Exegetical and Hermeneutical Commentary of Acts 23:22
So the chief captain [then] let the young man depart, and charged [him,] See [thou] tell no man that thou hast showed these things to me.
22. So the chief captain then let the young man depart ] There is but one conjunction in the original, which is doubly rendered here by So and then. It is better to omit the latter.
and charged him, See thou tell no man, &c.] The Rev. Ver. has “charging him, Tell no man, &c.” The Greek is literally “charging him to tell, &c.” but though this is correct enough in Greek when a sentence like “that thou hast shewed, &c.” is to follow it cannot stand in English; so for the infinitive “to tell” an imperative or its equivalent must be substituted. The A. V. has taken the one, the Rev. Ver. the other way of rendering.
that thou hast shewed [ Rev. Ver. signified] &c.] This change is made because the same word was so rendered in Act 23:15.
Fuente: The Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges
Act 23:22-35
So the chief captain then let the young man depart.
Varied duties
I. Pauls nephew could do nothing. He was therefore told to hold his tongue–a very necessary duty sometimes. There is a time to speak, and well did the young man use his opportunity; but there is a time to keep silence, and he discharged this duty no less well. Had he, inflated with his success, or with his interview with the great man, boasted even in a whisper, all might have been upset, and himself dishonoured. So many gifted men spoil all their past good service by some momentary indiscretion of speech. Be content that you have done a good work and do not talk about it. Be content also to see others work sometimes without complaining that you have no part in it, or criticising them and it.
II. Lysias could do something. He could provide for Pauls safety and give him a recommendation; but he could not set him at liberty. Even had he possessed the power, it would have been unwise to exercise it for Pauls sake. Learn the limitations of human ability and respect them. Do not try to do too much or you will spoil what you can do. Be content to do what you can do well, and leave it to be said about you, He hath done what he could.
III. Felix could do everything. He could give the apostle a fair trial and set him at liberty. But we see from his case that men with the greatest abilities do next to nothing or worse than nothing. Paul was tried, and the governor was convinced of his innocence, but kept him in prison for the worst motives. How much better to be able to do little and to do it well, than to have great abilities and abuse them! (J. W. Burn.)
Fuente: Biblical Illustrator Edited by Joseph S. Exell
The chief captain shows by this his care, both for St. Paul, and for the young man too; for had it been known that he had discovered their conspiracy, they would have sought his life, and might divers ways have taken it away; and as for Paul, being disappointed in this, they would have made other attempts against him.
Fuente: English Annotations on the Holy Bible by Matthew Poole
16-22. Paul’s sister’s son(Seeon Ac 9:30). If he was at thistime residing at Jerusalem for his education, like Paul himself, hemay have got at the schools those hints of the conspiracy on which heso promptly acted.
Fuente: Jamieson, Fausset and Brown’s Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible
So the chief captain then let the young man depart,…. After he had had the account from him, and was master of the whole affair:
and charged him, see thou tell no man that thou hast showed these things to me; which was prudently said; it was a right and wise thing to conceal this matter, that the men might go on with their designs, and an opportunity be taken to convey Paul away, before the time came fixed by them to execute them; for otherwise, should it have been known that their plot was discovered, they would have entered upon new measures.
Fuente: John Gill’s Exposition of the Entire Bible
Tell no man ( ). Indirect command (oratio obliqua) after (charging) with first aorist active infinitive of (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” ( ). Same verb here as in verse 15. This change is common in the N.T. (Robertson, Grammar, p. 1047).
Fuente: Robertson’s Word Pictures in the New Testament
1) “So the chief captain then let the young man depart,” (ho men oun chiliarchos apeluse ton neaniskon) “So then the chief captain dismissed the young man,” Paul’s nephew who had revealed to him the assassination plot against Paul. The captain released him to the centurion to escort from the castle.
2) “And charged him, See thou tell no man,” (parangeilas medeni eklalesai) “Charging him to divulge (the plot) to no one,” or disclose to no one that you have divulged the matter of the conspiracy to me or to Paul, Act 23:16.
3) “That thou hast shewed these things to me.” (hoti touta enephanisas prose eme) “That you reported these things to me,” the highest Roman official in the city. This charge of secrecy was made to Paul’s nephew, lest the chief captain’s counter-plans, to save Paul should be thwarted by the craft of the blood thirsty, hungry plotters, conspirators against the life of Paul, Act 23:13.
Fuente: Garner-Howes Baptist Commentary
(22) So the chief captain.The chiliarch is obviously glad of the intelligence. His sympathies are clearly with St. Paul personally as against the high priest and his followers. He welcomes an opportunity for showing his zeal for the safe-keeping of a Roman citizen, and for making a statement of the whole transaction from his own point of view. With true official caution he treats the communication he has received as confidential, and takes his measures accordingly.
Fuente: Ellicott’s Commentary for English Readers (Old and New Testaments)
22. Tell no man Paul’s sudden disappearance from Jerusalem was thus left a mystery to the excited Sanhedrin, and a sad perplexity to the oath-bound assassins.
Fuente: Whedon’s Commentary on the Old and New Testaments
‘So the chief captain let the young man go, charging him, “Tell no man that you have signified these things to me.” ’
So the chief captain let the lad go and told him to tell no one what he knew, or that he had told it to the chief captain. His main concern here was probably with the lad’s safety.
Fuente: Commentary Series on the Bible by Peter Pett
22 So the chief captain then let the young man depart, and charged him, See thou tell no man that thou hast shewed these things to me.
Ver. 22. See thou tell no man ] Taciturnity is reckoned among the virtues. Detexit facinus fatuus, et non implevit, saith Tacitus (that best historian) of a fool that could not keep his own counsel, and so marred the design.
Fuente: John Trapp’s Complete Commentary (Old and New Testaments)
22. ] , a variation of person, as in reff.
Fuente: Henry Alford’s Greek Testament
Act 23:22 . , Jdt 11:9 (but al [374] ), “to divulge,” here only in N.T., but in classical Greek, and in Philo. As in i. 4, transition to oratio recta , cf. Luk 5:14 , Mar 6:9 , etc., very common in Greek prose, Winer-Moulton, lxiii., ii., 2, Blass, Gram. , p. 280.
[374] Alford’s Greek Testament .
Fuente: The Expositors Greek Testament by Robertson
So, &c. The chief captain indeed then.
let . . . depart = sent away. Greek. apoluo. App-174.
charged = commanded. Greek. parangello. See note on Act 1:4.
See thou tell = to tell. Greek. eklaleo. Only here.
no man = no one. Greek. medeis.
shewed. Same as “signify”, Act 23:15.
Fuente: Companion Bible Notes, Appendices and Graphics
22.] , a variation of person, as in reff.
Fuente: The Greek Testament
Jos 2:14, Mar 1:44
Fuente: The Treasury of Scripture Knowledge
2
Act 23:22. The captain bound the young man to secrecy and then dismissed him, but he intended to act on behalf of Paul’s safety.
Fuente: Combined Bible Commentary
Observe here, 1. How wonderfully God overruled the heart of the chief captain, in that he took care both of St. Paul, and the young man also: he bids the young man depart; for had it been known that he had discovered the conspiracy, they had conspired against his life; and had not the chief captain conveyed away the apostle, his enemies, who had been disappointed in this, would have made further attempts against his life. Thus wonderfully doth the good providence of God work for his servants’ preservation.
Observe, 2. What a strong guard does God raise and set round the apostle for his defence and safety, even a guard of heathen soldiers, to secure him from the Jewish rage; two hundred soldiers, threescore and ten horsemen, and spearmen two hundred.
What a royal life-guard was here raised for the apostle’s safe-conduct to Cesarea! None of all these soldiers intended him any good; but God can make bad persons show kindness to his good servants, and do his will by them who know nothing of his mind and will.
When God has work to do, he will find instruments to do it by. And though we see them not, yet are they never the farther off.
Fuente: Expository Notes with Practical Observations on the New Testament
See notes on verse 17
Fuente: McGarvey and Pendleton Commentaries (New Testament)
23:22 {12} So the chief captain [then] let the young man depart, and charged [him, See thou] tell no man that thou hast shewed these things to me.
(12) There is no counsel against the Lord and his servants.