⁶But perceiving that one group were Sadducees and the other Pharisees, Paul began crying out in the Council, “Brethren, I am a Pharisee, a son of Pharisees; I am on trial for the hope and resurrection of the dead!” ⁷As he said this, there occurred a dissension between the Pharisees and Sadducees, and the assembly was divided. ⁸For the Sadducees say that there is no resurrection, nor an angel, nor a spirit, but the Pharisees acknowledge them all. ⁹And there occurred a great uproar; and some of the scribes of the Pharisaic party stood up and began to argue heatedly, saying, “We find nothing wrong with this man; suppose a spirit or an angel has spoken to him?”

Paul continued his pragmatism of being “wise as a serpent;” he would not sit there passively. The Sanhedrin (that is, the Council) had a formidable foe in the apostle Paul—he was no stranger to these kinds of debates and conflicts from his former life as a Pharisee. He knew he would not win the dispute with the lopsided actions against him; a fair trial was out of the question. So he adopted the tactic of diversion and distraction.

Paul knew the right button to push, so he roused a long-simmering and vicious division among the members of the Sanhedrin, that ruling body which up to this point was united against Paul. Luke outlines well the issue and what happened. Paul played his Pharisee card, and this ploy brought all the Pharisees over to his side in defense against the other party, the Sadducees. Apparently the belief in a teaching of the resurrection was a bigger issue to those present than whether Paul was teaching and acting against the Law of Moses! And so they were distracted and divided. Paul’s tactic worked.

How interesting that the Pharisees were pragmatic in their passions; their loyalty to the Law and the holiness of the temple mattered less to them than their loyalty to their party line about the resurrection. Their stance was purely political. Sometimes we Christians are more loyal to our peer group than we are to the Word of God. Some might think Paul’s use of this tactic is sub-Christian, for we are taught by no less than the Lord Jesus to turn the other cheek when we have been wronged. But, as we pointed out before, Jesus also commanded His followers in Matthew 10:16 to be “wise as serpents and harmless as doves.” Paul did not wish evil on his accusers, but he was cleverly extricating himself from a kangaroo court.

Some might ask why Paul did not imitate Jesus, who remained silent against false accusations that led to His crucifixion. The difference is that Jesus knew His time had come to die (John 13:1), whereas Paul’s time had not yet come—as God was about to reveal to him. He was rightfully defending himself.

Lord, help me know when to turn the other cheek and when to defend myself.