02/06/2023 – Day 344 – Acts 23 – 24 // 23:5: Why did Paul feel the need to apologize for rebuking / insulting Ananias, the high priest?
It is rare that I single out just a few verses in commentary. The post for the last cycle was 04/26/2021 , a look at the overall scene before the Sanhedrin.
So, even though this just a short recounting of a single scene, 23: verses #1 through #5, I am puzzled. I’m pulling in John Gill’s commentary and a short excerpt from Matthew Henry’s commentary to help us out.
First John Gill:
https://www.biblestudytools.com/commentaries/gills-exposition-of-the-bible/acts-23-5.html
Note, that according to Gill, Annias may have carried an inauthentic claim on the high priest office, accounting for Paul’s failure to recognize him as high priest. So, this makes me question all the more.
But Henry’s point that Paul did not want to create a precedent for any kind of window that would discourage respect for the office of high priest, at this point seems to be the most plausible to me at this point.
Let me start my summarizing the scene with five main points that Matthew brings out, pgs 1729 – 1730:
Verses 1 -5
“Perhaps he (Paul) thought if he were brought before the Sanhedrin at Jerusalem he should be able to deal with them to some good purpose, and yet we do not find that he works at all upon them.
I. Paul’s protestation of his own integrity, Paul appeared here,
- With a good courage. …
- With a good conscience. …
II The outrage of which Ananias the high priest was guilty: he commanded those that stood by to smite him on the mouth (v. 2). …
III The denunciation of the wrath of God against the high priest: God shall smite thee, thou wired wall, v. 3. Paul did not speak this in any sinful heat or passion, but in a holy zeal against the high priest’s abuse of his power, not at all with a spirit of revenge. He gives him his due character: Thou whited wall; that is , those hypocrite — a mud-wall, trash and dirt and rubbish underneath, but plastered over, or white-washed…. (Jimmy note – such the case, why the apology?)
IV. The offense which was taken at this bold word of Paul’s (v. 4): Those that stood by said, Revilest this God’s high priest? See here then, What a hard game Paul had to play, when his enemies were abusive to him, and his friends were ready to find fault with his management. (Jimmy reminder: Paul was a Pharisee with no doubt close ties to those Pharisee representatives within the Sanhedrin, his friends. )
V. The excuse that Paul made for what he had said, because he found it was a stumbling-block. Thought he had taken the liberty to tell the high priest his fault, yet, when he found it gave offense, he cried, I have done wrong.” (Jimmy opinion: Paul, given his background, should not have been so surprised that this power figure guy would take offense at his rebuke, be he authentic or not.)
So, from here, I will carry us to the end of Matthew’s commentary on these verses:
“I wist not, brethren (did not know) , that he was the high priest. ‘I did not just then think of the dignity of his place or else I would have spoken more respectfully to him.’ But says he, I did not consider it. But the Jews acknowledged that prophets might use a liberty in speaking of rulers which others might not. He takes care that what he had said should not be drawn into a precedent, to the weakening of the obligation of that law in the least. For it is written, thou shalt not speak evil of the ruler of the people. (jimmy insert: Recall that Jesus said he did not come to abolish the law but to fulfill it)
It is for the public good that the honor of magistrate should be supported, and not suffer for the miscarriages of those who are entrusted to it. ( Jimmy note: gotcha moment, it is for the office, not the man) Not as if great men may not hear of their faults, and public grievances be complained of by proper persons, but there must be a particular tenderness for the honor of those in authority because the law of God requires a particular reverence to be paid to them, as God’s vicegerents.”
- vocabulary word for the day:
- Vicegerents: “A person appointed by a ruler or head of state to act as an administrative deputy.” or , in this case, representative for God.
Soli Deo Gloria!