In Acts 22 we 'briefly' covered Paul's
address to the enraged Jerusalem mob [probably on Pentecost, c.57,
or 58 AD].
Claudius Lysias, captain of the Temple garrison (the Antonia Fortress; centurion
over a 1000 troops [760 troops; 240 horsemen] trained for riot
control), saved Paul from being beaten to death, but thought he
had captured an Egyptian insurrectionist leader (21:38). On discovering
that Paul was a Roman citizen by birth (Roman citizenship conferred
special privileges, whereas his citizenship was purchased at great
personal cost), he ordered the Sanhedrin to meet the next day.
This supreme court was supposed to
be a reflection of the Court in Heaven. We first
hear of the Council of the 70 Elders in Ex 24:1,9-11 at
the ratification of the Covenant; and in Num 11:16-17 when
Moses complains of the huge burden of looking after the entire
nation. Incidentally, Mr HWA was one of the 70 chosen by lot on
4th Nov., 1933, in Salem, West Virginia, to re-organise the Church
of God (7th Day). The structure included the Twelve, who were
selected first, then the 70 chose the Seven. There was also a
unanimous vote to have Jerusalem as the church's HQ, which this
assembly did not act upon. (A History of the True Religion,
Dugger & Dodd; 1972; pp 302-6).
Num 11:16-17 So the LORD said
to Moses: "Gather to Me seventy men of the elders of Israel,
whom you know to be the elders of the people and officers over
them; bring them to the tabernacle of meeting, that they may stand
there with you. 17 Then I will come down and talk with you there.
I will take of the Spirit that is upon you and will put it upon them; and they shall bear the burden of the people with
you, that you may not bear it alone. [cp Ezk 20:1; 14:1;
8:1].
The Old Testament "Pseudepigrapha"
[Editor: J.H. Charlesworth] has a lengthy Introduction
to 3 Enoch (supposedly a Hebrew work written by Rabbi Ishmael
who died shortly before the Bar Kokhba revolt of 132 AD
In the Introduction
is a section entitled, The heavenly law court:
D.S. Russell in The Method
and Message of Jewish Apocalyptic, p. 168] says:
The 'scholarly' derision of the Council
of God is extensive, as references given above make very clear.
The derision of D.R. Jones in his Jeremiah (New Century
Bible Commentary; HarperCollins, 1992) is a typical example:
Jn 16:1-3 "These things
I have spoken to you, that you should not be made to stumble.
They will put you out of the synagogues; yes, the time is coming
that whoever kills you will think that he offers God service.
These things they will do to you because they have not known
the Father nor Me.
Paul is presumably well-prepared
for this inquisition before the Council of the Elders of Israel.
He is surely well aware that he is about to represent the God
they reject, and the Son of God they despise, before this governing
body. He knows that it was this Council which passed sentence
on Jesus Christ in 30 AD, on Stephen in 34 AD, and now it's his
turn. But he also knows his time is not up. There is more to do.
This confrontation will not be his last.
PAUL AND THE SANHEDRIN
Firstly, let's see what the NIV
footnotes say about this. Four possible explanations are offered:
So what is most likely as a good
explanation for his response?
Did Paul "revile" the High
Priest? Did Paul "speak evil" of the High Priest?
The Use of 'kakos' in the New Testament:
Mt 8:16 When evening had come, they
brought to Him many who were demon-possessed. He cast out the
spirits with a word, and healed all who were sick,
Mt 9:12 When Jesus heard that,
He said to them, "Those who are well have no need of
a physician, but those who are sick.
"Sick" is kakos
in the Greek also in Mt 15:22; 17:15; 21:41; Mk 1:32,34; 2:17;
6:55; Lk 5:31; 7:2. The Gospel of John has a most fascinating
usage of this word.
Jn 18:19-24
The high priest then asked Jesus about His disciples and His
doctrine (Which of course he really wanted to know!). 20
Jesus answered him, "I spoke openly to the world. I always
taught in synagogues and in the temple, where the Jews always
meet, and in secret I have said nothing ("You know what
My doctrine is. You know what I teach. What game are you playing,
you hypocrite?" is the thought and intent here.) 21 Why
do you ask Me? Ask those who have heard Me what I said to them.
Indeed they know what I said." 22 And when He had said these
things, one of the officers who stood by struck Jesus with the
palm of his hand, saying, "Do You answer the high priest
like that?" (This rings bells for us, does it not?) 23
Jesus answered him, "If I have spoken evil (kakos),
bear witness of the evil; but if well, why do you strike Me?"
24 Then Annas sent Him bound to Caiaphas the high priest (Which
was of course a just and appropriate response!).
The use of 'revile (loidoreo)' in the New Testament:
1Pet 2:23 When He was reviled,
He did not revile in return.
Jn 9:28 Then they (the Pharisees)
reviled him (the young man blind from birth, but healed on
the Sabbath) and said: "You are His disciple, but we
are Moses' disciples."
Did Jesus Christ vehemently verbalise
some very uncomplimentary descriptions? Indeed, He did!
Yet the same One who did this, i.e.,
called people fools, said in Mt 5:22:
Let's re-read Acts 23:3-5
Acts 23:11
Acts 23:12-15
Acts 23:16-22
Acts 23:23-35
v31 Antipatris, (which was
on the coastal plain, the Shephelah), built by Herod, was about
50km (30 miles) N-W from Jerusalem, more than halfway to Caesarea,
which was a coastal city. It was built on the site of the ancient
Philistine city, Aphek (1Sam 4:1; 29:1), and was about
30km S-E of Caesarea. From Antipatris only the 70 horsemen escorted
Paul.
v35 Herod's Praetorium, i.e., the
governor's official residence.
Antonius Felix was procurator of
Judaea from 52-59 AD (see F.F. Bruce's The Book of the ACTS;
Eerdmans, 1979; p 462. However, B.H. Warmington's NERO: Reality
and Legend; Chatto & Windus, 1981; has the dates 52-60
AD; p 58). The articles, Felix and Festus, in The
Illustrated Bible Dictionary; IVP, 1988; cite several sources
favouring 59 AD as the end of Felix' reign and the beginning of
Festus' governorship in the Roman capital of Palestine. We
may have to conclude that Paul's arrest was in 57 AD (see Acts
24:27).
In Acts 24 we find the Sanhedrin
coming to Caesarea to accuse Paul before Felix, the governor of
Judaea. How does Paul cope with prolonged imprisonment and the
corruption of Felix?
Acts 22:30
The next day, because he wanted to know for certain why he was
accused by the Jews, he released him from his bonds, and
commanded the chief priests and all their Council to appear,
and brought Paul down and set him before them.
THE SANHEDRIN
(Gk.synedrion; or 'the
body of elders' [presbyterion];
or 'the senate' [gerousia]).
Just how important are the clashes
with Christ, His followers and the Sanhedrin? What is its role
and importance in the scheme of things in the NT? The Mishnah
[oral traditions written down by Rabbi Judah Ha-Nasi, c. 200 BC
calls this assembly of 71 [presided over by the High Priest] the
Great Sanhedrin, the Great Law Court, the Sanhedrin of 71]. About
70 BC Pharisees were admitted who were the lay theologians, scribes,
lawyers, whereas the Sadducees were the priests and clergy (See
The Jews from Alexander to Herod by D.S. Russell; OUP,
1967; pp 116-8; The New Testament Environment by Eduard
Lohse, Abingdon, 1976; pp 74-83; New Testament History by
F.F. Bruce; Doubleday, 1980; pp 69-81).
Ex 24:1,9-11 Now He said to
Moses, "Come up to the LORD, you and Aaron, Nadab and Abihu,
and seventy of the elders of Israel, and worship from afar."
ORIGINS OF THE COUNCIL OF 70
9 Then Moses went up, also Aaron, Nadab, and Abihu, and seventy
of the elders of Israel, 10 and they saw the God of Israel. And
there under His feet was as it were a paved work of sapphire
stone, and it was like the very heavens in its clarity. 11 But
on the nobles of the children of Israel He did not lay His hand.
So they saw God (Elohim; i.e., the preincarnate Son of God,
who is also (a) God; Ex 23:21), and they ate and drank.
Of what significance is the Council?
What is the biblical culture to such a council - the Sanhedrin,
with 70 members, the High Priest presiding, and with the presence
of God, making 72 entities? Some say that the traditional origins
are in representing rulership, through God's theocracy, over the
whole world on the premise that 70 "nations" in Genesis
10 represent the entire world (see Dt 32:8 NRSV, NJB, NEB and
footnotes).
Japheth: Gomer,
Ashkenaz, Ripath, Togarmah, Magog, Madai, Javan, Elishah, Tarshish,
Kittim, Dodanim, Tubal, Meshech, Tiras (14); Ham: Cush,
Seba, Havilah, Sabtah, Raamah, Sheba, Dedan, Sabtecha, (Nimrod),
Mizraim, Ludim, Anamin, Lehabim, Naphtuhim, Patrusim, Casluhim,
Philistines, Caphtorim, P(h)ut, Canaan, Sidon, Heth, Jebusite,
Amorite, Girgashite, Hivite, Archite, Sinite, Arvidite, Zemorite,
Hamathite (30); Shem: Elam, Asshur, Arpachshad,
Shelah, Eber, Peleg, Joktan, Almodad, Sheleph, Hazarmaveth, Jerah,
Hadoram, Uzal, Diklah, Obal, Abimael, Sheba, Ophir, Havilah, Jobab,
Lud, Aram, Uz, Hul, Geth, Mash (26).
In some apocryphal and pseudepigraphical
works from before NT times, there are references to a council
in heaven with 72 members (e.g., 3En 30).
Building on such biblical
texts as 1 Kings 22:19-22, Psalm 82, Job 1:6-12, and especially
Daniel 7:9f., the rabbis taught that there is a heavenly court
.... over which God presides (b.Sanh 38b; ExR 30:18; LevR 24:2).
It was regarded as the heavenly counterpart of the early Sanhedrin
(b.Sanh 99b; b.Ber 16b/17a), and there was earnest discussion
as to the relative jurisdictions of the two courts ...
The heavenly court is one
of the main themes of 3 Enoch ... According to 3 Enoch 30:1f.
the court is made up of seventy-two princes of kingdoms (called
YHWH)" (ibid. p 244, Vol 1) [My name is
in Him! Ex 23:21].
In such passages as 1 Kings
22.19ff. (also 1Ki 22:1-6,10-23; 2Chr 18:17-24),
Job 1.6ff. (also 2:1-7; 38:7) and Isa. 6.6ff.
(also see Ps 97:7-9; 99:1; Dn 7:9-14; Rev 5:1-6,11-14)
God is described as presiding over a heavenly Council whose
members are there to carry out his will. He is 'a God very terrible
in the council of the holy ones' (Ps. 82.1; also 29:1;
89:6,7) and who in the beginning spoke in the name of
these heavenly beings and said, 'Let us make man in our
own image' (Gen 1.26). This Council is attended, however, not
only by gods and angels but also by men; for it is the privilege
of the truly inspired prophet to stand in the midst and hear the
word of Yahweh (cf. Jer 23:18ff.). In this connection the Old
Testament emphasis is on the visionary experience rather than
transportation or translation such as we have found in the apocalyptic
references."
So we have evidence of belief in
a Council in heaven and the functioning of a Council among "the
people of God" when organised theocratically as under Moses
(also see Theology of the Old Testament by Walther Eichrodt,
SCM, 1985; pp 194-205).
"The idea of the 'council
(sod) of the LORD' is a colourful and recurring feature
of Hebrew mythology. Here in his heavenly court the LORD makes
his plans and sends out his messengers and servants to do his
will. Around him are the 'sons of God', (in polytheistic systems
'gods'), later understood as angels (Zech. 1.7-17). They planned
the creation of man (Gen. 1.26); they engage in worship and praise
(Ps. 29); they send prophets to deliver the LORD's messages and
perform his will, both the true prophets called to be his servants
(Am. 3.7; Is. 6) and the false prophets who are activated by lying
spirits (1 Kg. 22.17-23). They discuss the situation on earth
and plan the testing of chosen individuals (Job 1). A significant
point about prophets is that they have been admitted to this council,
and have been told the LORD's will, and appear as messengers to
deliver it. The effect of the myth is to declare precisely that
the prophets have not concocted their preaching from their own
imaginations or dreamed it. They are simply messengers passing
on a message from their master." (p 309).
THE NEW TESTAMENT ABOUT THE SANHEDRIN
The first reference to the Council
in the N.T. is of interest:
Mt 5:22 But I say to you that
whoever is angry with his brother without cause shall be in danger
of the judgment. And whoever says to his brother, 'Raca!'
(an Aramaic word; obscure meaning) shall be in danger of
the Council (Which Council?). But whoever says, 'You fool
(Gk moros)!' shall be in danger of hell fire. (Moros
is used to indicate scorn of the heart and character; in Mt 23:17,19
Christ calls the scribes and Pharisees "Fools!"; and
Mt 25:2 - speaks of the 5 foolish virgins. These are with
cause and reason).
The next reference is:
Mt 10:16-18 Behold, I send
you out as sheep in the midst of wolves (Contra wolves among
the sheep [Mt 7:15]). Therefore be wise as serpents and harmless
as doves. 17 But beware of men, for they will deliver you up to
councils and scourge you in their synagogues. 18 You will be brought
before governors and kings for My sake, as a testimony to them
and to the Gentiles.
More examples are:
The history of the anti-God behaviour
of the Council continues beyond the condemnation of Jesus Christ,
but pursues His followers.
Let's continue with where we left
off last time in the Bible study.
13 Now when they saw the boldness of Peter
and John, and perceived that they were uneducated and untrained
men, they marveled. They realised that they had been with Jesus.
14 And seeing the man who had been healed standing with them,
they could say nothing against it. 15 But when they had commanded
them to go aside out of the Council, they conferred among
themselves.
Acts 5:34 Then one in the
Council stood up, a Pharisee named Gamaliel, a teacher of the
law held in respect by all the people, and commanded them to put
the apostles outside for a little while.
Acts 5:40 And they agreed
with him, and when they had called for the apostles and beaten
them, they commanded that they should not speak in the Name of
Jesus, and let them go. 41 So they departed from the presence
of the Council, rejoicing that they were counted worthy to suffer
shame for His Name.
15 And
all who sat in the Council, looking steadfastly at him (Stephen),
saw his face as the face of an angel.
Acts 7:55-8 But he, being
full of the Holy Spirit, gazed into heaven and saw the glory of
God, and Jesus standing at the right hand of God, 56 and said,
"Look! I see the heavens opened and the Son of Man standing
at the right hand of God!" 57 Then they cried out with a
loud voice, stopped their ears, and ran at him with one accord;
(What amazingly intelligent behaviour. They rejected the fact
that God, not their Hellenistic view of God, has a Son and a Council
around Him. They cannot accept that their view of God is false.
Similarly, the scholars, as exemplified in previous references,
despise the God of the patriarchs, prophets, apostles, whom most
reject, as do most in the 'churches of God'. 58 and they
cast him out of the city and stoned him. The witnesses
laid down their clothes at the feet of a young man named Saul.
Acts 22:30 The next day,
because he (Lysias) wanted to know for certain why he was accused
by the Jews, he released him from his bonds, and commanded
the chief priests and all their Council to appear, and brought
Paul down and set him before them.
We should note that the trends already
shown continue relentlessly.
Acts 24:1 After five days
Ananias the high priest came down with the elders and a certain
orator named Tertullus (Equivalent to the hire of a renowned,
highly skilled, and eloquent barrister). These gave evidence
to the governor against Paul.
The Bible predicted that these sorts
of gross mistreatments of God's servants and disciples would happen!
20 "Or else let those who are
here themselves say if they found any wrongdoing in me
while I stood before the Council, 21 unless it is for this
one statement which I cried out, standing among them, 'Concerning
the resurrection of the dead I am being judged by you this day.'"
22 But when Felix heard these things, having more accurate knowledge
of the Way, he adjourned the proceedings and said, "When
Lysias the commander comes down, I will make a decision on your
case." 23 So he commanded the centurion to keep Paul and
to let him have liberty, and told him not to forbid any
of his friends to provide for or visit him (We'll see later
that a key motive of his was to create a situation where Paul
might bribe him).
Isa 66:5 Hear the word of the LORD,
you who tremble at His word: "Your brethren
who hated you, who cast you out for My name's sake (i.e.,
both groups, tares and wheat, sheep and goats, are in the same
field or grouping), and said, 'Let the LORD be glorified,
that we may see your joy.' But they shall be ashamed." (How
strange that those who are with a false god, grouped with those
worshipping the true God, gloat in the name of their god, but
speak and outwardly appear to speak in the Name of the true God).
The power of this Truth is consistently
overlooked. Matthew 26:59-67 (also Mk 14:55-65; Lk 22:66-71) confirms
these facts:
Mt 26:59 Now the chief priests,
the elders, and all the Council sought false testimony against
Jesus to put Him to death, 60 but found none. Even though many
false witnesses came forward, they found none. But at last two
false witnesses came forward 61 and said, "This fellow said, 'I am able to destroy the temple of God and to build
it in three days.'" 62 The high priest arose and said to
Him, "Do You answer nothing? What is it these men
testify against You?" 63 But Jesus kept silent. The high
priest responded to Him, "I put You under oath by the living
God: Tell us if You are the Christ, the Son of God!" Jesus
said to him, "It's as you said. Nevertheless,
I'm telling you, you will see the Son of Man sitting at the right
hand of the Power, and (the Power of God will Return) coming
on the clouds of heaven." (They all will ultimately acknowledge
that the Son of the Almighty GOD is at the right hand of GOD (Dn
7:13-14; Ps 110:1-2), and will carry out all Judgment in the End
(Jn 5:26-7; Acts 10:42;17:31). 65 Then the high priest tore
his clothes, saying, "He has spoken blasphemy! What further
need do we have of witnesses? Look, now you have heard His blasphemy!
66 "What do you think?" They answered and said, "He
is deserving of death." 67 Then they spat in His face and
beat Him; and others struck Him with the palms of their
hands.
THE GOSPEL TO THE SANHEDRIN
Acts 23:1
Then Paul, looking earnestly (intently, directly) at the
Council, said, "Men and brethren [ i.e., andres
adelphoi - lit. men, brothers], I have lived in
all good conscience before God until this day." 2 And the
high priest, Ananias, commanded those who stood by him to strike
him on the mouth.
It's off to a bad start! Why?
This High Priest was appointed in 47 AD (F.F. Bruce in
The Book of the ACTS, p 449) by Herod of Chalcis (younger
brother of Herod Agrippa 1;[How interesting that a secular leader
should appoint the head of the chief religious body?]. Chalcis
is the area between Damascus and Tyre-Sidon). He held office for
11-12 years, and was regarded as being very corrupt. Ananias would
have some cognitive dissonance ringing in his head hearing Paul
say that he, the apostle of Jesus Christ, had no pangs of conscience
in his service towards God. How did Paul's conscience differ from
that of Ananias, the High Priest, not the Ananias who anointed
Paul in Damascus? This high priest was murdered by the Sicarii
in seditious atrocities on the Sabbath during Unleavened Bread
in 66 AD (Josephus, The Wars, Bk 2, Ch 17). There may be some
powerful irony that the Ananias of Damascus was well-known to
the priest in Jerusalem: Acts 22:12: "a devout man according
to the law, having a good testimony with all the Jews who dwelt
there." .... Hypocrisy seeks vengeance. Integrity seeks hope
and reconciliation.
Having been struck for his remark,
notice Paul's response:
Acts 23:3-5
Then Paul said to him, "God will strike you, you whitewashed
wall! For you sit to judge me according to the Law, and do you
command me to be struck contrary to the Law?" Was Paul
wrong in his understanding of the traditions in vogue? Most unlikely!
4 And those who stood by said, "Do you revile (loidoreo)
God's high priest?" 5 Then Paul said, "I did not
know, brethren, that he was the high priest; for it is written,
'You shall not speak evil (kakos) of a ruler of
your people.'"
Suddenly, pride grips Paul? Has he
lost control? We've not seen this kind of response from him before.
1. Paul had poor eyesight
(suggested by such passages as Gal 4:15; 6:11 ["you would
have torn out your eyes to give them to me"; "See what
large letters I use as I write to you with my own hand!"]
and failed to see that the one who presided was the high priest.
2. He failed to discern that the one who presided was the high
priest because on some occasions others had sat in his place.
3. He was using pure irony: A true high priest would not give
such an order.
4. He refused to acknowledge that Ananias was the
high priest under such circumstances.
It seems that the 'prophecy' by Paul,
that God would 'strike' (Gk. tupto: a violent blow) is
overlooked. Ananias' palace was burnt to the ground and a few
days later he was murdered.
Mt 4:24 Has the first use! His
fame went throughout all Syria; and they brought to Him all sick
people who were afflicted with various diseases and torments;
those who were demon-possessed, epileptics, and paralytics; He
healed them all.
There is one other use of kakos,
in James 4:3, where it speaks of asking in praying but asking
amiss. So we must ask ourselves: 'What evil
did Paul express about the high priest?
1Cor 4:12 Being reviled, we bless!
Who is reviling? Who is telling the
truth? Isn't reviling against truth?
In Matthew 23 He called the scribes
and Pharisees hypocrites, 7 times; murderers of
the righteous 4 times (vv 30,31,34,35); as being full of extortion
(v 25); unrighteous (v 25); white-washed tombs (v 27); full of
hypocrisy and lawlessness (v 28); serpents and brood of vipers
(v 33); fools [Gk moroi] and blind (vv 17,19). Were
any of these "accusations" untrue?
"But I say to you that whoever
is angry with his brother without a cause [Though
not in the original Greek, it appears to be implied] shall
be in danger of the judgment. And whoever says to his brother,
'Raca!' shall be in danger of the Council. But whoever says, 'You
fool (moros)!' shall be in danger of hell fire.
How could Christ break the Law of
God? Of course, He didn't! He always spoke the Truth! So likewise,
each of us, the saints of God, must never curse, speak evil, accuse
on the basis of self-opinion, prejudice, dogma, or anger that
is without cause. All we say must be entirely true. And
truth must also be spoken in love (Eph 4:15).
The seats the Sanhedrin members took
would be on the basis of position (Mt 23:5-7). Their dress, especially
of the High priest would be distinctive. It would be quite evident
right from the beginning as to who was presiding. So what was
the nature of Paul's response?
Acts 23:6-10
Paul had exploited their differences!
And again, Lysias rescued him! Paul's time is not up as yet!
The pack of wolves goes berserk.
When Paul perceived that one
part were Sadducees and the other Pharisees, he cried out in the
Council, "Men and brethren, I am a Pharisee, the son of a
Pharisee; concerning the hope and resurrection of the dead I am
being judged!" 7 When he had said this, a dissension arose
between the Pharisees and the Sadducees; and the assembly was
divided. 8 For Sadducees say that there is no resurrection; and
no angel or spirit; but the Pharisees confess both. 9 Then there
arose a loud outcry. The scribes of the Pharisees' party arose
and protested, saying, "We find no evil in this man; but
if a spirit or an angel has spoken to him, let us not fight against
God." 10 Now when there arose a great dissension,
the commander, fearing lest Paul might be pulled to pieces
by them, commanded the soldiers to go down and take him by
force from among them, and bring him into the barracks.
Paul is discouraged! He's to go to Rome. But he'll be in prison
in Caesarea for another 2 years!
The pack makes a murder pact! The overtones to the
end of Christ's experience on earth are similar.
Paul's sister's son (This is the first mention of Paul's relatives
as being in the Church) went to Lysias to expose the murder
plot and begin a chain of events to get the power of Rome to protect
Paul.
An
initial force of 470 soldiers was assigned to protect Paul! Was
Lysias over-reacting! Does this protective action indicate the
level of viciousness possibly anticipated from the Jewish authorities?
We should note the incomplete truth in his letter to the governor
in Caesarea.