Commentaries Dictionaries Concordances

Manly Luscombe Commentary on NT

Acts 23:4,5

And those who stood by said, " Do you revile God ' s high priest? "

5 Then Paul said, " I did not know, brethren, that he was the high priest; for it is written, ‘You shall not speak evil of a ruler of your people. '"

1. Paul is accused of speaking against the high priest of God.

2. Paul immediately apologizes. He did not know that this was the high priest.

3. He even quotes the law that he violated.

4. Question: Does this have any implication for us today? Are we allowed to speak evil against civil rulers? They are, after all, God's ministers. (See Romans 14:1-23). I believe we can disagree with the decision of a ruler without speaking evil of the person.

Continues after advertising

See also Acts 23:4,5 in other biblical comments:

  • Albert Barnes' Bible Commentary

    REVILEST THOU ... - Dost thou reproach or abuse the high priest of God? is remarkable that they, who knew that he was not the high priest, should have offered this language. He was, however, in the pl...

  • Arthur Peake's Commentary on the Bible

    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 obj...

  • Barclay Daily Study Bible (NT)

    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 hi...

  • Barclay Daily Study Bible (NT)

    THE STRATEGY OF PAUL (Acts 23:1-10)...

  • Bullinger's Companion Bible Notes

    REVILEST. Greek. _loidoreo._ See note on John 9:28....

  • Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges

    _God's high priest_ So styled because he sat on the judgment-seat as God's representative, cp. Deuteronomy 17:8-13. In the Old Test. the priestly, and even other, judges are sometimes called by God's...

  • Cambridge Greek Testament for Schools and Colleges Commentary

    ΤῸΝ�, _God’s high priest_. So styled because he sat on the judgment-seat as God’s representative, cf. Deuteronomy 17:8-13. In the Old Test, the priestly, and even other, judges are sometimes called by...

  • Cambridge Greek Testament for Schools and Colleges Commentary

    Acts 23:1-10. ST PAUL BEFORE THE SANHEDRIN. DISAGREEMENT BETWEEN THE PHARISEES AND SADDUCEES...

  • Charles Box Commentaries

    _PAUL'S DEFENSE BEFORE THE SANHEDRIN ACTS 23:1-5:_ Paul appeared before the Sanhedrin to try to resolve the charge of profaning the Temple. He pictured again his religious situation before becoming a...

  • Charles Rose Commentaries

    ΠΑΡΕΣΤΏΤΕΣPERF. _act. part., см._ Acts 23:2. Part, в роли _subst._ ΛΟΙΔΟΡΕΊΣ _praes. ind. act. 2 pers. sing. от_ ΛΟΙΔΟΡΈΩ (G3058) злоупотреблять, упрекать, оскорблять, говорить в оскорбительной манер...

  • College Press Bible Study Textbook Series

    e. Paul addresses the council. Acts 23:1-10. Acts 23:1 And Paul, looking stedfastly on the council, said, Brethren, I have lived before God in all good conscience until this day. Acts 23:2 And the...

  • Combined Bible Commentary

    See notes on verse 3...

  • Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible

    And they that stood by said, Revilest thou God's high priest? AND THEY THAT STOOD BY SAID, REVILEST THOU GOD'S HIGH PRIEST?...

  • Concordant Commentary on the New Testament by A. E. Knoch

    21 Here we have the cause of Israel's apostasy laid bare. They were to be a channel of blessing to the other nations, but, instead, they kept all Jehovah's gifts to themselves and refused to share the...

  • Dummelow's Commentary on the Bible

    ST. PAUL SENT TO CÆESAREA 1. St. Paul often asserts his good conscience before God and man: see Acts 22:3; Acts 24:16....

  • EasyEnglish Bible Commentaries

    GOOD NEWS FOR EVERYONE ACTS _MARION ADAMS_ CHAPTER 23 PAUL SPEAKS TO THE *SANHEDRIN, 23:1-11 V1 Paul looked straight at the *Sanhedrin. He said, ‘My brothers, my conscience feels good about how...

  • Expositor's Greek Testament (Nicoll)

    τὸν ἀρχ. τοῦ Θεοῦ : of God, emphatic, _i.e._, sitting on the judgment-seat as God's representative, _cf._ Deuteronomy 17:8 ff., and also the name Elohim, by which the priestly and other judges were so...

  • Frederick Brotherton Meyer's Commentary

    DIVIDING HIS PERSECUTORS Acts 23:1 The behavior of the judge was quite unworthy of his office, but Paul's epithet cannot be defended. The best of men are but men at the best. Paul was thrown off his...

  • G. Campbell Morgan's Exposition on the Whole Bible

    By action of the Roman governor, Paul was arraigned before the Jewish Sanhedrin. Hardly had he commenced before he was interrupted and insulted. It was a most trying ordeal for the apostle. It is easi...

  • Gary Hampton Commentaries

    Paul's Second Defense As he stood before the council, or Sanhedrin, Paul told them he had lived in good until that very time (Compare 1 Corinthians 4:4; 2 Timothy 1:3). At this, Ananias commanded the...

  • Godbey's Commentary on the New Testament

    THE HIGH PRIEST 1-6. Paul hears the order to smite him on the mouth, but did not know who spake. When it turned out to be the high priest, he apologized. In the gospel dispensation (1 Peter 2), we see...

  • Hawker's Poor man's commentary

    And Paul, earnestly beholding the council, said, Men and brethren, I have lived in all good conscience before God unto this day. (2) And the high priest Ananias commanded them that stood by him to smi...

  • Introductory Lectures - Commentary by William Kelly

    The closing Chapter s from 21 to the end of the book are devoted to an episode full of interest and profit Paul's course from Jerusalem to Rome. And here we find ourselves in an atmosphere considerabl...

  • John Calvin's Bible Commentary

    − 4._Those which stood by said _By this it appeareth that they were all sick of one disease. − (526) For why do they not rather blame Ananias, when they saw that he had quite forgotten all modesty, an...

  • John Darby's Synopsis

    Paul addresses the council with the gravity and dignity of an upright man accustomed to walk with God. It is not a testimony borne to them for their good; but the appeal of a good conscience to their...

  • John Gill's Exposition of the Whole Bible

    AND THEY THAT STOOD BY,.... The members of the sanhedrim that were next to the apostle; or the servants of the high priest, since they are said to stand, whereas those of that court sat: said, REVILE...

  • John Trapp Complete Commentary

    And they that stood by said, Revilest thou God's high priest? Ver. 4. _Revilest thou God's high priest?_] Some think it was not the high priest himself, but his surrogate, such as Dic of Dover was to...

  • Joseph Benson’s Commentary on the Old and New Testaments

    _And Paul, earnestly beholding the council_ At whose bar he was placed; manifesting a clear conscience by his very countenance; and likewise waiting to see whether any of them was minded to ask him an...

  • Kretzmann's Popular Commentary of the Bible

    AND THEY THAT STOOD BY SAID, REVELATION LEST THOU GOD'S HIGH PRIEST?...

  • Kretzmann's Popular Commentary of the Bible

    THE HEARING IN THE PRESENCE OF THE SANHEDRIN. Paul rebukes the high priest:...

  • Leslie M. Grant's Commentary on the Bible

    In this hearing the chief captain did not take the place of an adjudicator, nor was there any other judicial authority present to keep order. Paul then takes advantage of the occasion to speak earnest...

  • Mark Dunagan Commentaries

    "Do you revile God's high priest?": The bystanders were shocked by Paul's outburst. The high priest while sitting in judgment was God's representative (Deuteronomy 17:8 ff)....

  • Matthew Henry Commentary on the Whole Bible

    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 fro...

  • Matthew Poole's Concise Commentary On The Bible

    These partial parasites take no notice of the real injury done unto Paul by the high priest, and readily catch at the seeming calumny spoke by Paul against him....

  • NT Verse References in the Ante-Nicene Fathers

    Cyprian Epistle LIV Also subsequently, in the Acts of the Apostles, the blessed Apostle Paul, when it was said to him, "Revilest thou God's priest? "[21] Cyprian Epistle LXIV Mindful of which precep...

  • Patchworkid's Personal Study Bible Notes

    Acts 23:4 And G1161 by G3936 (G5761) said G2036 (G5627) revile G3058 (G5719) Gods G2316 priest...

  • Peter Pett's Commentary on the Bible

    ‘And those who stood by said, “Do you revile God's high priest?” ' Immediately people present were shocked and asked him if he thought it right to revile God's High Priest. They could not believe the...

  • Philip Schaff's Popular Commentary on the NT (4 vols)

    Acts 23:4. AND THEY THAT STOOD BY SAID, REVILEST THOU GOD'S HIGH PRIEST? It was and St. Paul knew it well contrary to the law of Moses (see Exodus 22:28, subsequently quoted by him) to revile one plac...

  • Robertson's Word Pictures of the New Testament

    OF GOD (του θεου). As God's representative in spite of his bad character (Deuteronomy 17:8). Here was a charge of irreverence, to say the least. The office called for respect....

  • Summarized Bible Commentary

    CONTENTS: Paul before the Sanhedrin. The conspiracy to kill Paul and its defeat. Paul sent to Felix. CHARACTERS: God, Jesus, Paul, Ananias, Pharisees, Sadduces, Paul's sister's son, centurion, chief...

  • Sutcliffe's Commentary on the Old and New Testaments

    Acts 23:2. _Smite him on the mouth._ Ananias the highpriest commanded this, when he heard Paul profess a good conscience, and determined to persevere in preaching Christ. So Ahab commanded Micaiah to...

  • The Bible Study New Testament

    TO STRIKE HIM ON THE MOUTH. This is not the Annas of Acts 4:7, but the son of Nebedaeus, whom Herod had appointed to be high priest. He served from 47 - 59 A.D. He flares up in anger when Paul claims...

  • The Biblical Illustrator

    _And Paul, earnestly beholding the council, said, Men and brethren._ PAUL BEFORE THE COUNCIL 1. The history of apostolic missions is finished; but before the parchment is rolled up, the line of one l...

  • The Preacher's Complete Homiletical Commentary

    _CRITICAL REMARKS_ Acts 23:1. EARNESTLY BEHOLDING, or _looking steadfastly on,_ describes the eager, anxious gaze with which the apostle was accustomed to scan those to whom he spoke—perhaps arising f...

  • The Pulpit Commentaries

    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. L...

  • Through The Bible C2000 Serie by Chuck Smith

    And so Paul, earnestly beholding the council, said, Men and brethren, I have lived in all good conscience before God until this day (Acts 23:1). Paul was indeed a remarkable man. As Paul is writing to...

  • Vincent's Word Studies in the New Testament (4 Volume Set)

    Revilest [λ ο ι δ ο ρ ε ι ς]. The word signifies vehement abuse, scolding, berating....

  • William Burkitt's Expository Notes

    Observe here, That Ananias the high-priest having commanded the apostle unheard and uncondemned to be smitten, the apostle denounces the just judgments of God upon him for the same; yet not in. way of...

Continues after advertising

Old Testament