Daily Devotion for Lent 2020 - Day 32

Scripture Reading: Acts 23:1-22 (NRSV)

This is the third Ananias mentioned in Acts.  The first was struck dead in chapter 5 for not being honest in his gifts before God.  The second was the Christian who healed Paul of his blindness in chapter 9.  And now this Ananias was the high priest during the reigns of Claudius and Nero after being appointed by Herod Agrippa II in 48 CE.  He was later assassinated around 66 CE as reported by Jewish historian Josephus.

Paul's insult of him being a "whitewashed wall" is not well-known among scholars.  He may have been referring to a tomb which would have been unclean (not something a high priest would appreciate).  Matthew 23:27 mentions Jesus using similar language:

“Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! For you are like whitewashed tombs, which on the outside look beautiful, but inside they are full of the bones of the dead and of all kinds of filth."

This would make sense as we read Paul's letters.  He was not a man that was unable to stand up for himself.

When they call out Paul for his insolence toward the high priest, Paul claims ignorance as to this position and quotes Exodus 22:28:

 You shall not revile God, or curse a leader of your people. 

Americans look at cursing our leaders as a constitutional right!  United Methodists may forget that our own heritage from John Wesley included the General Rule of "Do No Harm."  Wesley specifically lines out (Paragraph 104 of the Discipline) that we should avoid "Uncharitable or unprofitable conversation; particularly speaking evil of magistrates or of ministers."  It wasn't profitable for Paul at the time (no matter how satisfying it might have been).

When Paul observes a division of the council, he quickly tries to move the antagonism from his own person to the issue of the resurrection.  He knows that he'll have allies in the Pharisees while at the same time verifying his enmity with the Sadducees.  It does seem to ramp them up but unfortunately, they come back around to Paul for their outlet.

A conspiracy arises that will end Paul's life with the involvement of not a small number of people.  Paul may have been one of those people you either loved or hated!  We see that he's comforted by another vision of the risen Jesus who indicates that he'll survive this encounter in order to testify in Rome. 

Then we see help come from an unexpected quarter.  Paul's own nephew learns of the attack and warns him.  We may be surprised to learn that Paul has a nephew (or a sister).  We don't find out either of their names and can only assume that the nephew was also a believer since he was close by to help out his uncle.  This is the only place they are referenced in scripture.  The tribune hears about the plan from Paul's nephew.  Since Paul is a Roman citizen, the tribune will be under stronger persuasion to keep this from happening under his watch.

Paul reminds us to bloom in the midst
of adversity.

When we see Paul's crisis, we see how God was moving to keep him continuing to witness until he got to Rome.  We know that Paul will eventually die in Rome but not before he can help the church there.  He composes his letter to the Romans prior to his visit.  Consequently, the whole church has been enriched by his actions (and the fact that he survives Jerusalem in today's reading).  How do we take comfort in God having more for us to do?  I think as we have long-term goals spiritually, this allows us to see past whatever current crisis we may be experiencing.

As we think about our own goals, it may be that you don't normally think about spiritual goals.  If you were to name an outwardly focused goal (your work with your neighbors) and an inwardly focused goal (your relationship with God), what would they be?

Prayer for the day:

Lord, we pray not for tranquility,
   nor that our tribulations may cease;
we pray for your spirit and your love,
   that you would grant us strength and grace to overcome adversity;
      through Jesus Christ.
Amen.

Prayer by Girolamo Savonarola, Dominican friar, Italy, 15th century

Photo by Dr. Wendy Longo via Flickr.com.  Used under the Creative Commons license.

All scripture quoted is from the New Revised Standard Version Bible, copyright © 1989 the Division of Christian Education of the National Council of the Churches of Christ in the United States of America. Used by permission. All rights reserved.