Acts 24:10-21 – Then Paul, after the governor had nodded to him to speak, answered: “Inasmuch as I know that you have been for many years a judge of this nation, I do the more cheerfully answer for myself, 11 because you may ascertain that it is no more than twelve days since I went up to Jerusalem to worship. 12 And they neither found me in the temple disputing with anyone nor inciting the crowd, either in the synagogues or in the city. 13 Nor can they prove the things of which they now accuse me. 14 But this I confess to you, that according to the Way which they call a sect, so I worship the God of my fathers, believing all things which are written in the Law and in the Prophets. 15 I have hope in God, which they themselves also accept, that there will be a resurrection of the dead, both of the just and the unjust. 16 This being so, I myself always strive to have a conscience without offense toward God and men. 17 “Now after many years I came to bring alms and offerings to my nation, 18 in the midst of which some Jews from Asia found me purified in the temple, neither with a mob nor with tumult. 19 They ought to have been here before you to object if they had anything against me. 20 Or else let those who are here themselves say if they found any wrongdoing in me while I stood before the council, 21 unless it is for this one statement which I cried out, standing among them, ‘Concerning the resurrection of the dead I am being judged by you this day.’”
“Then Paul, after the governor had nodded to him to speak, answered: “Inasmuch as I know that you have been for many years a judge of this nation, I do the more cheerfully answer for myself.” Paul could not honestly give the governor, him being unjust and corrupt, high praise, like the unscrupulous Tertullus did. Instead he only said what he knew as the truth. Basically it was an acknowledgement of his tenure, if there is any praise in that.
Paul was speaking for himself. The Jews hired a professional speaker who was skilled in being persuasive to speak for them. Paul was an educated and intelligent man. He knew the truth. Yet he was most confident that the Lord was with him and would give the words he needed. He was aware of their accusations and of the fact that they had no actual witnesses or original complainants. Even justice back then demanded actual witnesses and complainants. With the truth in hand, Paul was eager to speak on his own behalf.
“Because you may ascertain that it is no more than twelve days since I went up to Jerusalem to worship. 12 And they neither found me in the temple disputing with anyone nor inciting the crowd, either in the synagogues or in the city. 13 Nor can they prove the things of which they now accuse me. ” They had accused him of being one who went about causing religious and political riots. Paul responds to that by noting that he had not been in Jerusalem long. Paul had not evangelized, he had not disputed the Law or the Prophets. He had only been in the temple in paying for the young men going through the Nazarene vows. He was in the temple only to assist these Jewish men. He was not arguing with anyone or inciting anyone in the synagogues or in the city (Jerusalem). He not only denied this charge of civil and religious unrest, but he asserted that they could not prove their charges.
“But this I confess to you, that according to the Way which they call a sect, so I worship the God of my fathers, believing all things which are written in the Law and in the Prophets.” Paul is saying that he, along with all of the Way (Christians), believe all the things in the Old Testament. So there is no disagreement there. We remember that Paul was a top Old Testament scholar. The Jews and the Way have no dissention there.
“I have hope in God, which they themselves also accept, that there will be a resurrection of the dead, both of the just and the unjust.” Paul asserts that he shares the same faith as they that there will be a resurrection for all of humankind. Paul knew the Sadducees did not believe in the resurrection of the dead. But the larger group of rabbis and scholars did. Something distinct in this verse is that Paul mentions that both the just and the unjust will be resurrected and stand before God to be judged. For the just, those whose sins are washed away by the sacrifice of Jesus, this our blessed hope. The unjust, those who reject Jesus, will naturally not want there to be a resurrection and judgement day as described in the Bible because, if what the Bible says is true, that will be an eternally sad day for the unjust.
“This being so, I myself always strive to have a conscience without offense toward God and men.” Paul states that because of the resurrection of humankind, as Jesus was resurrected, he is motivated to live in a way that pleases God, which includes how he treats his fellow man. We know that this is in line with what Jesus said is most important. (Mark 12:30-31) In this, Paul has a clear conscience. Oh what a treasure that is!
““Now after many years I came to bring alms and offerings to my nation, 18 in the midst of which some Jews from Asia found me purified in the temple, neither with a mob nor with tumult. 19 They ought to have been here before you to object if they had anything against me.” Paul now explains that the reason he was in Jerusalem was because of his love for it. He was bringing a love offering from the Gentile believers to the poor Jewish believers in Jerusalem. He had been a mission of love and mercy to his people whom he referred to as “my nation.” Once again, he was not there for trouble, but for love for his fellow Jewish Christian.
Paul was not impure when he was in the temple, so he had in no way defiled it in that way. He was not even teaching anything so he was in no way defaming the temple. He was in the temple because he had submitted to the elders of the church there who thought that he sponsoring the young Jews in the rite would help bring peace. So, what he was doing was actually meant to be a healing and peaceful act.
Paul said that the people who originally had created the riot, who had accused him, were not even there to give evidence. Why not? Perhaps because their lies would have been exposed. Perhaps because the Sanhedrin had realized they could not prove the accusations they then altered their strategy.
By the way, where were the church elders at Caesarea? The Jews had come to accuse Paul, after Paul was doing what the church elders had instructed, why didn’t they show up to encourage and defend Paul. They could have been witnesses in Paul’s behalf.
“Or else let those who are here themselves say if they found any wrongdoing in me while I stood before the council, 21 unless it is for this one statement which I cried out, standing among them, ‘Concerning the resurrection of the dead I am being judged by you this day.’” Since those present who were accusing them had no eyewitnesses, they should not hide behind their paid speaker but step out and themselves prove these charges. Of course they would not because they could not. So then Paul exposed what this was all about. It was about a difference of religious beliefs. And that was about the resurrection, which many in the Jewish faith differed on. Certainly there was no legal charge for Rome to find him guilty of. He was not a seditionist. This was all about religion and not about anything criminal under the law of man.
Jesus had prophesied that we would be persecuted and wrongfully charged because of being His disciples. Of those times Jesus said “When you are brought before synagogues, rulers and authorities, do not worry about how you will defend yourselves or what you will say, 12 for the Holy Spirit will teach you at that time what you should say.” (Luke 11-12) Here we see the Holy Spirit giving Paul the words to speak. Paul was putting into action Psalm 62:5-8. May we all be diligent in our service to the Lord and, knowing Him, may we trust Him! Praise God always!
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.”