Whitewashed Tombs

As Paul stood before the judge and a council of Pharisees, Sadducees, and Elders, he saw his opportunity to shift the attention from himself. He addressed the crowd in a loud voice saying that it was because of the hope of the resurrection from the dead that he was on trial. And at that, the crowd became divided, the Pharisees and Sadducees broke out into an argument so fierce that once again the judge had to send men to rescue Paul. While there in prison once again he received a word from God that He was sending him to Rome.

In our previous episode, Paul returned to Jerusalem. He sought to be at peace, even participating in Jewish religious customs to demonstrate to believing Jews that he was not rejecting or despising tradition. The peace was soon shattered as unbelieving Jews from Asia, who’d heard of Paul’s ministry and hated him, stirred up the city against him. It nearly cost Paul his life, but he’d appealed to the Roman judge on the basis of his Roman citizenship and had been spared, though he would have to stand trial with the Jewish religious council. Today we’ll hear as Paul appears before the Pharisees, Sadducees, and elders of Jerusalem. The divided panel will fail to come to a conclusion and Paul will be referred to the governor for trial. The frustrated council will plot to kill Paul, but God will once again spare his life.