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Saturday 10 December 2011

Day 345: Paul before the Romans

Paul gets another chance to defend himself.
Tertullus accuses Paul
Acts 24:1-9
Paul’s defence before Felix
Acts 24:10-21
Paul kept prisoner at Caesarea
Acts 24:22-27
Paul before Festus
Acts 25:1-9
He appeals to Caesar
Acts 25:10-12
Festus confers with Agrippa
Acts 25:13-27
Paul before Agrippa
Acts 26:1-23
He persuades Festus and Agrippa of his innocence
Acts 26:24-32

Felix seems like a good man and a fair judge, and he gives Paul a hearing. But them he refuses to make a judgement, and basically does nothing for two years, except giving Paul every opportunity to bribe him. When his term of office comes to an end, he leave Paul in prison. The Jews would be quite happy with this - Paul is out of circulation.
The next governor, Festus, is keen to keep the Jews sweet, so he reconvenes a trial. He’s not stupid, so he won’t agree to having the prisoner moved to Jerusalem, but he hears the accusations of the Jews against him in Casarea. Paul, trying to outmanoeuvre the Jews, leans on his Roman citizenship and appeals to Caesar. This is a clever way of getting to Rome at the Romans’ expense - every citizen has the right to have his case heard by Casar himself, so Paul gets himself a free ticket to Rome.
Meanwhile Festus gets a state visit from King Agrippa, and tells him about his peculiar prisoner. Festus doesn’t get the argument at all, and just tells Agrippa that it’s about “ a dead man named Jesus who Paul claimed was alive.”
Paul takes the opportunity to give his testimony, explaining yest again how he saw the light on the road to Damascus, and does all he can to convert Agrippa. Agrippa feels the force of Paul’s arguments, because he says, “Do you think that in such a short time you can persuade me to be a Christian?” But he and Festus agree. There is nothing criminal about Paul. He may be a little mad, but that’s not a reason for execution. If the fool hadn’t appealed to Caesar, he could have been released. But as it is, might as well pack him off to the capital, let the authorities there deal with him.

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