Grace Bible Church Gillette, Wyoming

1. Paul was brought before the Council (Sanhedrin) at the Commander’s request (Act 22:30). He looked intently (atenizō - stare intently at, fix one's eyes on) perhaps recognizing some while obviously not recognizing others (cf. Act 26:10 cf. Act 23:5).

2. Addressing them merely as brethren possibly reveals that it was a less formal meeting.

3. Paul began by telling them that according to his own conscience before God, he did not believe he was guilty of the charges. His conscience was perfectly good before God up to this day. This did not mean that Paul never sinned, but that he either obeyed God or else had made things right before God and man.

4. “Conscience” (suneidêsis – perceptive awareness within oneself) would be the “faculty of moral awareness by which moral judgments relating to right and wrong are made (Ac 23:1)” Friberg. For Paul a conscience that was clear under the scrutiny of the Scriptures and the Spirit was essential (1Ti 1:19).

a) He knew of nothing against himself, yet God was his infallible judge (1Co 4:4).

b) He maintained a blameless conscience (Act 24:16) in his conduct (Heb 13:18) His testimony (2Co 1:12), and teaching (1Ti 1:5).

B. Ananias Struck Paul on the Mouth (2)

1. Paul was before the high priest Ananias. He is not to be confused with the former high priest Annas (6-15 A.D., Luk 3:2). Ananias was the son of Nedebaeus and occupied his position from 47-59 AD. Josephus recorded that he was one of the most wicked high priests in that he was vain-glorious, greedy, corrupt, and violent. He stole tithes from the poor and priests by violence when necessary. Ananias also became fatefully associated with the Sicarii (of whom Paul was thought to be the leader cf. Act 21:38) when they captured Ananias’ servants for multiple prisoner swaps (Ant 20:205-210).

2. Therefore, it was not surprising that Ananias commanded that Paul be struck on the mouth. The Greek word for "struck" is tuptō and means to inflict a blow, most likely with a rod or fist. We have already seen this word in Act 21:32 when they stopped “beating” Paul.

3. Ananias could not tolerate Paul maintaining his innocence to the crime of blasphemy against the Jewish people, Jewish Law, and Jewish Temple (Act 21:28). Even though these charges were false accusations, Paul was already condemned before the trial began.

C. Ananias Called a Whitewashed Wall (3)

1. Paul responded by saying God is going to strike you. By the way, that is exactly what happened. Ananias was later killed by Jewish rebels when they stormed the Temple in 66 A.D. (JWR 2:441-442).

2. Then he called Ananias a “whitewashed wall.” The meaning of that phrase is that walls and tombs are sometimes washed with a white paste to make old walls and tombs look new when in reality they are decrepit and dead. It is equivalent to calling them a hypocrite.

3. Many see Paul’s response here coming from a frustrated and sinful heart. It’s possible. Many have found comfort in the thought that even this spiritual giant sinned. I admit Paul was not sinless and he may have sinned here.

4. However, it is possible that he may not have sinned here.

a) Jesus himself used virtually the same phrase (Mat 23:27). Because Jesus had used the phrase, it may have become a Christian catchphrase.

b) Paul’s point was that the high priest was being hypocritical. Paul continued, “Do you sit to try me according to the Law, and in violation of the Law order me to be struck?”

c) It was indeed a violation of the law for Paul to be struck before being charged (Deu 25:1-2; Joh 7:51). Luke may have been highlighting that Paul’s trials were similar to those of Christ’s (cf. Jesus Joh 18:19-24).

D. Aspersion Against the High Priest (4)

1. Those standing by exclaimed, “Do you revile God's high priest?” The word “revile” is the Greek word loidoreō and depicts hurling verbal abuse.

2. Some have contrasted Paul’s response against Christ’s example in 1Pe 2:23.

E. Astigmatic Condition of Paul (5)

1. Paul’s answer reveals his heart attitude. He immediately responded that he did not know (“aware” pluperfect of oida – to know or perceive) it was the high priest.

2. Some have suggested Paul was being sarcastic in that a true high priest would not have acted that way.

3. We have no reason to take Paul any other way but sincere. But if it is true that Paul was sincere, then how did he not know that he was speaking to the high priest?

a) One solution could have been that since it was the Roman Commander who called the Sanhedrin together, the Sanhedrin approached the meeting as an informal meeting. In that case, the high priest most likely would not have been in his high priestly array.

b) At the time of Paul’s conversion (approx. 34 A.D.) Caiaphas (18-36 A.D. cf. Act 4:6) would have been high priest. It is very likely that Paul had never met or saw Ananias the high priest.

c) Another explanation proposes that Paul had poor eyesight. It does appear from Scripture that after the scales fell off Paul’s eyes (Act 9:18), he did suffer some eye impairment.

(1) In Gal 4:15 we read that because of the Galatians’ love and loyalty for Paul, they would have “plucked out [their] eyes and given them to [him].” This may have been just a mere idiom of the day, or it may have had something to do with Paul’s existing eye problem.

(2) Paul concluded his letter in Gal 6:11 saying, “See with what ‘large letters’ I am writing to you with my own hand.” This probably does not refer to the length of the letter, but rather the largeness with which Paul wrote the letters in his signature due of his eyesight. Most if not all Paul’s letters to the churches were written through an amanuensis (by dictation, cf. Rom 16:22). But Paul signed his name to the letters with large letters due to his eyesight, depicting his distinguishing signature (1Co 16:21; 2Th 3:17).

4. Paul’s sincerity was evident in that he even quoted the Scripture that affirms he knew that it would be wrong to revile the high priest. Paul quoted Exo 22:28, “you shall not speak evil of a ruler of your people.”

5. Paul was a Pharisee and an expert of the Law. The Law was a moral code as well as a legal code (Deu 17:8-10). Paul knew that Law and God’s perspective was for believers to be submissive to rulers and authorities (Rom 13:1-5 cf. 1Pe 2:13-14).

6. Paul’s reaction was that of a sincere, submissive, and mature believer. He immediately acknowledged his sin, confessed it, and submitted himself to the authority of Scripture. Paul was not wrong for what he said but to whom he said it.

II. OBSERVATIONS AND APPLICATIONS

A. Be conscience clear before God and man.

1. Understand that Christ took our sin and guilt upon the cross (Heb 10:2 cf. Rom 8:1).

2. Submit yourself to the authority of Scripture (Act 23:5; Deu 8:1; Josh 1:8; Mat 4:4).

3. Follow what is right before God and man (Pro 3:3‑4; Act 24:16; Rom 13:5).

4. Confess all known sin to God (1Jo 1:9).

5. Ask for forgiveness from those you have offended (Mat 5:23‑24).

B. Be respectful to authorities (Rom 13:1; 1Pe 2:13-17). When Paul realized that he was speaking to the high priest, even though he was a wicked unbeliever, his attitude and action changed. Paul separated personality from position.

C. Be wise in your defense of the faith (1Pe 3:15). This well-known verse on defense of the faith is in a context of persecution. We are to be fearless in the face of persecution (14), wise and knowledgeable in our defense (15a), reverent and respectful in our demeanor (15b), maintain a clear conscience (16), and not revile in return (1Pe 2:23).

Grace Bible Church · 4000 E. Collins Rd · PO Box #3762 · Gillette, WY · (307) 686-1516