Word Pictures in the New Testament - David Cox

Word Pictures in the NT [Acts: Chapter 23]
{Looking for the promise from thee} (\prosdechomenoi t•n apo sou
epaggelian\). This item is all that is needed to put the scheme
through, the young man shrewdly adds.
23:22 {Tell no man} (\m•deni eklal•sai\). Indirect command
(_oratio obliqua_) after \paraggeilas\ (charging) with first
aorist active infinitive of \eklale•\ (in ancient Greek, but here
only in N.T.), but construction changed to direct in rest of the
sentence (_oratio recta_) as in 1:4, "that thou hast signified
these things to me" (\hoti tauta enephanisas pros eme\). Same
verb here as in verse 15. This change is common in the N.T.
(Robertson, _Grammar_, p. 1047).
23:23 {Two} (\tinas duo\). "Some two" as in Lu 7:19, indicating
(Page) that they were not specially chosen. {Soldiers}
(\strati•tas\), {horsemen} (\hippeis\), {spearmen}
(\dexiolabous\). The three varieties of troops in a Roman army
like the cohort of Lysias (Page). The \strati•tai\ were the
heavy-armed legionaries, the \hippeis\ belonged to every legion,
the \dexiolaboi\ were light-armed supplementary troops who
carried a lance in the right hand (\dexios\, right, \lamban•\, to
take). Vulgate, _lancearios_. At the third hour of the night
(\apo trit•s h•ras t•s nuktos\). About nine in the evening.
23:24 {Provide beasts} (\kten• parast•sai\). Change from direct
to indirect discourse just the opposite of that in verse 22.
{Beasts} (\kt•n•\). For riding as here or for baggage. See on ¯Lu
10:34. Asses or horses, but not war-horses. Since Paul was
chained to a soldier, another animal would be required for
baggage. It was also seventy miles and a change of horses might
be needed. The extreme precaution of Lysias is explained in some
Latin MSS. as due to fear of a night attack with the result that
he might be accused to Felix of bribery. Luke also probably
accompanied Paul. {To bring safe} (\hina dias•s•sin\). Final
clause with \hina\ and the first aorist active subjunctive of
\dias•z•\, old verb, to save through (\dia\) to a finish. Eight
times in the N.T. (Mt 14:36; Lu 7:3; Ac 23:24; 27:43,44; 28:1,4;
1Pe 3:20). {Unto Felix the governor} (\pros Ph•lika ton
h•gemona\). Felix was a brother of Pallas, the notorious
favourite of Claudius. Both had been slaves and were now
freedmen. Felix was made procurator of Judea by Claudius A.D. 52.
He held the position till Festus succeeded him after complaints
by the Jews to Nero. He married Drusilla the daughter of Herod
Agrippa I with the hope of winning the favour of the Jews. He was
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