Acts 23:1-11 - Paul before the Sanhedrin Council

We last learned that since he couldn’t get the reason why the Jews were accusing Paul, the commander, Lysais, ordered the Sanhedrin council to convene a meeting. He then brought Paul down before them. Now standing before the council, Paul looked squarely and intensely into the eyes of the council members and made no apologies. As far as he was concerned, he had lived his life before God in perfectly good conscience up till now.  And there was no charge he needed to answer as he had always obeyed what his conscience instructed him.

Incensed by Paul’s remark, Ananias, the high priest ordered one of the guards near Paul to strike him in the mouth. The immediate response of Paul was to tell the high priest off. He said, “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?” As Paul challenged the legality of Ananias action, those who were standing near him was shocked by his boldness. They chided him for being disrespectful toward the high priest. Paul responded by saying that he did not know that he was the high priest. Quoting Exodus 22:28, he said he would have accorded him the honor had he known he was the high priest.  Paul was indicating that he had not abandoned the Law.

When Paul realized that among the Sanhedrin, there were two camps: the Sadducees and the Pharisees, he quickly identified himself with the Pharisees. However, we need to know that Paul was not hypocritical like them. What he was saying was that he shared their love for the Scriptures and their concern for obeying what the Scriptures taught.  

He quickly made known his belief in the resurrection of the dead which the Sadducees totally denied. Knowing this would be controversial, he brought it up anticipating a dispute between the two camps and it did. As a result of that the Pharisees took Paul’s side. This must have led the Sadducees to loathe him all the more. Apart from their disbelief in the resurrection of the dead, the Sadducees also denied in the existence of angels or spirits, which the Pharisees acknowledged.

It seems that Paul knew he would not get a fair trial from the Sanhedrin, so he played the two groups against each other. And the Pharisees stood on his side and began to speak up for him and came to his defense. Soon there were infighting among themselves, dissipating their strength. As the disagreement between the two parties in the Sanhedrin escalated, the commander was concerned for Paul’s life. So he ordered the troop to go and get Paul by force back to the barrack to ensure his safety.   

That night, as Paul laid in his cell, the Lord stood by his side and told him to be courageous. He assured Paul that he would not only testify of the Lord in Jerusalem but he must also witness for Him in Rome. What an assurance this must have been to Paul. Isn’t his what the Lord would also do for us? A hymn puts it this way:

He giveth more grace as our burdens grow greater,
He sendeth more strength as our labors increase;
To added afflictions He addeth His mercy,
To multiplied trials He multiplies peace.

His love has no limits, His grace has no measure,
His power no boundary known unto men;
For out of His infinite riches in Jesus
He giveth, and giveth, and giveth again.

When we have exhausted our store of endurance,
When our strength has failed ere the day is half done,
When we reach the end of our hoarded resources
Our Father’s full giving is only begun.