Which when the brethren knew, they brought him down to Cæsarea, and sent him forth to Tarsus.
When the brethren learned that the Jews were plotting to take Paul's life, they hurried his secret escape from Jerusalem to protect him from assassination, bringing him down to Caesarea and sending him on to Tarsus. The danger was real and murderous, pressed with the same fury that had burst upon Stephen by his former Jewish companions. Paul himself lingered and was unwilling to go, sorrowful at leaving his Jewish brethren and anxious to labor on for them even at the cost of his life to vindicate the truth that had cost Stephen his life, so that flight looked to him like cowardice. His departure followed the Lord's direction to leave Jerusalem and prepared him for his ministry to the Gentiles as the Lord's chosen vessel to bear the truth to them. His leaving temporarily quieted and suspended the Jews' violent opposition, giving the church a period of peace and rest in which many new believers were added to its number.
Historical Setting and Rescue
The verse falls within Paul's journey from Damascus to Jerusalem, where he hoped to meet the apostles, especially Peter. In Jerusalem he viewed the city and temple differently than before, knowing that God's retributive judgment hung over them. It stands in the course of events that brings Peter to visit the believers at Lydda, near Joppa where Dorcas lives. This is just before Jesus Christ makes Aeneas whole after eight years confined to bed with palsy, after which all that dwelt at Lydda and Saron turn to the Lord.
When the brethren learned of the danger to Paul, of his vision, and of God's care over him, they hurried his secret escape from Jerusalem to protect him from assassination. They brought him down to Caesarea and sent him forth to Tarsus. The disciples urged him to leave Jerusalem to save him, helping him leave in obedience to the Lord's direction. The danger was that the Jews, including his former Jewish companions, were plotting to take his life with the same fury that had burst upon Stephen.
Though urged to leave, Paul lingered, unwilling to go and sorrowful at separation from his Jewish brethren. He was anxious to labor longer for them even at the cost of his life, willing even to yield up his life to bring them to the truth. He wanted to wipe out the stain of his active part in Stephen's martyrdom by boldly vindicating the truth that had cost Stephen his life. He was deeply grieved by their rejection yet wanted to keep teaching them and make amends by boldly defending the truth Stephen had died for, so that fleeing Jerusalem looked to him like cowardice.
Purpose and Lessons
His change from persecutor to preacher had made him a target of opposition, and when the believers learned of the danger facing him they protected him by bringing him down to Caesarea and sending him forth to Tarsus. His departure from Jerusalem followed the Lord's direction to leave and prepared him for his ministry to the Gentiles. The brethren hurried his secret escape after they learned of his vision and of God's care over him, and their anxiety for him grew because they recognized he was indeed a chosen vessel of the Lord to bear the truth to the Gentiles, so they acted to save him from assassination by the Jews.
His leaving temporarily quieted and suspended the Jews' violent opposition, and the church had a period of peace and rest in which many new believers joined and were added to its number. That departure brought a temporary end to the violent opposition and gave the church rest in which many joined the believers. When the brethren learned of his vision and the danger he faced in Jerusalem they hastened his secret escape, taking him to Caesarea and sending him to Tarsus, and his going temporarily halted that violent opposition.
The chapter containing this escape is a lesson to all, showing Saul as one whom Satan used to hunt up souls to be persecuted. Without the converting power of God men will do the same work, and unconverted men will work with all their power as did the satanic agencies in Christ's day who crucified the only begotten Son of God, so that history is to be repeated. Great education and experience do not help unless they perfect the knowledge of the glory of God to exalt Jehovah and Jesus Christ. Lucifer's act to exalt himself gives him power over such men in present and future experience.
When the brethren learned that the Jews were plotting to take Paul's life, they hurried his secret escape from Jerusalem to protect him from assassination, bringing him down to Caesarea and sending him on to Tarsus. The danger was real and murderous, pressed with the same fury that had burst upon Stephen by his former Jewish companions. Paul himself lingered and was unwilling to go, sorrowful at leaving his Jewish brethren and anxious to labor on for them even at the cost of his life to vindicate the truth that had cost Stephen his life, so that flight looked to him like cowardice. His departure followed the Lord's direction to leave Jerusalem and prepared him for his ministry to the Gentiles as the Lord's chosen vessel to bear the truth to them. His leaving temporarily quieted and suspended the Jews' violent opposition, giving the church a period of peace and rest in which many new believers were added to its number.
Historical Setting and Rescue
The verse falls within Paul's journey from Damascus to Jerusalem, where he hoped to meet the apostles, especially Peter. In Jerusalem he viewed the city and temple differently than before, knowing that God's retributive judgment hung over them. It stands in the course of events that brings Peter to visit the believers at Lydda, near Joppa where Dorcas lives. This is just before Jesus Christ makes Aeneas whole after eight years confined to bed with palsy, after which all that dwelt at Lydda and Saron turn to the Lord.
When the brethren learned of the danger to Paul, of his vision, and of God's care over him, they hurried his secret escape from Jerusalem to protect him from assassination. They brought him down to Caesarea and sent him forth to Tarsus. The disciples urged him to leave Jerusalem to save him, helping him leave in obedience to the Lord's direction. The danger was that the Jews, including his former Jewish companions, were plotting to take his life with the same fury that had burst upon Stephen.
Though urged to leave, Paul lingered, unwilling to go and sorrowful at separation from his Jewish brethren. He was anxious to labor longer for them even at the cost of his life, willing even to yield up his life to bring them to the truth. He wanted to wipe out the stain of his active part in Stephen's martyrdom by boldly vindicating the truth that had cost Stephen his life. He was deeply grieved by their rejection yet wanted to keep teaching them and make amends by boldly defending the truth Stephen had died for, so that fleeing Jerusalem looked to him like cowardice.
Purpose and Lessons
His change from persecutor to preacher had made him a target of opposition, and when the believers learned of the danger facing him they protected him by bringing him down to Caesarea and sending him forth to Tarsus. His departure from Jerusalem followed the Lord's direction to leave and prepared him for his ministry to the Gentiles. The brethren hurried his secret escape after they learned of his vision and of God's care over him, and their anxiety for him grew because they recognized he was indeed a chosen vessel of the Lord to bear the truth to the Gentiles, so they acted to save him from assassination by the Jews.
His leaving temporarily quieted and suspended the Jews' violent opposition, and the church had a period of peace and rest in which many new believers joined and were added to its number. That departure brought a temporary end to the violent opposition and gave the church rest in which many joined the believers. When the brethren learned of his vision and the danger he faced in Jerusalem they hastened his secret escape, taking him to Caesarea and sending him to Tarsus, and his going temporarily halted that violent opposition.
The chapter containing this escape is a lesson to all, showing Saul as one whom Satan used to hunt up souls to be persecuted. Without the converting power of God men will do the same work, and unconverted men will work with all their power as did the satanic agencies in Christ's day who crucified the only begotten Son of God, so that history is to be repeated. Great education and experience do not help unless they perfect the knowledge of the glory of God to exalt Jehovah and Jesus Christ. Lucifer's act to exalt himself gives him power over such men in present and future experience.