Acts 23:1-10 – Paul looked straight at the Sanhedrin and said, “My brothers, I have fulfilled my duty to God in all good conscience to this day.” 2 At this the high priest Ananias ordered those standing near Paul to strike him on the mouth. 3 Then Paul said to him, “God will strike you, you whitewashed wall! You sit there to judge me according to the law, yet you yourself violate the law by commanding that I be struck!” 4 Those who were standing near Paul said, “How dare you insult God’s high priest!” 5 Paul replied, “Brothers, I did not realize that he was the high priest; for it is written: ‘Do not speak evil about the ruler of your people.’” 6 Then Paul, knowing that some of them were Sadducees and the others Pharisees, called out in the Sanhedrin, “My brothers, I am a Pharisee, descended from Pharisees. I stand on trial because of the hope of the resurrection of the dead.” 7 When he said this, a dispute broke out between the Pharisees and the Sadducees, and the assembly was divided. 8 (The Sadducees say that there is no resurrection, and that there are neither angels nor spirits, but the Pharisees believe all these things.) 9 There was a great uproar, and some of the teachers of the law who were Pharisees stood up and argued vigorously. “We find nothing wrong with this man,” they said. “What if a spirit or an angel has spoken to him?” 10 The dispute became so violent that the commander was afraid Paul would be torn to pieces by them. He ordered the troops to go down and take him away from them by force and bring him into the barracks.
“Then Paul said to him, “God will strike you, you whitewashed wall! You sit there to judge me according to the law, yet you yourself violate the law by commanding that I be struck!” 4 Those who were standing near Paul said, “How dare you insult God’s high priest!” 5 Paul replied, “Brothers, I did not realize that he was the high priest; for it is written: ‘Do not speak evil about the ruler of your people.’” Paul was angry as he had been struck out of line. Have you ever been surprised by an unexpected slap or punch? Once when I was in school I was being falsely accused. The principal had promised to not strike me and then, when I was looking away, slapped me on my face. I was immediately furious at the unprovoked and unwarranted slap. I just managed to control myself not to strike back. Paul was unjustly struck. It was not the practice of the Jews to punish someone without due process (Deuteronomy 25:1-2). Besides, wasn’t Paul there to defend his innocence just as the Sanhedrin was there to accuse him? So obviously Paul said what a man who believed himself innocent would say, that his conscience was clear of wrongdoing. It was not for the sake of courtly order or because of wrong doing by Paul that he was struck, but because of the poor character of Ananias who directed the attack from anger and pride.
Paul, not knowing that the one who called for him to be struck was the high priest, spoke out against the one who gave the wrongful order. Paul called him a whitewashed tomb. This was a reference to the practice of white washing a tomb to make aware to any person traveling by that they were passing by a tomb. If it were not whitewashed and someone touched it, not knowing it was a tomb (a carved out cave), then that person was considered unclean. In that circumstance there was a seven day cleansing ritual (Numbers 19:11-22). So the expression a “whitewashed tomb” was to state that the person who looked clean and white on the outside was unclean on the inside. It was calling them a vile hypocrite.
As noted, Paul, until he was told, did not know it was the high priest who had given the instruction. It has been offered that he did not know because perhaps the high priest was not dressed in his priestly garb (due to the impromptu meeting), and in addition to that Paul had not been in Jerusalem for some time and may not have known who the current high priest was.
Though Paul had been wronged by the high priest he immediately apologized for disrespecting him. He pled ignorance of the knowing it was the high priest. He quoted the verse that would be the one he had broken “Do not speak evil about the ruler of your people.” Family, Paul wrote in 1 Corinthians 13:1-7 that authority should be honored because the authority is there only because the Lord has allowed it. Respect the authority even if it is inhabited by evil because we don’t know the reason or plans of God. Therefore we respect the authority even it is represented by an evil person (though not the person). God has His purposes which we quite probably do not at all know. Respecting authority is respecting and trusting God. An authority, such as Ananias, may not personally be one of honor or personally a respectable person, but we trust that God has a reason. If we have a complaint of injustice, we call out to God. He will recompense (Deuteronomy 32:35, Romans 12:17-19). Going further, pray for those who persecute us and abuse us and that shows the heart of God within us. After all Jesus died for the very ones who tortured and killed Him. If His love lives in us, how much more so should we, the bearers of His love, also pray for those who harm us? (Matthew 5:43-48)
Family, those who belong to God act from the love of God, and live out a godly character, not because we want to be long to Him, but because we do. Therefore, as Jesus taught us, we who are ordained by God as the light of the world let it be shown by how we live. Let the Light that shines from us, that is Jesus (John 8:12), shine out to the world. Acts of retribution do not display the Spirit of Jesus who instead of retribution to those who killed Him, blessed them with opportunity to God’s grace and love. Let us let our light shine (Matthew 5:14-16) and we do so not to win praise for ourselves, but to bring people to Jesus, that they may also receive His grace and love. Praise God who has given us the great honor of representing Him! There is no greater honor! Let us do so in a respectful manner that is worthy of the Lord. Thank you Jesus! Praise God! Thank you Lord God!
Psalm 150:6 – Let everything that has breath praise the Lord. Praise the Lord!
Micah 7:7 – But as for me, I watch in hope for the Lord, I wait for God my Savior; my God will hear me.
Micah 6:8 – He has shown You, O man, what is good; And what does the Lord require of You but to do justly, to love mercy, And to walk humbly with Your God.
Numbers 6:24-26 “The Lord bless you and keep you; 25 the Lord make His face shine on you and be gracious to you; 26 the Lord turn His face toward you and give you peace.”