Paul, A Prisoner of Providence

In Acts 23 we encounter more than 40 hungry Jewish Assassins dedicated to the death of the Apostle Paul, 470 armed Roman soldiers executing a flight by night from Jerusalem with Paul riding in their midst on the way to the governors palace in Caesarea and at the heart of the passage Paul's 'Trial' before the Sanhedrin which begins with a slap in the face and ends with the Sanhedrin devolving into chaos over the question of the hope of the resurrection of the dead.

We see the hand of divine providence moving in this passage, not to preserve Paul's comfort, or freedom, but to expand the reach of the gospel, even at the price of imprisoning the great apostle.