The Council of Wolves!

The next day…

Paul was set before the council…

at Jerusalem.

On the morrow, because he would have known the certainty wherefore he was accused of the Jews, he loosed him from his bands, and commanded the chief priests and all their council to appear, and brought Paul down, and set him before them.  Acts 22:30

And Paul, earnestly beholding the council, said, Men and brethren, I have lived in all good conscience before God until this day.  Acts 23:1

They were hostile…

And the high priest Ananias commanded them that stood by him to smite him on the mouth. Then said Paul unto him, God shall smite thee, thou whited wall: for sittest thou to judge me after the law, and commandest me to be smitten contrary to the law?  Acts 23:2-3

and indignant…

And they that stood by said, Revilest thou God's high priest?  Acts 23:4

In humility, Paul apologized…

Then said Paul, I wist not, brethren, that he was the high priest: for it is written, Thou shalt not speak evil of the ruler of thy people.  Acts 23:5 

and in wisdom he replied…

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. And when he had so said, there arose a dissension between the Pharisees and the Sadducees: and the multitude was divided.   

 Acts 23:6-7

By this…

the council was sharply divided…

their hearts being revealed…

Variance. Strife. Contention.

And there arose a great cry: and the scribes that were of the Pharisees' part arose, and strove, saying, We find no evil in this man: but if a spirit or an angel hath spoken to him, let us not fight against God.   Acts 23:9

Paul was nearly torn asunder…

And when there arose a great dissension, the chief captain, fearing lest Paul should have been pulled in pieces of them, commanded the soldiers to go down, and to take him by force from among them, and to bring him into the castle.   Acts 23:10

And the night following…

the Lord stood by him, and said…

Be of good cheer, Paul: for as thou hast testified of me in Jerusalem,

so must thou bear witness also at Rome.  Acts 23:11

Again, a strong conspiracy rose against him…

And when it was day, certain of the Jews banded together, and bound themselves under a curse, saying that they would neither eat nor drink till they had killed Paul. And they were more than forty which had made this conspiracy.  Acts 23:12-13

Fueled by hatred…

they purposed to kill Paul…

and conspired with the council to do so…

at the earliest opportunity.

And they came to the chief priests and elders, and said, We have bound ourselves under a great curse, that we will eat nothing until we have slain Paul. Now therefore ye with the council signify to the chief captain that he bring him down unto you to morrow, as though ye would enquire something more perfectly concerning him: and we, or ever he come near, are ready to kill him.  Acts 23:14-15

God  intervened…

and the conspiracy was discovered…

And when Paul's sister's son heard of their lying in wait, he went and entered into the castle, and told Paul. Then Paul called one of the centurions unto him, and said, Bring this young man unto the chief captain: for he hath a certain thing to tell him.  Acts 23:16-17

Then the chief captain took him by the hand, and went with him aside privately, and asked him, What is that thou hast to tell me? And he said, The Jews have agreed to desire thee that thou wouldest bring down Paul to morrow into the council, as though they would enquire somewhat of him more perfectly.  But do not thou yield unto them: for there lie in wait for him of them more than forty men, which have bound themselves with an oath, that they will neither eat nor drink till they have killed him: and now are they ready, looking for a promise from thee.   Acts 23:19-21

and prevented…

So the chief captain then let the young man depart, and charged him, See thou tell no man that thou hast shewed these things to me.  Acts 23:22

And he called unto him two centurions, saying, Make ready two hundred soldiers to go to Caesarea, and horsemen threescore and ten, and spearmen two hundred, at the third hour of the night; And provide them beasts, that they may set Paul on, and bring him safe unto Felix the governor.  Acts 23:23-24

Then the soldiers, as it was commanded them, took Paul, and brought him by night to Antipatris. Acts 23:31

Paul’s journey is not over…

Convicting testimony.

Unveiled hearts.

Thwarted Plot.

Exposed fruit.

God has a purpose…

Behold, I send you forth as sheep in the midst of wolves: be ye therefore wise as serpents, and harmless as doves. But beware of men: for they will deliver you up to the councils, and they will scourge you in their synagogues; And ye shall be brought before governors and kings for my sake, for a testimony against them and the Gentiles.   

Matthew 10:16-18

Bonds and Afflictions in Jerusalem!

On more than one occasion…

the Holy Spirit testified…

                                that great trials awaited Paul in Jerusalem.

And as we tarried there many days, there came down from Judaea a certain prophet, named Agabus. And when he was come unto us, he took Paul's girdle, and bound his own hands and feet, and said, Thus saith the Holy Ghost, So shall the Jews at Jerusalem bind the man that owneth this girdle, and shall deliver him into the hands of the Gentiles.  Acts 21:10-11

And now, behold, I go bound in the spirit unto Jerusalem, not knowing the things that shall befall me there: Save that the Holy Ghost witnesseth in every city, saying that bonds and afflictions abide me.  Acts 20:22-23

Nevertheless…

Paul set his course for Jerusalem…

                                                                                and set his heart…

                                                                                                                firmly upon Jesus Christ!

And when we heard these things, both we, and they of that place, besought him not to go up to Jerusalem. Then Paul answered, What mean ye to weep and to break mine heart? for I am ready not to be bound only, but also to die at Jerusalem for the name of the Lord Jesus.  Acts 21:12-13

Intrepid. Courageous. Valiant.

Paul enters Jerusalem…

And when we were come to Jerusalem, the brethren received us gladly.  Acts 21:17

And testified to the brethren there…

                                                                of the mighty acts of God…

And when he had saluted them, he declared particularly what things God had wrought among the Gentiles by his ministry. And when they heard it, they glorified the Lord…  Acts 21:19-20

Within a week…

great opposition arose against Paul…

And when the seven days were almost ended, the Jews which were of Asia, when they saw him in the temple, stirred up all the people, and laid hands on him, Crying out, Men of Israel, help: This is the man, that teacheth all men every where against the people, and the law, and this place: and further brought Greeks also into the temple, and hath polluted this holy place.  Acts 21:27-28

(For they had seen before with him in the city Trophimus an Ephesian, whom they supposed that Paul had brought into the temple.)  Acts 21:29

Chaos erupted…

And all the city was moved, and the people ran together: and they took Paul, and drew him out of the temple: and forthwith the doors were shut.  Acts 21:30

The entire city was in an uproar…

the unfolding of prophecy had begun.

Paul was beaten…

And as they went about to kill him, tidings came unto the chief captain of the band, that all Jerusalem was in an uproar.  Who immediately took soldiers and centurions, and ran down unto them: and when they saw the chief captain and the soldiers, they left beating of Paul.  Acts 21:31-32

and bound…

Then the chief captain came near, and took him, and commanded him to be bound with two chains; and demanded who he was, and what he had done.  Acts 21:33

The crowd became violent…

And some cried one thing, some another, among the multitude: and when he could not know the certainty for the tumult, he commanded him to be carried into the castle. And when he came upon the stairs, so it was, that he was borne of the soldiers for the violence of the people.  Acts 21:34-35

For the multitude of the people followed after, crying, Away with him.

 Acts 21:36

Even so…

Paul desired to testify…

And as Paul was to be led into the castle, he said unto the chief captain, May I speak unto thee? Who said, Canst thou speak Greek? …But Paul said, I am a man which am a Jew of Tarsus, a city in Cilicia, a citizen of no mean city: and, I beseech thee, suffer me to speak unto the people.  Acts 21:37, 39

And when he had given him licence, Paul stood on the stairs, and beckoned with the hand unto the people. And when there was made a great silence, he spake unto them in the Hebrew tongue, saying,  Acts 21:40

Men, brethren, and fathers, hear ye my defence which I make now unto you. (And when they heard that he spake in the Hebrew tongue to them, they kept the more silence:  Acts 22:1-2

of the transforming power of the Living God!

I am verily a man which am a Jew, born in Tarsus, a city in Cilicia, yet brought up in this city at the feet of Gamaliel, and taught according to the perfect manner of the law of the fathers, and was zealous toward God, as ye all are this day. And I persecuted this way unto the death, binding and delivering into prisons both men and women. As also the high priest doth bear me witness, and all the estate of the elders: from whom also I received letters unto the brethren, and went to Damascus, to bring them which were there bound unto Jerusalem, for to be punished.  Acts 22:3-5

And it came to pass, that, as I made my journey, and was come nigh unto Damascus about noon, suddenly there shone from heaven a great light round about me. And I fell unto the ground, and heard a voice saying unto me, Saul, Saul, why persecutest thou me? And I answered, Who art thou, Lord? And he said unto me, I am Jesus of Nazareth, whom thou persecutest.  Acts 22:6-8

And when I could not see for the glory of that light, being led by the hand of them that were with me, I came into Damascus. Acts 22:11

And one Ananias, a devout man according to the law, having a good report of all the Jews which dwelt there, Came unto me, and stood, and said unto me, Brother Saul, receive thy sight. And the same hour I looked up upon him. And he said, The God of our fathers hath chosen thee, that thou shouldest know his will, and see that Just One, and shouldest hear the voice of his mouth. For thou shalt be his witness unto all men of what thou hast seen and heard.  Acts 22:12-15

And they gave him audience unto this word…

and then lifted up their voices, and said…

Away with such a fellow from the earth:

for it is not fit that he should live!

Unreasonable. Irrational. Fierce.

They refused to receive his testimony…

And as they cried out, and cast off their clothes, and threw dust into the air, The chief captain commanded him to be brought into the castle, and bade that he should be examined by scourging; that he might know wherefore they cried so against him.  Acts 22:22-24

Steadfastly, Paul spoke…

with great wisdom…

And as they bound him with thongs, Paul said unto the centurion that stood by, Is it lawful for you to scourge a man that is a Roman, and uncondemned? When the centurion heard that, he went and told the chief captain, saying, Take heed what thou doest: for this man is a Roman.  Acts 22:25-26

For the time being…

Paul was spared a scourging…

Then straightway they departed from him which should have examined him: and the chief captain also was afraid, after he knew that he was a Roman, and because he had bound him.  Acts 22:27-29

Against great opposition, Paul’s bold testimony,

stands as a beacon of light and truth.

Paul was a brightly burning light.

Are you?

Ye are the light of the world. A city that is set on an hill cannot be hid.

Neither do men light a candle, and put it under a bushel, but on a candlestick; and it giveth light unto all that are in the house.  

Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father which is in heaven.

 Matthew 5:14-16