Acts 23:9

Acts 23:9. The scribes that were of the Pharisees part arose and strove. As a rule the ‘scribes.' belonged to the sect of Pharisees, as that party reverently attended to the Law and the Prophets, and the multitude of traditions and teachings that had grown up round the sacred writings. These comments and interpretations were especially the charge of the ‘scribe.' There were, however, some scribes attached to the sceptical Sadducees. They appear here prominently as being men of high culture and learning, and accustomed to argument. They were naturally put forward as the speakers.

We find no evil in this man. The appeal of Paul had found the heart of the Pharisee section in the Sanhedrim. These recognise now that the Christian teacher was not the enemy they should fear: they and Paul had another and a common foe in the sceptic Sadducees.

But if a spirit or an angel hath spoken to him, let us not fight against God. The words ‘let us not fight against God' do not occur in the most trustworthy and ancient MSS. They.were evidently introduced from the speech of Gamaliel to the Sanhedrim spoken nearly a quarter of a century before (see Acts 5:39), to complete the sentence, which at first sight appears unfinished. Some have supposed the concluding words were drowned in the tumultuous cries of the Sadducees, and were consequently unheard; but the explanation suggested by Dr. Hackett is the most satisfactory, and probably represents the true cause of the seeming abruptness: ‘Undoubtedly a designed aposiopesis. A significant gesture or look toward the Sadducees expressed what was left unsaid: If a spirit spoke to him or an angel that is not an impossible thing: the matter then assumes importance. For other examples of aposiopesis, see Luke 19:42; Luke 22:42.' It is possible there is a special reference here to what Paul had said in his speech on the steps of the tower of Antonia concerning the appearance of Jesus to him on the way to Damascus.