Word Pictures in the New Testament - David Cox

Word Pictures in the NT [Acts: Chapter 23]
charge that he is a renegade Jew, an opposer of the law, the
people, the temple. Paul addresses the Sanhedrin as an equal and
has no "apologies" (in our sense) to make for his career as a
whole. The golden thread of consistency runs through, as a good
citizen in God's commonwealth. He had the consolation of a good
conscience (1Pe 3:16). The word does not occur in the Gospels
and chiefly in Paul's Epistles, but we see it at work in Joh
8:9 (the interpolation 7:53-8:11).
23:2 {Ananias} (\Hananias\). Not the one in Lu 3:2; Joh 18:13;
Ac 4:7, but the son of Nebedaeus, nominated high priest by
Herod, King of Chalcis, A.D. 48 and till A.D. 59. He was called
to Rome A.D. 52 to answer "a charge of rapine and cruelty made
against him by the Samaritans, but honourably acquitted" (Page).
Though high priest, he was a man of bad character. {Them that
stood by him} (\tois parest•sin aut•i\). Dative case of second
perfect participle of \parist•mi\, to place, and intransitive.
See the same form in verse 4 (\parest•tes\). {To smite him on
the mouth} (\tuptein autou to stoma\). See on ¯12:45; 18:17. Cf.
the treatment of Jesus (Joh 18:22). Ananias was provoked by
Paul's self-assertion while on trial before his judges. "The act
was illegal and peculiarly offensive to a Jew at the hands of a
Jew" (Knowling). More self-control might have served Paul better.
Smiting the mouth or cheek is a peculiarly irritating offence and
one not uncommon among the Jews and this fact gives point to the
command of Jesus to turn the other check (Lu 6:29 where \tupt•\
is also used).
23:3 {Thou whited wall} (\toiche kekoniamene\). Perfect passive
participle of \konia•\ (from \konia\, dust or lime). The same
word used in Mt 23:27 for "whited sepulchres" (\taphoi
kekoniamenoi\) which see. It is a picturesque way of calling
Ananias a hypocrite, undoubtedly true, but not a particularly
tactful thing for a prisoner to say to his judge, not to say
Jewish high priest. Besides, Paul had hurled back at him the word
\tuptein\ (smite) in his command, putting it first in the
sentence (\tuptein se mellei ho theos\) in strong emphasis.
Clearly Paul felt that he, not Ananias, was living as a good
citizen in God's commonwealth. {And sittest thou to judge me?}
(\Kai su kath•i krin•n me?\) Literally, "And thou (being what
thou art) art sitting (\kath•i\, second person singular middle of
\kath•mai\, late form for \kath•sai\, the uncontracted form)
judging me." Cf. Lu 22:30. \Kai su\ at the beginning of a
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