It is amazing to me how many people in the Bible who do great things are unnamed. In today’s devotion, we find a young man who was Paul’s nephew saving Paul’s life.
In Acts 23:12-15 we find that several Jews are so consumed with anger they are planning to kill Paul to shut him up. They were so determined they took an oath together to eat or drink anything until they killed Paul. This sounds like our modern-day mafia. They conspired together, and the word curse in verse 12 means they have made the vow as solemn as possible. Paul had offended them with the gospel. A gospel that removed some of their rules and traditions from the salvation of the soul. Therefore, their course was to place his murder at the top of their priorities. In their thinking, nothing would stop them.
Act 23:12-14 “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. And they were more than forty which had made this conspiracy. 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.”
While these men would claim to kill him because he was against their God, nothing could be further from the truth, and it is obvious from their desires that they did not know the one true God. They had religion but no relationship.
Their plot is laid out in verse 15. When the council brings him to the chief council, they will wait to kill him. Little did they know our unnamed hero would lurk nearby to hear their plot.
Act 23:15 “Now therefore ye with the council signify to the chief captain that he bring him down unto you tomorrow, as though ye would enquire something more perfectly concerning him: and we, or ever he come near, are ready to kill him.”
Paul’s nephew hears them and seeks to tell Paul. His nephew wastes no time in doing what is right. He is at risk himself if he is caught, but he still does what is right. Paul calls for the centurion to take his nephew to the chief captain. The young man is able to tell what he knows to someone who can help.
Act 23:16-19 “And when Paul’s sister’s son heard of their lying in wait, he went and entered into the castle, and told Paul. 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. 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. 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?”
Paul must have had a good reputation with the guards because they spoke to his nephew and listened. In verse 20, He warns the chief captain of the plot to kill Paul. In verse 21, it is revealed. “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.”
This young man convinced the chief captain to take care of Paul and avoid his murder. In verses 23-24, we see Paul being taken to Felix, the governor, with a heavily armed group of soldiers.
Act 23:22-24 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. And he called unto him two centurions, saying, Make ready two hundred soldiers to go to Caesarea, and horsemen threescore and ten, and spearmen two hundred, at the third hour of the night; And provide them beasts, that they may set Paul on, and bring him safe unto Felix the governor.”
We may never know the nephew’s name, but we can be thankful for his love for Paul and courage to go against the odds. He could have been fearful for his own life and kept silent. He could have prayed about it and done nothing else. He could have used man’s wisdom instead of God’s wisdom, talked to the men, and tried to convince them that Paul was a good man. However, all of these would have probably ended in the death of Paul and possibly his own death.
We need to be like Paul’s nephew. We need to protect the reputation and well-being of God’s men. Our Pastors and leaders are given by God, and if they are biblical preachers, we are to look out for them and support them. We should speak up for what is right and against what is wrong, but pray and use God’s wisdom to do so. When we pray about situations, we must put our feet on those prayers and allow the Holy Spirit to lead us. Too often, we pray about something but never take the time or opportunity to do something about it. God gives us the ability to do His will, make a difference where we live, and stand in the face of adversity. He does not force us to take a stand but expects us to.
I am so thankful for this young man and many like him who stood in the gap and did what was right so that salvation could be brought to all people.
