- Covered In His Dust
- Posts
- Acts Chapter 23
"When disciples followed a rabbi, they followed him closely so they would never be out of his sight, never be someplace where they couldn’t hear him speak. They followed him so closely that his sandals often kicked up dust."
May you be covered in His dust.
If this is your first time receiving Covered in His Dust, WELCOME. I’d love to hear where you’re reading from. Just reply and let me know.
Before you dive into my notes, I encourage you to read Chapter 23 first.
Yes, I include all the scripture below, but there’s something about sitting with the whole chapter first — giving yourself room to be curious.
What catches you off guard?
What doesn't make sense?
Where is that?
Who's that?
Why?
Those questions will make the notes hit deeper.
God’s Word is more satisfying than anything you will touch today.
Before we dive into Chapter 23, let’s take a breath and look around.
Paul has just been yanked away from a furious mob—again. He’d tried to explain. He’d spoken to them in their own language. Shared his story. Told them about Jesus.
The crowd lost it. The Roman commander had to drag Paul into the barracks just to keep him alive.
And now? The commander still doesn’t know what Paul actually did wrong. So he decides to bring Paul before the Jewish ruling council, the Sanhedrin, and let them sort it out.
But on the next day, desiring to know the real reason why he was being accused by the Jews, he unbound him and commanded the chief priests and all the council to meet, and he brought Paul down and set him before them.
Are you ready? Let’s dive into Chapter 23.
And looking intently at the council, Paul said, “Brothers, I have lived my life before God in all good conscience up to this day.”
Maybe, just maybe, Paul still had hope. The crowds had shut him down. But maybe the leaders would hear him out.
Paul’s not claiming perfection, he’s claiming sincerity.
A heart that truly wanted to follow God… even when it was blind.
That’s why this statement hits hard. Because Paul’s not just defending himself, he’s revealing that the very council judging him… is made up of men with hard hearts and blind eyes. The same blindness he once had.
And the high priest Ananias commanded those who stood by him to strike him on the mouth.
Wow. That escalated quickly. So who is this Ananias???
He was the high priest from around AD 47 to 59, and he was appointed by Rome. He wasn’t known for godliness—he was known for corruption. Historians describe him as one of the most violent and greedy high priests in Jewish history.
He stole money from the temple.
He took bribes.
He used force to maintain control.
He was so hated by his own people that when the Jewish revolt began a few years later, they tracked him down and killed him.
So when he orders Paul to be punched in the mouth for simply saying he has a clear conscience before God?
It’s not about justice. It’s about power. Ananias is threatened, and Paul’s words hit a nerve.
Wait. The Roman Government assigned Jewish High Priests???
During the first century, the Roman government had control over who served as high priest in Jerusalem. By that point, the position had become more political than spiritual. Rome appointed high priests who would cooperate with their rule, and they removed them at will if they caused problems.
So instead of serving for life, like God originally intended in the Law of Moses, high priests under Roman rule often served for just a few years—depending on how loyal they were to the Roman authorities.
Then Paul said to him, “God is going to strike you, you whitewashed wall! Are you sitting to judge me according to the law, and yet contrary to the law you order me to be struck?”
Those who stood by said, “Would you revile God’s high priest?”
And Paul said, “I did not know, brothers, that he was the high priest, for it is written, ‘You shall not speak evil of a ruler of your people.’”
As I read that, I thought it was odd that Paul didn’t recognize the high priest, especially as a former Pharisee. But it turns out scholars have debated that for a long time.
Paul had been gone from Jerusalem for years. By this point, he’d spent most of the last two decades traveling. Ananias had become high priest while Paul was away, and Paul may not have even known what he looked like.
Another theory is that Paul had poor eyesight. Remember, he was stoned nearly to death back in Lystra. We don’t know what kind of lasting injuries he carried from that, but it wouldn’t be surprising if his vision never fully recovered. It’s possible he literally couldn’t see who gave the order.
But for me, the most likely reason is this: Ananias wasn’t wearing the traditional high priest garments. This wasn’t a formal temple setting—it was a rushed meeting in the Roman barracks or a side room. Without his priestly robes, Paul may not have recognized him at all.
Now when Paul perceived that one part were Sadducees and the other Pharisees, he cried out in the council, “Brothers, I am a Pharisee, a son of Pharisees. It is with respect to the hope and the resurrection of the dead that I am on trial.”
The Sanhedrin was made up of 71 members—a mix of Pharisees, Sadducees, and elders. It was the highest ruling body in Jewish religious life. Think Supreme Court, but with both political and spiritual authority.
Were they all there that day? Probably. This wasn’t some small dispute.
This was Paul.
A former Pharisee. Trained by Gamaliel. Once one of them.
Now preaching that Jesus was the Messiah. Now converting Jews across the empire. Now back in Jerusalem, standing right in front of them.
They all knew who he was. And now they had a chance to shut him down.
When Paul realized the room was split between Pharisees and Sadducees, he pulled the pin and tossed a grenade right into the middle of the council.
“I’m on trial for the hope of the resurrection of the dead!”
Boom 💥
The Sadducees didn’t believe in resurrection. The Pharisees did.
And just like that, the attention shifted. They stopped fighting Paul and started fighting each other.
He knew exactly who was in the room.
He knew what they stood for and how much tension was already in the air.
He knew how deep the division went.
And with one sentence, he turned them against each other instead of against him.
The Sadducees were strict in what they believed. They only accepted the first five books of Moses—the Torah. If it wasn’t written clearly in those books, they didn’t believe it.
So they denied the resurrection.
They didn’t believe in angels or spirits.
They didn’t believe in an afterlife.
And they didn’t accept the oral traditions passed down by other Jewish teachers.
They had power and influence, working closely with Rome and holding high positions. But they weren’t popular with the people. Most saw right through them.
The Pharisees, on the other hand, accepted the whole Hebrew Bible. They believed in the resurrection, in angels and spirits, and in life after death. They also held to the oral traditions and had more influence with the everyday Jewish community.
So when Paul brought up the resurrection, he wasn’t just making a theological point. He was stepping right into a long-standing fight between two powerful groups.
Then a great clamor arose, and some of the scribes of the Pharisees’ party stood up and contended sharply, “We find nothing wrong in this man. What if a spirit or an angel spoke to him?”
Man. I love the Apostle Paul. He wasn’t just faithful and fearless—he knew exactly what he was doing.
The Pharisees, Paul’s old crew, stand up and start defending him.
Not because they suddenly love Paul. But because he just said the one thing they can’t let slide.
“Resurrection”
That’s their doctrine. Their hill to die on. And now they’re willing to go to bat for Paul just to prove the Sadducees wrong.
“What if a spirit or an angel really did speak to him?” They’re not joking. They’re serious. And just like that—half the room is basically on Paul’s side.
He didn’t just survive the trial. He flipped the whole thing upside down.
And when the dissension became violent, the tribune, afraid that Paul would be torn to pieces by them, commanded the soldiers to go down and take him away from among them by force and bring him into the barracks.
The room turns violent. The Pharisees are shouting. The Sadducees are furious. And Paul’s caught in the middle.
The Roman commander steps in again—probably shaking his head at these people he doesn’t understand. All he wanted was a clear answer. Instead, he’s watching a courtroom brawl.
He’s afraid Paul’s going to be ripped apart, literally. So he orders the soldiers to step in, grab Paul, and pull him out by force.
That’s the second time they’ve had to rescue him from his own people.
Paul’s bloodied, exhausted, and alone. Still no charges. Still no justice. And no idea what’s coming next.
The following night the Lord stood by him and said, “Take courage, for as you have testified to the facts about me in Jerusalem, so you must testify also in Rome.”
Jesus keeps showing up at the most intense moments of Paul’s life. Not to rescue him from the storm, but to remind him He’s right there in the middle of it.
And then comes the promise:
“You spoke the truth about Me in Jerusalem. And you’re going to do it again in Rome.”
That’s not just encouragement, that’s Jesus telling Paul, “You’re not done. You’re not dying here. You’re going to Rome.”
The whole book of Acts has been pointing to this.
From Jerusalem...
to Judea...
to Samaria...
to the ends of the earth.
And Rome was the center of it all. The heartbeat of the empire. The place where power lived.
I have to imagine that one sentence from Jesus gave him peace. He wasn’t finished. He was right where God wanted him.
Jesus stood by Paul in a prison cell and He’ll stand by you in your darkest night.
That’s the kind of God we serve. Not one who always takes the pain away, but One who walks right into the fire with us. Who strengthens us for the road ahead. Who says, “Take courage. I’ve still got plans for you.”
Paul didn’t need comfort. He needed courage. And Jesus gave it to him.
He’ll do the same for you.
I’m headed to Cuba on Monday,
So I probably won’t send out notes next week— but the week after, look for an update on Cuba and what God is doing on the ground.
I’ll be meeting with local pastors, spending time in house churches, and listening to stories that rarely make it out of the country.
Can’t wait to share what I see, and what God shows me.
I love you,
George
Uncovering Scripture
PS: If a friend shared this Bible study with you and you’d like to receive it straight to your inbox, just click HERE to subscribe—it’s free and always will be!
George Sisneros is a full-time missionary in Guatemala and the founder of Ordinary Missionaries and the El Rosario Christian Academy for Boys.
He’s been married to his wife, Vonda, for 26 years. He’s a father to nine children, five adopted.
In 2024, George and his wife expanded to Cuba, joining forces with nine pastors committed to transforming lives through the gospel.