"you sit there to judge me according to the law, yet you yourself violate the law by commanding that i be struck" (acts 23:3)in today's passage, paul's accusers practice a deceit very common among all of us--we judge others harshly who do not conform to a certain standard of behavior, yet in doing so, we violate that very same same standard we expect others to conform to. it is clear to us that such a retaliation on the part of the high priest was itself a breaking of the law--but in that heated moment, it no doubt seemed so right to the high priest that paul be struck--i'm sure the high priest felt very justified in his action.
we are all very guilty of this kind of judging of others, though maybe not on such a public scale. it is absolutely inborn in our sinful nature and pride to judge what we see to be a "breaking of God's law"-and we often feel very justified in our actions, but in the very act of judging, we ourselves sin grievously. of course there are cases when the sin is blatant, but in matters of conscience, we would do well to be mindful of God's injunction to judge not, especially when we do not always know the details of what we think we know.
again paul is exemplary in his conduct--calling out the wickedness of the high priest, but showing the respect due to him as God's appointed servant. it is especially moving to know that the following night, the Lord Jesus Christ "stood near paul and said, "take courage! as you have testified about me in Jerusalem, so you must also testify in rome". just as He did for Paul, the Lord Jesus knows when things go terribly wrong in our lives, but encourages and strengthens us to continue in the work He has given us to do.
3 comments:
Thanks for your reflection Dulla SMN!
"Do not judge, and you will not be judged. Do not condemn, and you will not be condemned. Forgive, and you will be forgiven. Luke 6:37
This verse will creep up in the back of my mind as I begin to develop thoughts of judgment on something I saw someone do or say etc...but it usually doesn't stop me from continuing on...
I am guilty of this and like you said it is inborn in our nature because it is something that takes very little effort to do.
There have been times after the fact that I realize that I was wrong about the judgment I had placed on someone and I feel so bad.
I try hard not to judge but my sinful nature can easily win me over. I can only pray for my heart to be more like Christ and less like Christine.
Thanks for sharing your reflection, Darla smn. I agree with you that, it is only right for God to judge. I was puzzled to realize that though Paul was in Jerusalem, the Holy city of the Jews, he was not entirely under their control. The Jews themselves were under the rule of another empire, the Romans. If it not were for the Gentile Romans, perhaps Paul would have even been struck dead by the Jews that very day. Though the Jews had turned away from God and rejected their one last hope for salvation, He was not going to allow them to destroy that same hope for the Gentiles as well. But while in their assembly, I think it was so wise for Paul to yell out "My brothers, I am a Pharisee, the son of a Pharisee. I stand on trial because of my hope in the resurrection of the dead." With that, the Jews turn against each other- the Pharisees against the Sadducees. It reminds me of what Jesus said about a house that cannot stand if it be divided. Though Paul had preached to them the Gospel, the only Truth they ever needed, the Jews were stuck pointing out and arguing their differences. Going back to Darla smn's point, we all are indeed guilty of the same sin as Paul's accusers and in observing them, we can see how futile and harmful it can be for that body of believers.
I hope and pray that the believers in our body will not only keep from judging each other and from letting our differences become a barrier but that we also be united in '...one Spirit—just as you were called to one hope when you were called— one Lord, one faith, one baptism; one God and Father of all, who is over all and through all and in all. (Eph 4:4-6)
Thanks Dulla smn!!!
I had to admire Paul because he faced a raging lion head on without backing down. Yes, he had Christ on his side, so of course he didn't have any fear.
The thing I thought was so cool about this sanhedrin trial was that Paul fought fire with fire. He was once and was still one of them. He know their laws and strategies better than they did because he did and lived the same way as they did. He simply called them out on their evil, wicked ways.
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