Twice the Romans have rescued Paul from the Jews' deadly intent (21:32-36; 23:10; see also 22:22-24). But his removal into the safekeeping of the Roman authorities only seems to intensify the Jews' determination to do away with him. From Acts 22:30 forward Luke consistently highlights Israel's rejection of the gospel by using the general term the Jews to refer to those who oppose Paul.

More than forty men take a "curse oath" (anathematizo). They " `accursed themselves' or `wished for themselves the curse of God' or `declared their lives forfeit' if they did not bend every effort to fulfill their voluntarily accepted obligation to kill Paul" (Behm 1964:355). They declare their fanatical devotion in a complete fast from food or drink until Paul is dead. Such a vow means death either way, for any ambush of a Roman military contingent would lead to the immediate death of most of the attackers.

Is this vow an extension of a commitment to remove the curse of God from a defiled temple by seeing to it that the perpetrator will experience death "at the hands of heaven" (see comment at 21:28-32)? In Jewish thinking, zealous ones should take on themselves that curse if God's offended holiness is not avenged.

Although the plotters are unsuccessful, we do not need to conclude that they die. Jewish casuistry provided for the breaking of a vow "[that cannot be fulfilled by reason] of constraint" (circumstances that kept the conditions of the vow from being met; m. Nedarim 3:1, 3).

The enemies of the gospel, in the end, have only the self-destructive power of self-imposed curses to try to realize their plans. What a feeble hope in comparison to the providential, saving power of God! And how ironic! Those who place themselves under a curse in order to remove a curse assume that they are in the will of God but are really picturing what is already true of them. These enemies of the cross are persons under God's condemnation and only increase their punishment by taking such action against a messenger of the gospel.

These devoted plotters are also deceptive plotters. In order to maneuver Paul into a situation where they can get at him, they ask the Sadducean segment of the Sanhedrin, the chief priests and elders, to persuade the council to officially petition the commander to "bring Paul down" (NIV to bring before) from the Antonia fortress to them. The pretext will be to secure more accurate information about his case; the purpose will be to kill him (anaireo; Acts 23:15, 21; 25:3; compare Lk 22:2; Acts 21:36; 22:22).

Persecutors of the gospel have no interest in the truth about the gospel messenger. Not only must we continually show ourselves interested in the truth (21:34; 22:24), but we must be wise as serpents and innocent as doves when confronting such schemes (Mt 10:16).