PARAGRAPH DIVISIONS OF MODERN TRANSLATIONS
| UBS4 |
NKJV |
NRSV |
TEV |
NJB |
| Paul Before the Council | The Sanhedrin Divided | Paul Before the Sanhedrin | Paul Before the Council | His Appearance Before the Sanhedrin |
|
22:30-23:5 |
22:30-23:10 |
(22:30-23:10) 22:30-23:5 |
(22:30-23:11) | (22:30-23:11) |
| 23:1-3 | 23:1-5 | |||
| 23:4 | ||||
| 23:5 | ||||
| 23:6-10 | 23:6-10 | 23:6 | 23:6-10 | |
| 23:7-9 | ||||
| The Plot Against Paul | Paul is Sent to Caesarea | 23:10 | ||
| 23:11 | 23:11-22 | 23:11 | 23:11 | 23:11 |
| The Plot Against Paul’s Life | The Plot Against Paul’s Life | The Conspiracy of the Jews Against Paul | ||
| 23:12-22 | 23:12-15 | 23:12-15 | 23:12-15 | |
| 23:16-22 | 23:16-18 | 23:16-22 | ||
| 23:19 | ||||
| 23:20-21 | ||||
| 23:22 | ||||
| Paul Sent to Felix the Governor | Sent to Felix | Paul is Sent to Governor Felix | Paul Transferred to Caesarea | |
| 23:23-30 | 23:23-35 | 23:23-25 | 23:23-25 | 23:23-25 |
| 23:26-30 | 23:26-30 | 23:26-30 | ||
| 23:31-35 | 23:31-35 | 23:31-35 | 23:31-35 |
READING CYCLE THREE (from “A Guide
to Good Bible Reading“)
FOLLOWING THE ORIGINAL AUTHOR’S INTENT AT THE PARAGRAPH LEVEL
This is a study
guide commentary, which means that you are responsible for your own
interpretation of the Bible. Each of us must walk in the light we have. You, the
Bible, and the Holy Spirit are priority in interpretation. You must not
relinquish this to a commentator.
Read the chapter in one sitting. Identify the subjects.
Compare your subject divisions with the five modern translations. Paragraphing
is not inspired, but it is the key to following the original author’s intent,
which is the heart of interpretation. Every paragraph has one and only one main
subject.
1. First paragraph
2. Second paragraph
3. Third paragraph
4. Etc.
WORD AND PHRASE STUDY
NASB (UPDATED) TEXT: 23:1-5
1Paul, looking intently at the
Council, said, “Brethren, I have lived my life with a perfectly good conscience
before God up to this day.” 2The high priest Ananias commanded those
standing beside him to strike him on the mouth. 3Then Paul said to
him, “God is going to strike you, you whitewashed wall! Do you sit to try me
according to the Law, and in violation of the Law order me to be struck?”
4But the bystanders said, “Do you revile God’s high priest?” 5And
Paul said, “I was not aware, brethren, that he was high priest; for it is
written, ‘You shall not speak evil of a
ruler of your people.'”
23:1
NASB, NRSV“looking intently at”
NKJV“looking earnestly at”
TEV“looked straight at”
NJB“looked steadily at”
See full note at 1:10. Luke uses this term often. Here he uses it of Paul.
Paul uses it only in II Cor. 3:7,13.
▣ “the
Council” See Special Topic: Sanhedrin at 4:5.
▣
“Brethren” Paul calls Jews “brothers” several times (13:26,38; 22:1,5;
23:1,5,6). The Jews call Paul brother in 13:15. Ananias called him brother in
9:17, as does the church in Jerusalem in 21:20.
However, Jewish believers are also called by this title (e.g., 9:30; 10:23;
11:1,12; 12:17; 15:3,7,13,22). The word is linked with “disciple” in 11:29;
18:27. It is also used of Greek believers in 16:2,40. Thus the term is ambiguous
and must be linked to a specific text and group.
▣ “I have lived my life. . .before God”
This is a perfect middle (deponent)
indicative of
politeuō from which we get the English word political or policy. This
term is used with the connotation of a citizen (cf. Phil. 1:27). Paul is
asserting that he has faithfully discharged the responsibilities of being a
member of Judaism before God.
NASB“a perfectly good conscience”
NKJV“in all good conscience”
NRSV“a clear conscience”
TEV“my conscience is perfectly clear”
NJB“a perfectly clear conscience”
Paul uses the term “conscience” often
in the Corinthian letters (cf. 4:4; 8:7,10,12; 10:25,27,28,29; II Cor. 1:12;
4:2; 5:11). It refers to that moral inner sense of what is appropriate or
inappropriate (cf. Acts 23:1). The conscience can be affected by our past lives,
our poor choices, or by the Spirit of God. It is not a flawless guide, but it
does determine the boundaries of individual faith. Therefore, to violate our
conscience, even if it is in error or weak, is a major faith problem.
The believer’s conscience needs to be more and more formed by the Word of God
and the Spirit of God (cf. I Tim. 3:9). God will judge believers (i.e., weak or
strong, cf. Rom. 14:1-15:13) by the light they have, but all of us need to be
open to the Bible and the Spirit for more light and to be growing in the
knowledge of the Lord Jesus Christ.
▣ “before God up to this day” Paul
makes this same assertion in II Cor. 1:12; II Tim. 1:3. He does admit that he
did covet (cf. Rom. 7:23, esp. v. 7). His theological argument in Romans 1-8 is
based on every person’s violation of law and conscience (cf. 3:9-23; 4:15;
5:20).
23:2 “The high priest Ananias” In
Hebrew his name would be Hananiah. This is not the same as the Ananias of Luke
3:2, John 18:13, or Acts 4:6, but a later one (Ananias, son of Nebedaeus or
Nedebacus) who was appointed by Herod Chalcis, who reigned from
a.d.
48-59 (Josephus, Antiq. 20.9.2).
The writings of Josephus tell us much about this High Priest.
1. when he became High Priest, Antiq. 20.5.2; Wars, 2.12.6.
2. when he and his son (Ananus) were sent in bonds to Rome, Antiq.
20.6.2
3. when he was killed by insurrectionists along with his brother, Wars
2.17.9
Josephus is often our only ancient contemporary source for Jewish events and
persons in Palestine.
▣ “to strike him on the mouth” This
was a sign of blasphemy (cf. John 18:22).
23:3 “God is going to strike you” This
is recorded in great detail in Josephus, Wars 2.17.9.
▣ “you whitewashed wall” It is
uncertain exactly what Paul was saying.
1. the Jews used this metaphor for hypocrisy (cf. Matt. 23:27)
2. it could be an allusion to Ezek. 13:10-15
▣ “in violation to the Law” This may
be an allusion to Lev. 19:15. Also see John 7:51.
23:5 “I was not aware brethren, that he was
high priest” The theories for Paul’s not knowing are his
1. poor eyesight
2. not being familiar with him because Paul had been gone from Jerusalem for
several years
3. not recognizing the High Priest because he was not wearing his official
robes
4. he did not know who spoke
5. the inappropriateness of his actions (i.e., sarcasm)
▣ “for it is written” Paul shows he
knows and respects the Law by quoting Exod. 22:28.
NASB (UPDATED) TEXT: 23:6-10
6But perceiving that one group
were Sadducees and the other Pharisees, Paul began crying out in the
Council, “Brethren, I am a Pharisee, a son of Pharisees; I am on trial for the
hope and resurrection of the dead!” 7As he said this, there occurred
a dissension between the Pharisees and Sadducees, and the assembly was divided.
8For the Sadducees say that there is no resurrection, nor an angel, nor a
spirit, but the Pharisees acknowledge them all. 9And there occurred a
great uproar; and some of the scribes of the Pharisaic party stood up and
began to argue heatedly, saying, “We find nothing wrong with this man;
suppose a spirit or an angel has spoken to him?” 10And as a great
dissension was developing, the commander was afraid Paul would be torn to pieces
by them and ordered the troops to go down and take him away from them by force,
and bring him into the barracks.
23:6 “perceiving” Paul may have
realized that he could not get a fair hearing from this Sadducean high priest.
▣
“Sadducees” See Special Topic at 4:1.
▣
“Pharisees” Paul had been a Pharisee (cf. 26:5; Phil. 3:5-6) from a
family of Pharisees. See Special Topic at 5:34.
▣ “I am on trial for the hope and
resurrection of the dead” Paul threw out a theological issue that the
Sadducees and Pharisees disagreed about. The Sadducees denied the afterlife,
while the Pharisees affirmed it (cf. Job 14:14; 19:23-27; Isa. 25:8; 26:19; Dan.
12:2). This set the two factions of the council against each other (cf. vv.
7-10).
23:7 “the assembly was divided” This
term’s basic meaning is “to tear” (cf. Luke 5:36; 23:45). It came to be used
metaphorically of division within groups (cf. Acts 14:4; 23:7). The division
between these two Jewish sects was always just under the surface. Paul fanned
the flames.
23:8 “nor an angel, nor a spirit”
Verse 8 is a comment by Luke on his source. Does this phrase imply there are two
categories of spiritual beings or one? The origin of both is biblically
ambiguous, but Heb. 1:5,13, and 14 imply they are the same.
What the Sadducees denied was the dualism of good and evil spiritual beings
(Zoroastrian dualism). The Pharisees had elaborated the OT concept into rigid
Persian dualism and even developed a hierarchy of angelic and demonic (seven
leaders of each). The best source I have found for first century Jewish
angelology is Alfred Edersheim, The Life and Times of Jesus the Messiah,
Appendix XIII.
23:9
NASB“there arose a great uproar”
NKJV“there arose a loud outcry”
NRSV“then a great clamor arose”
NJB“the shouting grew louder”
This same phrase is found in the Septuagint of Exod. 12:30 (also note Exod.
3:7; 11:6; Esth. 4:3; Isa. 58:4; 65:19). The word “cry” (kraugē) is also
in Matt. 25:6; Luke 1:42; Eph. 4:31; Heb. 5:7; Rev. 21:4. Only context can
determine the kind of loud “cry” (i.e., positive or negative).
Another emotional word “to argue heatedly” (diamachomai) is also used
in the LXX in Dan. 10:20. Paul’s comment caused a loud, emotional confrontation,
which is exactly what he wanted!
▣ “the scribes” These were the legal
experts in both the oral (Talmud) and written law (OT). Most of them were
Pharisees.
▣ “this man” The use of this noun phrase in this context shows it is not
automatically a negative phrase.
▣ “suppose” This is a partial or
incomplete first class conditional sentence. These
scribes were asserting that Paul had seen something from the spiritual realm,
but exactly what they were not sure. Their immediate and forceful defense of
Paul shows how biased they were for their own group. Apparently they disliked
Sadducees more than a supposedly renegade Pharisee.
Because this is an incomplete grammatical structure, the Textus Receptus,
following the uncial Greek manuscripts H, L, and P, adds, “Let us not fight
against God,” which is taken from Acts 5:39.
23:10
“ordered the troops to go down and take him away from them by force”
Twice now the Roman government had saved Paul’s life in Jerusalem. No wonder
Paul saw the government as a minister of God (cf. Romans 13). This may relate to
“the one who restrains” in II Thess. 2:6-7.
NASB (UPDATED) TEXT: 23:11
11But on the night
immediately following, the Lord stood at his side and said, “Take courage;
for as you have solemnly witnessed to My cause at Jerusalem, so you must witness
at Rome also.”
23:11 “the Lord stood at his side”
Here is another personal vision to encourage Paul (cf. 18:9-10; 22:17-19;
27:23-24). Paul was not a man without discouragement and doubt.
▣ “Take courage” This is a present active imperative. This is the only
use of this term in Luke’s writings. Paul must have shared this with Luke. Jesus
uses the term several times (cf. Matt. 9:2,22; 14:27; John 16:33).
▣ “you must witness at Rome also” It
was God’s will for Paul to be imprisoned so that he might appear before Caesar.
The gospel will be preached in Rome (cf. 19:21; 22:21)!
For “must” see full note at 1:16.
NASB (UPDATED) TEXT: 23:12-15
12When it was day, the Jews
formed a conspiracy and bound themselves under an oath, saying that they would
neither eat nor drink until they had killed Paul. 13There were more
than forty who formed this plot. 14They came to the chief priests and
the elders and said, “We have bound ourselves under a solemn oath to taste
nothing until we have killed Paul. 15“Now therefore, you and the
Council notify the commander to bring him down to you, as though you were going
to determine his case by a more thorough investigation; and we for our part are
ready to slay him before he comes near the place.”
23:12-15 This paragraph informs us of
the assassination pact of some of the Jews. This is another premeditated murder
(cf. v. 21) like the one the Jews planned for Jesus.
23:13 “more than forty” Forty is a
Jewish idiom for a long, indefinite period of time, but here it is used of
persons, so it is probably literal. See Special Topic: Numbers in Scripture at
1:3.
23:14 “the chief priests and the elders”
This was an abbreviated way of referring to the Sanhedrin. See Special Topic at
4:5.
NASB“we have bound ourselves under
a solemn oath”
NKJV“we have bound ourselves under a great oath”
NRSV“we have strictly bound ourselves by an oath”
TEV“we have taken a solemn vow”
NJB“we have made a solemn vow”
These English translations are an
attempt to translate a cognate idiomatic phrase, “with a curse we curse
ourselves.” These oath-takers did not kill Paul. I wonder if they starved to
death? Apparently the oral tradition allowed a way out of these blood oaths. See
Special Topic following.
SPECIAL TOPIC: CURSE (ANATHEMA)
NASB (UPDATED) TEXT: 23:16-25
16But the son of Paul’s sister
heard of their ambush, and he came and entered the barracks and told Paul.
17Paul called one of the centurions to him and said, “Lead this young man
to the commander, for he has something to report to him.” 18So he
took him and led him to the commander and said, “Paul the prisoner called me to
him and asked me to lead this young man to you since he has something to tell
you.” 19The commander took him by the hand and stepping aside,
began to inquire of him privately, “What is it that you have to report to
me?” 20And he said, “The Jews have agreed to ask you to bring Paul
down tomorrow to the Council, as though they were going to inquire somewhat more
thoroughly about him. 21“So do not listen to them, for more than
forty of them are lying in wait for him who have bound themselves under a curse
not to eat or drink until they slay him; and now they are ready and waiting for
the promise from you.” 22So the commander let the young man go,
instructing him, “Tell no one that you have notified me of these things.”
23And he called to him two of the centurions and said, “Get two
hundred soldiers ready by the third hour of the night to proceed to Caesarea,
with seventy horsemen and two hundred spearmen.” 24They
were
also to provide mounts to put Paul on and bring him safely to Felix the
governor. 25And he wrote a letter having this form:
23:16 “the son of Paul’s sister” We
have many questions about Paul’s family, but it is shrouded in silence. How he
knew of the plan is also unknown. He was possibly a Pharisee also.
23:21 This attack would have also
involved the killing of the Roman guards!
23:23 The contingent of troops to
accompany Paul was apparently either (1) 200 infantry, 70 cavalry, and 200
lancers or (2) 200 lancers and 70 cavalry. The western family of Greek
manuscripts has a long descriptive addition (cf. NKJV).
▣ “the third hour” This is obviously
Roman time. They started counting the night at 6 p.m. This would be 9 p.m.
▣ “Caesarea” This was the headquarters
for the Roman occupational forces in Palestine.
NASB, NKJV,
NRSV, TEV“spearmen”
NJB“auxiliaries”
REB“light-armed troops”
NASB
(footnote)“additional mounts” or “pack animals”
NEB“bowman”
The meaning of the term dexiolabos is uncertain. It is literally “one
posted or armed on the right side” (dexios). It refers to
1. some type of light armed soldier (bow or spear)
2. one who is bound to prisoners on the right side
3. one who holds a second horse
4. one who is on the flank
So many options show that moderns do not exactly know the meaning.
23:24 “Felix” The Roman historian
Tacitus (Histories 5:9,
Annals 12:54) called Antonius Felix cruel and lustful. He gained his
position through his brother, Pallas (both of whom were freed slaves), who was a
close friend to Emperor Claudius. He served as the eleventh procurator of
Palestine from a.d. 52-59.
23:25 “form” See Special Topic: Form (tupos)
at 7:43.
NASB (UPDATED) TEXT: 23:26-30
26“Claudius Lysias, to the
most excellent governor Felix, greetings. 27When this man was
arrested by the Jews and was about to be slain by them, I came up to them with
the troops and rescued him, having learned that he was a Roman. 28“And
wanting to ascertain the charge for which they were accusing him, I brought him
down to their Council; 29and I found him to be accused over questions
about their Law, but under no accusation deserving death or imprisonment.
30When I was informed that there would be a plot against the man, I sent
him to you at once, also instructing his accusers to bring charges against him
before you.”
23:26-30 This is the required letter
of explanation of Paul’s case by the officer in charge (cf. 25:12ff). It states
the flow of the events, but does so in such a way as to make Lysias look good.
23:26 This is the verse in which we
are told the Chiliarch’s name.
23:29 This verse fits Luke’s pattern
of showing that Christianity and its leaders, when accused before governmental
officials, were always acquitted and deemed innocent. Rome had nothing to fear
from “the Way”!
NASB (UPDATED) TEXT: 23:31-35
31So the soldiers, in
accordance with their orders, took Paul and brought him by night to Antipatris.
32But the next day, leaving the horsemen to go on with him, they returned
to the barracks. 33When these had come to Caesarea and delivered the
letter to the governor, they also presented Paul to him. 34When he
had read it, he asked from what province he was, and when he learned that he was
from Cilicia, 35he said, “I will give you a hearing after your
accusers arrive also,” giving orders for him to be kept in Herod’s Praetorium.
23:31 “brought him by night to Antipatris”
This city was built by Herod the Great and named after his father, Antipater II.
This was a very long march of possibly 30-40 miles. The exact site of the city
is uncertain. The reason the foot soldiers returned (cf. v. 32) at this point is
because
1. this was primarily a Gentile area
2. the topography was open and flat, so there was little danger of surprise
attack
23:33 “the governor” This is literally
“procurator.” Luke is very precise in his titles for local and Roman officials.
23:34 “asked from what province he was”
This was to ascertain jurisdiction. Since Paul was also from an Imperial
Province Felix could try the case. There were three divisions of jurisdiction in
the Roman Empire:
1. Imperial (Caesar)
2. Senatorial
3. local (like the Herods)
23:35 “after your accusers arrive”
This should have been the Jews from Asia who accused Paul in the Temple of
bringing a Gentile into the restricted Jewish area. The fact that they did not
appear should have resulted in a dismissal of the charges. But, as often
happens, local politics affects justice!
▣ “kept in Herod’s Praetorium” The
Romans were kind to Paul while he was in their custody (cf. 24:23). Paul stayed
in a palace built by Herod the Great, which had previously been used for his
personal residence, but now had become Roman Headquarters.
DISCUSSION QUESTIONS
This is a study
guide commentary, which means that you are responsible for your own
interpretation of the Bible. Each of us must walk in the light we have. You, the
Bible, and the Holy Spirit are priority in interpretation. You must not
relinquish this to a commentator.
These discussion questions are provided to help you
think through the major issues of this section of the book. They are meant to be
thought-provoking, not definitive.
1. Compare Paul’s defenses and list the common elements.
2. Did Paul see himself as a faithful Jew?
3. Do we know anything about Paul’s extended family from Acts?
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