Acts 23 Studies

For those who may wish to ‘study’ this chapter, the following simple resources are provided for you. Each chapter is divided into a number of studies and each study or passage has a simple four-Part, verse-by-verse approach, to help you take in and think further about what you have read.

Passage: Acts 22:30 -23:10

30 The commander wanted to find out exactly why Paul was being accused by the Jews. So the next day he released him and ordered the chief priests and all the members of the Sanhedrin to assemble. Then he brought Paul and set him before them.

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.’ 2 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!’

4 Those who were standing near Paul said, ‘How dare you insult God’s high priest!’

5 Paul replied, ‘Brothers, I did not realise that he was the high priest; for it is written: “Do not speak evil about the ruler of your people.”’

6 Then Paul, knowing that some of them were Sadducees and the others Pharisees, called out in the Sanhedrin, ‘My brothers, I am a Pharisee, descended from Pharisees. I stand on trial because of the hope of 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 believe all these things.)

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.

A. Find Out:

1. What happened the next day? v.30
2. What was Paul able to declare? v.1
3. What happened as a result of this? v.2
4. What was Paul’s reaction? v.3
5. What did Paul obviously not realise? v.5
6. How did Paul get out of this situation? v.6-8
7. What was the outcome? v.9,10

B. Think:

1. What are we shown here of the power of the high priest?
2. What is shown about the Sanhedrin in general?
3. Why did the army commander intervene?

C. Comment:

Because the army commander has been thwarted in his interrogation of Paul he decides to send him before the Jewish court, the Sanhedrin, made up of many senior religious figures, to see if they can bring out the truth.

Paul declared his absolute innocence and for this he is slapped across the face at the instigation of the high priest, a thoroughly unpleasant individual who is clearly not bothered about abusing his power and breaking the rules. Presumably he knows all about Paul and knows his belief in Jesus, and therefore takes Paul’s statement as a blasphemous lie. He is unwarranted in having Paul struck. Paul reacts angrily at this abuse of justice but calms as soon as he realises who the high priest was.

As Paul looks at the Sanhedrin, he realises that some are Pharisees and some are Sadducees, in other words that it was made up of people with differing religious beliefs. Paul plays on this difference and the result is mayhem! Again! These are supposed to be leaders of the nation and yet they are provoked into division by belief. The army commander has no option but to take Paul out of this – again!

D. Application:

1. Unrighteous religious belief can be divisive.
2. Power is to be used justly and not abused.

Passage: Acts 23:11-22

11 The following night the Lord stood near Paul and said, ‘Take courage! As you have testified about me in Jerusalem, so you must also testify in Rome.’

12 The next morning some Jews formed a conspiracy and bound themselves with an oath not to eat or drink until they had killed Paul. 13 More than forty men were involved in this plot. 14 They went to the chief priests and the elders and said, ‘We have taken a solemn oath not to eat anything until we have killed Paul. 15 Now then, you and the Sanhedrin petition the commander to bring him before you on the pretext of wanting more accurate information about his case. We are ready to kill him before he gets here.’

16 But when the son of Paul’s sister heard of this plot, he went into the barracks and told Paul.

17 Then Paul called one of the centurions and said, ‘Take this young man to the commander; he has something to tell him.’ 18 So he took him to the commander.

The centurion said, ‘Paul, the prisoner, sent for me and asked me to bring this young man to you because he has something to tell you.’

19 The commander took the young man by the hand, drew him aside and asked, ‘What is it you want to tell me?’

20 He said: ‘Some Jews have agreed to ask you to bring Paul before the Sanhedrin tomorrow on the pretext of wanting more accurate information about him. 21 Don’t give in to them, because more than forty of them are waiting in ambush for him. They have taken an oath not to eat or drink until they have killed him. They are ready now, waiting for your consent to their request.’

22 The commander dismissed the young man with this warning: ‘Don’t tell anyone that you have reported this to me.’

A. Find Out:

1. What did the Lord tell Paul the next night? v.11
2. What happened the next morning? v.12-14
3. How did they plan to do it? v.15
4. But who heard about it and told Paul? v.16
5. So what then happened? v.17-21
6. What did the commander instruct? v.22

B. Think:

1. Who were involved in the plot to kill Paul?
2. What does that say about the state of Judaism at that time?
3. What effect would the Lord’s word to Paul have on him in the light of all that followed?

C. Comment:

In the night the Lord speaks to Paul and encourages him that in the same way that he has had to testify in Jerusalem, he was also to testify in Rome. Now such a word as this must have various effects. First, simply the presence of the Lord speaking is comforting. The Lord’s presence when He speaks is always comforting. Second, this word confirms that all that is happening is under the overall will of the Lord and Paul is not to be fearful of the course of events. Third, when the following events become apparent, such a word can bring comfort to Paul in that, although his life is going to be threatened here, it will not be ended here. God has spoken, so he’s not going to die yet!

Then we have the plot. A large group of zealous Jews plan to kill Paul. What is worse they involve the spiritual leaders who join in and become part of it. Whether or not they feel Paul is guilty of blasphemy is not the point here. The point is that they have not given Paul the chance to be tried properly, and when he did come before them as a Council, they did not come to a decision, so this activity is completely illegal. However the word slips out and counter actions are going to be taken. Paul will remain safe – because God has said so!

D. Application:

1. When God speaks to us personally, it is always comforting.
2. He may correct us but His loving presence is always comforting.

Passage: Acts 23:23-35

23 Then he called two of his centurions and ordered them, ‘Get ready a detachment of two hundred soldiers, seventy horsemen and two hundred spearmen to go to Caesarea at nine tonight. 24 Provide horses for Paul so that he may be taken safely to Governor Felix.’

25 He wrote a letter as follows:

26 Claudius Lysias,

To His Excellency, Governor Felix:

Greetings.

27 This man was seized by the Jews and they were about to kill him, but I came with my troops and rescued him, for I had learned that he is a Roman citizen. 28 I wanted to know why they were accusing him, so I brought him to their Sanhedrin. 29 I found that the accusation had to do with questions about their law, but there was no charge against him that deserved death or imprisonment. 30 When I was informed of a plot to be carried out against the man, I sent him to you at once. I also ordered his accusers to present to you their case against him.

31 So the soldiers, carrying out their orders, took Paul with them during the night and brought him as far as Antipatris. 32 The next day they let the cavalry go on with him, while they returned to the barracks. 33 When the cavalry arrived in Caesarea, they delivered the letter to the governor and handed Paul over to him. 34 The governor read the letter and asked what province he was from. Learning that he was from Cilicia, 35 he said, ‘I will hear your case when your accusers get here.’ Then he ordered that Paul be kept under guard in Herod’s palace.

A. Find Out:

1. What precautions did the commander provide? v.23,24
2. What did he also do? v.25,26
3. Why did he say he had rescued Paul? v.27
4. What was his conclusion about Paul? v.29
5. So why was he sending Paul? v.30
6. What did the governor check? v.34

B. Think:

1. What indications are there that the commander took the threat to Paul’s life seriously?
2. What seems to be the purpose of sending him?
3. What seems to be Felix’s response?

C. Comment:

Felix ruled as provincial governor of Judea from the provincial capital, Caesarea, so the army commander in Jerusalem decides that if there is a case to be answered, it should be before the local governor. This is now the fourth time this commander has rescued Paul (21:32,33, 22:23,24, 23:10, 23:23-) and thus we see the Roman sense of justice and law-keeping at work, to protect Paul.

The army commander writes to Felix, telling how he has rescued Paul, acknowledging him to be a Roman citizen who should receive the proper protection of the Roman law, declaring he could find no cause for either death or imprisonment (this is the first of a number of occasions where Paul will be declared innocent), telling of the plot to kill Paul and also of the arrangements he has made for the accusers to come to Caesarea to present their case before Felix.

When Paul is delivered to Felix, Felix reads the letter and checks that Paul comes from his administrative area, so that he knows he is under his jurisdiction. Paul is able to confirm this – we know he had been brought up in Jerusalem (22:3) and his family was still there (23:16). Now we have to wait for the case to proceed.

D. Application:

1. The Roman law protected Paul. The righteous need not fear the law.
2. The law declared Paul innocent, but he still has to stand trial.