Acts 23:6 - Printer Friendly

ESV: Now when Paul perceived that one part were Sadducees and the other Pharisees, he cried out in the council, "Brothers, I am a Pharisee, a son of Pharisees. It is with respect to the hope and the resurrection of the dead that I am on trial."

NIV: 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."

NASB: But Paul, perceiving that one group were Sadducees and the other Pharisees, began crying out in the Council, 'Brothers, I am a Pharisee, a son of Pharisees; I am on trial for the hope and resurrection of the dead!'

CSB: When Paul realized that one part of them were Sadducees and the other part were Pharisees, he cried out in the Sanhedrin, "Brothers, I am a Pharisee, a son of Pharisees. I am being judged because of the hope of the resurrection of the dead!"

NLT: Paul realized that some members of the high council were Sadducees and some were Pharisees, so he shouted, 'Brothers, I am a Pharisee, as were my ancestors! And I am on trial because my hope is in the resurrection of the dead!'

KJV: But when Paul perceived that the one part were Sadducees, and the other Pharisees, he cried out in the council, Men and brethren, I am a Pharisee, the son of a Pharisee: of the hope and resurrection of the dead I am called in question.

NKJV: But when Paul perceived that one part were Sadducees and the other Pharisees, he cried out in the council, “Men and brethren, I am a Pharisee, the son of a Pharisee; concerning the hope and resurrection of the dead I am being judged!”

The Roman tribune wants to know why a mob of Jews attacked Paul in the temple (Acts 21:27–34). He brings Paul before the Sanhedrin hoping the Jewish religious leaders have some insight. Paul tries to tell the Sanhedrin about Jesus. Before he can begin, he finds himself in an argument with the corrupt high priest (Acts 23:1–5). Paul realizes he's not going to get a fair trial, let alone an opportunity to reach these people for Christ, so he changes tactics and instigates a fight between the Pharisees and Sadducees.

Even so, Paul's strategy gives the Pharisees something legitimate to think about. Pharisees can become Christians while remaining Pharisees: men staunchly committed to following the Law of Moses. However, in practice, they often struggle to fully accept grace and abandon their inflated sense of self-worth (Galatians 6:12–13). Sadducees, on the other hand, must give up a main tenet of their faith; they believe there is no bodily resurrection from the dead.

This "hope" has a couple of different facets. Paul will tell King Agrippa that the hope is the fulfillment of God's promises to the Israelites given in the Old Testament (Acts 26:6–8); this includes the salvation of the Gentiles (Genesis 12:3). Paul tells the church in Corinth resurrection from the dead is necessary for the prophecies to be fulfilled (1 Corinthians 15:3–5). Jesus' resurrection and glorification shows us what His followers can expect after death.

The ultimate hope of the Jews is in God's promise of a Messiah who will lead them to a peaceful, affluent land. This will happen in the millennial kingdom. Those faithful Jews who die before then will still experience God's blessing in their resurrected bodies.

All of this most likely goes over the heads of the Sadducees. They're more interested in defending the honor of their high priest and re-engaging in the continued war about the resurrection with the Pharisees. Before long, the two sides are fighting and the tribune grabs Paul and retreats to the barracks (Acts 23:10).

Acts 23:1–11 records a Roman military tribune's last effort to uncover why a mob attacked Paul. The crowd dragged him out of the temple and beat him mercilessly (Acts 21:27–33). The tribune asks the Sanhedrin for help, but there are too many divisions. The Sanhedrin can't abide Christians. Paul can't fathom their rejection of Jesus. The Sadducees and Pharisees quickly fall into an old fight about the resurrection of the dead. The tribune takes Paul back to the barracks where, that night, Jesus tells Paul he's on his way to Rome.

Acts 23 continues the tribune's attempt to discover why a mob of Jews suddenly turned violent and attacked Paul (Acts 21:27–33). He takes Paul to the Sanhedrin to see if they understand what his crime is. Paul barely begins his story when he is slapped for impudence. He disrespects the high priest and starts a fight between the Pharisees and Sadducees. The next day, a group of forty Jews invite the Sanhedrin to help them murder Paul. Paul's nephew reports the plot to the tribune who gives up and sends Paul to the governor. The governor awaits Paul's accusers for trial.

Jews from near Ephesus accused Paul of bringing a Gentile into the temple and incited a crowd to attack him. The tribune saved Paul but couldn't uncover the reason for the violence; most of the mob didn't know, and Paul was a Roman citizen, so the tribune couldn't beat the truth out of him (Acts 21—22). When the Sanhedrin would rather murder Paul than talk to him, the tribune sends Paul to the governor. The governor holds Paul without charges for so long he invokes his right to a trial before Caesar. The governor agrees, and Paul finally gets to Rome (Acts 24—28).

The summary of the book of Acts is provided in Jesus' words in Acts 1:8: ''But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you, and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth.'' In Acts 2:1–13, the Christ-followers receive the Holy Spirit. Acts 2:14—7:60 describes the rapid growth of the church in Jerusalem. Chapters 8—12 find Jewish persecution inadvertently spreading the gospel throughout Judea and Samaria. And in chapters 13—28, Paul and his companions spread the good news throughout the Roman Empire.