Justice, Division, and the Gospel’s Confrontation
Thank you for joining us again today. We will read Acts 22 and 23—two powerful chapters that deal with division, justice, and discrimination. These verses introduce us to corrupt leaders, clever strategies, and enduring truths that still speak to our world today.
Ananias: A Corrupt Priest in a Holy Office
They brought Paul before the Sanhedrin, which Ananias the high priest led. Paul begins by testifying that he had gone to Damascus to do God’s will, which he had once believed meant persecuting followers of the Way. But after his encounter with Jesus on the road, he now understands his true calling. When he declares he has fulfilled his duty, Ananias orders him struck in the mouth (Acts 23:2).
Josephus’s records show that this act was consistent with Ananias’s greed, violence, and corruption. Though he held a sacred office, he did not uphold God’s law. Paul responds, “God will strike you, you whitewashed wall!” (Acts 23:3). History confirms this prophecy. During the Jewish revolt in AD 66, Ananias tried to hide in an aqueduct on the Temple grounds. Jewish zealots discovered and slaughtered him and his brother. (1)
God is always just. Those who persist in wickedness will face judgment. It is only through the grace of God, through Jesus Christ, that any of us can expect a better ending.
Paul’s Tactical Wisdom and Roman Protection
Knowing that the Pharisees and Sadducees disagreed on the resurrection, Paul cleverly declares, “I am on trial concerning the hope of the resurrection of the dead!” (Acts 23:6). This sparks a fierce dispute between the two factions, distracting them from Paul and forcing the Roman commander to intervene and take Paul to the barracks (Acts 23:7–10).
As they prepare to flog him, Paul reminds them he is a Roman citizen, born in Tarsus (Acts 22:25–28). This revelation halts the proceedings—Roman law forbade punishing a citizen without trial. Paul’s legal status protected him, unlike many Jews who lacked such rights.
Selective Justice: Then and Now
Throughout history, different rules governed people. This inequality has fueled revolts and migrations. It was a driving force behind the journeys of the Pilgrims, Huguenots, and Jews fleeing persecution in Europe. (2)
It is bad enough when governments are corrupt and discriminatory. But when the church becomes complicit, it is worse. The church should be a refuge of God’s love for all people. Yet even today, churches are being brutalized—especially in Nigeria and other parts of Africa, where Christians face killings, abductions, and systemic discrimination.(3)
Felix: A Governor Without Justice
Eventually, the guards brought Paul before Felix, the Roman governor. According to the historian Tacitus, Felix “indulged in every kind of cruelty and lust, exercising the power of a king with the spirit of a slave.” (4) He had risen from slavery to power through political favoritism, not merit.
Felix, like Ananias, was corrupt. He accepted bribes and delayed justice. Instead of protecting Paul under Roman law, he colluded with the Sanhedrin to keep him imprisoned (Acts 24:26–27). His moral decay mirrors the Bishop of Hereford in the Robin Hood legends—a churchman who robbed the people while collaborating with Prince John and the Sheriff of Nottingham. (5)
The Gospel’s Answer to Division
Corruption, greed, and fear have led to hatred throughout history—and still do today. But the gospel offers a better way. In Christ, “there is neither Jew nor Greek… for you are all one in Christ Jesus” (Galatians 3:28).
This is good news for those who have trusted in Jesus. But for those who reject Him—regardless of power, status, or wealth—justice will come. That is not something we should wish on anyone. Instead, we pray they come to the Lord, for He alone can change hearts. And when He changes them, the transformation will benefit everyone.
Tomorrow, we will read Acts 24-26.
Footnotes
- Josephus, Jewish War 2.17.9.
- Sydney E. Ahlstrom, A Religious History of the American People (New Haven: Yale University Press, 1972), 132–135.
- International Christian Concern, Persecution Trends in Africa, 2025.
- Tacitus, Histories 5.9.
- Howard Pyle, The Merry Adventures of Robin Hood (New York: Scribner’s, 1883).