A STUDY GUIDE ACTS 23:1-35
1. A Study Guide
a) A study guide of Acts of the Apostles. It is intended to be expository — to explain and bring out the meaning of the original text. You may use this for your personal bible study or even group bible study.
2. Acts 23:1-35
a) The verses describe how the Sanhedrin persecuted Paul in Jerusalem, and the Roman commander Lysias rescued him.
#1) Acts 23:1-5
23 Paul, looking intently at the Council, said, “Brethren, I have lived my life with a perfectly good conscience before God up to this day.” 2 The high priest Ananias commanded those standing beside him to strike him on the mouth. 3 Then Paul said to him, “God is going to strike you, you whitewashed wall! Do you sit to try me according to the Law, and in violation of the Law order me to be struck?” 4 But the bystanders said, “Do you revile God’s high priest?” 5 And Paul said, “I was not aware, brethren, that he was high priest; for it is written, ‘You shall not speak evil of a ruler of your people.’”
i) Smite him on the mouth. The commander Lysias had ordered the Sanhedrin to assemble, and had brought Paul to trial before the council as a ploy to gain intelligence about the unrest surrounding Paul. When Paul spoke in his own defense, he had uttered but one short sentence when he was intimidated and abused by being struck on the mouth by order of the court. Paul responded spiritedly, only to find himself apologizing for what he said. The hearing had got off to a very bad start, and it didn't improve.
#2) Acts 23:6-9
6 But perceiving that one group were Sadducees and the other Pharisees, Paul began crying out in the Council, “Brethren, I am a Pharisee, a son of Pharisees; I am on trial for the hope and resurrection of the dead!” 7 As he said this, there occurred a dissension between the Pharisees and Sadducees, and the assembly was divided. 8 For the Sadducees say that there is no resurrection, nor an angel, nor a spirit, but the Pharisees acknowledge them all. 9 And there occurred a great uproar; and some of the scribes of the Pharisaic party stood up and began to argue heatedly, saying, “We find nothing wrong with this man; suppose a spirit or an angel has spoken to him?”
i) Sadducees and Pharisees. Paul thought very quickly on his feet and employed the strategy of “divide and conquer”. By raising the issue of resurrection from the dead, Paul split the assembly. However this served only to turn the hearing into a complete fiasco.
#3) Acts 23:10-11
10 And as a great dissension was developing, the commander was afraid Paul would be torn to pieces by them and ordered the troops to go down and take him away from them by force, and bring him into the barracks.
11 But on the night immediately following, the Lord stood at his side and said, “Take courage; for as you have solemnly witnessed to My cause at Jerusalem, so you must witness at Rome also.”
i) Into the barracks. Still frustrated, Lysias had Paul swept back to the safety of the barracks. We notice that Paul had kept quiet about Lysias’s former indiscretion in having Paul bound with thongs ready for flogging. Lysias no doubt had respect for Paul on this account, and was protecting Paul not merely out of a duty of care for a Roman citizen, but also out of gratitude.
ii) Be of good courage. The Lord Jesus also showed respect and grace to Paul by personally appearing to him, encouraging him, and letting him know that the Jews will not prevent him from going to Rome.
#4) Acts 23:12-15
12 When it was day, the Jews formed a conspiracy and bound themselves under an oath, saying that they would neither eat nor drink until they had killed Paul. 13 There were more than forty who formed this plot. 14 They came to the chief priests and the elders and said, “We have bound ourselves under a solemn oath to taste nothing until we have killed Paul. 15 Now therefore, you and the Council notify the [d]commander to bring him down to you, as though you were going to determine his case by a more thorough investigation; and we for our part are ready to slay him before he comes near the place.”
i) Under an oath. The cunning of these conspirators against Paul is redolent of the devil’s own cunning. It was at once clever yet insane. Forty men put themselves under a fatal oath simply to coerce the Sanhedrin into co-operating with their scheme. In hindsight we know their plan failed. So what did they do —die of starvation to honor their oath? Hardly: they were not honorable men.
#5) Acts 23:16-21
16 But the son of Paul’s sister heard of their ambush, and he came and entered the barracks and told Paul. 17 Paul called one of the centurions to him and said, “Lead this young man to the commander, for he has something to report to him.” 18 So he took him and led him to the commander and said, “Paul the prisoner called me to him and asked me to lead this young man to you since he has something to tell you.” 19 The commander took him by the hand and stepping aside, began to inquire of him privately, “What is it that you have to report to me?” 20 And he said, “The Jews have agreed to ask you to bring Paul down tomorrow to the Council, as though they were going to inquire somewhat more thoroughly about him. 21 So do not listen to them, for more than forty of them are lying in wait for him who have bound themselves under a curse not to eat or drink until they slay him; and now they are ready and waiting for the promise from you.”
i) Heard of their lying in wait. How this lad heard about the plot is a mystery. A lad can go unnoticed where a grown man cannot. Perhaps this lad purposely risked his life to be a spy, or perhaps he just happened to overhear somebody talking. In any event it seems the providence of God was at work here. The lad, to his credit, acted responsibly. By visiting and informing Paul, the boy gave Paul the means not only to preserve his own life but to cause Lysias to be grateful yet again. It was a choice piece of intelligence that a Jewish lad took to the Roman commander. And Lysias would appreciate that Paul trusted the commander’s army to deal with the matter rather than scheming a counter-plot himself and raising a gang of Jews to attack the ambushers.
#6) Acts 23:22-25
22 So the commander let the young man go, instructing him, “Tell no one that you have notified me of these things.”
23 And he called to him two of the centurions and said, “Get two hundred soldiers ready by the third hour of the night to proceed to Caesarea, with seventy horsemen and two hundred spearmen.” 24 They were also to provide mounts to put Paul on and bring him safely to Felix the governor. 25 And he wrote a letter having this form:
i) Proceed to Caesarea. Lysias thought it prudent to remove Paul from Jerusalem to the city of Caesarea where Felix governed the province that included Judea and Jerusalem. There Paul would be dealt with more safely and fairly, with the Sanhedrin having less influence and opportunity to make trouble.
ii) Two hundred soldiers. Usually a centurion was in charge of 80 soldiers rather than the nominal 100 that the term centurion suggests. However Lysias the commander was taking no chances. As Paul’s escort to Caesarea, two centurions were given charge of a full two hundred soldiers. These solders were support for seventy cavalry which the commander attached to them. Paul was to ride on horseback amid the cavalry who in turn were flanked by the foot soldiers. The commander made it clear that this detachment was to go all the way to Caesarea. However, even with this large force, a second contingent of two hundred soldiers armed with spears, or perhaps bows, was added, apparently to absolutely ensure the safe passage of Paul, and the main detachment, out of Jerusalem. These soldiers went as far as Antipatris (Acts 23:31-32).
iii) He wrote a letter. Lysias concisely informs the governor Felix in Caesarea why he is sending Paul. His letter was as follows:
#7) Acts 23:26-30
26 “Claudius Lysias, to the most excellent governor Felix, greetings.
27 “When this man was arrested by the Jews and was about to be slain by them, I came up to them with the troops and rescued him, having learned that he was a Roman. 28 “And wanting to ascertain the charge for which they were accusing him, I brought him down to their Council; 29 and I found him to be accused over questions about their Law, but under no accusation deserving death or imprisonment.
30 “When I was informed that there would be a plot against the man, I sent him to you at once, also instructing his accusers to bring charges against him before you.”
i) Summation by Lysias. This was the account of events according to Lysias (Acts 23:26-30 above). It was the truth, albeit with a gloss. Lysias gave the impression that he had kept himself well informed at all times. Actually Lysias had bungled his attempts to get the intelligence he needed, and remained largely uninformed until the prisoner and the prisoner’s young nephew enlightened him. But the commander Lysias can be forgiven for not mentioning that to Agrippa.
#8) Acts 23:31-35
31 So the soldiers, in accordance with their orders, took Paul and brought him by night to Antipatris. 32 But the next day, leaving the horsemen to go on with him, they returned to the barracks. 33 When these had come to Caesarea and delivered the letter to the governor, they also presented Paul to him. 34 When he had read it, he asked from what province he was, and when he learned that he was from Cilicia, 35 he said, “I will give you a hearing after your accusers arrive also,” giving orders for him to be kept in Herod’s Praetorium.
i) The horsemen... the soldiers. The horsemen were not detached from their 200 soldiers. Lysias had ordered “200 soldiers to go to Caesarea with 70 horsemen” (Acts 23:23). We recall that there was another 200 soldiers armed with spears. They were the ones who went only as far as Antipatris and then returned to barracks.
ii) Paul was from Cilicia. Cilicia was an important province, and Felix would be inclined not to inconvenience a Roman citizen from there. So he assured Paul that the only delay would be that caused by his accusers. They, of course, would give the appearance of coming to Caesarea when it pleased them. On the other hand, they would not risk offending Felix by delaying too long. Such is the way of politics.
a) A study guide of Acts of the Apostles. It is intended to be expository — to explain and bring out the meaning of the original text. You may use this for your personal bible study or even group bible study.
2. Acts 23:1-35
a) The verses describe how the Sanhedrin persecuted Paul in Jerusalem, and the Roman commander Lysias rescued him.
#1) Acts 23:1-5
23 Paul, looking intently at the Council, said, “Brethren, I have lived my life with a perfectly good conscience before God up to this day.” 2 The high priest Ananias commanded those standing beside him to strike him on the mouth. 3 Then Paul said to him, “God is going to strike you, you whitewashed wall! Do you sit to try me according to the Law, and in violation of the Law order me to be struck?” 4 But the bystanders said, “Do you revile God’s high priest?” 5 And Paul said, “I was not aware, brethren, that he was high priest; for it is written, ‘You shall not speak evil of a ruler of your people.’”
i) Smite him on the mouth. The commander Lysias had ordered the Sanhedrin to assemble, and had brought Paul to trial before the council as a ploy to gain intelligence about the unrest surrounding Paul. When Paul spoke in his own defense, he had uttered but one short sentence when he was intimidated and abused by being struck on the mouth by order of the court. Paul responded spiritedly, only to find himself apologizing for what he said. The hearing had got off to a very bad start, and it didn't improve.
#2) Acts 23:6-9
6 But perceiving that one group were Sadducees and the other Pharisees, Paul began crying out in the Council, “Brethren, I am a Pharisee, a son of Pharisees; I am on trial for the hope and resurrection of the dead!” 7 As he said this, there occurred a dissension between the Pharisees and Sadducees, and the assembly was divided. 8 For the Sadducees say that there is no resurrection, nor an angel, nor a spirit, but the Pharisees acknowledge them all. 9 And there occurred a great uproar; and some of the scribes of the Pharisaic party stood up and began to argue heatedly, saying, “We find nothing wrong with this man; suppose a spirit or an angel has spoken to him?”
i) Sadducees and Pharisees. Paul thought very quickly on his feet and employed the strategy of “divide and conquer”. By raising the issue of resurrection from the dead, Paul split the assembly. However this served only to turn the hearing into a complete fiasco.
#3) Acts 23:10-11
10 And as a great dissension was developing, the commander was afraid Paul would be torn to pieces by them and ordered the troops to go down and take him away from them by force, and bring him into the barracks.
11 But on the night immediately following, the Lord stood at his side and said, “Take courage; for as you have solemnly witnessed to My cause at Jerusalem, so you must witness at Rome also.”
i) Into the barracks. Still frustrated, Lysias had Paul swept back to the safety of the barracks. We notice that Paul had kept quiet about Lysias’s former indiscretion in having Paul bound with thongs ready for flogging. Lysias no doubt had respect for Paul on this account, and was protecting Paul not merely out of a duty of care for a Roman citizen, but also out of gratitude.
ii) Be of good courage. The Lord Jesus also showed respect and grace to Paul by personally appearing to him, encouraging him, and letting him know that the Jews will not prevent him from going to Rome.
#4) Acts 23:12-15
12 When it was day, the Jews formed a conspiracy and bound themselves under an oath, saying that they would neither eat nor drink until they had killed Paul. 13 There were more than forty who formed this plot. 14 They came to the chief priests and the elders and said, “We have bound ourselves under a solemn oath to taste nothing until we have killed Paul. 15 Now therefore, you and the Council notify the [d]commander to bring him down to you, as though you were going to determine his case by a more thorough investigation; and we for our part are ready to slay him before he comes near the place.”
i) Under an oath. The cunning of these conspirators against Paul is redolent of the devil’s own cunning. It was at once clever yet insane. Forty men put themselves under a fatal oath simply to coerce the Sanhedrin into co-operating with their scheme. In hindsight we know their plan failed. So what did they do —die of starvation to honor their oath? Hardly: they were not honorable men.
#5) Acts 23:16-21
16 But the son of Paul’s sister heard of their ambush, and he came and entered the barracks and told Paul. 17 Paul called one of the centurions to him and said, “Lead this young man to the commander, for he has something to report to him.” 18 So he took him and led him to the commander and said, “Paul the prisoner called me to him and asked me to lead this young man to you since he has something to tell you.” 19 The commander took him by the hand and stepping aside, began to inquire of him privately, “What is it that you have to report to me?” 20 And he said, “The Jews have agreed to ask you to bring Paul down tomorrow to the Council, as though they were going to inquire somewhat more thoroughly about him. 21 So do not listen to them, for more than forty of them are lying in wait for him who have bound themselves under a curse not to eat or drink until they slay him; and now they are ready and waiting for the promise from you.”
i) Heard of their lying in wait. How this lad heard about the plot is a mystery. A lad can go unnoticed where a grown man cannot. Perhaps this lad purposely risked his life to be a spy, or perhaps he just happened to overhear somebody talking. In any event it seems the providence of God was at work here. The lad, to his credit, acted responsibly. By visiting and informing Paul, the boy gave Paul the means not only to preserve his own life but to cause Lysias to be grateful yet again. It was a choice piece of intelligence that a Jewish lad took to the Roman commander. And Lysias would appreciate that Paul trusted the commander’s army to deal with the matter rather than scheming a counter-plot himself and raising a gang of Jews to attack the ambushers.
#6) Acts 23:22-25
22 So the commander let the young man go, instructing him, “Tell no one that you have notified me of these things.”
23 And he called to him two of the centurions and said, “Get two hundred soldiers ready by the third hour of the night to proceed to Caesarea, with seventy horsemen and two hundred spearmen.” 24 They were also to provide mounts to put Paul on and bring him safely to Felix the governor. 25 And he wrote a letter having this form:
i) Proceed to Caesarea. Lysias thought it prudent to remove Paul from Jerusalem to the city of Caesarea where Felix governed the province that included Judea and Jerusalem. There Paul would be dealt with more safely and fairly, with the Sanhedrin having less influence and opportunity to make trouble.
ii) Two hundred soldiers. Usually a centurion was in charge of 80 soldiers rather than the nominal 100 that the term centurion suggests. However Lysias the commander was taking no chances. As Paul’s escort to Caesarea, two centurions were given charge of a full two hundred soldiers. These solders were support for seventy cavalry which the commander attached to them. Paul was to ride on horseback amid the cavalry who in turn were flanked by the foot soldiers. The commander made it clear that this detachment was to go all the way to Caesarea. However, even with this large force, a second contingent of two hundred soldiers armed with spears, or perhaps bows, was added, apparently to absolutely ensure the safe passage of Paul, and the main detachment, out of Jerusalem. These soldiers went as far as Antipatris (Acts 23:31-32).
iii) He wrote a letter. Lysias concisely informs the governor Felix in Caesarea why he is sending Paul. His letter was as follows:
#7) Acts 23:26-30
26 “Claudius Lysias, to the most excellent governor Felix, greetings.
27 “When this man was arrested by the Jews and was about to be slain by them, I came up to them with the troops and rescued him, having learned that he was a Roman. 28 “And wanting to ascertain the charge for which they were accusing him, I brought him down to their Council; 29 and I found him to be accused over questions about their Law, but under no accusation deserving death or imprisonment.
30 “When I was informed that there would be a plot against the man, I sent him to you at once, also instructing his accusers to bring charges against him before you.”
i) Summation by Lysias. This was the account of events according to Lysias (Acts 23:26-30 above). It was the truth, albeit with a gloss. Lysias gave the impression that he had kept himself well informed at all times. Actually Lysias had bungled his attempts to get the intelligence he needed, and remained largely uninformed until the prisoner and the prisoner’s young nephew enlightened him. But the commander Lysias can be forgiven for not mentioning that to Agrippa.
#8) Acts 23:31-3531 So the soldiers, in accordance with their orders, took Paul and brought him by night to Antipatris. 32 But the next day, leaving the horsemen to go on with him, they returned to the barracks. 33 When these had come to Caesarea and delivered the letter to the governor, they also presented Paul to him. 34 When he had read it, he asked from what province he was, and when he learned that he was from Cilicia, 35 he said, “I will give you a hearing after your accusers arrive also,” giving orders for him to be kept in Herod’s Praetorium.
i) The horsemen... the soldiers. The horsemen were not detached from their 200 soldiers. Lysias had ordered “200 soldiers to go to Caesarea with 70 horsemen” (Acts 23:23). We recall that there was another 200 soldiers armed with spears. They were the ones who went only as far as Antipatris and then returned to barracks.ii) Paul was from Cilicia. Cilicia was an important province, and Felix would be inclined not to inconvenience a Roman citizen from there. So he assured Paul that the only delay would be that caused by his accusers. They, of course, would give the appearance of coming to Caesarea when it pleased them. On the other hand, they would not risk offending Felix by delaying too long. Such is the way of politics.
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