NOTES for Act 23:1-35
People speak truly when they say that everyone has their own truth. The chief priests’ truth lies in the triumph of the lawful order as they understand it and in the removal of a dangerous heretic; the Roman administration’s truth lies in upholding its own Roman law and peace, that is, in preventing these fanatics from killing one another and provoking a rebellion. Paul’s truth, however, consists in fulfilling the words of Jesus, who appears to him again and calls him to bear witness boldly in Rome and to fear nothing. Even then, the world was pluralistic to the utmost: everyone could occupy their own niche and defend their own position. We are in the same situation. One can be an ecclesiastical partisan, a champion of the state, or a terrorist; one can spend whole days living on the Internet. In a situation where there are infinitely many options for how to live and what to die for, there is always a temptation to sink into skepticism and indifference toward any particular path. Paul’s position, or the Christian position, is only one among many, but to him the truth of his path was evident. Is it evident to us?