Acts 21 – 28 (Continued)

January 03, 2013

Festus becomes governor. Even after two years the Jews have not moved on with their lives and they see this as a new opportunity to "get" Paul. Festus went from Caesarea to visit Jerusalem. This time the Jews presented their false charges against Paul to Festus and they asked him for a favor. They wanted Festus to send Paul back to Jerusalem. Their plan? To kill him while he was being moved. But their plan didn't work. Festus decided to leave Paul in Caesarea. He said, "Some of your leaders should go with me. They can accuse the man there in Caesarea, if he has really done something wrong." (Acts 25:5)

Festus returned to Caesarea. He told the soldiers to bring Paul before him. Festus was seated on the Judge's seat. When Paul was brought into the room the people who were against him gathered around him, "making serious charges against him, which they could not prove." (Acts 25:7) This is what Paul said to defend himself: "I have done nothing wrong against the law, against the temple, or against Caeser." Festus wanted to please the Jews, so he asked Paul if he wanted to go to Jerusalem to be judged there. Festus thought he was trying to please the Jews, but what he didn't realize is that it wasn't the "place" that mattered to the Jews. Having Paul moved was part of their scheme to kill Paul by having access to him.

Paul replied, you can judge me right here. Acts 25:10–11 - "I have done nothing wrong to them; you know this is true. If I have done something wrong and the law says I must die"—then so be it. "But if these charges are not true, then no one can give me to them." I'm not going to run; I'm not going to hide; I'm not guilty; and "I want Caeser to hear my case!" Caeser was the Emperor, the highest authority in Rome. Festus talked it over with his advisers and then agreed to send him to Caeser.

A few days later King Agrippa and his wife come to visit Festus. Festus tells him the story of what has happened.

1. Felix left a man in prison;
2. I went to Jerusalem and the leading priests and older leaders made charges against him;
3. They asked me to sentence him to death;
4. I explained that when a man is accused of a crime, we Romans do not hand him over until he has been allowed to face his accusers and defend himself against their charges;
5. So the people came here for the trial;
6. I commanded that the man be brought in;
7. They stood up and accused him, but not of any serious crime as I thought they would.

Festus continues. The things they are complaining about is a difference in belief systems. He said/she said. How do I make a judgment about that? I asked Paul, "Do you want to go to Jerusalem to be judged?" But he asked to be kept here. He wants a decision from the Emperor, so I'm going to send him to Caeser.

King Agrippa was intrigued. He wanted to hear from this man himself, so a time was set. The king and his wife, army leaders, Festus, and the important men from Caesarea all gathered in the judgment room. The soldiers brought Paul in. Festus said to all the important people gathered—Here he is... this is the man. His accusers have complained to me about him. They have shouted that he shouldn't live any longer.   found no reason to order his death. He has asked to be judged by Caeser, so I am sending him to Caeser. But I don't even know what to write about him when I send him. Maybe you can help question him and give me something to write. It seems foolish to send a prisoner to Caeser without telling what charges should be against him.

Agrippa said to Paul, "You may now defend yourself." Now, from all outside appearances, Paul is the captive one. But the truth is Paul had a captive audience, and he took that opportunity to witness for God. Paul raised his hand and began to speak  Acts 26:2 - "I am very happy to stand before you and will answer all the charges the evil people make against me.... please listen to me patiently."

And Paul starts in, and they hear his whole life story, who he was and who he became through the grace of God and His son Jesus. He told how he used to be like his accusers and used to help them persecute those who believed in Jesus. (Which is why they were so angry with Paul now. They used to be partners, but Paul broke away from them and they were angry. They wanted to make Paul pay, at any cost.) Paul told about what happened to him on the road to Damascus. How he was blinded by a bright light and how he heard a voice speak to him. "Saul, why are you persecuting me? You are only hurting yourself by fighting me."

Then Paul told them how God spoke to him and said, "You will tell people the things you have seen and the things that I will show you. This is why I have come to you today. I will keep you safe from your own people and also from the others. I am sending you to them to open their eyes so that they may turn away from darkness to the light, away from the power of Satan to God. Then their sins can be forgiven, and they can have a place with those people who have been made holy by believing in me." (Acts 26:16–18) Paul told King Agrippa how he obeyed God's voice and preached God's message of repentance and "change your hearts and lives."

Acts 26:21 - "This is why....!" This is why the Jews were angry and determined to get Paul and manufactured accusations against him. Acts 26:22 - "But God helped me, so I stand here today, telling all people, small and great, what I have seen."


Next Entry: Acts 21 – 28 (Continued)