Festus then, having arrived in the province, after three days went up to Jerusalem from Caesarea. 2 And the chief priests and the leading men of the Jews brought charges against Paul, and they were pleading with him, 3 requesting a favor against Paul, that he might have him brought to Jerusalem (while they set an ambush to kill him on the way). 4 Festus then answered that Paul was being kept in custody at Caesarea and that he himself was about to leave shortly. 5 “Therefore,” he *said, “let the influential men among you go down there with me, and if there is anything wrong about the man, let them accuse him.”
6 And after he had spent not more than eight or ten days among them, he went down to Caesarea, and on the next day he took his seat on the judgment seat and ordered Paul to be brought. 7 And after Paul arrived, the Jews who had come down from Jerusalem stood around him, bringing many and serious charges against him which they could not prove, 8 while Paul said in his own defense, “I have committed no sin either against the Law of the Jews or against the temple or against Caesar.” 9 But Festus, wishing to do the Jews a favor, answered Paul and said, “Are you willing to go up to Jerusalem and to be tried before me on these matters?” 10 But Paul said, “I am standing before Caesar’s judgment seat, where I ought to be tried. I have done no wrong to the Jews, as you also very well know. 11 If, then, I am a wrongdoer and have committed anything worthy of death, I do not refuse to die; but if none of those things is true of which these men accuse me, no one can hand me over to them. I appeal to Caesar.” 12 Then when Festus had conferred with his council, he answered, “You have appealed to Caesar, to Caesar you shall go.”
Festus and Agrippa Discuss Paul’s Trial
13 Now when several days had passed, King Agrippa and Bernice arrived at Caesarea and greeted Festus. 14 And while they were spending many days there, Festus laid Paul’s case before the king, saying, “There is a man who was left as a prisoner by Felix; 15 and when I was at Jerusalem, the chief priests and the elders of the Jews brought charges against him, asking for a sentence of condemnation against him. 16 I answered them that it is not the custom of the Romans to hand over any man before the accused meets his accusers face to face and has an opportunity to make his defense against the charges. 17 So after they had assembled here, I did not delay, but on the next day took my seat on the judgment seat and ordered the man to be brought before me. 18 When the accusers stood up, they were not bringing any charges against him for the evil deeds I was expecting, 19 but they had some points of disagreement with him about their own religion and about a certain Jesus, a dead man whom Paul asserted to be alive. 20 And being perplexed about how to investigate such matters, I was asking whether he was willing to go to Jerusalem and there to be tried on these matters. 21 But when Paul appealed to be held in custody for the Emperor’s decision, I ordered him to be kept in custody until I send him to Caesar.” 22 Then Agrippa said to Festus, “I also would like to hear the man myself.” “Tomorrow,” he *said, “you shall hear him.”
Paul Before Agrippa and Bernice
23 So, on the next day when Agrippa came together with Bernice amid great pomp, and entered the hall accompanied by the commanders and the prominent men of the city, at the order of Festus, Paul was brought in. 24 And Festus *said, “King Agrippa, and all you gentlemen here present with us, you see this man about whom all the people of the Jews appealed to me, both at Jerusalem and here, loudly declaring that he ought not to live any longer. 25 But I found that he had committed nothing worthy of death, and since he himself appealed to the Emperor, I decided to send him. 26 Yet I have nothing definite about him to write to my lord. Therefore I have brought him before you all and especially before you, King Agrippa, so that after the investigation has taken place, I may have something to write. 27 For it seems absurd to me in sending a prisoner, not to indicate also the charges against him.” Acts 25
Acts 25
Festus - Festus assumed this office at Nero's appointment in A.D. 60. He held it until his death in A.D. 62. Paul the apostle appealed to Porcius Festus for the opportunity of being tried before Caesar, and Festus granted that request. NET Note adds that "Porcius Festus was the procurator of Palestine who succeeded Felix; neither the beginning nor the end of his rule (at his death) can be determined with certainty, although he appears to have died in office after about two years. Nero recalled Felix in A.D. 57 or 58, and Festus was appointed to his vacant office in A.D. 57, 58, or 59. According to Josephus (Ant. 20.8.9–10 [20.182–188]; J. W. 2.14.1 [2.271–272]), his administration was better than that of his predecessor Felix or his successor Albinus, but Luke in Acts portrays him in a less favorable light: He was willing to sacrifice Paul to court Jewish favor by taking him to Jerusalem for trial (Acts 25:9), regardless of Paul’s guilt or innocence. The one characteristic for which Festus was noted is that he dealt harshly with those who disturbed the peace."
Constable points out that "This is the shortest of Paul's five defenses that Luke documented. It is quite similar to Paul's defense before Felix except that now the apostle appealed to the emperor.
Derek Thomas introduces this chapter with these comments - God’s providence may sometimes appear to us to be inefficient. Why place one of the best preachers of the seventeenth century—John Bunyan—in prison for twelve years? The answer, from our perspective over three centuries later, is obvious: without the imprisonment there would have been no Pilgrim’s Progress. That book still ranks as one of the most important in all of Christian literature. The same thought could be had concerning Paul’s imprisonment. Why place the most useful Christian in the world at that time in prison? But God’s ways are not our ways (cf. Isa. 55:8–9), and there is a yet-unseen purpose behind this “frowning providence.” (William Cowper - Listen to the beautiful version of God Moves in Mysterious Ways) Later, from his incarceration in Rome, Paul would testify that God had worked in such a way as to secure advantages for the gospel that otherwise would not have been possible. It had become known among members of the imperial guard that his imprisonment had been due to his relationship to Jesus Christ (Phil. 1:13+). Opportunities for witness had been given to him in the most unlikely places. Seeming inefficiency was actually part of God’s strategy. (Reformed Expository Commentary: Acts p. 675). (Or here is Derek Thomas' sermon on Acts 25:1-12). - Precept Austin
Vs. 1-7 Bringing many and serious charges against him that they could not prove - Luke notes again that the accusations are baseless. They wanted to kill Paul, and they had planned to assassinate him on the way to trial before the Sanhedrin. This was discovered and blocked, but these men are relentless. They want another shot at killing him.
…15Avoid it; do not travel on it. Turn from it and pass on by. 16For they cannot sleep unless they do evil; they are deprived of slumber until they make someone fall. 17For they eat the bread of wickedness and drink the wine of violence.… Proverbs 4: 15-17
All have turned aside, together they have become worthless;
There is none who does good,
There is not even one.”
13 “Their throat is an open tomb,
With their tongues they keep deceiving,”
“The poison of asps is under their lips”;
14 “Whose mouth is full of cursing and bitterness”;
15 “Their feet are swift to shed blood,
16 Destruction and misery are in their paths,
17 And the path of peace they have not known.”
18 “There is no fear of God before their eyes.”
19 Now we know that whatever the Law says, it speaks to those who are in the Law, so that every mouth may be shut and all the world may become accountable to God; Romans 3: 12-19
Vs. 8-9 I have committed no sin either against the law of the Jews, or against the temple, or against Caesar - This is an interesting split, since Paul was born a Jew, trained as a Pharisee, but I don't think he is making the distinction between the added laws and the temple, but the accusation that he brought a gentile into the temple. They would like to pit him against Rome, since Rome calls this occupied area Palestine, and Rome is actually in charge, so in order to kill Paul they need to have him sent back to them, so that the zealots, who have vowed to murder him, can actually brake Roman law through an act of terrorism. A true Christian is a model citizen though, and Paul is not seeking to break Roman law, but his accusers want that very thing. This is political on the part of Festus though, as he would like to do the Jews a favor, allow them to try Paul in order to maintain some simile of Roman peace, even at the sacrifice of actual justice, and as we know, Paul's life.
12Conduct yourselves with such honor among the Gentiles that, though they slander you as evildoers, they may see your good deeds and glorify God on the day He visits us. 13Submit yourselves for the Lord’s sake to every human institution, whether to the king as the supreme authority, 14or to governors as those sent by him to punish those who do wrong and to praise those who do right.…
…15For it is God’s will that by doing good you should silence the ignorance of foolish men. 16Live in freedom, but do not use your freedom as a cover-up for evil; live as servants of God. 17Treat everyone with high regard: Love the brotherhood of believers, fear God, honor the king.… 1 Peter 2: 12-17
Vs. 10-12 Where I ought to be tried - God has already revealed to Paul that he must go to Rome, but he is also a great case study for us in that he is not contentious towards the law of the land. He won't bow to their gods, but he will follow their rules according to trial, and he is a Roman citizen so he should be tried by Caesar, not by the angry mob. Their issues with Paul are actually of a religious origin, but these men would like to have Rome on their side.
Vs. 13-22 A disagreement with him about their own religion, and about a certain Jesus, a dead man Who Paul asserted to be alive - This is the real reason. They hate Jesus, and Paul claims that the One they killed is now risen.
…3For what I received I passed on to you as of first importance: that Christ died for our sins according to the Scriptures, 4 that He was buried, that He was raised on the third day according to the Scriptures, 5and that He appeared to Cephas and then to the Twelve.… 1 Corinthians 15: 3-5
…9Therefore my heart is glad and my tongue rejoices; my body also will dwell securely. 10For You will not abandon my soul to Sheol, nor will You let Your Holy One see decay. 11You have made known to me the path of life; You will fill me with joy in Your presence, with eternal pleasures at Your right hand.… Psalm 16: 9-11
Vs. 23-27 For it seems absurd to me in sending a prisoner, not to indicate also the charges against him - Yeah it does, but where the accountability is low I have seen this happen. I have seen people even push some of the vaguest accusations against others on paper, and wondered why do you want to judge them so badly, why are you so intent on disciplining them when they really haven't done anything wrong according to the laws or values that are supposed to govern us? In those cases, like Paul's, it is personal, not a matter of principle, and their is no integrity, but all the way up the chain they will maintain this as their stance, "just sign the paper that you received this." The greatest law breakers I have ever found are those who are supposed to uphold it. They will side with the squeaky wheel, the one who gives them the most grief and drama, over the facts of the situation. Paul is not in an enviable situation, but by the providence of God he has been able to share the real reason for his arrest, the gospel. This will also give him time to slow down and write.
…12Before his downfall a man’s heart is proud, but humility comes before honor. 13He who answers a matter before he hears it— this is folly and disgrace to him. 14The spirit of a man can endure his sickness, but who can survive a broken spirit?… Proverbs 18: 12-14
…50Nicodemus, who had gone to Jesus earlier and who himself was one of them, asked, 51“Does our law convict a man without first hearing from him to determine what he has done?” 52“Aren’t you also from Galilee?” they replied. “Look into it, and you will see that no prophet comes out of Galilee.”… John 7: 50-52
For it seems absurd to me in sending a prisoner, not to indicate also the charges against him - Absurd means inconsistent with reason, logic, or common sense. Not only would it have been absurd but potentially dangerous to bother Caesar with matters of no import! It is not likely Nero (A. D. 54-68) would have looked favorably on Festus for wasting his time. Even the Jews had a law like this Nicodemus declaring that “Our Law does not judge a man unless it first hears from him and knows what he is doing, does it?” (Jn 7:51)
MacArthur has an interesting note that "Paul was probably not legally bound to attend the inquiry. He had already appealed his case to the emperor, thus taking it out of Festus's jurisdiction. But Paul would not think of passing up an opportunity to preach the gospel in such an important setting. Here is still another example of his courageous commitment to serve the Lord Jesus Christ in every circumstance. The vehicle for his gospel proclamation was to be the powerful, dramatic testimony of his conversion on the road to Damascus." - PA
No comments:
Post a Comment
Note: Only a member of this blog may post a comment.