Caught between a rock and a hard place, Paul took advantage of the fissures in his audience. Earlier he angered the ruling council of Jerusalem with his teachings about Jesus and the resurrection. Now hauled before the court, the high priest ordered Paul struck across the face, and there was no promise things would get better from there.

Paul thought quickly and called out: “My brothers, I am a Pharisee, descended from Pharisees. I stand on trial because of the hope of the resurrection of the dead.”

When he said this, a dispute broke out between the Pharisees and the Sadducees, and the assembly was divided. (The Sadducees say that there is no resurrection, and that there are neither angels nor spirits, but the Pharisees believe all these things.) There was a great uproar, and some of the teachers of the law who were Pharisees stood up and argued vigorously.

The conflict became so violent that the Roman commander feared Paul would be torn to pieces, so he ordered the troops to take him away. Thus Paul escaped the clutches of the high priest. Of course, Paul remained in the clutches of the Romans, and eventually Nero, but his cleverness got him out of this jam and several others.

Paul used his mind for teaching, preaching, writing, and confounding his opponents. We enjoy the fruit as we read his letters in the New Testament and learn from his life as recorded in the book of Acts. The Lord may not have made us clever, but he gifted each of us with a mind and it honors him when we put it to use.

Acts 23 in Through the Bible in 2024

Photo by Neil Thomas