Talmidim Matot
Talmidim Matot
Acts 23:12-24:27
Paul, as you recall, has been arrested for allegedly bringing an uncircumcized person into the Temple and teaching against Torah.
Acts, continued:
Act 23:12 When it was day, some of the [unbelieving] Judeans banded together, and bound themselves under a curse, saying that they would neither eat nor drink until they had killed Sha’ul.
Act 23:13 There were more than forty people who had made this conspiracy.
Act 23:14 They came to the chief Kohanim and the elders, and said, “We have bound ourselves under a great curse, to taste nothing until we have killed Sha’ul.
Act 23:15 Now therefore, you with the council inform the commanding officer that he should bring him down to you tomorrow, as though you were going to judge his case more exactly. We are ready to kill him before he comes near.”
These men are, however ill conceived their vow may be, bound by it. Like Jeptath in the Book of Judges, they made a foolish vow and will suffer for it.
Acts, continued:
Act 23:16 But Sha’ul’s sister’s son heard of their lying in wait, and he came and entered into the barracks and told Sha’ul.
Act 23:17 Sha’ul summoned one of the centurions, and said, “Bring this young man to the commanding officer, for he has something to tell him.”
Act 23:18 So he took him, and brought him to the commanding officer, and said, “Sha’ul, the prisoner, summoned me and asked me to bring this young man to you, who has something to tell you.”
Act 23:19 The commanding officer took him by the hand, and going aside, asked him privately, “What is it that you have to tell me?”
Act 23:20 He said, “The Judeans have agreed to ask you to bring Sha’ul down to the council tomorrow, as though intending to inquire somewhat more accurately concerning him.
Act 23:21 Therefore don’t yield to them, for more than forty men lie in wait for him, who have bound themselves under a curse neither to eat nor to drink until they have killed him. Now they are ready, looking for the promise from you.”
Act 23:22 So the commanding officer let the young man go, charging him, “Tell no one that you have revealed these things to me.”
Act 23:23 He called to himself two of the centurions, and said, “Prepare two hundred soldiers to go as far as Caesarea, with seventy horsemen, and two hundred men armed with spears, at the third hour of the night.”
Act 23:24 He asked them to provide animals, that they might set Sha’ul on one, and bring him safely to Felix the governor.
Act 23:25 He wrote a letter like this:
Act 23:26 “Claudius Lysias to the most excellent governor Felix: Greetings.
Act 23:27 “This man was seized by the Judeans, and was about to be killed by them, when I came with the soldiers and rescued him, having learned that he was a Roman.
Notice this is a bit backwards from the way it actually went – but we presume he wanted to cast his involvement in the most positive light possible to the governor.
Acts, continued:
Act 23:28 Desiring to know the cause why they accused him, I brought him down to their council.
Act 23:29 I found him to be accused about questions of their law, but to have nothing laid to his charge worthy of death or of bonds.
Act 23:30 When I was told that the Judeans lay in wait for the man, I sent him to you immediately, charging his accusers also to bring their accusations against him before you. Farewell.”
Act 23:31 So the soldiers, carrying out their orders, took Sha’ul and brought him by night to Antipatris.
Act 23:32 But on the next day they left the horsemen to go with him, and returned to the barracks.
Act 23:33 When they came to Caesarea and delivered the letter to the governor, they also presented Sha’ul to him.
Act 23:34 When the governor had read it, he asked what province he was from. When he understood that he was from Cilicia, he said,
Act 23:35 “I will hear you fully when your accusers also arrive.” He commanded that he be kept in Herod’s palace.
Act 24:1 After five days, the Kohen Gadol, Chananyah, came down with certain elders and an orator, one Tertullus. They informed the governor against Sha’ul.
Act 24:2 When he was called, Tertullus began to accuse him, saying, “Seeing that by you we enjoy much peace, and that excellent measures are coming to this nation,
Act 24:3 we accept it in all ways and in all places, most excellent Felix, with all thankfulness.
Act 24:4 But, that I don’t delay you, I entreat you to bear with us and hear a few words.
Act 24:5 For we have found this man to be a plague, an instigator of insurrections among all the Jews throughout the world, and a ringleader of the sect of the Natzerim.
Act 24:6 He even tried to profane the temple, and we arrested him.
As we saw in the previous portions, all of these are untrue accusations given by false witnesses. Shaul never taught anyone to set aside Torah, far from being a ringleader of the Messianics he was sent out to the provinces – the true “ringleaders” were the original 12 apostles who governed from Jerusalem, and he did not ever bring or try to bring an uncircumcized person into the Temple.
This next verse does not appear in many texts:
Acts 24:7 But the chief captain Lysias came upon us, and with great violence took him away out of our hands,
Acts, continued:
Act 24:8 By examining him yourself you may ascertain all these things of which we accuse him.”
Act 24:9 The [unbelieving] Judeans also joined in the attack, affirming that these things were so.
Act 24:10 When the governor had beckoned to him to speak, Sha’ul answered, “Because I know that you have been a judge of this nation for many years, I cheerfully make my defense,
Act 24:11 seeing that you can recognize that it is not more than twelve days since I went up to worship at Yerushalayim.
Act 24:12 In the temple they didn’t find me disputing with anyone or stirring up a crowd, either in the synagogues, or in the city.
Act 24:13 Nor can they prove to you the things of which they now accuse me.
Shaul simply wasn’t teaching the things they accuse him of teachings. He taught against the Pharisees method of conversion, and their takanot and ma’asim (traditions and precedents), but not against the real written Torah – never.
Acts, continued:
Act 24:14 But this I confess to you, that after the Way, which they call a sect, so I serve the Elohim of our fathers, believing all things which are according to the Torah, and which are written in the prophets;
Here Shaul again affirms he both believes in and obeys the word of the Tanakh.
Acts, continued:
Act 24:15 having hope toward Elohim, which these also themselves look for, that there will be a resurrection of the dead, both of the just and unjust.
One such occasion was known to be on Tishri 1st, according to the liturgy which features the sacrifice of Isaac as a typeology of being Raised from the Dead. Of course, Isaac didn’t actually die according to the Written Torah (and this was a hint from Elohim that the events of Tishri 1st were not what they thought), but the Talmudic writings actually contained opinions by some early Rabbis that he did in fact die and was resurrected – a real sacrifice brought back to life.
Early Hebraic thought had no concept of the living being transformed into immortality – even Elijah and Enoch, the two witnesses whom we know will die their physical death at the midpoint of the Tribulation, were thought to be dead as far as their mortal lives were concerned. We can how understand that as the Two Witnesses, they are still mortal and will receive their immortality at a later date, when they die their physical death. But they didn’t understand this – it was a mystery to them. That’s why they thought Tishri 1st must be a “resurrection,” even though Isaac didn’t really die.
What the prophets and Sages did not know was that the Parousia of Tishri 1st is not a “resurrection” per se since it also includes the living as well as the dead, some two years prior to the Time of Jacob’s Trouble (Tishri 3-9th on Elohim’s calendar). Just like Isaac didn’t really die, many in the Parousia will not die prior to being transformed. The “First Resurrection” of Yom Kippur (Tishri 10th), some 10 years later, is a separate event, as we see in Revelation. And the Resurrection of the Great White Throne, which includes all the dead, even the “unjust,” is over 1000 years later still.
Here Shaul chooses not to argue with them about things they are ignorant of, since the “mystery” of the Parousia is unknown to them and not revealed to the Sages. It was only revealed to Torah Obedient Believers because it only applies to them. Torah True Jews are not included – they have a separate destiny, to meet as mortals with the King of Kings upon His return – as we learn from Ezekiel – so He can plead with them face-to-face in the wilderness as He did so long ago, leading to the judgement of the sheep and the goats of the nations which also involves only mortals.
Concerning this, the Pharisees and other sects thought all “Jews” would be sheep and all the people of other nations who were not righteous gentiles were the “goats.” They never imagined many if not most of them are “goats” for adding their traditions and precedents (the Oral Law) to the Torah and refusing to believe in Messiah. In other words, their theories of prophecy were completely messed up and didn’t have all the necessary information from the apostles concerning the Parousia and the various judgments. So Shaul simply glosses over the issue and speaks to them in terms they already understand – the Resurrection of the Just and the Unjust at the Great White Throne. He conveniently neglects to mention to the Pharisees and leaders of other sects that as far as he and Adonai are concerned, they are the “unjust!”
Acts, continued:
Act 24:16 Herein I also practice always having a conscience void of offense toward Elohim and men.
Act 24:17 Now after some years, I came to bring gifts for the needy to my nation, and offerings;
Act 24:18 amid which certain Jews from Asia found me purified in the temple, not with a mob, nor with turmoil.
Act 24:19 They ought to have been here before you, and to make accusation, if they had anything against me.
Act 24:20 Or else let these men themselves say what injustice they found in me when I stood before the council,
Act 24:21 unless it is for this one thing that I cried standing among them, ‘Concerning the resurrection of the dead I am being judged before you today!’”
Act 24:22 But Felix, having more exact knowledge concerning the Way, deferred them, saying, “When Lysias, the commanding officer, comes down, I will decide your case.”
Act 24:23 He ordered the centurion that Sha’ul should be kept in custody, and should have some privileges, and not to forbid any of his friends to serve him or to visit him.
Act 24:24 But after some days, Felix [a Roman governor] came with Drusilla, his wife, who was a Jewess, and sent for Sha’ul, and heard him concerning the faith in Messiah Yeshua.
Act 24:25 As he reasoned about righteousness, self-control, and the judgment to come, Felix was terrified, and answered, “Go your way for this time, and when it is convenient for me, I will summon you.”
Act 24:26 Meanwhile, he also hoped that money would be given to him by Sha’ul, that he might release him. Therefore also he sent for him more often, and talked with him.
Act 24:27 But when two years were fulfilled, Felix was succeeded by Porcius Festus, and desiring to gain favor with the Judeans, Felix left Sha’ul in bonds.
It’s a shame Felix was more interested in receiving a bribe than he was in receiving the truth.
Next: Epistle Matot.
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