Tues. Aug. 26th :: Acts 23 :: Taming the Shrewd

Then Paul, knowing that some of them were Sadducees and the others Pharisees,
called out in the Sanhedrin, "My brothers, I am a Pharisee, descended from
Pharisees. I stand on trial because of the hope of the resurrection of the dead."
When he said this, a dispute broke out between the Pharisees and the Sadducees,
and the assembly was divided. (The Sadducees say that there is no resurrection,
and that there are neither angels nor spirits, but the Pharisees believe all these
things.)

(Acts 23.6-8)

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For the second time in the book of Acts we witness the apostle Paul utilizing his cunning to extricate himself from a sticky situation. In the first instance he waited until being stretched out for flogging before mentioning: “Oh by the way…you know I’m a Roman citizen right? No?”

Now in the second instance Paul takes advantage of a longstanding family feud between the Sadducees and the Pharisees to avoid being strung up. Just as it seemed the two groups were ready to have Paul convicted, the apostle brings up the thorny issue that is sure to garner him support from the Pharisees (who up until now want to kill him). Knowing that the Pharisees believe in a resurrection while the Sadd’s do not, he shrewdly brings the issue up as the reason for his arrest.

“You wanna know why I’m here?” Paul asks in essence; “It’s because I believe in the resurrection.” Unlike these stinking Sadducees, is the unspoken corollary.

So what does any of this have to do with us?

Well for one, it seems that cunning is often looked down upon as a somewhat ‘less than Christian’ virtue. Being overly shrewd is rarely considered something to be proud of.

And yet Jesus commands us to “be as shrewd as vipers, and as innocent of doves.”

I often focus on the second part of the verse. But there is another half. Paul knew this, and he used his cunning in specific instances for the glory of God. He wasn’t opposed to leveraging his Roman citizenship (or an ancient disagreement betweens Pharisees and Sadducees) if it furthered God’s purposes.

He never veered into deceit. But he proudly used his shrewdness. Because he knew there was a difference.


So here’s what I’m thinking about today:

How can I be both shrewd and innocent in seeing God’s purposes fulfilled?

How about you?

Is it possible to hold these two parts of Jesus’ command in tension?