Acts 23:1-11 (CLICK HERE FOR BIBLE VERSES)
Hi GAMErs,
Today’s passage is Acts 23:1-11. As usual, I encourage you to read the passage yourself first and see what you can glean with the Holy Spirit’s help, then read the GAME sharing below. Let’s go!
Acts 23:1-5 (NIV)
1 Paul looked straight at the Sanhedrin and said, “My brothers, I have fulfilled my duty to God in all good conscience to this day.”
2 At this the high priest Ananias ordered those standing near Paul to strike him on the mouth.
3 Then Paul said to him, “God will strike you, you whitewashed wall! You sit there to judge me according to the law, yet you yourself violate the law by commanding that I be struck!”
4 Those who were standing near Paul said, “You dare to insult God’s high priest?”
5 Paul replied, “Brothers, I did not realize that he was the high priest; for it is written: ‘Do not speak evil about the ruler of your people.'”
On verses 1-5: Paul appears before the Jewish ruling council, the Sanhedrin. He tells them that with a clear conscience he can say that he has fulfilled his duty to God, suggesting that those in the Sanhedrin who are upset with him are upset for no good reason. In response, the high priest Ananias, whom historians describe as a hot-tempered and corrupt leader, orders Paul to be struck on the mouth. Paul reacts strongly. He calls Ananias a white-washed wall (i.e. a hypocrite), promises that God will strike Ananias and accuses Ananias of violating the law by ordering that Paul be struck without just cause. When questioned as to how Paul could insult the high priest, Paul says that he did not realize that Ananias was the high priest and quotes Exodus 22:28, in a way reprimanding himself for speaking evil about an appointed leader.
(By the way, did Paul really not know that Ananias was the high priest? If the high priest leads the Sanhedrin and you’re going to testify before the Sanhedrin, wouldn’t you know going into the proceedings who the high priest is? Perhaps it’s because the Sanhedrin assembled under short notice so Ananias was not wearing his high priestly clothes. Or maybe, according to some scholars, Paul was speaking tongue in cheek, suggesting that though he knew that Ananias was the high priest, Ananias was not acting in a way that was becoming of a high priest.)
In any event, I can totally understand Paul’s anger here. What amazes me even more is how Jesus responded when a similar incident happened in his life. In John 18, while being questioned by the high priest, Jesus is unjustly struck in the face. Yet Jesus responds with incredible self-control, wisdom and grace: “If I said something wrong,” Jesus replied, “testify as to what is wrong. But if I spoke the truth, why did you strike me?” (John 18:23)
What can we learn from this? How we respond in our anger says a lot about us. In times when we are angry, even when our anger is justified, let us pray that we have enough self-control not to sin in our anger.
Acts 23:6-10 (NIV)
6 Then Paul, knowing that some of them were Sadducees and the others Pharisees, called out in the Sanhedrin, “My brothers, I am a Pharisee, the son of a Pharisee. I stand on trial because of my hope in the resurrection of the dead.”
7 When he said this, a dispute broke out between the Pharisees and the Sadducees, and the assembly was divided.
8 (The Sadducees say that there is no resurrection, and that there are neither angels nor spirits, but the Pharisees acknowledge them all.)
9 There was a great uproar, and some of the teachers of the law who were Pharisees stood up and argued vigorously. “We find nothing wrong with this man,” they said. “What if a spirit or an angel has spoken to him?”
10 The dispute became so violent that the commander was afraid Paul would be torn to pieces by them. He ordered the troops to go down and take him away from them by force and bring him into the barracks.
On verses 6-10: Paul does something here that I think is brilliant. Paul knew that the topic of resurrection was contentious between Sadducees (who didn’t believe in resurrection) and the Pharisees (who believed in resurrection). It is also reasonably safe to assume that Paul knew that the Sanhedrin consisted of both Pharisees and Sadducees. So Paul speaks about his background as a Pharisee and how he is on trial because he believes in the resurrection of the dead. Immediately the Pharisees start to identify with Paul and tensions erupt within the Sanhedrin over the issue of resurrection. Such a ruckus ensues that the Roman commander who ordered the Sanhedrin to assemble now has to take Paul back into the barracks to ensure that Paul is not harmed.
If Paul did all of this intentionally, then Paul is teaching us a classic lesson on connecting with your audience and exposing the cracks within your opponent’s walls. When you know that the people coming against you are themselves divided on a certain issue, you can simultaneously distract your opponents from attacking you and even gain sympathy with some of them by siding with one of them on that contentious issue.
Whether Paul did this intentionally or not, I’m amazed that once again something about Paul’s background results in Paul’s deliverance. Before it was the fact that he was a Jew from Tarsus, and then a Roman citizen, that allowed Paul to have special favour or protection with whoever he was talking to. Now it was the fact that he was a Pharisee who believed in resurrection. In the end, it was God, the One who determines the exact places and times where Paul should live (Acts 17:26), who was orchestrating all of this to write a greater story with Paul’s life. He does the same with you and me. Your background and DNA – all the things about your make-up that are beyond your control – are ultimately determined by God so that you can fulfill your unique purpose.
Acts 23:11 (NIV)
11 The following night the Lord stood near Paul and said, “Take courage! As you have testified about me in Jerusalem, so you must also testify in Rome.”
On verse 11: The Lord comes near to Paul and speaks to him the next night, telling him to take courage and promising that he will also go to Rome to testify about Him. Now we see why God kept delivering Paul over and over again from the Jews in Jerusalem. It’s because God had a greater plan to have Paul not just proclaim his faith in Jerusalem but in Rome, the capital of the entire empire.
What can we learn from all this? In our time of need and uncertainty, God stands near us as our comforter and our encourager. If you’re going through difficulty or uncertainty today, know that God is writing a far greater story with your life than anything you could imagine, not for your glory but for His. We just need to take courage, trust Him and not give up.
Lord Jesus, in my anger, I pray that I would not sin. And in my uncertainty, thank You that You are my hope and my encourager. Thank You that things about my background which I cannot control You hand-picked so that I could fulfill my unique purpose. In Jesus’ name, AMEN!
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