23:1 And 1 Paul, earnestly beholding the council, said, Men
[and] brethren, I have lived in all good conscience before
God until this day.
(1) Paul, against the false accusations of his enemies,
displays a clear conscience, for proof of which he
repeats the whole course of his life.
23:22 And the high priest Ananias commanded them that stood
by him to smite him on the mouth.
(2) Hypocrites are forced at length to betray themselves by
their violence.
23:33 Then said Paul unto him, God shall smite thee, [thou]
b whited wall: for sittest thou to judge me after the
law, and commandest me to be smitten c contrary to the
law?
(3) It is lawful for us to complain of injuries, and to summon
the wicked to the judgment seat of God, but yet we must do
it without hatred, and with a quiet and peaceable mind.
(b) This is a vehement and severe speech, but yet not
reproachful: for the godly may speak severely, and yet
be void of the bitter affection of a severe and angry
mind.
(c) For the Law commands the judge to hear the person that
is accused patiently, and to pronounce the sentence
judiciously.
23:54 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.
(4) We must willingly and from the heart give honour to
magistrates, although they are tyrants.
23:65 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.
(5) We may sometimes lawfully set the wicked against
themselves, so that they stop assaulting us, in order that
the truth is not hindered.
23:76 And when he had so said, there arose a dissension
between the Pharisees and the Sadducees: and the multitude
was divided.
(6) The agreement between the wicked is weak, even though they
conspire together to oppress the truth.
23:87 For the Sadducees say that there is no resurrection,
neither d angel, nor spirit: but the Pharisees confess
both.
(7) It is an old heresy of the Sadducees to deny the existence
of angels and souls, and in addition the resurrection of
the dead.
(d) Things that exist without a body.
23:98 And there arose a great cry: and the e 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.
(8) The Lord, when it pleases him, finds defenders of his
cause, even amongst his enemies.
(e) The scribe's office was a public office, and the name of
the Pharisees was the name of a sect.
23:109 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.
(9) God will not forsake his own, even to the very end.
23:1210 And when it was day, certain of the Jews banded
together, and bound themselves f under a curse, saying
that they would neither eat nor drink till they had killed
Paul.
(10) Those who are carried away with a foolish zeal think that
they may lie and murder, and do whatever mischief they
wish.
(f) Cursing and prohibiting themselves, they promised.
23:15 Now therefore ye with the g 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.
(g) You and the senate ask that the same thing should be
done, so that the tribune will not think that it was
demanded of him because of an individual's private
interests.
23:1711 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.
(11) The wisdom of the Spirit must be joined with simplicity.
23:2212 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.
(12) There is no counsel against the Lord and his servants.
23:2613 Claudius Lysias unto the most excellent governor
Felix [sendeth] greeting.
(13) Lysias is suddenly made by the Lord to be Paul's
protector.
