Paul before the Sanhedrin
The
next day, since he wanted to find out exactly why Paul was being accused by the
Jews, he released him and instructed the chief priests and all the Sanhedrin to
convene. Then he brought Paul down and placed him before them.
Paul
looked intently at the Sanhedrin and said, “Brothers, I have lived my life
before God in all good conscience until this day.” But the high priest Ananias
ordered those who were standing next to him to strike him on the mouth. Then
Paul said to him, “God is going to strike you, you whitewashed wall! You are
sitting there judging me according to the law, and in violation of the law are
you
ordering me to be struck?”
And
those standing nearby said, “Do you dare revile God’s high priest?”
“I
did not know, brothers,” Paul said, “that it was the high priest. For it is
written, You must not speak evil of a ruler of your people. “ When Paul
realized that one part of them were Sadducees and the other part were
Pharisees, he cried out in the Sanhedrin, “Brothers, I am a Pharisee, a son of
Pharisees! I am being judged because of the hope of the resurrection of the
dead!” When he said this, a dispute broke out between the Pharisees and the
Sadducees, and the assembly was divided. For the Sadducees say there is no
resurrection, and no angel or spirit, but the Pharisees affirm them all.
The
shouting grew loud, and some of the scribes of the Pharisees ‘ party got up and
argued vehemently: “We find nothing evil in this man. What if a spirit or an
angel has spoken to him?” When the dispute became violent, the commander feared
that Paul might be torn apart by them and ordered the troops to go down, rescue
him from them, and bring him into the barracks.
The Plot against Paul
The
following night, the Lord stood by him and said, “Have courage! For as you have
testified about Me in Jerusalem , so you must
also testify in Rome .”
When it was day, the Jews formed a conspiracy and bound themselves under a
curse: neither to eat nor to drink until they had killed Paul. There were more
than 40 who had formed this plot. These men went to the chief priests and
elders and said, “We have bound ourselves under a solemn curse that we won’t
eat anything until we have killed Paul. So now you, along with the Sanhedrin,
make a request to the commander that he bring him down to you as if you were
going to investigate his case more thoroughly. However, before he gets near, we are ready to kill him.”
But
the son of Paul’s sister, hearing about their ambush, came and entered the
barracks and reported it to Paul. Then Paul called one of the centurions and
said, “Take this young man to the commander, because he has something to report
to him.”
So
he took him, brought him to the commander, and said, “The prisoner Paul called
me and asked me to bring this young man to you, because he has something to
tell you.”
Then
the commander took him by the hand, led him aside, and inquired privately,
“What is it you have to report to me?”
“The
Jews,” he said, “have agreed to ask you to bring Paul down to the Sanhedrin
tomorrow, as though they are going to hold a somewhat more careful inquiry
about him. Don’t let them persuade you, because there are more than 40 of them
arranging to ambush him, men who have bound themselves under a curse not to eat
or drink until they kill him. Now they are ready, waiting for a
commitment from you.”
So
the commander dismissed the young man and instructed him, “Don’t tell anyone
that you have informed me about this.”
To Caesarea by Night
He summoned two of his centurions and said,
“Get 200 soldiers ready with 70 cavalry and 200 spearmen to go to Caesarea at
nine tonight. Also provide mounts so they can put Paul on them and bring him
safely to Felix the governor.
He wrote a letter of this kind:
Claudius
Lysias,
To
the most excellent governor Felix:
Greetings.
When
this man had been seized by the Jews and was about to be killed by them, I
arrived with my troops and rescued him because I learned that he is a Roman
citizen. Wanting to know the charge for which they were accusing him, I brought
him down before their Sanhedrin. I found out that the accusations were about
disputed matters in their law, and that there was no charge that merited death
or chains. When I was informed that there was a plot against the man, I sent
him to you right away. I also ordered his accusers to state their case against
him in your presence.
Therefore,
during the night, the soldiers took Paul and brought him to Antipatris as they
were ordered. The next day, they returned to the barracks, allowing the cavalry
to go on with him. When these men entered Caesarea and delivered the letter to
the governor, they also presented Paul to him. After he read it, he asked what
province he was from. So when he learned he was from Cilicia, he said, “I will
give you a hearing whenever your accusers get here too.”
And
he ordered that he be kept under guard in Herod’s palace.
The Accusation against Paul
After
five days Ananias the high priest came down with some elders and a lawyer named
Tertullus. These men presented their case against Paul to the governor. When he
was called in, Tertullus began to accuse him and said: “Since we enjoy great
peace because of you, and reforms are taking place for the benefit of this
nation by your foresight, we gratefully receive them always and in all places,
most excellent Felix, with all thankfulness. However, so that I will not burden
you any further, I beg you in your graciousness to give us a brief hearing. For
we have found this man to be a plague, an agitator among all the Jews
throughout the Roman world, and a ringleader of the sect of the Nazarenes!
He
even tried to desecrate the temple, so we apprehended him [and wanted to judge
him according to our law. But Lysias the commander came and took him from our
hands, commanding his accusers to come to you.] By examining him yourself you
will be able to discern all these things of which we accuse him.”
The
Jews also joined in the attack, alleging that these things were so.
Paul’s Defense before Felix
When
the governor motioned to him to speak, Paul replied: “Because I know you have
been a judge of this nation for many years, I am glad to offer my defense in
what concerns me. You are able to determine that it is no more than 12 days
since I went up to worship in Jerusalem. And they didn’t find me disputing with
anyone or causing a disturbance among the crowd, either in the temple complex
or in the synagogues, or anywhere in the city. Neither can they provide
evidence to you of what they now bring against me. But I confess this to you:
that according to the Way, which they call a sect, so I worship my fathers’
God, believing all the things that are written in the Law and in the Prophets.
And I have a hope in God, which these men themselves also accept, that there is
going to be a resurrection, both of the righteous and the unrighteous. I always
do my best to have a clear conscience toward God and men.
After many years, I
came to bring charitable gifts and offerings to my nation, and while I was doing this, some Jews from the province of Asia found me ritually purified in the temple, without a
crowd and without any uproar. It is they who ought to be here before you to
bring charges, if they have anything against me. Either let these men here
state what wrongdoing they found in me when I stood before the Sanhedrin, or
about this one statement I cried out while standing among them, ‘Today I am
being judged before you concerning the resurrection of the dead.'”
The Verdict Postponed
Since
Felix was accurately informed about the Way, he adjourned the hearing, saying,
“When Lysias the commander comes down, I will decide your case.” He ordered
that the centurion keep Paul under guard, though he could have some freedom,
and that he should not prevent any of his friends from serving him.
After
some days, when Felix came with his wife Drusilla, who was Jewish, he sent for
Paul and listened to him on the subject of faith in Christ Jesus. Now as he
spoke about righteousness, self-control, and the judgment to come, Felix became
afraid and replied, “Leave for now, but when I find time I’ll call for you.” At
the same time he was also hoping that money would be given to him by Paul. For
this reason he sent for him quite often and conversed with him.
After
two years had passed, Felix received a successor, Porcius Festus, and because
he wished to do a favor for the Jews, Felix left Paul in prison. (HCS)
This reading is taken from 30 Scripture
Readings with the Great Men of the Bible. The complete book can be found here: http://www.amazon.com/dp/B003ZK5H3C/ref=nosim?tag=hudsonbcom-20&linkCode=sb1&camp=212353&creative=380549
Holman Christian Standard Bible (R), Copyright (c) 1999,
2000, 2002, 2003 by Holman Bible Publishers. Used by permission. Holman
Christian Standard Bible (R), Holman CSB (R), and HCSB (R) are federally
registered trademarks of Homan Bible Publishers.
0 comments:
Post a Comment