Acts 25.13-26.32
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WELCOME TO FELLOWSHIP PRAYER REQUESTS PRAYER TEAM ELDERS Medical Team (April 18-25, 2020) n addition to the traditional ways you can give to help Support pastors, you can also text "Pastors" to 501-434-4449 and we will immediately send you the link to our giving page. Women at the Well Baptism Service Unhindered The Gospel to the Ends of the Earth Resources "PAUL AS DEFENDANT AND WITNESS" "THE LIMITS OF THE GOSPEL" "PAUL, PETER, JOHN, AND JAMES" (Acts 24-26) (Acts 25:23-26:32) (from Jesus and the Rise of Early Christianity) John Stott (Chuck Swindoll) (by Paul Barnett) After the Romans rescued Paul from the Jewish mob, he languished in prison in Caesarea Looking back over the three chapters (24-26) and the three trials which they record, it seems that Paul's powerful defense of Christian truth before the social and political leaders of Maritima for two years. On taking office in 60 the procurator Festus dispatched Paul to Rome for trial Luke intends to portray Paul in two guises, first and negatively as a defendant, then secondly and Caesarea prompts two observations concerning the good news and what it will not before the emperor since Paul was a Roman citizen. In c. 62 Festus died after only two years as positively as a witness. accomplish for humanity. governor of the province. In the interregnum, before the new procurator Albinus arrived, the high Paul as Defendant First, hearing about Christ doesn't automatically bring internal changes. Some hear the priest Annas acted against James. Josephus narrates what happened. Behind all three trials, as we have noted, there lies the double allegation of the Jews that Paul good news of Christ all their lives yet never respond in belief. They go from Sunday to Sunday Annas . followed the school of the Sadducees who are more heartless than any other of the had spoken or acted against Moses on the one hand and against Caesar on the other. But Paul Jews . when they sit in judgment. Possessed of such a character, Annas thought that he had a vigorously denied both charges (25:8). and Bible study to Bible study without making a decision concerning their eternal destiny. favorable opportunity because Festus was dead and Albinus was still on his way. And so he convened Before Felix Paul rejected the charge of sectarianism, and emphasized the continuity of his Each time, they close the Bible and say, "Well, we'll meet again." They apparently think that if the judges of the Sanhedrin and brought before them a man named James, the brother of Jesus who gospel with the Old Testament Scriptures. He served the God of their fathers with a good conscience. they spend enough time in church they will become Christian enough to deserve heaven. It is was called the Christ, and certain others. He accused them of having transgressed the law and delivered He believed everything written in the law and prophets, and taught no more than they taught. He true that spiritual awakening can be a journey. But for those who die on the way—that is, them up to be stoned (Josephus, Antiquities 20:197-200). cherished a firm hope in the fulfillment of God's promises about the Messiah. Not apostasy but before making a decision to trust Christ—hell awaits, not heaven. The grace of God presents Since only the governor had the authority (imperium) from the emperor to impose the death continuity summed up his attitude to Moses and the prophets. us with an opportunity for salvation from sin, and He requires nothing more than trust in His penalty, Annas's action must be regarded as illegal under the Roman settlement. That James, like Stephen, was stoned suggests an accusation of blasphemy against the laws of Moses. This was almost Before Festus Paul rejected the charge of sedition. He had not been responsible for any breaches Son; but without a response, the truth accomplishes nothing in the unbeliever. of the peace or of public order. So certain was he that he had done nothing against Caesar that he felt certainly a false charge. According to Josephus, "those who were strict in observance of the law," that it necessary to appeal to Caesar in order to clear himself (25:8, 11). Not anarchy but loyalty summed Second, responding to Christ doesn't instantly remove external chains. Despite what is, Pharisees, protested first to Agrippa the Younger and then to the incoming governor. Agrippa deposed the high priest for illegally convening the Sanhedrin. up his attitude to Caesar. many religious hucksters may tell you, becoming a child of God doesn't release the powers of Before Agrippa, no fresh charges were produced. Paul seems rather to have been responding to good fortune from heaven to exempt us from the evils of earth. Some would have you believe Annas must have had other motives to kill James, though we can only guess what they might have been. Was it due to jealousy? Since James presided over a large community, did the high priest the unspoken question why the Jews were so anxious to get rid of him (25:24; 26:21). It had to do with that it's God's will for His people to live lives that are healthy, wealthy, and free from troubles, his ministry to the Gentiles, to which however he was inescapably committed out of obedience to the somehow see him as a rival? Is it noteworthy that this Annas was son of the former high priest Annas, and if you do struggle with difficulties, it's because you don't have enough faith. A brief vision and voice of Jesus. the real power behind his son-in-law Caiaphas under whom Jesus was delivered to the Romans for review of Paul's life should be enough to dispel that bit of heresy. In Caesarea, he stood in crucifix- ion? Was it because James, unlike Jesus, made no messianic claims that could be interpreted Paul's three defenses were successful. Neither Felix, nor Festus, nor Agrippa found him guilty. chains, alone, and poor as dirt because he believed in Jesus as the Messiah and faithfully as treason that Annas felt he must strike before the Roman magistrate arrived? Did Annas the Younger Instead, each indicated that he was innocent of the charges made against him. Paul was not content somehow see James, brother of the so-called Christ, as a rival messianic dynast? Indeed, James was with this, however. He went further. He proclaimed in court his threefold loyalty - to Moses and the followed God's plan for his life. Difficult as it is to probably appointed as the leading "pillar" of the Jerusalem church after Peter's withdrawal from prophets, to Caesar, and above all to Jesus Christ who met him on the Damascus road. He was a understand, God's plan for His people might not Jerusalem during the persecutions of Agrippa the elder, precisely because he was brother of the faithful Jew, a faithful Roman and a faithful Christian. lead to our living in comfort and privilege, but to Christ. At James's death, another close relative of Jesus, his cousin Symean, was appointed leader of Paul as Witness endure difficulties just like His own Son and the the church in Jerusalem. Luke's purpose in describing the three apostlesWitnessing who followed Him. TheSummary evidence from Josephus suggests that James, the head of a substantial community in court scenesReview was not just apologetic, but Responding to Christ doesn't remove our Jerusalem, was highly regarded within the city. Dramatic events followed the stoning of James at the evangelistic. He wanted his readers to instigation of the high priest Annas. remember that Paul had been commissioned to chains of affliction in this life. Our health, wealth, Those of the inhabitants of the city who were considered the most be Christ's “servant and witness” (26:16). and freedom from troubles will come in the life to fair-minded and who were strict in their observance of the Law were During those two years of imprisonment, which come, when our lives in the fallen realm of evil and offended at this. They therefore secretly sent to king Agrippa urging had interrupted his missionary career, he must sin have ended. He has promised victory at the end him, for Ananus [Annas] had not been correct in his first step, to have felt very frustrated. But when of our strife. He has promised to carry us through order him to desist from any further such actions. Certain of them opportunities for witness were given him, he even went to meet Albinus who was on his way to Alexandria, to our difficulties in the here and now to give us a seized them with confidence and courage. The inform him that Ananus had no authority to convene the Sanhedrin main examples Luke gives are the private hope and a future beyond anything we can without his consent (Josephus, Antiquities 20:201). interview with Felix and the public confrontation imagine. That is the promise of the good news. Most likely the high priest and the Sanhedrin had James with Agrippa. In both cases Paul was fearless. stoned for the sin of blasphemy, as also occurred with Paul on Trial • Before the Sanhedrin (22:30-23:11) • Before Felix (24:1-27) • Before Festus (25:1-12) • Before Agrippa (25:13-26:32) Paul is a model witness and evangelist here. Darrell Bock This is his fullest testimony in Acts because it discusses his pre-Christian activity, his conversion, and his calling, which drives his mission.