READING THE BOOK OF ACTS: CHAPTER 23

 READING THE BOOK OF ACTS: CHAPTER 23

Wednesday, February 1, 2023

 INTRODUCING ACTS, CHAPTER 23

Jews from near Ephesus accused Paul of bringing a Gentile into the temple and incited a crowd to attack him. The tribune saved Paul but couldn’t uncover the reason for the violence; most of the mob didn’t know, and Paul was a Roman citizen, so the tribune couldn’t beat the truth out of him. When the Sanhedrin would rather murder Paul than talk to him, the tribune sends Paul to the governor. The governor holds Paul without charges for so long he invokes his right to a trial before Caesar. The governor agrees, and Paul finally gets to Rome. (Acts 24-28) (https://www.bibleref.com/Acts/23/Acts-chapter-23.html)

1) Verses 1-11, Introduction, JEANNIE

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, “How dare you 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.’^[a]” 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, descended from Pharisees. I stand on trial because of the hope of 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 believe all these things.) 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. 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.”

NOTATIONS:

Paul’s meeting with the Sanhedrin

Paul underestimates their hostility towards him

Paul insults the high priest, accidentally (poor eyesight?)

Most Sanhedrin Sadducees (do not believe in physical resurrection)

The Tribune takes Paul away to safety

SECTION QUESTIONS:

1. What did Paul tell Ananias? (V.3)

2. Who was Ananias? (V.4)

3. Why did Paul say that he was a Pharisee? (V.6)

4. What's the difference between the Pharisees and the Sadducees? (V.8)

5. What happened to Paul? (V.10)

6. What did the Lord tell Paul? (V.11)

2) Verses 12-22, The Plot to Kill Paul, DESTINY

¹² The next morning some Jews formed a conspiracy and bound themselves with an oath not to eat or drink until they had killed Paul. ¹³ More than forty men were involved in this plot. ¹⁴ They went to the chief priests and the elders and said, “We have taken a solemn oath not to eat anything until we have killed Paul. ¹⁵ Now then, you and the Sanhedrin petition the commander to bring him before you on the pretext of wanting more accurate information about his case. We are ready to kill him before he gets here.” ¹⁶ But when the son of Paul’s sister heard of this plot, he went into the barracks and told Paul. ¹⁷ Then Paul called one of the centurions and said, “Take this young man to the commander; he has something to tell him.” ¹⁸ So he took him to the commander. The centurion said, “Paul, the prisoner, sent for me and asked me to bring this young man to you because he has something to tell you.” ¹⁹ The commander took the young man by the hand, drew him aside and asked, “What is it you want to tell me?” ²⁰ He said: “Some Jews have agreed to ask you to bring Paul before the Sanhedrin tomorrow on the pretext of wanting more accurate information about him. ²¹ Don’t give in to them, because more than forty of them are waiting in ambush for him. They have taken an oath not to eat or drink until they have killed him. They are ready now, waiting for your consent to their request.” ²² The commander dismissed the young man with this warning: “Don’t tell anyone that you have reported this to me.”

NOTATIONS: 

SECTION QUESTIONS:

1. What was the oath that some of the Jews took? (V.12)

2. What was the plot to kill Paul? (V.15)

3. What was the message that Paul's nephew took to the commander? (V.20)

4. What warning did the commander give to the young man? (V.22)

3) Verses 23-35, Paul Transferred to Caesarea, MRS. ELNORA

²³ Then he called two of his centurions and ordered them, “Get ready a detachment of two hundred soldiers, seventy horsemen and two hundred spearmen^[b] to go to Caesarea at nine tonight. ²⁴ Provide horses for Paul so that he may be taken safely to Governor Felix.” ²⁵ He wrote a letter as follows: ²⁶ Claudius Lysias, To His Excellency, Governor Felix: Greetings. ²⁷ This man was seized by the Jews and they were about to kill him, but I came with my troops and rescued him, for I had learned that he is a Roman citizen. ²⁸ I wanted to know why they were accusing him, so I brought him to their Sanhedrin. ²⁹ I found that the accusation had to do with questions about their law, but there was no charge against him that deserved death or imprisonment. ³⁰ When I was informed of a plot to be carried out against the man, I sent him to you at once. I also ordered his accusers to present to you their case against him. ³¹ So the soldiers, carrying out their orders, took Paul with them during the night and brought him as far as Antipatris. ³² The next day they let the cavalry go on with him, while they returned to the barracks. ³³ When the cavalry arrived in Caesarea, they delivered the letter to the governor and handed Paul over to him. ³⁴ The governor read the letter and asked what province he was from. Learning that he was from Cilicia, ³⁵ he said, “I will hear your case when your accusers get here.” Then he ordered that Paul be kept under guard in Herod’s palace.

NOTATIONS:  

SECTION QUESTIONS:

1. What did the commander do to get Paul to safety? (V.23-24)

2. What did the letter from the commander to Gov. Felix consist of? (V.27-30)

3. Where was Paul kept for safety? (V.35)

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Three Men Named Ananias

Three men by the name of Ananias appear in the Bible, and each plays a role in the New Testament book of Acts. Ananias was a common name among Jews. 

1) Ananias and Sapphira who lied about the sale of property

2) Ananias who played a part in Paul's conversion, and restored his sight. 

3)Ananias who was high priest in Jerusalem during much of Paul's early ministry. He ordered Paul to be struck on the mouth (Acts 23:1-2)

Journal Entry/Share:

What's your testimony? How have you changed from who you were before coming to Christ? OR How have you changed from who you were early on in your Christian journey to today? 

Prayer Confession: 

Holy Father, your Word says in Proverbs 18 that death and life are in the power of the tongue. Help us to be cognizant of the impact of our words on others. At times Paul's words motivated many to turn to Jesus, the Messiah for salvation and redemption. At other times, his word incited others to murder him. Holy Spirit, remind us to speak only those things that are reflective of you. Whether others love us or hate us for speaking as the Spirit guides us is irrelevant, as it was in Paul's case. Fill us with courage and boldness to say what you have told us to say, to who you have told us to say it to, even in a world that rejects and seeks to defile your influence in the earth. Your will be done in us, Father. Your kingdom come to the earth through us. Amen.