Expositor's Bible Commentary Commentary Acts 23:7

"And when he had so said, there arose a dissension between the Pharisees and Sadducees; and the assembly was divided." — Acts 23:7 (ASV)

Paul’s declaration served to divide the council, with Sadducees on the one side (cf. comment on 4:1) and Pharisees on the other (cf. comment on 5:34). Some of the Pharisees saw in the inquisition of Paul an attempt by the Sadducees to discredit Pharisaism and its theology, and they rose to his defense. The Sadducees, however, kept pressing their objections, and the debate soon got out of hand. So violent, in fact, did it become that the commander had to bring in soldiers and rescue Paul. Once more the commander was frustrated in his effort to learn exactly why the Jews were so adamantly opposed to his prisoner.