Verses 1-3 And Paul, earnestly beholding the council, said, Men and brethren, I have lived in all good conscience before God until this day. 2 And the high priest Ananias commanded them that stood by him to smite him on the mouth. 3 Then said Paul unto him, God shall smite thee, thou whited wall: for sittest thou to judge me after the law, and commandest me to be smitten contrary to the law?
The Sanhedrin or council were also the court. It was their job to give the Apostle Paul a hearing in which he was lawfully allowed to defend himself. But the man with the greatest authority, Ananias, who was essentially in the position of his ancestor Aaron, the first high priest, broke the law by ordering others to hit Paul on the mouth which was a way of saying, “Shut up”. Under the laws given by Moses it was not lawful to strike anyone without a cause such as self-defense. So multiple Hebrew laws were being violated by this leader of the Jewish governing body.
Note: Just to be sure that you, the reader, understand the power of the Sanhedrin, the following is an excerpt from Strong’s Concordance. The Sanhedrin, the great council at Jerusalem consisting of the seventy one members made up of scribes, elders, prominent members of the high priestly families, and the high priest, the president of the assembly. The most important causes were brought before this tribunal, inasmuch as the Roman rulers of Judaea had left to it the power of trying such cases, and also of pronouncing sentence of death, with the limitation that a capital sentence pronounced by the Sanhedrin was not valid unless it was confirmed by the Roman procurator. This is why, after the unlawful secret torture and trial of the LORD Jesus Christ by the Sanhedrin, Jesus had to be taken before Pilot so that a Roman procurator could concur with their death sentence. To execute Jesus without Roman approval would have been contrary to Roman law and the high priest and members of the Sanhedrin were careful to guard their working relationship with Caesar.
Application: It is necessary throughout this study to keep reminding the reader that the law given by God to the Prophet Moses which included judicial, moral, and religious laws were not the rules of the land during the days of Jesus’ ministry and the early Church. Without this understanding, some of Scripture will not make sense or be understood properly. The Jewish rulers practiced the laws of the Babylonian Talmud and only gave lip service to the Law of Moses. This is why Jesus’ teaching was so well received by the masses as it was in accordance with the Law and the prophets and not in accordance with the propaganda coming forth from the ruling elite who had control over the Temple and the governance of the Jewish people. The Jewish leadership worked for and with the Roman government which also did not recognize Mosaic law. This is also why Jesus made the scathing statement in Matthew 23:15, “Woe unto you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! for ye compass sea and land to make one proselyte, and when he is made, ye make him twofold more the child of hell than yourselves.” The Babylonian Talmud is from Satan and therefore from the pit of Hell and those who subscribe to it will receive Hell and the Lake of Fire as judgement for rejecting the Old Covenant and the Mosaic law and then rejecting the New Covenant which is eternal life in the LORD Jesus Christ.
Verses 4-5 And they that stood by said, Revilest thou God’s high priest? 5 Then said Paul, I wist not, brethren, that he was the high priest: for it is written, Thou shalt not speak evil of the ruler of thy people.
Why did not the Apostle Paul recognize the high priest? Not sure. Perhaps Ananias did not have robes on that identified him from the other priests and scribes. Perhaps Ananias was lost in the crowd of 71 Sanhedrin members. Regardless, when he was alerted to the fact that the man he corrected firmly for his unlawful behavior was the high priest, he humbled himself and quoted Scripture. He was not going to give them any reason to be offended and to accuse him of any crimes against them.
Verses 6-8 But when Paul perceived that the one part were Sadducees, and the other Pharisees, he cried out in the council, Men and brethren, I am a Pharisee, the son of a Pharisee: of the hope and resurrection of the dead I am called in question. 7 And when he had so said, there arose a dissension between the Pharisees and the Sadducees: and the multitude was divided. 8 For the Sadducees say that there is no resurrection, neither angel, nor spirit: but the Pharisees confess both.
Verses 9 And there arose a great cry: and the scribes that were of the Pharisees’ part arose, and strove, saying, We find no evil in this man: but if a spirit or an angel hath spoken to him, let us not fight against God.
Verses 10-11 And when there arose a great dissension, the chief captain, fearing lest Paul should have been pulled in pieces of them, commanded the soldiers to go down, and to take him by force from among them, and to bring him into the castle. 11 And the night following the Lord stood by him, and said, Be of good cheer, Paul: for as thou hast testified of me in Jerusalem, so must thou bear witness also at Rome.
Verses 12-13 And when it was day, certain of the Jews banded together, and bound themselves under a curse, saying that they would neither eat nor drink till they had killed Paul. 13 And they were more than forty which had made this conspiracy.
Verses 14-15 And they came to the chief priests and elders, and said, We have bound ourselves under a great curse, that we will eat nothing until we have slain Paul. 15 Now therefore ye with the council signify to the chief captain that he bring him down unto you to morrow, as though ye would enquire something more perfectly concerning him: and we, or ever he come near, are ready to kill him.
Verses 16-17 And when Paul’s sister’s son heard of their lying in wait, he went and entered into the castle, and told Paul. 17 Then Paul called one of the centurions unto him, and said, Bring this young man unto the chief captain: for he hath a certain thing to tell him.
Verses 18-21 So he took him, and brought him to the chief captain, and said, Paul the prisoner called me unto him, and prayed me to bring this young man unto thee, who hath something to say unto thee. 19 Then the chief captain took him by the hand, and went with him aside privately, and asked him, What is that thou hast to tell me? 20 And he said, The Jews have agreed to desire thee that thou wouldest bring down Paul to morrow into the council, as though they would enquire somewhat of him more perfectly. 21 But do not thou yield unto them: for there lie in wait for him of them more than forty men, which have bound themselves with an oath, that they will neither eat nor drink till they have killed him: and now are they ready, looking for a promise from thee.
Verses 22-24 So the chief captain then let the young man depart, and charged him, See thou tell no man that thou hast shewed these things to me. 23 And he called unto him two centurions, saying, Make ready two hundred soldiers to go to Caesarea, and horsemen threescore and ten, and spearmen two hundred, at the third hour of the night; 24 And provide them beasts, that they may set Paul on, and bring him safe unto Felix the governor.
Verses 25-30 And he wrote a letter after this manner: 26 Claudius Lysias unto the most excellent governor Felix sendeth greeting. 27 This man was taken of the Jews, and should have been killed of them: then came I with an army, and rescued him, having understood that he was a Roman. 28 And when I would have known the cause wherefore they accused him, I brought him forth into their council: 29 Whom I perceived to be accused of questions of their law, but to have nothing laid to his charge worthy of death or of bonds. 30 And when it was told me how that the Jews laid wait for the man, I sent straightway to thee, and gave commandment to his accusers also to say before thee what they had against him. Farewell.
Verses 31-35 Then the soldiers, as it was commanded them, took Paul, and brought him by night to Antipatris. 32 On the morrow they left the horsemen to go with him, and returned to the castle: 33 Who, when they came to Caesarea, and delivered the epistle to the governor, presented Paul also before him. 34 And when the governor had read the letter, he asked of what province he was. And when he understood that he was of Cilicia; 35 I will hear thee, said he, when thine accusers are also come. And he commanded him to be kept in Herod’s judgment hall. (Acts 23)