Acts 23: Paul Stirs Up the Sanhedrin
PAUL’S DEDICATION TO THE LORD AND HIS WILLINGNESS TO FULFILL THE GREAT COMMISSION TOWARD THE GENTILES WAS CONTINUAL IN ANNOYING HIS ENEMIES.
IT WOULD BE PROPER TO SAY HE WAS STRONGLY DIVISIVE.
WHEREVER HE WENT SERVING CHRIST, HE WAS SOON HATED, DESPISED, THREATENED AND PRESECUTED BY SOME.
BUT HE WAS LOVED, ENCOURAGED, AND DEVOUTLY SUPPORTED BY OTHERS.
PAUL WAS A FIREBRAND, TOTALLY SOLD OUT TO JESUS, AND FULLY DEVOTED TO ADVANCING THE GOSPEL AMONG ALL PEOPLE IN ALL PLACES AT ALL COSTS.
HE WAS NOT TACTFUL.
IN TODAY’S WORLD WE WOULD SAY HE HAD A TYPE A PERSONALITY AND NEVER SHIED AWAY FROM SHOWING IT.
HE WAS DRIVEN TO EXTREME.
IN THE LAST VERSE OF CHAPTER 22 (VERSE 30) HE FINDS HIMSELF BOUND, HELD BY ROMAN SOLDIERS, THEN UNBOUND AND TAKEN TO TESTIFY IN FRONT OF THE JEWISH COUNCIL KNOWN AS THE SANHEDRIN.
THIS WAS THE JEWISH HIGH COURT, WITH 71 MEMBERS INCLUDING THE HIGH PRIEST, WHO HAD JURISDICTION OVER CIVIL AND RELIGIOUS MATTERS BUT NO INFLUENCE ON MILITARY MATTERS.
THIS WAS THE SAME BODY THAT 30 YEARS BEFORE HAD SOUGHT EVIDENCE AGAINST JESUS TO PUT HIM TO DEATH. (MATT 26:59)
PAUL WAS REQUIRED TO DEFEND HIMSELF IN FRONT OF THIS HIGH COUNCIL.
HE BEGINS BY CALLING THEM “MEN AND BROTHERS”, AND CLAIMED TO BE INNOCENT OF ALL CHARGES AGAINST HIM.
WITHIN THAT FIRST MOMENT THE HIGH PRIEST COMMANDED THOSE NEAR PAUL TO SMITE HIM ON THE MOUTH.
LEVITICUS 19:15 STATES CLEARLY THIS COMMAND WAS ILLEGAL AND SMITING IN THE MOUTH WAS ONLY ALLOWED FOR BLASPHEMY.
PAUL QUICKLY RESPONDED TO THE COMMAND OF THE HIGH PRIEST SAYING GOD SHALL SMITE THEE, THOU WHITED WALL, A WORD PICTURE OF A HYPOCRITE, EXPOSING THE HYPOCRISY OF THE PHARISEES.
THE HIGH PRIEST HAD NOT ONLY VIOLATED JEWISH LAW BUT ROMAN LAW AS WELL WHICH STATE NO PUNISHMENT MAY BE RENDERED UNTIL CONVICTION.
NOW THE COUNCIL ACCUSES PAUL OF SLANDER AND INSULTING THE HIGH PRIEST AND PAUL STATES HE DID NOT KNOW THE MAN WAS THE HIGH PRIEST.
IT WAS CLEAR FROM THIS MOMENT THAT PAUL REALIZED HE WOULD NOT RECEIVE A FAIR HEARING BEFORE THE SANHEDRIN.
HIS INABILITY TO PROPERLY RECOGNIZE WHO WAS THE HIGH PRIEST MAY BE A CLUE TO THE THORN IN HIS FLESH WHICH IN GALATIANS PAUL SUGGESTS MAY BE POOR EYESIGHT.
PAUL KNEW THERE WERE TWO SECTIONS OF LEADERS AMONG THE COUNCIL, PHARISEES AND SADDUCEES.
SO PAUL DECIDES TO DIVIDE HIS DEFENSE TO CAUSE A DISAGREEMENT AMONG THE TWO SECTIONS.
THE SADDUCEES DID NOT BELIEVE IN AN AFTERLIFE OR ANGELS OR A POSSIBILITY OF ANY RESURRECTION FROM THE DEAD.
IN VERSE 6 PAUL EXPLAINS HE IS A PHARISEE AND THE SON OF A PHARISEE AND WAS OF THE HOPE IN THE DEAD BEING RESURRECTED.
IN VERSE 7 THE PLAN WORKED AS THE TWO GROUPS BEGAN ARGUING AMONG THEMSELVES. BY THIS PLAN PAUL GAINED SOME SUPPORT FROM THE PHARISEES.
PAUL FANNED THE FLAME OF THE DIVISIONS ALREADY IN FACT BETWEEN THE TWO GROUPS.
THE PHARISEES SAY THEY FIND NO EVIL IN THIS MAN AND IF A SPIRIT OR ANGEL HAS SPOKEN TO HIM, LET US NOT FIGHT AGAINST GOD.
THE PHARISEES FIND THEMSELVES SUPPORTING AND DEFENDING THE MAN ACCUSED BEFORE THEM.
GREAT DISSENSION AROSE AND THE ROMAN CAPTAIN FOR THE SECOND TIME IN TWO DAYS HAD TO USE HIS SOLDIERS TO REMOVE PAUL FROM ANOTHER ANGRY MOB.
PAUL’S LIFE WAS MORE IN DANGER FROM THE JEWS THAT FROM THE ROMANS AND HIS HEARING ENDED IN A BRAWL WHICH WAS HALTED ONLY BY THE STRENGTH OF THE ROMAN ARMY.
VERSE 11 ALLOWS US TO KNOW THAT ONCE AGAIN THE LORD IS WELL AWARE OF THE ISSUES WITH HIS CHOSEN VESSEL.
PAUL IS IN A VERY DIFFICULT POSITION.
IF RELEASED BY THE ROMANS, THE JEWS WILL KILL HIM.
IF HE REMAINS IN CUSTODY, HE CANNOT DO THE WORK GOD HAD COMMANDED HIM TO ACCOMPLISH.
IN THE NIGHT, THE LORD CAME TO PAUL AND SPOKE ENCOURAGING WORDS TO HIS SERVANT:
“And the night following the Lord stood by him, and said, Be of good cheer, Paul: for as thou hast testified of me in Jerusalem, so must thou bear witness also at Rome.”
WITH PAUL’S STRONG EDUCATION IN HOLY SCRIPTURE, HE WAS SURE TO RECALL THE TEACHING OF DAVID IN PSALM 23:4:
“I will fear no evil, for thou are with me”.
JESUS BROUGHT NO REBUKE OR CORRECTION TO PAUL, BUT ENCOURAGED HIM TO CONTINUE ONWARD.
THIS WAS THE FIFTH VISION OF THE LORD TO PAUL REPORTED IN ACTS.
IN VERSES 12-22 THERE ARRIVES A NEW AND MUCH MORE VIOLENT EFFORT BY THE JEWS TO DEAL WITH PAUL.
CERTAIN JEWS BANDED TOGETHER, AND BOUND THEMSELVES UNDER A CURSE (MEANING THEY INTEND TO BE CURSED IF THEIR PLAN FAILS), TO RID THEMSELVES OF PAUL.
MORE THAN 40 MEN MADE THE PLEDGE TO KILL PAUL AND ASKED THAT GOD’S JUDGMENT BE UPON THEM IF THEY FAILED.
THEY PLEDGED NOT TO EAT OR DRINK UNTIL THEY HAD SUCCESSFULLY KILLED PAUL.
THEY BROUGHT THE PLAN TO THE HIGH PRIEST AND HE APPROVED THE ASSASSINATION PLOT.
THE PLAN WAS FOR THE SANHEDRIN TO CALL FOR PAUL TO BE BROUGHT TO THEM BY THE ROMANS FOR MORE TESTIMONY AND BEFORE PAUL WOULD ARRIVE, THE PLOTTERS WOULD MOVE AGAINST HIM AND TAKE HIS LIFE, EVEN IF SOME ROMANS WERE WITH HIM.
PAUL’S NEPHEW (HIS SISTER’S SON) WAS IN JERUSALEM, POSSIBLY ATTENDING THE SAME RABBI SCHOOL PAUL ATTENDED, AND HE HEARD OF THE PLOT AND WENT TO PAUL TO ADVISE HIM OF THE PLAN AGAINST HIM.
PAUL WAS NOT A ROMAN PRISONER BUT WAS IN ROMAN CUSTODY FOR HIS OWN PROTECTION. HE WAS NOT LOCKED AWAY AND HIS NEPHEW WAS ABLE TO FIND PAUL AND TELL HIM OF THE PLAN.
PAUL ASKED A ROMAN CENTURION TO TAKE HIS NEPHEW TO THE CHIEF CAPTAIN SO THAT HE MIGHT HEAR OF THE PLAN DIRECTLY.
THE ROMAN COMMANDER TOOK THE YOUNG MAN INTO A PRIVATE MEETING AND HEARD HIS REPORT. HE ORDERED THE NEPHEW TO TELL NO ONE AND QUICKLY BEGAN TO GIVE ORDERS TO ARRANGE PROTECTION FOR PAUL.
HE CALLED TWO CENTURIONS INTO ACTION AND COMANDED THE FOLLOWING TO BE PREPARED FOR THE MOVEMENT OF PAUL OUT OF JERUSALEM TO CAESAREA:
200 SOLDIERS
70 HORSEMEN
200 SPEAR CARRIERS
THIS COMMANDED GROUP WAS ALMOST 500 MEN WHICH WOULD HAVE BEEN OVER HALF OF THE ROMAN SOLDIERS IN JERUSALEM AT THIS TIME.
THE MOVEMENT OF PAUL TO CAESAREA WOULD THEN HAVE HIM WHERE THE HEADQUARTERS OF A LARGE ROMAN GARRISON WAS STATIONED.
HORSES WERE COMMANDED FOR PAUL TO BE CARRIED AND TAKEN SAFELY TO THE ROMAN GOVERNOR NAMED FELIX.
FELIX WAS A FORMER SLAVE WHOSE BROTHER PALLAS WAS ALSO A FORMER SLAVE WITH BOTH BEING CLOSE FRIENDS OF THE EMPORER CLAUDIUS.
FELIX WAS KNOWN TO BE A CRUEL AND BRUTAL GOVERNOR AND TO BE NO FRIEND OF THE JEWS.
A LETTER FROM THE ROMAN COMMANDER, LYSIAS, WAS SENT ALONG WITH THE TROOPS TO FELIX, STATING THAT THE COMMANDER HAD AVOIDED A MOB SCENE AND WAS DUTY BOUND TO ASSURE PAUL’S SAFETY SINCE HE WAS A ROMAN CITIZEN.
LYSIAS DID NOT MENTION A SINGLE CRIME AGAINST ROMAN LAW THAT WAS CHARGED AGAINST PAUL, SAYING ONLY THAT PAUL SEEMED TO HAVE VIOLATED SOME LOCAL RELIGIOUS LAWS.
THE MILITARY GROUP LEFT UNDER DARKNESS TO FURTHER SHIELD PAUL’S SAFETY AND TRANSFER.
IN THE NEXT DAY HALF THE SOLDIERS WERE ORDERED BACK TO JERUSALEM AND THE REST DELIVERED PAUL TO THE CUSTODY OF FELIX THE GOVERNOR.
AFTER READING THE LETTER FROM THE ROMAN COMMANDER, FELIX QUESTIONED PAUL, WHO SAID HE WAS FROM THE PROVINCE OF CILICIA, WHICH ALSO HAPPENED TO BE UNDER THE JURISDICTION OF FELIX.
FELIX ORDERED PAUL TO REMAIN WHERE HE WAS UNTIL HIS JEWISH ACCUSERS COULD ARRIVE TO PLEAD THE ROMANS TO FILE CHARGES AGAINST PAUL.
HE SEEMED TO BE TREATED KINDLY BY FELIX AS HE WAS HELD BUT AT THE MOMENT PAUL DID NOT KNOW THAT THIS PLACE WOULD BE HIS HOME FOR THE NEXT TWO YEARS.
PAUL WAS GRANTED SOME LIBERTY UNDER THE WATCH OF A ROMAN CENTURION ASSIGNED TO KEEP HIM AND PAUL WAS ALLOWED TO HAVE ANY GUESTS TO COME AND TO VISIT AND MINISTER UNTO HIM AS HE AWAITED HIS HEARING. (VERSE 24:23)
THE ROMAN COMMANDER, LYSIAS, WAS NOT ABOUT TO ALLOW A MOB OF JEWISH RELIGIOUS PEOPLE TO EITHER OUTSMART HIM OR TO BE ABLE TO ASSASSINATE A MAN UNDER HIS AUTHORITY.
TO DO SO WOULD HAVE BEEN CONSIDERED A DERILICTION OF DUTY BY THIS ROMAN OFFICER.
THE NUMBER OF FORCES THE COMMANDER DISPATCHED TO PROTECT PAUL WAS 470 STRONG. BUT THIS NUMBER WAS ONE NUMBER SHY OF REALITY.
NOT ONLY WERE 470 ROMAN SOLDIERS ASSIGNED TO PROTECT PAUL, BUT THERE WAS ONE MORE ARRANGING HIS PROTECTION MOVING ALONG WITH THE ROMAN TROOPS, WHICH WAS CHRIST.
JESUS HAD ALREADY APPEARED TO PAUL SHOWING HIS APPROVAL OF THE WITNESS PAUL HAD MADE FOR THE LORD IN JERUSALEM AND HE TOLD PAUL THAT HE MUST ALSO BEAR WITNESS IN ROME. (ACTS 23:11)
THEREFORE, IT WAS IMPOSSIBLE FOR THE JEWS TO MURDER PAUL BEFORE HE ACTUALLY WENT TO ROME UNDER THE COMMAND OF JESUS.
THE REAL SAFETY OF PAUL WAS NOT IN THE ROMAN SOLDIERS BUT IN THE NEVER FORSAKING & EVERLASTING ARMS OF JESUS, WHO HAD CHOSEN AND PREPARED PAUL FOR THIS MISSION.
PAUL SEIZED THIS RARE OPPORTUNITY TO BOTH DIVIDE THE TEMPLE MASTERS WHO WERE SEEKING HIS LIFE AND MUCH MORE IMPORTANTLY TO HIM TO WITNESS TO THE TRUTH HE HAD HIMSELF PERSONALLY SEEN, WHICH WAS THE RESURRECTED LORD.
THE DOCTRINE OF THE RESURRECTION WAS THE BEDROCK FOUNDATION OF CHRISTIAN FAITH AND REMAINS SO UNTIL THE RAPTURE AND THEREAFTER THE 2ND COMING.
HIS DECLARATION SUCCESSFULLY SPLIT THE TEMPLE MASTERS INTO THE TWO SECTIONS THAT ALREADY EXISTED, THAT OF THE PHARISEES AND THE SADDUCEES.
AS PAUL CONTINUED HIS DEFENSE, THE DISCORD GREW IN THE GROUP.
WHAT THE SADDUCEES ACTUALY DENIED WAS THAT HUMANS COULD BECOME PERSONALLY IMMORTAL.
LIKE THE GREEKS, THEY CONDSIDERED BODY AND SPIRIT TO BE ONE UNITY SUCH THAT ONE PART MAY NOT EXIST WITHOUT THE OTHER.
JESUS HAD DEALT WITH THIS SAME GROUP BY TEACHING THEM THAT GOD DECLARES HIMSELF TO BE GOD OF ABRAHAM, ISAAC, AND JACOB AND HE IS NOT THE GOD OF THE DEAD BUT OF THE LIVING.
JESUS HAD TAUGHT THAT ABRAHAM, ISAAC, AND JACOB ARE STILL ALIVE TO GOD. THIS TEACHING APPEARS 3 TIMES:
MATTHEW 22:23-33
MARK 12:18-27
LUKE 20:27-40
BY TEACHING THAT THESE THREE PATRIARCHS ARE STILL ALIVE EVEN THOUGH THEIR BODIES WERE IN THEIR GRAVES, JESUS MADE CLEAR THAT THE CHIEF ARGUMENT OF THE SADDUCEES WAS FALSE BECAUSE THESE PATRIARCHS WERE INDEED STILL ALIVE AFTER DEATH, MEANING THAT THEY HAD BEEN RESURRECTED TO ETERNAL LIFE IN THE KINGDOM, WITHOUT THEIR MORTAL BODIES.
HERE PAUL IS USING HIS PHARISEE EDUCATION SHOWING ONCE MORE HOW PERFECT WAS THE CHOICE OF PAUL BY JESUS TO CARRY HIS GOSPEL MESSAGE FORWARD.
PAUL (AND THE TEMPLE MASTERS) KNEW THE SCRIPTURES VERY WELL.
THE SCRIPTURES OF WHAT WE NOW CALL THE OLD TESTAMENT GIVE A CLEAR TEACHING OF THE DOCTRINE OF RESURRECTION.
JOB’S TESTIMONY IS CLEAR IN JOB 19:23-27.
PSALM 16:10 SHOWS THE MESSIAH WOULD BE RAISED FROM THE DEAD.
PSALM 17:15 SHOWS THE HOPE NOT ONLY OF GOING TO BE WITH THE LORD BUT TEACHES WE WILL BEHOLD THE FACE OF GOD IN RIGHTEOUSNESS.
PSALM 73:23-26 SHOWS FAITH IN BEING EVER WITH THE LORD.
ISAIAH 53:8-12 SHOWS THE RESURRECTION OF THE SUFFERING MESSIAH.
DANIEL 12:2 GIVES THE PROPHECY OF RESURRECTION.
PAUL WILL LATER WRITE OF THIS VERY MATTER IN HIS STRONG TEACHING OF 1ST COR 15:51-52.
JOHN WILL LATER WRITE OF THE SAME MATTER IN JOHN 5:29.
JOHN WILL REVEAL THE WILL OF GOD ON THIS MATTER IN REVELATION 20.
THESE EXAMPLES TO LATER APPEAR IN OUR NEW TESTAMENT ONLY RECONFIRM WHAT PAUL WAS DECLARING THAT DAY TO DIVIDE THE TEMPLE MASTERS TO HIS ADVANTAGE.
IN 23:9 WE SEE THE TWO GROUPS CLAMORING AGAINST EACH OTHER AND SOME OF THE PHARISEES ACTUALLY STOOD TO SPEAK ON PAUL’S BEHALF, AND SAID THEY FOUND NOTHING EVIL IN HIM, AND EVEN SUGGESTED AN ANGEL OR SPIRIT MAY HAVE SPOKEN TO HIM AND IF PAUL WERE TO BE CONDEMNED, THOSE WHO DO SO WOULD BE FIGHTING AGAINST GOD.
THE MENTION OF ANGELS LIKELY STIRRED UP THE SADDUCEES EVEN MORE AS THEY NEVER ACCEPTED THE EXISTENCE OF ANGELS.
THE LORD AFTERWARD GAVE PAUL HIS ENCOURAGEMENT IN THE NIGHT VISION AND JESUS WAS CLEARLY PLEASED AT THE WITNESS PAUL HAD GIVEN.
THE TEMPLE MASTERS WERE NOT FINISHED WITH PAUL AND CONTINUED TO PLOT AGAINST HIS LIFE.
PAUL WILL NEXT APPEAR BEFORE THE GOVERNORS HE WILL MEET IN CAESAREA WHICH WILL BE ANOTHER STEP TOWARD ROME.
