ACTS Chap. XXIII. & XXIV. to Ver. 27.
RAbban Simeon the Son of Rabban Gamaliel, Pauls Master, was President of the great Council at this time, for Gamaliel was dead some two or three years ago. Of him the Jews have this saying in Sotah per. 9. From the time that old Rabban Gamaliel died, the honour of the Law ceased; for till then they read and learned the Law standing, but after his death sitting. Onkelos the Targumist of the Law burnt a great quantity of frankincense for him at his Obsequies. Juchasin fol. 53. Whether Rabban Simeon the President were present at this Session or no, Ananias the High-priest is as busie as if he had been chief Pre∣sident himself: But Paul cares for him as little, as he busied himself much. He calls him whited wall, or arrant painted Hypocrite: And when he was checked for reviling Gods Highpriest, I know not brethren, saith he, that he is Highpriest: for if I took him for such a one, I would not so have spoken to him, since it is written, Thou shalt not speak evil of the Ruler of my People. It is not possible that Paul should not know who and what Ananias was: but it is very indifferent, whether we understand this, as not owning this man for a lawful Highpriest, or not owning any lawful Highpriesthood now at all. The man base and usurp∣ing; and the Function of the Highpriesthood disanulled by the great Highpriest who had accomplished all that it typified, and the place of the Highpriesthood being become a com∣mon Merchandise, obtained by money and favour and dispatching one another.
By a holy policy he divides the Council, and professing himself by education a Pharisee, and of that belief in the point of the Resurrection, he not only sets Pharisees and Sadduces to a hot contestation between themselves, but he makes the Pharisees, so far as to that opi∣nion, to take his part: It had been possible to have set the Hillelian and Shammaean party together by the ears, by a bone handsomly cast between them, for the Council had these factions in it, and their feud was as deadly; but Paul could own no article of their divisi∣ons, that was worth his owning, they were so trivial and below his cognisance. It is the confession of the Jerusalem Gemarists in Joma fol. 38. col. 3. That the fault of their great ones under the second Temple was love of money, and hatred one of another.
Paul in the hubbub is rescued again by the Souldiery, and that night by revelation is war∣ranted to appeal to Caesar, by being informed he must go to Rome. A Conspiracy of a pack of cut-throats to murder him, is prevented, and he is sent to Caesarea to Felix, where he lies prisoner two years. By such packing and combining of murderers, it may easily be con∣jectured what temper the Nation was now in. Josephus his charecter of it at these times is, That the affairs of the Jews grew every day worse and worse, and that the Country was full of theeves and Sorcerers, but Felix was daily picking them up to penalty after their desert; the greater thief, the less; for his character yields him no better. Tacitus saies enough of him, when he speaks but this, Antonius Felix, per omnem saevitiam ac libidinem jus regium servili ingenio exercuit: Histor. lib. 5. cap. 2. Upon which Josephus will give you a large com∣ment of his intolerable covetousness, polling, cruelty, sacriledge, murdering, and all man∣ner of wickedness. His injuriousness to Paul in the story before us, and the very naming of his wife Drusilla may be brand enough upon him: for her, by inticements and magical tricks, he allured to himself from her Husband and married her. And him he kept prisoner two years wrongfully because he would not bribe him. In his pleading before him, he makes him tremble, but it is but a qualm and away.