2 And the high priest Ananias commanded them that stood by him, to smite him on the mouth.

3 Then said Paul unto him, God shall smite thee, thou whited

church of Christ, and now he follows the enlightened convictions of his heart, in his present belief in Jesus.

2. And the high priest Ananias] We learn from Josephus that Ananias was high priest in the reign of Claudius, during the famine mentioned in the eleventh chapter of Acts; and St. Paul, who visited Jerusalem at this time, must have known it. But, soon after this, Ananias was deposed by the Roman governor, and sent a prisoner to Rome, in consequence of difficulties arising between the Jews and Samaritans, in which he was involved. He was afterward releasedfrom imprisonment, and returned to Jerusalem, but was never reinstated in the office of high priest. From this period he could not properly be called high priest, though the title might have still been applied by way of courtesy. Jonathan was raised to the office in his place. After his death, and the high priesthood of Ishmael, who was invested with the office by Agrippa, there was an interval when the office was vacant. It was during this interval that St. Paul reached Jerusalem, and was apprehended; the Sanhedrim being destitute of a president, Ananias may have undertaken, on his own authority, or by invitation, the discharge of the office at this time. It is possible, therefore, that St. Paul, who had been only a few days in Jerusalem, might be ignorant that Ananias, who had been dispossessed of the priesthood, had taken upon himself a trust to which he was not entitled; he might, therefore, very naturally exclaim, "I wist not, brethren, that he was the high priest." Admitting him, on the other hand, to have been acquainted with the fact, the expression may be considered as an indirect reproof, and a tacit refusal to recognize usurped authority. He was, according to Josephus, an ambitious, cruel, and avaricious man. To smite him on the mouth] His anger being roused at the apostle's confident assertion of his innocence, thus directly contradicting the accusations against him, and his conscientious belief in Jesus as the true Messiah, implied in his language.

3. God shall smite thee] Either an expression of deep indignation at the illegal and insolent course of Ananias toward one whose trial was proceeding, and who had not been condemned, he also being the judge; or the language may be considered as a prophetic intimation of the coming judgments of God. "God is about to smite thee." This was fulfilled about six years after, in a sedition raised by his own son and certain Jewish assassins. He was drawn out from

wall for sittest thou to judge me after the law, and commandest me to be smitten contrary to the law?

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

5 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.

6 But when Paul perceived that the one part were Sadducees,

an old aqueduct, where he had concealed himself to evade their search, and was put to death. Thou whited wall] Thou hypocrite! Like to the Jewish sepulchres, white-washed without, but rotten within. A common proverbial expression among the Jews. Matt. xxiii, 27. Contrary to the law?] To the spirit of the law, which enjoined a fair trial for the accused, Lev. xix, 15; and that charges should be sustained by witnesses, (Deut. xix, 15,) none of whom had yet been examined. It was a most undignified, base, and insulting command, which St. Paul may have resented with too much warmth. 4. Revilest thou] Dost thou reproach or abuse? God's high priest?] The high priest of God, sacred from his appointment and office.

5. Then said Paul, I wist not] Either, I was not aware, I did not know that he was now exercising this office; or it may mean, I did not consider; I did not bear in mind or reflect when I spoke; thus frankly acknowledging his haste and undue feeling in the previous expression, as if he had said, "I did not reflect that Ananias was exercising the office of high priest, or I should not have spoken so sharply to him; for it is written, 'Thou shalt not revile the gods, nor curse the ruler of thy people.'" Exod. xxii, 28.

6. When Paul perceived] Either by his former acquaintance with them; or it may mean, when he bethought himself, when he called to mind the fact that the members of the Sanhedrim were divided in their religious views, some of them Pharisees and others Sadducees. The reasons why Paul started this religious discussion are thus suggested by Mr. Barnes:-"1. He saw that it was impossible to expect justice at their hands; and he, therefore, regarded it as prudent and proper to consult his safety. He saw, from the conduct of Ananias, and from the spirit manifested, (verse 4,) that they, like the other Jews, had prejudged the case, and were driven on by blind rage and fury. 2. His object was to show his innocence to the chief captain. To ascertain that, was the purpose for which he had been arraigned. Yet that, perhaps, could be most directly and satisfactorily shown by bringing out, as he knew he could do, the real spirit which actuated the whole council, as a spirit of party-strife, contention, and persecution. Knowing, therefore, how sensitive they were on the subject

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.

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

8 For the Sadducees say that there is no resurrection, neither angel, nor spirit: but the Pharisees confess both.

9 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.

of the resurrection, he seems to have resolved to do what he could not have done had they been disposed to hear him according to the rules of justice, to abandon the direct argument for his defense, and to enlist a large part, perhaps a majority of the council, in his favor." I am a Pharisee] He had been, in the fullest sense of the word, and was still, as far as the opinions of the Pharisees differed from those of the Sadducees upon doctrinal topics. Of the hope and resurrection of the dead] Or rather, " of the hope of the resurrection of the dead.” This was indeed true; for the great theme of the apostle was "Jesus and the resurrection ;" and the chief and fundamental argument in proof of the Messiahship of Christ was the fact of his resurrection; and, in his estimation, all just hope of a resurrection of the dead rested upon the fact of the resurrection of Christ. 1 Cor. xv, 13-18.

7. The multitude was divided] The company of councilors were now divided in sentiment, and a long-standing controversy is awakened, during which, for a time, Paul seems forgotten; or rather, the Pharisees immediately espoused his cause.

8. The Sadducees say] They taught that death was an endless sleep, an entire extinction of life; that there was no spirit but God, and no future state of reward and punishment. Confess both] Believe and teach both. St. Paul had already mentioned (Acts xxii) that he had seen a vision.

9. The scribes] The learned men, the teachers. And strove] Contended strenuously. We find no evil in this man] Nothing contrary to law; his views coincide with Moses: thus giving the tribune clearly to understand that it was a question of doctrine for which Paul was tried, and that the council were themselves divided. Let us not fight against God] Rather than lose their argument with the Sadducees, they make great concessions to Paul; allowing the possibility that he had enjoyed this spiritual vision from God, and, if so, opposition on their part would be perilous. How much better would

10 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.

11 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.

12 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.

13 And they were more than forty which had made this conspiracy.

14 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.

it have been for them if they had been as ingenuous in action as they appear to have been candid in opinion!

10. The chief captain] Who appears to have been present at the trial.

11. The Lord stood by him] The Lord Jesus. So must thou bear witness also] To encourage and support the apostle, the Lord reveals himself in a supernatural manner to St. Paul, assuring him that as he had been permitted to bear public testimony in Jerusalem in favor of the gospel, so also he should escape the wiles of his enemies, and be permitted to enjoy his long-coveted opportunity of preaching in Rome.

12. Bound themselves under a curse] It appears from the Talmud that it was common for the Jews to vow and bind themselves by an oath or curse that they would not eat for a limited time, until some design which they purposed was accomplished. According to their unscriptural traditions, a private person was permitted to kill any one who had forsaken the law.

These vows, however, were far from being stringent, but could be as easily unloosed as made. Thus there is no probability that these conspirators suffered death as the consequence of Paul's escape from their hands. The Talmud, among other reasons for absolving a man from a vow or self-inflicted curse, enumerates the danger of losing life; this at once relieves him. Thus it says:-"If a man vows that he will not eat anything, wo be unto him if he eats; and wo be unto him if he does not eat! If he eats, he breaks his vow; if he does not eat, he sins against his own life. What, then, must he do? Let him go to the wise men, and they will unloose him from his vow."

15 Now therefore ye with the council signify to the chief captain, that he bring him down unto you to-morrow, as though ye would inquire something more perfectly concerning him and we, or ever he come near, are ready to kill him.

16 And when Paul's sister's son heard of their lying in wait, he went and entered into the castle, and told Paul.

17 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.

18 So he took him, and brought him to the chief captain, and said, Paul the prisoner called me unto him, and prayed me to bring this young man unto thee, who hath something to say unto thee.

19 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?

20 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 inquire somewhat of him more perfectly.

21 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.

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

23 And he called unto him two centurions, saying, Make ready two hundred soldiers to go to Cesarea, and horsemen threescore and ten, and spearmen two hundred, at the third hour of the night;

15. Or ever he come near] Rather, before he come near you we are ready (prepared, resolved) to kill him.

17. Bring this young man unto the chief captain] Although perfectly confident that the divine promise of protection would be fulfilled, still it was his duty to use all proper precautions to defend his life. God works through human instrumentalities.

21. For a promise from thee] That is, for the order to be given by you for Paul to be brought down to them.

23. To Cesarea] On the seacoast of Palestine, thirty miles north of Joppa, where the Roman governor resided. At the third hour of the night] At nine o'clock in the evening, to elude the observation of the Jews. A large force was sent, as the band of conspirators was large, and multitudes would join them; and, besides, the city and adjoining country was thronged with murderers, banditti, and assassins.