Claudius Lysius
Summary
The Roman military tribune who rescued Paul from a Jerusalem mob and later sent him under guard to Felix the governor in Caesarea.
☩Rescue of Paul
When Paul was attacked by a mob in the temple area, Claudius Lysius, the commander (chiliarch) of the Roman garrison in the Antonia fortress, quickly intervened with soldiers and centurions. He bound Paul with two chains, assuming he was a dangerous criminal, and had to carry him to the barracks because of the violence of the crowd.
☩Protection of Paul
When Lysius learned that Paul was a Roman citizen, he became alarmed at having bound him without trial. He convened the Sanhedrin to determine the charges against Paul, and when a plot to kill Paul was discovered, he sent him by night with a heavy guard to Caesarea. His letter to Felix explained that he had rescued Paul from the Jews after learning he was a Roman.
☩His Background
Lysius was probably a Greek by birth who had assumed the Roman forename 'Claudius' when he purchased his citizenship, likely during the reign of Claudius when such purchases were common. He commanded a cohort of about 1,000 soldiers stationed in Jerusalem to maintain order.