Lesson #28

• MEMORY VERSE: 2 TIMOTHY 3:12

• THE ROMANS ARE HOLDING PAUL FOR FURTHER INVESTIGATION OF THE CAUSES OF THE CITYWIDE RIOT IN JERUSALEM. THEY KNOW HE IS A ROMAN CITIZEN, SO THEY MUST BE CAREFUL. THEREFORE, THE ROMANS CONVENE THE JEWISH COUNCIL OF THE SANHEDREN.

• READ ACT 23:1-5 PAUL BEFORE THE SANHEDREN.
• THE HIGH PRIEST IS ANANIAS WHO HELD THIS OFFICE FROM 47-59 AD. THE DATE AT THIS POINT IS PROBABLY 59 AD. THIS MEANS THAT HE IS CLOSE TO THE END OF HIS TERM OF OFFICE.
• ANANIAS’ VIOLENCE AND GREED WERE WELL KNOWN AT THE TIME EVEN AMONG THE GENERAL PUBLIC.
• AT ONE POINT IN HIS CAREER, ANANIAS CAUSED TROUBLE BETWEEN THE JEWS IN GALILEE AND THE HALF-JEW SAMARITANS. THIS PROBLEM CAME TO THE ATTENTION OF THE ROMANS WHO REPLACED ANANIAS FOR A SHORT TIME. POLITICS INTERVENED AND EMPEROR CLAUDIUS RESTORED ANANIAS TO HIS HIGH PRIEST POSITION.
• IT IS INTERESTING TO NOTICE THAT THE ROMANS HAVE THE LEGAL POWER AND AUTHORITY TO CONVENE THE JEWISH SANHEDREN.
• BECAUSE THIS IS NOT A TRIAL BUT AN INVESTIGATION, PAUL HAS THE FIRST OPPORTUNITY TO SPEAK IN HIS OWN DEFENSE.
• PAUL’S SELF-DEFENSE:
• PAUL’S CLEAR CONSCIENCE BEFORE GOD:
• PAUL INDICATES THAT GOD LED HIM TO THE GENTILES.
• PAUL INDICATES THAT HE HAS LIVED AS A FAITHFUL JEW TO THE GOD, JEHOVAH.
• THIS IMPLICATION OF BEING A FAITHFUL JEW ANNOYED THE HIGH PRIEST WHO ORDERED THAT THE COURT ATTENDANTS STRIKE PAUL ACROSS THE MOUTH.
• THE PRACTICE AT THE TIME WAS TO HAVE IN THE COUNCIL CHAMBERS A SHOE FITTED WITH AN IRON HEEL.
• THE JEWS CONSIDERED THE SHOE A LOWLY OBJECT SINCE IT TOUCHED THE GROUND.
• IF A PRISONER SPOKE ANY BLASPHEMY, THE HEEL OF THE SHOE WAS STRUCK ACROSS THE MOUTH TO HUMILIATE THE PRISONER.
• THE BLOW ACROSS THE MOUTH WAS ILLEGAL ACCORDING TO JEWISH LAW.
• A MAN MUST FIRST BE FOUND GUILTY IN A TRIAL BEFORE PUNISHMENT COULD BE PRONOUNCED. REMEMBER THAT THIS IS NOT A TRIAL BUT AN INVESTIGATION.
• PAUL’S PROPHECY AGAINST ANANIAS:
• PAUL CALLS ANANIAS A “WHITED (WHITEWASHED) WALL”.
• PAUL’S WORDS ARE REMINISCENT OF JESUS’ WORDS AGAINST THE SCRIBES AND PHARISEES WHEN HE CALLED THEM “WHITED SEPULCHRES” (WHITEWASHED TOMBS) IN MAT 23:27 TO INDICATE THEIR EXTERNAL RELIGIOSITY THAT COVERED THEIR INTERNAL CORRUPTION.
• THE PHRASE WAS COMMON SLANG MEANING, HYPOCRITE.
• THE PHRASE INDICATED A COAT OF WHITE PAINT THAT COVERED AN OLD, BROKEN WALL READY TO FALL DOWN.
• PAUL’S PROPHECY WAS FULFILLED WHEN A GROUP OF ORTHODOX JEWS FINALLY ROSE UP AND KILLED HIM FOR HIS CORRUPTION AND FOR HIS COLLABORATION WITH THE ROMANS.
• THE SHOCK OF THE SANHEDREN:
• PAUL’S WORDS AGAINST THE HIGH PRIEST SHOCKED ALL THOSE JEWS WHO WERE PRESENT.
• THE OFFICE OF THE HIGH PRIEST DESERVED RESPECT.
• PAUL WROTE IN ROM 13:7 THAT LEADERS SHOULD BE RESPECTED.
• PAUL WROTE ROM 13:7 AT A TIME WHEN THE MAD MAN, NERO, WAS EMPEROR OF ROME.
• THE PERSON OF THE HIGH PRIEST WAS CONSIDERED CHOSEN BY GOD.
• PAUL’S REPLY IN VERSE 5 IS DIFFICULT TO INTERPRET SIMPLY BECAUSE WE CANNOT DETERMINE HIS TONE OF VOICE. WE DO NOT KNOW WHETHER PAUL MEANT THE STATEMENT AS SARCASM OR SIMPLE IGNORANCE.
• THE WORDS SEEM TO INDICATE THAT HE WOULD NOT HAVE INSULTED THE HIGH PRIEST HAD HE KNOWN WHO HE WAS.
• HOWEVER, THE HIGH PRIEST ALWAYS PROUDLY DRESSED DIFFERENTLY THAN OTHER PRIESTS. IT WOULD BE HARD NOT TO KNOW WHO THIS MAN REALLY WAS.
• IT IS ALSO POSSIBLE THAT BECAUSE PAUL HAD SOME EYE DISEASE, HE DID NOT SEE CLEARLY ENOUGH TO RECOGNIZE THE HIGH PRIEST. (GAL 6:11)
• PAUL COULD HAVE MEANT THAT A PERSON WHO SPOKE IN SUCH A MANNER AS HE COULD NOT HAVE BEEN THE HIGH PRIEST. THEREFORE, PAUL WAS CONFUSED IN THINKING HE WAS NOT THE HIGH PRIEST.
• IN WHATEVER WAY PAUL MEANT THE CRITICISM, HE APOLOGIZED TO THE HIGH PRIEST AND TO THOSE WHO HAD HEARD HIS REMARK.
• PAUL DID NOT WANT TO DIRECTLY VIOLATE THE MOSAIC LAW. (5)

• READ ACT 23:6-11 PAUL’S STRATEGY AND GOD’S PLAN
• PAUL IS VERY CLEVER IN HIS PERCEPTION REGARDING HIS AUDIENCE. HE KNOWS THE DIFFERENCES THAT EXISTED BETWEEN THE SADDUCEES AND THE PHARISEES. THEREFORE, HE PLANS TO PLAY ONE GROUP AGAINST THE OTHER TO TAKE THE ATTENTION OFF OF HIMSELF. (6)
• WHAT ONE WORD DID PAUL SAY THAT CAUSED AN ARGUMENT BETWEEN THE PHARISEES AND THE SADDUCEES?
• PAUL CLAIMS HIS IDENTIFICATION AS A GOOD PHARISEE. HOWEVER, THAT IS NOT WHAT UPSET THE COUNCIL.
• PAUL CLAIMS HIS BELIEF IN THE RESURRECTION FROM THE DEAD.
• REMEMBER THAT THE SADDUCEES DID NOT BELIEVE IN THE RESURRECTION OF THE DEAD. IT IS THE WORD, “RESURRECTION”, THAT CAUSES TEMPERS TO FLAIR.
• USING THE HEATED ISSUE OF THE RESURRECTION CAUSES DEBATE AND NEAR RIOT BETWEEN THE SADDUCEES AND THE PHARISEES. (7-10)
• NOTICE THAT THE SCRIBES WHO WERE PHARISEES DECIDE TO SIDE WITH PAUL BECAUSE THEIR HATRED OF THE SADDUCEES IS SO GREAT.
• THE ROMAN SOLDIERS HAVE TO INTERVENE TO PHYSICALLY PROTECT PAUL, A ROMAN CITIZEN, WHO IS THEIR PRISONER.
• PAUL IS TAKEN TO THE ROMAN FORTRESS WHERE THE LORD JESUS CHRIST APPEARS TO HIM AT NIGHT WITH A WORD OF ENCOURAGEMENT.
• NOTICE THE LORD’S MESSAGE TELLS PAUL OF GOD’S PERFECT WILL THAT HE WILL BE GOD’S WITNESS IN ROME.
• PAUL HAD AN INTEREST IN GOING TO ROME IN ACT 19:21.

• READ ACT 23:12-15 A CONSPIRACY AGAINST PAUL
• WHAT THREE GROUPS OF PEOPLE ARE INVOLVED IN THE REPORTING OF THIS PLOT AGAINST PAUL? (12-15)
• =1= THE GROUP OF 40 JEWS:
• THIS GROUP MAY HAVE BEEN SOME OF THE POLITICAL GROUP KNOWN AS THE ZEALOTS.
• THE ACTIVIST GROUP OF THE ZEALOTS HATED THE ROMANS AND ANY JEW THAT HAD ANYTHING TO DO WITH COOPERATION OR IDENTIFICATION WITH ROME.
• THE OATH OF A CURSE:
• THIS GROUP OF ACTIVISTS DECIDED TO MAKE AN OATH AMONG THEMSELVES THAT THEY WOULD NEITHER EAT NOR DRINK UNTIL PAUL WAS DEAD.
• =2= THIS ACTIVIST GROUP OF CONSPIRATORS ENLISTED THE HELP OF THE SANHEDREN.
• IF THE SANHEDREN CALLED FOR A FURTHER INVESTIGATIVE MEETING INVOLVING PAUL, THIS GROUP WOULD LIE IN WAIT AND AMBUSH PAUL ON HIS WAY TO THE MEETING AND KILL HIM.
• =3= THE CHIEF CAPTAIN, WITHOUT KNOWING OF THE PLOT, SET UP ANOTHER INVESTIGATIVE MEETING.

• READ ACT 23:16-22 THE PLOT REVEALED
• PAUL’S SISTER’S SON
• WHAT DO YOU LEARN ABOUT PAUL’S NEPHEW?
• THIS IS A RELATIVE OF PAUL’S THAT WE HAVE NOT HEARD ABOUT PREVIOUSLY, AND LITTLE IS KNOWN ABOUT HIM.
• PAUL’S FAMILY EVIDENTLY CARED ABOUT HIM EVEN THOUGH THEY MAY OR MAY NOT HAVE BEEN CHRISTIANS.
• WE DO NOT KNOW HOW THE NEPHEW HEARD ABOUT THE PLOT. HE MAY HAVE BEEN A MEMBER OF THE ZEALOTS BUT NOT ONE OF THE 40.
• THE YOUNG MAN HAD COURAGE TO GET INVOLVED IN PREVENTING THE SUCCESS OF THE PLOT AGAINST PAUL.
• HE VISITS PAUL IN PRISON TO TELL PAUL OF THE PLOT.
• THE CHIEF CAPTAIN
• BY WAY OF THE ROMAN CENTURION, PAUL SENDS HIS NEPHEW TO THE CHIEF CAPTAIN WITH THE STORY OF THE PLOT.
• PAUL COULD HAVE JUST HAD FAITH TO TRUST GOD TO DISSOLVE THE PLOT. HOWEVER, WE SEE PAUL USE WHATEVER RESOURCES ARE AVAILABLE TO HIM. THIS IN NO WAY MEANS A LACK OF FAITH.
• GOD CAN USE ANYTHING AND EVERYTHING HE WANTS TO USE.
• GOD EXPECTS US TO BE WISE AND USE WHAT RESOURCES ARE AVAILABLE TO US.

• READ ACT 23:23-35 PAUL IS TAKEN TO CAESAREA
• WHAT DO YOU LEARN ABOUT THE CHIEF CAPTAIN?
• THIS ROMAN SOLDIER IS CONCERNED WITH ROMAN LAW. HE HAS A DUTY TO PROTECT A ROMAN CITIZEN UNTIL THAT MAN IS CONVICTED OF A CRIME.
• THEREFORE, HE TAKES THE NEPHEW’S KNOWLEDGE OF THE PLOT VERY SERIOUSLY.
• IF THE PLOT GOES FORWARD AND PAUL IS KILLED BY THE CONSPIRATORS, THE CHIEF CAPTAIN WOULD BE HELD RESPONSIBLE BY ROME.
• THE CHIEF CAPTAIN TAKES THE PLOT SO SERIOUSLY THAT HE ORDERS A LARGE GROUP OF SOLDIERS TO TAKE PAUL SECRETLY TO CAESAREA AT NIGHT.
• THE GREEK WORDS TO INDICATE THE NUMBER OF SOLDIERS IS UNCLEAR AS TO WHETHER THERE ARE 270 OR 470 SOLDIERS. (23)
• SEVERAL HORSES WERE PROVIDED FOR PAUL IN CASE ONE TIRED, ANOTHER WOULD CARRY PAUL SAFELY TO CAESAREA.
• CAESAREA WAS A CENTRALIZED SEAT OF THE ROMAN GOVERNMENT.
• A LETTER TO FELIX, THE GOVERNOR (26-30)
• ROMAN JUSTICE DEMANDED THAT A LETTER OF CHARGES ACCOMPANY A PRISONER WHEN BEING TRANSFERRED FROM ONE AUTHORITY TO ANOTHER.
• FROM THIS CHAPTER LIST ANY CHARGES MADE AGAINST PAUL FOR HIS MISSIONARY ACTIVITIES.
• UP TO THIS POINT IN THE CHAPTER, THERE HAVE BEEN NO LEGAL CHARGES BROUGHT AGAINST PAUL.
• AND THERE ARE NO CHARGES AGAINST PAUL IN THIS LETTER TO FELIX FROM THE CHIEF CAPTAIN, CLAUDIUS LYSIAS.
• WHY DID THE CHIEF CAPTAIN NOT LET PAUL GO FREE?
• IF PAUL HAD BEEN SET FREE, THE JEWS WOULD HAVE KILLED HIM. THEN THE CHIEF CAPTAIN WOULD HAVE BEEN RESPONSIBLE FOR THE DEATH OF A ROMAN CITIZEN.
• NOTICE HOW THE CHIEF CAPTAIN IS BETWEEN A ROCK AND A HARD PLACE.
• THERE ARE NO CHARGES.
• HE CAN’T SET PAUL FREE.
• A PENDING RIOT WOULD HOLD THE CAPTAIN RESPONSIBLE, FOR HE MUST KEEP THE PEACE.
• HIS ONLY CHOICE IS TO PASS THE RESPONSIBILITY TO A HIGHER AUTHORITY.
• HIS WORDS IN THIS LETTER PUT HIMSELF IN THE BEST OF LIGHT.
• NOTICE HE DOES NOT MENTION THAT HE ALMOST HAD PAUL SCOURGED WHEN HE FIRST TOOK CUSTODY OF PAUL NOT KNOWING HE WAS A ROMAN CITIZEN.
• ANTIPATRIS
• THIS CITY WAS 35 MILES FROM JERUSALEM AND 27 MILES FROM CAESAREA. ONCE PAUL AND THE SOLDIERS ARRIVED IN ANTIPATRIS, THEY WERE CLEAR OF THE MOUNTAIN PASSES WHERE AN AMBUSH COULD TAKE PLACE. THEY WERE NOW IN GENTILE TERRITORY.
• THE HEAVY ROMAN GUARD RETURNS TO JERUSALEM AND A SMALL GUARD TAKES PAUL TO CAESAREA.
• UNDER GUARD, PAUL IS UNDER HOUSE ARREST IN AN APARTMENT IN THE GOVERNOR’S PALACE UNTIL A ROMAN COURT CAN HEAR HIS CASE.
• PAUL SPENDS 2 YEARS HERE IN LIMBO WAITING.
• APPLICATION:
• IN OUR PREVIOUS LESSON WE CONTEMPLATED WHETHER GOING TO JERUSALEM WAS IN GOD’S PERFECT WILL OR HIS PERMISSIVE WILL.
• NOW WE KNOW FOR SURE THAT GOD’S PERFECT WILL IS THAT PAUL GO TO ROME.
• NOTICE THE ENCOURAGEMENT THE LORD GIVES TO PAUL BY THIS VISION. THESE ARE WORDS THAT PAUL MUST HANG ON TO WHILE HE WAITS FOR THE SLOW WHEELS OF JUSTICE TO TURN.
• WHAT DO YOU LEARN IN THIS CHAPTER ABOUT DIVINE PROVIDENCE AND CIVIL RULERS?
• WE LEARN THAT GOD’S DIVINE PROVIDENCE IS LIKE A BLANKET THAT COVERS EVERYTHING IN THE LIFE OF THE BELIEVER.
• THAT INCLUDES A BELIEVER’S DEALINGS WITH THE GOVERNMENT OFFICIALS.
• GOD USES EVEN NON-BELIEVERS AND ADVERSE CIRCUMSTANCES TO WORK HIS WILL AND PLAN IN THE LIFE OF A BELIEVER SUBMITTED TO HIM.
• CIVIL RULERS, AS WELL AS NON-BELIEVERS, ARE IN GOD’S HANDS WHETHER THEY KNOW IT OR NOT, OR WHETHER THEY ACKNOWLEDGE GOD OR NOT, ESPECIALLY IN WORKING OUT GOD’S PLAN IN THE LIFE OF A BELIEVER.
• THIS IS A COMFORTING THOUGHT FOR THE BELIEVER IN PAUL’S CIRCUMSTANCE.
• NO MATTER WHAT HAPPENS, GOD HAS GIVEN PAUL THE PROMISE THAT HE WILL EVENTUALLY GO TO ROME.
• NO MATTER HOW MANY GOVERNMENTAL DELAYS OR THE PASSAGE OF LONG PERIODS OF TIME, GOD’S PLAN WILL COME TO PASS.
• PAUL SIMPLY NEEDS TO HOLD ON TO GOD’S PROMISE.
• PAUL SIMPLY NEEDS TO HOLD ON TO FAITH IN GOD’S DIVINE PROVIDENCE.

HOMEWORK
ACTS 24
THIS IS A SELF-STUDY. PLEASE DO NOT SEND HOMEWORK ANSWERS TO THE TEACHER FORCORRECTION.

• APPLICATION OF ACT 23
• AS YOU THINK ABOUT YOUR LIFE, HAVE YOU EVER FELT SIDETRACKED, OUT OF THE MAINSTREAM, NOT WHERE YOU WANT TO BE?
• PAUL MUST HAVE FELT THAT WAY. FROM WHAT YOU LEARNED IN THIS CHAPTER, AND FROM WHAT YOU KNOW ABOUT GOD, HOW WOULD YOU COUNSEL PAUL?

• PREPARATION FOR ACT 24
• READ ACT 24:1-27
• WHAT IS TERTULLUS TRYING TO ACCOMPLISH IN VERSES 2-4, AND VERSES 7-8?

• WHAT ARE THE ACCUSATIONS AGAINST PAUL (5-6)?

• WHAT ARE THE MAIN POINTS OF PAUL’S SELF DEFENSE? (10-21)

• WHY DID FELIX TREAT PAUL SO WELL AND KEEP HIM UNDER HOUSE ARREST FOR 2 YEARS? (22-23)

• WHAT ARE SOME THINGS PAUL AND FELIX DISCUSSED? (24-27)

• WHAT DO YOU LEARN IN THIS CHAPTER ABOUT RESURRECTION?

• MEMORY VERSE: PHILIPPIANS 3:10