Explaining the Defense * Paul had been in the temple with four believers; a mob formed trying to kill him; saved by the Romans then made his first defense(apology) before the crowd of a Jewish worshippers ( ch. 21:27-22:21) * "The next day" Claudius Lydias, the Roman tribune "desiring to know the real reason why he was being accused by the Jews…commanded…all the council (Sanhedrin) to meet (22:30) > The Sanhedrin has been called the "supreme court of the Jewish nation" (F.F. Bruce) > it was made up of the two parties of Pharisees & Sadducees which were either "chief priests, elders, scribes," with high priest as chairman. * Paul's defense (Greek, apologia, "apology") > "I have lived my life (Greek, politeuoma, has political overtones of "being a good citizen") before God I all good conscience up to this day" (23:1) > "The high priest Ananias commanded…to strike him on the mouth" (23:2) -Became high priest in AD 48, reputation as violent, untrustworthy, taker of bribes, confiscator of the old tithes, and being pro-Roman. > "God is going to strike you whitewashed wall!" (23:3) -Ezekiel 13:10-16 -In AD 66, the Jews burned his house casing him to flee, where he was found in an aqueduct and killed > "I did not know he was the high priest" (23:5); citing Exodus 22:28 > "I am a Pharisee…it is with respect to the hope and the resurrection of the dead that I am on trial" (23:6)
Applying the Defense * 1st Entrust your life to loving providence of God very moment in every area * 2nd Be confident that God has a plan & purpose for the evil that befalls you * 3rd Embrace the presence of the Lord Jesus Christ with you in suffering
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Rev. Daniel R. Hyde (B.A., M.Div., Th.M.) is the church planter and pastor of the Oceanside United Reformed Church in Carlsbad/Oceanside, CA. Rev. Hyde is the author of over 100 articles as well as 8 books: Jesus Loves the Little Children (Reformed Fellowship, 2006), The Good...
