Sha’ul’s Arrest and Trial ~ Part 5

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We continue in the Book of Acts. Sha’ul’s Arrest and Trial continues in Acts 23:6.

At home, managing family disagreements can become overwhelming, just as Sha’ul dealt with differing theological opinions. Consider implementing a ‘family council’ once a month where everyone can share their feelings about household issues, conflicts, or decisions. Set guidelines for respectful dialogue and encourage active listening. This practice not only resolves existing tensions but promotes a culture of open communication, helping the family unit function more harmoniously in Yeshua’s love as Sha’ul sought unity in the Spirit.

Contention Arises

⁶ But knowing that one part of the Sanhedrin consisted of Tz’dukim and the other of P’rushim, Sha’ul shouted, “Brothers, I myself am a Parush and the son of P’rushim, and it is concerning the hope of the resurrection of the dead that I am being tried!”

I myself am a Parush (singular). Though a Messianic Jew for some twenty years, Sha’ul still considers himself a P’rushim (compare Philippians v 3:5). Compare Yeshua’s correction of the Tz’dukim on this point (Mt 22:23–32). A P’rushim could believe in Yeshua and his resurrection and remain a P’rushim like Sha’ul; Luke refers to other believing P’rushim in Acts 15:5. But it isn’t easy to see how a Tz’dukim could remain a Tz’dukim after coming to faith in the risen Yeshua. The Brit Hadassah makes it no mention of believing Tz’dukim. It mentions believing Cohanim (Acts 6:7), and some may have been Tz’dukim before coming to faith.

⁷ When he said this, an argument arose between the P’rushim and the Tz’dukim, and the crowd was divided. ⁸ For the Tz’dukim deny the resurrection and the existence of angels and spirits, whereas the P’rushim acknowledge both.

The Tz’dukim believed the human soul disappeared with the body; only God’s Spirit remained. One hundred fifty years later, belief in the resurrection of the dead became an essential ingredient of normative Judaism. The existence of angels and spirits is an issue because of what Sha’ul said in his earlier address (Acts 22:6–11, 17–21, and verse 9 below).

⁹ So there was a great uproar, with some of the Torah teachers who were on the side of the P’rushim standing up and joining in—“We don’t find anything wrong with this man, and if a spirit or an angel spoke to him, what of it?” ¹⁰ The dispute became so violent that the commander, fearing that Sha’ul would be torn apart by them, ordered the soldiers to go down, take him by force, and bring him back into the barracks.

Sha’ul’s tactic of diverting the Sanhedrin’s attention away from himself in verse 8 above and his supposed crime to a long-standing dispute among themselves succeeded.

¹¹ The following night, the Lord stood by him and said, “Take courage! For just as you have borne a faithful witness to me in Yerushalayim, so now you must bear witness in Rome.”

Conspiracy to Kill Sha’ul

¹² The next day, some of the Judeans formed a conspiracy. They took an oath, saying they would neither eat nor drink until they had killed Sha’ul;

They took an oath, saying they would neither eat nor drink till they had killed Sha’ul, which they failed to do (see Acts 23:16–35, which we get into in our next post).

¹³ more than forty were involved in this plot. ¹⁴ They went to the head cohanim and the elders and said, “We have bound ourselves by an oath to taste no food until we have killed Sha’ul. ¹⁵ What you are to do is make it appear to the commander that you and the Sanhedrin want to get more accurate information about Sha’ul’s case so that he will bring him down to you while we, for our part, are prepared to kill him before he ever gets here.” ^[1]

The conspirators would have overcome the Roman guard, bringing Sha’ul across the Temple court from the Antonia Fortress to the Sanhedrin chambers.

In our next post, we will continue to learn about Sha’ul’s Arrest and Trial.

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^[1] Acts 23:6–15.