Who Understands Faith?
Paul before King Agrippa
Acts 22:30-23:11
The Message
30 The
next day, determined to get to the root of the trouble and know for
sure what was behind the Jewish accusation, the captain released Paul
and ordered a meeting of the high priests and the High Council to see
what they could make of it. Paul was led in and took his place before
them.
5 Paul acted surprised. “How was I to know he was Chief Priest? He doesn’t act like a Chief Priest. You’re right, the Scripture does say, ‘Don’t speak abusively to a ruler of the people.’ Sorry.”
6 Paul, knowing some of the council was made up of Sadducees and others of Pharisees and how they hated each other, decided to exploit their antagonism: “Friends, I am a stalwart Pharisee from a long line of Pharisees. It’s because of my Pharisee convictions—the hope and resurrection of the dead—that I’ve been hauled into this court.”
7-9 The moment he said this, the council split right down the middle, Pharisees and Sadducees going at each other in heated argument. Sadducees have nothing to do with a resurrection or angels or even a spirit. If they can’t see it, they don’t believe it. Pharisees believe it all. And so a huge and noisy quarrel broke out. Then some of the religion scholars on the Pharisee side shouted down the others: “We don’t find anything wrong with this man! And what if a spirit has spoken to him? Or maybe an angel? What if it turns out we’re fighting against God?”
10 That was fuel on the fire. The quarrel flamed up and became so violent the captain was afraid they would tear Paul apart, limb from limb. He ordered the soldiers to get him out of there and escort him back to the safety of the barracks.
Before the High Council
23 1-3 Paul
surveyed the members of the council with a steady gaze, and then said
his piece: “Friends, I’ve lived with a clear conscience before God all
my life, up to this very moment.” That set the Chief Priest Ananias off.
He ordered his aides to slap Paul in the face. Paul shot back, “God
will slap you down! What a fake you are! You sit there and judge me by
the Law and then break the Law by ordering me slapped around!”
4 The aides were scandalized: “How dare you talk to God’s Chief Priest like that!”5 Paul acted surprised. “How was I to know he was Chief Priest? He doesn’t act like a Chief Priest. You’re right, the Scripture does say, ‘Don’t speak abusively to a ruler of the people.’ Sorry.”
6 Paul, knowing some of the council was made up of Sadducees and others of Pharisees and how they hated each other, decided to exploit their antagonism: “Friends, I am a stalwart Pharisee from a long line of Pharisees. It’s because of my Pharisee convictions—the hope and resurrection of the dead—that I’ve been hauled into this court.”
7-9 The moment he said this, the council split right down the middle, Pharisees and Sadducees going at each other in heated argument. Sadducees have nothing to do with a resurrection or angels or even a spirit. If they can’t see it, they don’t believe it. Pharisees believe it all. And so a huge and noisy quarrel broke out. Then some of the religion scholars on the Pharisee side shouted down the others: “We don’t find anything wrong with this man! And what if a spirit has spoken to him? Or maybe an angel? What if it turns out we’re fighting against God?”
10 That was fuel on the fire. The quarrel flamed up and became so violent the captain was afraid they would tear Paul apart, limb from limb. He ordered the soldiers to get him out of there and escort him back to the safety of the barracks.
A Plot Against Paul
11 That
night the Master appeared to Paul: “It’s going to be all right.
Everything is going to turn out for the best. You’ve been a good witness
for me here in Jerusalem. Now you’re going to be my witness in Rome!”
For Reflection
Do
you think that those of us who are so blinded by our religious
convictions could look rationally into a mirror as Paul provided the
Pharisees and the Sadducees and see the truth of our folly? What if
it turns out in vigorously defending our religious convictions, we are
really fighting God? Who wins that fight? Maybe that is the real
reason for conflict. God's chance to illuminate the truth and give us a
chance to grow closer to Him.
Pray
Pray
that you when confronted by your own conviction will not hold so
steadfastly that you cannot hear God's guidance. Pray that out of
conflict you will grow closer to God's will for your life.
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