³¹So the soldiers, in accordance with their orders, took Paul and brought him by night to Antipatris. ³²But the next day, leaving the horsemen to go on with him, they returned to the barracks. ³³When these had come to Caesarea and delivered the letter to the governor, they also presented Paul to him. ³⁴When he had read it, he asked from what province he was, and when he learned that he was from Cilicia, ³⁵he said, “I will give you a hearing after your accusers arrive also,” giving orders for him to be kept in Herod’s Praetorium.

Treating the issue with absolute emergency, the troops set out by night, clearly intended as a surprise escape to avoid having to fight the Jewish band of forty men. They did not fear losing such a battle but wanted to avoid the conflict. Critical political considerations were in play.

Antipatris was on the border of Judea, forty to forty-five miles from Jerusalem. How could this trip be completed in less than twenty-four hours, when a typical distance for marching would be about twenty to thirty miles per day? Possibly the urgency required an increased tempo, which would be unsustainable over many days but could be pushed for a one-time urgency. Since they left at night, most of the march would have been under cover of darkness until some distance had passed and dawn had arrived. (The details did not come from Luke’s firsthand observations, but he would have probably gotten the report later from Paul.) The infantry returned to Jerusalem, while the cavalry went on ahead, at an assumed faster speed since they were on horseback.

We note the Romans’ treatment of Paul reflects his status as a citizen. They “presented” Paul to the governor. They didn’t just throw him in jail or flog him. This wasn’t just about a case causing problems for the Roman overlords. It was about a person, the apostle Paul. He was protected and escorted by at first 470 militia, and then by a seventy-man cavalry, and now he is standing before the most powerful authority in the province. His lodgings were assigned in “Herod’s Praetorium,” which was the governor’s residence!

The whole affair was now out of the Jews’ hands, with the governor promising a fair hearing. No kangaroo court would decide the matter; all would be done according to Roman law. We will shortly see Paul taking full advantage of Roman law.

One cannot escape the conclusion that God was taking very good care of Paul in the midst of the difficulties. Perhaps he thought of the writings of David: “The Lord is my shepherd, I shall not want. He makes me lie down in green pastures; he leads me beside quiet waters” (Ps. 23:1–2). Paul had a good, restful night’s sleep!

Lord, thank You for being my shepherd and giving me rest and peace.