Acts 26: 19 – 32 Paul before Agrippa – Part 3

Acts 26: 19 – 32 Paul before Agrippa – Part 3

‘So then, King Agrippa, I was not disobedient to the vision from heaven. First to those in Damascus, then to those in Jerusalem and all Judea, and then to the Gentiles, I preached that they should repent and turn to God and demonstrate their repentance by their deeds. That is why some Jews seized me in the temple courts and tried to kill me. But God has helped me to this very day; so I stand here and testify to small and great alike. I am saying nothing beyond what the prophets and Moses said would happen – that the Messiah would suffer and, as the first to rise from the dead, would bring the message of light to his own people and to the Gentiles.’

At this point Festus interrupted Paul’s defence. ‘You are out of your mind, Paul!’ he shouted. ‘Your great learning is driving you insane.’

‘I am not insane, most excellent Festus,’ Paul replied. ‘What I am saying is true and reasonable. The king is familiar with these things, and I can speak freely to him. I am convinced that none of this has escaped his notice, because it was not done in a corner. King Agrippa, do you believe in the prophets? I know you do.’

Then Agrippa said to Paul, ‘Do you think that in such a short time you can persuade me to be a Christian?

Paul replied, ‘Short time or long – I pray to God that not only you but all who are listening to me today may become what I am, except for these chains.’

The king rose, and with him the governor and Bernice and those sitting with them. After they left the room, they began saying to one another, ‘This man is not doing anything that deserves death or imprisonment.’

Agrippa said to Festus, ‘This man could have been set free if he had not appealed to Caesar.’

*       *       *

“At this point Festus interrupted Paul’s defence. ‘You are out of your mind, Paul!’ he shouted. ‘Your great learning is driving you insane.’ ”

I wonder how many twenty-first century citizens feel the same as Festus? Paul is standing in a court of law talking about believing in a man rising from the dead! And Paul’s reply doesn’t make matters any better.

“ ‘I am not insane, most excellent Festus,’ Paul replied. ‘What I am saying is true and reasonable.’ ”

Reasonable.

To a civilisation which prized the revelation of God to their ancestors in the Scripture above anything else, and in the sense that you could use the scripture to justify believing in a man rising from the dead, well, maybe Paul’s argument is reasonable. To a hard-headed Roman administrator, it sounds insane. In the modern sense, where reasonable means rational, it just sounds wrong.

To most of our contemporaries, a man rising from the dead is neither reasonable nor believable.

So how do we tell our friends why we believe it?

Paul had two arguments that he used to convey the good news of Jesus. The argument that he used most with the Jews was the argument from scripture. All prophecy from Moses onwards foreshadows the Messiah, and Jesus of Nazareth can be shown to fulfil the predictions of prophecy. It was a relatively small step from the Jewish faith to belief in Jesus the Messiah.

The second argument was that of personal witness. Paul believed he had had an encounter with the risen Lord Jesus. We read about this yesterday in Acts 26: 12 – 18. He must have told this story many times, because Luke tells of at least two other occasions, in Acts 9: 1 – 19, and Acts 22: 1 – 16.

Of Paul’s two arguments, that from scripture has very little resonance with non-Christians today. They neither know nor care about the scriptures, and yet to be fulfilled they still need God’s salvation. How can we offer that to them?

Well, just as Paul could tell of his encounter with Jesus, so can we. If we tell people about our experience of God, people then have an opportunity to take matters further. They may want to try an Alpha course; they may like to come to a church service with us; they may want to read one of the gospels, to learn for themselves what Jesus did and the sort of man that he was. It’s not up to us to convert them – that is for the Holy Spirit. We just have to witness from our experience.

Of course, we need to have the experience before we can witness to it. This is one reason why it is important to put our faith into action. The more we seek, prayerfully, to do God’s will, the more we will experience the presence of Jesus with us. We can expect to feel Jesus supporting us and helping us grow to be more like him.

In the twenty-first century, it’s hard to believe in God. It’s unreasonable. Even so, Jesus the Nazarene rose from the dead, and is still alive today – and we can share that life. Alleluia!

*       *       *

One of my friends blogged this morning about Hebrews 11:1 “Now faith is confidence in what we hope for and assurance about what we do not see.”

She spoke of how a prayer based on this verse had helped her in a very dark time.

It seems particularly appropriate for my blogpost today, and I think I shall use it often.

Prayer

Dear Father

Please give me the faith to have confidence in what I hope for, and assurance in what I do not see.

In Jesus’ name, Amen

Acts 26: 12 – 18 Paul before Agrippa – Part 2

Acts 26: 12 – 18 Paul before Agrippa – Part 2

‘On one of these journeys I was going to Damascus with the authority and commission of the chief priests. About noon, King grippa, as I was on the road, I saw a light from heaven, brighter than the sun, blazing around me and my companions. We all fell to the ground, and I heard a voice saying to me in Aramaic, “Saul, Saul, why do you persecute me? It is hard for you to kick against the goads.”

‘Then I asked, “Who are you, Lord?”

‘ “I am Jesus, whom you are persecuting,” the Lord replied. “Now get up and stand on your feet. I have appeared to you to appoint you as a servant and as a witness of what you have seen and will see of me. I will rescue you from your own people and from the Gentiles. I am sending you to them to open their eyes and turn them from darkness to light, and from the power of Satan to God, so that they may receive forgiveness of sins and a place among those who are sanctified by faith in me.”

*       *       *

This is a very rich passage! Let’s go straight to the heart of it.

“I am Jesus, whom you are persecuting,” the Lord replied. “Now get up and stand on your feet. I have appeared to you to appoint you as a servant and as a witness of what you have seen and will see of me…”

There is no hint that Paul has any freedom of choice in this. This is the voice of the master to the servant. It’s not a job offer, it’s a command. Whatever happened to free will?

The clue is two sentences earlier.

“I heard a voice saying to me in Aramaic, ‘Saul, Saul, why do you persecute me? It is hard for you to kick against the goads.’ ”

Jesus tells Paul that by persecuting followers of the Way, he is ‘kicking against the goads’. In other words, he is hurting himself unnecessarily and perversely. As soon as he hears those words, Paul realises they’re true; his anger against the followers of the Way arises from his own internal conflict. He desperately wants to believe in Jesus, but is prevented by his education and by his obsessive and hyper-conscientious personality.

And if those words are true…?

‘Then I asked, “Who are you, Lord?” ‘

He doesn’t really need to ask; he already knows the answer, and he immediately acknowledges the Lordship of the speaker. And that’s all it takes. He’s been imprisoning, punishing, pursuing, and murdering the followers of Jesus. He meets Jesus, and accepts him as Lord, and he’s forgiven.

HE’S FORGIVEN!

The forgiveness doesn’t cost him anything; it’s free. It’s God’s grace to him.

The forgiveness costs him everything. From this instant onwards he is God’s servant and witness. Every moment of every day. His life is no longer his own; it belongs to Jesus.

And Jesus promises, “I will rescue you from your own people and from the Gentiles. I am sending you to them to open their eyes and turn them from darkness to light, and from the power of Satan to God, so that they may receive forgiveness of sins and a place among those who are sanctified by faith in me.”

Jesus, through his ministers like Paul, has opened our eyes and turned us from the darkness of lovelessness to the light of God’s love. Through Jesus we receive forgiveness of sins and a place among those who are sanctified by faith in Him.

WE’RE FORGIVEN!

ALLELUIA!

Prayer

Heavenly Father

Thank you for faithful ministers like Paul who have brought your good news to us. Please help us, in our turn, to serve you faithfully and with joy.

In Jesus’ name, Amen

Acts 25: 23 – 27 and 26: 1 – 11 Paul before Agrippa

Acts 25: 23 – 27 and 26: 1 – 11 Paul before Agrippa

The next day Agrippa and Bernice came with great pomp and entered the audience room with the high-ranking military officers and the prominent men of the city. At the command of Festus, Paul was brought in. Festus said: ‘King Agrippa, and all who are present with us, you see this man! The whole Jewish community has petitioned me about him in Jerusalem and here in Caesarea, shouting that he ought not to live any longer. I found he had done nothing deserving of death, but because he made his appeal to the Emperor I decided to send him to Rome. But I have nothing definite to write to His Majesty about him. Therefore I have brought him before all of you, and especially before you, King Agrippa, so that as a result of this investigation I may have something to write. For I think it is unreasonable to send a prisoner on to Rome without specifying the charges against him.’

26 Then Agrippa said to Paul, ‘You have permission to speak for yourself.’

So Paul motioned with his hand and began his defence: ‘King Agrippa, I consider myself fortunate to stand before you today as I make my defence against all the accusations of the Jews, and especially so because you are well acquainted with all the Jewish customs and controversies. Therefore, I beg you to listen to me patiently.

‘The Jewish people all know the way I have lived ever since I was a child, from the beginning of my life in my own country, and also in Jerusalem. They have known me for a long time and can testify, if they are willing, that I conformed to the strictest sect of our religion, living as a Pharisee. And now it is because of my hope in what God has promised our ancestors that I am on trial today. This is the promise our twelve tribes are hoping to see fulfilled as they earnestly serve God day and night. King Agrippa, it is because of this hope that these Jews are accusing me. Why should any of you consider it incredible that God raises the dead?

‘I too was convinced that I ought to do all that was possible to oppose the name of Jesus of Nazareth. And that is just what I did in Jerusalem. On the authority of the chief priests I put many of the Lord’s people in prison and when they were put to death, I cast my vote against them. Many a time I went from one synagogue to another to have them punished, and I tried to force them to blaspheme. I was so obsessed with persecuting them that I even hunted them down in foreign cities.

*       *       *

Luke starts by sketching the scene for Paul’s defence before Agrippa, a scene of pomp and majesty. Everybody of importance in Caesarea was there, doubtless in their best clothes. And against this, Luke gives us Paul, on his own and in chains. It’s a very appropriate and dramatic picture, and doubtless in general terms it’s correct, but how historically accurate is the account of what happened?

Just as yesterday there was a detail that made me feel the passage was authentic, so today there’s a detail that makes me think this passage is Luke’s story about the hearing rather than an eye-witness account. You see he writes:

“But I have nothing definite to write to His Majesty about him. Therefore I have brought him before all of you, and especially before you, King Agrippa, so that as a result of this investigation I may have something to write. For I think it is unreasonable to send a prisoner on to Rome without specifying the charges against him.’ ”

Festus has just taken over as procurator. I cannot believe that he would say something as feeble as this in front of so many important people. He would surely have phrased his request very differently. For example, in Acts 25: 22 we read: “Then Agrippa said to Festus, ‘I would like to hear this man myself.’ ” To say that the hearing has been held at Agrippa’s request, acknowledging in passing his expertise, would surely be stronger – and strength was what Roman government was all about.

In front of this crowd of powerful and influential people, Agrippa gives Paul permission to speak.

Paul starts with flattery:

“ ‘King Agrippa, I consider myself fortunate to stand before you today as I make my defence against all the accusations of the Jews, and especially so because you are well acquainted with all the Jewish customs and controversies.’ ”  

Or is it flattery? Perhaps he really feels grateful that he has a chance to make his case to this man, who is familiar with Jewish law but was who educated as a Roman. The two men, Paul and Agrippa, have common ground.

Next, Paul introduces himself, as a Pharisee who has kept the law all his life. He claims to be well-known for his strict observance of the law, as indeed he would have been; he had trained under Gamaliel, a notable rabbi of the period.

“I studied under Gamaliel and was thoroughly trained in the law of our ancestors.” (Acts 22: 3)

He then talks about his hope in what God has promised.

“And now it is because of my hope in what God has promised our ancestors that I am on trial today.”

It is wrong to consider that “the Jewish leaders” means a group of people with identical beliefs. The Jews were split into sects with different beliefs. The Sadducees didn’t believe in any resurrection; the Pharisees did. Some Jews believed in judgment; others didn’t. Many Jews believed in a Messiah, but ideas about his nature, when he would come, and what he would do, were nebulous. Paul makes his points about being a Pharisee and having faith in what God has promised (the Messiah) to identify his beliefs. Hence “Why should any of you consider it incredible that God raises the dead?”. The idea that God should raise his Messiah from the dead was a respectable idea among Pharisees.

By establishing his theological position so clearly, Paul might have hoped to split his accusers as he had in Jerusalem two years earlier. However, I think that’s probably not the case. I think Paul has started to build his testimony to Jesus and the power of his resurrection.

What Paul says next is very honest. He says that he was initially just like the Jewish leaders who now accuse him. He had arrested Christians, punished them and when they were put to death, cast his vote against them. He was zealous in hunting them down, even to the extent of travelling to foreign cities. He had done all this on the authority of the chief priests – the very people who were now accusing him.

This shows clearly why the Jewish leaders hated Paul so vehemently. He had betrayed them. He had betrayed his faith, he had betrayed his birth-right as a Jew and, worst of all, he had betrayed his peer group. Of course they wanted to kill him; he was a traitor.

Prayer

Heavenly Father

In a world where hatred so often inflicts misery on people, please help us all to love each other as your Son Jesus loved us.

In his name I pray, Amen

Acts 25: 13 – 22 Festus consults King Agrippa – Part 1

Acts 25: 13 – 22 Festus consults King Agrippa – Part 1

A few days later King Agrippa and Bernice arrived at Caesarea to pay their respects to Festus. Since they were spending many days there, Festus discussed Paul’s case with the king. He said, ‘There is a man here whom Felix left as a prisoner. When I went to Jerusalem, the chief priests and the elders of the Jews brought charges against him and asked that he be condemned.

I told them that it is not the Roman custom to hand over anyone before they have faced their accusers and have had an opportunity to defend themselves against the charges. When they came here with me, I did not delay the case, but convened the court the next day and ordered the man to be brought in. When his accusers got up to speak, they did not charge him with any of the crimes I had expected. Instead, they had some points of dispute with him about their own religion and about a dead man called Jesus whom Paul claimed was alive. I was at a loss how to investigate such matters; so I asked if he would be willing to go to Jerusalem and stand trial there on those charges. But when Paul made his appeal to be held over for the Emperor’s decision, I ordered him to be held until I could send him to Caesar.’

Then Agrippa said to Festus, ‘I would like to hear this man myself.’

He replied, ‘Tomorrow you will hear him.’

*       *       *

King Herod Agrippa II was a Jew, but he was educated in the court of Emperor Claudius in Rome, and was a favourite of his. He did not inherit his father’s land – he was too young when his father died – but he was gradually given territories to administer. Among other responsibilities he appointed the Jewish high priest, and had control over the temple revenues. He was Jewish, and he understood and had sympathy for them.

We saw yesterday that Porcius Festus, the Roman procurator for Judea, had a problem with Paul. He found him innocent of crimes against Rome, but he was under political pressure from the chief priests to hand him over for trial under Jewish law. However, if he handed Paul over – or even released him – he could see that Paul would rapidly be killed.

And Festus didn’t have a clue what the Jews were talking about!

As he says to Agrippa, “When his accusers got up to speak, they did not charge him with any of the crimes I had expected. Instead, they had some points of dispute with him about their own religion and about a dead man called Jesus whom Paul claimed was alive. I was at a loss how to investigate such matters…”

Had Paul testified in court before Festus about Jesus being raised from the dead? Or had his Jewish accusers given some garbled account of what Paul had said and done? Luke doesn’t say directly that Paul proclaimed the good news in court. It’s quite likely he wouldn’t have done so, knowing that Festus would not understand. Paul seems to have taken his stand on Roman law, and relied on the reluctance of Roman authority to hand over a Roman citizen to a local jurisdiction. He may have been led by the Holy Spirit to do this, to ensure he would travel to Rome and give his testimony in the very heart of power.

Agrippa’s visit must have seemed providential to Festus; here was a man who knew both Jewish and Roman law, who could explain what this nuisance Paul was on about.

How relieved Festus must have felt when Agrippa said, ‘‘I would like to hear this man myself.’

Prayer

Heavenly Father

Please keep the resurrection of Jesus at the centre of my life.

In Jesus name, Amen

Acts 25: 1 – 12 Paul’s trial before Festus

Acts 25: 1 – 12 Paul’s trial before Festus

Three days after arriving in the province, Festus went up from Caesarea to Jerusalem, where the chief priests and the Jewish leaders appeared before him and presented the charges against Paul. They requested Festus, as a favour to them, to have Paul transferred to Jerusalem, for they were preparing an ambush to kill him along the way. Festus answered, ‘Paul is being held at Caesarea and I myself am going there soon. Let some of your leaders come with me, and if the man has done anything wrong, they can press charges against him there.’

After spending eight or ten days with them, Festus went down to Caesarea. The next day he convened the court and ordered that Paul be brought before him. When Paul came in, the Jews who had come down from Jerusalem stood round him. They brought many serious charges against him, but they could not prove them.

Then Paul made his defence: ‘I have done nothing wrong against the Jewish law or against the temple or against Caesar.’

Festus, wishing to do the Jews a favour, said to Paul, ‘Are you willing to go up to Jerusalem and stand trial before me there on these charges?’

Paul answered: ‘I am now standing before Caesar’s court, where I ought to be tried. I have not done any wrong to the Jews, as you yourself know very well. If, however, I am guilty of doing anything deserving death, I do not refuse to die. But if the charges brought against me by these Jews are not true, no one has the right to hand me over to them. I appeal to Caesar!’

After Festus had conferred with his council, he declared: ‘You have appealed to Caesar. To Caesar you will go!’

*       *       *

It’s clear from this passage just how much the Jewish hierarchy hated and feared Paul.

Paul had been held under house arrest for two years while Felix was procurator of Judea. To a certain extent this was protective custody; it’s clear that Felix was shrewd and realised the risk that the Jewish hierarchy posed to Paul. Then Felix was replaced as procurator by Porcius Festus. Within days of arriving in the province of Judea to take up his duties as procurator, Festus was asked by the Jewish leaders to send Paul to Jerusalem for trial.

Luke tells us that they intended to ambush Paul and kill him during his transfer to Jerusalem. The way that Luke describes the request is significant. “They requested Festus, as a favour to them, to have Paul transferred to Jerusalem”. To request a favour means to incur an obligation. The Jewish leaders were prepared to spend political capital to achieve Paul’s death; indeed, it was at the top of their ‘wish list’. That’s a chilling thought.

Festus declined their request. I find this a very convincing detail supporting the historical accuracy of the account. It’s perfectly possible, of course, that Felix briefed Festus about the risks to Paul, but there’s a much more compelling reason for Festus to refuse. The Jewish leaders have asked him “as a favour to them” to return Paul to Jerusalem. Festus, as an experienced negotiator, would have realised that Paul had a value, and the value was significant because the Jewish leaders had raised the matter as soon as they could. Until Festus knew how great a value to place on Paul’s trial he would make no commitments that gave away control. Any half-decent bureaucrat would have done the same; it would have been automatic.

So Festus does exactly the same as Felix. He asserts Roman authority and tells the Jewish leaders to come to Caesarea to make their accusations. Not surprisingly, the result is the same as Paul’s trial under Felix. The Jewish leaders fling accusations at Paul, but cannot prove any that were relevant in a Roman court of law. All Paul says is ‘I have done nothing wrong against the Jewish law or against the temple or against Caesar,’ and the case falls apart.

Festus has now shown the Jews that he will exercise Roman authority. Keeping Paul in custody is expensive, and could drag on indefinitely. He asks Paul whether he’s prepared to go to Jerusalem and stand trial there. Paul’s answer is incisive.

”Paul answered: ‘I am now standing before Caesar’s court, where I ought to be tried. I have not done any wrong to the Jews, as you yourself know very well. If, however, I am guilty of doing anything deserving death, I do not refuse to die. But if the charges brought against me by these Jews are not true, no one has the right to hand me over to them. I appeal to Caesar!’ ”

He demands to be tried in a Roman court, under Roman law. Very subtly, he introduces the idea that travel to Jerusalem would lead to his death when he says: “If, however, I am guilty of doing anything deserving death, I do not refuse to die.” And then, he triggers the nuclear option:

“I appeal to Caesar!’”

You can almost hear the sharp intake of breath from every person present in the court.

A Roman citizen could, at least in theory, appeal to the Emperor to hear his case. For obvious reasons this was rare. Before responding to Paul’s demand, Festus conferred with his council.

After Festus had conferred with his council, he declared: ‘You have appealed to Caesar. To Caesar you will go!’

Paul’s direction was now set. He was going to Rome, and going as a prisoner.

Prayer

Heavenly Father

Thank you for the faithful witness of all your saints. Please help us all to be obedient as they were.

In Jesus name, Amen.

Acts 24: 17 – 27 Paul’s trial before Felix – Part 2

Acts 24: 17 – 27 Paul’s trial before Felix – Part 2

‘After an absence of several years, I came to Jerusalem to bring my people gifts for the poor and to present offerings. I was ceremonially clean when they found me in the temple doing this. There was no crowd with me, nor was I involved in any disturbance. But there are some Jews from the province of Asia, who ought to be here before you and bring charges if they have anything against me. Or these who are here should state what crime they found in me when I stood before the Sanhedrin – unless it was this one thing I shouted as I stood in their presence: “It is concerning the resurrection of the dead that I am on trial before you today.” ’

Then Felix, who was well acquainted with the Way, adjourned the proceedings.

‘When Lysias the commander comes,’ he said, ‘I will decide your case.’ He ordered the centurion to keep Paul under guard but to give him some freedom and permit his friends to take care of his needs.

Several days later Felix came with his wife Drusilla, who was Jewish. He sent for Paul and listened to him as he spoke about faith in Christ Jesus. As Paul talked about righteousness, self-control and the judgment to come, Felix was afraid and said, ‘That’s enough for now! You may leave. When I find it convenient I will send for you.’ At the same time he was hoping Paul would offer him a bribe, so he sent for him frequently and talked with him.

When two years had passed, Felix was succeeded by Porcius Festus, but because Felix wanted to grant a favour to the Jews, he left Paul in prison.

*       *       *

Paul had been arrested after riots in Jerusalem, which had started when some Jews from Asia had recognised him. Now, in his trial, Paul describes clearly and calmly what happened. He had gone to the temple to present offerings and was ceremonially clean. There was no crowd with him, nor was he involved in any disturbance. Paul points out that it was the Jews from Asia who claimed to have seen him doing wrong. His accusers before Felix (the high priest Ananias, some elders, and the lawyer Tertullus) had not seen him. How, then, could they be valid witnesses?

He goes on to point out that the only acts of his that Ananias and the elders had witnessed were those of his appearance before the Sanhedrin. He admits that he called out “It is concerning the resurrection of the dead that I am on trial before you today.”  If that was a crime, then let them accuse him!

Felix is left with a problem. Paul has committed no crime against Rome. He could, and possibly should, be released. However, it’s clear that the Jewish authorities are very angry with Paul and want him dead. If Felix releases Paul, it won’t be long before the Jews make another attempt on his life. If Paul were just a Jew, I don’t expect Felix would care. He’d release him and let matters take their course. But Paul isn’t just a Jew, he’s a Roman citizen.

Now, he’s not a very important citizen. Even if Felix abandoned Paul to the Jews, it’s not likely that he would suffer sanctions from Rome for doing so. But the significance of Roman citizenship had a mythic quality. The Roman Empire had a huge population and only a tiny percentage were citizens. It was important to the stability of the Empire that citizens were seen as extra-special. Even Felix, a venal man who did favours for the Jewish leaders and hoped for a bribe from Paul, probably felt deeply that the life and rights of a Roman citizen should be inviolable.

Felix can’t hold an innocent Roman indefinitely, so he delays matters “ ‘When Lysias the commander comes,’ he said, ‘I will decide your case.” ’ He makes Paul’s imprisonment as bearable as possible, and then plays for time. The strategy succeeds better than he could have dared hope. Two years later, Felix is still holding Paul, and is able to use his continuing imprisonment to curry favour with the Jewish hierarchy.

For us today, the most significant part of this passage may be the words called out by Paul before the Sanhedrin:

“It is concerning the resurrection of the dead that I am on trial before you today.”

It was indeed why Paul was on trial. The resurrection of Jesus is at the absolute heart of our faith.

Prayer

Heavenly Father

Thank you for raising Jesus from the dead. Please strengthen our faith, and help us to show the truth of his resurrection to those around us.

In Jesus’ name, Amen

Acts 24: 1 – 16 Paul’s trial before Felix – Part 1

Acts 24: 1 – 16 Paul’s trial before Felix – Part 1

Five days later the high priest Ananias went down to Caesarea with some of the elders and a lawyer named Tertullus, and they brought their charges against Paul before the governor. When Paul was called in, Tertullus presented his case before Felix: ‘We have enjoyed a long period of peace under you, and your foresight has brought about reforms in this nation. Everywhere and in every way, most excellent Felix, we acknowledge this with profound gratitude. But in order not to weary you further, I would request that you be kind enough to hear us briefly.

‘We have found this man to be a troublemaker, stirring up riots among the Jews all over the world. He is a ringleader of the Nazarene sect and even tried to desecrate the temple; so we seized him. By examining him yourself you will be able to learn the truth about all these charges we are bringing against him.’

The other Jews joined in the accusation, asserting that these things were true.

When the governor motioned for him to speak, Paul replied: ‘I know that for a number of years you have been a judge over this nation; so I gladly make my defence. You can easily verify that not more than twelve days ago I went up to Jerusalem to worship. My accusers did not find me arguing with anyone at the temple, or stirring up a crowd in the synagogues or anywhere else in the city. And they cannot prove to you the charges they are now making against me. However, I admit that I worship the God of our ancestors as a follower of the Way, which they call a sect. I believe everything that is in accordance with the law, and that is written in the prophets, and I have the same hope in God that these men themselves have, that there will be a resurrection of both the righteous and the wicked. So I strive always to keep my conscience clear before God and man.

*       *       *

What charges did the high priest bring against Paul?

  • Troublemaker.
  • Stirring up riots among the Jews all over the world.
  • Ringleader of the Nazarene sect.
  • Attempting to desecrate the temple.

Paul was a Roman citizen, being tried in a Roman court. Which of these accusations justifies sanctions under Roman law?

Troublemaker. This would require specific evidence of specific trouble-making. Not proven.

Stirring up riots among the Jews all over the world. This would require specific evidence of specific riots. In any case, the court under Felix only had jurisdiction over the province of which he was governor.

Ringleader of the Nazarene sect. This is not a crime in itself. It would only become a crime if the sect were to plot and act against Roman rule, and no evidence of this is provided.

Attempting to desecrate the temple. While the Romans cared nothing for the holiness of the temple, the Governor would have been concerned to ensure that Jewish religious sensibilities were respected, especially in Jerusalem and even more especially towards the temple. Jerusalem was a powder keg that could erupt into violence at any time – as indeed it did some years later.  

Paul knew perfectly well that Felix’s jurisdiction only applied within his province, so he chooses to defend himself only against those charges that Felix is competent to hear. He starts twelve days earlier when he arrived at Jerusalem and says three things:

  • He went to Jerusalem to worship.
  • He didn’t argue with anyone at the temple.
  • He didn’t stir up crowds at synagogues or anywhere else in the city.

The hearing is going well for Paul, but Felix must be concerned. Here is a Roman citizen who has not committed crimes against Rome, but around whom trouble has started over and over again. Political dynamite!

During the course of his defence, Paul says something very interesting.

“I admit that I worship the God of our ancestors as a follower of the Way, which they call a sect. I believe everything that is in accordance with the law, and that is written in the prophets, and I have the same hope in God that these men themselves have, that there will be a resurrection of both the righteous and the wicked.”

Paul once persecuted the Way; now he is its most vocal advocate. And yet his theology hasn’t changed; he still believes everything in Moses and the prophets. He wasn’t persuaded or convinced by argument – far from it. He changed because he had a personal encounter with the living Jesus.

Coming to belief in Jesus may be dramatic, like Paul’s conversion, or it may be quiet and gradual. However it happens, we reach a point where we say, “Jesus, I put my trust in you.” It is a personal commitment to a personal Lord. It is a personal encounter with the living Jesus.

Prayer

Heavenly Father

Thank you for sending Jesus to us. Thank you that we can know him and serve him personally as our living Lord.

In Jesus’ name, Amen

Acts 23: 23 – 35 Paul transferred to Caesarea

Acts 23: 23 – 35 Paul transferred to Caesarea

Then he {the commander) called two of his centurions and ordered them, ‘Get ready a detachment of two hundred soldiers, seventy horsemen and two hundred spearmen to go to Caesarea at nine tonight. Provide horses for Paul so that he may be taken safely to Governor Felix.’

He wrote a letter as follows:

Claudius Lysias,

To His Excellency, Governor Felix:

Greetings.

This man was seized by the Jews and they were about to kill him, but I came with my troops and rescued him, for I had learned that he is a Roman citizen. I wanted to know why they were accusing him, so I brought him to their Sanhedrin. I found that the accusation had to do with questions about their law, but there was no charge against him that deserved death or imprisonment. When I learned of a plot to be carried out against the man, I sent him to you at once. I also ordered his accusers to present to you their case against him.

So the soldiers, carrying out their orders, took Paul with them during the night and brought him as far as Antipatris. The next day they let the cavalry go on with him, while they returned to the barracks. When the cavalry arrived in Caesarea, they delivered the letter to the governor and handed Paul over to him. The governor read the letter and asked what province he was from. Learning that he was from Cilicia, he said, ‘I will hear your case when your accusers get here.’ Then he ordered that Paul be kept under guard in Herod’s palace.

*       *       *

Commander Claudius Lysias acted swiftly and decisively. He sent Paul with nearly 500 soldiers, including 70 cavalry, to the Governor of the province, Felix, who lived in Caesarea. This both protected Paul, and secured him under house arrest. It reduced the risk of further riots in Jerusalem, and – probably not least of Claudius Lysias’s considerations when making the decision – it removed his risk of being ambushed along with Paul, and got rid of a political ‘hot potato’.

To justify his actions, he wrote a letter to Governor Felix. Glossing over the lies and half-truths of this letter, we nevertheless find one very important point. Claudius Lysias writes: “I found that the accusation had to do with questions about their law, but there was no charge against him that deserved death or imprisonment.”

In other words, in the opinion of the responsible officer in Jerusalem, Paul was innocent of any serious breach of Roman law. His house arrest is nothing to do with Roman law; it is a political matter. He has been involved in three riots, instigating two of them, and he is the subject of a very serious plot to kill him. His presence on the streets is a threat to good order.

Claudius Lysias, having determined Paul’s innocence under Roman law could have released him were it not for the political considerations. The man whose job it was to make such political decisions was the province’s governor Felix, and so it was to Felix that Claudius Lysias sent Paul.

What would have happened if Claudius Lysias had released Paul in Jerusalem?

The likelihood is that Paul would have continued to preach about Jesus until the Jews killed him. In a very real sense, therefore, Paul is a prisoner for the gospel – an innocent man imprisoned for the message he bears.

Prayer

Heavenly Father

Your kingdom come, your will be done, on earth as it is in heaven.

In Jesus’ name, Amen

Acts 23: 12 – 22 The plot to kill Paul

Acts 23: 12 – 22 The plot to kill Paul

The next morning some Jews formed a conspiracy and bound themselves with an oath not to eat or drink until they had killed Paul. More than forty men were involved in this plot. They went to see the chief priests and the elders and said, ‘We have taken a solemn oath not to eat anything until we have killed Paul. Now then, you and the Sanhedrin petition the commander to bring him before you on the pretext of wanting more accurate information about his case. We are ready to kill him before he gets here.’

But when the son of Paul’s sister heard of this plot, he went into the barracks and told Paul.

Then Paul called one of the centurions and said, ‘Take this young man to the commander; he has something to tell him.’ So he took him to the commander.

The centurion said, ‘Paul, the prisoner, sent for me and asked me to bring this young man to you because he has something to tell you.’

The commander took the young man by the hand, drew him aside and asked, ‘What is it you want to tell me?’

He said, ‘Some Jews have agreed to ask you to bring Paul before the Sanhedrin tomorrow on the pretext of wanting more accurate information about him. Don’t give into them, because more than forty of them are waiting in ambush for him. They have taken an oath not to eat or drink until they have killed him. They are ready now, waiting for your consent to their request.’

The commander dismissed the young man with this warning: ‘Don’t tell anyone that you have reported this to me.’

*       *       *

This attempt to murder Paul was carefully planned. The conspirators had seen that Paul had not been heavily guarded when he had attended the Sanhedrin. If the Sanhedrin were to persuade the commander to bring Paul before them for further questioning, the attackers would lie in wait and kill him. With more than forty attackers, they must have felt confident of overcoming a handful of Roman soldiers. After all, individual Roman soldiers had been killed in knife attacks by Sicarii – dagger men, who concealed a small dagger beneath their cloak.

Despite the careful planning, though, somebody disclosed the plan, and Paul’s nephew heard about it. We know nothing about the young man, but he must have felt some warm family feeling towards Paul because he puts his own life at risk by going to the fort and telling Paul.

Paul told a centurion to take the young man to the commander; it is a mark of the potency of Roman citizenship that Paul should have such access. The commander discreetly asked Paul’s nephew what he had to tell him, and the young man told him of the plot.

The commander warned the lad to say nothing of his visit. This is less to protect the young man, more to keep the plotters in the dark. The commander knows about this plot – if the would-be assassins realise that he knows, they’ll try something else that he perhaps won’t know.

He probably feels grateful to Paul’s nephew.  If he had agreed to the Sanhedrin’s request, he would almost certainly have gone himself with Paul and been killed in the ambush.

This period of Paul’s life spent in Jerusalem is apparently marked by futility and failure. Paul has seemingly done nothing other than cause dissension.

Two comments about that. The first is that we don’t know what happened in the hearts of those to whom Paul spoke. Romans and Jews; soldiers and priests; Pharisees and Sadducees; all these heard something of Paul’s message and saw his demeanour under pressure. It wouldn’t be surprising if he had brought some individuals to Jesus during his visit. The second is that God intervened to ensure that Paul travelled to Rome, the place where God needed him to be.

It was a circuitous and perilous route but Paul now looked set to travel to Rome.

I wonder what would have happened, though, if Paul had listened to the church in Tyre.

“We sought out the disciples there and stayed with them seven days. Through the Spirit they urged Paul not to go on to Jerusalem.” (Acts 21: 4)

Prayer

Heavenly Father

Thank you for keeping me safe in your care. Please help me to love you and those around me with all my heart.

In Jesus’ name, Amen

Acts 22: 30 and 23: 1 – 11 Paul before the Sanhedrin

Acts 22: 30 and 23: 1 – 11 Paul before the Sanhedrin

The commander wanted to find out exactly why Paul was being accused by the Jews. So the next day he released him and ordered the chief priests and all the members of the Sanhedrin to assemble. Then he brought Paul and set him before them.

Paul looked straight at the Sanhedrin and said, ‘My brothers, I have fulfilled my duty to God in all good conscience to this day.’ At this the high priest Ananias ordered those standing near Paul to strike him on the mouth. Then Paul said to him, ‘God will strike you, you whitewashed wall! You sit there to judge me according to the law, yet you yourself violate the law by commanding that I be struck!’

Those who were standing near Paul said, ‘How dare you insult God’s high priest!’

Paul replied, ‘Brothers, I did not realise that he was the high priest; for it is written: “Do not speak evil about the ruler of your people.” ’

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.)

There was a great uproar, and some of the teachers of the law who were Pharisees stood up and argued vigorously. ‘We find nothing wrong with this man,’ they said. ‘What if a spirit or an angel has spoken to him?’ The dispute became so violent that the commander was afraid Paul would be torn to pieces by them. He ordered the troops to go down and take him away from them by force and bring him into the barracks.

The following night the Lord stood near Paul and said, ‘Take courage! As you have testified about me in Jerusalem, so you must also testify in Rome.’

*        *        *

Nothing about this passage seems to have much to do with Jesus.

Starting at the end, we read, “The following night the Lord stood near Paul and said, ‘Take courage! As you have testified about me in Jerusalem, so you must also testify in Rome.’ (Acts 23: 11)

What does Acts tell us about Paul’s testimony in Jerusalem?

He’s reported to James and the elders “in detail what God had done among the Gentiles through his ministry.” (Acts 21: 18 – 19)

He’s undertaken a vow that makes it plain he believes ritual purity is important (Acts 21: 23 – 26)

In the course of fulfilling his vow, his presence starts a riot from which he has to be rescued by Roman authority.

He himself starts another riot when he gives his ‘defence’ to the crowd. In this defence he talks about his own experience of Jesus, but says next to nothing about Jesus’ teaching and ministry. (See Acts 2; 14 – 41 to contrast this with Peter’s teaching)

He exploits his Roman citizenship to win protection from the Jews.

When addressing the Sanhedrin, he is struck in the face on the instruction of the high priest. In response, he speaks offensively to him, calling him a ‘whitewashed wall’. When challenged, he shows he knows the scripture that warns against such speech – “Do not blaspheme God or curse the ruler of your people.” (Exodus 22: 28) – but he doesn’t apologise; he offers an excuse.

Compare Paul’s behaviour with that of Jesus in a similar situation:

“When Jesus said this, one of the officials near by slapped him in the face. ‘Is this the way you answer the high priest,’ he demanded.

‘If I said something wrong,’ Jesus replied, ‘testify as to what is wrong. But if I spoke the truth, why did you strike me?’” (John 18: 22 – 23)

Finally, Paul deliberately causes uproar in the Sanhedrin, setting the Pharisees and Sadducees at each other’s throats.

Paul was human and fallible. He was also the source of much of our doctrine, which is the way we understand the life of Jesus and its relevance to us. This passage reinforces my caution in approaching the teaching of St Paul; I do not see the love of God that I see in much of the gospels.

Prayer

Heavenly Father

If I am wrong in my understanding of this passage of scripture, please correct me and help me to accept your correction.

In Jesus’ name, Amen.