In the narrative of the
Acts of the Apostles,
Paul was called to appear before the Jewish
Sanhedrin on the instructions of the commander of the Roman garrison in Jerusalem. Ananias heard Paul's opening defense and commanded those who stood by him "to strike him on the mouth". Paul describes him as a "whitewashed wall" () and testifies that God would strike Ananias for this unlawful command. Those who stood by asked if Paul was reviling or insulting the high priest, and Paul replied that he did not know that the command to strike him had been spoken by the high priest. Seeing that there were both
Pharisees and
Sadducees on the Sanhedrin (see for the whole context): But when Paul perceived that one part were Sadducees and the other Pharisees, he cried out in the council, "Men and brethren, I am a Pharisee, the son of a Pharisee; concerning the hope and resurrection of the dead I am being judged!" (Acts 23:6, NKJV) P.C. Barker comments "It is not evident how it was that Paul failed to know the thing that he said he did not know—whether this were that Ananias was the high priest, or whether it were that it was Ananias who uttered the command to smite him on the mouth". Theologian
John Gill identifies
Joshua ben Gamla as the high priest during the trial, for one possible explanation of Paul's remark. Quadratus, governor of
Syria, accused Ananias of being responsible for acts of violence. Ananias was sent to
Rome for trial in 52 but was acquitted by the emperor
Claudius. He continued to officiate as high priest until 58. Being a friend of the Romans, Ananias was murdered by the people at the beginning of the
First Jewish-Roman War. His son
Eliezar ben Hanania was one of the leaders of the Great Revolt of Judea. ==See also==