Acts 22:30; 23:6-11, Readings for May 8th

[NotWorthy]

St. Paul simply kills me!!! Of course, he embarrassed me in Mass today, for I couldn’t help myself but laugh during the first reading. Let me illustrate:

Reading 1
Acts 22:30; 23:6-11

*** Wishing to determine the truth
about why Paul was being accused by the Jews,
the commander freed him
and ordered the chief priests and the whole Sanhedrin to convene.***

Paul, having been present when Stephen was brought before the Sanhedrin, and consequently stoned to death, is well aware of the danger he is in. Paul, was probably even responsible in some way for St. Stephen’s martyrdom, as is evidenced by all the stoners laying their cloaks at his feet.

He knew he was in dire straits. So what do you do? Simple. Divide and conquer!!!

***Then he brought Paul down and made him stand before them.

Paul was aware that some were Sadducees and some Pharisees,
so he called out before the Sanhedrin,
“My brothers, I am a Pharisee, the son of Pharisees;
I am on trial for hope in the resurrection of the dead.”
When he said this,
a dispute broke out between the Pharisees and Sadducees,
and the group became divided.
For the Sadducees say that there is no resurrection or angels or spirits,
while the Pharisees acknowledge all three*** .

If there was recent animosity between the Christians and the Jews, there was a longer animosity between the Pharisees and the Sadducees. You see, the Sadducees only held to the Torah, which didn’t teach much if anything about angels and nothing about “The Resurrection of the Dead on the Last Day”. The Pharisees had a much larger set of Scriptures, including the prophets and the Deuterocanonicals. They believed in the Resurrection on the Last Day. So Paul simply pulls the pin on his grenade and throws it right into the Sanhedrin’s collective laps.

A great uproar occurred,
and some scribes belonging to the Pharisee party
stood up and sharply argued,
“We find nothing wrong with this man.
Suppose a spirit or an angel has spoken to him?”

Any of you familiar with the term, “The enemy of my enemy is my friend” can easily see what has happened. The Pharisees have simply switched allegiances from the “Jews. vs. Christians” debate to the “Pharisee vs. Sadducee” debate.

And who gets off scott-free? St. Paul, of course!

The dispute was so serious that the commander,
afraid that Paul would be torn to pieces by them,
ordered his troops to go down and rescue Paul from their midst
and take him into the compound.
The following night the Lord stood by him and said, “Take courage.
For just as you have borne witness to my cause in Jerusalem,
so you must also bear witness in Rome.”

I’m sorry, but sometimes my imagination gets away from me and I have these vivid images of what is going on when the Scriptures are read.

I’ve had similar embarrassing moments when Tobit was read as well as the latter part of Acts 15 (The Gentiles “were delighted” when they discovered they didn’t need to be circumcised?!?! I bet they were more than delighted!!! This would be the first recorded Scriptural example of “dancing in the street”!)

 

[Joe_Kelley]

There are many passages where the author seems to understate the matter. I can think particularly of Acts 15:37-40

37 And Barnabas wanted to take with them John called Mark. 38 But Paul thought best not to take with them one who had withdrawn from them in Pamphylia, and had not gone with them to the work. 39 And there arose a sharp contention, so that they separated from each other; Barnabas took Mark with him and sailed away to Cyprus, 40 but Paul chose Silas and departed, being commended by the brethren to the grace of the Lord.

I would suggest that it was a real shouting match. Saint Paul could be quite expressive when aroused.

 

[COPLAND_3]

Joe Kelly

There is a writing by St. Mark called “The Acts of Barnabas” where St. Mark gives his side of the story. It is awesome to read! newadvent.org/fathers/0817.htm

Some may question the authorship, but I have studied this writing and I see no reason whatsoever to doubt that St. Mark wrote it.

 

[COPLAND_3]

By the way, I am putting the Daily Mass readings on my site with commentary from the Church Fathers and Doctors of the Church, here is the link litteralchristianlibrary.wetpaint.com/page/Daily+Catholic+Scripture+Readings?t=anon

I just deleted Thursday’s readings, but if you want to follow the daily readings with great commentary then check it out. I am looking foward to next weeks readings, it will cover the book of James, I have already started putting it together! Great stuff!