Paul in Jerusalem, Part 2

Acts 22:22–23:11

Main Idea: Jesus was with Paul when he testified before the authorities, and Jesus is with us when we speak the gospel before unbelieving and unfriendly audiences.

1. Reactions (22:22–23:10)
   1. “Paper”—Paul reveals his Roman citizenship (22:22-29).
   2. “Rock”—Paul rebukes the high priest (22:30–23:5).
   3. “Scissors”—Paul divides the Pharisees and Sadducees (23:6-10).
2. Reassurance (23:11)
   1. The Lord knows us.
   2. The Lord is with us.
   3. The Lord is for us.
   4. The Lord isn’t finished with us.

Now we come to the second of Paul’s five defense speeches.

At the end of his trials, we’re reminded where to find the strength to speak before unbelieving and unfriendly audiences. It’s one thing to know what to say about Jesus and how to say it, but there’s also the challenge of finding the strength and encouragement to proclaim it. In this passage we see that the same Jesus who stood for Paul at the cross now stands by Paul in his trials (23:11).

We too need this encouragement. Jesus stood for us, and he now stands with us. The Jesus who was with Paul when he testified before the authorities is the same Jesus who stands with us when we speak the gospel before hostile audiences.

In the previous chapter we observed how Paul lived out several ideas he taught in his letters. We reflected on 1 Corinthians 9, in which Paul attempted to “win Jews” (Acts 21:17-26; 1 Cor 9:20). Romans 8:28—“All things work together for the good of those who love God”—could be considered in each of these concluding chapters of Acts as we observe how God is accomplishing his sovereign purposes. In this portion of Paul’s afflictions in Jerusalem, the message of the book of 2 Corinthians comes to mind: “strength through weakness.” Paul told the Corinthians,

Now we have this treasure in clay jars, so that this extraordinary power may be from God and not from us. We are afflicted in every way but not crushed; we are perplexed but not in despair; we are persecuted but not abandoned; we are struck down but not destroyed. (2 Cor 4:7-9; cf. 2 Cor 6:3-10; 11:23-28; 12:9-12)

We indeed see Paul afflicted, perplexed, persecuted, and struck down; but he’s not crushed, driven to despair, abandoned, or destroyed. He knows Jesus is with him. This section of Acts points us to the all-sufficient grace of Jesus, who uses wounded soldiers to accomplish his mission.

We pick up the story in 22:22. After Paul mentions his ministry to the Gentiles before the Jewish mob (v. 21), the riot resumes. To say this was a tough crowd would be a massive understatement. This unwilling audience wants to kill Paul! Both their words and actions express outrage (v. 23). Paul never even gets a chance to address the accusation that he had defiled the temple (21:28). Of course, as I. Howard Marshall says, “The real issue is not whether Paul defiled the temple, but whether Judaism was prepared to tolerate Christianity” (Acts of the Apostles, 360). It seems it was not.

Paul, thankfully, is rescued from the mob (22:24). We then see how Paul continues to respond to more trials in Jerusalem in the remainder of our selected text (22:25–23:10).

It’s not an easy task to understand or teach this passage because Paul’s actions are simply reported here. Luke offers no appraisal of them. What I can say for certain is that Paul is clearly intelligent, savvy, bold, and passionate in front of the commander and the religious council. But are his responses filled with integrity and gospel witness? Bible teachers go in various directions when it comes to answering this question—especially with regard to 23:1-10. One thing is for sure: Paul is a man with feet of clay. In this chapter we see his humanity and his need for the Lord’s grace. It’s a need we all share.

Before we examine Paul’s reactions, consider the humanity of the Roman commander named Lysias (23:26). He can’t seem to get the facts about Paul. We read of his first attempt in 21:34. At that point Lysias took Paul to the barracks to question him. Lysias’s second attempt to get the facts comes here in 22:24. Once Paul reveals his Roman citizenship, making it unjust to examine him by flogging, Lysias tries a third approach. He decides to let the religious council examine Paul (22:30)—apparently as he listens in. Just thinking about this chapter makes me imagine Lysias and his wife sitting down for dinner and talking about his day. “How’s it going with that Paul fellow?” she might ask. “I can’t get anywhere with this case,” he’d probably reply in frustration. “I’ve tried everything!”

Now we have the flow of the story. Paul is on trial. In response to Paul’s gestures of love in Jerusalem, the crowd rejected him, like those who previously rejected Jesus, the Suffering Servant. All the while, Lysias is trying to figure out what all the commotion is about.

That brings me to the exposition. First we will observe how Paul responded to his trials. In 23:11 we will see how the Lord comforted his afflicted servant.

Reactions

Acts 22:22–23:10

Paul’s reactions to his escalating trials intrigue me. First, he reacts to Lysias by revealing his Roman citizenship (22:22-29). Paul then rebukes the Jewish high priest who had ordered Paul to be physically assaulted (22:30–23:5). Finally, Paul divides the Pharisees and Sadducees by bringing up the subject of the resurrection (23:6-10). I find I better remember Paul’s reactions when I mentally note them as “paper,” “rock,” and “scissors.”

“Paper”—Paul Reveals His Roman Citizenship (22:22-29)

After the crowd rages at Paul, expressing their desire to rip him to shreds, Lysias takes him away for examination (vv. 22-24). It appears that Lysias means to employ a “Jack Bauer” method of examination, planning to have the apostle flogged. John Polhill notes the violent nature of this form of torture:

This was a particularly cruel manner of scourging that consisted of a beating across the raw flesh with leather thongs in which were inserted rough pieces of bone or metal. The thongs were set in a stout wooden handle. This was a much more severe manner of beating than that of the rods which Paul and Silas underwent at Philippi (16:22f., 37; cf. 2 Cor 11:25). It was not uncommon for the victim to die as a result of the flagellum. (Acts, 464)

But just before the beating begins, Paul asks a centurion an attention-grabbing question: “Is it legal for you to scourge a man who is a Roman citizen and is uncondemned?” (v. 25). Paul knew, of course, that it was illegal to flog a Roman citizen prior to allowing him a formal trial or sentencing (cf. 16:37). His claim of citizenship could have been verified in the public records of Tarsus (Johnson, Let’s Study Acts, 278).

The attending centurion, knowing the danger of transgressing the law, immediately halts the plans and quickly reports the problem to the commander (22:26). Lysias is really perplexed now! He finds out that Paul is actually a Roman citizen—not just a Johnny-come-lately to citizenship, like himself, who became a citizen by bribe, but a man who became one by birth(Johnson, Let’s Study Acts, 465).

How was Paul a Roman citizen by birth? There are several theories, including the idea that the Romans may have awarded Paul’s family citizenship because their tent-making trade proved useful to the military. Whatever the case, Paul’s citizenship proves to be significant to what happens next.

This marks another swing and a miss by the Roman commander. The examination ceases, and Lysias still doesn’t know the truth about Paul. Added to his frustration is a sense of fear (v. 29). He will put a positive spin on his actions later (see 23:27), but at this point Lysias moves to another approach.

Paul urged Christians to submit to the governing authorities as God’s ministers of justice (Rom 13:1-7), but he also expected the government to exercise its duties rightly. Paul challenged those in power to wield their authority honorably. This suggests there’s a difference between humbly suffering for Christ and being a victim of injustice. We live in a land of laws, and if the laws protect us, then we should appeal to them. If these laws prevent us from following Jesus, then it’s better to obey God than man (Acts 5:29).

“Rock”—Paul Rebukes the High Priest (22:30–23:5)

Paul encounters more hostility as Lysias sets him before the Jewish Sanhedrin. The Sanhedrin included the high priestly aristocracy and the ruling elders, who were mainly Sadducees. The minority of members were Pharisees, who were represented among the scribes (Polhill, Acts, 470). Paul “looked straight at” the Sanhedrin and offered his opening statement (23:1). First, he notes his own character—his actions are upright.

When it comes to defending the faith, our Christian character really matters (cf. 1 Tim 1:5; 1 Pet 3:14-16). We come to Jesus for a clean conscience (Heb 10:22). Paul told the Corinthians, “I am not conscious of anything against myself, but I am not justified by this. It is the Lord who judges me” (1 Cor 4:4). We should pursue a blameless life, and when we’re made aware of sin, we must humbly repent in order to maintain a good conscience and glorify God (see 24:16).

No sooner did Paul testify to the uprightness of his own character than did the high priest, Ananias, command those near Paul to “strike him on the mouth” (23:2; cf. John 18:22). What a bizarre interruption! One would expect a leader in the Jewish high court to display civility and justice. Ananias’s response was totally unacceptable and unbiblical (see Lev 19:15), and it makes his character stand out in stark contrast to Paul’s.

Why such anger and aggression? First, Ananias thought Paul a wicked man. He thought him a troublemaker. But Paul wouldn’t admit to any guilt. In what he said, Paul didn’t mean that he was sinless but that he lived above reproach and that he had done nothing to provoke the riot (see Acts 25:8). This claim sounded absurd to Ananias so he lost his temper. Second, Ananias was a wicked man. According to historical records, he was known for greed, a quick temper, violence, and pro-Roman sentiments.

Being struck in the face tends to raise a reaction! Paul responded to the unnecessary violence by rebuking the high priest (23:3). We can certainly sympathize with this reaction.

Paul knew the law, and he knew that Ananias’s order was unjust (Lev 19:15). He therefore threw a verbal rock back at him, calling out the hypocrisy of the high priest (cf. Deut 28:22; Ezek 13:10-16; Matt 23:27), who was likely dressed in his fine religious attire. Paul’s language of a “whitewashed” wall was an insult. He was saying that the priest outwardly looked clean and stable but was actually corrupt and flimsy. Paul’s statement was more prophetic than he probably realized. In less than ten years, Ananias’s Jewish freedom fighters would assassinate him (Polhill, Acts, 468).

While Paul spoke the truth, and while his cause was just, he did seem to regret speaking to the high priest in such a way, based on the manner in which he steps back from his statement in verse 5. Many correctly point out that Paul’s initial heated reaction doesn’t reflect the spirit of passages like 1 Corinthians 4:12: “When we are reviled, we bless; when we are persecuted, we endure it” (cf. Matt 5:39). Jesus and Paul both condemned hypocrisy, but at the time of his trial, our Lord responded to his accusers with restraint (see Luke 22:63-71; John 18:19-23). This indicates that while we must speak out against injustice, we must always do so with respect and restraint.

The assembly was definitely provoked by Paul’s words (23:4). Paul responded to their outcry, citing Exodus 22:28 (v. 5). What should we make of this statement?

The first main view is what I call the sincerity view. It could be that Paul genuinely didn’t know he was speaking to the high priest. Maybe (1) Ananias wasn’t dressed with his religious garb since this wasn’t a regular meeting of the Sanhedrin; (2) Paul didn’t know who gave the order because of the commotion in the meeting; (3) Paul’s eyesight caused him to see only a blurry white-robed figure; or (4) because Paul had been away from Jerusalem for so long, he didn’t know Ananias.

Another option is what we may call the sarcasm view. Perhaps in his quip, Paul was using irony, as if to say, “Brothers I see nothing priestly in this man” (Lev 19:15; Deut 25:1; Calvin, “Christ the End of the Law,” 318). If that is the case, Paul is here ministering in a prophetic sense. He first offers the rebuke, and then he makes this strong statement about Ananias’s character.

But I hold (lightly!) to the idea that Paul sincerely didn’t know that the high priest gave the order. He sought to address people respectfully, and when he crossed the line, he admitted it. We too should pursue the proper tone with ruling authorities as we address them (Bock, Acts, 674–75), refusing to mimic the disrespect so rampant in our culture. And should we fail to speak as we ought, we should emulate Paul’s humility.

One thing is for certain, Paul was in need of the Lord’s grace. He had been beaten by a Jewish mob, almost flogged by the Romans, and at his hearing he was punched in the face by religious leaders. In spite of these many challenges, however, he was never alone.

“Scissors”—Paul Divides the Sadducees and Pharisees (23:6-10)

The trial takes a sharp turn when Paul, still in the middle of his speech, brings up the reason for his arrest: “the hope of the resurrection” (v. 6). His words end up “dividing and conquering.”

Was Paul trying to divert attention away from himself in this move? Perhaps. But I don’t think we should jump to that conclusion. Paul did indeed point out the real issue behind his trials. It was a theological dispute. His belief in Jesus’s resurrection separated him from the rest of the Jews, and throughout his defense speeches, he constantly brings up the resurrection (cf. 24:14-16; 26:6-8; 28:20). Further, at the end of this trial Jesus commended Paul for testifying about him here in Jerusalem (23:11). So I think Paul was simply stating the facts. His belief in the risen Christ made him intolerable to many of the Jews. With that said, Paul may have anticipated the division that would follow his statement. And those who hold to the idea that Paul was thinking, This whole trial is going nowhere, let me bring up the resurrection and show them that even they have disagreements, may not be that far off.

Was Paul correct in calling himself a Pharisee and a son of Pharisees? Well, he was in fact educated in the pharisaic tradition (cf. 22:3; Phil 3:5). His assertion doesn’t have to be taken as a claim that his literal father was a Pharisee. And he wasn’t necessarily claiming to endorse everything the Pharisees taught, but with respect to their eschatological hope revealed in Scripture (cf. Ezek 37:1-14; Dan 12:1-3), he still identified with them. Jesus was the fulfillment of that hope.

The Sadducees didn’t believe in the resurrection. Nor did they embrace the existence of angels, nor the spirit—a fact probably referring to the eschatology of the Pharisees. But the Pharisees embraced these ideas (23:8). The Sadducees only recognized the books of Moses as authoritative, and they argued that such ideas weren’t found there. Jesus, however, showed them on one occasion that denying the resurrection contradicted God’s covenant faithfulness to the patriarchs (Luke 20:27-39; Johnson, Let’s Study Acts, 283). The Pharisees believed the resurrection was Israel’s ultimate hope. Paul knew what these groups believed. He identified with the Pharisees, essentially saying that Jesus is the fulfillment of their shared hope.

The effect of the theological controversy was sharp division. The Pharisees actually defended Paul in this case! As the apostle’s story unfolds, others will make the same conclusion about Paul’s innocence (e.g., 23:29; 25:25-27; 26:32). But here the shouting soon turned to violence, and Lysias once again had to intervene and rescue Paul, delivering him back to the barracks. Still the commander lacked the answers he desired.

The resurrection remains central to the Christian faith. Paul said, “If Christ has not been raised, then our proclamation is in vain, and so is your faith” (1 Cor 15:14). We must keep heralding the good news of the empty tomb, and we should expect various responses to it.

Once Paul is back in the barracks, left to nurse his wounds and ponder what just happened, the Lord Jesus appears to the discouraged apostle. Having appeared to him in Corinth previously, he now shows up in Jerusalem to comfort and energize Paul for his upcoming trip to Rome.

Reassurance

Acts 23:11

We can only speculate what was going on in the apostle’s mind before Jesus comforted him, but surely we can assume Paul was at a low point in his life. The Lord often appeared to Paul with encouragement and guidance in important moments in his career (cf. 16:9; 18:9-10; 22:17,21; 27:23-24). Paul had found an unsupportive church in Jerusalem. He had suffered physically and emotionally before rulers and crowds. And he may have questioned or regretted some of his actions. He was in need of the Lord’s grace. That’s just what he received.

While Jesus’s words here were specifically for Paul in this moment, we still find in them reassuring application for our lives. Jesus told Paul that he must go on to testify about him in Rome as he did in Jerusalem. That was a reminder that Paul’s task wasn’t mainly to defend himself; he was to testify about Jesus. We too are commanded to testify to the gospel in front of unbelieving and sometimes unfriendly audiences. Here, then, are four encouragements.

The Lord Knows Us

Jesus knew Paul’s situation and condition, and he knows what we face, too. We are never outside his gaze. Jesus knows his sheep by name and by need (John 10:14).

Charles Spurgeon commented on this passage:

One is reminded of the Quaker who came to see John Bunyan in prison and said to him, “Friend, the Lord sent me to you and I have been seeking you in half the prisons in England.” “No, verily,” said John, “that cannot be! For if the Lord had sent you to me, you would have come here at once, for He knows I have been here for years!” (“Paul Cheered in Prison”)

Indeed, the Lord knew Paul’s condition, and he knows ours.

The Lord Is with Us

Jesus’s presence comforted Paul (cf. 18:9-10). While Paul felt alone, the reality is that Jesus was with him (cf. 2 Tim 4:17-18). Jesus stood for Paul at the cross; here he stands with Paul in the barracks. Be encouraged: the Lord will never leave you or forsake you (Heb 13:5).

The Lord Is for Us

The Lord displays his support of Paul in two ways. First, the Lord gave him an exhortation: “Have courage!” If you have ever coached young kids in baseball, you know some tend to back away from the baseball out of fear of being hit. To these kids I often say, “Don’t bail out! Stay in the box!” In similar fashion the Lord Jesus exhorted Paul to endure courageously against the wild pitches of the opponents. He gave Paul the same exhortation in Corinth (Acts 18:9). Jesus gives his followers this wonderful word of comfort and challenge: “Have courage!” (cf. Matt 9:2,22; 14:27; John 16:33). He is with us, and he is for us, as we do his will.

Second, the Lord gave Paul a commendation: “You have testified about me in Jerusalem.” What an encouragement to hear the Lord, your Savior and hero, say, “You did it. You told people about Me!” Charles Spurgeon said that Paul was “too humble to console himself with that fact till his Lord gave him leave to do so by acknowledging the brave deed!” (“Paul Cheered in Prison”).

Paul asked the Romans, “If God is for us, who is against us?” (Rom 8:31). That’s a great question with a fabulous answer. We can press on, in view of this reality.

The Lord Isn’t Finished with Us

Paul may have wondered if he would make it to Rome. But in telling Paul it was “necessary” that he testify there, the sovereign Lord let the apostle know that he would make sure he arrived. Though Paul would encounter many trials en route, he could face everything that happened to him over the course of the next weeks knowing that the Lord’s purposes would prevail.

Jesus wasn’t finished with Paul. The prospect of future service must have been a great encouragement to the war-weary apostle. The psalmist said, “The course of my life is in your power” (Ps 31:15). While we still have breath, we should believe that Jesus has work for us to do.

All this good news—that Jesus knows us, is with us, is for us, and isn’t finished with us—leads me to ask a question: How should we expect to experience the reassuring comfort of Jesus if we don’t experience visions like Paul’s? Let me remind you that the Lord still speaks to us by his Spirit, through the Christ-centered Scriptures. Jesus meets us in his Word. By marinating our thoughts and hearts in the gospel, we find great strength. So don’t neglect the Scriptures. John Calvin wrote, “This is the whole of what we should seek in the Scriptures: to be well acquainted with Jesus Christ, and the infinite riches which are contained in Him; and which are, by Him, offered to us from God His Father” (“Christ the End”).

The Pharisees had a category for resurrection but failed to rely on Jesus, who is himself the “resurrection and the life” (John 11:25). Let your study of Scripture lead you to the hero of Scripture (John 5:39-40,46).

Reflect and Discuss

1. Read 2 Corinthians 4:7-12. What is your reaction to this text? How did Paul live out this passage?
2. How does it encourage you to know that the Lord uses wounded soldiers in the mission? Explain.
3. Do you think Paul should have allowed himself to be flogged instead of playing his Roman citizenship card? Explain your reasoning.
4. Read Luke 22:63-71 and John 18:19-23. Compare Jesus’s reactions with Paul’s reaction to Ananias. Do you think Paul responded appropriately? Why or why not?
5. Read Acts 24:14-16; 26:6-8; and 28:20. Notice how Paul emphasizes the resurrection. How do these passages relate to what Paul told the Sanhedrin in 23:6-10?
6. Why must we emphasize the resurrection when sharing the gospel?
7. Have you ever shared the gospel before an unfriendly and unbelieving audience? If so, what were your biggest challenges? What can you learn from Paul’s defenses that may prepare you to do this task more faithfully and effectively?
8. How does verse 11 encourage you? Explain.
9. How can we experience the reassuring presence of Jesus on a daily basis?
10. Take a few moments to pray for gospel-sowing opportunities. Ask the Lord to give you boldness and wisdom as you declare and defend the faith.