23:6
Paul then proceeded to take advantage of the split between the Sadducees and Pharisees. So we see Paul not being afraid to use rhetorical skill and political nous. The Pharisees believed in the resurrection (in a general sense), angels and other things, the Sadducees believed in very little. In Jesus’ time on earth it was the Pharisees that seemed to be the main activists in the opposition to Jesus. In Acts they are generally very quiet and the Sadducees take the lead in opposing the gospel. Maybe it is because of the resurrection being the centrepiece of the gospel preaching that the Pharisees did little to oppose it. Paul here is deliberately stirring up the antagonism between the two groups.
23:7-9
Paul’s ploy worked! Dissension arose in the gathering, and this would be no quiet matter. The Pharisees adopted a similar line to that taken by Gamaliel (Acts 5:34). They liked Paul’s talk of resurrection and angels. Moreover, they could not argue against Paul without seeming to approve of some of the teachings of the Sadducees.
23:10
The debate was getting extremely heated, so heated that the commander feared violence might ensue, and Paul be harmed or even killed. As Paul was a Roman citizen he could not allow him to be harmed. So Paul was forcibly taken back to the barracks.
No comments:
Post a Comment