S3E347 – Acts 23-24: Conspiracy

Transcript Distinguished Producer Lifespring Family Berean, Brother Paul of Seattle Podcast Introduction This is Gospel Saturday. Our reading will be Acts 23-24. I’m calling today’s episode “Conspiracy.” Design: Steve Webb | Photo: Catalin Pop on Unsplash Comments on Acts 23 Let’s think for a moment about the conspiracy to kill Paul that we read about in chapter 23, verses 12 through 22. We read that it was a group of Jews, and they bound themselves with an oath not to eat or drink until they had killed Paul. These people felt that they had the moral authority to commit murder. What? How can this be? The Mosaic Law clearly states that murder is forbidden. It’s even in the 10 Commandments, right? Thou shalt not murder. (Side note, the 10 Commandments does not say, Thou shalt not kill. Killing and murder are two different things.) So what’s going on here is an excellent example of what can happen when a group of people have such an extreme and rigid view of an agenda or ideology that they are willing to do anything to defend that ideology. Wow. That sounds vaguely familiar, doesn’t it? The more things change, the more they remain the same. These Jews thought that Paul’s message contradicted the Law, and they were so extremely incensed that he would dare to preach a different message that they would not, and could not accept his reasoned response to them. They were so rigidly adhering to the letter of the Law that they could no longer hear God’s voice in the intent of the Law, which Jesus came to fulfill. And so, they conjured up this scheme to silence Paul. A permanent cancellation, you might say. When a group is so passionately affixed on an ideology that any opposing idea results in invectives and violence, there’s a problem folks. If we can’t agree to disagree, and discuss our differences in a calm and reasoned fashion, there’s a problem. Just because I disagree with you does not mean I hate you, nor does it give you the right to call me names or strike me or destroy my property or do violence against me. This is true in matters of religion, in matters of culture, in matters of politics. Civilized people don’t behave this way. But then, there does seem to be a shortage of civilized people today, doesn’t there? Today’s Bible Translation Bible translation used in today’s episode: Ch. 23 NIV; Ch. 24 NLT Support This a value for value podcast. There are no advertisers because advertising=censorship. If you enjoy the Lifespring Family Audio Bible, decide how much value it brings to you. Only you can make that determination. Then put a number on the value and send it to me here: SUPPORT. Transcript Download .txt file. STEVE WEBB – 0:00We know that something’s wrong. INTRO S12E346 – 0:09Coming to you from Riverside, California, this is the Lifespring Family Audio Bible. And podcasting since 2004, I’m your OG Godcaster, Steve Webb. This is the daily show where we’re reading through the entire Bible in a year and it’s Gospel Saturday. Our reading will be Acts 23 and 24. I’m calling today’s episode, “Conspiracy”. Today’s show notes page is at lifespringmedia.com/s12e346. And my email address is st***@*************ia.com. Let’s get going. ACTS 23 (NIV) – 0:41Acts, chapter 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.” (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.” (12) The next morning some Jews formed a conspiracy and bound themselves with an oath not to eat or drink until they had killed Paul. (13) More than forty men were involved in this plot. (14) They went to the chief priests and the elders and said, “We have taken a solemn oath not to eat anything until we have killed Paul. (15) Now then, you and the Sanhedrin petition the commander to bring him before you on the pretext of wanting more accurate information about his case. We are ready to kill him before he gets here.” (16) But when the son of Paul’s sister heard of this plot, he went into the barracks and told Paul. (17) Then Paul called one of the centurions and said, “Take this young man to the commander; he has something to tell him.” (18) So he took him to the commander. The centurion said, “Paul, the prisoner, sent for me and asked me to bring this young man to you because he has something to tell you.” (19) The commander took the young man by the hand, drew him aside and asked, “What is it you want to tell me?” (20) He said: “Some Jews have agreed to ask you to bring Paul before the Sanhedrin tomorrow on the pretext of wanting more accurate information about him. (21) Don’t give it to them, because more than forty of them are waiting in ambush for him. They have taken an oath not to eat or drink until they have killed him. They are ready now, waiting for your consent to their request.” (22) The commander dismissed the young man with this warning: “Don’t tell anyone that you have reported this to me.” (23) Then he called two of his centurions and ordered them, “Get ready a detachment of two hundred soldiers, seventy horsemen and two hundred spearmen to go to Caesarea at nine tonight. (24) Provide horses for Paul so that he may be taken safely to Governor Felix.” (25) He wrote a letter as follows: (26) Claudius Lysias, To His Excellency, Governor Felix: Greetings. (27) This man was seized by the Jews and they were about to kill him, but I came with my troops and rescued him, for I had learned that he is a Roman citizen. (28) I wanted to know why they were accusing him, so I brought him to their Sanhedrin. (29) I found that the accusation had to do with questions about their law, but there was no charge against him that deserved death or imprisonment. (30) When I was informed of a plot to be carried out against the man, I sent him to you at once. I also ordered his accusers to present to you their case against him. (31) So the soldiers, carrying out their orders, took Paul with them during the night and brought him as far as Antipatris. (32) The next day they let the cavalry go on with him, while they returned to the barracks. (33) When the cavalry arrived in Caesarea, they delivered the letter to the governor and handed Paul over to him. (34) The governor read the letter and asked what province he was from. Learning that he was from Cilicia, (35) he said, “I will hear your case when your accusers get here.” Then he ordered that Paul be kept under guard in Herod’s palace. ACTS 24 (NLT) – 5:15Acts chapter 24. (1) Five days later Ananias, the high priest, arrived with some of the Jewish elders and the lawyer Tertullus, to present their case against Paul to the governor. (2) When Paul was called in, Tertullus presented the charges against Paul in the following address to the governor: “You have provided a long period of peace for us Jews and with foresight have enacted reforms for us. (3) For all of this, Your Excellency, we are very grateful to you. (4) But I don’t want to bore you, so please give me your attention for only a moment. (5) We have found this man to be a troublemaker who is constantly stirring up riots among the Jews all over the world. He is a ringleader of the cult known as the Nazarenes. (6) Furthermore, he was trying to desecrate the Temple when we arrested him. (8) You can find out the truth of our accusations by examining him yourself.” (9) Then the other Jews chimed in, declaring that everything Tertullus said was true. (10) The governor then motioned for Paul to speak. Paul said, “I know, sir, that you have been a judge of Jewish affairs for many years, so I gladly present my defense before you. (11) You can quickly discover that I arrived in Jerusalem no more than twelve days ago to worship at the Temple. (12) My accusers never found me arguing with anyone in the Temple, nor stirring up a riot in any synagogue or on the streets of the city. (13) These men cannot prove the things they accuse me of doing. (14) “But I admit that I follow the Way, which they call a cult. I worship the God of our ancestors, and I firmly believe the Jewish law and everything written in the prophets. (15) I have the same hope in God that these men have, that he will raise both the righteous and the unrighteous. (16) Because of this, I always try to maintain a clear conscience before God and all people. ...