AP

Acts 23:12-13  The next morning some Jews formed a conspiracy and bound themselves with an oath not to eat or drink until they had killed Paul. More than forty men were involved in this plot.

Why was Paul such a serious threat to the Jewish leaders who formed the Sanhedrin?  It was the Sanhedrin who had orchestrated the crucifixion of Jesus within living memory, and here was Jesus’ most outspoken follower claiming that, as a follower of Jesus, he was seeking, in good conscience, to live a life in obedience to Jewish law (verse 1)!  While ever he was free to testify in this way he was calling into question the Sanhedrin’s action in condemning Jesus.  He must be silenced, and killing him seemed the best option.

What a hole they were digging for themselves!  Already, in less than three decades, the ramifications of their public execution of Jesus were exposing their guilt.  Firstly, they had had to bribe the guards they had placed on Jesus’ tomb to prevent his disciples from stealing his body and claiming he had risen from the dead as he had promised.  This bribery was in blatant denial of what the guards had reported as fact to them, and they knew it!. (Matt.28:11-15)

Then there were the overwhelming claims of people who had seen Jesus alive, and the inexplicable boldness and courage, not to mention the healing powers, of his uneducated disciples.

And the number of ordinary people becoming part of this ‘sect’ was growing daily – 3,000 on the Day of Pentecost … and counting – 5,000 by the beginning of Acts 4!

They also had to reckon with the way Stephen had faced their accusations: “All who were sitting in the Sanhedrin looked intently at Stephen, and they saw that his face was like the face of an angel” (Acts 6:15), and the manner in which he had died at their hands: “While they were stoning him, Stephen prayed, ‘Lord Jesus, receive my spirit.’ Then he fell on his knees and cried out, ‘Lord, do not hold this sin against them.’  When he had said this, he fell asleep.” (Acts 7:59-69)

No, all this was too much for their guilty consciences, and Paul’s continued life and testimony were too dangerous and threatening to them to be tolerated.

But God had other plans for Paul, so he arranged for Paul’s young nephew to bring their plot undone (verses 16-24).  These schemers should have read Psalm 2:1-6 and heeded its solemn warning: “Why do the nations conspire and the peoples [including Jewish people] plot in vain?  The kings of the earth rise up and the rulers [including the Sanhedrin] band together against the LORD and against his anointed, saying, ‘Let us break their chains and throw off their shackles.’  The One enthroned in heaven laughs; the Lord scoffs at them.  He rebukes them in his anger and terrifies them in his wrath, saying, ‘I have installed my king on Zion, my holy mountain.’”

Praise God that we live this side of the beginning. of the fulfilment of the prophecy of Psalm 2, and we have the opportunity in our daily lives and witness to keep testifying to a lost world regarding the power of Jesus to save all those who take refuge in him, as we wait expectantly for him to return in Judgement to fulfil the claims of Psalm 2.

“Other refuge have I none; hangs my helpless soul on thee; leave, ah! leave me not alone, still support and comfort me.  All my trust on thee is stayed, all my help from thee I bring; cover my defenseless head with the shadow of thy wing.” (Charles Wesley)

– Bruce Christian