The CommanderThe Commander• Commander

Claudius Lysias released Paul and called a meeting of the Sanhedrin

SanhedrinSanhedrin• Ruling Council of Jews• 71 in number• Ancients of the People• Both Pharisees &

Sadducees

My brothers, I have fulfilled my duty to God in all good conscience

to this day. (23:1)

AnaniasAnanias• High priest (47-58)• Bribes, stole tithes,

assassinations (Josephus)

• Murdered by Zealots in Jerusalem, A.D. 66

AnaniasAnanias• Ordered Paul to be

struck on the mouth• Paul, “I did not

realize that he was the high priest.”

When Jesus said this, one of the officials nearby struck him in the face. “Is this the

way you answer the high priest?” he

demanded.(John 18:22)

Pharisees & SadduceesPharisees & Sadducees• Immortality of

soul• Resurrection• Oral Traditions• Angels &

Demons• Common People

• No Immortality of the soul

• No Resurrection• No authority of

oral traditions• No spirits• Rich & Powerful

StrategyStrategy• Divide &

Conquer!• I am a Pharisee!

StrategyStrategy• I am on trial

because of my hope in the resurrection of the dead. (6)

StrategyStrategy• The Pharisees

defended Paul!• (The enemy of my

enemy is my friend.)

The Lord stood near Paul and said, “Take courage! As you have testified about me in

Jerusalem, so you must also testify in Rome.

(23:11)

• Occurred at a low time for Paul – much like Corinth (Acts 18:9)

• “Take courage!” is spoken only by Jesus in the N.T.

ConspiracyConspiracy• More than 40 men• Vow – Not to eat or

drink till Paul was dead• Took plan to the chief

priests and elders

ConspiracyConspiracy• Plan was discovered by

Paul’s nephew who lived in Jerusalem

• Told Paul• Told Claudius Lysias

Go Tonight!Go Tonight!• 1,000 soldiers

were stationed in Jerusalem

• 470 were sent to protect Paul

Governor FelixGovernor Felix• Procurator of Judea

(A.D. 52-59)• A freed slave• Freedman Rank (a

Proconsul was of Senatorial Rank)

Governor FelixGovernor Felix• Immoral (married 3

times), cruel• Tacitus – indulging in

every kind of cruelty and lust, exercised the power of a king in the spirit of a slave.

Claudius Lysias,

To His Excellency, Governor Felix:

Greetings

This man was seized by the Jews and they were about to kill him, but I came…

…I came with my troops and rescued him, for I had learned that

he was a Roman citizen.

☺(A little bit of re-writing history!)

Governor FelixGovernor Felix• Felix agreed to hear

Paul’s case when his accusers from Jerusalem arrived.