23:6 {5} But when Paul perceived that the 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: of the hope and resurrection of the dead I am called in question.(5) We may sometimes lawfully set the wicked against themselves, so that they stop assaulting us, in order that the truth is not hindered. read more
23:7 {6} And when he had so said, there arose a dissension between the Pharisees and the Sadducees: and the multitude was divided.(6) The agreement between the wicked is weak, even though they conspire together to oppress the truth. read more
In this hearing the chief captain did not take the place of an adjudicator, nor was there any other judicial authority present to keep order. Paul then takes advantage of the occasion to speak earnestly to the council, to tell them he had lived in all good conscience before God until that day. No doubt this was true, but he was on the defensive rather than bearing witness to the Lord Jesus. Neither the high priest nor the council had anything to say in regard to a concrete accusation against... read more
TUMULT IN JERUSALEM The stirring events in this lesson are: 1. Paul’s Ceremonial Vow (Acts 21:18-26 ) 2. His Apprehension by the Jewish Mob (Acts 21:27-30 ) 3. His Speech to Them from the Castle Stairs (Acts 21:31 to Acts 22:21 ) 4. His Colloquy with the Roman soldiers (Acts 22:22-29 ) 5. His Defense before the Sanhedrin (Acts 22:30 to Acts 23:11 ) 6. The Plot to Murder Him (Acts 23:12-22 ) 7. The Escape to Caesarea (Acts 23:23-35 ). As to Paul’s vow, it is to be kept in mind that the... read more
Chapter 86 Prayer Almighty God, we are thy guests today. Thou hast spread the table and sent forth thy messages of love and welcome, and we have answered them, and today we sit under thy roof, and thy banner over us is love. We would have no thought that is not becoming the house; we would be lifted up in spirit that we may praise the Lord in a fit song and worthily magnify his holy name. Thou knowest our need, and thou hast answered it in the Gospel of thy Son. Thou hast provided abundantly... read more
But when Paul perceived that the 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: of the hope and resurrection of the dead I am called in question. (7) And when he had so said, there arose a dissension between the Pharisees and the Sadducees: and the multitude was divided. (8) For the Sadducees say that there is no resurrection, neither angel, nor spirit: but the Pharisees confess both. (9) And there arose a... read more
I am a Pharisee, the son of Pharisees. [2] It may signify only a disciple of the Pharisees, though the common Greek copies have of a Pharisee. (Witham) --- The address of the apostle in this is great. Knowing the different dispositions of his judges, he throws disunion into their councils, in order to draw himself from danger. Such innocent artifices are allowed in the defence of a just cause. It is one of our Saviour's counsels, to use the prudence of the serpent. St. Gregory, in his... read more
There arose a dissension. By the Greek, a division, or schism among them, occasioned by St. Paul's declaring himself for the resurrection, which made the Pharisees favour him, and incensed the Sadducees. (Witham) read more
6-11 The Pharisees were correct in the faith of the Jewish church. The Sadducees were no friends to the Scripture or Divine revelation; they denied a future state; they had neither hope of eternal happiness, nor dread of eternal misery. When called in question for his being a Christian, Paul might truly say he was called in question for the hope of the resurrection of the dead. It was justifiable in him, by this profession of his opinion on that disputed point, to draw off the Pharisees from... read more
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Expositor's Dictionary of Texts - Acts 23:1-35
Acts 23:21 Compare Carlyle's sarcastic remark on Markham, in Two Hundred and Fifty Years Ago. 'For the rest, having "vowed never to eat supper nor to take the sacrament" till he was revenged on Holler, he did not enjoy either of these consolations in this world.' References. XXIII. 26. Expositor (4th Series), vol. i. p. 67. XXIII. 27. Ibid. (6th Series), vol. x. p. 362. XXIII. 30. Ibid. vol. viii. p. 32. XXIII. 35. Ibid. (5th Series), vol. ix. p. 403. XXIV. 4. Ibid. (6th Series), vol. xi.... read more