Godbey's Commentary - Acts - Romans - Enter His Rest

from idolatry, blood and fornication, have a purely spiritual signification, culminating in entire
sanctification. We are cleansed from all unrighteousness by the blood of Christ, which is symbolized
by all animal blood, hence our abstinence from it. The blood has a spiritual and not a physical
signification. No one is free from idolatry in some form or other till sanctified wholly, while
fornication is the only sin which breaks the marital covenant and forfeits the Bridehood of Christ.
Hence its specification here. Nothing at all is said about baptism, the eucharist or any other
ceremony. Hence you see the pure spirituality of gospel salvation, temporalities all incidental and
optionary.
PAUL ARRESTED.
27-30. You see plainly that this affair was diabolical, mobocratic and unapologizable from the
beginning, as even the most radical Jews fully approved what Paul was doing. The whole affair was
a falsification and a downright violation of all law, Jewish and Roman.
31-38. Lysias, the Roman kiliarch, commander-in-chief at Castle Antonia on Mt. Moriah near the
temple, the Roman citadel for the protection of Jerusalem, in all of his treatment of Paul shows up
a very beautiful character of sterling integrity, fidelity and magnanimity, especially for a heathen. If
he had not fortunately been present at the castle and run with all his might when he heard the uproar,
they would have killed Paul on the spot, so Lysias was sent of God to prolong his life. Having
secured the prisoner, and unable, amid the heterogeneous clamor of the mob, to ascertain the crime
with which he is charged, he orders the soldiers to carry him into the castle, transporting him in their
arms to save his life. The kiliarch is surprised when Paul speaks to him in Greek, thinking that he
is a notable Egyptian robber chief who had recently caused great trouble. Of this impression,
however, Lysias is relieved when he hears him speak Greek. Consequently he permits the soldiers
to stand him on the threshold of the castle, while he proceeds to address the people in Hebrew, which
was not only the better understood by the Jews, but calculated to soften their animosities.