30 The commander wanted to find out exactly why Paul was being accused by the Jews. So the next day he released him and ordered the chief priests and all the members of the Sanhedrin to assemble. Then he brought Paul and had him stand before them… 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.”
In today’s first reading, we find Paul back in Jerusalem, and the object of much hatred from the Jewish leaders. After his arrival, Paul went to worship at the temple, where he was recognized, and this set off a riot. The Roman commander, afraid of the disorder, had Paul arrested. Amazingly, Paul then managed to convince the commander to let him address the crowd. In this speech he told of his first encounter with Christ on the road to Damascus. Far from calming the crowd, though, his recitation only angered them more, and they called for Paul’s death. Once again, trying to restore order, the commander took Paul into the barracks and ordered him flogged. However, Paul then revealed that he was a Roman citizen and so could not be legally treated in such a way.
At the start of today’s reading, we find the commander in a difficult position. He knows that Paul is a well-born Roman citizen, so he cannot imprison him without a formal charge. On the other hand, he fears that if he releases Paul, an even bigger riot might take place. Therefore, he decides to take the apostle to the Sanhedrin, the supreme Jewish legislative and judicial court, and the only local body with which the Romans could work. Although this encounter is only an inquiry by the commander to see if there is any reason to charge Paul with a crime, Luke presents it as a trial.
Paul then gives his defense to the Jewish leaders, addressing them as “brothers” which presumes that they are equals (and was already likely to infuriate them). The beginning of his address is not included here, but it had quickly become apparent that Paul would not get a fair hearing. He, therefore, decides to play upon the divisions between Sadducees and Pharisees. The central issue here is resurrection (and for Paul, unlike for the Pharisees, more particularly the resurrection of Jesus). Since the Sadducees do not believe in any possibility of resurrection, the two groups immediately start fighting among themselves. The dispute becomes so heated that violence threatens. As a Gentile, the commander would not have been inside the chamber, but clearly he was listening outside. Fearing that Paul would be “torn to pieces”, he sends in a detachment of troops to take the rabble rouser back to the fortress.
Things could hardly seem worse for the apostle, but, in this dark moment, he receives a vision of comfort. Luke tells us that the Lord stood near him and commended him for witnessing to the truth. The Lord also tells him that he will not die in Jerusalem for he will go to Rome where he will also bear witness. This vision vindicates Paul who did not simply use a clever ploy to divide his enemies. The resurrection is central to the Christian message as Paul asserted. He has faithfully preached the good news and so the Lord has protected him – and will continue to do so.
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