Then said Paul, I wist not, brethren, that he was the high priest: for it is written, Thou shalt not speak evil of the ruler of thy people.
Then said Paul, I wist not, brethren, that he was the high priest. All sorts of explanations of this have been given. The high priesthood was in a state of great confusion and constant change at this time (as appears from Josephus), and the apostle's long absence from Jerusalem, and perhaps the manner in which he was habited, or the seat he occupied, with other circumstances to us unknown may account for such a speech. But if he was thrown off his guard by an insult which touched him to the quick, 'what (says Hackett) can surpass the grace with which he recovered his self-possession, and the frankness with which he acknowledged his error? If his conduct in yielding to the momentary impulse was not that of Christ himself under a similar provocation (John 18:22-23), certainly the manner in which he atoned for his fault was Christ-like.'
For it is written (Exodus 22:28), Thou shalt not speak evil of the ruler of thy people. Excellent is Humphry's remark at the close of his note on this verse, that 'More edification may be derived from observing how speedily and gracefully he recovered his equanimity, than from contending, against the plain meaning of the words, that he was altogether exempt from human weakness.'
Observing how the parties in the council were balanced, Paul takes advantage of it by proclaiming his agreement with the Pharisees on the subject of the Resurrection, and thus obtains the protection of that party against the Sadducees (23:6-9)