“Brothers,” Paul replied, “I was not aware that he was the high priest, for it is written: ‘Do not speak evil about the ruler of your people.’”
5. I knew not, brethren. Those who think that this excuse of Paul hath in it no figure, do not well mark the contrary objections wherewith their error is refuted. They say that Paul knew not the high priest, because he had been absent long time; as if he were ignorant that he was chief priest, who is the chief in the council, and hath the uppermost room.
Paul faced that assembly with boldness and a clear conscience. He had thought to move them to good purpose by appearing before the Sanhedrin, since in his youth he had revered it; yet we find he works nothing upon them. A good conscience gives a good courage, and his holy confidence faced them down as Stephen's had done.
AI summary
Commenting on Acts 23:1-5
Then said Paul, I wist not, brethren, that he was the high priest,.... Or I did not know that he was the high priest; and the sense is, that he did not really know him, either because he had been long absent from Jerusalem; and besides there were new high priests made, sometimes every year, and sometimes oftener, that it is no wonder he should...