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Questions for Acts 22:30-23:35

Key verses 23:11

TAKE COURAGE, YOU MUST TESTIFY IN ROME

1. Why do you think the commander took Paul to the Sanhedrin (22:30)? How would you interpret Paul’s response to the high priest who ordered that his mouth be struck (23:1-5)? What do you think motivated Paul to bring up the topic of resurrection (6-10)?
2. How did the Lord encourage Paul the following night (23:11)? What does it mean to you that the Lord stood near Paul? What promise did the Lord give to Paul?
3. What oath did some Jews make, and what plot did they devise to kill Paul (12-15)? How did Paul’s nephew help him after hearing about the plot (16-22)?
4. What decision did the commander make to protect Paul (23-24)? How do you describe the message of the letter he sent to Governor Felix (25-30)? What was Felix’s response when Paul was brought to him (31-35)?
5. How do you see God’s plan and guidance for Paul as described in this passage? What personal lessons or applications do you take from this passage?

Acts 2024 Juan Seo (Oct 20, 2024)

TAKE COURAGE, YOU MUST TESTIFY IN ROME

Acts 23:1-11

Key Verse 23:11

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.”

As I was reflecting on today’s message, the poem "Footprints in the Sand" came to mind. Many of us may already be familiar with this poem, but for those who haven’t heard it yet, I’d like to share it with you.

One night I dreamed a dream. I was walking along the beach with my Lord. Across the dark sky flashed scenes from my life. For each scene, I noticed two sets of footprints in the sand, one belonging to me and one to my Lord. When the last scene of my life shot before me I looked back at the footprints in the sand. There was only one set of footprints. I realized that this was at the lowest and saddest times of my life. This always bothered me and I questioned the Lord about my dilemma. “Lord, You told me when I decided to follow You, You would walk and talk with me all the way. But I’m aware that during the most troublesome times of my life there is only one set of footprints. I just don’t understand why, when I need You most, You leave me.” He whispered, “My precious child, I love you and will never leave you, never, ever, during your trials and testings. When you saw only one set of footprints, It was then that I carried you.”

Sometimes, we feel alone in the midst of difficult circumstances, unable to sense God’s presence. We may even doubt whether God has abandoned us. However, Jesus promised, “Surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age” (Matthew 28:20). The Lord is with us always as He promised. Today’s passage focuses on Jesus, who stood near Paul and encouraged him during a time of crisis. Let’s read the key verse, Acts 23:11, together: “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.’” Jesus had his particular purpose for Paul’s life: “This man is my chosen instrument to proclaim my name to the Gentiles and their kings and to the people of Israel” (Acts 9:15). Jesus guided Paul’s life according to His divine plan. Even Paul’s arrest and suffering in Jerusalem were part of God’s process to lead Paul to testify in Rome.

The Roman commander Claudius Lysias, responsible for maintaining order in Jerusalem, needed to determine the cause of the disturbance involving Paul. Therefore, he ordered the chief priests and all the members of the Sanhedrin to assemble. He then brought Paul and had him stand before them. The Sanhedrin was the highest and most powerful ruling council in Israel. Through religious trials, the Sanhedrin members could sentence individuals even to death. Paul stood before the Sanhedrin, which included the high priest.​ What would it be like if you were in this situation? Imagine yourself standing in front of judges wearing solemn judicial robes and jurors while you are dressed in a prison uniform with handcuffs on. They have the authority to sentence you to death or life imprisonment. In such a situation, it would seem wise to lower yourself and defend your case humbly and respectfully. But how did Paul respond?

Look at 23:1: “Paul looked straight at the Sanhedrin and said, ‘My brothers, I have fulfilled my duty to God in all good conscience to this day.’” Paul looked straight at the members of the Sanhedrin. He was not intimidated at all by the presence of those in power. What were his first words? “My brothers, I have fulfilled my duty to God in all good conscience to this day.” How confident is this statement? Paul declared that all he had done was to fulfill his duty to God. And when he fulfilled his duty to God, he did so in all good conscience to this day, meaning he had no guilt or regret in his conscience. With these words, Paul was defending himself, asserting that he had committed no sin before God. How could Paul speak so boldly before the Jewish authorities? It was because he relied entirely on God. His relationship with God was so personal and strong that he was fully assured of his actions before God. We pray that we, too, may say, when faced with such circumstances, “I have fulfilled my duty to God in all good conscience to this day.”

It seems that the high priest Ananias was enraged by Paul’s words. He likely interpreted Paul’s attitude as arrogant and lacking any sign of remorse. As a result, he ordered those standing near Paul to strike him on the mouth. Striking someone on the mouth was a deeply insulting gesture, symbolizing the demand to stay silent. Paul, however, had the right to defend himself before the Sanhedrin, and the members were obligated to judge Paul impartially based on the truth after hearing his defense. Yet, the high priest tried to silence Paul with violence. Paul immediately pointed out the injustice, saying, “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!” Let me emphasize again that Paul was in the position of a prisoner. However, despite his status, he fearlessly and harshly rebuked the injustice of the high priest. When Paul said, “God will strike you,” he was declaring that the ultimate judge is not the one seated among the Sanhedrin but God, who judges from His throne in heaven. A “whitewashed wall” refers to a wall coated with a thin layer of whitewash to conceal any flaws or imperfections. When Paul calls the high priest a “whitewashed wall,” he is accusing him of hypocrisy—appearing righteous on the outside while being corrupt within.

When Paul made this offensive remark to the high priest, the Sanhedrin members were shocked. Those standing near Paul said, “How dare you insult God’s high priest!” In response, Paul immediately defended himself, saying that he didn’t realize that that person was the high priest. However, the situation became very unfavorable for Paul. The high priest and members of the Sanhedrin, having been insulted, were likely determined to put Paul to death. In this critical moment of danger, God granted Paul wisdom to navigate the situation​.

Look at verse 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.’” The Sanhedrin was made up of a majority of Pharisees and a minority of Sadducees. While the Sadducees, including the high priest, held political power within the Sanhedrin, the Pharisees mainly dealt with doctrinal matters. Paul, being a Pharisee, was well aware of the doctrinal conflicts between the two groups. The Sadducees did not believe in the resurrection, angels, or spirits, whereas the Pharisees believed in all of these. This topic was like a ticking time bomb that could explode at any moment between the two groups. Paul stated that he stood on trial because of the hope of the resurrection of the dead. Since Paul had testified about the resurrection of Jesus, his words were not false. His statement lit the fuse of the ticking time bomb, causing the assembly to divide into Sadducees and Pharisees. Some Pharisees even actively defended Paul, saying, “We find nothing wrong with this man. What if a spirit or an angel has spoken to him?” How fascinating is this incident? The dispute became so violent that the commander feared Paul would be torn to pieces by them. He ordered the troops to intervene, take Paul away by force, and bring him to the barracks. Once again, Paul narrowly escaped death.

Now, Paul was left alone at night. After the turmoil of the day, he found himself enveloped in the silence of night. How might Paul have felt at this moment? Perhaps it felt like emerging from a storm, only to be overwhelmed by the loneliness of the quiet night. Thoughts might have flooded his mind: “What am I doing here in Jerusalem?” or “Why did I come here only to suffer such great trials?” Paul’s life seemed to be taking a direction far different from what he had expected. In Ephesus, he had experienced a powerful work of the Holy Spirit and received a vision from God. He had shared this vision with other disciples, saying, “After I have been to Jerusalem, I must also visit Rome.” However, instead of being on his way to Rome, he was now imprisoned by the Roman military in Jerusalem. In just a short period, Paul had already come close to death several times. His life was like a candle flickering in the wind. He had no idea when or if he would leave Jerusalem to reach Rome. In fact, it seemed entirely possible that he might die in Jerusalem before ever setting foot in Rome. At that moment, Paul likely felt as though his life had become trapped within the confines of a prison in Jerusalem.

Have you ever had such an experience? Do you feel as though your life is stuck, trapped as if in a prison? Are you currently passing through a long, dark tunnel in life, with no light in sight, leaving you feeling frustrated and hopeless? Does the difficulty of your current circumstances make it hard to understand any meaning behind them? Perhaps you came to the U.S. with the intention of serving God’s mission, but now you feel as though you are aimlessly going through the motions, living each day in a state of exhaustion. Do you feel abandoned or that God is merely watching without intervening? When such thoughts arise, they can leave our hearts heavy and burdened. It’s tempting to give up on serving God or living by faith entirely. However, remember that these moments are precisely when we can encounter God most deeply. It is in these difficult and despairing times that God reveals Himself, takes hold of us, and lifts us up. He is the one who strengthens us, even when all seems lost.

Let’s read verse 11 together: “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.’” Where was the Lord Jesus the following night? He stood near Paul. What does this mean? It means that Jesus came directly to Paul, standing by his side to comfort him. Jesus did not abandon Paul. In fact, He never left Paul alone, not even for a moment. When Paul was stoned and left unconscious in Lystra, Jesus was there, enduring the stones with him. When Paul was severely flogged and thrown into prison in Philippi, Jesus was with him, suffering the flogging and imprisonment alongside him. Even when Paul was nearly killed by the Jews in Jerusalem and faced the danger of being torn to pieces before the Sanhedrin, Jesus shared in Paul’s persecution. What did Jesus say when He first appeared to Paul (then Saul)? “Saul, Saul, why do you persecute me?” Jesus told Saul that in persecuting His disciples, Saul was persecuting Jesus Himself. This shows that Jesus participates in the suffering of His followers. He joins in the trials of all who believe in Him and stands near to comfort them. Think back to the “Footprints in the Sand” poem I read at the beginning of this message. When we go through our hardest times, Jesus does not leave us alone. Instead, He carries us on His shoulders and walks with us through those trials.

What did Jesus say to Paul? “Take courage! As you have testified about me in Jerusalem, so you must also testify in Rome.” Jesus encouraged Paul, saying, “Take courage!” When we find ourselves in moments of failure and despair or when we are burdened with worry and fear, Jesus desires to give us courage, saying: “Take courage!” The almighty Jesus has the power to change our circumstances as well as provide us with the strength and wisdom to overcome our current challenges. Who needs courage now? Trust in and rely on the almighty Jesus. Remember that Jesus desires to give you courage. Try speaking this out loud with your own name: “Juan, take courage!”

Moreover, Jesus gave Paul a promise: “As you have testified about me in Jerusalem, so you must also testify in Rome.” When Jesus said, “You must,” it was His assurance that this would certainly happen. This promise guaranteed that Paul would not die in Jerusalem but would indeed go to Rome. It was a commitment from Jesus that Paul would reach Rome by God’s timing and way. Therefore, Paul did not need to fear dying in Jerusalem, for he would surely arrive in Rome alive. Everything happening to Paul was within God’s plan. God was using Paul, according to His purpose, to proclaim the gospel to Gentiles, their kings, and the people of Israel. Even as a prisoner in Jerusalem, Paul had the opportunity to testify about the gospel before the Sanhedrin, the assembly of Jewish religious leaders. Later, Paul would also share the gospel with Roman governors Felix, Festus, and King Agrippa. If Paul had not been a prisoner, would he have had the chance to proclaim the gospel to such prominent figures? And without being a prisoner, would Paul have had the opportunity to share the gospel with Roman authorities? God was personally leading Paul with His divine plan, guiding him to fulfill his mission step by step.

The Apostle Paul trusted in God's good guidance throughout his life. Romans 8:28 says, “And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose.” God is always good and directs everything according to His perfect and good plan. While situations may appear hopeless from a human perspective, they are part of God's design, working ultimately for good. Therefore, we must trust God’s guidance and continue to move forward in faith, regardless of our circumstances. Above all, we must love God. In all things, God works for the good of those who love Him. When we fail to love God and instead love the world, we may drift away from Him, pursuing worldly desires. But if we love God, we can overcome anything and trust Him in every situation because, in all things, God works for the good of those who love Him. Amen.