23:2-3 Was Paul wrong in the way he reacted to the High Priest here?
23:2-3 Was Paul wrong in the way he reacted to the High Priest here?
Yes. Paul had right on his side, for it was an offence for one Jew to order another to be struck in this way, and even though he did not know Ananias was the High Priest it was wrong to react as he did, and he acknowledged that in V5 (CP V4-5).
Some Bible commentators paint Paul in a bad light here, but Paul was only human, and he reacted as he did because he could not understand why someone would order that he be struck in the mouth, which was against the law, when he was not guilty of any offence.
These commentators contrast Paul's angry reaction here to Jesus' passive acceptance of his arrest, overlooking the fact that Jesus was the only sinless person who ever lived (CP 1Pe 2:19-23).