Our third Ananias

Seventh Tuesday after Pentecost

 Lectionary Texts:

Tuesday:

1 Chronicles 11:1-9

Mark 617-29

Wednesday:

2 Samuel 6:1-5

Ephesians 1:1-10

Thanks to Pat for her comment.

 

Today we return to our Acts Bible Study. Please read Acts 22:30-23:5.

More than once in Acts we have seen a Roman provincial official confused because he does not understand Jewish Law.  The Roman Tribune, Claudius Lysias, has seen a riot in connection with Paul, but he does not understand what the Jewish authorities are accusing Paul of. He therefore calls the Jewish Council to meet to clarify the charges.

The leader of the Jewish Council (Sanhedrin) is the high priest Ananias. He is the third Ananias we have met in Acts. The first was the husband of Sapphira, who in Acts 5 held back proceeds of a land sale and was struck dead. The second was the man who helped the blinded Paul after the Damascus Road experience in Acts 9. 

The Jewish historian Josephus writes extensively about the high priest Ananias. Josephus says that Ananias was exceedingly corrupt, taking many bribes and stealing funds from the Temple tithes. The high priest was appointed by a Roman official, not by any Jewish body. Bribes were a means of gaining the position. Herod Agrippa II, grandson of Herod Antipas (who killed John the Baptist) and great grandson of Herod the Great (who slaughtered the babies after Jesus was born) was king, though he ruled at the behest of the emperor. He was a Jew but was a good friend of Seneca, the philosopher and the Emperor Nero's tutor. The Romans were happy to let him continue his hereditary rule. Ananias likely bribed Agrippa II to get the appointment as high priest.

As Paul begins to speak, Ananias instructs a Sanhedrin member to strike Paul in the mouth. Paul pronounces a curse on Ananias. The text would have us think that both Paul's being struck and Paul's urser of Ananias were against Jewish law. This is a bit vague. There do not appear to be specific Jewish laws on the high priests, although Paul quotes Leviticus 18:5 against his own reaction. 

In the next verses Paul will show his rhetorical skill in creating division among the Sanhedrin. 

Lord Jesus,

We are grateful to all who have suffered in your name, and especially now your apostle Paul. They have done so much. We have done so little. Grant us wisdom, grant us courage, for the facing of this hour, as church returns from the Covid trauma.  Amen.

Faithfully,

Christian