Loading... Acts 23:6 - WHEN PAUL PERCEIVED
Acts 23:6 But when Paul perceived that the one part were Sadducees, and the other Pharisees, he cried out in the council, Men and brethren, I am a Pharisee, the son of a Pharisee: of the hope and resurrection of the dead I am called in question.
Paul was being judged for his actions that had resulted in a riot the day before in Jerusalem. Even though Paul had done nothing wrong, his presence had caused a tumult.
Paul looked at the group of religious leaders and he saw Sadducees and Pharisees. The Sadducees held more to the law of Moses while the Pharisees not only followed the law of Moses, but they were the defenders of the oral law, or the traditions that had arisen over the years as man had interpreted the law of Moses.
Because of the traditions that the Pharisees had so often tried to enforce, when Christ was here on this earth, he often rebuked them. On many occasions, Jesus was attacking the Pharisees because of their traditions and their attitudes. While Jesus did attack the Sadducees, HE did not do it nearly as often as he did the Pharisees. Most likely this was because they were not as engrossed in all the Jewish traditions that were created by man.
While the Pharisees seemed to be much more liberal in their religion then the Sadducees, there was one doctrine that the Pharisees followed that the Sadducees did not. The Pharisees believed that after a Jew died, he would be resurrected and that there would be an afterlife. The Sadducees on the other hand did not believe in a resurrection and instead believed, that once a man died, he was dead forever. The Sadducees did not even believe in angels.
Paul was no longer a Pharisee in that he had abandoned that life when God had reached out and touched him. However, Paul had an opportunity to help the religious leaders understand the truth that he was preaching. The Pharisees believed that there was life after death just like the New Testament Christians believed. While the Christians did not believe in all the traditions that the Pharisees taught, there was one common doctrine that they could agree on.
Paul took the common doctrine of resurrection and he used that to open a door for them to be more receptive to his message. The Pharisees had no desire to hear Paul because they were so focused upon how Paul dealt with the Gentiles that they wanted nothing to do with Paul. Now that they understood how they were somewhat similar, they were more willing to hear out Paul which opened the door for some of them to be converted.
We need to understand that there are many people out there who do not believe in the truths of the scripture. However, if you are patient and if you take the time to learn a little bit more about your audience, you will probably find something that they believe in that can open the door for you sharing Christ with them. We must learn that we are to be wise as serpents but harmless as doves. This means that we should see what doors God wants to open and then follow them so that God can use our words to reach others.
There are many who have been persuaded by false prophets and false religions. A false religion often takes some truth and distorts it to create a new doctrine. We must learn to love these individuals who have been led astray and be patient with them so that one day, when God gives us the chance, God can use our words to open their eyes and their ears to HIS truth. Wait on the Lord’s timing and you will soon see conversions that you never thought possible.