Acts 24 & 25: Paul Before Felix and Festus

WHEN WE ENDED OUR STUDY STOP IN ACTS 23 WE FOUND PAUL HAVING STIRRED UP THE JEWISH TEMPLE MASTERS WHICH ARE THE SANHEDRIN TO THE POINT THAT MORE THAN A FEW OF THEM PLEDGED IN A VOW NOT TO EAT OR DRINK UNTIL PAUL WAS DEAD BY THEIR HANDS.

AFTER FINDING THAT PAUL HAD ROMAN CITIZENSHIP THE ROMAN MILITARY PLACED PAUL UNDER PROTECTIVE CUSTODY.

PAUL’S NEPHEW REVEALED THE CONTINUED PLOT AGAINST PAUL TO THE ROMAN OFFICERS AND THEY THEN BROUGHT LITERALLY HUNDREDS OF TROOPS TOGETHER TO TAKE PAUL TO CAESAREA WHERE THE ROMAN GOVERNOR RESIDED.

THIS PLACE WAS HEROD’S JUDGMENT HALL WHERE PAUL WOULD APPEAR BEFORE ROMAN OFFICIALS AS WELL AS SHARE THE GOSPEL MESSAGE WITH THEM, AND THESE OFFICIALS WERE IMPRESSED WITH HIS MESSAGE.

BECAUSE THE NEXT STEP IN PAUL’S JOURNEY IS HIS TIME BEFORE THESE OFFICIALS, IT SEEMS CORRECT TO JOIN BOTH CHAPTERS 24 & 25 TOGETHER TO STUDY WHAT WILL BE THE NEXT STEPS PAUL WILL MAKE TOWARD ROME.

WE MUST RECALL THAT JESUS HIMSELF HAD APPEARED TO PAUL AND CLEARLY INSTRUCTED HIM TO BEAR WITNESS IN ROME.

IT IS LIKELY THAT PAUL DID NOT YET REALIZE THAT HIS ROMAN JOURNEY WOULD BE IN CHAINS AS HE SOUGHT TO PLACE HIS APPEAL BEFORE THE ROMAN EMPORER.

IN ACTS 24 WE SEE PAUL APPEARING BEFORE GOVERNOR FELIX WITH ACCUSATIONS AGAINST HIM AND HIS DEFENSE.

IN ACTS 25 WE SEE PAUL APPEARING BEFORE GOVERNOR FESTUS AS HE AGAIN APPEALS HIS CASE TO CEASAR IN ROME AND WILL NEXT MEET WITH KING AGRIPPA.

WE FIND IN CHAPTER 24, VERSES 1-9, ONLY FIVE DAYS WERE NEEDED FOR THE JEWS TO ARRIVE TO ACCUSE PAUL BEFORE THE GOVERNOR.

THE HIGH PRIEST ANANIAS ARRIVED WITH OTHER JEWS TO MAKE THE ACCUSING FALSE CLAIMS ABOUT PAUL.

THIS HIGH PRIEST WAS KNOWN TO BE ONE OF THE CRUELEST HIGH PRIESTS EVER TO SERVE THAT OFFICE AND HE WAS KNOWN TO CONSIDER HIMSELF TO BE SERVING ROME, NOT ISRAEL.

IN THE INSURRECTION OF 66 A.D. THOSE IN ISRAEL WHO ROSE UP MADE KILLING HIM THEIR FIRST PRIORITY.

THE JEWS HAD HIRED A PROFESSIONAL SPEECH MAKER NAMED TERTULLUS TO PRESENT THEIR CASE AGAINST PAUL.

HE WAS CONSIDERED AN “ORATOR” AND THIS WORD APPEARS ONLY HERE IN VERSE 1 IN THE ENTIRE NEW TESTAMENT.

HIS FIRST WORDS WERE TO FLATTER THE ROMAN OFFICIAL WHICH HAD NOTHING TO DO WITH THE CHARGES AGAINST PAUL.

HIS FIRST CHARGE AGAINST PAUL WAS THAT PAUL HAD COMMITTED SEDITION AGAINST ROMAN LAW.

NEXT HE SAYS PAUL IS A PEST TO THE PEOPLE WHO STIRS THEM UP AGAINST THE ORDER REQUIRED BY ROME.

NEXT HE SAYS PAUL IS THE LEADER OF A DANGEROUS GROUP SPLIT OFF FROM JUDAISM KNOWN AS THE NAZARENES, WHO WILL THREATEN THE ROMAN EMPIRE.

THIS IS THE ONLY PLACE IN SCRIPTURE WHERE FOLLOWERS OF CHRIST ARE CALLED NAZARENES.

NEXT HE SAYS PAUL HAD DESECRATED THE HOLY TEMPLE IN JERUSALEM BY ALLOWING A GENTILE TO ENTER THE HOLY PLACES.

FINALLY HE TELLS FELIX THAT THE JEWS HAD EVERYTHING UNDER CONTROL CONCERNING PAUL UNTIL THE ROMAN SOLDIERS INTERFERED AND USED VIOLENCE TO REMOVE PAUL FROM THE DISCIPLINE OF THE JEWS.

THE JEWS ALL WERE CLEARLY THE “AMEN CORNER” AFTER THE SPEECH OF TERTULLUS, SHOWING VERBAL AGREEMENT WITH EACH AND EVERY ACCUSATION MADE.

VERSES 10-23 PROVIDE US THE DEFENSE PAUL MADE AGAINST THESE FALSE CHARGES.

FIRST PAUL SAID HE HAD ONLY BEEN IN JERUSALEM LESS THAT TWO WEEKS, AND THAT HE ARRIVED ONLY TO WORSHIP THE GOD OF HIS FATHERS.

HE FURTHER QUICKLY NOTED THE JEWS HAD NO PROOF OF ANY OF THE CHARGES.

NEXT HE SAID HE STILL WORSHIPS THE GOD OF THE JEWS AND ALL SCRIPTURE WRITTEN IN THE LAW AND THE PROPHETS.

HE READILY ADMITTED HE WAS A MEMBER OF “THE WAY” WHICH IS THE NAME GIVEN TO THOSE WHO FOLLOW JESUS CHRIST.

HE NEXT REVEALED THAT THE RESURRECTION OF JESUS WAS THE HOPE OF ISRAEL FOR PAUL HAD SEEN JESUS ALIVE HIMSELF AFTER HE HAD ARISEN.

AFTER GIVING HIS PERSONAL VIEWS HE INFORMS THE GOVERNOR THAT HE AND FOUR OTHER MEN BROUGHT OFFERINGS TO THE TEMPLE THAT HAD BEEN COLLECTED IN MACEDONIA AND ACHAIA FOR THE POOR IN JERUSALEM.

PAUL SAID HE WAS PROPERLY PURIFIED IN THE TEMPLE AND HAD MET ALL THE CLEANSING RULES FOR JEWS WHO ENTER THERE.

HE THEN SAID THE ENTIRE DISAGREEMENT CENTERED UPON THE QUESTION OF RESURRECTION WHICH THE SADDUCEES WOULD NOT BELIEVE.

IN VERSE 22 FELIX SAID HE HAD HEARD ENOUGH.

HE SAW THAT THE JEWISH ELDERS COULD NOT PROVE THEIR ACCUSATIONS AND HE SAID THE HEARING WAS OVER UNTIL THE ORIGINAL ROMAN OFFICER, LYSIAS, WOULD ARRIVE TO TESTIFY.

WHEN LYSIAS CAME HE SAID THAT ALL THE MATTER WAS BASED UPON JEWISH LAW AND THAT, IN HIS OPINION, PAUL WAS NOT GUILTY OF ANY CRIME.

FELIX PUT PAUL IN THE CUSTODY OF LYSIAS, GIVING HIM LIBERTY ALSO, AND ALLOWING HIM TO HAVE VISITORS AS WELL.

CLEARLY FELIX DID NOT VIEW PAUL AS A FLIGHT RISK.

THE WIFE OF FELIX, DRUSILLA, WAS A JEW, AND SHE WAS WELL AWARE OF JEWISH LAW AND CUSTOMS, AND SHE WAS THE SISTER OF KING AGRIPPA WHOM PAUL WILL LATER MEET.

BOTH CAME TO VISIT PAUL SEVERAL DAYS LATER.

PAUL REASONED WITH THE COUPLE CONCERNING JESUS AND THE GOSPEL AND PAUL WAS CONVINCING AND FELIX TREMBLED BEFORE PAUL WHEN HE HEARD THE GOSPEL MESSAGE.

HE TOLD PAUL HE WOULD CONSIDER THE MESSAGE AND CALL ON HIM AGAIN TO KNOW MORE, MISSING HIS CHANCE AT SALVATION.

HE HAD HOPED PAUL WOULD GIVE HIM MONEY, MEANING A BRIBE, TO GAIN FREEDOM. (VERSE 26)

AFTER TWO YEARS OF PAUL IN CUSTODY, FELIX WAS THEN REPLACED BY A NEW GOVERNOR NAMED FESTUS.

IT HAS BEEN WRITTEN BY SOME EARLY CHURCH WRITERS THAT DURING THIS TWO YEAR PERIOD, LUKE WORKED WITH PAUL AND WROTE THE THIRD GOSPEL.

AS FELIX ENDED HIS TERM, HE FAVORED THE JEWS AND LEFT PAUL IN CUSTODY RATHER THAN FREE HIM BEFORE THE NEW GOVERNOR TOOK OFFICE.

IN VERSES 1-9 OF CHAPTER 25 THE NEW GOVERNOR ARRIVES AND MAKES A TRIP FROM CAESAREA TO JERUSALEM WHERE HE MEETS WITH THE JEWISH TEMPLE LEADERS WHERE THE HIGH PRIEST ASKED FESTUS TO SEND FOR PAUL TO COME TO JERUSALEM SO THE JEWISH LEADERS COULD SURPRISE HIM ON THE WAY AND KILL HIM.

TWO YEARS HAD NOT ENDED THE HATRED AGAINST PAUL BY THE SANHEDRIN.

FESTUS WAS NOT WILLING TO ORDER PAUL TO JERUSALEM AND RATHER SAID HE WOULD HEAR ANY ACCUSATIONS AGAINST PAUL IN CAESAREA AND IF ANY JEWS WISHED TO COME THERE THEY COULD ACCUSE PAUL THERE IN HIS PRESENCE.

ALMOST TWO WEEKS LATER FESTUS BROUGHT PAUL INTO THE JUDGMENT HALL AND THE JEWS ARRIVED TO MAKE THE SAME UNPROVEN CHARGES AGAINST PAUL.

PAUL ONCE MORE DEFENDED HIMSELF AGAINST THE FALSE CHARGES AND SAID HE HAD NOT OFFENDED ANY ROMAN LAW NOR HAD HE BROKEN JEWISH RULES OR TEMPLE RESTRICTIONS.

FESTUS ASKED PAUL IF HE WAS WILLING TO GO TO JERUSALEM UNDER PROTECTION TO DEFEND HIMSELF THERE.

PAUL KNEW SUCH A HEARING WOULD BE A DEATH SENTENCE FOR HIM AS HE WOULD RECEIVE NO JUSTICE BEFORE THE JEWS.

PAUL ALSO REMEMBERED THE WORDS OF JESUS THAT HE WOULD BEAR WITNESS IN ROME SO PAUL APPEALED TO THE EMPORER IN ROME AND BEING A ROMAN CITIZEN HAD THAT RIGHT.

PAUL WAS CLEARLY MOVING UNDER THE WILL OF THE LORD TO DO WHAT HE HAD BEEN COMMANDED TO DO BY JESUS.

SEVERAL DAYS LATER KING AGRIPPA AND HIS SISTER, BERNICE VISITED FESTUS.

THIS WAS HEROD AGRIPPA II, THE SON OF AGRIPPA WHO HAD JAMES KILLED.

HIS GREAT GRANDFATHER WAS THE KING HEROD WHO COMMANDED THE SLAUGHTER OF THE INNOCENTS IN BETHLEHEM.

FESTUS GAVE KING AGRIPPA AN ACCURATE DESCRIPTION OF THE CUSTODY OF PAUL AND THE MANNER IN WHICH THE JEWS FALSELY ACCUSED HIM.

HE ASKED AGRIPPA WHAT SHOULD BE DONE WITH THIS “PESTILENT” FELLOW.

AGRIPPA DECIDED TO MEET WITH PAUL THE NEXT DAY

FESTUS ASKED AGRIPPA TO HELP HIM PROPERLY WORD THE REPORT HE WOULD SEND TO CAESAREA ALONG WITH PAUL TO FULLY EXPLAIN WHY PAUL WAS COMING TO ROME TO APPEAL ALL CHARGES AGAINST HIM. (VERSES 24-27)

FESTUS THEN SAID THAT HE FELT IT WAS UNRESONABLE TO SEND A PRISONER WITHOUT A FULL REPORT OF THE CHARGES AGAINST HIM.

FESTUS ALSO CLEARLY SAID HE HAD FOUND NO REASON TO BELIEVE THE CHARGES MADE BY THE JEWS NOR WAS PAUL DESERVING OF DEATH.

IN THIS STUDY STOP PAUL REVEALS A MOMENT OF STRONG PERSONAL REFLECTION WHEN HE SAID IN 24:11 WHEN HE DEFENDED HIMSELF BEFORE FELIX:

“… there are but twelve days since I went up to Jerusalem to worship.”

HERE WE SEE THAT PAUL IS STILL DOING ALL HE CAN TO OBSERVE THE CEREMONIAL LAW.

IN 21:26 PAUL ADVISES THAT HE WENT TO THE TEMPLE AND PURIFIED HIMSELF.

THE ONE THING THAT PAUL RAILED AGAINST MORE THAN ANY OTHER WAS THAT JEWS SAID GENTILES HAD TO BECOME JEWS TO COME TO FAITH IN CHRIST AND THEREBY BE SAVED.

HE SAID IT WAS NOT TRUE.

HIS DEEPEST TEACHING ON THIS MATTER IS GIVEN IN EPHESIANS

2:15 WHERE HE TEACHES THAT JESUS HAS MADE OF TWAIN ONE NEW MAN, MEANING JEWS AND GENTILES ARE RECREATED INTO ONE TYPE OF BELIEVER, BOTH HAVING ACCESS BY ONE SPIRIT TO THE FATHER.

HE FURTHER TEACHES IN ROMANS 10:4 THAT CHRIST IS THE END OF THE LAW.

PAUL STILL CONTINUED ALMOST UNTIL HIS DEATH TO APPEAL TO JEWS TO BELIEVE, WHILE HE NEVER GAVE UP HIS OWN PERSONAL AFFECTION FOR THE CEREMONIES OF THE LAW, MEANING THE FEASTS AND PASSOVER.

HE SOUGHT TO TEACH FIRST IN THE SYNAGOGUES WHEN ONE EXISTED.

HE CIRCUMCISED TIMOTHY TO APPEASE THE JEWS TO WHOM TIMOTHY WOULD WITNESS.

HE ASSUMED A JEWISH VOW OF THE LAW HIMSELF.

HE STRESSED AT HIS TRIALS THAT HE HIMSELF WAS A PHARISEE AND IN 23:6 & 26:5 HE SAID HE STOOD FOR “… nothing other than the hope of the Jews in the resurrection of the dead.”

SO WHILE HE CLEARLY STATES HE WAS DONE WITH THE JEWS AND WOULD FOCUS UPON GENTILES, BECAUSE THE HEARTS OF THE JEWS WERE HARDENED, HE STILL PERSONALLY SOUGHT COMFORT IN JEWISH TRADITIONS.

HE ACTUALLY WENT TO THE VERY FINAL END OF HIS THINKING ON THE JEWS IN ROMANS 11:8-11 WHERE HE TAUGHT THAT THE FALL OF THE JEWS WAS FROM A SPIRITUAL SLUMBER AND BECAUSE OF THAT SLUMBER, SALVATION CAME TO THE GENTILES.

AS A SUMMARY VIEW OF CHAPTERS 24 & 25 WE SHOULD CONSIDER SEVERAL POINTS.

PAUL WAS NOT MERELY SATISFIED TO DENY THE FALSE CHARGES MADE AGAINST HIM AS HE APPEARED BEFORE FELIX AND FESTUS.

HE SEIZED THESE OPPORTUNITIES TO MAKE A PUBLIC DECLARATION WHICH WAS ALSO HIS CONFESSION OF HIS CHRISTIAN FAITH AND HOPE, WHILE HE RESPONDED IN 24:14 THAT HE STILL HELD TRUE TO THE TEACHINGS OF SCRIPTURAL LAW AND THE PROPHETS.

HE SAID HIS CONSCIENCE WAS CLEAR OF THE CHARGE OF DEFILING THE HOLY TEMPLE AS HE WAS SIMPLY THERE IN WORSHIP WITH NO CROWD AROUND HIM OR ANY UPROAR CAUSED.

IN 24:21 HE DID ALLOW THE JEWISH TEMPLE MASTERS TO SAY WITHOUT HIS OBJECTION THAT HE HAD DECLARED THE RESURRECTION OF JESUS CHRIST, THEREBY ANGERING THE SADDUCEES.

IN 24:22 WE SEE THAT IN VIEW OF THE LACK OF EVIDENCE, FELIX SHOULD HAVE SET PAUL FREE.

BUT FELIX GAVE IN TO THE SAME TEMPTATION THAT HAD CONTROLLED PONTIUS PILATE. WHEN PILATE FOUND NO FAULT OR CRIME IN JESUS HE DID NOT FREE JESUS BECAUSE OF HIS FEAR OF THE JEWS WHO WOULD HAVE CAUSED DISORDER HAD HE DONE SO,

FELIX COMPROMISED AND INSTEAD OF SETTING PAUL FREE, HE PUT OFF ANY DECISION TO AWAIT THE ARRIVAL OF LYSIAS THE ROMAN OFFICER WHO HAD SECURED PAUL FROM THE JEWISH MOB.

IN 24:24 IT MAY HAVE BEEN HARD FOR PAUL TO SEE HOW HIS CONTINUED IMPRISONMENT IN CAESAREA FITTED INTO GOD’S PURPOSE.

WE MUST NOT IGNORE THAT IN HIS ORIGINAL COMMAND TO PAUL, JESUS HAD TOLD HIM THAT PART OF HIS MISSION WAS TO APPEAR BEFORE RULERS. (ACTS 9:15)

NOW PAUL HAD THE OPPORTUNITY TO FULFILL THIS COMMAND BEFORE FELIX, FESTUS, AND LATER AGRIPPA.

TO FELIX AND HIS WIFE, DRUSILLA, PAUL NOT ONLY PRESENTED THE FACTS OF HIS CASE BUT ALSO DISCUSSED MATTERS OF RIGHTEOUSNESS, SELF-CONTROL, AND THE COMING JUDGMENT.

UPON HEARING THAT PORTION OF PAUL’S PRESENTATION, FELIX BECAME TERRIFIED.

NOW THEIR POSITIONS WERE REVERSED. IN THAT MOMENT FELIX WAS ON TRIAL AND THE CONVICTION OF THE HOLY SPIRIT CAUSED HIM TO TREMBLE.

FELIX RESISTED THE SPIRIT AND TOLD PAUL TO LEAVE FOR NOW AND HE WOULD SEE PAUL AGAIN LATER, WHICH TRULY NEVER HAPPENED.

FELIX WAS MOTIVATED BY GREED AND THE REAL REASON HE WANTED TO SEE PAUL AGAIN WAS TO RECEIVE A BRIBE (24:26) TO ARRANGE FREEDOM FOR PAUL.

THESE CONVERSATIONS COVERED A TWO YEAR PERIOD AND THEN FELIX WAS REPLACED BY PORCIUS FESTUS.

FESTUS WAS IMMEDIATELY INFORMED BY THE TEMPLE MASTERS  ABOUT THEIR CHARGES AGAINST PAUL.

CLEARLY THE CONTINUED IMPRISONMENT OF PAUL WAS NOT ENOUGH TO SATISFY THE JEWISH LEADERS.

THEY WERE BEGGING FESTUS NOT FOR JUSTICE BUT FOR A FAVOR, ASKING HIM TO HAVE PAUL ONCE MORE SENT TO JERUSALEM WHERE THEY AGAIN PLANNED TO MURDER PAUL.

IN 25:4 WE SEE THAT FESTUS, ALTHOUGH HE WANTED TO PLEASE THE JEWS, WAS NOT WILLING TO ORDER PAUL BACK TO JERUSALEM.

HERE GOD WAS AGAIN USING AN ENEMY OF THE FAITH TO PROTECT HIS CHOSEN VESSEL.

OUR NEXT STUDY STOP IN CHAPTER 26 WILL ALLOW US TO UNDERSTAND THE MEETING BETWEEN PAUL AND KING AGRIPPA AND WE WILL SEE HOW POWERFUL WILL BE THE WITNESS OF PAUL.