Acts Chapter Twenty Three
Continuing Paul’s saga in Jerusalem. He has been brought before the Sanhedrin. This was the highest judicial and ecclesiastic Jewish council. He was brought there because of the charges against the Jewish beliefs. Paul knew the charges against him were religiously political. He had never spoken against God or attacked the Jewish beliefs.
It was this knowledge, as well as the knowledge of the makeup of the Sanhedrin, that caused him to make the tactical move he made in his defense.
In order to understand what happened, it is necessary to understand some basics about the Sadducees and Pharisees. They were rival factions in Judaism.
A brief description of the Sadducees.
They were a priestly, aristocratic Jewish sect. They accepted only the written Mosaic law. The Sadducees interpreted the Torah literally, meaning that they had a very stringent lifestyle. They ceased to exist after the destruction of the Temple in A.D. 70.
The Sadducees rejected the existence of life after death, therefore they denied the Pharisaic belief of the Resurrection of the Dead.
They are said to have insisted on a literal interpretation of the teaching of retaliation: “An eye for eye, and a tooth for tooth.” The Pharisees rejected this.
A brief description of the Pharisees.
An ancient Jewish sect that emphasized the strict interpretation & observance of the Law of Moses in its oral and written form. They were one of the major schools of thought in Judaism and were strong in their opposition to the Sadducees.
The Jewish historian, Josephus, indicates that the Pharisees had the support and good-will of the common people. In contrast were the more elite Sadducees, associated with the ruling classes.
They believed in the doctrine of the resurrection of the dead in the coming messianic age as taught by the prophets. The Sadducees rejected. The Pharisees earnestly hoped for the Messiah to come.
With an understanding that the Sanhedrin, made up of 71 men, consisted of two opposing groups, Paul brought the split to the surface by identifying with one of the groups.
Acts 23:6-8 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.)
This caused such an uproar that the military leader had to get Paul out of there for his safety.
Now read verse 11 and think about the implications of a personal message from the Lord.
V. 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.”
God told him to have courage, he would be going to Rome. Think of what that must have meant to Paul the rest of his life as he suffered and had more false charges brought against him. God himself came and gave him encouragement.
The hatred against Paul was so powerful that a group of men swore to not eat or drink till they killed him. The plot was exposed and Paul was taken under heavy military guard to Caesarea. The last 2/3 of the chapter tell of these various adventure. If you haven’t already, be sure to read them. Lots of information about the process.
Tomorrow we pick up the trial before Felix.
