In today’s study our titles are; Verses 1-11 Paul before the council. Verses 12-22 The Jews vow to kill Paul. Verses 23-35 Paul sent to Felix the governor. Continuing from Acts 22:30, let’s not forget what just happened. The Jews beat Paul, a Roman citizen, breaking the law. The chief captain of the Romans also broke the law and is now fearful of this information getting back to Ceasar. Afterwards Paul is allowed the audience at the bottom of the stairs, Acts 23 and verse 1 reads.
Acts 23:1] And Paul, earnestly beholding the council, said, Men and brethren, I have lived in all good conscience before God until this day.
Paul is on trial with no accuser agreeing with another, in other words, they are lying. Let’s go to 1Corinthians 4 and verse 3 reads.
1Cor.4:3] But with me it is a very small thing that I should be judged of you, or of man’s judgment: yea, I judge not mine own self.
[4] For I know nothing by myself; yet am I not hereby justified: but he that judgeth me is the Lord.
[5] Therefore judge nothing before the time, until the Lord come, who both will bring to light the hidden things of darkness, and will make manifest the counsels of the hearts: and then shall every man have praise of God.
[6] And these things, brethren, I have in a figure transferred to myself and to Apollos for your sakes; that ye might learn in us not to think of men above that which is written, that no one of you be puffed up for one against another.
Let’s see how the Kenites have infiltrated the churches, an example for us today. Back to Acts 23 and verse 2 reads.
Acts 23:2] And the high priest Ananias commanded them that stood by him to smite him on the mouth.
Ananias G367 means; Whom Yahoveh has graciously given. Ananias is the name of three Israelites, all here in Acts. The first was married to Sapphira in Acts 5. The second was a Christian in Damascus in Acts 9, who Paul spoke about being the one God sent to open his eyes. The third is this man here in Acts 23:2 who is the son of Nedebaeus, and high priest of the Jews, A.D. 47-59. In the year 66, he was slain by the Sacarii. This man was appointed high priest by the Roman governor and not by God. Now, what did Paul just say to make this so-called high priest angry? It must have been his tone in which he said it. To show you how Kenites respond to the children of God, let’s go to Jeremiah 20 and verse 2 reads.
Jer.20:2] Then Pashur smote Jeremiah the prophet, and put him in the stocks that were in the high gate of Benjamin, which was by the house of the LORD.
Then Jeremiah would tell them they would be going into captivity to Babylon. Back to Acts 23 and verse 3 reads.
Acts 23:3] 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?
The high priest was braking Roman law as well as Gods law. Calling him a whited wall is like saying you’re a false teacher. Paul quotes Deuteronomy 25 and verse 1 reads.
Deu.25:1] If there be a controversy between men, and they come unto judgment, that the judges may judge them; then they shall justify the righteous, and condemn the wicked.
[2] And it shall be, if the wicked man be worthy to be beaten, that the judge shall cause him to lie down, and to be beaten before his face, according to his fault, by a certain number.
Can you see the difference? Paul was not yet tried or found guilty of anything yet and was told to be smote by a high priest.
Acts 23:4] And they that stood by said, Revilest thou God’s high priest?
God did not make him high priest, so Paul is not breaking any laws.
Acts 23:5] 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.
Paul quoted Exodus 22 and verse 28 reads.
Exo.22:28] Thou shalt not revile the gods, nor curse the ruler of thy people.
Read that carefully, gods (lowercase and plural) do not revile them. Revile H7043 means; 1. to be slight, be swift, be trifling, be of little account, be light. Do not make of little account their false gods. Then says; Nor curse the ruler of thy (your) people. Paul then says; I wish not he was a high priest. because he was not appointed by God but the Roman governor. But here is where Paul is brilliant. We continue with Acts 23 and verse 6 reads.
Acts 23:6] But when Paul perceived that the one part were Sadducees, 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.
For the first time we learn that Paul’s father was also a Pharisee. Both being freeborn Romans and Pharisees. For this reason, they dragged him out of the temple, and beat him without trial, and are now trying to kill him. Paul read prophecy from the scriptures that the Messiah would come, and the Christ did come and they crucified him. Putting the blame of killing the Christ on them directly and showing all that they were indeed Kenites.
Acts 23:7] 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.
The high priest was a Sadducee. But Paul, knowing the difference of the two sects, and knowing they were after him for the same reason they sent Paul on the road to Damascus. For being Christian. Did not God tell Paul he would be persecuted for his namesake?
Acts 23:9] 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.
See how Paul read the room, knowing the Pharisees would have to come to his defense. Now we know that the Sadducees are Kenites and some of the Pharisees are also, but the divide was too obvious for them to go against Paul. This is how Paul outsmarted the Serpent.
Acts 23:10] 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.
The Romans step in again to protect Paul.
Acts 23:11] 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.
Paul’s testimony of the Lord Jesus Christ was now finished in Jerusalem. Comforted by the LORD, knowing he would never leave him or forsake him, Paul knows he is now going to Rome. Remember Paul’s threefold ministries were to the Jews, the Gentiles and the kings. Now he will go to Rome to testify before Caesar the king.
Acts 23:12] 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.
Not only these 40 men, but now the chief priest and elders are in on this conspiracy. This is how I could call them Kenites. Kenites are offspring of Cain, the first murderer. The Serpent’s seed. Jesus warned us about them in Matthew 13 with the parable of the Tares. He also confronted them in John 8 and verse 38 reads.
John 8:38] I speak that which I have seen with my Father: and ye do that which ye have seen with your father.
Notice the uppercase F and the lowercase F. Father is God Almighty, and their father is Satan, the Serpent from the garden.
John 8:39] They answered and said unto him, Abraham is our father. Jesus saith unto them, If ye were Abraham’s children, ye would do the works of Abraham.
[40] But now ye seek to kill me, a man that hath told you the truth, which I have heard of God: this did not Abraham.
[41] Ye do the deeds of your father. Then said they to him, We be not born of fornication; we have one Father, even God.
[42] Jesus said unto them, If God were your Father, ye would love me: for I proceeded forth and came from God; neither came I of myself, but he sent me.
[43] Why do ye not understand my speech? even because ye cannot hear my word.
[44] Ye are of your father the devil, and the lusts of your father ye will do. He was a murderer from the beginning, and abode not in the truth, because there is no truth in him. When he speaketh a lie, he speaketh of his own: for he is a liar, and the father of it.
Who was the first murderer? Cain, and the offspring of Cain are called Kenites. Who then fathered Cain, you find that in the garden. Let’s go to Genesis 3 and verse 1 reads.
Gen.3:1] Now the serpent was more subtil than any beast of the field which the LORD God had made. And he said unto the woman, Yea, hath God said, Ye shall not eat of every tree of the garden?
[2] And the woman said unto the serpent, We may eat of the fruit of the trees of the garden:
[3] But of the fruit of the tree which is in the midst of the garden, God hath said, Ye shall not eat of it, neither shall ye touch it, lest ye die.
The first trees in verse 2 are H6086 fruit trees. But this tree in verse 3 is singular, meaning the tree that is set in the midst of the garden, being the tree of good and evil, Satan. Now, this word Touch is H5060 Naga and means; to lie with a woman.
Gen.3:4] And the serpent said unto the woman, Ye shall not surely die:
Let’s go to 2Corinthians 11 and verse 2 reads.
2Cor.11:2] For I am jealous over you with godly jealousy: for I have espoused you to one husband, that I may present you as a chaste virgin to Christ.
[3] But I fear, lest by any means, as the serpent beguiled Eve through his subtilty, so your minds should be corrupted from the simplicity that is in Christ.
Back to Genesis 3 and verse 5 reads.
Gen.3:5] For God doth know that in the day ye eat thereof, then your eyes shall be opened, and ye shall be as gods, knowing good and evil.
First this word Eat is H398 Akal and means; to eat, to devour, or burn up. In other words partake of your own free will. Remember this is Satan speaking here. Second this word Eyes is H5869 and means your spiritual eyes. And this word Opened is H6491 and can mean either eyes or ears, again think spiritual. Satan is talking to Eve and deceiving her to partake of the tree of good and evil, himself.
Gen.3:6] And when the woman saw that the tree was good for food, and that it was pleasant to the eyes, and a tree to be desired to make one wise, she took of the fruit thereof, and did eat, and gave also unto her husband with her; and he did eat.
Adam also partook of Satan in the garden. An abomination.
Gen.3:7] And the eyes of them both were opened, and they knew that they were naked; and they sewed fig leaves together, and made themselves aprons.
Here is the beginning of the parable of the fig tree that Jesus told us to learn in Matthew 24:32.
Gen.3:8] And they heard the voice of the LORD God walking in the garden in the cool of the day: and Adam and his wife hid themselves from the presence of the LORD God amongst the trees of the garden.
[9] And the LORD God called unto Adam, and said unto him, Where art thou?
This shows us both God and Satan are in the midst of the garden. The tree of good and evil and The Tree of Life.
Gen.3:10] And he said, I heard thy voice in the garden, and I was afraid, because I was naked; and I hid myself.
[11] And he said, Who told thee that thou wast naked? Hast thou eaten of the tree, whereof I commanded thee that thou shouldest not eat?
[12] And the man said, The woman whom thou gavest to be with me, she gave me of the tree, and I did eat.
[13] And the LORD God said unto the woman, What is this that thou hast done? And the woman said, The serpent beguiled me, and I did eat.
Beguiled is H5377 Nasha and means; seduce. Eat is H398 Akal and can mean to be forced to consume. She laid with Satan.
Gen.3:14] And the LORD God said unto the serpent, Because thou hast done this, thou art cursed above all cattle, and above every beast of the field; upon thy belly shalt thou go, and dust shalt thou eat all the days of thy life:
Let’s go to Revelation 12 and verse 9 reads.
Rev.12:9] And the great dragon was cast out, that old serpent, called the Devil, and Satan, which deceiveth the whole world: he was cast out into the earth, and his angels were cast out with him.
Back to Genesis 3 and the first prophecy in God’s Word, and verse 15 reads.
Gen.3:15] And I will put enmity between thee and the woman, and between thy seed and her seed; it shall bruise thy head, and thou shalt bruise his heel.
There you have the two seeds, one of the woman’s seed which Christ would come through umbilical cord to umbilical cord from Eve to Mary. And the Serpent’s Seed which are the Kenites, offspring of Cain the first murderer. Back to John 8 and verse 45 reads.
John 8:45] And because I tell you the truth, ye believe me not.
[46] Which of you convinceth me of sin? And if I say the truth, why do ye not believe me?
[47] He that is of God heareth God’s words: ye therefore hear them not, because ye are not of God.
Very important to understand who the Kenites are, and the two seed lines. Having this information is called; The Key of David. Back to Acts 23 and verse 15 reads.
Acts 23:15] 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.
Paul has a sister and a nephew. Paul’s nephew was also a Pharisee, or at the least, a student to become a Pharisee because he was able to be within earshot of the people plotting to kill Paul. Now what happens next makes me wonder why the chief captain doesn’t just arrest everyone involved.
Acts 23:17] 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?
You can see the compassion the chief captain had for Paul’s nephew. Keeping what he says secret for his safety.
Acts 23:20] 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.
The chief captain has the whole story now. We need to understand that he is just an officer of the Roman army and doesn’t deal with court issues. This is the only reason I can come up with for now that he did not arrest anyone. But, remember he was in deep trouble knowing Paul was a Roman citizen and had allowed Paul to be beaten.
Acts 23:22] So the chief captain then let the young man depart, and charged him, See thou tell no man that thou hast shewed these things to me.
[23] And he called unto him two centurions, saying, Make ready two hundred soldiers to go to Caesarea, and horsemen threescore and ten, and spearmen two hundred, at the third hour of the night;
Tells them to get together 200 soldiers, 70 calvary men, and 200 spearmen. That’s 470 total, and to do this at 9pm.
Acts 23:24] And provide them beasts, that they may set Paul on, and bring him safe unto Felix the governor.
Felix would have to handle this matter. He is also the one who appointed Ananias to be high priest.
Acts 23:25] And he wrote a letter after this manner:
[26] Claudius Lysias unto the most excellent governor Felix sendeth greeting.
[27] This man was taken of the Jews, and should have been killed of them: then came I with an army, and rescued him, having understood that he was a Roman.
[28] And when I would have known the cause wherefore they accused him, I brought him forth into their council:
[29] Whom I perceived to be accused of questions of their law, but to have nothing laid to his charge worthy of death or of bonds.
He could see they were lying and had no charges that would hold up in any Roman court. Remember the Romans thought religion was superstition.
Acts 23:30] And when it was told me how that the Jews laid wait for the man, I sent straightway to thee, and gave commandment to his accusers also to say before thee what they had against him. Farewell.
The only job this chief captain had was to keep peace in his jurisdiction.
Acts 23:31] Then the soldiers, as it was commanded them, took Paul, and brought him by night to Antipatris.
Antipatris is a small town between Joppa and Caesarea.
Acts 23:32] On the morrow they left the horsemen to go with him, and returned to the castle:
[33] Who, when they came to Caesarea, and delivered the epistle to the governor, presented Paul also before him.
[34] And when the governor had read the letter, he asked of what province he was. And when he understood that he was of Cilicia;
[35] I will hear thee, said he, when thine accusers are also come. And he commanded him to be kept in Herod’s judgment hall.
It’s in his province, and he will hear this matter. But first those that are the accusers must first be brought here, I wonder how they will explain beating a Roman citizen without trial. Finally, the trial will begin for Paul. Let’s go to his throne.
Father, we thank you for your word and ask that you bless all that love you in Jesus’s precious name, Amen.
KJV along with The New Strong’s Exhaustive Concordance Of The Bible