Then Paul said to him, “God is going to strike you, you whitewashed wall! Are you sitting to judge me according to the law, and yet contrary to the law you order me to be struck?”
3. God shall smite thee. Paul cannot put up that injury, but he must, at least, with sharp words reprehend the high priest, “Silentio... quin saltem expostulet graviter verbis cum pontifice,” in silence, without at least sharply expostulating with the high priest. and denounce God’s vengeance unto him.
Perhaps when Paul was brought, as he often was (corpus cum causa - the person and the cause together), before heathen magistrates and councils, where he and his cause were slighted, because not at all understood, he thought, if he were brought before the sanhedrim at Jerusalem, he should be able to deal with them to some good purpose, and yet we do not find...
Commenting on Acts 23:1-5
Then said Paul unto him, God shall smite thee,.... Which may be considered either as a prophecy of what would be, that God would smite him with some judgment here, or with death quickly, or with eternal damnation hereafter; taking up his own words, and suggesting that a retaliation would be made, and that the measure he meted, would be measured to him again; or...