Acts 23:6-11 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.) 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.
 
THE circumstances seemed hopeless. Paul defended his position. The Jews accused. How would this endless cycle of conflict end?
   God stepped in and gave to Paul a way to divide his accusers. Jesus said he would help his apostles defend against their enemies: Mark 13:9 “You must be on your guard. You will be handed over to the local councils and flogged in the synagogues. On account of me you will stand before governors and kings as witnesses to them. 10 And the gospel must first be preached to all nations. 11 Whenever you are arrested and brought to trial, do not worry beforehand about what to say. Just say whatever is given you at the time, for it is not you speaking, but the Holy Spirit.”
   Paul became aware Pharisees were in the accusing mob. He declared, “I am a Pharisee, the son of a Pharisee.” Now they are listening more intently. Then Paul spoke the gospel: “I stand on my hope in the resurrection of the dead.”
   Suddenly the Sadducees and Pharisees turned to their endless debate: The Sadducees say that there is no resurrection, but the Pharisees acknowledge them all. Paul was now innocent in the Pharisees’ view: “We find nothing wrong with this man,” They even defended him with, “What if a spirit or an angel has spoken to him?”
   Paul had friends, but the violence must have even heightened. The Roman commander removed Paul to protect his life. How sad it is to witness such hatred among men who say, “We follow God’s law.”
   How do you respond to arguments? Do you pray God will give you the words to speak his truth? 

Acts 22:4-5 Those who were standing near Paul said, “You dare to 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.’”
 
ANANIAS, the high priest, had ordered Paul punished without a trial. Paul had responded with righteous judgment, “God will strike you, you whitewashed wall! You yourself violate the law by commanding that I be struck!” Paul had been correct that Ananias had violated a law. But he did not know he, too, had disobeyed one of God’s commands.
   Paul was not aware Ananias was the high priest. We may find this odd, but Paul had not been in Jerusalem for about 20 years. There is also evidence from several points in his writings that Paul had poor eyesight. Facial features are very difficult for a person with low vision to see.
   Was ignorance of Ananias’ position an excuse for Paul’s error? No, Paul realized he had broken God’s command, “Do not speak evil about the ruler of your people.” (Exodus 22:28). His confession of the law is his confession of his sin.
   Paul understood this law applied to the Christian life. He wrote in Romans 13:5 Therefore, it is necessary to submit to the authorities, not only because of possible punishment but also because of conscience. This means,  “Submit to authorities because it is God’s law.”
   God’s law is a response to the sins of the world and of Isreal, specifically. Genesis tells of many ways people rebelled against authority. This was true of the families of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob. And Moses’ rebellion against Egypt’s authority caused his 40-year exile. God wanted peace among his people, so they would show the world a good and right way to live. Even if one disagrees with his rulers, he must honor their position.
   This is essential in the structure of our homes, churches, regions and nations. We must understand God has established these entities as a means of order for our daily lives. Yes, there are appropriate times to resist laws that oppose God’s laws. But Peter and John replied, “Judge for yourselves whether it is right in God’s sight to obey you rather than God.” (Acts 4:19) Appeal and resist unjust laws with respect for the governing authorities. Many times we can do so, using procedures that allow for laws and rulers to change. Violent, judgmental efforts to change unjust laws may create more rigid controls.
   There is a time to submit to authority and a time to resist. Seek God’s wisdom to know what time it is.  

Acts 22:2-3 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!”
 
JOSEPHUS is an historian whose history of the first century Jews has helped confirm the Bible’s accounts. He wrote that Ananias, high priest from 48-58 AD, was a “profane, greedy and hot-tempered man, hated by many Jews because of his pro-Roman politics.” (Life Application Bible Commentary).
   Ananias and the Jews had accused Paul of speaking against our people and our law and this place (Acts 21:28) But now Ananias broke the Jews’ law. Deuteronomy 19:15 One witness is not enough to convict a man accused of any crime or offense he may have committed. A matter must be established by the testimony of two or three witnesses.
   God’s law also said: Leviticus 19:15 Do not pervert justice; do not show partiality to the poor or favoritism to the great, but judge your neighbor fairly. Justice requires a process: credible witnesses, proper trial, fair judgments. For some reason Ananias wanted to judge Paul, “Guilty!” without reason.
   To this point in the story, Paul’s defense had been to tell of his obedience to God’s call on his life. He had told of the great transformation the Lord Jesus had done. But his patience became righteous anger, calling Annanias, “You whitewashed wall!”
   Jesus had said the same thing: Matthew 23:27 “Woe to you, teachers of the law and Pharisees, you hypocrites! You are like whitewashed tombs, which look beautiful on the outside but on the inside are full of dead men's bones and everything unclean.”  
   The Jews were hypocrites against Jesus. They were hypocrites against Paul. They pretended to be true to God’s laws, but they lied and plotted to remain in power. The truth had become a curse to their depraved hearts.
   Was Paul correct to judge Ananias and the others as he did? First, he responded to the law. It was illegal to punish another without a trial. So, yes, Paul was correct. One needs to call out lawbreakers. We know when we or another breaks a commandment. Our task is to correct people with humility and love.
   The church, too, must be willing to tell the culture, “This is against God’s law.” Far too many laws are passed in our countries that reject, ignore and dismiss God’s law. We know the church can’t pass civil laws, but we must work to influence those laws. Unified as one body, under one Spirit, one Lord, one faith and one baptism (from Ephesians 4:4-5) we can be a powerful voice for justice. We must help the world know that God condemns the laws and customs that break his commands.
    We’ll examine Paul’s response further in the next lesson. He may not have been completely correct in his response to Ananias’ cruel words. 

Acts 22:30-23:1 The next day, since the commander wanted to find out exactly why Paul was being accused by the Jews, he released him and ordered the chief priests and all the Sanhedrin to assemble. Then he brought Paul and had him stand before them. 23:1 Paul looked straight at the Sanhedrin and said, “My brothers, I have fulfilled my duty to God in all good conscience to this day.”
 
IN the gospels’ accounts of Jesus’ trial before the Jews and then Pilate, two sets of rules are in conflict. The Jews’ ruling Sadducees and the Pharisees charged Jesus with blasphemy, so they could execute him. The Romans didn’t care about that. The Romans executed people for rebellion against their authority. Pilate had not heard evidence to know exactly why the Jews wanted Jesus dead. So he asked the Jews, “Why? What crime has he committed?” The Jews had no just answer. Their only response was to shout all the louder, “Crucify him!” (Matthew 27:23) Pilate wanted to keep the peace and his position. He submitted to the violence, and Jesus died.
   Will this Roman commander submit to the Sadducees’ and Pharisees’ violence against Paul? Paul had a Roman citizen’s rights to a fair trial. Would it make a difference to the Jews?
   Paul once again attempts to witness God’s work in his life. The day before he had addressed the hateful mob as “Brothers and fathers. (Acts 22:1) He looked directly, purposefully at them without apology and began with, “My brothers”. He did not say, “I’m a Roman citizen, so listen to me!” He wanted very much for the Jews to stop accusing him and to listen to him as a man who was one of them.
   Paul sees his life as an obedient response to God’s will. He believes with all his heart he has fulfilled his duty to God. His conscience is clear. Paul stands before the Jews as Jesus did, innocent of all charges. Jesus’ primary purpose was to obey the Father’s will. Paul’s purpose was to obey the Lord Jesus’ commands. He makes no apologies for his faithful work for his Lord and Savior.
   Christians must know we are first and last responsible to God’s commands. When Paul wrote to Corinth, he knew many in the church thought they were wise by the standards of the age (1 Corinthians 3:18b). They were rejecting his and others’ teachings. The church was dividing into groups that preferred one leader over another.
   But Paul did not defend himself against their judgments. He told them, as he told the Jews, “My conscience is clear, but that does not make me innocent. It is the Lord who judges me.” (1 Corinthians 4:4) Twenty-one times in his epistles Paul wrote of his clear conscience. He was ready to stand before God’s judgment. Perhaps one of Paul’s unspoken questions to the to the Jews was, “Are you ready for God’s judgment?”  
   Why, exactly, do you do what you do and say what you say? Is it to please people? Or do you please God? Are you prepared for Jesus’ return?   

Acts 22:23-24 As the Jews were shouting and throwing off their cloaks and flinging dust into the air, 24 the commander ordered Paul to be taken into the barracks. He directed that he be flogged and questioned in order to find out why the people were shouting at him like this.
 
PAUL’S pointed and logical defense of his obedience to the LORD God had fallen on deaf ears. Evil seemed to say: “What’s your choice, Paul. Do you want to be left to the mob to be beaten? Or do you want to go with the Romans, who will flog you?”
   In a manner similar to Jesus, Paul had become a target for the Jews and a disturbance for the Romans. No one stood up to say, “This is a man God has anointed for the salvation of all, first for the Jew, then for the Gentile.” (from Romans 1:16). Violence was the means to “justice”.
   It was good Paul knew his rights: Verse 25 As they stretched him out to flog him, Paul said to the centurion standing there, “Is it legal for you to flog a Roman citizen who hasn’t even been found guilty?”  26 When the centurion heard this, he went to the commander and reported it. “What are you going to do?” he asked. “This man is a Roman citizen.”  27 The commander went to Paul and asked, “Tell me, are you a Roman citizen?” “Yes, I am,” he answered. 28 Then the commander said, “I had to pay a big price for my citizenship.” “But I was born a citizen,” Paul replied. 29 Those who were about to question him withdrew immediately. The commander himself was alarmed when he realized that he had put Paul, a Roman citizen, in chains.
   Paul’s Roman citizenship alarmed the Roman commander. He also should have been gravely concerned he threatened a citizen of God’s kingdom. The commander, too, had heard Paul’s testimony, but he paid no attention to God’s power. He was not like Cornelius, the Centurion who called Peter to come to his home to preach the gospel and baptize his family (Acts 10). He was not as the Roman who sought Jesus’ healing for his servant (Matthew 8) or the Roman soldier who had witnessed the earthquake and great darkness over the land at Jesus’ death to confess, “Surely this was the Son of God.” (Matthew 27:54)
   The evidence of God was available to all who heard Paul’s testimony. Still, no one believed: For although they knew God, they neither glorified him as God nor gave thanks to him, but their thinking became futile and their foolish hearts were darkened. Although they claimed to be wise, they became fools. (Romans 1:21-22)
   Do you know God? Thank him that you do and celebrate your knowledge. Pray for those who do not know him. 

Acts 22:17-22 “When I returned to Jerusalem and was praying at the temple, I fell into a trance 18 and saw the Lord speaking. ‘Quick!’ he said to me. ‘Leave Jerusalem immediately, because they will not accept your testimony about me.’ 19 ‘Lord,’ I replied, ‘these men know that I went from one synagogue to another to imprison and beat those who believe in you. 20 And when the blood of your martyr Stephen was shed, I stood there giving my approval and guarding the clothes of those who were killing him.’ 21 Then the Lord said to me, ‘Go; I will send you far away to the Gentiles.’” 22 The crowd listened to Paul until he said this. Then they raised their voices and shouted, “Rid the earth of him! He’s not fit to live!”
 
PAUL continued to defend his faith in Jesus to the silent, pensive mob. Would they accept him or destroy him? Would this be a moment of triumph? Or would Paul suffer as his Lord had suffered before the mob who had called, “Crucify him!”
   Paul continued to testify of the early days of his changed life as Jesus’ apostle. He told the Jews of Jesus’ word to him as he returned from Damascus to Jerusalem.
   Jesus told him to go. But Paul argued with Jesus. He was sure the Jews would accept him and respect him because he had helped kill Stephen. But Jesus had commanded Paul, “Go; I will send you far away to the Gentiles.”
   When Paul said, “go to the Gentiles” the restless crowd erupted. They did not condemn Paul for helping to kill Stephen. That was a noble act for a Jew! But they wanted to kill Paul because he had gone to the Gentiles.
   Why? Jews had long associated with Gentiles. And they accepted Gentiles who wanted to convert to Judaism. But when Paul said, “Go to the Gentiles.” the Jews knew Paul spoke of his teaching Gentiles were equal with Jews. “There is neither Jew nor Greek, slave nor free, male nor female, for you are all one in Christ Jesus.” (Galatians 3:28) The crowd had heard enough. They rejected Paul’s testimony of Jesus’ transforming work. They rejected Jesus.
   A few violent men can destroy the common good. There were thousands of new Christians in Jerusalem. The apostles and new believers showed God’s love, caring for people’s physical needs. Everyone was filled with awe, and many wonders and miraculous signs were done by the apostles. (Acts 2:43)
   Just as had happened for centuries, the Jews’ hard hearts rejected the LORD God’s passion to bless his people. This set them on a pathway to utter destruction.
   Jesus had warned his followers to be prepared for Jerusalem’s destruction (Matthew 24, Mark 13, Luke 21). That warning became a terrible truth in 70 AD. Rome completely destroyed the city and the temple. God shut the door on the Jews’ disobedience. The temple will not reopen until the day Jesus returns to restore Jerusalem and Israel to the day when all whose names are written on the Book of Life will dwell with God. (from Revelation 21:27)

Acts 22:12 -13 “A man named Ananias came to see me. He was a devout observer of the law and highly respected by all the Jews living there. 13 He stood beside me and said, ‘Brother Saul, receive your sight!’ And at that very moment I was able to see him.”
 
PAUL continued to testify to Jesus’ transforming power. Notice his very specific language that Ananias a very devout and highly respected Jew in Damascus came to him. Remember the Jews claimed Paul taught against our people and our law (Acts 21:28). To refute the charge, Paul attempted to show that honorable Jews were instrumental in God’s call on his life. Respected witnesses increase the value of one’s testimony.
   Then Ananias, this devout respected man, did something even devout men did not do. He went to Paul and said, “Brother Saul, receive your sight!”
   Paul’s testimony, “At that very moment I was able to see him.” would have shocked his listeners. After all, John 9 tells us the hard-minded Pharisees and Sanhedrin had rejected the obvious sign of Jesus healing a blind man. Sin-captured minds fail to see even the obvious signs of God’s remarkable love for us.   
 
You Are the Same as Paul
 
Acts 22:14 “Then Ananias said: ‘The God of our fathers has chosen you to know his will and to see the Righteous One and to hear words from his mouth.’”
 
THIS is a very powerful testimony to authenticate Paul as an apostle – a personal messenger – for Jesus Christ. God’s word to Paul was that he would see and talk to the Righteous One – the Messiah. Think of the impact this would have had on Paul! A few days before that event Paul had been violently seeking death for people who believed Jesus of Nazareth is the Righteous One. Paul “knew” Jesus was a dead blasphemer properly executed for his crimes.
   But then the man who had spoken healing into his eyes shocked Paul, “You will see the Righteous One and to hear words from his mouth.”
   Ananias had then told him how his life would completely change: “You will be his witness to all men of what you have seen and heard. And now what are you waiting for? Get up, be baptized and wash your sins away, calling on his name.” (Acts 22:15-16)
   Dear Christian, do you know this is about you, too? If you say, “I am a Christian.” you will see the Righteous One, your Savior, with your eyes of faith. Through the Spirit’s quickening, you will hear words from his mouth, as the Bible reveals his commands.
   Jesus calls you, also, to be his witness to all people. Tell them what you have seen and heard about Jesus. When the Lord comes to you, you must get up and go where he commands you.   
   As we read of the apostles’ lives, we must be mindful they were real people God transformed into faithful men. Through their struggles they learned the joy of their loving relationship with Jesus. This is Jesus’ desire for you now and forever.
 

Acts 21:40-22:5 Having received the commander’s permission, Paul stood on the steps and motioned to the crowd. When they were all silent, he said to them in Aramaic: 22 “Brothers and fathers, listen now to my defense.” 2 When they heard him speak to them in Aramaic, they became very quiet. Then Paul said: 3 “I am a Jew, born in Tarsus of Cilicia, but brought up in this city. Under Gamaliel I was thoroughly trained in the law of our fathers and was just as zealous for God as any of you are today. 4 I persecuted the followers of this Way to their death, arresting both men and women and throwing them into prison, 5 as also the high priest and all the Council can testify. I even obtained letters from them to their brothers in Damascus, and went there to bring these people as prisoners to Jerusalem to be punished.
 
WHEN the crowd had been so vicious, crying, “Kill him! Kill him!” we may be surprised Paul could quiet them with a wave of his hand. Paul had a practiced presence in front of a crowd. He had spent his adult life leading Jews and then leading people to Jesus. God had anointed him to his apostolic authority, and that authority became evident when Paul spoke.
   As always Paul’s goal was to testify of Jesus’ eternal redeeming power. To that purpose he needed his adversaries to listen, so he spoke Aramaic, the Jews’ language then. Paul connected more when he called them, “Brothers and fathers.” The Jews needed to know Paul was not a foreigner who sought them harm. It worked. They stopped shouting and began to listen.
   Paul told them he was thoroughly trained in the law. He was zealous for God as any of you are today. He wanted them to  know he understands their passion for truth.
   Paul also wants them to know he had hated Christians as much as they do. Indeed, Paul may have been worse than most who persecuted Jesus’ followers. As we’ve been reading of Paul’s great commitment to the gospel, we do not grasp how severely Paul had persecuted the followers of this Way to their death, arresting both men and women and throwing them into prison!
   Paul had hated Jesus and murdered his followers. Not satisfied to limit his persecution, Paul traveled to other cities, even Damascus, a long journey on foot and horseback. Paul saw Christians as prisoners to be punished.
   When we observe and remember Paul’s depraved life, we can more completely know God’s power to change our lives. Paul knew the absolute truth of God’s renewing grace when he wrote: Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; the old has gone, the new has come! (2 Corinthians 5:17)
   The Jews became quiet to listen to Paul because they recognized he was a Pharisee with a learned background. They will hear him speak and reserve judgment after his testimony.
  

Acts 21:35-40 When Paul reached the steps, the violence of the mob was so great he had to be carried by the soldiers. 36 The crowd that followed kept shouting, “Away with him!” 37 As the soldiers were about to take Paul into the barracks, he asked the commander, “May I say something to you?” “Do you speak Greek?” the commander replied. 38 “Aren’t you the Egyptian who started a revolt and led four thousand terrorists out into the desert some time ago?” 39 Paul answered, “I am a Jew, from Tarsus in Cilicia, a citizen of no ordinary city. Please let me speak to the people.”
 
THE people were out of control. Their hateful shouts, “Away with him!” is translated, “Kill him. Kill him!” The soldiers had to carry Paul away to protect him. One can credit the Romans’ determination to protect their prisoner. It may have been safer for them to turn Paul over to the mob.
   Might some of the crowd have been the same people who shouted to Pilate, “Away with him!” (Luke 23:18)? They had succeeded then in their violence to kill the Prince of Peace. Now they wanted Jesus’ messenger dead. The hateful mob did not know there is no death when the Resurrection and the Life reigns.
   How sad it is to think of the many, many times God revealed himself in Jerusalem throughout the ages; and yet, his chosen people he had created to be his own could only shout, “Kill him!” One can attempt to kill the King of Glory, but he will still come in (Psalm 24).
   In God’s will and time the Lord Jesus submitted to death. But it was not time for Paul to die. Paul was accustomed to defending himself and standing before hateful people. He faithfully prepared to do so again.
   Paul surprised the commander. Yes, he could speak Greek. No, he was not a terrorist. Yes, he is a citizen of no ordinary city – of Rome. A Roman citizen had a right to defend himself. This was their law. Six more times in the remaining pages of Acts, Paul will defend himself as a Roman citizen. He used the tools God had given him to be a voice for the gospel God had granted to him.
   The crowd was zealous to kill Paul. God is even more zealous to bring his justice to earth: Isaiah 9:7 Of the increase of his government and peace there will be no end. He will reign on David’s throne and over his kingdom, establishing and upholding it with justice and righteousness from that time on and forever. The zeal of the Lord Almighty will accomplish this.
   When you are a citizen of God’s kingdom, be confident of your right to defend the truth. You serve a passionate God. Be passionate for him.   
    

Acts 21:30-31 The whole city was aroused, and the people came running from all directions. Seizing Paul, they dragged him from the temple, and immediately the gates were shut. 31 While they were trying to kill him, news reached the commander of the Roman troops that the whole city of Jerusalem was in an uproar.
 
WHAT had Paul done? It didn’t’ seem to matter to the Jews. The phrase while they were trying to kill him tells us violence had replaced reason. It seems the ruling Jews – and then the crowd – could not forgive Paul for becoming a leader of The Way. There seemed to be no plan to arrest Paul and place him on trial as written in Deuteronomy 19 and elsewhere. Crowds came from all directions with a mob’s mindset to kill Paul.
   The Romans, though, attempt to stop the mob. The title commander of the Roman troops indicates the man had 1,000 highly-trained soldiers under his authority in Jerusalem. Scholars estimate there were about 200 soldiers to stop the riot.
 
Acts 21:32-35 The Commander at once took some officers and soldiers and ran down to the crowd. When the rioters saw the commander and his soldiers, they stopped beating Paul. 33 The commander came up and arrested him and ordered him to be bound with two chains. Then the commander asked Paul who he was and what he had done. 34 Some in the crowd shouted one thing and some another, and since the commander could not get at the truth because of the uproar, he ordered that Paul be taken into the barracks.
 
THE mob wanted Paul dead. Some of you reading this have faced threats because of the lies against your faith. Hopefully none of you have experienced such a horrible physical attack. The Jews accused Paul of teaching against “our law”.  But they obeyed only the laws of hatred and murder.
   Once again God used a pagan ruler to rescue Paul from a mob. The Roman commander and his soldiers stopped the beating. Assuming Paul’s guilt, he chained Paul to one soldier on his left and one on his right as they did to a criminal. You can almost hear the shouting crowd accusing Paul. The commander and his soldiers must have been very concerned for their lives. It was time to get to a safe place, so they could learn the truth. The crowd, though, continued to press against Paul and the soldiers with increasing anger. Satan seemed to be having his way: Proverbs 10:11 The mouth of the righteous is a fountain of life, but violence overwhelms the mouth of the wicked. 
   The world is full of noise and accusations that want to kill your faith. Be purposeful to often move into a quiet place to allow God’s truth to silence the lies.