“Acts 23:1-11”

Sunday, February 14, 2016

“Paul, looking intently at the Council, said, ‘Brethren, I have lived my life with a perfectly good conscience before God up to this day.’ The high priest Ananias commanded those standing beside him to strike him on the mouth. Then Paul said to him, ‘God is going to strike you, you whitewashed wall! Do you sit to try me according to the Law, and in violation of the Law order me to be struck?’ But the bystanders said, ‘Do you revile God’s high priest?’ And Paul said, ‘I was not aware, brethren, that he was high priest; for it is written, “You shall not speak evil of a ruler of your people.”’ But perceiving that one group were Sadducees and the other Pharisees, Paul began crying out in the Council, ‘Brethren, I am a Pharisee, a son of Pharisees; I am on trial for the hope and resurrection of the dead!’ As he said this, there occurred a dissension between the Pharisees and Sadducees, and the assembly was divided. For the Sadducees say that there is no resurrection, nor an angel, nor a spirit, but the Pharisees acknowledge them all. And there occurred a great uproar; and some of the scribes of the Pharisaic party stood up and began to argue heatedly, saying, ‘We find nothing wrong with this man; suppose a spirit or an angel has spoken to him?’ And as a great dissension was developing, the commander was afraid Paul would be torn to pieces by them and ordered the troops to go down and take him away from them by force, and bring him into the barracks. But on the night immediately following, the Lord stood at his side and said, ‘Take courage; for as you have solemnly witnessed to My cause at Jerusalem, so you must witness at Rome also.’”
---End of Scripture verses---

In today’s passage the Apostle Paul appeared before the council, also known as the Sanhedrin, which essentially amounted to the Jewish supreme court. It was comprised of the high priest, the elders of the people and the scribes, both Pharisees and Sadducees. Paul began his “trial” by saying, “Brethren, I have lived my life with a perfectly good conscience before God up to this day” (verse 1). Because of this statement, the high priest ordered Paul to be struck on the face (verse 2). This wasn’t as much a trial as it was a “kangaroo court”. It is obvious that the council had already found Paul guilty before the hearing even began.

This is reminiscent of the way that Jesus was handled after He was arrested before His crucifixion. When He was brought before the Anna of the high priestly family, we read the following. John 18:19-23 – “The high priest then questioned Jesus about His disciples, and about His teaching. Jesus answered him, "I have spoken openly to the world; I always taught in synagogues and in the temple, where all the Jews come together; and I spoke nothing in secret. ‘Why do you question Me? Question those who have heard what I spoke to them; they know what I said.’ When He had said this, one of the officers standing nearby struck Jesus, saying, ‘Is that the way You answer the high priest?’ Jesus answered him, ‘If I have spoken wrongly, testify of the wrong; but if rightly, why do you strike Me?’” Jesus was taken to stand before Governor Pilate shortly afterward, just as Paul would soon be delivered to Governor Felix.

How could Paul say that he had lived his life in all good conscience considering everything he had said and done against Jesus and His church? In Paul’s writings he referred to himself as a “blasphemer and a persecutor and a violent aggressor” (1 Timothy 1:13). He went on to say of himself that he was the “foremost of all” sinners (1 Timothy 1:15), and yet he had lived his life in all good conscience the entire time. What does this say about the wisdom of letting “your conscience be your guide” when it comes to making important spiritual and emotional decisions in your life. Our consciences can obviously lead us astray, just as Paul’s did him. He honestly thought he was doing God’s will when he was bent on trying to destroy the church of Jesus Christ, but he was honestly wrong. God has given us our consciences as a beneficial tool to help us do right in His sight, but it must be used in a secondary way to the word of truth. The Bible is always right and what it says to us always trumps what our conscience might be trying to tell us to do.

The key factor in Paul keeping his conscience clean the entirety of his life is that when he DID learn the truth, he did not ignore it or make an excuse to disobey it. When Paul recounted the story of his conversion to King Agrippa, he stated the following: “So, King Agrippa, I did not prove disobedient to the heavenly vision, but kept declaring both to those of Damascus first, and also at Jerusalem and then throughout all the region of Judea, and even to the Gentiles, that they should repent and turn to God, performing deeds appropriate to repentance” (Acts 26:19-20). Paul fought against Christ and His church “ignorantly in unbelief” (1 Timothy 1:13). But when he learned the truth about Jesus and what He expected of him, Paul obeyed the Gospel. He repented of his sins, was baptized (Acts 22:16) and lived a life of faithful service unto his King. Because of that, he knew he had a “crown of righteousness” laid up for him in heaven (2 Timothy 4:10). Paul went on to write in that verse that the same heavenly crown awaits all those who love His appearing.

Have a happy Hearts Day and blessed Lord’s Day!

Please read Acts 23:12-22 for tomorrow!

-Louie Taylor

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