Acts 23:4

4 Those who stood by said, "Do you malign God's Kohen Gadol?

Acts 23:4 Meaning and Commentary

Acts 23:4

And they that stood by
The members of the sanhedrim that were next to the apostle; or the servants of the high priest, since they are said to stand, whereas those of that court sat: said,

revilest thou God's high priest?
which seems to confirm that the apostle's words were not a bare prediction, but an imprecation, since they are charged with reproaching, reviling, and speaking evil of him; and the aggravation of which was not only that the person reviled was a priest, an high priest, but an high priest of God; though this could not have been proved, for there was now no high priest of God but Jesus Christ; the priesthood was changed and abrogated, and there were no more high priests among men of God's appointing and approving.

Acts 23:4 In-Context

2 The Kohen Gadol, Hananyah, commanded those who stood by him to strike him on the mouth.

3 Then Sha'ul said to him, "God will strike you, you whitewashed wall! Do you sit to judge me according to the law, and command me to be struck contrary to the law?"

4 Those who stood by said, "Do you malign God's Kohen Gadol?

5 Sha'ul said, "I didn't know, brothers, that he was Kohen Gadol. For it is written, 'You shall not speak evil of a ruler of your people.'"

6 But when Sha'ul perceived that the one part were Tzedukim and the other Perushim, he cried out in the council, "Men and brothers, I am a Parush, a son of Perushim. Concerning the hope and resurrection of the dead I am being judged!"