Exegetical and Hermeneutical Commentary of Acts 21:35
And when he came upon the stairs, so it was, that he was borne of the soldiers for the violence of the people.
35. And stairs ] This was the flight of steps leading from the Temple area up to the Tower where the soldiers were stationed. The stairs were not covered in, for St Paul is able to address the multitude while standing on them (Act 21:40).
so it was for the violence of the people [ R. V. crowd]. The crowd pressed on St Paul with all the more fury because they saw that he was now to be taken out of their hands. Hence it came to pass, that some of the soldiers were obliged, in order to keep him safe, to lift him from his feet and carry him up till he was out of reach, their comrades meanwhile keeping back the people from the foot of the stairs.
Fuente: The Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges
Upon the stairs – The stairs which led from the temple to the castle of Antonia. Josephus says (Jewish Wars, book 5, chapter 5, section 8), that the castle of Antonia was situated at the corner of two cloisters of the temple, of that on the west, and of that on the north; it was erected on a rock of 50 cubits (75 feet) in height, and was on a great precipice. On the corner where it joined to the two cloisters of the temple, it had passages down to them both, through which the guards went several ways among the cloisters with their arms, on the Jewish festivals, etc. It was on these stairs, as the soldiers were returning, that the tumult was so great, or the crowd so dense, that they were obliged to hear Paul along to rescue him from their violence.
The violence of the people – The rush of the multitude.
Fuente: Albert Barnes’ Notes on the Bible
Verse 35. And when he came upon the stairs] Those mentioned in the note on Ac 21:31.
Fuente: Adam Clarke’s Commentary and Critical Notes on the Bible
When he came upon the stairs, in the ascent to the castle,
he was borne of the soldiers; either because the press was so great, he being in the midst of them; or being taken up by them, to secure him from the fury of the enraged multitude.
Fuente: English Annotations on the Holy Bible by Matthew Poole
35, 36. Away with himasbefore of his Lord (Luk 23:18;Joh 19:15).
Fuente: Jamieson, Fausset and Brown’s Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible
And when he came upon the stairs,…. Or steps, which led up to the castle; for it was built upon a very high place, as appears from the account of it in the preceding verse; to which agrees what Aristaeas g says of it in the following words;
“in order to have knowledge of all things, we went up to a castle adjoining to the city, which is situated in a very high place, fortified with very high towers, built with large stones, as we supposed for the preservation of the places about the temple, if there should be any lying in wait, or tumult, or enemies should enter; so that none might be able to make way in at the walls about the temple; for in the towers of the castle lay very sharp darts and various instruments, and the place was upon a very great eminence.”
So it was that he was borne of the soldiers for the violence of the people: the sense is, either that the crowd of the people was so great, and they so pressed upon Paul and the soldiers that conducted him, that he was even thrown upon them, and bore up by them; or else such was the rage of the people against him, that the soldiers were obliged to take him up in their arms, and carry him, in order to secure him from being tore in pieces by them.
g Hist. de 70 Interpret. p. 36. Ed. Oxon.
Fuente: John Gill’s Exposition of the Entire Bible
Upon the stairs ( ). From , up, and , to go. Late word, in LXX and Koine writers. In the N.T. only here and verse 40.
So it was (). Second aorist active of , to happen (see on 20:19) with infinitive clause as subject here as often in the old Greek.
He was borne ( ). Accusative of general reference with this subject infinitive, present passive of , to take up with the hands, literally as here.
Violence (). See on Ac 5:26. , to use force, is from .
Fuente: Robertson’s Word Pictures in the New Testament
1) “And when he came upon the stairs,” (hote de egeneto epo eous anabathmous) “Then when he was going up the steps,” of the fort, in view of the rabble mob, as he was being carried up to the camp barracks of Antonio’s castle, or military fort, for protection of his life for the moment.
2) “So it was that he was borne of the soldiers,” (sunebe bastazeathai auton hupo ton stratioton) “It occurred that he was to be carried up by the soldiers,” or was being carried up the stairs, by the soldiers, to whom he was chained, Act 21:33; Act 12:6. The stairs were not closed in, They were in open view, so that the temple area crowd could see Paul as he later addressed them, Act 21:40.
3) “For the violence of the people.” (dia ten bian tou echlou) “Because of the violence of the crowd,” who continued to rush in to beat and strike him, as in Act 21:32.
Fuente: Garner-Howes Baptist Commentary
(35) When he came upon the stairs . . .This was one of the flights leading, as has been said, from the tower to the Temple area. Here the violence of the crowd became greater as they were more pressed in, and the soldiers had literally to lift him from his legs and carry him in, while the troops lined the staircase on either side.
Fuente: Ellicott’s Commentary for English Readers (Old and New Testaments)
35. Borne of In ascending the stairs leading from the Gentile court up into the tower of Antonia, (which stood against the northwest corner of the temple,) so rapid was the rush of the populace behind, and yet so prompt the exertion of the soldiers to rescue him, that Paul is seen by Luke (probably gazing on the scene) as lifted from his feet and carried upward in their hands! So did unconscious Gentilism on that day, in the hands of Providence, rapidly rescue her great apostle from Judaism and death.
Fuente: Whedon’s Commentary on the Old and New Testaments
‘And when he came on the stairs, so it was that he was borne of the soldiers for the violence of the crowd, for the multitude of the people followed after, crying out, “Away with him.” ’
His strategy was necessary. For the incensed crowd, even though we have already learned that they did not know why, continued to cry for his death. They were caught up in blood lust. So the soldiers bore him to the stairs leading into the fortress. These stairs actually led down into the court of the Gentiles. They were for quick access in case of trouble.
‘Away with him (aire auton).’ Compare Luk 23:18, ‘aire touton’ (see also Joh 19:15). Luke wishes us to identify the two situations. Jerusalem which had rejected its Messiah, has now finally rejected His servant. As far as Luke was concerned it was a final seal on its rejection, evidence of the lesson that he had made clear in chapter 12. They had closed the doors of the Temple on him, now they wanted rid of him totally.
Fuente: Commentary Series on the Bible by Peter Pett
On the way to the barracks:
v. 35. And when he came upon the stairs, so it was that he was borne of the soldiers for the violence of the people.
v. 36. For the multitude of the people followed after, crying, Away with him!
v. 37. And as Paul was to be led into the castle, he said unto the chief captain, May I speak unto thee? Who said, Canst thou speak Greek?
v. 38. Art not thou that Egyptian which before these days madest an uproar, and leddest out into the wilderness four thousand men that were murderers?
v. 39. But Paul said, I am a man which am a Jew of Tarsus, a city in Cilicia, a citizen of no mean city; and I beseech thee, suffer me to speak unto the people. At the coming of the tribune with his cohorts, the tumult of the people had died down somewhat: but when the soldiers turned to carry out their commander’s order, a new frenzy took hold of the people since their prey seemed about to be snatched from them. So it happened that, when Paul came to the steps that led up to the Tower of Antonia, the maddened people surged about the little band of soldiers with increasing violence in an effort to reach Paul. So perilous was the situation that the soldiers were obliged to lift Paul up and carry him, on account of the fierceness of the people. For the multitude of the people persisted in following, incidentally raising the cry: Kill him! Put him to death! the cry which a Jewish mob was prone to take up, Luk 23:18; Joh 19:15. When the soldiers, with the prisoner in their midst, had reached the top of the stairway, with the entire Temple area below them, filled with a swirling, roaring mob, and were about to enter into the barracks, Paul turned to the commanding officer with the question whether he would he permitted to speak to him. The latter, in some surprise, asked, Why, do you understand Greek? From the violence of the mob and from other indications the chiliarch had concluded that Paul must undoubtedly he that Egyptian whom Josephus also mentions, the man who had led a band of four thousand murderers, assassins, out into the wilderness. Evidently the tribune thought that the Egyptian had ventured to return to the city after his disgraceful defeat and had now been set upon as an impostor. But Paul corrected him in a few words, telling him that he was a Jew of Tarsus in Cilicia, concerning which he adds, with pardonable pride, that he was a citizen of no mean city, for Tarsus was a great and flourishing city. The tribune’s grave suspicions having been removed, Paul now added the earnest request that he be given permission to address the people. It was his intention, even in this emergency, to remove their prejudice against him and the Gospel of Jesus, and thus, if possible, to gain converts for the Word of Grace.
Summary. Paul continues his voyage from Miletus to Tyre and from there to Caesarea, whence he travels to Jerusalem, where the Jews from Asia raise a tumult against him, and his life is saved only by the prompt interference of the Roman chiliarch.
Fuente: The Popular Commentary on the Bible by Kretzmann
Act 21:35-36 . . .] when he came to the stairs (leading up to the fortress, Joseph. Bell. Jud . v. 5. 8). See examples of the form , and of the more Attic form , in Lobeck, ad Phryn . p. 324.
. ] brings forward what took place more markedly than the simple . Either the accusative (as here) or the nominative may stand with the infinitive. See Stallb. ad Plat. Phaed . p. 67 C.
] The same cry of extermination as in Luk 23:18 . Comp. Act 22:22 . On the plural , see Winer, p. 490 [E. T. 660]. Comp. Act 5:16 .
Fuente: Heinrich August Wilhelm Meyer’s New Testament Commentary
35 And when he came upon the stairs, so it was, that he was borne of the soldiers for the violence of the people.
Ver. 35. He was borne of the soldiers ] Who considered as little what a precious pack they now had upon their backs, as once the Midianitish merchants did, what a price they had in their hands, viz. Joseph, the jewel of the world and lord of Egypt.
Fuente: John Trapp’s Complete Commentary (Old and New Testaments)
35. .] The steps leading up into the tower. The description of the tower or fort Antonia in Jos. B. J. v. 5. 8, sets the scene vividly before us: , , , . , , , , , , , .
Fuente: Henry Alford’s Greek Testament
Act 21:35 . . , cf. Act 21:17 , and Luk 24:22 , Grimm, sub ., 5, g. .: the steps which led up to the fortress from the Temple area. B.J. , v., 5, 8, describes the surroundings of the scene vividly, and the which led down from Antonia to the Temple; see above on Act 21:31 , and O. Holtzmann, Neutest. Zeitgeschichte , p. 138. .: the is not superfluous (see Meyer Wendt and Hackett), it indicates the peril of the situation; the pressure of the people became increasingly violent as they saw that St. Paul would escape them, and compelled the soldiers to carry him, that he might not be torn from them altogether, so that the carrying was not merely “propter angustias loci”. ., cf. Act 3:2 , see Schrer, u. s.
stairs. Greek. anabathmos. Only here and Act 21:40.
so it was = it befell, as in Act 20:19.
borne. Greek. bastazo, as in Act 15:10.
of = by. Greek. hupo. App-104.
violence. Greek. bia. See note on Act 5:26.
35. .] The steps leading up into the tower. The description of the tower or fort Antonia in Jos. B. J. v. 5. 8, sets the scene vividly before us:- , , , . , , , , , , , .
Act 21:35. , it occurred, so it was, that) An auxiliary verb, akin to , it came to pass.
for: Gen 6:11, Gen 6:12, Psa 55:9, Psa 58:2, Jer 23:10, Hab 1:2, Hab 1:3
Reciprocal: Act 21:40 – on Act 24:7 – great 1Ti 3:13 – degree
5
Act 21:35. The mob spirit was so violent that Paul had to be carried by the soldiers to get him through the crowd to a place of personal safety.
35-39. It was but a short distance to the castle of Antonia, which overlooked the temple inclosure, and was connected with it by a stairway. Thither the apostle was rapidly borne, the mob pressing after him. (35) “And when he was on the stairs, he was borne by the soldiers, on account of the violence of the multitude. (36) For the crowd of people followed, crying out, Away with him! (37) And when he was about to be led into the castle, Paul said to the chiliarch, May I say something to you? He said, Do you understand Greek? (38) Are you not that Egyptian, who formerly made an insurrection, and led out into the wilderness four thousand Assassins? (39) Paul said, I am a Jew, of Tarsus, in Cilicia; a citizen of no unknown city; and I beseech you, permit me to speak to the people.” This conversation shows that the chiliarch was utterly ignorant of the character and history of his prisoner. The best conclusion he could form from the confused outcries of the mob was the one indicated in the question just quoted. When he learned that he was a Jew, he was still more perplexed concerning the rage of the people, and not less astonished at the coolness displayed by Paul. In the hope of learning something more definite, he at once gave him liberty to speak, and stood by, an interested hearer.
Verse 35
Stairs; leading up the rock on which the castle was built.
Stairs led up to the fortress from the city on its west side and from the temple courtyard on its south side. [Note: Foakes-Jackson and Lake, 4:136.] Probably the stairs in Act 21:35 were one of the two south stairways leading from the temple courtyard into the fortress.
The anger of the Jews was evident in their desire to tear Paul apart immediately. Their cry recalls their words about Jesus some 27 years earlier (Luk 23:18; Joh 19:15; cf. Act 22:22). Probably the Antonia Fortress was where the soldiers took Jesus for trial before Pilate. It was also the prison from which the angel had freed Peter (Act 12:5).
Fuente: The Expositors Greek Testament by Robertson
Fuente: Companion Bible Notes, Appendices and Graphics
Fuente: The Greek Testament
Fuente: Gnomon of the New Testament
Fuente: The Treasury of Scripture Knowledge
Fuente: Combined Bible Commentary
Fuente: McGarvey and Pendleton Commentaries (New Testament)
Fuente: Abbott’s Illustrated New Testament
Fuente: Expository Notes of Dr. Constable (Old and New Testaments)