1 And Paul, earnestly beholding the council, said, Men and brethren, I have lived in all good conscience before God until this day. 2 And the high priest Ananias commanded them that stood by him to smite him on the mouth. 3 Then said Paul unto him, God shall smite thee, thou whited wall: for sittest thou to judge me after the law, and commandest me to be smitten contrary to the law? (Acts 23:1-3 KJV)
William Burkitt’s Commentary
Here we have observable the apostle’s sober and ingenuous profession and protestation, Ananias’s insolent and injurious injunction, and St. Paul’s zealous answer and contestation.
Observe, 1. The apostle’s sober and ingenuous profession and protestation, verse 1. I have lived in all good conscience unto this day: that is, during his continuance in the Jewish religion and since his conversion to the Christian religion he had walked uprightly and according to his knowledge and the light of his conscience.
But had Paul a good conscience when he persecuted the Christians?
Answer. He went according to his conscience when he persecuted: he verily thought he did God service in so doing, and it was not any selfish end or sinister design he propounded to himself, but zeal for his religion provoked him to persecution, Php 3:6. Concerning zeal, persecuting the church. It is certainly a man’s duty to follow his conscience, but then it is as much his duty to inform his conscience as it is to follow it; I have lived in all good conscience until this day.
Here note, The apostle sets forth the goodness of his conscience in these four ways.
1. From the goodness of his conversation: I have lived. A good conversation is the best evidence of a good conscience. God does not measure men’s sincerity by the tides of their affections but by the constant bent of their resolutions and the general course and tenor of their conversations. Every man’s conscience is as his life is.
2. From the generality of his care and obedience: I have lived in all good conscience: if it is not a conscience all good, it is no good conscience at all. Herod had some good conscience and he did many things; but the apostle went further, he lived not in some, but in all good conscience.
3. The apostle sets forth the goodness of his conscience from the integrity of it towards God: I have lived in all good conscience before God. Many a man’s conscience passeth for a good conscience before men, and perhaps before himself, which yet are not good before God, the judge of conscience.
4. From his continuance and constancy, Until this day; I have lived in all good conscience before God until this day. It is not sufficient to begin a good life and to have a good conscience, but we must keep it too, and that all our days, even to our last day.
Happy man! That can truly say at his dying day, I have lived in all good conscience until this day.
Observe, 2. As the apostle’s solemn protestation, so the high priest’s injurious injunction: Ananias commanded them that stood by him to smite him on the mouth.
Here note, What is the reward and portion of good conscience from the world: to be smitten either on the mouth or with the mouth; either with the fist or with the tongue. There is nothing so enrages men of wicked consciences, as the profession and practice of a good conscience doth: but better ten blows on the face than one on the heart; better a thousand blows for a good conscience, than one from it.
Observe, 3. St. Paul’s zealous answer and contestation, God shall smite thee, thou whited wall.
Where note, 1. That although the apostle doth not smite again as he was smitten, though he did not smite Ananias on the cheek, as he smote him on the mouth, yet he gives him a check and sharp reproof for his violence and injustice.
Thence learn, That Christian patience, though it binds a man’s hands, yet it doth not always bind his tongue; though it lays a law upon a man to forbear violence, yet it lays not a law upon him to enjoin him silence. St. Paul though he did not strike, yet durst speak; though he held his hands, yet he did not hold his peace. Though religion pinions a man’s arms from striking, yet it doth not seal up a man’s lips from speaking; but we may declare both our own innocence and others’ injustice.
Note, 2. St. Paul doth not say, God shall judge thee: or God shall plague thee; but God shall smite thee: denoting, that as there is always equity, so sometimes a retaliation in the executions of divine justice, or a recompensing like for like. God sometimes returns smiting for smiting, so that the sinner is forced to cry out, As I have done, so God hath requited me.
God punishes sometimes in the same kind, sometimes in the same manner, sometimes in the same place; that sinners are forced to cry out, Righteous art thou, O Lord! and just are thy judgments!