Acts 23:1

And Paul, earnestly beholding the council, said, Men and brethren, I have lived in all good conscience before God until this day. Paul before the Sanhedrim (23:1-5) And Paul, earnestly beholding the council - with a look of conscious integrity and unfaltering courage, perhaps also recognizing some of his early fellow-pupils, Said, Men and brethren, I have lived in all good conscience before God until this day. The phrase here rendered "lived before (or 'to') God" [pepoliteumai (G4176 ) _ too_ ( G3588) THEOO (G2316)] is understood by Meyer, Lechler, and others to assert no more than the conscientious discharge of his office. But, as the word has a primary reference to 'polity,' or 'citizenship,' there is good reason to

− 1._Looking earnestly. _Paul beginneth with the testimony of a good conscience, that all the whole multitude may understand that he is unjustly charged with such an heinous offense, as if he had gone about to overthrow the worship of God. It may be, indeed, that a man may offend of ignorance, who will not otherwise be a contemner either of God or of religion; but Paul meant at the first, only with this excuse, to mollify their nettled minds, that he might the better be heard; for it had been in vain for him to have defended himself, so long as that opinion did stick in the minds of the priests, that he was a wicked revolt, [apostate]. Therefore, before he enter the cause, he excuseth himself of that crime, not only that he may purchase favor by that desire which he had to live godlily, but also that he may prevent false accusations, or at least that he may refute unjust prejudices which...

1-5 See here the character of an honest man. He sets God before him, and lives as in his sight. He makes conscience of what he says and does, and, according to the best of his knowledge, he keeps from whatever is evil, and cleaves to what is good. He is conscientious in all his words and conduct. Those who thus live before God, may, like Paul, have confidence both toward God and man. Though the answer of Paul contained a just rebuke and prediction, he seems to have been too angry at the treatment he received in uttering them. Great men may be told of their faults, and public complaints may be made in a proper manner; but the law of God requires respect for those in authority....

CHAPTER XXIII. _Paul defending himself before the high priest, he commands him_ _to be smitten on the mouth_, 1, 2. _Paul sharply reproves him, and, being reproved for this by one_ _of the attendants, accounts for his conduct_, 3-5. _Seeing that the assembly was composed of Pharisees and_ _Sadducees, and that he could expect no justice from his judges,_ _he asserts that it was for his belief in the resurrection that_ _he was called in question, on which the Pharisees declare in_ _his favour_, 6-9. A great dissension arises, an

AND PAUL, EARNESTLY BEHOLDING - ἀτενίσας atenisas. Fixing his eyes intently on the council. The word denotes “a fixed and earnest gazing; a close observation.” See Luke 4:20. Compare the notes on Acts 3:4. Paul would naturally look with a keen and attentive observation on the council. He was arraigned before them, and he would naturally observe the appearance, and endeavor to ascertain the character of his judges. Besides, it was by this council that he had been formerly commissioned to persecute the Christians, Acts 9:1. He had not seen them since that commission was given. He would naturally, therefore, regard them with an attentive eye. The result shows, also

EXPOSITION ACTS 23:1 _Looking steadfastly on _for _earnestly beholding, _A.V.; _brethren _for _men and brethren, _A.V._; I have lived before God, _etc., for _I have lived, _etc., _before God, _A.V. LOOKING STEADFASTLY; ἀτενίσας, as in Acts 1:10; Acts 3:4, Acts 3:12; Acts 6:15; Acts 7:55; Acts 10:4;...

AND PAUL EARNESTLY BEHOLDING THE COUNCIL,.... Fastening his eyes upon them, looking wistly and intently at them, and thereby discovering a modest cheerfulness, and a becoming boldness, confidence, and intrepidity, as being not conscious of any guilt, and well assured of the goodness of his cause: SAID, MEN AND BRETHREN; see Acts 22:1. I HAVE LIVED IN ALL GOOD CONSCIENCE BEFORE GOD UNTIL THIS DAY; not only from the time of his conversion, but throughout the whole of his life; for though, strictly speaking, there is no good conscience but what is awakened by the Spirit of God, and is unprincipled by his grace, and is purged from sin by the blood of Christ; in which sense he could only have a good conscience, since he believed in Christ; yet whereas in his state of unregeneracy, and even while he was a blasphemer, and persecutor, he did not act contrary to the d

ACTS 22:30 TO ACTS 23:10. PAUL BEFORE THE SANHEDRIN. This is a difficult section, and does not advance the action. Unless the proceedings took place in Greek, the tribune would scarcely secure his object of learning the charge against Paul; it is strange that he should have called a meeting of the Sanhedrin for this purpose, which could be reached otherwise. Paul is released from his chains and faces the court without them, and without the presence of military. He begins a speech which was to explain his position, but is rudely interrupted; he has not been asked to speak, and might be regarded as treating the court without respect. He retorts with applying an abusive epithet to the High Priest who had ordered the interruption. The and before his question ...

Paul fixed his gaze on the Sanhedrin and said, "Brethren, I have lived before God with a completely pure conscience up to this day." The high priest Ananias ordered those who stood by him to strike him on the mouth. Paul said to him, "God is going to strike you, you white-washed wall! Do you sit judging me according to the Law and do you order me to be struck and so break the Law?" Those who were standing beside him said, "Are you insulting God's high priest?" Paul said, "I did not know, brethren, that he was the high priest. If I had known I would not have spoken so, for it stands written, 'You must not speak evil of a ruler of your people.'" Now Paul knew that one section of them were Sadducees and the other section were Pharisees, so he shouted out in the Sanhedrin, "Brethren, I am a Pharisee and the son of Pharisees, and I am on trial for the hope of the resurrection of the dead." Wh...

EARNESTLY BEHOLDING. Greek. _atenizo._ App-133. COUNCIL. See note on Acts 22:30. MEN AND BRETHREN. See note on Acts 1:11. LIVED. Greek. _politeuomai,_ to live as. citizen. Only here and Philippians 1:1; Philippians 1:27. CONSCIENCE. Greek. _suneidesis._ Compare Acts 24:16. BEFORE. to. GOD. App-98....