Acts 23 (NLT)
“Gazing intently at the high council, (Sanhedrin) Paul began: “Brothers, I have always lived before God with a clear conscience!”
This almost sounds like Paul is saying he lives a perfect life. You will see in the next verse that the high priest thought that was what Paul said. We also know that Paul lived far from a perfect life when he was chasing Christians down to imprison them before God stopped him on the way to Damascus. So, why can Paul say he has “always lived before God with a clear conscience!”
Paul knows what Jesus has done for him. For example, “But if we confess our sins to him, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all wickedness.” (1 John 1: 9)
Hebrews 9:13-14 also says, “Under the old system, the blood of goats and bulls and the ashes of
a heifer could cleanse people’s bodies from ceremonial impurity. 14 Just think how much more the
blood of Christ will purify our consciences from sinful deeds so that we can worship the living
God. For by the power of the eternal Spirit, Christ offered himself to God as a perfect sacrifice
for our sins.” We can have a clear conscience before God because of Jesus’ death and
resurrection.
Paul also knows that God has been changing him as we read in Romans 12:1-2 – “And so, dear
brothers and sisters, I plead with you to give your bodies to God because of all he has done for
you. Let them be a living and holy sacrifice—the kind he will find acceptable. This is truly the
way to worship him. 2 Don’t copy the behavior and customs of this world, but let God transform
you into a new person by changing the way you think. Then you will learn to know God’s will
for you, which is good and pleasing and perfect.”
“2 Instantly Ananias the high priest commanded those close to Paul to slap him on the mouth. 3 But Paul said to him, “God will slap you, you corrupt hypocrite! (in Greek – you whitewashed wall) What kind of judge are you to break the law yourself by ordering me struck like that?”
4 Those standing near Paul said to him, “Do you dare to insult God’s high priest?”
5 “I’m sorry, brothers. I didn’t realize he was the high priest,” Paul replied, “for the Scriptures say, ‘You must not speak evil of any of your rulers.’”
Paul is angry and his response to the slap was a nasty comment. However, Paul does apologize realizing he was in the wrong. He knows the Law and quotes Exodus 22: 28: “You must not dishonor God or curse any of your rulers”. We also need to remember that Jesus tells us that we must not respond in anger to people who treat us unfairly. Remember these words from the Sermon on the Mount?
“But I say, do not resist an evil person! If someone slaps you on the right cheek, offer the other cheek also. 40 If you are sued in court and your shirt is taken from you, give your coat, too. 41 If a soldier demands that you carry his gear for a mile, carry it two miles. 42 Give to those who ask, and don’t turn away from those who want to borrow. 43 “You have heard the law that says, ‘Love your neighbor’ and hate your enemy. 44 But I say, love your enemies! Pray for those who persecute you! 45 In that way, you will be acting as true children of your Father in heaven. For he gives his sunlight to both the evil and the good, and he sends rain on the just and the unjust alike. 46 If you love only those who love you, what reward is there for that? Even corrupt tax collectors do that much. 47 If you are kind only to your friends, how are you different from anyone else? Even pagans do that.” (Matthew 5: 39 – 47)
Incidentally, Ananias was known for being horrible. Intervarsity Press Commentary says this about him: “Ordering Paul to be slapped is very much in character for high priest Ananias, son of Nedebaeus (or Nebedaeus), who served A.D. 47-59. He was both greedy and ruthlessly violent, using beatings to extort tithes from common priests’ allotment and leaving them destitute (Josephus Jewish Antiquities 20.205-7).”
“6 Paul realized that some members of the high council were Sadducees and some were Pharisees, so he shouted, “Brothers, I am a Pharisee, as were my ancestors! And I am on trial because my hope is in the resurrection of the dead!”
7 This divided the council—the Pharisees against the Sadducees— 8 for the Sadducees say there is no resurrection or angels or spirits, but the Pharisees believe in all of these. 9 So there was a great uproar. Some of the teachers of religious law who were Pharisees jumped up and began to argue forcefully. “We see nothing wrong with him,” they shouted. “Perhaps a spirit or an angel spoke to him.” 10 As the conflict grew more violent, the commander was afraid they would tear Paul apart. So he ordered his soldiers to go and rescue him by force and take him back to the fortress.
11 That night the Lord appeared to Paul and said, “Be encouraged, Paul. Just as you have been a witness to me here in Jerusalem, you must preach the Good News in Rome as well.”
Was Paul aware that his statement would cause a riot? I don’t know. What he did know was that the Pharisees believed in life after death. Reminding them of that might help them to be on his side, and stop the laying of charges. But God used that ‘riot’ to get Paul back in custody under Roman law.
“The Plan to Kill Paul
12 The next morning a group of Jews got together and bound themselves with an oath not to eat or drink until they had killed Paul.13 There were more than forty of them in the conspiracy. 14 They went to the leading priests and elders and told them, “We have bound ourselves with an oath to eat nothing until we have killed Paul. 15 So you and the high council should ask the commander to bring Paul back to the council again. Pretend you want to examine his case more fully. We will kill him on the way.”
16 But Paul’s nephew—his sister’s son—heard of their plan and went to the fortress and told Paul. 17 Paul called for one of the Roman officers and said, “Take this young man to the commander. He has something important to tell him.”
18 So the officer did, explaining, “Paul, the prisoner, called me over and asked me to bring this young man to you because he has something to tell you.”
This is the first time Paul is called “Paul, the prisoner” and it continues throughout Paul’s life. Paul goes on to use that phrase as he writes some of his epistles. Ephesians 3 begins “When I think of all this, I, Paul, a prisoner of Christ Jesus “. What a great way of taking something negative and turning it into the positive.
“19 The commander took his hand, led him aside, and asked, “What is it you want to tell me?”
20 Paul’s nephew told him, “Some Jews are going to ask you to bring Paul before the high council tomorrow, pretending they want to get some more information. 21 But don’t do it! There are more than forty men hiding along the way ready to ambush him. They have vowed not to eat or drink anything until they have killed him. They are ready now, just waiting for your consent.”
22 “Don’t let anyone know you told me this,” the commander warned the young man.
Paul Is Sent to Caesarea
23 Then the commander called two of his officers and ordered, “Get 200 soldiers ready to leave for Caesarea at nine o’clock tonight. Also take 200 spearmen and 70 mounted troops. 24 Provide horses for Paul to ride, and get him safely to Governor Felix.”
Intervarsity Press Commentary gives us more detail about this huge contingent of soldiers.
“The commander calls two of his centurions and orders them to prepare for Paul’s transfer to Caesarea. A detachment of two hundred soldiers, seventy horsemen and two hundred spearmen indicates the Roman assessment of the seriousness of the threat and the importance of the prisoner. The mounts provided for Paul will be for relays, baggage, the soldiers to whom he is chained or his friends (Williams 1985:390). They are to leave under the cover of darkness—at 9:30 p.m.—for Caesarea on the coast, the provincial capital for Judea. The might of Rome’s legions willingly deployed to protect one witness to the Lord Jesus is silent but powerful testimony to who is really Lord in that world and in ours.”
“25 Then he wrote this letter to the governor:
26 “From Claudius Lysias, to his Excellency, Governor Felix: Greetings!
27 “This man was seized by some Jews, and they were about to kill him when I arrived with the troops. When I learned that he was a Roman citizen, I removed him to safety. 28 Then I took him to their high council to try to learn the basis of the accusations against him. 29 I soon discovered the charge was something regarding their religious law—certainly nothing worthy of imprisonment or death. 30 But when I was informed of a plot to kill him, I immediately sent him on to you. I have told his accusers to bring their charges before you.”
31 So that night, as ordered, the soldiers took Paul as far as Antipatris.32 They returned to the fortress the next morning, while the mounted troops took him on to Caesarea. 33 When they arrived in Caesarea, they presented Paul and the letter to Governor Felix. 34 He read it and then asked Paul what province he was from. “Cilicia,” Paul answered.
35 “I will hear your case myself when your accusers arrive,” the governor told him. Then the governor ordered him kept in the prison at Herod’s headquarters (Praetorium).”
God wants Paul in Rome – the capitol of the Roman Empire and a great place to make sure the gospel is spread around the known world. The Roman Empire had influence in what we know as Europe- France, Spain, etc.. Notice how God gets him there. God uses the Jewish leaders who create a riot that the Roman commander has to quell and as a result, figure out how to protect a Roman citizen. God uses people who think they are going to kill Paul to put an action plan in place promptly. God uses Paul’s young nephew to make the plot to kill Paul known. God uses government officials to send Paul on his way and make sure the Good News continues to be spread. Sometimes, we think bad or difficult things that happen to us are nothing good. But God uses all things for His and our good.
“And we know that God causes everything to work together for the good of those who love God and are called according to his purpose for them.” (Romans 8: 28)
Rest in that promise!
Our song for today is Way Maker by Leeland.