Just as agreement among good people is always beneficial, so agreement among evil people is always harmful to the good. Hence, the apostle attempted to cause dissension among his persecutors, so that they might in their division release the man whom in their agreement they had bound.^[1] So it was that the Red Sea, which when it was whole had blocked the passage of the sons of Israel, freed them from Egypt when it was divided.^[2] This is why [Paul] testified that he was the son of Pharisees (or, according to the Greek, the son of a Pharisee), which is what he gloried in above,^[3] [and] that he learned the prophets and the law at the feet of Gamaliel, who, as we read, was a Pharisee.^[4]

The Sadducees know of nothing incorporeal, perhaps not even God, so thick-headed are they. Consequently, they are also unwilling to believe that there is a resurrection.

What if a spirit or an angel has spoken to him? These words are obscure or something is missing for the completion of the sentence, which would be, If a spirit or an angel has told to him what to say in order to avoid dangers, he is being deceptive. Otherwise, what the Pharisees say must be understood in the sense, Look! He’s clearly talking about the resurrection, since he’s been taught either this teaching on the resurrection by the Holy Spirit or an angel.

Notice how great is the consolation! First he praises him, as you have testified about me at Jerusalem; then, he does not leave him fearful of the uncertainty of his journey to Rome. For not only will you arrive there, he says, but you will also make use of this boldness of speech. From this it is revealed that not only will he be saved but that he will be saved in the great city, honored with great crowns. Why didn’t [Jesus] appear to him before he fell into danger? Because, as always, it is in afflictions that God consoles. For then he appears more desirable, as he trains us even in the midst of dangers.

Scripture says, Fear not to go down into Egypt,^[1] which means, When you come against the principalities and powers and rulers of the darkness of this world^[2]—those figuratively called Egypt—do not fear or recoil. If you wish to know why you should not fear, listen to my promise: There, I will make of you a great nation, and I shall go down into Egypt with you, and I shall call you back from there in the end.^[3] He is, therefore, not afraid to go down into Egypt. He fears neither the combats of this world nor the trials of demonic adversaries. Hear, then, what the apostle Paul says: More than those others have I labored, yet not I, but the grace of God with me.^[4] Even in Jerusalem, when a plot had been set in motion against him and he toiled in combat for the word and the preaching of the Lord, beside him the Lord stood and said these same things that are said to Israel: Fear not, Paul, for just as you have been my witness in Jerusalem, so you must also be my witness in Rome.

Behold fasting, the mother of murder! Just as Herod imposed that necessity by oath upon himself,^[1] likewise do these men. For these are the devil’s ways. Under the pretext of piety itself he sets his traps.

While the Lord said, Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for justice,^[1] these people on the contrary hungered for iniquity and thirsted as much for blood, so that they even gave up food for the body until they might be satiated by the death of a just man. But there is no wisdom, there is no prudence, there is no counsel in opposition to the Lord.^[2] For [as we have read] also above, although Paul offered sacrifices, shaved his head, went barefoot and to the Jews became a Jew,^[3] nevertheless he could not escape the chains that had been foretold.^[4] In this case too, although these men took counsel together, bound themselves under a vow and laid snares [for Paul], nevertheless the apostle was kept unharmed so that he could also give testimony to Christ in Rome, just as had also been said.

Again human forethought is saved. See, Paul allowed nobody to learn of this, not even the centurion, so that the matter might not be divulged. Instead, the centurion took him and brought him to the tribune. The tribune rightly ordered that he be hidden, so that the matter would remain secret. Then he told the centurions what had to be done.

Even after appearing to him, [Paul] again allows him to be saved by human means. And what happens? Paul was not thrown into confusion; he did not say, So I have been deceived by Christ. Instead, he believed. Indeed, because he believed, he did not sleep and did not give up the abilities that human wisdom had given him.