Paul’s Roman citizenship saves him from doom in Jerusalem with the Sanhedrin. Instead of possible death he is transferred to Caesarea to be tried in front of the sympathetic, yet politically astute governor Felix. The trial is adjourned awaiting the presence of the tribune from Jerusalem.
Paul is kept in custody but given some liberties while being ‘imprisoned’ in Herod’s palace. This goes on for two years when a new governor arrives. Felix does not release Paul as he wanted to ingratiate himself with the Jews:
Paul to Sanhedrin: “Brethren, I have conducted myself before God with a perfectly good conscience up to this day.”
Paul (in Sanhedrin): “Brethren, I am a Pharisee, the son of a Pharisees, it is about hope and the resurrection of the dead that I am on trial.”
For the Sadducees say that there is no resurrection, and that there are no angels or spirits, whereas the Pharisees believe in both.
Pharisees: “We find no evil in this man; what if a spirit has really spoken to him, or an angel?
The Lord stood by Paul and said (to Paul): “Be steadfast; for just as thou hast borne witness to me in Jerusalem, bear witness in Rome also.”
There were more than forty that had made this conspiracy… “We have bound to ourselves under a great curse to taste nothing until we have killed Paul…”
The tribune to two centurions: “get ready… to mount Paul and take him in safety to Felix the governor (in Caesarea).”
The letter to Felix: …having learnt that he was a Roman… O found him accused about questions of their Law, but not of any crime deserving of death or imprisonment… I sent him to thee, directing his accusers also to state the case before thee. Farewell.”
Felix to Paul: “I will hear thee when thy accusers have come.”
And he ordered him to be kept in Herod’s palace.
Now five days later the high priest Ananias came down with some of the elders and one Tertullus, an attorney; and they presented their case against Paul before the governor.
Tertullus: “We have found this man a pest, and a promoter of seditions among all the Jews throughout the world, and a ringleader of the sedition of the Nazarene sect.”
Paul: “I shall answer for myself with good courage… neither in the temple did they find me disputing with anyone or creating a disturbance among the people, not in the synagogues, nor about the city; neither can they prove to thee the charges that they now make against me. But this I admit to thee, that according to the Way… that there be a resurrection of the just and unjust; and in this I too strive always to have a clear conscience before God and before men… or else let these men themselves say what they found wrong in me when I stood before the Sanhedrin… It is about the resurrection of the dead that I am being judged by you this day.”
Felix, however, having precise information about the Way, adjourned the trial, saying, “When Lysias the tribune comes down, I will decide your case.”
Felix instructed the centurion to keep Paul in custody but to allow him some liberty, and not to prevent any of his friends from looking after him.
Now some days later: Felix came with his wife Drusilla, who was a Jewess, and sent for Paul and heard what he had to say about the faith in Christ Jesus. But as Paul talked of justice and chastity and the judgment to come, Felix became alarmed and answered: “For the present go thy way; but when I get an opportunity, I will send for thee.”
But after two years Felix was succeeded by Porcius Festus; and as he wanted to ingratiate himself with the Jews, Felix left Paul in prison.
“The Way” is referenced numerous times in these passages while the Lord stood by Paul and told him: “Be steadfast; for just as thou hast borne witness to me in Jerusalem, bear witness in Rome also.”
Paul has faced the Sanhedrin; knows it is not really he but “The Way to Resurrection in Christ Jesus” that is on trial.
More importantly, the Lord has plans for Paul to witness in Rome…
Day 130: Reading The Bible with a TROML Perspective; Paul faces Sanhedrin; the Way to Resurrection in Christ Jesus is on Trial.
Read and inspired by the New Testament, The Acts of The Apostles Chapters 23-24.
Bible Notes:
Saint Luke, the author of the third Gospel, wrote also this history of the primitive Church. Opening with the story of the Ascension and Pentecost, this book records the important events of the early Church: the mass conversions after Pentecost; the persecution by Herod; the conversion of Saint Paul; his three missionary journeys; his arrest and final trip to Rome
Acts Chapter 23: He is struck in the mouth; Dispute between Sadducees and Pharisees; A plot to murder Paul; The plot is discovered; Paul brought by night to Caesarea; The letter to Felix; Felix holds Paul in custody.
Paul to Sanhedrin: “Brethren, I have conducted myself before God with a perfectly good conscience up to this day.”
But the high priest Ananias ordered those who were standing by him to strike him in the mouth.
Paul: “God will strike thee, thou whitewashed wall. Dost thou sit there to try me by the Law, and in violation of the Law order me to be struck?
Bystanders: “Dost thou insult God’s high priest?”
Paul: “I did not know, brethren, that he was the high priest; for it is written, ‘Thou shalt not speak evil of a ruler of thy people.’”
Paul (in Sanhedrin): “Brethren, I am a Pharisee, the son of a Pharisees, it is about hope and the resurrection of the dead that I am on trial.”
For the Sadducees say that there is no resurrection, and that there are no angels or spirits, whereas the Pharisees believe in both.
Pharisees: “We find no evil in this man; what if a spirit has really spoken to him, or an angel?
The Lord stood by Paul and said (to Paul): “Be steadfast; for just as thou hast borne witness to me in Jerusalem, bear witness in Rome also.”
There were more than forty that had made this conspiracy… “We have bound to ourselves under a great curse to taste nothing until we have killed Paul…”
The tribune to two centurions: “get ready… to mount Paul and take him in safety to Felix the governor (in Caesarea).”
The letter to Felix: …having learnt that he was a Roman… O found him accused about questions of their Law, but not of any crime deserving of death or imprisonment… I sent him to thee, directing his accusers also to state the case before thee. Farewell.”
Felix to Paul: “I will hear thee when thy accusers have come.”
And he ordered him to be kept in Herod’s palace.
Acts Chapter 24: Paul’s accusers speak; Paul’s defense; Paul’s story of his arrest; Felix postpones his decision; Paul remains in jail two years.
Now five days later the high priest Ananias came down with some of the elders and one Tertullus, an attorney; and they presented their case against Paul before the governor.
Tertullus: “We have found this man a pest, and a promoter of seditions among all the Jews throughout the world, and a ringleader of the sedition of the Nazarene sect.”
Paul: “I shall answer for myself with good courage… neither in the temple did they find me disputing with anyone or creating a disturbance among the people, not in the synagogues, nor about the city; neither can they prove to thee the charges that they now make against me. But this I admit to thee, that according to the Way… that there be a resurrection of the just and unjust; and in this I too strive always to have a clear conscience before God and before men… or else let these men themselves say what they found wrong in me when I stood before the Sanhedrin… It is about the resurrection of the dead that I am being judged by you this day.”
Felix, however, having precise information about the Way, adjourned the trial, saying, “When Lysias the tribune comes down, I will decide your case.”
Felix instructed the centurion to keep Paul in custody but to allow him some liberty, and not to prevent any of his friends from looking after him.
Now some days later: Felix came with his wife Drusilla, who was a Jewess, and sent for Paul and heard what he had to say about the faith in Christ Jesus. But as Paul talked of justice and chastity and the judgment to come, Felix became alarmed and answered: “For the present go thy way; but when I get an opportunity, I will send for thee.”
But after two years Felix was succeeded by Porcius Festus; and as he wanted to ingratiate himself with the Jews, Felix left Paul in prison.
Israel split into two countries—Israel including Samaria in the North and Juda including Jerusalem in the South. The Juda and Israel kingships always referenced each other to one another, it was sort of a dance back and forth to time-stamp the changes in leadership with the wildcard always being Assyria:
Against him came up Salmanasar king of the Assyrians, and Osee became his servant, and paid him tribute… And in the ninth year of Osee, the king of the Assyrians took Samaria, and carried Israel away to Assyria…
And the king of the Assyrians brought people from Babylon, Cutha, Avah, Emath, and from Sepharvaim: and placed them in the cities of Samaria instead of the children of Israel… and when they began to dwell there, they feared not the Lord: and the Lord sent lions among them, which killed them… so one of the priests who had been carries away captive from Samaria, came and dwelt in Bethel (in Samaria), and taught them how they should worship the Lord… And when they worshipped the Lord, they served also their own gods according to the custom of the nations out of which they were brought to Samaria. Unto this day they follow the old manner (the way of the nations): they fear not the Lord…
He (Ezechias) trusted in the Lord the God of Israel: so that after him there was none like him among the kings of Juda, nor any of them that were before him… he behaved himself wisely. And he rebelled against the king of the Assyrians, and served him not. He smote the Philistines as far as Gaza…
…On whom dost thou trust, that thou darest to rebel (against Assyria)? Dost thou trust in Egypt?… But if you say to me: We trust in the Lord our God: Is it not he, whose high places and altars Ezechias hath taken away?… Now therefore come over to my master the king of the Assyrians… Is it without the will of the Lord that I am to come up to this place to destroy it? The Lord said to me: Go up to this land and destroy it… Let not Ezechias deceive you: for he shall not be able to deliver you out of my hand… Do not hearken to Ezechias… and you shall live, and not die…
And when the king Ezechias heard these words, he rent his garments, and covered himself with sackcloth, and went into the house of the Lord. And he sent Eliacim to Isaias the prophet… and they said to him: Thus said Ezechias: This day is a day of tribulation, and of rebuke, and of blasphemy: the children are come to the birth, and the woman in travail hath not strength. It may be the Lord thy God will hear all the words of Rabsaces… and do thou offer prayer for the remnants that are found.
Isaias the Prophet (God) to Ezechias: I have heard the prayer thou hast made to me concerning Sennacherib king of the Assyrians… (relating the Lord thy God’s perspective on Sennacherib): Against the holy one of Israel… they became like the grass of the field… which withered before it came to maturity… Thou hast been mad against me, and thy pride hath come up to my ears… and I will turn thee back by the way, by which thou camest…
Make a note to self: prayer does indeed work!
Isaias to Ezechias: Wilt thou that the shadow go forward ten lines, or that it go back so many degrees? … (Ezechias) let it return back ten degrees… And Isaias the prophet called upon the Lord, and he brought the shadow ten degrees backwards by the lines, by which it had already gone down in the dial of Achaz.
Ezechias to Isaias (God): The word of the Lord, which thou hast spoken, is good: let peace and truth be in my days.
Isn’t that the essence of what Paul is professing to the Jews? That the resurrection of Jesus Christ was foretold in the Old Testament and simply a continuation of their religion, not necessarily a whole new religion?
Paul: “Neither against the Law of the Jews not against the temple nor against Caesar have I committed any offense.”
King Agrippa: “I myself also could have wished to hear this man.”
Afterwards Governor Festus questions if Paul is ‘mad,’ and Paul’s response is that he is “not mad but I speak words of sober truth.” The truth can only be spoken in the abstinence of our denial, justification, and rationalization of the events of our lives.
Paul (His persecution of Christians): …according to the strictest sect of our religion I lived a Pharisee… And I then thought it my duty to do many things contrary to the name of Jesus of Nazareth… many of the saints I shut up in prison… and when they were put to death I cast my vote against them… Often times in synagogues I punished them and tried to force them to blaspheme; and in my extreme rage against them I even pursued them to foreign cities.
I have appeared before thee for this purpose, to appoint thee to be a minister and a witness to what thou hast seen, and to the visions that thou shalt have of me; delivering thee from the people and from the nations, to whom I am now sending thee, to open their eyes that they may turn from darkness to light and from the dominion of Satan to God; that they may receive forgiveness of sins and an inheritance among those sanctified by faith in me.’”
Paul to King Agrippa: “Dost thou believe in the prophets? I know thou dost.”
These five chapters are the END of The Fourth Book of Kings which continued the history of the two hostile kingdoms, Israel and Juda, up to their captivity. The Assyrians in 722 B.C. led Israel away; the Babylonians in 586 B.C. led Juda into captivity.
Maybe I answered my own question in that good and evil can skip generations no matter the environment, times (biblical or present day), or how great a childhood the future king had.
Two and twenty years old was Amon when he began to reign, and he reigned two years in Jerusalem… And he did evil in the sight of the Lord… And his servants plotted against him, and slew the king in his own house… and his son Josais reigned in his stead.
The Lord the God of Israel to Helcias the priest (through Holda): Behold, I will bring evils upon this place, and upon the inhabitants thereof, all the words of the law which the king of Juda hath read, because they have forsaken me, and sacrificed to strange gods, provoking me by all the works of their hands: therefore my indignation shall be kindled against this place, and shall not be quenched…
Wow, Josais found the Book of the Covenant, read it to his people, yet still failed in the eyes of the Lord? I guess even with good leadership the flock can underperform. Josais reward? Gets to pass on before it gets ugly for Juda.
Joakim was five and twenty years old when he began to reign: and he reigned eleven years in Jerusalem… And he did evil before the Lord according to all that his fathers had done.
And he (king Joachin of Jerusalem now exiled in Babylon) appointed Matthanias his uncle in his stead: and he called his name Sedecias. Sedecias was one and twenty years old when he began his reign, and he reigned eleven years in Jerusalem… And he did evil before the Lord, according to all that Joakim (his brother?) had done.’
…came Nabuzardan commander of the (Babylon) army into Jerusalem. And he burnt the house of the Lord, and the king’s house, and the houses of Jerusalem, and every house he burnt with fire. And all the army of Chaldees… broke down the walls of Jerusalem round about… and carried away the rest of the people that remained in the city… But the poor of the land he left some dressers of vines and husbandmen.
Seraias the chief priest (and seventy-two leaders)…these Nabuzardan took away and carried them to the king of Babylon (Nabuchadonosor)… And the king of Babylon smote them, and slew them… so Juda was carried away out of their land.
Evilmerodach king of Babylon, in the year that he began to reign, lifted up the head of Joachin king of Juda out of prison… And he appointed him a continual allowance, which was also given him by the king day by day, all the days of his life.
These last two chapters of the Acts of the Apostles are amazing verse and a final look at the heart of Paul trying to convince the Jews that the resurrection of Jesus Christ logically followed the Law of Moses and from what the prophets had prophesied.
Paul: “Men, I see that this voyage is threatening to bring disaster and heavy loss, not only to the cargo and the ship, but to our lives also.”
But as the sailors were trying to escape from the ship and had lowered the boat into the sea… Paul to the centurion and the soldiers: “Unless these men remain in the ship, you cannot be saved.” Then the soldiers cut away the ropes of the boat and let her drift off.
This reminds me of the Seinfeld episode where Kramer is driving the bus and still making all the stops while being robbed and fighting off the robber. When asked how he could do that, he replied ‘because they kept ringing the (stop) bells!
The head man of the island, whose name was Publius… And it happened that the father of Publius was laid up with fever and dysentery, but Paul went in, and after praying and laying hands on him, he healed him. After this all the sick on the island came and were cured; and they honored us with many marks of honor, and when we sailed, they provided us with such things as we needed.
Paul to the leading Jews in Rome: “Brethren, although I have done nothing against the people or against the customs of our fathers, yet I was handed over to the Romans as a prisoner from Jerusalem. After an examination they were ready to release me, since I was innocent of any crime that deserved death; but as the Jews objected, I was forced to appeal to Caesar—not that I had any charge to bring against my nation. This, then, is why I asked to see you and speak with you. For it is because of the hope of Israel that I am wearing this chain.”
Paul: “Well, did the Holy Spirit speak through Isaias the prophet to our fathers, saying, ‘Go to this people and say: With your ear you will hear and will not understand; and seeing you will see and will not perceive. For the heart of this people has been hardened, and with their ears they have been hard of hearing, and their eyes they have closed; lest perhaps they see with their eyes, and hear with their ears, and understand with their heart, and be converted, and I will heal them.’ Be it known that the salvation of God has been sent to the Gentiles, and they will listen to it.”
Amen indeed! The ongoing dialogue with the Jews is quite amazing as well. Paul utilizing the words of the prophet Isaias summarizing and concluding the conversation with ‘you either get it or you don’t’ or even better ‘it’s the Will of God that you either get or you don’t.’ No hard feelings either way but there is salvation for all of eternity to be received but in only one manner of the exercising of one’s own free will. It’s a dialogue that is still quite applicable today in not only religious discussions but also spiritual ones and pretty much any secular discussion.
