All [the Lord] does is just and good,
….and all his commandments are trustworthy.
They are forever true,
….to be obeyed faithfully and with integrity. Psalm 111:7-8 NLT

Acts 23:1-11 (<<click here to read the passage)

Over the years I’ve watched my share of police dramas. A common plot line is for an officer to go undercover. This trained professional infiltrates the bad guys’ workings and provides information to undermine their activities, unbeknownst to the bad guys. Only those closest to them know their true identity. The bad guys only think they know.

Those who desire to follow God must be very careful to live lives that reflect our relationship with Him. Some struggle with living that life. Sometimes new believers have a hard time letting go of their old habits. God understands and will help them overcome their issues with time, patience, and love.

The bad thing is that some have no real relationship with God but are in it for what they can get out of it. They may have started innocently enough, but power, money, or some other thing lured them away from a true relationship with God, into something that fulfilled their needs.

In today’s passage, Paul is defending himself before the high council – the Sanhedrin, the High Court of the Jewish faith. It was composed of both Sadducees and Pharisees. (Paul of course had been trained in the ways of the Pharisees and before his face-to-face encounter with Jesus, had been held in the highest regard by them.)

His opening statement was, “Brothers, I have always lived before God with a clear conscience!” v1b

The words were no sooner past his lips when Ananias the high priest commanded those close to Paul to slap him on the mouth. v2

Paul quickly retorted, “God will slap you, you corrupt hypocrite! What kind of judge are you to break the law yourself by ordering me struck like that?” v3 NLT

He didn’t realize it until someone near him told him that he was speaking to the high priest – the highest-ranking official of the high council. Paul was apologetic but what he had said was true!

Josephus, a respected first-century historian, described Ananias as profane, greedy, and hot-tempered. Paul’s outburst came as a result of the illegal command that Ananias had given. Ananias had violated Jewish law by assuming that Paul was guilty without a trial and ordering his punishment.*

The Law, which they all were duty bound to abide by (even high priests!), states in Deuteronomy 19:15,

“A single witness shall not appear in a trial against a man for any wrong or any sin which he has committed; [only] on the testimony or evidence of two or three witnesses shall a charge be confirmed. AMP

Ananias by historic record and by action had no true relationship with God. It was all about him. He was a child of the devil playing an undercover role of piety.

So where do we stand? It is of utmost importance that we love God with all of our heart, soul, mind, and strength (Mark 12:30) and that even though we may fall in doing so, to never let that keep us down or allow us to slip back into old mindsets because it’s easier. Don’t play undercover!

*Life Application Study Bible New Living Translation

Aug 1st, 2022, Mon, 9:10 pm