Through The Bible - Acts 23 - Part 1

Brett Meador: Isn't it interesting that Paul says, I wouldn't want to continue to be contrary to the high priest because of his position of authority. Was Paul being weak? No, Paul is being biblical. Exodus 22 says, you shall not revile God nor curse a ruler of your people.
Kurt: Pastor Brett Mether and Paul's acknowledgment it's a divine authority we ultimately serve.
Brett Meador: When it comes to our leaders, we should be careful to not sit around and gripe and grumble. We should be given to prayer.
Kurt: Acts 23 records Paul's defense before the Jewish council where fierce division broke out between the Pharisees and Sadducees. As opposition intensified, the Lord assured Paul of his sovereign protection and purpose. And from Paul's reaction through it all, Pastor Brett Mether draws important biblical counsel from today's word for believers responding to those in authority.
Brett Meador: I did some time in jail. It was Prescott, Arizona, and it was during their western days when I was a little kid. I was probably about 5 years old, and the grand marshal of the parade, who was a guy named Festus, he was the grand marshal. You know, and it was kind of cool because his name was Ken Curtis was the actor's name, but he was that scruffy kind of cantankerous deputy on Gunsmoke. And so I I just remember that was like the first big movie star I'd ever met, you know, Festus. But the problem was my grandpa and I were just walking down the street of Prescott during western days, and suddenly Festus walks up to us and arrests us and puts us in the jail that was right in the middle of the street there. And so we were there just stuck in the jail in the middle of town. And my grandpa and I were just kind of like, are we ever going to get out of here? You know, and it was it was you know, I didn't I didn't know. I was just a 5-year-old kid. I thought, man, what did we do? You know? But finally my grandpa said, we got to go. Time to let us out. You know, so they they let us out. But I haven't really done real time in prison. I did do some ministry in prison, and you know, it is kind of an interesting thing if you've ever been in prisons or what have you. I did some interesting prison ministry at down in Northern California prison where Charles Manson used to be. And it's scary in there, man. You You go in and they just door after door closes behind you. And you start feeling a little bit claustrophobic. And you know, it it kind of gives me a new appreciation for people that are in jail and prison cuz it's no cakewalk. But Paul finds himself often in jail. He's been imprisoned several times since we've met Paul. He's going to spend some more time incarcerated. And it's he didn't do anything wrong, but Paul's going to spend a lot of time behind bars during this last season of his life. And we even saw kind of how it ended up. You know, Jesus himself would stand before the same Sanhedrin that Paul is going to stand before here in our chapter. So we left off if you recall last week, we saw, you know, Paul arrested, beaten by the Jews on the Temple Mount, then taken into custody by the Roman guards, interrogated for just a second, tied up and was about to be scourged or whipped. And remember Paul said, I'm a Roman. And then the Romans freaked out and turned him over to the Sanhedrin. And that's really where we pick it up here in chapter 23. Let's pick it up in verse one. And Paul earnestly beholding the council said, men and brethren, I have lived in all good conscience before God until this day. And the high priest Ananias commanded them that they stood by him to smite him on the mouth. I've preached some sermons in my lifetime, but never had this response from people. I've never been punched in the mouth as soon as I opened my mouth. Some of you probably felt like that maybe to do that, but no, that's what Paul just says, men and brethren, you know, I'm I'm I'm here with a pure conscience before God to this day. And Ananias the high priest says, punch him in the face. And so that's the first part of this story. So not going so good so far. Would you agree? You know, it's interesting what was so egregious that Ananias would cause someone to punch him in the mouth. Maybe it was because he said, men and brethren. And maybe those guys didn't want to be linked in that way to Paul, you know, being a that they were Pharisees and Sadducees that would be in the room. The customary greeting by the way, if you were just a Jew going in talking to the Sanhedrin would be to call them fathers, interestingly enough. Uh it is interesting that Jesus said, call no man your father. You know, you can call your dad father, but the idea is don't call people father in the church or in ministry. Isn't it interesting Jesus said that, but there's whole churches and denominations that still have the father delineation in the church. That's a a mistake. The Bible's really clear on that one. Paul, you know, customarily should have said fathers, but what you have to remember, Paul didn't really look at this group as fathers because if you recall, he was one of them. Paul was a Pharisee of Pharisees as he's called. He even took part in consenting to Stephen's death back 25 years earlier when Stephen would be stoned to death and he would consent or vote with the Sanhedrin at that time. And we also remember Paul studying under the tutelage of Gamaliel, who was like the the Albert Einstein of the Pharisees. And Paul could boast to that. I studied under Gamaliel. So maybe it was that he called them men and brethren, which was actually true. He was technically one of them. But maybe that 's why he was punched in the face. Maybe the other reason perhaps was when he said, I have, you know, lived in all good conscience before God until this day. And they are mad at him because they think he has forsaken Judaism and he's accepted all these Gentiles in and then he said, Judaism's no more and we're going to it's all about these Gentiles, which is not really the whole story, but they're saying, of course you you haven't lived in good conscience, so punch him in the face is the idea. By the way, how many of us could say truthfully, I have lived in all good conscience before God until this day. Man, I couldn't say that today. Uh but Paul was able to say that with a straight face, interestingly enough. You say, well Brett, didn't Paul do some bad things before he was a Christian? Like didn't he kill people and in prison them? Well, you got to remember this was before he believed before he was saved. He was doing the right thing back then, but he was misguided. And that's an important thing for us to remember. One thing, you know, there there are sins of ignorance the Bible does talk about, and Paul didn't know what he was doing back then, but from the time he became a believer, he could say, I've lived a good conscience before God this day. Well, all that to say, this high priest already I kind of don't like him. You know what I mean? In verse two and Ananias high priest commanded him that stood by to smite him in the in the mouth. Uh who was this Ananias? Different Ananias, there's several Ananiases in the Bible. This is the high priest Ananias, and he was a bad guy. He was arguably the worst high priest in the history of Israel. I didn't come up with that. It's Josephus writes about that. The ancient historian Josephus writes this. Ananias was a glutton, a bigot, a tyrant, a murderer. He defrauded impoverished priests of money meant to help them. He used to throw big parties. He hired people to steal grain from poor people. He would beat anyone who resisted his leadership. He was more of a Roman puppet than a high priest. Later, he was sent by the governor of Syria to answer for what he did in Jerusalem. When he got before Caesar and Caesar heard everything, Caesar affirmed that what he was doing was right and sent him back to Jerusalem. Eventually this guy Ananias would be assassinated by a dagger through the heart by one of the Jewish zealots. Why would a Jewish zealot kill their own high priest? Because he was really a puppet of the Roman Empire and the and the zealots hated the Romans and wanted to overthrow the Romans. So that's how Ananias would eventually die, a dagger through the heart. Interesting guy this Ananias, but what was Paul's reaction to getting hit in the mouth? Well, we pick it up there in verse three. Then said Paul unto him, God shall smite thee, thou white-walled. Now pause there for a second. Paul is just saying, you think you're smiting me, but you're going to be smitten. Not only would this guy be smitten with a knife through the heart as we know history unfolded, but he would also probably stand before the judgment of God and the great white throne judgment, which is going to be smitten to say the least. This is interesting because he uses this term whited wall. Does that ring a bell? Who else used that same kind of term? Jesus did that. Jesus before the high priest Caiaphas, who was the previous priest before this guy Ananias. Jesus said that in John chapter 18 verses 19 through 24. Let's read that this because I think we should compare and contrast Paul's behavior in front of the high priest versus Jesus's behavior in front of the high priest. Let's read. It's John 18 verse 19. It says, the high priest then asked Jesus of his disciples and of his doctrine. And Jesus answered him, I spake openly unto the world. I ever taught in the synagogue and in the temple whither the Jews always resort, and in secret have I said nothing. Why askest thou me? Ask them which heard me what I have said unto them. Behold, they know what I said. And when he had thus spoken, one of the officers which stood by struck Jesus with the palm of his hand. Sound familiar? Saying, answer thou the high priest so. And Jesus answered him, if I have spoken evil, bear witness of the evil. But if well, why smitest thou me? Now Annas had sent him bound unto Caiaphas the high priest. So who was Annas? Well, he was the high priest. Well, Brett, which one? Annas or Caiaphas? And the answer is both. They were both high priests. One was sort of the replacement by the Romans because they didn't like the the one, so they put the other in charge. And they were both, you know, bad, Annas the high priest and Caiaphas. But what I want you to see here is Jesus acted one way with the high priest, but Paul's going to act very differently than Jesus. And we're going to see Paul even seemingly back down on the way he's speaking to Ananias the high priest. And so let's take a look and see if you notice much of a difference. In verse three, the second part it says, you know, the whited wall. And Jesus, by the way, called them whitewashed tombs. That was a terminology that Jesus used by the way. But in verse three it says after, you know, thou whited wall, for sittest thou to judge me after the law and commandest me to be smitten contrary to the law. Now you got to be careful when you're acting with Paul because Paul was a scholar concerning the law. He knew the whole law uh and he was trained, you know, by Gamaliel, which means smartest guy in the room. So this high priest has to watch it because Paul knows the law. And And he's referring to Deuteronomy 25 verses one and two that talks about, you know, when you come to judgment before the judges of Israel, if a wicked man be worthy to be beaten, that the judge shall cause him to lie down and be beaten before his face. But there has to be a trial before there's a beating. It's kind of like what the Romans had, but just the Jewish version of that. So Paul is saying, why is it that you by smiting me or breaking your own law? And uh do you think this guy Ananias is that concerned about keeping the Jewish law? I think no, but he, you know, he's supposed to care about that. But Paul's revealing his hypocrisy. And in verse four it says, and they that stood by said, revilest thou God's high priest? Cuz Paul is saying, you broke the law by punching me in the face. And And the people stand around and say, what? You're Do you revile the high priest? Now what Before you read on, how do you think Paul's going to respond to that? Do you revile the high priest? You know, will will Paul give him a piece of his mind? I would think that that would be in order. I mean Paul should let him have it, this jerk, this Ananias the high priest. What a guy that needs to be toned down and put in his place. But interestingly, that's not what Paul does. That's what Brett would have done in this case. But Paul does something very different and sort of back down. And And that's not what Jesus did. This notice it says in verse five. Then said Paul, I wist not, brethren, that he was the high priest, for it is written, thou shalt not speak evil of the ruler of thy people. Wow. Did you expect that from Paul? Uh that's not what I expected for him to say, oh, you're the high priest? I had no idea. Now why does Paul do this? He's saying because I wouldn't want to continue to be contrary to the high priest. Now question, was Paul right and Ananias wrong? Yes. Totally. But isn't it interesting that Paul says, I don't want to speak contrary to the high priest because of his position of authority. Paul is recognizing he is not the ultimate priority. Paul didn't realize that he was the high priest. Was Paul being weak? The answer is no. Paul is being biblical. How so? Well, let me just give you a quick version of this. Exodus 22 28 says, you shall not revile God nor curse a ruler of your people. And really Paul is just doing what the Bible told him to do, not to curse the ruler of the people. We also see this in the New Testament by the way. You know, uh that we're not supposed to sit around and complain and curse our rulers. Man, it's really sad how Christians feel totally within their rights to curse our leaders. And we hear it all the time on social media. That's just been something that's gotten very commonplace in our country. And our country is so divided. And today America is more divided I think than ever, but Paul would say that probably from the Old Testament Exodus 22 28, but Paul would also make that case there in 1 Timothy chapter 2 verses 1 through 6. Uh let's read that just to remember what Paul wrote to us also to Timothy. He said, I exhort therefore that first of all, supplications, prayers, intercessions, and giving of thanks be made for all men, for kings and for all that are in authority that we may lead a quiet and peaceable life in all godliness and honesty. For this is good and acceptable in the sight of God our Savior, who, verse four, will have all men to be saved and to come to the knowledge of the truth. For there is one God and one mediator between God and men, the man Christ Jesus who gave himself a ransom for all to be testified in due time. So Christ is going to make it all good in due time. But meanwhile, what are we supposed to do? Are we supposed to gripe and grumble about our leaders? No, we're supposed to pray for them with supplications, prayers, intercessions, and giving us thanks for all men, but particularly for kings and those who are in authority over us. Now there is a place by the way for speaking truth. Uh there's a place for that. But when it comes to our leaders, the Bible is clear on this one uh that we should be careful to not sit around and gripe and grumble. We We should be given to prayer. Who was the leader during Paul 's time? Nero. Uh Caesar Nero. That's who he's talking about. And put all the worst leaders in America together and they're still not as bad as Caesar and Nero was. He was crazy and killed all his friends and family. Somebody said it was safer to be Nero's pig than it was to be one of his family members. Uh he was a horrible horrible guy. And yet here's Paul saying, we need to pray for those who are in authority and the kings and those rulers that are over us that we as Christians may lead a quiet and peaceable life in all godliness. That's the goal. So rather than barking around and and just, you know, making fun of or you know, I even hear Christians cussing at at our leaders and stuff. Cussing's become fashionable again in the Christian world, and it should not be. We should not let any corrupt communication proceed out of our mouths, and it's important to do that. We speak about things that are pure. We're supposed to lead a peaceable and godly quiet life, not a loud cussing they can we're awesome sort of kind of mentality. Especially in this day where it's very trendy to bash away. So what not to do, bad mouth, complain, murmur, what we should do, pray. We're supposed to do that uh according to the Bible. We're going to see this. This is why Paul is going to suddenly change his tune about the ways addressing this guy Ananias. By the way, not just, you know, 1 Timothy 2 1 through 6 also I'd like to remind you of Romans 13 1 through 4. Let every soul be subject unto the higher powers, for there is no power but of God. In other words, God puts men and women in leadership roles, and we have to be subject to those high powers, for there's no power but of God. The powers that be are ordained of God. Whosoever therefore resisteth the power resisteth the ordinance of God. And they that resist shall receive to themselves damnation. For rulers are not a terror to good works, but to the evil. Wilt thou then not be afraid of the power? Do that which is good and thou shalt have praise of the same. For he is the minister of God to thee for good. But if thou do that which is evil, be afraid, for he beareth not the sword in vain. For he is the minister of God, a revenger to execute wrath upon him that doeth evil. So we're to obey those in authority over us. Now one of the things you have to deal with is what if the powers that be ask you to do something that is contrary to the Bible. Well, that's something I don't believe we have to obey. We have to obey God. God is our number one. We're to obey all the things of God. Like the early church, it was illegal in some places for them to meet, and they became persecuted, but they kept meeting. They met in underground places in places where they wouldn't be found. And you know, sometimes they had to go against the laws of the land because of the corruption. So if you're going to break the laws, you better have a good solid biblical case of why you're doing that. Uh that's just kind of important. But we're going to see Paul here in Acts 23 sort of change. He says in verse five, notice he says, I wist not, brethren, that he was the high priest. Uh the ESV says, I did not realize that he was the high priest. Um why did Paul the apostle not know Ananias was the high priest? Have you ever thought about that? Seems like something Paul should have been aware of. There's a few suggestions. Suggestion number one. Maybe some suggest that it's Paul's poor eyesight. Did you guys know Paul had a a problem with his eyes? Um that's why most of the time people wrote transcribed his letters. He'd speak the letters and somebody else would write them. But Galatians chapter 4 verse 15 says that he he would bear record of the people who loved him, that if it been possible, you would have plucked out your own eyes and given them to me. That's what Paul said. Like like that's how much he thought they loved them, which is true. So some would argue, man, he just couldn't see very well. Argument number two. Paul had just been gone from Jerusalem for so long. He's been on these three missionary journeys for the last 20 plus years and maybe just lost touch with who the high priest was. That that's possible. Could have been confusion in Jerusalem's political climate there and just not knowing. Maybe option number three. Do you remember this is at nighttime when the the Romans turned Paul over and there's a quick meeting of Sanhedrin at nighttime. Maybe they weren't wearing their usual garments cuz it was late at night uh which would signify who they were. So there's there's reasons why scholars debate Paul didn't recognize who the high priest was. But he says in verse five, thou shalt not speak evil of the ruler of thy people. So this is Paul sort of backing away from his previous posture. So whoever's in office, we're called to pray. Well, verse six goes on. But when Paul perceived that the one part were Sadducees, question, do you remember one of the big things that Sadducees did not believe in? The resurrection. That's important to remember. They didn't believe in the resurrection or angels or any of that stuff. Uh the Pharisees were into the resurrection, but this is hilarious when you realize what goes on here. Check this out. So 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, of the hope and resurrection of the dead. I am called in question. And when he had said, there arose a dissension between the Pharisees and the Sadducees and the multitude was divided. Verse eight, for the Sadducees say that there's no resurrection, neither angels nor spirit, but the Pharisees confessed both. And there arose a great cry, and the scribes that were of the Pharisees part arose and strove 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. Do you see what happens here? This is hilarious. Paul pulls the pin out of the resurrection grenade and throws it in the group. I believe in the resurrection and I am a Pharisee. And all of a sudden, the Sadducees are raging. You know, they're really they're really mad, you know. Uh what's the old saying? The enemy of my enemy is my friend. That's what happened here. You know, the Pharisees and Sadducees weren't that unlike our Congress divided right down the middle. There's a divided uh sort of world view. That's the Pharisees and the Sadducees. They had very different world views. So Paul, he's in the hot seat. He says, by the way, I'm a Republican. No, he doesn't say that. Uh he said, by the way, he said, I am a Pharisee, uh which is really funny to hear that.
Kurt: Pastor Brett Mether has been providing wise biblical counsel from today's word of Acts chapter 23. As we observe Paul's response to the dissension of those holding him in custody, and there's much more to come as our study continues next time. And I invite you to stay right there as Pastor Brett will join me here in a moment to give some uh good advice about reading God's word. But first today's word is the radio ministry of Athey Creek Church in the Portland, Oregon area where Pastor Brett Mether is the senior pastor. If you missed any portion of this study, you'll find all of his messages online at today's wordradio.com. Well, Pastor Brett is with me now. I know we have some folks listening who read the Bible occasionally, but uh want to find a more structured way to do that, maybe even daily. Brett, if someone would like to begin a daily reading plan, where would be a good place to start?
Brett Meador: Yeah, Kurt, I get asked that question a lot and for good reason. You know, a lot of people would say, why not just start in the book of Genesis? Which a person could do that. And I love the book of Genesis, but for a a new Christian, you'll hear people say, well, what if you start in the Gospel of John? And I think the one thing that we need to remember is the Bible is actually 66 books that is compiled together into one volume. So you shouldn't feel bad about jumping into any of the books. John is so beautiful because it's really helping you get to know Jesus. And to know Jesus is really to know the word of God. So getting the handle on the Gospel of John, then I'd encourage to read through the whole New Testament and maybe go back and read a Psalm along with your daily reading, a proverb perhaps. Eventually I would hope that everyone would read through the whole Bible. We're reminded in 2 Timothy 3 16 it says, all scripture is given by inspiration of God and is profitable. So not just, you know, your favorite verses, all scripture is given for instruction. One thing I've discovered about the Bible, it's the only book that really uh speaks to me as I'm reading it to my soul. Hebrews 4 12 says, the word of God is quick and powerful and is the discerner of thoughts and the intense of the heart. That means living powerful. So when you open your Bible, you can expect the Bible to come alive to you and it'll speak exactingly into your life. So when you open the Bible daily, it'll be a life changer. I I believe if you faithfully spend time in the word, God is faithful to use the word to shape your life, to give you faith, and it'll illuminate your path. So stick to it. Don't give up on the scripture.
Kurt: Uh thank you for that encouragement, a word to begin reading God's word and a reminder of just how powerful the Bible is. Thanks, Pastor Brett. Well, for more information about today's word or Pastor Brett Mether, you can visit our website at today's wordradio.com. Next time, Pastor Brett will share how Paul was quick to embrace the opportunity to preach the gospel to the influential religious leaders. Today's word with Pastor Brett Mether is an outreach of Athey Creek Church in Westlin, Oregon.