September 11, 2022
Evening Service

Paul Appeals to Caesar

Acts 25:1  Now when Festus had come to the province, after three days he went up from Caesarea to Jerusalem. 

Acts 25:2  Then the high priest and the chief men of the Jews informed him against Paul; and they petitioned him, 

Acts 25:3  asking a favor against him, that he would summon him to Jerusalem—while they lay in ambush along the road to kill him. 

Acts 25:4  But Festus answered that Paul should be kept at Caesarea, and that he himself was going there shortly. 

Acts 25:5  "Therefore," he said, "let those who have authority among you go down with me and accuse this man, to see if there is any fault in him." 

Acts 25:6  And when he had remained among them more than ten days, he went down to Caesarea. And the next day, sitting on the judgment seat, he commanded Paul to be brought. 

Acts 25:7  When he had come, the Jews who had come down from Jerusalem stood about and laid many serious complaints against Paul, which they could not prove, 

Acts 25:8  while he answered for himself, "Neither against the law of the Jews, nor against the temple, nor against Caesar have I offended in anything at all." 

Acts 25:9  But Festus, wanting to do the Jews a favor, answered Paul and said, "Are you willing to go up to Jerusalem and there be judged before me concerning these things?" 

Acts 25:10  So Paul said, "I stand at Caesar's judgment seat, where I ought to be judged. To the Jews I have done no wrong, as you very well know. 

Acts 25:11  For if I am an offender, or have committed anything deserving of death, I do not object to dying; but if there is nothing in these things of which these men accuse me, no one can deliver me to them. I appeal to Caesar." 

Acts 25:12  Then Festus, when he had conferred with the council, answered, "You have appealed to Caesar? To Caesar you shall go!" 

Here is a classic example of how evil men with evil intentions spread their wings and get others involved in their schemes. These Jews revolting against Jesus are so determined to destroy the idea of Jesus as the Messiah, they are willing to attempt to sway the government to command Paul to be sent to Jerusalem, so they can lay ambush against him and kill him. Remember that in chapter 5 of Acts, the Jewish leadership commanded Peter not to preach in the name of Jesus and Peter said, “We ought to obey God rather than men”. This group of Jews who made the oath to not eat or drink until they have killed Paul are very persistent in their doing evil. They are pursuing Paul and trying to kill him while actually seeking gratification by doing this, it does not seem to matter they are breaking one the 10 commandments of the law to not kill. It is such a hypocritical act on their part to behave in this manner. They were truly white washed tombs, having the appearance of holiness on the outside and full of dead men’s bones on the inside. They make all these claims about the Law of Moses and living by it, yet they break that law to protect it. This is a house divided against itself and it will not stand. Preaching Christ, the end of the law, was no transgression against the law. In fact, the coming of the Messiah, (Jesus) was foretold by the prophets in the scriptures, but the current administration of the high priest and the other priests were oblivious to the prophecy being fulfilled in Jesus. It had become Paul insisting on his innocence from these false claims of the Jewish clergy. It was as if they wanted him to be proclaimed guilty until he could prove his innocence. Paul was willing to abide by the rules of the law, and to let that take its course. If he deserved death, he would accept the punishment, but if none of the things they accused him were true, no man could deliver him with justice and truth. Paul was not released and he was not condemned either. This is how God’s will is often accomplished, it is by slow and methodic steps and often we may suffer shame, but when we wait upon the Lord, he will give us His Providence in His time and it will be best for us when we do. We must sometimes stifle our fears and hopes and instead of letting feelings and emotions be the driving force, let our faith take us forward with the Lord as our shepherd.

Paul Before Agrippa and Bernice

Acts 25:13  And after some days King Agrippa and Bernice came to Caesarea to greet Festus. 

Acts 25:14  When they had been there many days, Festus laid Paul's case before the king, saying: "There is a certain man left a prisoner by Felix, 

Acts 25:15  about whom the chief priests and the elders of the Jews informed me, when I was in Jerusalem, asking for a judgment against him. 

Acts 25:16  To them I answered, 'It is not the custom of the Romans to deliver any man to destruction before the accused meets the accusers face to face, and has opportunity to answer for himself concerning the charge against him.' 

Acts 25:17  Therefore when they had come together, without any delay, the next day I sat on the judgment seat and commanded the man to be brought in. 

Acts 25:18  When the accusers stood up, they brought no accusation against him of such things as I supposed, 

Acts 25:19  but had some questions against him about their own religion and about a certain Jesus, who had died, whom Paul affirmed to be alive. 

Acts 25:20  And because I was uncertain of such questions, I asked whether he was willing to go to Jerusalem and there be judged concerning these matters. 

Acts 25:21  But when Paul appealed to be reserved for the decision of Augustus, I commanded him to be kept till I could send him to Caesar." 

Acts 25:22  Then Agrippa said to Festus, "I also would like to hear the man myself." "Tomorrow," he said, "you shall hear him." 

Acts 25:23  So the next day, when Agrippa and Bernice had come with great pomp, and had entered the auditorium with the commanders and the prominent men of the city, at Festus' command Paul was brought in. 

Acts 25:24  And Festus said: "King Agrippa and all the men who are here present with us, you see this man about whom the whole assembly of the Jews petitioned me, both at Jerusalem and here, crying out that he was not fit to live any longer. 

Acts 25:25  But when I found that he had committed nothing deserving of death, and that he himself had appealed to Augustus, I decided to send him. 

Acts 25:26  I have nothing certain to write to my lord concerning him. Therefore I have brought him out before you, and especially before you, King Agrippa, so that after the examination has taken place I may have something to write. 

Acts 25:27  For it seems to me unreasonable to send a prisoner and not to specify the charges against him." 

 

Bernice was King Agrippa’s sister and the sister of Drusilla, the wife of Felix. Drusilla and Bernice were women known to be beautiful in appearance. Both Agrippa and Bernice were notable for their rank and intellect in the Roman Empire. The character of these two was known more for being disreputable rather than having a good moral reputation. It was believed they participated in incestuous and unholy relations with one another. When those in grand authority have good character, they complement one another and make each of them more glamorous and attractive. However, when they have great authority, their reputation is shameful and actions are wicked, they degrade their authority and perceived as undesirable and detestable. They came to the location of Festus to exchange courtesies with the new procurator on the undertaking of his duties in office. Whether they visited by genuine politeness or by their own self-interest is not known. It seems the scriptures are saying they enjoyed being the center of attention, because of the words, “with great pomp”, meaning majestically. We need to examine here how Festus followed the laws and customs exactly; we can see many times in our world today, how Christians do not follow the rules of truth, justice, and love when placing judgment on our brothers and sisters. Worldly people tend to be doubtful and show no interest in worshiping God and the way of salvation. You can observe easily how this Festus and Agrippa both view this dispute between the Jewish leaders and Paul as just a controversy that has no real significance with them and their judgment to come. The day will come when this will not be the case, on the Day of Judgment, any who have not concerned themselves with the resurrection of Christ will have perilous consequences. All who have had the opportunity of instruction of the gospel and have despised or rejected it will have a terrible conviction of their sins and misgivings to the Lord on that day. This gathering in the procurators presence was an opportunity to hear the truths of the gospel, but instead of listening and gleaning, they were only interested in satisfying their own curiosity by attending the defense of a prisoner. We are still witness to this today; many in high social status come to places of worship and the preaching of the Word, only to seek honor of their own majesty, rather than the Majesty of Jesus our Lord. As Pastor Jerry said last week, we do not see this persecution of ministers in our world today, but great numbers of people sit in judgment of the Word rather than to learn and receive the way of salvation for their souls. Paul was truly the man of honor at these proceedings because he was there to preach the truth of Jesus and not to honor himself. Festus asked Paul to go to Jerusalem for judgment, but not as a consideration to Paul, but showing a kindness to the Jewish leaders for his own benefit, just as Felix before him. Festus explained to King Agrippa that since Paul had appealed to Caesar, he wanted to be able to write something related to his case being specific about the charges when sending him there. Festus himself found no reason to find him guilty of anything deserving death, so now he would bring out Paul before King Agrippa to hear the case brought against him.

Summing up Paul’s case, he was accused of non-committed crimes, suffered persecution for his conscious sake, was in jail contrary to the law and justice, and he appealed to a higher court for protection against injustice.