CHAPTER 23

1 And Paul, earnestly beholding the council, said, Men and brethren, I have lived in all good conscience before God until this day.
2 And the high priest Ananias commanded them that stood by him to smite him on the mouth.
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.

Remember from Chapter 22, Paul had been arrested.
The Chief Captain had set a time for the next day that the chief priests and the council would come and tell WHY they were persecuting Paul.
He notified the Sanhedrin, and called them ALL to appear.
Take note, this was NOT in their usual place, but in a place the Chief Captain had chosen.

When Paul began to speak about "living in good conscience," the Chief Priest commanded him to be stricken in the mouth!
Well, that was RUDE!

There have been many comments about what Paul said after he was struck in the mouth.

Paul called Ananias a "whited wall," which was simply a statement referring to a hypocrite!
A high priest, presiding over such a hearing as this would certainly not command a person stricken before all the facts were in!

First, Ananias was not actually the high priest at the time.
He had BEEN high priest, but had been sent to Rome by the governor to answer for his actions.
While he was gone, Jonathan was appointed high priest.

But the new governor, Felix, didn't like Jonathan.
So, Felix conspired to have him killed.
After Jonathan was killed, there was a vacancy in the high priest's office.
Ananias had returned home, but was never placed back in the office.

Therefore, Ananias was just "standing in" as high priest.

Paul then, certainly not in retraction of his statement that he had lived "in all good conscience before God," simply said,
"I didn't know Ananias was high priest!"

Nevertheless, in order to avoid further misconduct, he partially quoted Ex. 22:28, which states:
"Thou shalt not revile the gods, nor curse the ruler of thy people."

By doing this, Paul let them know that he knew Ananias was NOT the high priest;
AND, he let them know he would conduct himself appropriately even though Ananias was only a "stand in."

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.
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.

Paul knew there was a "fair representation" of both sects of Judaism present.
He simply used what he knew to created dissension among them.

IT WORKED!
Their anger turned from Paul to EACH OTHER!

My! How we allow our selfish interests to deter us from proper adjudication!
((Recently, our Supreme Court of the USA had the same thing happen!
On the basis of ONE vote, they deemed marriage could be between two men or two women.
The interesting thing is, that vote which gave the majority, was from one judge who should have been "recused."
That judge had ALREADY performed such ridiculous marriages before!))

Even though Paul was now a Christian, he was STILL a Jewish man.
And, he had ALWAYS believed in the "resurrection."

This aligned him with the Pharisees, and set him against the Sadducees.

The conflict between the two groups took attention away from Paul.
It also exhibited to the "chief captain" that Paul was NOT going to get a "fair trial" by these people!

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 chief captain took Paul out of the hearing and placed him in safety within the castle.

Listen!
As long as God determines to USE a Christian, that Christian may suffer; but will certainly live to perform what God has ordained!

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.

The REASON Paul had been arrested in the first place was because he was preaching JESUS!
And, he had been doing it in such convincing fashion that the rigid Jewish leaders were concerned that his preaching would eventually draw ALL the Jewish people to Jesus!

He had been doing this in many places throughout the then-known world; and,
now was preaching in Jerusalem.

Jesus appeared to him and made sure Paul understood that he would ALSO preach and testify in ROME!

When God has a purpose for us, He will set wheels in motion for the purpose to be accomplished!

I have known several missionaries who have been beaten, jailed and deprived of water and food.
But, when they KNOW they are in the place God designed for them, they WILL NOT be deterred!!

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.

When the Gospel is preached and people are getting saved, the devil ALWAYS tries to stop the progress!

These 40 men made a "vow" that they would not rest until Paul was DEAD!

They devised a plan, and asked the Sanhedrin to call Paul to them again, saying they wanted to know MORE about him and his purpose.

They planned to kill Paul when he showed up!

But when God has a PLAN, it WILL NOT be thwarted!!

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

We hardly know anything of Paul's family.
We do know that Paul was from Tarsus, and was sent to Jerusalem to further his education.
Perhaps this nephew was sent for the same reason, and that is why he was in Jerusalem at that time.

As soon as the nephew heard about the plot, he went to the castle, and told Paul.
Paul sent him to the chief captain to whom he explained the situation.

Do you see that God was guarding Paul?

This chief captain must have had great insight into the situation in Judaea (the province surrounding Jerusalem).
If the dissension among the Jewish people continued, the governor (Felix) would have a very difficult time controlling the area!!

Take note of how many armed men the chief captain sent to take Paul to Felix.
200 soldiers, 70 horsemen, and an additional 200 spearmen!!
And he sent them at "the third hour of the night" (9:00pm)!!

Delivering Paul safely to the governor was a VERY IMPORTANT mission!!

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.

The chief captain even wrote a letter to the governor to explain the situation.
He was sure to place in the letter that Paul was a Roman citizen (vs 27).
This afforded Paul special consideration.

He also stated that Paul had been accused of nothing that warranted either imprisonment or death.
Preaching the Gospel of Jesus neither warrants imprisonment or death, even though sometimes it is met by BOTH!

The ONLY opposition to preaching eternal salvation through Christ can be stubborn self-centered pride!
And sometimes that pride will cause men to swell up and do atrocious things!

Obviously, the chief captain also notified the Sanhedrin to appear before Felix and make their accusations plain. (vs 30)

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.

First, the large company of soldiers took Paul to the small town of "Antipatris."
The next day, they felt safer, and only the 70 horsemen to take Paul into Caesarea.

They took Paul before the governor and gave him the letter from the chief captain.

The letter explained Paul was a Roman citizen.
However, the letter did not tell from which Province Paul came.
After Felix determined Paul was from Cilicia, he knew he had authority to hear the case.

Now, Paul is left here at Caesarea to await the chief priest and company that their accusations may be heard.

PLEASE CONTINUE WITH US IN BIBLE STUDY TOMORROW.
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