Acts Chapter Twenty-Three

 Act 23:1  And looking on the sanhedrin, Paul said, Men, brothers, I in all good conscience have conducted myself toward God to this day. 

Act 23:2  But Ananias the high priest ordered those standing by him to strike his mouth. 

Act 23:3  Then Paul said to him, God is going to strike you, whitened wall! And do you sit judging me according to the Law, and contrary to the Law command me to be stricken? 

Act 23:4  And those standing by said, Do you revile the high priest of God? 

Act 23:5  And Paul said, Brothers, I did not know that he is high priest; for it has been written, "You shall not speak evil" "of a ruler of your people." Ex. 22:28 

Act 23:6  But knowing that the one part consisted of Sadducees, and the other of Pharisees, Paul cried out in the sanhedrin, Men, brothers, I am a Pharisee, a son of Pharisees; I am being judged concerning hope and resurrection of the dead! 

Act 23:7  And he having spoken this, there was a discord between the Pharisees and the Sadducees; and the multitude was divided. 

Act 23:8  For the Sadducees indeed say there is no resurrection, nor angel, nor spirit. But Pharisees confess both. 

Act 23:9  And there was a great cry. And the scribes of the part of the Pharisees rising up, they were contending, saying, We find nothing evil in this man. And, If a spirit spoke to him, or an angel, let us not fight against God. 

Act 23:10  And discord having arisen, fearing lest Paul should be torn by them, the chiliarch commanded the soldiers to go down to snatch him out of their midst, and to bring him into the fortress. 

Act 23:11  And coming to him in the following night the Lord said, Be cheered, Paul, for as you fully testified the things concerning Me in Jerusalem, so you must also testify at Rome. 

Act 23:12  And it becoming day, some of the Jews making a conspiracy cursed themselves, saying neither to eat nor to drink until they should kill Paul. 

Act 23:13  And those making this plot were more than forty; 

Act 23:14  who, having come near to the chief priests and to the elders, said, With a curse we have cursed ourselves to taste of nothing until we shall kill Paul. 

Act 23:15  Now, then, you with the sanhedrin inform the chiliarch, so that tomorrow he may bring him down to you, as intending more accurately to find out about him. And before his drawing near, we are ready to kill him. 

Act 23:16  But the son of Paul's sister hearing of the ambush, having come near, and entering into the fortress, reported to Paul. 

Act 23:17  And calling near one of the centurions, Paul said, Bring this young man to the chiliarch, for he has something to report to him. 

Act 23:18  Then indeed taking him, he brought him to the chiliarch and said, Paul the prisoner having called me near asked me to bring this young man to you, having a thing to tell you. 

Act 23:19  And laying hold of his hand, and drawing aside privately, the chiliarch asked, What is it that you have to report to me? 

Act 23:20  And he said, The Jews agreed to ask you that tomorrow you bring down Paul into the sanhedrin, as intending to more accurately inquire concerning him. 

Act 23:21  Therefore, you must not be persuaded by them, for more than forty men of them lie in wait for him who put themselves under a curse neither to eat nor to drink until they kill him. And now they are ready, awaiting the promise from you. 

Act 23:22  Then the chiliarch sent away the young man, charging him, Tell no one that you reported these things to me. 

Act 23:23  And having called near a certain two of the centurions, he said, Get two hundred soldiers ready, so that they may go to Caesarea, and seventy horsemen, and two hundred spearmen, from the third hour of the night; 

Act 23:24  and animals to stand by, so that setting Paul on, they may bring him to Felix the governor. 

Act 23:25  For he was writing a letter, having this form: 

Act 23:26  Claudius Lysias to the most excellent governor, Felix, greeting: 

Act 23:27  This man being seized by the Jews, and being about to be killed by them, coming on with the soldiers I rescued him, learning that he was a Roman. 

Act 23:28  And being minded to know the charge for which they were accusing him, I brought him down to their sanhedrin; 

Act 23:29  I found him to be accused concerning questions of their law, and having no charge worthy of death or of bonds. 

Act 23:30  And it being revealed to me that a plot against the man was about to be executed by the Jews, I at once sent him to you, also commanding the accusers to say the things against him before you. Farewell. 

Act 23:31  Then indeed taking up Paul according to the thing appointed to them, the soldiers brought him through the night to Antipatris. 

Act 23:32  And on the morrow, allowing the horsemen to go with him, they returned to the fortress. 

Act 23:33  Having entered into Caesarea, and giving the letter to the governor, they also presented Paul to him. 

Act 23:34  And having read it, the governor asked from what province he is. And having learned that he was from Cilicia, 

Act 23:35  he said, I will hear you fully when your accusers arrive. And he commanded him to be kept in the praetorium of Herod. 

ACTS CHAPTER TWENTY-THREE

BEFORE THE SANHEDRIN, THE PLOT

Verses 1-5: Paul begins his defense. The high priest orders him to be slapped. Paul withstands the priest. He is told he has reviled a high priest. He says, he did not know he was high priest.

1. Why was Paul struck? He spoke with authority when he says he has a clear conscience. It insinuates his innocence and by proxy, the guilt of the accusers. No one gets to withstand a high priest to the point of losing face (by the high priest) without rebuttal.

Additional: Why did Paul back-pedal on his response (5)? He is perfect in his response. Not being aware that Ananias is the high priest 1) forgives an oversight 2) calls into question the validity of his right to the position without any direct accustion. Paul cites scripture to reinforce their position while leaving a passive/aggressive accusation on the table. The following verses bears out his tactics.  

Verses 6-10: Paul sees both Sadducees and Pharisees. He takes advantage of their differences. He claims to be a Pharisee and he is being tried for "I am being judged concerning hope and resurrection of the dead! " That causes a great uproar. So great was the division that the Roman chiliarc steals Paul away so they do not rip him to shreds.

2. What is Paul’s strategy? Divide and conquer. Some historians say that Ananias was likely a Sadducee. The discord over life-after-death was a major fight between these two factions. He speaks the truth of what he is teaching. That small note was enough to bring tensions and quarrels to the forefront. The Pharisees are DEFENDING him.

Verses 11-24: Forty men take an oath to kill Paul. Paul's nephew hears of it. He tells Paul. Paul has his nephew taken to the chiliarc to tell him. The chiliarc has 470 soldiers readied to take Paul to Felix the governor.

3. What was the conspiracy? As an oath, forty men promise not to eat until they have killed Paul.

   a. Who was involved? Forty conconspriators.

   b. Was the plot for murder or judgment? Murder

   c. How is the conspiracy thwarted? Paul's nephew overhears the plan and tells Paul who gets word to the chiliarc.

Additional: Verse eleven reveals an open door for Paul’s confidence. There are multiple facets to God’s providence at work here. Identify them. Jesus speaks directly to Paul and encourages him. The nephew hears of it and tells Paul. The jailer is concerned enough to take the nephew to the chiliarc. The chiliarc is concerned enough as well to send Paul away under guard. 

When can we know God is working in our own lives?
Jas 1:17  every act of good giving and every perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of lights, with whom is no change or shadow of turning.

Verses 25-30: The chiliarc Claudius Lysias pens a letter to Felix. He tells of the plot to kill Paul. He says Paul is accused concerning Jewish law, but nothing that requires bonds or death. He is sending Paul to him so he can perform his own judgment. 

4. Is the letter accurate?  Mostly accurate. He did rescue Paul. He did leave out the part when he was going to scourge Paul to examine him (until Paul revealed their citizenship).

Verses 31-35: Paul is taken out in the night. The next day, most of the guard return and the horsemen take Paul the rest of the way. Felix reads the letter and asks where Paul is from. He says they will " hear you fully when your accusers arrive."

5. What is going to happen to Paul now? More defenses before a tribunal. Jesus has told him he WILL go to Rome.

Additional: Reread the chapter and note the similarities to the Sanhedrin’s treatment of Jesus. What do we learn from this? Not much has changed. The quickness to a mob mentality is still rampant in all of these cultures. The actions of the chiliarc are admirable to a degree. He sees that this is way over his pay grade and sends it up the ladder. 
The big difference is that Paul will be out of Jerusalem.