提要
保羅在耶路撒冷碰到的麻煩還沒解決。雖然此刻他是在羅馬千夫長的保護下,但他仍要面對自己同胞的敵意。不過,這次的問題是千夫長製造出來的。他「為要知道猶太人控告保羅的實情」,所以「吩咐祭司長和全公會的人都聚集」,將保羅帶到他們面前。
保羅才剛剛開始為自己辯護,大祭司亞拿尼亞就叫人打他的嘴。保羅當然非常生氣(他斥責亞拿尼亞為「粉飾的牆」),但後來保羅即向亞拿尼亞道歉,聲明自己並不知道他是大祭司。隨後,保羅便採用一個新的策略。他知道公會是由撒都該人和法利賽人兩黨組成的,而這兩派人士間最主要的教義爭執就是有關復活的事──法利賽人信有復活,撒都該人卻不信。所以保羅公開聲明自己的身分:「我是法利賽人,也是法利賽人的子孫,我現在受審問,是為盼望死人復活。」(23:6)他並沒有直接提到耶穌,只是強調復活。但光是這個話題就使「陪審團」鬧分裂,我們看見這個崇高的團體竟變成一群憤怒的暴民,要不是千夫長及時採取行動,保羅很可能被他們肢解。
第廿三章記載猶太人謀殺保羅的計畫、保羅在夜間被安全的送往安提帕底、以及後來被關在該撒利亞,並在該撒利亞的巡撫腓力斯面前受審。羅馬千夫長呂西亞再次搭救了保羅。上帝使用這個羅馬人來保護使徒的安全,也讓保羅有機會向猶太人和外邦人的「高等法院」傳講信息。此外,保羅也即將向羅馬帝國的更高階層傳福音。
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Overview
Paul’s troubles in Jerusalem continued. Even though he was now in the care of the Roman commander, he still had to face the hostility of the people. This time it was the commander himself who was catalyst to the problem. He “anted to find out exactly why Paul was being accused by the Jews” (22:30a), so he “ordered” the chief priests and all the Sanhedrin to assemble “and brought Paul and had him stand before them” (v.30b, c).
Paul had no sooner begun his defense than Ananias, the high priest, ordered he be struck on the mouth. Paul reacted angrily (calling Ananias “a whitewashed wall!”), but then he apologized, asserting he didn’t realize that Ananias was the high priest. Then Paul takes a new tack. He knows the Sanhedrin is comprised of two sects, the Sadducees and the Pharisees. One of the major doctrinal disputes between them was the issue of resurrection – the Pharisees believed in it, the Sadducees didn’t. So Paul declares his identity, “I am stand on trial because of my hope in the resurrection of the dead” (23:6). He doesn’t mention Jesus directly. He just highlights resurrection. This divides the court and we see the remarkable disintegration of this respected body into a raging mob, which might have dismembered Paul if the commander had not stepped in to protect him.
Chapter 23 continues with an account of a conspiracy to kill Paul, his safe transfer to Antipatris by night, and his ultimate imprisonment in Caesarea where he was to be tried before the governor Felix. Once again, his chief protector was Lysias, the Roman commander. The Lord used this Roman to ensure the apostle’s safety and the proclamation of his message to “higher” courts, both Jewish and echelons of the Roman world.
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