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This Chapter Verse Commentaries:
NASB (UPDATED) TEXT: Act_23:1-5
1Paul, looking intently at the Council, said, "Brethren, I have lived my life with a perfectly good conscience before God up to this day." 2The high priest Ananias commanded those standing beside him to strike him on the mouth. 3Then Paul said to him, "God is going to strike you, you whitewashed wall! Do you sit to try me according to the Law, and in violation of the Law order me to be struck?" 4But the bystanders said, "Do you revile God's high priest?" 5And Paul said, "I was not aware, brethren, that he was high priest; for it is written, 'You shall not speak evil of a ruler of your people.'"
Act_23:1
NASB, NRSV "looking intently at"
NKJV "looking earnestly at"
TEV "looked straight at"
NJB "looked steadily at"
See full note at Act_1:10. Luke uses this term often. Here he uses it of Paul. Paul uses it only in 2Co_3:7; 2Co_3:13.
▣ "the Council" See Special Topic: Sanhedrin at Act_4:5.
▣ "Brethren" Paul calls Jews "brothers" several times (Act_13:26; Act_13:38; Act_22:1; Act_22:5; Act_23:1; Act_23:5-6). The Jews call Paul brother in Act_13:15. Ananias called him brother in Act_9:17, as does the church in Jerusalem in Act_21:20.
However, Jewish believers are also called by this title (e.g., Act_9:30; Act_10:23; Act_11:1; Act_11:12; Act_12:17; Act_15:3; Act_15:7; Act_15:13; Act_15:22). The word is linked with "disciple" in Act_11:29; Act_18:27. It is also used of Greek believers in Act_16:2; Act_16:40. Thus the term is ambiguous and must be linked to a specific text and group.
▣ "I have lived my life. . .before God" This is a perfect middle (deponent) indicative of politeuô from which we get the English word political or policy. This term is used with the connotation of a citizen (cf. Php_1:27). Paul is asserting that he has faithfully discharged the responsibilities of being a member of Judaism before God.
NASB "a perfectly good conscience"
NKJV "in all good conscience"
NRSV "a clear conscience"
TEV "my conscience is perfectly clear"
NJB "a perfectly clear conscience"
Paul uses the term "conscience" often in the Corinthian letters (cf. Act_4:4; Act_8:7; Act_8:10; Act_8:12; Act_10:25; Act_10:27-29; 2Co_1:12; 2Co_4:2; 2Co_5:11). It refers to that moral inner sense of what is appropriate or inappropriate (cf. Act_23:1). The conscience can be affected by our past lives, our poor choices, or by the Spirit of God. It is not a flawless guide, but it does determine the boundaries of individual faith. Therefore, to violate our conscience, even if it is in error or weak, is a major faith problem.
The believer's conscience needs to be more and more formed by the Word of God and the Spirit of God (cf. 1Ti_3:9). God will judge believers (i.e., weak or strong, cf. Rom_14:1 to Rom_15:13) by the light they have, but all of us need to be open to the Bible and the Spirit for more light and to be growing in the knowledge of the Lord Jesus Christ.
▣ "before God up to this day" Paul makes this same assertion in 2Co_1:12; 2Ti_1:3. He does admit that he did covet (cf. Rom_7:23, esp. Act_23:7). His theological argument in Romans 1-8 is based on every person's violation of law and conscience (cf. Act_3:9-23; Act_4:15; Act_5:20).
Act_23:2 "The high priest Ananias" In Hebrew his name would be Hananiah. This is not the same as the Ananias of Luk_3:2, Joh_18:13, or Act_4:6, but a later one (Ananias, son of Nebedaeus or Nedebacus) who was appointed by Herod Chalcis, who reigned from a.d. 48-59 (Josephus, Antiq. 20.9.2).
The writings of Josephus tell us much about this High Priest.
1. when he became High Priest, Antiq. 20.5.2; Wars, 2.12.6.
2. when he and his son (Ananus) were sent in bonds to Rome, Antiq. 20.6.2
3. when he was killed by insurrectionists along with his brother, Wars 2.17.9
Josephus is often our only ancient contemporary source for Jewish events and persons in Palestine.
▣ "to strike him on the mouth" This was a sign of blasphemy (cf. Joh_18:22).
Act_23:3 "God is going to strike you" This is recorded in great detail in Josephus, Wars 2.17.9.
▣ "you whitewashed wall" It is uncertain exactly what Paul was saying.
1. the Jews used this metaphor for hypocrisy (cf. Mat_23:27)
2. it could be an allusion to Eze_13:10-15
▣ "in violation to the Law" This may be an allusion to Lev_19:15. Also see Joh_7:51.
Act_23:5 "I was not aware brethren, that he was high priest" The theories for Paul's not knowing are his
1. poor eyesight
2. not being familiar with him because Paul had been gone from Jerusalem for several years
3. not recognizing the High Priest because he was not wearing his official robes
4. he did not know who spoke
5. the inappropriateness of his actions (i.e., sarcasm)
▣ "for it is written" Paul shows he knows and respects the Law by quoting Exo_22:28.