LIFE SCRIPTS

1 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. 11 The following night the Lord stood near Paul and said, “Take courage! As you have testified about me in Jerusalem, so you must also testify in Rome.”
Acts 23:1‭-‬11 NIV

https://bible.com/bible/111/act.23.1-11.NIV

Paul stood accused before an opinionated committee of people. The Roman guards had brought him before the Sanhedrin. At its helm was the high priest, Ananias who didn’t mince his words about Paul. ‘Strike his mouth’, he stated after Paul stated that he had fulfilled his duty in good conscience. Paul who was understandably perturbed let out a verbal rebuke towards him. After being reprimanded by the people around him, he seemed to step back and apologize…an attitude we must take when we fall into wrongdoing. Paul also realized that this was a gathering of Pharisees and Sadducees. Knowing very well that Sadducees didn’t believe in resurrection, he brought in the issue of resurrection which sharply divided group. Such was the division that it nearly split the whole group. The soldiers evacuated Paul during the uproar but this was just a picture of the contention the ressurection story brings to our world today. We may not have traditional Sadducees but ideological ones exist…even among us who profess Christ. Many of us claim to be Christians yet live our lives devoid of the power of Christ’s resurrection. We continue to live in sin. The resurrection of Christ gives us authority to walk in freedom from sin. The Lord later on appeared to Paul instructing him to stand witness for him even when in Rome. God continues to assure us that He’s with us even amidst hostility.