Paul Before the Council
Paul sees that the people he was around were part Pharisee and part Sadducee. The Sadducees say there was no resurrection and the Pharisees say there was, so he used that fact to stir up the crowd and the soldiers got him away from the crowd so he wouldn't get killed in the resulting melee. The following night the Lord stood by him and said he has done well, but he would have to do it again in Rome.
I guess we'll have to hear this story again from Rome.
A Plot to Kill Paul
A bunch of Jews ("more than forty") made a pact not to eat or drink until they kill Paul. They planned on asking the council to bring him to them, pretending that they wanted to learn some details of his case. In reality, they are going to ambush him on the way to that meeting. The son of Paul's sister found this out and along with Paul's guidance, told the tribune of the plans. They told him not to tell anyone that they were informed of these plans.
Interesting little back and forth. Not the kind of hunger strike I'm used to hearing about, although I guess it was 2000 years ago. Things have changed.
Paul Sent to Felix the Governor
They sent for Paul with a huge Entourage and a mount. The governor wanted to know why he was being imprisoned, as it seemed that his punishment was too extreme for whatever he was charged with. They said he wouldn't be tried until an accuser came forward.
Good way to stop such a plot I suppose.
It's interesting that the Jews conspire to kill Paul. It's probably a stretch to say this, but I wonder if verses like these are where those whackos get ideas for their crazy "worldwide Jewish conspiracies."
ReplyDeleteI don't know much about hunger strikes in other cultures, but it's always been something ingrained in the Irish culture. Back in "ancient times" in that part of the world, if there was a dispute, lets say someone stole your cattle, you took it before some judges. Of course, I'm simplifying this whole scenario. If you felt that you didn't get justice and you were wronged, you might stay outside your neighbors dwelling and not move, or even eat. You would do this until you felt things were made right, since having someone do this outside your dwelling was a big dishonor. In relatively recent history, there have been some examples in Ireland. When Ireland was trying to gain Independence, one of the Mayors of county cork, Terrance MacSweeny died while doing do in 1920. There were some other examples along the way, but most predominately in 1980 and 1981. In the former, a bunch of prisoner in the Irish prison went on hunger strike for better conditions for Republican and Loyalist prisoners. They then went on it again, one by one starting with a Bobby Sands, and ten of them died before they called it off.
With the last part, I didn't even think about it like that. Maybe this was to put a stop to the mob mentality. It's a lot easier to do some messed up stuff when you are in a mob, verses when an individual brings up the charges.
interesting hunger strike info. Thanks
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