Acts 23:5 Slapped!

Acts 23:5 (KJV)  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. 

The Apostle Paul was slapped at the command of the high priest of Israel in the audience the corrupt Sanhedrin for saying, “Men and brethren, I have lived in all good conscience before God until this day.”

Acts 23:2 (KJV)  And the high priest Ananias commanded them that stood by him to smite him on the mouth. 

The Apostle Paul responded courageously and with holy indignation – Acts 23:3 (KJV)  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? 

Our Lord Jesus Himself in his earthly ministry said to the scribes and Pharisees in Matthew 23:27 (KJV)  Woe unto you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! for ye are like unto whited sepulchres, which indeed appear beautiful outward, but are within full of dead men’s bones, and of all uncleanness.

The high priest of Israel has perverted the law of God by turning a deaf ear to God’s revelation in Christ through Jesus and unjustly incarcerate the Apostle Paul for turning to Christ and now preaching Christ.

Admittedly, the Apostle Paul was quoting Exodus 22:28 (KJV)  Thou shalt not revile the gods, nor curse the ruler of thy people. 

The true high priest of God will do the will of God according to His Word for His glory and not pervert His Word and persecute Christ and now His disciples.

He is as it was appealing to an unjust judge to right his wrong (Luke 18:1-8), a futile plea, he was in fact, appealing to the God in heaven our Heavenly Father to mete out true justice.

Luke 18:7-8 (KJV)  And shall not God avenge his own elect, which cry day and night unto him, though he bear long with them? I tell you that he will avenge them speedily. Nevertheless when the Son of man cometh, shall he find faith on the earth?

The question in Luke 18:8 begs a negative response, the faithful will be very few in the last days!

However, the Apostle Paul sets for us the example as a true man of God to courage stand for Christ and be threatened even when he was unjustly slapped!

Alas, Jesus said to His disciples in Luke 18:1 (KJV)  And he spake a parable unto them to this end, that men ought always to pray, and not to faint; 

May God’s people pray and not faint, exercise faith by persevering prayer, trusting God for His deliverance! Amen.