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October 13, 2022

Please use the comment section on this page to share insights from today’s reading OR your own personal Bible reading.

Reading along with us in Acts? Here’s today’s reading:

Acts 23 (NIV)

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!”...........Continue Reading

Next: Acts 24

Back: Acts 22

This Post Has 7 Comments
  1. Sometimes I have to look up some of the politics of these situations and it appears Paul was smart to kind of pit the Pharisees against the Sadducees when his attempts to witness weren’t going anywhere. It seems that he was fast on his feet and God gave him the where with all to know when to shift gears and prevent the crowd from getting what they wanted which was his death.
    Even amidst a plot to kill him before a fair trial God shows His protection by providing a way out once again and a reminder that He is with Paul and the work is not finished yet as he still needs to spread the word in Rome. So far as scary as I am sure these times were for Paul, God’s hand is so evident in his journey and His words to “be of good cheer” shows how much that is true!

  2. It is impressive that Paul honors the authority of the high priest even after being struck. It reenforces the respect that God calls us to have for those in authority that is more about the position held than how the person is handling the position. And just to add another dimension to things in Paul’s repertoire, he stirs up the Sanhedrin by throwing out a topic he knew they would disagree on. It was a brilliant tactic to get at least some of them on his side. And how great it is that God assures him in the place that he is in. The interaction that happens with the Lord would be an indicator that he is in the right place.

    And I always wonder when I read this passage what these guys did when they never end up killing Paul. But what divine orchestration is present here that their scheme is discovered and the commander organizes a superior force to make sure Paul is safe. It is good and interesting reading as we are exposed to the inner workings of operations and political structure at this period of history.

  3. It is clever of Paul to pit the Pharisees against the Sadducees, but I can’t help but wonder why the Sadducees did not believe in angel or spirit since God’s word clearly reveals both throughout the Old Testament. I guess I shouldn’t wonder since we have God’s word and some of the doctrines I just accepted, I no longer believe because they are inconsistent with scripture.

    Paul had a sister? I wonder what her name was. I assume this is a biological sister and not just a “sister in Christ”.

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