Wisdom and Sovereignty - Acts 23

ACTS
THE BOOK OF
ACTS 23:12-35

THE 6 STAGES OF THE BOOK OF ACTS
1. InJerusalem:TheSpirit-filledMinistry of theApostles
2. JudeaandSamaria:LedbyHellenistic Believers
3. TheGentiles:Thechurchcontinues to grow,expand
4. InAsiaMinor:Paul’s1stMissionaryJourney
5. InEurope:Paul’s2nd&3rd MissionaryJourneys
6. InRome:Paul’sisarrestedand sentto Rome

THE 6 STAGES OF THE BOOK OF ACTS
1. InJerusalem:
2. JudeaandSamaria:
3. TheGentiles:
4. InAsiaMinor:
5. InEurope:
6. InRome:
1:1-6:7
6:8-9:31
9:32-12:24
12:25-16:5
16:6-19:20
19:21-28:30
6 Chapters
3.5Chapters
4 Chapters
4 Chapters
3 Chapters
9 Chapters

THE 6 PARTS OF THE STAGE 6
6a.
6
6
6
6
6
b.
c.
d.
e.
f.
Paul’sDetermination:Jerusalem andRome(19:21)
IntoMacedonia andback(19:22 -ch.20)
InJerusalem:Paul’sArrestandTrials (ch.21-23)
InCaesarea:Paul’sAppeals(ch.24-26)
ToRome:Paul’sPeriliousJourney (ch27-28:13)
InRome:Paul’sFinal2Years(28:14 - 31)

“WISDOM
AND
SOVEREIGNTY”
ACTS 23:12-35

“The fear of the Lord is the beginning of
wisdom, and the knowledge of  
the Holy One is insight.”
- Proverbs 9:10

"The heart of man plans his way,  
but the Lord establishes his steps."
- Proverbs 16:9

the soundness of an action or decision
with regard to the application of
experience, knowledge, and  
good judgment
WISDOM:
WEBSTER’S DICTIONARY

supreme power or authority
SOVEREIGNTY:
WEBSTER’S DICTIONARY

WISDOM SOVEREIGNTY
the soundness of an action or
decision with regard to the
application of experience,
knowledge, and  
good judgment
supreme power or authority
"The heart of man
plans his way…
but the Lord
establishes his steps."IS UP TO US IS UP TO GOD

WISDOM SOVEREIGNTY
IS UP TO US IS UP TO GOD

PAUL’S THIRD
JOURNEY
MISSIONARY

“After spending some time there, he
departed and went from one place to
the next through the region of Galatia
and Phrygia, strengthening all  
the disciples."
- Acts 18:23

Derbe
Lystra
Tarsus
Antioch
Iconium

Ephesus
PAUL IN EPHESUS
53-55 A.D.
-Teachesinthesynagoguesfor3 months
-HallofTyrannus for 2 years unhindered
-Writes1Corinthiansto churchinCorinth
-Paul’spurposeand resolveinthe Spirit

Now after these events Paul resolved in
the Spirit to pass through Macedonia
and Achaia and go to Jerusalem, saying,
“After I have been there, I must also see
Rome.” ”
- Acts 19:21

Ephesus
PAUL IN EPHESUS
53-55 A.D.
-Teachesinthesynagoguesfor3 months
-HallofTyrannus for 2 years unhindered
-Writes1Corinthiansto churchinCorinth
-Paul’spurposeand resolveinthe Spirit
-RioteruptsoverPaul’s teaching
-LeavestomeetTitus,go toMacedonia

Corinth
Ephesus
Troas
Titus
Paul

Philippi
55 A.D.
Troas
Titus!
Paul
PAUL IN MACEDONIA
55 A.D.
-RejoicestomeetTitus,getsagood reportaboutCorinth
-Writes2Corinthiansandsends itback to Corinth withTitus
-PauljoinsupwithTitusinCorinth,stays for 3 months

Philippi
Corinth
Paul
PAUL IN CORINTH
55-56 A.D.
-Stays 3 monthswith Gaius
-Writes thebookof Romans
-Jews prohibittravel to Syria
-Goes backthrough
Macedonia,meets with Elders

Philippi
ThessalonicaBerea
Corinth
Acts 20
Troas

Mitylene
Assos
Chios
MiletusSamos
Troas
Acts 20

Miletus
Cos
Rhodes
Patara
Tyre

Miletus
Cos
Rhodes
Patara
Tyre
"When we had come in sight of
Cyprus, leaving it on the left we
sailed to Syria and landed at
Tyre, for there the ship was to
unload its cargo."
- Acts 21:3

Tyre
-Unloadedcargo,stayed7days
Ptolemais-PaulwarnednottogotoJerusalem
ACTS 21

Tyre
-Stayinthehomeof Philip
Ptolemais-AgabusprophesiesthatPaulwill be
boundif hegoestoJerusalem
Caesarea
ACTS 21

Tyre
-Paulmeetswithchurchleaders
Ptolemais
-Takesavow,shaveshishead,etc.
ACTS 21
Caesarea
Jerusalem
-“JewsfromAsia” spotPaulinthe
temple,draghimoutandbeathim
-Romansoldiersintervenetoprotect
Paul,hespeakstothecrowd

Courtof theGentiles Temple
RoyalStoa
Everyoneallowed
Sanhedrin meet
JewsOnly

Courtof Women
JewishMenandWomen
Courtof Men
JewishMen Only
Temple,HolyPlace PriestsOnly
Holyof Holies HighPriestOnly,OneDayaYear

AntoniaFortress
Pilate,Soldiers

OF PAUL
SOVEREIGNTY
& THE
THE WISDOM
OF GOD

“The Jews from Asia Minor stir up all the
other Jews in the temple precincts. They
claim that Paul has led Trophimus, a
Gentile believer from Ephesus, from the
court of the Gentiles into the inner courts
of the temple, which was prohibited to
Gentiles.

Paul certainly has not done this, but the
charge is believable to the masses.”
- Zondervan International Bible
Backgrounds Commentary

"Then all the city was stirred up, and the
people ran together. They seized Paul
and dragged him out of the temple, and
at once the gates were shut."
- Acts 21:30

"And as they were seeking to kill him,
word came to the tribune of the cohort
that all Jerusalem was in confusion."
- Acts 21:31

"He at once took soldiers and centurions
and ran down to them. And when they
saw the tribune and the soldiers, they
stopped beating Paul."
- Acts 21:32

PAUL DOES 4
WISE MOVES
STRATEGICALLY

1.
GREEK
HE SPEAKS
TO THE ROMAN
SOLDIER

"And when he came to the steps, he was
actually carried by the soldiers because of
the violence of the crowd,"
- Acts 21:35

"for the mob of the people followed,
crying out, “Away with him!”"
- Acts 21:36

"As Paul was about to be brought into
the barracks, he said to the tribune, “May
I say something to you?” And he said,
“Do you know Greek?"
- Acts 21:37

"Are you not the Egyptian, then, who
recently stirred up a revolt and led the
four thousand men of the Assassins out
into the wilderness?”"
- Acts 21:38

"Paul replied, “I am a Jew, from Tarsus in
Cilicia, a citizen of no obscure city. I beg
you, permit me to speak to the people.”"
- Acts 21:39

GREEK
TO THE SOLDIER
WISE MOVE
SPEAKS
RESULT
PROTECTION &
ISOLATION,
INSTEAD OF
PAUL CAPTURES
AN AUDIENCE

2.
HEBREW
HE SPEAKS
TO THE JEWISH
AUDIENCE

“And when he had given him permission,
Paul, standing on the steps, motioned
with his hand to the people. And when
there was a great hush, he addressed
them in the Hebrew language, saying:”
- Acts 21:40

Paul shareshis
testimonywith his
Jewishbrothers

Paul shareshis
testimonywith his
Jewishbrothers
“Brothers and fathers,
hear the defense that I
now make before you.”
And when they heard that
he was addressing them
in the Hebrew language,
they became even  
more quiet.”
- Acts 22:1–2

Paul shareshis
testimonywith his
Jewishbrothers
PAUL’S FIRST TESTIMONY
1.HisJewishbackground
2.DamascusExperience
3.Apostoliccallto Gentiles
-Thementionof “Gentiles”
causesanuproar,Roman
soldiersremovePaulto be
interrogated(flogged)
ACTS 22:3-21

3.
HIS ROMAN
HE REVEALS
CITIZENSHIP

“And as they were shouting and throwing
off their cloaks and flinging dust into the
air, the tribune ordered him to be brought
into the barracks, saying that he should be
examined by flogging, to find out why
they were shouting against him like this.”
- Acts 22:23–24

“But when they had stretched him out for
the whips, Paul said to the centurion who
was standing by, “Is it lawful for you to
flog a man who is a Roman citizen and
uncondemned?””
- Acts 22:25

PAUL ARRESTED IN ROME
-PaulrevealshisRomancitizenship
-Thishaltstheflogging,evenprompting Claudius Lysis
toadmitthatheisn’tevenantrue Roman citizen
-PaulspendsthenightintheAntonia Fortress alone
ACTS 22:26 - 23:10
-Thenextdayheisbroughtbefore the Pharisees and
Sadducees

4.
PHARISEES
HE PITS THE
AGAINST THE
SADDUCEES
(Insteadof bothof thembeing againsthim)

“But on the next day, desiring to know the
real reason why he was being accused by
the Jews, he unbound him and
commanded the chief priests and all the
council to meet, and he brought Paul
down and set him before them.”
- Acts 22:30

PAUL ON TRIAL
-Paulbeginshistestimonyagain,butis struck inthe face
-Paulrespondsinanger,cursingthe High Priest
-ThenPaulshiftsthefocustothe only issue thatdivided
thePhariseesandtheSadducees: thesupernaturalrealm
ACTS 23:1-11
-Notrealizingwhoitwas,Paul immediately repents
-Thisdistractseveryone,chaosensues,they remove Paul

“Now when Paul perceived that one part
were Sadducees and the other Pharisees, he
cried out in the council, “Brothers, I am a
Pharisee, a son of Pharisees. It is with
respect to the hope and the resurrection of
the dead that I am on trial.””
- Acts 23:6

“And when he had said this, a dissension
arose between the Pharisees and the
Sadducees, and the assembly was divided.”
- Acts 23:7

“For the Sadducees say that there is no
resurrection, nor angel, nor spirit, but the
Pharisees acknowledge them all.”
- Acts 23:8

“Then a great clamor arose, and some of
the scribes of the Pharisees’ party stood up
and contended sharply, “We find nothing
wrong in this man. What if a spirit or an
angel spoke to him?””
- Acts 23:9

“And when the dissension became violent,
the tribune, afraid that Paul would be torn
to pieces by them, commanded the soldiers
to go down and take him away from
among them by force and bring him  
into the barracks.”
- Acts 23:10

“The following night the Lord stood by him
and said, “Take courage, for as you have
testified to the facts about me in Jerusalem,
so you must testify also in Rome.””
- Acts 23:11

GOD INTERVENES FOR PAUL
-JesusappearstoPaulwithencouragementand hope
-40Jewishmenmakeanoathand plan to kill Paul
-News of theplotisleaked,Paul is warned and protected
ACTS 13:11-35
-Alegionof 470Romansoldierstransfer Paul to Caesarea
-Paulisprotected,providedforand promised a hearing

“Andafterfivedaysthehigh
priestAnaniascamedownwith
someeldersandaspokesman,
oneTertullus.Theylaidbeforethe
governortheircaseagainstPaul.” Caesarea
ACTS 24:1

“If any of you lacks wisdom, let him ask
God, who gives generously to all without
reproach, and it will be given him.”
- James 1:5

“But let him ask in faith, with no doubting,
for the one who doubts is like a wave of
the sea that is driven and tossed  
by the wind.”
- James 1:6

“For I know that the Lord is great,  
and that our Lord is above all gods.
Whatever the Lord pleases, he does,  
in heaven and on earth, in the seas  
and all deeps.”
- Psalm 135:5–6

Wisdom and Sovereignty - Acts 23

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