Acts 23:6

"But perceiving the one group were Sadducees and the other Pharisees": "The presence in which Paul stood was not unfamiliar to him. He doubtless remembered the faces of many in the council, and he was intimately acquainted with the party feuds which often distracted their deliberations" (McGarvey p. 224). At this point Paul has been criticized by some commentators for his methods, that is, of deliberately creating an uproar, yet consider the following points. 1. It is evident at this moment that Paul is not going to receive. fair trial. 2. Remember, Jesus promised the apostles inspiration when they were on trial, so criticizing Paul can easily result in being critical of the Holy Spirit's methods (Matthew 10:18). 3. What Paul says in this verse is true. The basic and fundamental reason that the Sadducees persecuted Christians was because the apostles preached the resurrection of Jesus Christ (see Acts 4:1 ff). While other issues were involved (such as preaching to Gentiles), the "ultimate ground of the hatred of him by the Sadducees" (McGarvey p. 226), was the resurrection. Compare with 1 Corinthians 15:16. "Brethren,. am. Pharisee,. son of Pharisees": " Acts 24:20 shows that Paul did not regard his conduct here as unworthy or tricky" (Reese p. 819). When Paul said that he was. Pharisee he was not denying the truth that he was. Christian and neither was he claiming that he was still observing the Law of Moses. "It was rather as though he said, 'I am one with you in all that is truest in your creed'" (p. 819). "They knew that he claimed to be. Pharisee only in the sense of agreeing with the party in their points of antagonism with the Sadducees" (McGarvey p. 225). "I am on trial for the hope and resurrection of the dead!": "He aimed at enlisting the sympathy of the Pharisees, in the hope of securing. more just consideration of his own cause; and he doubtless desired. more peaceable procedure; but for the violence which followed he was not responsible" (p. 226).