Acts 23:1-5

‘You shall not speak evil of a ruler of your people’” we would all do well to remember this Biblical command. Jesus spoke out against the hypocrisy of the practices of the Scribes and Pharisees but never did He single out one individual governing ruler. Somewhere along the way we have lost civility even within our individual electoral parties.  We now expect more of our children in their dealings with others than we do with ourselves. We can agree to respectfully disagree that is what America is supposed to be about.

Note that Paul did not defend his behavior, but rather repented of it. There are several possible reasons why Paul did not know Ananias was the high priest. It could be that Paul’s eyesight was poor, and he could not see Ananias clearly. Or perhaps this was not a normal assembly of the Sanhedrin, and the high priest was not wearing his normal robes or sitting in his usual place.

Acts 23:1-5

23 Then Paul, looking earnestly at the council, said, “Men and brethren, I have lived in all good conscience before God until this day.” ² And the high priest Ananias commanded those who stood by him to strike him on the mouth. ³ Then Paul said to him, “God will strike you, you whitewashed wall! For you sit to judge me according to the law, and do you command me to be struck contrary to the law?” 

⁴ And those who stood by said, “Do you revile God’s high priest?” 

⁵ Then Paul said, “I did not know, brethren, that he was the high priest; for it is written, ‘You shall not speak evil of a ruler of your people.’”