into the castle and told Paul!)’ Here we see God counters the plan of the ungodly!…
“Indeed, He allows them to devise many schemes, and He even allows their wicked enterprises to proceed. But in the end He shows, in the nick of time, that He is laughing out of Heaven at all the things that men are busy about on Earth! Solomon says: ‘There is no wisdom, there is no counsel — against the Lord!’ (Proverbs 21:30). To that, corresponds this word of Isaiah’s: ‘Devise your plan, and it will be destroyed! Speak a word, and it will not stand!’ (Isaiah 8:10).
“That is set before us in the present story…for our consideration. The matter is almost accomplished, that Paul should come forth on the following day to be slain — like a victim devoted to a sacrifice. But the Lord shows that his life is faithfully guarded and protected, so that anything that men endeavour to do — is in vain!”
Some Jews made ready to ambush and to kill Paul. But God intervened — employing even a young lad to thwart the planned murder!
