CHAPTER XXVI. 391 rooted hatred against him, for his zeal and success in preaching tip christiánity, that they seizedhim under pretenceof his having brought Greeks into the temple, though it was not true ; and they were ready to tear him to pieces till the chief captain rescued him, and gave him leave to give an account of himself to the multi- tude ; Verses 27-40. 67. Q. What defence did Paul then make? A. He gave them thehistory of his beinga Jew by birth, and brought up atthe feet of Gamaliel in Jerusalem, of his former zeal against Christ, his being struck down to the ground on the road, and called to from heaven by Jesus Christ, and also of his vision of Christ in the Waal le, sending him to preach the gospel to the Gentiles; Acts xxii. 1 -21. 68. Q. How did the Jews bear this speech ? A. When he spake of being sent to the Gentiles, they lifted up their voices, and said, 00 Away with such a fellow from the earth, for it is not fit he should live;" Verse 22. 69. Q. How was he secured from their rage ? . A. The chief captain again seized him, and brought him into the castle, and the next day , he ordered the chief priests and the council to appear, that Paul might give an account of himself to them; Verses 24-30. 70. Q. How did Paul plead his own cause here before the council ? A. He found one part was Sadducees, who denied the resurrection, and the other part Pharisees who believed it; and therefore be artfully, and yet truly declared, " It is for the hope of the resurrection of the dead I'am called in question :" For indeed the resurrection of Christ from the dead, and our resurrection by him, were some of the greatest articles of the christian faith, and that whichPaul preached ; Acts xxiii. 6, 7, 71. Q. What effect had this upon the council ? A. They fell into contention among themselves, and the Pharisees said, " they found no evil in him :" and again the chief captain se- cured him in the castle ; Verses 9, 10. 72. Q. What particular encouragement had Paul from hea- ven under these sufferings ? A. It was this night that the Lord Jesus appeared to him and said, " Be of good cheer, Paul, for as thou hast testified of me in Jerusalem, so mustthou bear wit- ness also at Rome ;" Acts xxiii. 11. 73. Q. What was the next danger he was 'exposed to ? A. More than forty Jews had bound themselves under a great curse, not to eat, till they had killed Paul, and therefore they per- suaded the chief priests and elders, to desire that he might, once again. be brought before them ? Verses 12-15. 74. Q. By what means (lid the providence of God secure Paul from this conspiracy ? A. Claudius Lysias, the chief cap- tain, having private notice of this conspiracy from Paul's ne- phew, sent him to Cesarea to Felix the governor of Judea, by night, with a guardof almost five hundred men; Verses 18-35:
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