10.23.2015

Acts 23

Summary
The Roman officer (Claudias) assembles the priests and elders to find out what their problem is with Paul.  It starts badly.  Paul insists adamantly on his innocence.  The high priest orders him struck.  Paul lashes back, not realizing it's the high priest.  Then he divides the Jews against each other by claiming Pharisee status.  The Jews get so violent nothing more can be done.  Claudius takes Paul back to jail.

Some Jews make a plot to kill Paul the next time he is moved.  Paul's nephew hears of it, tells Paul, who sends him to Claudius, who needs to protect Roman citizen Paul at cost of his own job.  So he sends him to Governor Felix in Caesarea under heavy guard.  Jesus appears to Paul encouraging him and predicting he will witness to Christ in Rome, too.


How this is about Jesus / Application
The plots of the wicked and decisions of important officials and rulers is not out of God's control.  Rather, it is all part of His plan to glorify Himself through Christ in the church.  He arranges all events so that His people have opportunity to bear witness to Him.

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