Paul looked straight at the Sanhedrin and said, “My brothers, I have fulfilled my duty to God in all good conscience to this day.” Acts 23:1 NIV

After leaving Ephesus, Paul returned to Jerusalem. While attending the temple in Jerusalem, Paul is assaulted and beaten mercilessly for spreading the gospel message of Jesus Christ. Receiving word of the riotous behavior, a Roman commander and his troops quickly came to the temple and arrested Paul.

Paul asked the Roman tribune for an opportunity to speak on his own behalf and the commander allowed it. Paul addressed the crowd in Aramaic telling of his history as a Pharisee and describing his prior persecution of the Christians.

The crowd listened until Paul mentioned the Lord sending him to the Gentiles to perform what he later described as “my duty to God.” With that, they demanded his removal thinking he was not fit to live. The Roman commander ordered Paul flogged and interrogated. While a Roman centurion prepared to carry out this duty, Paul revealed his Roman citizenship causing the proceedings to halt.

Wanting to find out why the crowd attacked Paul, the Romans held him in chains, releasing him the next day to stand before the Jewish chief priests and the Sanhedrin. The Sanhedrin was the Jewish council that regulated and enforced the law of Moses.

In All Good Conscience

To address the Sanhedrin, Paul began with the words from Acts 23:21, “My brothers, I have fulfilled my duty to God in all good conscience to this day.” With this statement, Paul affirms his integrity. The apostle is eager to share his message with the Jewish leadership some of which knew him before his conversion.

However, now that Paul evangelizes for the sect he once persecuted, the religious leaders become enraged that he presents himself as blameless, of “good conscience,” and fulfilling “my duty to God.” This effectively ends the meeting as the high priest orders Paul struck. Paul, not knowing he is speaking to the high priest, insults the man for giving an unlawful order.

Probably to distract from his error and realizing there are Pharisees and Sadducees present in the council, Paul mentions that he is a Pharisee and only on trial because of his hope in resurrection from the dead. The Pharisees, believing in life after death, begin to quarrel with the Sadducees who reject the idea resulting in some Pharisees speaking in favor of Paul. As the gathering grew more violent, the Romans took Paul away.

Yesterday’s Devotional: He Is Risen