Acts, Chapter 23
© Copyright 2007 Darroll Evans, all rights reserved

 

Acts 23:1 And Paul, earnestly beholding the council, said, Men and brethren, I have lived in all good conscience before God until this day.

 

As Paul stood before the council (Gr. Sanedrioo-Sanedriw), the Sanhedrin, he told them that he had lived with a clear conscience toward God.

 

Acts 23:2 And the high priest Ananias commanded them that stood by him to smite him on the mouth.

 

At that, the High Priest, Ananias ordered someone to hit Paul.

 

We often assume that those in high office were honorable men.  Such an assumption would be incorrect!  The fact is that they were contemptible, disgraceful, corrupt men.  They were purchasable!  Their loyalty and morality were for sale!

 

Acts 23:3-8
3 Then said Paul unto him, God shall smite thee, thou whited wall: for sittest thou to judge me after the law, and commandest me to be smitten contrary to the law?
4 And they that stood by said, Revilest thou God's high priest?
5 Then said Paul, I wist not, brethren, that he was the high priest: for it is written, Thou shalt not speak evil of the ruler of thy people.
6 But when Paul perceived that the one part were Sadducees, and the other Pharisees, he cried out in the council, Men and brethren, I am a Pharisee, the son of a Pharisee: of the hope and resurrection of the dead I am called in question.
7 And when he had so said, there arose a dissension between the Pharisees and the Sadducees: and the multitude was divided.
8 For the Sadducees say that there is no resurrection, neither angel, nor spirit: but the Pharisees confess both.

 

Paul spoke up, “God shall strike you! You are white washed!”

 

Do you remember when Jesus made a similar accusation?

 

Matt 23:27 Woe unto you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! for ye are like unto whited sepulchres, which indeed appear beautiful outward, but are within full of dead men's bones, and of all uncleanness.

 

Paul’s accusation was as confrontational.

 

Paul continued, “You sit in judgment of me concerning the Law, and yet you order me slapped contrary to the law?”

 

At that, the Jewish hierarchy challenged Paul’s right to defend himself, “Are you insulting God's High Priest?”

 

Paul countered, “I did not know that he was the High Priest. But, I do know that it is written, ‘You shall not speak evil concerning the ruler of the people’”


When Paul perceived that part of the group were Sadducees, and another part Pharisees, he cried out in the Sanhedrin, “Men and brethren, I am a Pharisee, the son of a Pharisee.  It is because of my hope in the resurrection from the dead that I am accused.”

When they heard that, a great debate arose between the Pharisees and the Sadducees. The Sanhedrin mob was divided.


The Sadducees taught that there is no resurrection, and no angels, nor spirit of man.  However the Pharisees taught those things.

 

Acts 23:9 And there arose a great cry: and the scribes that were of the Pharisees' part arose, and strove, saying, We find no evil in this man: but if a spirit or an angel hath spoken to him, let us not fight against God.

 

The debate among members of the Sanhedrin became quite heated.  The Pharisees shouted, “We find no evil in this man, but if a spirit or an angel hath spoken to him, let us not fight against God.”

 

Fighting against God is always a bad idea!

 

Acts 23:10 And when there arose a great dissension, the chief captain, fearing lest Paul should have been pulled in pieces of them, commanded the soldiers to go down, and to take him by force from among them, and to bring him into the castle.

 

The “dissension” became so violent that the Roman soldiers had to intervene and save Paul.  In a short time, we will see that their leader say that they “rescued” Paul.

 

Acts 23:11 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.

 

That night, an angel came to Paul with an assurance, “Cheer up, because you have testified concerning me in Jerusalem, and now you must do so in Rome.”

 

The “Jerusalem” part of Paul’s mission was complete.  Now, he must go to Rome.

 

Acts 23:12-15
12 And when it was day, certain of the Jews banded together, and bound themselves under a curse, saying that they would neither eat nor drink till they had killed Paul.
13 And they were more than forty which had made this conspiracy.
14 And they came to the chief priests and elders, and said, We have bound ourselves under a great curse, that we will eat nothing until we have slain Paul.
15 Now therefore ye with the council signify to the chief captain that he bring him down unto you to morrow, as though ye would inquire something more perfectly concerning him: and we, or ever he come near, are ready to kill him.

 

The next morning, some Jews got together and pledged to murder Paul.  The message of God’s grace has been hated by the carnally religious since it surfaced and it still is hated by many today.

 

The spiritually challenged have now learned to use the language by re-defining words, corrupting definitions, and playing Church. 

 

2 Pet 3:16 As also in all his epistles, speaking in them of these things; in which are some things hard to be understood, which they that are unlearned and unstable wrest, as they do also the other scriptures, unto their own destruction.

 

In the abuse of Scripture, the spiritually corrupt become even more corrupted as they attempt to twist Scripture and sabotage the Holy Word of God.  The full truth of the grace of God as expressed in the life, death, and resurrection of Christ is not welcome in many Churches.

 

Acts 23:16 And when Paul's sister's son heard of their lying in wait, he went and entered into the castle, and told Paul.

 

Paul’s nephew heard about the plot against his “uncle” Paul, and came to the place where he was being held to warn him.

 

Acts 23:17-22
17 Then Paul called one of the centurions unto him, and said, Bring this young man unto the chief captain: for he hath a certain thing to tell him.
18 So he took him, and brought him to the chief captain, and said, Paul the prisoner called me unto him, and prayed me to bring this young man unto thee, who hath something to say unto thee.
19 Then the chief captain took him by the hand, and went with him aside privately, and asked him, What is that thou hast to tell me?
20 And he said, The Jews have agreed to desire thee that thou wouldest bring down Paul to morrow into the council, as though they would inquire somewhat of him more perfectly.
21 But do not thou yield unto them: for there lie in wait for him of them more than forty men, which have bound themselves with an oath, that they will neither eat nor drink till they have killed him: and now are they ready, looking for a promise from thee.
22 So the chief captain then let the young man depart, and charged him, See thou tell no man that thou hast shewed these things to me.

 

Paul called on one of the centurions to take his nephew to the Captain of the guard, to whom he told all he knew.

 

Acts 23:23-24
23 And he called unto him two centurions, saying, Make ready two hundred soldiers to go to Caesarea, and horsemen threescore and ten, and spearmen two hundred, at the third hour of the night;
24 And provide them beasts, that they may set Paul on, and bring him safe unto Felix the governor.

 

The Captain told the centurions to get ready to go the Caesarea.  The complete contingent, a large body guard is listed in Scripture.  It was a small army that guarded Paul. They set out to take Paul safely to Felix the governor.

 

Acts 23:25-30
25 And he wrote a letter after this manner:
26 Claudius Lysias unto the most excellent governor Felix sendeth greeting.
27 This man was taken of the Jews, and should have been killed of them: then came I with an army, and rescued him, having understood that he was a Roman.
28 And when I would have known the cause wherefore they accused him, I brought him forth into their council:
29 Whom I perceived to be accused of questions of their law, but to have nothing laid to his charge worthy of death or of bonds.
30 And when it was told me how that the Jews laid wait for the man, I sent straightway to thee, and gave commandment to his accusers also to say before thee what they had against him. Farewell.

 

Then, the Captain wrote a letter to Felix, in which he bragged about rescuing Paul from the Jewish mob.  He also told all that he had done in an attempt to settle the matter peaceably.

 

Acts 23:31-35
31 Then the soldiers, as it was commanded them, took Paul, and brought him by night to Antipatris.
32 On the morrow they left the horsemen to go with him, and returned to the castle:
33 Who, when they came to Caesarea, and delivered the epistle to the governor, presented Paul also before him.
34 And when the governor had read the letter, he asked of what province he was. And when he understood that he was of Cilicia;
35 I will hear thee, said he, when thine accusers are also come. And he commanded him to be kept in Herod's judgment hall.

 

The soldiers first took Paul to Antipatris, and area between Joppa and Caesarea.  From that point only the Roman cavalry accompanied Paul the rest of the way.

When they came to Caesarea, they delivered the letter to Felix, and handed Paul over to him. After reading the letter, Felix asked where Paul was from.  And, when he heard that he was of Cilicia in Asia Minor, he said, “I will hear you when your accusers arrive.”

 

Then, Felix ordered Paul to be housed in Herod's judgment hall.  That was a matter of showing respect for Paul as a Roman citizen.

 

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